We are exceptionally proud of one of our very own St Lawrence pupils soaring to success in an international gymnastics competition held in Livadia, central Greece. On saturday 26th January, ten year old Estheleen Charalabidi won silver medal in the floor exercises, the hoop, and seventh place overall. 

Considering this was a prestigious international competition with stiff competition from overseas, this was a notable achievement, therefore we wish her hearty congratulations on her prize. Bravo! 

During the long weekend of Friday 14^th to Sunday 16^th December 2018, sixteen pupils of our school from Year 7 up to Year 13 took part in the 13th Costeas-Geitonas School Model United Nations (CGSMUN). Our pupils represented Germany and United Arab Emirates in various committees, such as the Disarmament and International Security Committee, the Economic and Financial Committee, the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Human Rights Council (HRC), the Environmental Commission (EC), the Special Conference on “Global Health Inequalities” (SPECON) and the International Court of Justice.

The pupils debated and proposed resolutions to international matters as diverse as Strengthening of security and cooperation in the Mediterranean (especially in the Middle East and Northern Africa), Reform of the IMF and the World Bank, Preservation of endangered languages and dialects, Ensuring access to water and sanitation for all, Challenges to successful implementation of HIV and AIDS-related health policies, Promotion of vaccination to interrupt community-wide outbreaks, Youth mental health in the digital era, Ensuring access to education in refugee camps, Towards a green transportation infrastructure,  The impact of climate change, desertification and land degradation on global health or the Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

On this occasion, not only did two of our pupils act as Committee chairs, the Disarmament and International Security and the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committees respectively, but a Year 12 pupil was a Judge in the International Court of Justice and was voted the best Judge. Our participant in Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), representing Germany, was also voted the best delegate of the Committee. Both awards are given to participants for their hard work and preparation as well as their excellent presentation and contribution during the three days of the Conference. This year Ms Evangelia Tzironi, a lawyer and asylum expert, who works in the UN Refugee Agency in Athens, visited our school and addressed the members of the M.U.N. Club who had the opportunity to engage in interesting discussions with her as part of their preparation for the Conference. Her help was greatly appreciated and we are all looking forward to her visiting us again to provide our pupils with more insight into the work of the United Nations. And as always all old members of the M.U.N. Club as well as any interested new pupils are welcome to join our next participation in April 2019.

The Services Society of our school has being really active this Christmas. With the help and support of parents, the members of St Lawrence College Services Society helped, as they have done for several years now, the Soup Kitchen in Anavyssos - Saronida, and two new charities and shelter providers, FAROS in the centre of Athens who take care of unaccompanied refugee children, and ECHO100PLUS in Leros who take care of refugees arriving at the island, on a daily basis almost, having survived the terrible crossing of the Aegean Sea.

The most important project that the members of Services Society underwent was the launch of the SHOEBOX Campaign. For that they packed a box for a girl or a boy of various age groups with things like toothpaste and toothbrushes, hair combs, soap, shampoo and deodorant, colouring books and colouring pencils, small toys and puzzles, items of clothing such as T-shirts, gloves, hats or warm socks and always a small book for them to read. We managed to produce 160 boxes full of these items! 30 of these boxes were given to the soup kitchen in Anavyssos - Saronida together with a lot of food items that the pupils themselves bought in a visit to a local supermarket using some of the money collected at the Autumn Festival through various games played that evening on our school’s playground. The other 130 boxes were given to FAROS children who were reportedly very excited and happy to receive them. We, in Services Society, sincerely hope to make the SHOEBOX Campaign an annual event for our school, an event that will grow bigger and bigger every year.

We also helped ECHO100PLUS with their request of gathering coats, shoes and clothes needed desperately for refugee men arriving in the far away island of Leros. These items were either kindly donated by parents or bought using some of the Autumn Festival gathered money.

The act of giving matters! To those who receive, since it reduces their feelings of isolation and loneliness, and reminds them that they are not ignored or forgotten but they are valued members of our society. To those who give, since it brings people together and works towards giving a human face to the broad issue of poverty which should be eradicated completely from this world. And our pupils gave with all their heart, not only goods that can be bought with money but by sacrificing numerous lunchtimes and free periods to produce presents for other children who they have never even met. Our pupils make us proud and yes, they make us think that we all work towards a better world.

Thursday 20th December saw St Lawrence College hold a very succesful charity sports event between parents and pupils. Not only was it great fun, but more importantly, it also raised an impressive €3,813.65. The event saw parents and pupils play against each other in some tense basketball and football matches.

With this money we have managed to buy 500 bed-sheets and 160 pillow cases for the Children’s Hospital Ag. Sofia in Athens. Our Senior School house captains will be handing over the donation to the hospital in the next few days.

We would like to sincerely thank each and every one of you for all your support and generous donations!

The results of the games were as follows:

Basketball game 1:           Parents VS pupils              17-28
Basketball game 2:           Parents VS pupils              43-42
Football game 1:              Parents VS pupils                4- 4
Football game 2:              Parents VS pupils                5- 9

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2019.
 

In commemoration of the Centenary of the end of World War I, we invited our Senior pupils to learn more about the war and its effects through an assembly and a display in the History Department. We also held a competition calling on pupils to produce creative writing, paintings or sculptures based on the theme ‘Peace’. The artwork and creative writing produced by our pupils was evocative and original. The winners of the competition were Maria Kritikou (Year 12) with her poem 'He never writes', Veronika Tomchani (Year 9) with her painting 'Armistice Day' and Sotiria Lourida (Year 9) with her model 'A Message of Peace'.

Here is an extract from our winner's poem:

He never writes

She sits and knits

For a long-forgotten cause.

