Lost! Nicki Minaj! If Found, Please Return to Schutz

Shereen Elkhazendar the Nicki Minaj in the Making
By Hanna El-Amrawi

When it is quiet on the Schutz campus and you do not feel that sudden burst of energy, you know someone is missing. When you do not hear Lil’ Wayne’s latest song blaring in the background, again you know someone is missing. When you walk through the campus, and you do not smell that Victoria Secret lotion, you immediately wonder where she is? How is the campus just so normal? Is Shereen Elkhazendar sick today?
Ever since Shereen moved to Schutz in August 2005, Schutz was never the same. Shereen moved to this “uptight and judgmental school”, from Ramapol Middle School in Mahwah, New Jersey. Once entering the big bronze Schutz gates, this Punky-styled girl felt like something was wrong. “Daddy it is one year and I am going back home”, stated Shereen. However, as she learned to open up to her classmates and got acquainted with the Egyptian culture, she truly fell in love with Schutz and Egypt. In fact that planned year was now moved to five years as she will be completing High School from Schutz American School.

Shereen will be graduating from Schutz as a unique and confident woman, who will pave her way to be the next leading anesthesiologist. I know what you are thinking, a scientist! How boring? Well, Shereen is not like any other boring scientist. Along with getting her degree in science, she will also pursue a career in singing. “I hope to be the next Nicki Minaj”. Since I am not as big of a rapper fan as Shereen is, I had no idea who Nicki was. “Nicki Minaj is Lil’ Wayne’s project, he is making her a star!”. Lil ‘Wayne is Shereen’s role model. “Dude! He worked his way from the bottom to the top with no help at all. Now look at him! He is the best rapper alive”, explained Shereen. In fact she loves Lil’wayne so much that she is planning on visiting him this spring break! Who knows, maybe he will be able to discover her, just like Nicki.

Ever since graduation has been coming near, Shereen can not get the fact across her mind that she will be leaving, and that this time it is not her choice anymore. “I am going to miss the people in Schutz so much!”, added Shereen. One specific memory that Shereen will never be able to forget is EMAC Varsity Volleyball 2009. “It was by far my most memorable moment at Schutz, I will never be able to forget the smiles on all our faces when the guys scored the final point!”. Shereen feels that Schutz has changed and shaped her into the person she is today. However, there is one person in particular who Shereen feels has been able to set her on the right track. “Kelly Sullivan has been able to influence my past and my future. She has set my mind on the right track, and for that I would like to thank her”, explained Shereen.

With graduation nearing in, Shereen’s advice to the upcoming seniors is “Senior year is once in a lifetime! So enjoy it”. Well Shereen we are glad that you have decided to graduate from Schutz, and I am sure that one day we will hear you on the radio.

Possibly, the Next, Next Oprah Winfry

Aya Kordy Departs with the Tools to Achieve her own Desires
By Ingy Fahmy

Five years ago, Aya Kordy had no intention of attending Schutz American School let alone graduate from it. She used to be enrolled in the British School of Alexandria, and she was preparing to attend the Arab Academy. Nonetheless, here we are five years down the line, where Aya will be graduating from Schutz and very grateful that her father pushed and insisted that she continue her schooling career here. Aya’s classmates have no doubt that she is destined to reach incredible places with her undeniable talents. Being voted the school’s loudest female, most likely to make it to Hollywood, and the most energetic individual are all small determinants to what adds up to create Aya’s personality. At any given day, you can walk through the front porch to see and hear Aya putting on a performance of some sort whether she does it intentionally or not; you will be guaranteed a scene that will very much entertain you.

Aya is an individual who does not necessarily know what she wants but there is no doubt that when she does figure out what she does want, she will get it. To emphasize on that point, she does not like to think about the future and what it holds for her; Aya likes to concentrate at what is considered to be “the here and the now”. Aya has not yet decided as to where she will be attending college. In her mind, her options are either a certain college in London or the American University in Cairo where she plans to earn a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. When asked where she sees her self ten years down the line, she replied, “I have no idea. I still haven’t even decided where I am going for college. It is bad enough that I know I am leaving home and my school. I tend to stop myself from thinking that much into the future”.

As a young adult still trying to realize what she wants from her life, Aya harbors the element of not resting till she gets what she has in her mind. She almost never gives up and is always out there. She keeps pushing and pushing until what she desires is obtained. However, Aya might come off as a very strong-hearted individual; but actually, she is the most sensitive person you can meet. She may act strong in front of a person, but on the inside so many emotions and thoughts are going on. Add to that, if any one utters a single bad or offensive word about wither her family or her friends there is no doubt that she will defend them and do what is necessary to protect their name. By nature, Aya is a very protective and helpful human being; she tends to abide by the saying “The world is my country, its citizens are my brethren, and to do well is my religion”.

