TEMP E_MAGAZINE

123 Sacred Heart School E-MAGAZINE (2020-2021)

Sacred Heart School, Bahrain Wishes Our Beloved Leadership All the Love and Loyalty

FROM ` THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK….. “Education is incomplete without the formation of character” and “warmth and sunshine of love are required to bring out the best qualities of character in the students”, said Mother M. Aloysia A.C., a passionate educationist of the Apostolic Carmel. Following her footsteps, we, at Sacred Heart School provide excellent quality education stressing the 21st Century skills, including a strong component of cultural values, environmental awareness, religious tolerance and physical education to talented children who are our future scholars and leaders. Through this E-magazine, we strive to keep alive the children’s inborn sense of wonder and arouse in them a sense of curiosity to discover the mystery of the world we live in. It is also an opportunity for every child, to dive into oneself to see the innate talents and bring them out in various ways. Aristotle once said that, “A committed and supportive Management, dedicated teachers, caring and co-operative Parents blend harmoniously to create a Child-Centric School”. Sacred Heart School Community is an example of this. The Management and the Staff leave no stone unturned to offer multitudes of opportunities for the growth of our students. I congratulate the entire team of Staff and students for their hard work and dedication for making this magazine. The reflection of the students’ and teachers’ creativity is the essence of the magazine. I am sure that the positive attitude, hard work, sustained efforts and innovative ideas exhibited by our young children will surely stir the minds of the readers and take them to a world of delight. With God’s Blessings!! Sister Roselyn Thomas A.C. PRINCIPAL

Our Vice-Principal Speaks…. I am thrilled and it gives me immense pleasure to add a note of appreciation to SHS E- magazine. This is an attempt to make our budding talents to give shape to their creativity and learn the art of being aware of themselves and the world around, because I believe that our success depends upon our power to perceive, the power to observe, and the power to explore. “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel,” said the great ancient philosopher, Socrates. SHS paved a new platform during this Pandemic to kindle that flame in students to shine better. The enthusiastic write-ups of our young writers, the expression of their Mathematical skills in presenting the Math Quizzes, sharing their inquisitive thirst in Scientific information and findings, and demonstrating their aesthetic sense through Art, are indubitably sufficient to hold the interest and admiration of the readers. I am sure that the positive attitude, hard work, sustained efforts, and innovative ideas exhibited by our young students will surely stir the minds of the readers and take them to the surreal world of unalloyed joy and pleasure. I am sure that this E- magazine has successfully accomplished its objectives. The reflections of the students’ creativity and achievements are the epitome of this magazine. “If the mind is intensely eager, everything can be accomplished. Mountains can be crumbled into atoms”. These words of Swami Vivekananda best describe our enthusiastic and exuberant teachers. This E-magazine is before you, due to the combined efforts of the Editorial Board. They have realized this E-magazine in a short period of time as a result of the INTENSE EAGERNESS which rests in their minds. I appreciate the teachers who put in the effort to bring excellence in their treasured students. My gratitude to all contributors who made this E-magazine a reality! May the Almighty bless all the contributors for taking part in the Divine Mission of kindling the flame in the young minds and adding colours in their lives by helping them to bloom brightly. Best Wishes, Sister Jacintha Varghese A.C. VICE PRINCIPAL

Our Editor Reflects….. 2020, was a year of drastic change for Sacred Heart School for when the Lockdown was announced on 26 February, the school children started attending Online Classes. Classroom teaching was suspended. The school building and campus looked desolate as students and teachers started conducting all their activities from home. Although things appeared difficult at first, there was a silver lining to all this, for more and more students began showcasing their talents through active participation in Online Assemblies and Activities via Zoom. Immediately, an announcement was forwarded to all the students to unleash their creative side and design a cover page for the new E-magazine. Later, the Class Teachers motivated students to send in their articles. The response was remarkable! My sincere thanks to the organizers and teachers for their prompt action and support. I’d also like to appreciate the effort of the students in contributing a variety of articles that reflected diverse cultures that are present in our school. Without their imaginative contributions, this E-magazine would not have been a reality! My special thanks also goes to the various Committees for devoting their valuable time to select the relevant articles for the magazine. Last but not the least, I’d like to thank our Reverend Principal, Sister Roselyn for her constant encouragement and all our teachers for their invaluable assistance. Well done students! Keep up your creative spirit! May Sacred Heart School go from strength to strength as we place her under God’s loving care! Mrs. Selma Mendonca CHIEF EDITOR

HEART TO HEART WITH THE BISHOP Paul Hinder, O.F.M. Cap. is a Catholic Bishop. He is the current Vicar Apostolic in the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia. On 13 May, 2020, Bishop Paul Hinder was also appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Arabia. Sushmi: Who would you say is your role model? Bishop Paul Hinder: *Chuckles* My role model? Yeah, being a Franciscan, Saint Francis of Assisi is the one. And, as for a role model now, I could say Pope Francis, a man who has guided me and given me the... courage, let’s call it, to look in a different way at the challenging questions around me. Nathan: If not for your vocation, what career would you have pursued? Bishop Paul Hinder: That’s a good question. Of course, these are tough questions to answer because I don't know. I don’t think I can give a proper answer to this, but uh, if not this path, I would have loved to be an actor, or even a singer, really. Nathan: You wouldn’t believe it, but funnily enough that’s an answer a lot of priests I know have given me. Bishop Paul Hinder: Oh really? *laughs* that’s quite interesting. Sushmi: What would you consider is the greatest joy of being a priest? Bishop Paul Hinder: I have many great joys, but one of the greatest joys of being a Bishop is being able to live with Communities to form Faith, to celebrate Liturgies is something that is satisfying or challenging. And I kind of got there because I have realized that in different parts of the world, people love this. They are really enthusiastic about this. I have seen many parts of the world, and travelling in Europe, Africa and Asia has enriched me and given me the chance to know many different cultures, to know different religions and let me learn the different approaches to know different religions.

