International School of Monaco
March 2016 Edition
The Middle School Times
Constance Paefgen
Gaia Dolenc-Bueno
THE UNITED NATIONS:
AN INTERVIEW WITH A
FORMER EMPLOYEE
Le club de philosophie
POURQUOI VA-T-ON
À L’ÉCOLE? ?
Maxim Alekseev
GLOBALISATION
1
Picture Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Contents
The United Nations: An Interview with a Former Employee / page 4
The Cologne Attacks / page 5
Pourquoi va-t-on à l’école? / page 6
Globalisation / page 8
Cyberbullying / page 9
The Politics of the United States / page 11
The San Andreas Fault Line, A Trip to the Oceanographic Museum / page 12
Year 7 on a School Trip, The Environment Needs You! / page 13
Study Tips & Tricks, Book Recommendations / page 14
The Educational Benefits of YouTube / page 15
Pewdiepie Surpasses 10 Billion Views!, ‘Joe & Caspar Hit the Road’/ page 16
2
‘Made in the A.M.’ - Top of Flop?, Netflix Takes Monaco/ page 17
The ‘Middle School Times’ Team
SECTION
Note from the Editor-in-Chief
The Team
It is with great pleasure that we introdu-
Constance Paefgen: Editor-in-Chief & Founder
ce the International School of Monaco’s
Gaia Dolenc-Bueno: Assistant Editor-in-Chief
newly founded newspaper. The develop-
Maxim Alekseev: Assistant Editor-in-Chief
ment of a publication is always a collecti-
Enya Demeyer: Editor of Humanities
ve endeavor. Without the teamwork and
Gemma Griffiths: Editor of Literature
cooperation displayed by the team of Mi-
Kristina Litvina: Editor of Technology
ddle School students, the creation of ‘The
Yulia Aksenova: Editor of Popular Culture
Middle School Times’ would not have
Marie-Lou Goeminne: Editor of School Affairs
been possible, and I would like to thank
all journalists for their committment, continuous dedication and tireless efforts!
- Constance Paefgen
3
THE UNITED NATIONS:
AN INTERVIEW WITH A
FORMER EMPLOYEE
Gaia Dolenc-Bueno
Pictures Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons (Picture 2: Courtesy of Stefano Corso)
The United Nations is an institution with a vast amount of
Nations and if you would like to find out more information,
member countries. It is an intergovernmental organization
please simply go to www.un.org and you can discover what
that promotes cooperation. Its aim is to promote coopera-
they do, how you can join, where they work, etc.
tion amongst countries in order to improve the world. Its
The Middle School Times had the opportunity to speak with
headquarters are located in New York and its offices can be
a former United Nations member part of the ISM communi-
found around the globe.
ty. Regarding her experience at the UN, she stated, “When
An organization based on the League of Nations, the Charter
asked to summarize my years in the United Nations, I found
of the UN was signed on the 26th of June 1945. On October
myself facing a very difficult question: How do I condense
24th 1945, it was ratified and the United Nations officially
some of the most important years of my life and convey this
came into existence. There is a lot to learn about the United
message to a young audience?”
“I had the privilege to work in two of the specialized agencies of the United Nations for almost 12 years. My first job
was in the International Fund for Agricultural Development
(the IFAD). This is an agency which has a special mandate to
help foster development in the rural areas. IFAD finances a
variety of activities, from micro-credit to technical assistance to the building of small infrastructures and irrigation systems. The aim is to support the rural communities, to fight
hunger and to ultimately give people the tools to move out
of poverty. In my years at IFAD, my role was mainly to serve as a loan officer working directly with the governments
and the beneficiaries of our projects. I was in charge of managing loans and grants to poor countries in Africa, Latin
America and Middle East.”
“During my last years as a UN officer, I worked as Loan Offi-
4
cer for a division of the United Nations – the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). I was in charge
of direct project supervision of projects in connection
with financial and disbursement of funds.”
“If I could summarize all these years in the UN, I could say
that every day I was motivated by the fact that through
my work - and my small contributions - I have touched
and helped change the lives of disadvantaged people
around the world. When I had the opportunity to travel
to these poor regions (which was very often), it was incredible to see the faces of the people – young and old
– to whose lives we had made significant contributions
and improvements. There was tiredness and many challenges but the satisfaction that comes from doing something meaningful is extremely rewarding. For those
who care to do something to change the world, I definitely recommend it.”
