Foreword
publicised, this year sees the celebration of twenty years of the
As already
continuing success of this school. I have not kept count of the number of
pupils or teachers that I have met during my two decades here
at MES Cairo but it must be many thousands. Some of our former
pupils are now parents with their children enrolled in our MES
Cairo family. I have wonderfully vivid memories of some
outstanding achievements and events featuring our students
and am proud of the numerous successes which, year after
year, are brought to this school.
Fadila Noureldin G12Y
Heba Abu-Shakra G7O
Anna Borch Y9R
In this edition I am delighted that there is a feature on Nadya
Shanab who was impressive when she provided her unique
musical talents at the Graduation ceremony of 2008. She
epitomises the spirit of MES Cairo, a student who had the
courage and belief in her own abilities to fulfill her dream. She
is one of many who have gone on to further triumphs. Neeraj
Natasha Yonan G12Y
Dawan, our first Head Boy, another confident
independent minded character, has become
an internationally renowned martial arts
expert having won many championships
and coached champions and now resides
near Chicago. Many of our former students
like Nadya and Neeraj keep in touch with
us through the Alumni Association. During
this year we would like to hear from all of
you and bask in the reflected glory of your
Zeina El Tohamy G12Y
considerable achievements. So if you know
of any of our former students please tell them
that we are ready to hear from them.
In this edition I am again proud to read of
the successes of our pupils through a broad range of activities
and congratulate them in organising their
time so magnificently so as to achieve the
maximum out of life. I know that they will
also go on to further success.
Mohamed Derbala G8V
Zeina El Tohamy G12Y
Marina Fahim G10V
Peter T. Godfrey
Principal, MES Cairo
Khadiga Khadr Y8B
Nourjahan Khafaga Y7R
Malak Nour G11R
Mohamed Kabesh G8O
Tamer Madbouli Y7R
The images on this page are photographs of
student work samples from the MES Cairo 2009
Art work Exhibition: ‘Avenues of Art’.
2
Nourin Mohamed G12R
MESsenger Team: Mr. P.T. Godfrey, Ms. S. Sheehan, Ms. L.
Dermody, Ms. C. Davies, Mr. T. Pickhaver, Mr. S. Allsop, Mr.
J. Crabb, Ms. H. Crutchfield, Mr. S. Morris, Ms. N. Klinsdonk,
Ms. T. Odom, Karin Riad Hatem (G10B), Monia Hamdy
(G9G), Haya Azab (G9V), Merna El Abrashi (G9V), Faress
Amgad Hamdy (G9G), Nour el-Din Hussein (G9G)
1990-2010:
MES Cairo celebrates
its 20th Year
This
year MES Cairo is excited to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
Look back at the early days when the school was first
established and see how it has grown and changed!
This school year MES Cairo plans on hosting a number of celebratory
events to commemorate our 20th anniversary. Some plans in the making
include an alumni reunion party, student activities, commemorative
souvenirs, and a 20 year song to be performed encompassing staff,
teachers, and administration.
In this MESsenger, we have started to celebrate our 20th Anniversary by including
some fun and informative items based on the themes of ‘MES Cairo’ and ‘20’.
MES Cairo has come a long way since that first school year, twenty years ago!
The school grew from 26 students in the first year to reach over one thousand ten
years later. Another decade down the line there are currently 1906 students
at MES Cairo and the school has a world-wide reputation of excellence
and the very best educational standards. An international community of
students from 35 nations,
MES Cairo will always be
a place our students call
home, no matter where they
are from.
The 20th Anniversary Celebration fun has started!
Enter our competition on P. 50-51
3
MES Cairo GRADUATION 2009
MES Cairo Class of 2009 Graduate in style at the Joint American,
British and IB Diploma Programme Graduation Ceremony
This
year, the usually elegant, annual MES Cairo Graduation
ceremony was stepped up to an even higher level. Families and friends of the Class of 2009,
their teachers and MES Cairo’s honourary guests, were treated to a display of outstanding performance
items in a mesmerising event that still focussed very much on the caring values that are intrinsic to the
ethic of the MES Cairo family.
A light breeze cooled the outdoor arena, which had been erected on the main sports field to cater for the
much anticipated event. As guests arrived, they sat back and enjoyed a range of introductory musical
items performed by students as young as seven years old. Primary school students traditionally take
part in the MES Cairo Graduation ceremony in order to emphasise the oneness of the school and in the
spirit of our family mindset. Youssef Ahmed Hegab (5Y), Sandra George Mata (2Y), Natalie Matta (2R),
Ismail Abaza (2B), Monia Hamdy (8G), Mahira Ahmed (6Y), Youssef Abaza (5G), Samuel El Metaal
(5Y) and Sabri El-Charif (80) all gave us a taste of the talent
that is rising through the school and the calming and exquisite
music gently nudged us with a thoughtful reminder of the
fine educational experience our graduates had been through
before reaching this very special evening.
The stand filled with guests and the final echo of the grand piano was still tinkling in the air
of summer dusk when suddenly, we were woken from our reverie by the dramatic sound
of the ‘Dies Irae’ from the Karl Jenkins’ Requiem, accompanied by a stylised display of
slick flag twirling movements and clever theatrical tableaus depicting highlights of the MES
Cairo educational journey from the perspective
of its students. Dedicated students and teachers
from across the Secondary school took part in the
thrilling show, directed by Mr. Jonathan Todd and
Mr. Daniel Tomlin.
Mr. Peter Godfrey (School Principal), welcomed the
guests and asked them to stand as he introduced
the cap and gown clad Class of 2009 who entered
the arena to the sound of Copeland’s ‘Fanfare for
the Common Man’. This was followed by a splendid
rendition of Egypt’s National Anthem sung by MES
Cairo mum and first class performer, Rula Zaki.
A beautiful reading from the Holy Quran by Yasmeen
Gamal Abu El Naga (7R) filled the air with a
marvellous sense of peace, hope and anticipation.
Mr. Godfrey, made a thought-provoking speech in
which he remembered his own school days when
British educational methods could be rather harsh
on a young child! He announced how important it is
for young people to shun any fear of failure in order
to make progress. He urged the graduates to ‘Be fearless and have the courage to go out of
your comfort zone and take the road less travelled.’ His lesson in courage was heartfelt and
he stressed the importance of not being afraid to take risks in life. ‘If you live so cautiously
that you cannot face any disappointments, then you have ‘failed’ by default. If, however, you
have the courage to accept that you are not perfect then the small failures will not manifest
themselves as huge disappointments and your character will grow...’ Mr. Godfrey ended his
speech by reminding the MES Cairo graduates of what they can offer back to an Egypt that
needs bright young people of good character to help it develop, today.
4
MES Cairo would not be what it is today without the foresight and backing of its tenacious
driving force and pioneering spirit, Mrs. Sawsan Dajani (School Director), she herself a
good example to the students of what it means to achieve a great deal and give much
to the world. Mrs. Dajani’s pride in her staff and students and delight in this glorious
occasion was evident as she took to the stand and spoke to the graduates about the
importance of courage, resilience and strength of character. She recalled a book she
used to read to her own children, ‘Oh, The Places You’ll Go’, by Dr. Seuss, and used the
messages from this book to reinforce her own message to the graduates. The students
were captivated as she advised them that life is full of ‘ups and downs’ and ‘ highs and
lows’ but the right attitude can help you achieve anything you set your mind to. ‘Seek and do not wait for things to come your
way... I wish we could offer you a booming economy and a greener planet but now the challenge is for you to not to allow fear
or cynicism to colour your attitude.’ Mrs. Dajani thanked all the teachers and school administrative staff and reminded the
students: ‘You have brains in your head. / You have feet in your shoes’ ...and you can indeed move mountains.’
Mrs. Dajani introduced the Guest Speaker: His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Safwat ElSherif (Speaker of the Egyptian Shoura Council) who was at an MES Cairo graduation
ceremony for the third time in the role of proud grandfather of an MES Cairo graduate.
HE Safwat El Sherif declared that his grandchildren had asked him not to talk of politics
and to make his speech in Arabic, the language of the nation. Speaking on behalf
of the nation, His Excellency advised MES Cairo graduates to embark on the next
stage of their life journey with a real awareness of
the privileged position they are in and to honour
their responsibility to their fellow countrymen,
especially those who are not as privileged as they
are. He warned against pride and encouraged
the students to always question their values –
ask themselves what they have given to their
nation and what they have done to help the world
every single day. HE Safwat El-Sherif’s speech
was received with a huge round of applause as
the whole stand agreed with the ethics of his
message to these young people.
Three graduating students representing each of the senior school sections spoke
arrestingly and persuasively. Karim Malak (IB DP), Sabrena Marzouky (British
Section) and Zeina Tohamy (American Section) were glowing ambassadors for MES
Cairo as they summed up the views and feelings of their cohort so eloquently. These speeches were followed by a joint speech
given by the Secondary school’s progressive young leaders Mrs. Nicola Singleton (Head of the British and IBDP Sections) and
Catherine Spencer (American Section Principal).
Under the sharp and creative direction of Mr. Jonathan Todd (Head of Performing Arts), the
school performance pieces were professionally executed and reached out to the hearts
of all present. The MES Staff Choir performed two pieces from their recent Staff Show:
‘Whisper of Angels’ and the poignant ‘There’s a Kid Inside’ – both pieces highly suited to
the occasion. Rula Zaki sang an uplifting ‘Helwa Ya Baladi’ to the delight of the audience.
Finally the MES Cairo, Staff and Student Choirs, along with soloists Menatallah Zied (9R)
and Mohamed Dahawy (9V), sang ‘In Whatever Time We Have’ and ‘The Impossible
Dream’, accompanied by the school band conducted by Mr. Daniel Tomlin.
Ms. Ghada Dajani introduced each graduate as he or she walked across the stage to
proudly collect their High School Diploma or Leaving Certificate from HE Safwat ElSherif and the school’s Senior Leadership Team.
Outstanding student Ziyad Abdel-Hamid Hamdy,
grandson of His Excellency Dr. Omar Soleiman, Chief of Egyptian General Intelligence
Services, was distinguished for his efforts by receiving the ECIS Award for International
Understanding. Finally, after the award of the final certificate, the Class of 2009 politely
waited for the now traditional ‘OK’ from Mr. Godfrey. When it came at last, they gave
a huge gasp of excitement and threw their caps up into the air with a massive whoop
of delight. They are young and the night was young and the world was out there
waiting...
Ms. S. Sheehan - Head of English, American Section
5
British Section
ritish Sectio
British Section – External Examination Results Summer 2009
IGCSE
There were some who
doubted whether abolishing the ‘four IGCSE
subjects per year’ system at MES Cairo was
a good move. ‘’Eight
subjects all at once! All
those exams in one session! But my head will
explode!’ claimed one
student last September.
Mr. Steve Perry Mrs. Nicola Singleton
Well to tell the truth I
Deputy Headteacher
- Headteacher British
almost exploded with
joy when I analysed the
British Section
Section
June 2009 MES, Cairo
IGCSE results and realised our pass rate had climbed by a massive ten per cent
(up from last year) to 51.1% A*-A and 92.2% A*-C. Please compare this with
21.6% A*-A and 67.1% A*-C in the UK where the candidates are a year older and
nearly all have English as their mother tongue.
Modern English School Cairo prides itself on the quality of education we deliver.
Our Mission Statement clearly contains references to the community, individualism and opportunities. That is why the eight subjects over two years approach is
much more suitable to developing sound, rational and confident individuals. We
have maintained a level of excellence in our traditionally strong subjects such as
the Sciences, Mathematics, ICT and those in the Commercial Studies department. However, it is equally pleasurable to see an amazing 100% A*-C grades
in increasingly popular subjects such as French, too. The creative talents of our
students have also been increasingly catered for with the emergence of IGCSE
Drama. Just imagine a doctor or engineer who can also speak three languages,
or even a linguist who has excellent business credentials. These would be very
talented individuals and would make much more interesting conversationalists at
dinner parties too!
I must mention the top achiever at IGCSE this year, Mostafa Saad, Yr10R, with an
extra-ordinary eight out of eight A*s! This is a fantastic achievement. I would also
like to praise the equally impressive Mai Garas, Yr 10B, with six grade As and 2
A*s and Hania El Banhawi, Yr10B, with six grade A*s and 2 As. Mai stands out
not just because of her results but also because her choice of subjects includes
IGCSE Drama and GCSE PE. She is a true all round talent and a huge asset
to MES, Cairo. Hania has shown that you can balance academic success with
extra-curricular endeavours too, particularly with her excellent performances on
the basketball court for MES, Cairo and in national tournaments. (Please see
below for their special profiles)
IGCSE - A wide range of tailored options and choices
These excellent results are a delightful reflection of the strength and depth of our
IGCSE courses. The British Section at MES Cairo is proud of being able to offer
students a wide range of options subjects from which students (with the help and
advice of their teachers and parents) can construct a tailored curriculum suited
to their own talents and interests. Students take 8 IGCSE subjects (or 9 if they
also take IGCSE Arabic). All students must
take English (with English Literature) and
Maths, along with 6 other options of their
choice. The Sciences, Business Studies
and Economics may be popular choices
but students are now designing courses
which include more variety and range.
Options include Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, Accounting, Business
Studies, Information Technology, History,
Geography, French, Arabic, Art and Design, Design Technology, PE, as well as
the increasingly popular Drama and Music
options.
6
Flexible Assessment
IGCSEs are not simply two years of study
followed by a one off set of examinations!
As at KS3, certain aspects of the
IGCSE subject courses are continually graded through controlled
assessment (attainment through
coursework) and this makes for
a very fair and clearly structured
curriculum which gives students
every opportunity to do their very
best. In Britain and hence, in
the British System here at MES
Cairo, there is no such grade as
a ‘Fail’ grade. On the rare occasion when students do not achieve the grade they desire, however, they are, able
to ‘resit’ their exam up to twice within an academic year - until they achieve the
grade they are aiming for. ‘Resits’ can be taken while students are embarking on
the next stage of there education at either AS Level or IB.
At IGCSE, the combination of ongoing teacher support throughout the two years
of sustained study and the experience of final examinations provides an excellent
foundation for success in both the IB Diploma and A Levels and for university
study thereafter.
A LEVEL
At Advanced Subsidiary Level we improved our overall pass rate on last year.
Certain students are to be commended for excellent results. In Mathematics –
grade As for Hassan El-Abasiry, Yr11B, Mohamed El-Assy, Yr11B and Passant
Torky, Yr11B, and Hesham Gaafar, Yr11B, achieved grade A in A-level Biology.
Karim Foda, Yr11R, achieved two grade As and 2 grade Bs at AS-level. His attendance rate of over 94% is a reflection of how important regular attendance is
for achieving the top grades.
Next year will be the first at MES Cairo where all British Section students have
to complete Year 12. What an excellent opportunity our new Year 11s this year
will have to continue their well-rounded
education by completing an average of
3 A-levels and dramatically increasing
their credentials for universities all over
the world as well as in Egypt. Experiencing the different culture of a new country
is a choice most members of the MES
Cairo staff have made by working here
and it is to be thoroughly recommended.
This is exactly what our Alumni are able
to do when they too seek to expand their
horizons and pursue higher education
and even employment overseas.
Well done to all British Section students
who reached their potential through their
hard work, talent and perseverance.
Thank you to all the teachers that taught
them and guided them on their way.
Student Profiles
Student Profiles
Student Profiles
Student Profiles
Student Profiles
Student Profiles
Student Profiles
Student Profiles
Student Profiles
Student Profiles
Student Profiles
Student Profiles
British Section Success at MES Cairo:
Mostafa Saad Y 10R - Qualifications:
IGCSE English as a Second Language
IGCSE Accounting
IGCSE Business Studies
IGCSE Economics
Mostafa Essam Saad
Y10R
A*
A*
A*
A*
IGCSE Mathematics
IGCSE Biology
IGCSE Chemistry
IGCSE Physics
A*
A*
A*
A*
Apart from the obvious perfect score, what makes Mostafa’s achievement even more
welcome was his total reliance on MES Cairo teachers and his own hard work and talent. Yes, that’s right, Mostafa, his parents and MES Cairo are proud of the fact that he
did not engage any private tutors from outside school. The advantages for Mostafa were
paramount and include following the subject syllabuses at the correct pace and order, not
waking up tired for school and being able to concentrate in lessons and of course having
an incentive to attend school regularly. Well done Mostafa and good luck with your ASlevels this year.