Nearly closing the book on her days at Schutz, Aya is aware that her name will no longer appear on the enrollment list, consequently, she stresses that Schutz will always be a part of her life. Aya reminisces on the countless moments she lived through at Schutz some of which include: the Romeo and Juliet play, the Ronny and Julie production, the canteen boycott, the Fashion Show, and definitely her presentation to Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, the Egyptian First Lady. Aya cannot bear the thought of walking away from the sense of family that dominates the school and is not present in many institutions she has previously attended. However, Aya expresses that she is somehow glad to be leaving Schutz at this time because, “I feel that many Schutz traditions have changed and what is left of that tradition is now changing”.

Through her five years at Schutz, Aya walks away from it all with a very prominent life lesson and that is to constantly ask “WHY?” She further explains herself by quoting to me, “Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why. And Schutz taught me WHY”. Before officially ending her days here she wanted to lend the current juniors and the rest of the classes a piece of advice that she came to realize, “Someone once told me that I have to choose what I want to loose, for I cannot have everything. So know what you are willing to give up because there will always be those who will not allow you to have everything”.

Exiting the school with the diploma she earned with all her effort and motivation is what will keep Aya striving for a better future for herself. Aya has learned to open herself to endless opportunities and never limit herself to one option. With that in mind, I am sure that Aya will go out to the world and surprise us all with her future doings and Schutz will be proud to have harbored such a successful individual.

A Ray of Light

Ray Charles Was Always the Genius
By Nikhil Krishnan

There have been many musical giants who have been labeled as geniuses. However, only one individual was directly nicknamed as ‘the genius’: Ray Charles. Ray Charles’ unique rhythm and blues (R&B) music, an eclectic fixture of gospel, jazz, soul, blues, country and rock n’ roll broke into the mainstream music for the first time in the late 1950s. By the 1960s, Ray Charles was reputed as a national treasure. Charles’ story is not only about outlawed music breaking into mainstream popularity, but also a story about how a blind, African-American man overcomes his obstacles and works up to his dream.

Ray Charles Robinson was born on September 23, 1930 and raised in a poor black community in Albany, Georgia. By the time he was five years old, he began to lose his eye sight which eventually left him completely blind by the age of seven. He lost his whole family that consisted of his parents and a brother by the age of 15. Ray Charles attended Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine, Florida where he showed an early interest in music. He was extensively taught classical music at the school, which he would later incorporate in his piano playing.
Charles did not return to school and instead played the piano with several jazz groups and on his own at gigs in clubs and theatres. Just like many African Americans in the U.S. during 1940s and 1950s, he too was facing severe prejudice and discrimination. He struggled to make it on his own as a solo artist and also got addicted to heroin, which exacerbated his state and will. He was soon discovered by Atlantic Records manager Ahmet Ertegun and was signed to the record label as a solo artist.

Ray Charles released a few moderately successful singles with Atlantic Records. It was not until he released his song I Got a Woman that he came to receive some notice. I Got a Woman and other following releases were considered controversial and sacrilegious because they were mixing Christian gospel music and blues, a less-respected art form due to its lyrics. Nevertheless, Ray Charles had an original Rhythm and Blues sound that people grew to love. In 1959, Ray Charles released his greatest single of all time, What I’d Say, which went on to become a rock n’ roll standard and paved way for many other rock n’ roll artists such as Little Richard and Elvis Presley to perform.

In the 1960s, Ray Charles produced some fine and well-received studio albums such as Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, The Genius Hits the Road, Genius + Soul = Jazz where he increasingly experimented with jazz and country sounds. He had several No.1 hits including Georgia on My Mind and Hit the Road Jack. He was well known for being outstandingly original. He was much respected as a singer who genuinely demonstrated the whole feeling and mood of the music he played with his voice.

Ray Charles garnered number of honors including Grammys, Kennedy Center Honors etc. He passed away in 2004 just a week before the academy award winning film based on him, Ray was released. Ray Charles continues to influence a generation of musicians and average people to achieve what they want.

The 82nd Academy Awards

Kathryn Bigelow: The 1st First Woman in Oscar History to Win the Directing Award

By Aya Kordy


The Academy Awards, best known as the Oscars, are awards that are exhibited annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to distinguish the professionals in the film industry. The Academy awards are the oldest award ceremonies in the media; hence, it is one of the most prominent award ceremonies in the world.

