Newsletter 1 - UWC Maastricht

Newsletter December 2012
Welcome to the ‘reboot’ of InFocus, our school news journal. InFocus is designed to record and celebrate the many
events in the life of UWC Maastricht. As part of the relaunch, we have handed the editorship to Y12 student Antoun
(Toni) Eldiri with support from the Head of English Department Nils Baumann. Toni has a passion for journalism and
writing and as we all know here at UWC Maastricht, the students are at the heart of all that is good and great at the
school. Toni is joined by Grzegorz Berent as the image coordinator for the project. As I am sure you will agree in
enjoying our first addition, we have much to look forward to with the new student-led InFocus. What a great first term
it was.
Peter Howe, Head of College
Holocaust Survivor Ernst Verduin visits Year 10 at UWC Maastricht
Year 10 students are currently working on an
interdisciplinary unit that involves investigating and
reflecting on the Holocaust in the subjects of English,
Humanities, and Art. The unit is based on Elie
Wiesel's autobiographical novel "Night". The school
was fortunate enough to be able to invite a
Holocaust survivor to speak to the students about his
experience. Ernst Verduin was a Dutch Jew who was
deported to Auschwitz but survived the camp. He
gave an hour-long talk about his life to Year 10
students who were then invited to ask him questions.
What follows is a student reflection on Mr Verduin
and his talk. “People had ears, they had eyes. They
knew what was happening.”

Ernst Verduin, an Auschwitz survivor, had come to our school to tell us about his experience of the Holocaust. What
struck me personally was that he repeatedly stressed a single idea while telling his amazing story: over and over he told
us that people said “We didn’t know what was happening! How were we supposed to know?” Mr. Verduin was very
clear that he himself knew what was happening at the concentration camps and at such a very young age. Then I
thought to myself: “Well, if people knew what was happening and they knew about the horror of it all, why didn’t
anybody say anything?!” Then I thought that perhaps people didn’t want to know. To the many people who kept silent,
it was too horrible, too appalling to be true in their minds. They didn’t want to face the fact that such horror would
really be happening in their own country, during their lifetimes. I am sure to admit that if I had been in their shoes, I
wouldn’t have wanted it to be true either. I wouldn’t have wanted to admit that the people around me were that
corrupt and brutal. It still is no excuse for not speaking up, but when I put it into context, it really made me think hard
about it. I am so grateful for Mr. Verduin’s time that he spent sharing his experience with us, and I don’t think I’ll ever
see the Holocaust situation in the same way again. Carrie Sawyer Y10
Western Europe and Northern American Cultural Week
In November, we celebrated Western Europe and Northern
America Culture Week. The week started with Belgium,
Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland. During
break, all participating students joined in an introductory flag
parade. The students then danced a traditional Wiener Waltz in
the Atrium. Students were also invited to join one of the six
workshops held by different members of our group ranging from
listening to a Grimms Brothers’ fairy tale with a soothing digital
fire in the background, an exploration of German "Sturm und
Drang" literature, to celebrating Sinterklaas in the Netherlands.
Seline Hofer Y13
Day Two celebrated the Mediterranean and started off somewhat disorganised, as expected of a group led by Italians,
Spanish and French. Nevertheless, we were able to perform the dance and some of us even managed to look like we
were having fun while we did it. During lunch we showed a video depicting the stereotypes of our region and staged a
stereotypical daytime TV melodrama, written and performed by ourselves: everyone fell in and out of love so many
times it was impossible to keep up and someone was, naturally, left behind pregnant and alone. On food day, of course,
our area was swarmed with hungry students salivating for paella, pizza, pasta, quiche and crêpes. Aphra Murray Y12
First things first: no, we do not wear Viking helmets, we do not plunder the English, nor do we occupy their lands for
centuries, and we most certainly do not worship the pagan Gods of Thunder, War, Snow, and, importantly, Rainbows. To
counter such stereotypes, propagated in mediocre Hollywood action films on Norse mythology, the Scandinavian group
chose to embrace its heritage rather than hide it. Consequently, one was met by a Viking ship with matching hats during
breaks and a presentation on 10 Reasons why Scandinavians should Rule the World, culminating in a memorable
performance as AᗺBA on the night of the grand WENA Culture Week party. Nikolaj Ramsdal Nielsen Y12
The Irish had our time on the 3 rd day of Culture Week. Together with our neighbors – the UK – and the Vikings we hoped
to give our peers a glimpse of what things are like in our respective countries. We performed some traditional Irish
dances, gave a very traditional pub-quiz, and acted out a small drama skit. Along with these activities, we ran workshops
on different topics relative to our cultures, including ‘British Composers’, ‘Irish Mythology’, ‘Why Scandinavians Should
Rule the World’ and ‘Ireland’s Road to Independence’. Ash Doyle Y13

