ISP Poetry Competition Winners

– International Schools Partnership recently announced the winners of the ISP Poetry Competition: 5 students from across 4 schools in the UAE

– Khaild in Grade 11, is the winner from Nibras International School and has won 50% off his tuition fee as scholarships for the academic year beginning September 2021

 October 2021: International Schools Partnership (ISP) recently announced the winners of the first ISP Poetry Competition. Launched in March, the competition witnessed an impressive participation from hundreds of students, who wrote poems about the UAE and the upcoming celebration of the “Year of the 50^th”.

The winners – Khalid (Nibras International School, an American international school in Dubai)), Aiman (Aspen Heights British School), Jayden (Reach British School), and Cayden and Feras (The Aquila School) have received a scholarship of 50% on tuition fees at their respective schools for the 2021/2022 academic year. The contest asked for students to create poems about the UAE.

Bharat Mansukhani, Regional Managing Director – the Middle East, ISP shares; “We congratulate the winners and thank all the participants who took the time to share their remarkable poems with us. Students of this generation have so much talent, and it was inspiring to experience the country through their creative lens.”

Khalid, the winner from Nibras International School, one of the best American school in Dubai, shared his reaction to finding out he had won.  “I was very confident in my poem. I wrote it to the best of my ability and left the rest in the hands of the assessors. However, winning the competition came as a complete surprise! I was ecstatic at receiving the news that I won and that my poem was recognized and considered worthy enough to represent the UAE,” he said.

When asked about his inspiration for the poem, he said: “My inspiration for the poem was my surroundings, the beautiful nature, the peaceful sea, the proud palm trees, and the adventurous desert life. Furthermore, the infrastructure with endeavors taller than the buildings themselves! Having spent my entire life in the UAE and being embraced by the country, I found key representations and made it clear to the reader how I felt and how I believe others think about the attributes of the UAE.”

We asked him about his favorite thing about the UAE, and Khalid said, “My favorite thing about the UAE is the culture and how warm and welcoming it is. The country and culture have opened up their arms to me since my childhood. I have always felt at home and safe regardless of where I am in the country. I love the warmness and security provided to each one of us living in this amazing country. The UAE is my home, and every day I strive to be just like the country that has raised me – hardworking, solutions-oriented and skyrocketing towards success. It has inspired me to never stop growing, and the UAE has helped me become the man I am today.”

Khalid’s parents also shared their thoughts on finding out about his win: “I was delighted to hear the news when Khalid won. It was great news to hear that he was competing with other talented students from several schools in the UAE and managed to standout. I always told Khalid his hard work would pay off, and gratefully it has.”

“Khalid shared his ideas about his poem and what he would like to express in the poem. We recalled our memories, taking trips to the golden desert, safari trips, and visiting the lovely beaches with the amazing palm trees surrounding us and the rapid development in the country’s infrastructure, ” shared his parents.

The winners were chosen by a panel of judges that included: Alisha Patel (Insta Poet), Musab Biroutieh (Award-winning author and Arabic Teacher at The Aquila School), Rachel Riley (UK’s leading designer for Royal Baby Collection), senior leaders, and school Principals from ISP.

“We recognize that Poetry can play an important part in developing a child’s language skills. It encourages creative expression and offers a deeper understanding of sound, rhythm, and the use of emotion in language. This is why we launched the competition. The poems we have received, and especially the winning poems, will be shared as we begin celebrating the ‘Year of the 50^th’ in our schools,” concluded Mr. Mansukhani.