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!!!!ISM’s Extensive Trophy Cabinet

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Season 2 Tryouts are Happening Season 2 tryouts were held last week for Touch, Rugby, Tennis and Basketball. Different people from different grades are trying out which causes a huge competition to get into the sports teams.

ISM Uniforms: Yes or No

!Uniforms are a very controversial and debatable topic, one that has been argued over for many years. It is a battle between the conservative and the liberal, a debate to continue long into the future for our grandchildren to continue. Should we have uniforms? Yes, or no. !!

In This Issue…!!Students Leave with a Sigh of Relief after Typhoon Passes!!Save Your Saturdays For Service!!Celebrate, Appreciate, Parent Teachers Communicate!!Out of the Light, Into the Night!!Student Teacher Profiles!!IASAS Girls Volleyball Comes 1st Place!!Don’t forget!!Send in your artwork!!Check out Bamboozled to find out more!

TOP STORIES !!!

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Imagine streams of rain pounding on your roof on Sunday night. You see the weather forecast and realize that there’s a storm paying the country a visit. Looking out the window and through the storm, you can’t imagine ISM opening tomorrow. Come the morning and the impossible comes true; school’s open! That was my experience on Sunday night. Imagine my surprise when I learned that despite the mayor of Taguig suspending classes, I would be going to school in the somber weather. Many ISM students empathize with me. So, why did we have classes? First thing Monday morning, I went to the Security office and interviewed Mr. Flynn, the head of Security. Never breaking eye contact, Mr. Flynn spoke strongly about the class suspensions guidelines in ISM. “The mayor considers all circumstances of all schools in the city. This means that some of the things we can provide, like safety and transportation, in weather like this, cannot be provided by other schools, thus classes are suspended in the entire area.” After our lengthy interview, I could conclude that it really came down to one thing: can you arrive and leave school safely? For the majority of the community, the answer is yes. Reviewing all the points Mr. Flynn made, like how strong the structures of the school are and how efficient ISM transportation is, there really was no reason to cancel school. I know sometimes gloomy weather can make us want to hide in a blanket and watch TV shows all day but we forget how fortunate we are that we have facilities that function properly despite typhoons. The opportunities we have in ISM have no equal in the entire country and despite the poor weather conditions, we are privileged to be able to experience them everyday.

By Alicia Forsythe !IASAS may be over on the court, field, and track, but it’s not yet over in our hearts. People are still talking about the grand goals and the new ravishing records, along with the paramount points that led to our victories. This year, IASAS Soccer (or football for the non-americans) was held here at ISM. Some think this may have caused an unfair advantage to the Bearcats’ team, bringing up their moral, and a disadvantage to the other teams as no one was really cheering them on from the sidelines. Fortunately, all our cheering paid off as the IASAS Boys won their first gold since 1985. In an interview with the team’s Coach Ayling, he states “I feel very, relieved and also just incredibly elated. We’ve come so close over the past few years. We were really tight as a group, which caused our success. We had positive experiences during matches and we were brothers on and off the pitch. We were all really determined to do it: “Every practice match we had, we played was like it was the IASAS finals.” With eleven practice matches, undefeated, the boys were stars throughout the entire season: as Coach Ayling says “It really was the best team.” Determined to win the gold, they brought in alumni Phillip Hagedorn (who won the gold 30 years ago), in order to inspire the boys to greatness. And boy did that work.

Golden Boys Since 1985

Taguig Closed? ISM? Still open!

by Liz Sunga

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Bamboozled Art Showcase Submissions!!We at the newspaper want to increase reader interactivity with the paper, so we are introducing the art showcase section.!! In this section you can send in your artwork and a small one to two sentence description, with a chance to get it shown on the next issue of the paper! !

Jokes!!So what if I can’t spell Armageddon? It’s not the end of the world.!!Does it disturb anyone else that “The Los Angeles Angels” baseball team translates directly to “The The Angels Angels”?!!My cat just walked up to the paper shredder and said, “Teach me everything you know.”

