Here are some of their stories:
Arthur Lienard to address the UN High Level Political Forum in New York City
We are proud and delighted to share the news that Year 12 student Arthur Lienard has been selected to speak at United Nations High Level Political Forum in New York next month! Arthur is one of two Global Campus Student Ambassadors representing our School at the Nord Anglia Education Global Event, where more than 80 students from over 40 NAE international schools will spend a week focusing on furthering the UN Goals For Sustainable Development in cooperation with our partners in UNICEF.
To be selected to go to New York Arthur, and his fellow Ambassador, Zuzana Bhrlova, underwent a vigorous application process. To then be considered for the opportunity to present directly to the UNHLPF, Arthur had to submit a 5 minute speech outlining the projects our School has undertaken this year linked to the Goals for Sustainable Development and outlining the challenges, as he sees them, of advancing them in the future. Arthur also spoke eloquently of the factors which motivate him to want to be "a voice of his generation" such as his time in Tanzania earlier this year on the Global Campus Expedition.
To be one of only 8 students from around the world to have been selected to speak is an incredible achievement and honour. As Arthur himself says "I can't believe everything that is happening. I've dreamed about it, and now I have the opportunity to do it! It's the chance to speak to people that I admire and look up to; and I love public speaking. It's talking to people that have actual influence about things that matter - the Global Goals, the environment, sustainability, creating a fairer world - and that my generation is going to have to deal with. I'm only 17 and I have this chance. It's a huge honour and responsibility and can't wait to get to New York and begin work!"
Hoda Jahanpur, masterly musician
This year I had the fantastic opportunity to take the ABRSM Grade 8 practical test for cello and the Grade 6 theory paper. This ranged from filling out Bach style choral harmony to composition. This was a great chance to further improve my skills in my instrument; get a better understanding of the subtleties of written music and get a qualification that will enable me to be eligible for university.
Hyebin Bang , an electric English Language Learner
Hyebin is a Year 2 pupil. She arrived in our school is September with no English. She was a complete beginner. Now she has become an independent writer and her reading is comparable to the level of native English speakers of her age. She also likes to challenge herself and is taking the Cambridge Young Learners’ Exam in English this year. She sets a great example to other students starting to learn English. What an amazing success, Hyebin!
Kofi Thorpe, full on football
Throughout this year I have played for SK Slovan Bratislava football academy. We play in the Slovak national Youth league and play teams all round Slovakia and teams throughout Europe. Our schedule follows training for all week days and playing matches or additional trainings on weekends. In the team I play in either the Centre Back position, in defence, or the attacking midfielder role. Slovan participates in major tournaments in countries throughout Europe and other important friendly matches. Every match or training session always requires full commitment, discipline and respect for players and coaches. Lastly, I believe that every player should treat every match or training should be treated as a cup final.
Simona Ivanova, inspiring leadership
As student leader and Student Council president, Simona worked closely with the student body throughout the academic year 2016/17. She has collaborated with fellow student leader and Student Council president Eo-Jin Yoon in constructing the first Student Council Constitution in the history of BISB. The document is regarded by Simona as a perfect kick-starter for a functioning and efficient student council, which she hopes will be successfully up and running throughout the future years. Simona has really enjoyed the experience and responsibility of student leadership as well as her close collaborations with Eo-Jin with whom she got the chance to attend a COBIS leadership weekend in Madrid during September 2016. Throughout this weekend, Simona and Eo-Jin learned the essential skills of student leadership, public speaking, presentation skills and the importance of a social media presence in our lives all of which they took back home and presented in the secondary assembly. In addition to this Simona conducted a leadership session for key stage 3 prefects where they got a chance to part take in some of the activities Simona and Eo-Jin did in Madrid. One of the highlights of Simona’s year was organizing a successful Christmas donations project for Sudienka orphanage in Petržalka. Simona has enjoyed the process of collaborating with this organisation and thanks to the generous donations of BISB parents and students the project helped the ones in need.
Simona is thankful for this leadership experience and wishes the future student leaders lots of success in their terms of office.
