New Student's Survival Kit

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Table of Contents

description

The idea behind this handbook is that it is written by students for students in a way that you can relate to. Our aim is to help you get through your first year at ACS as smoothly as possible.

Transcript of New Student's Survival Kit

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Table of Contents

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I. Note from the editors

II. NSI Roster

1. Your first week of school: Laith Kalai

2. Prioritizing @ACS: Gaith Kalai

3. Settling in: Nikiforos Peterson

4. Academic Success: Nikitias G, Sophia Zachares,

Nassos Abuel, Gaith Kalai

5. ACS Resources: Laith Kalai, Kelly Dodou, May

Chai

6. Athletics @ ACS: Mahmoud Hmaidi, Alex Stelea,

Isabel Ahoarian

7. Extracurriculars @ ACS: Nasos Abuel, Natalie Kou-

rambenas, Ileana Kotini, Alex Klingert, Sara Sa-

mad, Lydia Spassof, Theo Sareferas

8. Student Services

9. Conclusion

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Note from the editors

The idea behind this handbook is that it is written by

students for students in a way that you can relate to. Our

aim is to help you get through your first year at ACS as

smoothly as possible.

Throughout our student-written handbook you will find

a number of articles related to issues that you might face

as you become part of our ACS community. As this hand-

book is written from a student perspective, we think that

you will enjoy it more than an official school document.

We (the editors) were new to ACS not so long ago, and

therefore we are familiar with what you are going

through as a new student. By helping your transition in-

to our community, we hope that you will become a valu-

able asset to ACS.

Without further ado, we present to you The Student Sur-

vival Kit

—Gaith and Laith Kalai

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New Student Initiative Roster 2009-10

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Foreword

After publishing this booklet, we will

be hosting sessions during the first couple weeks of

school for new students. Unlike official school orienta-

tions, our sessions will be in a casual student-led atmos-

phere and will give you the freedom and opportunity to

get to know us and the school while having a good time.

As students and authors of this booklet, we welcome you

to ACS and encourage you to talk to us when you see us

around campus. We are willing to answer any of your

questions or show you around campus if you need any

help.

Best of luck,

—New Student Initiative Group

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Your First Week of School

Laith Kalai

Let‘s face it. It won‘t be easy. You will need to adapt to a

new campus, new studies, new teachers, new friends,

and much more. I

was new to ACS two

years ago; I know

how you feel.

Starting at a new

school can be pretty

nerve-wracking, es-

pecially if you‘re en-

tirely foreign to the

country as well...and the first day or two are usually the

worst. However, there are ways to ensure you make the

best of it.

In ACS‘s case, it‘s the first two days, because it takes two

school days to make a full rotation in the schedule. On

the first day of school, all students will attend all eight

blocks in order to receive textbooks and other materials.

Here‘s a small list of tips that you should follow in order

to survive your first week – or so, at ACS Athens.

Get to know your teachers: The most important

thing you must do is inform your teachers that

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you‘re new to this environment. Introduce yourself

politely and confidently. Your teachers can be your

source of orientation or guidance, if you ask.

Take a little while to look around the school

prior to the first day if possible; Make sure

that you know your way to all of your classes. Get to

know the campus prior to your first day to mini-

mize the stress and anxiety. Walk around, explore

the buildings, ask a student/counselor for any clari-

fications. This will surely minimize the pressure

and the confusion that you might stumble upon as

you delve into our community.

Next, get to know your classmates; This might

be a rather difficult task, given that you might have

a different set of classmates for all 8 blocks. Don‘t

be too shy nor too pushy; just relax and act confi-

dent (or pretend to be). You can start by getting to

know the person who sits next to you. Introduce

yourself casually and be confident in class. As you

―test the waters‖ with your classmates, you will end

up building friendships according to whom you feel

the most comfortable with.

If you ask me about introductions, I say confidence

says it all.

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Get to know other new kids. This wasn‘t very

helpful for me because I came half way through the

year, but it is a great tip that can help you and your

fellow new classmates. Find other new students;

you probably share mutual feelings and positions

for the meantime. Stick together as you get to know

more people.

Talk to as many people as you can. Ask for

help finding classes (even if you know where they

are).

Get to know your counselor. Each grade has a

different counselor. The counselor‘s job is to help

students, so don‘t think twice about introducing

yourself. Our high school counselors provide social,

educational, career and personal assistance to ACS

students.

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Priorities

Gaith Kalai

As part of transitioning to a new school, you would

want to have your pri-

orities and expectations

straightened out before

-hand. This way, you

would have a plan to

guide your efforts, and

at the same time you

would know at which

levels different aspects

of your new life stand

on.

In your new envi-

ronment, you may not

know exactly how to

deal with the tons of

homework you have

from your classes, the

pressure about college in the coming years, and your

need for a social life.

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This is why it is helpful to set some short-term and

long-term goals for yourself, which will help you stay fo-

cused on what's important to you and will help you suc-

ceed in achieving your goals.

First of all, decide what's

most important to you and

commit to achieving it:

To start off, a priority is

something that has a cer-

tain level of importance

to you at the moment. A

high priority means something that means a lot to

you and is important. Setting priorities means de-

ciding which obligations you should fulfill first. For

example, your priority could be to get your essay

written rather than go to the movies.

