by  Tsitziloni  Irene ,Class A-Advanced

New  York, the former  ‘New  Amsterdam’ ,is  located on the east coast of the USA and  is  the most populous  city of the country,where  the true population exceeds 8 million  and the area reaches  780  square klm.

The modern  name was  taken in honour  of  the Duke  of   York,the historical town of  England.It  is one of the country’s  main  financial  centers .In  New  York  ,you can see the  famous  Wall Street,the Statue of Liberty and the Empire  State  Building.New York is famous for its skyscrapers  and  its neighbourhoods,including  the famous Greek one:Astoria.

The  Statue of Liberty is a large sculpture ,which depicts  freedom as a female figure,holding a  torch in  her  raised right hand and  in the left a  plate,on which a date is indicated:July 4 ,1776: the  Independence  Day of the United  States.

The statue dominates  Liberty Island ,at the entrance of  New York   harbour.

The  idea of the statue belongs to the  French historian  Edouard Rene’ de Laboulaye ,who  proposed to build a monument in honour of the French-American friendship.In 1874,Frederic Bartholdi ,an experienced sculptor ,began working in Paris for its construction.The colossal  statue  was dismantled into 350  pieces and moved to the USA  in 1885,where it was assembled again.

The statue weighs 205 tonnes and its height is 46 metres. 146  steps lead to the top(the crown ),where there are 24  windows .

The  United  States Congress  decided to place the statue on this island,where it is visible to anyone who enters or leaves the port of new York.It was inaugurated  in 1886.The base of the statue hosts the Immigration Museum .

The Statue of Liberty has been declared a Unesco World Heritage Site .

                            by  Danae Manta ,Grade A-Advanced 

       Pyotr  IIyich  Tchaikovsky   is  widely considered the most popular  Russian  composer  in history.He  was born on May 7,1840,in  Vyatka,Russia.When  he was just five years old,Tchaikovsky  began taking piano lessons .Although he  displayed an early passion for music,his parents  hoped that he would grow up to work in the civil service.At the age of 10,Tchaikovsky began attending the Imperial School  of Jurisprudence,a  boarding school in St Petersburg.His  mother ,Alexandra died  when he was 14 years old.

    When  he was 21,Tchaikovsky  decided to take music lessons at the Russian Musical Society.A few months later ,he enrolled at the newly founded St Petersburg Conservatory ,becoming  one of the school’s first  composition students.In addition to learning,while at the conservatory,Tchaikovsky gave private lessons to other students.

   In 1863 ,he moved to Moscow ,where he became a professor of harmony at the Moscow Conservatory.He married a young music student named Antonina Milyukova.The marriage was a catastrophe ,with Tchaikovsky abandoning his wife within weeks of the wedding.During a nervous breakdown,he unsuccessfully  attempted to commit suicide and eventually fled abroad.

His work was first publicly performed in 1865,his First  Symphony was well received.

In 1874,he established himself with Piano Concerto No1.

    Tchaikovsky  resigned from the Moscow Conservatory in 1878 and spent the rest of  his career composing yet more prolifically.In 1876 ,he completed the ballet ‘Swan Lake’ , as well as the fantasy ‘Francesca da Rimini’ .

  Tchaikovsky resigned from the Moscow Conservatory to focus his efforts entirely on composing.As  a  result,he spent the remainder of his  career composing more prolifically than ever.His collective body of work constitutes of 169 pieces ,including symphonies ,operas,ballets,concertos and songs.Among  his most famed late works are the ballets ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ (1890)  and the ‘Nutcracker’ (1892).

     Tchaikovsky died in St Petersburg on November 6th ,1893.

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                                                                                 by  Theodora Hionaki,Grade  A-Advanced

Wolfgang  Amadeus Mozart was  a prolific and  influential  composer  of  the  Classical  Era . Mozart  showed  prodigious ability from his earliest childhood.Already competent on keyboard and violin,he composed  from  the age of 5 and performed before European royalty.

At  17  he was engaged as  a court musician in Salzburg,but grew restless and travelled in search of a better  position ,always omposing abundantly.He chose to stay in the capital,Vienna, where he achieved fame but little financial security.

During his final years in Vienna,he composed many of his best known symphonies ,concertos ,operas and portions of the ‘Requiem’ ,which was largely unfinished by the time of his death.The circumstances of his  early death have been much  mythologised.He was survived by his wife,Constanze and two sons.

He  composed over 600 works.Mozart is among the most enduringly popular of Classical composers and his influence on subsequent  Western  Art Music  is  profound.Beethoven composed his early works in the shadow of Mozart  and Joseph  Haydn wrote that ‘posterity will not see such a talent again in 100 years’!

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http://www.teachers-corner.co.uk/slap-her-childrens-reactions-against-violence/

by  Kora Gabriel -Class B -Beginners

Maglev (derived from Magnetic Levitation ) is a method of propulsion that uses magnetic levitation to propel vehicles with magnets rather than with wheels,axles and bearings.With Maglev, a vehicle is levitated a short distance away from a guide way using magnets to create both lift and thrust.High -speed maglev trains promise dramatic improvements for human travel if widespread adoption occurs.

