STINGER THE

DHAHRAN HIGH SCHOOL DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA

SEPTEMBER 2011 VOLUME IV ISSUE I

Welcome

www.stingerdhs.com Email us at stingerdhs@gmail.com. And visit:

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER. WRITTEN, DESIGNED, AND EDITED ENTIRELY BY DHS STUDENTS.

back. PAGE 4: MODEL UNITED NATIONS PAGE 6: EFFECT PAGE 3: now introducing MUSCLE MONTHLY

Dear readers,

Summer is over. For the past several weeks we have mastered the art of lazing around, sleeping up to twelve

hours a day, and, of course, diligently catching up on the latest seasons of Psych. (Wait, I’m not the only one who

watches that show…right?)

But now, experienced seniors brace themselves for their last year in the sandbox. Determined juniors prepare

for the most important year to colleges in terms of grades and extracurricular involvement. Surprised sophomores

suddenly start seeing Aramco students everywhere, and the former feel like

the newcomers. And finally, freshmen (also known as n00bs) finally enter

the mystical “high school”, the subject of one too many movies they have seen. To

all the new students: welcome to DHS, and to the students new to Saudi, be pre-

pared for the most exhilarating and fun-packed years of your lives! I’m just kidding, of course. You may find

Saudi boring. Very boring.

This year, Chris and I can promise you the Stinger will go above and beyond your expecta-

tions. The fact that you are reading this on the first day of school is a testament to our desire to

keep our readers supplied with articles – both informational and entertaining – in a consistent

manner. And let’s not forget our fully functioning and custom coded website, already up and

running. Who knows, you might even see our Stinger Video team filming around campus to-

day. I invite you to treat the Stinger as your voice. This is a newspaper where every single stu-

dent’s views can easily be published. All you need to do for your voice be heard is to send us an

email at stingerdhs@gmail.com.

I think I’ll end this letter with a bit of advice for the newcomers: summer may be over, but Saudi will

remain – and eternally so – very, very hot.

Yours Truly,

Ibrahim Akbar

2

You may find

Saudi boring. “ ”

Letter from the Editor

TO JOIN THE STINGER

Get involved! Writers, Photographers, Layout Designers, Video Editors, Video-

graphers, Comic Artists, and Student Officers are needed. Go to the website be-

low to find out how to join. APPLICATION DEADLINE: September 18th.

www.stingerdhs.com

Editor-in-Chief:

Co-Editor:

Layout Co-Editor:

Copy Editors:

Photography Lead:

Ibrahim Akbar

Chris Porto

Saad Mallick

Anna Kogler

Meshaal Choudhary

Suman Rao

Ehsan Rahman

The Makers of this Issue:

Website Editor:

Guest Writer:

Cover Photo:

Special Thanks:

Teacher Supervisor:

David Beckley

Annas Ayoub

Steph Nguyen

Neha Naviwala

Yazan Kharbat

Nadeen Kamel

Mrs. Harris

”

Let’s admit it guys, you all want a six pack, huge arms and the armor plated chest (girls wouldn’t mind a guy with those either), but all vanity muscles aside, you need to know the basics to build a balanced physique. Firstly, I would like to introduce my background in the world of weight training: I have been going to the gym for two years (on and off), and I have made all the mistakes beginners make. I have injured myself multiple times by overtraining and smelled the reek of failure. But now, I am here to help you get big. Not all of us are genetically blessed enough to be born with the perfect athletic body structure. Some of us are cursed like I was; a pathetic, scrawny ectomorph who strained to complete a single push up. A single push up. Now, I’m the guy in the pictures on the right. Yeah, that guy. Here are my top five tips to becoming buff: 1) Nutrition, nutrition, and nutrition: I cannot stress this point enough. Nu-trition is basically 70% of weight training, and without it you will never get big. You are what you eat, so if you eat nothing, you will look like nothing. Now, by nutrition, I mean whole nutritious meals, not KFC. Six meals a day is a must. You must be prepared, you must eat, and you will get sick of it. But that is what separates an athlete or a fitness model from Joe your aver-age couch potato. These meals will revolve around your goals, whether they are burning fat or gaining lean muscle. 2) Ego lifting: this is when you lift weights that are too heavy, just to im-press others in the gym, or to feed your own ego—something almost every guy is guilty of in the gym. Ego lifting is dangerous, trust me. Just take a look at the picture on the top right, when I was scrawny and ego lifting. Af-ter that specific set I experienced extreme shoulder pain and a tear in my anterior tendon. Have good form, a moderate 10-12 repetition range, and you will eventually get to the big weights. 3) Consistency and motivation: get motivated any way possible. Take regu-lar measurements (circumference of your arms, quadriceps, and around your chest) or log your workouts to monitor improvements and increases in weight. Look at pictures of the perfect physique you dream of having (hang one up on your wall if you have to). Workout with the right type of music. You will not lift big if you’re listening to “back street boys” (not that I have tried that). 4) Sleep: yes this deserves a point of its own. When you sleep, growth hor-mones are released, you grow, and your muscle fibers recover and rebuild, bigger and better than before. You build your muscle outside of the gym, not inside of it. 5) Failing to train legs: oh yes, you read that right, gentlemen. Legs are, by far, one of the most crucial muscles that we overlook. No one cares for big legs but you have to understand the advantages of training them. Firstly, no one wants a huge upper body with chicken legs. Secondly, legs make up half your body and they are the largest and strongest muscle complex in your body. The bigger the muscle, the more growth hormone it releases after you are done training it. Thus training your legs will allow you to get that armor plated chest much faster, without looking like a chicken.