Each year, a host is chosen by The Academy to conduct the Oscars night, many have hosted the ceremony like Conrad Nigel, Bob Hope, Robert Montgomery, Rosalind Russell, Frank Sinatra, Diana Ross, David Letterman, Ellen DeGeneres, Hugh Jackman and finally Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. However, Bop Hope is in the lead having hosted 18 Academy Awards.

When Titanic was released in 1997 and accumulated a grand total of $1,843,201,268 worldwide it became the highest-grossing film in history, and remained so for twelve years. Until Avatar, a movie written and directed by James Cameron, surpassed it in 2010 with a grand total of $2,667,881,000. Despite Avatar’s world record, it did not win Best Picture or Best Director; instead they were both granted to Kathryn Bigelow, James Cameron’s ex-wife and competitor, for The Hurt Locker. Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman in Oscar history to win the directing award. It was a big night for The Hurt Locker, a war-epic drama that blew away audiences worldwide, with nine nominations and six Academy Awards.

For Best Actor, Jeff Bridges won for his phenomenal performance in Crazy Heart. He plays a washed-up musician, obsessed with alcohol, who turns his life around after finding love. Bridges was competing against Colin Firth, Morgan Freeman, Jeremy Renner, and George Clooney. For Best Actress, Sandra Bullock won for her heroine role in The Blind Side, inspired from a true story. Sandra honored her mother and all the mothers in the world who raise their children and children who aren’t theirs. Sandra Bullock was up against Carey Mulligan, Helen Mirren, Gabourey Sidibe, and the phenomenon Meryl Streep.

The awards were as follows;
Best Picture: The Hurt Locker
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)
Actor is a supporting role: Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds)
Actress in a supporting role: Mo’Nique (Precious)
Animated Feature Film: Up
Art Direction: Avatar
Cinematography: Avatar
Film Editing: The Hurt Locker
Make Up: Star Trek
Music (Original Score): Up
Music (Original Song): Crazy Heart
Sound Editing: The Hurt Locker
Visual Effects: Avatar
Writing (Adapted Screenplay): Precious
Writing (Original Screenplay): The Hurt Locker

Did You Know That...

By Aya Kordy

…Some birds bark instead of sing?

… There are about 2700 languages spoken in the world?

… An elephant can be pregnant for up to two years?

… Elvis had a twin brother named Jesse Garon, who died at birth,
which is why Elvis' middle name was spelled Aron; in honor of his brother?

Entertainment Corner

Movie Madness
By Farah Kashwa

New Rules
Zoe, played by Jennifer Lopez, had it all planned: to become married with children before 30. However, her plan does not work out the way she hoped it would. When she realizes time is quickly passing by, she decides to resort to a plan B and goes to the sperm bank. The same day she leaves the sperm bank, she meets Stan, her Mr. Perfect and there are fireworks between them. After dating for a while, Zoe is convinced that she found “the one”. During her relationship, she finds out that she is in fact pregnant. Although she is happy, she decides to tell him that she is having a baby. But will Stan break her heart or step-up to the plate? A romance-comedy that is warm and light-hearted, The Backup Plan is a movie for everyone.

The Return of the Superhero
After the world witnessed his world-altering technology, Iron Man is back with the sequel, Iron Man 2! This time, things get more challenging when there is another person out there who decides to build his own Iron Man suit. However, this new suit is not used for good and it is up to the original and beloved Iron Man to step in and save the world. While fighting his worst villains, he also has to fight the American government. After Iron Man is being exposed as Tony Stark, the government demands to have his suit and all other inventions of his. With Iron Man having several strong opponents and many battles to fight, will he crush them?


The Cat is out of the Bag
Death at a Funeral was originally a British movie, but when it came to America, it was double the fun. The American re-make of the hit British hit movie features a great ensemble cast: Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, Martin Lawrence, and James Marsden. When the family is notified that their father has passed away, they come together for the funeral but bring a lot of baggage with them. Dirty laundry is aired when the family reunion takes place and the cat is let out of the bag too many times. Along with hilarious moments and a juicy forgotten past, this movie is a must-see.


The Losers Fight Back
The Losers, believe it or not, are a smart and unbeatable CIA special tactic force. While on a search and destroy mission in the jungles of Bolivia, they find themselves being set up by an unknown man named Max. With Max thinking that The Losers are gone for good, the group decides to come up with a revenge plan. While planning their big plan, they meet a beautiful and mysterious operative named Aisha who offers to help them find Max but also has an agenda of her own. The Losers finally put their plan into attack mode and try to stop Max from the high-tech global war he is determined on starting.

Lil Wayne: CONVICTED AND IMPRISONED!

