Esprit De Corps

January 2013 Volume 7 Issue 1

Students’ Newsletter

OOOOne School.

One Voice.

Providing excellence in edu-cation, striving for continu-ous school improvement and targeting optimal student achievement are the core objectives driving all con-temporary ideas on educa-tion today. Strong leader-ship and sound governance have been established as key factors in leading school development. On behalf of the school, I have had the privilege to attend the module on lead-ership at the Cambridge Teachers’ Conference 2012, hosted in July last year at the Cambridge University, UK. In addition to being a part of a great learning ex-perience, I also feel proud of the fact that our own ideas on distributive leadership and shared responsibility have been re-enforced at a professional forum. With this profound thought I welcome you to this edi-tion of the Esprit de Corps, the work of our young jour-nalistic leaders, and to a vivid account of the activi-ties that have defined our students’ learning experi-ences this term. In addition to the internal Youth Leadership Pro-gramme that has been or-ganised for students in both

the sections under the aegis of a local division of Toast-masters’ International, pre-paring students for leader-ship roles has now acquired a global dimension. Youth leaders from Al Waha are now taking on the world as Global Scholars leaving their mark as alumni at prestigious, international youth conferences. We feel proud to inform you that for the third year running, we have been able to nominate some of our outstanding students for three confer-ences this year – the Presi-Presi-Presi-Presi-dential Inauguration Con-dential Inauguration Con-dential Inauguration Con-dential Inauguration Con-ferenceferenceferenceference 2013 2013 2013 2013 (held once in four years in Washington, D.C, includes attendance at the swearing in ceremony of the US President), the 2013 2013 2013 2013 Global Young Leaders Con-Global Young Leaders Con-Global Young Leaders Con-Global Young Leaders Con-ferenceferenceferenceference and the well-known college immersion program, the LeadAmerica Confer-LeadAmerica Confer-LeadAmerica Confer-LeadAmerica Confer-ence 2013.ence 2013.ence 2013.ence 2013. In keeping with our firm belief that striving for excel-lence in all that we do is a shared goal that both home and school bear responsibil-ity for, it has given us im-mense pleasure to have been able to invite parents for several co-curricular activi-ties in both the sections this term. We thank all the fa-

thers and mothers who have made the effort to share our students’ achievements in the stellar language activi-ty, Word PowerWord PowerWord PowerWord Power, and in the business venture of our young entrepreneurs from Grades 9 – 12, the Bake Bake Bake Bake Sale, Sale, Sale, Sale, details of which will be found in our next edi-tion. While details of the excel-lent 2012 CIE results have been available on our school website since the beginning of this academic session, the IGCSE, AS and A Level team of teachers and stu-dents have just concluded a critical lap of the CIE ex-aminations trek, the Mock Examinations, and are cur-rently working round the clock to ensure that the May/June 2013 CIE exami-nations are aced as well. Examination fever having abated with the Mid-Year/Mock Examinations con-cluding today, I take this opportunity to wish all of you a restful break and hap-py holiday reading with your copy of the Esprit de Corps! Best wishes, Rubab Azad

Director, Senior School

Word Power 2012Word Power 2012Word Power 2012Word Power 2012

Hindi Poetry Recitation Hindi Poetry Recitation Hindi Poetry Recitation Hindi Poetry Recitation CompetitionCompetitionCompetitionCompetition

Al Waha Graduation 2012Al Waha Graduation 2012Al Waha Graduation 2012Al Waha Graduation 2012–––– Part IPart IPart IPart I

...and much more!...and much more!...and much more!...and much more!

Looking into the Looking into the Looking into the Looking into the

DictionaryDictionaryDictionaryDictionary

P A G E 2

MONITORSHIP: A LEARNING EXPERIENCEMONITORSHIP: A LEARNING EXPERIENCEMONITORSHIP: A LEARNING EXPERIENCEMONITORSHIP: A LEARNING EXPERIENCE

RRRR emember the Investi-

tureCeremony?

Yes!Thatlongassemblywehaveat

thebeginningofeveryyear,where

the class monitors and the assis-

tant monitors from each grade go

uponstageandtaketheoathtobe

honest,diligentleaders.Then,allof

us walk back to class, thinking,

“Great, now we have a new pair of

peopletobossusaround!”

Whatmostofusdon’tknowisthat

there’sa lotmoretobeingamoni-

torthanjusttellingpeoplewhatto

do. If you ask students around the

campus what they think a moni-

tor’s role in class is, their answer

would sound something like this,

"They are responsible for the con-

ditions of the class and the actions

oftheirclassmates".

That’s certainly easier said than

done,though!

