Metropole Heroes

From a young age, my interest in business was nurtured by the entrepreneurial spirit that surrounded me. Growing up, I witnessed my parents build their business from the ground up. Conversations about the stock market at the dinner table and weekends spent testing product samples ingrained in me a fascination for the commercial landscape. This curiosity was further fueled when I embarked on the journey of studying GCSE Business at school.

I adopted a diligent and disciplined approach to ensure my success while studying business. I committed myself to studying persistently, ensuring a deep understanding of all the theoretical concepts in the subject. Also, staying on top of current news became a crucial aspect of my preparation, allowing me to develop strong application and case study skills.

My biggest inspirations in this endeavor are undoubtedly my parents. Their relentless dedication to their business and the opportunities they provided me served as the driving force behind my pursuit of excellence. I continue to work hard not only to achieve personal success but also to make them proud, recognizing the sacrifices they made for my education and future.

This achievement holds immense significance for me. It is a tangible reminder of the distance I have travelled in my academic journey, from struggling with business concepts in year 10 to being recognized with the prestigious award for the highest mark globally. This accomplishment serves as a testament to my growth, resilience, and commitment to mastering the subject that has been an integral part of my life.

It is a proud moment that encapsulates the dedication and passion I have invested in the study of business, and I am grateful for the opportunity to showcase the progress I've made. 

                                                                    

Asma and Noura AlSuwaidi, Emirati twin sisters, have left an indelible mark on GEMS Metropole School - Motor City during their two years at the school. These final years of their Secondary education have been a testament to their determination and drive as they pursue their dreams before stepping into the world of higher education.

Asma and Noura made a deliberate choice to choose a challenging pathway, opting for the technical and vocational route, pursuing a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Business.

Since joining GEMS Metropole School - Motor City, both sisters have fully immersed themselves in school life. They eagerly shared their Emirati culture with fellow students and staff, playing vital roles in Flag Days and National Day celebrations. As ambassadors for the UAE, they spoke to Primary students about their culture, even lending the school their falcon and its trainer for International Day. In addition, Noura's passion for student wellbeing earned her a place on the Prefect Team, where she championed the voice and welfare of Sixth Form students and the entire school community.

Academically, both sisters have exceled, with predictions of achieving Distinctions at the challenging BTEC level, equivalent to 3 Grade AS at A Level. Their hard work, resilience, dedication, and pursuit of excellence have been truly impressive. Furthermore, Noura is also studying A Level Sociology and is predicted to earn an A grade. These outstanding achievements highlight their exceptional abilities as students and commendable representatives of their remarkable host country.

Looking ahead, Asma and Noura have been accepted into Sorbonne University, Abu Dhabi, where they will pursue their passions. As they embark on degrees in Philosophy and Sociology, and Economics and Management, their experiences at GEMS Metropole School - Motor City will undoubtedly provide them with a solid foundation for continued success.

This year, GEMS Metropole School - Motor City has been shortlisted for Best Sixth Form in the UAE, as well as recognition for its exceptional Technical and Vocational stream education. Asma and Noura have contributed significantly to these nominations, showcasing the incredible environment of Sixth Form at the school. Moreover, the UAE government's acknowledgment of the quality of BTEC qualifications further validates the path chosen by the determined AlSuwaidi twins.

Amazing Success: Exam Series 2022

• Kateryna Golovko - A*, A*, A, A
• Hana Abdelsalam - A*, A, A, A 
• Rowan Ramadan - A*, A*, A
• Ahmed Reyan Aamir - A*, A, A

Amazing Success: GCSE Exam Series 2022

• Yasmine Hamzeh - Grades achieved were 9,9,9,9,9,9,9,9
• Munam Ahmed - Grades achieved were 9,9,9,9,9,9,9,8
• Antonios Kreouzis - Grades achieved were 9,9,9,9,9,9,9,8
• Shazia Maskati - Grades achieved were 9,9,9,9,9,9,9,8
• Qasim Syed - Grades achieved were 9,9,9,9,9,8,8,8

 

Malak has proudly won 2nd place in the 3rd edition of the Junior Squash Open tournament in collaboration with the UAQ Squash association!  Malak’s journey into becoming an athlete began when she was a little girl. It started with playing squash with her mum and dad who believe a healthy body equals a healthy mind. Through these family moments her parents observed just how much she enjoyed it and has a genuine passion towards it. Malak then joined her first squash club at the young age of 4 with two sessions a week.

