TIMES OF ISC-MUSCATSLO® Newsletter Issue 1 2019 - 2020

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EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENTS

THE BEGINNING OF THE END

A SUMMER AT ASHWICKE HALL

THE AMAZON RAINFOREST

CLUBS & EVENTS

STUDENT SUBMISSION

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

MIND-GAMES CORNER

OMAN SPORTS

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

SLO® RECRUITMENT

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

VERBA VOLANT, SCRIPTA MANENT

In this issue

Times of ISC-MuscatIssue 1 2019 - 2020

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Each and every day, we face new challenges such as understanding a difficult math concept or undertaking a certain responsibility. Overcoming these challenges in our own ways shape our characters to make us the unique people we are today. Extraordinary achievements come from ordinary people who, despite the hardships they may counter, are able to go on and solve them in their own ways. Ordinary people achieve extraordinary feats thanks to their dedication and hard work which leave an eternal difference in the world.

With heavy hearts and ready minds, the seniors of 2020 attended their last first day of school on Monday, September 2, 2019. Looking forward to a year of extraordinary achievements, the seniors have promised to invest their positive effort and hard work in several SLO® departments. Here is a message from one of the seniors himself:

It feels like a clock has started ticking since the first day of school, counting down to the very last hour. It is hard to believe that there will be no more first days of school and that soon we will graduate, not as the kids we were on our first day, but as adults the school has sculpted us into. Sooner than we realize, we will be getting our senior jackets, officially starting our reign as seniors. As the year progresses, we will have our final Fundraiser and final International Day, giving it our all, trying to make it as memorable as possible. This is also the time we will have to work our hardest academically, ensuring that we secure the grades we need from the first term. Classes that once seemed like a burden will become delights, and we will savor all the time we can with our dear teachers, who have helped us through thick and thin. Before we know it, we will be receiving our graduation gowns, and the inevitable conclusion of our school days together will finally seem like a reality. The mixed feelings of the melancholy of leaving and the excitement of starting a new part of our lives has already started to blossom. We will walk the corridors we have grown up in for the last time, realizing how big a part our school has played in shaping our personalities and readying us for the future. It is surreal that we will be graduating in eight months, closing one of the biggest chapters of our lives. It is almost like our first day of school was yesterday, when we walked onto unfamiliar land with people who were complete strangers. Who knew we would make friendships that will last a lifetime in a place that has become our second home? And as many of us leave to study abroad, we take with us a treasure trove of memories, memories that we will cherish for the rest of our lives.

-Amaan Siddiqi, 12SA

The seniors will undoubtedly leave a positive imprint on the entire school that will always be present even after they graduate, and go on to the futures that SABIS® has been preparing them for. On behalf of the entire school, we wish them the best of luck in excelling throughout their final senior year.

Extraordinary Achievements

The Beginning of the EndClass of 2020 on their first day of school

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I remember my experience at Ashwicke Hall in Bath, U.K. vividly, from entering my dorm for the first time and meeting my dormmates to having to say goodbye to them on the very last day. On the first day, I remember standing in front of the ancient castle in great awe of its beauty as it was adorned with historical architecture on every tower and Latin engravings. Surrounding the castle were spacious meadows filled with green gardens and flowers of all kinds that I often spent my days exploring. After only a single day spent in Ashwicke Hall, I had already made several friends from different backgrounds and schools that I grew closer to with each passing day. Any feeling of nervousness or shyness I had quickly dissolved as the atmosphere surrounding me became more comfortable now that I had formed several friendships and had been introduced to other students my age. Every day, I was being introduced to new teachers and staff members who were very interested in learning more about their students’ backgrounds and future aspirations. They remained continuously concerned for our wellbeing and always ensured our genuine happiness and comfort.

Every morning was filled with excitement as there was always an event planned for the day whether it was a trip to an activity center, university visit, shopping mall, or museum. There was never a time during camp where I found myself feeling bored as there were several on-campus clubs to join such as art, cooking, science, and hiking club. Taking classes during summer camp helped me greatly as I soon realized the opportunity I had received of getting ahead on my upcoming studies. Every Friday at Ashwicke Hall was a very special one, as we would celebrate by hosting a barbecue that was filled with laughter, music, tasty food, and most importantly, bonding which would last for hours as all the students and staff gathered together. A talent show was even held on the third week of camp featuring several acts such as dancing, singing, stand-up comedy, acrobats, and a special poetry recital. The event was truly one to remember as the students acted as the audience, voting for the act they enjoyed most.

Perhaps the best part about summer camp was the friendships I had formed with a multitude of people. Prior to the experience, I had always found it difficult to socialize with large crowds of unfamiliar people. However, upon meeting all the other students they quickly turned from being strangers into friends I now cherish greatly. Whether it was the many afternoons spent together in the castle, at theme parks or during bus rides, the people I met left an everlasting effect on me, changing my perception of socialization completely. We pushed each other to becoming more confident with our own characters and ensuring that no one ever felt left-out of any activity. We formed memories that we began to reminisce as soon as we had boarded our flights home, with the aerial view of London getting smaller with every passing minute.

