CTI Online: Christian Teaching Institute

In a celebratory ceremony, KGIII graduated! They are now eligible for grade 1, no less! The celebration included the participation of the students of KGI and KGII. The program included speech, song, dance, food and the graduation of the sweet students of KGIII.

Congratulations! 

It was the last day of school, and the students of grades 1 to 6 went en masse to Arnaoun for a great day of fun, action, food and adventure. The students were in seventh heaven. What was the greater joy, the day of fun, or the coming vacation? 

Pictures taken by Mr Ragheed! 

Oh what an extravaganza of endless fun the CTI students had!

It was a fun fest organized by the Parents' Committee (thanks Mrs Nidal Francis!). The students finished their classes, played all sorts of end-to-end games, and ate good fun food. Time flew by in joy and excitement. Summer vacation is nearing! 

After grueling sets of questions, and eliminations over several days, it came out clearly that Brains of CTI Senior and Junior, for the 2023-2024 school year are:

Alex Serayderian - grade 11 Sc

Christopher Deeb - grade 7 B

A big CONGRATULATIONS. You make us proud! 

Amazing! Astounding! Awesome! 

We have nothing but superlatives for the stupendous field day production of "Theseus and the Minotaur". CTI transported us to ancient Greece, with drama, dances, light effects and gorgeous costumes. It was an evening to cherish for a long time!

We share with you a few pictures taken by Mr Ragheed Breidi. The  event was filmed by Tele Lumiere and will be broadcast at a date to be announced. 

Check the Newsletter section for more details!

The 64th year CTI Graduation cermony was an opulent affair, as befits the graduating class. Mrs Lina Bou Malhab welcomed the audience. Then there were speeches from the class representatives and the valedictorian, Shahd Mdallal. After a song by the choir, Mrs Nidal Francis, pres of the Parents' Committee gave a heart warming address to the class of 24. Dr Chris Moacdieh gave awards to those who graduated with distinction.

Dr Nabil Costa, secretary general of the Association of Evangelical Schools was the keynote speaker. His speech empowered the students, as well as pointed out the pitfalls of current culture. After the distribution of diplomas, Fernando Ashkar gave the concluding prayer. The choir gave a surprise song addressed to the class, it was time to cut the cake and partake of an elegant reception. 

Congratulations, Class of '24! God bless!

Coach Louis organized a Boot Camp set of challenges, as another in a series of sports events. Students from the higher classes participated, and showed a lot of prowess. We share a few pictures of the event...

The CTI Water Bash serves as an elegant way for grade 12 to say good-bye to their school and welcome the summer vacation. It is a wet and crazy occasion, and we share a few pictures! 

Watta concert! 

It was a CTI Choir concert that excelled excellence (never mind the hyperbole!). It was a joyous, uplifting and touching concert. More than 50 students participated, representing many classes. The students sang beautifully, the soloists sang fearlessly, the band played expertly [thanks!] and the audience was highly appreciative.

The choir was ably directed by Mrs Jamie Helou Chayaa. She was involved in every moment of the practice sessions, the preparation for the concert, and the conducting. We offer our thanks and admiration to Mrs Jamie.

Bravi!

"Mind Your Language" is an iconic British TV series from the 1980s, involving a group of international students learning the English language. And grade 7 shared with us the pitfalls of students learning English in a humorous way. The play was directed by Mrs Banna Chaar. Mr Brown, the instructor, was Jad Semaan. 

Great job, teacher (Mrs Banna Chaar). Great job, teacher (Jad Semaan). Great job, students (grade 7).

As a tie-in to their lesson, Mrs Wilma Salloum's class visited the awesome silk museum in Bsous.They spend quality time there, and it was a nice diversion from the obligations of Brevet! 

Too many cooks spoil the broth. But it was salad, not broth. And nobody spoiled any bit! 

I was the class of Miss Norma Shami who prepared fruit salad, as a tie-in to their lesson. Sahtein!

It's great! It's stupendous! It's magnificent! It's astounding! Enough compliments. Let's get down to business. Read on.

"Hear My Cry" is a musical written and directed by Mrs Wilma Salloum, involving the students of grades 9 and 12. The theme was that of the empowerment of women, with references to every day life and the Bible. The music was taken from popular songs. The singing, acting, dancing and sets were professional, taken to another level. Such a musical could be taken to Broadway or West End!

An amazing job, all over! Bravi!

The international Green Apple Day of Service started much earlier by Dar al Handassah. Now, on the second visit of Dar al Handassah, the students of grade 8 A and B presented their projects in which they recycled material for artistic or utilitarian purposes. The students of grade 8 excelled and presented impressive projects. The winners got certificates, medals and copies of the book about the Lebanese hero, Maxime Chaaya. Immense thanks, Dar al Handassah! 

The winners are:

First prize: The Three Musketeers - Mini Babyfoot. Kelly, Grace and Jessie!

Second prize: Mac and J - Shoe Box. Joy, Adel, Cedric and Michel! 

Third prize: JPL - Water Dispenser. Jake, Peter and Lucas! 

Honorable mention: The Guardians of the Galaxy - The Archemides Screw. Joe, Rayan, Mohammad and Gaelle!

Congratulations on a great job! 

News! News! 

Ancient manuscripts were discovered in grade 7 A and B. The students, and their teacher Mrs Banna Chaar, are busy deciphering the script. They will soon exhibit the parchments at the National Archaeological Museum.

Well,

A more plausible scenario: Mrs Chaar asked her grade 7 students to write texts in cuneiform. And the students complied. Behold their beautiful project. Bravi! 

It was time for grade 6 to present their iconic mouneh project, as a tie-in to their lesson. All the students whole-heartedly participated in presenting this hearty Lebanese tradition. The  project was supervised by Miss Norma Shami. Again, congratulations!  

The history students of Mr Joe Rachid presented a jaw-dropping display of famous world-heritage edifices from around the world. The students were very creative and artistic. We sincerely congratulate the students and their teacher! Bravi! 

Students were in for a treat during the Easter break. They had the chance to go glamping and trekking in the northern part of Lebanon. Fifty nine persons from CTI were on a discovery trip to gorgeous mountains, holy valleys, monasteries, forests and a museum or two. They discovered secret retreats, cascading streams, dense woodsy reserves, ancient monasteries and miraculous natural wonders. They also were able to sleep in elegant bungalows, trek in amazing pathways and spend quality time together. This is not to mention the fireside evenings and the tons of fun! 

The group was led by Mr Raymond Skaf, along with a group of dedicated teachers. It was the chance of a lifetime. As one parent said, "Thank you, CTI, for building student memories." 

Here is another set of pictures about fun Easter activities at CTI: egg hunts, egg coloring, visits of mothers, bunny at school, and more! Happy Easter! Christ is risen! 

The CTI community had a plethora of activities related to Easter. In this set of pictures, we present the fun contributions of SAD and Fun Factory. Christ is risen! 

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers, especially the CTI mothers! 

CTI organized not one, not two, but three separate Mother's Day programs for the kindergarten classes. The programs were varied and they involved everything from student dances to recitations to parent involvement to painting competitions and even to fattoush making! Thanks a lot to all the kindergarten teachers. Thanks and best wishes to the mothers. And thanks to Mr Ragheed for devoting time to taking these beautiful photos.

On March 15, we were treated to two sessions of newscasting, presented by grades 8 and 5. The presentations were professional indeed, and the students shared seriousness and humor in equal shares! Bravi, students, and thanks to Ms Rosie Melhem and Mr Jean Paul Haddad!

CTI celebrated Pi Day, and what a day! Mrs Jamie Chaaya prepared pies to go (thanks, Mrs Armande Helou, mother of Jamie!). SAD and Fun Factory prepared a whole lot of pi posters posted prominently (now that's a lot of p's). And Sacha Mrad and Jocelyn Maalouf recited pi all the way to 150 digits after the decimal (now, that's quite a feat). Happy Pi Day! 

The principal awarded certificates to the students of grade 7 to 9 who evidenced outstanding midyear exam performances. Congratulations, students! You will excel in life! 

The grade 6 history students of Mrs Jamie Chaaya exhibited the results of their projects involving historical artifacts from recycled material. It was impressive what the students could come up with! The results were creative, beautiful and theoretically functional! Bravi, all involved!  You have done a great job!

Mr Jean Claude Nahass, from the Fabriano organization, visited CTI and awarded prizes to the winners in the latest Fabriano competition. We are honored to have quite a few students winning. Congratulations, students! And thanks, Mr Nahass for coming, and Mrs Mary and Mrs Farah for supervising! 

Grade 4 presented Dr Chris with a letter. What is in it? It must be something of crucial importance! We know that the students have been studying letter writing with Ms Latife Yaghi, so here comes this important missive! But let's keep the contents of the letter a secret between Miss Latife, grade 4 and Dr Chris.

Do the students know their Beirut? Evidently, no. So here is a novel way to tour Beirut, as the pictures attest. One highlight of the trip was a stop-over at the amazing mineral museum, MIM. A few pictures...

Mrs Banna Chaar, PYP coordinator at CTI, is in the process of organizing informative meetings to the parents of kindergarten and grade school. She explains all about the prospect of PYP at CTI, and involves the parents in related activities. 

Our football and basketball teams are going strong, from one victory to another - mainly. We present pictures of the CTI - Nazareth football game, hosted at CTI.

CTI hosted a book fair organized by Heritage Publishers and Ayyat. We post a few pictures of the occasion.

Students from different classes gave two presentations in honor of their teachers. The presentations were heart-warming, entertaining and fun! We share some pictures of the event given by grades 7 and up, with thanks to the teachers of Arabic who prepared it!

The lovely students of grade 1 gave a presentation about healthy food. The event was supervised by Mrs Mireille Abi Saad, their teacher of Arabic.Thanks for the advice, grade 1 and Mrs Mireille! 

It was another amazing CAS experience from the IB1 students! It was a variety show based on songs, dances and sketches from different musicals by the Rahbani Brothers. The students acted and sung to perfection. As for the final dabké, that was so faultless that it be instantly exported to Broadway...

The show was coached by Mrs Lina bou Malhab, their teacher of Arabic, and the dances were choreographed by Ms Diana Blati.

Bravi! 

It was time for Green Apple Day again! This is an international environmental awareness day, and our students participate every year. The event was organized by Dar el Handassah (many thanks!!) and the group of presenters was led by Mrs Myriam Zoghbi (thanks!). Grade 8 were involved in a special project, and we will announce in due time the outcomes.

On Saturday, March 2, there was a special ceremony at the Musée Sursock in honor of the winners of the Fabriano painting competition. The CTI students who scored highest were awarded, and these are: 

Ryan Attallah

Youssef Dayekh

Dimitri Kolfat

We share a few pictures, and offer our sincere congratulations! 

The students of grade 1 presented their family trees in class! Their work was amazing! This project was supervised by Ms Madeleine Abdallah, their teacher of English. Thanks, students, and thanks, Ms Madeleine! 

Wednesday, February 27, 2024 was the 100th day of the 2023-2024 school year.They were a 100 days of learning, doing and enjoying! It is a blessed, happy, productive year, and the students celebrated accordingly. The event was whole-heartedly organized by Fun Factory, SAD and Mrs Jamie Chaaya. But that was not all! The Parents' Committee came with tons of popcorn which they distributed to each and every student at school. Thanks, Parents' Committee! 

Grade 12 and IB2 organized a bake sale. The proceeds are to go to fund their proms at the end of the school year. It was a crowded affair, and the food was very good! 

Grade 7 presented a great performance of "The Fisherman and his Wife". The play is based on the famous story by the Brothers Grimm, involving a poor fisherman who finds a magical fish. The demanding wife then profits from the occasion, never being satisfied and never contented. The Fisherman was acted by Elie Abou Jamra, the disgruntled wife was Joya Rached, and the magical fish was Serena Rabah. The ingenious direction was by Mrs Jamie Chaaya. 

We present a few souvenir pictures of the occasion, and offer our congratulations to the great actors and director!

Mrs Rola Salloum organized a music festival for her students. Many talented young people participated, and we present here a few pictures. Best wishes! 

Just FYI, the basketball and football teams are going on strong in several tournaments. Souvenir pics of the football team...

What do you do if there is not enough snow in Faraya? Well, go higher! Thanks to the initiative of Mr Raymond Skaff, students from grades 10, 11 and IB went further up to the Becharri Cedars and had a great time in a winter landscape! The weather was exemplary, and the snow was radiant. It was a trip of a lifetime!

Richard Kahoush, a grade 10 student at CTI, had the opportunity of a lifetime. He had the chance to travel to Brazil in order to star in a movie. 

Richard writes: "I went in January 2024. I worked with two film productions in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We filmed for seven days, plus days of training and days of commuting. I played the main character, and acted with several amazing people. After we finished shooting, my mother and I stayed for two more days for sightseeing in Rio, visiting the famous places there!"

Bravo, Richard! We're proud of you!

Several years ago, Dr Rima Haddad conducted research at CTI regarding bilingual children. As a result of her research, she published a 400+ page book on the subject. Now, some years later, Dr Rima was back for a follow-up on her studies. She interviewed the children that she had worked with previously.

Dr Rima Haddad is a CTI alumnus, and is currently a PhD researcher in (we quote) Linguistics Institutionen för Lingvistik och Filologi, at the illustrious Uppsala University, Sweden.

It was the turn of Fun Factory to organize a talent show for grade school. The event showcased the multiple talents of the students, and what they presented was impressive. Thank you, Fun Factory! Thank you Mrs Jamie! And thank you Mr Ragheed for taking these snapshots!

"CTI Got Talent" showed that CTI got talent (what else did you expect?) The CTI students were treated to a diverse panoply of presentations involving piano, singing, dancing, acting, sports, and . . . a lot of happy geniality! The performers were relaxed and there was a prevalent sense of proactive cooperation. The audience and performers felt that they were one family, laughing and cheering together! 

The event was thanks to the efforts of the IB1 CAS students. It was supervised by Mrs Jamie Chaaya. Thanks all involved for a wonderful time!

It was an endeavor of SAD and Mrs Jamie Chaaya: an Encouragement Week! Students empathized with each other, encouraged each other and were proactive in expressing their encouraging words. 

. . . And as words of encouragement, bravi students, SAD and Mrs Jamie! 

Sushi, anyone? Well, some students from grade 12 and IB2 decided to have a sushi nibble or two, and voila! there they were with chopsticks, snacking on the Japanese delicacy. Our roving reporter was there...

An illustrious group of senior students participated in LAU's Model United Nations (MUN), under the guidance of Mr Jean Paul Haddad. The group was creative, motivated and proactive. We congratulate the team, and expect to see them in prominent positions very soon! Meanwhile, enjoy a few pictures of the group, at CTI and at LAU.

We were on to a big treat: A mini musical presented by grade 10A. The story centered around a man and a travel agent who travel the world, visiting one country after another, sampling different cultures, and witnessing rites and dances. We were even treated to Mongolian throat singing! The event was funny, dramatic, spectacular and well-presented. What struck the audience was the spirit of proactive camaraderie, with a whole class working together under the supervision of their teacher of English, Mr Joe Rachid.

The credit to all of this goes to the student Melanie Rabbat. She conceived the event, wrote the script, directed the action, coached the acting, overseered the dances, designed the costumes, and orchestrated the whole shebang along with the enthusiastic cooperation of her class. 

Congratulations Mr Joe, Melanie, and grade 10A.

The grade 5 students of Mrs Christie Chibli shared with students hygiene habits under the title "Prendre Soin des Dents". Their speeches were in French, and were accompanied by an interesting PowerPoint presentation. Thanks for the health tips, grade 5! 

Again, the students of grade 12 and IB2 had the chance to meet with representatives from universities in order to discuss their future education. This time we had people from the Université St. Joseph (USJ) and the Open Arab University, on two different occasions. CTI thanks them for giving of the valuable time spent with the students.

The CTI students were in for a treat! Grade 8A presented a drama presentation based on the great Puccini opera, "Turandot". The play is set in legendary China, complete with a cruel princess and an unkown prince. The play was ably directed by Mrs Jamie Chaaya, the sets and costumes were beautiful, and the students did a wonderful job. Bravi! 

Bravissimi! 

Prior to the midyear exams, there were lots of goings-on at CTI:

A time management workshop for the students

A reflection session for grade 8

Hot chocolate day organized by the Parents' Committee (thanks!) 

Drama presentations (separate entities in our website and Facebook)

Lab sessions

Sports meets (separate entities)

... And a lot more! 

Our marvelous football team, led by Coach Gabriel Hakim, is on to one triumph after another. They are part of a tournament that alternates school venues, and we share here some of the pictures of a game on home turf. Incidentally, the CTI team won again...

Ms Rosie Melhem organized an event for grade 4A entitled "Today is a Great Day to Learn Something New." And the students got to learn many new bits of information! It was an illuminating session, and we thank the students and Ms Rosie. 

Our zumba instructor, Mrs Kinda Karam, undertook a great feat, that of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak! This is quite an undertaking, and CTI congratulates Mrs Kinda! A big brava!

What next? Everest? 

As for the superb basketball team, led by Coach Paul Sejaan, they too are winning one game after another in an ongoing tournament! Bravo, team and more power to you! 

The kindergarten and grade school teachers had an extensive Primary Years Program (PYP) workshop organized by the IB organization. We offer a few pictures of the occasion!  