As the year progresses, your priorities become

short-term goals. One person‘s goal might be to

get all A‘s and another‘s might be to make a certain

sports team. You try to reach those goals by accom-

plishing your priorities, which can be done in nu-

merous ways.

Commit to your schoolwork ahead of time; know

what is expected of you and make sure that you

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are doing well in your academics before taking up

demanding Extracurriculars.

There‘s an old saying that goes like ―anything is

possible as long as you are willing to sacrifice eve-

rything for it.‖ This also applies to meeting your

goals; if a goal means a lot to you, then you might

have to make some sacrifices to meet that goal.

For example, I really wanted to make the track

team so I spent extra hours on the field running

and doing drills, thus sacrificing my time and ef-

fort.

A short-term goal might be to get all A's and B's

on your report card. How do you do that? You

meet or accomplish your priorities: But what if

you're involved in the school play or on a sports

team with mandatory practice?

A long-term goal might be to get into a top-tier

college or embark on a satisfying career with a job

that pays well. Exceptional grades, career-focused

extracurricular activities, and plenty of self-

discipline can help you achieve these long-term

goals.

Remember these are general guidelines written to guide

you while you plan what you want to focus on—change

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them up a bit, make them your own to fit your needs,

priorities and goals.

Settling In

Nikiforos Peterson/ Alexander Kostas

“What are you

doing after

school?”

This may be a

question that new

students may have.

As I have experi-

ence living in Greece and I‘ve been at ACS for some

years, I have learned about more places to go and have

an enjoyable time after school. The easiest place for new

students to hang out and feel safe is our very lively and

active campus. You can stay after school with your

friends, play a sport, go to the gym, relax somewhere, or

just hang out on the comfortable couches in the library.

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If you get hungry you have some options for food within

walking distance of our campus near the school en-

trance: there is a Greek ―souvlaki‖ place; an Italian res-

taurant; and a shop like a kiosk that has snacks, drinks

and sandwiches. When you want to go home you can ei-

ther take the ACS late bus at 5:30, or take the metro back

home.

Another easy thing you could do is take the metro and go

to ―The Mall‖. On the green line metro, it is located at a

stop called Neratziotissa. The Mall is huge and it has lit-

erally almost anything you and your family might need.

There‘s food, cinemas, shops, supermarkets, mega-

stores, an arcade, a library/bookstore, a beauty salon,

and more!

If you happen to live near the ACS campus, you can go to

the Aghia Paraskevi square, where you can also eat,

shop, or hang out somewhere etc…

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As you adapt to the country more and more, you will get

to know these places and many more!

Academic Success @ ACS

Nassos Abuel

Academic success

at ACS may be very

different from

those at other

schools. A new stu-

dent will quickly

learn that at ACS,

he/she is expected

to put a lot of effort

into his/her work. This means always trying hard, even

if the work is intimidating. (This will happen, but it must

be dealt with.) It does not matter if you cannot get the

right answer: all you have to do is show some effort and

exhibit your dedication and will to learn. You will find

very quickly that if you try hard and devote time to your

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work, it will eventually pay-off

and you will soon earn a good

grade.

On this basis, it is good for

you to be attentive and rather ac-

tive in class. It is unwise and unreasonable for you to

simply sit in a corner and not participate at all in class

discussions and procedures. Of course, in the beginning

it may be hard to raise your hand and speak. But you

must remember that the only way for you to acquaint

yourself with others and for others to become acquainted

with you is for you talk to people. And if you make a

mistake, rest assured that it is no big deal: we all make

mistakes. As a final word, if you have something con-

structive to say, even if you are not sure whether it is val-

id or not, just say it. As was previously mentioned, at

ACS, effort is sometimes more important than the cor-

rect answer.

Besides participating, you should also seek to make

as much out of your class sessions as possible. This

means asking questions about topics and subjects that

you may have not entirely understood. Again do not be

timid or shy. You are a learner and being an enquirer is

more important than anything. In addition, consider

that if you do not seek answers to your questions in

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school, then homework will be very stressful, since you

will not have adequately comprehended the material. If

for some reason you do not feel comfortable in the be-

ginning about asking questions during class, you should

consult your teacher after class is over. This will not on-

ly give you the response that you are seeking; it will also

allow you to develop a better relation with your teach-

er. So get to know your teacher, within the context of

your subject, and show your concern for the lesson.

Briefly, in order to ensure academic success, try to

find some interest in all of your classes. Taking a class

that you do not particularly like or understand will inevi-

tably make you bored and impatient. The best way to

combat this is to find something that will stimulate your

imagination and your critical thinking. Be positive and

prudent and success will come.

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IB Program Prespective

Nikitas Georgeakopoulos

Entering the IB program was a relatively easy decision to

make. I knew that I wanted to follow a more advanced

academic program, and also

knew that the program would

be rigorous, but with all hones-

ty, no teacher could have de-

scribed to me what the IB pro-

gram would be like for a student. So take it from a per-

son who knows a thing or two.

