The students of BINUS SCHOOL Simprug have done it again! Our class of 2024 has put on an original play that has left audiences in awe. The play, written and directed by the students themselves, showcases their creativity and talent in a production that is truly a must-see. The play, titled “THE RAVEN”, comes from Edgar Allan Poe’s poem of the same name. The poem was written in the Victorian era, in 1845, which also happens to be the same era when The Raven (the play) takes place. The poem talks about the narrator’s descent into madness after losing his lover, which reflects a lot of the themes in the play: loss, insanity, and grief. The plot is masterfully crafted, with twists and turns that keep the audience engaged and on the edge of their seats. The students’ acting skills are equally impressive, with each actor bringing their own unique style and personality to their role. “This whole process has been surreal. I have always wanted to be part of my school play when I reach Grade 11 ever since I was 10 watching all the seniors put on amazing shows with cool songs, actors/actresses, lights, and sets. Despite my experience in various school plays, I could never have thought of how hard being part of the core team could be. Since July last year until today, we’ve been working so hard every day to make this happen, and I just can’t fathom how it is actually happening. Rehearsals happened at least two times every week, the cast and dancers had been working tirelessly for their scenes and musical performances, and the core team works every day for all their departments. It has been a tiring process indeed, but it will all pay off!”, said Nandisty Allura Saputro (Gr.11), The Raven’s Director. The production is a true testament to the dedication and hard work of the students and their teachers. We were preparing this school play since September 2022 and everyone involved in this school play spent countless hours rehearsing and perfecting every detail of the play. From the lighting and sound effects to the costumes and set design, every aspect of the production was carefully thought out and executed with precision. This drama is even more enthralling because it has songs that go deep into every stage act. Some songs titled Quilt and QED were originally made by our students. Other songs like Ballroom, Asturiath Monologue, and Spirited Away, are songs in which the instruments were originally made by them also. No doubt there are some songs that they have successfully improvised such as Dear Theodosia, Yorktown, and Killer King. THE RAVEN’s stage was made even more majestic by the live orchestra performance of our 8 students who played violin, cello, harp, guitar, drums, bass, and piano. “The production of The Raven was a rollercoaster from start to end. The Raven was a story that came to me in a fever dream. I have no clue what kind of name Barry Allen Asturiath Poe is. Initially, the story was a bit too dark for my own taste. I never imagined I’d love the story and the play so much. As more people started joining and I saw the fruition of everyone’s hard work, the play became less of me and about everyone who was involved. I have so much love for this play and all the cast, production crew, and teachers, despite all the trials and tribulations”, said Michelle Soerjanto (Gr.11), The Raven’s Co-Director and Head of scriptwriting. The play has received rave reviews from audience members, with many expressing their admiration for the student’s talent and creativity. More than 100 students joined the play, from the musicians, stage props, cast, and dancers to the lighting crew. Our principal, Mr. Isaac, also took part as a performer in one of the scenes of the play, and in between his busy schedule, he also joined the rehearsal session for the success of the play. We are very grateful to all the teachers and parents who have been involved in the preparation of “THE RAVEN”. The parents are highly involved in the production in terms of costumes, food, and beverages, as well as sponsorships. We believe this event would not have been a success without their support. The school’s drama club is proud to have put on such a successful production and hopes to continue to showcase their talent in future plays. The play has left a lasting impression on all who have seen it and is sure to be remembered as one of the school’s greatest achievements.

The Asia Pacific Young Leaders Convention (APYLC) finally returned to its face-to-face activities, with St. Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton, New Zealand hosting from April 12-16, 2023. High school students from five different countries gathered for this event, and BINUS SCHOOL Education sent eight student representatives. These delegates are from BINUS SCHOOL Simprug, Serpong, Bekasi, and Semarang. The APYLC had the theme of “Beauty in Outdoors” which provides an opportunity for students to hone their leadership skills through various activities. These included outdoor activities and group discussions with other students from different schools coming from New Zealand, Japan, China, and Taiwan. Through this forum, delegates from BINUS SCHOOL Education also had the opportunity to learn about new cultures while introducing Indonesian culture to the other delegations. In addition, APYLC is also a platform to establish global connections for the future. President of BINUS SCHOOL Education, Michael Wijaya Hadipoespito, stated that programs such as APYLC greatly enrich the learning process of BINUS SCHOOL students, especially in opening up new insights and experiences that are expected to be impactful to society. “This year, we once again represented Indonesia in APYLC. This program is also in line with our three pillars of education in nurturing exemplary character, innovative learning, and compassionate leadership,” said Michael. Through APYLC, Michael continued, “BINUS SCHOOL Education also has the opportunity to introduce and present the profile of BINUS SCHOOL to schools around the world.” The APYLC is a platform for students from several countries to gather and exchange ideas, to foster leadership qualities that can solve various problems, both local and global. One of the delegates from BINUS SCHOOL Education, Louisa Aretha, a grade 11 student at BINUS SCHOOL Serpong, expressed gratitude for being part of the APYLC delegation. “We gained many new experiences during our participation in APYLC, from workshops, breakout groups, and other activities that are definitely different from what we normally encounter. We also met many other participants from various countries, which was a very inspiring experience,” said Louisa.