THE COLOGNE ATTACKS
Maxim Alekseev
Picture Courtesy of Veit Schagow,
Flickr.com
On the New Year’s Eve of 2015, chaos prevailed in Cologne, Germany.
The police of Cologne later on received over 1,000 criminal complaints in relation to the attacks.
As stated by witnesses, a crowd of teenagers and adults of North African or Arabic origin gathered at the main train station of Cologne
on the evening of the 31st of December 2015. A large number of
them were drunk. Throughout the night, the men carried out sexual
attacks, harassment and thefts. Women in the trains, train station and
the local areas were affected. As well as setting off fireworks, which
burned various people, alcohol glassware was thrown around.
As the result of the attacks, in the proceeding period of time, many
protests were carried out by the citizens of Cologne. In addition to
this, extra security measures were taken during the February carnival.
5
POURQUOI VA-T-ON
À L’ÉCOLE?
Le club de philosophie
Picture Courtesy of ismonaco.org
L’école, c’est d’abord l’endroit où les élèves passent la
l’instruction est obligatoire. En France c’est le cas depuis
plus grande partie de leur temps - du matin jusqu’au
1882, et les parents qui ne garantissent pas une instruc-
soir, cinq jours par semaine. Ils y acquièrent des con-
tion à leurs enfants sont passibles de sanctions.
naissances en différentes matières avec l’aide de leurs
professeurs et y pratiquent des activités intéressantes
Il s’agit alors de comprendre le sens d’une telle loi. Quel
voire même ludiques avec leurs camarades. Ce temps
intérêt y a-t-il à rendre l’instruction obligatoire ? Il sem-
passé à l’école aurait essentiellement pour but de pré-
ble que ce soit d’abord une exigence sociale. Une bonne
parer les élèves à l’insertion dans la vie active et la so-
instruction est une des principales clés de réussite dans
ciété en général. Mais aller à l’école n’est pas toujours
notre société. Plus nous pourrons justifier d’un haut ni-
facile et agréable. Se lever tôt le matin, passer des tests
veau d’études, plus nous aurons de chances d’exercer
et des examens, faire ses devoirs lorsqu’on rentre à la
un travail valorisant, stimulant et bien rémunéré. Ainsi
maison… L’école peut aussi être vécue par certains
c’est pour donner à chacun la chance de réussir sociale-
d’entre nous comme une activité pénible (stress, fa-
ment que l’école a été rendue gratuite et obligatoire (du
tigue), contraignante (on n’y va pas toujours de notre
moins dans les pays occidentaux.)
plein gré !) voire même insensée (j’y vais parce que je le
dois, mais au fond je ne sais pas très bien pourquoi…).
Mais l’école n’est pas seulement un outil de réussite so-
Il serait donc intéressant de se demander pour quelle(s)
ciale. Elle favorise également notre développement en
raison(s) et dans quel(s) but(s) sommes-nous amenés à
tant qu’individu et en tant qu’être humain. En effet l’éco-
fréquenter l’école tous les jours et dans quelle mesure
le nous transmet des connaissances et des savoir-faire
cela en vaut la peine.
qui nous aident par la suite à nous adapter à notre environnement et nous rendent ainsi plus indépendants
Si nous devions nous interroger d’abord sur les raisons
et autonomes. Songez par exemple aux difficultés que
pour lesquelles nous allons à l’école, nous aurions ten-
peuvent rencontrer au quotidien les personnes qui ne
dance à répondre spontanément : parce que nous y
savent ni lire ni écrire : impossible pour elles de déchi-
sommes obligés. D’où vient alors cette obligation ? Elle
ffrer un courrier, de remplir une feuille d’impôts ou de
semble venir d’abord de nos parents qui chaque matin
comprendre une notice de médicaments... Cela les rend
nous y envoient, même si cela ne nous fait pas toujours
évidemment très dépendantes et vulnérables.
plaisir. Mais nos parents eux-mêmes y sont obligés par
la loi ! En effet dans la plupart des pays occidentaux
6
Enfin l’école nous permet de nous développer non pas
seulement en tant qu’individu isolé, mais
aussi en tant que membre d’une communauté. (C’est peut être un des avantages de
l’instruction scolaire par rapport à l’instruction à domicile.) C’est à l’école par exemple
que nous apprenons à comprendre et à accepter la différence de l’autre, à travailler en
équipe et à mieux communiquer. Autant de
compétences qui nous préparent à notre future vie sociale et politique.