That is important especially nowadays, because I have noticed that many people have a tendency to narrow their horizon today, may be due to fear and insecurities in certain sense, but in reality, it’s an enrichment which, of course can get tedious eventually, at the same time, it can be very good. Sushmi: What was a difficult experience you had and how did you go through it? Bishop Paul Hinder: One of the most difficult times was in Yemen, when two of our Sisters were killed and one of the Fathers were kidnapped. There was a lot of tension I had to go through because I was held responsible for the disaster. There were people who said, I should have taken them out from the country. It was a very difficult moment. For 18 months, we didn’t know if Father was still alive or set free. Although I was convinced he was still alive, I had no guarantee. It was a very difficult moment in my life. Nathan: Is there anything you have done in your life that you wish you changed? Bishop Paul Hinder: *chuckles*There are many, many things I’d wish to change. Although, there is a saying, “You learn from your mistakes, looking back into my life, there are many mistakes I have made, and so, that means I have learnt many lessons.” Sushmi: What would your message be for the Youth of today? Bishop Paul Hinder: To have hope, because there are so many who criticize everything and I think that should be the motto in our life, Hope. Nathan: Well, that’s absolutely right. We will try to be better citizens of our world, and do our best to change the wrong things around us. We will work hard in our own little way and hope for the best results. But, we know that, even that will be difficult. So, Bishop, could you give us some guidelines as to what we need to do to make the world a better place? Bishop Paul Hinder: Many people are seeing what is going wrong and are wonderfully able to criticize. No one is able to accomplish the most important steps in our life. I think to live happily and peacefully; we must work in solidarity. For example, take care of our environment. We may not be able to stop Nuclear Power Stations right now of course, but with enough hard work, goodwill and perseverance, I believe you children can accomplish a lot. Nathan: Alright then, that concludes our interview. Sushmi: Once again, many thanks to you, Your Excellency, for joining us today. Nathan Crasta & Sushmi Andriana, Senior 4 – Christianity Department

OUR HEAD GIRL & HEAD BOY LOOKS BACK…… SEEK, SOAR, SUCCEED! They taught me to.... TRY, TRANSFORM & TRIUMPH!! “A well-educated mind will always have more If I were ever asked, “What was one of the questions than answers.” – Helen Keller best decisions that have been made in my Built on the fundamental values of love life?” “Joining this school” would be on top of the list. After 12 years of experience, I’ve and truth, Sacred Heart School has taught me learned that our school’s vision is to build a more than what comes from books. Taking me society of excellent leaders of tomorrow from through an astounding and adventurous 12- the youth of today. When I initially strolled year long journey, it has never failed in past the giant pitch-black gates of Sacred surprising me. Heart School, slight shivers of fear ran down Of course, they provide young and my spine for it was a whole new world! Yet, aspiring individuals with quality education, but those pupils who had loving, wide smiles what I love more is their ceaseless urge to spread across their faces enlightened my develop a child in discipline, diplomacy and heart as though a spark of sunshine dashed dignity. The staff and management live and right through. From all my years of learning, impart the virtues of teamwork and unity. The sometimes my life has been similar to a Roller- caring nature, supportive words and guidance Coaster, filled with ups and downs, twists and from the Carmelite nuns is something I will turns.

However, it was my choice whether I hold on certainly treasure. in sheer terror, or just raise my hands in the The school has, is and I believe will forever air and ENJOY THE RIDE, for it was a keep up to its high standards of discipline that tremendous journey that was guaranteed to they instill into youngsters of all races, succeed. I just needed to keep moving religions, gender and ethnicity. It has never forward! All those precious memories, some differentiated nor underestimated the dim, some elusive, and some clear as crystal, capabilities of a student that is open to the now bring a bitter sweet smile to my lips world’s action-packed Roller Coaster. because it has taught me that if you want everyone else to be passionate, dedicated, Behind the four walls that are open to any committed and motivated, you should go first. innovative mind that has the will to learn, lies As I ventured further and deeper, I have been a combination of fun and technology that nurtured in the arts of creativity and great shape a child’s mind and heart to the best education, which was shown by this limits. Advancing in technology and increasing prestigious institution. It was because of those their Extracurricular Activities, the school puts obstacles and times of difficulty that has led in all its best to see the future leaders of me to unlock a piece of myself which gave rise tomorrow flourish into successful adults. to some of the phenomenal and best years of I could never put in writing my my life. Therefore, if there is something more emotional attachment to a school so this prodigious school has taught me, is that if welcoming and independent that houses a you want to dream, if you want to believe, if family-like atmosphere so loving. However, I you want to achieve, you just have to SEEK… can assure you that this school has made me SOAR… and SUCCEED! into a person I once thought I would never All those daring adventures, also made me become. A moment in this school may be recall a poem which I have learnt in Junior 5 temporary, but the memories will last forever. that has taught me a valuable lesson till today... Keep pushing- It’s wiser Aaron D’Costa Sr. 4B Than sitting aside, And dreaming and sighing, And waiting the tide. In life’s earnest battle They only prevail Who daily march forward And never say fail! Senuri Hashinika Sr. 4A