Being a monitor myself, I can hon-

estly say that it is sometimes a ra-

ther frustrating task. On the *ive

days of the week that I’m around

my classmates, half my time is

spenthelpingthem(whichactually

feels rewarding), while the other

half is spent trying to keep them

quietandstopthemfromscurrying

out of the class during the period

breaks.

Although I say this, it is important

to understand that it is part of the

responsibilitythatthetitleof‘class

monitor’brings,anditisthissense

of duty that plays a vital role in

character building, To me, being a

monitor is like building a model

shipinaglassbottle–it’sdif*icult

and requires a lot of time and pa-

tience, but the result is de*initely

worth all the effort. As we go

throughthemotionsofbeingclass

monitors, we develop tolerance

and become more conscientious,

among the several other qualities

thatwegainwithtime.

For those who are not socially

adept,thepositionofmonitorisan

important tool for personality de-

velopment. It requires increased

interaction with classmates, helps

one break out of their shell, ce-

ments old friendships and builds

newones.

How can I say this with so much

con*idence, you ask? Because it’s

happenedtome!

Before I became a monitor, I did

not socialise with my classmates

verymuch.However,nowthatI’ve

beenassignedtheresponsibility,it

is part of my job to help each of

them; in this process I’ve became

closer friends with many of them;

achangewhichevenIcansaywas

a pleasant surprise! :-) I’ve also

learntthattryingtocontrolpeople

will rub them the wrong way.

What you can do is, achieve the

samegoalsbybeingnice.

I would like to take this op-

portunity to advise my fellow

monitors on the basis of my

experience.

First, do not shout at your

classmates.Noonelikeslisten-

ingtopeoplewhocannotkeep

theircoolandresorttoshout-

ing. It’s human tendency to

makemistakes;so,givethema

chance. Or even two, maybe.

But, if they do not listen to

you,thenitmaybetimetocall

in reinforcements: your class

teacher!

Second,trytoincorporateabit

of fun into everything you do.

A good joke or two could

breaktheicebetweenyouand

others. But remember to keep

fun in control, because some-

times, we tend to get carried

away!Thatsimplywon’tdo.

Givetimetoyourselftounder-

standyourjobasamonitor.If

you are *inding it dif*icult and

yourclassmatesdon’tseemto

listen to you, then try talking

to them about your struggles.

Chances are, they will listen

andhelpyouout.So,ifyouare

amonitorhavingatoughtime,

remember that it’s a give and

take relationship that you

have with your classmates:

they will help you when you

doyourbestforthem,theway

you would do your best to

helpthem.

-AliceD.Ferrao,Gr.9G1

E S P R I T D E C O R P S

MONITOR

P A G E 3

Mind Your Language(s)! Celebrating the multi-culturalism and diversity at Al Waha, a wide range of language-based

activities are conducted annually. This term’s second language activities moved a step forward.

L ooking for words in the dictionary is no longer as

boring a task as it used to be! With the introduction of the

event, ’Looking into the Dictionary’, to our already vast

array of co-curricular activities, our multi-linguists are

enriching their vocabulary banks substantially.

As the name suggests, the ‘Looking into the dictionary’

event comprised of students looking for the English mean-

ings of a list of words given to them, in their respective

dictionaries. This activity was held for the students of

Grades 6-9. Within a stipulated time period of 15 minutes,

students had to put in tremendous effort to find meanings

of as many words as possible. This activity is sure to add

quality to our budding authors’ write-ups, making them

interesting reads.

Mrs Samar Azam, the Hindi teacher, said: “It was the first

time we conducted such a competition. Flipping through

the pages of the dictionary in search of the words was

challenging, since the Hindi language has a vast number

of letters. It was a moment of pride for me as students

were able to find the meanings with ease.”

V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 3

The handwriting competition was one of several conducted

this year for the second languages.

For this competition, a paragraph was dictated within a stipu-

lated time period in the respective second languages to stu-

dents of Grades 4-9 and their writing was judged on the basis

of legibility, neatness and spelling proficiency.

This was the first time that the French students

participated in this contest. Students were instructed to write

carefully, adding a certain je ne sais quoi to the French lan-

guage.

It was definitely a reinforcement of the fact that handwriting is

as important as spellings and pronunciation for any language.

Poetry Recitation Competition The Hindi department held a Poetry Recitation Competition

for students of Grades 4-6. This classroom activity hones the

recitation and language skills of the students, and also

strengthens their ability to memorize.

Poetry, in any language, serves as a powerful medium for ex-

pressing one’s feelings and can also be used as a sharp tool for

imparting moral values. This activity taught students how to

control the pace of their delivery and practise correct pronunci-

ation, while enjoying the poetry that each of them shared with

their classmates.

