www.patana.ac.th
PATANA NEWS
Friday 3rd December 2021
A Focus on Year 7 By Secondary Senior Teacher Grant Robertson
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Also in this issue... M
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SEASAC E-Sports
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Thai National Gymnastics Champion Mo Bros Revealed! FOBISIA Gymnastics and Dance Invitationals Wildlife with Coke
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Bangkok Patana is a not-for-profit IB World School accredited by CIS
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A Focus on Year 7 Grant Robertson Secondary Senior Teacher, Student Welfare
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lthough Year 7 students have only been back on campus a matter of weeks, many already seem fully integrated into the life of the school; and when I say ‘campus’ I mean of course the Secondary School campus….and in December of Term 1 rather than August! This is unprecedented and unique. So let’s reflect for a moment on the astonishing ‘journey’ that these students have been on.
experience but in a Secondary setting and context – WOW! My head is spinning just at the thought of it!
For some students this has been very challenging indeed and I would like to take this opportunity to pay a special thanks to parents, guardians, Year 6 and 7 staff, social and emotional counsellors and anyone else who has supported those students. In a normal year there is considerable anxiety about the transition from Year 6 to In April (eight months ago!) they were Year 6 students Year 7 but for Grad28 it has been on a different level alstarting CSL. By August, school was still closed and so together – and for students completely new to the school they began Year 7 online too. They had to adapt to the it has been a monumental challenge. demands of different subjects, a range of teachers, new Teachers have been incredibly positive about Year 7 tutor groups and classes, new systems and expectations, and have stated how impressed they have been with stuand new curricula. They made all these adjustments without the benefits of a conventional transition programme dents’ attitudes toward learning, friendships, adapting to the new expectations and environment and, of course, and they did it online. Remarkable. following COVID procedures. Words often heard are In November, they had to adjust all their Year 7 CSL ‘initiative’, ‘collaboration’, ‘friendliness’, ‘good behaviour’ norms, expectations and habits back into a ‘real’ school and ‘adaptability’.
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It would therefore be good to now hear what the stu- and tests because you’ll be able to overcome all chaldents themselves have to say, so here is a selection of stu- lenges! dent reflections: Every single person I know agrees that the noodles “I love my tutor group because we have fun; we are are scrumptious.” Praefah (Jajar) Chotima, 7B never mean to each other. I have had many classes and “I was worried about all those ‘exams’ being about this is my favourite so far. If I could give one word to something we didn't learn in class. Well, that wasn't true describe how they make me feel it would be ‘happy!” at all! Why were all those fears tossed out the window? Frank Myers, 7D Supportive teachers!” Ayah Hampden-Smith, 7F “I love Science, Maths, English, PE, Geography, Tuto“Remember to always ask if you're lost and people rial, Drama and ICT… so I love Secondary School and will always try to help you. The new subjects like Geogall the subjects are fun!” Aleem Bidgoli, 7L raphy and History are great fun because they are some“Lots of students go into Year 7 and think ‘oh no, the thing new and exciting.” Oscar Lai, 7F year 10s will come and get me.’ No, the older students “The teachers are really nice. There will be home are actually really kind and can help you find your way learning but it won't be something like a 100,000 word around” Evie-Grace Meadows, 7U essay! Finally just have fun……you will be getting ice “I really like new subjects like D+T (Design and Tech- cream from the snack bar!” Stuti Jain, 7J nology) because there are a lot more resources to work So what is the answer to enjoying life in Year 7? Treat it with. Ask the teachers for help and do not be shy; the teachers are always happy to help you!” Louis Lemoine, as an exciting opportunity rather than a scary threat – and enjoy the noodles and ice-cream! 7W “Year 7 is an amazing experience and I have made so many new friends! Don’t worry about home learning
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SEASAC E-Sports - A New Adventure!
Si Chao Xiong, 11M
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ast weekend, Bangkok Patana School was represented by two teams of gamers, in the inaugural virtual “League of Legends” SEASAC E-Sports Invitational. The purpose of this event was to cultivate friendship and give students an environment to compete against one another. The competition was split into the Cup and Bowl, each having six and four games respectively.
