Smart and Athletic

By Seif Zahran

Seif El Attal made every sports team possible in his four years at Schutz. He is one of the most athletic students in High School, with an award “Athlete of the Year” received last year in addition to a good academic standing. On top of all that, Seif also has the appetite of an elephant! He does not eat to live, he lives to eat!
Seif has many plans for his educational future because he believes that he is a successful person with many achievements in life. He plans to get a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and later on an MBA. All of this studying and hard work he will pursue will be in the United States with his friend Ali Seif. Seif has high hope to get accepted in a good college there. His favorite subjects in school are Math and Physics.
His favorite sport of all is Volleyball. He wishes to continue doing various sports in college, just as he did in school. The EMAC and ISAC tournaments that are held are the two things he will miss most.
Pasta and chicken panne are his favorite food. He could eat his three meals a day with just that. If there is no pasta and chicken available, sushi is an alternative. If he were to change one thing in Schutz, he would change the canteen for it does not satisfy his big appetite.“I would take the canteen so that they can get a new one,” he stated as the only thing that he would take with him from Schutz when he graduates.
He seems to be a busy student with a lot of things on his hand, but he manages to do more. Not only does he keep up with school and sports, but with friends and family as well. Socializing is on his list too. He likes to go to his friends’ houses, to the movies, or just to chill somewhere with his group of friends. Aly, his brother, and Zeina, his sister, are the two people that he will miss when he leaves Schutz. Seif is planning to visit Schutz occasionally so that he remembers the days that he cherishes.

Long Journey Comes to an End

By Omar Zahran

Kartikya began his journey in Schutz when he was in the second grade. Now he is a senior, and it is his eleventh year at Schutz. When he first joined Schutz, many people described him as shy and quiet. I think we all agree that he has changed a lot since then. He has become very outspoken and is often one of the loudest voices heard on campus.
Most people would even call him the school's jester. You could always see him running around campus energetically telling jokes. Many people will remember this about Kartikya after he is gone, and Kartikya will also miss many things about Schutz. However, the thing he says he will truly never forget about Schutz is the fact that it is such a small school and that he knew everybody and everybody knew him. He has many things he says he loves about Schutz. He said that he would miss things like participating in extra-curricular activities and goofing off at lunch.
He plans to continue his education in Canada where he could be closer to his older brother, Vinayak, a Schutz alumni. He said he would like to go into the field of Engineering. Even though he was lazy during the first three years in high school, he is working hard to get into a college in Canada. We all hope the best for him as he goes on into college life. Now as he is finally leaving Schutz, he will be remembered for many things mainly his fun-loving attitude.

Roba's Diaries: On Bullying and Bullies

By Roba Mahfouz
Special to The 83rd

A lot of young people have a good idea of what bullying is because they see it every day! Bullying happens when someone hurts or scares another person on purpose and the person being bullied has a hard time defending himself or herself. Usually, bullying happens over and over. It can take many forms such as punching, shoving and other acts that hurt people physically, or spreading bad rumors about people, or keeping certain people out of a "group", or teasing people in a mean way, or getting certain people to "gang up" on others. There are all kinds of reasons why young people bully others, either occasionally or often. Does any of these forms sound familiar to you?
- Because I see others doing it
- Because it is what I need to do if I want to hang out with the right crowd
- Because it makes me feel, stronger, smarter, or better than the person I'm bullying
- Because it is one of the best ways to keep others from bullying me
Think about what you are doing and how it affects others. If you think calling others names is really harmless, or if you think pushing, hitting or stealing from other kids is funny, you probably have forgotten what it feels like to be hurt yourself! Teasing, hitting, and keeping others out of a group, all of these things are examples of attempts to harm someone. All of us have been hurt at one time or another and we all know how it feels - awful!
If you have ever heard an adult or anyone else say that bullying is "just a fact of life" or "no big deal," you need to know that they are actually wrong! Too often, people just do not take bullying seriously until the sad and sometimes scary stories are talked about. According to facts, it can mess up a kid's future. Young people who are bullied are more likely to skip school and drop out of school than those who do not get bullied. They are also more likely to smoke, drink alcohol and get into fights. According to established research done in the United States, as many as 160,000 students may stay home on any given day because they are afraid of being bullied. It can lead to huge problems later in life. Children who bully are more likely to get into fights, vandalize property, and drop out of school. Sixty percent of boys in the United States who were bullies in Middle School had at least one criminal conviction by the age of 24.
Kids who bully like to pick on kids who are by themselves a lot; it is easier and they are more likely to get away with their bad behavior. If you spend more time with other kids, you may not be an easy "target" and you will have others around to help you if you get into a difficult situation! If the person who is bullying you thinks you will not do anything about it, they are more likely to keep picking on you. This does not mean you should fight back or bully them back. Instead, tell the person bullying you that you do not like it and that they should stop! Keep it simple. You might just say, "Cut it out!", and then walk away. If possible, try to talk to them in a calm voice. Kids who bully often like to see that they can make you upset. If you are afraid to talk directly to the person who is bullying you by yourself, then you might want to ask someone else to be there with you.
Bullying should not be mistaken for a show of power over someone else. It is an act of fear, a feeling of inferiority and low self-esteem that pushes someone to bully someone else to prove they are stronger and to draw so much attention.