Ah, yes, Santa did visit CTI. Santa (aka Sami Kazan) arrived from the North Pole and found that the CTI students have been good. The school has been busy with art projects (thanks, Mrs Mary Kfoury and Mrs Farah Saad) and special programs (thanks, Mrs Jamie Chaaya, SAD and FF - check the Gallery sections), music (choir, musicals, thanks Mrs Wilma and Mrs Jamie - check pictures), gift exchanges and food. 

Merry Christmas and as Tiny Tim said, "God bless us, everyone!"

It was time for Fun Factory to generate some fun for Christmas for grade school. And it was the very last event of 2023! See y'all in 2024!

It's crazy, hilarious, energetic, loud, fun-filled! SAD celebrates Christmas in its own distinctive way! 

The CTI Christmas concert was given twice for the parents, teachers and students. The voices of angels resounded in the hall, as students intoned old and new favorite carols . . . and Christmas cheer was again shared with the CTI family.

The choir was conducted by Mrs Jamie Chaaya. Piano accompaniment was by Mrs Rola Salloum. Photos were taken by Mr Ragheed Breidi.

Silent Night, Holy Night

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon Virgin, mother and child

Holy infant so tender and mild

The students of grade 9 presented a spectacular Christmas musical, directed by Mrs Wilma Salloum. The theme was Mexican, and the talented students sang, danced and acted to perfection. There were two performances for parents and students, and in each case the hall was packed. It was a most memorable event! Bravi, students, and sincere thanks to Mrs Wilma! Feliz Navidad! 

Several classes from CTI had the chance to attend the fabulous Christmas on Ice. The students had a thrilling time, and we share a few pictures! 

How about a visit, now, to the CTI gym where a group of dedicated students diligently exercise? Good job, guys, and thanks Mr Jean Nassar! 

The Kindergarten students presented a wonderful, varied Christmas program for the parents. The students were as cute and smart as could be!!! Thanks, teachers, and a very Merry Christmas to one and all! 

"The King's Kitchen" was a great triiumph! It was opulent, joyous and as Christmassy as can be! 

The musical was directed by Mrs Rola Salloum, and the acting was directed by Mrs Jamie Chaaya. The students of grades 1 to 6 acted, sang and danced to seasonal music.We share some pictures for your delectation, and wish you . . . a merry and peaceful Christmas.

These wonderful pictures were ably taken by Mr Ragheed Breidi, with thanks.

Our roving photographer visited the chemistry lab and encountered Mr Kamal Ramadan and his IB1 students busy mixing, measuring and analyzing data. We ask you to visit the lab with us. Tfadalou! 

YFC visited CTI and gave a Christmas presentation that involved a pertinent talk and a nice skit. One particular aspect was that CTI students participated, unprepared. It was a nice event, another in a series of Christmas specials at CTI.

"New Heights" had a new concept for a drama presentation: the students share food offerings for needy families, New Heights shares double double offerings of a Christmas play. The event was called "Mahrajan al 3ataa'" and was a great event! Merry Christmas, happy givers! 

Ms Nathalie Sakajian represented Haigazian at CTI. She addressed the students of grade 12 and IB2. It was a good orientation session, and we offer our thanks! 

The CTI Parents' Committee honored the teachers with a convivial brunch. The occasion launched the Christmas season at CTI with good food and a friendly atmosphere. Thanks, Parents' Committee! We appreciate your appreciation! 

Of course, what is St Barbara's without a pageant? Fun Factory organized a costume pageant for grade 1 to 6. Here are some pictures taken on stage and in the play ground. Special thanks go to Mrs Jamie Chaaya for organizing, Mrs Dareen Moukarzel for coordinating, and Mr Ragheed Breidi for taking the photos! 

It was a crazy, zany, fun time with SAD and Fun Factory organizing games and presentations for St Barbara's Day. Things went fast, as one event followed another. We share some moments of two events, and wish. . . you were with us! Thanks, SAD, FF and Mrs Jamie! 

As part of Mr John Paul Haddad's English class, grade 8 visited the International Book Exhibition at BIEL. They perused books, bought some, and had a good time! 

If you are interested in knowing what a pancake breakfast has to do with a science experiment, you need to ask the students of grade 5 A and B.  We wish that science experiments were that "delicious"! The experiment was conducted by Ms Myriam Semaan.

What do Sir Thomas More, Samuel Beckett, Hamlet, William Shakespeare, Godot and Heaven knows who else have to do with IB1? Well, it was IB1's Theater project for the semester. The play in question was "An Actor's Nightmare" by Christopher Durang, a mish-mash theater of the absurd. It was ably acted by the students, and professionally directed by their teacher Mr Samer Hanna. The actors were John Khneisser in the lead role, supported by Josée Rizkallah, Elise Abbas, Maritta Doumit, Joseph Ram Abou Zeid and Charbel Naddaf Soria. Bravi! 

Football practice at an indoor court... A few pictures ...

In a short visit, Ms Marie Rizk and Ms Julie Germani, both from St George's University, shared with our students. 

The students were in for a treat! 

And it was quite a feat! 

For St Barbara's Day,

Wheat was all the way!

And Mrs Lola, Mrs Chaar, Mrs Jamie and Mrs Dareen prepared traditional wheat for all the students, all the teachers and all the employees. And there were seconds. too! 

Thanks, teachers! Sahteyn, students! 

Miss Norma Shami's grade 6 Arabic class presented a chapel session in which the students shared wise saying and verses from the Bible. The students  were impressive in this event, and what remains is to congratulate the teachers and students!  

. . . and now, the results of Dictation from Lebanon, Jr, can be given:

First: Charbel Mrad

Second: Krystel Mourtada, Maria Christie Hajj, Elie Riachi, Michael Akouri

Third: Michaella Yazbek

Congratulations! 

Drumroll! 

It's time to announce the winners of the 2023-2024 Dictation from Lebanon results:

1st: Anthony Riachi

2nd: Anthony Merhej

3rd: Joseph Ram Abou Zeid and Jennifer Boulos

Challenge question: Ahmad Mdallal

The event was organized by Mrs Lina Bou Malhab, with our thanks! 

Wow! What a celebration of music, speech, dance and . . . flag waving! Grades 1 to 6 were all enthused to celebrate Independence Day at CTI. We present a few pictures of the jubilation! 

The event was oganized by the Arabic department at CTI. Special thanks go to Mrs Samaha, Mrs Mireille, Ms Yaghi, Miss Shami and Mrs Rola. And thanks to Mr Ragheed for taking these wonderful pictures! 

It was a presentation benefiting Independence Day! The students read sections, acted, sang, and even danced a dabké! 

The event was organized by Mrs Abou Malhab and the Arabic department. The communal dance was taught by Ms Diana Blati, and the teachers of KGIII led their students in rousing music. There was singing, whole-heartedly presented by grade 9, with Zoyi Chaar on the guitar and two students on the percussion. There were group readings, as well as solo readings by Elina Bou Malhab, Joy Neaimi, Abbas Abadi, Joe Saab and Maria Farah, with a special song presented by the young Maeve Iskandar. 

It was a memorable event. Happy birthday, Lebanon! 

We share some pictures of the mood at CTI during patriiotic week. Happy birthday, Lebanon!

We had the pleasure to host Mrs Joyce Menassa, representing NDU. Mrs Menassa explained about the application process for NDU, and discussed college orientation in general. Thanks for visiting, Mrs Menassa! 

The CTI students were in for a treat with the presentation of "Country of the Blind" based on the story by H. G. Wells. The drama was given by the students of grade 11Sc, and directed by Miss Hermez. Bogota, the main role, was taken by Abbas Abadi.The students acted very well, the sets were appropriate, and the message of the story was powerful. Congratulations all around!

As part of the CTI Patriotic Week, Mrs Antoinette Samaha and the Arabic Dept. organized another Dictation from Lebanon. This time it was geared to the students of grade school. The contestants were very enthusiastic about the event, and it waits to be seen who the winners will be! Bravi, kiddos, and thanks, Mrs Samaha! 

As part of the CTI Patriotic Week, grade 10 organized a bake sale with a Lebanese theme. There were tons of Lebanese comfort food! The proceeds of the sale go towards helping needy families. Here are a few picture to enjoy! 

It was the turn of AUST to offer another university session to the grade 12 students. Mr Sebouh Gurunlian represented the university, and the session was interesting and informative! 

Grade 10 ont présenté le Vendredi 10 Novembre une pièce de théâtre originale basée sur la Fable de "La Cigale et La Fourmi",  de Jean de La Fontaine. Le texte brillant était écrit par Mme Viviane Hourani et a captivé l'audience. Les acteurs représentaient plusieurs cigales ainsi que quelques fourmis. Ils s'exprimaient en un excellent français et jouaient leurs rôles à la perfection. Les jeux de scène étaient très drôles et les élèves riaent de tout coeur. 

Les acteurs principaux étaient: Talia Bejjani: La Cigale, et Ingrid Riachi: La Fourmi.

Félicitations à Mme Viviane Hourani et à tous les acteurs de La Cigale et La Fourmi. 

It's a play! It's a song! It's an English lesson! It is Supergradeone! 

Ms Madeleine Abdallah's grade 1 students gave a presentation about the family that involved acting, singing, reciting and a lesson involving the creative use of flash cards. It was a beautiful event! Bravo grade 1, and thanks Ms Madeleine! 

Dr Abeer Abdel Rahman graced our school with her presence, representing Balamand University. She addressed grade 12 and IB2 students. With her knowledge and her humor, she offered advice regarding college education. CTI thanks Dr Abeer! 

It was time for the eagerly awaited Dictation from Lebanon, organized by Mrs Lina bou Malhab. Students from different classes enthusiastically participated, and the audience was very attententive as the dictating went on. Let us give Mrs bou Malhab time to correct the submissions, and we will announce the names of the winners very soon. 

Good job, participants, and thanks Mrs bou Malhab!

The grade 5 Arabic students of Mrs Antoinette Samaha gave a  poetry presentation. The students were proficient and enthusiastic. It was a great presentation! 

It was Cultural Diversity week at CTI, and what a week it was! There were guests, presentations, exhibits, music, food, and sharing of a lot of congeniality. The event was organized by Mrs Jamie Chaaya, and guests represented the four corners of the world! It was a great event, and the students enjoyed and profited from the week!

Thanks go to Mrs Jamie, as well as Mrs Chaar, Mrs Kashouh, Mr Boucher, Mr Castaneda, Mr Laki and Mrs Andraos and Ms Affram!

The students of Mr Walid Najm presented a session of Arabic poetry with musical accompaniment. It was a quiet, meditative event that presented moments of respite from the bustle of the day. 

Mr Walid and the students of grade 12 are to be commended for the beautiful presentation! 

Mr Ryan Abboudi, representing the Antonine University, offered grade 12 his expertise regarding college education. CTI thanks Mr Abboudi for visiting! 

Mrs Banna Chaar, our PYP coordinator, gave a major orientation session about the PYP to the grade school students. There were several activities included, and the IB learner profile was highlighted.

Thanks, Mrs Banna Chaar!

The IB2 students organized a Theory of Knowledge (TOK) exhibition, highlighting concepts and issues related to knowledge, claims, belief and unknowing. The students delved deep in these issues, and interacted beautifully with students, teachers and parents. Their posters were exemplary, and the required display objects were in order. 

Congratulations to the intrepid students. Special thanks go to Mrs Hourig Kevorkian, their TOK teacher and organizer of the exhibition. 

A new year of activities have started for SAD (Student Activities Department) and Fun Factory. These are a group of enthusiastic students who are eager to engender fun! We present pictures of the first two activities, with thanks to their advisor, Mrs Jamie Chaaya!

Grade 12 and IB2 organized a breast cancer awareness bake sale. All was in pink - even the lemonade and the cakes. The sale was quickly consumed by the students, and we thank grade 12 and IB2 for their initiative. 

Ms Rachel Khoury, admission officer at LAU was the guest of grade 12 and IB2. Her talk was interesting and informative, and CTI thanks her for coming! 

How much more fun it can be? The excited grade school students exhibited a plethora of crazy socks, with odd matchings! 

The event was organized by the director of student activities, Mrs Jamie Chaaya, and our photographer could not resist joining in the fun!

The school year has barely started, and Mrs Jamie Chaaya is already devising 1000 and 1 activities for the students. This week the students were surprised by the visit of a magician / illusionist / ventriloquist / singer who entertained the students. That was great fun and we share the excitement of  the younger students! 

It's already a new school year, and guest speakers have started visiting CTI. 

Ms Gemma Fattouch, admission advisor at the American University of Beirut (AUB), was guest of grade 12 and IB2. She led an orientation session about college education and AUB requirements. It was a profitable session, and the students thank her for coming. 

You've been waiting for the pics, and here they are, ably taken by Mr Ragheed Breidi! 

The end of year trip for grades 1 to 6 was awesome. The students had great fun, great activities, great action, great company, great food! It was a most memorable day, and a fitting closure for the year.

Looking forward to next year, and . . . to next year's trip! 

The school year is over, and Mr Raymond Skaff led a group of senior students on a sunset hike. It was a joyous yet wistful way for these students to bid farewell to the current school year. 

Mr Raymond supplied us with some pictures of the event, and we share with you the beauty of this hike! 

A couple of pics from our sunset hike!!!!

The class of 2023 graduated in an elegant, opulent ceremony! The keynote speaker, Dr Michael Bassous, delivered an empowering speech, and CTI is grateful for his presence. Speakers included Mrs Lina Bou Malhab, Mrs Farah Saad and Mrs Nidal Abs Francis. Mrs Shams Saad Badr provided a beautiful hymn. Dr Chris Moacdieh handed out awards to honor students. Valedictorian was Michelle Khoury, and speeches were also supplied by the students Sarah Rizkallah, Zeinab Abadi and Yorgo Bou Assi. The concluding prayer was given by Steven Attweh. There was celebratory cake cutting after the ceremony, followed by a sumptuous reception.

CONGRATULATIONS to the class of 2023. CTI offers its best wishes to the students, wherever they are now! 

It's back! The challenging Brain of CTI competition! 

It's back with a blast, and the winners are:

Brain of CTI 2023: Anthony Riachi

Brain of CTI Jr 2023: Adel Tarabishi and Alexander Moussan (tie)

Congratulations! 

As the end of the school year nears, students go down to the playground for picnics or al fresco class sessions. We share a few pictures with Mrs Chaar, Ms Nvart, Mrs Hourani and Mrs Rania! 

The grade 6 students of Miss Norma Shami prepared the traditional mouneh cabinet, as part of their Arabic lesson! We share a couple of pictures! 

News, news, news: These are winners in the great "Chasse au Tresor", organized by Miss Sabine Hachem for grade 8. Bravo! 

Mrs Chaar organized an advertisement project that the students of grade 6 relished whole-heartedly. We share some of their work!

A resounding success!!!!!!

How easy is it to find a job? Two friends try! With an overdose of humor and wordplay, they apply to a jam factory in order to paste stickers on jars. Do they succeed?

The latest, greatest musical, "Success Avenue", was directed by Mrs Rola Salloum. Drama coaching was by Mrs Banna Chaar. Sets by Mrs Farah Saad and Mrs Mary Kfoury. With special thanks to all the teachers who helped and trained the dances. Lead roles were taken by students from grade 7 A and B.

The pictures show it all! Special thanks to Mr Ragheed Breidi and Mr Steven Haddad. 

The CTI audience was transported to an airport, inside a plane, and a desert island. These were all in the astounding play, "Flights and Floats", performed by the students of IB1. The play was written, directed, acted, and organized by the students. There were incredible sets, realistic props, and amazing projections. The IB1 students outdid themselves. 

The play was written by Joshua Mahshi and Reina Karkaba. The direction was undertaken by Jason Chahwan who also prepared the projected videos and the music. The sets were prepared by Bettine Kashouh, Fernando Ashkar and Jimmy Khalife. The actors were class members. And the ever-caring overseer was their teacher of theatre, Mr Samer Hanna.

An overwhelming BRAVO!

It was Fun Day at CTI! Thanks to the initiative of the Parents' Committee, the playgrounds were converted to giant fairgrounds. The students finished their classes early, then convened at their choice of activities or food stalls. It was a most memorable day, and the students were at their happiest. Thanks to Mrs Nidal Francis and the Parents' Committe who organized this event. Also thanks to the many parents who came to help, and the teachers who supervised every step. 

We share some pictures! 

Grades 8 A and B visited the northern area of Lebanon. Highlights included the famous Cedars, the Gibran Museum and the Bnachii Lake. Fun and eduction were in equal measures, and surprisingly enough, this was a first time visit to many students! 

The IB students are preparing for a major TOK exhibition to be presented early next year. For that purpose, the students presented a mock exhibition that was both admired and critiqued by teachers and fellow students. The exhibits were amazing, and the IB students are to be commended for their work. Special thanks goes to Mrs Hourig Kevorkian for supervising this event.

"Pyramus and Thisbe" is a play within Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". This short drama makes fun of actors in Shakespeare's time, and it is a riot from beginning to end. Grade 10B energetically acted such roles as the hapless lovers, the wall, the lanthorn, the moon, the dog, and such. Their performance is to be commended! The play was directed by Mr Samer Hanna as part of the students' theater class.

The students of grades 7 A and B had a treat visiting the Chouf area. They visited the Moussa Castle, the Beiteddine Palace, Deir el Kamar, and the Chouf Cedar Reserve. It was a joyous time, and the students came back happy and tired! 