Lucia Kostolanská accelerated English acquisition
Lucia started Year 5 with no English. In the months since then, the change in her English, her confidence and her happiness has been astounding; all of this has come for her desire to challenge herself and to work hard. Lucia has taken every opportunity available to her to learn new words and phrases, to practice her speaking with other children and adults and to immerse herself fully in reading and writing both at school and at home. Now, at the end of the year, Lucia speaks, reads and writes as if she has been learning English for years! She has shown us what fantastic things can be achieved in such a short amount of time. We can all learn something from Lucia: with self-belief and determination, we can achieve great things. What a super role model for others!
Sara Kotova, gymnastic
In addition to her success in school, Sara Kotova has shown incredible discipline and perseverance in the sport of Gymnastics. Ranking no.1 in Slovakia for duet, trio and group Rhythmic Gymnastics she trains five times a week usually for 4 hours at a time. She is incredibly focused; spending weekends at competitions and training sessions but manages to complete her homework and is making great progress academically. She has trained with her team KMG Danubiana for five years and really enjoys gymnastics. Although she says the training is hard at times, it is always worthwhile.
Sihu Bae fast forward fast talk
When Sihu joined BISB's Reception class in September, she had come straight from a Korean kindergarten. Not knowing any English, she shyly came to school each day and little by little started to join in with the activities and learning. A talking initiative proved particularly influential to Sihu's success. Each Monday she would come eagerly to talk about her weekend using photos sent by Mum. Quickly Sihu started speaking in sentences and then using the tricky past tense correctly. Once she could speak, she could write and then discovered a love for writing stories. Sihu now comes to school with smiles and confidence, socialising with children of all nationalities. She completes her first year at BISB as being a very able reader, writer and speaker of English.
Viktor Hatina, the ice king
Viktor has been a member and captain of the team Hockey Club Slovan in Bratislava.
He has participated in the matches when Slovan became the winner of the National Championship season 2016-2017. As a player of this hockey club, he has gained trust of the Slovak Ice Hockey National team coaches across the season 2016-2017. He played on international tournaments against teams of Finland, Russia, Belarus, Switzerland, USA, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Czech Republic.
In April 2017 in Chicago, USA Viktor was ranked 2nd best among 200 top prospective players from USA and Canada in on ice hockey skills and speed testing. All 200 players participated on the event by invitation only and were invited and scouted by USHL teams scouts and coaches.
(United States Hockey League (USHL) is Tier I - league in USA with respect to amateur status with almost 80% players continuing in top University Hockey Teams in USA with significant sport or academic scholarships – Division 1 NCAA )
In 2017-18 Viktor will continue studying at the Culver Academy close to Chicago focusing on the hockey trainings as well as the academic subjects.
Viktoria Rezesova, equine excelllence
What a success! Our talented student Victoria competed at the international horse competition in the Italian San Giovanni and took the 1st place! She did great also with her horse Lili Star and jumped twice clear rounds CSI3* 140cm and qualified for the European Championship!!!
Congratulations Vicki, way to go!
Zhayra Garcia Escalona continues writing the story
The literary world is one of the most secretive ones, and Zhayra has been dipping into it as quickly as she has been allowed to. For the past two years, she has been writing extensively, managing to complete a novel, as well as the first draft of its sequel. She is also currently working on a prequel to it in addition to a screenplay project in collaboration with a writer friend of hers in Belgium. Moreover, she is an active member of the Bratislava Writers’ Group and has published a couple of poems in its magazine – Zrkadlá, the first English literary magazine in Bratislava. She is keen on performing in Poetry Slams, and has participated in several, including those organised by Fountain Poetry – the pioneer of Poetry Slams in English here in the capital.
Zhayra was diagnosed with Lupus in 2015, and since then she has made it her mission to raise awareness of the condition. Her novel, The Hidden Ones, is the epitome of said efforts since the plot revolves around the illness and the effects it has on its sufferers. The novel is to be agented by a renowned agency that has represented several prominent authors, with plans of publishing it in the future once serialised.
She occasionally writes on her blog itsmusteetkab.wordpress.com where she publicises her current and future writing plans. And although she is to pursue Politics and International Relations in university, she has already been welcomed into three writer circles, one of which also runs a literary magazine she is keen on working on as well.