In the Cup, after two consecutive victories, BPS1 faced off against TTS1 in the semi-final round after a strong group stage showing. TTS1 were extremely strong throughout the event and overpowered the BPS1 team on this occasion leaving BPS1 in the third place play off, eventually finishing 4th overall. After limited training opportunities, both Bangkok Patana teams performed admirably and these results are a truly respectable achievement, a testament to E-Sports is the fastest growing sports market in the world the fact that adversity often brings out the best in ourselves. and the skill involved in high-level gaming is often over- Many of the teams involved have more established teams looked. Concentration, reaction speed, tactical decision and were regulars on the E-Sports competition circuit. This making and dedication are just a few of the skills need- is just the start for us here at Bangkok Patana School. ed to succeed in this environment. Students took part in six games spread over eight hours, with games lasting on Overall, the event was a massive success with all of us average 30 to 40 minutes. Each game is a real test of making many friends in the process. Subsequent awards teamwork, communication and co-ordination. Even for the presentation ceremonies will occur virtually on 3rd Decoaches involved, games are often fast paced and diffi- cember. cult to follow. A big thank you to the coaches Mr Mitcheson, Mr In the Bowl, having started at a narrow disadvantage Cheng and Mr Woramanont for their support in the build against UWCE2, Bangkok Patana’s team BPS2 went on up to the event and continued support as we embark on to win the game 30 to 25, ultimately finishing 2nd overall our journey into E-Sports. in the competition.
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Thai Nationals Gymnastics Champion Rebecca Maw-Dzatkowski, Head Gymnastics Coach
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ear 8 student Jasmine Beroud competed at the Thai Nationals Championships at the Amornthep Gymnastics Hall where she brought home the Thai National All-Around Championship in the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) Level 2. She competed in bars, bean, floor and vault and the total of her scores across all four events were the highest in Thailand. Additionally She also took home first in each apparatus event finals. Amazing job Jasmine, we look forward to seeing you compete again!
Year 9 student plays in Jr. NBA Qian Man (Diana) Li, 9S
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ear 9 student Qian Man (Diana) Li took part in the Under 13 Girls’ Jr. NBA 3x3 competition recently with ECA provider Level Up at Central Chaeng Wattana. Jr. NBA is the NBA's official youth basketball programme that gives students ages 10-13 fun and engaging competitive play as their first introduction to basketball in teams of three players. Diana reflects on her game, “For the competition, I feel that my performance was okay, especially the defense. I feel like I’m being aggressive. I got the ball a few times and tried to attack the basket. I really tried my best during the match. Unfortunately, we lost the game, but we played against the champions; I think our team has great cooperation and everyone plays the game very hard. The coach also encouraged us a lot. At least I learned a lot in this game, and next time I think I can do a better job!” Well done Diana, we look forward to hearing more about your basketball journey! 3/12/2021
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Karting Successes Continue Maarten Vliegen, Patana parent
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he stakes were high as it was the deciding weekend for two championships: the prestigious Kart Championship of Thailand and the Rok Cup Thailand Championship.
and in January he heads to the Middle East to participate in the FIA F4 UAE Championship. This a 20 races championship at the Yas Marina Circuit and the Dubai Autodrome alternately.
In his first full year of racing, Year 8 Sra (JJ) Anuras has We wish JJ and Taiyo a good 2022 Kart preparation made great strides and vastly improved his racing craft. and Jem all the best in the F4. Graduating from the Rookie class, he will now progress to Mini Rok. Taiyo Vliegen (Year 8) started his last weekend in the Mini class, leading the two championships. Heavy rain in the final did not stop him from winning the last final race. He was crowned Thailand champion and the 2021 Rok Cup Mini Rok champion. He is now starting to prepare for his 2022 debut in the Junior class. With winning five out six heats inclusive all the finals, Nandhavud (Jem) Bhirombhakdi (Year 10) was on top of his game in the experienced Senior class. Jem did something that no one has done before, he has won the Kart Championship of Thailand aka the Kings Cup, in three different classes in the last three years. Jem has proven that he is more than ready for the next step, the Formula 4 (F4). He will start testing in December
Supporting Local Communities in Primary Robine Johnson, Primary CAT Coordinator
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hristmas is coming and in the Primary School we like to celebrate the spirit of Christmas by supporting our local communities. Please see the table below to find out what is happening in your Year group. More information can be found on the Year group newsletters, on the class blogs and on our CAT pages. Foundation Stage - Home of Praise - Consumable items like rice, oil and nappies. Year 1 - Urban Neighbours of Hope - Unwrapped books in Thai Year 2 - Children of the Forest - Shoe box appeal Year 3 - Thomas House - Gifts Year 4 - Lutheran Christian Foundation - Shoe box appeal Year 5- Cambodian Water Project - Sponsored walk Year 6- A21- Backpack appeal 6
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Mo Bros Revealed! S c o t t To o l e y , H e a d o f M a t h e m a t i c s
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e have reached the end of Movember and it is next year so watch this space in October 2022, calling time for the final reveal! Did you guess the Mo all Mo Bros in the Patana Community to join together. Bros below? Together they raised THB175,000, which Thanks for all the support and kind donations made. should go some way to supporting a few great causes. It would be great if we could extend the Mo Bro family
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School Fee Invoices Invoices for school fees for Term 2 2021/22 were sent to parents on Wednesday 3rd November 2021. If you have not received your invoice, please contact the Accounting Department or email accounts@patana.ac.th. Please note that the due date for settlement is Friday 3rd December 2021 and payments received after this date will be subject to a late payment charge of one percent per month.
