“If you find someone you love in your life, then hang on to that love.”

-Princess Diana

This month’s recommendation will be a light read. Something motivating and cheerful, something hopeful and aspiring. Lucy Maud Montgomery had a talent with words, in a way which she aroused feelings of warmth and relaxation in the reader. Lucy was orphaned at a young age and she developed writing passion and skills while being raised by her grandparents. Her depute novel series was Anne of Green Gables. In a way these books were her hope and story told through the eyes of Anne, a redheaded orphan girl who got accidentally adopted by two sibling Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. The girl has a lot of unexpected adventures, the language of the book truly takes you into the story and makes you part of those adventures. This charming coming-of-age book will widen one’s imagination and introduce it to calming atmospheres never seen before.

American Highschool actively participates in many festivities, be it small or large. This month, it just so happened that the festivity was valentine’s day. since we are online, we had to accommodate to that. The members of the PR parliament therefore organized a small assembly in which there were interactive games, videos, and other fun things. They played a kahoot, watched a video regarding valentine’s day, and overall enjoyed the day of love. Upcoming events will be much bigger and better; in hopes that they will actually be celebrated in school.

After 2 semesters of an exclusively online teaching experience, the students of European School have been given the opportunity to return to non-virtual learning. Both the staff and the students have tried their best and succeeded at facing the challenges brought by this change of pace to ensure an efficient and pleasant learning experience.

The school staff took serious measures to minimize the risk of Covid-19 infections among students; through multiple stages of automatic temperature checks, two or more hand sanitizer dispensers on every floor, and halting of cafeteria services, the school personell showed a great degree of preparation which allowed our school to be open with very little danger. The students also have certain responsibilities, such as tying long hair and bringing lunch to eat at their own desks, to prevent unhygienic practices.

Through these practices, students and teachers have been able to return to a face-to-face teaching process, which has increased productivity in many classes. The students have found it easier to participate in non-virtual classes once technical difficulties stopped being a barrier. That being said, of course the students were given a choice to stay online, either out of preference or out of concern for their health. The school also took measures to provide those students the same quality of education as those who are attending the classes in person; the teachers allow students to tune into their lessons through Google Meet, ask questions, and listen to the discussions at all times, making sure that they're not at a disadvantage as a result of their preferences.

-Mariam Chakhnashvili

Kato: 8th and 9th grades are the starting points of long and exhausting high-school years. Here are some of the advices that will come in handy;

Responsibilities grow as you age. Time management becomes crucial. Therefore, one of the most important things you HAVE to do in your early high-school years is to learn how to manage your time. My personal favorite studying method is Pomodoro. Another advice of mine would be that do not solely depend on and expect to get all A-s, getting highest grades is not the most important part of your studies. The essential part is understanding the topic and learning it not memorizing and studying it by heart. Do not leave any of your questions unanswered, don’t think that you’re bothering your teachers with your questions, they are teachers for this exact purpose. Make notes as much as possible and during each study session write down any questions that you have. AHS teachers will never leave you hanging.

Mari: grade 8 and grade 9 are our steppingstones into what we call- High school. Even though at times it may seem like it is a lot, there are many coping mechanisms you can use to better yourselves. One of the crucial points are that you must know how to organize your workload. There are many subjects that you already have, but as time goes on there will be even more! But do not be alarmed, I have got you covered. Whether it is a workload of math, science, or history, a crucial thing is to take notes. When you take notes and when you have your own writing/summaries beside you, you can better understand with which part you have doubts. Alongside a better understanding of your highs and lows, notes help you in future occasions; when you have tests, exams, or pop-quizzes, notes will come in handy. You do not have to review the whole chapters, but instead peek through what you have already. With notes, it is important to understand the main concepts of what the teacher is teaching you. I learned the hard way that too much detail is never good. Make sure you understand the main/key points of the lesson. If you have questions, you can always ask the teacher. Do not be shy to make mistakes, we all learn from them. grades are especially important, GPA is extremely important, but what is the most crucial is that after learning the lesson, you do not forget it the next day. By that I mean that you must firstly think about the lessons and comprehend the information given to you. What matters is what is in your brain, not the little grade on the paper. Of course, you should try to aim for high grades, to have a better future. But do not stress yourself too much. Get enough sleep, do your homework, try not to fall behind, and most importantly DON’T OVERWORK YOURSELF. You got this! It’s not as difficult as it seems.

In February, I was given the opportunity to participate in a very enlightening and amusing competition. This competition was based on/revolved around the ancient era. I was to choose a day and go back in time for 24 hours. I was supposed to describe why I have chosen this day to go back to, describe either what I will be seeing, or seeking while I am there, and overall, give my perception as to why this day is one which is most appealing to me. Since the period had to be one which was real- and not made up (ancient mythology or fiction)- I decided to embark on a journey all the way to Eleusis. I chose to go back and to participate in the Eleusinian mysteries. This phenomenon is well known around the world. Apart from being so well-known, it is also very well hidden. No one knows what happened during these mysteries, and due to that it has become a controversial topic in many discussions. For this very reason, I wanted to go back. My main idea behind choosing this time and setting was to uncover all that is hidden, and to abolish all misconceptions. My aim was to unravel the deep secrets and to enlighten my society about one of the world most well-kept mysteries. The competition itself had many stages. Firstly, we had an inner contest, one which was open to all the students of AHS. The first inner competition was among all the members who were willing to participate in this classics concours. After that, 3 people were chosen to go to the next level; in that moment, one was to be chosen out of the three to go on. Luckily for me, I was selected as the member who would represent our school. There was a whole elaborate process which we had to undergo. We were required to have our presentations fit the criteria which the organization upheld for us. Our speeches had to be less than 15 minutes but more than 10, they had to be appropriate for the theme, and most importantly they were obliged to be completely memorized. It was not tough to fit my presentation into the criteria. Thankfully, my teachers had me very well equipped with many people and accessories which I necessitated for many aspects for the finale. The competition itself (the final stage) was between all the European countries who incorporate Classical civilizations in their school programs. The school which these videos were sent to was Lytham St. Annes. There, they were judged by professionals. I am overjoyed to have had the ability to participate in something so genuinely interesting. Regardless of the outcome, it was an experience which will forever be engraved inside my mind. Thank you once again for everyone who helped me. Thank you to all my teachers for believing in me and providing me with such an opportunity.