Dear parents/students,

Welcome to a special edition of our newsletter. Last

week was an amazing 5 days for SAIntS.

Huge thanks must go to the teachers and pupils who

contributed last week; it is an absolute privilege to

work with so many people who are keen to organise

and participate in these events.

Please read the reports below which will hopefully

give you an idea of why last week was so

memorable.

K P Smith, Head Teacher

SHREK - SAIntS Musical 2017 Friday March 31st

Saturday April 1st

Monday April 3rd

Tuesday April 4th

Tickets on sale now!

SAIntS Students' Excel in Johannesburg!

Report on the African Leadership Academy’s

Model African Union Conference, held in

Johannesburg March 15th-19th 2017.

On Wednesday of last week, a group of nine

students from Years 10, 12 and 13 attended the

African Leadership Academy Model African Union in

Johannesburg. This was the culmination of months

of preparation and research on topics that we were

assigned earlier in the year to debate and discuss.

Each student represented a delegation of another

country that we were unfamiliar with – Rahim for

example was given Mauritania and Mtama was

tasked with representing Tanzania. On arrival, we

were assigned to a model committee that is part of

the African Union. Some were assigned to the

African Development Bank, whilst others joined the

Peace and Security Council. I had the pleasure of

being part of the Executive Council.

Within our committee, delegates discussed different

topics given to them by their Chair. We debated,

agreed and eventually drafted resolutions that

would help our country and Africa. The focus was

strongly on African solutions for African problems

and we found ourselves discussing crucial themes in

African development. Some committees found ways

to increase Pan-Africanism, others found ways to

improve education and we even tried to strengthen

the healthcare system in Africa!

We found the democratic process takes a long time

but eventually most of our resolutions were passed.

We then had to create an action plan to implement

our resolutions and ideas to our Heads of State.

Newsletter #29

March 24th 2017

Though the conference was hypothetical, it did not

distract us from trying to tackle the very real

challenges that Africa faces on a daily basis. A key

point we learnt was that it is more than just a

thought that can really implement change and as

students, it is safe to say we all grew stronger as

leaders and learned more about our nation and our

beautiful continent.

The conference and work was only part of the

experience. Both the students and teachers were

able to converse and meet fellow delegates from all

over the continent and across the world, discussing

various issues while creating memories and

friendships along the way.

We spent our nights enjoying and embracing the

culture around us including a cultural night hosted

by the African Leadership Academy (ALA). The night

involved international music and food and closed off

with a brilliant play created and directed by the ALA

students revolving around key issues occurring in

different regions of Africa including HIV/AIDS and

the empowerment of women.

The conference ended with a tour of Johannesburg

during the day, where students chose different

destinations and hotspots within the city including

Soweto and Sandton Mall, and a Black Tie Gala

Dinner in the evening to celebrate and round off the

conference in a symbolic state dinner.

Our last morning consisted of an Entrepreneurial

Boot camp, as Entrepreneurial Leadership is a

course studied in depth at ALA. It was a small

seminar to show the younger population what is

needed to start a business and how to prosper in

one, tools, which are vital for anyone wanting to

become an entrepreneur.

To leave ALAMAU 2017 was bittersweet. It involved

saying goodbye to very beautiful and intellectual

people who we met along the journey, but to take

the knowledge we learned consumed to drive

ourselves to direct change within our community.

The conference left us to grow and prosper. I found

we came back as different people ready to embrace

tough challenges, quick decisions and a growing

passion to fight for what we believe in, in the

conference and now our everyday lives. This

experience would not have been possible without

the guidance and positive reinforcement from Mr.

Wilkinson and Mrs. Grant.

We have the ALA students to thank for as well as the

director of ALAMAU, Faith Biodun. Mr. Faith had not

only used the conference to gather students across

Africa to discuss essential issues, but to task each

one of us with the thought of how we want to and

can create a stronger, united Africa.

By: Maarya O (13 BMo)

SAIntS Students Steal the Show!