Hania El Benhawi, Y 10B - Qualifications:
Hania Hesham
ElBenhawi Y10B
IGCSE First Language English
A
IGCSE Mathematics
A*
IGCSE Biology
A*
IGCSE Business Studies A*
IGCSE Economics
A*
IGCSE IT
A*
IGCSE Literature
A
IGCSE Physics
A*
A great set of results for Hania, but what makes her completion of IGCSEs particularly
pleasing was that she did not compromise on her extra-curricular interests. Junior Varsity and Varsity Football, and particularly Basketball up to National Tournament Level
are very important to Hania. She is living proof that you can achieve excellent grades
and still enjoy life at the same time. Indeed, competition, team spirit and just letting off
steam are important parts of education. It could be argued that Hania’s results are so
good because she took the time to develop her organisational and social skills along the
way. Keep up the good work (and play) in DP11 Hania.
Mai Garas, Y 10B - Qualifications:
IGCSE First Language English
IGCSE Biology
IGCSE Chemistry
IGCSE Physics
Mai Adel Garas
Y10B
A
A
A*
A
IGCSE Mathematics
IGCSE Business Studies
IGCSE Drama
GCSE PE
A
A*
A
A
It’s clear that when Mai chose her options for IGCSE she picked the subjects that
interested her (not just what her friends were doing!). Mai’s interest in each of her
subjects have helped her stay committed and will have given her confidence to cope
with university life and beyond. How many other students in the British Section at
MES Cairo can act, calculate, experiment, write, have business acumen and maintain
their fitness to such a high degree? Mai’s interests in PE also enhance her championship diving aspirations outside of school. Her personal statement and references for
university will make very impressive reading. Good luck with your chosen courses this
year Mai and keep up the hard work.
Mr. S Perry – Deputy Headteacher – Secondary British Section
7
BRITISH AND IBDP END OF YEAR
AWARDS CEREMONY 2009
On Thursday 18 June 2009, all members of
the British and IB Diploma Sections of our
Secondary School assembled to celebrate
the success of another busy, productive and
event-filled academic year. The occasion
provided the opportunity to thank students
and staff for their exhaustive efforts through
the year and review the tremendous progress
made by the school, and individual members
of our community.
Yasmeen Abu El Naga Y7R
Sitting under the lime-light were our
prestigious award winners from Year 7-9 and
DP11. Each worthy recipient earned their
place on stage having been nominated by
their subject teachers for academic excellence
and/or sustained effort. For the Year 7 and
8 British Section Awards, each subject area
nominated one student at each year level. In
our preparations for this event, our esteemed
Heads of Department shared the difficulty
they had in narrowing their nominations down
to just one per year, per category, such is the
caliber of students in our British Section.
YEAR 7
SUSTAINED
EFFORT
EXCELLENCE
Ahmed Assem Y7Y
History
-
Alaa El-Nisr Y7Y
French
Maths
Alyshia Brown Y7B
-
Drama
Amr Shoukry Y7R
Drama
-
Hussein El-Keshen Y7R
-
English
-
Geography
Science
Music
Geography
-
PE
-
Malak Sadek Y7Y
Design/
Technology
-
Mohamed Bahaa-El-Din Y7Y
Art
-
Mohamed Nafea Y7B
Arabic
-
Mohamed Raafat Y7R
-
Science
Mostafa Seoudi Y7Y
Religion
-
Nourjahan Khafaga Y7R
-
History
-
Arabic
-
Art
Tamer Madbouly Y7R
-
ICT
Tayla Baldwin Y7B
English
Design/
Technology
ICT
PE
Music
-
Karim Awad Y7B
8
Maths
French
-
Religion
YEAR 8
SUSTAINED
EFFORT
EXCELLENCE
Abdel-Rahman Helmy Y8Y
-
Maths
Ahmed Khalil Y8R
Arabic
English
Alexander Yonan Y8R
-
PE
Amir Salam Y8Y
-
Design/
Technology
Basma El Kersh Y8B
French
Arabic
-
Drama
-
Geography
Chantal Naassana Y8Y
Design/
Technology
-
Fady Phillip Y8Y
-
ICT
Haya Azab Y8B
English
-
Khadiga Khadr Y8B
History
Art
Lyla Atta Y8R
-
Science
-
French
Merna El-Abrashi Y8Y
PE
-
Mireille Bedros Y8Y
Science
-
Mohamed Abdel Ghani Y8Y
-
Religion
Mohamed El Shobky Y8B
Drama
-
Mohamed Omar Siam Y8R
Maths
-
Reem Mansour Y8Y
Art
-
Riyana Jaber Y8Y
Music
-
Geography
-
Sherouk Hussein Y8B
Religion
-
Youssef Gouda
ICT
History
-
Music
For students in Year 9, teachers nominated one student whose
commitment to their studies complemented academic excellence in
each of the IGCSE/GCSE subject disciplines on offer at MES Cairo.
than ever before; a clear indication of the growing popularity and
importance of our Merit Award programme.
PLATINUM AWARD WINNERS
YEAR 9
SUBJECT
Alaa El Nisr Y7Y
Lara Ibrahim Y7R
Saalem Saleem Y7B
Abdallah Eraky Y9Y
Overall Excellence in Year 9
Aya Galal Y7R
Ahmed Abdel-Wahed Y9R
IGCSE Biology
Michael Hainsworth
Y7R
Yasmeen Abu El
Naga Y7R
Ahmed El Khatib Y9R
IGCSE Maths
IGCSE Chemistry
IGCSE Business Studies
IGCSE Geography
Year 9 Arabic
Ahmed Sawan Y9Y
GCSE PE
Anna Borsch Y9R
IGCSE Art
Caitlin Hainsworth Y9Y
IGCSE Drama
Christopher Heller Y9R
IGCSE Economics
Hala Emam Y9Y
IGCSE English 2nd Language
Hesham El-Shafie Y9R
IGCSE Accounting
Hussein Houta Y9R
IGCSE English Literature
Menatallah Raafat Y9R
IGCSE English 1st Language
IGCSE Physics
IGCSE ICT
Year 9 Religion
Mona Maurice Y9Y
IGCSE History
Yasmine Akef Y9R
IGCSE French
Our IB Diploma Awards took a different approach again, with Heads
of Department joining forces to identify a student in each of the six
subject groups. Congratulations to the following students for their
recognition as worthy recipients of these academic awards:
IB DIPLOMA PROGRAMME
SUBJECT GROUP
Dana Beltaji DP11R
Theory of Knowledge
Overall Excellence in IBDP
Farida El Gindy DP11R
First Language (English)
CAS (Creativity, Action, Service)
Hania Eid
The Arts (Visual Arts)
Noha Kandil
Humanities (Business)
Nour Abdallah
Second Language (Spanish)
Sham Alzahabi
Sciences
Hussein El-Kheshen Mohamed Kouta
Y7R
Y7R
Ismail El Hamawy
Y7R
Mohamed Raafat
Y7R
Karim Awad Y7B
Nourjahan Khafaga
Y7R
Yasmina Mobasher
Y8Y
Amidst the presentation of Awards by
Mrs Dajani and Mr Godfrey, the audience
were entertained by quality performances
from their talented peers. The Y7R band
presented their self-devised rock piece
entitled ‘Chicken Shwarma’, which was
skillfully executed by band members:
Ali Abdel Hady, Amr Shoukry, Ismail El
Hamawy, Tamer Madbouly. Later, Dana
Beltagi from our IB Diploma programme
demonstrated the quality learning and skill
development she is accessing within our
Performing Arts Department by delivering a
breathtaking rendition of ‘Wishing You Were
Somehow Here Again’.
Proceedings concluded with the sentiment
that every new year provides us with an
opportunity to set goals and aim for nothing
short of our best. With one academic year
having come to an end and with the holidays
looming, students were encouraged to
dedicate some thought to their future and
contemplate what they will do to make the
2009/2010 academic year even better.
Mrs. Nicola Singleton - Head
of Secondary, British and IB
Diploma Sections
Mathematics
In addition to subject specific acknowledgements, the Awards
Ceremony gave us the opportunity to profile the achievements of
our eager, enthusiastic, conscientious and thoughtful students who
had been busily collecting their prized Merit stickers through the year.
This initiative serves to motivate and reward students who regularly
stand out amongst their peers by helping others, achieving their best
and participating in the very many opportunities that and MES Cairo
education offers them. This year saw more Platinum Award Winners
9
American Section Results 2009
are very proud to announce extraordinary results on
We
external exams as our American High School Program
continues to grow in quantity and quality with unprecedented
numbers of students taking Advanced Placement exams and
posting our highest ever average SAT scores. Congratulations to
our students and teachers!
Highlights include:
Advanced Placement
- 64% of G12 students took AP (Advanced Placement) exams in
May 2008
- Nearly 50% of those students scored high enough (3+) to be
considered for college credit at colleges and universities worldwide
- MES Cairo gave AP exams in 8 subjects including World
History, Biology, Chemistry, Physics B, Calculus AB,
Microeconomics, 2D Studio Art, and English Literature and
Composition (30 students took 50 AP exams)
- Numbers of students taking AP exams in G12 last school year
increased by an astonishing 250% over 2008
- Requests for AP courses for 2009-2010 in G12 are keeping
pace with the previous year’s numbers, while the offer of AP
Biology to G11 students will again boost AP test- takers in 2010
at MES Cairo by 60% over 2009 numbers; 30% of G11 students
are enrolled in AP courses this academic year (50 students will
take 80 AP exams)
- Along with the addition of AP Biology in G11, MES Cairo will
offer AP Art History and English Language and Composition in
G12 this academic year
- Zeina El Tohamy and Amy Hakim, class of 2009, received the
top score of 5 in AP Calculus; Kareem Nada, class of 2009,
received the top score of 5 in AP Physics; Mostafa Hussein,
class of 2010, received the top score of 5 in AP World History
3 or higher percentages by subject:
World History – 100%
Art – 100%
Calculus – 90%
Economics – 75%
Physics – 50%
G12 students receiving 3’s or higher in 2009 AP exams:
Nourin Mohamed – Art (3)
Ahmed Arafa – Economics (3)
Mohamed Attia – Calculus (3), Physics (3)
Zeina El Tohamy – Calculus (5)
Omar El Sayed – Calculus (4), Physics (3)
Amy Hakim – Calculus (5)
Ziyad Hamdy – Physics (3)
Veronica Hanna – Calculus (3), Economics (4)
Farah Hosny – Art (4)
Yasmeen Khamis – Calculus (3)
Kareem Nada – Calculus (4), English (3), Physics (5)
Fadila Noureldin – Calculus (4), Economics (3)
Nour Zakaria – Calculus (3)
G11 students receiving 3’s or higher in 2009 AP exams:
Mostafa Hussein – World History (5)
Tarek Abdulla – World History (4)
Abir Gaber – World History (3)
Please see the Messenger article celebrating Kareem Nada, the
first MES student to be recognized as an AP Scholar!
SAT
Graduating seniors SAT college admissions scores averaged 1545,
outpacing both public and private schools US averages (notably
for students whose first language is English), by 52 and 37
points respectively.
The American High School Diploma program serves a wide range
of students with varying academic talents and interests, yet the
academic results are highly competitive with all other sections of
the secondary school. Twenty-five percent (25%) of Grade 9 – 12
students maintained a GPA of 3.2 or higher for the entire school
year 2008 – 2009 (Honor Roll) and over 10% obtained High Honors
(3.5+).
10
High Honors for 2008 – 2009 (all trimesters)
Grade 9
Grade 10
Donya Abouel-Nour
Giulia Ramadan
Karin Riad Hatem
Moataz El-Sherbini
Nada Okasha
Norhan Mostafa
Sarah Dessouki
Zeyna Malas
Amina El Gamal
Dina Bebars
Farah Derbala
Ferras Hafez
Hekmat El-Matbouly
Nouran Soliman
Tommaso Tournet
Yasmeen Hindawi
Yasmeen Abouel-Nour
Grade 11
Grade 12
Malak Nour
Mostafa Hussein
Ahmed Arafa
Amy Hakim
Fadila Nour-El-Din
Kareem Nada
Omar Elsayed
Veronica Hanna
Yasmeen Khamis
Yasmine Zaher
Zeina El Tohamy
Ziyad Hamdy
It is only with the extraordinary efforts of motivated staff and
students that these outstanding academic results are possible.
Who would have predicted just a few years ago that the American
High School program at MES Cairo would distinguish itself so
brilliantly and become another jewel in the already star-studded
crown of MES Cairo integrity and achievement? As well, American
Section students are notably visible in significant leadership roles
at MES Cairo including National Honor Society, Student Council,
MUN, charity fundraising, performing and visual arts, and athletics.
Perhaps the myth of the “easy choice” of the American Secondary
Section will finally be laid to rest, and staff and students given their
full due for living up
to the historical MES
Cairo expectations of
remarkable academic
results coupled with
exceptional school
activities participation
and leadership.
Kareem Nada – Winner of Overall Excellence
Award – American Section 2009
At Modern English School Cairo we pride ourselves on knowing
each and every one of our 1900 students very well. In the
Secondary Sections particularly the teachers have to make
informed judgements on predicted grades in external examinations.
They also consult every June before the Awards Ceremonies.
Last June in the American
section the award for
“Overall Excellence” was
earned by Kareem Nada.
It is therefore no real
surprise that our first ever
AP Scholar is Kareem.
The College Board’s
Advanced Placement
Program (AP)
provides motivated
and academically
prepared students with
the opportunity to take
rigorous college-level
courses while still in
high school, and to earn
college credit, advanced
placement, or both for
successful performance
on the AP exams. Only about 18% of the nearly 1.7 million students
worldwide who took AP exams performed at a sufficiently high level
to also earn an AP Scholar Award.
Not only did Kareem
achieve this award he
was also granted it
with Honor. This is only
granted to students who
receive an average grade
of at least 3.25 on all AP
exams taken and grades
of 3 and higher on four or
more of these exams.
Congratulations to Kareem and to all the teachers and managers
involved in this success.
Ms. Catherine Spencer – American High School
Principal
11
IBDP RESULTS
2009
Once
again the IB Diploma results of the students from
MES Cairo give us plenty to be proud of.
IB Diploma subjects are graded from “1-7, 7” is the highest
grade. Grade 4 is considered a pass grade. Extended Essay
and Theory of Knowledge (TOK) are graded on an A-E scale.
A is the highest grade, D is a pass grade.
The overall exam subject pass rate was 82%.
The following subjects had a 100% pass rate: Arabic, French,
Business, Economics, History, Geography, Maths Studies
and Visual Arts with English closely following with a pass rate
of 93%93%, Physics 72% and Theatre
Arts with a 75% pass rate.
93% of students received A-C on their
Extended Essay, 36% were grade As.
Of particular note was the Extended
Essay of Seif Abdo who scored a
maximum 36 points out of 36 points
for his essay on the architecture of the
library in Alexandria. It is extremely rare
for anyone to achieve the maximum
possible points on an Extended Essay,
this represents an outstanding piece
of work for a first year undergraduate
student. 79% of candidates scored a
grade A-C from their TOK Essay and
Presentations.
93% of candidates obtained an overall
score of 24 points or more.
The highest diploma score was 37 points achieved by Zeinab Tobgy.
According to the UCAS tariff this is equivalent to 4 grade A and one grade B
A levels. The average point score for those who obtained the diploma was 30
points which is equivalent to higher than 3 grade A A levels.
ALL our IB Diploma Programme students have secured places at university,
mostly at AUC but also at prestigious universities abroad, these include:
Zeinab Tobgy: Cornell University, New York, United States
Hussein El Nasr: University of Toronto, Canada
Yehia Salah: University of Toronto, Canada
Karim El Sayed: University of Toronto, Canada
John Bishara: University of British Columbia, Canada
Marwa Benhalim: University of the Arts, London, United Kingdom.
Mr. C. O’Connell – IBDP Coordinator
12
C.A.S
Creativity Action Service
DP11 and 12 are already actively involved in organising projects
The
for their CAS commitment this year; from helping in orphanages
to environmental projects. Last term, Karim Zidan Al-Sayed was asked to write
about his experience of CAS from the perspective of a graduating DP12 (Class
of 2009) student:
‘An important responsibility for any IB Diploma student is to complete the
requirements for CAS which stands for Creativity, Action and Service. Every
IB student is required to complete at least 50 hours in each of the categories,
totaling 150 hours for CAS over the 2 year Diploma Programme. The process
is not so much about counting hours, however, and more about the journey
undertaken by the students; allowing
for a well rounded student to
experience many different things.
The IBO strongly maintain the
standard of the requirements of CAS
because of the powerful effect it has on
IB students. CAS encourages students to challenge themselves to take on new experiences. Many
students get involved with the International Award going on camping trips and hikes and learning how
to survive in the desert. It also gives students the opportunity to learn about themselves, discover new
hobbies as well as learn about the importance of community service.
Many students in DP12 tried out very interesting activities, including mountain climbing and kayaking,
mixed martial arts training, basketball and a range of
competitive sports tournaments.
I mostly enjoyed the contribution to society I was capable of
making through CAS. CAS taught me many things that are
required for a student to develop into a mature responsible
adult. I learnt about the importance of community service and
the feeling of helping someone for no personal gain. I learnt about global issues such as sustainable
development and global warming and their impact on modern societies. I also practiced Yoga and
meditation for over six months to improve my concentration, mental balance and physique.