Keep Your Head Up, Weezy
By Ingy Fahmy

The worldwide famous rapper, Lil Wayne, made his final appearance on Monday, March 8, 2010 as a free man before he entered the courthouse where he will be imprisoned for a minimum of eight months, depending on his behavior. As he entered the courthouse in Manhattan, hundreds of fans were lined up to get a last glimpse of Lil Wayne, aka Weezy, before they jail the legendary rapper.

In October of 2010, Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., pleaded guilty of attempted possession of a weapon in connection with a gun that was found on his tour bus in 2007. After initially pleading not guilty, prosecutors were able to negotiate a one-year sentence for Weezy in exchange for him pleading guilty. He will be incarcerated at Rikers Island in New York City. During his last court hearing, Wayne chose not to speak.

Lil Wayne was initially meant to start his sentence on March 2, 2010, but it was postponed twice in the past month. It was postponed the first time so he could undergo dental surgery and delayed a second time after due to a fire that broke out in the courthouse where he was meant to be handed his final sentencing.

Eight months or one-year might seem like a pretty minimal amount to be sentenced. However, that is a long time in today’s 24/7 pop culture news cycle. That being said, Lil Wayne and his team have been extremely busy during the days leading up to his imprisonment. He informed MTV that he had shot seven new music videos in addition to the nine new ones he made a few weeks before. It is even rumored that he has new songs stashed up in a vault somewhere. That is a lot of material that he strategically put aside to keep his fans busy during the coming year.

Wayne told Rolling Stone Magazine: “I look at things as ‘Everything is meant to be.’ I know it is an experience that I need to have if God is putting me through it.” Lil Wayne is still a major culture phenomenon by any measure regardless of the fact that he will spend the rest of 2010 behind bars. Going to Rikers Island is definitely not the best career move; it does, however, set the stage nicely for a 2011 comeback narrative that will undoubtedly take the whole world by storm.

Arrival: 1993….. Departure: 2010

The Last Pharaoh Bids Schutz Farewell

By Aya Kordy

“I want them to be confident in themselves, and do what they love. I want them to always be thinking, question what they learn, and most importantly I want them to keep in touch.” A message delivered for the students and to the students by Kelly Sullivan.

After earning her degree from California and teaching there for a few years, the young goal- oriented girl took off and taught in Brazil then in Madrid. Half way through her journey, she received a phone call from Schutz’s former headmaster Larry Pattie, offering her a job in a small yet unique school in north of Egypt. Overwhelmed with the gesture and with Egypt’s inimitable history, she blindsided accepted the job offer to Schutz American School.

In 1998, 5 years after her arrival to Schutz, Kelly went back to America. She received her Masters Degree in teaching secondary school, and flew back to Schutz in 2000 with the urge of teaching in the place she once called “home.” She has not lived outside Schutz’s doors since then. Nevertheless, after almost two decades of living and teaching in Schutz, Kelly whole heartedly believes that it is time for her to move on.

Her passion and desire for Egypt is what made her stay for all these years; the welcoming hearts and the comfort she once felt is the reason behind her spending almost twenty years of her life behind Schutz’s walls. "My students, no question are the main reason why my years at Schutz have been great”, added Kelly. However, it all comes to an end right here. For the first time in her life, Kelly bought a place for herself. After the end of the school year, she will be flying to Nevada where part of her family lives and where her new home now is. She has to go furnish it and actually see it for she only saw pictures. Nonetheless, she has not yet decided if she will permanently live and teach there. Where she is going to teach next year is still unknown to everyone including Kelly.

“Alexandria is in my heart. Alexandria has my heart”, affirmed Kelly “I will never forget the Red Sea, Aswan, Luxor, Siwa, White Dessert, Nile Cruise, Lake Nasser, the cocktail party at Abu- Simbil, the hot air ride over the temples of Luxor, and scuba diving in the Red Sea.”

Kelly does not fully reveal the real reason behind her decision; however, she mentioned that she got used to Schutz’s tradition, and did not like too much change. Despite the dramatic change that Schutz underwent, Kelly emphasizes that there has always been one element of stability and that is Massimo Laterza, the dean of students. “He is my best friend”, stated Kelly.

Just like Egypt, Schutz has three main pyramids that are the essence and the base of its foundation. In Giza, they have Khufu, Khafre, and Mankaure. In Schutz, we have Kelly, Samiha, and Jackie. The Egyptian Pharaohs said their good byes, one after the other and moved on to their afterlife. Schutz’s teachers said their good byes, one after the other and its time to bid farewell to the last Pharaoh that ever lived in Schutz. Just like the Egyptian pharaohs departed their surroundings and left behind the pyramids that shaped the foundation of Egypt, Kelly will be departing but there is no doubt that she will be leaving her pyramid behind. We hope your life after Schutz is as luminous as it always has been. Schutz bids farewell to its unparalleled math teacher, Kelly Sullivan.

