Mary Ward Planet - Vol. 18, Issue 1, Winter 2012-2013 by Mary Ward Planet

volume 18 | issue 1 | winter edition 2012

MARY ARY W WARD ARD M mwplanet.tumblr.com

AN N EE T PPL LA information | art | style | leisure

CC S D L C o n f e r e n c e | B i l l 1 1 5 | A r t Tr i p t o N e w Yo r k

Introduction to the Exec Putting Students’ Sights on Teachers’ Rights

The US Elections A Storm to Remember Crisis in Gaza

Guide to Getting Involved at Mary Ward 5 Ways to Socialize Without Technology How to Deal with Being Behind How You can Handle Rejection in 5 Easy Steps

The Gay Straight Alliance Club OKOF Week Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, & Dodge with Deca Mary Ward Hosts CCDSL Conference Community Wrap Up I Art New York

Un nouveau visage Passagers odieux La fin du monde Mots crossés

Sports Psychology for Beginners Why You Should Cheer for Your Team New Athletic Directors

Mickey is the Father The Year of Tech Gadgets John Green the Downfall of Glee Top 15 Movies of 2012 City of Bones: The Next Big Thing? Quick Reviews Wreck-It Ralph Review Marina & the Diamonds Review

Dead Wife’s Crime: Part 1 Questions Poem Art Show Logo Competition

Welcome to the first issue of the 2012-2013 school year. We are excited to work with such a talented group of students. In the hands of our editors-in-chief, Lydia He and Samantha Quinto, and their team of photographers, graphic designers, and writers, this year promises to be another strong one. This issue is teeming with articles created by Ward students, for Ward students. Perhaps (like us) you have yet to experience the brilliance of John Green; if so, check out a review of his craft in the WACT section. Also, be sure to turn to Community to read a piece about our school’s first GSA. The Mary Ward Planet executive thanks our ever-accommodating administrative staff, Ms. Coburn, Mr. Chen, and Ms. Keenan, for their ongoing support and guidance. To all our readers: may your Christmas be blessed, happy, and safe. Ms. Powell and Mr. Démoré

All content ©2012-2013 Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this newspaper, in part or whole, is prohibited without the approval of The Planet executive members. The Mary Ward Planet is the official student newspaper of Mary Ward C.S.S. All members of the Mary Ward community may voluntarily contribute to the Planet. Everyone exhibits professionalism and respects one another in all exchanges while keeping Christian values and practices. All submitted articles, layouts, and photography are subject to moderation. Material submitted is subject to approval by the Executive, staff moderators, and administration. All material must positively support the ideas and spirit of Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School. Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School is a self-directed learning centre located at 3200 Kennedy Road that was founded in 1985. It became a member of the CCSDL (Canadian Coalition of Self-Directed Learning Schools) in 1995.

Andrea Heisz Jercy David Lydia He Faye Zhang Victoria Papuga Kieona George

John Cadavos Ashley Quan Samantha Tjong Andrea Carandang Shannon Cabrio Amanda Tanner

Match the Moustaches Recipe Maze

Cover Des ign

Abbygail Silva Patrisha Ranin Ayla Fleischacker Krysta Sutton Denise Velasco Dan Gonzales

Yet another school year is here, and along with it, a brand new executive team dedicated to bringing you the best of the Mary Ward Planet. Check out the fresh faces below—we’ve got an incredibly skilled and talented group of editors working behind the scenes of the Planet this year. You may remember that a survey was sent out a few months ago to gather some suggestions and thoughts on the current state of our beloved school newspaper. We’ve taken your input and decided to gradually apply these ideas throughout our three issues this year. So watch out for those changes! After all, the Planet is a school newspaper by the people, for the people. We’ve started off by adding a brand new section to the paper: Life, an appropriately-named portion of the Planet dedicated to giving you some tips and tricks to surviving any obstacles you may encounter in life. Behind on units or struggling with rejection? Flip to this section for some advice that may just help that one problem of yours.

Andrea Carandang Community Editor

Amanda Tanner Rédactrice

Faye Zhang

Ashley Quan

Andrea Heisz

Dan Gonzales

World Issues Editor

Community Editor

WACT Editor

Photo Editor

Although Life may immediately capture your precious attention, don’t forget to check out the rest of the Planet! Missed the New York Art Trip? Turn to pages 12 and 13 for a full rundown on what you missed (and to take a look at the gorgeous spread designed by Jercy David)! Curious about Mr. Coleman in French? Amanda Tanner holds an exclusive interview with the new teacher in La Petite Planète. Wondering about the merits of cheering for a sports team? Arevik Vardanyan explains the benefits in Sports. With 24 pages to the Mary Ward Planet, there are even more interesting articles just waiting to be read. Our superb executive team this year could not have finished this issue of the Mary Ward Planet without the help of several writers, designers, and our awesome supervisors, Ms. Powell and Mr. Démoré. Of course, we also have to thank all of our amazing readers. Have a fun and safe Christmas, everyone!