Change Your Perspective, Change Your Life! ‘’If you don’t like something, change it; If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.’’ Life is like a game of chess. There is an infinite number of ways to play it. It’s possible to become a master and yet, have room to grow. At the core, the game is about problem-solving. To be great at chess one needs to see patterns, think ahead, use logic, be creative, fail, and learn. Never underestimate your opponent. This is what life feels like to me. There are numerous moves and glitches in life. Some are trivial while others seem tough. Most of the time I may not be in control of the issues that come my way, but I can sure, control my response. No! Don’t think I get it right all the time. Sure! I may have tackled some nasty problems in life and even came up with some good solutions. But, I always learnt more from my let-downs. I could look back and ask myself “Why didn’t that work?” “Did I think through every possibility?” or “Were my assumptions wrong?” Introspection is one of the best ways I’ve found to improve my problem- solving skills. Its never the situation that's at fault. It's the way we choose to interpret it. In life, nothing is \"wrong\" or \"right\" (rare circumstances aside). Too often, we think of \"success\" or \"doing what we love\" as a destination that we have to reach. The reason why so many people struggle with this is because it needs shouldering of responsibilities. Many a times, we often complain \"This place isn't giving me enough. It's not helping me grow.\" Feeling like crap, is crap, right? Letting negative thoughts consume your mind and feeling stressed on a persistent basis can be tough to handle. So, why don’t you practice focusing on the positive thoughts. The more you practice, the easier it will be for these thoughts to become second nature. Strive to think at least three positive views about yourself each day, as it can make you feel happier and more confident and thus help alleviate negative thoughts. No matter how you feel, feeling happier and more positive will definitely enhance your wellbeing and make you feel more satisfied with life. Life is beautiful. Lets learn to love it. Mrs. Joaquina Ema Zuzarte Class Teacher Junior 3

‫لغتنا العربية‬ ‫من طبيعة اللغات البشرية بحسب علوم اللسانيات أن اللغة كائن حي‪ ،‬يتطور وينتعش ويموت‬ ‫أي ًضا‪ ،‬وخلال دورة حياة اللغة تولد كلمات وتشيخ كلمات وتموت أخرى‪ ،‬كما تولد تعابير‬ ‫وجمل‬ ‫جديدة‪ ،‬وتحال إلى القواميس تعابير انتهى زمنها وانقضى عصر استخدامها‪.‬‬ ‫و للغتنا العربية خصوصية فريدة بين اللغات‪ ،‬صحيح أنها ليست اللغة الأوسع انتشارا بين اللغات الحية في‬ ‫عالمنا المعاصر‪ ،‬إذ تتصدر الإنجليزية قائمة اللغات الأكثر انتشا ًرا‪ ،‬وعدد الناطقين بها يبلغ ‪ 1.5‬مليار نسمة‪،‬‬ ‫تليها الصينية تبلغ ‪ 1.1‬مليار نسمة‪ ،‬ثم الهندية التي تبلغ ‪ 650‬مليون نسمة‪ ،‬ثم الإسبانية حيث يتحدث بها ‪450‬‬ ‫مليون نسمة‪ ،‬وبعدها الفرنسيةالتي يتحدث بها ‪ 370‬مليون نسمة‪،‬أما العربيةفيبلغ عدد الناطقين بها ‪ 300‬مليون‬ ‫نسمة‪.‬‬ ‫غير أن خصوصية اللغة العربية تتميز في قدرتها الفائقة على مواكبة التطورات‪ ،‬فهي أغنى اللغات بالمفردات‬ ‫والمترادفات؛ لها عذوبة في اللفظ ‪ ،‬ونغم في النطق‪ ،‬وجمال في الحديث؛ لذا يقول الشافعي‪\" :‬العربية أوس ُع‬ ‫الأل ِسنة مذهبًا‪ ،‬وأكث ُرها ألفا ًظا\"‪ .‬كما أن للعربية خصائص تنفرد بها دون غيرها؛ فهي أغنى اللغات التي تولد‬ ‫التراكيب المختلفة للكلمات من الأفعال نفسها بثراء منقطع النظير وقوة بالغة‪.‬‬ ‫وقد اجتاحت حديثًا جائحة كورونا العالم ‪ ،‬لتضيف إلى معجم العربية كلمات جديدة‪ ،‬ومصطلحات مستحدثة‬ ‫وتراكيب مستجدة‪ ،‬إذ قبل الكورونا لغويًّا ليس كما بعدها‪ ،‬وأزعم أن كورونا كما انعشت معجمها الخاص المرتبط‬ ‫بالسلوك اليومي حتى بتنا نتذوق كلمات مثل ‪ :‬جائحة‪ ،‬كمامة‪ ،‬حجر‪ ،‬واحترازات ‪ ،...‬كذلك استحدثت جائحة‬ ‫كورونا كلمات وتعابير وتراكيب جديدة مثل‪ :‬التباعد الاجتماعي‪ ،‬تفشي المرض‪ ،‬وباء عالمي‪ ،..‬وأزعم أن كورونا‬ ‫التي غيرت سلوك العالم بأجمعه أثرت لغتنا بنشاط لغوي مستجد يتطلب جهو ًدا من المختصين لحصره‪.‬‬ ‫ا‪ .‬نوال حسن‬