NEWS

!FEATURES

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On October 10th, ISM hosted the first Saturday service with the Philippine Community Fund. Teachers, as well as volunteering students, managed the Saturday service in school. This service offered students an opportunity to donate their time to help others and the planet. It supports ISM’s core value of "service". Additionally, it offers a valuable learning experience :interacting with people of a variety of cultures. “Seeing kids struggle to live a happy life in their homes, just being there to support them and see them open up is truly why I love helping people.” This is a quote from Megh Bindra, a 7th grade student at ISM who attended the community service. During the time, the kids were all provided with water bottles, snack time, lunch and of course, fun. Enthusiasm filled the building and the PCF kids couldn’t wait to explore ISM. They participated in many activities ranging from fun, physical games to getting techy and working on the computer. Furthermore, PCF kids were always smiling, refrained from thinking of all the negativity, and focused on making themselves as well as other people ecstatic. Yes, they are unfortunate but they saw all wonderful things about ordinary objects that ISM students barely acknowledge. In conclusion, it was a day when ISM students made room in their time to share with kids they hardly even know, that very day, they left school with new friends and a new network of people. Community service is that “feel good” activity that many want to accomplish, but don’t always make the time for. Volunteering is more than just an opportunity to feel good about yourself and is actually a valuable use of your time and maybe somebody else’s.

Save Your Saturdays For Service

The huge Typhoon Koppu struck the Philippines on Sunday, October 18th. The terrifying typhoon caused massive floods in cities like Santiago, Casiguran, and Manila. Despite the chaos, International School of Manila was still open on Monday morning. Many students were surprised that they still had to go to school even though there was a Level 3 typhoon. The students were surprised, but after the school finished on Monday, most of the students changed their thoughts. “I think ISM was right to keep the school open because the area wasn’t affected severely.” said Daniel Hawke, a Grade 7 student at ISM. “Our school needs to catch up with the normal calendar.” “We weren’t much affected by the typhoon. I believe that the school made a good decision”, said Diego Lorenzana. Most of the students were not complaining after seeing the weather on Monday morning. “The rain thankfully calmed down today(Monday). The typhoon was so strong on Sunday so I was thinking that the school would close, but it changed through the new day.

Erick De Castro/Reuters

Students Leave with a Sigh of Relief after Typhoon Passes

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I don’t know about you, but I am always bored when my friends are all on vacation and there is nothing to do. I find myself getting sucked into the little world you find inside your phone screen, also known as the internet. This short article will hopefully help cure your boredom with 5 little things you can do when you are bored on October break. !Do a DIY Let your creativity take over. DIY’s are a little way you let your inner creative self leak through. There are so many different DIY’s roaming the internet, especially since Halloween is coming up. You could make different halloween treats or even make your own Halloween costume. Just let your mind explore! 2. Prank your siblings We all know that siblings can be very annoying at times and all we want is just a little revenge. Pranking them is the perfect way to do so. You could so something as simple as scare them or pretend that you ate all your little sister’s Halloween candy. Anything to get your revenge. ! 3. Have a lazy day Everyone loves to just have one of those days to just sit back and relax, so why not have a lazy day? Turn on the TV and watch some movies or even some of your favorite TV shows. You could even drop by your local library and find a new interesting book to read! 4. Find a new hobby You never know what you’re good at until you do it. Go outside, try a new sport or activity that you never knew you liked. Just discover the many layers of yourself that you never knew before! 5. Make a bucket list Life is short and there is way too much to do in the little time that you have. Make a bucket list and you can even make it into a little challenge to see how fast you can do all of the things. Your time starts now!

On October 14, 19 and 20, ISM held the highly anticipated Parent Teacher Conferences. !A PTC is a conference that brings together parents and teachers to talk about students, and their learning. They talk about important concepts such as their achievement, learning habits, and improvements that could be made about the student and their work. Ms. Harrington, the Middle School principal, says that “A parent teacher conference is when teachers and parents conference about student learning. The event celebrates the positive points about the student and encourages improvement.” The importance of this is also expressed from the perspective of one of the Middle School teachers, Mrs. Cook. She says, “It is a good chance for the teachers to connect with the parents. It creates open communication.” !So, what should parents expect and take away from the Parent Teacher Conferences? Ms. Bliss, a Middle School counselor, says “They should have a better understanding of their child as a student. Their strengths will support their learning.“ Some words that Ms. Harrington uses to describe what parents should expect are: Welcoming, helpful, supportive and productive. It is mainly a casual conversation and the parents are free to ask any questions about student learning. The PTCs are a time to converse about student learning to the parents and to grow together in the ISM community. !