The IB is rather challenging and takes up a lot of

your time, which may include personal time. Time-

management is an essential skill you have to master as

you enter the IB Program. Now don‘t let that scare you

off, but it may mean giving up that Friday night you‘d

planned to go out to that movie with your friends or

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staying up till 2 am on the occasional school night. Those

are things that will happen, but at least you can go to

school the next morning and brag to your friends about

how you were such a b.a. for staying up that late. The

main thing is time-management. Set a balanced program

each week of what you need

to do and I promise you will

have time for things outside

of school. (That is one thing

that teachers are right about.)

And during those times come

when the stress levels rise, take a break and do some-

thing you enjoy.

Being new to this school and to this program, a good

way that helped me relieve some stress was either playing or

listening to some music or just complaining to my friends.

That‘s the good thing about IB; no matter the lateness of the

hour, you‘ll always find a friend to talk to. The IB unites stu-

dents, as we all have mutual complaints; it‘s like having a

common enemy that you‘re fighting against. And yeah,

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sometimes the program will seem like a battle, but the re-

sults of the ―win‖ are undoubtedly, unimaginable.

Advice for All IB students Sophia Zachares

First of all anyone doing IB should not do it just be-

cause their parents forced them to, or because they think

it will look good on their college application. The IB pro-

gram is honestly a grueling program. Only the most or-

ganized, ambitious, and well-rounded students get excel-

lent grades. The IB expects you to be active academical-

ly, athletically, and communally. You must participate in

sports, do community service, and carefully manage your

school work. It seems as if there isn‘t room for anything

else, so time management is essential.

Being an IB student myself, I did not realize till this

year what you go through. In the beginning it seems

manageable, but the minute you miss a deadline, things

start to become hectic. That is why it is extremely im-

portant to manage your time, and know when you have

tests and assignments due. The work that the teachers

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give you takes time, not one afternoon, and that is why

they often give you one to two weeks to work on it. Just

by doing a little each day is good enough.

Also, different teachers will often load you with

tests and projects all due on the same day, or in the same

week. It can be chaotic, but you eventually realize that

everything can‘t be perfect, and if you focus intently on

what you have to do you can produce excellent pieces of

work in small amounts of time.

My advice to any IB student is:

1. Be aware of what your teachers expect from you,

and read the mark band descriptors for all your projects

to make sure you have covered what you must do.

2. Do not try to be superhuman and have a billion

extracurricular activities – because you will die

3. Organize all your notes once you make them, so

when it comes to mid-terms and fi-

nals you haven‘t lost any and you are

ready to study

4. Try to be involved in as many

community service programs as possi-

ble in your first year

5. And make sure that AT LEAST

one day a week you are not working at all or you go out –

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THIS IS VITAL!

Oh, and do not take Higher Physics or Math unless you

need to. And if you have to, don‘t be afraid to ask ques-

tions – even if Mr. Tsokos seems scary!

International Baccalaureate Program

Akhmed Ramadan Fatah

Because the IB program had been previously described,

this section will focus

on IB students’ per-

spective regarding

the program.

International Bacca-

laureate, or IB, is a

rigorous, college-level

curriculum similar to

Advanced Placement.

Within the program, students have a choice between one

of two options: Full Diploma IB and Candidate IB.

Contrary to popular belief, the IB won’t kill you or

drain your social life. You shouldn’t be intimidated by

the IB program; it is indeed very rigorous, but its out-

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come is highly satisfying. Here are some tips from a

student who was new to ACS when he entered the IB

Program.

Tips for “Surviving” IB:

1. Prioritize homework. Teachers usually give loads of

homework starting in the second semester. You

should always try to give homework in on time be-

cause usually teachers have closed deadlines and do

not accept late assignments.

2. Time management is essential. If you know how to

balance your studies with Facebook, then you have

automatically won ¼ of the challenge.

3. Stay healthy! Yes, it counts. Speaking from experi-

ence, missing one day can make you freak out and

not understand the lesson next class. If you‘re the

constantly-ill-type, make sure you arrange a meet-

ing with your teacher to go over what you missed!

It‘s absolutely necessary.

4. Ask questions directly after class or as soon as pos-

sible if you don‘t understand. Don‘t let confusion

pile up. The classes are like puzzles sometimes, for

example Biology. The syllabus starts from the basic

to advanced. If students don‘t know the basic, it is

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logically impossible for them to know the advance.

―Even Einstein asked questions.‖

5. Use the first semester of junior year wisely. Stu-

dents in the first semester don‘t have as much work

as they have during the second semester. So it is

very useful for you to perfect your study habits and

jump right into curriculum. Otherwise, during the

second semester, you will panic and it will lead to

catastrophe.

6. Be organized. Always organize papers, homework,

test, handouts, etc… because not only will it help for

studying but also they might come handy later on

as a teacher might ask for a portfolio.

7. You are responsible for CAS: ―Creativity Action Ser-

vice.‖ Start completing CAS hours. For full IB students,

it is good to complete CAS hours, which are one of the

requirements for IB, by the first year because the se-

cond year will be a busy year and doing things like

community service takes time. There are many oppor-

tunities at ACS for CAS hours. Just ask your teachers

or the IB Office. If none of the offered options interest

you, YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO START YOUR

OWN.