The DP12 students travelled to Prague on a cultural exchange
trip to learn about the language and to meet interesting IB
students from other countries. It helped us to become more
aware of the social and cultural differences between Egypt
and the Czech Republic. It was an enjoyable experience
that we all cherished and will remember for many years to
come.
At first, many of the DP12 students were quite cynical
about the importance of CAS and why the IBO stress its
importance. It became clear to all of us as time went by that
CAS was more than just criteria for the IB diploma; it was
a new experience and a whole new way of life that helped
shape us as well rounded students with more maturity,
responsibility and experience than the average student.’
Karim Zidan – MES Cairo Alumnus (IBDP
Graduate – Class of 2009)
13
THE EXPERIMENT – MES Cairo SCIENCE NEWS ~ IBDP
IB BIOLOGY FIELD TRIP TO AIN SOKHNA
Last
May, nine IB biologists travelled to Ain Sokhna on a Biology field trip.
The purpose of the trip was to gain environmental awareness and to
try out techniques for sampling populations.
On arrival at the site the first challenge was to set up a canopy for shade - not as
easy as it sounds on an exposed beach! After this, students were briefed on how
the day would run. One student was at this stage already in the water, accompanied
by an instructor, setting up a belt transect on the reef, which would be used by all
later on. The other students were sampling the environmental conditions in the area
such as temperature, pH, Salinity and Global Positioning.
It was now the time for students to prepare to sample the reef. Each student
equipped with snorkel, mask, underwater writing board, identification key and a lot
of will power swam out to the reef. Students had three tasks while on the reef, firstly
to identify and record the invertebrate life, secondly to assess the percentage cover
for coral species and thirdly to assess the damage the reef had sustained due to
human impact. Once the students mastered the art of snorkeling, floating over the
transect, identifying, recording and communicating with their partners underwater,
not an easy task let me tell you, we got some reliable data to analyse back on
shore.
After a quick lunch and a thorough analysis of the data we collected, students had
the opportunity to practice their new techniques of sampling to survey the local
plant species. The day ended with some community spirit, collecting three black
sacks of rubbish from the beach.
Students gained important insights into ecology and the environment during the
day, and also enjoyed the chance to learn outside the classroom. A special mention
should go to Nour Abdallah and Dana Beltaji who had previously not snorkeled
before, but met the challenge superbly. Thanks go to the WESC supervisors who
ran a very successful day.
Mr. S Peyton – Secondary Science Department
14
THE EXPERIMENT ~ MES CAIRO SCIENCE NEWS ~ IBDP
More than One Correct Solution – The Group
Four Science Project
On Sunday 25th and Monday 26th October 2009 all the IB Diploma
students from DP12 were taken off normal timetable to participate in a
cross curricular science project. This was the Group 4 Project which is
an integral part of their Practical Internal Assessment. Students worked
in mixed science groups investigating a topic of their choice.
The overall aims of the project are for students to gain an understanding
of the relationships between the different scientific
disciplines and the overarching nature of the scientific
method. It is also intended to raise awareness of the moral, ethical,
social, economic and environmental implications of using science and
technology. The emphasis of the project is on scientific processes and
not on final products and the ability of the students to work in mixed
subject teams is a key element to how they are assessed.
Students were split into 4 groups with each group containing a
representative from at least one of the Sciences i.e. Physics,
Chemistry and Biology. The topics chosen by the groups were:
Technology in Sport, Climate Change and Fuels and Energy.
Each group planned and performed a series of investigations
relating to their chosen topic from the perspectives of each of
the three sciences. At the end of the two days the students
presented their finding to a mixed audience of their fellow
DP12 students, DP11 students and members of the Secondary
Senior Leadership Team.
During the two days the students learnt a great deal
about the nature of collaborative work and about
each others’ approaches to scientific investigations
and problem solving. It was also apparent that
they realised there are many different approaches
to solving a particular problem and there is not
necessarily one right answer. As with science in
the real world not all the investigations gave the
results the students initially expected but this is
the nature of science and the students gained
a great deal of insight from this experience. For
those students wishing to pursue a scientific
career the Group Four Project was a fantastic
introduction to what authentic research science
might be like.
Mr. K. Tomlinson – Head of Science
15
IBDP Scholar 2009-10
Dana Beltaji DP12
Dana Beltaji
is this year’s scholarship winner for the IB Diploma Section here
at MES Cairo. Dana well deserves this award for the contributions she has made both academic and non-academic in and outside of school. Dana
received the Theory of Knowledge subject award and the award for the overall contribution to the IB Diploma Programme at the award ceremony last academic year. She has
been the first student at MES Cairo to take IB Music and is excelling in all its components
including composition and performance. She has represented the school as part of
the Model United Nations in both Portugal and Russia. She has actively participated
as a musical performer in various school productions including “We Will Rock You”, the
Seasonal concert and the graduation ceremony. Dana volunteered at a local children’s
cancer hospital and regularly attended. Dana intends to take a “gap” year in France to
immerse herself in French language and culture and intends to attend a UK university to
study English and Music. We will miss her and wish her all the very best for her future.
This Term, Dana attended a Model United Nations conference at AUC as a representative of MES Cairo. We are proud to announce that Dana was awarded ‘Best Female
Delegate’ at the MUN conference. A truly awesome achievement!
Dana says that she has grown as a person since embarking on her IB journey and feels
privileged to have been honoured by the school as IB Scholar 2009-10. She feels that
the IB is not for the faint-hearted and says that the hard work that needs to be put in can
take up a huge amount of time and effort. ‘But I know it will be worth every minute in the
end…!’ (Dana)
We asked Dana a few questions about her IB experience so far.
Apart from your IB studies, what are your main interests?
Singing, Performing Arts in general, football and animals.
What was your most fun CAS experience last year?
Performing with the Primary Choir for Year 1 and 2 in the Primary Atrium.
What has been your most memorable CAS moment?
When a little girl at the cancer hospital gave us hugs at the end of our visit.
What was your best Creativity Activity last year?
Taking part in the We Will Rock You school musical production. I worked with so many
lovely people and had an amazing time.
What was your best Action Activity last year?
JV Football as it is my favourite sport.
What is your major focus for CAS this year?
To help raise money for the Operation Smile Campaign and to make up my action
hours…
16
DP11 and DP12 Trip to the Mediterranean Centre
for Sustainable Development Programmes
A Teamwork, Global Awakening and Leadership weekend
Our trip to Beni Suef from 15-17 October 2009 was one of the most memorable
and enjoyable trips ever. It was not like one of those trips where everything
is ideally fixed; the centre shuts off water to conserve it overnight and there
was no air conditioning; and yet it was one of my favorite experiences ever.
We all stayed at the Mediterranean Center for Sustainable Development, also
known as “Kan Yama Kan” rural community. This village is run by a wise man
named Dr. Adly, who is an expert on recycling and environmental issues.
Before the trip, the majority of the people were sitting in groups, reluctant
to approach anyone they did not know very well. This however changed,
as throughout the entire trip all the DP 11 and DP 12 students were able
to spend time together, recognise each other, and most importantly
able to communicate and converse with each other. We were assigned
to different groups, where we played a variety of teamwork and
communication games. These included exciting games such as the minefield
trust game where we were blindfolded; working as a team to move the hulahoop around a circle, and coordinating as a team to walk on two planks.
As a whole group we discussed the major global issues from J.F. Rischard’s “High Noon: 20
Global Problems, 20 Years to Solve Them.” We argued about many of the key environmental
and humane issues in the world and searched for productive solutions for each critical issue.
This enabled us all to listen to each and everyone’s distinctive perspective.
Afterwards, Dr. Adly gave us a tour of the striking centre that he and his wife Djodi have taken
years to develop. They have created a beautiful atmosphere filled with dazzling species of
flowers. He taught us how to communicate with animals calmly and gently. The ranch consisted of
distinctive animals such as horses, sheep, goats and donkeys. They have adopted a stunning camel
and an exquisite, playful fox. The majority of the group fed the animals fearlessly while others found
it a challenge to overcome. We fed the friendly horses carrots and played around with a few donkeys.
Not only did we get to feed the animals, but Dr. Adly also offered us the opportunity to enter inside
Fidget the fox’s cave. This was a personal fear I surprisingly overcame.
Finally, towards sunset at six o’clock the whole group took a long, exhausting walk to the Nile. We
walked on the sand and stones, but then reached a picturesque place with an exotic sunset view.
We could see the sparkling Nile River flowing around ten feet below us and local farmers working in
the fields below. With a gentle breeze blowing, we had a beautiful location to enjoy
the endless view of original country houses and green fields below. We heard the
delicate sun-set prayer that created a soothing atmosphere to all.
This two-day trip was awesome and yet productive in so many ways. It taught us
how to communicate with one another, how to treat and deal with animals safely
and gently, and raised our awareness of many severe and pressing global issues!
Hekmat El Matbouly – DP11 Student
17
ALUMNI
NEWS FROM THE MES CAIRO ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
MESconian
Nadya Shanab
– Class of 2004 – making her mark on the
international music scene!
How old were you at the time and how did your parents first react when you told them
you wish to leave Egypt to study music in the UK?
‘I first realised I wanted to study music at University level when I was fifteen. I then started researching
the places where I could do this. At the time, there was no place
in Egypt that had what I was looking for so I started looking into
places abroad, concentrating on the UK since I was studying for my IGCSE and then went on to do A/S and
A-Levels. I was also influenced by the proximity of the UK to Egypt. The opportunity to actually go didn’t
come until I was 18, and by that point my family realised just how much I wanted to study music. My mother
was behind me all the way but my father needed a bit more convincing! He didn’t oppose it, he just thought I
should finish my studies at the AUC first and then leave to study music so that I would always have something
to fall back on.’
Were you at all influenced in your dreams and determination by your experiences at school
and what you learned at MES Cairo?
‘Definitely! MES nurtured my love for music from a very young age. I remember clearly participating in a
musical production at the age of 7 where I was the Pied Piper of Hamlin and I then took part in many others
after that. I was always part of the choir, whether it was held after school hours, before school hours or during
break times. I was one of four students in my year group who chose to do GCSE Music.
The atmosphere at MES always encouraged me to dream and to have high goals for myself. MES Cairo taught me that through hard work and
determination you can do anything you set your mind to!’
Please tell us more about LIPA and… we believe you have met Sir Paul McCartney himself?
‘I graduated from LIPA last July. It was an amazing experience and I wish it hadn’t gone by so fast.
LIPA is basically a Performing Arts university, it is a training establishment for ‘performers and those who make performances possible’ and so
it has courses that include dancing, acting, music, management, sound technology, theatre technology and design and community drama and
because of that, you are constantly surrounded by the people you need, each one more talented than the next. I was on a three- year degree
course, which awards me a BA (Hons) in Music. In my third year, I specialized in songwriting, and as part of that class I got to meet Sir Paul
McCartney on a one-on-one songwriting tutorial. We each had a fifteen minute session with him where we got to play a song we had written and
he gave us his opinion, comments and any criticisms he had of it. It was such a great experience! The second time I met him was at my graduation
ceremony. He was there to shake our hands and to hand us our LIPA pins. He also happened to share a few Arabic words he seemed to know
from a previous visit to Egypt.’
What was Sir Paul McCartney’s opinion of your work and what advice did he give you? We are also keen to hear what he
could say in Arabic!
‘I played him my song Ticking Bomb. This is the track that was inspired by the unrest in the Middle East,
which I wrote in late 2006. He really liked it and it sprung a slightly political conversation between us for a
few minutes. He liked how I had combined Arabic elements into the track and how the song gradually builds
up and explodes in the middle section when the drums and percussion come in. The only thing he asked me
to change was a line in the third verse, it originally was; “now they’ve all been scattered for all eternity” he
suggested I remove one “all” as he didn’t like that I had repeated the same word twice in the same phrase
and the meaning intended was still there no matter which one was removed, so I’ve taken out the second
one, because rhythmically it’s easier to do without it.
The Arabic phrases he knew were; Hello (Salam), Thank You (Shokran) and God Bless (Barrak Allah). He
shared them with me both at the songwriting tutorial and at graduation.’
Could you tell us a little more about the debut album you are soon to release and about the
record company that is managing your work?
‘I’m currently back in Liverpool to finish working on my debut album - El Mahrousa - which I’m putting out on
my own record label – ‘Hamzet Wasl’. We are currently about half way through the album. It’s taking a bit
longer than expected because we keep facing all sorts of issues and as we have a 9-piece band all recording.
18
It takes a lot of work trying to make sure people are free when they are needed and that
the sound engineer is free and the studio is free for use! The album should contain about
nine tracks that are all either in Arabic or a fusion of both Arabic and English within the
same song. I guess the best way to describe its genre would be World Music - especially
since the musicians playing on the tracks come from all over the world and have each
brought in their personal influences to the music. As it is my debut album, the material
that it will contain spans over a large time period,
some tracks were written six or more years
ago and they have been constantly revisited
until they evolved into their current form.
Things that have inspired me for this album
are many. There is a track that was inspired by
the Middle East unrest - specifically in 2006,
there is one inspired by the death of a FGM
victim in 2008 and other tracks that seemed to
have sprung up from nowhere but looking back now, I realise that they were inspired by the amazing
people I was surrounded by.
Hamzet Wasl - is basically my own record label. I decided I wasn’t going to wait around until I got a
record deal and I would release an album on my own, especially since the music industry has changed
drastically in the most recent years and major record companies don’t have such a prominent role
anymore now that record sales aren’t as high as they used to be. I also decided on creating Hamzet
Wasl since it can provide me with the opportunity, later on, to help
out other musicians (especially in Egypt) that are similar to myself.’
I taught you once and always knew you had it in you to share your knowledge with others and
help them learn. Tell me how you have found the challenges of teaching and whether your
experiences at MES Cairo as a student helped to prepare you for teaching others?
‘I was working as a singing teacher in a school in Warrington just before the summer and am now looking into
continuing with more teaching to help me out income-wise. I also help out with workshops that LIPA host for high
school children encouraging them to go into higher education (especially targetting children from single parent
families, foster care, child abuse victims, ones with drug abusing parents, ones with uneducated parents etc.)
or working with talented individuals and help nurture their talent. These workshops take place both inside and
outside LIPA. When I was younger, one of the things I had always wanted to be was a teacher. And so when the
opportunity to teach arose I couldn’t turn it down. I went through a two-year vocal teaching training course while
at LIPA to better understand the technique I had been taught and to understand how to teach it to different age
groups without them losing interest. It was a bit challenging applying the techniques I had learnt to a classroom
but I quickly began to enjoy it. I found it very rewarding especially when my students got things right. I’ve had a
few students that were tough to deal with, but nothing too shocking - just typical teenage attitude! While at MES
I was constantly helping out my fellow students whether it was within group work with concepts
they didn’t understand or with things they had missed while they were off school.’
Do you see your future as being in Egypt or in England? How do you feel when
you come back to Egypt these days?
‘For the time being, I see myself in the UK, as I need to fully establish myself and accomplish a few
targets I have set before considering setting myself up in Egypt for good. I realise that while I’m in
England, people in Egypt were still following my progress and my music was still being exposed
to people over there. I hold performances when I can
every time I visit. However, if I start my career in Egypt,
I may no longer be exposing my music to the people in
the UK. And so by staying in England, I’m getting the
best of both worlds regarding music exposure!
When I come back to Egypt, I feel at home! I miss it terribly of course when I’m away and just how much
I’ve missed it hits me hard the moment I’m back in the UK. However, there are things I notice more every
time I’m gone for a while, like our traffic problems. There are certain worries very specific to a certain
segment of society but they do exist, and I’m not a big fan of them!
You have achieved some of your dreams already and you are a wonderful example of
someone who has tasted some success due to perseverance and strength. Can you
share more dreams with us - what are your big dreams for the future?
‘My immediate dreams for the future are to be finishing my album by mid 2010 and release it in both
electronic and physical form and once the album is ready, I’ll be aiming to approach different companies
for a distribution deal to get my album sold at several outlets around the UK and Egypt. I’d like to be
performing regularly with my band ‘Property of Nadya Shanab’ in the UK and to find sponsorship to bring
my 10 piece band down to Egypt for a two week period or so and hold a tour of Egypt. I held a mini - tour in
the summer of 2008 where only two of my band members could come down but it was very successful.’
19
The MESsenger Welcomes New Staff to MES Cairo
A
small number of new teachers has joined the MES Cairo family this academic year. If
you haven’t met them already, here is your opportunity to start getting to know them!