The Art Club of Ms Myrna Adam exhibited their artwork during Honor Day and the following days. Bravi, students! 

Students sat for their different DELF exams, and we are sure they did extremely well. Bravo! 

A couple of pictures, with apologies to those students whose pictures are not available! 

Our iconic Water Bash is back! The event was as wet and wild as usual, and the graduating class had tons of fund. The event was organized by Coach Bahzad Karam.

Mrs Antoinette Samaha organized another kite day! As a tie-in to their lesson, the students of grade 5 brought to school homemade (mainly) kites and had fun flyring them. They went and flew their kites, up to the highest heights, to borrow a phrase from Mary Poppins!

The students of grade 11 Hm, as directed by their teacher of Arabic Mr Walid Najm, presented a play based on the old TV program, "Al Moualima wa Istath". The students excelled in their hilarious roles. The teacher was Maria Tannouri.

Here they are, the photos of students who are first in mathematics, English, Arabic, French, sports and the sciences, divided per grade level. These awards do not reflect class rank. Rather, they indicate excellence in different disciplines! 

First at school (grades 4 - 11) is Sirine Abi Antoun!

Congratulations! Bravi! Felicitations! Mabrouk! 

After a Corona-related hiatus, Honor Day was back with all its panoply and aplomb! It was a glorious time, as 100s of students were rewarded for excellence in their academic performance. Mrs Farah Saad read Bible passages, and the students Ali Mbayed, Charbel Mrad and Krystel Ayyoub delivered speeches. Mrs Kinda Karam's students presented two dances, and Mrs Rola Salloum's students sang the school song, "My CTI". Mrs Randa Antoun, Ms Talar Dishchekenian, Mrs Ninette Eid, the Principal and the Parents' Committee handed out books, certificates and  medals. Lastly, the Principal announced and awarded the students who are first in diverse subjects. It was an awesome time for students, parents and teachers. Congratulations! 

Students from grades 10 and 11 had the hike of a lifetime in the exquisite, remote parts of Mt. Sannine. The pictures attest to the beauty of the site. Included in the hike was a reverential visit to the memorial of the great Lebanese author, Mikail Neaimeh. The outing was organized by Mr Raymond Skaff!

A group of students from grade 7, along with Mrs Salloum and Mrs Chaar, went to a professional studio in order to record their voices for the upcoming musical, "Success Avenue". The students had a great time! We are looking forward to hearing (and seeing) them onstage soon!

The Parents' Committee organized a book trade fair in which students donated books that they do not need, and bought the books (cheaply) that they liked. The money raised will go towards an activity that will be organized by the Parents' Committee. It was a fun time, and our thanks go to Mrs Francis and Mrs Deeb!

Grade 10 B presented their drama class annual project by acting sections from Moliere's famous "Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme". M. Jourdain wants to be a sophisticated aristocrat, but instead demonstrates ignorance and lack of common sense! The presentation was directed by the teacher of drama, Mr Samer Hanna, and the lead roles of M. and Mme. Jourdain were acted by Alex Seraydarian and Josee Rizkallah. Congratulations, for a great presentation!! 

Coach Adnan announced the results of this year's bootcamp event, and awarded the winner special sweatshirts with his gym logo. The winners:

Ladies: Joy Abi Yazbek  -  Gents: Emmanuel Laki 

Bravi! 

The art students of Mrs Mary Kfoury had a novel painting session, that of painting shadows on colorful backgrounds. The session was in the playground, and the students' creativity was limitless! 

The grade 3 students of Ms Latife Yaghi gave cute presentation about manners and politeness. Bravo for the play, students, and thanks for the advice! 

It was a lesson for grade 3 with Ms Latife Yaghi, and that particular lesson was about the pros and cons of tea. So how about reading + tea + al fresco session? 

The grade 1 students of Mrs Mireille Abi Saad gave a presentation that was filled with joy and happiness! Thanks!

Joseph Ram Abou Zeid wins second prize at the Math Olympiad, organized by AUB. There were 700 students competing, from different Lebanese schools. It is worth noting that Joseph is a grade 10 student at CTI, whilst his competitors were mainly in grade 12. Also, Joseph's math grades are straight 20/20s at CTI! Winning the Math Olympiad is not a mean feat, and we sincerely congratulate this math genius! Congratulations also to Mr Raymond Skaff, Joseph's teacher!

Grade 8B, under the able direction of Mr Samer Hanna, presented "Lady Clarice Dies". This time, the play was a whodunit, complete with detectives, butler and greedy heirs. The students excelled in acting, and even they did not know who did it until the very last moment! The audience was greatly receptive to the play, and we offer our congratulations! 

The students of grade 8A presented a dramatization of "The Cop and the Anthem" by O. Henry. The play involved the hapless Soapy who tried hard to go to prison in order to get a hot meal! There was a plot twist at the end that the students delivered well. The lead role was taken by Yorgo Feghali, supported by his talented classmates. The play was ably directed by Mr Samer Hanna, their drama teacher. 

Congratulations students and director! 

What is going on? You can ask grade 3. Or their teacher of math, Mrs Lola Khoury! 

A few of many pictures...

It's time to say goodbye! 

Grade 12 still have finals and official exams. But classes are formally over. The last week for grade 12 was filled with activities as they bid farewell to their school. We share with you pictures of the very last day, one that was sad, happy, action-filled and wistful.

We offer our best wishes to the students of grade 12, for their study period, for the governmental exams, for their college education, and ultimately for their future.

Blessings! 

We are speechless for words! We are treated to one musical to another, each excelling in song, dance and drama! 

This time, grade 11Hm, with assistance from the IB1 and grade 12 classes, presented a musical entitled "Choices". It involved crucial choices that one makes in life. It was a stunning event that transported the audience to a jubilant, but pensive mood. The musical was directed by the multi-talented Ms Wilma Salloum. Big congratulations! 

We share a few pictures, wishing that you were with us! 

Coach Adnan Sioufi organized an awesome boot camp event that set the students scampering, running, crawling, climbing, lugging and jumping. The whole playground was converted to a huge obstacle race, and It was great fun, watching and participating. We thank Coach Adnan for his efforts and also offer our thanks to the IB1 students who helped organize. Congratulations to Emmanuel Laki for being the overall winner. 

A major, long-term project was part of the Green Apple Day event. The event was organized by Dar el-Handassah, led by Mrs Eliane Touma Abou Rached and a group of enthusiastic engineers. Grade 8 was the class involved in the recycling project, and the students presented their astounding work after the Easter vacation. Awesome work!!

The winners:

First: "Conserving Eco-Systems" group - Joy Abi Yazbek (leader), Sirine Abi Antoun, Sacha Mrad and Mia Aoun

Runner up: "World Savers" group - Therese Naddaf (leader), Celina Rahme, Ella Saliba and Mia Tarabishi

Runner up 2: "Pollution Killers" group - Alex Machaalani (leader), Christopher Najjar, Yorgo Feghali, Jeremy Jourdi and Karl Hayek

Congratulations to all the students!

"Cendrillon" was the play presented by grade 10, and directed by Mrs VIvian Hourani. The drama was in French, and it was a hilarious parody of the Perrault fairy tale. Maritta Doumit was the heroine, assisted by an assortment of wonderful sisters, stepmother, prince, fairy godmother and courtiers. A laugh a minute, superb acting, and impeccable French . . . the audience could not have asked for more! Merci, grade 10!

Easter celebrations were all over CTI during the Easter season. There were lectures and talks, games, films, music, egg coloring, Easter egg hunts on the premises and at the park, and . . . lots of joyous fun! 

What is left to say is, HAPPY EASTER! CHRIST IS RISEN! CHRIST IS ALIVE! 

Wow! 

What a great experience it was! More than 50 students acting, singing and dancing in the great Rahbani musical, "Al-Shakhs"! The musical was astounding, and the students, teachers, and VIP guests had a big treat! 

The musical was directed by Mrs Lina Bou Malhab, that we thank and salute! The lead actors were Cate Abou Zeid, Jad Najem and Jason Chahwan, assisted by Alex Massaad, Shahd Mdallal, Christie Shami and Jad Faddoul. Congratulations! 

Dr Sahar Azar is a college professor, a member of environmental NGOs, and an expert on migratory birds. Her talk was on the conservation of these birds who traverse Lebanon during their migration. Lebanon is a bottle-neck for lots of migratory birds, and this is why we should care that these birds pass safely. The talk was illuminating, and the students found the presentation very interesting! Thanks, Dr Azar.

Green Apple Day came late this year, but Dar el Handasse was here with this international, iconic activity! A group of engineers. led by Mrs  Eliane Touma Abi Rached, gave two engrossing presentations about recycling and conservation. Grades 8 A and B were singled out for a major project with awards. Thanks for organizing this activity! 

Ms Diana Azrafil, the teacher of English of grade 2, organized a little activity involving . . . peanuts! The students had a fun time, then rejoined their regular class session. 

An energetic group of students from grade 7B presented the play "The Sword of King Arthur". The story involved the appointing of Arthur as king, upon pulling the sword out of the stone. There was an assortment of knights, a nice sword in the stone, and a series of medieval brawls as expected - all ably acted by 7b and directed by Mr Samer Hanna. Bravo teacher, bravi students! 

A group of teachers and students went on a nature hike, led by the adventurous teacher, Mr Raymond Skaff. The group braved a trek that involved walking a rugged path in a beautiful valley. We would like to share a few pictures!

The CTI preschool celebrated Mothers' Day in three separate events! The beautiful mothers were with their beautiful children in beautifully decorated classrooms, and they were joyous occasions! Thanks to the KG teachers, and our best wishes go to the mothers on their day! 

CTI won second prize in the Football League Tournament, a major competition  that has been going on for months! On Wednesday, March 15, Coach Joe Abdallah surprised the students with his presence. He offered the trophy to the school, and the team took souvenir pictures.  

Bravo to the CTI football team, their captain Sharbel Moukarzel and to Coach Joe! 

Grade 10 gave a dramatized reading of the great Medieval morality play, Everyman. The story, in typical Medieval fashion, involves an allegory in which Everyman is summoned by Death and is at a loss as who will accompany him. Only this time Everyman was Everywoman, ably acted by Pearla Kabbout. The performance was engrossing and was directed by Mr Joe Rachid. Bravi, everyone!  

Many CTI students contributed to this year's talent shows, and there were three shows all in all! The presentations were very varied, and the students extremely talented. For this year, the events were organized by the IB1 students as a CAS experience. We congratulate the participants and organizers, and share some photos with you! Bravi! 

Ms Latife Yaghi organized an International Day for the students of grade 3. Many students came wearing clothes representing a country of their choice. Bravo, students!!

The CTI students had the opportunity to attend two sessions given by an international team who shared, delived a talk, sang and acted a short play. We thank the group, and share with you a few pictures, mainly of the play. 

CTI celebrated Teachers' Day in many guises, a couple of which were student presentations for grade school and upper classes. The events were organized by Mrs Lina Bou Malhab with the help of the teachers of Arabic. We thank the teachers and students for these great events, and we share a few pictures! 

It was the turn of Rachel Skaff and Jason Chahwan to give their talks on art. Their teacher, Mrs Hourig Kevorkian, was attending, and so was the Principal. It was an awesome session, and we present a few pics of the presentations.

The students of KGI were not shoppers. They were at Spinney's Hazmieh in order to learn about food and produce. The students learned a lot from the outing, and what is left to say is, thank you very much, Spinney's, for hosting us! 

The future fire fighters students of KGIII visited the fire station. They had a grand and profitable time, and we are sure that they are now ready to tackle any dastardly fire!!!

Mrs Mireille Abi Saad led her grade 2 students in a presentation about the preservation of trees. The grade 2 students acted ably as they shared about ecology and forest care. Thank you, grade 2! Thank you, Mrs Mireille! 

We are happy  to announce the names of the students who actually got a higher average in the midyear exams. This is no mean feat, and we congratulate these students, as well as thank Ms Talar for the computer work! Great performance, students!

Drum roll: Chloe Merhi - Ali Mbayed - Mohammad Jawhari - Zoyi Chaar - Gia Kay Aouad - Ethan Khawand - Loraine Serhan - Sacha Mrad - Dimitri Khoury - Soleida Roukoz - Ruth Skaff - Ingrid Riachi - John Khneisser - Jonathan Atweh. And the two greatest improvements: Pierre Azzam - Mia Jolene Tarabishi.

Bravo! 

Mr Nicolas Moawad was guest of KG3, for matters related to a topic that the students are studying. Mr Moawad was kind-hearted and motivational as he shared with the students and answered their queries. The students were thrilled to have a great actor in their midst and they greatly enjoyed the session. Thanks for visiting, Mr Moawad! 

Grade 7A presented a play based on Frank Stockton's short story, "The Lady or the Tiger?". The students performed extremely well, and the student audience was intrigued! The Princess was acted by Christa Badr, and the Stranger was Ali Mbayed. The play was part of the theater course of Mr Samer Hanna. Congratulations to the actors and to Mr Samer for an ably acted play and an enjoyable session!

It was that ocassion again! Grade school students twinned with each other and shared a lot of camaraderie! Here are a few pictures taken by our roving photographer, Mr Ragheed!

A group of people from the US visited CTI and organized three different events. They involved the students in fun activities. and shared with the students. The students appreciate their visit and thank them for visiting! 

Coach Bahzad has started the interclass football season with a bang. We present some pictures of the budding Messis and Ronaldos! Share the excitement! 

It was the turn of LIU to lead a college orientation session at CTI. Mr George Wehbe and Ms Joelle Sader led an engrossing session. Thanks for coming!

A little belatedly we report about our intrepid explorer Mr Joe Rachid, teacher of English at CTI. During the Christmas vacation he traveled to several countries, including some off the beaten track. He writes:

"I've been blessed with the opportunity to work with my CTI family for almost 2 years now as an IB English and social studies teacher. But when I'm not teaching English, I'm on a worldwide adventure.

After the pandemic and amidst the economic challenges that have surfaced in our beloved country, the urge to travel came knocking at my door with a chance to shoot some small videos exploring some controversial topics that spark people's curiosity around the globe.

My trip included visiting some of the world's most spectacular countries, such as Cyprus, Poland, Iceland, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Kosovo, Albania, Türkiye, Bulgaria, and Romania. Despite being sick from jumping in ice-cold water and getting lost most of the time; experiencing the Northern Lights, sleeping in a space shuttle, and meeting friends from all around the world made it an adventure I will never forget" 

Great! Bravo! 

The pictures show some of Mr Rachid's adventures, and the perceptive viewer is to match the pictures to the countries!

Our roving reporter passed by the IB class. Some students were with Mrs Dahlia Lahham at the lab, performing biology experiments. Meanwhile back at the ranch . . . er. . . in class, the physics students of Mr Gaby Gerges were busy with electronic stuff. Keep up the good work! 

It was a cooking [and eating] session with Ms Latife Yaghi! Grade 3 headed to the school kitchen and had a mini feast, as a tie-in to their Arabic lessons. Here are a few pictures! 

The drama presentation on Friday, January 27, was given by students from grade 7B, and directed by their teacher of English, Ms Nvart Mazakian. The topic was timely, and the students had a great time delivering their lines! 

Grade 11 had a session about the Middle Ages, and they learned it through multi media, music, art, culinary habits, and . . . dance! There was even an excursion to one of the great universities that was founded back in the Middle Ages. We present a few miniatures , , , er , , , pictures.

Mr Jean Baghboudarian, IB coordinator at CTI, addressed a group of grade 10 students in order to discuss further IB prospects. The session was fruitful, and it will engender further discussion!

Mr Wissam Shoufani visited CTI and explained about the prospects of studying aviation in Lebanon. The information that he presented was valuable, and the students have now another viable major to consider. Thanks for the visit, Mr Shoufani!

Grade 4A had a Character Day with Mrs Janet Zouki. The students dressed as their favorite book heros, and shared with others all about their cosplay characters. Bravo, students!

For unnecessary, eminently forgettable accomplishments, you needed to have attended the latest Guinness Book of CTI records. The event was organized by SAD and it was a hilarious show of ephemeral achievements! Student involvement was either in participating, or in cheering and laughing.Thanks, SAD, you made our day!

Grade 5 regaled us with a series of short plays having the theme of forgiveness.The students showed how we forgive each other, and how God forgives us. The students acted beautifully and whole-heartedly, and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. The plays were directed by their teacher of English, Ms Joelle Jkaim. Bravo, everybody! 

The future scientists of grade 7 A and B had a lab dissection session with the help of their lab teacher, Mrs Joanna Dagher. We share pictures of a few of the students!  

The Math Olympiad is an inter-school competition organized by AUB. CTI has joined this activity, and students from grades 10, 11 and 12 are participating. On Friday, January 13, 2022, the students sat for the first exam, administered at CTI. Subsequently, a select number of these students will join other schools at exams on the premises of the AUB campus.

This activity is supervised by Mr Raymond Skaff. 

Best wishes to our mathematically-minded students!

The CTI chess club has been revived, and a group of intellectual students meet periodically for chess games. The club is led by and is the brain child of Rami Zakka, as an IB CAS experience. Good job, students: minds at work!

The CTI students had the chance to visit the ship Logos, a floating bookstore that is now moored at the Beirut port. Grades 1 to 8 were very excited  to have the chance to browse books and buy what they like. The ship crew were cordial and helpful, and the students made new friends that day! All in all - the pullman trasportation, the port, the ship, the books - it was an experience of a lifetime! 