  The SecreT SanTa One Christmas morning as Eva sat on her chair, staring across the window pane looking at the birds that pecked up every last bit of bread crumbs from the ground, she said to herself, “Another boring Christmas Eve.” Suddenly out of nowhere came Hillary. Hillary was 10 years old, just two years older than her. She was Eva’s neighbour. ‘’What‘s for Christmas?’’ asked Hillary. Eva gave her a blank look which convinced her that Eva was totally idle. ‘’What about a sleepover?’’ asked Hillary. Eva wasn’t so interested in having a slumber party, but boredom persuaded her to give a positive answer and so she accepted the invitation. Hillary asked Eva to keep everything ready and reach at 8 o’clock and so she did. She reached the place at sharp at 8:02. They started with some crunchy cookies and concluded with a hot, chocolate milkshake. With the hot, sweet milkshake running down their throats, they made their steps to Hillary’s bedroom. As they reached the place Hillary climbed on her bed and announced, ‘’Story time!’’ Hillary’s stories were the best. They were so good that even Shakespeare’s plays weren’t a match for Hillary’s magnificent and amazing stories. Since it was Christmas, she decided to have something related to Christmas. She ended up choosing Santa Claus as the theme of the story. This time she didn’t have a story, instead, she gave a speech on how Santa Claus comes through the chimney to provide the good children with gifts and presents. It was not a story fit enough to convince 8 year old Eva. Hillary’s stories and sentences, no matter how untrue, could activate the adrenaline to produce highly reactive chemicals which could make others think that whatever she said was true. The fact that St. Nicholas was a real person who had lived and died just like any other human being kept her puzzled throughout the speech. She concluded by saying, ‘’I am going to receive a gift from Santa very soon.” According to Eva, everything that she said was quite convincing except the last line when Hillary said that she was going to receive one too. The clock struck twelve and everything was ready for them to go to bed. Hillary had an extra bed which was as soft as a chocolate fudge cake. It was so soft that you would feel as if you were going to sink deep down into it. However, no matter how comfortable it was, they never felt sleepy.

So both of them sat upright staring at each other. Suddenly, Hillary’s face lit up as if something had struck her mind. She asked Eva to get some things from Colvin’s (Hillary’s younger sister) bedroom. Colvin’s bedroom was just across the kitchen passage. Eva made her steps towards the bedroom as silently as a mouse. As she passed the kitchen passage, she heard some unfamiliar voice. First, she thought it might be Hillary’s pet rabbit, but as the voice grew louder, strange suspicions began to pass through her jaded mind. She decided to take a closer look. The sight that she saw made a lightning of excitement flash through her. Thud! Something had fallen down. ‘’Hillary! Hillary!’’ Eva shouted, ‘’Santa has come to give you your gift!’’ Eva shouted so loudly that everyone in the whole house woke up. Including Colvin, they all ran to her aid. Hillary’s father switched on the light. No one in the whole family could believe what they saw. Eva examined the Santa that had fallen down from the chimney, he didn’t look similar to the Santa she had seen in the pictures. Hillary’s father exited through the kitchen door and after 2 minutes came back, till then, we were all as steady as a rock staring at the Santa who had fallen down from the chimney. Even Santa himself made no slight movements. ‘’I have called the police.’’ said Hillary’s father. That’s when Eva realized that it wasn’t Santa but a thief trying to break into their house. Eva had always admired Hillary’s stories, but now she admired them even more, as Hillary was right in saying that Santa comes through the chimney. She was also right in saying that Santa will award Hillary. That was quite true, Santa had awarded her by giving her the funniest, overwhelming Christmas story by breaking into her house. It was all thanks to Eva, their Secret Santa, who saved their house from being broken into. Catherine Moncy Sr.2C

THE IMPORTANCE OF ENGLISH In the wide and quiet classroom, the English teacher stood in front of the whiteboard busy teaching. Her students were listening to her attentively. Everyone looked interested, except for one. The student was sitting at the back. He had dark hair and eyes. He was wearing the school uniform and sport shoes. He looked very drowsy. “Miss, your class is boring.” He said. “Can we learn something else?” His classmates glanced at him angrily, “Julius!” said the girl next to him. “Stop complaining. Just listen to teacher or be quiet.” Once the class was quiet again, the teacher said, “It’s alright students, I’m not offended.” “But teacher!” the children said. The teacher didn’t say anything else. She smiled at them and just continued her lesson. When Julius opened the front door of his house, his mother was there, waiting for him. “Welcome home, Julius!” she said to him with a smile. His mother was the most important person in his life. She wore a white top and a light pink skirt. Her dark brown hair was tied into a high ponytail. She had the same eye colour as her hair. She has a beautiful smile. “Good afternoon, Mother.” He greeted her with a smile. His mother took him to the living room and gave him a treat. “How was school, Julius?” She asked. “What did you learn today? Did you learn something new?” Julius looked at his mother. “I did.” He said. “I learnt a lot today, except in English…” “And why is that?” she asked. “We just learnt the same thing as last year, mother…” Julius said. “It was really boring.”

His mother let out a sigh. “I understand.” His mother said. “English is important, that’s why. You will use it everywhere. Whether you like it or not. Let me tell you something.” Julius looked at his mother again. “What is it?” His mom smiled. “English is the language of international communication. It is not the most spoken language in the world, but it is the official language in some countries. Without English there wouldn’t be books, or your favourite television shows, because if there wasn’t English, everything in the television show would sound weird, right? Imagine if the dialogues in movies and books were framed in the wrong way, you would get the wrong idea about what they were saying, right?” she said. “Why don’t you show your teacher some respect? You know, some children don’t have access to school, consider yourself and everyone who goes to school lucky.” Tears started rolling down Julius’ cheeks. “Why are you crying, Julius?” his mother asked. “I feel bad for teacher…” he said. “I want to be a teacher when I grow up! I want to teach the children who can’t go to school!” The next day when the English teacher entered the classroom, everyone was excited, especially, Julius. Jelianne Esguerra Sr. 1B

REFLECTIONS Summer Chronicles 2020 While everyone kept busy, adapting to new lives, Summer came breezing by, not taking notice of anyone’s choice, Soon Online Classes came to an end, And there were no more Zoom IDs to lend to friends. Holidays started but then it felt like, We had already been holidaying awhile - just without the homework spike, So, we spent our days lazing around and being fed, Not realizing the oodles of opportunities this summer sends. Though summer camps are cancelled and temperatures soar, Think of all the wonderful things we can explore at home, With all this time on our hands imagine what we could do, Paint pictures or colour in hues of red, green and blue, Read fascinating books: science, fiction and novels, Make use of our backyards and find long lost caches with shovels, Bake some muffins, cookies and cakes, And not care about all the time that it takes! Build better relationships with our family and friends, And get to know what each other is really like on the opposite end! Discover new passions, hobbies and more, Who knows what you might be good at and what it could be used for? Take better care of yourself by exercising when you have the time, Because this blank cheque of time will probably never come again in your life! Set goals and schedules and stick to them, It’s the only way to stay productive till the end.

