Flat Connections

Last month Grade 4 students at Lincoln School began collaborating with students from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Bulgaria and Thailand on the Flat Connections "A Week in the Life..." project.  This project joins elementary school classrooms globally with a view to exploring what life is like in each country through discussion, sharing, and collecting multimedia to create final products together.  Additionally, students explore global issues and conduct meaningful discussions and collaboration.  Outcomes will include student-driven solutions shared through creative use of technology.  

Stay tuned for more information as we work our way around the world!

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Brian Fawcett

Fourth Grade Teacher

Momentum

During Monday's secondary advisory assembly, the literary magazine staff unveiled their current work in progress, an online Google Gallery student magazine titled, MOMENTUM. The magazine features writing and art from grades 6-12. Final call for submissions and the cover art contest is April 17th!

Tune Up

The four pianos in the theater had a recent "tune up." Students gathered around and learned the mechanics and logistics of how a piano functions. All the pianos were cleaned, fixed, and sound fantastic!

Grade 4 Writer’s Workshop

Grade 4 Writer’s Workshop

by Aryan and Carlos

Grade four had worked on their Biography Project and had put their efforts on it and it turned out good. We started in early February and ended in early March. We did this for our informational text writing unit and because we wanted to learn about famous people’s lives. We also made party invitations and invited their friends to celebrate his or her famous accomplishments.

After we finished grades 3, 5, and 8 came to see our project  To share the project we finished, we put our desks in a U format, at one end was the youngest famous person (Usain Bolt), at the other end the oldest famous person (Cleopatra). Grades 3, 5, and 8 liked our projects.

The project was hard.

Lincoln Snow Leopards Go Down to The Wire in WE United Futsal Tournament Semi Finals

Lincoln Snow Leopards Go Down to The Wire in WE United Futsal Tournament Semi Finals

Saturday, March 7th

Grassroots Futsal Grounds -- Mandikhatar

Our girls football team had a blast at the WE United Tournament and had many bonding moments with the team and other teams. The 'WE' in WE United stands for women's empowerment and the tournament happened in conjunction with International Women's Day. WE United hosted 12 teams from all over Kathmandu and had people with all different ages.

The Lincoln students that participated were  Cynthia, Shreetika, Niharika, Elisa, Noor, Lina, Sarya, and Karuna . Our team earned third place by winning three, losing one, tieing one, and after having the lead 3-0, tragically lost in penalties against  a school called Choem Sum to get to the finals. In the end we all won certificates and a free trip to The Best Archery for 30 minutes for getting third place. This experience was incredible and I think everyone learned a lot from each other as well as our amazing coach Mr. Anuj. Overall, everyone had a great time and we all were very happy at the end of the second annual WE United Futsal Tournament.

Lincoln Leopards on three! One, two, three Lincoln Leopards!!!

By Karuna  

Girls Futsal Players Reach Finals!

Football Tournament at The British School

Lincoln School's football team with young girls and determined minds competed against KISC, Rato Bangala and The British School on March 8th. Our team tied the first game against Rato Bangala 0 - 0. We then won our second game against KISC 3 - 0 and our last game against The British School. We then competed against The British School in the finals and unfortunately, we lost. However, Lincoln School's girls' football team came home as second place, or first runner up. One of our players, Emma S., also got an award for being the most valuable player. The tournament was exciting and a great learning experience for all of us. 

By Beeva

Grade 6 Explore Nepal

Some people might say their Explore Nepal was the best. The 11th graders went mountain biking, the 9th graders built biogas tanks in Chitwan, and the 10th graders visited The Last Resort. Overall, the other grades seemed like they had an amazing trip. Our Explore Nepal was pretty unique. We visited a Tibetan monastery where we learned how to meditate, help others, and accept change and impermanence. We spent a fair amount of time with the local monks that lived at the monastery. On our first day, we went to a paper factory, where we saw the whole process of making paper, and even got to try out one of the steps ourselves. There were hundreds, maybe even thousands of designs! We got to buy goods from the shop at the factory. On the second day, we went on a silent walk, and reflected on change and impermanence in Kathmandu. We wrote about what we thought would happen to Nepal in the future, and about our role in changing the world.

One of our worst and favorite days was on the third day. We hiked up to another monastery in Shivpuri and had lunch there. We made human pyramids, and took lots of selfies with our sunglasses. After lunch, we hiked back down to the monastery. Or so we thought. Since half of the group was way in front, we didn't realize until a third of the way down that one of our friends had fallen and sprained her ankle. We played charades while we were waiting for transport for her to get home. After an hour of waiting, we made our way down the hill. It turned out that we ended up going the completely wrong way. Around 4:30 in the afternoon, we found our path and headed back to Kopan monastery. We arrived at the monastery at around 7:00 pm, had dinner, and went to sleep. It seems like a lot of people reflected on that one exhausting day.

For the fourth day, we hiked to an incense factory and nunnery. We learned about the living quarters for the monks and nuns, and the importance of debate in Buddhism, and we saw a huge sand mandala. Then we got to see the machines used to make the incense, and bought some from the gift shop. We also met a very cute and friendly pug named Tenzing.  When we got back to the monastery, we worked on our own mandalas, which are shaped in a way that they can all connect, which represents our interdependence.