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FOBISIA Virtual Gymnastics Invitational 2021 Rebecca Maw-Dzatkowski, Head Gymnastics Coach
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t the beginning of the academic year, in the middle of lockdown and CSL, we had to make a decision on whether or not to host the FOBISIA Gymnastics Invitational 2021. When considering the number of events that students have already missed out on due to the pandemic, I knew that I didn’t want this competition to be another ‘what could have been’ moment for gymnasts who look forward to this event as a seasonal highlight. We knew it was important to create an event that was inclusive of all gymnasts, being particularly mindful of those students who were still learning from home, and include an element within the competition that would bring the Gymnastics community together on the scheduled weekend. To ensure the event was accessible, it had to be a floor-only competition which meant creating new, simplified competition routines which could be safely executed from home. The response to this virtual event was overwhelmingly positive, with 25 international schools from eight different countries registering 292 gymnasts from Year 3 Year 13. Students sent a link to their pre-recorded floor routines in advance. For the competition weekend itself, we welcomed on-site six Thai National Judges from the Thailand Gymnastics Association to officiate the competition. The judges were set up in front of a big screen and played the routines while we live-streamed footage of the screen, the officials and the gymnasts’ scores in real-time. This allowed all viewers tuning in to the livestream channels to watch all gymnasts’ routines, recreating some of the emotions and excitement that gymnasts are used to experiencing during “normal” competitions. Luckily, we opened our doors just a few weeks before the deadline and were able to welcome our students into the Gymnastics Hall to film their routines with their coach's support. We saw a wide variety of settings, from yoga mats in living rooms, to air-tracks in gardens, to students performing in masks in their gymnastics halls. It was inspiring to see students' resilience, doing the best they could in their circumstances. This demonstrates how truly dedicated and passionate these students are about the sport of gymnastics.
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We had 43 Bangkok Patana gymnasts register to take part in FOBISIA, even though they had been out of the gym for over six months - a true testament to their commitment to the sport! We also welcomed our gymnasts on-site for the event for some much-needed team social time. The gymnasts brought their devices to access the live-stream channels and watched the event from the gym with their teammates and coaches. Trips and events are such a big part of a student-athlete’s school career and are about much more than the competition, this weekend was a wonderful example of this. The following gymnasts made it onto the podium, battling it out for those top three spots, with some age categories consisting of 70+ students! A huge congratulations to the following gymnasts: WAG Level 2 Junior: Mona Parinyanusorn - 1st place, Athena Thamavaranukupt - 2nd place WAG Level 2 Senior: Ka Yu Yau - 2nd place, Sophie Schwaar - 3rd place WAG Level 3 Junior: Elizabeth Lee - 1st place, Mizuki Tanaka - 3rd place WAG Level 3 Senior: Hailynn Park - 1st place, Praefah Chotima - 3rd place Level 4 Junior: Pimnara Asawapiwat - 1st place, Georgina Darley - 1st place WAG Level 4 Senior: Aya Haviv-Buck - 3rd place WAG Level 5 open age: Jasmine Beroud - 1st place WAG Level 6+ open age: Roisin Sehmar - 2nd plac, Keira McKnight-Burrell - 2nd place MAG Level 2 Senior: Matthew Neil-Sittha Duckworth - 1st place Mag Level 3 Open Age: Sam Jones - 2nd place I would also like to extend my thanks to The Thailand Gymnastics Association for officiating the competition. Additionally, I would like to thank all Bangkok Patana staff who helped bring this event to fruition. Finally, I would like to congratulate all students who participated in this event. All students who registered committed to trying something new, and regardless of the outcome, you should be proud of yourself for taking a risk and taking part.