Ainsi la raison principale pour laquelle nous
“...elle favorise notre développement en tant
qu’individu et en tant
qu’être humain.”
fréquentons l’école, c’est que notre société a
rendu l’instruction obligatoire. Aller à l’école
nous est alors apparu comme un moyen de
réussir socialement et professionnellement
dans le monde actuel, mais aussi comme un
facteur essentiel de notre développement
personnel en tant qu’individu et citoyen.
7
GLOBALISATION
Maxim Alekseev
Picture Courtesy of Mike Mertz, Flickr.com
Globalisation is the way in which goods, companies,
sation affects all of us. Firstly, most of the things we use
information and ideas are spread in an easier way
are there just because of globalisation, as for example
around the world, and the way in which the communi-
some of our food, such as coffee, bananas and other
cation and transportation around the globe improve. It
products, which come from other parts of the world as
all started when in the very far past the merchants tra-
South America or Africa. On top of this, even if we can be
velled from city to city, moving and selling different
sure that our croissants or pizzas are made locally, they
goods in the local areas. The next big step in the pro-
were nonetheless invented in another place, and the
gression of globalisation was the time of exploration,
recipe subsequently spread around the world. Moreo-
when in the Renaissance the famous explorers started
ver, most of clothes are products of globalisation, as for
sailing to the new World and in search of new lands,
instance the creation of a pair of jeans takes the partici-
spreading information and ideas around the planet.
pation of 15 countries, ranging from the US to Australia.
With the latest ICT developments, globalisation has be-
Secondly, many of our habits and pastimes are ideas
come an everyday thing, because every day we use diffe-
that spread thanks to globalisation, like football, which
rent products from all around the world and we use and
was originally played in China and subsequently spread
share information. In a way, through all of these exam-
around the globe. Today, it is the most popular game
ples, the world is “shrinking”, because the things that
in the world. Another example is the way that we tra-
took a long time in the past are now being done more
vel around the world or the way that we look at pho-
quickly. For example, in the 19th century, it took a long
tos on social media sites, which enables us to com-
time for a product from the US to arrive in Britain, while
municate and move through the surrounding world.
now it takes just a few hours. Today, information travels
Thirdly, many of our ideas and opinions are developed
much faster, and now you can discover news from the
as a result of globalisation, in the same way as most of
other side of the world in a matter of seconds, while 100
the things that we know or that we study have been
years ago, it would have taken days. Although all of this
discovered or developed in other parts of the world.
seems great, there are many side effects of globalisation.
Furthermore, many ideas and religions that we follow,
like the ideas of Nelson Mandela or the Muslim religion,
To start with, it is important to understand that globali-
8
are not the beliefs that were developed in your city.
However, even if globalisation affects you in such a
the global warming and in the future, your life might
good way, it has many other negative effects. First-
be threatened by a climatic cataclysm.
ly, the ideas that spread thank to globalisation are
not always beneficial, because they might be ina-
In conclusion, globalisation makes everybody’s life
ppropriate or they may be spreading some incorrect
easier and better, because it permits us to have
ideas, like ideas of racial or gender inequality or false
goods from all around the world, makes our life style
facts. For instance, if a student bases a school report
possible, permits us to have our global opinions and
on information derived from Wikipedia, which allows
ideas, and gives us the possibility to travel and com-
any individual to post facts, there may be a range of
municate around the world. Nevertheless, also globa-
errors in the assignment
lisation is bad because it can spread dangerous goods
and wrong and inappropriate information is spread
Secondly, globalisation is bad, because it might be
around the globe and can cause pollution.
spreading dangerous goods, as for example guns or
drugs, which might put you in danger. For example,
thanks to globalisation, guns may be transported illegally to a range of European countries, potentially
putting your lives into danger. Lastly, globalisation is
bad for you, because it ruins the environment and
pollutes the world that you are living in. This causes
CYBERBULLYING
Gaia Dolenc-Bueno
On Friday the 6th of November, the Year 7s had
anonymous and may not even know the target at all.
a
nie
meeting
with
Woollacott,
the
school
to
discuss
counselor,
Stepha-
They are often motivated by anger, revenge or frustration.
internet
safety.