Nicola Green – Secondary
Science
Ebony Burnside – Secondary English
I was born and raised in the Bahamas, but moved
to Hong Kong to finish my IB Diploma after high
school. From there, I moved to New York City
where I received my first degree in English and
then to Massachusetts where I received my
teaching certificate. Since then, I have been living
in Seattle, WA where I’ve taught 7th, 9th and 10th
grade English as well as worked as a college
counselor for 12th graders. I’m excited to get to
know Cairo and the students at MES!
I was born in Derbyshire, England.
I spent 10 years teaching there
before moving on to warmer climes
in sunny southern Spain where I
lived on a finca with a menagerie
of animals. I enjoy singing and
amateur dramatics and used to play
the baritone horn in a brass band!
Nicola Green
Ebony Burnside
Michael Cox- Primary PE
Teacher
Steve Marson – Secondary English
I was born in Sydney, Australia and have studied
English, ESL and Media in Australia and the UK and
have taught English and ESL in Australia, Hong Kong,
China and now Egypt! I love travelling and would list
some of my favourite places to visit as being The USA,
Japan, Portugal, England, China and Nepal. I have a
fascination with all things historical – both modern and
ancient - and I am therefore thrilled to now be living
in Egypt! I like learning new languages and having
struggled with elementary Chinese will now see how I
farewith Arabic. In what spare time is left, I enjoy music
(playing and listening), photography, reading and all
things to do with media and technology.
Michael Cox
Steve Marson at the Khan
Kia Ora, I am from Waitakere, New
Zealand where I taught in Year 3
for two years and Year 6 for two.
I then worked in London for three
years as a Year 4 class teacher
which was great but I could not
do another gloomy winter. So now
I am looking forward to working in
the PE department in the Primary
area of the school and to be living
in Cairo. I enjoy most sports and
have a passion for water sports.
Alison Smylie – FS2
Naomi Jackson – Secondary
English
I am originally from Chicago, but have
spent the last eight years abroad in the UK,
Mozambique and Brazil. Although I am not
related to Michael Jackson, I have fond
memories of pretending (along with my two
sisters and two brothers) that I was a part
of the Jackson 5. I love running. I have
completed two Chicago marathons and
recently ran in the Rio de Janeiro marathon.
Naomi Jackson
My name is Alison Smylie. I was born in
Scotland UK. I am presently teaching
in FS2 (Violet). I have been teaching in
Early Years for the last 14 years and have
just joined MES from Doha, Qatar where I
worked at Gulf English School for 5 years.
Prior to that I worked in Saigon or Ho Chi
Minh City as it is now called in Vietnam for
4 and a half years. My hobbies include
tapestry, eating out, making jewelry and
generally enjoying myself. I am excited
at being in Cairo and looking forward to a
fantastic year ahead in MES.
Alison Smylie
Joe Frett – Secondary Maths
I was born and raised in Tacoma Washington, about 35 miles south of Seattle. I have a B.A. in
Mathematics and a minor in Special Education from Saint Martians University. I have 11 years
experience teaching Maths, at the secondary level. My father was a chef, so I enjoy cooking; I cooked
for a living for 6 years before going back to university to become a teacher, so you could say cooking is
my 1st love and teaching is my 2nd. Back home I enjoyed hiking in the Cascade Mountains and sailing
in the Puget Sound. I enjoy going to concerts and movies. I’m a hippy at heart, I cut 18 inches of hair
before my interview to get this job. I’m a free spirited person who enjoys having a good time.
Joe Frett
20
Lorna Mallory - Primary Year 4
I have been a teacher for 9 years, the first 4 years in London, and the last 5 years in Malaysia. During
my time in Kuala Lumpur, I was the International Primary Curriculum Leader and Head of Year 4. As a
primary teacher I enjoy the diversity of teaching many different subjects but I particularly like Literacy,
Drama and the Humanities. I am an avid reader, enjoy playing Netball and have a passion for travel,
having visited countries such as Madagascar, Ethiopia, Cambodia and Iceland. I am looking forward to
my time at MES and having the opportunity to explore Egypt.
Adam Briggs - Primary Year 6
I have come to Egypt from Malaysia, where I have spent the last six years. In Kuala Lumpur I worked at
a six form entry school where I was the Head of Year 6. Although I am a primary school class teacher, I
have always worked closely with the music department at all of the schools I have been in, either as a
performer or on the technical side of things. Outside of school, I am looking forward to scuba diving the
Red Sea and exploring the cultural heritage of Egypt.
Mr. and Mrs. Briggs/Mallory
Ross Wilkinson –
Secondary English
Ryan Hammerberg –Secondary
Science
I was born and raised in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. I obtained my Bachelor of Science with
a teaching certificate from the University of
Wisconsin Eau-Claire in chemistry and physics. I have taught chemistry, physics, forensic
science, and physical science. I welcome the
opportunity to work with students outside the
Ryan Hammerberg
classroom and have coached cross-country
running, track, and basketball. In my free
time I enjoy being active and experiencing the outdoors, especially if it
involves hunting and fishing. I have a passion for running and placed
second in a Lake Woebegone Trail Marathon in May
For my first overseas teaching
assignment, I have chosen
Cairo. A native of Michigan, I
earned a degree in history and
journalism at Central Michigan
University and a master’s
degree in history from Oakland
Ross Wilkinson
University. Before becoming
a teacher, I was a newspaper
reporter and editor, and worked for training publications for General Motors’
dealerships. For the past 15 years, I was an English teacher in my hometown
of Lansing. My hobbies include bicycling and reading history and literature.
Tom Dickinson - Secondary Design
Technology
Ian Brace - Secondary Mathematics
Ian Brace
I have come to MES from Australia to teach
mathematics in the American Section.
Apart from teaching, I have served in the
Australian army and worked as a professional
engineer. I have a PhD in engineering and
am enthusiastic about mathematics, physics
and most things technical. I have come to
Cairo to experience Egyptian culture and
to broaden my understanding of the middle
eastern perspective.
I am from Liverpool, UK, home of good comedy and the Beatles. I have a good sense
of humour and always look to make people
laugh, but I can’t sing to save my life! I am
very excited to be working here at MES
Cairo, teaching Design Technology. I love
sports, especially football and I support Manchester United. Oh and Cheesecake is my
very favourite food - hint, hint!
Tom Dickinson
Syeda Bokhari – Senior Students Supervisor
Syeda Bokhari
Hi! I am Syeda Bokhari from Pakistan. I did my Masters in Public Administration as an ADB-Scholar
in 2007 from National Graduate Institute of Policy Studies, Tokyo and have my first Masters Degree in
English Literature from Punjab University, Pakistan. I have completed several Professional Development
Courses, apart from Academic Writings Workshops, Presentation Skills, and a Montessori Teachers
Training Certificate. I love to sing and dance and have performed on stage on several occasions. I
am also a poet, and I enjoy reading, writing, painting, and sports such as Volley ball and swimming.
Over the last 14 years I have worked in various capacities. I’ve worked as a teacher prior to joining the
Government Service as a Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, Ministry of Finance. I’ve also worked
as a Senior Sub-Editor, Daily ‘The Muslim’, Islamabad and as an Assistant Editor, The Financial Daily
(International). I am glad to be a Part of the MES Team as a ‘Senior Students Supervisor.
21
Key Stage Two News
A Day in the Life of The Learning Hub
The
Learning Hub is a class and teachers’ room in the Primary building. It is a learning room for all people
in the Primary block. Small groups of children work there, groups of teachers have training in this room
and plan work for classes there. It is a very interesting place to be in as so many different groups of people visit
the Learning Hub throughout the day. Here are some of the things that happen in the learning hub, from the room’s
point of view!
This article is written as if the Learning Hub was a real living room. This is called ‘personification’.
OK, so the summer holiday was quiet, not many visitors, so I managed to catch up on quite a lot of down time. The
staff went on holiday. Apparently they all had a good time, judging by their stories and photographs, and from what
I gather the children are happy to be back at school. They come in to see their old teachers, and have taken quite a
lot of new interest in the changes to me.
Yes, I have had a bit of a make-over. My entrance is much prettier, thanks to a new sign, and my walls are definitely
brighter. I suppose it’s a bit like having cosmetic surgery, isn’t it!
Yes, most of the changes have been fine, but there is one small matter of my sleep. I used to be able to snooze for
the majority of the day, but not anymore. Nowadays I’m busy and full of differently people the whole day long. I have
Ms Mella and Ms Katie in for most of the day, then they pop out. Sometimes they are gone for a long time, and other
times they come back almost immediately with children. I don’t mind children, but they are rather loud! Always talking
about things they are learning about and discussing things with teachers and friends. Honestly, when a room is supposed to catch a nap through the day, I don’t
know! Don’t they realize that I’m quite old. If they don’t slow down a little, my make-over will be completely reversed!
Don’t believe me? Well, here’s a day in my life, judge for yourself…
7.15am
Staff arrive in dribs and drabs. Most pop in for a cup of coffee – I believe it helps them to get ready for their teaching
day. Then in come Ms. Katie and Ms. Mella. They rush around for a few minutes, check emails on the computer and
then talk about children…
8.30am
A lot of small children – Year 1 I believe – all came stomping in muttering things about VCOP and WOW words. They
were loud for a few minutes, I suppose it must have been an ‘activity’, but you’d think they could do it silently. Then
Ms. Katie told Ms. Ursula about how great the children had been and that their vocabulary was developing nicely. If I
could speak I would have reminded her of the well worn idiom ‘Silence is Golden’. Unfortunately, I cannot.
9.15am
Year 2 teachers all came in with lots of pieces of paper and sat on my comfy chairs. They were planning work for
the children to do the following week. It was quite a peaceful session and I must say that I found the ideas they had
about teaching writing were really quite inspired. If only I could hold a pen! Actually, if I could hold a pen, I’d put up
signs asking the teachers to stop dropping biscuit crumbs down the back of my sofas.
10.00am
More children! This time working on handwriting and punctuation. One boy was so good at telling stories that I felt quite transported into his world of beauty
and wildlife. Clever.
10.45am
Must have been the children’s playtime because so many teachers all came in at once. This is one of my favourite
times of the day. The conversations are so unusual. Actually, it’s sometimes quite hard to pick all of the conversations
up – they all talk at once you know! If any of the teachers actually read this article, could you please make a point of
slowing down your speech and articulating!
11.15am
Ms. Sasha came in with lots of papers in her hand and gave Ms. Katie more jobs to do. Someone must have told a
funny joke because she laughed very loudly. Please note earlier idiom.
12.00
Ms. Mella returned with lots of costumes. They’ll probably be here forever! I must remind her that I am not a store
room for strange items that have no other home. That doesn’t apply to the large bouncy ball – I like that, it can
stay.
12.45pm
A maths group arrived. Children everywhere! Whiteboards, pens, counters, number squares. Where they came from
is anyone’s guess and thankfully they put it all away before they left. I didn’t know that children so young could work
difficult sums out in their heads so quickly!
22
Key Stage Two News
1.30pm
Another break – coffee, talking (too fast) and laughing. Someone mentioned that I would be used for the whole day
tomorrow for staff training. Nobody thought to ask me though! It’s a good job I’m easy going.
2.00pm
There must be something special happening in school, because Ms. Katie and Ms. Mella were working very hard on a
large display board. Something about the 5R’s. I must find out more, it sounds quite interesting.
2.45pm
Another year group ( Year 5) came in to plan. They’re doing a very exciting project on the Environment. Such fun ideas
to get the children to protect the environment. Then they spoke about Assessment for Learning. Now that I do know
something about – there’s a display on one of my walls and I often admire it. It’s not as good as the HighScope display –
that little boy is cute!
3.30 pm
You know it’s the end of the day when the children make such a lot of noise. All walking to their transport I suppose – loudly!
Never mind, they are children after all and it sounds like they are very happy.
So, you see what I mean? Last year I was able to pass the day in a quiet way, with just a few meetings and visitors at breaktimes. Now, I’m terribly busy! It’s not
all bad I suppose. I mean, who would have known how clever these children are! Not me that’s for sure, they hardly ever visited me last year. And I suppose
they aren’t that loud really.
Actually, between me and you, I really like them.
Mrs. C. Jodrell - Primary Lead Teacher
Year 6 elects House Captains!
After a busy start to Year 6, the time came to vote for House Captains. Students from the six Year 6 classes were nominated by their peers to
become House Captain. On a very hot Thursday morning, all of Year 6 gathered together in house groups in the playground to listen to inspiring
speeches from the prospective House Captains. By the end of morning break, the votes had been counted by Mr. Riley and Mrs. Glancy and
the 8 new House Captains were announced by Mr. Jodrell.
We are very pleased to announce that the House Captains are:
Horus
Nada Sorour (6Y) and Hamzah Abdel
Majid (6R)
Anubis
Nadeen Mansour (6O) and Seif Nasr
(6B)
Ra
Farida Omar (6G) Hassan Saad (6B)
Ra House Captains- Farida Omar and
Hassan Saad
Horus House Captains- Nada Sorour and
Hamza Abdel-Majed
Thoth House Captains- Farida Swellem and
Aly Karam
Anubis House Captains- Nadeen Mansour
and Seif Nasr
Thoth
Farida Swellem (6V) and Aly Karam
(6R)
The House Captains are excited about their new role
and supporting the Senior Leadership Team raise the
profile of the houses this year. Watch this space.
Mr. I. Riley - Year 6 Green (House Captain
Mentor)
23
Key Stage Two News
Year Six had lots of fun
in Cyprus!
Last summer, two groups of MES Cairo Year Six students were
lucky enough to make educational visits to Cyprus. Here, some of
those who went on the second visit give their opinion on:
The ten best things about going to Cyprus!
1. Greenery everywhere and much less pollution than Cairo.
2. The shopping day in Paphos was brilliant. They had a lot of things
you wouldn’t find in Egypt.
3. The river study in the mountains was fun. We loved looking at
different species in the riffles and pools.
4. There were a lot of plants we could eat as we walked through the
fields. Flowers with honey nectar and sour stems, fresh almonds,
bashmala – picked fresh from the trees, wild garlic and mustard
flowers.
5. The evening activities were very funny. The Greek dancers were
professional and really well trained.
6. The village study left us soaking wet but laughing!
7. Throwing stones in the sea and having skimming competitions
with Mr. Simon and Mr. Andrew (Mr Simon won!).
8. Eating Mr Whippy ice cream with a 99 flake and monkey blood!
9. The Avakas Gorge walk was wonderful. We loved looking out
over the villages from the mountains and hills.
10. Performing our plays in the amphitheatre at Kourion.
By last year’s Six Orange students at MES Cairo.
24
Microsoft Office 2007 comes
to MES Cairo
Over
the summer
holiday MES
has updated the MS Office
suite of programmes to the
2007 release so that our
students are fully up to date
with the advances in technology and are familiar with the latest version of this
software available.
For those used to the previous version there are some very visible changes in
this latest release. The most striking is the instant preview of formatting changes
which makes it much easier to improve presentation. The change which caused
most concern was working out how to open, print and save. The familiar ‘File’
option in the menu bar had disappeared and none of the new tabs, that have
replaced the menu bar, seemed to offer any clues. The answer
was the ‘Office Button’ a feature that is common to all the new
programs in the Office family.
Once this feature is located, converting to using the latest release
becomes much easier.
Microsoft has also produced some very useful interactive tools
that help users find their way around the 2007 version. They are
very user friendly and do this by first showing the earlier version
menu bar where the desired function is selected, and then the way
the command is given in the new version is shown.
The MS Word converter can be found here: http://office.microsoft.
com/en-us/word/HA100744321033.aspx other converters for
Excel and Powerpoint are also available. These can either be run
online, or downloaded and installed.
We appreciate that the software used in many homes may not be
the latest version of MS Office. This is not a problem as Microsoft
have produced a conversion application that, once installed on any
computer running earlier releases of MS Office programmes, will
allow earlier versions of their Office programmes to open, edit and
save documents created using Office 2007. The file is available
to download, free, from Microsoft. To locate the application (called
fileformatconverters.exe) type ‘microsoft office compatibility
pack’ into Google, or any other search engine, and the route to
the download link will be very apparent.
Mr. M. New - Head of Primary IT
25
Drama at MES Cairo
Drama Department at MES Cairo continues its steady growth. Every student
The
in Key Stage 3 (Year/Grade 7 and 8) is given the
chance to discover the wonders and excitement of
Drama. The course at this level has been specially
designed for MES Cairo and is unique to the school.
The success of this experience has yielded everbetter results and there are now over eighty students
studying Theatre or Drama in Key Stage 4 (Year/
Grade 9 and above).
In the American Section, Theatre I has begun again with a group of Grade 9 and
10 students starting the journey of discovery through the history and development
of Theatre since its origins in Ancient Greece. We have two Theatre II classes
running and the theatre companies the students set up as part of the course are
preparing for their first public performances. Watch this space for news of how
‘Crutchy’s Productions’ and ‘Third Eye Theatre’ fare when they present their work
to their peers.
