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Alumni Alumni Fest, is an event where our esteemed seniors over the years compete FEST for the annual trophy against our beloved school teams. This year on the 3rd of January, the fest started off with breath-taking Zumba, followed by a series of matches. Furthermore, the games comprised of several sports such as basketball for the girls, football for the boys, mixed volleyball and tug of war. The team members proudly wore their jersey in the colour of the team they represented and fiercely competed in the games. To cool off the heat from the matches; an entertaining set of mini-games were organised and conducted by the committee members. Finally, the glorious trophy was conquered by our Alumni and they were presented with victory medals. Every year, we Diyafites look forward to the Alumni Fest as we get to catch up with our seniors and their successful university lives, while our alumni get a chance to reminisce school days. As always, through teamwork and coordination between our lovely teachers, support staff and the alumni fest committee members, it was a memorable event. 45
There is no better way to ignite the competitive ANNUAL spirit within an individual, than through the means ATHLETIC of athletics! Bringing together all the pupils MEET from Years 8 to 13, the school hosted its annual Athletic Meet on the 22nd of January, 2020. For the first time, the track was opened to all, as no prior 46 qualifying races were held. This provided every student with the opportunity to hop into the action and led everyone to witness healthy the rivalry between the athletes.
Starting with no registration fee in 2018, we roped in 50 people for our first MUN. With ceremonies in the AV room, it was more cute than anything. In 2019, with an eccentric Secretary-General, we made 103 people pay 150 dirhams in registration fees, and helped organize the biggest EC in ADHS history from start to finish. The key highlights were the horrifying interviews, stroke-inducing paperwork, and lungi-dancing secretariat. By 2020, we had got the lungi- dancing perfected, but not much else. Still, for a team of confused, hungry teens who couldn't pass as diplomats in a fantasy novel, the committees were fun, performances entertaining and the experience was worthwhile, even if Annas and Adil had to sell their souls to get the logistics to work. 47
This year the Emirates Festival of Literature took Diyafah had its 8th annual Blood donation campaign on place from 2nd Feb till 7th Feb. The students of the 12th of December 2019, organised by the the Sixth Form volunteered at the festival where students of Year 13, under the guidance of the they got to meet many influential speakers such as Community Engagement Department. Many hospitals Malala Yousafzai’s parents and other authors of around the world are unable to provide the best popular books. It was great fun and the students service to their patients due to the lack of blood got to meet many new people and make new friends. supply at hand. Blood donation campaigns are a great way to raise awareness of the importance of blood and giving, and the 8th annual Diyafah blood donation campaign achieved extraordinary results - 102 registrants, 51 donors and 22950 ml of blood collected in a single day! With a twinge of fear and worry, many year 13 students themselves donated blood, a first time experience after turning eighteen. This simple gesture may not be much to us but elsewhere in the world, it may have saved someone’s life. 48
A school without its parents, students and staff is nothing. To gather the four pillars of school, the students, parents, teachers and staff on one ground and make them play and compete in various sports, we organised the community games. From Football to cricket, chess to scrabble, we planned activities where students and their parents could compete with one another over two days. For each sport, different teams were made, where one went against the other. COMMUNITY GAMES Seeing all the participants playing in harmony and with great sportsmanship, it indeed was a sight of happiness and relief. This provided students to showcase their exemplary talents in sports, and some in mind-battling activities of chess and scrabble. As year 13, it was our chance to organize this auspicious event, and inevitably the success ultimately lay in the smiles and 49 applauses of one another.