8. Use the facilities available. Facilities such as the Writ-

ing Center and the Math Center are extremely helpful

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for IB students. The Writing Center is beneficial for

students who have trouble writing essays or anything

else. For most of the IB classes, you will come across

some writing assignment at one point of the year. The

Math Center is also a new center opened for students

who need extra help with any math topic.

If not IB…Then What?

Gaith Kalai

For students looking to

challenge themselves in

high school, enrolling in IB and/or AP classes is criti-

cal to prepare students for college-level courses.

AP is the acronym for Advanced Placement. AP coursework

and exams are developed and administered by College Board

(the same organization that does the SAT) and include 35

courses and exams in 20 subjects. At ACS, the AP Program

covers AP English, Calculus, Chemistry and Art History.

AP courses, much like IB, offer a unique learning ex-

perience that will help students succeed in college.

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Through AP's college-level courses and exams, you

can earn college credit and advanced placement, dis-

tinguish yourself in the admission process, and learn

from some of the most skilled and motivated teachers

ACS has to offer.

If you work hard enough in your AP classes and earn

top-grades, it is possible to receive college credit for

your work. Many U.S universities offer credits for AP

candidates and some even allow distinguished stu-

dents to skip freshman year.

To receive credit for the AP class that you took and

skip a freshman level course, most schools require

that students score a 4 or 5 (over 5) on the AP exam.

One of the byproducts of taking an AP course is devel-

oping effective study habits. Typically the workload in

AP courses is fairly heavy. Students often find them-

selves behind on their work because of poor time-

management and therefore strive to develop efficient

study habits. If other High school courses haven't

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forced students to develop a study routine, the AP

program certainly will.

For students involved in a lot of after-school activities,

AP may not be the best option. Before committing to

an AP course, students should ensure that their sched-

ule allows enough time and flexibility to make the

most of the class.

But the bottom line is this: If you are looking for a

challenging high school experience that will also

“look good” on your college transcript, then you can’t

go wrong with either AP or IB.

“The program has been quite beneficial to me because of its

heavy workload. I have learned to manage my time more ef-

fectively and to use it more efficiently. IB, although an enor-

mous amount of work, is quite useful in making positive work

habits for the future.”

—Chris Monopolis—IB Candidate

“What I like about the AP program is FLEXIBILITY, as it allows

anyone to come into the testing room, homeschoolers, self-

studiers, and high school students who have taken an AP course

and those who have not. ”

—Anonymous AP Student

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ACS Resources

ACS Resources: Library

Laith Kalai

Our library is remarkable. It‘s not the library you‘d get

lost in, but definitely the library you‘d want to be in all

day. It is a jungle of resources; we have thousands of

books, numerous encyclopedias, several computers,

helpful people, learning centers, comfortable couches

and much more!

The library at ACS is divided into three floors. The first

floor, or ground floor, holds the reception where our li-

brarian is usually located. You can ask her anything

about the library; she is always happy to answer ques-

tions. The ground floor also has a lounge area with

couches, around 10 stands of books on display and a

magazine stand. The bathroom or WC is also on this

floor. It is next to the librarian‘s desk.

As you climb up the stairs to the second floor, you will

see several tables aligned with nice red chairs. You will

find most students sitting around those tables doing

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work or working on their laptops. On this floor, we have

the following:

A wide variety of books and novels that you can

check out

Around 15 computers with a relatively fast internet

connection

Wireless internet connection throughout the li-

brary. Ask the librarian for the password.

The Middle School Computer Lab is to the back and

left of the open table area

Writing Center: This center is dedicated to helping

students with their writing. It is run by Mrs. Jason-

ides. If you need someone to proofread your essays

with you, help you write something up or guide you

with the writing process, then you may want to

check out the Writing Center.

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Mrs. Spilliot‘s Computer Lab: This is a friendly and

supportive environment in which students can

work and learn. If you are nice to her, you just may

gain her hospitality.

She has around 25-30 computers in her room and a

printer. If you want to work in a more silent atmos-

phere than the open area of the library, ask her if

you may use one of her computers.

IIC** office and IB Counseling Area: Located on the

third and final floor of the library are several round ta-

bles where students can go to work. There are additional

computers there. You will also find the IIC Office of Mr.

Medeiros and two classrooms along with a nice round

lounge area where students usually gather to read books

or quietly discuss schoolwork. Finally,

you can find Ms. Mandy there. If you

are in the IB program, she can guide

you with your IB and college ques-

tions.

Finding books:

If you‘re looking for a specific book at

our library, you should use the OPAC

program found on all computers in school. It is a very

simple program where you can search the title of the

book or an author‘s name, and it gives you a code that

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looks something like this: ―FIC 353.65‖ which means

that the book is located in the FICTION (FIC) section

under the number 353.65. These numbers are found on

the spine of the books. If you have any questions or need

assistance finding books in the library, you can either

ask a student around you or the librarian.

So there you have it. The ACS Library has the right peo-

ple, the right technology and the right environment for

you to conduct research, read a book, surf the web (NO

FACEBOOK), or just simply relax on our comfy red

couches.

For any further information, please find me or contact

me at [email protected]! I‘d be happy to clarify

any confusion or answer any of your questions.