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Dance Goes Virtual for FOBISIA Invitational Vallary Lokre, Head Dance Coach
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he Dance Academy in collaboration with school’s marketing team hosted the school’s first ever live award presentation ceremony on 30th November, 2021 for their FOBISIA Virtual Dance Invitational 2021. Among the presenters were Mr Matt Mills, CEO of FOBISIA Mr John Gwyn Jones, Executive Events Manager FOBISIA Ms Janine Minchin, Ms Vallary, Cross Campus Assistant Principal Cindy Adair and others. Senior Varsity dancer Didi was the emcee for the event. Bangkok Patana’s K Pop committee known as DAZE performed live at the ceremony. There was also a beautiful dance showcase by coach Nanzie and partner. Khun Nanzie is a part time dance
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coach at Bangkok Patana. The competition had over 200 entries, from 28 different schools in eightcountries and was a huge success in only its second year. Congratulations to Bangkok Patana students Cici, Marieke, Namarie, Berry, Lauraine, and Aya for placing in the top three in different categories at the competition. The link to the ceremony is here. All the pictures of the event can be found on the academy’s website here. The academy is now gearing up to prepare dancers for another competition in the month of April. Those interested please get in touch with Ms Vallary (VALO@patana.ac.th).
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School Holidays
School is open 6th December and 10th December These days have been substituted during the Christmas Holidays.
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Transport Corner Student Safety at the End of the Day STUDENTS GOING HOME BY SCHOOL BUS Foundation Stage - Year 3 • Children must be collected on arrival by a trusted adult. • Children cannot be left with Reception/Security staff or make their own way from bus drop-off to home. • If there is no parent/carer at the drop off and the adult cannot be contacted, then the child will be driven back to Bangkok Patana to await collection. • Exception: A younger sibling may be taken from bus to home by their Secondary sibling if they are travelling together and the school has received written permission. Contact the Transport Office for a Drop off Permission Form.
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Years 4 - 6 Most students will still be met on arrival by a parent or other trusted adult, but we recognise that Year 4 - Year 6 students are increasingly independent and ready to make their own way from the bus drop off to their home. CHANGE ADDRESS If you are in temporary accommodation and/or will move residence in the near future, please inform the Transport Department as soon as you have a moving date. A minimum of five working days notice is required. Please do check in advance that we have a route to your new location. ITEMS LEFT ON BUSES The amount of items left on the school bus is increasing. Please help by reminding your child to ensure they check the area around them before getting off the bus to make sure they have all their belongings with them.
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CAT/CAS CORNER
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch and a Possible Solution
Amy Smith, 13A and Aarav Roy Chowdhury, 13C Patana Marine Conservation Group WHAT IS THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH? he amount of garbage put into the oceans has severe negative impacts on the environment. However, one of the most significant garbage patches is in the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a collection of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean. The patch is split into the Western Patch from the West coast of North America to the Eastern Patch near Japan’s coast. The actual patch is located in what is known as the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, essentially a pool of ‘ocean currents’. What happens is that the garbage is trapped in these currents and is travelling from 4 different winds (California, North Equatorial, Kushiro and North Pacific) to the centre of the Gyre. It’s important to note that the amount of debris in the patch is nearly impossible to calculate due to the presence of microplastics. Since most plastics are non-biodegradable, the plastic becomes smaller and smaller. There is also a large amount of plastic already sunken underwater, like the more dense plastics. Almost 80% of the plastic is from land sources, almost impossible for scientists to detail new information as it is mainly composed of microplastics.
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What makes the patch a big problem is the nation’s lack of commitment to help resolve it, because it is extremely far from any coastline. However, it is said that cleaning the patch will cause a country to go ‘bankrupt’.