Write down your daily goings-on in a journal or diary, So that later on in life you can remember how it was - actually, 2020 is not the worst year ever, In fact, it poses the chance to make yourself even better, For who knows what the future may hold, And how useful the skills might be that you’ve honed, Although no one expects us to do much this year, Let’s improve ourselves even further as normal life is quite near, Take advantage of what this summer offers, And create for us memories that will linger much longer. Routine? Definitely! Wake up. Log in. 10minute break. Class. Yet another 10minute break. Lunch. Homework. Dinner. Sleep. Repeat. Doesn’t this seem just like a typical Online School day? Everything seems to be crushed into those 24 hours and there’s always not enough time to finish everything; whether it be homework or test preparation. You may accept it as an impossible task; For no one can humanly go to sleep content, that all is finished for the day. But, in truth, there is a loophole to get through with our work, that all successful individuals make the most use of. Mike Murdock famously declared, “The secret of your future success is hidden in your daily routine.” Routine, yes that’s what I was hinting at. It may seem like an overrated concept, but let’s dive deep into its real essence. A routine is like a habit or sequence of actions that is planned and executed in a practical way. Daily routines can be as simple as jotting down what it is that you want to accomplish and leaving a time slot for that particular activity. But routines don’t just help you be up-to-

date with your schoolwork. They can be really fun too, not necessarily boring. Routines lead to better stress levels which mean that not only will you be able to complete your tasks; you will also acquire more time to relax and spend time with your family, which is a great booster for your mental health. They can also help with better sleep at night. Knowing that all your jobs are done improves the quality of your sleep, leaving you refreshed and sharp the next morning. However, many of us are plagued with the dilemma of how do I go about a routine? Well, the only things you need to get started are a pen, a piece of paper and an eager mind. Start by listing out what you would like to do that day. Then, dedicate brackets of time to each item and make sure you leave enough spare time as the task may be longer than you expected. Make it a point to put the most important and urgent things first, so you can eliminate anything after that if it’s not possible to do it that day. Don’t feel disappointed if you have to leave something out of your schedule, as long as the important things are done, you can afford to drop a few others. Remember, even if you spend a whole lot of time on making a routine, nothing’s going to happen if you don’t start it. Crafting a routine and sticking to it is hard, so don’t be inclined to give up whenever you haven’t kept it exactly. As Mikhail Baryshnikov put it rightly, “Perfection is a theory. You cannot be a perfect human being. But go through your daily routine with hope and you will be better in all respects, and do something meaningful with your time.” Rheanna M. Kantipudi Sr.2c

Look who’s here! I Wish I Could Fly I feel a chill but it’s sunny still, I wish I had wings to fly, And I wonder what’s changing, And if I did, I would fly straight As the time goes by, I do realize to the sky. The warmer days are o’er! I had always wished to fly and touch the clouds that probably feels like Then as I see, the bright coloured leaves, cotton candy. Slowly starting to wither, When the night comes, I would try I smile to myself, so do the elves, hard to touch the stars, The birds, oh, so nonchalant! which I definitely can’t, but I would do my best. As winter sets, I start to regret, And finally, As I miss the sun already, If God ever gave a word that But I do not care, as my thoughts he would fulfil one of my wishes, I share It would be to have wonderful wings Christmas is just round the corner! and to fly across the beautiful world. Nishka Acharya Lorita Amirtharaj Sr. 1C Sr. 2C

PERSEVERANCE Nicole Diasz Sr. 2A “Great works are done not by strength but by perseverance”- Samuel Johnson. Perseverance is a great thing especially for us students, but do we know how to persevere in life? Life my dear friends is like a movie, a movie has two main characters, a hero and a villain. We can compare these two characters to our daily lives too. The hero is the perseverance inside us to stand straight and tall during any circumstances, but why do we fail? We fail due to this villain, failure. Failure has two main aspects ‘to push a rising person down’ and ‘to make the life of that human being miserable.’ The wise person will never let himself down at any point and will know how to handle failures. Here’s an example: I have seen many of my own classmates who after finishing the exam approaches someone else and says, “Oh I wish I should’ve worked harder.” Why does this happen? This happens because of our laziness, irresponsibility; we do not like to take the challenges seriously, now this is a trick of the villain. The villain always tries to hit the weak points of our lives, but always remember “Failure is the stepping stone towards success.” When we overcome these fears, we become real heroes. You don’t really have to save someone to become a hero; you can become one just by saving yourself from the trap of failure. “Its how you deal with failure that determines your success.” Life will feed you with ups and downs; you should know how to deal with your downs. People who work hard and find solutions to their problems succeed in life. All of us need to have a growth mindset and always be positive. “Push yourself because no one else is going to do that for you.” If you “Believe you can, you’re halfway towards your goal.” Seize the opportunity as it comes as “Opportunity doesn’t always knock twice.”