Nairy Khodabakhshian Arevik Vardanyan Carolina Vecchiarelli Life Editor Sports Editor Creative Spaces Editor

Christiana Legaspi Planet Webmaster

Kieona George Planet Relations

Andy Lau Rédacteur

Abbygail Silva Porras Shamita Sivakumar Junior Editor Junior Editor VOLUME 18 / ISSUE 1 mwplanet 03

Editorial Editorial

The Putting Students First Act, more commonly known as Bill 115, was created by the provincial government to prevent public school teachers from taking job action (such as going on strikes). Based on an already existing agreement between the provincial government and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, the act imposes a two-year contract on teachers; allows the government to end strikes as well as ban them for two years; freezes wages; and reduces the number of sick days teachers have from 20 days to 10. The purpose of the bill’s creation is to slow down the Liberal government’s spending on education due to their $15 billion deficit, while still keeping the province’s plan to have a full day kindergarten program. One of the reasons public board teachers are fighting against the bill is because it allows the provincial government to end strikes, which takes away a vital component of their democratic rights. The bill also allows the provincial government, particularly the Minister of Education, to change negotiated contracts between unions and school boards. However, as Catholic school board students, why should it matter to us? Firstly, imagine not being able to speak out against things that are unfair to you. That is exactly what is happening to teachers, for the government has essentially removed their right to strike. According to the Ontario Labour Relations Act, unions are still able to vote on and participate in strikes, but Bill 115 allows the provincial government to force the teachers to return to work. Bill 115 removes teachers’ right to strike against something that is unfair to them, such as the unfair provisions included in the bill. Secondly, it should matter to us, as it affects the education of our peers. As Catholic students, we are taught to be empathetic, and we must place ourselves in other students’ shoes. Bill 115 can prevent teachers from getting the extra knowledge they need in order to become better educators. Teachers sometimes take extra courses in their spare time to gain more knowledge about a particular subject. If their salaries are frozen, they are unable to fund these extra courses, preventing them from having the knowledge that could take their lessons to the next level. This, in turn, affects their education standards, as the public board students will not gain the same advantages that we do from teachers who go that extra mile. Thirdly, the bill’s name, “Putting Students First,” is misleading, as it actually puts the desires of the government first, prior to what is truly best for the students. Giving the government the power to tell teachers to go back to school if they do go on strike causes teachers to turn to other methods of protesting against this law, such as cancelling extra-curricular activities (imagine not being able to join sports or clubs). Despite the fact that this law “saves the school year,” meaning that it allows students to keep going to school despite the ongoing disputes between teachers and the government, it continues to negatively impact students’ education, since students learn as much from their extra curricular activities as they do in classrooms. Students in schools all over the province have shown their support for teachers by protesting against the government. For example, students in Ottawa have created a rap video, protesting the effects of the bill on them and on their teachers. Since we are also students, and this event could have just as easily happened to us, we should stand in solidarity with our peers and fight against this unfair treatment of teachers.

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ILLUSTRATION BY ANDREA HEISZ

world issues ISSUES WORLD each candidate would win, and he said: “Obama, 332. Romney, 206.”

By Faye Zhang The US Elections were covered everywhere a few months back, and was one of the hottest topics in both social media networks and formal news outlets. Because of this, there probably is not much about the elections that is not known by the casual citizen. However, the Planet aims to bring fresh new information and food for thought on this important topic. As a special feature this issue, here is the presidential election -- with a different perspective. How Much Does It Cost To Be President, Anyways? If anything can be said about the 2012 US elections, it would be about how terrifyingly suspenseful it was. The whole world waited with bated breath for the outcome, as the fate of international affairs rested upon which candidate would be sitting behind the president’s desk until 2016. The severity and importance of this particular election was not lost on the candidates, and it resulted in one of the closest and most intense elections ever to be seen, as well as the most expensive election in American history. It is not a new concept that running for presidency will dig a rather deep money well, but just how deep were these particular campaigns? Advertising is crucial in campaigning, but this year, the amount spent on that alone came to a whopping total amount of $695.7 million. Add to this the amount of money spent on events, administration, consultation, polling, travel, payroll, lists, fundraising, and all other things necessary in order to run for president, and the total amount the two candidates spent came to $1.4 billion dollars. In comparison, Abraham Lincoln spent only about 2.8 million dollars on his campaign, or about 1/500th of what Obama and Romney spent. (To clarify, that 2.8 million is adjusted to modern currency.) To really grasp just how large a sum is $1.4 billion, think about it this way: the average Canadian makes about $46,000. If they saved up every penny of their income and somehow managed to live, it would take them about 30,435 years to save up $1.4 billion. So it begs the question: is it worth it? Is electing a president really worth an amount of money that has nine zeros in it? If Lincoln could make due with $2.8 million, why is electing a president so expensive now? Where is the money really going? The Prophecy There is no debate on just how tight this year’s presidential elections were. Predictions about the outcome were constantly changing as the candidates made mistakes, rallied spirit, and made some more mistakes. As the presidential debates came around, Obama slipped and fell in the popularity polls when he came to the stand tired and unprepared; but then, Romney made the mistake of being caught implying he only cared about the votes of 53% percent of Americans at what was supposed to be a ‘private’ talk with his target audience. The predictions were like a seesaw, constantly swinging between Obama and Romney, and it seemed like nobody could possibly even gander a guess as to who would win -- except a man named Nate Silver. From the beginning, Nate Silver made a prediction using complex algorithms and thousands of computer calculations based on previous results and current facts, and stood behind it. He predicted how each and every state would vote, said that Obama had a 90.9% chance of coming out on top, and that the electoral votes would be split 332 to 206, with Obama winning the former. At first nobody minded, the elections had just started, so such predictions were plausible. Then the presidential debates came about and Romney’s popularity rose. Critics looked to Nate Silver and asked him for his predictions on how many electoral votes PHOTO BY: WEASELZIPPERS.US

