February G

ISM News

Battle of the Bands: Everything YOU need to know

Rudy S.

Every year, High School hosts an event for middle and high schoolers called the Battle of the Bands (BOB). BOB is an annual concert in which high schoolers can show off their musical talents at the ES Field. Battle of the Bands is a student-run, student-led event, and performers start practicing for BOB up to a year in advance.

In the Battle of the Bands, performers are split into two categories: vocalists and bands. Vocalists can be just one student singing a song, one singer and another person playing an instrument, the singer playing an instrument while singing, or a singer singing along to a backtrack. Contestants perform songs in all different genres of music.

In order to show off their talents for hundreds of middle and high schoolers in the BOB finals, contestants need to pass the preliminary round. Attendance at the prelims is also open to middle and high schoolers, The tickets are 300 Php if you buy them before the event at the cashier’s office, and 350 Php if you buy them at the door. For this year's Battle of the Bands, the prelims happened on Saturday, January 18. At the prelims, there are usually about 25-28 competing bands and vocalists, that are then narrowed down to about 14-16 bands and vocalists who will perform in the finals.

The judge’s panel is a mix of music teachers (who obviously know a lot about the music), other teachers who play instruments (who also know about music), and teachers who are not musical but enjoy music. The contestants are judged not only on their musical abilities but also on how they interact with the audience and their outward appearance.

Battle of the Bands is a massive event and attracts almost as many MS and HS students as the high school play. It is organized by Mr. Spradling, a high school English teacher. When Mr. Spradling was asked about how the money from the Battle of the Bands is used, he answered, “It raises money for a variety of charities.”

Be sure to check out BOB to support our great ISM musicians!

NOTE: *BATTLE OF THE BANDS 2020 HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO ENSURE STUDENTS’ SAFETY DUE TO THE RECENT OUTBREAK OF THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS*

3 unique ism traditions

Doeun K.

Attending ISM offers many privileges to students, including the many events celebrated every year. Here are three of the most iconic celebrations, vital to sustaining ISM’s rich culture.

Filipiniana

Filipiniana is an annual all-day event for ISM students and faculty to celebrate Filipino culture. The day involves many activities such as a middle school assembly featuring performances from choir, dance, band, and more. Another part of Filipiniana is the buffet of Filipino cuisine. Vendors serve a variety of foods from sweet turon to savoury pancit. An 8th grader said, “I think the buffet really opens up Filipino culture to foreign students and is a good way for students to bond with each other while they indulge.” In addition, ISM teachers, musicians and dancers dress up and participate in a parade by walking around the school. Will from 7th grade said, “It is a great experience to take in the culture of the Philippines.”

BOB: Battle of the Bands

Every year, high school students organize Battle of the Bands - a show where bands and singers advance through two rounds, competing for multiple awards. It is open for all students to watch, and includes a raffle with many prizes and food booths that are popular amongst many students. “I think it’s a good chance for people to spend time with each other and listen to quality music. My friends and I go to BOB every year and it’s always super fun,” Alex from 8th grade said. Having an opportunity to enjoy music with peers is a special ISM event.

Sports Day

Some of the most unforgettable MS memories are the many house competitions. Sports Day is the final competition for the house league championship. MS students are divided into houses named for animals native to the Philippines. During Sports Day, mixed grade level house teams compete in different activities, earning points for their house throughout the day. The final round takes place on the HS field, with diverse activities such as water games and obstacles. Kay from 8th grade said, “I liked it. Especially the water activities. I’m new this year so experiencing Sports Day was really memorable.” The friendly competition builds community amongst the houses, and allows students to get to know each other better.

These iconic celebrations are a very significant part of our ISM community as students, teachers and faculty all take part in these events. All of these traditions help build a community within ISM as it advances to its hundredth year.

environment

Taal Volcano: How do Students Perceive it?

Kyler S.

As we all know, the Taal Volcano erupted recently. This eruption cancelled two days of school and altered CWW plans. Are students thankful Taal erupted, or are they empathetic to the communities affected?