Schutz’s Pride in a Blonde

By Marina Guirguis

Kara Michelle Newell is probably known by being the significant blonde in Schutz’s high school, but she is anything but the stereotypical blonde. She is a smart girl enrolled in AP classes, such as AP US History. She enjoys reading in her free time, hanging out with friends, as well as listening to music.
She spent the first nine years of her life in Charlotte, North Carolina, before moving to Alexandria, Egypt. As a young girl, ballet, dance, gymnastics, and piano lessons dominated Kara’s elementary years. The first school she attended was called Covenant Day School. Her first memory involved “My best friend Shanna sleeping over. So much fun!” Kara and Shanna Van Beek have known each other since the day Kara was born, and were often mistaken for twins. “We still joke about that now. In fact we refer to each other as twin or sister sometimes, “Kara explained. In 1994, her family and a few other families started a church in uptown Charlotte called uptown Christ Covenant Church. This is where Kara goes to visit when she returns to the United States and where she spent last summer tubing, wakeboarding, swimming and water fighting at Lake Norman.
The Newells moved to Egypt in 1999. The hardest thing about moving according to Kara was, “not seeing friends and family on a regular basis.” Her dad wanted the family to have an overseas experience.
In time though, all good things come to an end. This is Kara’s senior year, meaning soon she will pack up her bags and leave what she loves once again. Her first choice for college is Elon University, about twenty minutes away from the university her brother attends. She dreams of one day being a kindergarten teacher because she “loves kids and wants to help them grow and discover new things.”
Kara is known among her friends for giving great advice and being a caring shoulder to cry on. You are surely guaranteed hours of fun if you spend time with this girl in or out of school. Some advice that Kara leaves with us is, “Let go, jump into life! Try something new at least once a day, everyday. Don’t let anyone say you can’t do something. Try and you might prove them wrong!”

Is she what she says she is?

By Seif Zahran

Gelan Badr is a girl whom everyone says is shy. Is she? Interviewing Gelan was not as hard as I expected. She might truly be shy, but when talking to her you realize that she is not. Gelan has been at Schutz for five years. She left Schutz for a period of time and went to CAC (Cairo American College), but she found that there was nothing like Schutz. Therefore, when her father’s work required another move, she was happy to go back to where she belonged.
Has she seen any changes since she was gone? No, was her answer. Things were pretty much the same, may be just a few paint jobs around the corner but things have not changed a bit. Gelan who gives the impression that she does not like school much, states, “Oh it’s just insane just to tell you all the things I will miss! It will take forever!” That itself tells us a lot. Not only does Gelan love Schutz, she loves the students, the teachers, and the workers, for everyone treats each other as siblings here.
Gelan is always referred to as a shy girl. She is always quiet and very peaceful. When I asked her why that is she simply said, “It’s just because I don’t get a chance to show my personality. I’m not quiet; it’s only in school, but outside I’m something else!” Well people, next time you talk to her, give her the chance to show who she really is!
Gelan has very good friends, including Tatiana whose way of laughing is the thing Gelan will miss most when she leaves Schutz.
After school there is college, the next big step in life, what will she do? She is taking her best friend, Karine Aziz, with her. Both of them have agreed to take the next step in life helping and supporting each other. They believe they have lots of potential, and that they will succeed in college. They plan to attend the Arab Academy for Science and Technology in Alexandria, hoping to be accepted in Engineering. We will all miss Gelan, and we all wish her great luck to fulfill all the plans she has for life!

Roba's Diaries

Is it Worth Being in Love?