To Baking adventures, Sleepovers & Learning new skills We have all endured and continued to experience this pandemic. As much as we complain about This pandemic season led to some marvellous sleepovers with my best this pandemic, I friends. It helped me learn about new games and allowed me to spend quality want to try to stay time with them. There were also many sessions of late night gossiping and tellings positive and of ‘ghost stories’. continue to look back at the great times this has brought about it. Being stuck at home has been challenging, but my mom introduced me to the world of baking. My first attempt was baking chocolate chip cookies. During the process, the challenging part was kneading the dough. The easiest part Reham Sada was munching on the cookies with my best Sr. 2C friend!

One of the best things during this time has also been my video calls with my favourite Aunt – Ms Natasha Pinto. When my aunt visited us in 2019, she taught me the ‘Single hand’ sign language, something that was entirely new to me. At the very beginning of the lockdown, she also sent me a video recording of herself, illustrating the different letters of the English Language. I revised using this video and later sent her a video recording of myself communicating all the letters of the English Language. She was content and proud of me. I also made a promise to myself that I will continue to learn sign language and visit a school for differently-abled special children.I will conclude by saying that this pandemic has allowed us to try out new things and spend some time with our family. Senuri Hashnika Sr. 4A

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IDIDIOIOMMaaTTIcIcPPhhrraaSSeeSS FIND THE IDIOMATIC PHRASES FROM THE BLOCK FOR THE GIVEN COMMON PHRASES. SagaiRonald Stephen Sr.2C A hard nut to crack 1) A very easy matter Once in a blue moon 2) A feeling of extreme joy A close shave 3) A narrow escape A pinch of salt 4) Not a serious information Birds of the same feather 5) People with similar character Tooth and nail 6) A difficult person to deal with A cake walk 7) To give away a secret Seventh heaven 8) With all power and resources To spill the beans 9) Something old fashioned Out of date 10) Very rarely Mother Mother , she is like rain . Sometimes calm and comforting like the soothing sound of rain hitting tree branches. Sometimes petrifying like furious thunderstorms , my heart it detaches. But always beautiful ….. Like the sun after the storm , she is blissful. Oh ! Haven't you noticed how similar the sound of her silver anklets is like the rhythm of raindrops falling ? how graceful … Mother , she is like rain . Gabriela Fernandez Washes away yesterday’s pain. Sr. 4 C Rain, rain please never go away .

CHANGE THE WORLD - 2020 Now at the end of 2020, Afaf Zaheer We had a mighty lot to ponder and worry about, Sr. 2A Deaths, the pandemic, lockdowns, protests, plane crashes, the bushfires Made it hard to live in peace without stress. The number of frustrations increased, The number of recreations decreased, In some parts of the world people are dying because of the pandemic, In some other parts of the world people are struggling due to inflation, But just a few individuals resisting won’t make a difference, We have to be very careful by following all the precautions. We have to save the children who are in Syria, Yemen and Iraq, from the fear of starvation and death, When a few drops of water can make a mighty ocean, We humans, too, can make these children safe from devastation! Why cause each other sorrow and fear? We all know it’s really sad, That people who have lost their loved ones suffer so bad, We must throw out cruelty, selfishness and jealousy, and bring in kindness, love and courtesy.



Crowns of Corona Injected Corona fear in ease: Instantly medicos fought fearless. Miserably lost friends to Ne’erland: Media social brought closer indeed. Schools and mosques shut us down: Learning and praying started at dawn. Internet installed daily breath: Enter not into social death. Seriously fought all we thought: Sincerely sought God brought. Pessimists perceive piercing thorns: Optimists opt absolute crowns. Niharika G.Farnando Sr.4 B

Crossword of Riddles 1 45 3 2 123 4 56 6 DOWN ACROSS 1. Which word becomes shorter when you 1. What has one eye, but can’t see? add two letters to it? 2. What is so fragile that saying its name 2. What gets bigger when more is taken breaks it? away? 3. I’m tall when I’m young, and I’m short when I’m old. What am I? 3. I have branches, but no fruit, trunk or 4. The more of this there is, the less you see. leaves. What am I? What is it? 5. What can’t talk but will reply when spoken to? 4. What tastes better than it smells? 6. I have lakes with no water, mountains with no stone and cities with no buildings. What am I? 5. What can travel all around the world, without leaving its corner? 6. What gets wet when drying? Aaron D’Costa Sr. 4B

LOCKDOWN : A BOON OR A BANE Lockdown! It's that eight letter word none of us really knew before February, yet in the past few months it has transformed into the most despised word. Why, you ask? Well, it bars us from everything. Weekends are no more of meeting up with your friends and watching a football match. No more going to the cinemas and gobbling down popcorn while your eyes are glued to the projector screen. Festivals that used to be known for gathering up and enjoying the environment are now just reduced down to you, that tempting box of sweets and the TV. How boring! Let us begin with why I think it is a bane. Children are fed up with online school, and just wish they could go back to campus. If you had asked any of us a few months back if home schooling was a good idea, we would be over the moon. Now, not so much, in fact not at all. I'm pretty sure even my teachers miss being in front of the whiteboard and teaching us, even if it wouldn't have given them the option to mute us if we were noisy. You no longer get to go out for a stroll without being fearful and cautious and using gallons and gallons of hand sanitizer until your skin has peeled away. So many people have been forcefully separated from their families, and so many suffer theexcruciatingly painful impacts of the virus and the economic crisis. All these descriptions seem so familiarly melancholy,but enough of this negativity. The curtain of pessimism blocks our eyes from seeing the nectar of this flower. Yes, we don't go out anymore. Yes, we don't physically meet up with friends and family anymore. But in the midst of all this, don’t you think there are advantages? This lockdown has taught us to live life in a simple manner. Eating more nutritious home cooked meals and less oily fast food has made us healthier. Since there is only so much T.V you can watch, our boredom has helped us tofind that passion and talent in us we never knew we had. This Lockdown has forced us to read a book, paint, do a puzzle and ultimately discover that there was so much more in us, than we previously thought. It has given us, the most-needed opportunity to have the time to clear all the bewildering amount of clutter we have been collecting. It has helped us to unwind, relax and realize what life is really about! The Lockdown has given us space to ponder over relevant things we previously thought were inconsequential. And coming to the thing most important; family and friends. With advancement in today’s technologies, we can still meet, talk, laugh and enjoy with them. It has been so long since a family went out together or just sat down to talk and spend some quality time, and the