Any athletes journey is far from easyand she is currently having three to four squash sessions per week but the future is looking bright for Malak as she has joined plenty of competitions for under 11 & under 9 years old in Qatar and UAE. She is prepared to join the international competitions and her family are always motivating her to be one of the best players in the world and capitalise on becoming the number 1 World Women Squash athlete one day.

“The school has always shown a great care and encouragement towards Malak’s aspirations in sports.”Malak’s parents

 

It is our pleasure to congratulate Olivia Yoo on becoming a Platinum Junior Duke Hero. Olivia's exceptional achievement in completing the Junior Duke Award in record time is a testament to her work ethic. Furthermore, Olivia demonstrated her compassionate nature by excelling in the 'Caring for Others' challenge, which involved helping her home community become safer by addressing the issue of unsafe trees. Olivia wrote a letter to her community security, highlighting the problem and its potential dangers, and her request was granted, resulting in the hazardous trees getting repaired. This act of service not only demonstrates Olivia's caring and proactive nature but also highlights her leadership qualities and her commitment to making a positive impact on her community. It is a remarkable accomplishment to receive the Platinum Junior Duke Hero Award, and Olivia's dedication to the program and her community is an inspiration to all young people.

Olivia has said… “I feel proud to receive this Award and all my hard work has paid off. Everyone is safe now and no one will get hurt.”

 

We would like to warmly congratulate Archisha on her outstanding achievement of becoming the Gold Junior Duke Hero. Archisha’s exceptional performance in the 'Eco challenge' challenge is particularly noteworthy, and I was impressed to learn that it included Archisha’s research and cultivation of her own basil plant. Her thoughtful consideration of the available resources and conditions, combined with her hard work and dedication, allowed Archisha to grow a flourishing basil plant. The fact that Archisha then used the basil to make soup is a testament to her creativity and resourcefulness, as well as her commitment to sustainable living practices.

Archisha has said…

“I feel amazing and I am very happy to be receiving the Gold Junior Duke Hero. I would like to thank my dad who helped me, everyone else who helped me and Ms. Heather. Thank you.”

It is with great pleasure that we congratulate Omar on his remarkable achievement of becoming the Silver Junior Duke Hero. Omar’s exemplary dedication and meticulous attention to detail in completing the Award is truly commendable, and his outstanding performance in the 'Neighborliness' challenge exemplifies his sense of care and consideration towards those around him. Omar’s commitment to making a positive impact on the community is highlighted in his Neighborliness challenge as he donated clothes and unwanted possessions to charity.

Omar has said" I feel proud of myself for accomplishing this Hero Award and I will keep trying in all of the Junior Duke Awards and I won’t give up.”

 

We are thrilled to congratulate Mia for her achievement on being awarded the Bronze Junior Duke Hero. Mia’s exceptional effort and hard work in completing her Award did not go unnoticed. I was impressed by Mia’s successful completion of the 'Independence' challenge, which involved knowing the way to a local place and ensuring safety measures were taken such as crossing the road at lights and at the zebra crossings. Mia’s commitment to safety and responsibility and her success in this challenge is an excellent example of Mia’s determination to reach her goals.

Mia has said…

“I feel good and I enjoyed completing the Junior Duke Award, thank you.”