The Dare Devil

I love Schutz Because of the People
By Farah Kashwa

Nahla Hassan came to Schutz as a ninth grader not knowing what the school will be like and not knowing what to expect about the people there. However, as time went by, Nahla fell in love with the school, not because of its environment, but because of the people themselves. Even though she liked the students, she felt that the teachers did not have as much spirit as the students.

Whoever knows Nahla, knows that she is strong, independent, and confident. Even though Nahla has no role model, she is determined to someday serve as one for the younger generations. Even though her family gives her advice concerning her life, because of her being such an independent girl, they do not influence her decisions so much. Nahla makes her own choices and decisions in life and believes that a person cannot learn life’s great lessons unless they make mistakes and learn from them.

Even though school occupies a lot of her time, Nahla never fails to make some time to do her favorite things. She loves to draw during the weekdays when she has some free time. However, on the weekends, Nahla can be seen dancing the night away and shopping with her friends. Her favorite hobbies though, are sought during the summer since she can go tanning and travel to all the places she dreams of. One of Nahla’s favorite vacation destinations was Russia because she got to spend time with her family during the day, then go out with her cousins at night.

Also due to Nahla’s strong and independent personality, she wants to study abroad. When I asked Nahla where she wishes to study, she replied saying that her top choices are Parsons in New York City and New Jersey Institute of Technology. Although it is not her priority school, she might be attending the American University in Cairo (AUC). I am sure that Nahla will be successful no matter where she plans to study.

Over the years, we have known Nahla to be the daring and the adventurous one so when she graduates, people will feel the difference. She has always been the one to stir up the genius plans that defy authority. Nahla, I am sure people will miss your free and bold spirit on campus so do not change, wherever you end up going.

A New Tradition Begun At Schutz

Schutz’s Second Annual Science Fair Labeled a Success

By Nikhil Krishnan

Science education not only requires students to understand its theoretical aspects, but it also requires them to understand its practical use in real world applications. Science fair events at schools have always been a great opportunity for students to explore and apply the scientific method and concepts in their projects.

Following last year’s success with the science fair, the 2nd Annual Science Fair was held on March 18, 2010 at the covered court. Elementary students from 4th to 6th grades presented their projects based on varying scientific topics to an audience that included the staff, parents and upper school students.

This year’s science fair was especially noted for a great improvement in the quality of experiments and projects compared to that of last year’s science fair. “It was Ms. Lianne’s idea of having a science fair last year. We really didn’t know what to expect and the results were quite surprising. This year, the quality of the projects is a lot better since the 5th and 6th graders have already done this last year and know what to do,” said Mr. Mike Wavrin, the grade five teacher. He further believed that science fairs give students an opportunity to venture freely into the practical aspects of science and learn something on their own as opposed to being taught in a small, restricted classroom. Most parents and teachers genuinely enjoyed watching students use their scientific skills and put a lot of effort in their projects. “I am very impressed. Most of the kids have put a lot of effort. They are quite creative and parents also get to take part too,” said Mr. John Luke, the president of the Board of Trustees and a parent at Schutz.

Just as parents and teachers enjoyed watching the science fair, students also enjoyed working on their projects. Last year’s science fair’s winner, 5th grade student Jonathan Drew, expressed his delight at the event as follows, “It takes a lot of hard work, but at the same time it is fun. And yes, it’s rewarding.” This year, each grade level had two winners each. The overall winner for the fair was Jaida Abbas, in grade 4 for her project on fingerprints. Most students expressed the fact that they learned a lot and found themselves applying whatever they had learnt in their projects. “One of the great things about science fair is that the students learn the scientific method and apply it. They have also worked with their parents on their projects and put in a lot of effort,” said Ms. Debbie Bacon, the grade four teacher.

Infantasy- World of Magic and Wonderment

Infantasy Chooses Schutz to Celebrate Easter and Mother’s Day
By Aya Kordy

An Easter festival along with a late celebration of Mother’s Day was held on the 10th of April, at Schutz American School. It was organized by the Infantasy team with the help of Elisa Jackson, the Marketing and Communication Coordinator. Infantasy’s aim was to set a world of fun and magic for the children, and indeed that aim was reached.