'Twas the day before Christmas and all through CTI, all creatures were stirring, even you and I!

Santa momentarily left the North Pole, did not find a chimney at CTI, found other means to enter (some say the administration door), and with the help of SAD visited every classroom. When done, Santa and Mrs Dareen, Mrs Ghaya, Mrs Rita and other teachers distributed Samaritan's Purse gifts to the excited students.

Share the joy with some pictures...

It was another Christmas celebration for middle school and senior students.The program started with a dance from grade 2, and they were adorable. Then matters quickly moved to serious stuff, with a letter read by Yorgo Feghali. Lo and behold, people from Austria, Zambia, India, Serbia and Korea (all from LOGOS) joined us and shared some Christmas cheer. It was a memorable occasion of which we share a few pictures!

The YFC group visited us again, this time presenting a Christmas play. It was fun, but the message was of vital importance: peace on Earth at Christmastime! 

It was next the turn of KG3 to present their Christmas program, and what an exquisite program it was! The students sang, danced and acted the Christmas cheer! Bravo, KG3, and a very Merry Christmas to the students, parents and teachers! 

The KG1 and KG2 Christmas program was different this year. It involved a clown show with student participation. Afterwards, the parents visited the classrooms, and there were further student presentations. It is unclear who had the greater time, the students or their parents! Thank you teachers, parents and students, and a Merry Christmas to all!!

IB1, as a CAS experience, and students from grade 11 Sc and Hm, went on a rappelling trip, up the rock cliffs of Kesserwan. The students proved to be intrepid and courageous. This event was organized by Mr Raymond Skaff. Good job, everybody! 

We are proud to announce that Kaly Rahme of grade 4 at CTI won overall first place in the Lebanese gymnastics championships, level 4. She won 4 gold and one bronze medals.

Bravo, Kaly! Olympics, next! 

Jason Nasr and Ted MacKenzie led an informal, fun caroling challenge. We share some pictures! 

King Wenceslas was a real king of Bohemia who inspired the carol "Good King Wenceslas". And the carol inspired our students to sing it out in a dazzling Christmas musical for grades 1 to 6 at CTI. The students acted, sang, danced and wholeheartedly immersed themselves in a merry Christmas spirit. It was a performance to treasure! Bravo, students and thanks teachers! 

The musical training was done by Mrs Rola Salloum, who oversaw the production to perfection. Drama coaching was done by Mrs Banna Chaar. Great job! 

We present a few pictures of the occasion, photos ably taken by Mr Ragheed Breidi. 

'Twas the night before Christmas, and the New Heights team was good enough for Santa standards! And they were good enough to give a spectacular Christmas play at CTI that was exciting, funny and with a spiritual message. We thank New Heights for coming, and share with you a few pictures! 

Meet the cast of “Good King Wenceslas”, our dazzling Christmas musical:

King Wenceslas: Elie Abou Jamra – Poor Man: Kevin Atallah – Narrator: Marie Therese Haddad – Announcer: Hussain Burjas – Woodcutter: Charbel Rizk – Ivan: Maroun Moawad – Igor: Peter Francis – Cook: Vanessa Ayoub – Maid: Jamie Khneisser – Dance Master: Serena Rabah – Princess of Transylvania: Prescilla Ghalayini – Countess of Marienbad: Celine Kadamani – Countess of Bad Ischl: Joy Jalek – Duke of Bratislava: Adam Saleh – Earl of Pest: Carlos Choufani

Here they are, the awesome results of Dictation from Lebanon:

Dictation from Lebanon, teacher Mrs Lina Bou Malhab: First: Bassam Estephan - Second: Stephanie Younis - Third: Joseph Ram Abou Zeid - Winner in bonus: Christie Wazen

Dictation from Lebanon, Jr, teacher: Mrs Antoinette Samaha: First: Jocelyne Kahoush - Second (tie): Pearla Saad, Christelle Mortada, Maria Farah - Third: Michael Akouri 

Congratulations! 

CTI hosted Ms Nathalie Takajian, representing Haigazian University. It was her turn to provide college orientation to the students of grade 12 (btw, thanks for the Rubik's cubes), Our guest also this week was Mrs Nathalia Georgi who gave a dynamic session to the students of grades 1 to 6. 

Thanks for coming! We appreciate your presence!

Right off the press: We were regaled by a Christmas Spectacular presented by students of grades 9, 11 Hm and IB1. The amazing event was conceived and directed by Mrs Wilma Salloum. The show encompassed recitations, singing, acting and dancing, in an ambience that was both heart-felt and dazzling! Bravo, students, and thanks, Mrs Wilma.

A few mementos of the occasion. . . 

Everywhere you look, there were students in awesome costumes, dressed up for St Barbara's / Halloween. Keeping with Lebanese traditions, Mrs Lola Khoury prepared tons of festive traditional wheat porridge. Mrs Dareen Moukarkel organized a sumptuous dress-up pageant. The KG teachers paraded their students. And SAD and Fun Factory pumped up the fun. We share a lot of pictures for your enjoyment! 

It was an early Christmas gift exchange, This time, all gifts were homemade. So, naturally, there were lots of cookies, brownies, cupcakes and cake slices. Grade 10 went home with sweet provisions for the weekend! 

Mr Rayan Abboudi, director of office of admissions at the Antonine University conducted a session on college and career orientation. Thank you for sharing with us! 

The Parents’ Committee at CTI organized an event with the eminent psychologist, Mrs Enaam Haddad Abou Khalil. The timely topic was teenage – parent relationships. Following the illustrated lecture was coffee and a Q&A session.

CTI thanks Mrs Enaam for her visit, and we hope that the Parents’ Committee will go on with more such events!

It was the turn of the seniors to present a stirring presentation that included speeches, dance, music, poetry and even a special presentation by a kindergarten class. The event was organized by the teachers of Arabic. Congratulations, all around! 

Grade school celebrated Independence Day with ingenious artwork, stirring music, patriotic speeches and group recitations. The students were utterly excited as they celebrated the national day! Bravo, students! Thank you, teachers of Arabic! 

A few pictures of the occasion! 

The IB1 students launched a major recycling project, as their latest CAS experience. The whole school is involved, and the students willingly complied! 

Best wishes, students, and more power to you!

Ghina Saad gave a presentation to the elementary students. She gave a nice talk, and sang accompanied by the guitar. The students enjoyed the session and learned a lot.

The surprise of the occasion was the whizz kid and CTI student, Jean Feghali, who accompanied Ghina on the drums. Bravo, Jean! 

They're finally here! The Brevet diplomas were distributed by the principal in a small ceremony. Mabrouk, students! 

CTI hosted Phil Hawkings and Gail Hard, visiting Lebanon from the UK and representing "Apprendre". They attended classes and met with the principal and administration members. 

Joyce Menassa and Shady Khalil visited from NDU. They shared with the students some of their expertise regarding choice of major and university choice.

Ghina Saad shared with the younger students, and we ask you to check a separate section regarding her presentation.

Several guests addressed the CTI this week. A representative from LAU talked about universities and admission, as part of an ongoing series of career and university orientation workshops. The dynamic Jason Nasr, Guillermo Srour and Ted Mackensie gave talks that were invigorating and inspiring. As for the IB Theatre class, Mr Samer Hanna invited Charbel Abi Nader, studio art consultant, to come and judge the latest student theater projects. Thank you, one and all, for coming and giving of your precious time! 

The grade 8 students of Ms Nvart Mazakian had an elaborate presentation on the subject of friendship. The carefully selected poems were ably read by the students, accompanied by a slide presentation. In the second part, the students shared heart-felt admonitions. Thank you, grade 8 and Ms Navart! 

Grade 2 and their teacher of English, Mrs Simona Haddad Macrides, acted out a play on the subject of sharing and caring for others. The students acted beautifully, and the audience learned a great lesson, Thanks!

An SAT challenge? We share with you Mr Raymond Skaff's class!

The grade 2 students of Mrs Simona Haddad Macrides has an al fresco reading lesson as they studied about hiking. Mrs Simona is a serious hiker, and she got the whole hiking outfit. The students read, learned about hiking, and practiced the sport on the mountains of . . . CTI. . . 

"Kan wa Akhawatiha!"

How about that?! Let's take matters literally! "Kan" has sisters and brothers! If so, what is their story?

This ingenious twist to Arabic grammar led to a great play from the students of grade 7, directed by their teacher of Arabic, Ms Norma Shami. The students were as motivated as anything, and one of the toughest concepts in Arabic grammar seemed fun after all! Thanks!

Mrs Samaha's grade 5 are intelligent students, and the showed their prowess in reading poetry. The session was very nice, and the students excelled! A few pictures...

Say, what a way to cosplay that day!

Rhyming words aside, grade 3 were all excited to dress up as their favorite book characters. From Pinocchio, to Geronimo Stilton, to Harry Potter, the students were very excited to act out their chosen heros. The event was organized by Mrs Janet Zouki and here are pictures of the students! 

Here is an experiment that went awry. Anaelle Khalaf had prepared an elaborate camera obscura. In darkness and in focused light, somehow it did not work. But later, in partial light, it worked fine! Bravo, Anaelle! 

The class of IB1 shared with other students their experience with the International Baccalaureate. The students chose to sit on the edge of the stage, and their presentation was informative and informal. The event was organized by the IB coordinator at CTI, Mr Jean Baghboudarian. 

This time, Dr Abir Abdel Rahman and Ms Lucy Semaan visited us from Balamand University. Again, their presentation focused on two aspects, college orientation and Balamand University offerings. Thank you for coming! 

An enthusiastic group of grade 3 students presented a variety show with the help of their teacher of English, Mrs Janet Zouki. The students evidenced real talent. Congratulations! 

Enjoy the pictures! 

The grade 10 students had the first of a series of workshops on majors, universities, the IB, and grade 11 options. The students had been already introduced to the IB program last year. This time around students have to make tentative decisions regarding choice of track next year and college majors. 

Students from grades 11Sc and 12 regaled us with poetry readings. The readings empowered the students with words of inspiration, motivation and encouragement. The poems were carefully chosen, with classical music at times, by Miss Dalal Hermez. 

Thanks, students and Miss Hermez! 

There was a serious convention, with serious students, around a serious looking round table. The IB1 students were delegates from different African countries, discussing Agenda 2063: "The Africa we Need". This African Union mock simulation was done in Mr Joe Rachid's English class. UN, take notice! 

A couple souvenir pictures...

Mrs Shams Saad Badr addressed the middle school and senior students in a timely talk that challenged the students. As for Mr Yared, he represented Sagesse University, and discussed college orientation and university options. Thank you for being with us! We share a few pictures of the ocassions.

Lisa Helou, Jamie Darwich, Haley Jouni and Nicholas Melhem from YFC organized a workshop on anxiety management. The excellent presentation was timely in days like these. Student involvement was great, and they had a  profitable, enjoyable and introspective time. 

Thanks, YFC group! 

In their first presentation of the year, SAD (Student Activities Department) made us glad indeed. They are a group of capable, outgoing students bent on providing fun and activities the whole year! Their program involved presenting themselves and their plans for the year. Then a crazy, fractured story was shared with the students. Next were a couple of zany games involving the audience. If this presentation is anything to go by, grades 7 to 12 are lucky to have SAD this year!!

In their first presentation of the year, Fun Factory (FF) proved to be a group of motivated, energetic and ebullient students. They presented themselves to grades 1 to 6, outlined what they have in store for the year, then involved the teachers in action games. The cheers of the audience could have moved mountains! 

We are on for a fun year! Thanks, Fun Factory! 

Grades 3, 4, 5 and 6 had a great time attending a drama presentation by New Heights. The play involved acting, clowning, acrobatics, puppetry and audience participation. The theme was God's love to us, and how we share this love with others. 

Thank you New Heights for being with us. We will be looking for more plays in the near future! 

As part of an ongoing program on college orientation, CTI hosted representatives from AUB and AUST. Mr Khaldoun Kaisi, in a virtual visit from AUB, discussed college prep requirements. Mr Ziad Douieri, representing AUST, discussed issues pertaining to college choice in  general, and AUST in particular. 

CTI wishes to thank Mr Kaisi and Mr Douieri for their time and the pertinent information they shared. More college orientation coming up!

The Student Activities Department (SAD) is back with a group of talented students who intend to keep the school alive with diverse fun activities. Remember: SAD makes you glad! The club is made up of (starting with grade 7) Ali Mbayed, Jake Dibo, Yorgo Feghali, Daniela Kashouh, Tristan Ashkar, Ingrid Riachi, Karim Ali Hassan, Emmanuel Laki, Maria Tannouri and Alex Massaad (pres). Unfortunately the representatives of grade 10 were not part of the picture. 

A new Fun Factory group is here, and the students are ready for action. They are planning fun activities for the school year - and there never was a more enthusiastic group of kids! We are looking for great projects this year! The illustrious members pictured here are Michael Wannous, Christine Maalouf, Michael Akoury, Mark Machalany, Noura Deeb and Christopher Deeb.

Classes of art teacher Mrs Mary Kfoury worked on a collaborative mural that expressed their creative endeavors and their feelings towards the new school year. It was a stunning production. Thank you Mrs Mary, and bravo students!!

The last day of school for grades 1 to 6 was a great fun day for the students. There were huge inflatables, many games at different stations, food and snacks, and a heavy dose of excitement! The event was organized by the Parents' Committee and there was a large number of parents, organizing and joining in the fun! It was a day to remember, and a nice conclusion to grade school's year. 

Utmost thanks go to Mrs Nidal Abs Francis,  Mrs Ghaya Abi Antoun and Mrs Mary Kfoury for the tremendous effort they put. Thanks also go to the members of the Parents' Committee, and to all the parents who helped make it a successful day. 

Summer, here we come! 

CTI held its 62nd commencement services in a ceremony that was as beautiful as it was nostalgic. Guest of honor was Pr Jihad Saliba, notable educator, coordinator general of academic curricula in Lebanon, and president of the World Bank project in the Ministry of Education. His speech empowered the students.

MC was Mrs Lina bou Malhab. Speakers included Mrs Aila Khoury representing the teachers, Mrs Nidal Abs Francis representing the Parents' Committee, and Mr George Hermez representing the alumni. Markus Kashouh and Clarita Khoury were joint valedictorians. Cynthia Azarian gave a speech representing the class of 2022, and Rebecca Younes read a touching final prayer. Kenny Ashkar sang a hymn of her composition, one that has gone viral online!

Honor students were Markus Kashouh, Clarita Khoury, Cynthia Azarian, Rebecca Younes, Kenny Ashkar and Dea Abou Zeid.

We present some picture to share with you our joy. 

Congratulations, class of 2022!

On a bright and cheery day, the parents of the students of KGIII attended a special ceremony. It was the graduation of these students, marking the transition from kindergarten to grade school. The event exuded happiness, and we are happy to say that each student graduated with honors! The ceremony was organized by the preschool coordinator Mrs Maha, and the teachers Miss Diana, Mrs Myriam,  Mrs Norma, Mrs Maria, Mrs Dareen and Mr Ragheed. Thank you teachers. Congratulations, students! 

We present a few souvenir pictures. Individual graduation photos will be posted on the class platform.

CTI distributed honor certificates to grades 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11. It was a memorable ceremony, and we share group picture of the students. Towards excellence, students! 

Bravi! 

Grade 3 had a lesson in English that involved totem poles. No sooner said than done, and the students had their own totem poles in class. The activity was done by Mrs Janet Zouki! Bravo, grade 3 A and B! 

Grade 4 had the chance to dress up as their favorite book character. The students explained about their book of choice and why they chose to represent that character in particular. The students had a great time dressing up and sharing! The event was organized by Mrs Chaar and Mrs Jane.

The special Arabic students of Mrs Lucy Zeineddine had a lesson about lemonade which they put into practice.Sahtein! Mrs Zeineddine writes: 

It's iconic! The last period of grade 9 French is devoted to an elaborate Chasse au Trésor involving the whole school grounds. This year was no exception, and if you had seen students running to and fro, it was all in earnest fun. Congratulations to the winners and to all the students!  

Grades 1 to 6 had a great treat with Coach Bahzad. It was hours of sports fun, a nice break from regular class sessions! The students were excited to participate in as many events as possible. Thanks, Coach Bahzad! 

We chose some representative pictures for your enjoyment!

It was nearing the end of the school year for grade 9, so the students and a couple of teachers had an outdoor class/fun session at the park. Best wishes on your Brevet exam, grade 9! 

Students of grades 11 took the DELF exam at the Institut Francais. It was a grueling day, but the students excelled and . . . had fun! Mrs Vivian Hourani monitored the students the whole day! 

The last daze (Oops! We meant to say "days") of grade 12 at school were filled with daily activities, some heart-wrenching, some creative, and some utterly crazy. We share some of their mood, and we wish them the best in this transitional period! We will surely miss these students who had spent countless years at CTI, but . . . college is waiting! 

As part of an ongoing series of talent shows, grade 5 and Mrs Banna Chaar organized an impressive presentation.  The show comprised sports, drama, music, cooking, painting, magic and more! Grade 5 is really talented, as the pictures show! 

Grade 1, and Mrs Hanadi Kronfol, participated in Autism Day. The students became more aware of the issue, and were part of a project about the subject! Bravi!