She sits on her rocking chair.

Trying to soothe her wounded soul.

She cries herself to sleep at night.

And curses herself when she wakes at dawn.

She pointlessly watches

The shadow that crawls under the door,

The dust that dances in the light,

The handmade carpet, lying on the floor.

Why so much extra space, she ponders.

Who was it for?

She rocks herself on and on,

Counting the minutes, the seconds,

That he’s away from home.

‘Died honourably in action’

To be decorates so many times

With medals that would weigh him to the ground.

His passport to a new home.

The foolish boy!

He has forgotten her!

He never writes to her anymore.

Maria Kritikou

One innovative new way we are working on helping all our pupils get the most out of breaktime is with these delightfully creative buddy benches in our playgrounds. Since September 2018, several newly decorated benches have been installed and the children have definitely understood their purpose, to great effect. When a child is in need of a friend, they'll sit on a bench and sure enough, someone will come to their rescue! 

"I was on my own," said one year 4 pupil, "but then my friend came to play with me." 

 The only way to have a friend is to be one!

During bright and cheerful holiday celebrations with your friends and family, it’s important to stop and reflect on our blessings while also being aware that not everyone is as fortunate. In this charitable spirit, on Tuesday 18th December, the Y3 & Y4 Charity Ninjas held a Christmas Bake Sale in support of those who lost their homes in the fires of Eastern Attica in the summer of 2018. 

The proceeds raised, an impressive total of €500 was spent on buying 210 electric blankets to help those badly affected citizens keep warm this winter season. Many parents of junior school pupils contributed homemade baked goods for this fundraising event. Children visited the bake sale during the course of the day and our Charity Ninjas helped sell all our treats. 

We would like to thank all parents, friends and families for your ongoing support for all such endeavours we take on. 
 

Last Tuesday, St. Lawrence debaters took part in the 20th annual Speakathon. They argued 8 different motions ranging from serious topics like whether the sharing economy has been a positive development, to less serious ones like whether Santa's elves should be encouraged to form a union. It was the 20th year in a row that this event has taken place and it was as entertaining and as popular as ever.

We are already looking forward to number 21 next year.

On Friday 21st December, Year 6 went to Blanos Bowling in Glyfada as an end of term treat. The children had hours of fun ten-pin-bowling, roller-skating and trampolining to their hearts' delight. The children had been looking forward to it for weeks since they found out they were going, and an air of pre-Christmas excitement was clearly felt by all. 

On their return to school, there was barely time to pack their things before they all headed off for a well-deserved Christmas holiday. Happy Holidays Everyone!

On Monday 17th December, year 3 took a Christmassy trip to Paradise Park.

Pupils dove into the Christmas season with a fabulous day out and about. They really enjoyed themselves, engaging in a number of different festive activities at this popular site. They rode in Santa's sleigh and crafted and decorated snowflakes made out of wooden lollipop sticks. They danced and even learned how we make hot chocolate!

Roll on Christmas Day!

On Wednesday 19th December 2018, the hall was filled with young children from our Early Years classes and their families who'd come along to see their unique take on the nativity story. There was laughter and smiles all around!

The Noisy Nativity was an entertaining tale about a group of teachers teaching their students what Christmas is really all about. They took them back to the time of the birth of baby Jesus...in a very noisy way! There was singing, clapping, stamping and playing musical instruments throughout. All the well-known nativity characters took part: Mary, Joseph, the angel, a donkey and other stable mates,the three kings, innkeepers and shepherds watching over their flocks! Well done to our youngest children for putting on such a wonderful Christmas production!

On 5th December the Year 8s enjoyed the new and immersive exhibition, ‘Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius’ that has come to Athens. As part of our history course on the Renaissance our pupils had the opportunity to explore the life and work of this great artist and inventor, 500 years after his death.

Masterpieces, inventions, codices, and drawings from the Renaissance master came to life in an experience that was simultaneously entertaining and educational.

They viewed 75 models of his inventions, natural reproductions, interactive machines and copies of his famous codes, with more than 200 exhibits that have been designed in collaboration with the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Rome. 

The experience allowed our pupils to delve into the mind of a truly Universal Man.

On Saturday 1 December, we hosted the Athens round of the Cambridge Schools Debating Championships. Several teams from a number of schools in Athens competed for a coveted spot in the final. After some hard fought debating, three teams qualified, one from Pierce College, one from HAEF and in first place, one from St. Lawrence. We wish good luck to Bella Kontogiannis and Rea Karkabi, who will be representing SLC and pitting their wits against debaters from the best schools in the UK and around the world at the Cambridge Union in March.

This month, everyone at St. Lawrence College was delighted to learn that one of our pupils, Xinting He, has received a prestigious award from Cambridge Assessment International Education to acknowledge her outstanding performance in the June 2018 examination series. Xinting, who is currently studying A Levels in Year 12, was recognised for achieving the highest mark in the world for IGCSE Mandarin Chinese.
The Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards programme celebrates the accomplishments of learners taking Cambridge examinations in over 40 countries around the world. Thousands of candidates take a total of over 800,000 IGCSEs every year and to get the highest mark in a subject is, therefore, a huge achievement. Congratulations Xinting on your wonderful success!

On Wednesday 21^st November, Year 6 was the first junior school group to take an active trip to the Hellenic Cosmos Museum in Athens to participate in a really cool ‘live’ exhibition. With high tech features to bring ancient and modern Olympic sports to life, the children tried out a range of sporting events alongside some of the greatest names in sporting history. Tired but happy children returned to school with a smile, and it’s not long till years 4 and 5 have their turns too!