Upon entrance, kids were divided into five age ranges and given colored pennies according to their age group. Activities were divided into zones; each activity had a colored flag (same color as the pennies) that indicated which age range could participate at the game. Each activity ran in rounds through out the festival. Each round was about 25 minutes long (depending on the activity) and the child who succeeded in the game was given a prize. A total of one hundred and forty prizes were distributed to all of the winners and their mothers. After five hours of magic and enchantment, all the games came to an end, giving time and space for the huge egg hunt to commence. Ten prizes were given to the top two from each age range. Subsequently after the hunt, the tombola was initiated allowing five mothers to prevail gifts from El Kady Brothers (jewelry), kitchen objects and tickets to the movies.

There were several booths at the festival like; McDonalds, Bupa (health insurance), Leo Club of Alexandria (charity/ social club with the intention of selling enjoyable items for the kids). Activities and workshops included, arts and crafts, balloons tied to the feet, liquid painting, computer animation, cones race, pin the tail, sand pool race, bags jump race, egg in spoon race, surprise box, fishing race, ground board game and musical chairs.

The day was certainly a blast. Mothers referred to it as “children’s heaven on earth”. The Infantasy association came to be as it is today as a result of four female friends wanting to fulfill a need for kids that they felt missing. The phrase Infantasy is derived from both infant and fantasy combined together. The Infantasy association highlighted that their choice of place was Schutz American School, for its well- recognized and acknowledged reputation in the city of Alexandria.

New Blood, New Ideas

The Thought behind the Citizenship Award Program
By Farah Kashwa

At the beginning of the year, Ms. Rovack introduced a new program at Schutz American School: the Citizenship Award program. At a sit down with Ms. Rovack, she expressed that she wants for everyone to come to school feeling comfortable and not intimidated. Ms. Rovack continued by saying that sometimes when someone is emotionally upset, they can miss school or even do badly on assignments which would hold them back. It would also prevent them from reaching their full potential.

Because not every country in the world is the same in terms of culture and living style, the program could be implemented differently depending on the country. “I would continue this in my future schools. The program’s core would be the same, but just implemented differently. The main goal would be to help people become better”, explained Ms. Rovack. Ms. Rovack also stressed that the role of a psychologist is different from the role of a counselor. In some big schools where she has worked, they had a psychologist and also a counselor. So sometimes her work plan for the year did not allow her to have such a program. But at an age when students face a lot of peer pressure, they need something that will help them become better people ethically.

Students should know that being a good and kind person is as important as being smart. People who have good morals and who are good and king help make the world we live in a better place. Since school is an academic based facility, good grades are celebrated so it is refreshing to have a program that shows another side of the students.

Ms. Rovack will change the awards the next month to stir things up. For next year, she plans on working to make advisory better. She is also very open to students’ feedback and comments about anything. She also welcomes all students for a talk.

Love amidst the World of Coat Hangers

Elanor Wren, New Baby On Board
By Hanna El-Amrawi

As of the next school year, over ten teachers have decided to leave our campus. With many new faces coming in, it just seems like Schutz will never be the same. However, two recognizable faces, that we will still be able to spot in the crowd, will be the Ortegas. The Ortegas are one of the few couples at Schutz who have decided to remain with us on campus. “We love the Schutz community, especially the teachers we work with” stated Mr. Ortega, the Kindergarten teacher. They love the Schutz community so much, that they want their new born baby girl, Elanor Wren Ortega, to be raised amidst the Schutz family.

The Ortegas moved to Schutz two years ago from sunny California. Mr. Ortega attended San Francisco State University for his undergraduate studies and then, did his masters in childhood learning at Bankstreet University in New York. When asked which state he liked more, he replied with; “My heart is always in California”. While Mr. Ortega was doing his undergraduate studies, he took a part-time job at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Arts, as a coat hanger. “It is the coolest job ever! You don’t do much work, just hang people’s coats, plus you get paid well!”, explained Mr. Ortega. Not only was this a fun job that paid well, but it was also where he met his true love, Mrs. Jill Ortega. Mrs. Jill, the current 2nd grade teacher, also happened to work as a coat hanger at the same museum. Since there was a lot of free time, the two were able to get to know each other very well. It was not surprising that within a few years the couple was happily married. “We never get sick of each other, we have been together for six years! And I just love her”, explained Mr. Ortega. After some work experience at several schools, the Ortegas got many interviews; one being to teach at Schutz American School. Mr. Ortega admits that the couple at first went into the interview as a joke; they just wanted to have an experience at being interviewed. “We had no plans whatsoever of moving to Africa or to the Middle East”, explained the couple. However, when they sat down with Matthew Farwell, the ex-principal, they just loved him! Within a few months they were all packed and ready to head to Alexandria. “We wanted Egypt to surprise us, we came having no expectations”, stated Mr. Ortega.