The Amazon Rainforest, otherwise known as the “Lungs of the Planet” supplies about 20% percent of the world’s oxygen and is home to 10% of different global species, proving its large biodiversity. According to National Geographic, the forest contains roughly around 40,000 species of plants, 1,300 species of birds, 3,000 species of fish, and an astounding 2.5 million species of insects!

Recently, the Amazon Rainforest has become notorious for its wildfires, creating clouds of smoke that reach thousands of kilometers away, but this isn’t the first time the Amazon has been set ablaze. The Amazon has experienced nearly 142,000 fires in the first half-decade of the 21st century, in fact, wildfires are not uncommon at all. Wildfires can be caused by a variety of reasons, whether it is due to a tree being struck by lightning, the sparking of falling rocks or by human-induced accidents such as not putting out a campfire. This “Fire Season” however is quite alarming as, on the 20th of August, Brazil’s space agency released data showing that the Amazon is undergoing nearly 74,000 fires. BBC News stated that it was an 84% increase in the number of fires to the prior year. Not only does this contribute to climate change, but it also affects the wildlife of the inhabiting species in the Amazon. Despite the Amazon filtering a quarter of the CO2 released in the air, according to the Washington Post, the Amazon Rainforest now holds a total equivalent of 10 years’ worth of global greenhouse gas emissions. These facts and figures call for immediate action by everyone around the world.

A Summer at Ashwicke Hall

The Amazon Rainforest

Faisal Al-Raisi

Times of ISC-MuscatIssue 1 2019 - 2020

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The Korean Club is back. Interested in learning a new language? Want to discover a new culture? Come join us! Club sessions are held every Sunday & Monday from 1:30 to 2:20 pm in the Nantes (French) classroom on the 2nd floor of the admin building. Please contact Mr. Dylan Simms for more information.

We’ll see you there!

Around the World Poetry

SALMA DARWICHE

Until I pass through all the WestMy heart will never restUntil I go beyond the EastMy heart will remain a held-back beastOnly when I have seen the stars from seven different skiesMy heart will be satisfiedOnly when I have felt the water of seven different seasMy heart will be at ease

Clubs & Events

Student Submission

Korean Club

How you can help preserve trees through the usage of paper:

• Reduce paper consumption; instead of printing papers download a revision sheet on your tablet. Start printing double-sided papers!

• Reuse paper; make sure to use both sides of the paper, cut off the unused portions of your paper and use them as notes.

• Recycle paper by throwing it in recycling bins. Make sure to throw paper and general waste into their designated areas to ensure proper disposal.

Nasser Al-Riyami

Zeina Darwiche, Class of 2015

“I joined ISC-Muscat in 2001 and graduated in 2015. I then went on to study at Carnegie Mellon University earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Science and a minor in Psychology in May 2019. I’ve been involved in multiple clubs on campus as both an executive member and Vice President as well as serving on university boards. I now work as a technical consultant for KPMG, looking to gain some experience before pursuing a master’s degree in the overlapping fields of computer science, psychology, and education.

SABIS® aided me in a number of ways to get me to where I am today, through helping me build the skill to analyze and retain information efficiently, combat test-taking anxiety as well as time management through the many courses and clubs I had during my time at university and after.”

Where are they Now?

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Mind-Games CornerSudoku

Word Search Puzzle

Times of ISC-MuscatIssue 1 2019 - 2020

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Crossword Puzzle

Riddles

1. What belongs to you, but other people use it more than you?

2. What is more useful when it is broken?

3. Majid was out for a walk when it started to rain. He did not have an umbrella and he wasn't wearing a hat. His clothes were soaked, yet not a single hair on his head got wet. How could this happen?

4. What 7 letter word is spelled the same way backwards and forwards?

5. How Many Months Have 28 Days?

6. You can see me in water, but I never get wet. What am I?

7. What can travel around the world while staying in a corner?

*Tune in to the next issue to find out the answers!

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Ansa Tahir

Some know him as ‘the man with the golden gloves’, while others call him the ‘ultimate football icon of Oman’, be that as it may, Ali Al-Habsi will always be known by many across the country as the redefining face of football in Oman. The sports star was born and raised in Al-Mudhaibi, in Ash Sharqiya, Oman, where he often played football with his friends for fun, and started off his career with the former third-division club, Al-Mudhaibi.

In 2002, at the age of 16, Al-Habsi was called in to play for Oman’s national Under-17 team, under the lead of John Burridge, who is often accredited with having discovered Ali Al-Habsi’s talent and helping him transfer to the Bolton Wanderers. In 2009, the icon led Oman at the Gulf Cup to its greatest football win by emerging victorious in the penalty shoot-out against UAE, making Oman champions for the first time.