Have you ever experienced cyberbullying? If you are a
victim of it, it is important that you notify someone, whe-
Various topics, including the advantages and disadvan-
ther it is your family, teachers or friends. Never keep on-
tages of the World Wide Web, were talked over as part
line bullying to yourself! People around you, including
of the new topic of internet safety in the Year 7 Home-
your parents, might already have experienced a form of
room classes. A primary area of discussion was cyber-
online harassment before and know exactly how you feel.
bullying. Questions ranging from ‘Why is cyberbullying
dangerous?’ to ‘How can we prevent cyberbullying?’
In conclusion, the cyberbullying aspect of the Year
were asked and answered by students and teachers.
7 curriculum will most certainly prove to be beneficial for all students, as it is a topic that is particu-
With the increasing use of technology, bullies have found
larly relevant in today’s online world. Do remem-
a new platform for spreading their harmful intentions.
ber that if you wish to speak about an incident of
Unlike “old-school” bullying, cyberbullies can remain
cyberbullying – Stephanie’s door is always open!
9
THE POLITICS OF
THE UNITED STATES
Gaia Dolenc-Bueno
Pictures Courtesy of Mika Mozart, Jeffrey Zeldman, Gage Skidmore & Marc Nozell,
Flickr.com
US politics have recently been a primary topic featured in world news. With Obama’s presidency set to
end in January 2016, a total of 15 individuals have
presented themselves as candidates for the upcoming election. There are two main parties, which
are the Republic Party and the Democratic Party.
The US Branches of Government
In the United States, there are three branches of the government, including:
1. Legislative (those who make the law) – Usually consists of 100
elected Senators (2 per state) and 435 elected representatives
(based on the population of each state). These two large groups
form the Congress.
2. Executive (those who carry out the laws) – Usually made up
of a President, a Vice President and a Cabinet (nominated by the
President and must be approved by the Senators, at least 51 votes).
3. Judicial (those who evaluate the laws) – Consists of the Supreme Court (9 justices, which are nominated by the President
and must be approved by at least 51 Senators) and other Federal
Courts.
10
US politics are rather complex, but these are the basics. They
have been marked by an array of scandals, including the global scandal regarding Hillary Clinton utilizing her home server
whilst working as the US Secretary of State and using it to send
emails, etc. This is forbidden by the law, because it would have
been necessary for her to use the Government Security Server,
which, according to various public sources, she had not been
using.
US Elections: The Major Candidates
(18.03.2016)
Democratic Party Candidates:
•
Donald Trump
•
Ted Cruz
•John Kasich
Republic Party Candidates:
•
Hillary Clinton
•
Bernie Sanders
11
THE SAN ANDREAS FAULT LINE
Enya Demeyer
Picture Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons,
NASA
ВThe San Andreas Fault Line is a 1,300 km long fault line
When an earthquake does occur, make sure to take cover.
that runs through most of America. It is the boundary be-
Places where you can hide are under a table or under any
tween the Pacific Plate and the North-American Plate. An
other solid, big object. If you live near large empty fields,
earthquake is supposed to occur every 150 years and in
make sure to go there if you have time. Falling buildings
2016, it is more than 100 years overdue and it could cause a
are great causes of damage, so make sure to stay clear from
shattering earthquake any day now.
them.
Andrew Lawrence was the first to identify the Northern
If this disaster does happen, stay safe.
fragment of San Andreas in 1895. In 1906, there was an
earthquake in San Francisco, which caused the fault line
to extend all the way into the southern part of California.
Scientists have been drilling into the San Andreas line to improve their understandings and have an easier prediction of
future earthquakes along the line.
