On March 23rd, a highly-anticipated award ceremony was held to announce the winners of the International Mother Language Day writing competition. The competition received 28 outstanding creative writing pieces in an impressive array of languages, including Chinese, Dutch, German, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and even Irish Gaelic! To ensure fairness and objectivity in the judging process, each work was meticulously evaluated by at least three different teachers or specialists from various corners of France, and even the world. The students displayed exceptional talent and creativity, making it a tough competition for the judges.

The winners in each category were truly remarkable. In Group 1 (8-11 y.o.), Taewoo Jung from the class de 6ème won with a beautiful poem “Magic of Language” in Korean that received 90 out of 100 points. In Group 2 (12-14 y.o.), Romy Bouetard from the class de 3ème IBS took the prize with a captivating poem “Crowd Effect” in Russian that scored 96 out of 100. And in Group 3 (15-18 y.o.), Huayue Li from the class of 2nde preIB secured the top spot with a powerful poem “The City”  in Chinese that scored an impressive 97 points.

To see the winning entries click here

All participants were invited to the rooftop for the certificate distribution ceremony, and the winners were awarded their prizes. The organizers also printed a collection of works, which was offered to all young talents as a memento of their success. The success of this project was due to the collaboration and hard work of IBS language teachers, local associations (Franco-Polish Association “Polonica”, Korean School of Marseille, Franco-Russian Association “Perspectives”), and partners from international schools, which helped in grading the works and making this project a grand success.

Marianna Taymanova, IB Russian Principal Examiner, Assistant Professor at Durham University, UK and a professional literary translator from French into Russian (her translation list includes numerous works by Apollinaire, Paul Valery, Milan Kundera, Gerard de Nerval, A. Dumas, A. Maurois  etc.), a member of our jury evaluating the works in Russian, said: “I was pleased to read the works written with inspiration and creativity in a good Russian. In particular, I liked the poems – they all express very personal, unconventional emotions. I hold the poem “Crowd Effect” in high regard as it tactfully explores a very sensitive and relevant topic of bullying and the power of the collective. Congratulations to the teachers for such talented pupils, and to the pupils for having teachers who can skillfully awake their literary gift.”

In conclusion, the International Mother Language Day writing competition was a resounding success, showcasing the importance of maintaining one’s mother language and linguistic heritage. The exceptional writing pieces submitted by the students are a testament to their creativity, talent and hard work.

To see the winning entries click here

Our basketball team spent the weekend of 11th March in Tangier to represent our school in a tournament!
After a very early wake up, the trip on Friday went very well, followed by a warm up at the tournament venue and a tour on the beach with some surprising discoveries (camel rides). The day ended with a good night’s sleep before the tournament started on Saturday morning.

The tournament ended on Sunday, where we finished in second place! All the players improved their game and learned a lot during the tournament. They were then able to explore the city with the help of their opponents who acted as tour guides for the day. It was a great experience for all participants!

Andrea Stanislas, a 1ère IBS student, won the 3-point shooting contest by scoring 12 baskets in only 2 minutes! He beat Nicolas Sinanian, from 1ère IB, in the final round.

Congratulations to all and a big thank you to Vincent the coach, and the rest of the staff present to accompany our players!

On February 28th, our players from the IBS Football Academy and the @zefootballacademy had the honour of receiving the teams from the Swiss high school of St Mauritz, currently on training in Monaco.
A 4/4 draw for the girls, with 3 goals from Amélie JEPSEN and 1 from Victoria Nivelle, and a very close match for the boys which ended in a 1/0 defeat.
Thanks to all the participants!