 

In the realm of academic excellence, GEMS Metropole School – Motor City (MTS) continues to foster an environment where students thrive and achieve remarkable feats. The recent International Economics Olympiad, a highly competitive international competition, saw teams from all corners of the globe gather to showcase their economic prowess. Amongst the impressive array of participants, Jad Al Shatnawi, a student from MTS, demonstrated his exceptional abilities, contributing to his team's commendable fourth-place finish.

The World Econ Olympiad brought together teams from various countries, setting the stage for an intense battle of economic knowledge and analytical skills. The top three spots were secured by teams from South Korea and India, making them the undisputed Middle East champions. Nevertheless, Jad's team exhibited their outstanding capabilities, capturing the attention of participants and judges alike.

Jad's remarkable academic journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. His peers recognise his academic prowess, electing him as the Deputy Head Boy for the current academic year. In this leadership role, Jad has proven his resilience, demonstrating a sincere dedication to assisting fellow students with their challenges. His empathetic nature and proactive approach have made him an invaluable asset to the school community.

However, it is Jad's unwavering passion for economics that truly sets him apart. With an exceptional ability to absorb information, he grasps complex concepts effortlessly, often understanding them in the first explanation by his teachers. This talent allows him to delve deeper into the subject matter, expanding his knowledge beyond the confines of the curriculum and gaining a comprehensive understanding of the "why" behind economic principles.

Jad's commitment to his studies extends beyond the classroom. Recognising the need for an avenue to empower his peers, he founded the Economics Club at GEMS Metropole School – Motor City . Through this initiative, Jad has created an environment where students can explore and engage with economic concepts in a collaborative and supportive setting. His exceptional leadership resulted in the club's achievement of fifth place in the World Economics Cup, a testament to Jad's ability to leave a lasting legacy.

Outside of his pursuit of economics, Jad has been an active participant in a multitude of academic and non-academic activities. He has excelled in the Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze award program and has been a vital contributor to the Model United Nations (MUN) at MTS, assuming the role of Director of Finance for the Secretariat Board of the school's MUN conference.

With an exciting future ahead, Jad has set his sights on the University of Bath in England, where he will pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with Politics. His track record of excellence, insatiable curiosity, creativity, intelligence, enthusiasm, and unwavering perseverance are sure to propel him to even greater heights at the university and beyond.

The entire GEMS Metropole community wishes Jad the very best in his future endeavors, confident that he will continue to make a positive impact and achieve remarkable success in the field of economics.

Ali Tagiyev, an inspirational digital innovator, project designed *Smart All System for People with Physical Disabilities." Ali passed the UAE regional phase where he won best innovator, best engineer and best demonstrator and based on the total earned scores won the ‘All Rounded Award.’ As a result, Ali was selected for Global MakeX Spark Competition 2021.

MakeX Spark Global Competition Award Ceremony was held in June 2021 in the city of Shenzhen in China. This city is a leading global technology hub, China's Silicon Valley, where Ali received the most prestigious Young Engineer Award. 

This is such a big achievement compared to the award received at the previous competitions. During the last three years, Ali has actively participated at various coding competitions, including UAE Online Robotics Competition which was held in October 2020, where his team took 1st place among the teams age 11-14.

9th October 2020 – 2 friends and I, took on an exciting but daunting 90km rowing challenge to raise much needed funding for The Water Project. The funds we raised from this would help to provide access to clean, safe and reliable water across sub-Saharan Africa - one community at a time.

When we discussed a challenge to try and raise some money for The Water Project, we decided to add our ages together and that gave us the 90km idea. (Our ages were 24/28 and 38.)

We set out at 6am and began our rowing challenge. Our plan was simple, we aimed to maintain a 1min47second split per 500m which would mean it would take each of us roughly around 3mins40secs  to row 1000m, when we would change the rower and we would rotate like this for 90km. (On the changeover, we would aim to limit time wasted and this would leave us aiming for a target time of under 6 hours.)

We completed our 90km row in just 5hours and 23minutes.

It was an exhausting few hours but the sense of accomplishment and achievement was just brilliant, the latest amount raised when I checked was just under 14’000AED, which for 3 friends to sit down and do with only 10 day between idea and event, was something to be very proud of.