Grade 9 hosted Mr Richard Gordon-Smith in a recent Bible lesson. Mr Smith is a charismatic, knowledgeable speaker, and the students greatly appreciated his visit. Mr Smith is slated to address several other classes, as well. CTI thanks Mr Smith for the precious time he has given to the students! 

The grade 4 students of Mrs Banna Chaar and Mrs Janet Zouki presented a varied talent show, which showed that grades 4 A and B are ... well ... talented! Bravo, teachers and students! 

Mrs. Annie Agopian was the guest speaker in grade 4. She accepted the invitation and joined us virtually all the way from the Czech Republic.

She told the students a story with a deep moral lesson and taught them an Easter Song. The students were thrilled with the experience. Two of our students were very happy to see their former music teacher. Thank you very much Mrs. Annie.

Based on a math lesson, the students of Mrs Lola Khoury were seen in the playground measuring everything in sight! Now cm or m would become easier! 

Here are some pictures of the CTI kindergarten students celebrating the joy of Easter. 

Happy Easter! Christ is risen! 

The lingering winter is over, and the weather quickly became warmer. So one class after another is going on a picnic - in the playground, in a cozy nook, in the park, on the benches... Students got to enjoy the food and weather, to discuss matters, and to share what they got.

Have a good time, kiddos, and thanks to the organizing teachers! 

Mrs Chaar and the students of grade 5 had the honor to host Mrs. Alice Aoun as guest speaker.

As a tie-in to their literature class, she shared general information about the Renaissance painters such as Leonardo Da Vinci.She also told them of the beauty and importance of using water colors in painting. 

Mrs. Aoun discovered her talent during her adult years. She encouraged students to continuously look for and work on their talents. They are bound to surface sooner or later.

Thank you for visiting, Mrs Aoun! 

Our roving photographer visited Mrs Dahlia's lab session with grade 8 and found the students immersed in gooky, goofy, gooey experiments. The awesome product of the students was mushrooming, but it was quite safe! Keep it up, scientists! 

Mrs Chaar writes:

When the weather is fine, where is the best place to learn? At the park!

Grade 5 spent their English period at the park, brainstorming for their upcoming descriptive piece of writing. In order to come up with vivid figures of speech, they lived the moment experiencing similes, metaphors, personification, onomatopoeia and hyperboles using their senses out in the fresh open air.

Can't wait to read their final work!

English could be a walk in the park ????

During the week before Mother's Day, CTI was abuzz with activities in honor of the students' mothers.The teachers and students were busy preparing art projects, sharing poetry and participating in little events for the day. Thanks go to the teachers of art, kindergarten, and the languages. Congratulations to the students on their creative artwork. And blessings to our beloved mothers (and fathers)! 

Grade 6 A and B had a Mexican project with their teacher of English, Ms Marie Ninette Kanaan. The students could wear Mexican inspired clothes, and were to bring TexMex food to class! Olé!

We share with you some of the pics of the recent IB virtual visit. For two days, CTI hosted two people from the IB organization. There were classroom visits, interviews and group meetings. Thanks to the teachers, administration, students and parents, the visit was a very successful one! Thanks are also due to our visitors!  

The students of grade 11 hosted Ms Shaden Jaffer and Dr Hisham Karroub from AMIDEAST. It was an online visit that focused on university education in the US, and on the procedures of SAT exams. CTI thanks the guest speakers for giving of their precious time to address the students. We share pictures of the session!

Spécialement à l'occasion de Noël, les classes de Mrs Christie-Maria (Grades 4-5-6) on fait une chasse au trésor spécial Noël.

Les élèves ont accompli plusieurs missions et défis, ont reçu des cadeaux et se sont bien amusés.

Que la paix et la joie de cette Fête soient avec vous tous les jours de l'année nouvelle!??

Santa visited CTI, laden with tons of gifts for the students who have "been good" all year long. What a wonderful last day before the Christmas vacation! It was a very Merry Christimas indeed! Thanks go to Mrs Dareen for coordinating, the teachers for decorating the classrooms so beautifully, Mr Ragheed for photographing the occasion, and Mr George Chouiery for reasons that we cannot disclose! 

Best wishes for a safe and peaceful Christmas from the CTI family. 

December was a busy Christmas month at CTI. Here are pictures of some of the activities done at CTI, with thanks to Mrs Mary Kfoury, Mrs Dareen Moukarzel, Mrs Mireille Abi Saad, Mrs Farah Saad, Mrs Banna Chaar, Mrs Janet Zouki, Mrs Lina bou Malhab, Ms Talar Dishchekenian and Mr Ragheed Breidi. 

Make sure you also watch our music videos on Facebook, and peruse the pictures of the visit of Santa! 

Several classes were given Kindness Coins to share when (a) they do something kind to someone, or (b) when they see someone doing something kind. The coin will then be passed on in a similar way. The activity caught on, and coins are circulating in the CTI community. 

For some reports of what was done, we invite you to check the Newsletter section in the CTI website. 

The grade 4B students of Mrs Banna Chaar shared about their favorite dogs. Here are some pictures! 

The students of the class of 2022 devised a novel way to motivate students from other class. One morning students came to their lockers to find motivational Post-it notes. We are sure that it made the day for many a student! Thank you, grade 12.

The students of grades 7 and 8 reflected on the IB Leaner Profile, and gave their impressions in little posters. The project was instigated by Ms Marie Ninette Kanaan. 

As part of an ongoing series of workshops on IB orientation, Ms Marie Ninette and Dr Chris discussed the IB Learner Profile with grade 10 and the students of middle school. There were several such sessions, and after each there were periods of Q&A. 

A different way to do research! Using telephones, and being dispersed in the playgrounds, the grade 11 students of Mrs Hourani conducted research for their French lesson. Here are some students from grade 11 Hm and HS. Good job, students! 

The grade 1 students of Mrs Hanadi are on for a big recycling project. Here they are with the recycling products that they got one day. Keep going, students, for a greener planet! 

The CTI students were involved in lots of activities for Independence Day, including art, music, food, flag waving and more. We share some pictures of the ocassion, offering our best wishes for our beloved country!

The students of KGI are learning about the seasons, particularly the fall season. So the budding scientists had a grand time identifying autumn leaves.Here are a few of their enthusiastic explorations! 

As part of ongoing IB orientation sessions at CTI, grade 9 met in the school auditorium and were seated distanced from each other. They   had a recap presentation about the IBDP, followed by a Q & A session. The students showed great interest, and the workshop was greatly profitable. CTI has reached the authorization stage and is getting ready to register students in Spring for the diploma program.. 

Our roving photographer caught some KG students on camera, as they practiced PE with Coach Bahzad. Incidentally, it was their "Red Day". 

We were passing by, and we came across grade 7 having an alfresco, socially-distanced drama class. Ms Marie Ninette Kanaan was the teacher, and the students were enjoying the setting. On with the play! 

The students of grade school were in for a surprise! As they were lining up (with masks and social distancing ), each student received a welcome book from CTI. Thus the new school year was welcomed with reading for fun! Mrs Ghaya Abi Antoun and Mr Ragheed Breidi undertook the distribution, 

The first IB student meeting of the year was for grade 10, and was held on October 1, 2021. The orientation meeting was informative, involving a short lecture followed by a Q and A session. Despite the facial masks and the social distancing, the workshop was successful and it set the students thinking about the prospects of joining the IBDP next school year.

The art students of Mrs Mary Abi Saad Kfoury prepared large-size posters for their classrooms. This was a class collaborative project, and the artwork was exhibited at school before migrating to the students' classrooms. 

Bravo and thanks! 

It's back to school at CTI! After a long online hiatus, students and teachers are coming back on campus! 

Our roving photographer took a few pictures of some classes, including KG1 students with their parents. 

God bless the new school year! 

Congratulations, Class of 2021! 

In a ceremony limited to the parents, the students of grade 12 received their diplomas, awards and sounvenir plaques. Mrs Farah Saad led the Bible reading, and Mrs Lina Bou Malhab gave the opening word. Dr Chris Moacdieh and Mrs Rita Khneisser handed out the awards and plaques, while the principal and Mrs Randa Antoun led the diploma distribution. Lynn Abbas represented the students in a nice speech, and Lynnda Dabbour concluded with a prayer.

Class of 2021, you made it in this exceptional year! You worked hard, and now you have finished your schooling. You are ready to face the world. Blessings for the future and may you succeed in all that you do.

 . 

Un bon petit déjeuner! 

Après avoir appris à nommer et à identifier les composants d’un petit déjeuner, les élèves de EB3 ont accueilli Mme Micha Osseis, diététicienne diplômée du LIU. Mme Micha a expliqué aux élèves l’importance du petit déjeuner. Elle a aussi parlé de l’importance de la quantité de fruits qu’on doit manger par jour. En outre, elle a insisté sur l’importance des activités sportives et la quantité d’eau qu’on doit boire pendant notre journée.

Merci, Mme Rana Nassar! 

It was a special week for grade 6 where students  showed  their classmates team spirit by dressing up in-line with the days' themes. So, one day it was world culture day, another day was mask day, a third was twin day, one was bring-your-pet-to-class day and another one was fancy Friday. The event was organized by their teacher of English, Ms Marie Ninette Kanaan, with thanks!. 

Keep up the team spirit!!

Summer is here and the weather is getting warmer! So, it is ice-cream time! 

The students of grade 2 had an ice-cream afternoon, courtesy of their teacher of English, Mrs Janet Zouki. The students enjoyed a delicious virtual time, as the pictures attest. 

The students of grade 1 had a Cinderella Day. They were invited to a royal ball hosted by their teacher of English, Mrs Minodora Campeaunu Fares. The students had a wonderful time until . . . the clock struck twelve!

We present a couple of pictures of the online festival! 

Mrs Minodora Campeaunu Fares has instigated an on-going recycling project in grade 1. So students recycled at home and shared with the class. 

Here is the product of their work!!! 

Bravo, grade 1! 

As part of their world tour, grade 6 visited a family in Canada.  The family spoke about some of the traditional foods as well as animals from Canada. The students were then given an option to either prepare a presentation on an animal or make one of the foods talked about by the family. Three of the girls choose to recreate a traditional food.  Joy Abi Yazbeck chose to make Maple Syrup Popsicles, which she said are the best popsicles she had ever tried.  Zoyi Chaar cooked Beavertails, a fried sweet dough which "tasted amazing" while Esther Barakat baked Montreal Bagels, which were perfect for supper. The event was organized by Mrs Shona Hill Barakat.

استقبل تلاميذ الصّفّ الأوّل الأساسي ضمن محور "تسليةٌ وغذاء" السيّدة ماريّا شرتوني طاهية متخصّصة في المدرسة الفندقيّة الكفاءات حيث تحدّثت مع التّلاميذ على أهمّيّة الأكل الصّحيّ والابتعاد عن الوجبات السّريعة الغيرصحيّة. كما وعرضت لهم كيفيّة تحضير فطور صحّيّ ووجبة خفيفة سريعة غنيّة بالفيتامينات. إليكم بعض الصّور:  

لقد تشرّفنا بلقاء الفنانة التشكيليّة اللّبنانيّة ديانا عساكر مع الصّفّ الثّاني الأساسيّ ضمن محور "وُجوه وصفات" والّذي قامت من خلاله الفنّانة عرض تطوّر الفنّ ورسم الأشخاص والوجوه عبر التّاريخ.

 عرضت خلال الحصّة أعمالها الفنّيّة من معهد الفنون وأعمالها الحاليّة. كما وأعطت التّلاميذ توجيهات ونصائح فنيّة لمساعدتهم في رسم الوجوه بطريقة سريعة وصحيحة. إليكم بعض الصّور.

Here we are in the CTI playgrounds, just to wish you a nice day! These are flowers currently in bloom at CTI, so accept this bouquet of pictures with our best wishes... 

Blessings! 

Mrs Banna Chaar writes,

Mrs. Aline and I invited Mrs. Rita Abi Rached to our Geography class. Mrs. Rita currently resides in KSA and has recently experienced a sandstorm. She joined us in order to inform the students about the world's hottest desert, the Sahara.

Mrs. Rita had a road trip across the desert, where she came across some bedouins, saw their tents, rode black camels, drove through a sandstorm, and endured the desert heat. She even visited the "Edge of the World", or Jebel Fihrayn, which is a geological wonder in the rocky part of the desert. It got its name because once you are standing on top of this geological site, you can see an uninterrupted view of the horizon.  

The children were fascinated by the videos and pictures that she shared with us. They were happy to see a teacher who had previously taught them. 

Stay safe!

Mrs Lola Khoury writes,

On Wednesday May 19, 2021, Mrs. Liliane Khawand, representing Bank of Beirut, joined my geography session. We obviously had the session online since the students cannot go to the bank as we do every year. Here are some pictures of the occasion.

Thanks for visiting, Mrs Khawand! 

Mrs Christie Chibli el Ters writes: 

"Le recyclage c'est toi, c'est moi, c'est nous!"

Suite au module "La nature", les élèves de Mrs.Christie en E.B.6 ont accueilli Madame Amal Koussa, prof d'arts plastiques et responsable du recyclage au Collège Saint Georges à Zalka.

Madame Amal a parlé de l'importance du tri, du recyclage et du compostage pour protéger la nature et réduire le gaspillage.

Les élèves étaient très intéressés et ont posé des questions dans le but d'avoir plus d'informations et d'enrichir leurs connaissances sur ce sujet.

Mrs Minodora, teacher of grade 1, writes:

Our lesson was about The Water Cycle, and Captain John Fares explained how thunder clouds affect aviation. He also explained how pilots identify weather visually and through instruments. The students interacted and asked interesting questions. 

Thank you for visiting grade 1, Captain John! 

Mr Jean Baghboudarian, teacher of math of grade 10, writes:

Mr Rami Rouss just joined our class and we had a lovely conversation. Mr Rami lives in Australia and works with Deloitte. He talked about his life at CTI and how well the school had prepared him for university life. He also talked about balancing social and academic life. He stressed on the necessity of having discipline in our lives in order to reach our future goals. He wished the students the best for their remaining 2 years at school. 

Mrs Shona Hill Barakat informs us,

Grade 6 has begun a tour of the world, meeting different children and people from around the world.  The first stop was New Zealand.  Grade 6B met Steph, Charlotte and Jasmin, grade 12 students from Hawkes Bay, while grade 6A had the chance to chat with Abigail, a grade 5 student from a country school near Thames.  The students were amazed to learn about the opportunities that students have in New Zealand to study different subjects as well as Abigail's school camp in Wellington.

Mrs Janet Zouki, teacher of grade 2 science shares with us:

Good day!

Attached are photos of some of the students who sent me pictures of their globe science project.The students were very excited to share their globes with their classmates. Most had really creative ideas. One student made his globe from unwanted pieces of clothes. He told me, "Well, my parents and I don't like to waste anything, so we always try to recycle material in different ways!" I was so happy to hear that.

Thanks, grade 2!

Mrs Aline Tashjian had another guest speaker for grade 3B. She shares about the visit of Mr David Castaneda,

We learned about different cultures in our English period. To widen our knowledge about Colombia, we invited Mr. David Castaneda to our class and we learned  lots of  fun information about his native country. We learned about the food, football, scenery,  dance, music and even the famous Colombian coffee!

Thank you for visiting, Mr Castaneda! 

By special invitation from Mrs Aline Tashjian, Mrs Lena Araboghlian introduced Armenia to the students of grade 3A. Mrs Aline writes:

For the purpose of learning about different world cultures, Mrs. Lena Araboghlian was invited to 3A to teach us about Armenia. We learned about  Armenian traditions including Armenian dance, carpets, food, embroidery, musical instruments, and the "Khachkar" which is a stone cross and is found everywhere in Armenia!. Bon Voyage!

The students of grade 12 were at school today for an exam session. It was good to see these students after a long absence from the school premises! 

The arrangement of the exams was different from that of grade 9, and we would like to share with you some pics. 

God bless you, grade 12! 

Mrs Aline Tashjian's grade 3 read a story called "Fly, Eagle, Fly!" which is a folk tale about a farmer who found an eagle, took care of it and nurtured it. However, the eagle grew up among chickens until a friend passed by and took the eagle to the top of a mountain and released it in the wilderness. By  reading this story, we learn to move on with our lives and make better choices.

Here are some photos of the eagles that the students made in class. Enjoy!

Mr Joe Zwein, civil engineer centered in California, was guest of the students of KGIIA and their teachers, Mrs Madeleine Zwein and Mrs Nisrine Khalaf. Mr Joe wore his engineering gear, and talked about his job and what he does. The students enjoyed the session a lot, and they dressed up as what they wanted to be when they grow up. Each student got a chance to talk about their profession of choice.. 

Attached are some pictures of Mr Joe Zwein's session.  We thank Mr Zwein for his visit! 

Mrs Ghaya Abi Antoun, teacher of IT, writes, "Hi! Today, we had a visit from Mr Michel Jadaa. He talked about his career as a computer engineer at the headquarters of Google in California. He shared about his school days at CTI and about his university studies and shared a small presentation about what he exactly does at Google .The presentation of Mr Jadaa was very interesting, very motivating and very inspiring, yet at the same time very sincere and casual."

Thank you for visiting, Mr Michel Jadaa! 

Mrs Nathalia Georgi and grade 3 hosted Mr Tony Badr. Mr Badr is a professional beekeeper, and he explained about the cultivation of bees, the making of honey, and the precautions that should be taken. He even shared a picture of Mrs Georgi in honey-collecting gear! 