Duke of Edinburgh International Award

On Thursday 16th March a group of 27 SAIntS

students from Year 11-13 attended a prestigious

Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award

presentation ceremony at Bishop Mackenzie

International School, Lilongwe. Guest of honour at

the event was HRH The Countess of Wessex, who is

the wife of the Queen’s youngest son, Prince

Edward (8th in line to the throne), and a Global

Ambassador for the Duke of Edinburgh’s

International Award.

The International Award is the world’s leading youth

achievement award, with millions of young people

aged 14-24 taking part across 144 different nations.

St. Andrew’s is one of only 16 Independent Award

Centres (IACs) in Africa, and this joint event with

BMIS was the very first Royal D of E presentation

ceremony for Independent Award Centres in Africa.

The D of E programme at SAIntS was started over 10

years ago by former Head Teacher, Mr Gordon

Benbow, and is now open to all students in Year 10

and above.

After being introduced to the Head Teacher (Mr K

Smith) and the D of E Award Leaders (Mr C Dodd

and Miss L Taylor), the Countess of Wessex spent

over half an hour meeting International Award

participants from both schools. She was escorted by

Kuliya C (Y11, Silver) who personally introduced her

to each one of the students from SAIntS. The quality

of the displays and demonstrations prepared by our

students was exceptional, and the Countess clearly

enjoyed engaging with the young people and

hearing of their achievements across the five Award

sections (Service, Skills, Physical Recreation,

Adventurous Journey, Gold Residential).

The formal presentation ceremony, led by Gospel K

(Y12, Bronze) as one of two student Masters of

Ceremonies, started with the singing of the

Malawian and United Kingdom national anthems by

BMIS students, followed by an opening address by

the Director of BMIS. Students from both schools

then took turns to present various elements of their

Award experiences on stage. From SAIntS, Biko B

(Y13, Gold) fluently delivered his D of E testimony, a

short but extremely well considered account of his

reasons for doing the Gold Award and a mature,

honest reflection on what the experiences mean to

him. Kaavya S (Y11, Bronze) and Dalitso M (Y11,

Bronze) then wowed the audience, primarily

students, staff and parents from BMIS, with an

outstanding dance that they had choreographed

themselves, bringing together traditional Indian and

modern Western styles in a colourful and

entertaining performance.

The presentation of the BMIS Bronze Awards (7) and

the SAIntS Bronze (15) and Silver (6) Awards

followed, with presentations from Edwin Kimani (D

of E Regional Director, Africa), Ms Holly Tett (British

High Commissioner) and HRH The Countess of

Wessex. The climax of the presentation ceremony

was the awarding of the highly distinguished Gold

Award to seven of our finest Year 13 students (one

in absentia). It is tradition that the presentation of

the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award must be made

personally by a member of the Royal family, so this

was an extremely rare opportunity for students to

officially receive their Award on Malawian soil (the

international waiting list to attend a Royal

presentation ceremony is over 10,000 people long!).

After the presentations, HRH The Countess of

Wessex remained on stage and delivered a

wonderful, heart-felt speech congratulating all the

young people and Award volunteers on their

achievements. She talked of the way in which the

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award provides all young

people, regardless of their background, the

opportunity to develop as individuals and explained

why the Award is held in such high regard by

employers and education providers as the definitive

qualification for demonstrating self-reliance,

commitment and dedication. After a short closing

address Mr K Smith closed proceedings by inviting

the Countess to sign pieces of artwork, with the

SAIntS piece creatively designed by Anna V (Y12,

Silver) and Jack T (Y12, Silver). After the departure of

the distinguished guests, students, staff and parents

enjoyed a fine buffet before making the long

journey back to Blantyre.