- Inputs from Hera Abdul Wahid (8G2), Rayyan Naeem (9B), Ayesha Aslam (9G2), Uzma Khan (9G1) and Shuruq Umar

P A G E 4

E S P R I T D E C O R P S

Position/

Grade Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9

I Abdullah Imran Asma Arshad Zain Abrar Faizan Naeem Hamail Siddiqi Ayesha Rahman

II Fatima Muzamil Ahmed Ittefaq Rawan Akhtar Basmah Farooq Areeba Ather Shiza Riaz Ahmed

UrduUrduUrduUrdu–––– Looking into the DictionaryLooking into the DictionaryLooking into the DictionaryLooking into the Dictionary

Position/

Grade Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9

I Najaf Ahmed Ahmed Ittefaq Sadia Muzamil/

Noorulaein Lakhani

Faizan Naeem Hamail Siddiqi Huzaifa Darogar/

Bilal Iqbal

II Fatima Muzamil Rania Ahmed M. Osama Natalia Islam Hera Abdul Wahid Fabiha Raheel

UrduUrduUrduUrdu–––– Handwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting Competition

FrenchFrenchFrenchFrench–––– Looking into the DictionaryLooking into the DictionaryLooking into the DictionaryLooking into the Dictionary

Posi-

tion/

Grade

Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9

I Anusha Jeelani Mariam Faizer Ayman Jeelani Alice Ferrao

II Shreyas Rao Sehaan

Tarique

Zaki Khan -

FrenchFrenchFrenchFrench–––– Handwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting Competition Posi-

tion/

Grade

Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9

I Anusha

Jeelani

Maheen

Wajid

Zaki Khan Ayesha

Nizamudeen

II - - Marwah

Oozeeraully

Raseem

Zaffar

Position/

Grade Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9

I Noorul Fatima Saaliha Fazil Mohammad Bshara Mennah Salim Abdullah Taj Hanaa Rayees

II Ahmed Sayed Sama Osama Yara Al Sayed - Maram Ismail -

ArabicArabicArabicArabic–––– Handwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting Competition

Position/

Grade Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9

I Nourain Khan Nimra Rashid/

Ahmeduddin

Saima Liyakat/

Sahal Gazanfer

Amina Rafiq Tashif Hanif Waqas Zubair

II Ramya Varshini Mishal Abdul

Karim

Jameela Challawala/

Mohammed Jaseem

Jasir Alam - -

HindiHindiHindiHindi–––– Handwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting CompetitionHandwriting Competition

HindiHindiHindiHindi–––– Poetry Recitation CompetitionPoetry Recitation CompetitionPoetry Recitation CompetitionPoetry Recitation Competition Position/

Grade Grade 4 (Girls) Grade 5 Grade 6

I Nourain Khan Nimra Rashid Fatima Z. Javed

II Afnan Zubair - Saima Liyakat Khan

Grade 4 (Boys)

Umair Aslam

Masir Javed

Special

Prize - - - Jameela Challawala

P A G E 5 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 3

It’s not just handwriting... “Take pains ... to write a neat round, plain hand, and you will find

it a great convenience through life to write a small and compact hand as

well as a fair and legible one.”

- Thomas Jefferson (1743 – 1826)

Forget about competing to see who’s fastest at typing or texting…useful a skill as that may be in today’s technology-ruled world, the real test of academic mettle is that of penmanship. Wouldn’t you agree?

We do. That is why, even in an age where hands fly over keypads and keyboards but often stop short of pick-ing up a pen, our school continues to give due importance to developing a striking handwriting. To un-derline the importance of this art, competitive, zealous handwriting competitions are held every year for students of Grades 4-9. Keeping with the spirit of striving for excellence, this competition too has come a long way. It is no longer just a training for good handwriting, but also helps in improving time manage-ment and listening skills.

As worksheets were handed out and the teachers cleared their throats to dictate the set text, anticipation filled every classroom. Let’s see...Ballpoint or ink? Cursive or block? Questions flooded the students' minds, as they prepared to put their best ‘hand’ forward. The winners of the English Handwriting Competition :

Position/

Grade Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8

I Masir Javed, 4B1 Maha Abdul Rauf,

5G2

Saima Liyakat

Khan, 6G1

M. Razeen,

7B1

Shireen Rahmani,

8G2

II Umer Shoaib, 4B1 Nimra Rashid,

5G1

Saima Haque, 6G1 Momal Abdul

Rauf, 7G2

Areeba Ather, 8G2

Grade 9

Nabeela Zainab,

9G1

Humeira Mujeeb,

9G2

taught them more about the vari-

ous kinds of formatting tools

available in such software. Stu-

dents were also given the oppor-

tunity to learn more about a vari-

ety of different electronic devic-

es. This took them to their

dreamland of technology.