-Annas Ayoub Guest Writer

TOP 5 REASONS WHY YOU‟RE STILL A TWIG. MUSCLE MONTHLY

Good form makes you a beast.

Bad form ego lifting makes you skinny.

Hard work and dedication is key.

3

Model United Nations ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Increasing Global Awareness,

Creating Future World Leaders What is MUN?

Model United Nations (MUN) is an activity which simulates a real United Nations

conference. Most students are delegates (representatives) of various countries and

international organizations. Some may be press team members, administrators,

lawyers, or judges. Real current issues which affect the global community are de-

bated, e.g. the Palestine-Israel conflict, the Situation of Kashmir, and Drug Traf-

ficking in Mexico. At the DHS MUN club, participating students attend these

simulated conferences – both locally and internationally.

How do I join?

Unlike other clubs at DHS, which may have applications or open admission,

MUN requires an audition. You give an “opening speech” as a delegate represent-

ing a country, and, along with that speech, bring two clauses (solutions) to an is-

sue. You will be given your country and your issue before the auditions. You are

judged on both speech and clauses. On the submitted paper, you can declare

which conferences you are interested in attending, and you can rank your choices.

We look for confident and eloquent speakers, as well as creative and well-

researched solutions.

What conferences are offered this year?

BERMUN: (Berlin, Germany) An unparalleled experience. One of the largest and

most prestigious conferences offered. Trip includes seeing the Blue Man Group,

visiting the Berlin Wall, exploring the town of Potsdam, and discovering the his-

toric city of Berlin. Visit www.bermun.de for details.

TIMUN: (Istanbul, Turkey) TIMUN provides a phenomenal experience. Trip

includes visiting the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Grand Bazaar (shopping!).

Participants stay in a lavish boutique hotel, with the whole team essentially own-

ing the hotel! Visit www.timun.org for details.

AISRMUN: (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) An excellent conference for intermediate

MUN‟ers, beginners that learn quick, or those not wanting to pay for the more

expensive international trips.

QMUN: (Doha, Qatar) Well-known conference hosted by Georgetown Univer-

sity. Note that this travelling team is limited to girls only. Visit

qatar.sfs.georgetown.edu/campus/organizations/mun for details.

DHAMUN: (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia) DHS‟s annual conference consists of more

than 300 students and is open to all DHS students. Schools in KSA and Bahrain

will be invited. Participating in DHAMUN is a great way to show commitment to

the DHS MUN club, making yourself a better candidate for being selected for an

international traveling team.

DHOMUN: (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia) This training conference is open only to 9th

and 10th graders, and is a great way to have a smaller MUN experience without

intimidating upperclassmen.

Spring Conference: Location yet to be determined. Possibilities include Rus-

sia, Spain, and Egypt.

Continued on back page...

BERMUN, Berlin

TIMUN, Istanbul

QMUN, Qatar

4

Model United Nations ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Increasing Global Awareness,

Creating Future World Leaders

Dhahran 101: Ten Tips For

An Easier Life On Campus “Now… to our new students, welcome, to our old students, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you.”

-Albus Dumbledore

„Magical‟ may seem a tad exaggerated, but the sentiment should be noted. Granted, we can‟t be at Hogwarts, but it‟s still fantastic to be

back at school. Well, it will be, as soon as the post-summer feeling shakes off . Of course, it‟s definitely easier to deal with school if

you have some information beforehand that‟ll help you around campus.