This was a fantastic occasion that will live long in the

memory of everyone who was fortunate enough to

be in attendance. The students from SAIntS were

truly outstanding in every way, as ambassadors and

role models for St. Andrew’s and the Duke of

Edinburgh’s Award. I would like to congratulate the

students on their remarkable achievements, and

thank parents for their enduring support. Mr Dodd

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Recipients – March

2017

Bronze Fatima A

Bronze Davina A

Bronze Dingaan C

Bronze Sadaf D

Bronze Talita D

Bronze Zoreen G

Bronze Malika G

Bronze Maya G

Bronze Sara J

Bronze Gospe Kl

Bronze Dalitso M

Bronze Natasha N

Bronze Riya R

Bronze Kaavya S

Bronze Elena V

Silver Kuliya C

Silver Christos S

Silver Ellie S

Silver Jack T

Silver Anna V

Silver Constantinos Y

Gold Fareeda A

Gold Biko B

Gold Wezi C

Gold Aila D

Gold Pubert N

Gold Leoni P

Gold Tom V

The Joy of Reading!

A WEEK TO REMEMBER

I saw Peter pan and Daisy duck on the Friday of Book

Week

I saw lots of Disney Princesses and Seven dwarfs

following at Snow’s feet.

I saw Thing 1 and Thing 2

And four scary ghouls.

One, two…no three Mad Hatters

And lazy people who think dressing up doesn’t

matter

But that was only on Friday

There was more fun in the week I have to say.

Fifty word stories and poems to write

Taking pictures reading in strange maybe at night.

Doing challenges and fun quizzes

On mystery and Romance books with heartbreaks

and kisses.

Having a peaceful moment just to D.E.A.R

This book week will be remembered all year.

BY Tadala B, 9N

BOOK WEEK ON POINT IN 2017

Book Week has now become an annual event at

SAIntS. This year’s book week took place from the

13th of March to the 17th. This year’s book week was

incontrovertibly wilder and more spectacular. It gets

better every year!

During the week, most of us the young writer’s and

keen readers were given an opportunity to

showcase our writing prowess through 50 Word

Short story and Poetry competitions. Yes, you read

it right!!! 50 Word short stories with character,

theme, setting, point of view and an interesting plot

just in 50 words. Mr Phoya will also tell you, ‘make

sure your characters must be lively and sentence

starters must vary’.

Truly Book Week this year was a life changing

experience and with full of surprises. On Monday

the whole school was set ablaze by Malawian’

SPOKEN WORD POETRY DISCIPLES. These young and

accomplished poets demonstrated their recital skills

during the whole school assembly which was led by

the Head of the Department English, the quiet but

brilliant Ms. Butler and was assisted by the electric

and wonderful Mr Oulton. An amazing assembly

and the first of its kind where no student could be

heard snoring was packed with fun and sharing of

motivational books from the teachers. We were told

this was only a starter!!!

During English lessons, we were taken to the main

hall where each year group was taken through a

work shop by the Spoken Word Poets. The poets

indeed like guardians of Mt Olympus imparted the

‘Ars Poetica’ in most of the participants and in

return requested us to showcase our talents. It was

ecstatic and amazing!!

On Tuesday, Ms Butler unleashed another wonder

of the Book Week….a young, accomplished and

humble lady, Ms Ekari Bvundula. Ms Ekari is

another Malawian writer who spared her time and

joined us during the Book Week. She came to inspire

us and assured us that it was ‘possible’ to write

great stories. One of her stories was called ‘The Blue

Ball’ and left every one speechless after reading it.

Even Mr Phoya run out of words to describe it…An

excellent and terrific Malawian write, she is!!

Book Week has left an indelible mark in our lives.

There is an ocean of activities that inspired many of

us during the week. All that can be said is…..BRAVO

TEAM ENGLISH for encouraging to read every 15

minutes of BOOK WEEK….Bravo Team English for

your organisation. By Talandira N, 8C

DARE D E A R

By Angel Chilima 8M

DEAR? Is this not a word that represents someone

you love? Maybe a mark of a very serious letter?

Probably an abbreviation?