As the world becomes a more

computerized version of itself

almost with each passing day, ac-

quiring the necessary knowledge

and skills to thrive in today’s ever-

changing society is sure to give us

that crucial head start that we

all need—which is what made this

educational activity beneficial

for all the participants.

The students of Grade 6 were in-

troduced to an exciting in-class

activity this year, Designing a Leaf-

let.

Students were instructed to make

a leaflet on an electronic device of

their choice, from the revolution-

ary ultra books to the latest

iPhones and Kindles.

Colourful construction paper,

markers and other art supplies

were to be left behind; students

had to work on their computers

and produce pamphlets using a sim-

ple word processing software.

This activity not only enhanced the

students’ computing skills, but also

At the end of the day, the hard work

of all the students of Grade 6 was

reflected in their amazing leaflets

that didn’t just look great but were

also exhaustive of information.

Amal Amgad and Shavana Yousuf,

two of the participants, said,

“It was a wonderful experience,

making the leaflets, and we even got

to know a lot about the latest elec-

tronic devices, as we had to research

a great deal about them before mak-

ing them. We truly enjoyed designing

the leaflets.”

P A G E 6 E S P R I T D E C O R P S

P A G E 7 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 3

P A G E 8 E S P R I T D E C O R P S

WORD POWER– 2012-13

At our school, there is an unwritten rule: co-curricular activities, designed to encourage children to learn through an enjoyable and exciting experience, go hand-in-hand with the rigorous academic programme. One such fun-learning experience is Word Power, the English activity conducted for students of Grades 4-9. Formerly known as the Spelling Bee, the scope of this competition has expanded far beyond its usual pattern, to help students explore the diversity of the English language.

On the 13th of November 2012, Word Power was held in both the campuses of Senior School. But getting there was not easy at all..........so allow me to explain how twenty-eight participants, from each section, finally found their ways to the hot-seats on D-day.

Before the Hajj Holidays, each student from Grades 4-9 and 11 was handed a sheet containing a list of fifty words along with their meanings and parts of speech, complied according to their grade level, to learn over the break. Once school re-opened, students had to battle through two elimination rounds in order to qualify for the finals. The first round, a dictation, was conducted on the 7th of November, where six words out of the specified fifty, along with four other randomly selected words were dictated to the students, who were required to correctly spell the words and ac-curately write their meanings.

Next, the ten best spellers from each grade had to face the semi-final round, where they had to unscramble ten words correctly to earn their spot in the final round. However, this was easier said than done. A time limit of fifteen minutes was allotted to the students to unscramble a total of ten words! Those successful in their attempts made it to the top four. They were then divided into four teams with one student from each grade level.

On the day of the event, students entered the school, buzzing with energy and excitement, awaiting the commence-ment of the event. With participants deeply immersed in revising their lists for the final challenge, the event began after the lunch break.

The first round was conducted prior to the arrival of the audience, in which students were given a time limit to solve a question paper. Next, teams were subjected to a gruelling round, where they had to use the meanings provided on the huge screen to guess and spell the corresponding words. Next, was the Kangaroo Round, where the teams had to look for the hidden synonyms in the words they were given. The chance to win 100 points came next, with the Jackpot round. In these rounds, questions were shot at the four teams of logophiles, namely Dickens, Byrons, Kip-lings and Johnsons, and if they were unable to answer...ZAP!....they were passed onto the other team. But there was no time to relax, as a last-ditch attempt to shoot up the scoreboard followed, with the Rapid Fire Round.

But no! We weren’t off the hook yet. As scores were calculated, it was the audience’s turn to answer a few questions themselves. Up for grabs were delicious Galaxy chocolate bars.

The event concluded with the announcement of the result, during which Team Kipling was declared the winner in the Girls’ Section, while in the Boys’, it was Team Dickens who emerged as winners.

This year, proud mothers and fathers of the participants were invited to witness this event and most of them had no words to describe how they felt to see their children in the heat of battle, spelling, un-scrambling, and giving the meanings to words, some that they’d never even heard of! Their moral support, for both students and the event as a whole, was invaluable. From the students’ point of view, the event was indeed a fun-filled and educationally rewarding experience. Uzma Liyakat Khan of 9G1 said, “It was fun to know that omnishambles was declared the Word of the Year by the Oxford English Dictionary, closely followed by YO-LO (an acronym for You Only Live Once) and nomophobia (the fear of having to live without your mobiles).