Lockdown has helped with just that, while also making us pretty skilled at chores, thanks to Moms. It has also given us an excuse to catch up with old friends and schoolmates we stopped talking to. The Lockdown has helped us greatly in realizing and limiting our unnecessary spending. We now realise that our clothes do in fact last longer than we previously thought they did, and that there really are very few important expenses. It has taught us that the truly valuable thing is our safety, happiness and company of loved ones. So yes, Lockdown is something that no one likes. Yet, I believe it is the biggest boon mankind has been bestowed with, and with the beliefs I shared with you, I hope you do too. It does keep us away from so many things that we loved and previously freely enjoyed. Nevertheless, this is a small sacrifice to make. In the words of Napoleon Hill “Great achievements are usually born of great sacrifice, and are never the result of selfishness.” Falak Shaikh Sr. 3B

THE GIFT Senuri Hashnika Sr. 4A ‘Where’s everybody?’ Ella questioned in her mind. Creak! went the wooden floor as her foot stepped hard upon it. As she wandered through the dark, gloomy hallway, she felt something suspicious was going on. 3... 2... 1… ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY!’ Ella’s beady, dark blue eyes widened as the lights turned on and she glanced around to see her family with a single gift laid on a small, brown table. The gift was handed to her. Thrilled, with trillions of thoughts rushing inside her mind, the shining wrapping paper got ripped off within the blink of an eye, to see an old notebook. ‘What!’ Ella yelled. ‘All I wanted was a gift that I actually use like a phone or a video game.’ Her parents explained they couldn’t afford to buy such costly items. Ella’s eyebrows lowered, a strange, glaring look in her eyes, and her dry pink lips narrowed. With a high-pitched voice, she screamed in an ear-splitting way. She stomped out of the house in anger and dashed without turning back. Ella continued running across the street. She didn’t want to return home to her family. As she peered around, trying intensely to draw breath, at a distance she spotted a girl sitting on the steps of a gorgeous villa. She quickly considered and strolled towards the strange girl. As Ella took a closer glance at that girl, she noticed that a steady stream of tears coursed down her cheek until it splashed gently on the ground. ‘I miss them!’, the girl whose name was Claire moaned as though her heart had been shattered to pieces. As Ella listened to every word been spoken, found out that her mother and sister had passed away. ‘It happened on my very birthday’ Claire continued. ‘You must have got loads of presents.’ Ella interrupted. ‘Well, I was given an entire video game from my father,’ she sighed, ‘but it doesn’t matter. I would trade all my gifts if that is what it takes to get my lost ones back,’ Claire added. She stood up and went inside the villa. Ella’s mind froze, she was speechless. Without hesitating, she sprinted towards her home. Just then, the wind began to blow fiercely against her. The high winds almost caused a tree to fall. ‘Ella, come inside, now!’ her mother yelled as she heard her daughter’s horrifying screams. Ella felt dizzy and fell straight to the ground. As Ella’s eyes opened, everything was blurred, yet, as she got her vision back, she found herself on her bedroom with her family beside. She jumped off the bed and rushed to hug her family. ‘I’m so sorry, for everything’ she whimpered. Ella grabbed the book and as she read the very first page, it made her realize that it was written by her family themselves. ‘We decided to write about all our tremendous experiences that we shared together.’ her father stated happily. Ella’s heart enlightened as though a spark of sunshine dashed right through. She then realized, the gift of family is easily the most precious thing than anything money can buy. Later on the day, Claire was invited to spend time with her new friend.

Crossword of Riddles NE EDLE Answers : AC C R HO L E S S BA NK O HI NN OL DE RE LS T O NG UE S T A MP CA TOWEL P Aaron D’Costa Sr. 4B anSWerS Of aDJecTIVe WOrDSearch Skyla Dasilva Sr 1C

Angelina Sr.3B

Life is a math equation. In order to gain the most, you have to know how to convert negatives into positives.

Brain Teasers KEY 1. 7980 2. 3. None. Because the boat rises with Sagai Ronald Stephen the tide. Sr2 C 4. Only 6 weights of 1, 3,9, 27,81 and 243 kg

THE POTATO PARADOX The potato paradox is a mathematical question that has surprised many people with its confusing yet reasonable answer. Try to solve it by yourself before reading the explanation. A chef has some potatoes that she is going to cook for her dish. The potatoes weigh 100kg which has 99% of water. She left it out into the sun so they will dehydrate until they are 98% of water. How much do they weigh now? Many of you might get the answer as 99 or 98. But the answer is surprisingly 50. So let’s see how we got it! MATHEMATICS IS BEAUTIFUL! The well-known potato paradox has many solutions but I just showed one of them. Mathematics is all about this. It is where one problem has so many solutions to get in the same answer. People tend to hate mathematics because they think it is hard. But no one realizes the beauty of it, the beauty of it being challenging and extraordinary! So let’s understand maths more and spread the passion of it for those who are struggling with it.

