Students explore beyond grammar at AUS English Day

American University of Sharjah (AUS) recently welcomed over 100 high school students from four UAE schools to celebrate Sharakah English Day. The event aimed to highlight the utility and beauty of the English language and demonstrate its profound impact as a tool for those who master it.

Organized by the Office of Enrollment Management–Sharakah Program in collaboration with the AUS College of Arts and Sciences Department of English and the Achievement Academy Bridge Program, the day included a panel, "Beyond the Comma: Careers with an English Major." This panel discussed the vast opportunities available to English majors, illustrating how the language's versatility extends beyond literature into various professional fields.

“English Day is not just about appreciating the language; it's about discovering its power as a key to cultural understanding and professional success. Through workshops and discussions, we aimed to inspire our students to see English as more than a subject—it's a vital skill that bridges cultures and opens many career pathways,'" said Hala Al Jundi, Sharakah Program Officer at AUS.

A diverse array of workshops provided students with practical insights into the application of English across various domains. Topics included the use of English in sports journalism, creative and digital storytelling, persuasive speaking, argumentative debates, and specialized sessions on poetry and graphic storytelling, among others.

The creative writing contests provided a spirited test of quick thinking and inventiveness, with one student from each participating school emerging as a winner. Participants had the option to engage in one of two on-site competitions: one required them to create a captivating 55-word story related to nature, and the other challenged them to craft a short story from the prompt, “It is before dawn. Your character has woken up early for a specific reason.”

"This was my third time attending an AUS event, and it was the most enjoyable yet. The workshops, particularly 'English in Football,' were entertaining and highly engaging. My favorite part was the competition, which I unexpectedly won. We were tasked to write both a fiction and a nonfiction story within 15 minutes, which was exhilarating," said Khulud Ahmad Ali, a grade 11 student from the American School of Creative Science and winner of the creative writing contest.

The AUS Sharakah program aims to foster partnerships with select schools in the UAE and beyond. It engages school teachers and high school students by offering a wide range of events, activities and programs, from teacher workshops and training, to academic events and sports competitions for students, as well as scholarships for students from Sharakah Schools.  For further information about the AUS Sharakah Program, please visit www.aus.edu/sharakah.