Between the 13th and 17th of March, SAINTS campus

was awash with various authoritative claims on what

exactly DEAR meant. ‘it is Dogs Eat Apples Right’

claimed one keen student in year 7. But Why that’?

quizzed one ardent student in year 8. ‘It simply

means Don’t Ever Anger Robots or Do Essays on

Roosters’, chipped in the Year 8 students.

‘No No, Not at all!! ‘It simply means DROP

EVERYTHING AND READ!!! SAIntS has never been

this more serious with asking all its students to Drop

Everything and Read than before. This year’s book

week was so keen with instilling a reading culture in

her students.

It was nonnegotiable to read at SAIntS. Whether

your book was in electronic format or whatever

format but one had to read. Ms. Butler inspired

many students by admitting that ‘despite being

Head of English, she could only manage to read

when she was 10 years of age and never wanted any

young person to struggle the way she did’. Quite a

humbling and honest admittance by a brilliant lady.

We all in our circles gossiped about it and vowed to

take up the challenge. Our lunch breaks that are

characterized by loads of food were now

transformed into book zones. We simply wanted to

read the whole day.

The support that students received from every

department was amazing. Every day, there were 15

minutes dedicated to reading regardless of

whatever lesson. ‘Is DEAR at 10.10am today Mr

Phoya’? We heard Mr. Waite, Deputy Head Teacher,

asking Mr Phoya during our art lessons.

During DEAR itself, one could hear a pin drop from

afar and wished the one dropping it could evaporate

from our beautiful reading school. Being DEAR-ers

ourselves, we must admit, we were transported to

wonderful lands where we transcended into the

corridors of great writers that have transformed us

forever!!!

SAINTS CELEBRATE BOOK WEEK

Just like last year, this year we did not want

spectator ions nor passengers. Everyone had to play

the game at SAINTS. From Mt Olympus to the ends

of the earth were made to resound with yet another

Master piece of the English Department at SAINTS in

Blantyre. BOOK WEEK. A week where we remind our

students the importance of literacy and at the same

time sharing with them a wide array of experience

from the literary world.

Saint Andrews International High School in Blantyre

celebrated book week last week from the 13th to

17th March. This was a second book week in the hi-+-

+-+-+-+-+story of Saints. Unlike last year, this year’s

event was decorated by great spoken word poetry

performances by Malawian artists and also short

story reading and drilling by Ms Ekari Bvundula, an

accomplished Malawian writer based in Blantyre.

The students were also given an opportunity to

exhibit their spoken word creative and performance

skills after undergoing a series of professional and

practical workshops that were conducted by the

Malawian poets and writers. It was amazing to note

that the Poets were all graduates from the

Humanities and Social sciences from the Universities

around the World. Thanks to the prowess and

keenness of Ms Patricia Butler, Head of English at

Saints.

As if the workshops were not enough, our spacious

library was an epitome of carousels and literary

discussions. Students were offered a chance

unbridle their creative and imaginative skills by

coming up with SIX WORD stories...Yes SIX WORD

stories within 10 minutes. While some students

were busy writing stories another set of students

had to DROP EVERYTHING AND READ. It was

exhilarating to see students run about in the Library

in search of answers upon being given a Library quiz.

The Department of English also utilised the skills

that students acquired from the Department of Art

by asking them to design a book cover based on the

book blurb of their choice out of five that were given

to them. A library session full of activities for our

students at SAINTS.

‘This is a great way of learning and should continue

every year! Exclaimed a student from year 9. ‘What

a great week it has been?’ Chipped in, Mr Oulton

rhetorically. It was a book week with a mission.

On Friday everybody dressed up as their favourite

book character and took part in the book week

finale activities. Everyone looked so fantastic!!! The

effort made by all the students and staff was

amazing! It really was wonderful!

Asked to comment on the Book Week, the all

smiling, excited and focused, Ms Butler thanked

everyone for the participation and assured us that

the book week would not die a natural death.