10. Hydrate. Technically, you should do this all the time, but it‟s especially important in the desert climate of Dhahran. Also, invest in

a refillable water bottle to carry around school; the EFFECT Club will appreciate it.

9. Sun protection. Again, the weather can be pretty harsh. Sunglasses, sunscreen, or anything that helps you from those sunny UV rays

is recommended.

8. School Supplies. It‟s incredible how many people fail show up to class without a pencil. Really, people? But it‟s fairly obvious:

make sure you have everything you need, when you need it.

7. Avoid detention. It‟s not difficult; go to class on time, wear the compulsory polo shirts, do your homework. Detention is just going

to eat into your free time, so why provoke it?

6. Be involved. Sign up for clubs, sports teams, events, and all the other happenings around school. It‟s also an excellent way to meet

people you‟ll be spending the year with around the campus.

5. Get to know the teachers. We spend the majority of our days in their classes, so you might as well be on good terms. Stay cool with

them; one day you‟ll have to go to them for your recommendation letters.

4. Don’t crowd the parking lots. At the end of the day, we [including the elementary and British school] all need to get home, and the

mob of people blocking the gate is tiresome; if you need to have afterschool conversations, go find some benches.

3. Be nice to Rob and Ali [in Joffrey’s]. Not that you shouldn‟t be nice to everyone, but it would be a good idea to be respectful to the

people who handle your food. Tipping works well too.

2. Follow the dress code. Please, just go with it. There aren‟t any loopholes, nor will you be able to sneak in. Seriously, detention isn‟t

worth wearing your favorite t-shirt to school.

1. Relax. No doubt, there will be days where it seems like everything is going wrong, but you‟re going to have to calm down and deal

with it. Life will get better; why worry?

5

-Meshaal Choudhary

Copy Editor

EFFECT: DHS’ Green Patch on Campus Although Saudi Arabia might not be so green, our mission is to AFFECT our campus positively, making it greener both literally and in terms of environ-mental impact. EFFECT is comprised of four umbrella groups, each with a unique focus but all dedicated to the same ideals and practices for creating a more eco-friendly community. The first, the recycling group, does just what its name suggests: having succeeded in the installation of recy-cling programs for paper, plastic, and aluminum cans over the past three years, it ensures that the process runs smoothly and properly. This group calls all you avid recyclers to keep the cycle running. The second, the gardening and com-posting group, as surprising as it may be, is in charge of maintaining the gar-den we started last year and initiating two new projects: a vegetable garden and beautifying features. Moreover, the group is working with three types of compost to determine the most effi-

cient way of producing soil for our very own gardens. It’s perfect for those who are gifted with a green thumb and love the outdoors. The third, the DEMS group, under-takes community outreach on a local scale by educating younger students and raising awareness throughout the high school. For instance, it organizes an annual Preservation Night to clean up the campus, work on preparations for Earth Day, and bond. Last but definitely not least, the ACET group, probably the most well-known faction of the club, raises money to support the construction of schools and funding of education for children in Ethiopia. It hosts coffee houses dur-ing which students showcase their diverse talents. If you are interested in organizing an event that reaches peo-ple beyond our campus, this is the place for you.

If you want to help reduce DHS’s car-bon footprint and be part of a humani-

tarian activity, join EFFECT! We meet Tuesday mornings; make sure your name gets added to our email list and bring lots of enthusiasm! Stay tuned for announcements in the daily bulletin re-garding the location and time of our kick-off meeting!

-Anna Kogler Copy Editor

Cho playing at the EFFECT

Coffeehouse

Habitat for Humanity For the past years, the Habitat for Humanity Club has made excellent progress toward helping build houses for various nations throughout the world. Dhahran High School students have taken part in making this club very successful. This year, our school will be offering two trips, one to Thailand, and another to Sri Lanka. Students who are 15 years or older, and are in the Habitat for Humanity Club, are invited to sign-up. As always, HFH has planned a number of events throughout the year, such as the Halloween Dance, Walk-A-Thon, and the Art Show. Students will be required to collect 20 stamps, which are awarded for completing various activities in the club. Come help fundraise to build houses for the homeless; join the Habitat for Hu-manity Club!

-Suman Rao Copy Editor HFH Romania trip members take a break

in the snow after construction work.