The small IB Theatre class has been exploring the
classic play ‘Hedda Gabler’ by Henrik Ibsen, ‘The Glass Menagerie’ by Tennessee Williams and are now exploring the entirely different form of Ancient Greek
theatre. They too will have the chance to perform their work to their colleagues
in the near future.
After the stunning success of last year’s ‘first ever’ IGCSE Drama class in their
final assessments (the girls achieved two As and a B)
the current Year 10 class are putting their hearts and
souls into the challenging piece ‘No Exit’ by JeanPaul Sartre. Scenes from this play will form part of their recorded coursework,
along with some excellent monologues and their own devised piece entitled ‘Dog
Eat Dog’. With their coursework complete, the class must then turn their attentions to more devised work and a scripted piece for their written exam in May.
The most exciting development in Drama must be the new IGCSE class. A record
breaking sixteen students have begun the process of refining their natural talent,
developing professional acting skills and exploring
the thoughts and opinions on life of other cultures
and peoples. They have taken to IGCSE Drama like
ducks to water and their recent improvisation workshops have proved that choosing the subject as part
of their GCSE portfolio Drama was a decision well
made.
Studying and participating in Drama has many benefits and develops more skills than just an ability to
act. Some of our Theatre and Drama students have
been reflecting on what they gain from the subject:
“Drama is fun, it’s enjoyable and it helps with social skills. You learn to support
your team-mates and cooperate.” (Ahmed Dahawy)
“You can explore different aspects of yourself in Drama and discover more about
the world and the different ways people think.” (Caitlin Hainsworth)
26
“Drama helps with your vocal technique – and it’s fun.”
(Fady Philip)
“Drama helps you become more cultural. The exam technique we learn in Drama also helps in other subjects.
Drama brings life to my studies.” (Noah Khalifa)
“Drama builds your confidence.” (Youssef Gouda)
“Drama is a great help with speech.” (Mohamed Shobky)
“Drama is fun and it expands your vocabulary.” (Hussein
Elwy)
“Drama has taught me how people’s attitude affects those
around them.” (Sarah Aly)
“Theatre is something I love and is different from other types of study. It helps with
my self-confidence – before taking Theatre I used to be so shy!” (Ghadir Seif)
“Theatre completes me, amuses me and allows me to follow in my parents’ footsteps.” (Rany Mishal)
“Theatre helps me with a lot of things – it makes me more responsible and I have become clearer in giving
instructions.” (Malak El Mokadem)
“In Theatre I learn how to cooperate with others and listen to their opinions. It also develops my powers of
concentration.” (Moataz El Sherbini)
New Arrivals
The Performing Arts Department is delighted to welcome Mr. Thomas Thurston to the
team. Mr. Thurston has joined us from the Primary department and is eagerly sharing his
professional theatrical training with Secondary students.
“Having already enjoyed 2 years at MES Cairo in Primary, I have now moved to Secondary
to teach Drama and Theatre. Having trained and performed at various Drama schools in
the UK before moving to Egypt it has been a real pleasure to return to it in the company
of the talented MES Cairo student body.”
Ms. Heather Crutchfield has also joined us from just across
the yard where she teaches English in the American Section.
She is now enjoying taking her Grade 9 and 10 group through
the ups and downs of forming, and running, a theatre company
and has this to say about her experience so far:
“Theatre has always been a passion of mine; from my first grade role as a little
angel to performing in productions of Ibsen and Chekhov plays as a college theatre
student, it has had me hooked. I have long held a dream of becoming a Theatre
teacher, and am quite honored that MES has provided me this opportunity. Teaching
Theatre II is not only professionally fulfilling, it also great fun. The students have been hard at work preparing
for their first performance, a collection of scenes from plays such as “The Secret Garden,” and “1000 Cranes.”
Many of our students are taking on directing and acting roles for the first time, while others are seasoned
performers from the MES stage. I have already been impressed by their talent, commitment, comedic timing,
and risk-taking in some challenging roles; and cannot wait to see the performances the students develop as
the year presses on.”
Both of the new Performing Arts Department teachers are very welcome and we are all looking forward to the
results of their sharing their wealth of talent, experience and expertise with the future stars of Egypt.
Mr. J. Todd – Head of Performing Arts
27
Verbatim Theatre
meets Broadway Musical to thrill
audience at MES Cairo Staff Show
LETTERS TO ME
Inspired by an American musical called ‘Is there Life after High
School?’ the MES Cairo Staff Show was a unique production that
incorporated several styles of performance art. ‘Letters to Me’
was written and directed by Jonathan Todd (MES Cairo Head
of Performing Arts) in the mode of Verbatim Theatre. Teachers at MES Cairo presented their very own, real experiences
through moving and entertaining speeches based on the theme
of leaving school and venturing out into the real world. The accounts and memories were interpreted to reflect the mixed bag
of emotions, surprises, successes and disappointments that life
brings to us all. Then the monologues were blended masterfully with a selection of items from the musical as well as some
popular classics that reinforced the messages of the speeches.
Directed by Daniel Tomlin, the musical pieces were slick and
professional, provoking the full spectrum of emotions throughout the captivated audience.
The show – as well as being a long-awaited opportunity for
talented teachers to express themselves and to provide Cairo
people with some much appreciated high quality theatre - was
essentially a gesture of goodwill extended to the remarkable
MES Cairo graduating Class of 2009. This class displayed a
tremendous generosity of spirit throughout their final year and
gave so much to the community and to the needy that their humbled teachers felt it was time to give something spectacular back to them.
Offering advice and wisdom to young people as their journey into the real world begins; ‘Letters to Me’ also enabled
students to see their teachers displaying an array of stunning talent – proving that ‘those who teach, CAN!’ The
MES Cairo teacher performers certainly CAN practise what they preach and it was a very delighted Peter Godfrey
(School Principal) who took to the stage after the finale and expressed great pride in what his staff had achieved. He
emphasised that although at MES Cairo, teachers are recruited first and foremost for their excellent teaching skills
... they are also appreciated for ‘extra’ abilities they can share with the school and its students. MES Cairo students
are blessed with teachers who are unique and special individuals, each contributing something exceptional to the
rich and diverse MES Cairo educational experience. I asked director, Jonathan Todd, whether or not he thinks it is
a good thing for students to see their teachers exposed as being very real humans after all!
Many would consider it a very courageous thing to do – to get up on a stage in front of students - acting
and singing – as well as baring your soul! Do you think it right for students to see their teachers in such
a raw light? ‘Leaving school is such an important transition in young people’s lives. The teachers’ real accounts
encompassed the full range of what people experience – particularly the emotions - the excitement of going but also
the fear of losing what you had. The actors did not necessarily speak their own accounts – it did not matter who
had originally written the contributions and in fact many contributions were made by teachers who did not want to
physically take part by being on the stage. We sensed the need to explain to our students that yes they are going
to experience all these ups and downs but not to worry because we’ve all been through them and we turned out all
right – in fact the more the show developed and took shape - the more it became an obvious thing to do.’
Dedicated and talented, MES Cairo teachers gave much of their time in the three weeks leading up to the two
performances. Their efforts paid off. The young people and adults
who were lucky enough to see it were amazed by the production.
Make sure you don’t miss next year’s MES Cairo Staff Show.
Mrs. S. Sheehan - Head of English, American
Section
28
PRIMARY MUSIC NEWS
Peripatetic Music Programme
at MES Cairo
We are excited about the year ahead in peripatetic music instruction. Some new things have been added
to our programme. We are offering the bass guitar as an instrument of instruction this year and have
an excellent teacher ready to take on new students. We are also offering the Rock School
programme which is a comprehensive graded set of levels similar to the Trinity system but is
written in a rock idiom. New staff in the programme is Magued Nigati who is now Peripatetic
Music Programme Coordinator and Reem Mostafa who is our new administrative assistant.
With these two energetic people in charge of the programme our
goal is to expand and to make our already successful peripatetic
lessons even better.
Reem Mostafa joined the music department in May 2009 and
is beginning the new school year with enthusiasm and dedication
to music education at the MES Cairo. She is the administrative
assistant for all the music department and is responsible for the peripatetic
programme. Reem graduated from Art and Design Academy majoring in
graphic design and advertising. She was at AR Publications working in
advertising as an account executive before joining our school. She has also
worked as a system analyst for the Information System Centre in the TV and
Radio union. House music is Reem’s favourite type of music and she really enjoys dancing. She has a
lively three year old named Ali and lives in Nasr City with her husband Ahmed. She really enjoys working
at the MES Cairo because music has always been very important to her and now she gets
to work every day with musicians. She has made many friends in the MES Cairo staff and
hopes to get to know parents and students too.
We at the MES Cairo are very fortunate to have such a fine, enthusiastic and professional
person in our music department and hope that she will stay with
us for many years.
Magued Nagati is the new Peripatetic Music Programme
Coordinator at Modern English School Cairo. He is in charge
of coordinating all aspects of our peripatetic music programme.
He plans the syllabus for each level of instruction, prepares the
peripatetic concerts, guides the peripatetic teachers, oversees the students’
lessons, and provides important support to our music programme at MES
Cairo. Magued has a post secondary degree in computer science and and
has received extensive training on the drums. He has taught private drum
lessons at the MES Cairo for the last 7 years and has performed in many
bands throughout Cairo and internationally. Union, Still and Consperience are a few of the Egyptian
rock bands he has played with. Ten Pence Mixy Bag, One for the Road and Busby are bands that
include MES Cairo teachers which Magued has played with. Magued has been an invaluable asset to
our productions at MES Cairo, without him we could have never had the band performances that we
have enjoyed. Magued also plays drums in Dr. Mohamed Kazem’s musical project. Dr. Kazem is a
diplomat who’s project called “In Search of Understanding” travelled to Japan to perform last summer
and Magued was an integral part of sharing the message of Egyptian music to the Japanese. Magued
enjoys all kinds of music but is particularly interested in jazz and progressive rock. A few of his favourite
performers are Pink Floyd, Camel, and The Beatles. He not only plays the drums but is also a fine
guitarist and singer. He is still working on his cello and piano skills. Magued’s
favourite production at the MES Cairo was the Lion King and he really had a
great time playing drums in it.
Magued’s friendly personality and helpful support has made him a favourite
around our school. We at the MES Cairo are very fortunate to have such a fine
drummer and musician and look forward to working with him now that he has
an administrative position in the music department.
Mr. R. Smart - Head of Primary Music
29
MES Cairo MESsenger
takes the world by storm!
Mr. Pasquale di Matteo using the mighty MESsenger to take the sting out of the Stingray
MES Cairo teachers past and present are so
hooked on the MESsenger magazine that they
can’t stop reading it – even during their summer
holidays! Last summer, Mr. Godfrey sent his
special MESsenger paparazzi photographers
on a round the world mission - to catch out
those teachers who were still reading the
MESsenger when they were supposed to be
resting and not thinking about school. ‘MES
Cairo teachers just can’t get enough of the
MESsenger,’ he mused. ‘even when they
leave us to work elsewhere. The MESsenger
has become very popular all over the world,
from Scotland to Zanzibar to Vancouver. The
MESsenger bug is very contagious and there’s
nothing anyone can do about it..!’
Ms. Campbell reading the MESsenger to a
captivated rare blue lobster - in her father’s
restaurant in Canada
Ms. Clare Chalkley and Ms. Dee Gunduz were
turned into Stone Muses by this MESsenger
masterpiece they discovered in Athens
Weddings in Scotland are such an inconvenience to teachers who are busy reading the
MESsenger!
Mr. Pickhaver is too busy to enjoy the
marvels of the ocean. The MESsenger is so
marvellous!
Mr. Thurston caught relaxing on the Giant’s
Causeway with the MESsenger
‘Frankly, Big Ben can wait!’ declared Miss
Flake, visiting London all the way from Dallas,
Texas
Ms. Harrison would rather dive into the MESsenger any time.
Mr. Naidoo says, ‘Who in their right mind has
time for kayaking on the waters of Johnson’s
strait when there’s a MESsenger to be read?’
Mr. Pickhaver and Ms. Harrison won’t let a
gale force wind stop them from enjoying the
MESsenger
Saved by the MESsenger! Can
you spot the danger on this
page?! Yes, it is a killer Whale!
30
Ms. Flake and Mr. Thurston visited a school in
the Coastal Causeway and it reminded them
that they miss their own MES Cairo
The MESsenger was far more interesting than
the ruins of Dunluce Castle…
Mr. Allsop is at it again,…this time
outside the Millenium Stadium in
Cardiff, Wales
The MESsenger Editor was impressed by this shot of Mr. Allsop
at the famous Welsh stadium
Arsenal Football stadium is
home to many a MESsenger fan!
The MESsenger would form the
basis of a great script for the next
Torchwood series
Mr. Allsop ignored a collapsing red
phone box because he was so wrapped
up in the MESsenger.
The Rosetta Stone itself is no
match for the awesome attraction
they call the MESsenger.
Mr. Thurston even took the MESsenger with him when he went on
a summer holiday journey that took
him back to the prehistoric age
Stalactive curtains getting in the
way of the gripping MESsenger
Mr. Tomlin would rather
remember the MESsenger
than his days as a college
student.
Why would you want to marvel at the Brighton
Pavillion when you have a MESsenger to
distract you?!
Mr. Allsop reading the MESsenger.
We think he might have been in
Budapest…?
The MESsenger takes pride of place
on the Ohio State Seal
Mr. Tomlin was nearly arrested
for reading the MESsenger
whilst crossing the road and
causing danger to traffic.
Who needs a ukelele when there’s
so much good music in The MESsenger…
A warlike Mrs. Allsop was calmed down
by the peaceful messages in the MESSenger as she toured the Imperial War
Museum
Many couples enjoy romantic walks along
Brighton Beach. Unforunately, Mr. and Mrs.
Allsop don’t have time for that because they
are too engrossed in the MESsenger...
31
The Secondary House System – Update!
Last Year’s Results
With the disruption to the end of last school year the results of the House
Competition for 2008-2009 were left unannounced, much to the consternation and
anxiety of the very dedicated participants in the competition. Therefore, it gives me
great pleasure to be able to announce those much anticipated results. After a year
of exciting and fun competition the four houses ended in the following order:
4th place – Edjo (575 points)
– Amun (635 points)
3rd place – Selket (595 points)
2nd place
1st place – Kheper – (710 points)
Huge congratulations to Kheper for regaining the House Trophy, but also to all
the Houses for contributing to our best year ever.
Now, the race for glory is on again. We have already had four exciting events
to get the competition underway once more.
Staff House Event
Before students returned to MES Cairo the staff took part in the annual Staff
House Event, initiating our new teaching colleagues into this much loved aspect
of the year at our school. This year’s event took the form of a very difficult quiz
which caused much scratching of heads and debate as to the correct answer.
The quiz culminated in each team forming a pretend orchestra in the correct,
official formation. This was achieved with varying levels of success and fed
into the final scores:
4th place – Kheper
3rd place – Amun
2nd place – Selket
1st place – Edjo
Extravaganza
When our students returned we were straight into one of the biggest House
events of the year – Extravaganza! As ever, some favourite games returned to
the field and were joined by some ‘new for 09’ games. A balance of physical
activities and brain-stretching exercises circled the field and teams made their
way round competing for points. ‘Back Bucket’, ‘MES On Your Face’, ‘Hello,
Thank-you, I Love You’, ‘Bin-Head’ and ‘Fire in the Hole’ gave rise to much
hilarity and great competition. ‘Sunken Treasure’, ‘Fox, Goose and Grain’,
‘Famous Faces’, ‘Blanket Volleyball’ and ‘Balancing Balls’ tested the brain
power and stamina of the students. The finale demanded teamwork from
everyone as they passed giant House banners over their heads and onto the
track for a race to the finish.
The engagement and sportsmanship of all the students who participated
was admirable and made all the staff extremely proud to be working with such a
fine body of students. Extravaganza is, however, a competition and the results
of the day were:
4th place – Selket
3rd place – Kheper
2nd place – Edjo
1st place – Amun
Special Wednesday
Special Wednesday has returned to the MES Cairo timetable. In an extended
break on Wednesdays, students have the opportunity of participating in
games and challenges all for the glory of their House. So far this year we
have had ‘A Mental Minute’ and ‘Word Twist’. “A Mental Minute’ is a mental
maths challenge where students and staff have one minute to answer as
many questions as they can with no written calculation or electronic calculators.
‘Word Twist’ is a similar game but based on six-letter anagrams. Teams have two
minutes to from as many words from those six letters as they can.
These four events have left the Competition Tally thus far looking like this:
32
Student Council Elections
Another annual and very important
aspect of the House calendar is the
election procedure which results in the
formation of the MES Student Council.
This highly dedicated and vital group
of students works with the House staff
and Senior Leadership Team to ensure
that the students of MES Cairo have
representation in the running of the
school.
