1º Bachillerato: My first day

My first day in 1º Bac tells us the "true" story of our present Opinion Editor on her first day at her new High School. Irreverent and hilarious, the author tries to depict her first day as a new kid on the block (newcomer) in an ordinary secondary school and she does not hesitate to make connections with her previous experiences at her beloved former school. What's ahead, she cannot tell.

You'd better not miss it. Opinion Section

What TES Has Meant To Me

The English Star has not been a recent project. In fact everything began quite a few years ago when I had the pleasure to share my great devotion, which is learning and teaching, with someone who had become, along the years (not many), a very good friend of mine, and that by then, had also turned into my closest workmate at Maria Inmaculada School. We used to have a coffee break at nine or nine - fifty in the morning every now and then with the only purpose to have a relaxing cup of coffee in 'El Pensat i Fet ' (now known as 'El bar del Chino'),  and deal with a lot of topics. I always enjoyed the chat. I must say that we both did not very often start from the same assumptions, however, we always managed to reach the same conclusions and to agree in what should be done next. It is even funny that I sometimes got startled at his premises and that he sometimes got startled because of mine, but any case we were very keen on sharing our thoughts and ideas about teaching, about everything: we gave our point of view on students' potentials and subjects, we talked about our emotions and fears before upcoming school events, we faced the common setbacks with open minds and tried to find the finest solutions for our students, and we overlooked our new projects ahead even in the long term.

As a matter of fact, one of his main goals and most wanted projects ever was to guide our students so that they could edit a school newspaper or magazine. He thought it to be important enough to embark himself and a good bunch of 4th ESO students into such a project, which eventually came up with the name of Quart Creixent. His strong will and pro-active attitude soon made different subjects and teachers join and support the project, so it was not only Computer Science (the host subject of the project) but also Spanish, Valencian and English got involved at a time, as well as all ESO Language teachers without exception, and that made that younger students also wanted to cooperate in one way or another.

Those were really good times; we barely had the required resources but our expectations exceeded  by far our shortage of materials. But the best point was that we made students feel the same as we did.

Then, bad times arrived...

...and I think it was about time to get over.

Those chats, that exchange of ideas, the raising thoughts, those laughs and newly old-cast principles, those moments have never left my mind and definitely will not be lost in time like tears in the rain in spite of the eventual mournful disappearance of that Nexus - six, friend of mine. A group of enterprising spirits led by a few really pushing and self-motivated students in 4ESO have made the project, the dream, come true. Still, it has been hard work for the last two years:

It was 2013, we could, then, take advantage of the new subject Practical English (Inglés Práctico) and started thinking about setting up a kind of editorial office which eventually gave birth to the first edition of The English Star. That was June 2013 and it was a printed edition. Karl Almela, Roxi Ramírez, Chris Beleña, Steph Oña, MaryJoe Yance, and Martha Castillo made it possible, you were the doctors, the nurses, the midwives, thank you!

Next step was to be even harder. 2014, a great team led by Dolly Murdoch and Nuria Shepherd, a writter and a scientist shaking hands, with Jude Alcalde, Lydia Cobo, Martha Server, Will Arándiga and Charlie Yudego, managed to start the first digital edition. They were already used to working on-line within Funfine English Blog (the current class blog for the subject) but a full image and lay-out was needed. Thank you guys, you kept the dream alive by turning words into electromagnetic waves. My special admiration goes for Dolly, who contributed a great deal more than she thinks, and she still does.

2015 and a new group of students, whose attitude and learning and intellectual abilities have been proved beyond doubt, take charge of The 'young' English Star digital edition. Very soon, I realised they had what it takes to run such a project and launch it to the Moon. So I tried to do my best, to give more than everything and enjoy the trip, I knew I was going to have the best partners, the best boys and girls I could have for the journey. Mark Morcillo released the first article of the new era (The Golden Ball 2014) and then everything began to run smoothly. Experienced Charlie Yudego worked on sports again, Vinnie Peris, high level, was responsible for the new Sci-Tech section, Lory Gómez, breaking personality, and Trish Mata, cool and thoughtful, were responsible for CMI News and did their best to involve younger children, Molly Gascó, lively and positive reporter for Pastimes, Jan Martínez, hard-working and open-minded, for Culture, Rose Earl shone leading the Features section and carried out a great field work. Thank you Rose for your commitment. Our most prolific and sensitive writer, Andy Bordon, Opinion Editor and most followed made a difference, also helped with the pictures and everything around her. Finally, our Managing Editor, Eve Chancosa, who was always the fastest to learn, the fastest to work and the fastest to help, made a great job with the general layout and frontpage excerpts, and led this group of fantastic people who have brought The English Star to the Starting Square of the true Game for the first time, (10 sections and nearly 50 articles), students and editors who have rolled the dice so passionately that have gained their school-mates' respect and admiration, students who have given it all when they were asked for it, students who have been able to bring the good times back ... Thank you so much! You already know they way I feel about you!