On the fifth day, we finished up the mandalas, and dropped off some books at the nearby school. Then we packed our bags, and went on the long ride home. On most of the days, we had teachings from a nun named Ani Karin, who was very learned in the ways of Buddhism. She told us all about accepting change, and interdependence. We had a meditation session and had two teachings from Cherok Lama. Overall, it was a really great trip, and I think we all learned a lot from it.

by Zoe and Maren

Grade 10 Explore Nepal

This year we, the Lincoln School 10th graders,  went to The Last Resort for our Explore Nepal trip. The main focus of this trip was service learning and team building. We had very high expectations as everyone who had been there would exclaim that this trip was "amazing!" or "the best time of their lives!" And, we have to say that the trip certainly did reach our expectations if not even bettered them. Unlike most team building trips, this trip was grueling, arduous and unnerving and yet it was one of the most fun we have had in years. As soon as we reached there, The Last Resort tested our team working abilities bringing forth questions like "What makes a good team?" or "How can we build trust?"

We were pushed beyond our comfort zones throughout the week and we were dared with challenging activities. As hard as the challenges were, they constantly reminded us of the essentials of teamwork : trust, responsibility, motivation and cooperation.

"They demonstrated effective teamwork and individual courage; they listened carefully, spoke well and acted responsibly; they maintained good humour at all times and were invariably polite and appreciative of the Last Resort guides."- Ms Comesotti

The first day consisted of relatively amenable activities however it was on the morning of the second day that we were told we would be abseiling, in other words, bobbing off a 40 feet bridge with only a rope and a harness. We also slid down several waterfalls the size of buildings while canyoning and walked on flimsy ropes high in the air which were tied to extremely tall trees swaying and shaking as we took each step forward.

"The activities were very scary. I could not believe I actually completed them all!" - Rahab   

After the end of each day we would feel accomplished after smashing each challenge and breaking each record. With a smile on our faces, engaging in erratic conversations, we would replenish ourselves with large buffet meals that would await us in shiny copper plates. After that, we would take a warm shower, relax in the sauna and sing songs in the campfire.

"The food and the campfire were my best part! It has been a week since explore nepal and I still long for those huge breakfasts and those varieties of colorful foods and drinks." - Swopnil

This year, the tenth grade Explore Nepal had a service learning component as well. We worked with Shree Prarthamik Bidhyalaya School, an elementary school about a half an hour hike from the resort. The service learning involved sharing something that we know and learning something from the school. We did some activities with the students there and both school students had a great time.

"We were able to see how a traditional Nepali school looks like and we learned a lot about their culture."- Norchen

Now, the 10th grade class are thinking of strengthening relationships with this school and planning further programs that are sustainable and helpful to the school. This program will be a service for the school and for its people and at the same time will help us learn.

The 10th Grade Explore Nepal was genuinely a great time of our lives and it will last as a memory which we will remember for a long time. Some people might say that the tenth grade Explore Nepal is "leisure holiday" or "fancy vacation" but it is really not. Every minute, it was made sure that we spent our time wisely doing something beneficial, learning something new. Every day we would feel as we have reached a social milestone or overcome a fear after being pushed a huge distance away from our comfort zone for constant and elongated periods of time. During this time, we did make a couple ridiculous songs and countless inside jokes however, most importantly, we engaged in deeper relationships with the place, the culture, the people and and even our own friends and teachers. We were able to see a new side of everyone and we have returned with a brand new perspective of looking at things, memories that we will never forget, and pride in our numerous accomplishments.

"It was the best experience I've had, I would do it again in a heartbeat" - Shreetika

"They were hardworking, patient, accommodating, and good to one another; they challenged themselves and they learned a lot." - Ms Comesotti

The Intrinsic Value of Hard Work

Grade 9 Explore Nepal

Shovels, dirt, farm animals, cement, sand, and manure were the props of the memorable Grade 9 Explore Nepal trip. Add dedication, teamwork, empowerment, grit, and camaraderie, and 19 grade 9 students had the perfect recipe for the ultimate rewarding experience.  The Tharu community near Chitwan National Park saw first-hand the enthusiasm, motivation, and dedication that this group of Lincoln students exuded during their latest Explore Nepal trip.

Our Explore Nepal program was a beautiful meld of environmental stewardship, community involvement, cultural awareness, and student empowerment.  During the day, students were engaged in building different stages of biogas facilities. By building this alternative energy resource, families can cut their cost of LPG gas canisters by an average of 80%. The result is a more sustainable energy source that converts animal and human waste to a gas that can be used to light a household cooking stove. Our students were able to make an authentic, practical, and lasting contribution to a local community.

In addition learning about environmentally sound and sustainable energy production, the students were immersed in the culture of village life. The students cooked, fished, and danced with our welcoming and gracious hosts, widening their perspective of life in Nepal and experiencing different cultural practices. Additionally, the group bonded with plunges into the river water after a hard day’s work and silly card games, along with the warmth of a fire every night reflecting on their time spent in the Tharu community.

Fun, Memorable, Amazing, Adventurous, Thrilling, Challenging, Speechless! Preparing for college by exploring Nepal

The senior class spent 7 days developing personal skills, such as trust, stress management, communication and decision making, to aid in their transition to life after high school. They also had time to spend time bonding as group. Their thoughts -:

For the first three days of EN we went to a village school. I was in the English group and had a great time connecting with the kids in the community while teaching. They were excited and I could see how much they wanted to learn. This experience helped me to appreciate the time and effort they were willing to put into their school work.

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Explore Nepal was a great way to build my confidence, independence and trust because all the activities we did were new to me, which made it exciting.

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My Explore Nepal experience was a great and memorable experience. I loved the canyoning and rafting even though it rained on the second day. I liked the group we were in and the guides and instructors were very nice and also trustworthy.

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I really enjoyed spending time with my friends for the last time. I enjoyed being outside of my comfort zone. I loved this trip.

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It was a great way to bond with the class and made us feel independent. It was a great pre-college trip and the highlight of my senior year but it should be longer!

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Ms Heather Farish
HS Chemistry & Maths teacher