Having come with no expectations set, Schutz definitely blew their minds away. They feel proud that they part of the Schutz community. Once entering the classrooms, the Ortegas became attached to the children they taught. “I have been teaching early childhood for nine years, but the children I teach her at Schutz are different. They love to learn and I love to teach them” stated Mr. Ortega. For the past two years, Mr. Ortega has been teaching Kindergarten, but as of next year, he will be teaching the second graders. “I am ready to start something new”, he explained. Mrs. Jill will also be trying something new, as she will be staying at home and taking care of Elanor. “Jill and I not only love her, but we like her a lot”.

Well Mr. and Mrs. Ortaga, we are glad you decided to stay with us on campus! And we welcome Elanor Wren Curtleck with open arms into our Schutz family.

One, Two, Three, Let’s Dance

Our Schutz Dances are lacking support
By Hanna El-Amrawi

“One, Two, Three, Let’s Dance!” That seems to be the motto for most school dances. In most schools, as soon as hearts are pinned up, Christmas trees are decorated, or Easter eggs are found, students rush home in order to get themselves ready for their schools dances. The talk and the excitement of the upcoming school dance buzzes around for weeks before. Yet, in Schutz American School, everything is different.

It seems to me, that when grade levels are assigned to plan a school dance it is almost a drag. If there is no enthusiasm in planning the event, what makes you think students will want to come? Most of the students are not dedicated and are almost forced to attend the event. Because of the lack of spirit, other students just choose not to attend.

I have seen students walk right passed poster that are hung for their school dances, without even stopping for a second to take a glance at the time of the dance. I have seen organizing students beg the other students to come, but still with the same dreary expression on their face. So what exactly is the problem? Is it a cultural reason why students do not attend? Is it the lack of enthusiasm? Or do Schutz students simply have better things to do? School dances are supposed to be a way for students of all grade levels to get together in a carefree zone and just party all night long. It is supposed to be a way for students to socialize on campus. There are some people though that choose to attend, but once they step in the auditorium they realize that no one is dancing and instead everyone is sitting outside chatting. So what’s the point of a dance if no one will get their grove on?
So why don’t we try to put more excitement and seize the opportunity of school dances? I know that the Falcon dance is coming up soon! Is anyone ready to attend? Come on let's spread the word!

The Gigantic Turnover!

After This Year, Only Two Familiar Faces Remain
By Ingy Fahmy

At the start of next year, only two high school foreign-hire teachers will be present from this year’s teaching staff. The faculty turnover will be huge at the beginning of the upcoming academic year and it is questionable just how much change the Schutz community can handle at a time.

Living in Alexandria, or in Egypt, in general can be a huge adjustment to many individuals who are unfamiliar with Egyptian cultural styles. This unfamiliarity can be a cause for many teachers to decide to either break their contracts or leave right when the contract expires without wanting to renew it. These situations have happened in the past, particularly over the past four years or so. A lot of these individuals just cannot adjust well to cultures that are completely different from what they have been harbored in or accustomed to.

Another reason Schutz is suffering from such a huge turnover is as a consequence or results of experiencing staff retention in the past couple of years. In particular, two years ago, Schutz underwent a major change in the faculty teachers. The case at the time was that a few teachers broke their contracts and decided to leave either at the end of the school year, meaning their contract of two years would be disregarded, or even in the middle of the school year. Consequently, Schutz offers its teachers a two-year contract, which means that the new teachers who arrived two years ago completed their time and would like to move on to new places. Many of the teachers during this period were not content with the behavior and performance of the overall Upper School student body. Others were simply not satisfied with the city and its offering as well as the school as a whole.

Since then, there have been major improvements on the students’ behalf. Many assemblies and workshops held by various organization including the Schutz Honor Society, High School Student Council, and competitions organized by Schutz’s counselor, Ms. Rovack. However, it would be non-realistic to propose that Schutz students are exhibiting perfect behavior and achieving 100% in performance. Consequently, many of the teachers leaving this year did not mention that the reason for their departure had anything to do with students’ behavior.

Reasons for departure vary from one teacher to the next: some want to be constantly on the move, others are committed to family reasons, some dislike the culture of the country and the students, others are unsatisfied with the administration, some decide they want to retire, while others even settle on a different job field. Either way, the Schutz community suffers greatly from such changes happening all at once. I believe one way to escape this fate is to be sure of the new faculty teachers being hired. When potential teachers are being interviewed, they should be asked about any plans or their intentions of their post-two year contract. There should be a variance in the teachers hired based on the answer to the questions in this particular area. Schutz should no be destined to undergo a massive turnover every couple of years. Just because it started a few years back does not make it okay for the following years to be walking down the same path. We need faculty to go one-by-one, not all at once.

