Menntaskólinn við Hamrahlíð
Encyclopedia
Hamrahlid College or MH is a gymnasium
in Reykjavík
, Iceland
. The school was founded in 1966 by the Icelandic Ministry of Education
; the first graduating class occurred in 1970. The school was based on the traditional class system from 1966 to 1973, when a points-based system was adopted, which allowed students to choose their own courses and earn points towards graduation. Each course awards points relative to its difficulty, with students averaging 17–20 points per semester. Graduation requires 140 points, so it typically takes four years to complete the entire program of study. This system was soon adopted by several other schools and is widespread in Iceland today. The points system has advantages: it gives students more control over their schedule and the order in which they take their courses. MH was the first school to offer evening classes catering to older students, and is the only school in Iceland to offer students the International Baccalaureate
(IB) diploma program, which is a two- to three-year intensive program taught in English. The school's first rector
was Guðmundur Arnlaugsson.
Hamrahlid College is one of the most selective upper secondary schools in the country. It prides itself for its services to students with disabilities and students whose mother tongue is not Icelandic, who also enjoy priority in the selection process.
Some famous Icelanders that once attended MH include Björk
, Paul Oscar
and Jón Gnarr
, the current mayor of Reykjavík.
and was therefore also designed to be an emergency shelter and a civic emergency center during a crisis situation. When the volcano Eldfell
erupted on January 23, 1973, the school was opened for refugees from the Westman Islands, and the school was open until the eruption had ended. During that time more than 1,000 people stayed in the school.
The school is divided into several different areas, each with its own name, history, culture and social structure. The areas are:
, Damien Rice
, Rage Against the Machine
, Mínus
, Ampop
, Coldplay
, Raein
, Kid Carpet
and many more.
(named after the realm of men in Norse mythology
) is on the second floor and has seats and tables for around 200–300 students. It also houses a large percentage of the school's computers. The biggest landmark in Miðgarður is undoubtedly Miðgarðsormurinn
, a large knitted serpent named for the one who circles Miðgarður in Norse mythology. It has been in creation for many years and is now about 200 metres long and still growing.
) is the school's grand hall, used for graduation, debating competitions (Morfís
), choir practices and acting classes.
NKJ is divided into different areas, all given historical names. The main entrance hall is called Búlgaría
, where students are able to buy soft drinks and coffee. This area leads into Texas
and Helvíti
(Hell), a corridor which leads to Himnaríki
(Heaven), Mararþaraborg, Nemó and Atlantis
. Further inside, Bessastaðir's entrance hides behind a sofa along with the mysterious always-locked door to MH's Undirheimar.
in Iceland in terms of education.
Languages available to learn include Icelandic
, English
, Japanese
, Danish
, Norwegian
, Swedish
, German
, Spanish
, French
, Italian
, Russian
, Polish
, Latin
and recently Chinese
because of their article "10 songs to rape to", which caused a public outrage in Iceland.
called Æfintýri í Mararþaraborg, or Det hende i Taremareby in the original Norwegian
.
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
in Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. The school was founded in 1966 by the Icelandic Ministry of Education
Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (Iceland)
The Icelandic Ministry of Education, Science and Culture is a cabinet-level ministry divided into three departments: the Department of Education, the Department of Science and the Department of Cultural Affairs. Since 1 February 2009, the minister is Katrín Jakobsdóttir of the Left-Green Movement....
; the first graduating class occurred in 1970. The school was based on the traditional class system from 1966 to 1973, when a points-based system was adopted, which allowed students to choose their own courses and earn points towards graduation. Each course awards points relative to its difficulty, with students averaging 17–20 points per semester. Graduation requires 140 points, so it typically takes four years to complete the entire program of study. This system was soon adopted by several other schools and is widespread in Iceland today. The points system has advantages: it gives students more control over their schedule and the order in which they take their courses. MH was the first school to offer evening classes catering to older students, and is the only school in Iceland to offer students the International Baccalaureate
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
(IB) diploma program, which is a two- to three-year intensive program taught in English. The school's first rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
was Guðmundur Arnlaugsson.
Hamrahlid College is one of the most selective upper secondary schools in the country. It prides itself for its services to students with disabilities and students whose mother tongue is not Icelandic, who also enjoy priority in the selection process.