The Taal Volcano erupted on January 12th. Heaps of ash covered the ground and we soon received the news that school would be cancelled for both the Monday and Tuesday of that week. While the eruption was happening, students rejoiced on their Instagram stories, with statements like, “No school today!’ but also expressed concern with statements like, “Stay safe.” This got me interested in whether MS kids had positive reactions towards Taal, or more worrying or sad responses for those still constantly in fear of the damages that Taal might cause. Here is what I found out:

One student from Grade 8 said, ”I’m happy because we missed school,” and only later acknowledged the communities affected after being asked how they felt for the ones who had to leave their homes because of the volcano. Some students were sad that their specific CWW site (PG Adventure and Stairway) were cancelled as well as IASAS, an event the whole school was looking forward to. However aside from the feedback that focused on students themselves, most responses revolved around safety and the communities around us. Many students even plan to donate or do service for the communities in need.

Overall, doing these interviews has revealed the true identities of ISM students. Students’ responses showed that ISM students are full of empathy and recognize the pain of others more often than the benefits for themselves. Hopefully this gives parents and teachers faith that all the ISM students are going to grow into great leaders as they can notice others problems before their own.

Kantina banning disposable containers, starting March!

Chiara M.

Starting March 2020, the Kantina will be banning single use cups, utensils and containers. The BYOC (bring your own container) policy allows bearcats to start fresh. 2020 is a new year...let's make it a sustainable one!

The BYOC policy allows the school to be more sustainable. Last year, between 2018-2019, the Bearcat Cafe alone had to give out 47,000 single use plastic cups. The Kantina banning single use plastic encourages students to bring their own utensils as well as help save our environment and create sustainable habits.

The decision to ban single use containers was made by ISM’s Sustainability Committee (which includes ES, MS and HS students, teachers and staff) after 6 months of research and intense meetings. In addition to that, there were some challenges along the way that stopped the school from establishing this policy earlier. School events such as sports day, CWW and parents coming to school needed to be taken into consideration. Also, students may forget to bring their own containers and utensils. According to Ms. Pekin, “There have been many challenges but each one has been carefully identified and considered and we have come up with many creative solutions.” For example, students could keep a container and some utensils in their lockers in case they forget to bring their eating set one day.

We started with the ‘Bring Your Own Cup’ policy on the 4th of November 2019. At the time, the Bearcat Cafe only accepted water bottles or reusable cups. We then moved up a level when the Kantina started giving people a 5 peso discount if they brought their own container. Although the ISM sustainable goal isn’t stopping there, the ‘Bring Your own Container’ policy, is expected to have a major effect on our level of sustainability. According to Ms. Pekin, “Our hope is that ISM significantly reduces the amount of plastics going into landfills on a daily basis.”

The result is expected to be drastic. Every day, 35,000 tons of trash are thrown out in the Philippines. With this policy, we are stopping 1,000 single use plastics going to landfills daily. Helping ISM to become more sustainable by following the BYOC policy will also improve students’ overall happiness as they will feel guilt free when eating with and from reusable utensils. Trixie, an ISM grade 7 student has already started to bring her eating utensils every day and, according to her, “It makes me feel like I am doing my part to save the planet!”

In its 100th year, ISM is working hard to become a more sustainable school. As a result, the students, teachers and staff in our community can feel proud that they are helping the environment we live in. Here’s to 100 more years of sustainability at ISM!

entertainment

5 Best Netflix Shows For you

Netflix is one of the world’s largest streaming platforms.

Layla C.

Have you ever scrolled through Netflix, taking forever to find something to watch? Here are the top 5 Netflix shows that teachers and students of MS claimed to be the best. Do any of these sound like something you’d watch?

Top 5 Teacher Shows:

Modern Family - A comedy in which three related and extended families go through problems in their own special ways. Rated 86% by Rotten Tomatoes.
The Good Place - Eleanor, a dead woman who lived an immoral life, finds herself in a heaven-like place in the afterlife and attempts to hide her real identity. Rated 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Stranger Things - Set in 1983, a small town in Indiana experiences mysterious and deadly events starting with the disappearance of a young boy. Rated 93% by Rotten Tomatoes.
Friends - The show follows the lives of 6 adults living in Manhattan and their comedic tales of friendship. Rated 78% by Rotten Tomatoes.
Explained - A documentary that asks and answers big questions of the present world. Rated 8/10 by IMDb.