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WHAT IS THE BEING DONE TO HELP? Even though there was no way of eliminating the patch, it seems that recently there has been a breakthrough in solving this problem. Hank Van Dalen is the director of Ocean Cleanup, a non- profit organization situated in the Netherlands and develops technology to remove plastic pollution in the ocean. Van Dalen stated that there is potential to clean up the plastic in the sea using the ‘Source 002’, also known as Jenny, the large scale clean up system seen below. There have also been developments for Source 003, which is ‘three times larger than the current one’. A report from October 29th stated that 63,000 pounds of plastic had been removed, which took the team a month-long effort to remove. Boyan Slat, the founder of the initiative, stated that its purpose wasn’t to clean the plastic, instead to ‘collect data’. Whilst 63,000 pounds seems to be eye-catching to the general audience, it is a measly amount compared to the estimated value written in a study in 2017, of around 1.27 to 2.66 million tons of plastic, which is not a confirmed value due to the constantly changing currents of the oceans. Nonetheless, it's a start to a future that will be beneficial to marine life and humanity.
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COP 26 Tosca Pauze, 13G and Olivia Millard, 12B Patana Marine Conservation Group
Source: Sarakadee Lite WHAT IS COP 26? OP 26 stands for the ‘Conference of the Parties’, this was the 26th year they met. This year the conference was held in Glasgow. The main aim of this conference is to tackle climate change with international cooperation. In the past, not much has come out of the conference in terms of effective climate change tackling agreements. And where some agreements had been made, it was either not ambitious enough in its targets, or not enough countries signed up for it. In previous years, we were not considered as crucial as they are now, as our world is slowly heading towards an inevitable tipping point in global temperatures.
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60 is also notable as it aims to support relevant bodies or NGOs in their actions for climate and ocean action. Both are significant in the commitment the countries that have signed will have to show. Around twenty countries have signed the 3rd declaration, which aims to reduce ocean temperatures by 1.5 degrees; this includes Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Panama to strengthen the protection of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, which is one of the most biologically diverse corridors in the world.
WHY SHOULD THE PRESERVATION OF THE OCEANS BE TALKED ABOUT AT CONFERENCES LIKE THESE? WHAT TALKS CONCERNING THE OCEAN HAVE Oceans should be a priority when talking about climate HAPPENED? Ocean advocacy was a key discussion in the COP 26 change and carbon dioxide. The ocean is a huge carbon talks. Many parties tried to speak as one voice, as shown store (93% of carbon is stored in the ocean), it regulates by “Oceans for Climate”, which according to Ocean our climate with the global ocean conveyor belt and our News was endorsed by over a hundred types of civil or- species relies on the ocean for a big part of our diets. ganisations such as NGOs, independent companies and Issues such as ocean pollution, the growth of dead zones science groups for government cooperation. The discus- due to increase in phosphorus and nitrates,the deteriorasion based itself on the need to maintain the integrity of tion of coral reefs and overfishing, should be of high imaquatic ecosystems in order to aid the reduction of green- portance at conferences such as the COP 26. house gasses and global ocean temperature, as seen in Article 21 of the final decision made at COP 26. Article
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CAT/CAS CORNER
12 Ways to Make This Christmas More Green
Ana Bolakoso, 7D, Student Environmental Committee s we get closer to the holiday season many of you who celebrate Christmas and New Year will be buying gifts for friends and family. Did you know that each year we throw away enough gift wrapping to paper our way to the moon? That’s not very festive!
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So how can you help to avoid contributing to the 30 percent increase in waste seen around the world at Christmas time? 1. Be creative in the way you wrap gifts. Consider wrapping your gifts in fabric, in a reusable tote bag or with recycled paper. 2. Buy locally made gifts, this cuts down the carbon footprint of freight and handling to get packages under your tree. 3. Gift to others products that reduce their reliance on single use plastics - like reusable coffee mugs, bamboo straws, beeswax wraps or shampoo bars. 4. Plan a seasonal feast with lots of plant based foods. Eating foods that are in season cuts down on transportation costs and reducing your meat intake helps decrease your carbon emissions.
re-gifted. Best of all, they are unique. 9. Investigate charity giving, many charities worldwide allow you to donate to specific causes on behalf of others and they provide a card or Christmas ornament acknowledging the money you’ve pledged. For example, in my family we support Save the Children each year and choose a project we want to support. Last year I sponsored a goat and several chickens for a rural family in need, to give them access to sustainable eggs and milk. 10. If you love Christmas lights buy solar or LED if you can. Be sure to turn the lights off before you head to bed to save electricity. We have outdoor strings of lights from IKEA with their very own mini solar panel. 11. Everyone wants to look good at Christmas dinner but be mindful of fast fashion and purchasing outfits you may never wear again. From ugly sweaters to Christmas PJ’s or sequined gowns. Aim to buy high quality, long lasting clothing items which you will use again and again. Maybe even check out a clothes swapping App or thrift account on Instagram.
