1 . You start by running around the school track three times to warm up. This is followed by exercises or long jump for the girls and football or basketball for the boys. That is an average 45 -minute PE class— but do you really enjoy it?

For students at the Second High School Attached to Beijing Normal University, sports classes have experienced a welcome change. Senior 2 students now learn the traditional Chinese martial art of sword-fighting (中国剑术), making PE the most popular lesson on the timetable. “The classes used to be boring as we just did the same things again and again,” said Xiao Tong. “But now PE classes are such fun. Sword-fighting is so cool.” His classmate Wei Jie agrees. “As well as being fun, we learn about traditional Chinese culture,” she said. The usual morning exercises performed to music on the school playground have been replaced by kicking and punching practice (搏击操) to a pop music by Zheng Xiuwen. “We didn't pay much attention when we heard the old music,” Xiao explained, “But when Zheng's music is played, we get excited.” Mao Min, the PE teacher who introduced the changes, is pleased that the students now enjoy sports lessons more. “The classes encourage healthy lifestyles and I am always looking for creative ways to keep the students active,” he said. Schools offer activities according to what sports facilities (设备) they have. For example, students at the Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University can choose to learn swimming, taekwondo (跆拳道) or volleyball. “I take my volleyball very seriously so I keep fit by playing it,” said Senior 2 student Zhang Zheng. “Students only try hard in sports that interest them.”

2 . BOLTON SCHOOL SIXTH RORM GIRLS

2021-2022 HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION LECTURES

Historical Association branch meetings have been a regular feature in the Girl’s Division for the past six years. Each year, a series of seven lectures are delivered by a range of academics from different universities and research institutes. Attendees meet in the comfortable surroundings of the Sutcliffe Suite and enjoy a chat over tea and biscuits before and after the highly interesting and exciting lectures. Over the past years, attendees have enjoyed lectures on the American Civil War and Simon de Montfort. The branch welcomes pupils from a number of surrounding schools in particular at the Great Debate competition.

In order to allow for more time to adapt to ever changing circumstances with regards to COVID-19, the branch has decided to delay the start of the 2021 - 2022 season until January, 2022. There will be six lectures, running into June for the first time in the branch’s history.

While the branch has often provided comfort on cold winter nights, we do hope that members, new and old, will now join us as in the spring and summer of 2022. We hope to welcome lecturers who will be speaking about the Mayflower, the Jacobites and 17th Century Versailles. In the meantime, please follow@ boltonhistory on Twitter, or “Bolton Historical Association” on Facebook, for updates. Alternatively(或者), please speak to Mr. Owen, Head of History, in school.

4 . Students in the class of 2021 have faced unusual challenges. The global COVID-19 pandemic forced schools and students to make big changes. In 2020, the pandemic led to the cancellation (取消) of many special events like prom and graduation.

Students of the class of 2021 at Newton North High School in Newton, Massachusetts, think this spring can be different. They are working to keep students connected and traditions alive. Kevin Wu, the class president, and other student leaders have hosted events like a kickball match and a free movie night. In other years, the student union puts on events to raise money. Now, though, the events are about keeping the senior class connected.

Newton North is planning an in-person prom for the class of 2021. As part of the COVID-19 safety rules, the prom is taking place outdoors in a field. Students said they have gotten used to the idea that it won’t be what they once expected. They are thankful for the experience.

“I think to some extent we all didn’t think we were going to have a prom. It was a pleasant surprise,” said Sara Sales, a senior. “I think everyone’s pretty happy just to have the opportunity to be able to participate in an event like that, and bring everyone together.”

Ellie Solomon is a senior at Newton North. She said she was excited to dress up and connect with friends. Sanders said the class of 2021 has done well adjusting to the changes. He said, “We look forward to celebrating what we can celebrate at the end of the year and enjoying every minute of it.”

Graduation and prom symbolize an end for seniors. Sales thinks her class is ready, though. “I feel like everyone’s just ready to graduate,” she said. “We’ve gone through a crazy year, and I think we’re all sort of ready to just move on and go to college.”

7 . Have you ever dreamt of being among the people talked about on a celebrity blog? Well 140 junior high and high school students from Edmonton, Alberta don’t have to dream any longer. An inter-school project they worked on was so successful that Perez Hilton blogged about it, which is surprising since his blog is usually for celebrities. They did a flash mob (快闪) in a shopping center with the main message being “stand up to bullying”.

Over 140 students, aged from 12 to 17, participated in the anti-bullying flash mob, dancing to a well-known song called “Loser Like Me” “We actually had almost too many; we had to cut back on the number at each school,” said Kristina Solikowski, one organizer of the event.

“I was just really excited!” said Olivia Brassard, a grade seven student at RS Fowler School. Being one of the younger student dancers, Olivia couldn’t get over her nerves at the start. “I was a little shy because I had to interact with a lot of grade eights and nines, but after, I got more comfortable,” said Olivia.

The reason why Olivia got involved was partly for the fun of dancing but also because she really believed in the message that bullies are bad! “I thought it would be a good way to spread the word about the bullying that goes on in our society,” said Olivia.

Olivia’s friend Allison Wood, a grade eight student at St. Albert Catholic High School, got involved for the same reason as Olivia. “I don t think it’s going to be possible to stop bullying all together, but I think we can certainly decrease it,” explains Allison.

These students have set a good example for kids everywhere. There’s no better way to decrease something bad than by getting people together to do something good, right?

9 . News of the upcoming English Talent Show aroused the interest of my roommates and inspired us to perform.    1     First, we chose the drama The Villains Lair, featuring the most iconic Disney villains as they plot their revenge. We wrote our script based on The Villains Lair, added amusing lines into the story and named it Villains' Tea Party. In the play, Godzilla comes to a tea party uninvited and guests try to decide whether the character is a villain.     2       We also drew inspiration from the animated film, Wreck-It Ralph 2.

We designed the settings and made most of the stage props by ourselves.     3     We even woke up early to rehearse acting onstage. Of course, we couldn't avoid arguing during the preparation over the lines and acting style. Thanks to our outspoken personalities, we dealt with many problems directly.

In fact, we thought we would be very nervous when we stood onstage, but we weren't. Though we carelessly broke a glass when we set the stage, we still completed the performance in a relaxing and calm way.     4     We had great success. Through this activity, we experienced the strength of cooperation and learned how to overcome difficulties.    5    

I'm writing to you to call for volunteers for Excellence Connections, a tutoring programme that matches 12th graders to the students from grade seven to nine to work together. The programme aims to help students with study, activities and personal development, and to better prepare them for their next step—senior high school.

Excellence Connections runs throughout the school year. Volunteers meet with the students on Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 7:45 (you can attend either on Wednesday or on Thursday). If that time is not suitable for you, there are other choices like writing programme on Monday, the math and science programme on Friday, or the technology club, a programme without regular working hours in which students make videos.

If you can't ensure weekly attendance, you can contribute by helping the committee. The programme also needs volunteers who will provide technical support, help design web pages and write newsletters, or help organise events such as our annual holiday party, the arts or video festival or the welcoming dinner. Not everyone can be a one-on-one volunteer, but almost anyone can contribute to students' learning experiences and campus life in this programme.

For more information about the programme or the application, please visit http://www.excellenceconnections.net. You can also call me at 312-469-1509, or email Excellence Connections at info@cabriniconnections.net.

I hope you will consider checking it out. YOU CAN BE THAT TUTOR!