Top 5 Student Shows:

Riverdale - A drama straight out of the comic book Archie, where the main characters investigate death, mystery, and love in their small town. Rated 86% by Rotten Tomatoes.
Modern Family - (See above)
Brooklyn Nine Nine - A comedic story of a police precinct in Brooklyn, in which Jake Peralta, a brilliant but slacking detective, meets his new boss. Rated 97% by Rotten Tomatoes.
Stranger Things - (See above)
You - A seemingly likeable bookstore manager, Joe Goldberg, hides his true identity as a stalker and potential murderer as he charms a woman he has fallen in love with. Rated 91% by Rotten Tomatoes.

While Netflix is fun to watch in your spare time, be careful while watching, as it has already been classified as an addiction. One student stated, “After finishing a show you really like, you feel empty inside, and you just binge shows you don’t want to watch because you’re bored,” while a teacher added, “It’s easy to get carried away, especially if the last episode ends on a cliffhanger!”

3 movies to look out for in 2020!

Laela G.

Looking for a good movie to watch? 2020 opens with lots of new films for all. Here are the top 3 movies to watch out for this new year:

1. Mulan (2020)

Disney Live action films such as The Lion King, Aladdin, Jungle Book, and even Lady and the Tramp have been released over the past few years. So it’s no surprise when Disney announced Mulan 2020, the Chinese female warrior’s new movie. If you haven’t seen the animated sequels, Mulan is the story of a young woman who disguises herself as a man during a war battling nomadic invaders in order to save her ill father. This new movie does come with many changes from the old, including the removal of popular characters such as Mushu and Captain Li-Shang. But these changes don’t stop Disney-lovers from all over the world anxiously awaiting this action-filled movie coming out on March 25.

2. Doctor Doolittle (2020)

Do you like animals, adventure, and most importantly Tom Holland as a dog? In this amusing film, Doctor John Doolittle, played by the famous Robert Downey Jr, is a vet who has lived his whole life with friendship only from his exotic animals, which doesn’t sound as lonely when you find out he can talk to them! But one day, he is sent, on orders from Queen Victoria, to a mysterious island to find a cure for her deadly illness. With the help of a little boy he just met and his furry friends, Dolittle embarks on an adventure filled with lots of surprises. Catch this movie in cinemas after January 1.

3. Onward

Coming to cinemas on March 4, this animated movie features the lovable pair Tom Holland and Chris Pratt as two elf brothers who are sent on an adventure after receiving a surprising gift from their recently deceased father. This hilarious movie brings joy and tears to everyone’s eyes as the boys fight unimaginable creatures in order to have 24 hours with the man they both loved.

These movies will be most easily found in theaters like SM Aura Cinema, Uptown Mall Cinema, and Powerplant Cinema. I hope that this article has helped you find a good film to catch with your friends and family this year.

social media

6 Instagram-Worthy Places to Go In Manila

Julianna S.

Ever needed a place to take good Instagram photos? I’m sure most Instagram users have dealt with this problem at least once. Here are 5 places to go to take good, aesthetic, Instragram-worthy photos.

1. The Dessert Museum. If you’re looking to have a colorful Instagram feed, then the Dessert Museum is for you! The museum shows a variety of different colors if you’re looking to add color to your feed. The Dessert Museum Museum also gives out sweets to those roaming around. It is located in Seaside Boulevard, Coral Way, Pasay, 1300.

2. Sunnies Cafe. Sunnies Cafe can be found in multiple locations such as BGC, SM Megamall, and Alabang Town Center. Other than just being Instagrammable, they offer a variety of different foods.