Eyebrows were raised and Nate was ridiculed. He was called biased and stubborn, but he stood firm. Other experts began posting their predictions, claiming that it would be the closest election yet, with either of the candidates having a deceptively equal chance of claiming presidency. The critics asked Nate Silver what his predictions were, again. And once again, he replied: “Obama, 332. Romney, 206.” They scoffed at him, and voting day finally came ILLUSTRATION BY ANDREA HEISZ around. What were the final results? Obama, 332 electoral votes. Romney, 206. Nate Silver was dead on, down to how each state would vote. Coincidence? Phenomenon? Miracle? No, just math. And for something that should have been unpredictable, math came through with the results. How did Nate Silver do it? You would have to ask the man himself (or Google it). The Importance of Being Obama When Barack Obama won the presidential election back in 2008, history was made. He was the first black president to walk into the White House, and the nation (or most of the nation) celebrated this magnificent feat. They celebrated the fact that a man who held so much promise, had so many liberal views, and who represented a minority of the American population was able to overcome the odds and give the victory speech when the votes were tallied. Obama’s name became a chant throughout the nation, and he was seen as a great man, even when he had not done anything yet in office. He was seen as a man who could do no wrong, a sort of superhuman that would magically pull the country back on its feet and finally give a voice to all of the oppressed people in America. But as his four years came to an end, his results fell well underneath the bar he had set. This is not to say that he did not do a fantastic job in many aspects; but it is a hard fact that he did not quite live up to many of his inspiring speeches back in 2008. This fact, that he failed as much as he succeeded, made his win in the 2012 elections all the more significant. Back in 2008, Obama seemed like a beacon of hope to a country that was spiralling downwards in an unending cycle of bad decisions. If the 2008 elections were a television show, Obama would be classified as a “magical negro”. In American cinema, a “magical negro” refers to a stock character of African descent, often an almost unearthly character of bountiful wisdom whose purpose is to help the main character reach their full potential (in this case, America). Obama promised a way out, and the people desperately took it. In 2012, Obama was no longer the “magical negro”. He was proven to be human; he was proven to be flawed. Lines marked his face and grey hairs sprouted atop his head after four years of fighting an uphill battle in office, and he did not always win. If the tired, hardened Obama ran against the hopeful, seemingly untouchable Obama in 2008, he would lose without a doubt, fast and hard. In 2008, Obama was the African-American superhuman that would raise America from ruination, and he won. In 2012, Obama was just that one guy that would do his best for his country, and he won again. And that difference, from almost demigod to tired, flawed human, is what made Obama’s win all the more significant. (Want a more in-depth discussion on this topic? Visit: http://ideas.time. VOLUME 18 / ISSUE 1 mwplanet 05

world issues ISSUES WORLD By Stephanie John

the storm. Boats were reported to have washed up into coastal cities after towering 15-foot storm surges. President Obama even declared New York a major disaster area. It was terrifying for all of the hurricane’s victims.

Hurricane Sandy, dubbed “The Frankenstorm” by the media, disturbed In the storm’s aftermath, workthe lives of millions of people ers did their best to get electricity from the Caribbean all the way to back to the Eastern seaboard. While Eastern Canada. By its odd path the power was gone, people lined up and massive size, it was obvious at gas stations to buy fuel for their from the very beginning that generators. Some city folks even creSandy was no ordinary storm. ated campfires in an effort to warm When it reached New York City on up. Despite setbacks, life slowly but October 29, 2012, the hurricane surely began to go back to normal in had merged with a winter storm the States. Luckily, Canadians did not system and hit the area during a have to bear the brunt of the storm, high tide, making the storm all the but the remnants of hurricane Sandy more powerful. People living in graciously gave us a whole week of the lower lying areas were ordered heavy rain and strong winds. to leave their homes and to take PHOTO BY LUCAS JACKSON, REUTERS Sandy seriously. Evacuations were chaotic, but not The Northern East Coast does not usually get hit by hurricanes, everyone heeded the warnings and the death toll rose especially this late in the season. In addition, Hurricane Sandy was the largest to an unfortunate amount of over 100 people. storm to ever hit the East Coast. One must ask: Was this freak storm a result of global warming and climate change? After all, Hurricane Sandy was in fact kept The hurricane became the cause of large scale power outages, alive by the warmer than average waters. Will storms like Sandy continue to numerous flight cancellations, and up to 60 billion dollars in damages due to form and strike largely populated areas more and more frequently? If so, how flooding and strong winds. Several homes were even damaged by fire during will we adapt to these changes? However you see it, everyone had the chance to witness an odd phenomenon that certainly helped 2012 become a most memorable year.

By Angelina Nijmeh

being a target zone, has also become caught between the fighting of Israel and Hamas, and neither side (Israel or Hamas) is relenting. In fact, Israel justified one of their most recent attacks by citing the five civilian injuries they suffered due to rocket attacks by Hamas. Fortunately, with help from U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, a ceasefire was issued between Israel and the Hamas militant group on November 21. Although this is good news, many people in the Gaza region continue to live in fear. Israel has already broken the truce by killing a Palestinian man and injuring nine others along the border, which raises the question of whether Palestinians will ever be able to cease being terrified by Israel. This situation seems unlikely though, as even though America helped establish a ceasefire, they also strongly support Israel, which can be seen by the 8.5 million dollars in military aid they send regularly to the country.

PHOTO BY MAJDI MOHAMMED, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Since the Israeli occupation of Palestine in 1948, the people of Gaza and the West Bank have been subjected to countless human rights violations by the state of Israel. In recent years, much of the violence took place in the Gaza Strip, an area where war, poverty, and a lack of freedom are still prevalent issues. The people of Gaza have suffered for decades, living in what is known as the world’s largest and most crowded prison. The 1.7 million people residing there are heavily guarded by the Israeli-controlled West Bank barrier, which restricts the Gazans from moving freely into and out of their country. Israel also monitors the trading of goods in Gaza, making it difficult for citizens to obtain basic items for survival, such as food and medication. For many years, Israel has tried to wipe Gaza off the map through a series of wars and acts of terrorism.