Remember the true meaning of Christmas. The gifts, the 5. Love your advent calendars? Why not do a reverse food, the sparkly clothes are awesome, but remember advent calendar this year? Get a box and every what you are truly grateful for and spend lots of time with day add a non-perishable food item or some toilet- those you love. ries to the box and then on Christmas Day, gift the box to someone in need. 6. Consider giving an act of service instead of a physical gift this year. A hug, a massage, free babysitting, or take out the trash for a month (this will also encourage you to reduce your waste). 7. Consider doing some home baking as a gift. It’s fun, personal and best of all you can cater to any type of dietary needs. No dairy? No problem! 8. Shop vintage - second hand stores have a range of pre-loved goods, which can be cleaned up and
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SSRC Advancing Student Life Yerin Kang, 11R, Secretary SSRC
Crossing off the tutor groups, Secondary students zealously enter SEC 203. They are the Senior Student Representative Committee (SSRC) consisting of one to two representatives from each tutor group in four Year groups totalling 32 each meeting. Every week, the committed students pass on the changes SSRC have brought to their classmates, and in return, gather feedback from the class. This valuable feedback is shared during every Thursday lunchtime in SSRC. The reason representatives are committed to SSRC is because we all believe that it is crucial for student voices to be shared to provide a sense of student awareness and care for our school community as well as improving communication between students, teachers and staff. From Year 10 up to Year 13, there is a broad spectrum of topics brought up in the meetings such as buildings and grounds, exams and curriculum, and the most popular one: food.
students. Recently allowed back on campus, the SSRC community resumes weekly in person meetings with an eager wave of hands in the air for feedback. Undeterred by the social distancing measures, we have collectively brought changes in these past three weeks. These include a new microwave in Seniors for quicker food warming, P.E. pants with pockets coming soon, improved packed food before the canteen opened and feedback for Buildings and Grounds to improve quality of life for students. Now that we are back in school and, luckily allowed to open the canteen and noodle bar, we are expecting to have a fresh stream of feedback which Patrick, Jun and I are eager to pass on to open-minded staff. We hope our committee has made an impactful positive change in the Patana student community and wish all students enjoyable final weeks of school before the Christmas break!
For any questions or feedback, you can contact any of During the past few months in CSL, we had the dedicated representatives join our meetings via the "Teams" the following: platform. The feedback was mostly CSL related (homePresident - Patrick Ledoit, Vice president - Jun Ishihara, work, Microsoft Teams issues, teacher-student relation- Secretary - Yerin Kang and Ms Conroy - (loco@patana. ships during virtual learning). Despite the virtual meetings, ac.th) we received an impressive continuous involvement by the
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STUDENTS SPEAK The Black Hole Bomb Jiwon Yoo, 13D A THEORETICAL INFINITE ENERGY SOURCE nergy is required for almost all activities. It is required to cook, to turn the lights on, and to keep your room cool over hot summer days. Over the IGCSE and IB physics course, even during KS3 science classes, you may have heard about different energy sources and how they are processed in fossil fuel stations, thermal power stations, nuclear power stations, hydroelectric dams, etc. Though these energy productions are effective and have many advantages, most of them play a role in enhancing the greenhouse effect and threatening our environment. To neglect this significant drawback, this article will address a theoretical energy extraction from outside our planet using a black hole via an artificial “black hole bomb”.
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WHAT’S NEW IN THE LIBRARIES
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE? A black hole is a region of space having a gravitational field so strong that any matter or radiation - even light cannot escape. It is the largest collection of pure energy in our whole universe as it traps all the energy of any object that moves close to it forever. There are two types of black holes: non-spinning and spinning black holes. We can only extract energy from the spinning black hole. HOW ARE BLACK HOLES CREATED? To explain this, I will explain the life of stars... Find out more about black holes and read the rest of Jiwon’s article on Scientia Magazine here.