3. Manila Baywalk. Along Roxas Boulevard you will find the Manila Baywalk. Manila Baywalk is good for photos, especially if you want to take golden hour selfies or pictures of the sunset. Manila Baywalk can also be good if you’re looking to have a nice, relaxing stroll near the bay.

4. Venice Grand Canal Mall. If you live near BGC, you’ve probably heard of or been to this mall. When going to Venice Grand Canal Mall, you don’t want to miss the photo opportunity on the gondola ride! Venice Grand Canal Mall is located on Garden Villas, 1630 Upper McKinley Road McKinley Hill, Cluster B.

5. National Museum of Fine Arts. Museums are always a good place to take pictures, especially if it fits your aesthetic. The National Museum of Fine Arts on Padre Burgos Ave, Ermita, Manila, showcases sculptures and paintings by multiple Filipino artists such as Juan Luna, Félix Resurrección Hidalgo and Guillermo Tolentino. If you’re into the arts or want to have an artistic feed, then the National Museum of Fine Arts is for you!

6. Manila Post Office. The Manila Post Office found on Liwasang Bonifacio, Magallanes Dr, Intramuros, has a long history. Completed in 1926 and destroyed in 1945 during the second World War, it was rebuilt in 1946, after the war. It is known for being the main post office of Manila and the home of the Philippine Postal Corporation. The Manila Post Office has a lot of history and is very modern, which is good for a white, minimalistic feed.

Famous Youtuber Pewdiepie takes first break in 10 years

Pewdiepie, in his final video before his break, thanking his viewers for all their support.

Rahman K.

After a decade of consistent uploads, the iconic internet influencer Pewdiepie is taking a long-awaited break. With over 100 million subscribers on Youtube, Pewdiepie is the most subscribed-to creator on the platform, a title he has held for the last 7 years. He recently became, technically, the second most subscribed-to channel after a long-dreaded overtake by Indian music company T-series, however, he is still the most subscribed-to individual creator.

The Youtube community now wonders if this start-of-year break will cause Pewdiepie to drop further in popularity in an industry defined by consistent streams of content. Something similar happened to another big internet influencer, Ninja--previously called the king of the live-streaming platform Twitch--who recently went on a 48-hour break and lost 40,000 paid subscribers before his 100 million dollar buy-out by Mixer. Pewdiepie’s break, however, is expected to last weeks so his losses could be exponentially higher than Ninja’s.

Despite the potential business loss, it is quite clear that Pewdiepie deserves this break after all these years of consistent daily uploads, a much better track record than other big YouTubers. He has made at least one video every day for ten years, alongside several music videos and several hour-long live streams. It is clear to his followers that Felix “Pewdiepie” Arvid Ulf Kjellberg is a very hard working person and has been entertaining hundreds of millions of people around the world.

Despite all of Pewdiepie’s popularity, traditional media isn’t a fan, publishing news headlines like “Thank God Pewdiepie is Finally Gone” from CCN. Pewdiepie’s fans believe the media is so critical because they get less viewership than him and he has accumulated a much larger audience amongst younger people.

Currently, fake news is being spread across the internet suggesting that Pewdiepie is quitting youtube for good. I along with 100 million other people around the world sincerely hope that is not the case.

sports

The UEFA Europa League: Everything you need to know

The winner last year, Chelsea FC from London, who beat their eternal rival Arsenal (also from London) 4-1. Their captain Cesar Azpilicueta lifts the trophy cup.

Audric H.

The UEFA Europa League is an international football tournament where 48 football clubs battle for the cup, the prize. Only the UEFA Champions League is a bigger tournament than the Europa League. Clubs who didn’t make it in the Champions League go to the Europa League. The less famous clubs play here so the Europa League is THE chance where smaller clubs can make an international name for themselves.

Qualification

This season, 178 clubs qualified for the tournament. Clubs can qualify for the Europa League if they have a good enough result in their national league season. Often clubs still have to play qualification matches against three other clubs. Another way to qualify is finishing third place in the Champions League group stage. Since both the Europa League and the Champions League occur at the same time, the clubs that finished third do not have to compete in a group stage again. They can go immediately to the next round.