Good luck to the representatives from BINUS SCHOOL Education (Simprug, Serpong, Bekasi and Semarang) who will be attending the Asia-Pacific Young Leaders Convention (APYLC) at St. Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton, New Zealand from April 12-16, 2023. For five days, eight students from BINUS SCHOOL Education will participate in various activities aimed at improving their leadership skills. In addition, students from BINUS SCHOOL Education will also have the opportunity to meet and exchange cultures, as well as establish global relationships with other participants, including those from Japan, China, Taiwan, and New Zealand. Looking forward for them to share experiences at APYLC, it’s going to be exciting and fun!

Kompetisi matematika berkelas internasional, World Mathematics Invitational (WMI) kembali digelar di BINUS SCHOOL Serpong, Tangerang Selatan, Sabtu (01/04). Untuk tahun ini, BINUS SCHOOL Serpong menjadi salah satu tuan rumah untuk wilayah Tangerang dan sekitarnya. Ribuan peserta yang berasal dari berbagai sekolah di tingkat TK sampai SMA di seluruh Indonesia akan mengikuti kompetisi ini. Setelah melewati babak preliminary, peserta yang mendapatkan medali emas, perak, dan perunggu nantinya mendapatkan kesempatan untuk berhadapan dengan peserta dari negara-negara lain seperti America, China, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Nigeria, Hong Kong, Macao, Iran, Bulgaria, India, Kazakhstan, Cambodia, Myanmar, Australia, Brazil, Turkey, Vietnam, Mongolia dan Laos di ajang WMI Final. Untuk tahun ini, WMI Final akan diselenggarakan di Korea Selatan di bulan Juli 2023.   Principal of Middle and High School BINUS SCHOOL Serpong, Ms. Sherrierose Garcia Gonzales, menyampaikan, ajang kualifikasi WMI ini merupakan kesempatan bagi siswa dalam mengembangkan minat dan bakat, sekaligus menunjukkan kemampuan mereka di bidang matematika, apalagi matematika merupakan dasar dari banyak ilmu. “Peserta yang mengikuti babak kualifikasi WMI di BINUS SCHOOL Serpong tahun ini berjumlah 642 siswa yang berasal dari 22 sekolah di wilayah Tangerang dan sekitarnya. Melalui event seperti ini, para siswa menjadi terpacu untuk mengasah keterampilannya dalam bidang matematika,” jelas Ms. Sherrie. Ditambahkan Ms. Sherrie, ini adalah kali kedua BINUS SCHOOL Serpong menjadi tuan rumah untuk Kompetisi WMI preliminary round. Bedanya tahun lalu WMI preliminary round masih diadakan secara online sedangkan tahun ini kembali ke onsite. Untuk jumlah peserta tahun ini mengalami peningkatan lebih dari 200 peserta dibandingkan tahun lalu. Sementara itu, Principal of Early Childhood Years & Elementary BINUS SCHOOL Serpong, Ms. Anwin Samsudi, turut menambahkan, kompetisi ini juga memberikan kesempatan besar kepada siswa-siswi di Indonesia, sehingga dapat menjadi pemicu untuk lebih semangat dan kreatif dalam mendalami bidang matematika. “Kami melihat antusiasme yang sangat besar dari para peserta dalam mengikuti kompetisi ini, terlebih lagi kompetisi ini merupakan ajang bergengsi tingkat dunia. Oleh karena itu, kami sangat mendukung bibit-bibit muda yang sudah berani menjajaki kompetisi ini,” ungkap Ms. Anwin. WMI merupakan kompetisi internasional matematika yang pertama kali diinisiasi oleh negara Taiwan untuk mengumpulkan institusi dan organisasi di dunia yang ingin mempopulerkan bidang ilmu matematika. Peserta yang mengikuti WMI, tidak hanya akan berkompetisi di tingkat nasional dan dunia, para siswa yang menjadi peserta juga berkesempatan untuk menjelajahi horizon baru, terutama dalam mendapatkan pengalaman dan budaya baru antar sesama pecinta matematika.