Working – 99% of 100kg is water in here let’s first find how many kilograms is water 99/100 x 100 = 99kg is water So how much solid is left – 100-99= 1kg of solid left Then it said they dehydrated and now there is 98% of water. So one thing to keep in mind is to know that the 1 kg of solid won’t change at all. The only thing that will change is the water. So what is the percentage of the solid? Well it is 2% 100%-98%=2% of solid So now we know that 2% is solid and the answer of the solid in kilograms will give us 1 kg (remember it doesn’t change at all!) Let’s call the total weight ‘X’ 2% x X = 1 kg When you solve X you will get the answer as 50 kg Ushara Fernando Sr 3C

What is Zero? The first recorded zero appeared in Mesopotamia around 3 B.C. The Mayans invented it independently circa 4 A.D. It was later devised in India in the mid-fifth century, spread to Cambodia near the end of the seventh century, and into China and the Islamic countries at the end of the eighth century. Zero is a strange number and one of the greatest paradoxes of human thought. It means both everything and nothing. It is both a number and the numerical digit used to represent that numbers in numerals. It fulfills a central role in mathematics as the additive identity of the integers, real numbers and many other algebraic structures. Without zero, not just mathematics, but all branches of sciences would have struggled for clearer definitions. As a digit, 0 is used as a placeholder in place value systems. The value of Zero is well known today as it holds the highest values today. Without the invention of 0, the binary system and computer are not possible. It is a greatest invention by Indian scientists on which every calculation depends. Zero is a tiny number but it can never be ignored. Austin Joseph. Sr.1A

Ceana Madonna Sr. 3C

Ancelin Sr 4



Interesting facts Ronald Rodrigues – Jr 2B 9 is known as the magic Ronald Rodrigues number. This is because if Jr 2B you multiply a number by 9 and add all the digits of the new number together, the sum will always add up to 9. For Example: 8 x 9 = 72 What comes after million, Dinulika Ranidi billion, and trillion? You can Jr. 2D term the numbers after these terms as quadrillion, quintillion, sextillion, septillion, octillion, nonillion, and decillion. Have you heard about a Palindrome Number? It is a number that reads the same backwards and Forward e.g. 12421 Melani Sandra Jr. 5D

Circle the 8s FUN GAME WITH CLOCK Circle any numbers next to each Vasudev Krishnan other that have a sum of 8 Jr.2B 65 8 7 5 2 4 2 EMOJI’S OUT OF 20 3 5 1 6 7 1 NUMBERS AND SYMBOLS 40 6 4 4 0 6 4 21 5 6 8 7 5 8 80 7 4 5 3 6 7 47 2 0 6 0 1 3 04 6 3 2 3 4 4 85 3 7 4 1 3 2 18 7 6 1 8 6 4 Shreya Bijesh Jr.1C Maria Dominic Jr. 2A Danika Merion Jr. 6D

Story Time Ashlin Rose Jr 6A

ADDITION CROSSWORD PUZZLE Gnei Yushra Jr. 4A THE WONDERFUL WINDOW TRICK Ask your friend to write down any number of three figuresin which the difference between the first and the last number is two or more than two. Imagine he/she has written 317. Tell him/her to write the number in reverse order. So the reverse order of 317 will be 713. Deduct the smaller number from the bigger number (713-317=396). Now reverse the order (396= 693). Add 396 and 693 the answer will be 1089. Now tell the friend “I KNOW THE ANSWER“.”You will see the answer on the glass”.When he/she breathes on the glass he/she will indeed see the number 1089 on the window. The secret is very simple. The answer will always be 1089. Before you do the, trick put some detergent in a glass of water, then dip your finger in the mixture and write 1089 on the window pane. Nobody can see the writing when it is dry but when somebody breathes on the glass, the place where your finger touched the glass will not mist over. Aengela Sibi Jr. 6B

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Chelsea Ryde Jr. 5A Treasa Dominic Jr. 6C PERPLEXING PERCENTAGE

Value of Friends Once upon a time, Zero was playing in the park on a swing. He had no friends to play with. He thought he had no value at all and this made him sad. After a while One and Two came to the park. One thought he had more value than Two and Two thought the same, but Two were twins (That means 22). One and Two were playing on the slide. After a few hours One saw Zero sitting alone on the swing. So, One felt sad. Slowly One went near Zero and asked him what had happened? Zero said sadly, “I have no value”. One sat on the left side of Zero and said, “Let’s be friends, then we get a big value that is ten.” The twins were very eager to know what was happening, they came near One and asked him why he was sitting next to Zero. One said, “Zero, thinks he has no value that’s why I became friends with him and made a big value, now we are ten.” So the twins asked One, “Can we join you to make a bigger value.” One agreed. He told one of the twins to sit on his left side, the other one to sit to the right side of Zero. Now the value became 2102. Then all the numbers remained friends forever. Moral of the story: Everything in this world is important. Kaitlyn T Soby Jr. 5C From 0 to 111111111 “Forty” is Zero is not 1000, the only x the only represented number that number that has the letter 111111111 is spelt with in Roman = letters “a” in it is arranged in numerals. “one 123456789 alphabetical thousand”. 87654321 order.

RidBBRAraINinTdElAeSJEoRkSes Why can’t a nose be 12 inches long? Because then it would be a foot! Which triangle is the coldest? An Ice-sosceles Triangle What did the What is a math mean triangle say teacher’s to the circle? favourite tree? You’re pointless! Geome-Tree! What is a bird’s What are ten favourite kind of things you can math? always count on? Owl-Gebra! Your fingers! Ruwanthi Dananjana Perera Jr. 6C

ADDITION CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS 1. TRIANGLE 2. INCREASE 3. GRAMS 4. DECIMAL 5. DECAGON 6. INCHES 7. SUM 8. SCALE 9. CONE 10. FACE 11. SEVEN CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS Mariabella Fontelo Kezia Grace Jr. 1D Jr. 6C

Helen Almuktash Sr. 2A