Road to the Final

When the tournament started, the first matches were the group stage matches on the 19th of September. There are four clubs in each group stage. Every club plays each other twice (home and away) and the number 1 and 2 in the group stage go to the next round. This means only half of the teams go to the next round.

The next round is the round of 32, also known as the knock-out stage. This starts on the 20th of February. Only 24 out of the 48 teams are left, joined by 8 other teams from the Champions League. There is no group anymore, only separate sets (home and away). The number 1 of a group stage plays against the number 2 of another group stage and the other way around. The results of the matches are averaged. If it ends up in a draw, the team who scored the most goals away wins. If that also ends in a draw, there will be extra time, two times 15 minutes. If there are no goals in extra time, penalties occur. These are single free shots from 11 meters with only the goalkeeper to stop the ball.

Then comes the round of 16. This round works exactly the same as the round of 32, only with fewer clubs. Then comes the quarterfinals, the semifinals, and the big final. The two clubs left play for the cup. The final is played on the 27th of May in the Gdansk stadium, in Gdansk, Poland.

Prediction

Some of the big contenders to win the cup are Ajax, Internazionale Milan and Manchester United. In the next round (round of 32), a few matches that might be interesting to watch are Red Bull Salzburg-Eintracht Frankfurt, Manchester United-Club Brugge and FC Porto-AS Roma.

MS ATHLETES TRAIN IN PREPARATION FOR SEASON 3

Sofie A.

Are you looking for a new sport to try? Here are some to look out for that ISM offers in the new and upcoming season. Competition is rising among students as athletes prep in advance to score a spot on their desired team.

The upcoming sports offered to us middle schoolers this season are mixed touch, track and field, and badminton. Golf is also offered, however only past golf players with experience playing on the team will be offered a spot. Besides these sports, there is also high school baseball and softball. During an interview among seven 8th grade students, when asked if they were trying out this season, three students said they would try out for track and field and two would do badminton! The two other students claimed they would not be doing any sports offered this season.

Track and Field

If you are interested in a sport that involves a lot of running and team motivation, be sure to meet at the HS track on January 29, 30 and 31. This season there will be six track meets. Besides running, sprinting and meter relays, some of the events that come with track and field are javelin throw, triple jump, high jump, discus throw, and shot put. Training practices for these events are on Tuesday and Thursday.

Badminton

If you are interested in this sport, tryouts for badminton are on Feb 5, 6 and 7. Girls meet at the ES Gym, and boys at the Covered Court. After a week of tryouts, MS badminton players will have practice on Wednesdays and Fridays, however girls will practice in the ES Gym and boys in MS Gym. Badminton involves lots of training in serving and smashing, as well as practice for matches and learning basic rules. According to the ISM athletics website, both MS badminton gold and green teams will be competing against several local leagues around Manila.

Mixed Touch

Tryouts for mixed touch will be held on the 17th and 19th of February, so be sure to head to the ES field on those designated dates. Once tryouts are over, practice will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays on the MS Field. Mixed touch will involve skill development training as well as tons of game practice. On May 8-10, there will be three teams selected to participate in the annual Jakarta International School mixed touch tournament.

Be sure to check out the ISM athletics website, which has the schedules and upcoming events for each sport, as well as updates for tryouts. Don’t be afraid to try something new! Not only does joining a sports team help you learn sportsmanship and give the experience of being on a team and working together, but you never know, maybe you could discover a new passion or talent you never knew you had!

life hacks

3 WAYS TO STOP PROCRASTINATING

Reyn B.

Do you usually put off the things you need to do, like when you have homework? Do you always say, “I can do it later?” Then you’re probably a procrastinator, just like me.

“Procrastination is the bane of every student’s existence,” Regan Collins from Psychology Today said. We know what we should be doing, however, we just don’t want to do it.

It’s very easy to put off assignments until the very last minute, and then we’re forced to pull an all-nighter. The day after, we’re super exhausted, frustrated and we don’t turn in our best work. Finally, we regret that we binge-watched our favorite series on Netflix the night before. If you want to end your procrastination cycle, here are 3 ways to take action immediately!