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STUDENTS SPEAK Getting ready to go back into the pool! Rosalia (Tian) Suthiwongsunthorn, 5G
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ime flies by so fast, I am already in my fourth year Due to COVID and the lockdown, I have not swam in with the Bangkok Patana School Swim Academy. a very long time. I didn't even get a chance to train with What an honour to be part of this team that I have always the TigerShark team because the school was closed. Afdreamed of being in. ter months of not swimming, some good news came. We were allowed back in school and ECAs began on the Whenever I close my eyes, I can recall the day when I 22nd of November. I was really looking forward to seeattended the first swimming entry assessment in Year 1. I ing my coaches and hugging them (if I can!) and training was nervous and anxious, but the moment I jumped into with my swimming buddies in the pool. the pool, I knew that I had to just try my best and swim as fast as I could. When I came out of the pool, I saw the I know swimming training will not be easy this time, escoach giving me a thumbs up with a big smile on her face pecially since I have lost touch with it for so long. Howevas she welcomed me to the TigerPrawn Team. I was filled er, I am ready to face the challenge and show the Tigerwith joy and yelling, “Hooray!” inside my heart. Shark spirit! Nothing beats jumping into the pool, feeling the cold, refreshing water and being exhausted until I am The training was nothing like what I thought. It was ex- not able to feel my legs. TigerShark Junior Development hausting but the thought of wanting to be better kept me Team, here I come! going. Soon, I realised that I had improved by so much. My swimming stroke, speed and skills were all enhanced in a short matter of time. Then I began to understand that all these tough training sessions were worth it! All my hard work definitely paid off! However, soon the biggest challenge came, which was my first ever swimming competition in my life. It was an inter-school competition held at Bangkok Patana. I trained all day, determined to prove that I would do my best and not let down my school. Unfortunately, I made my worst mistake in swimming on the actual day... I was swimming 50 meters freestyle in the 25 meters pool, in which I was supposed to do a tumble turn and swim back to where I started in order to finish. Unexpectedly, I forgot to do it and stopped at 25 meters. At first, I was leading, but when I noticed I forgot to do 50 meters, it was already too late. Disappointedly, I ended up getting second to last. I was upset, but more angry at myself. However, my mother comforted me and said, “This is life and it has already passed. Don’t worry about it! Whatever happens, you can't change, you just have to face it and make sure you don't make the same mistake again.” This taught me a good lesson to be more careful in whatever I do in the future.
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Desert Island Discs With Rebecca Maw-Dzatkowski, Head Gymnastics Coach
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his column follows in the style of the famed BBC podcast which features a celebrity every week – here we feature our own Bangkok Patana celebrities! What eight songs, one luxury item and one book would you take with you if you were stuck on a desert island? Today Head Gymnastics Coach Rebecca Maw-Dzatkowski, is stuck on a desert island. MS MAW-DZATKOWSKI, IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WHAT EIGHT PIECES OF MUSIC WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU? Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol Alibi - Banks Fix You - Coldplay
Territory - The Blaze
Maybe Tomorrow - Stereophonics
Retrograde - James Blake
Beautiful Escape - Tom Misch
Tadow - Masego (Feat. FKJ) Click to listen to Ms Maw-Dzatkowski’s playlist
PICK ONE LUXURY ITEM YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU. THIS ITEM MUST BE INANIMATE AND OF NO USE IN ESCAPING THE ISLAND OR ALLOWING COMMUNICATION FROM OUTSIDE. The comfiest pillow ever WHICH ONE BOOK WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU? How to Survive on a Desert Island by Jim Pipe Catch the real Desert Island Discs on BBC. Now that you are stuck at home, what are you listening to? Have a list of your own? Let us know! Contact SHKN with your favourites.
Looking for something to do for the Christmas Holidays? Check out the Community Offers on Firefly
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#203: What Parents Need to Know About Age-Inappropriate Content I
nappropriate means different things to different people. What’s acceptable for one age group, for example, may be unsuitable for a slightly younger audience. Online, young people can chance upon inappropriate content in various way – from pop-up ads to TikTok videos. The increasingly young age at which children become active in the digital world heightens the risk of them innocently running into something that they find upsetting or frightening. Trusted adults need to be able to help children be aware of what to do if they’re exposed to age-inappropriate content. In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as social media, gaming and adverts. My deepest thanks go to Shana for sprinkling her magic on my weekly posts. We will miss you Enjoy the weekend everyone!