This year we introduced a new feature of the election process. All
aspiring House Representatives were asked to produce a short
campaign video outlining their reasons for wanting to serve on the
council. On Wednesday 4th November, Election Day, students viewed
the videos and asked questions of the candidates.
Votes were then cast and the MES Cairo Student
Council has been formed to begin another year of
excellent leadership and discussion.
Congratulations are due to all the candidates as the
videos were brilliant. Everyone who had the courage to
stand for election put a lot of time and effort into their
campaigns and should be proud of their achievement,
regardless of whether they were elected or not.
Mr. J. Todd – Secondary House Coordinator
Year/Grade 7
AMUN
Nardeen Massoud
EDJO
Nader Raafat
KHEPER
Salma Amer
SELKET
Ibrahim Abdel-Kader
Year/Grade 8
George Fahim
Zayed Salah
Ingie Enan
Nourhan Farrag
Year/Grade 9
Hazem Diab
Omar Siam
Zein Dakrouri
George Henry
Year/Grade 10
No representative
Nour Mamdouh
Donya Abouelnour
Mohamed Loay Abdallah
Year/Grade/DP 11
Nariman Helal
Maha Ahmed
Mina Fouad
Mohamed Basyouny
Year/Grade/DP 12
Daniel Anis
Manar El Mokadem
Karim Sabry
Farrah Monib
33
SPORTSDESK
winter is beginning to take
effect, the temperatures
around Cairo are lower and the nights
Illness and having fun! are drawing in. At this time of year, we
in PE do start to get more sick notes
to excuse children from PE than usual.
What is less known is that coughs and colds cannot be caused by cold
weather, and they do not get worse if children do exercise.
Primary PE News
PE Uniform,
The
In the PE department we are very proud of the children we teach, we
take pride in how well they do, how enthusiastic they are and the level
of performance they achieve, but if a child misses two lessons of sport
they will fall behind in an area which is one of the most important things
that they learn at school.
So if your child has a runny nose or sore throat, please talk to them to see if they feel well enough to take
part rather than simply writing a sick note. Often the children themselves are a good judge of what they
can or cannot do.
We have very sensible children here at MES Cairo, they know when they are hot and cold, we trust them
that if they are hot they can make the decision to take off their sports jumper or tracksuit trousers in
lessons, or put them on for playtime. This however can be difficult if they are wearing one or two vests, a t
shirt, jumper cardigan, scarf and hat. Please help your children to learn good judgement about their comfort by getting them to just
wear their PE t shirt and shorts covered by their PE jumper and tracksuit trousers, so that they can take them off or put them on as
appropriate. They can of course wear jackets and hats to school, but they don’t need these for active PE lessons.
If children wear too many layers (particularly underlayers they cannot easily take off) they will overheat when doing exercise and
the sweat their bodies produce will be trapped in the vest which will make them uncomfortable throughout the day. So please help
us to help your children to be comfortable and ready to have fun.
We understand that all our parents want the best for the health of their children as do we, so we would never ask them to do
anything that would make them feel worse. We really appreciate it when we all work together to give our children the best
education opportunities possible. We are extremely lucky to have very caring parents who raise the superstars we teach and the
PE department would like to thank them for their ongoing support.
If you would like to find out more about the common cold, please look online at: www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/top-10-questions-cold?page=3
Mr. E. Price - Head of Primary PE
Secondary PE NEWS
JV Volleyball
volleyball season came and went in the blink of an eye. Our
The
volleyball teams had one week to practice before heading off
to the Cairo International Schools Sports Association tournament at ISC Cairo. In the week before the competition, both teams performed well against
a visiting NCBIS side and went into the tournament with a positive attitude
despite very little practice time one the court.
There were some very strong teams at the tournament. Despite a number
of losses, both the boys and girls teams acquitted themselves well. Many
players will certainly have their sights set on securing a pace in the Varsity
squad next year.
34
SPORTSDESK
New Head of Department in Secondary Physical Education
I have joined the Secondary team this year as Head of Department and Athletic Director. I taught for a
number of years in the UK before moving to the United States. I am looking forward to being able to teach
year round in the sunshine. It snows a lot in the area I have come from!
The PE department is an active bunch. They love to get out, try new things and have fun. Many
of them have exciting hobbies and interests. See if you can identify them in the photos around the
page. Some are easy but others might be a bit tricky....
Mr. P. Smyth - Head of PE Department and
Athletic Director.
35
SPORTSDESK
ISAC Varsity Girls Football Tournament Qatar
November 2009
Young Heads and Old Legs in Doha
Varsity players are usually older than their Junior Varsity
and Middle School counterparts and generally are over
16 years of age. The MES Cairo Girls Football Squad
that disembarked from the Gulf Air jet onto Doha soil
was a little unusual. Four players were over 16 years
but there was also a thirteen year old, a twelve year old
and even an eleven year old! There hadn’t been a huge
response to the call for female players to go to Qatar but
as it turned out some of the best performances came
from the younger stars, with a little encouragement from
their older team mates.
The first game was a bit of a shock but for the right
reasons. It was only the ‘Qatar 11’ squad’s 2nd game
together after a 4-0 loss in a friendly to local AIS Egypt
in October. Bana Al-Bitr G8V demonstrated her superior
talent, and why she is selected at every level, by scoring
5 goals against UAS-Kuwait. Captain Maria Moustafa,
G12Y, and Sam Baldwin, Y7Y, added further goals so
the score finished an impressive 8-1. However, in the
second game of the day MES Cairo Girls were given a
harsh lesson by our hosts, Qatar Academy, who’s older
and more experienced girls thrashed us 10-1 despite an
early lead provided by sensational new midfielder Sam
Baldwin. There were a lot of thoughts about defensive
frailties from coach and players alike on the team bus
that afternoon!
On day two MES Cairo girls had their most impressive
game against the other school in the tournament from
Egypt - SAS, Alexandria. Our girls were significantly
superior in their ball winning determination, control
and ambition, despite their inferior sizes compared
to some of the tall players in the Schutz team. There
was an impressive performance in midfield from Tayla
Baldwin,Y8R, and a much improved defence which
included the versatile Mai Garas, Y11Y, or Ms. GCSE PE
as she is fondly known, the powerful Nariman Farouk,
Y12Y, and a revelation in Farah Omar, Y11Y, enjoying
her new role as a full back. The only defensive lapse
resulted in a surprising goal for Schutz, but MES Cairo
showed they could be cool and calm, keeping their heads
and working an excellent team manoeuvre for Sam to
level the scores. Unfortunately in the 2nd game of the
day Fareeda El Tohamy had a busy time in goal as MES
Cairo lost 4-0 to TAISM, Oman, which meant we narrowly
missed out on 3rd place in the group on goal difference
to Schutz.
On the final day, a very professional looking MES Cairo
side demolished UAS, Kuwait again in the 4th-5th play-
36
off to set up an undesirable semi-final encounter with the
formidable Qatar Academy. The team would need every
player fit and at their very best to stand any chance of
avoiding another humiliation. In the first 5 minutes disaster
struck as Maria Mostafa made a life saving crunching
tackle in our penalty area only to yell in pain as she realised
she had also crunched her own ankle! MES Cairo lost their
captain for the rest of the tournament. Qatar were ahead,
2-0, soon after. The disastrous situation multiplied when
Sam Baldwin sustained a head injury and missed the rest
of the first half. It was time for substitutes such as Nada
Okasha, (G10V), Nihal Shousha, (Y11B), and Nesma
Deghady, (G10B), (who was herself rehabilitating from
injury) to step up a gear for the team. Amazingly the team
pulled together and before the half-time whistle Bana found
herself fouled on the edge of the Qatar penalty area. There
was tension in both sides as Bana lined up the free kick and
chose her target beyond the defensive wall. Then she let fly
with an explosive curler that whizzed past the astonished
keeper and slammed into the back of the Qatar net. It was
2-1 for half-time and the whole team exploded with joy. The
excited coach ran over to the first aid station to our injured
players shouting “You hear that? We’ve just scored!”. Sam
removed the ice from her head and smiled, Maria’s grimace
became a grin from inside the ambulance on her way to her X-ray! To be so close in scores to the
team that had thrashed us 2 days before was an incredible improvement. The team tried harder than
ever and Fareeda made some excellent saves but eventually we lost 5-1. We should be extremely
proud of the efforts of our players however, as Qatar Academy went on to completely annihilate every
team in the competition. There is a definite advantage when you do not need to travel. MES Cairo
thoroughly deserved their 3rd place position overall.
Well done to all the players who were able to travel. Thank you in particular for the example set on
the sports field by Captain Maria Mostafa, goal ace Bana Al Bitr and ‘Players’ Most Valuable Player’,
Sam Baldwin, who I make no apologies for repeating was 11 years old in an over 16s tournament and
never ever looked outclassed. Thank you also to Ms. Allsop for enabling the team to travel by being
the chaperone for the girls and mostly for her exceptional and professional care of all the players
whether fit or walking wounded.
Mr. S. Perry – Girls Varsity Football Coach
ISAC Varsity Boys Football
This year MES Cairo’s Varsity Boys’ Football team travelled
to Qatar to compete in the ISAC tournament. The level
of competition is always very high, with some very big
international schools taking part from all over the Middle
East.
A much improved team than the previous year MES Cairo
competed well against every team in the competition. The
final result of fourth place does not do the team justice as
every game was extremely close, and the small decisions
cost us dearly.
There were several players in the team who stood out,
with very consistent performances put in by Tarek AbouEl-Enein.
Mr. P. McTigue - Boys Varsity Football Coach
37
SPORTSDESK
JV GIRLS FOOTBALL – CISSA
Congratulations
to the Junior Varsity Girls Football team who convincingly
won the CISSA tournament on the 6th November 2009. But
how did the girls manage such an awesome win, conceding only one goal in the tournament?
Over the last few years, we have seen the girls’ football skills improve as more girls attend
football training and get involved with competitions and matches. This is due not only to the
girls’ commitment to training, but through attending training from primary level through middle
school and on to JV and Varsity level. This means that as coaches, we have a stronger pool
of players to choose from than ever before, which was definitely evident for the CISSA JV
tournament.
Despite a slightly hectic start to the day, the girls’ first game against
the International School of Choueifat, 6th of October was an excellent
start to the tournament, with the MES Cairo girls winning 3-1.
There was some great defensive work by the backs, unfortunately
conceding the only goal against MES Cairo for the tournament, but on
a questionable off-side. Excellent teamwork by our midfield effectively
fed the ball up to our striker of the tournament, Bana Al Bitar, allowing
Bana to score her first hat-trick of the day.
The next game against El Alsson really distinguished the MES Cairo
girls as the team to contend with! Once again the MES Cairo team
demonstrated excellent teamwork, in particular Hania El-Banhawi
showing superior levels of fitness to cover considerable ground during
the game. Our younger players, Samantha and Tayla Baldwin proved
to be an absolute asset to the team; listening careful to instructions
and putting these skills in to practice, chasing every ball with determination and grit. Bana Al Bitar
at only twelve years old was a might to be contended with, scoring another hat-trick and supported
ably by the MES Cairo JV Girls Captain, Sara Eissa, who scored an additional goal to make the
final score 4-0.
In the next game against AIS Egypt, the opposition started to get tougher, but this was when the
MES Cairo girls showed their keen desire to win. Samantha Baldwin was given the job of marking the AIS team’s top
goal-scorer, with the aim of closing down any opportunities for her to score. This worked brilliantly and frustrated the AIS
team, causing them to make mistakes. This allowed Bana Al Bitar and Sara Eissa to score another goal each, supported
by some excellent passing from our midfield, Malak Shash, Tayla Baldwin and Hania El-Banhawi.
Our semi-final game against NCBIS was the closest, with NCBIS demonstrating good positioning and control on the
field. We matched this, with some solid defensive work by Giulia Ramadan, Zeyna Malas, Mai Garas and Samantha
Baldwin. Our final line of defence was our newly trained goalkeeper Fareeda El-Tohamy who made some fantastic saves
throughout the tournament. Sara Eissa scored the only goal of the game sending MES Cairo through to the final, with a
1-0 result.
AIS Egypt’s win against BISC in the other semi-final, meant that we were to face them again. The MES Cairo team
obviously had a psychological advantage as we’d beaten them once already, so the MES Cairo girls went in to the
game well motivated and quietly confident. Once again, the team worked brilliantly together, communicating well and
demonstrating sound supportive play. Patricia Samy and Maria Hanna, who had been our keen reserves came on with
enthusiasm. Once again we saw Bana Al Bitar demonstrating her superb scoring ability with another hat-trick, ably
supported by our midfield.
Well done to the MES Cairo JV Girls football team who were a delight to coach at the tournament and absolutely deserved the title of CISSA JV
GIRLS FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS!!
The winning team were: Sara Eissa (Captain), Bana Al Bitar (Striker of the tournament), Fareeda El Tohamy, Giulia Ramadan, Hania El-Banhawi,
Mai Garas, Malak Shash, Maria Hanna, Patricia Samy, Samantha Baldwin (Most Valued MES player), Tayla Baldwin, Zeyna Malas.
Congratulations from two extremely happy coaches:
Ms. A. Webb and Mr. S. Perry
38
SPORTSDESK
British Schools Of The Middle East (BSME)
Sports Festival
Between
the dates of 11th -14th March 2010 MES Cairo will be hosting the largest sporting
event for children aged under-11 in the Middle East. On these days, twelve
Schools from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, U.A.E. Syria and Qatar will be competing in football, basketball,
netball, athletics and swimming tournaments.
The competition looks set to be a highlight of the year with a
fun packed social itinerary for the teams with BBQ’s and even
a Gala Dinner. We can’t wait to improve the sporting standards
of the Middle East and hopefully bring some silverware back
for our teams!
Over the past month the field, basketball court and sports
hall have been buzzing with over 200 children all training and
trying out for the MES Cairo BSME squad. All the children
have been working hard and doing their best to be selected but with only 36 places (18
boys and 18 girls) and a good standard of candidates it’s going to be a difficult selection.
Phase 1 of our football and basketball selection has taken place and from over 90 children
in each club a more compact squad has been chosen. These selected children will train
up until the holiday at the end of Term 1 when there will be a final selection. Well done
to all the children who were selected and thank you for the hard work and effort of the
children who were unsuccessful on this occasion.
Mr. E. Price – Head of Primary PE
Super Lifesaving Teachers
In
October MES Cairo flew out two of the most highly qualified lifesaving
professionals from the UK. Andy and Joe from the RLSS (Royal Lifesaving
Society) worked with our PE department to be at the cutting edge of lifesaving and
swim coaching.
Over two days 11 of our staff passed the
National Rescue Award for Swimming
Teachers and Coaches (NRASTC). This
internationally recognised qualification
ensures that teachers are not just some
of the best practitioners in Egypt but that if
there ever were and accident, that they know the most up to date rescue and injury
minimalisation techniques.
If you would like more information about the course please visit the website:
http://www.aldermantraining.co.uk/courses_national_rescue.htm
Or if you would like more information about lifesaving and training courses please e mail:
training@southernlg.co.uk
Mr. E. Price - Head of Primary PE / The PE Department
39
MES Cairo Achievers
Hamza Abdel Majid (6R) and Faris Abdel Majid - (4R) Diving Dynamos
Hamza received his Open Water PADI Diver’s License (legal starting date 10yrs
old) in August. To pass he had to work hard for five days - from 9am till 4pm – learning
from video tutorials and studying diving theory from a 450 page book. He also had to
carry out four successful dives and then pass a 50 question multiple- choice exam.
In the exam Hamza scored 95%! He did a total of 7 dives up to 13m deep and for a
period of 55min which was the longest dive.
Faris in Year 4 earned his Bubblemaker Diver’s Certificate. He did up to four open
water dives up to 7m for a maximum period of 44 min!
HAMZAH U
NDER WAT
ER
They both learnt a lot about the underwater world and most importantly, how to be safe
while exploring under the sea. They swam with different types of fish including a large
blue spotted sting ray, lionfish, moray eel and puffer fish. Hamza also saw Dolphins
and a huge Manta ray.
They also learnt how to treat the underwater world and how people must treat the
ocean with respect. They are now experts on how to help preserve the beautiful,
magical but very fragile world under our seas.
Congratulations, Hamza and Faris! MES Cairo is proud
of your achievements!
FARIS UND
E
R WATER
Karim Gendi (2V) – Football and Tennis Champ!
In a series of exciting and rather challenging competitions at Wadi Degla Sporting Club, Karim
Ossama Gendi, a KS1 MES Cairo student, has proved to be a star. Karim attends four training
classes each week on a regular basis. Due to his lively, dynamic and committed spirit, he was
awarded two Arsenal Soccer School medals in two consecutive years. Karim believes that sports
energise his body and mind. He says ‘sports, healthy diet and commitment are the key for a
champion’. Motivated by Karim’s spirit, his family ‘El Gendi Family’ was awarded Wadi Degla’s
Tennis Cup for winning second place in the Wadi Degla Ramadan Tennis Tournament 2009.