**Institute for Innovation and Creativity

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ACS Resources: Gym

May En Chai & Markelli Dodou

We know that many of you enjoy playing sports in

your free time during the school day, which is why we

have provided you with a section just for this!

The school of-

fers you many op-

portunities to en-

joy being an ath-

lete and also hav-

ing fun with your

friends. It offers

an indoor gym where you can play two of the most

popular sports, basketball and volleyball, during the

school passing time, when it isn‘t used by a class, of

course. We also recently built a climbing wall, but sad-

ly, it can only be used during P.E class. Things can get

dangerous up there.

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In the gym you will also be able to find equipment

rooms, the Athletic Director‘s office, and of course,

you can at any time use the locker rooms. However if

you ever need to ask a question and find out more

about the gym you are always free (and encouraged)

to find Mr. Dimitropoulos, our High School Physical

Education coordinator, as he will be happy to help you

out with almost anything you need related to Athlet-

ics!

Of course that isn‘t just it! Next to the gym you will

find an aerobic room

together with an in-

door pool! Yeah you

heard, indoor pool.

The aerobic room is

open anytime, but of

course under teacher

supervision, and you also need to inform a supervisor

about the times you would like to use it. There might

be people in there due to the after school aerobic clas-

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ses that take place. The pool, on the other hand, is on-

ly open to students during their Physical Education

classes and after school programs or at supervised

sessions, which cost 90 Euros for a total of two

months.

Now, where are all the machos? There is another

room that is open to students who want to lift weight

under supervision of a professional. This is free of

charge, of course, and is open only after school from

3:45 to 5:00 p.m. The weight room is located next to

the tennis courts, and is underground. Here‘s a great

chance to either gain muscular strength, lose weight

or simply get in shape. Just make sure you talk to Mr.

Dimitropoulos and inform him of your interest.

What else do you want? No wait, rephrase. What else

can you ask for?

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Athletics @ ACS:

Trying out for Varsity Sports!

Isabelle Ahoarian

Participating in sports is an

opportunity for you to make new

friends and to devote yourself to a

physical activity that you enjoy.

Joining a sport, especially if it‘s

on Varsity level, isn‘t always

easy, as sports involve a lot of

competition and a great deal of

challenge both with yourself and

with your teammates. On the

first day you might see no confi-

dence in yourself as you hear

from others about the starts and

the chances of making it, but the

truth is that at ACS, there is a chance for everyone. You,

on the other hand, will never experience this moment if

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you don‘t try out. Picking yourself up and trying out for

a team is difficult, yes, but you will never have a chance

if you don‘t come on tryout day. The athletes are all

very encouraging and welcoming, as they are very open

to new players.

The first day of tryouts are usually based on physi-

cal capabilities with regards to a specific sport, and you

as a character. Your character plays a big role in the se-

lection process. The coaches want a player who could

spread a positive vibe, contribute positively, add some-

thing to the team and have a good sense of sportsman-

ship.

Everyone has an equal chance of making it and

you shouldn‘t let the stars of the teams fool you because

in the end we are a community, a team of athletes, not a

community of individuals. Remember the hardest part

of the process is showing up on the first day. ACS holds

a place for every type of athlete. The JV teams hold no

less importance than the Varsity teams. So come try

out!

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37

“ Try out. It’s going to be an experience you have

never had in life. Even if you don’t make it! You never

know, you might be the talent the coach is looking for!”

—Coach Mikros: Boys Varsity Soccer

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Track and Field

Mahmoud Hmaidi

Track and field is one of the most rigorous and

competitive sports in the school. Even though it has the

shortest season, during

the three weeks that it

lasts, the coaches are

very demanding. Prac-

tice is required four

times a school week, and you may come all five. Many try

out, but only a few make the team because the coaches,

Mr. Angelo, Ms. McCoy, and Mr. Mikros, can only han-

dle a small group of students when travelling abroad. Pre

-season exists, as it begins a month earlier for those who

want to have more time to train; however pre-season is

not mandatory. Track and Field is the only athletic trip

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39

where you are not housed by a family; you stay in a com-

fortable five-star hotel. The hosting school is Cairo

American College and

last year it hosted the

second largest interna-

tional gathering in all

of Africa, the world cup

being the first. The

competition is extremely tough and seldom does the

school achieve a high ranking among its competitors. If

you plan to join the track and field team, train hard, al-

ways be at practice on time, and never give up.

“ Do not be afraid to fail. You can only learn from failure.

You do not learn if you do not make mistakes.”

—Coach Dimitropoulos, PE Teacher

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40

Tennis

Alex Stelea

Tennis at ACS is on the rise and our team has gradually

gotten better results in the ISST tournaments. The ACS

Athens Tennis Team is currently the only school team that

has a website and it is located at

www.acsathenstennis.com; a link can also be found

under the athletics tab on the

ACS website. Exact dates and

schedules are found on the

website. Tryouts take place

sometime in April; more ex-

act dates will be given on the

tennis website and through

flyers located on campus.

Competition varies greatly; the boys tend to have a much

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41

stronger team than the girls. For boys‘ singles, competition

is very strong, while doubles and mixed doubles also offer

strong competition. The girls‘ team is constantly shifting,

and it is generally much easier to make the girl's team. The

tennis team travelled two years ago to Vienna and last year

they played in Athens at the Olympic Stadium. It is strong-

ly recommended that any players wanting to try out for

tennis join the school's tennis academy. In 2009, the boys‘

team got second place, the girls fifth place, and overall we

got third place. The best way to become informed about

the ACS Athens Tennis Team is to check out our website

listed above.

