Halloween celebration at IES Alta Axarquía

Halloween in Periana: Scary Stories Spook Students

Four students´ Horror Stories Gain Acclaim for Terrifying their Fellow Classemates

October 31, Periana – It was a dark and frightful day at IES Alta Axarquia. Cobwebs, spiders, bats, jack-o-lanterns, and even a witch filled the halls of the school with fear and horror. And while the decorations that adorned the walls were a sight to see, the horror stories gave goosebumps to everyone who had the good fortune (or horrible luck... X_X) to read them.

Just as shocking as the actual stories was the students´ use of such vivid English. According to Eric, the American auxiliar, the imagery in the stories describing monsters, death, haunted houses, and terror was so scary that the stories could be sold for millions of euros in the United States or England. Whether the stories took place in cemeteries, attics, or dark rooms, all of them raised the hairs of those who read them.

While all of the horror stories instilled fear, only four gave readers nightmares that lasted weeks. From 3º A, Ainohoa Murillo Ríos and Saray Olalla Aguilar came in fourth place with their terryifying tale. In third place, Hayley Talboys from 2º B delighted the judges with her British interpretation of Halloween. In second place, Elena Bazaga Campos from 3º A impressed judges with her frighteningly strong descriptions. But in the end, only one story recieved the most votes to be deemed the creepiest, spookiest, most horrifying story of them all. Manuel Molina Pareja from 3º A terrified the judges so much with his story that they were scared to come to school the next day – it was a shock nobody had a heart attack! He earned first place for his story that made readers tremble with terror.

All in all, it was a great, albeit terrifying day. There was lots of candy, a costume here and there, and even a little treat-or-treating. Thankfully nobody died – but who knows what will happen next year...  

IES Alta Axarquia's Dessert Contest November 2013

Top-Chef Comes to Periana

The Battle of Desserts at IES Alta Axarquia with an International Twist

October 14, 2013 – What can only be described as the foremost dessert battle in the world took place today at IES Alta Axarquia. The baking world was at a standstill as talented prodigies brought the best they had to offer to the teachers, staff, and students at IES Alta Axarquia. In addition to baking their best desserts, the competitors had to add an international flare to their creations by drawing from French, American, or British influences. The judges deemed this an immensely hard challenge, but in the end were blown away by the sweet, tasty, and creative concoctions of the competitors.

The French treats – profiteroles, crepes, tiramisu, short-bread cookies, and a wide array of cakes and other desserts – were a delight for the crowd. One taster noted that the succulent and rich French flavors epitomized the Raison d’être spirit of French culture. But in the end there could only be one winner. Carolina Veliz Bravo and Paula Gómez Perea (1º ESO A) took the cake (no pun intended) with their profiteroles. María García Muñoz and Ana María Millón (2º Bach A) were in second place with their Flan au Chocolat, and Francisco Javier Oviedo Oviedo and Mercedes Rodríguez Jiménez (2º ESO B) were in third place with their Nougat aux Amandes.

Competitors also dazzled with their interpretations of classic desserts from across the English Channel (and in some cases from the Atlantic). The judges were in awe of the three carrot cakes, with most of the staff at IES Alta Axarquia proclaiming the carrot cakes as the most superb of all the desserts. The two resident Americans partaking in the cake contest as tasters were extremely impressed. Eric Stulberg, an American language and conversation assistant at IES Alta Axarquia declared, “The carrot cakes and brownies are as good as they are back in America, if not better. Hats off to these young bakers for such excellent desserts!”

But the judges and tasters voted differently, giving the win to Eugenio Mateos and Daniel Lee (4º C) for their preparation of brownies, an excellent dessert no doubt. Antonio Zorilla, Eva Gaspar, and Daniel Navarro (2º Bach B) were in second place with their Chocolate Cake. Andrea Sánchez, María Millán Serralvo, and Rocío García Reina (2º ESO A) were in third place with their Carrot Cake.

All in all, the event was a hit. This annual tradition brought the entire school community together over delicious sweets and fun times.