#1 Write it down

You won’t be able to do anything if you don’t know what you’re supposed to do. Start off with writing in your planner, whether it’s the school-issued or a digital one. Writing tasks down makes it so much easier to keep track of your assignments and important due dates. Create a detailed timeline to start you off in ending your procrastination cycle.

#2 Set aside distractions

It’s important to set aside distractions before you begin to work so you don’t get easily sidetracked. We tend to always check our phones to see if there’s any notification because of FOMO (Fear of missing out), then we end up spending too much time on Snapchat and Instagram when we should really be studying. So before you start working, make sure to set your distractions aside by turning off your notifications or giving your phone to a trusted family member while you work.

#3 Reward yourself

Everyone loves getting something in return for something they did. It’s important to give yourself rewards, no matter how small they are. A reward could be as small as watching an episode of your favorite series on Netflix after finishing your essay for English, or as big as going to your favorite restaurant if you get a 6 or 7 in Math or Science. It’s easier to do something you don’t want to do when you can reward yourself later.

There they are -- 3 ways to stop your procrastinating cycle. Now stop reading and go finish your assignments!

3 Tips to Becoming a Great Teacher

Sofi A.

We have all had different teachers over the years, some who inspire us, challenge us, confuse us, make us laugh, or help us think about the world in a new way. But what makes a great teacher? Here are three characteristics that great teachers have in common, according to a few of the many great ISM teachers.

#1: Great Teachers Connect With Their Students

Most teachers interviewed mentioned trying to connect with their students. Positive teacher/student relationships help make sure that no student feels out of place or lonely in a class. Connections with students also helps students feel more comfortable with their teachers.

“I think one of the things is getting to know your students well, taking an interest in their life, definitely using sense of humor,” said Wellness teacher, Mrs. Baker.

“Being someone that they’re able to come to, and opening up about yourself, can make teachers more relatable to teenagers,” Ms. Baker continued.

#2: Great Teachers Plan for Lessons

Most teachers said that good lesson planning was a characteristic of a great teacher. This can improve organization and decrease stress before a class. Planning for a lesson also helps a great teacher review what they know and can teach.

“There are many traits, actually, to being a good teacher. Teachers wear many hats, not literal hats but roles,” said Ms. Chung, 7th grade math teacher. Ms. Chung also mentioned understanding the subject well enough to be able to teach it well.

“The basic is for the teacher to have a good understanding of the topic and try to anticipate what might come up within the lesson,” she said.

#3: Great Teachers Aren’t So Serious!

Something that all teachers who were interviewed mentioned was that great teachers have fun once in a while. Not only can humor be an icebreaker and connection builder for the class, but it can also be a chance to let go of any anxiety and/or worry about that class.

“In my head, I’m still a big kid,” Mr. Glog, 7th grade science teacher admitted.

“I get to make jokes and laugh at things, I teach people the way that I would learn best."

Stop Worrying about Becoming a Great Teacher!

Most importantly, don’t worry about trying to become a great teacher. While it may seem challenging, it isn’t. Just focus on teaching your students the best you can.

Smaller classes: Are they better?

Trixie M.

Are small classes truly better than bigger classes? Most teachers agree that small classes are much better than larger classes for various reasons. For the purposes of this article, a small class has between 10 - 15 students and one teacher. Below, you will find 3 benefits of a smaller class.

1. Better relationships

First, smaller classes help build closer relationships between the teacher and the students, as the teacher has more time to chat and share their life with their students. “Students become more comfortable when there are fewer people around, and so they are more willing to open up,'' Ms. Baker mentioned. When students and teachers are comfortable and trust each other, it creates a positive learning environment.

2. Better learning environment

Moreover, smaller classes may promote a better learning environment. For example, smaller classes may mean less distraction, less noise, and more one-on-one learning sessions for individual clarification. Better learning environments usually result in better overall learning and productivity. As there are fewer students in a smaller class, the volume of chatter decreases and causes less distraction. “I noticed that smaller classes are sometimes more successful in learning,” Sofia Agha, 7th grade, stated.

