CRS Newsletter February 2010


	Introduction by the Principal
	The beginning of each new year at School brings with it the hope of change. Change is the most important thing needed in our society: change to a positive approach to human rights, change to respect for the views of others, change to fostering an atmosphere of peace for economic and social development. Our greatest hope for peace and stability is not in building strong military and security forces but in developing young minds through education. The education offered at CRS, with the assistance of FCRS, is changing neglected and traumatised refugee children into students with a wish to become good citizens who can shape their future. This newsletter is the work of some of these students – the Voice of CRS.

Editorial

While the population held its breath through the uneasy political situation in Guinea CRS reopened in January in a spirit of hope and commitment. Staff and students greeted each other with the wish that the new year would be better than the previous one. As we focus on a positive future it is useful to remind ourselves of CRS’s development goals, which are
• Achieving academic excellence
• Improving health conditions
• Providing a school meal for all students
• Promoting sports
• Putting in place a world partnership for development
Staff and students have to work together and with FCRS to gather the resources and energy to reach these goals. This is our season’s greetings.

School Meals Programme

In “Things Fall Apart” Chinua Achebe made the ceremonial sharing of the kola nut a central motif of the narrative: the one who brings kola brings life. That is how we feel about the School Meals Programme introduced by FCRS; it brought food to traumatised children at a time of greatest need. Since it was set up the Meals Programme has fulfilled its promise of providing every pupil with a cooked meal every day. It has been so successful that there have been attempts by Guinean children in the local community to infiltrate it. That may be carrying integration too far!

Health

The Health Committee has been very busy lately; it has responded to regular call-outs to deal with injuries sustained in football training and outdoor exercises and has also been giving help to pupils to enable them to manage other health hazards on and off the school campus.

Literary and Debating Society

There have been some sensational moments already in the series of inter-class debates organised between the senior classes.
• Grades 9 and 10 debated the motion ”Girls should be given equal opportunity to formal education as boys have” with Grade 10 supporting the motion and Grade 9 opposing. The Grade 9 team, composed of Nelly Anderson (14), Grace Slongo (16), Patrick Flomo (14) and Bill Rogers (15), dodged the verbal bullets of the Grade 10 team and emerged winners with 20 points to 19½.
• On 20th November the Grade 9 giant killers took on the Grade 12 team in a hotly contested debate on the motion “Our ancestors lived a happier life than the present generation”. This time, however, Goliath was victorious over David and the battle of words resulted in a 16 points to 15 win for the Grade 12 team (Princess Smith (18), Stanley Santie (19), Mohamed Kamera (19) and Trohan Phillips (17)).

Sport

• Football results:-
CRS teachers v Flaming High School teachers    2 – 2
CRS students v Flaming High School students    2 – 2
CRS v Hilary Clinton English Academy    3 – 3

• Sports Week is planned for early March 2010. Defending champions Green House are hoping to make it two-in-a-row against Red, Yellow and Blue Houses in athletics, relay, high jump and long jump

Academic

The Examination Committee is determined to leave no stone unturned in its intention of making CRS the “Cambridge of Guinea”. In a bid to raise the motivation of students and encourage the greater involvement of parents and carers the Committee has implemented a policy of publishing periodic exam results.
The following students have been identified as having achieved levels of distinction in recent exams:-
Grade 12
Princess Smith (18), Halima Jalloh (17), Nafista Kamara (17), Samoulue Kromah (18), Trohan Phillips (17)
Grade 11
Alie Barry (14), Patrick Flomo (16), Nelly Anderson (14)
Grade 6
Mohammed Kromah (12), Samuel Tarawally (12), Alex Payto (12), Omou Hawa Keita (11), Fatima Tarawally (11)
We hope that others will want to work hard to raise their game so that their names can be added to this “Honour Roll”.


	Poem - by Trokon Phillips (Grade 12)
	God could have made you different, But loves you as you are; It’s good character that matters. Each has his measure of potential, Each one has his capabilities That emerge if we seek them. God gave each distinction as a gift, And you have a few. Determine to make use of them; The world needs you.