...To be continued by the next generation and those who dare to play a part on this challenging trip.  

To write is a great way to scream.

Have you ever thought about why people write? If you have wondered about that, you should read the new article in the Opinion Section. Then, you could know why people who write need it like if it was something to keep living, like a medicine.

So, if you read it you could find a reason to write, how you can do it, a way to be better with yourself telling the world about your toughts. And even if you don't believe it, it could helps you a lot.

Maths Olympics

Al- Khwarizmi Society organizes the Maths Olympics for students who are in the third cycle of Primary Education and in Secondary Education, so that they enjoy solving math problems. This year the Maths Olympics took place on 18th April in Valencia. Then the students who were in the selection of 144 people passed into the second stage. (There is an interview with Marcos, a boy who managed to get into the second stage). Continue reading in our CMI News Section.

Why should I choose Practical English next year?

Practical English is a free-choice subject that you can choose in 4th of ESO. The teacher who teaches the subject is Paco Abela and in this essay you can find 4 reasons why you should choose Practical English next year. Check them in our CMI News Section.

Our Last Year

It's only one week left to leave school and I don't want to. Here, in school I have lived a lot of moments that I will never forget. 

I want you to know how I have felt, although I don't think you could understand it the same way I do. This school has become a family, and I don't think any other school could get it. It is difficult to say, because everything is in here, every moment, every laugh, every tear, everything. 

I am sure you'd like to read more, so visit our Opinion section.

If you're not yourself then, who are you?

It seems that in this world to be yourself could be a little bit difficult. Life is full of styles and unless you are like everybody else, you are nothing. But, Do you know what? I prefer to mean nothing for the rest of the world and keep being myself.
There are always going to be difficulties in your life, it is not easy, no one ever said it was. But you can't let these challenges hurt yourself and not let you be what you long to be. Just be happy and show your smile to the world.

Let's take a look at this interview in wich our Past Time girl talk about that:

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW

I'll give you a life to live happily, Not a life to live dying

“Hello, my name is Ann, I’m fifteen years old and I live in Valencia. I have two brothers younger than me, one of them is six years old and the other is ten years old. My dad does not work, my mum is a merchant. We finish every month short of money. I have tried to look for a job, to do anything to help at home, but there have not been any result and I am afraid that what I bring home is just problems. I am sitting on a bench and I am crying...

A sadly common and regrettably usual story which makes us wonder about life, our origin and our fate. You can't miss it. Visit our OPINION page

Divergent Trilogy

I love reading, and I recommend you to read a lot of books, because you will learn a lot, even more if they are in English. I have read a lot of books, so I can recommend you a lot of them, but if you like love stories and action, you cannot miss the trilogy of Veronica Roth, Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant.

If you want to know what this trilogy is about, you'll have to wait for a couple of days and then come into our Culture Page to read the full article, I'm sure that after reading the article you will want to read the books, or in case you don't like reading that much, you'll like to watch the films.
Please, let us know about your opinion, just by clicking on Comments below.

CMI Culture Week is on the go

Another school year is coming to an end, new talents are built up, new goals are pursued...

We are about to start the 2015 CMI Culture Week in which we celebrate the XII Literature Contest.

Every student in our school is taking part in one activity or another.

Events are setting off next April 27th with a wonderful art exhibition along the school hallways. Theatre plays, fun games and open-air activities, art and music shows, movies, contests and a lot of fun are among the different events in a year in which we're celebrating the International Year of Light. That's why most of our students' works and essays will deal with this topic, light technologies, and space-time relativity. Here you are the different categories in the XII CMI Literature Contest:

• SHORT STORIES [CMI EX-STUDENTS] Join Facebook

• THEATRE - SPANISH 3º/4º ESO
  
  
  
• SHORT STORIES - SPANISH 1º/2º ESO
• OBJECT POEMS - VALENCIAN 3r/4t ESO
• "ACUDITS" / JOKES 1r/2n ESO
• LET'S SING ENGLISH 3rd/4th ESO
• LET'S SING ENGLISH 1st/2nd ESO

• COMIC STRIPES 6é Primària
• CÓMIC STRIPES MUSICALES 5º Primaria
• LAPBOOKS 4t Primària
• LAPBOOKS 3º Primaria
• POEM PAINTING 2n Primària
• POEM PAINTING 1º Primaria

For further information do not hesitate and click here > CMI News. You can't miss it.

Interstellar on at CMI

Last Wednesday 25th March 2015 the group of science in 4th ESO had the pleasure to enjoy the film in the school Hall Room. There were also some guest students as Peter and Santiago, as well as our teachers Vicente, Paco and Sister Victoria.

In our Culture Page you will find interesting features about the film and about the venue as well, e.g. an interview to our Managing Editor, or the official trailer of the movie.