3. More flexible

Furthermore, smaller classes are often easier for teachers to handle, which allows teachers more opportunities to prepare more flexible learning activities for the class. According to publicschoolreview.com, a smaller class “affords the teacher to employ different teaching methods” because of its flexibility. If small classes gets off task or goes off on a tangent, it isn't as challenged for that class to catch up and get back on track with other classes.

In conclusion, smaller classes are better overall as they provide better relationships with students, a better learning experience and are often more flexible.

3 Ways to Beat the Lunch Lines

Will G.

Trying to get lunch feels like it takes forever. Students can spend up to 15 minutes waiting in line. Grade 7 student Crae believes, “The lunch lines are a huge problem, way too long.” Here are three ways to beat them.

1. Pack up early.

Sometimes in order to beat the lunch lines, all you have to do is discreetly pack your bag near the end of class while the teacher is wrapping up. Packing up early can help you get out of class right when class ends so that you are on your way to the Kantina quicker.

2. Walk fast. Running, I mean walking fast, is a very effective way to get to the Kantina early and in front of the lunch lines. Although fast walking can be dangerous, especially when so many people are on their way to the same place, it’s worth the risk. Be on the lookout for students and teachers and walk as quickly and as safely as possible.

3. Decide what you want to eat before you get to the Kantina. Knowing what you want doesn’t just benefit you, it benefits everyone in the line by decreasing the time everyone is waiting. Knowing what you want can speed up the line making everyone happy. In the end, getting through the lunch line quickly can make your whole day better.

In conclusion, lunch lines at ISM can be a pain and can take lots of time off your lunch. Just by packing up early, running and deciding what you want before you get to the Kantina can improve your experience.

making friends as a new kid

Kainat K.

Have you ever been a new student ? All of us have been the new kid at some point and it isn’t always the greatest or the easiest. Here are some tips on how to improve your new student experience:

Take advantage of orientation

Orientation is a specific event organized by student ambassadors for new students. Orientation consists of icebreakers to help new students socialize and adapt to how the school works. There is also an orientation week that helps familiarize new students with their peers, classes and the school as a whole. Orientation week consists of a variety of short information sessions, such as one on organization, to help new students understand what is in store and what to expect for the rest of the year. The new students meet with the student ambassadors who help the news students by giving them tours around the school.

Make ambassador buddies

The school also improves the experience of being new by assigning each new student an ambassador buddy. An ambassador buddy's main job is to help their assigned new student find their classes and answer any questions they have. Ambassador buddies also help new students find friends and socialize with others.

Participate in extracurriculars

Extracurriculars are a great way for new students to make new friends and find people who have similar interests. They are also a good opportunity to get more involved in the school community and with peers while doing something enjoyable.

All these opportunities--orientation day, orientation week, and extracurriculars-- are designed to make the transition for new students into the school, a positive experience.

4 ways to deal with your annoying friend

Seungwoo B.

When students get closer to their friends, they are sometimes harsher to each other, make fun of each other, fight, or end up annoying each other. Sometimes, this results in a cracked friendship, other times in a stronger bond, but often the annoying behavior continues. To try and stop the annoying behavior, students usually say, "Stop!" or push the person away. However, here are some more creative ways to deal with your annoying friends.

Ignore them.

I find this way to be very efficient for people who decide they no longer want to be friends with the other person anymore. When you start ignoring the annoying person, the person may at first continue to annoy you. However, if you have a strong enough mentality to deal with the teasing or the annoyance, they will most likely get bored by your lack of attention and will hopefully stop annoying you.

Recruit the support of friends.

To use this way, you need to let your friends know what is happening and that you need their help. The next time the annoying friend tries to humiliate you in front of your friends, your friends can cover for you, change the subject, make you laugh, or stand up for you so that the annoying person sees that it is not okay to annoy you anymore. You may need to do this for a few weeks or months, but after a while, the annoying friend will likely stop bothering you.