Oman SportsSpotlight on Ali Al-Habsi

Ali Al-Habsi is certainly no stranger when it comes to playing in the green grounds of the English leagues as he has previously played for Bolton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic, and Reading FC. He became the first Omani to win the coveted FA cup with Reading FC, and the first Arab to play in the Premier League with Bolton Wanderers. Periodically, Al-Habsi bowed out of English football and joined the Saudi Arabian club - Al Hilal - to be more involved with Asian football. The experienced goalkeeper has now returned to the English League by joining West Bromwich Albion in hopes of helping the team get promoted to the Premier League.

Lastly, a piece of advice Ali-Al Habsi has offered to young players aspiring to become football stars: “I think players should be patient if they want to play in major leagues. It is just a matter of time, but they need support from the fans and clubs. And players should be willing to sacrifice everything to succeed.” Ali Al-Habsi is more than just a football player; he is an idol the Omani youth can look up to and is a symbol of where hard work and determination can get you.

Football ECA

Times of ISC-MuscatIssue 1 2019 - 2020

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By offering extra-curricular activities at ISC-Muscat, we ensure that students of all ages are utilizing their time outside class in the best ways possible. Extra-curriculars include a wide variety of activities students can select from such as swimming, tennis, and arts & crafts. Usually held on Saturdays, students attend a series of lessons and develop their skills over time.

Nasser Al-Riyami

The rise of technology has taken the world by storm as new advances continue to strive on a daily basis. This era of technology lacks stagnation as technology is very dynamic and the demand for new technology keeps rising at an almost-exponential rate. Technology has improved human life by decreasing labor and increasing simplicity, examples are all around you; ranging from cars and phones to machinery and factories.

An intriguing byproduct of technology is artificial intelligence, commonly known by its abbreviation AI, it has built a new set of ground rules for the fate of human technology in the future. It is said that the term “artificial intelligence’’ was first perceived by the ear in 1956 at the Dartmouth Conference by an American computer scientist named John McCarthy who’s also known as the “Father of AI”. However, the first artificial intelligence program was written in 1955-1956 by three scientists; Herbert Simon, Allen Newell, and John Shaw. Together they came up with the “Logic Theorist”, with the primary purpose of mimicking the problem-solving skills of a human. The main aim was to fill the program with data and understand human cognition when it comes to problem solving or applying algorithms so that the AI would be error-free while performing certain tasks.

In the 1960s, computer scientists tried to develop algorithms to solve mathematical equations and theorems, and worked on Machine Vision Learning and developing machine education in androids. This later led to the manufacturing of the first “intelligent” human-shaped robot which was built in 1973 at Tokyo’s Waseda University under Ichiro Kato.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Artificial Intelligence

The process of creating AI has been brought to a halt, as many computer scientists have found it very arduous to create “intelligence” in androids as programming AI requires a tremendous amount of data, this dry period (which commenced in the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s) is known as the “AI Winters”. In the late 1990s American corporations and the Japanese government regained the interest in AI and believed that soon computers would be able to recognize and interpret stimuli, and reason like people. In 1997, IBM’s AI called “Deep Blue” defeated the reigning world chess champion, Garry Kasparov and this symbolized a great advancement in the evolution of AI.

Nowadays, AI is advancing much quicker than before, in fact we use AI several times in our daily lives without even realizing it, for example Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri, or even Netflix! We are surrounded by AI yet not many people fully realize how this technology may be used to alter life, because in the future it’ll be so common you wouldn’t even heed its presence.

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In ISC-Muscat, not only do we aim to build the academic skills of students, but also their social skills and character. Within the SABIS Student Life Organization® are eight different departments, each centered on a specific objective. They are listed, in no special order: Academic, Discipline, Management, Sports & Health, Activities, Outreach, Lower School, and Social Responsibility. During recruitment week, certain students representing each department work on recruiting students from all grades into their departments for numerous jobs and positions. By involving students in school life, we teach them traits such as responsibility, management, interpersonal skills, and confidence. Through this involvement, ISC-Muscat ensure its school is made better for the students, by the students.

The SLO® is constantly recruiting students from all grades for all departments throughout the year. Visit the SLO® office or contact the senior prefects of each department to learn more about the sub-departments and vacant positions. Also, come forward to any SLO® prefect to hear about the upcoming events and celebrations open to student participation.

SLO® Recruitment

Times of ISC-MuscatIssue 1 2019 - 2020

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Quote of the Month

Interested in contributing to the newsletter with a submission?The Newsletter Committee is open to featuring artwork, photography, and poetry!

E-mail us at: SLO-Newsletter@ismuscat.sabis.net

Salma DarwicheChief Editor

Amaan SiddiqiCo-Editor

Nasser Al-RiyamiScience Editor

Ansa TahirSports Editor

Aya Al-SabahiFeatures Editor

Abdallah Al-HabsiReporter

Our Team

Times of ISC-MuscatIssue 1 2019 - 2020

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P.O. Box 1104, Postal Code 111 C.P.O., Sultanate of OmanTel: +968 24534000 Fax: +968 24547300E-mail: iscmuscat@sabis.net Website: iscmuscat.edu.om