5 Tv Shows you should watch in 2015

Our section War Correspondents is on a roll. You can check it reading the new article whose headlight is the one mentioned above. It is a very interesting article in which you can see the name of a number of very famous series and find out what they are about. In fact, I am sure you will have heard of most TV shows in this list.

What are you waiting for? Let's read it and get to watch any of them because I guarantee you that you will never regret.

The only problem you might have to face is that many famous series can only be watched on pay television, but there are other ways to watch them, you know.

7 things you should do before you're 18

When we are growing old, we always make plans, we think about what we must do before..., that's because we realise that something is changing, and when we are close to 18, we change a lot, we are going to become adults, and we won't be children anymore.
I think that everyone has thought about what we should do before we are 18, 30, etc. Maybe we should think about a list soon, because 18 is close. It is nothing special; it is just because it makes you feel important and the most important thing: it means that you know what you want in your life and that you are going to fight for it.

But what is real is that there is an age in which there is a turning point, when you have new purposes, when you want to change the course of your life, when you leave that young boy behind to become an adult. 

7 things you should do before you’re 18. An article that I am sure you will love, because you are going to be in a full agreement with it, at least I am. 

With this list, suggested by our War Correspondents, Dolly M., we may have something to think about, to know what we must do, and make our own list not to forget about things that are important for us. 

Maybe you think it is not that important, or you don't fancy to make a list, but the most important thing is that you should do what is important to you before it's too late and, at least, that you are going to fight for it.

Visit our War Correspondents section. 

Pretty Little Liars

Pretty Little Liars is a TV series that is an adaptation of the books written by Sara Sheppard. Five seasons have been broadcast up so far and now the cast is recording the 6th season. The main characters are a group of five friends called Spencer, Aria, Hanna, Emily and Alison.

The serial begins at the point when Alison disappears while the other girls are sleeping after a party in a farm and a mysterious character "A" starts threatening them.

Then, after five seasons of terrible things everybody was willing to watch A's face but...

Andalusia political scene, a new trend?

Last 22nd March the regional election to the Junta de Andalucia was held.  They are believed to depict a new trend in  the results of the national election that will be held next November. But first, the involved political forces will have to face another electoral appointment in the local election next May.
The picture of the Andalusian government hasn't changed too much except for the new parties that have just come into scene. The party led by Susana Díaz, the eventual winner, will however have to make a great effort to consolidate a stable government.
Read through our Politics Page for more info.

There is no 3rd World.

WE DO NOT LISTEN, JUST HEAR

"A woman has been killed by a group of men for a fake accusation of burning some Coran papers".

"Dominican Republic's police have rescued seventeen under-age girls who were going to be sexualy sold by their own parents".

These are just a couple of headlights you can read or gist everyday in the Internet or the papers. It hurts, doesn't it? But the point of this article is the fact that we are getting more and more used to seeing such a kind of headings, such a kind of dreadful acts and as a result we're beginning to feel immunized. We no longer listen to people in trouble or pay attention to them, we just hear the sound of the distant waves, the tremor of an unseen war.
Please, keep on reading in our Opinion Section.

Dreadful Plane Crash in the Alps

Last Tuesday, 24th March, a plane of the Germanwings airline left El Prat airport in Barcelona towards Düsseldorf, in Germany. 144 passengers and the crew were travelling in this plane. 

It crashed in The Alps, so it is difficult to enter the area. 

If you want to help or ask for someone you know or think that was in the plane, you can call:
900838450 or 900808890.

If you want to read more about it, go into our Features section. 

Total Eclipse of the Sun

Last Friday morning an eclipse darkenned half the Earth's sky and there were three people who had the pleasure of watching it live on the Internet. Do yo want to know how an eclipse ocurrs? Would you like to know how I lived the eclipse? You should, because there are some things that are unique in life, things that you only can see in some moments, moments that can be dreadful or, quite the opposite, moments that can be infinite. And I swear you, an eclipse is something amazing. Click on Sci-Tech.

Pablo Iglesias in T5

Do you know who Pablo Iglesias is? I'm sure you have heard a lot of things about him and about Podemos, his political party. He had an interview in Telecinco with famous news presenter Pedro Piqueras, and answered some questions that many people were expecting to know about. 

Don't you know what he said? So go into our newly started Politics page and read the full article. Yow will also be able to take part in our interesting poll and answer the question: Which Party do you think will win? 

Super Trouper on at CMI

The students in the first year of ESO, as every year since 2000, have prepared a special theatre venue based on a play written by Manel Sanchis, our beloved and former theatre teacher, in which the entire class is participating so that they can give us a wonderful show on the fallas festival day in our school. It will be on 13th March at about 3.25 pm. The play will be performed in the playground, and as usual we will be able to watch it from the covered court "pista cubierta", just after a beautiful performance carried out by our successful CMI Choir.
Go to our CMI News section and you'll find out all the details and some interviews with the students taking a part in the play.