“Trying out is fun and even if you don’t make the team, it

doesn’t mean that you aren’t good enough. Take Michael

Jordan who tried out for his high school basketball team

in 9th and 10th grade. His coach said that he wasn’t good

enough. Trying out is fun, you get to meet new people

and if you make it, you get to travel!”

—Coach Chris

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Extracurriculars @ ACS

Overview: Clubs @ ACS

Sara Samad and Lydia Spassof

ACS offers a wide variety of clubs for students of ALL in-

terests. Whether your interests are of artistic, literary,

cultural, or anything else; we have it.

―It is hard for you not to be able to find something you

enjoy doing at ACS.‖ - Anonymous ACS Student

In October of every year, a ―club-fair‖ is organized for

the lunch period, where students go around to tables and

sign up for the clubs they think they‘d be interested in.

Students are encouraged to start their own clubs, if none

of those offered interest them, but of course they must

get approval, and a teacher supervisor.

Spanish Club:

In the Spanish club, which is run by the Spanish teacher

Ms. Rocha, students learn about Spanish and Mexican

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43

culture. Holidays such as Cinco de Mayo, Día de Todos

los Santos, and Dia de los Santos

Inocentes are a few which are

commemorated. The Spanish

club also takes part in school ac-

tivities and conducts bake sales

in order to raise money for an an-

nual Spanish Club Trip. The

Spanish club meets at least three

to four times a month.

Arabic Club:

The Arabic club, led by the Arabic teacher Mr. Samad, is

a club in which students from

all around the world come to-

gether to celebrate the Arabic

culture. The Arabic advisor

makes learning about the dif-

ferent traditions and customs

of the numerous Arab countries entertaining and excit-

ing with his vivid portrayal of the topic. The Arabic club

also takes part in several school festivals in order to raise

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44

money for the biannual Arabic Club party and the trip to

an Arabic restaurant. The Arabic club meets at least one

or two times a month.

Yearbook Club:

The Yearbook Club, run by Mrs. Argitakou and Ms. Bas-

il, is a club in which countless students interested in

graphic design, photography, and

journalism come together to create a

significant lifelong document which

will remain valued by hundreds of

ACS graduates. Creating the ACS year-

book is a vital job, and this club man-

ages to make such an important job

fun! The Yearbook Club meets weekly.

Chess Club:

The chess club, led by Physics teacher Dr. Hristakos, is

open to all students who have a passion for chess. In the

club, Dr. Hristakos teaches numerous tricks and strate-

gies to make sure you win. However, Dr. Hristakos him-

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45

self is said to be unbeatable, so if you

think you have the skills to defeat him,

join the chess club and have a go at it!

Ethos:

The Ethos, whose editor-in-chief is Ms.

Desiree Michaels, is the school‘s magazine. The maga-

zine, which is read by virtually every student in ACS

along with most ACS Alumni, covers everything from

school events and sports

tournaments to student

achievements and alumni

news. The purpose of the

magazine is to ―convey the essence of our beliefs and val-

ues as educators; to reflect the excellent teaching and

learning taking place on our campus‖.

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Additional Clubs @ ACS

Laith Kalai

National Honor Society (NHS):

The ACS chapter of NHS has been running for a long time

now. Ever since its establishment, students from grades eleven

and twelve have been showing signs of great leadership and

commitment by conducting various activities and events both

on ACS grounds and off, under the NHS chapter.

NHS is for students who meet and maintain high standards in

areas of academics (at least a 3.5 GPA unweighted), leader-

ship, service and character. A faculty council reviews student

candidates for membership on a yearly basis.

Some NHS goals are:

To create awareness amongst the student body as well as

the entire community

Be involved in several charities rather than focusing on

one

Raise money and awareness to reach out to more people in

the community and improve living conditions

The NHS sponsors several drives annually including a food

drive, clothes drive and other fundraisers for specific causes.

For further information regarding NHS in general, the selec-

tion process or anything else, please see Mrs. Karvouniaris in

the high school building.

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Greek Club:

Although similar to the other cultural clubs at

ACS, the Greek club usually attracts the most

students. It is made up of either native Greek

students or dual nationality Greek students.

The Greek club celebrates Greek holidays and

sponsors events around the year for specific causes or occa-

sions. One memorable event the Greek club usually hosts is

the Souvlaki selling day, where members of the club prepare

the famous Greek food Souvlaki and sell it to raise money for

a specific cause. For further information regarding this club,

please see Mrs. Pisanias in the Annex building.

Chinese Club:

Unlike the other cultural clubs, the Chi-

nese club rose to prominence not so long

ago. You don‘t have to be Chinese to join.

Students learning the language or stu-

dents interested in the Chinese culture are

highly encouraged to join this club and

take part in several bake sales and other events. Please see

Mrs. Wang in the Annex for further reference.