The students of grade 3 were fascinated by the session! Thank you for coming, Mr Badr! 

By special invitation from Ms Marie Ninette Kanaan, grade 6 hosted Life Coach Sirine Daou. Her mission is to empower and equip children to become the best versions of themselves.
During the life coaching session, Grade 6 were asked the following questions:
- What is success?
- What is happiness?
- Why am I here?
- Who am I?
After the students brainstormed and then shared with the classroom, Coach Sirine walked the students through "the wheel of life". She talked about how unique each person is, and how one accepts failure as a first attempt at learning and success. 

She also reminded them that they are made in God's image. She said that faith is the opposite of fear and that we are children of the Creator. We must have the ability to grow into the successful person we are called to be. She also taught the students about the "9 intelligences" they must find out about themselves. As the students interacted with our guest, Coach Sirine mentioned how amazing, smart and mature they were.

It was lovely having you, Coach Sirine Daou!

They came in masks. They had their water bottles and pencil cases with them. They went through the Covid-19 precautionary measures. Then they sat for exams, safely distanced in several classrooms.

It was great to see the students of grade 9 again!!!

God bless you, grade 9! 

Grade 8 had the honor to host Mrs Tania Tabet, of BELIEVE, an organization that takes care of conflict resolution. The guest speaker was invited by Mrs Antoinette Samaha and the session was a tie-in to the Arabic lesson of grade 8 that deals with the family. Mrs Tabet discussed family issues, and the best ways for communation within a family. It was an exciting session, and the students found it very beneficial. 

On behalf of the students and the teacher,Tania Tabet, thank you for coming! 

Grade 4 were in for a treat! Mrs Nathalia Georgi, the teacher of Arabic, had invited Mrs Joanna Khalil, a nutritionist. Mrs Khalil discussed proper food, what to eat, how much to consume daily, and proper eating habits. 

Grade 4 loved the session! Thank you Joanna Khalil for coming! 

Dr. Emmanuel El- Helou was guest speaker in grade 5 today.

Dr. Emmanuel obtained his veterinary degree from the Lebanese University and is currently pursuing his post-graduate education at Improve International, UK. The students were pleased to know that he too follows his classes online.We were supposed to host him earlier this week but he apologized as he had an emergency call from a farm. He had to help give birth to 20 goats and sheep. His excuse was valid of course, leaving us all in awe as he explained the process of how he helped the farmer.

Dr. Helou joined us as a tie-in to our reading lesson on animal adaptation, providing the students with beneficial advice on how to handle our pets with each climate change.  

A few tips from our vet:

- Before walking your pet, do the 5-second test. Place the palm of your hand on the ground. If you can handle the heat, then it is okay to walk your dog, and if you can’t wait till sunset.

- Make sure you provide your tortoises with lots of veggies, such as lettuce and cabbage, as they get their source of water from these.

- Keep your bunny cages clean, as bunnies have low immunity and can contract viruses very quickly.

- Shower your birds once a year in summer. For your canaries to sing, you need to provide them with a mate.

- In the hot season, always keep water within your pet’s reach.

- Last but not least, love your pets especially the furry ones.

Dr. Helou leaves us with the following quote, ‘ Only a person that loves a challenge would take on patients that can’t tell them where it hurts.’

Students enjoyed asking questions and receiving answers. It was a beneficial and interesting session. 

Bonjour, évidemment! 

Suite à la leçon « c’est quoi ton look? », les élèves de Miss Rindala en EB7 ont accueilli virtuellement M. Jacques Somoundjian, un étudiant libanais d’origine arménienne en MBA management et marketing du luxe et de la mode à ESLSCA Business school à Paris. 
M. Somoundjian a partagé ses connaissances et son expérience dans le monde du luxe et de la mode, surtout dans les trois plus importantes maisons de mode à Paris: Chanel, Hermès et Dior.
Les élèves ont été impressionnés par la présentation qu’il a faite et les jeux de devinettes autour des informations qu’il a données. À la fin de la séance, les élèves lui ont posé plusieurs questions à propos de sa carrière.

Bonne journée,

Rindala Abi Nader

En parallèle avec leur chapitre “Orientation professionnelle’’, les classes 10 ont reçu le 21 avril 2021, durant le cours de français, Mr Mathieu Boulay, enseignant de français et d’anglais en Slovénie. De nationalité française, Mr Boulay a fait des études de langues (il a étudié le japonais, le slovène, l’anglais et le français langue étrangère). Il enseigne le français et l’anglais depuis 16 ans et a voyagé et enseigné dans plusieurs pays à travers le monde (Australie, Nouvelle Zélande et Slovénie). Passionné de langues, il a pu partager son expérience avec les élèves et leur a permis de réfléchir à leur orientation professionnelle à travers des activités interactives. Les élèves lui ont posé de nombreuses questions autour de son parcours et de ses choix professionnels et ont eu l'opportunité de mettre en pratique leurs connaissances du français. 

Bienvenido a nuestra clase de español!

El martes 20 de Abril, nuestra clase dió la bienvenida  a la señora Joelle Torres para  compartir su experiencia en el aprendizaje del español en Argentina. 

La entrevista fue muy bonita. Los estudiantes le hicieron varias preguntas sobre su nueva vida en Argentina, cómo aprendió el  español, las diferencias con otros idiomas,su adaptación.

Señora Torres respondió con mucho pasión para alentar los estudiantes a aprender el idioma y a practicar con otros. Porque el español es el segundo idioma más hablada en todo el mundo.

Al final Vanessa Castañeda en la clase 11Sc  comparte su experiencia en aprender árabe. 

Nosotros compartimos nuestra experiencia en CTI.

Fue muy extraordinario para reunir con otras culturas y idiomas.

Muchas gracias a todos y a todas por esta reunión.

Elham El Hajj

Mr Rami Atmeh visited grade 9 for a superb session that raised the students' morale.

Mrs Aila Khoury informs us: 

My motto for this year is: "If you stay positive in a negative situation you win". That's why I decided to spread positivity among the 9th graders, despite all the hardships that our country and the world are passing through. Our guest this time joined us from Australia, and the students were excited to meet the head of Transformation for the biggest retailer in Australia: "Woolworths Group".

Mr. Rami Atme is also a CTI alumnus who spent 15 years in its midst.
I had the chance to teach Rami, my brother, whom I am very proud of.
Mr. Rami believes that teachers plant the seeds of knowledge that last a lifetime.

Among the many inspirational things Mr. Rami said was: "If teenagers passing through WWI had given up, Riad Al Solh and Bechara El Khoury wouldn't have established the Lebanon we know and love today"

Mrs Chaar writes: "After successfully having a reunion for grade 5 before the vacation, Mrs. Aline and I had one for grade 4 last Friday. The kids truly enjoyed 'meeting' up and catching up on each other's news." 

The students must have had a wonderful time, having such a reunion! Where are the cookies and juice?

Kindly find below souvenir pictures of the occasion. 

It was a great honor for grade 6 to host Dr Shannon Schmoll, astronomer at Michigan State University and Abrams Planetarium. She was guest of Mr Emile Moacdieh, and Dr Shannon discussed - amongst other topics - the constellations that the students can see from Beirut, the lives of stars and what happens when black holes collide! The students were thrilled to have Dr Shannon in their midst, and CTI thanks her for her visit! 

Enjoy a few pictures of the session! 

As part of a series of guests visiting our [virtual] classrooms, it was the turn of Mr Pierre Abou Tayeh to address the students of grade 8. Mr Abou Tayeh holds an important position at Amazon, London. Mrs Aila Khoury, the grade 8 teacher of maths, writes:

We would like to thank  Mr. Pierre Abou Tayeh, the Amazon pathways operations manager, for an enlightening and entertaining presentation dedicated to grade 8 students. Mr. Pierre, CTI alumnus that I taught a long time ago, joined us from the UK to summarize his journey from being a CTI student for 15 years to his present occupation. Mr. Abou Tayeh believes that education is the most powerful weapon a person can have to reach a better future. Moreover, he is living proof that determination is the key to success despite the challenges that face us. 

Mrs Chaar informs us: "I had a guest speaker in my grade 5 classes today, Mrs. Alice Aoun. Mrs. Alice Aoun was invited to talk and inform my students about the different kinds of paintings and how she has this as a hobby. This is a tie-in to our reading lesson which was about Leonardo Da Vinci and his unfinished horse. Mrs. Alice advised the students to practice their talent in such a way that they excel in it. Maybe one day they will pick it up as a career and become as famous as Leonardo."

Thank you Mrs Aoun for coming, and thank you Mrs Chaar! 

The times they are a changin', but Model United Nations is still going on strong, albeit in a different form. This year MUN, as organized by LAU, has gone online. Some students from CTI's grade 10 were willing to go through this novel format, and they are having a very rewarding time. The event is supervised by Ms Marie Ninette Kanaan. 

Congratulations Wade Watkins for winning the performance award. Thanks Ms Kanaan and students for all your efforts.

The pictures show Wade, and some participating students (with students from other schools).

We usually post pictures of students. This time we are posting pictures of teachers! For during this period of closure for the cornonavirus, the CTI teachers are still at school for collaborative planning, departmental meetings, general teacher assemblies and IB meetings. The teachers have been busy, devising ways to teach students from a distance!  Using school computers, individual laptops and mobile phones, CTI teachers are collaborating to create PowerPoints, post films, film sessions, scan documents and send homework.

We share some pictures of the general mood at school these days! 

Mrs Kelzy, the mother of Vania, was guest of KGIIB, in order to prepare healthy pasta. Mrs Kelzy surprised the students with chef clothes, and each student became a little sous-chef! There was also toy kitchenware, and the students were able to pitch in with the dicing, cutting and mixing. The grand finale was when all ate their culinary work! Thanks, Mrs Kelzy! 

Mrs Aoun, mother of Thomas, was special guest at KGIIA, as she made healthy pasta with the students. The students had great fun learning how such pasta is made! After the demonstration, the students all ate the delicious pasta. Thank you for coming, Mrs Aoun! 

Mrs Dib, mother of Maria, visited KG! and shared about the benefits of apples. The students ate delicious apple slices . . . with chocolate and nut icing! Thanks for visiting, Mrs Dib! 

The CTI IB language teachers had the opportunity to attend an IB workshop organized by the Lebanese IB Association. We share a few pictures.

CTI was honored with the visit of Dr Joel Lietch. Dr Lietch is a psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor and pastor. He conducted workshops about emotions and anger management to grades 10 and 11. He also presented a chapel session, after which he presented handouts to each student. CTI wholeheartedly thanks Dr Lietch for his presence at school! 

Different teachers, at different levels, and with different students, are whole-heartedly working on the IB ethos at CTI. We share with you some of the latest - including ingenious door decorations! 

The CTI football teams have been active in diverse tournaments in different places, and with other schools. We share with you some pictures, mainly taken by Jeremy Basta. Share our enthusiasm! 

Mrs Yazbek, mother of Gabriel, was guest at KGI B, in order to demonstrate how to make fruit salad. This way, the students learned about this process, and also learned about fruits. Thanks for your visit, Mrs Yazbek! 

Mrs Haddad, mother of Dima and teacher at CTI, visited the students of KGI A, and helped the students prepare a fruit salad. Thank you for your presentation, Mrs Haddad! 

It is the season for football, basketball, handball, volleyball, and so on... Now it is the time for ping pong, with Coach Bahzad! See the set up...

It was the turn of SAD, with the help of Mr George Chouiery, to prepare a Mexican Fiesta. Olé! 

In an invigorating, energetic presentation, Mr and Mrs Castaneda introduced South America, in particular Colombia. The session involved slides, music, geography, Colombian clothes, a Spanish language lesson, interaction with the students, and a lively sense of humor. CTI thanks the Castanedas for their visit! Muchas gracias! 

The grade 7 A and B students of Mrs Anna Khansa were busily engaged in large numbers, in a huge presentation about Mexico. Some students were part of a dialogue, some had prepared slides, some gave information about Mexico, and Charbel Naddaf addressed the students in melifluous Spanish. Then, lo and behold, the big screen went up, and the vast majority of the class presented the famous Mexican Hat Dance. The mood was so infectuous, that the students of grade 12 joined in an encore. At the end, students lined up with tons of nacho chips, and all students presents were able to sample a Mexican snack. Thanks, Mrs Anna and grade 7. 

Mrs Mrad, mother of Sacha, visited grade 5 A and B by special invitation from Mrs Chaar. Mrs Mrad talked about libraries and the importance of reading. The students enjoyed her visit, and learned a lot. What is left to say is "Thank you, Mrs Mrad!"

Miss Rita Habeshian, representing Intervarsity Fellowship, conducted the first session in a series of workshops focusing on college and life skills. She was a dynamic session leader, as she explored with the students personality tests and career orientations. We share with you a few pictures of this first session.

CTI won no less than 7 LAU Model United Nations awards. Congratulations students! In a special presentation, Markus Kashouh of grade 10 and Ms Marie Ninette gave an overview of the activity. Next, the principal announced the names of the winners. After that, all MUN students got their participation awards from LAU. Congratulations!!!!

The winners: 

Jane Moussa

Clarita Khoury

Markus Kashouh 

Rebecca Younes

Cynthia Azarian

Position Paper Awards:

Elly Farah

Kera Assaad

Congratulations one and all! 

Do you remember that grade 5 raised a substantial amount of money for the Red Cross? Well, with what was left over, and with help from the CTI administration, all the students were treated to pizza! Buon appetito! The event was organized by Mrs Chaar. 

The students of grades 10 and 11 practiced a rather different sport with Coach Adnan. This time, it was the turn of handball, and the students enjoyed the game! We share pictures of grade 11 in action! 

When the students went down to recess, they were surprised by Coach Bahzad by action games. The students heartily joined in the fun, and we share a few pictures! 

As part of their history lessons, Mrs Shona Barakat led the students of grade 5 in a weaving project. The students got to learn the skills of weaving cloth, and also learned that . . . going to the store and buying ready-made clothes is much simpler! 

It was time for medical checkups! 

Dr Carine Ashoghlian and Dr Pierre Mardelli check on the health of our students, and CTI thanks them for coming! We share a few pictures!

It was the turn of Mrs Baghdoyan, mother of Demid, to represent her country, the Ukraine. Mrs Baghdoyan was dressed in traditional clothes, and got items from the Ukraine to show the students of KGIII. At the end of her talk, Mrs Baghdoyan offered blinis to the students. It was a wonderful session, and CTI thanks Mrs Baghdoyan for visiting KGIII! 

Mrs Thornton, mother of James, visited KGIII and presented the state of Georgia, USA. She discussed the history of Georgia, as well as what Georgia is known for. The students got to look at real cotton blooms and sample peanuts. Thank you for visiting, Mrs Thornton! 

Ms Christie Chibli, the grade 5 teacher of French, led her class in a cooking session. The students cooked tuna salad, then their handwork became their lunch! That was a lot of fun! 

It was a great joy for our team to win third prize in the Glory Road Futsal tournament, held on Friday, February 14, 2020. A big mabrouk, and thanks Coach Joe! 

Dr Christiane Riachi, ophthalmologist and mother of Skye Riachi, visited KGIII. She explained all about eye-care and the process of an eye examination. The presentation was professional, friendly and interactive. The students learned how friendly a doctor's visit could be! CTI thanks Dr Christiane for visiting, and shares a few pictures! 

It is a nice, sunny day, so why not have a reading session al fresco? This is exactly what the students of Mrs Aline Tashjian did, and we drop by in order to take a few pictures! 

Grade 12 organized a hot chocolate day, as a fund-raising activity for their proms. We hear that the cocoa was good, and the weather was cold. . . So the response of the students was greatly encouraging! 

It was the time again! It was the time for CTI Guinness, a compedium of records of the trivial, funny and inconsequential! Many students participated, for the fun of it, rather than for breaking records! The event was organized by SAD with the help of Ms Marie Ninette Kanaan.

A few pictures reflect the jovial mood of the occasion! 

Grade 11 had the opportunity to attend a major workshop on the needs and practices of community work. The day-long workshop was organized by a local NGO, and coordinated by Mrs Vera Abi Yazbek and Miss Maha Hachem. Good job, grade 11, and thanks to the organizers and presenters!

Mrs Lina bou Malhab is at the Queen Rania Teacher Training Center in Amman, Jordan, for IB professional development. She shares these pictures with us. We offer her our best wishes!

An group of people from Australia, Canada, Germany and the US gave chapel sessions at CTI. They sang, shared and prayed in a friendly, informal session. The group also found time to visit a few classes and to mingle with students during recess. We share a few pictures! 

KGIII were in for a surprise! As a tie-in to their lessons, a pilot in person visited the two sections and presented his profession! Mr Harout Artinian gave an illustrated talk, brought airplanes as gifts, got a pilot uniform for the students to try, and answered all questions that the students could think of. The project was an initiative of Mrs Maggie Santourian. Thanks for coming, Mr Artinian, and we hope to see you some day in an airplane! 

Mr Jad Melhem, representing the Red Cross visited CTI and gave an overview about first aid and what to do in case of emergencies. Mr Melhem received a contribution from grade 5, thanks to a previous initiative by Mrs Chaar. Kindly check previous posts for information about a bigger project regarding the Red Cross! 

Being an IB candidate school, CTI is embracing the IB ethos in many aspects, and we periodically present some of the student work regarding the IB. Here is another instalment of work done regarding the IB student learner profile! 