The money raised will be well received by The Water Project and I can’t wait to see the difference it makes in some people’s lives!

In February 2020 students from GEMS Metropole School visited Kenya to help build a new school in Kenya. They worked hard throughout the entire expedition. They started by laying the floor for 

the new school building as the old building had been deemed structurally unsafe.

They also made part of an elephant deterrent fence which was harder than it sounds and looks. This helped the local community keep their valuable crops free from hungry animals.

De-worming the goats was a hit with the students and they enjoyed goat snuggles afterwards. They were very pleased with themselves as the students managed to beat their target of 100 and de-wormed 122 goats! This was a great help to so many of the local farmers and an amazing opportunity for the students to give back to a global initiative.

Kevin, a keen sports person and caring teacher, decided to use his abilities and his time to support others who are in need. 

Kevin has been a teacher at GEMS Metropole since September 2016. In Summer 2019 he was part of a group of people to take on the challenge of Africa's tallest mountain to raise funds and awareness for a UK based charity who supports victims and families of those who suffer from brain tumors. 

Mount Kilimanjaro stands at 5800 meters in height. It took the team 7 days to reach the summit and another day day and a half to descend. The daily routine began at around 6am when the team got up to have breakfast before beginning their slow walk. The temperature and altitude all added to the difficulty and the hikers had to ensure to have enough clothes, water and food to keep their energy levels. Each day the team hiked all morning before stopping for lunch and chat with their guides before the began once again walking in the afternoon.

When they arrived at camp they would wash from a basin of water to clear off the dust from the day before sitting down in the mess tent for dinner. Nights were cold and climbers slept in wrapped up in their sleeping bags in their tents with plenty more clothes on including a hat in order to try and keep warm.

With the altitude and the cold it was often difficult to get any sleep but the rest was well needed before the next days walking.

All 12 of the group managed to summit but the biggest achievement was the fantastic amount of money that was raised to support families of those affected by brain tumors. 

In August 2017 and most recently in April 2021, I chopped my hair off for cancer research. I am lucky enough that my hair grows fast and thick. Not what you need when living in Dubai with the heat!

Over 4 years ago, a very close family friend was diagnosed with cancer. A form of cancer that can be ‘controlled’ with chemo but will she will never fully recover. During her first round of chemo, she began to loose her hair. She is a fighter and is still going through treatment to this day. 

This spurred me on to have my hair chopped off to donate to Little Princess Trust. A charity that supports young children in creating wigs during their cancer treatment. To find out more and how you could support others who have lost their hair during cancer treatment visit their website littleprincesses.org.uk 

While most children look forward to receiving gifts on their birthday, one young GEMS Metropole student decided she wanted to visit an orphanage or hospital instead to make other children happy. 

GEMS Metropole student Mila aged 7 was first inspired to "make some children happy," after a conversation with her mum about the cost of birthday parties and how people are in need in the world. 

Having recently celebrated her birthday, Mila decided to find children who needed a friend instead of having a birthday party. The little girl's charitable endeavours not only impressed us at GEMS Metropole, but also her parents. Rama said: "I was really surprised and proud of Mila when she asked to celebrate with the orphans on her birthday and I think actions like these to come from a 7 year old shows that kids can still be thoughtful and not only think of toys and cakes on their birthday.”

As part of the GEMS Jewels of Kindness Initiative, which recognises students for their acts of kindness, Mila has been and will continue to be supported by her teachers and everyone and GEMS Metropole to turn her dreams into reality. Mila’s mum continues to work with us to support her daughter’s ideas to benefit those in need “It was amazing how you guys responded to this and I am so happy that you are taking it really seriously as we need to spread more news like this” 

While this was a first for the seven-year-old girl, it probably won't be the last as she is already thinking about sorting through her clothes and toys to give to a charity. 

Mila hopes to visit the Al Jalila hospital in the very near future to continue her charitable work.