STEM Logic, creativity, and innovation are vital Diyafites were given a big opportunity to BUSCINUEPSS elements in being successful in any field of participate in the Business Cup Challenge work. Two teams from Diyafah took part in a STEM competition that put these virtues to the test. 2019, hosted by Curtin University. The theme for the year was Artificial The first round was the prelim, where we Intelligence. were given 25 questions to solve in 30 minutes. The next round tested our creativity through a It was a competition that forced students building challenge. The last two rounds were to think outside the box and come up with primarily buzzer and rapid-fire shots, which innovative solutions to real-life problems ultimately crowned 3 top teams. faced by businesses around the world. This challenge equipped The ADHS students did a wonderful job us with tools such as of showing what our school is made of enhanced by having two teams bag 3rd place team communication, on- amongst all the teams that the-spot thinking, and participated. working under pressure. 50
d s \"Question everything.\" l This is what individuals who competed kept in rr mind during the annual Gulf Debates in the fall of a 2019. The competition was fierce, and what o l followed through was an exceptional fight from our Diyafites. Throughout the debate and the Wo p impromptu challenges, our students h u demonstrated their aptitude for debating and sc c argumentation. Overall, the Gulf Debates remain an essential, thrilling learning experience for all competing. Our first venture into the World Scholars’ Cup was in gulaf tes 2017 - mousy, inexperienced 15-year-olds (barely) eb walking into an auditorium of thousands of other scholars from all over the country. Still, we persevered, d and found ourselves in Hanoi, Vietnam, where we competed with scholars from all over the globe. While we may not have returned with an impressive number of accolades, the exciting memories, fascinating activities, and most importantly, the life-long friends we made, left us enthusiastic about returning back next year. From getting more excited about winning pineapples than trophies, to Keagan’s (failed) romances. From Shaurya convincing a scholar that he was an orphaned Indonesian Mormon, to Saurav’s Dance-India- Dance worthy moves in Barcelona. From joining WSC as nervous beginners, and then ranking 3rd at the Yale University Tournament of Champions two years later. Our journey through WSC was exhilarating, and 51 definitely one we will never forget.
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Postcard from an Alumni Q. How different would you describe university Q. Where did you envision yourself to be after life to be compared to school life? high school? A. Well unlike in school, in university everything A. I wanted to be an art director in the film becomes a choice right from going to class to industry! crafting your identity – for the first time in your life, you realise that you have the power to Bhavika Bhatia Q. Would you say you are at the career which you choose. But with that, you also understand a Batch of 2013 thought you would be in back in high school? bizarre new concept of accountability and taking A. Haha, far from it! I changed my majors twice full responsibility of every decision you make. Oh, in university, then went on to work three and attending morning classes will be one of the different jobs – first in luxury events, then as a hardest things you'll have to do. graphic designer, and now as a restaurant's creative head – and I've loved doing all of them! 5. What is a piece of advice you wish you had It's completely okay to change jobs and careers, after graduating high school? there's no mandate for you to stick to just one A. You're going out in the world to leave your for the rest of your life – how else would you comfort zone. So open the door, say hello, and grow and learn about yourself? befriend the newness of anything and everything.
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1. Gilson | 2. Vinaya | 5. Susan | 6. Usha | 8. Reema 3. Gopi | 4. Mitzi | 7. Lysandra | 9. Rekha | 10. AbyGU OEURS SSUPEEDWIRTHIHEORNOO?ES 59
GZTUMHFEEEOSMSRGBCEEENR Sleep, eat, cricket, repeat. Dreaming Obsessed with perfume oils and Being a leader both on the pitch and of playing for his nation, our smelling good, this Valkyrie can't off the pitch, this champ likes his choose whether she wants to tick off lionheart here never fails to inspire skydiving or trying all the desserts in steak cooked medium well. He wants us. the world, off her bucket list, first. to strive to save lives as he plans to pursue medicine. Answer key (left to right, top to bottom): Dilmith, Sakina Better get your autograph now Armed with an arsenal of jokes, our Envisioning himself working as a Able to harmonize to ANY song, our Sehrawala, , Keagan, Brandon D'Souza, Xahir, Samuditha, Vidya, because you will see this talented warrior here has a head full of hair Physicist at a top tier research Wonderwoman is a Harry Potter superstar here, playing professional that add an extra inch to his height! Sabrina, Saurav, Erica and Prakriti. institution, Einstein here is always fanatic and wants to fulfil her lifelong football in the MLS very soon! willing to help you with your Math dream of getting into Hogwarts. homework. He also enjoys watching aircraft investigation videos! SAVE THE TURTLES! With a vision of With hopes to work in a This individual has ancestors from Perhaps a psychic? She is able to working as a veterinarian, our winery/brewery, our Gordon Myanmar, Portugal and Indonesia. In perform wacky brain tricks. Yet Ramsey enjoys cooking and wants to the future, you will probably find her again, wanting to save lives, our beloved zoophilist always reminds us learn 3 musical instruments before he future doctor here never fails to put a that the animals around us deserve working on building AI war nothing but the best. dies. machines. 60smile on all our faces.
THings to do Before We die go on a trip to Paris with friends become a successful musician leave a positive impact on our Earth top Physics become the world's best cricket bowler make my parents happy dine at a Michelin star restaurant live in 5 places by 2030 get a degree go skydiving sleep under the Northern Lights become a surgeon win an international debate competition Become an author of a get lost on a mysterious island best-selling book swim in a pool of money 61 be stopped in the street for pictures visit every country in the world
Leave your mark! 62
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