Until next time, happy spelling! - Marya Talha, 8G2 and Bilal Iqbal, 9B

P A G E 9 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 3

- By Sarah Jamshed Alam, 12G

As I took my steps towards the courtyard that houses the most sacred shrine on As I took my steps towards the courtyard that houses the most sacred shrine on As I took my steps towards the courtyard that houses the most sacred shrine on As I took my steps towards the courtyard that houses the most sacred shrine on Earth Earth Earth Earth –––– the Ka’bah the Ka’bah the Ka’bah the Ka’bah –––– I held my breath as I had the first glimpse of the most glorious sight ev-I held my breath as I had the first glimpse of the most glorious sight ev-I held my breath as I had the first glimpse of the most glorious sight ev-I held my breath as I had the first glimpse of the most glorious sight ev-er. The hypnotic chants in praise of the Creator filled the air and reverberated like a beautiful er. The hypnotic chants in praise of the Creator filled the air and reverberated like a beautiful er. The hypnotic chants in praise of the Creator filled the air and reverberated like a beautiful er. The hypnotic chants in praise of the Creator filled the air and reverberated like a beautiful melody, repeated by the milling crowd of pilgrims who had assembled there, united in pur-melody, repeated by the milling crowd of pilgrims who had assembled there, united in pur-melody, repeated by the milling crowd of pilgrims who had assembled there, united in pur-melody, repeated by the milling crowd of pilgrims who had assembled there, united in pur-pose, encircling the Holy House. They seemed to be attracted to it like iron to a powerful mag-pose, encircling the Holy House. They seemed to be attracted to it like iron to a powerful mag-pose, encircling the Holy House. They seemed to be attracted to it like iron to a powerful mag-pose, encircling the Holy House. They seemed to be attracted to it like iron to a powerful mag-net. Although this was not the first time I was visiting Makkah (having in Jeddah for many net. Although this was not the first time I was visiting Makkah (having in Jeddah for many net. Although this was not the first time I was visiting Makkah (having in Jeddah for many net. Although this was not the first time I was visiting Makkah (having in Jeddah for many years), there was something majestic about what my eyes were fixed on. years), there was something majestic about what my eyes were fixed on. years), there was something majestic about what my eyes were fixed on. years), there was something majestic about what my eyes were fixed on. Having previously only heard of Hajj as the greatest journeys in a Muslim’s life, Having previously only heard of Hajj as the greatest journeys in a Muslim’s life, Having previously only heard of Hajj as the greatest journeys in a Muslim’s life, Having previously only heard of Hajj as the greatest journeys in a Muslim’s life, the time had arrived for me to make mine. On the 24the time had arrived for me to make mine. On the 24the time had arrived for me to make mine. On the 24the time had arrived for me to make mine. On the 24thththth of October, I was ready to embark on a of October, I was ready to embark on a of October, I was ready to embark on a of October, I was ready to embark on a fivefivefivefive----day spiritual journeyday spiritual journeyday spiritual journeyday spiritual journey———— one that was to be exclusive and unparalleled. I was prepared to one that was to be exclusive and unparalleled. I was prepared to one that was to be exclusive and unparalleled. I was prepared to one that was to be exclusive and unparalleled. I was prepared to knit together the determination, patience and faith that was required, and experience for my-knit together the determination, patience and faith that was required, and experience for my-knit together the determination, patience and faith that was required, and experience for my-knit together the determination, patience and faith that was required, and experience for my-self all that had been only heard, said and studied, till then by me.self all that had been only heard, said and studied, till then by me.self all that had been only heard, said and studied, till then by me.self all that had been only heard, said and studied, till then by me. The arrival in Mina, the first step of the journey, was fairly comfortable; the prepa-The arrival in Mina, the first step of the journey, was fairly comfortable; the prepa-The arrival in Mina, the first step of the journey, was fairly comfortable; the prepa-The arrival in Mina, the first step of the journey, was fairly comfortable; the prepa-rations and arrangements that had been made were commendable. We were very fortunate to rations and arrangements that had been made were commendable. We were very fortunate to rations and arrangements that had been made were commendable. We were very fortunate to rations and arrangements that had been made were commendable. We were very fortunate to be part of a group of pilgrims who were friendly and inspiring, and who, in a short time, be-be part of a group of pilgrims who were friendly and inspiring, and who, in a short time, be-be part of a group of pilgrims who were friendly and inspiring, and who, in a short time, be-be part of a group of pilgrims who were friendly and inspiring, and who, in a short time, be-came almost like family. Continuous sessions of Islamic