A TRIP TO THE OCEANOGRAPHIC
MUSEUM
Maxim Alekseev
From the 6th to the 9th November 2015, the oceanographic
and the ways in which their life is made more enjoyable day
‘BLUE Film Festival’ takes place in the Monaco’s oceanogra-
to day.
phic museum. This revolutionary event and summit of fa-
After the documentary, Dr. Sylvia Earl held a speech about
mous fighters for the Ocean and Environment protection
the importance of keeping the oceans clean. Towards the
was visited by a group of motivated and active students
end of our visit to the film festival, we watched a short mo-
from Year 9 and from Secondary School, as part of a an
vie about the work of A. Tong, who is the President of Kiriba-
ocean and environment protection project, which com-
ti, a small island country in the Pacific Ocean, and has been
menced in September of this year.
fighting against global warming for many years.
This group of twelve students visited the last day of the
After this video, Mr. Tong was awarded the ‘BLUE Film Fes-
exposition and movie festival together with Miss Crowley
tival’ award. He subsequently made a speech covering his
and Mrs Godfrey. As part of the program we viewed a docu-
opinions about the ocean levels rising and the work he is
mentary movie entitled “Antarctic Edge 70 Degrees South”,
completing to promote the fight against the global war-
which was about a group of research scientists, who con-
ming. At the end, he shared his plans for the future. After
duct studies regarding the ocean and land animals of the
this fantastic presentation, the ISM students enjoyed free
South Pole, traveling as far as 70 degrees South. This and
food provided by the organisers of the festival and then re-
a range of other documentaries clearly depicted the main
turned to school.
ideas and tasks that make up the project of the scientists
12
YEAR 7 ON A SCHOOL TRIP
Gemma Griffiths
Picture Courtesy of Michael Gwyther-Jones, Flickr.com
Last October, Year 7 went on a school trip to
Avignon, Nîmes, Orange and Arles. The purpose of the trip was to learn about the Romans.
We visited wonderful sites that were all built by
the Romans like the Pont du Gard, an old Roman
aqueduct, the Maison Carré, an ancient theatre,
the arenas and a Roman winery. It was an amazing experience and we got to visit beautiful monuments.
The Environment Needs You!
Nowadays, helping the environment is of primary
significance. If we don’t start acting now, our future and the future of the next generations will be
affected. We can all play a small role in protecting
our environment and helping our planet, all whilst
having fun and enjoying ourselves. Here are 5 fun
and easy ways in which you can help the environment:
1. RECYCLING: Recycling can be fun and helps the
environment, so why not try it?
2. WALKING: take the bus, ride a scooter, a bike,
or a skateboard, instead of taking the car. Apart
4. GROWING PLANTS: Grow a garden of flowers,
trees or crops, and if you have a balcony, you can
get a pot to grow them in. This is fun at the same
time as helping the environment, and it can provide food or flowers and produce oxygen!
5. NO LITTERING: Do not throw rubbish on the
road, you can either throw it in a regular rubbish
bin, or recycle it if possible. This really helps the
environment and helps keep the city clean.
Of course there are more ways to help the environment but you can start with these!
Gemma Griffiths
from helping the environment, alternative ways
of getting around, that don’t pollute the environment, are fun to do!
3. TURNING OFF THE LIGHTS: Switch all lights off
when you Emerald eyes filled mineleave the house
and switch them off when you’re not using them.
This not only saves the environment – it also reduces the electricity bill!
Picture Courtesy of Colleen Lane, Flickr.com
13
STUDY TIPS & TRICKS
Marie-Lou Goeminne
Picture Courtesy of the University of Arkansas, Flickr.com
1
Use flash cards
6
Eat healthy food
2
Have a clear work space
7
Don’t stay up late
3
Before an exam; try to practice with someone
8
Colour code your work
4
Take breaks every 25 minutes for 5 minutes
9
Plan out your work
5
Take notes and know your definitions
10
Organize your work
11
Listen to calm music
12
Don’t get distracted
13
Chew gum, because it can help you remember
14
Read in your free time
15
Practise before bed, practice in the car, etc.
16
Wear comfortable clothes
17Meditate
18
Don’t stress
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
Gemma Griffiths
Pictures Courtesy of Brenna Daugherty,
Flickr.com
1.
‘Girl Online’ by Zoe Sugg
2.
‘Sky Hawk’ by Jill Lewis
3.
‘Skellig’ by David Almond
4.
‘Dork Diaries’ (series) by Rachel Renee Russel
5.