Be kind, under any circumstances.

This way sounds like the easiest, but is actually the hardest to endure. This is because whatever happens, you must act kindly towards the annoying person. When the annoying person does or says something mean to you, you need to be nice to him/her. One way to act kind is to say thank you to whatever they do. Continue responding kindly no matter what. Although this procedure takes a strong will and mentality, if the annoying person is not getting the negative reaction they were hoping for, they will likely stop bothering you.

Tell an adult.

I think this is the easiest way, but the one students feel most guilty doing. Telling an adult about the annoying friend means the student's family will be sent a notification and have to have a conference with the principal. This is basically the whole strategy, but I think it is effective for students our age because then they will know how it feels to get in trouble from their parents about their inappropriate behavior.

opinion

Break and lunchtime, too short?

Crae S.

A 15 min break and 35-minute lunch. How do students use their time?

At ISM, lunch is usually a fun time to relax, and have a break between classes, and have a snack. In our Kantina, we have 6 great restaurants and a wide variety of cuisine from American to Japanese to Filipino. There is also inside seating for over 500 people, and much more outside. It is a nice, casual place to eat and socialize.

Many students complain about their break and lunchtimes being too short, and many of those people do not eat lunch so they can have time to play sports. On the contrary, the teachers say that break times are sufficient for students to eat and play because all classes have a set and specific time and shall not be tampered with.

We were curious about how students used their break and lunch times, so we interviewed some to see what they said.

Boys surveyed in grades 7 and 8 said that during break and lunch, they prefer playing a sport over socializing and that they enjoy practicing sports with their friends or trying a new sport with different people.

On the contrary, other students, prefer just to sit and talk while eating with their friends, because lunch lines are long and there is not enough time to play. Friends from different classes update each other on gossip and talk about their lives.

When asked about the amount of time students get for lunch, grade 7 Student Jae Seong stated, “From the time we get out of class to the time that we get our food could take the entire lunchtime, not giving us time to play or talk with our friends. We should have at least 10 minutes additional so we have enough time to eat and socialize.”

To explain the reason for the amount of break and lunch time, Middle School Assistant Principal Ms. Pekin said, “The past few years we have been looking into this topic and investigating whether we should change class times and the break and lunchtimes. We found that the school day is the perfect length and that lunch and break times are sufficient for getting food and eating it. We understand that students want a little bit more time so they can play longer, but by adding extra time, we will have to extend the school day, which many people will detest.”

Students and teachers are still debating this topic, but most people are willing to cope with the available time.

the scholastic book fair, is it necessary?

Alex K.

The scholastic book fair is an annual book fair that comes to ISM mainly targeting younger students. According to Wikipedia, “Scholastic Corporation is an American multinational publishing, education and media company known for publishing, selling, and distributing books and educational materials for schools, teachers, parents, and children.” This year, the book fair came in early January, 2020. Book prices range anywhere from 500 to 2,500 pesos. However, right behind the book fair is our state of the art library which has a wide selection of books that students can borrow for free with their IDs.

ES teachers and students are all for the book fair, saying “It’s a good opportunity to show responsibility,” and that, “It's a chance to celebrate books.” Mrs. Walker, the MS Librarian, says that the magic of the book fair, as opposed to the library, is that, “It’s really special to say that you own a book.” Overall the message is that although our library has books for students to borrow, buying books, and the magic of owning a book, is something special that the book fair adds.

On the other side, older students, like some in the eighth grade, tend to prefer the library because the books are free and it is so convenient to borrow books using your campus ID. It seems that the younger students, as well as teachers, enjoy the annual book fair, while older students feel that in comparison to the library, the book fair may offer less. In general, older students face much more responsibility than younger students, and they most likely have owned several books already. However, for most of the ES kids going to the book fair, it may be their first time buying a book. The book fair has become e a tradition in ES by coming every year, and younger students are always excited when the teacher tells them it is time to visit the book fair.

The book fair reminds older students of the power of buying a book and may remind them of buying their very own first book. Stories are timeless, so why wouldn’t a book fair be?

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