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48

Environmental Club:

This is a brand new ACS club that al-

so attracted a number of students

last year. This club‘s job is to look af-

ter the environment, make sure stu-

dents are taking good care of their

surroundings and make the ACS

community as environmentally

aware as possible.

The group has shown clear signs of leadership, placing

organized recycling cans all over our campus for stu-

dents to use. This was completely student-led, as the stu-

dents, not ACS staff, were the ones responsible for pick-

ing up the garbage bags, replacing them with new ones

and dropping off the full ones in the blue recycling con-

tainers for the company to pick up.

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49

Model United Nations (MUN):

Laith Kalai

Model United Nations is an activity which aims to give stu-

dents an experience near to that of being in the real United

Nations. Students are assigned countries to represent and

current international issues to try to resolve. The students

write resolutions in an attempt to come up with solutions.

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ACS Talent Show Rami Mehio The annual ACS talent show is a great opportunity for

students to showcase their talents in front of the ACS

community. It

doesn‘t take much to

qualify; you could

do anything! You

could show your

skills at playing an

instrument, danc-

ing, juggling, singing, or anything you feel you‘re really

good at. There‘s no need to feel worried about competi-

tion: the talent show is just meant to be a fun way for

students to express themselves through their talents.

There are awards, however, but this is a friendly way of

acknowledging students who really excel in what they

do. Winners are selected by the participants of the show,

AKA, you! The show is also hosted by students, so if you

feel that‘s the right job for you, go for it!

*Caption: Chris Kalleris (right) and George Seremetis

(left) performed a humorous dance as they were the

hosts of the 2010 show.

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Forensics @ ACS

Natalie Kourambenas

For those who are better at expressing themselves

through words then through sports, the Forensics Club is

the right club for you. Forensics is an umbrella that com-

prises a choice of literary, analytical, and oral activities.

We have:

Debate Team is where you debate and discuss different

topics and try to convince your audience why your side

of the argument is more valid and accurate than the op-

posing side. Our

diligent debate

team in 2009-

2010 worked re-

ally hard and got

first place in the

tournament.

Duet Acting is

where you and

your partner team up and perform a 6-8 minute perfor-

mance (skit) that is either dramatic or comedic.

Oral Interpretation of Literature is where you read a

chosen text that is 8 minutes long, either comedic or dra-

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matic, and you interpret the story through creative use of

voice gesture and movement, which allow you to bring the

story to life. It‘s like acting, but you‘re sitting on a stool read-

ing. Thus, it is the art of dramatic reading.

Impromptu Speaking is where you are given a list of topics on

the spot and you have to talk about one topic to the best of your

abilities in a time span of three minutes.

Oratory is where you write and memorize your own speech

about any topic and present it to an audience.

Group Discussion gives a group of 6-8 participants a problem

to solve. Using polite conversational skills, the participants ex-

press their ideas on the problem at hand, and attempt to solve

the problem.

There are meetings for these clubs individually with differ-

ent coaches who are responsible for the specific events.

Throughout the year the purpose of the coach and the meet-

ings is to prepare participants for the Pan-Hellenic Forensics

Association Tournament which is held by different partici-

pating schools every year. This tournament includes schools

from all over Greece as they all come together and compete

in each of the categories mentioned above. There are hun-

dreds of students that participate in it and it is a wonderful

experience every year to meet new people and to learn more

about what this tournament is, by watching some of the

most talented, brilliant and creative students from all over

Greece.

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Debate Nassos Abuel

Debate is one of the most prestigious Forensics

events. It combines great oratory skills with critical

thinking and rationality. Debaters are expected to devel-

op a coherent argumentation on an issue and cogently

present it to a group of judges. Debate is conducted in

teams, with each team consisting of three speakers.

Of course debate requires a rather apt and proficient

knowledge of the English language and a general aware-

ness of world issues and matters. Our school competes in

three debate competitions: two

tournaments at Deree and the Pan-

hellenic Tournament, which is

hosted by a different school each

year. Try-outs are in late October

and the topic is announced a few

days earlier. For more infor-

mation check with the coaches,

Mr. Confer and Mr. Pupovac.

Last year, our school won the Panhellenic Forensics

Tournament for the Debate category. This year we wish

to defend our title and will require precocious and tena-

cious debaters. Come out and try out!

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Model United Nations

Iliana Kotini

If you love arguing, would like to work for a better world,

or even feel like a leader this is

the club for you. Don‘t let the of-

ficial name scare you. Deep in-

side the doors of this club a

great, fun, and inspiring experi-

ence awaits…

Think of MUN as a very diplo-

matic ―dance.‖ In the club we attend conferences where

we simulate the proceedings of a real United Nations

summit. It‘s a lovely, carefully planned game of rules and

formalities that within them hide limitless bounds of cre-

ativity. Personally, I love the activity because it gives me

hope that young people, students with fresh perspec-

tives, can take a stand on pressing global issues. Not only

can we influence the world by sharing our ideas in MUN,

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55

but we can also better our generation, so that when we

begin our life as responsible adults we will have more

knowledge and can deal with the hardships of life in a

more open-minded way.