The only way to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict is through a twostate solution. The people of Gaza should be able to live freely, without the fear of constant attacks and invasions, while Israel must agree to live in peace with its neighbours. Despite the many ceasefires, peacekeeping efforts, and talks between the two nations, peace cannot be achieved until Israel ends its illegal occupation of Palestine.

One of Israel’s latest set of attacks on Gaza lasted for over seven days, and proved to be the most violent one in four years. The Israeli army launched more than 1,600 attacks by air, sea, and land, while using the most advanced precision weaponry. Close to 200 Gazans were killed, with the majority being women and children. Although Israel claimed that it was not targeting Gaza, but was instead aiming for another area called Hamas, the hard facts and mortality rates have proven otherwise. With this attack, it is clear that Gaza, in addition to

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PHOTO BY SUHAIB SALEM, REUTERS

life LIFE PHOTO BY: VALUESDRIVENRESULTS.COM

By Patrisha Ranin

PHOTO BY: ELITE.TAMUCC.ED.

High school is something we only go through once. With this knowledge, we, as teens and students, make it a mission to have the best experiences during these four short years. These experiences include anything from getting high marks in academics to *coughs* forming relationships. Especially in a school like Mary Ward, we are given a lot more choices on how we could spice up our monochromatic day-to-day studies. The particular spice: taking that extra step out of the confines of academics and getting involved. There’s more to Ward than just units, target dates, and more units. Believe it or not, they’re just half the fun. Joining sports teams This is a very common extra-curricular activity for most. Mary Ward has over 20 different sports teams that play in each season. Tryouts are held throughout the year, depending on the sport. If you love a certain sport, all you have to do is sign up for that team (if it’s available) and do your best for tryouts. Partaking in clubs Our school has a wide variety of clubs, making it almost impossible for someone not to find somewhere they fit in. From social justice clubs to clubs where you can just express yourself, there’s going to be that one club that interests you. The good part is that you don’t have to do anything grand to get into the club; all you have to do is participate and be willing to sacrifice at least one day’s lunch break or after school.

Auditioning for school plays and Christmas assemblies These two big events only happen once in a school year, so participating in them is a rare opportunity for most. It’s not everyday that the whole school gathers as one large community, and performing your talent in front of everyone -- juniors and seniors alike -- is truly a bold and respectable thing to do. To say the least, it’s a ticket to instant popularity. Isn’t it then an ideal way of getting involved? Trying out for Adrenalyn For those of you who don’t already know (which I doubt is possible), Adrenalyn is our very own hardcore dance group. They perform on school and city stages, and have won many dance competitions for our school in the past. At the start of each school year, Adrenalyn holds auditions to find those few people who have the same dancing powers as they do. If you have a passion for dancing, you shouldn’t pass up the chance to be part of this group. Helping out with the yearbook Seeing our picture (or our friend’s) on the yearbook is always fun and exciting, but working behind it is just as fun. Work in the yearbook involves using programs such as Photoshop to digitally organize pictures and improve the overall appearance of the yearbook. Being on the yearbook may require working during periods and a part of your summer, but I think it’s all worth it. Contributing to the Mary Ward Planet No, this is not shameless self-promotion. Our school’s award-winning newspaper produces three issues every year, or one for each season (summer excluded, of course). Contribution to the Planet not only includes writing articles; you can also take pictures or make layouts. Running for a position on the Student Activity Council The SAC, led by the school’s president, organizes various events ranging from dances to Spirit Week. Members of the council take care of student affairs and are usually the ones to coordinate school-wide activities. Elections are held near the end of the year, except for the Grade 9 Election, which happens at the beginning of the next school year.

By Erin Edghill We live in a day and age where technology is intertwined into every aspect of our lives. Whether it be the newest smart phone, the newest social media platform, or the newest pizza delivery app, people are constantly creating new ways to remove social interaction from our everyday lives. These technologies create a barrier within society, which leaves many people struggling with social interaction. Rather than joining a school club to make new friends, people have started joining Tumblr and Twitter; instead of going to a friend’s house, people are calling each other on Skype. It seems as though the more advanced technology gets, the less people are required to interact with one another. But I prefer to do things the old fashion way, so here are five different ways to socialize - without technology!

social factor of meeting new people, is the health factor. Nothing will kick start your day like a volleyball practice at 7:00am!

3. Organize an event with friends. This is a perfect opportunity to meet new people, invite your friends, and let them invite their friends. It could be a game of pick-up soccer or a trip to the movies. Just make sure that it is something fun! 2. Join a sports team or organization outside of school. Just like options 4 and 5, this option allows you to meet new people with similar interests. You could join your local house league soccer team, or an organization like Free the Children and make a few new friends along the way. 5. Join a school club 1. Put down the electronics and do not be No matter what grade you are in, it is never too afraid to put yourself out there. late to join a school club. Whether it be a social Log out of your Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, MySPHOTO BY: SAFETYWEB.COM justice or a self-expression group, clubs are a great place to meet pace, and put away your phone: give people the oppornew people. School clubs grant you an opportunity to meet tunity to talk to you! If you’re always on your phone, you people who have a common interest with you. Just remember: no matter what may come off as being unapproachable. The next time that you are at school, club you join, you will have something to discuss with the people around you. rather than texting your friends who are sitting three seats away from you, say 4. Join a sports team ‘hi’ to someone to whom you would not normally say ‘hi.’ Or, if you are too shy for If school clubs are not your thing, then another option you may want to consider that, try something simple like a smile. You never know: it could go a long way. is joining a school sports team. Here at Mary Ward, we are privileged to have a wide variety of sports, from basketball to curling to just about any sports team you could think of. Another plus to joining a sports team, aside from the obvious VOLUME 18 / ISSUE 1 mwplanet 07

life LIFE How to Deal with Being Behind: A Guide for the Over-Stressed, OverWorked and Overbooked By Cathy Nguyen