The two sections of KGIII dressed up and practiced different professions. Enjoy a sampler! 

A quick visit to the lab of Ms Preskella Mrad and grade 7. 

A quick visit to grade  6 and an interesting project with Mrs Anna Khansa! 

It is too cold outside, so why not have camping . . . inside! So, thanks to the initiative of Mrs Maggie Santourian, the students of KGIII got to go camping, complete with tents, sleeping bags, mattresses, food, marshmallows, and the whole lot. It was a lot of fun! Thanks go to the teachers, Mrs Maggie Santourian, Mrs Norma Skaff and Miss Diana Blati. 

As part of CTI international mindedness, CTI celebrated Burns Night, a fitting conclusion to the Scottish Week (check separate section). After the introduction read by Dea Abou Zeid, the address to the haggis read in labored Scottish by kilted Barkev Hejinian, and the prayer read by Christina Salamoun, it was time for bagpiping festivities. Guest of honor was Mr Tony Collins, in traditional garb and bagpipes. He explained about the instrument, and played bagpipe music, including the indispensable Auld Lang Syne. At the end, all students were treated to Scottish shortbread, and grade 10 went on to sample real haggis. 

CTI thanks Mr Tony Collins for his visit, Mrs Shona Barakat for organizing this initiative, and grade 10 for participating! 

As part of international mindedness, and thanks to the efforts of Mrs Shona Barakat, Ms Marie Ninette Kanaan and grade 10, CTI celebrated a week of Scottish culture, geography, food, music, poetry, and traditions. The week aptly concluded with a celebration of Burns Night that falls on January 25, 2020 and that CTI was able to hold the day before. We share a few pictures, and ask you to also check the pictures about Burns Night.

Grade 6 students gave an impressive performance of the play "Morning Traffic". The play was directed by their teacher of English, Mrs Anna Khansa, and the students acted very well. Thanks, grade 6 and Mrs Anna! 

Mrs Anna Khansa organized a major activity involving international mindedness for grade 7. The students prepared presentations about different countries, and these involved posters, PowerPoint, dressing up, artifacts and food! The results were impressive, and we congratulate the students. These pictures show some of what they presented! 

Come in and have a look at us playing music with Mrs Rola Salloum! 

CTI students are getting to learn more about the IB diploma program. There are many ongoing projects related to the international baccalaureate program, especially about the IB student learner profile. We share with you some of the projects that students are doing, with the promise of more in the near future. 

By invitation from Mrs Chaar, Mrs Alice Aoun visited grade 5. Mrs Aoun, mother of students at CTI and great artist, demonstrated painting techniques to the students. This was a tie-in to the English lessons of grade 5. Thank you for coming, Mrs Aoun. 

Ms Marie Ninette Kanaan invited guest Mr Rawad Geha in order to conduct a mock MUN session at CTI. The students represented diverse countries, and practiced diplomacy and negotiation skills. Thank you Ms Ninette and Mr Rawad, and bravo, students! 

It is an iconic event at CTI: it is SAD's last presentation of the year, celebrating Christmas joy and fun. This year we had readings, song (thanks, Grace!), dances from grade school, and the suprise entry of non-other than web personality and humorist, Mr Patrick Daoud. Mr Daoud's talk was about pursuing one's dream. After his talk, the students took turns having their picutres taken with Patrick. 

Thanks, SAD. Thanks, Ms Marie Ninette Kanaan! Good-bye 2019! Let's see what SAD has in store for us for 2020! 

Fun Factory, Ms Marie Ninette, teachers and students celebrated Christmas in an exciting fashion! We share a few pictures of the event, offering our best Christmas wishes to grades 1 to 6! 

Were the CTI students good? Apparently, yes, because he came down the chimney (well, up the elevator, rather) and visited every student in every classroom! 

Thanks, Santa and his helpers (SAD) for the gifts and fun! 

It's a grade 10 tradition to exchange DIY gifts, and the results were creative, varied and thoughtful - with a slant towards the comestible! In between gift exchanges, the students nibbled on sweets and listened to choral music. It was a fit ending to the year 2019!  

We were honored to have Mr Wissam Rajha again for a special puppet Christmas presentation for the kindergarten classes. We offer our thanks to Mr Rajha, and offer you a selection of pictures showing the expressions of the KG students! Wow! 

Have you paused and admired the awesome handwork done on CTI doors this Christmas season? Or the many little impromptu trees here and there, on pedestals, as head garb, as crafts, or even as games? What about the grade 10 ingenious bottle tree?  Maybe parents have noticed some trees and doors during the open house. Anyway, here is a random selection of doors and trees in December, presented for your delectation! Thanks, teachers and students, for your contribution to the Christmas spirit at CTI! 

Merry Christmas and bon appétit! 

The CTI's Christmas musical this year was Papa Panov's Christmas, based on the story by the great Russian author Leo Tolstoy - and it was a sensational success stuffed with seasonal spectacle!

The musical was directed by Mrs Rula Salloum and Ms Marie Ninette Kanaan, with dances by Mrs Nathalie Khoury and Ms Rita Abi Rached, decor by Mr Rami Khalaf. It starred Elias Raffoul as Papa Panov, Richard Kahoush and Nora Hope Watkins as the Neighbors, Serena Chakar as the Narrator, Andrew Younes as the voice of Jesus, Alvin Farah as the Street Sweep, Sarah Al Ghnaymah as the Poor Lady, and Talia Bejjani, Michael Haddad, and Diala Mokh as the Poor Children. Tristan Achkar assisted Ms Kanaan.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Ms Wilma's Christmas fare was partly Celtic, partly marine, partly Scottish, and partly nostalgia. The theme was "back home for Christmas". The students performed sea shanties and Christmas music. There were even songs with a student in a kilt, and a music-hall number that would have fitted very well in 1940s London!

The performance was magical and spectacular! Thanks students and Ms Wilma!

It was carol-singing time, with a twist; the worship team was made of the CTI teachers Mr Datev Basmajian (vocals and guitar), Ms Marie Ninette Kanaan (vocals), and Coach Adnan Sioufi (piano), with the help of Jeremy Basta (beatbox). It was a joyous time of carol singing!

The Grade 2 students of Mrs Mireille Abi Saad prepared a "tree" project, and the results were very nice! We share with you some cute students with their cute trees.

After Grade 5 B's Italian-themed bake sale, it was the turn of Grade 5 A to present a bake sale. This time the theme was Lebanese, and what a spread it was! The purpose of the bake sale was to raise money for the Red Cross. So Grades 5 A and 5 B, combined, were able to raise a substantial amount of money to be donated.

Thank you Mrs Chaar for organizing, and thank you parents for contributing yummy food!

It's P for Pizza, and Mrs Nidal Francis and Mrs Pamela Blati were at hand to help teach the letter P to KGIII. Each mother got dough, toppings, drink, and utensils. Thus the kids were able to make pizzas from scratch and eat them, thereby digesting their lesson well! There were a lot of additional niceties, such as "P" covering for each juice carton, little rolling pins, cute cookie cutters, and even little chef hats monogrammed with P's. Thank you very much Mrs Francis and Mrs Blati for your efforts, kindness and generosity! 

PS As much as we would like to special-order from Pam's pizza, this pizzeria does not exist. But maybe Mrs Blati will reconsider. . . 

Mrs Chaar and grade 5B organized an impressive bake sale with an Italian theme. The purpose of this bake sale was to raise money to the benefit of the Lebanese Red Cross. The food was delicious and plentiful (thank you, parents), and grade 5B was able to raise a substantial amount. 

Coming up: Grade 5A bake sale with a Lebanese theme.

BTW, the group picture is supposed to represent an Italian flag formation. 

SAD did it again! The St Barbara's/Halloween event for the senior classes was an exceptional bash that incorporated games, dress-up, and the surprise entry of professional break dancers. The mood was one of super excitement, and the audience responded with clamor and cheers. 

Thank you Ms Marie Ninette Kanaan, thank you SAD, thank you acrobats, and thank you students who joined in the fun. 

It is more St Barbara's than Halloween, but the net result spells f-u-n! Dollops of fun! for this event, we were treated to a mind-boggling assortment of wonderful costumes. Prominent this year were disguises pertaining to inanimate objects such as pizzas or avocadoes or cell-phones or French fries or a jigsaw puzzle. The creative aspect of the event was tops, and the parents are to thank for their contribution! 

The event was organized by Fun Factory and Miss Marie Ninette Kanaan. The delicious, traditional St Barbara's wheat porridge was prepared by Mrs Lola Khoury.  A bonus surprise was the decor that was prepared by the student Ricky Kahoush, with contributions by Anaelle Khalaf. 

A big bravo to everybody concerned. 

If you visit the CTI kindergarten classes during St Barbara's, you will find an assortment of lovely princesses, awesome superheroes, and a lot of beautiful characters. It was an exciting day for the students, as these assortment of costumes show! 

The iconic Dictation from Lebanon was presented to the grade school students by Mrs Nathalia Georgi, and to the older students by Mrs Lina Bou Malhab. Many students participated, and others in the audience pitched in. It was an exciting occasion, especially when Mrs Bou Malhab gave her infamous tongue twister.

The winners in the Junior category were Joy Abi Yazbek (first), Mariam al-Ghnayma (second position), Tony Dagher (second position) and James Mahshi (third position).

In the senior category, the winners were Cynthia Azarian (first), Markus Kashouh (second - absent, not in picture), and Dea Abou Zeid (third)

Congratulations to the students, and thanks to the organizing teachers! 

Miss Dalal Hermez organized a session of poetry and music, presented by students from grade 11 Sc and HS. The spotlight this time was on the great Lebanese author, Gibran Khalil Gibran. The choice of poetry was moving, and the reading was masterly. Thanks Miss Hermez and students for the event! Also thanks to Miss Marie Ninette Kanaan for the artisitic slide show!  

BTW, did you know that the English spelling of Gibran's middle name is Kahlil, a misspelling that went on official records when Gibran was in the US?

The students of grade 4 prepared a PowerPoint presentation about pets. Mrs Aline Tashjian directed! Thanks, students!

Mr Wissam Rajha of the Bible Society visited the CTI students of grades 1 - 6. He gave a remarkable puppet presentation. The students greatly liked the session, and also learned a good lesson or two! Thanks for visiting, Mr Rajha!

Grade 10 had a novel way to study a novel! Mrs Shona Barakat devised a gallery walk session in order to study George Orwell's Animal Farm. We are sure that the students had fun studying. 

Thursday, November 21, 2019 (as well as the whole week!) was a jubilant day at CTI, as the whole school celebrated Independence Day. There were activities galore, formal speeches, music, art crafts, parades, and a lot of JOY. We share with you pictures of some of the action, with thanks to Mrs Bou Malhab, Miss Marie Ninette, Coach Bahzad, Mr Nassar and the many teachers who contributed to the day(s).

For a whole Independence week, CTI celebrated by speech, special activities, sports, art crafts and more! In this set of picture, we spotlight the CTI students who contributed speeches for the event. Bravi! 

Grade 9 gave an excellent extensive presentation about the great Lebanese poet and thinkier, Said Akl. The session involved a PowerPoint presentation, recitations and music. Grade 9 is to be commended. The event was supervised by Mrs Lina Bou Malhab. 

Yes, there were jugglers walking about the playgrounds, as part of the ongoing SOAR program at CTI. The jugglers juggled (what else?), the students applauded, and all was "the best in the best of possible worlds!". A few pics to enjoy....

SAD (Students' Activity Department) is a vibrant entity at school, with a group of students excited to organize activities for students, as the name implies. Their first presentation of the year included a funny skit, and a PowerPoint in guise of introductions. Thanks, SAD and Miss Marie Ninette Kanaan.

Incidentally, ever since the inception of SAD in 1981, we have been using the slogan "SAD makes you happy". Recently someone suggested that we change the slogan to "SAD makes you glad", since that rhymes. What do you think? 

Fun Factory kicked off the new school year with a nice program during which the students introduced themselves and suggested plans for the school year. The program included gymnastics and a song about Saving the Earth. Thank you, Fun Factory, and keep the fun coming! The event was organized by Miss Marie Ninette Kanaan. 

Rosaire school played a friendly football game with CTI on Friday, October 11, 2019. We share a few picture. Coach: Joe Abdallah. 

The students of  grade 5 were kneading and forming and making flat cakes with Mrs Shona. What for? Ask grade 5! 

The first bake sale of the year was organized by the students of grade 12. The purpose of the event was fund raising for the students' prom night at the end of the school year. So it is expected that we have more such events from the students of grade 12. 

Spotlights, the CTI yearbook of the school year 2018-2019 was distributed on Friday, September 20, 2019. The students first check their pictures, then look at the beautiful photography and layout. The CTI yearbook is a wonderful memento of each school year! A note of thanks to Mrs Ghaya and Mr Ragheed for managing the distribution of 100s of yearbooks! 

CTI was honored by the visit of Julie Beemer, author and expert speaker. Her exciting presentation also involved the students who were only too happy to participate. Thank you for visiting, Mrs Beemer! 

Coach Bahzad started the year with traditional action games. It did not matter who won; it was fun to participate and watch. We present a few pictures of the event! 

CTI launched the new school year with a major workshop for CTI teachers. The principal led the event, teachers submitted short talks, and guest speaker was Père Jihad Saliba of SEE educational consulting. The event was held at a hotel, and it was a very fruitful session. The teachers have stocked on new ideas for the new year.

It was a befitting ceremony to mark the transition of grade 12 from CTI to higher education. The guest of honor and keynote speaker was Dr Arda Ekmeji, dean of arts and sciences at Haigazian University. Speakers included Mrs Lina bou Malhab, Mr Elias Haddad, Mrs Amal Awad, and Mr Hanna Kleyaani president of the Parents' Committee. Angelo Chami, Annie el Khoury and Eve Aoun represented their classes, with Elena Sarnouk being valedictorian. Retiring teachers Mrs Lina Nehmeh was honored for her years of service at CTI. After Dr Chris Moacdieh and Dr Ekmekji distributed the diplomas, the audience enjoyed a reception in honor of the students.

Congratulations, class of 2019! CTI offers its best wishes wherever you might be now!

It was cool fun for KGII to start the summer vacation. The pictures show some of the fun they had! 

Have a nice summer vacation! 

It was time to say goodbye to a good year in KGI, so the students went on a fun trip. Now, there is a nice summer vacation coming up, followed by the second year of schooling! 

We share pictures of the occasion! 

Grades 4, 5 and 6 bade farewell to the school year in a big outing to a beautiful adventure park. It was an exciting and fun time, and the students now have started their summer vacation! We have a few pictures here, and there will be more in the yearbook.

Grades 1, 2 and 3 had the chance to spend fun-time at a water-themed park! It was the end-of-year activity for these students, as they bade farewell to a great year and welcomed the joys of summer! We share a few pictures. . . 

The students of KGIII had a wonderful time at a game and water park. We share a few pictures! 

The last drama presentation of the year was undertaken by grade 8 and directed by Mrs Raeda Aoun. This time, the play was Mind Your Language, based on the iconic 1970s TV show. The play, as expected, was one hilarious joke after another. The students acted to perfection and the audience laughed a lot. Mr Brown was acted by Wade Watkins, and Miss Courtney was Victoria Powell, supported by an excellent cast of students some of which were acting for the first time.

With these merry notes, we bid the drama season good-bye for the year!

Our musical trip this year was to the Alpine countries, and what a musical trip it was! Hundreds of students danced and acted to perfection, to music from Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. The audience was transported to a world of color, movement and joy. It was a stupendous undertaking.

Alpine Adventure was directed by Mr Philip Fahmi. Drama was coached by Mrs Jamie Chaaya. The Alpine sets were made expressly by Mr Rami Khalaf. The dances were choreographed by the CTI teachers. The event was filmed by Tele Lumière and will soon be broadcast.

A great, big bravo!

The CTI students were in for a treat when Coach Adnan organized an exciting sports event that pitted several groups against each other in sports challenges. It was a fast and furious One Minute to Win It, and the students had to go through one challenge after another. The winners were the team of Chris Deeb, Joelle Haddad and Ralph Mallouhi. But all participants also deserve special mention, including special thanks to Coach Adnan!

Mrs Lina Bou Malhab, coordinator of the Arabic department, gave special awards to students who have greatly improved in Arabic through the year. Thanks, Mrs Bou Malhab and mabrouk, students.

The iconic Kite Day was again a festive day for the students of Mrs Samaha. They prepared kites at home, or got ready-made ones, and tried to make their kites fly. Let's blame the absence of wind... Anyway, the students had a grand time, and the pictures are merry and bright!

Thanks to the initiative of Ms Silvana Haddad, students at the very tender age of around three had a first aid demonstration from the Red Cross. It is never too early, we suppose, to learn! Enjoy a few pictures!

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo, How about you, you you?

KGIII and their teachers visited the zoo for an extended lesson about animals - what the class is currently studying. We present a few pictures!

Congratulations to Joy Abi Yazbek, Paul Ghalayini and Mohammad Jibaii for winning the LBBY Reading Competition! Check our Newsletter for more info, and enjoy a few pictures here!

Football is alive and well and still going strong toward the end of the school year. Recently CTI Intermediate team played a friendly football game, and the pictures are a souvenir of the ocassion! The game was organized by Coach Joe!