The Jewel of Muscat

A Historical Trip into the Future
By Farah Kashwa

We have all heard about unconventional teaching methods done by several teachers. Students almost usually enjoy scientific labs or hands-on projects more than simply taking notes in the classroom. However, the journey of the Jewel of Muscat introduces a whole new syllabus to the educational system. Robert B. Jackson, a history teacher at The American International School of Muscat (TAISM), has been invited, by the Omani government, aboard a ship that will embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey. Therefore Mr. Jackson has invited all his students and students from all over the world to follow the unique journey.

This project is both a historical and a cultural project that was started by the Omani and Singaporean Ministries of Foreign Affairs under the supervision of maritime archaeologist Dr. Tom Vosmer. The project involved the reconstruction of a ninth-century ship Arab merchant ship that sank off the coast of Indonesia. The original cargo on the ship in the ninth century consisted of some 60,000 pieces of Tang dynasty ceramics that was headed for Arab and Persian markets. After the ship and its cargo were discovered in 1998 by archaeologists, it provided them with a lot of information about the Indian Ocean trade and also the manufacture of Arab ships.

The construction of the Jewel of Muscat was complete during the early days of February. The ship was scheduled to set sail on the 16th of February, 2010, and is expected to arrive in Singapore in early July. On its incredible journey, it will follow one of the oldest and most significant mercantile trade routes that history knows. The route that will be followed is the same route that was documented by Arab geographers who sailed on the original ship. Even though their journey is from Oman to Singapore, the crew and ship will make several stops along the way: Cochin, India; Galle, Sri Lanka; and Panang, Malaysia, and then will finally dock in Singapore.

Once the crewmen and ship reach Singapore, the ship will be put on display permanently at the same museum which displays the artifacts discovered from the original vessel.

Mr. Jackson’s job throughout the journey is to document the trip by keeping a photographic and video record of it. As Mr. Jackson said, this will be a tremendous opportunity for both teachers and students to learn about geography, history, navigation, Indian Ocean trade, and ancient ship design.

The World Heeding the Calls

The World Answers Appeals to Provide Haiti and Chile With Relief

By Nikhil Krishnan

As the world already knows, earthquakes in two countries in the first three months of the new decade shook the world and many humanitarian organizations. The first being in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on January 12, 2010, was on a 7.0 Richter scale magnitude. The other was near the city of Concepcion in Chile on February 27, 2010 with a Richter scale magnitude of 8.8. Just a few weeks after the earthquake in Chile, three more earthquakes struck Chile on March 11, 2010 with one of the earthquakes measured at 7.2 Richter scale. The situation in these two countries is completely different, the death toll continues to rise, and challenges for humanitarian groups and organization continue to increase.

Although Chile suffered an earthquake with a greater magnitude, the status in Chile has been a lot better compared to the status in Haiti. The Chilean government is extremely organized under the leadership of President Michelle Bachelet and is taking measures to ameliorate the situation. On the other hand, the Haitian government is extremely corrupted and has turned its back towards the country. Moreover, Chile was somewhat prepared for this calamity since it has been frequently struck by earthquakes in the past, but Haiti’s Port au Prince had its last earthquake in 1751. In Haiti, the damage is concentrated in the area of Port au Prince as opposed to Chile, where the damage is very widespread.

Therefore, humanitarian challenges have been very difficult to meet with. “The challenges we are facing are typical of an earthquake. You’ve got a lot of homeless people that are living outside of their homes. They may have lost their homes or they’ve been compromised. Power has been cut off, water and sanitation have often been cut off, and of course now they are dependent on aid organizations and the government for food, water, and sanitation and those kinds of things. So, as we know, this was one of the biggest earthquakes of the last 50 years, and it did quite a bit of damage,” stated Richard Sterns, president of World Vision at a PBS news interview.

As a result of the earthquake, the U.N. Missions Building in Haiti collapsed and most members including its head, Hedi Annabi, have passed away. The good news was that U.N. Development Program (UNDP) and the World Food Program (WFP) buildings in Haiti have survived and have been able to serve with the aid of about 11, 000 blue helmet soldiers and officers of the Mission des Nations Unies la stabilization en Haiti (MINUSTAH). Since, many nations have responded to appeals for relief in Haiti and Chile. The U.S. government has in fact raised about $ 48 million for donation. Many nations have sent military and naval personel to the two countries for creating and operating rescue bases. In addition, the International Committee of the Red Crosses has been providing medical aids to the hospitals in Haiti and Chile.