DON’T PANIC. It is that time of year again, right before the Christmas holidays when everyone is in a rush to hand in those pesky units. Target dates seem to be coming faster and faster, and there just is not any time to do units. But remember: there are still 24 hours in a day, and 7 days in a week. Time does not go by any faster than it does during September, when school has started up again and every hour is a battle to stay awake. However, you are behind. Whether it is by one unit or five, we all know that sinking feeling when there is that blank spot on our unit trackers where there should be signatures. So how exactly does one get back on track? Is there some sort of magic fairy that stops time and allows us to finish all of our units? Or some secret short-cut that only the elite know of? No one is sure they know the answers to these questions; however, I do have a few tips for getting yourself back on track. Number 1: Figure out why you are not on track. Does the work seem like another language to you? (Liter- PHOTO BY KRISTINE BEURANO ally, in the case of French.) Do you sleep right when you get home until three in the morning? Figure out your problem and see if you can rectify it. On the computer all the time? Set an alarm that limits your time online and reminds you to get working. Sleeping all the time? Go to sleep at a respectable time so that you are not dead on your feet after school (or during school). Having trouble with the actual work? See the next tip. Number 2: Talk to your teacher. This should be an easy one, but it is also an easy one to miss. Talking to your teacher will let them know that you are struggling with the course and need some extra help. You may not need extensive help, but even a little is good, too. Also, letting them know early on that you are not handing in units simply because you are lazy but because you need help will win you brownie points - and help them understand you better. Number 3: Talk to someone and make a plan. Sit down with your parents, teacher, sibling, or friend – armed with your agenda – and talk about what you are behind in and how far. This opens up the communication lines and starts to alleviate some of that nagging guilt. Talk to the person and begin to plan out how you are going to get back on track. It could be a series of due dates that, with time, could get you to be back on track with the target dates and allow you to work at the normal a-unit-every-two-weeks rule. It could entail taking out a part of the unit. Anything that can help you hand in those units on time. Number 4: Stick to your plan. What is the point of making a new, stricter schedule when you are just going to ignore it like you did the target dates? Have frequent check-ups with whoever helped you set up your plan. A quick, “Hey, I’m working on assignment A of this unit and should be done this period!” will suffice. If you are working with your teacher, then make an effort to sit near them on their floor time so that a) he or she can see you working and b) he or she might take out a part of the unit and help you finish even faster.

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How you can handle rejection In 5 easy steps By Abbygail Silva-Porras Rejection hurts: no matter what type, no matter how big or small. The feeling of rejection triggers a natural sensitivity in everyone. The reality is that we all want to feel loved, appreciated, and accepted, and at our age, the most common way we as teenagers feel rejected is in relationships. As we get older, we get wiser about the types of rejection we let overcome us. We begin to recognize things that are more relevant, such as college or university applications and job interviews. I have had my own share of embarrassing and painful dismissals, and after a while, I have found that there are a couple steps that you can take – steps that help you bounce back and try again. Step 1: Remember that you are not alone. Many other people have gone through what you have, too. Anyone can be rejected, and you’re no exception: no one can be too popular or too good for it and no one can get too much of it. It is a part of life and everyone has to go through it. Step 2: Allow yourself to vent. Let your feelings of anger, sadness, and embarrassment out in a book or to a friend. It is not healthy to keep all your feelings inside and it is completely normal to have these strong feelings. Something very important to remember is that you cannot feel bad about yourself forever; increasing feelings of self-pity can become misconceptions, and you can start to believe that you are not good enough to be successful in life -- which brings me to step 3. Step 3: Don’t take things personally when you encounter rejection. Sure, it may feel very personal when you have asked that girl/ guy out and they have given you the “uh, no thanks” brush off. It can also be the letter comes in from that school you thought you would get into and you find out things didn’t really go as planned. However, there is often a side to the story that you do not know about. There is a chance that that school does not have any room and you just applied a bit late along with hundreds of other students who are equally as bright as you; or maybe that boy/girl just got out of a relationship and is not ready to move on yet and just do not want to talk about it. The odds are that there is more than one side to each story and you are only aware of one. Step 4: Don’t set yourself up for disaster by creating false hope. Do not keep assuming that things will change and the dismissal will be taken back. It is okay to have this small hope, but do not let it overcome you and become your only thought. This can sometimes happen when you overthink things, which is not healthy in this situation. Try to reflect about what happened and decide from there what you might be able to change to do better next time. Step 5: Don’t be afraid to try again. I did just finish telling you to not give yourself false hope about the same situation; but on the flip side, it is not good to let one bad experience stop you from ever trying again. In the case of love, do not ever try to force it; however, in any other situation, such as a bad grade or a school acceptance, another try is always worth it.