Celebrate, Appreciate, Parent Teachers Communicate Gabriella Anugraha

5 Things to do When Bored on October Break

By: India Stephenson

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Hal·low·een ˌhaləˈwēn/ noun The night of October 31, the eve of All Saints' Day, commonly celebrated by children who dress in costume and solicit candy or other treats door-to-door. !Also known as All Hallows Eve, Halloween is an annual event, taken place on the night of October 31st, the day before All Saints’ Day. Halloween is a tradition that is most known for being the only appropriate time to dress up in weird costumes and demand candy from strangers. However, it originally started off as a religious tradition. Halloween was originally celebrated the day before All Saints’ Day as a way to keep away evil spirits and creatures, so that Christians may celebrate their Saints. Even now, around the world, there are some people who still celebrate Halloween religiously by laying offerings on their loved ones’ graves. In the Philippines, Halloween is celebrated a little differently. There is a tradition here called Pangangaluluwà when children go from door to door, singing carols about spirits in exchange for offerings to the deceased, such as money to pay for masses or food, but even that is not so popular anymore. Some people visit their family members at their graves, leaving a token of how much you cherish them. Even though, in the Philippines, Halloween is celebrated by the younger ones with a lot of cheer, it still is not as hyped up compared to the rest of the world. In fact, 5th grade teacher, Ms. Elwell, even claimed that even though it is her favorite holiday, in the Philippines it is “non-existent.” She said, “There is just no neighbourhood feel, and I know kids are not going to come up to my apartment and knock on the door for candy.” In villages like Dasmarinas and Forbes, it is quite different. It seems as though all of the kids of the Philippines have gathered together to claim their candy. Most of the costumes, have been noticed to not be very scary or intricate. It is seemed as though the only reason people are actually there is for the candy, which is not something I can blame them for, but it does not spread the Halloween feel that has been exhibited around the world. Even though Halloween is not the scariest in the Philippines, it certainly is joyous. Seeing the slightly mischievous smiles on the kids’ faces when they receive their sweets. Whether you wear a costume or

Out of the Light, Into the Night

Maryam Imran

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Linh Hung Le: We’ll go to Jakarta and visit my relatives there, maybe go on a cruise. I don’t exactly know what we’re doing in Jakarta but we’ll probably just randomly plan things when we get there.

Mikayla Warguez: We’re going to Palawan for the vacation and that’ll be fun. We’re going to swim in the beach and we’ll also be scuba diving, hopefully.

Ralph Hermins: I’m going to get my diving license and do more diving during the break. And also, stay at home and play football with my friends.

Photo Feature

Ms. Grace: I’m going home to the province and be with my family for the break. And I look forward to having a peaceful and stress free holiday to just relax and enjoy the vacation. !

Ms. Harrington: I’ll be spending the break with my parents who are celebrating their 50 years of marriage. And they’re actually on holiday in Australia, but on Sunday they’ll arrive in Manila and they’ll be with me for a full week. I’ll be showing them around Manila and we’re also going to Bohol and hang-out in the beach and get to know the Philippines a little bit more, which we’re all excited about.

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Student Teacher Profiles !Did you know that Mr. Willey is a “Wannabe Mahatma Gandhi Jesus Christ Superstar?” Did you know that Mr. Allen used to be a top ten English Badminton player? These are some facts about MS teachers you may know. This is a student and teacher profile with information you may not know. !!!!!!

Name: Laura Salman Grade: 5 !

Laura Salman is in the PAWS organization. In the PAWS bake sale that was held two weeks ago, Mrs. Bliss says nobody caught her eye as impressively as Laura. “She sold a lot of cakes, she would go to people and explain what the organization does, and raised a lot of money for PAWS.” Laura says that the reason for her energy was because she learned about animals who helped patients calm down. Another thing Laura has done for animals is putting up a sign in the place she lives that tells drivers to watch out for animals.

Name: Mr. Howrey Subject: Music !

Mr. Howrey is our program leader for music. He is in charge of the 5th grade band, the 5th grade beginner band, the 6th grade band, the 6th grade beginner band, the 7th and 8th grade band, AMIS audition preparation, and small ensembles. He is from Arkansas, but he has been at ISM since 2006. When asked how it was to be teaching at ISM for 10 years, he answered that “It was good, to see the school change. It’s really grown and improved.” In his free time, he enjoys walking his dog, making artwork, playing video games, watching movies, traveling, and scuba diving. !Yes, you might not know these people. Like I said, though, some of this information may be new to you, regardless of whether or not you know these people. Let’s take some time to know things about the people close to us.