discussions that stressed on the came almost like family. Continuous sessions of Islamic discussions that stressed on the came almost like family. Continuous sessions of Islamic discussions that stressed on the came almost like family. Continuous sessions of Islamic discussions that stressed on the value of this sacred rite and on the importance of religion in our lives, an aspect we have the value of this sacred rite and on the importance of religion in our lives, an aspect we have the value of this sacred rite and on the importance of religion in our lives, an aspect we have the value of this sacred rite and on the importance of religion in our lives, an aspect we have the tendency to neglect, kept the fervour burning throughout. Spending time with people we had tendency to neglect, kept the fervour burning throughout. Spending time with people we had tendency to neglect, kept the fervour burning throughout. Spending time with people we had tendency to neglect, kept the fervour burning throughout. Spending time with people we had previously not known, but with whom we were now one in purpose, was wonderful. Moreover, previously not known, but with whom we were now one in purpose, was wonderful. Moreover, previously not known, but with whom we were now one in purpose, was wonderful. Moreover, previously not known, but with whom we were now one in purpose, was wonderful. Moreover, the abundant time we had at our disposal for Ibadah, was a blessing truly immeasurable in the abundant time we had at our disposal for Ibadah, was a blessing truly immeasurable in the abundant time we had at our disposal for Ibadah, was a blessing truly immeasurable in the abundant time we had at our disposal for Ibadah, was a blessing truly immeasurable in value. value. value. value. The stay at Arafat was a precious gift from Allah. Being reminded of the Final The stay at Arafat was a precious gift from Allah. Being reminded of the Final The stay at Arafat was a precious gift from Allah. Being reminded of the Final The stay at Arafat was a precious gift from Allah. Being reminded of the Final Day, when the very same plain of Arafat would stretch to accommodate every soul on Earth, Day, when the very same plain of Arafat would stretch to accommodate every soul on Earth, Day, when the very same plain of Arafat would stretch to accommodate every soul on Earth, Day, when the very same plain of Arafat would stretch to accommodate every soul on Earth, made me humbler, more submissive in my dua's. The truth of accountability came back more made me humbler, more submissive in my dua's. The truth of accountability came back more made me humbler, more submissive in my dua's. The truth of accountability came back more made me humbler, more submissive in my dua's. The truth of accountability came back more vigilantly, and I found myself asking and seeking forgiveness, with more humility than I vigilantly, and I found myself asking and seeking forgiveness, with more humility than I vigilantly, and I found myself asking and seeking forgiveness, with more humility than I vigilantly, and I found myself asking and seeking forgiveness, with more humility than I had ever done before. had ever done before. had ever done before. had ever done before. One of the most unique and challenging experiences was the Rami (pelting ritual). One of the most unique and challenging experiences was the Rami (pelting ritual). One of the most unique and challenging experiences was the Rami (pelting ritual). One of the most unique and challenging experiences was the Rami (pelting ritual). Having to walk long distances along with a hoard of other pilgrims, some of whose energy Having to walk long distances along with a hoard of other pilgrims, some of whose energy Having to walk long distances along with a hoard of other pilgrims, some of whose energy Having to walk long distances along with a hoard of other pilgrims, some of whose energy and determination worked to inspire me, instilled in me patience and the quality to strive for and determination worked to inspire me, instilled in me patience and the quality to strive for and determination worked to inspire me, instilled in me patience and the quality to strive for and determination worked to inspire me, instilled in me patience and the quality to strive for the attainment of goals. the attainment of goals. the attainment of goals. the attainment of goals. Over the course of a journey that was spiritually enlightening, and which taught Over the course of a journey that was spiritually enlightening, and which taught Over the course of a journey that was spiritually enlightening, and which taught Over the course of a journey that was spiritually enlightening, and which taught me several life lessons, I left a weaker Muslim behind, and emerged a better one, Alhamdulil-me several life lessons, I left a weaker Muslim behind, and emerged a better one, Alhamdulil-me several life lessons, I left a weaker Muslim behind, and emerged a better one, Alhamdulil-me several life lessons, I left a weaker Muslim behind, and emerged a better one, Alhamdulil-lah. I sincerely pray that Allah will accept my efforts, forgive my sins and grant every lah. I sincerely pray that Allah will accept my efforts, forgive my sins and grant every lah. I sincerely pray that Allah will accept my efforts, forgive my sins and grant every lah. I sincerely pray that Allah will accept my efforts, forgive my sins and grant every