The painting ,thought to be a portrait  of Lisa Gherardini,the wife of Francesco Giocondo,is in oil and is believed to have been painted between 1503 and 1506,although Leonardo may have continued working on it as late as 1517.It was acquired by King Francis I of France and is now the property of the French Republic ,on permanent display at The Louvre museum in Paris since 1797.

The Louvre museum in Paris

The ambiguity of the woman’s expression,which is frequently described as enigmatic,the monumentality of the composition,the subtle modeling of forms and the atmospheric illusionism were novel qualities that have contributed to the continuing fascination and study of  this painting.

 by Anastasiou Katerina

Class B-Advanced

 Ranty  Rasev,C2

‘I am  wondering: has  anyone thought of  the consequences  of  the   quick  popularity  and the rejections of  these competitions?We’re talking about a competition,so  rejecting children is inevitable.Also ,imagine how difficult it would be for the children to be rejected in front of the cameras!’

Papantoniou Manolis ,C2

  ‘Have  you  ever  heard children singing in talent  shows and then crying because they got rejected?Of course you have!Let me tell you my opinion about this.When the  kid has a natural talent and has the chance to show it in front of people,it’s good.But it should be  strong!Very strong!As  much as it takes so as not to get hurt by rejection!’

Papanikola  Eleftheria ,C2

‘It  is  very hard for the childish soul..This  will affect their childhood..If a kid is clever ,it should take part in a Maths competition .Kids  get very tired when they compete with other children and have to be “perfect’.

Mavrikakis  Christofer,C2

‘In  my opinion,it is a big mistake that children want to be on TV .If   they get rejected ,they will be sad ,unhappy ,disappointed , they will be crying and it is not good for the  psychology of the children ,especially at this age.

Loutsiou  Eftihia,C2

‘Talent  shows are well known on TV and  a lot of people watch them.In some reports  they reach the   No 1  of the ‘Top 10 TV Shows’ of the season!.Having so many viewers, the TV  companies are making even more talent shows ,including some ,especially for kids!

  These kids become  famous quickly ,only because they went to sing or play!They get a lot of  views,likes ,tweets,etc and they make a lot of money ,without sweat!Also, they can have everything a child or a teen would ever want to have.They simply live like kings!

   But ,after a lot of days,they become bored and annoyed by that big fame.The paparazzi  are following them  wherever they go and the  magazines gossip about their private lives!The famous kids are losing their own life!They will live only for their fans.It sounds weird ,but that’s the truth.Every decision has its consequences,right??’

Konstantakis  George,C2

‘In  our  contemporary society  the problem of children  that attend talent shows  is  thriving.This  can have devastating  effects  on  a child’s character and the rejection can scar him or her for the rest of their lives.

    Although  I  am opposed  to  this fact, I   must admit that it has both positive and  negative aspects ,both of which  will be examined  below.

  One  of the most crucial advantages  of  kids  going to talent shows  is  that it  can boost their confidence.Mostly  for children that have problems, their success can make them see the world with another view  and make them believe  they can do something good in the end.

    The rejection -on  the other side of the coin- can have -because of  their  failure- devastating effects  on  their character  and  can  harm their psychology  .They  could  cry  and the  parents could  be disappointed  by them.If  they succeed  ,they could get selfish and  proud  of  themselves  ,reject  others and  due  to their achievement  they  can develop  a selfish  character when  they grow up.

   Parents  must understand  that in order  for  children  to become future citizens  they should  not be scarred  by   rejection or success in their childhood.’

Kanias  Stavros ,C2

   ‘The  most  important thing  is the stress and the  physical exhaustion that the children have.They  get stressed  because they have to perform well so as not to be rejected.It  will  be  really  difficult  for the vulnerable children to handle this…The  thing that strikes me  the most is that parents  approve  and send the children to the contests..’

Ioannou  Nicolas ,C2

 ‘The  quick  popularity  and the rejection are  the main disadvantages  of  talent shows,because  they influence  children’s  psychology.The  child  is  in front  of  five and more cameras  which transmit  the image live!Imagine  that grown-ups cry in equivalent shows ,because the judges showed them to the exit!Of  course ,it is their parents’ fault  ,because  they send them to these contests.If  they want to make known and  promote their children’s talent ,they can find other ways.’

 Iskas   Filippos ,C2

  ‘ I am  totally  against  that .When  you see  children that compete in talent shows ,even  if  they haven’t  any talent,you  feel  like you can’t reject  them ,because they are going to feel bad or  even cry when millions  of  people are watching.Also  ,some  kids  go  to talent  shows even without wanting it ,because some parents are pushing them to be something they don’t want to,just  because the parents think that their child  is  better  than  anybody else.’