community COMMUNITY

Have you ever witnessed homophobia? More often than not, you probably have. Have you ever heard anyone say, “That was so gay”? Regardless of the intent, that phrase encourages homophobia in our society. So what does this have to do with Mary Ward’s newest club? The creation of a GayStraight Alliance or GSA, at Mary Ward educates others about issues in GSA LEADERS: ASHLEY QUAN, ERIN EDGHILL & JERCY DAVID the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans* and questioning (LGBTQ) community and helps fight homophobia in our community. It is also geared towards creating a safe and accepting environment for LGBTQ and straight students at Mary Ward. The GSA would like to raise awareness on the use of inclusive language in the school. The group teaches students that their words have a lasting effect on people around them regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity. Erin Edghill, one of the leaders of the GSA, said, “At Mary Ward we are lucky enough to be in a very accepting community where violence and bullying is minimal but some issues are swept under the rug and become the pink elephant in the room. I don’t think homophobia is a problem at Ward but it is definitely something that needs to be addressed.” The GSA is more than just a club for students to join. It offers a safe environment for students to share their opinions, regardless of sexuality. The executives of the club are very dedicated to the GSA as they bring forth topics that entice others to examine their views on sexuality, and to question the stigma attached to the LGBTQ community. At the GSA meetings, you will be introduced to a welcoming environment, accepting of anyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. During one meeting, the members played name games to acquaint themselves with each other. They then watched a presentation on the concepts of sexual identity, sexual expression, sexual orientation and biological sex. The members learned that, while these characteristics all relate to each other, they do not determine each other. That is not to say that they do not influence each other, as they do. One’s biological sex, for example, does not determine one’s sexual identity, but rather foreshadows which gender identity one is most likely going to associate with based on they way they are treated in society. Another thing the members learned is the theory of the Kinsey scale, which gauges one’s sexual activity on a scale from 0 (exclusively heterosexual), to 6 (exclusively homosexual), where 3 means that one is equally heterosexual and homosexual. Interestingly enough, the scale’s namesake, Alfred Kinsey, found that many males were not exclusively on either side of the scale, but usually somewhere in between. As Catholics, we continuously seek opportunities to practice our faith and act on Christ’s message of acceptance. The GSA gives the Mary Ward community an opportunity to practice Christ’s message of acceptance and be tolerant of our differences, regardless of what they might be. If we all act upon Christ’s message, then we can eliminate homophobia, be inclusive and erase the stigma associated with homosexuality. If you wish to learn more about these issues, the GSA is a great place to start. The GSA holds meetings every Wednesday OKOF GROUP PICTURE at lunch in the video studio. PHOTO BY DAN GONZALES

By Andrea Carandang

On November 19-23, Our Kids Our Future held its annual awareness week. Their focus was on the issue of youth homelessness and an emergency residence called Youth Without Shelter, which is located in Etobicoke. OKOF organized various activities to raise awareness on the issue and the shelter. During this week, members of OKOF dressed up as homeless youth. Each member wore a sign around their neck, which depicted various statistics on youth homelessness in Toronto, as well as showing testimonials from homeless youth, prior to being helped by Youth Without Shelter. “My participation and hopes for the homeless role play were to raise awareness about homeless youth,“ Jercy David, one of the leaders of OKOF said. “Even though I decided to go for the more stereotypical look of a homeless youth in the city, I was able to catch a lot of attention and educate [students] about youth homelessness.” Ali Golfetto, the Volunteer and Education Facilitator from Youth Without Shelter, also spoke to students about this issue and how it affects young people in Toronto. She also informed the students about the campaigns run by the shelter to support the youth currently living there. OKOF also used social networking to encourage the participation of students around the school through a TA activity. TAs were asked to take a picture of three scenarios that informed students about the various aspects of youth homelessness. The first scenario involved the TAs squeezing into a small area, such as under a desk or in a small room, which represented the small areas that homeless youth have to live in. The second scenario involved taking a picture of TA members barefoot, which represented the lack of proper clothing for homeless youth. The final scenario was taking a picture of change, which represented the small amount of money that homeless youth have. Some members of OKOF also hosted a trivia game during one lunch in the foyer. Students were asked questions on various facts about youth homelessness and were rewarded with a candy prize if they were able to answer correctly. Alexia Olaizola, another leader, described the students’ answers as being a mix of both right and wrong, “For some myth or fact questions, like ‘they are mentally ill,’ or ‘they want to be homeless,’ [the students] knew that these were false. On the other hand, for some, like ‘homeless people have jobs,’ or ‘all homeless people live on the streets,’ which they don’t, they mostly guessed wrong.” Our Kids Our Future hoped that, after this week, the students were more informed about the issue of youth homelessness. They would like to thank the student body for their participation.

PHOTO BY DAN GONZALES

By Jefferey Wignarajah and John Cadavos

okofweek

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community COMMUNITY To some people, dodgeball is just a sport. To others, it’s a game. To Mary Ward students, it serves as the basis for a charity fundraising event full of jokes, cheers, and flying balls.

DECA Dodgeball trophy and the much-coveted title of DECA Dodgeball Champions. In the end, team ‘Oldskool’ emerged victorious, with a perfect record consisting of all wins.

The 2nd Annual DECA Dodgeball Championships, hosted by DECA@Ward, took place on November 30, with over two hundred people in attendance to play and watch the classic game of dodgeball.

Throughout the evening, all of the teams were hyped up and ready to dodge and throw balls, while interested spectators lined the bleachers with popcorn in hand. The gym was filled to the brim with energy. Blaring background music served as entertainment and as a nonverbal cue to commence the opening rush of every game. The court then transformed into a frenzy of dodgeballs being thrown and players running about. “No headshots!” was written under the list of rules, but for the sake of enjoyment, shots at any other parts of the body were allowed.

The success of this event was largely contributed by the sixteen teams who signed up to play this year, including a team of Student Council members and a teacher team. A number of teams coordinated their outfits to match a specific theme, such as full tracksuits or bright, neoncoloured shirts. From sixteen teams, the results of the matches determine the single team who will claim the glorious

By Samantha Tjong

The goal of this event was not only to raise money for charity, but also to give students the opportunity to spend a fun evening as a community. DECA@Ward plans to continue the annual DECA Dodgeball tradition, so be ready to dodge, dip, duck, dive, and dodge when the next DECA Dodgeball Championships come around next school year!

PHOTOS BY SAMANTHA TJONG

Through this event, DECA@Ward collectively raised over $200 to donate to the Ostomy Toronto Camp Fund in memory of Alison Atkins. This fund will help pay for the cost of a child’s tuition to attend the Canadian Ostomy Youth camp held in Calgary, Alberta.