Some famous Icelanders that once attended MH include Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
, Paul Oscar
Paul Oscar
Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson , known internationally as Páll Óskar and Paul Oscar, is an Icelandic pop singer, songwriter and disc jockey. He had a musical childhood, singing at private functions, with choirs and for media advertisements, but was affected by bullying in school and tension between his...
and Jón Gnarr
Jón Gnarr
Jón Gnarr Kristinsson is an Icelandic actor, comedian, politician and the mayor of Reykjavík, since 15 June 2010. He goes by Jón Gnarr, being an Icelander does not have a family name. He was originally named Jón Gunnar Kristinsson but legally changed his middle name in 2005, to the way his mother...
, the current mayor of Reykjavík.
The School Building
The building that houses MH was built during the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and was therefore also designed to be an emergency shelter and a civic emergency center during a crisis situation. When the volcano Eldfell
Eldfell
Eldfell is a composite volcanic cone just over high on the Icelandic island of Heimaey. It formed in a volcanic eruption which began without warning just outside the town of Heimaey on 23 January 1973. Its name means Mountain of Fire in Icelandic....
erupted on January 23, 1973, the school was opened for refugees from the Westman Islands, and the school was open until the eruption had ended. During that time more than 1,000 people stayed in the school.
The school is divided into several different areas, each with its own name, history, culture and social structure. The areas are:
Matgarður
Matgarður is the school's central dining and leisure area, serving more than 600 students a day. A large amount of lunch tables occupy Matgarður, enough for around 350 to 400 students to be seated. Each table is occupied by only one group of friends, the unwritten rules of the school states that no one else is allowed to use/take your table unless they have been given permission. The cafeteria is known as Matsalan (The Grocery), and often, during lunch breaks, the members of NFMH will announce upcoming school activities. Many famous bands and artists have played in MH, including Booka ShadeBooka Shade
Booka Shade is a German house duo. It is made up of Walter Merziger and Arno Kammermeier, described as veterans of the Frankfurt electronic music scene...
, Damien Rice
Damien Rice
Damien Rice is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who plays guitar, piano, clarinet and percussion....
, Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
, Mínus
Mínus
Mínus is an Icelandic alternative rock/hardcore band from Reykjavík. They are signed to the record label Smekkleysa. Mínus have shared the stage with, among others, Metallica, Foo Fighters, and Queens of the Stone Age...
, Ampop
Ampop
Ampop is an Icelandic melodic-pop/rock band from Reykjavík, Iceland. The name of the band is actually the name of the first song they ever wrote, and is made from the words ambient and pop, which they thought was the definition of the music they were making at that time.The band was originally a...
, Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
, Raein
Raein
Raein is an Italian screamo band that featured members from screamo act La Quiete and the post rock band Neil on Impression. The band broke up in late 2005, but after a hiatus of almost 2 years they got back to play together in September 2007...
, Kid Carpet
Kid Carpet
Kid Carpet, real name Ed Patrick, is a musician from Bristol, UK. His music has been described as 'kiddy disco punk' and 'shit-hop', as it is recorded in his home studio using instruments such as samplers, Casio keyboards, and various children's toys including plastic Fisher-Price guitars and...
and many more.
Miðgarður
MiðgarðurMidgard
Midgard is one of the Nine Worlds and is an old Germanic name for our world and is the home of Humans, with the literal meaning "middle enclosure".-Etymology:...
(named after the realm of men in Norse mythology
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
) is on the second floor and has seats and tables for around 200–300 students. It also houses a large percentage of the school's computers. The biggest landmark in Miðgarður is undoubtedly Miðgarðsormurinn
Jörmungandr
In Norse mythology, Jörmungandr , mostly known as Jormungand, orJörmungand , or Midgard Serpent , or World Serpent, is a sea serpent, and the middle child of the giantess Angrboða and the god Loki...
, a large knitted serpent named for the one who circles Miðgarður in Norse mythology. It has been in creation for many years and is now about 200 metres long and still growing.
Mikligarður
Mikligarður (an older Icelandic name for IstanbulIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
) is the school's grand hall, used for graduation, debating competitions (Morfís
Morfís
The college elocution and debate competition of Iceland, in short MORFÍS. Contestants in MORFÍS are known to become celebrities in the Icelandic community. Morfís was founded in 1983 by debating clubs of the schools and Junior Chambers...
), choir practices and acting classes.