Antonoglou  Nikos,C2

  ‘Some  studies  show that  these  shows  cause  to  the children  physical  and psychological  exhaustion  ,disturbance to their usual  routine and to their psychological balance,nuisance and mockery from their  surroundings because of being recognised  and stress from the process of the judgements ,  the   ratings  and the display  in public.’

Anastasiou  Katerina,C2

‘….First  of  all,let’s  not  forget that all  of  the participants are  little children  ,around  the age of 12 and  that they are still  very  sensitive..If  they  are to be eliminated from  such  competitions,they usually cry  ,but  the audience tends to laugh at  them!In  the eyes of these innocent little children, producers  tend to see money.However ,this is partially a fault of their parents ,who  choose to send their children to such competitions ,putting their children’s dignity and pride in jeopardy.

   Despite all that,more and more channels state their opinion on these shows:’If channels abroad do this ,why not do so in Greece?’ .But  the next time we see a little child cry due to its elimination ,may these words echo in their ears ,so  that they can understand their mistake..’

Ananias  Meletios,C2

Martin Luther King (1929-1968)   was an American pastor,activist,humanitarian and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement.He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs.

 He became an activist early in his career.King helped to organise the 1963 March on Washington ,where he delivered his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.There he established his reputation as one of the greatest orators in American history.

  On October 14,1964, King received the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolence.He was assassinated on April 4,1968 in Memphis Tennessee.His death was followed by riots in many U.S. cities.

  Martin Luther King’s Day was established as a holiday in numerous cities and states.Hundreds of streets and a county in the U.S have been renamed in his honour.A memorial statue on the national Mall was opened to the public in 2011.

Martin Luther King

By Catherine Anastasiou-Class B -Advanced

]]> https://schoolpress.sch.gr/afterschoolday/?feed=rss2&p=253 0 https://schoolpress.sch.gr/afterschoolday/?p=250 https://schoolpress.sch.gr/afterschoolday/?p=250#comments Fri, 12 Dec 2014 20:48:33 +0000 ΒΟΜΒΑ ΣΤΥΛΙΑΝΗ http://schoolpress.sch.gr/afterschoolday/?p=250 Ioannis Antonios Kapodistrias (1776-1831)  was a Greek Foreign Minister of the Russian Empire  and one of the  most distinguished politicians and diplomats of Europe.After a long career in European  politics and diplomacy he was elected as the first head of state of independent Greece (1827-1833) and Greek State and the founder of Greek Independence.

Kapodistrias studied medicine,philosophy and law at Padua,Italy.When he was 21 years old,in 1797,he started his medical practice as a doctor in his native island of Corfu.In 1802 he founded an important scientific and social progress organisation in Corfu: the ‘National Medical Association’ ,of which he was an active member.

At the age of 25,Kapodistrias became involved in politics.In Cephallonia he was successful in convincing the populace to remain united and disciplined to avoid foreign intervention and by his argument and sheer courage,he faced and appeased rebellious opposition without conflict.With the same peaceful determination he established authority in all the Seven Islands of the Ionion.

As the Chief Minister of State(1803) he organised the public sector,putting particular emphasis on education.

In 1809 Kapodistrias entered the service of Alexander  I  of Russia.In the course of his assignment as Foreign Minister of Russia,Kapodistrias’ ideas came to represent a progressive alternative to  Metternich’s aims of Austrian domination of European  affairs.

After touring Europe to rally support for the Greek cause,Kapodistrias landed in Nafplion in 1828 .It was the first time he had ever set foot on the Greek mainland and he found a discouraging situation there.Even while fighting against the Ottomans continued,factional and dynastic conflicts had led to two civil wars which ravaged the country.Greece was bankrupt and the Greeks were unable to form a united national government.

From the first capital of Greece,Nafplion,he ushered a new era in the country,which had just been liberated from a 400-year Turkish occupation .He founded schools,established foundations for young women to work and inaugurated the first university.These institutes educated the first teachers of a liberated Greece.

Upon his arrival ,Kapodistrias launched a major reform and modernisation programme that covered all areas:military,medicine and politics.He negotiated with the Great Powers and the Ottoman Empire the borders and the degree of independence of the Greek State and signed the peace treaty that ended the War of Independence with the Ottomans.Kapodistrias introduced the  ‘phoenix’ ,the first modern Greek currency and in an effort to raise the  living standards of the population ,introduced the cultivation of the potato into Greece.

In 1831 Kapodistrias was assassinated by Petrobey’s brother ,Konstantis and son Georgios on the steps of the church of Saint Spyridon in Nafplion.Kapodistrias decided to go to church that morning although his  bodyguards urged him to stay at home.When he reached the church he saw his assassins waiting for him.

A Swiss philellene,JG Eynard wrote:

‘He who murdered Kapodistrias,murdered his homeland.His death is a tragedy for Greece and a European  fatality.’

by Kanias Stavros,Class B-Advanced