6

National Honor Society Tips from the Top What they have to say:

Make an impact. It may be in your

community, at school, or at home. It may be a big thing such as starting

your own company that serves the

unfortunate, or simply just volunteer-

ing to help teachers with any out-

standing work they may have. Just

do something. Making a positive

influence will certainly help your

chances of getting into NHS.

-Ebun Andrew, President

“Service, Scholarship,

Leadership, Citizenship”

“Get noticed! Do extra-curriculars,

get to know your teachers, do service as much as you can (inside and outside

of school, even during the summer!),

get good grades, and gain the respect

of your peers. Balancing your aca-

demic success and personal interests with your commitment to community

service is one of the key skills that the

NHS board is looking for. Just do as

much as you can to around the school,

and your application will come easily!

Good luck!”

-Chris Porto, Vice President

Make sure your application gets

read! Turn it in on time. Stick to

guidelines when it comes to essay

length and format. Make sure every-

thing is in the correct order. Realize

that a happy teacher is more likely to look at you positively than a frus-

trated one annoyed by students who

can’t seem to heed simple instruc-

tions.

Anna Kogler– Treasurer

Lets face it, we go to a school with

lots of extremely smart people. You are sadly mistaken if you think having

a 4.0 or even a 4.3 will guarantee you

a spot in NHS. If you really want to be

in our club, you must show you dedi-

cation to DHS in more ways that just academic prowess. Force yourself to

get involved in clubs, spots, bands

and other extracurricular activities.

The versatile student is the one that

has the best chances of making it into our club.

-Gus Glomski, Secretary

As former president Emily Glomski leaves NHS behind after

graduation, the next generation

is prepared to take her place.

7

The National Honor Society at DHS is often considered to be comprised of some of the most exemplary students on cam-pus. Students that showcase the National Honors Society’s four pillars—service, scholarship, leadership, and citizen-ship—have the opportunity to join and participate in the club’s special service projects throughout the year.

What are the criteria to get in? A 3.5 GPA and service experi-ence are the usual answers, but it’s often much more than that. Every year, people that might seem like shoe-ins fall short.

So what things can you do to raise your chances? Read what the four cur-

rent NHS execs have to say.

-Chris Porto

Co-Editor

MUN—Continued from page 4...

Important Dates: (tentative)

Sept. 17th: Mandatory Parents‟ Meeting (Visas, trip deposit information, etc. will be

discussed.)

Sept. 18th – 19th: Auditions

Why should I join?

There‟s a role for everyone in MUN, be it a photographer in the press team or a judge in

the International Court of Justice. If you are a great public speaker, this is the perfect place

for you to show off your skills. If you are a bad public speaker, this is the perfect place for

you to increase your confidence in a collaborative environment. If you are interested in politics

and international relations, this is where you will debate about the most controversial and intel-

lectually stimulating issues faced by real diplomats in the world today. As a member of one of our

travelling teams, you will make new friends – both in your team and outside of it, bond with your

team, and get to experience the culture of another city. Finally, it‟s no secret that being involved in MUN,

especially from early in your high school career, adds a huge asset to your college application. Some of the

most involved MUN‟ers at DHS have been accepted to the most prestigious universities in the world, including

Stanford, Yale, and MIT.

For more information, check out the MUN bulletin board across Mrs. Lily‟s office, or see Mr. Brackmann. Be sure to join our Facebook

group, “DHS MUN Club 2011/2012”. Do not miss this chance to join one of the most rewarding activities you can be a part of in your time

at DHS.

-MUN Student Officer Team

CROSSWORD/ENTERTAINMENT: Across:

1. Most (in)famous compound in

the Eastern Province.

3. 179 days till _________.

4. You won‟t be wearing these

anymore.

5. To be completely ignored.

8. Unblocked at 2:30.

9. You are reading the _______.

11. Like a _____. (popular slang,

popular spelling)

14. Why is it called ______ if the

day goes by so slow?

16. Record for most confiscated

electronic devices.

17. This is ridiculously long in the

mornings…

18. 1st person to finish this and

bring it to Mrs. Harris gets a

_______.

19. I leave things to the last minute; I put

the PRO in __________.

Down: 2. This admin shares Hitler's B-day.

5. That's what ___ said.

6. Not just a bookstore…

7. This building contains a vending ma-

chine…which doesn‟t work.

10. Middle-Eastern burrito.

12. Plagues 94% of DHS seniors.

13. Facebook's arch nemesis?

15. Provides access to virtual school;

hated by all.

20. Popular shoe brand. Just do it!