From October 18 to 20, Mary Ward hosted a conference for educators from self-directed schools across Canada as part of the Canadian Coalition of Self-Directed Learning (CCSDL). The conference, held at the Westin Harbour Castle in downtown Toronto, presented the theme of Through the Lens. During the opening ceremonies, students were part of a flashmob, choreographed by Ms. Tsang-Lee, and a scene from last year’s drama production of Big was also performed. Student volunteers guided educators around the school and guests asked questions about Mary Ward’s system. The purpose of the conference was to showcase Mary Ward’s own system, as well as to gain knowledge from other self-directed educators in Canada. Overall, the conference was a great success, thanks to the hard work of co-chairs Mr. Chen, Ms. McAndrew and Ms. MacIsaac, and everyone else involved. 10 mwplanet VOLUME 18 / ISSUE 1

PHOTOS BY BEA SERDON

By Andrea Carandang

COMMUNITY By Andrea Carandang Mary Ward’s various clubs have been busy over the past few months, organizing various events involving the whole school community. Adrenalyn held auditions and accepted six new members, who Mrs. Tsang-Lee, Adrenalyn’s coach, described as “eager to learn, talented, committed, and a great fit for the team”: Joshua Rojas, Donna Benosa, Ruther Alea, Patrick Baler, Michael Morales and Tiffany Lue Tam. Mary Ward’s own dance crew also came second in the Bring Your Own Beat dance competition held on November 24 at Mary Ward.

community COMMUNITY

Green Quest hosted Waste Reduction Week on October 15 to 18. They also raised awareness about the fact that students can bring their own containers to the cafeteria and use them while buying lunch. They have also restarted the Milk Bag Sleeping Mat projects, continuing the project from when it began last year. According to Shannon Cabrio, one of the coChief Environmental Officers of the club, “This year’s campaigns [were] slow and rocky at the start, but we pulled together, raising awareness and made some people a little bit greener, thus making the year so far very successful!” Gender Justice has hosted their annual Walk to End Male Violence. Claudinne Naidas stated that the response was “astounding,” since over a hundred students signed up to participate in the event. Besides that, Claudinne added, “[During the meetings,] Gender Justice often has very engaging discussion questions that have opinions flying.”

PHOTO BY DAN GONZALES (ILL SKILLZ)

Angel Foundation sold angels during Meet the TA Night and had a civvies day. They also volunteered at Prince of Peace and at St. Michael’s Church for their Out of the Cold program, which feeds the homeless. Lydia He, one of the club’s leaders, described the foundation and said, “I think Angel Foundation is still branching out as a new club, but we have received a better turnout in comparison to last year and [we] hope to continue to grow throughout the year.” Best Buddies sold 50/50 raffle tickets at a Toronto Raptors game. They were able to raise $600 for charity. On December 12, the members of the organization went to the Eaton Centre and other places downtown after school for Christmas bonding time. The Debate Club competed in two tournaments over the past few months. The first was at Michael Power High School, where novice debaters competed in three debates, arguing for the pro side of the debate. Marie Wee, a debater on the team, stated that being a member of the team is “time consuming, but it teaches you [how] to voice your opinion. It also helps you [become] more confident in front of people, especially if you have to do a presentation.”

UNITY Charity held classes after school for twelve weeks, teaching students about the four elements of hip hop: spoken word, dance, beat boxing and graffiti. On December 4, the students who took the classes performed in front of the school, showcasing the many talents that Mary Ward has to offer. “It was a lot of fun,” said Tien Chang, a student who took the classes and did spoken word during the assembly. “I got to learn a lot of things, such as writing poems.” Besides learning about the four elements of hip hop, Tien mentioned that UNITY also taught him to “not give up” and that “motivation is key.”

Empowered Student Partnership (ESP) held their annual Bullying Awareness Week on November 12-16. During the week, they created a banner filled with words that TAs associated with bullying. They also hosted an Express Yourself every month. Julian Manahan, one of the club’s leaders, and David Delmundo described the club’s initiatives by stating that it “brings the community together.”

PHOTOS BY BEA SERDON

ILLUSTRATION BY ANDREA HEISZ

Free the Children hosted various campaigns since the beginning of the school year. Their annual food drive, We Scare Hunger, previously known as Halloween for Hunger, allowed them to collect non-perishable food items for the Daily Bread Food Bank. They also collaborated with SAC to recreate Santa’s Workshop in the foyer, so that students could take a picture with Santa Claus, with all proceeds going to Free the Children. Abigail Gregorio, one of the club’s leaders, described her experience as a leader and said, “Despite it being the first year for Free the Children’s new leaders, we are still successful in raising money and awareness for local and international organizations. We look forward to improving our fundraising in the New Year.” Student Activity Council (SAC) has been very busy over the past few months. They organized the barbeque and other activities, such as an inflatable joust, for the opening mass. During Halloween, they organized costume and pumpkin carving contests in the cafeteria, as well as creating a haunted house. The members of SAC also went to the Ontario Student Leadership Conference in Niagara Falls. They collaborated with Free the Children to create Santa’s Workshop in the foyer, so that students can take pictures with Santa. The student response to the activities hosted by S A C was well-received and Keith Diaz, president of SAC, was surprised by the student turnout, “Out of all my three years at Mary Ward, the school spirit that I’ve seen this year is already becoming the best I’ve seen.”