Muslim the chance to undertake this journey of a lifetime......at least once in a lifetime! Muslim the chance to undertake this journey of a lifetime......at least once in a lifetime! Muslim the chance to undertake this journey of a lifetime......at least once in a lifetime! Muslim the chance to undertake this journey of a lifetime......at least once in a lifetime!

The Journey of a LifetimeThe Journey of a LifetimeThe Journey of a LifetimeThe Journey of a Lifetime

P A G E 1 0 E S P R I T D E C O R P S

SWANSONG: GRADUATION ‘12 (PART I - THE GIRLS’ SECTION)

Suratul Luqman, recited by

Anam Riaz, who also deliv-

eredashortspeechthatcon-

veyed a heartfelt message

from all the 11th graders,

wishingtheirseniorsthebest

ontheroadahead.

Thehallwasthenengulfedin

complete silence as the audi-

ence sat with rapt attention,

waitingfortheevening’shon-

ourees to arrive. And then

*drum roll please* the 10th

and 12th graders entered,

*launtingtheir*lowinggowns

and tasseled caps, with their

headsheldhigh,*lashingradi-

antsmiles.

To capture the cherished

years they’d spent in their

second home, from the time

they’dbeentinytotstreading

upAlWaha’ssteps,tothemo-

mentthatwasawaitingthem-

when they would break free

fromtheircocoonandentera

whole new world, the Gradu-

ation Poem by Shifa Aftab

and Sidra Raihan of Grade 9,

proved to be a *itting tribute.

Thisthought-provokingpoem

was written for their seniors,

givingthemachancetoremi-

niscenceabout theyearsthat

had whizzed by so quickly,

and all those precious mo-

ments they had shared within

the walls of Al Waha’s campus.

It was truly a walk down

memorylane!

Thevaledictorian’saddresswas

nextontheagenda.SalmaZacky

from10Gsharedthesentiments

ofherclasswiththeaudience.It

was not only a proud moment

forthegraduatesandtheirpar-

ents,butalsofortheir teachers,

who had been constantly by

theirsidethroughthetwoyears

of rigorous training for their

IGCSEexaminations.

Although a cloud of trepidation

hung over them as they were

unsure of what awaited them,

comeAugust,atthatmoment,it

seemednothingcouldovershad-

ow the joy and jubilation of the

evening.

Next, Muntaha Qadri from 12G

expressedherexcitementat

*inally graduating from school.

Shealsovoicedtheonethought

thatallthe12thgradersseemed

to be lost in - that they would

miss Al Waha’s lively atmos-

phere, their teachers and

friends, with whom they had

formed unbreakable bonds of

trustandfriendship.

W hen the non-

descript

brown doors opened, jaws

dropped. Quite literally.

The venue was resplendent in

shades of purple and white, full

of grandeur that would set the

tone for the rest of the evening.

Flowers in every corner, cou-

pled with inspirational art that

graced the walls created a dis-

play that called to mind the

saying; ‘A picture is worth a

thousand words.’ The Girls’

Section auditorium had been

completely transformed. You

had to see to believe what

we’re talking about.

On the 21st of June, the clock

seemed to tick a little faster and

the morning was more radiant

than usual. This day was to be a

celebration of the culmination

of years of hard work, not only

by the students but also by the

Al Waha faculty and the par-

ents of the graduates. It was a

day to honour and

acknowledge the work com-

pleted so far, while opening the

doors into the future yet un-

seen, of things yet to come and

be accomplished.

This evening commenced with

the beautiful verses from

P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E 4 , I S S U E 3

Next on the programme

for the evening was the

presentation of the

awards. The graduates

sat with bated breath,

*ingers crossed, and prayed

that one of the pro*iciency

awards held their name. The

Dr. Abdullah Nadwi Award

for Scholastic Achievement

was received by Salma Zacky

of 10G, for her outstanding

performance in academics as

well as extra-curricular ac-

tivities. Since the list is very

long, our heartiest felicita-

tions go out to all who se-

cured an award.

Mrs. Farhadunnisa, Vice

Principal of the International

Indian School, Jeddah, who

was the Chief Guest for the

event, was an inspiring pres-

ence in our midst. Her inspi-

rational speech, about he-

roes among us, who fought

all odds to educate them-

selves, lingers in our

thoughts. Next, Mrs. Rubab

Azad, the Director of Senior

School, proceeded to con-

gratulate

the grad-

uates in

an emo-

tional

speech

that con-

veyed

pride in her students and

their achievements. Follow-

ing her address, Mrs. Seema

Anis, Headmistress of the

Senior Girls’ Sec-

tion, gave a speech

where she

acknowledged the

graduates’ accom-

plishments and commended

them on their relentless hard

work. A beautifully designed

piece of exquisite artwork,

signed by all the graduates,

was presented by the vale-

dictorians, on behalf of both

the graduating classes, to

thank their alma mater for

being a steady mentor, guide

and home for every one of

them.

Finally, we had reached the

part that everyone was wait-

ing for... you guessed it right!

The cake- cutting ceremony!

‘Ooh’s and ‘aah’s were heard

from the audience at the en-

try of Mrs. Cake, who stole

the show. The audience had

their eyes riveted on the big-

gest cake they had ever seen,

shaped like an open book, as

it was cut by Salma Zacky.

Half-chocolate and half-

vanilla, it was absolutely di-

vine! Everybody was tempt-

ed to sink their teeth right

into the soft sponge!

