b'CONGRATS CORNERITS THE CONNECT 4 COMPETITION!In the second week of May, Year 9 wentas well as close calls, and it was an through a gruelling process. They tookentertaining and exciting play-off.part in a new House Competition basedIn the final Rayan Mathieson, 9A, on a centuries-old game which, theyplayed against Saif Samin of 9N. say, Captain Cook used to play. TheThe match did not last very long Connect 4 Championship had begun! surprisingly! In the excitement SaifEach form went through several roundsfailed to spot a very easy scheme of of battles to finally decide on who wasRayans and within a minute it was the best amongst them. These finalistsdecided! Rayans wit had solidified played off against each other over theHouse Alfreds position at the top ofcourse of two consecutive days. Therethe 2022 Connect 4 leader board.were many slip-ups along the way,Well done Rayan!READING CHAMPION!At HGS, we know that our most successful students not only invest in their academic studies but in reading, too. Dr Seusss adageThe more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you will gois much proven at HGS and has been further proven by the impressive dedication of Aayaan Plummer in Year 7.Louise Walker, Reading Development Consultant at Reading Plus, said that she was inspired by Aayaans improved attitude towards reading and that he is a worthy winner from a long list of nominees for the much-coveted Reading Plus Star of the Month.Well done Aayaan! You are a star!A Letter from A YEAR 13 IN 2022I can bet that youve read the title of this piece and yourequick and painless. Im not really a fan of option 1.ready to roll your eyes at some banal, predictable letterOption 2: We fight, as there are a million ways that life about school, but I want to offer you honesty. can end and a million ways for it to begin. But we fight for Life is bad right now. The pandemic has left its deep cutsthat glimmer of hope, for every second we get to spend upon us all, the war between Ukraine and Russia, theon this Earth with the ones we love. Whether its for two violent attacks upon innocent Palestinian inhabitants, theminutes or two days, I cant sit there and just give that cost-of-living crisis. Add some salt and pepper and youveup. So, go out there and live, as much as you possibly got 2022, go ahead and enjoy(!) We are constantly askingcan, until you are old Why? What is the point? It brings us comfort to establishand grey. Then, you can a purpose behind everything. Unfortunately, we ponder toosit there, knowing your much on whether it is all worth it. life meant something, However, we cant live in fear of the emotional endingand you can be all because you wont be able to bask in the joy of brightpoetic and lose your beginnings. mind because you lived. After everything As you may have guessed, the Year 13s have reachedthat has happened, an important turning point in their lives that may seemit cant just be for minuscule in comparison to these historically alteringnothing.events. But we are alive, and with two options in front of us. Be safe out there,Option 1: We take the easy way out by dwelling in nostalgiaNicktill the end of time and ignore the inevitable change. Its 20'