It just so happened that North American Culture Day arrived on Thanksgiving Day and it was fun to share it with
everyone. We organized a quiz of North American geography, with questions about the names of states and provinces,
and all the Culture Week participants joined in a rousing country line dance from the film “Footloose”, finishing off with
US and Canadian songs and after-school workshops on American football and the US holidays. To round it all off, we all
went and cooked a ton of food for Food Day. Mark Sawyer Y12
Diwali at UWC Maastricht 13 th November 2012
Diwali, the Indian New Year, was celebrated with a bang at
UWC Maastricht on the thirteenth of November 2012. The
name ‘Diwali’ derives from the Sanskrit word ‘Deepawali’
which means ‘row of lamps’. It refers to the epic ‘Ramayan’
from ancient Indian mythology rejoicing at the triumph of
good over evil when the King (God) Rama defeats the
demon Ravana and brings his wife back from him. During
this time of the year, India comes alive, lighting up to the
brightest. The bursting of firecrackers is the consequent
celebration. This event marks the end of the harvest season.
The people hope for a better one in the coming year and
thus give thanks and celebration to Lakshmi, the Goddess of
Wealth and Prosperity. UWC brings innumerable cultures
together, uniting us in our similarities and differences. Here in Maastricht, this Indian tradition was adopted by everyone
at the Boarding House on the evening of the thirteenth. Day students and borders alike came together to take part in
the festivities. We danced to Bollywood songs and wished each other “Shubh Deepawali” (Happy Diwali). The smiles,
laughter, and atmosphere of acceptance made it more than just special; it was a Diwali like no other. Kavya Shah Y12
The International General Certificate of Secondary
Education (IGCSE) awards ceremony was held during a
full school assembly on the 20th of November. It was a
day of celebration for the graduates, their families and
teachers. It was great to see that so many of our students
were able to join us for the ceremony. The Tuesday
ceremony was especially historical as it was the very last
IGCSE ceremony in our school, now that the Middle Years
Programme has been adopted throughout Year 7 to 11.
The end of the “IGCSE era” was made even more special
by the graduating year group. They will be remembered
as the group with the best ever IGCSE results in the
history of our school! 67% of the 249 individual
examinations were in the B-A* band and 90 % were
IGCSE Awards Ceremony 2012
awarded a C or higher. Graduation ceremonies give not only an opportunity to celebrate achievement but also to reflect
on personal journeys. Photos of the graduates from the past two years were shown. It was amazing to see how much
they had changed over the years. I hope that as they continue their journey in becoming young adults they will
remember the words of the song played at the ceremony, “Hold on tight to your dreams”. We congratulate all our IGCSE
graduates! Ms Virpi Mähönen Head of Years 10 and 11

Our CAS Programme is Expanding
As our school grows, our CAS programme must also grow in order to provide all of our Diploma students with interesting
opportunities to balance the work that they do in the classroom with chances for personal growth. Whilst CAS is a
mandatory part of the Diploma Programme, students should never feel like CAS is a chore; that is why, as a school, we
encourage our students to suggest activities that they want to take part in and seek to empower them to carry these
projects through to the end. Students have been extremely enthusiastic this term and we’ve been treated to a plethora
of new student-led activities, such as:
UWC Newsletter (Creative Service)
This publication might soon be celebrating its 2 nd birthday but it has recently undergone something of a re-birth as it is
now a student-led publication, headed by Antoun Eldiri.
Dabke (Creative Action)
Hot on the heels of the hugely successful Bollywood club, Hadil Issa and Muath Ibaid launched this Arab folk dancing
club. There are currently only a few members but I’m sure once they start performing, their numbers will dramatically
increase.
Sphinx Park (Creative and Active Service)
A group of fifteen students have been given the opportunity to help with the sustainable development of the wasteland
at the site of the old Sphinx factory, where they work alongside professional gardeners and designers as well as people
from the local area.
This is just a taste of the activities currently on offer but it is clear to see that it is the students themselves who take the
lead. Ms. Kelly Kay CAS Coordinator
Trip to Berlin
On the morning of the 13 th of November, the year 12 and 13
German B students left school for Berlin. After a six hour bus
and train ride, we arrived at our inner-city hotel and were
immediately immersed in Berlin’s rich and diverse culture.
We watched a musical based on 1980s Berlin, which showed
the impact of the Berlin Wall on the citizens of the city.
During our time in Berlin, we saw many iconic monuments
and buildings such as the East Side Gallery and Checkpoint
Charlie. We were given a tour of the former Stasi prison by a
former captive. She described her everyday routine in the
prison, which mesmerised us, especially because these
events happened so recently. Furthermore, we met the
former minister of health, Ulla Schmidt, who permitted us
to ask her questions about her life, job, and opinions. After
that, we were given a tour of the Reichstag which has
played such an important part in European politics in the past century. All together we saw a city which was vibrant and
diverse and with an incredibly historical significance. Five days was simply not enough to embrace all that Berlin has to
offer! David Esser Y13