As a newcomer, I was very enthusiastic when I heard

about the club… but the enthusiasm jumped out the win-

dow when I heard about the tryouts! HORROR! I was

given a country to represent, and was asked to make an

opening speech at a mock ―conference‖ stating my coun-

try‘s policy on the topic we were given. (This could be

anything from nuclear warfare, to ‗green‘ economy). The

tryouts are really more fun than they sound- and the re-

ward of becoming a member of the club makes it worth

it.

In MUN club, we learn about how a conference, and spe-

cifically a committee, functions, and how to act as diplo-

mats of our assigned countries. There are a couple of

things to get accustomed to, such as writing a resolution

and debating in an MUN setting, but do not let these

stop you! What the MUN conferences really come down

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56

are meeting a lot of people, gathering valuable experi-

ences and most of all changing your perspective.

The MUN club attends various conferences throughout

the year, including DIAMUN and AMUN (in Athens), as

well as QMUN (Qatar) and THIMUN (The Hague). The

THIMUN conference is one of the largest MUN confer-

ences in the world- averaging 4000 participants- and

takes place in the Hague, Netherlands. The city itself is a

perfect venue for this event, as it is the ―home‖ of the In-

ternational Court of Justice. I was amazed by how the

city is overtaken by waves of students from all over the

world, dressed in suits and ready to provide solutions to

important problems.

The Hague did wonders for me. It increased my confi-

dence in my MUN abilities and exposed me to countless

different perspectives of diplomacy. What‘s more, it

made my dream of working for the UN all the more at-

tainable.

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Qatar Georgetown 2010

In early February of last year, five of my school-

mates and I, along with two supervisors, Miss Gournaris

and Dr. Gialamas, left for an unforgettable trip to Doha,

Qatar, to participate in the 2010 Georgetown Qatar

Model United Nations. It was a very enriching experi-

ence, as well as a lot

of fun. To start off

with, we got to visit

sites that were new

for us, while also

meeting people

from ALL around

the world! The friendships that we created during those

four incredible days in Doha allowed us to learn more

about other cultures and countries. The event was ex-

tremely well organized, and the organizers of the event

spared no detail.

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58

As a school delegation, ACS Athens was clearly

among the best, receiving three awards for best dele-

gates. The conference provided us with the opportunity

to discuss social issues, debate and offer solutions to

problems that affect our world today, as well as discuss

past and possible future matters. The trip was without

question an amazing experience, and I personally would

encourage everyone to try out for it next year and for the

years to come, as it is a trip that is truly memorable.

Kotinis, Dimitrios

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59

Humanities Online Mini-Courses and Field

Study in France and Italy

Thorbern Alexander P. Klingert and Theo Saraferas

The Humanities online mini-courses provide an op-

portunity for students to research and study firsthand

the influence of Greek civilization on European art and

thought.

Last year‘s course focused on Classicism and Ro-

manticism in French art and thought in the 18th and

19th centuries. Students spent eight days in Paris visit-

ing important sites and museums and made day trips to

Versailles, Chartres as well. There also was time for

sight seeing, and part of a day was dedicated to going to

see the famous Eiffel tower.

This year‘s course will focus on the influence of

Greek Humanism on the art and thought of the Italian

Renaissance. Students will visit important sites in Flor-

ence, Siena, Arezzo, and Rome.

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Each day of both trips is carefully planned to pro-

vide students with maximum exposure to the art treas-

ures and historical artifacts that these cities have to of-

fer. These online courses are optional, and so they are

pass or fail classes, but students who

choose to take them will receive an

extra 0.5 credit for their graduation,

which is equivalent to taking a se-

mester of a regular class. For these

online courses you will have to keep

a field notebook in which you write

all your detailed observations and

notes about the places you visit.

You will also have to finish a few

homework assignments while read-

ing books such as Story of Art by

Gombrich and Learning to Look by

J.P. Taylor. By the end of the course

you should have done the following:

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61

1. Created The Portfolio. This will be a record of

your thinking throughout the course. It should in-

clude observations, notes, questions and/or re-

sponses to each assignment.

2. Done the Field Study Notebook which will be a

record of your on-site experiences in France or Italy

(as they both rotate each year.) This will include

notes, pictures, sketches

3. Finished The Creative Project. This project

must be based on your field study experience in

France or Italy and may take a variety of forms, but

it cannot be a research paper. Before beginning the

project you must submit a proposal to the instruc-

tors for their approval.

This course can be demanding, however, if you are a se-

rious student who can spare time and effort, and has a

strong interest in history and art, then this course can

be rewarding and very fun at the same time.

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Conclusion

Throughout this booklet, we have tried to offer

you a unique foray into our school, community

and lives from Our perspective as ACS students.

If this booklet has been helpful to you, pass it on

to your friends who might need it.

Also, if you‘d like to be part of the 2010-11 edition

of the booklet and our group: the New Student In-

itiative, find us at the Activity kick-off day or talk

to Gaith or Laith Kalai.

We would like to thank all our contributors who

made this project possible and our administration

advisors, Mr. John Papadakis and Ms. Peggy Pelo-

nis for all their help and guidance throughout the

year.

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63

Contact Us:

129 Aghias Paraskevis Street & Kazantzakis

GR Halandri 152 34

Athens

Phone: + 30 (210) 639 3200

Fax: +30 (210) 639 0051

Web: www.acs.gr

E-mail: [email protected]