By Roba Mahfouz
Special to The 83rd


Is falling in love and having boyfriends really the same? If it is the same, does every couple really experience true love? How can you know that it is worth being with this guy? Nowadays, all I hear from couples about relationships are problems. From the repetition of these instances, it became very normal for guys and girls to break up and some see it as “being cool”. Some sensitive people can be affected by a relationship, and their academic performance decreases. They sometimes even get depressed.
One of the interesting problems I heard about was a girl that loved a guy from the first sight. He too had feelings for her, but he never showed it. They talked as friends, but he was treating her as if she was special. This made the girl understand that he loved her, and she became more attached to him. Day after day, the relationship began to grow, and she was completely attached to him. Then came a week when she traveled, and they did not talk at all. When she came back, he showed her how much he had missed her. After a few weeks, he completely turned 180 degrees and became another person. When she asked if he had loved her before, his answer was, “I have always treated you as my sister”.
It was a huge shock for her, and she became depressed. She realized that after all that she still loved him and still had some faith and hope that one day he would come to her and ask her out. So is it worth waiting for that guy? Can he really be trusted? Does love really make a person that blind?

Arts + Sciences = Suraj

By Shereen Hassan

A creative and critical thinker with a true artistic talent, Suraj Baadkar stands out. He may give the impression that he is an average guy, but he is one with many talents. He is the President of the senior class, and he is one of the nicest people one would see on campus.
Suraj has been at Schutz since the 11th grade. Schutz is the platform that allowed him to excel. Being a senior makes him feel very responsible, “As we are the seniors it tends to be everywhere in any fields that seniors are looked upon as role models” said Suraj. He wishes to study either Computer Engineering or Electrical Engineering. His dad is his inspiration. His dream college is MIT, but his current option is India. About ten years from now, he wishes to see himself working with a software company.
Suraj is a unique person who is good at both arts and sciences. He likes to draw, and he is very good at it, but it is just last year that he discovered that he could draw portraits. He even received a special pin that was given to him last year by Mr. Al for Arts. On the Fine Arts Night, four of his art works were sold. Not only is he good at drawing, but he is also a good writer. “When I feel something, I like to write about it”, said Suraj. His poems are one of a kind. He is a very talented person, and he likes to do other things. He loves music. He has played two percussion instruments since 6th grade, the Congo and Tumba.
Suraj will miss many things in Schutz. “My close friends, they know who they are, and some teachers who have motivated me and guided me through my time in Schutz,” said Suraj. He will also miss the many moments he spent in front of the library on the White Tables.
Suraj wishes to achieve many things in life, but most of all he said “ I wish to bring happiness to others in life.” Not many people really think of the others, everything is usually centered on themselves. Suraj adds “The world is my country, its citizens are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.”
For the juniors, Suraj says “If you want something you never had, do something you’ve never done”. Suraj will be leaving Schutz this year and trust me he will be missed by all. His warm personality and creativity are two traits that will be most missed.

Confident Woman

By Aya Kordy

“If it were my ideal world, I would own an empire of hotels.” What a unique dream for an eighteen year old! She has her pros and cons, ups and downs, she is like every other person yet one of a kind.
She likes to be responsible and tell people what to do. She has been her class president for two years, secretary for one year, and treasurer for one year. Her history in Schutz for the past twelve years stands out.
Laila Afifi is a senior Schutz student. She began her school year in Schutz twelve years ago, and now she is ending it in the same place. As I interviewed Laila I realized how much Schutz influenced her whole life. Laila wishes to attend college in the United Kingdom, specifically the University of Warwick. She wishes to major in International Relations, International Business, or Business Law. Laila has not yet pictured her future as a whole; she likes to take it “one day at a time.” Nevertheless, there is one thing she knows, she said confidently “I don’t know what exactly I want to be, but what ever it is, I‘d like to be good at it.” As we all know, Laila has a very firm personality. She rarely ever shows her weak side, as a matter of fact she never does. Out of curiosity, I decided to know what her weakness could be. Smiling at my question, she sighed, “When I have an idea of my own and I strongly believe in it and somebody plays it down”.
Laila will miss “everything in Schutz” and added “I’ll miss that everybody knows everybody and everything.” Laila had her own thoughts that she wishes to share with the school. “I have been at Schutz for twelve years. I remember practicing with Greg for the winter program, standing in the
front row because I was one of the youngest students. Now I stand in the back of the room, with twelve years behind me. I know that the next step is out of the door, outside of Schutz. The thought that it is finally coming to an end is both scary and exhilarating. Schutz has been more than a family to me. I hope that everyone may have this wonderful opportunity as I did!”
Laila Afifi’s name will no longer be in Schutz’s enrollment list after this year; nevertheless, it will always be part of its history.