Every year, L’ecole holds its sports day in which students, teachers, and parents participate and compete to win medals and awards. This year, the annual sports day ceremony was held on the 15th of February 2020 at Moin Khan Academy between 9 am to 12 pm. Students represented their respective houses – Volataire, Hugo and Descartes – by wearing their vibrant house shirts and chanting to show support.
The start of the exciting day was marked by the march past where the president of the student council, Maryam Kazi, held the Pakistan flag with each house following her behind with their respective House captains leading them, holding their house flags. All the students lined up and commenced the day with prayers, national anthem, school song and then lastly the oath taking ceremony where every student and teacher present promised to abide by the rules that govern them, upholding the spirit of sportsmanship and the honour of our school, L’ecole for Advanced Studies. Right after this, the best athletes from last year, Amal Ali Khan, Usman Bin Rashid, and Hashir Ansari fixed the house flags in their posts. Our principal, Mrs. Khan, then formally announced the sports day open.
Sports day without music and dance feels empty which is why the students from the primary section all the way up till year 9, danced to songs about friendship and courage. They all boasted their best moves with a hint of gymnastics bringing about joy and admiration to all those watching.
Soon after, races began where every student participated and gave their all to win. Awards for securing 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions were given. Everyone cheered on for their house to encourage each other; this act of chanting and clapping stirred up feelings of honour, competition and rivalry among every student and their house teachers. 
Furthermore, when the time to announce the results came around, everyone had their hearts in their hands. The tug of war finals was the event leading up to the results which was between house voltaire and descartes. House Voltaire has a streak of winning the tug of war for many years on sports day but this time around, Descartes gave them a tough competition. But, Voltaire did not back down and achieved victory. However, little did everyone knows, this was only the beginning. The results showed that the house descartes had secured 3rd position. However, there was a tie between house Hugo and Voltaire. For that reason, a tie breaker was suggested where house captains of hugo and voltaire decided upon members who ran in a relay to defeat the other. The competition had everyone sitting at the edge of their seats. It was that close and tough. In the end, the tie breaker was again considered to be a tie. For that very reason, the winner of the sports day was to be announced on Monday when the school reopened. After careful analysis and a recalculation of scores, it was revealed that the most unexpected house had achieved victory with a groundbreaking score of 201 against 196. House Hugo had won the sports day cup – truly an unexpected victory but a victory indeed.
The best athletes were announced as well on the same day. From the primary section, Ali Bin Rashid secured a runner up position, and Hashir Ansari secured the best athlete cup representing House Descartes. From the middle section, Alizay Hanif of house Voltaire and Amal Ali Khan of house Hugo secured the best athlete award among under 13 and under 15 girls. Usman Bin Rashid and Shahzain Jahanzaib secured the best athlete award among under 13 and under 15 boys. In the senior section, Moosa Jatoi of house Voltaire secured the best athlete for under 17 boys and Khadija Juzar of house Voltaire secured the best athlete among under 17 girls.
The nerve-racking sports day ended with feelings of anxiety and on Monday victory was celebrated by the students of House Hugo. The runners-up, accepted defeat with grace and pride knowing that the competition was pretty close and there was always the next year. The house trophy is yet to be given and all the houses have their eyes set upon it. May the Best House Win!
By Meerab Malik, House captain of Voltaire