The Support was fantastic this year. Thanks to the

team work among SAINTS Teachers.

Thoughts of a Serious Reader

By Laila R Year 9

Book week was amazing! Everyone had fun. The

week started with a whole school assembly where

we learnt all about spoken word poetry. Throughout

the week there were competitions such as the 50-

word short story and poetry competition. In addition

to all that every day we had DEAR, Drop Everything

and Read, where all students in all classes stopped

what they were doing and read for 15 minutes. To

end the week, we had a dress up day. Students and

teachers all dressed up as a book character. There

was a wide range of characters from princesses to

Grim reapers. At the end of the week I am sure

every that everyone would agree that book week

was a marvellous idea and everyone enjoyed

themselves.

A book is…

A book is a world laid out on pages,

A book is an adventure for those who follow,

A book is a mystery for detectives to solve,

A book is a path for weak and for strong,

A book is words in a special order,

A book is a mine with gold at the end,

A book is an island with hidden treasure,

A book is a flame that never goes out,

A book is a star that lights up the dark,

A book is a voice which you hear at night,

A book is a window to a hidden galaxy,

A book is a colour with many different shades,

A book may be boring now, but I tell you read on,

It will interest you if you stay strong

WORLD BOOK CHARACTERS GATHER AT

SAINTS

By Nidhi D

Who Said Harry Porter, Batman, man-eating shark

cannot come to Africa and especially at SAINTS? Last

Friday, 17th March, all the famous literary characters

had a conference at SAINTS in Blantyre. This was a

conference where these world famous characters

agreed that BOOK Week must be made a Mandatory

event at SAINTS and the Life venue should be SAINT

Andrews International High School in Blantyre.

These characters were all students and teachers

from SAINTS that took off their time and prepared

to dress up like their favourite book and movie

characters. As early 6.30 am, the main car park was

awash with strange and yet funny looking people.

One student even claimed that the traffic controlling

police at the SAINTS Junction stopped their car and

enquired whether Students at SAINTS needed

security as they had seen the GRIM REAPER

descending to SAINTS on that day. The dressing up

marked the hall mark of the SAINTS Book Week

which took place from the 13th of March to the 17th

March.

‘This has been a fantastic book week’, chipped in Ms

Butler, Head of English. ‘The Support from the

students has been wonderful and even all the

teachers. These are very hardworking teachers and

students.’ Added Zai, the Head Boy. There are no

better words to describe the organization,

commitment and dedication that characterized this

year’s Book Week. The English Department was

simply amazing.

A book week that will always be in our hearts! A

book week that gave us an opportunity to explore

our beautiful Library with Mr Adrian Chopi and his

assistant!! A book week that requested us to

imaginatively design a book cover after reading a

Blurb!! We wrote stories in Just Six Words!! We met

excellent Poets and an amazing young lady during

workshops. Ms Ferguson kept encouraging us to

read. Ms Colliver pushed us gently to create poems.

Ms Miller dropped everything and read with us. Mr

Oulton told us to read or becoming nothing. Mr

Phoya running up and down with a camera spying

on us as we read. Ms Butler an inspiring figure to all

of us that attended the Friday gathering of all

characters.

It will be the greatest injustice if all the support staff

never got a big round of applause from all of us for

the amazing job. There is always a silent speech

writer behind the President’s great speech. Likewise,

for the wonderful Book Week, there are members of

support staff, we all rushed to for help. Thank you.

Book week 2017 at Saints will always be in our

hearts and would be treasured greatly. Thanks to

Ms. Butler and wonder Team English Department

SAIntS

PTA

Needs

You!

The PTA does an

amazing job

helping out at our

many events. We have a core group of dedicated

members of the committee and we are reaching out

to you all to join in! You don't need to be on the

committee; any time you can devote to supporting

our work, and ultimately helping the school will be

more than welcome. If you would like to help out in

any way, please contact the school and we would be

delighted to have your support.

Don't miss out!

Tickets on sale NOW!