Karim was also awarded a Certificate of Appreciation for the pre-competition by the J.C.Ferrero
Tennis Academy.
Well done, Karim. MES Cairo is very proud of you!
Ahmed Abbas – FS2 Yellow and Youssef Abbas – Y 3 Yellow
Football Cup Fever!
as
Ahmed Abb
Many football fans would envy the fantastic experience which Youssef and
his brother Ahmed had earlier this Term. The English Premier League
Trophy, which is awarded each year to the winning team in the Football
League, was on show in Cairo, and the boys were able to visit their
grandfather’s company to see it. Youssef was even lucky enough to touch
the world famous trophy! Youssef is interested in football, supporting
Ahly, and is looking forward to joining a team next year. At the moment,
Ahmed prefers cartoons!
Youssef Abb
a
s
40
MES Cairo Staff Achievers
Kilimanjaro Expedition 2009
August of this year two of our teachers Miss Becci Holmes (Yr5
In Green)
and Mr. Drew Bradley (Yr4 Orange) Spent 7 days climbing
Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, to raise money for the Charity SOS children’s’
Villages. This is a charity which provides homes and education for orphanages
throughout Africa. Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa rising at 5865m
above sea level. It is the tallest mountain in Africa and the world’s highest freestanding mountain. It also supports 5 major habitats that have to be trekked
through to reach the summit. These are rainforest, heath, moorland, alpine desert
and glaciers. In 1889, German geographer Hans Meyer and Austrian mountain
climber Ludwig Purtscheller were the first to climb Kilimanjaro. But how did Miss
Holmes and Mr. Bradley fair on their adventure this summer? Read excerpts from
their travel journal to find out more….
Day One - Today we are feeling excited yet a little nervous. We had to wake up
at 4am to collect all our equipment and begin the climb. Before we began there
were several forms to fill out regarding our safety and making sure that we were
fully aware of how difficult the trek was going to be. After doing so we were introduced to our team. One cook, two guides and six porters to carry all of our things.
Nobody is allowed to attempt the mountain unless they have a team to support
them. Our first day of accent was to be relatively easy, a six hour trek through the
rainforest to reach a height of 3000m where we would then sleep in a tent while
the temperature dropped to -5!
Day Two - Today was much more difficult than day 1! Imagine walking up giant
stairs for 5 hours and you have the rough idea about what we did today. As soon
as we left camp at 7am the lush rainforest fell away and tall pine trees were the
only greenery to be seen. After walking for several hours we stopped for lunch,
it was only then we realized we had broken the cloud line, we were higher than
the rain! The air felt thinner and I felt terrible, I had an awful headache and could
barely keep food down. It was going to be a very difficult few days if things stayed
like this. Although I was very sick Becci felt fine showing that the attitude affects
everyone in different ways.
Day Three-Four - The wall! Today we climbed to 4400m but did it vertically. The
Branco wall was a 20 walked from camp and the only way to carry on. Rather than
the slopping hills we had faced yesterday the wall was 500m of sheers rock face
which was less than inviting to climb.
Day Five - After climbing to base camp at a height of 4600m I could go no further
due to altitude sickness. I was unable to say the alphabet without becoming confused and was very sick and dizzy,
the key signs of altitude sickness. If you don’t descend immediately death can occur within 24hours. Therefore the
guides would not allow me to continue and took me down to the mountain rescue centre at 3600m where I anxiously
waited to see if Drew was successful.
After resting in base camp for a few hours it was clear Becci was not well enough to continue. Although it was very
sad to see her being led down the mountain I was very proud to see her push herself so far and achieve so much!
The rest of the day was spent resting and preparing the kit for the summit. After some food and a short sleep we set
off. Walking up a mountain by torch light is a very strange experience. It went from very quiet to very load when we
passed big groups of people, or maybe if felt load because of the throbbing headache! I walked for 5 hours up very
steep gravel before reaching Stella Point where the ground became flatter and we were only 40 minutes away from
the top. The hard work was done and the sun was starting to break through the clouds. I reached the summit at 6.20
am and was the only person (apart from my guide) there to see the sunrise. It was truly an amazing experience to
watch the sun come up over the glacier and I am extremely proud of my achievement!
Day Six – Today was spent resting, sleeping and eating, especially now we were back down to 3000m. I sat an
anxiously waited for Drew to return and was ecstatic to hear that he had reached the top. All that hard work and
feeling sick was worth it! Now all we had to do was get down.
Day Seven - Down, Down, Down! Today we reached the bottom of the mountain again. It was a great feeling to walk
through the rainforest and finally on to level ground. The climb was mentally and physically exhausting and required
a great deal of determination to make it to the top. Yet is was rewarding and after seven days we truly deserved …..
41
MES Cairo Staff Achievers
Pharaonic Race 2009
The Ninth Pharaonic Race once again saw MES Cairo live up to
their impressive high standards with ‘Ed Price’s Big Red Machine’
rocketing to victory to claim their third consecutive International
Team Champions Medal – an awesome achievement and testament
to all the hard work that the team put in over the past few months.
We are immensely proud of this, but the rest of the MES Cairo staff
all battled to victory in their own individual ways.
The Pharaonic Race is probably the world’s oldest recorded sporting
event. It was first run in 690 BCE during the reign of king Taharka.
The race started at Fayyoum Oasis and finished at the Saqqara
Pyramid, a total of 100 km. Astonishingly, hieroglyphic scriptures
inform us that the winner completed the event in around eight hours.
The route that we follow is almost exactly the same as it was then
– now you can’t say that about the New York Marathon. The race
is run by teams of runners who each complete 20 km in a truly
memorable adventure.
It is 2 a.m. as the twenty five strong team assembles at the Pyramids
Park Hotel. Many of us have just woken up and are a little grumpy.
We clamber onto our team bus and try to grab an extra hour of sleep
as the convoy of buses drive down to the start line. As the start is
off the beaten track, the road is a little bumpy and patience is tested
as the few grumpy runners stumble off the bus with an unlucky
few ready to start in just a few minutes. It is surprisingly chilly and
there is a morning mist as the runners line up in the shadow of the
Hauwara Pyramid. The gun goes and Ed races ahead of the field
and holds first place for his opening 5km. There is a scramble for
the buses as we all head off to support our own runners and also
cheer on friends in other teams. Ruth ‘The Wrath’ O’Connell and
Dan ‘Turkish’ Fahy are running their own race in preparation for
Dan’s second attempt at the Marathon des Sables in late March
and they have set an impressive target – 80km each: that is two full
marathons in 11 hours.
Ed hands over to Ryan ‘It’s Hammer time’ Hammerberg and they
disappear into the distance. Becci Holmes is leading Team Fuerte
once again while Dan Ebsworth is skippering The Newbies to glory.
Andrew Hainsworth commands Team Roll as the rest of the MES
Cairo runners jockey for position along the route. The greatest part
of the day is the camaraderie from the buses and we say hello to old
friends from around Cairo. There are runners from all over the world
and also our good friend UltraMan pounding the road on his way to
completing the whole 100km.
The sun is up as the mighty, ancient pyramid of Meidum appears majestically. It is now only 9 a.m. and
the stillness and tranquility are a joy to behold. The silence is shattered as the strains of the ‘Titanic’
theme and the raucous Cockney war cry of ‘Oi! Oi! Saveloy!’ interrupts the bucolic idyll. Oh dear! It is
Laura Cook on the Team Dan bus alongside Team Mum, Hayley Martin and her trademark megaphone.
It is hard not to laugh and it is also a timely boost. All runners tire and it is surprising just what a loud
cheer from strangers or friends can do to revive your spirits. The ‘Titanic’ theme can be heard from miles
away and becomes a perfect tonic. We hear that The Big Red Machine is rocketing along the course
and we see Dan and Ruth in impressive form, looking fresh, determined and ready for the tough times
to come.
42
We turn the corner past Meidum’s monument and join the canal. We race
alongside the canal and the fun really starts here. The Nile Valley is truly
stunning and the network of canals and villages are an awesome sight.
Hundreds of children pour out of their homes and stretch out hands for us
to slap. Many of them are desperate to practise their English and there are
thousands of voices shouting good naturedly ‘Welcome! ….What is your
name……’ alongside more sober but still genuine encouragement from the
village elders. At one point there was a small crowd chanting and singing
as Mark Thompson cruised past. Deena Riddell wraps up an impressive
debut 10km as Tony Pickhaver powers along impressively, running 5km in
20 minutes.
The villages slowly wake up and more and more people stop by to cheer
us on. It is a glorious day and a reminder of the rural beauty of Egypt;
so close and yet hardly visited. But back to the race….. the second half
is tough and this is when the hard hours of training really pay dividends.
The field is spread out now and we lose touch with each other as we all
face a solo battle to keep going. There is some surprising use of industrial
language from Miss Nash that would shame a Mersey Docker while Ian
‘The Defector’ Taylor is rebuked for an unplanned break midway through
his last 5km.
The last part of the race is alongside a busy road before the turn to
Saqqara. Ruth completes her goal of 80km – a staggering achievement,
while Dan finishes at 90km as part of his training regime. Up ahead, Ed’s
greyhounds complete the race in 7 hours and 15 minutes. The Newbies
finish in 9 hours exactly while Team Fuerte slice ten minutes off their best
and finish in 8 hours 14 minutes. Last but not at all least, Team Roll finish
in just over 10 hours.
We stop off at Saqqara Pyramid and tip our caps to Pete Dulborough,
Yvonne Mitchell, Larry Purcell, Josh Hill, Stephanie LePetit and other
friends we have shared such great times with all along the road. It might be
a cliché, but we are all winners - each of us has trained and has achieved
a personal milestone.
A big thank you to all that shared in the fun this year.
Teams
Big Red Machine: Ed Price, Ryan Hammerberg, Judson Tomlin, Ian
Taylor and Tim
Team Roll: Andrew Hainsworth, Jane Hainsworth, Charlotte Nash,
Richard Phillips, Janet Lovely, Deena Riddell, Simon Millington
Team Newbies: Pete Byrne, Dan Ebsworth, Naomi Jackson, Rich
Mottram, Dan Hunt
Team Fuerte: Becci Holmes, Drew Bradley, Tony Pickhaver Pasquale
di Matteo, Tom Maurice, Mark Thompson Team Dan: Dan Fahy, Ruth O’Connell, Laura Cook, Hayley Martin,
Morgan Fahy (no relation)
As an interesting aside, King Taharka himself ran in the first race.
I wonder if Mrs. Dajani or Mr. Godfrey have any plans to race next
year?
Mr. A. Hainsworth Year Six (Otherwise known as ‘The Arctic Roll’)
43
First International Day at MES Cairo
On
the 27th May 2009 MES Cairo held its
first ‘International Day’.
The aim of International Day was to celebrate
the rich cultural and linguistic diversity that
exist in our school.
Yr/Gr 7 and 8 pupils got
the opportunity to try out
languages such as Italian,
Spanish, Czech, Russian
and Greek.
Later on the Secondary
School watched with great
interest as MES Cairo students from 15 different countries, all wearing national dress, proudly paraded their flags across the
school field.
44
During lunch pupils took part in a variety of activities
such as salsa dancing, a fashion contest and a pétanque competition.
Some pupils just simply enjoyed eating the delicious food provided by La crêperie des Arts.
The day was rounded off with a French play performed by Grade 9 students to
the children in Primary.
A truly international day for
a truly international school!
Mr. K. El Metaal – Head of World
Languages
45
KEY STAGE ONE NEWS
OOOH IT’S SO MUCH FUN…
OOOH
TO LEARN IN YEAR ONE!
Mrs.
Moubasher and the Year One Team have all been working hard to ensure the
year gets off to a great start and the happy faces in the pod say it all! With our
heaps and heaps of energy to burn, what better way than to have action packed days
filled with a variety of activities to choose from!
We all love learning new games, reading stories together, writing with our super special
flexible grip pencils, acting in our role-play area, sailing on our fantastic playground
Learning through playing ‘FRIEND’ship and fine-tuning our motor skills! There just aren’t enough hours in the day
to do all we want to do!
A picture of me when I
was very young!
Take a look at some of our FUNtastic activities in action!
Making and performing
‘Fun is good!’ (Dr. Seuss)
Forming positive friendships
Learning about
ourselves in Year 1
Reading is a favourite
activity and we are
all learning to be
independent readers
Writing about what we have
done
Learning about the world and all
the interesting people in it
Year One is a happy place to be
Mrs. Mubasher - Year One Leader
Our new Key Stage 1
Sensory Corridor at MES Cairo
Once
upon a time, the corridor outside the Cookery
Room in the Primary Building used to be very
ordinary, even a little dull. It certainly wasn’t a place where
children were tempted to spend much time – but not anymore!
Sasha Crabb, Head of Key Stage 1, has transformed the
area into a “Sensory Corridor”, full of exciting and fascinating
experiences for the pupils.
“The sensory corridor was the vision of our former Headteacher,
Cathy Symonds”, Mrs. Crabb commented. “She wanted
children to be able to use all their senses to interact with their
environment. When she heard that her ideas had become a
reality she was delighted, and her words to me were, “Well
done our kid.”
“It’s still very much a work in progress,” Mrs. Crabb continued.
“We have lots more ideas for different activities to add.”
The Sensory Corridor is already a great hit with the pupils, as these photos show.
Mrs. L. Dermody - Primary LDD
46
Expressing our ideas
through Art
KEY STAGE ONE NEWS
New Beginnings
The learning journey begins!
child’s first day at school can be an exciting, terrifying, amazing and much anticipated
A
event. This year Modern English School Cairo has welcomed 150 new pupils into the
supportive arms of its Foundation Stage One staff. The hard-working teachers and teaching
assistants were well prepared and eager to have their new classes altogether for the first
time. By the end of the first week at school the atmosphere in
each classroom was calm and relaxed. Peeping through the
windows you would see classes full of happy children and
teachers. A great start to the year!
All the children looked fantastic in their newly designed school
uniform with the class colour and name on the back.
During their first week at school children had the opportunity to
explore play-dough, paint pictures, listen to stories, role-play in
the house, build with construction, make friends, and generally
learn the routines of school life. The children are exploring the
Early Years Curriculum in a caring, challenging environment.
The children are now enthusiastic to start a great learning
experience, developing independence, confidence and
problem solving skills.
Miss S. Allan - Foundation Stage One Leader
47
ART ATTACK!
Art and Design Technology Update - Old and new faces!
The
Art department now has three full time teachers: myself, Miss Barnes and Mr. James Crabb,
(who has returned to MES Cairo) and of course our talented technician Mrs. Lamia Afifi. Design
Technology is now linked with the Art Department and we welcome Mr. Dickinson to MES Cairo. It is an
exciting year for Design Technology with the introduction of the IGCSE course in the British section. You can
meet Mr. Dickinson on page 7 of this MESsenger, while Mr. Crabb had the following to say about coming
back to MES Cairo:
‘’I’m new to Modern English School this year, though I taught Art at the school from
2000 to 2004! It’s great to be back - so many familiar friendly faces! It’s also amazing
to see how much the school has changed and grown over the last 5 years. The trees
are definitely much bigger, and so are the students – some of who I taught Art to when
they were in the Primary School! As well as teaching Art I’m also a practicing artist. If
you want to check out what kind of work I do you can take a look at my website www.
jamescrabb.net. As you’ll see I love painting, though I also enjoy photography, and am
looking forward to teaching the Grade 12 Photography class this year.”
Mr. James Crabb
International Day Art Competition
This exciting competition saw Year and Grade 8 students worked in groups on a large scale painting project. Each group was allocated a
different country. The students had to work together to research images, plan compositions and create a final painting. The final artworks were
displayed in the central atrium of the South secondary building on International Day. The judges: Mr. Godfrey, Mrs. Singleton, Ms. Spencer
and the IB Diploma Art students, had a difficult job selecting the winning artworks. They were asked to identify artwork which communicated
the culture and atmosphere of the allocated country through a well-painted, well planned composition. Four winning artworks were chosen.
The students received certificates and prizes.
Turkey Y8B: Khadiga Khadr, Shorouk Hussein, Heidi el Ogeil, Bassem el Kahki, Mohamed Refaei
Tunisia G8G: Nayla Riskalla, Nada Ibrahim, Khaled Eissa, Ahmed Dahawy, Mohamed Aly-el-Dien
China Y8Y: Mirelle Bedross, Merna Al Abrashi, Mohammed Hamouda, Yasmeen Dabees, Mohamed Kamal
Australia G8O: Ayatallah El Khatab, Youssef Heiza, Omar Lasheen, Mohamed Kabesh, Ali Abubakr
The International Day artworks formed an impressive section of the ‘Avenues of Art’ exhibition; many can still be seen on the way to the uniform
shop, and around the South Secondary building.