Service Learning
Service Learning ambassadors are Diploma students who have the responsibility of coordinating and implementing
ideas of Service Learning in the MYP Years. Below are some student reflections describing personal experiences as
ambassadors.
In Year 10, the Service Learning Ambassadors try to promote the
general idea of service as best we can through engaging students
in interactive games, based around the year group’s theme of
“values”. In our last Service Learning session, for example, we
split students into their four respective school houses and asked
them a series of questions about their own service learning
projects. If they could demonstrate how their service was useful,
insightful, and relevant to their studies, we awarded them with
cards that had one letter on the front and a UWC value on the
back. When they had enough letters, they were able to spell out
a phrase linked to the UWC values. In the process, they
strengthened their understanding of service learning and
reflected on some of the values that they may acquire through
undertaking their service project. Abdulla Omaigan, Y13, Year
10 Service Learning Ambassador
As Year 11 service learning ambassadors, we believe that an essential part of the UWC experience would be forgotten if
the younger years were not to do service. Each student from the Year 11 must do a service project for a minimum of 3
months (preferably more). They must set up and reflect on their projects through a minimum of one UWC value. Service
is a passion for us as Service Learning ambassadors, and our biggest goal is to convey that passion to our Year 11's.
Good Luck to all Year 11's! Jaya & Muath, Y13, Year 11 Service Learning Ambassadors
Munich 2013
Model United Nations International School of The Hague
(MUNISH) 2012 conference took place during 2-4 November.
Many international schools took part in the conference. A group of
20 students from UWC Maastricht went to attend this conference
and had delegations in several committees including
Environmental Commission, Economic and Social Council, General
Assembly, Human Rights Council, Security Council and Special
Conference 1 & 2. These students represented three countries
which were Rwanda, Switzerland and Qatar. The group was
accompanied by Mr. John Simpson and Mrs. Anita Broer. Generally
the conference was a huge success and quite a few students
even succeeded to get their resolutions passed. The conference, overall, was very well organized and the attendees
learned many things. They stayed with host families for two nights and got to know the local people better. On the
second day a party was held for all delegates in the World Forum which everyone thoroughly enjoyed.
From researching on different countries to wearing suits and ties, students not only learned many new things but also
took back memories which will last for many years to come. We look forward to more conferences and educational trips
like MUNISH ’12. Asad Jamal Malik & Štěpán Laichter

Year 13 Musical “Anything Goes”
This year's musical “Anything Goes” was a student run production, lead by Dijana Sneath and Olivia Campbell, both year
13. Musically themed around the work of Cole Porter, “Anything Goes” follows a group of passengers on a voyage from
New York to London, where mistaken identity and mischief occur regularly on a quest to find true love.
Rehearsals for the play began just before October Break, but it wasn't until after break that practice really picked up. For
six weeks the cast of Anything Goes met at least twice a week with smaller practices more frequently. With the help of
many, including Noune Poghosyan-Zeltsburg, Ludo Roijen, Tine Vandewege and Ms. Doering, the cast learned to sing
together, dance in Broadway style and hone their acting skills. Finally, on Thursday November 29th and Friday
November 30th it was time to shine. After a slightly rocky, but still much enjoyed, Thursday performance, the cast and
crew were back in full energy on Friday and had a fantastic show! This show could not have come together without the
help of Mr. MacIver, and of course the entire student cast and crew themselves. We say “Thank You” to you all!
On Wednesday 7 th & Thursday 8 th November, year 8 visited the ‘D-Day Design’-Exhibition at the
MECC as part of their studies in Design Technology. The exhibition showcases small-scale
furniture, interior and product design by Dutch designers. The students looked at a variety of
different designs and innovations; from electric sports cars to washing machines to table lamps.
Students also had the chance to talk to some of the designers about the design process.
Photo: Maddie, Kelly & Juan from year 8 with their favorite piece of designer furniture from the ‘D-Day Design’-
Exhibition.
On Tuesday 27 th November, year 12 art students visited the Bonnefanten
Museum, Maastricht. Their task was to find a work of art which would be of
inspiration and example to their own artwork. They also needed to prepare
a presentation about their chosen piece for the rest of the group. As part of
their trip, they also had the chance to see a current temporary exhibition by
the winner of the prestigious BACA award (Biennial Award for
Contemporary Art), American artist Mary Heilmann. The piece that
everyone was most impressed with was the site-specific installation ‘Heavy
Lights; by American artist Maya Hayuk.
Photo: Suze, Krisztina, Lali, Miho, Stepan, and Mana in front of the installation.