Many of the Jr Football teams at CTI, and Coach Marc, met at Champs for an informal and exciting game. Our roving photographer, Mr Ragheed, was there to snap pictures for you!

Grade 7 visited the Chouf region and enjoyed scenery, castles, history and fun activities. Their trip led them to the Moussa Castle, the fabulous Beiteddine palace, Deir el Kamar, the Barouk cedars, and even a fun park. Share the happiness...

It was time for grade 8  to visit the majestic Cedars of Lebanon. Their trip also took them to neighboring towns and sites. The day ended with boat rides on a lake.

The grade 3 students of Mrs Lola visited Bank of Beirut, as a tie-in to their lessons. Thank you, Bank of Beirut!

Honor Day celebrations had pageantry, special shows, diplomas and awards. The event was followed by a pool-side dinner organized by the CTI Parents' Committee. Our thanks go to Mrs Randa Antoun, the Parents' Committee and the CTI teachers. Congratulations to the honor students of this year!

Here they are, as fast as we can publish them: the honor students of grades 4 to 11 at CTI for the school year 2018-2019. Download, share, like, admire!

Congratulations! Félicitations! Mabrouk!

Right off the press: Aladdin was a phenomenal success! The students of the senior classes acted, sang and danced to the parents and students, in two packed performances. The students' performance was as perfect as could be. The sets, costumes and lighting were dazzling. There were even a flying carpet and clouds and a talking lion head and ambulating carriages. The event was nothing short of magical!

The musical was directed and agonized over by Ms Wilma, who is to be commended for her work. The energetic dances were choreographed and trained by Mrs Elham Hajj.  The evocative sets were expertly made by Mr Rami Khalaf. The jaw-dropping costumes were prepared by Miss Diana Blati, with the help of Mrs Shona Barakat. And over 1000 pictures of the occasion were taken by Mr Ragheed Breidi.

The stars of the show were George Saab as Aladdin, Linda Dabbour as Jasmine, Joshua Powell as the Genie, Jad Karkaba as Jafar, Markus Kashouh as Iago, with Annie Khoury, Kanaan Kanaan, Kenan Farah, Zack Dabbour and many others.

Wow!

It was a festive occasion, with choir, band, piano, oud, and Mrs Jamie Chaaya conducting. Mr Viken Dishchekenian made a surprise entry or two. The choir excelled themselves. They  performed in 10 languages, as the audience widely clapped in appreciation.

Here are a few pictures. Check our Newsletter section for more information!

It was the turn of grade 7 to give a drama presentation. This time the play was "The Princess Goes Courting", directed by Ms Areni Taslakian. The play involved a group of princes vying for the hand of a princess in marriage. The princes all had special talents that they performed on stage, but their chances of marrying the princess were minimal! The King was Jason Chehwan, the Princess was Eline Bou Malhab and the Herald was Adam bou Hamdan. Bravo, class!

Mrs Hala Gerges took her grade 4 students to the Aquarium, for a visit related to their science lessons. The students learned about Marine life and conservation in this wonderful museum. We share a few pictures of the occasion!

Grade 12 had a barbeque for their class and some teachers! We share a few pictures, and tell the students "bon appetit!"  

It had to take a lot of creative thinking on the part of the teacher of mathematics, Mrs Nahass, to present a play about geometrical figures! Thus, the students of grade 6 actually acted a story based on geometrical properties! That was a fresh take on math lessons. Bravo, students and kuddos to Mrs Nahass!

During the Easter vacation, our scouts had the wonderful chance to camp and get involved in countless activities. The camp was in Bzebdeen this year, and the scouts enjoyed every bit of the big choice of sports and activities. As usual, thanks go to the energetic leaders who organized all of this! Enjoy a few pictures!

Here they are: the pictures of the CTI students at Yell Park, Armenia, several hours' drive from Yerevan. The students were greeted with stupendous landscapes (witness the rainbow in the last picture of this set), and a choice of several extreme sports. Some students chose paint ball combats, others opted for an hour and a half of zip-line activities. It was a most exciting time!

A group of grade 6 students gave a repeat of their presentation at the AUB Science and Math Fair. Their concern was Chroma Keying Technology, which is the technology behind superimposing movie characters on a different background. The results were very impressive. Each person in the audience may claim what the AUB jury member said, "I am speechless!" The presentation was supervised by Mr Rami Khalaf, who spent countless hours working with the students on this project. A big bravo!

The students of grade 11 had the privilege to be guests of the headquarters of Audi Bank for an extensive workshop on monetary matters. The students learned a lot, and had a great time as well. CTI thanks Audi Bank for their endeavor.

Thanks to the initiative of Miss Rita Abi Rached and Mrs Mireille Abi Saad, grade 2 visited the zoo. This was a tie-in to their science lessons. The students had a grand time and got to learn a thing or two about animals. Extra time was spent watching a tiger show, and playing with inflatable toys.

As part of the history lessons of Mrs Aoun, grade 8 visited Byblos. The students explored the Crusader Castle, as well as the old town of Byblos. We share a few pictures of the occasion.

A big congratulations to the CTI students and teachers! CTI participated in the AUB Science and Math Fair, and won a great total of 3 prizes. Big thanks go to Mrs Hala Saad, Mr Rami Khalaf, Mrs Bahiya Abou Tayeh, Miss Priscilla Mrad, Mr Jean Baghboudarian and Mrs Shona Barakat for their great efforts. And big thanks go to the students, as well, for the great work they had made.

Please check the Newsletter section for the winners!

Bravo!

Miss Christie Chibli lead her grade 6 students in a whimsical play called "Le Clown Malheureux". The play ended with the clown finding that he is not really sad. Why? There is a nice twist, and you need to ask the students of grade 6 for an answer!

Grade 7 participated in the International Monetary Week, and visit the Lebanese Central Bank for a special exhibit and talk. We share a few pictures of the event.

The students of grade 8 presented an impressive version of the Rahbani Brothers musical, Natouret el Mafateeh. The students acted, sang and danced to perfection. The lead roles were taken by Elissa Saad, Jeffrey Daoud, Zaid Sarraj, George Demian, Steven Attwe and Jean Aoun. The play was directed by Mrs Lina bou Malhab, and the costumes provided by Miss Diana Blati. The dance sequences were choreographed by the students Mirabelle Maalouf and Rita Khoury. What remains to say is a big "bravo" to all the participants!

The Medieval Trip is an iconic outing for the students of grade 11, and is related to their study of the Middle Ages. The weather was pleasant, as the students explored monasteries and fortresses. Here are a few pictures of the occasion. Stay tuned for more in the yearbook.

CTI celebrated the UN World Water Day 2019 in different forms, over a week's time. The students whole-heartedly participated, and learned about the importance of water conservation. The week included a trip for grade 6 to Nestle Waters factory in Ain Zhalta where the students participated in water awareness activities for World Water Day 2019. The outing concluded with a beautiful trek at Arz el Chouf Biosphere Reserve. Thank you, Nestle, Arz el Chouf, and the organizing teachers at CTI.

Two film makers came to CTI in order to shoot a little documentary about CTI. We had our photographer at hand, and the photographer was photographed : )

This year CTI had several Mother's Day programs, different by kindergarten class and section, and spanning two days. There were the indispensable recitations and songs. And there were games and food. There was also a fashion show. And there were even two separate zumba workshops. The children were cute, the mothers were happy and love reigned supreme.

Love and blessings to all mothers!

Grade 10, as directed by Mrs Vivian Hourani, acted out a hilarious "Romeo et Juliette". The play was in impeccable French, with the zaniest jokes parodying the serious Shakespearean play.Romeo was Giovanni Nassar and Juliette was Charelle Khoury. These not so star-crossed lovers were supported by an excellent cast. Everybody acted well, and seemed to be enjoying every second! A big bravo, as well, to Mrs Hourani who wrote the witty script! Great job, tout le monde!

The grade 5 students of Mrs Chaar were spruced up in their executive best, as they presented their latest inventions. We hope that you will like these pictures of some of the participants. Bravo, grade 5!

As part of Encouragement Week, SAD worked with tons of bananas and handed out words of encouragement written on bananas. You need to see the pictures to understand what we mean. And we hope that puts a smile on your faces, too!

KG classes very often go through class sessions that involve eating or cooking or tasting. We highlight some recent events that involve preparing and baking pizza, making fruit salad, learning about the sour taste sensation (lots of yucks), learning about food groups, and more! Thanks, KG teachers!

Some pictures of the ongoing interclass football tournament... Here, grade 11 plays grade 12.

It is the football season at CTI and there are lots of interclass games. The pictures here represent the grade 10 / grade 12 game.

KGI visited a supermarket in order to study shopping, buying, and groceries. We thank the KGI teachers for their initiative, and we thank Spinney's for their kind hospitality!

To conclude the CTI Reading Week, students were asked to submit short poems of their own composition, under the theme of books and reading. Many wrote poems, and those who wrote the best poems were awarded diplomas and token gifts. The best poem was that of George Attieh who earned a Harry Potter shirt. Second and third positions were taken by Daniel Barakat and Youssef Ram Abou Zeid. Bravi, students! Then you teachers of English, and thank you Mrs Jamie Chaaya.

Here is a selection of some poems for your delectation!

The students of the primary classes dressed up as their favorite book characters. Our roving photographer went around snapping pictures of many of these students, all in dressed up in their book heroes. We present a representative sample.

If you patiently go through the pictures till the end, you will get a glimpse of Mrs Chaar dressed up as her (or the students') favorite character!

The students were on to an extensive book fair, where book lovers can browse and buy to their heart's content. We present a few pictures of some CTI book lovers! The fair was organized by Heritage Publications.

The students of grade 5 gave an extraordinary presentation entitled "Save the Earth". It had drama, singing, pageantry, and even musical iteraction between members of the audience and those on stage. The students did an excellent job, and they are to be praised. The whole lot was directed by Mrs Banna Chaar.

The KGIII students visited Kidzmondo, that wonderful hands-on museum involving professions and careers. After learning and having lots of fun, the students had a good lunch. The event was the initiative of Mrs Mouanes, Mrs Maggie, Mrs Myriam, Miss Diana and Mrs Norma. Enjoy some pictures of the outing!

Our football team has been participating in tournaments and meets, the latest being that of the USEK tournament. We belatedly share with you some pictures, all taken from the Sports Mania Facebook page, with our thanks.

They're finally here: the snow camp pictures for you to enjoy! Share some of the joy of the students, as they romp in the snow, swim indoors, and enjoy fireside activities.

PS. Notice how high the snow stacks, and how nice the weather was!

They are finally here. . . the long-awaited photos of the latest CTI Christmas musical, The Nutcracker. If you have attended the musical, these will make nice souvenirs. If you are new to this CTI production, we hope that you will enjoy looking at the pictures. If you are looking at these on Facebook, like and share!

Thanks, students, teachers and parents for this wonderful event. Merry Christmas!

Jungle Fever was a smash hit, with great acting, dancing, costumes and sets. The protagonists were Wade Watkins, Sarah Rizkallah, Myra Dakhlallah, Grace Kouyoumjian, Menassa Makarios, George Demian, Zaid Sarraj, Steven Attwe and Jeffrey Daoud. Sincere congratulations!

We present here representative pictures of the event, taken by Mr Ragheed Breidi. Kindly check our Newletter section for more information.

CTI is back from Hungary, carrying tons of joyous memories. Budapest is an extraordinary city, divided by the beautiful, blue Danube, and uniting Buda and Pest. The trip to Budapest was rich in sightseeing and activities. The students visited museums, churches, the home of Liszt, the Parliament, and much more. They stayed in a luxurious 5* hotel, and were treated to choice restaurants. They attended folk shows, horse pageants, a classical music concert and more. They admired the Danube, and cruised on it. They visited cozy towns outside Budapest. They swam in thermal water. And they shopped till they dropped.

Several students were asked about what they had liked most. Invariably, after a pause, they would answer: Each thing that we did was "the best".

Of thousands of pictures taken for the yearbook, and many more thousands floating in virtual cyberspace, we present here a random selection for you to share our joy.

They are finally here, from the official photographer, for you to enjoy. Here are a few pictures of the super-spectacular "When Grandma Went to School", the CTI musical with a 1950s theme. Like, save and share!

Every year CTI students have the chance to visit a country outside Lebanon. This year they visited beautiful Prague, in an event-filled luxury trip. The students got to visit museums, explore castles, walk down quaint streets, experience local culture, cruise down the river Vltava, eat gastronomic food, stay in a 5* hotel, shop till they drop, and have a great amount of fun. The students are now back home, safe and sound, trading an immense amount of pictures, of which we share a humble few. Praise the Lord for His blessings!

A CTI alumnus wrote us (and we thank him): CTI, you are giving your students these great opportunities! You take them places (e,g, Prague!!!), you give them fun opportunities, you teach them so much more than math, history and English. You are making such a difference in their lives. A difference that they won't see until they are well grown up. And that is what we see today. We meet graduates from CTI from the 60s, 70s and 80s, and they recall the great experiences they had at CTI and what a difference it made in their lives. You making an eternal difference in these kids' lives.

It was finally performed, to thunderous accolades from the audience: "Romeo and Juliet" was a smash hit!

Romeo was Dori Fares, Juliet was Lea Tenn, Friar Lawrence was Bryan Powell, the Prince was Mark Moussan, Tybalt was George Saab, Mercutio was Karim Rawda, the sprite (Fate?) was Yana Rossoshanskaya. The musical was directed by Ms Wilma. Kindly check our Newsletter for more.

A note on the pictures: The pictures are often fuzzy because of the fog effects onstage.

"The Tale of Thomas and Joan" was a big challenge for CTI, since it meant transporting students and parents from our times, back to the Middle Ages. The challenge was met, and the result was spectacular beyond belief (but as we said earlier, we could not get horses for the joust!). The music was carefully chosen, based on reconstructions of ancient melodies and instruments. The sets were superbly designed and executed by Mr Rami Khalaf, with every stone in the fortress faceted and woodwork made to look as such. The dances were partly based on modern dance, and partly based on authentic old dances (anybody for a passamezzo?). As for the costumes, let us not get started: we had a whole factory executing our costumes and the audience gasped and cheered and filmed with each display of opulent costumes.

Courtiers, villagers, brigands, townsfolk, peasants, troubadours, knights, jesters, acrobats, duelists . . . what more can one ask for?

Special thanks to Mrs Krista Kashouh (musical and general direction), Mrs Jamie Chaaya (drama coaching), Miss Areni Taslakian (assistant drama coaching), Mr Rami Khalaf (sets), Boghossian Uniforms (costume execution), and the CTI teachers!

Every year, Ms Wilma and grade 11 prepare top-notch musicals. This year was no exception. "Macbeth - the Musical" was an extravagant feast to the eye and the ear. The acting was superb. The music and dancing were spectacular. The sets were magnificent. The effects were astounding. The use of space - everywhere in the auditorium - was amazing. Dori Fares was Macbeth. Nour Sadek was Lady Macbeth. The students of grade 11 (all sections), as well as some students from other classes, provided an impressive supporting cast, complete with show-stopping witches. Ms Wilma, methinks that Shakespeare doth smile in contentment!

Incidentally, this musical was presented during the Shakespeare year,  practically on Shakespeare's birthday, April 23, 2016.

Posted here are some pictures from our musical for this year, "Pulcinella". It was a big triumph, as these picture attest! For more information, kindly check our newsletter. Bravi! 

Check this link for a very quick overview of the musical! You will like it! 

The CTI students had the privilege to attend a special performance of the musical "Petra" by the Rahbani Brothers. Helena Sarnouk was the queen, leading a case of students from grade 8. Mrs Abou Malhab ably directed the production. Congratulations! For details, kindly check our newsletter.

As part of a bigger project, CTI students visited Rome and Campania during the Easter vacation of 2015. It was the experience of a lifetime, filled with a program rich with art, culture, adventure and fun. The students and teachers would like to share with you some of the activities that they did, and by now the social media has 1000s of other pictures about the trip. For information about the trip, kindly check our newsletter section. Enjoy! Ciao!

Despite foreboding weather, "Rafael in Rio", our musical with a Brazilian theme, was performed to thunderous (no pun intended) acclaim. Congratulations to the students who did a superb job in acting and dancing. Many thanks to Mrs Krista Kashouh who put all of this together, as well as to Miss Areni Taslakian who coached the drama, and to Mr Rami Khalaf who designed and executed those wondrous sets. 

Also thanks to all the teachers who taught dances, supervised and helped in the performance. It was an evening to treasure!

The event was filmed by Tele Lumiere. 

It was another dream CTI trip, this time to Madrid, Spain, during the Easter break of Spring 2014. A large group of students and teachers visited art-filled museums, walked down quaint roads, and engaged in every imaginable exciting activity. Their outings even took them outside Madrid, to Segovia, Toledo, Valle de Caidos, El Escorial and elsewhere. It was a trip to remember forever, as the pictures testify. Where to next year?

The Christmas musical for grades 3, 4, 5 and 6 had Hollywood as a theme. A group of intrepid actors and producers are putting up a Christmas story film, and their work needed some correction in order to present the real Christmas story. This bubbling production was directed by Mrs Kashouh. Mrs Aida Tabbal and Mr Rami Khalaf designed the sets.

We were voted "smarted school in Lebanon" by Virgin Radio! As the scoreboard (presented by Virgin Radio and was propagated in the media) shows, we scored first, thanks to the efforts of several students led by whiz kid Rami Rouss. Congratulations!