48
MES Cairo Annual Art Exhibition 2009 -
Avenues of Art
On 15th June 2009 we celebrated the creative talents of our students at the
opening of the 2009 MES Cairo Art Exhibition ‘Avenues of Art’. This year
the Administration building was the new venue for the event. The corridors and reception area were transformed
into ‘Avenues of Art’ and become a gallery of professionally displayed work with many pieces in frames.
So many of you joined us for the official opening that the theatre was almost full by 3pm. Parents and families,
friends, students, staff and guests gathered together for official opening of ‘Avenues of Art’. We were delighted
to welcome Mr Mohamed Mandour, Egypt’s leading and internationally recognised Ceramicist, and Dr. Mariam
Forham, a talented sculptress to MES Cairo. Mr Godfrey welcomed all to the exhibition and introduced our
honoured guests. A short presentation was shown of their impressive artwork. Mr. Mohamed Mandour and Dr.
Mariam Forham then presented a number of awards, given to students making an impressive creative contribution
to the Art Department. Congratulations to all who received an award! A special mention must go to Farah
Hosny (last year’s G12) and Abir Gaber (current G12) who each received an Artists award. Their artwork
was selected by our visiting Artists during a private view of the exhibition. Mr. Mohamed Mandour and Dr.
Mariam Forham then announced the exhibition open. A ribbon was cut and guests were able to walk around
the show and enjoy all the artwork on display.
by Dr. Marian Forham
Follow the footprints
Gold and silver footprints marked the way, guiding visitors around the corridors and up and down the
stairs of the Administration building. IB Diploma students volunteered to be guides for the event, ensuring
everyone found their way.
by Abir Gaber
On behalf of the art department I would like to thank some of the many people who made this event
possible: Mrs. Dajani and Mr. Godfrey, Miss Lamia, Mr. Clement and his team, Mr. Mohamed the carpenter,
the Art Department, Miss Barnes, Mr. Hartwell and of course all our talented students!
Mrs. L. Prime - Head of Art and Design Technology
by Mr. Mohamed Mandour
by Farah Hosny
49
Year Seven
Maths Competition
Maths is Fun at MES Cairo.
The last two weeks of Term Three in 2009 saw the beginning
of a new tradition at MES Cairo – the Year Seven Maths Competition! When the exams were over, Mr. Rayner’s Year Seven
students were given a set of challenges. To meet the challenges, they had to put all of the Maths they had learnt during
the year into practice.
The first challenge was all about shape and space. The students had to cut a square into five pieces and then use these
pieces to make other shapes. This task was hard but a couple
of students managed to make most of the shapes.
Next, the students went out and about, exploring the Secondary school building and the yard in order to discover the Maths
that is all around them. They looked for shapes and symmetry,
and practised their skills of estimation. They estimated the
height of the building by measuring the stairs, and estimated
the number of students who could sit down all at the same time
in the yard.
The third challenge was even more enjoyable, with the students collecting numbers from around the school and then using the numbers to evaluate and write mathematical formulas.
More number work was involved in the ‘1234’ challenge, where
the students had to make all the numbers from one to thirty,
using basic mathematical operations and only one each of the
numbers one, two, three and four. One very clever student
was able to make all the numbers except twenty-nine (which
we think might be impossible).
The students completed the final challenge at home. They
had to use the internet to discover new mathematical ideas,
answering such questions as: “What is the name of a shape
with a hole in the middle, like a doughnut?” and “What is the
name of a twenty-sided polyhedron?”
All of the students did very well and showed a lot of enthusiasm for the Maths challenge, proving that learning is enjoyable
when it is so much fun.
Mr. S. Rayner – Secondary Maths Department
50
Exciting changes in Primary LDD
The
summer months, when most of us were taking the opportunity to relax and get
away from it all, were obviously a busy time for Mr. Clement and his maintenance
team. When the staff of the Primary Learning Development Department (LDD)
arrived back in school in September, they found that a new
lobby for the Department had been created during their
holiday.
“The new room is fantastic,” says Arlene Campbell, who is
head of Primary LDD. “The extra space has allowed us
to store all our wonderful new resources. We have even
managed to set up a play area with lots of toys (like a garage,
and a dinosaur world) where pupils who find it difficult can
be helped to develop their social skills, and learn how to
play with other children. The brilliant new mobile,
which was painted on the outside wall of the lobby by
Malak El-Masry, is an unexpected bonus!”
There have also been big changes in one of the
LDD rooms on the top floor of the Primary Block.
Ceri Davies, who is a teacher and counsellor in the
Primary Department, has transformed her room in
order to provide an environment where children feel
safe and comfortable, and are able to talk freely.
Hello! My name is Deena Riddell, and I am
delighted to be back at MES Cairo in my
new position as teacher of able, gifted and
talented pupils in Key Stage 2. The start of
the year has been both enjoyable and challenging, and a great opportunity for me to
work with children across the Year groups
in Key Stage 2. Exciting and enriching activities lie ahead for all my pupils who I’m
sure will rise to the challenge!
There are two new members of the Primary LDD
team this year: Deena Riddell, who teaches our Gifted and
Talented pupils, and Sally Ibrahim, who is working as the
LDD assistant.
Let’s leave the last word to Miss Arlene. “We have a great
team, lots of exciting resources and new strategies, and
more space to work in. It’s going to be a great year!”
Mrs. L. Dermody and Ms. C. Davies - Primary LDD
Puppets like this are a valuable resource.
Hi, my name is Sally Ibrahim and I am
Egyptian. I graduated from the Faculty
of Science (Chemistry Department). My
mother is an English teacher and I watched
her at work and loved how she dealt with
kids in a nice and patient way. I decided to
be like my mother. It was a pleasure joining
MES Cairo team and getting a chance to
work with the amazing students and teachers on the MES staff.
Miss Ceri’s tent.
Secondary LDD
We have moved……
are now located in SF14 (near the library). Although the LDD staff are not all
We
new, our room is! I would like to welcome Eve El-Metaal, Nagla Abou-Yousef
and Judson Tomlin to the LDD team, as well as welcome back Alice Allsop, Hanan
Mansour, Mona Farag and Mona Hanno. We are all hoping that our new location will help
to promote the LDD department and our services to students at MES Cairo. Please stop
by and say hello to us at the new look Learning Development Department!
Ms. S. Campbell - Head of Secondary LDD
51
20
YEARS OF
CHILDREN’S RIGHTS
This
year, MES Cairo is celebrating its 20th
Anniversary.
Around the world… there is another 20 Year Anniversary Celebration
taking place!
20 years ago the United Nations set up the Convention on the Rights
of the Child.
20 years ago Egypt saw the birth of the National Council for Childhood
and Motherhood.
In celebration of the progress and great achievements that have been
made for the world’s children over the past two decades, a Middle East
based conference named ‘The Convention and Islamic Jurisprudence’
was recently held in Nasr City, Cairo.
Students from MES Cairo, along with students from three other
International schools in Cairo, were invited by the Council of Childhood
and Motherhood to represent the youth of their nation and indeed all young people of the world. They
were asked to contribute to the 20 Year celebrations and the Conference in multiple ways. Firstly they
attended a pre-conference workshop where they were able to participate in a round table discussion
with Her Excellency Mushira Khattab, Egypt’s Minister for Family and Population. HE Mushira Khattab
outlined to them the importance of their role and enabled the students
to spark off inspiring discussions about the Convention of the Rights of
the Child. The MES Cairo students – Mina Fouad (Y11), Farah Derbala
(DP11), Yasmine Zaghloul (G11), Karim Sabry (G12), Mariam Mohsen
(G12) and Manar El Mokadem (DP12) - felt privileged to be able to
contribute and truly did their school proud. Their insightful comments
and questions demonstrated that they were never forgetting the millions
of more needy children they were speaking on behalf of. Each showed
that they were up to the responsibility of representing children of all
backgrounds and from all nations.
The students named above acted as impressive Ambassadors for MES
Cairo and for their country and became enthusiastically involved in
workshops that raised their awareness of Children’s Rights and enabled
them to share their views and ideas for future progress. All the young
participants contributed with intelligence in the introductory workshops
and sustained some impressive debates at the conference proper.
52
Much has been achieved in Egypt and around the world over the
past twenty years. Here in Egypt, Her Excellency Mrs. Suzanne
Mubarak, or Mama Suzanne as she is lovingly named by the children
of Egypt, has led the nation in a phenomenal range of developments
that focus on the rights of children, enhancing the lives of millions
of young people across the nation. Just a few examples of progress
here in Egypt include; the introduction of strict anti-child-trafficking
laws, giving all people the right to legal identity, the opening of literacy
centres in target locations around Egypt and the establishment of
well-resourced community libraries that are accessible by all children.
Importantly, much has been done to improve the rights of young
women and staggering statistics show a marked change in children’s
awareness of their own health rights under the guidance of an effective
government adolescent reproductive health programme. The young
people representing Egypt showed an appreciation and understanding
of progress and were able to share great ideas for a future which will
be inherited by their generation.
The student representatives were able to intelligently discuss progress while understanding certain
restrictions of Islamic Jurisprudence, meaning that certain aspects of the convention need a more sensitive
approach in nations that are predominantly populated by Islamic peoples.
The main conference objective was to ‘improve children’s knowledge about the CRC, particularly as
it relates to child participation, violence against children, and non-discrimination.’ The children worked
together with the knowledge that they had an important responsibility – they were involving themselves
on behalf of children everywhere. The adult conference, involving participant nations from all over the
world, opened on 23rd November with a welcome presentation given by the Egyptian student delegates.
Conducted by Mr. Daniel Tomlin, the students sang two delightful songs called ‘We are the World’ and
‘Give Thanks’. The conference culminated with concluding round-table discussions, which included young
delegates from all nations present.
The young Egyptian delegates worked on drafting recommendations and a concluding statement on
Children’s Rights, which they presented to Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, wife of the President of Egypt, on 24th
November.
Importantly, the children of Egypt know that HE Mrs. Mubarak will
listen to them.
Inspired by the ideas of the group, Farida Gamal El Deen
(DP12), created this artwork as a gift to Her Excellency
Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak.
53
Twenty Years Ago
Guess the Teacher competition!
1
3
2
Guess
guess
5
Please ‘
’ the teacher and submit a typed
entry - clearly showing your name and class - to
Mrs. Sheehan (Room SF10) by 14th January. Do not
forget to include the numbers of the pictures with
each teacher’s name next to the numbers 1 to 20.
There are many House Points to be won! Good luck!
4
Person on the right
8
Person at the front
6
7
Person on the left
11
9
10
54
12
16
14
15
Guess
13
17
Guess the teacher!
Person cutting cake
Twenty Potential Winners! Twenty
House Points to Each Winner!
Person on left and at
bottom right'
20
18
19
Person on right
In celebration of 20 Years of Educational Excellence…
Many events and initiatives are taking place this year at MES Cairo. The aim for the celebrations is to
capture MES Cairo Memories, Embracing the Spirit- MES!
Amongst other plans, the 20th Anniversary Staff Committee are working on the following ideas:
• Memory Book
• Souvenirs/Posters/Banners/signs
• Art Projects
• Alumni Involvement in the Celebrations
• 20th Celebration in May-Evening Event
• School Song for children
• 20th Celebration in October 2010
• Balloon Release We plan to share with our MES Cairo Family…
Memories of the way we were and proud declarations of the way we are
and bright dreams of the way we hope to be
always aiming for the stars
giving the best to our growing family and friends
Time passes!
Twenty years of good time have passed for MES Cairo and the child has grown into
an adult.
One of our longest serving teachers, Ms. Maureen Glancy, had this to say about her own Memories,
Embracing the Spirit – MES!
‘I began working at MES Cairo in the very first year, from the January. My first class had six students, two
of whom were often absent. It was very quiet and we had wonderful art displays! The class sizes crept up
gradually and it was a shock when they were full! My best memories are of the early whole school productions which were wonderful. We had to go to a theatre down town but the atmosphere was always great.
MES Cairo has obviously changed and developed. We now have all our schemes of work and planning
formats in place. We have many more wonderful resources and a custom built site! I’m really pleased that
both my sons went right through the school. They both also have very happy memories of it.’
55
Operation Smile and the
Children’s Cancer Hospital
57357
celebrate MES Cairo’s 20th Anniversary and to make it the biggest
fundraising year ever!
Operation Smile Egypt is an amazing global charity which really does
change lives one smile at a time. The charity provides free treatment to
children and adults suffering from facial deformities; in particular those
with cleft palates. It’s a global charity, but has three missions a year
here in Egypt. In as little as 45 minutes, and for approximately
L.E.
1300 (USD$240), the charity can complete one cleft lip surgery that
can change a child’s life forever. Please check out the links below to
see how Operation Smile Egypt really does Make A Difference: http://
egypt.operationsmile.org/index.phtml
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=CreateSmiles#p/u/12/
Hfnl6cdIZjo
After
Before
57357 The Children’s Cancer Hospital This hospital was created to
serve the needs of children who are seriously ill with cancer; offering free
cancer treatment for children from all over the Middle East. They began
with only eight beds, but in less than ten years, it has grown to 1,200
beds. http://www.57357.com/Default.aspx?tabid=138&language=en
So, how can you get involved and Make A Difference?
Firstly, we are proud to say that 31 of our older MES students have
already volunteered to help read and play with the children on the next
Operation Smile mission here in Cairo.
After
Before
We
are proud to announce that the charities we are supporting in
the secondary section this year are: Operation Smile and the
Children’s Cancer Hospital 57357.
Both of these charities can really Make A Difference to children’s lives
here in Egypt…so make sure you get involved! As 2010 is our 20th
Anniversary year, we would love to have a double celebration - to
Keep your eyes and ears open for information on the MES Cairo
World of Smiles, we want all our MES Cairo students to be involved
in changing the world one smile at a time! Non-uniform days, big
fundraisers, popsicle smiles and a lot more are planned.
We can Make A Difference, so come on get involved!
Thank you for your support,
Miss A. Webb – CAS Coordinator
Have a He rt Raises 10,000LE for 57357
A
big congratulations and thank you to all the students, parents and staff who were involved with raising
10,000LE last academic year for 57357, the Children’s Cancer Hospital. The money was raised through a
variety of events including: MES Shopping Days organised by Mr Baldwin, Funny Photographs by Mr Hartwell
and the Grade 12 students and a special viewing of Slumdog Millionaire for staff, organised by Ms Singleton.
Particular thanks to the Have A Heart Charity group who raised nearly half the money with their Have A Heart
Badge sales.
A cheque was presented in assembly on 3rd June 2009 to Dr Nermeen from 57357, Children’s Cancer Hospital,
alongside toys from the MES Cairo Toy Donation. Dr Nermeen thanked everyone
at MES Cairo for their ongoing support to the hospital. Donations are essential for
the hospital, in order to allow them to offer free treatment to patients from all over
Egypt. Every penny raised makes a big difference to the hospital.
Also thank you to the students who gave up time to visit patients on a weekly
basis at the Children’s Cancer Hospital and to the staff who visited with them, Ms
Flake, Mr Dimatteo, Mr El Metaal & Ms Sliney.
Are you Making A Difference?
Keep a look out for the dates for the toy and blood donations and let’s see if we can raise even more money
this year!
Can we raise over 20,000LE for the MES 20th Anniversary?
Miss A. Webb – CAS Coordinator
56
MESmerised!
57
MESmerised!
58
MES - By Numbers
There is only one number to celebrate in this issue of
The MESsenger.
That is …the number
20!
Image of MES Cairo Diary
2009 – 2010
Diary cover created by
Mrs. L. Prime – Head of Secondary Art
CONGRATULATIONS, MES CAIRO…
MABRUK!
59
Modern English School Cairo
• British Curriculum Foundation Stage
One to IGCSE, AS and A Level
• American High School Diploma
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma
Programme
• Outstanding facilities and tuition
IBO World School
*
CIE Fellowship School
*
Cambridge Beacon School Award Winner
*
DCSF Department for Children, Schools and Families (UK) Number
7036316
*
Member of British Schools in the Middle East
*
Associate Member of European Council of International Schools
*
Fully accredited by Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (USA)
*
Fully accredited as an International School by Ministry of Education, Egypt
Modern English School Cairo
New Cairo, South of Mubarak Police Academy
Tel: (202) 2617 0005 - 11
(012) 226 1646 / 226 1656
Fax: (202) 2617 0020
Website: www.mescairo.com
E-mail: mescairo@mescairo.com
Mailing address: P.O.Box 5, New Cairo, Tagamoa Khamis, 11835,
Cairo, Egypt
GLOW Tel.: (202) 2636 8079 - 2639 7241
*
Member Near East South Asia (NESA) Council of Overseas Schools.
*
Fully accredited by NCA CASI (USA)