Have you ever wondered who greets our new students and helps plan some of our Middle School events? You may or may not be surprised to hear that they are Middle Schoolers called Student Ambassadors. The Student Ambassador program at ISM started in High School and has moved on to include Middle Schoolers from 5th to 8th grade. The ISM website states that being a Student Ambassador encourages the development of leadership skills. Similarly, Ms. Van der Merwe, a guidance counselor involved in the MS Ambassador program, had said that being a Student Ambassador gives students the opportunity to lead others. Student Ambassadors “feel empowered, have a voice, bring change, and influence decisions.” Additionally, she added that Student Ambassadors are a “positive influence on school culture.” Do Student Ambassadors play a big role in Middle School? Yes, believes Ms. V. A big part in why she believes this is that Student Ambassadors see student interaction. But what do Ambassadors accomplish? Welcoming new students, planning grade level assemblies, and organising some CWW activities are just some of the events Middle School Student Ambassadors arrange. They are also always around to help everyone. Whenever you have a question or a concern, just remember that you can always ask an Ambassador!

Student Teacher Profiles Sang Yun Jee

Ambass-Adore the Student Ambassadors!

Sports and entertainment !!

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Uniforms are a very controversial and debatable topic, one that has been argued over for many years. It is a battle between the conservative and the liberal, a debate to continue long into the future for our grandchildren to continue. Should we have uniforms? Yes, or no. Some people, mainly teachers and parents, say it gives a sense of belonging, unity, identity, and gets rid of anxiety one may feel when wearing personal clothes in school. These people say that uniforms is one of the very important organizational factors in the “ideal” school. On the contrary, others state that it’s uncomfortable, uniqueness should be encouraged on a daily basis, and stress the point of freedom of choice. Some are in the middle, suggesting a day in the week where students can wear anything they want. So what really is the answer? Let us shed some light on this issue. Interviewing alumni of ISM in the time without uniforms, one common denominator of their answers was that they always had a hard time thinking of what to wear, and were sort of anxious, feeling that they were being judged. Interviews of current students usually ended with sentences like “People should have their choice.”, or “I like the freedom of choice.” So much varied opinion for most school organizations to ponder. According to Chloe Spencer of “The Guardian”, uniforms would be on the upper hand of this argument, as it flattens any potential social and economic inequalities that may be displayed through clothing, and prevents new ones from arising. On the other hand, a free dress code is a risky move, giving way to all the possible social situations, positive or negative, which is why most prominent schools choose to have one single uniform. Kindly enough, ISM has, of course, thought of this very carefully and given us choice of color and style, attempting to give us the liberty of showing our taste of clothing. Hopefully, now you know the reasoning behind each side of this heated exchange of views, and may continue to have an open mind as the school encourages.

Season 2 tryouts were held last week for Touch, Rugby ,Tennis and Basketball. Different people from different grades are trying out which causes a huge competition to get into the sports teams. The Tennis tryouts are held on the tennis courts. For Touch, it was held at the ES field. Rugby tryouts were held on the MS field. Basketball tryouts were held in the MS gym. If you make it to the teams, you are in for a huge competition, going against other schools such as BSM and Faith Academy. You can get into the teams if you are able to meet in all the practices and reach their goals. Even though there is a huge competition, there is a chance that you will make it: all you have to do is to try your best and make sure you played your A-Game. If you are able to compete and win against another school, you will receive a medal on that day. Everyone wants a medal - so be sure to try out for the 2nd season sports.

Season 2 Tryouts are Happening

By: Soungil Yang

ISM Uniforms: Yes or No Lucas Batungbacal

Picture from pixabay.com

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We have all seen the ISM boys win the IASAS soccer winning first place after a long 30 years. Now this time, it is the girls volleyball that has won IASAS. IASAS volleyball was held in ISB. They played from October 8th to October 10th and in that time, they have played all different games with exemplary skills and have been persistent throughout the whole time span. This can all be led back to the helpful coaches, Coach Juteau and Coach Child, who have led our ISM girls to victory. The coaches have helped the girls volleyball team rise to the top and ensure that ISM wins 1st place this year. Ms. Child said “At that time, when we won first place, I was shocked, cried a little and jumped up and down. All in all, it was a very emotional and intense moment for me.” Last of all, Congratulations

The HS play recently took place in the FAT on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. HS students performed a play titled The Crucible. It was originally written by Arthur Miller, who also wrote plays like Death of a Salesman and A View from the Bridge. The two teachers who were in charge of the play were Ms.Hillman and Ms.Grev. It is scary and needs requires quite a bit of maturity from the audience. The big question I wanted to ask was “What is the entire purpose of this play?” Well, according to Ms. Grev, one of the teacher running this year’s performance, said that it is a chance for high school students to engage in theater in both crew and on stage acting. She even said it took seven weeks to prepare for the play before opening night! Another question was “How often did you practice?” Ms. Grev’s answer was “We began the process of auditioning students in the first full week of school and also used quite a few Saturday’s to bring everything together. Altogether, we had about 7 weeks to rehearse before opening night.” Some of the students who performed in the play were Jigmey Penjor, Mattie Morrison, and Arianna Cu. The play was a success, but also intense at the same time.