Brian Taylor Assistant Principal, Campus Curriculum Technology Integration 3/12/2021
Bangkok Patana School News
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Wildlife Spotting with Coke Road to the Top finally Open! Alexander Coke Smith IV, Secondary Environmental Sciences Leader
T
he road to Khao Phanoen Thung is finally open! After a long three year wait, the road to the highest point in Kaeng Krachan National Park is finally once again open to the public. For wildlife enthusiasts, Phanoen Thung is famous as one of the best places in all of Thailand for wildlife of all sorts – mammals, reptiles, birds, insects and so much more. What makes Phanoen Thung such a gem among Thailand’s many nature hotspots is its elevation – 1,207 meters. While that might not seem too high when compared to many places, such an elevation here in the subtropics provides the conditions for an astounding array of species that are rarely seen or even completely absent from lower elevations. Thailand has many such montane ecosystems but what makes Phanoen Thung especially unique is the fact that one can actually drive to see the nature. Such high elevation wildlife viewing opportunities are rare in Thailand. Last weekend our expedition took us to Phanoen Thung in search of all things wild, and we were not disappointed. I have visited this special place countless times in the past and have had the great luck of seeing some of Thailand’s rarest and most charismatic species, including Indochinese Leopard, Masked Palm Civets (in the daytime!), Fea’s Muntjac (a rarely encountered member of the deer family that is only found at higher elevations) and Robinson’s Langurs (one of Thailand’s newest species, having only been described about three years ago!) and so much more.
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Phanoen Thung’s real claim to fame however is the epic view of the spectacular “Thale Mog” (“Sea of Mist”) views one can observe in times of morning thermal inversions, when cooler air sinks into the valleys and can form lovely blankets of fog flowing through the countless valleys. On a good day, the views are simply unbelievable. Once on top, the best activity is hiking in all directions searching for rich flora and fauna of the summit area. The views of raptors are spectacular due to elevation and near 360 degree views of the surrounding wilderness. A member of our party last weekend encountered a Malayan Sun Bear at close quarters! The most spectacular sighting in my opinion was the very fresh tracks of the Malayan Tapir that was strolling the adjacent stream just below the road itself. And we spotted at least fifty species of birds on the summit as well a very lazy Binturong (Bear Cat) snoozing on a distant branch. When visiting Phanoen Thung, it is important to note that the park is strictly regulating access these days. The road is in very rough condition and the general consensus is to keep it that way to protect the wildness of the mountain. Mornings are limited to park-registered trucks that can transport tourists up the mountain for half day or full day stays at the top. Currently the cost is THB1,850 for the vehicle which can transport eight passengers or so. Tourists are allowed to take their own 4X4 vehicles after 1.00pm but are required to camp on top at least one night. For more information, contact Coke Smith (cosm@patana.ac.th), our Environmental Science Leader at Bangkok Patana School.
3/12/2021
Bangkok Patana School News
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COMMUNITY
THE SIAM SOCIETY PRESENTS
TUESDAY, 21 DECEMBER 2021 AT 19:00 Tasana Nagavajara, Violin Monique Klongtruadroke, Soprano Pongpat Pongpradit, Guitar
Music from the Land of Italy by Paganini, Puccini, Verdi, Neapolitan songs, Christmas songs and more!
VENUE: Auditorium, The Siam Society ADMISSION: Members
THB 600
Non-Members THB 800 Students
THB 200
Ticket price includes a drink and light refreshment TO BOOK: Khun Chuleeporn at 02 661 6470-3 ext 201 or E-mail: chuleeporn@thesiamsociety.org Seats available only by prior reservation. No tickets will be available at the door.
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COMMUNITY CY-2021-028
3/12/2021
Bangkok Patana School News
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For daily updates, snapshots and news on life at school you can find us here...
643 Lasalle Road (Sukhumvit 105) Bangna Tai, Bangna, Bangkok 10260 THAILAND Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2200 Fax: +66 (0) 2785 2399 www.patana.ac.th Email: reception@patana.ac.th 24
Bangkok Patana School News
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