Norðurkjallari
Norðurkjallari (Northern Cellar) is one of the student lounges which also serves as the main social venue for various events. Norðurkjallari (NKJ) houses the meeting room of the students body council, archives office, and the photographers' dark room. NKJ is also the only place in the school that does not have a wireless network connection, the theory being that students do not study there, the connection would not be used for academic purposes, and therefore it is not justifiable. Only the older students (3rd/4th years) of MH are allowed to use NKJ as a regular hangout, it is frowned upon if the younger students are seen occupying the sofas, although they are allowed to purchase from the shop.NKJ is divided into different areas, all given historical names. The main entrance hall is called Búlgaría
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, where students are able to buy soft drinks and coffee. This area leads into Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and Helvíti
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
(Hell), a corridor which leads to Himnaríki
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
(Heaven), Mararþaraborg, Nemó and Atlantis
Atlantis
Atlantis is a legendary island first mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written about 360 BC....
. Further inside, Bessastaðir's entrance hides behind a sofa along with the mysterious always-locked door to MH's Undirheimar.
Undirheimar
Undirheimar ("the Underworld") is a place hidden beneath Miðgarður and has been shrouded in mystery for many years. Formerly used as a concert space and student lounge, with a full-size Viking ship on the south wall, because of the low ceiling and lack of proper fire exits, the entrances are now locked and the janitor uses Undirheimar as a storage room. The locked doors to Undirheimar can be found in NKJ, next to Bessastaðir, and next to the yellow lockers beneath Miðgarður's north staircase.Útgarður
Finally, Útgarður is a natural haven located in the central section of the school building. This garden often serves as a venue for courses doing outdoor experiments. It also creates a soothing backdrop for the classrooms surrounding the area; indeed, one entire wall of Miðgarður is a window into the world of Útgarður.Gym
The students' gym was finally finished in 2006 and is located in the new building. It has three separate areas: a gym hall, a fitness center and a multi-purpose room (used for various things like ballet, yoga, etc.)Library
The library was also finished in 2006, and is located on the 2nd floor of the new building. It is currently the largest school library in Iceland, containing around 12.000 books.Courses & Education
MH is known for its amount of different and versatile subjects. It is thought to be the most diverse gymnasiumGymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
in Iceland in terms of education.
Languages available to learn include Icelandic
Icelandic language
Icelandic is a North Germanic language, the main language of Iceland. Its closest relative is Faroese.Icelandic is an Indo-European language belonging to the North Germanic or Nordic branch of the Germanic languages. Historically, it was the westernmost of the Indo-European languages prior to the...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, Danish
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
, Norwegian
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
, Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and recently Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
NFMH
One of MH's biggest attractions for new students is its renowned social life, which is mostly the responsibility of the Nemendafélag Menntaskólans við Hamrahlíð ("MH Student Association", usually abbreviated NFMH). The NFMH is one of the largest and most active student associations in Iceland, including various smaller internal clubs and leagues with specific roles and agendas, commonly known as Stórfélagið ("the great alliance"). NFMH is also the publisher of the famous newspaper Fréttapési which is well known in Iceland for its crude humor and lack of morality. In 2006 Fréttapési was a subject in the award winning news magazine KastljósKastljós
Kastljós is a high-rated Icelandic news magazine and talk show on the Icelandic national television channel RÚV. Sigmar Guðmundsson is the current editor and primary host of the show...
because of their article "10 songs to rape to", which caused a public outrage in Iceland.
The Choir
The school choir, Kór Menntaskólans við Hamrahlíð, was founded by Þorgerður Ingólfsdóttir in cooperation with the rector, Guðmundur Arnlaugsson, in 1967, a year after the school's opening. Students who are members of the choir normally leave the choir upon graduation, but many alumni join Hamrahlíðarkórinn, also conducted by Þorgerður Ingólfsdóttir. Hamrahlíðarkórinn was established in 1982 by members of the school choir who wanted to continue to work and perform with Þorgerður after graduating from MH.Mararþaraborg
Mararþaraborg is a small store run by members of the choir. The store's revenues are used to fund various choir activities. The store is named after the Icelandic title of a children's book by Ingebrigt DavikIngebrigt Davik
Ingebrigt Davik was a Norwegian teacher, children's writer, broadcasting personality, singer and songwriter. He worked for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation from 1959, and made children's programs both for radio and television. Among his children's books is Det hende i Taremareby from 1960,...
called Æfintýri í Mararþaraborg, or Det hende i Taremareby in the original Norwegian
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
.