IASAS Girls Volleyball Comes 1st Place

By: Soungil Yang

The HS play Henri Milvid

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Opinion

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To Eat or Not To Eat by Bettina Catoto

Do we need our uniforms? Newspaper

A debatable topic among students and teachers is whether we should be able to eat in class. As the writer for this column, I believe that both sides have insight to share. Ms. Villanueva says, “On the contrary, I think it can distract [students] from actually focusing on the learning going on in the classroom.” Along with this statement, have you ever had an annoying classmate who chews noisily? According to livestrong.com, this could easily lead to the distracting of students, and also bother hungry people. On the other hand, Silvana De Dios, Grade 7 student claims that “Eating helps me concentrate in class better. I think eating will help students fill their stomachs during class. Everyday at least one person gets hungry which decreases energy levels, which means they become tired.” Silvana has a point to which since our lunch isn’t until 12:40 PM, and students are bound to become hungry. Mia Sieh, Grade 7 student, has one shared this experience. “I was in ArtiSan and it was the period right before break. I wasn't able to eat breakfast because I woke up late, and I was craving a donut. Although I was very hungry, I didn't ask the teacher if I could get a snack because I felt that it would be rude and disruptive to her class.” Mia was also affected in her in class, stating that, “At the end of the class, I got a bit carried away in my work because all I could think about was that one donut.” Ultimately, eating in classes, are benefits to students, but also disruptive towards the lesson. Students should be allowed to eat in class, but only in special circumstances.

Many people have asked if we really need uniforms, if they are necessary. Some say that uniforms are a menace, impinge and they individual freedom, while others say that they are good, as they help students focus on their school work. The many issues that the choosing of school uniforms present, change the way that most people look at them. The thing is, it is natural for students to protest against rules and regulations. We are always looking to bend and mold the rules to suit us. Although the school uniform seems oppressive to students, it is an alternative to a strict code of conduct. Students can not wander the halls wearing tee-shirts with inappropriate slogans or images on them. We also protest that we do not have enough choice with uniforms. As far as choice, our school uniform is pretty relaxed. Many schools and jobs require a much stricter dress code. ISM students get to pick from several colors and types of clothing, which is more than most other students in the world. After an interview with Mr. Toze on why uniforms were introduced, we got several different reasons. “Students were wearing clothing inappropriate for school. Some girls wore very short skirts and tops unsuitable for school, while some of the boys wore shirts with improper and offensive slogans. The uniforms not only help keep things school appropriate, but help us be more organized, unified and disciplined as a school, and also help us grow as a community.” To finalize, school uniforms symbolize the positive and disciplined atmosphere at ISM. The variety of solid colors display the students’ attitude towards learning in an appropriate style. The uniforms are a critical element in the school, thus, necessary for the ISM community.

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Letter to the editor An article written by a 5th grader

Katherine (Kasia) Pruss

Most middle school students don't realize what grade 5 people go through every day. Even the ones who were here for grade 5 forget. All the classes can be overwhelming! "Every day brings new challenges. Getting to classes is difficult for me because I have a bad memory." Said one fifth grader. "Sometimes 5 minutes of passing time just isn't enough." Said another. Sometimes it's difficult being a middle school student in 5th grade. It’s especially tough in a big school like ISM. Sometimes we get lost. Everyone knows the feeling and no one likes it. Some 5th graders are too shy to ask older people for directions thinking that they would think badly of them or even laugh at them! Most fifth graders are used to walking everywhere with teachers and they don’t need to memorize paths to get them to their classes. Now some feel lost in the big hallways. Fifth graders are used to being the oldest kids around and being the youngest instead takes some getting used to. Also there are some older kids that think that the 5th graders are moving too slowly and push and shove to get ahead, sometimes hurting the 5th graders in the process. On the bright side we have more freedom. For example, when you are in elementary school you have to play on the playground after lunch. In middle school you can go anywhere, from the courtyard to the canteen to the library! There is also a chance to talk to more people than in E.S. unfortunately this can make rumors spread very quickly which is bad especially when they are untrue. Lastly at lunch we all talk about different things from pets to people. Classes are different because they are more precise and in my opinion more fun.

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