‘Starcross’ by Phillip Reeve
6.
‘Noughts and Crosses’ by Malory Blackman
7.
‘The Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins
8.
‘The Giver’ by Lois Lowry
9.
‘Holes’ by Louis Sachar
10.
‘The Fault in Our Stars’ by John Green
14
THE EDUCATIONAL
BENEFITS OF
YOUTUBE
Yulia Aksenova
Picture Courtesy of redsoul300, Flickr.com
YouTube is a website that is not only useful for enter-
‘Crash Course’ is a very popular and educational chan-
tainment purposes – it can also be exceedingly educa-
nel. It simplifies complex topics, such as the history of
tional. It encompasses an array of videos that can edu-
the universe, the Big Bang theory and metabolism. The
cate young individuals.
videos are short and easy to understand.
For instance, YouTubers can assist with certain subjects,
If reading over your textbooks and notes does not
such as Biology, and show you how to make school
tempt you, watching YouTube videos might be a viable
supplies. ‘Study with Jess’ is a great choice for girls, as
alternative for you. Visual learners will certainly profit
Jess helps you get over various issues that might occur
greatly from the wide range of video material available.
at school and can show you how to have an organized
Why not try out a new method of studying for your next
planner.
test?
15
PEWDIEPIE SURPASSES
10 BILLION VIEWS!
Yulia Aksenova
Picture Courtesy of camknows, Flickr.com
The Swedish YouTube star PewDiePie, who produces highly
popular commentaries on games, has become the first YouTuber to supass 10 billion views.
With 36 million subscribers, Pewdiepie is the most popular
YouTuber of all time. Every year, he earns between 7 million
to 12 million dollars and donates half of this amount to a
charity. In October 2015, he released a book entitled ‘This
Book Loves You’, which will contain life changing quotes. It
has been estimated that he will receive 23 million for this
endeavor. Moreover, Pewdiepie has released a game, which
is called ‘Legend of the Brofist’ and is suitable for children
and adults.
‘JOE & CASPAR HIT THE ROAD’
Yulia Aksenova
Picture Courtesy of Gage Skidmore, Flickr.com
Joseph Sugg and Caspar Lee, two prominent YouTubers, recently released a film, which premiered in Leicester Square
on the 22nd of November 2015.
Their movie, which is entitled ‘Joe & Caspar Hit the Road’, is
about the two YouTubers touring Europe in a van and trying
to earn money to return to London. The film was highly successful and beat the record on Amazon of the fastest selling
movie. A range of merchandise was released, including a
calendar with pictures from the road trip.
16
‘MADE IN THE A.M.’ - TOP OR FLOP?
Enya Demeyer
Picture Courtesy of marcen27, Flickr.com
One Direction, the world’s most successful boyband, released their 5th album ‘Made in the A.M.’ on the 13th of November 2015.
An album with a total of 17 songs, it has received favourable reviews from critics. It debuted at number one on the
United Kingdom’s Albums Chart, having sold 93,189 copies.
In addition to this, it debuted at number two on the United
States’ Billboard 200, subsequent to selling 402,000 copies
in its first week.
As of February 2016, ‘Made in the A.M.’ has produced three
singles: ‘Drag Me Down’, ‘Perfect’ and ‘History’. It marks One
Direction’s first album without Zayn Malik, who left to pursue a solo career and recently released his first single as a
solo artist.
NETFLIX TAKES MONACO
Kristina Litvina
Picture Courtesy of Televisione Streaming, Flickr.com
Netflix, a well-known website for movies and TV shows, has
Netflix can be highly entertaining, but nonetheless, it invol-
finally made its way around the world! Previously, Netflix
ves individuals spending a lot for the hours sitting in front
was solely available in the United States of America. Now,
of a screen and staring at it. In the future, beware how much
it’s available in a variety of European countries, ranging
time you spend sitting in front of a screen wasting your pre-
from Monaco to Poland to Bulgaria.
cious time.
The idea behind Netflix, which used to be called Kibble, originated in 1997, after its future CEO was charged $40 for
a late VHS copy of Apollo 13. Today, there are 75 million+
Netflix subscribers in this world. They are able to choose be
tween 76,000+ categories when searching. In 2015, the
number of hours users watched was 42.5 billion hours.
17