The cake was set aside as the

graduating students came up

on the stage, one by one, to

express their gratitude to

their mothers for being their

constant companions

through all of life’s storms. It

served as a reminder to all of

us in the audience, that come

what may, our mothers will

always be there, right by our

sides.

Once the tears were wiped

and the vote of thanks pro-

posed, everyone headed out

for dinner. Stepping outside

the auditorium, they were

greeted by the tantalizing

aroma of rows of mouth-

watering dishes. Photo-

graphs were clicked, hugs

exchanged and goodbyes

said, almost too soon, it

seemed. As the graduates

walked out of the gates of Al

Waha’s campus, they paused,

to take one last, long look, at

the place that had been, and

for the students returning

for the ‘A’ Level programme,

would continue to be…home.

-BySidraRaihan,Hania

Habib,HibbahIrfanand

SarahShaikh,10G

P A G E 1 2

TTTT his editorial is particularly special to me as it is my first time writing as an Edi-tor-in-Chief of the Esprit

de Corps. Having started out as a re-porter in Grade 8, I moved my way up to the sub-editor position and now, finally the Editor. 2012 was a fantastic year for Al-Waha and my-self. Starting with the announcement of the new campus for the Girls’ Sec-tion, Al-Waha was rewarded with the spectacular results of the 2012 CIE May/June examination session, with two students achieving 9A*s (Alhamdulillah, I have been blessed to be one of the two)!

So, as a first-time editor who has big shoes to fill, such as the likes of Noor Khalid and Rabeeah Taha, I was quite self-conscious about what I should write. Not only do I want to convey the gratitude I feel at being awarded the title of ‘Editor-in-Chief’ (it has a nice ring to it!), I also hope to main-tain the level of seriousness required of a high-school newsletter editor. I can only hope that I have achieved my goals.

Although I had to brave storms and sail through turbulent waters to fi-nally write this page, it really hasn’t all been that bad. It has been a pleas-ure to work with everyone who made their own individual contributions to this edition of the newsletter. As a reporter, I didn’t know of all the work that went on behind the scenes, which is why this position really opened my eyes to all the effort that is put into a single edition. This issue, we have articles on most of the events that were conducted this term, including the Word Power and the second language activities, but not all of them… so, you have

something to look forward to in the next publication.

It’s probably rather obvious, but I still feel the need to mention that this edi-tion, we’re celebrating languages! We’ve had a vast range of handwriting compe-titions, spelling bees and several other new activities that have helped all of us appreciate the importance of language as a tool of communication and as a key to each of our cultures.

I cannot end this editorial, though, without writing about one of the arti-cles that certainly caught my attention – the graduation article! Yes, that’s right, everyone, I graduated! It’s great to see an article in the newsletter about that wonderful event. Thanks to all the teachers who put everything together and made the evening so memorable. Also, thank you to the Grade 10 stu-dents, who did such a great job of writ-ing the article and practically recreating the event on paper. It really made me relive that unforgettable evening and remember how good that cake tasted!

But I digress. Let us rejoice, friends, for although we shall part with the first term of this new academic year, we will do so in style - with a one week holi-day! We have put our blood, sweat and tears into our preparation for the exams these last two weeks and now we have come to a well-earned break, which will hopefully distract us from any thoughts of what awaits us when our results are released.

I must now put the last full stop and conclude my editorial. I shall spend the next few days in complete rest and re-laxation so, enjoy your holidays every-one, and till the next issue, I bid you adieu.

Salma Zacky, 11G,

Editor-in-Chief

E S P R I T

From the Editor’s PenFrom the Editor’s PenFrom the Editor’s PenFrom the Editor’s Pen

List of nominees for the 2012 Youth List of nominees for the 2012 Youth List of nominees for the 2012 Youth List of nominees for the 2012 Youth Leadership Conferences Leadership Conferences Leadership Conferences Leadership Conferences Gauthnam Raj Magesh 9B Mohammad Zain Sohail 9B Salman Ahmed Malik 9B Rizwan Javed Ahmed 9B Ahmed Raza 10B Mohammad Osama Sadiq 10B Nameer Rehan Khan 10B Shahbaz Khattak Haroon 10B Shaharyar Shahid 12B Alice Danielle Ferrao 9G Ayesha Abdul Rahman 9G Syeda Hiba Junaid 9G Shuruq Umer 9G Thahfa Thaha 11G …...and the list of alumni gets longer …...and the list of alumni gets longer …...and the list of alumni gets longer …...and the list of alumni gets longer every yearevery yearevery yearevery year Ayesha Fazal Abdul Basit Jawad Fazal Moaz Shafique Salma Zacky Naila Muzammil