VOLUME 18 / ISSUE 1 mwplanet 11

community COMMUNITY

By Wilma Reyes On Tuesday, November 17, 2012, an eager group of students from Mary Ward’s Art Department boarded a bus headed towards the beautiful city of New York for five days of amazing art encounters, fun, and shopping. With Mrs. Powell, Mrs. Lenardon, and Mr. Notten in tow, the group toured around the Big Apple. There, they visited many art museums such as the Museum of Modern Art (also known as the MoMA), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (known as ‘the Met’ to true New Yorkers), the Museum of Moving Image, dedicated entirely to film and moviemaking, and the Guggenheim Museum, which featured a Picasso exhibit during the trip. It was in these museums that the students were able to channel their inner artists and art critics, and analyze the beautiful works of art, going as far back as the Egyptians and their cave paintings, to as recent as Trong G. Nguyen and his spray-painted Donald Trump t-shirts. Students also watched an Off-Broadway show entitled Stomp, which incorporated everyday objects such as newspapers and brooms into a spectacular show of rhythm, dance, comedy, and pure entertainment. In addition, students were able to ‘feed their faith’ through a visit to the breathtaking Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, the largest cathedral in the world. Their busy tour schedule also included a walk through the High Line, an elevated public park made from an old railway used in the 1930s, a visit to the charming Chelsea Market, and lunch at the Socrates Sculpture Garden in Queens. Their last full day in New York included a visit to the 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero, which allowed students to have time to reflect and remember those who died in this tragic and infamous incident from 11 years ago. And, of course, students were able to satisfy their seemingly endless shopping lists through countless visits to Times Square. Overall, the New York 2012 trip was a huge success, as all 51 students reluctantly waved goodbye to the concrete jungle with a new perception and understanding of art, architecture, theatre, and most importantly, budgeting. . . just kidding! Whether it was on the bus with David (our bus driver), on the streets with Blaire (our assigned tour guide), or in the museums with the teachers, each day consisted of something new, educational and exciting. It is safe to say that the image of New York’s thousands of twinkling city lights will not be soon forgotten in their minds; the trip will be a sweet memory that they will keep for the rest of their lives. Special thanks to the Art Department teachers for the enormous amount of time, effort, and planning that went into this unforgettable trip!

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PHOTOS BY ANDREA HEISZ

community COMMUNITY

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la petite planète PLANÈ LA PETITE PLANÈTE

Le département de

Par Amanda Tanner et Carolyn Aun

Un autre nouveau visage Il y avait un nouveau visage dans notre école quelques semaines passées. L’avez-vous deviné? Il a des yeux bleus ; il est ni mince ni gros ; il est grand et gentil. On peut dire qu’il est un homme normal, et vous pouviez le trouver dans le département de Français. C’est Monsieur Coleman, évidement! M. Coleman aidait les étudiants de Français pendant quelques semaines. On le voyait avec M. Démoré la plupart D du temps. On suggère qu'il est un assistant enseignant, peut-être? On a parlé avec M. Coleman lui-même un jour au mois de Novembre. Il était ouvert et heureux quand il a eu l’opportunité de partager quelques petites choses sur lui-même. Nous, les intervieweurs, lui avons demandé beaucoup de questions, et il a pu répondre avec un sourire sur son visage et des réponses honnêtes. Nous étions intéressées à apprendre pourquoi il a choisi notre école pour une opportunité à enseigner. M. Coleman a dit, « Ce n'était pas mon choix. J’ai choisi le TCDSB, donc ils m’ont placé dans votre école.» « Et alors combien d’ans est-ce que vous avez étudié pour devenir un prof? » nous lui avons

demandé. M. Coleman a étudié pendant sept ans et demi à l’université, mais ce n'était pas nécessaire : il en faut seulement cinq. « Les valeurs dans ce conseil catholique sont importantes», explique M. Coleman quand on lui a demandé pourquoi il a choisi le conseil catholique (au lieu du conseil publique). « Qu’est-ce que vous pensez de Mary Ward et notre système, comparé aux autre écoles? » a demandé Carolyn Aun, une élève dans le programme intensif en 10e année, et une des intervieweurs. M. Coleman le trouve intéressant. En premier, il ne savait pas comment ça peut fonctionner. Il explique que son temps à Mary Ward l'a aidé à réaliser qu’avec un bon groupe d’élèves, c'est possible. Wow! Quel compliment! M. Coleman, dans ses mots, aimerait devenir un prof car il a beaucoup d'expérience avec les enfants et les jeunes. « Je trouve les expériences avec les élèves très inspirants », il a expliqué. Son sujet préféré quand il était petit était les sciences, parce que ça donne toutes les réponses à ses questions. Il a insisté sur le fait qu’il était toujours un bon garçon : « Absolument » a dit-il. Mais qui croiriez-vous : ses parents et enseignants ou lui? Maintenant comme un prof, il aime les connections avec les élèves et le sens d'aider un élève à découvrir quelque chose de nouveau. Il a dit qu'il voudrait être un prof après son expérience à Mary Ward. «Tout simplement» nous a-t-il dit, «j’ai beaucoup, beaucoup, aimé mon temps à Mary Ward, et j'espère [pouvoir] revenir ». On veut remercier Mr. Coleman pour son aide avec le français. Un élève de Français exprime sa satisfaction : « Il a corrigé mon travail en Français, [et] puis après, j'ai eu un bonne note par mon enseignant ». Bonne chance avec ton futur dans cette profession, Monsieur Coleman!

PHOTO BY MIKE POCHWAT

Par Denzel Perez Quand je suis entré le métro, il était là. La personne que je redoutais le plus. Il était le type de personne qui vous fait prier la nuit, avec un chapelet dans le main et un crucifix dans l’autre pour ne le jamais voir. En réalité, je le faisais la nuit dernière. Mais peu importe combien de fois mes genoux étaient sur le plancher, je sais qu’il n’y a aucune façon d’échapper le destin. J’ai abordé le train à la station Union, et je l’ai vu. Il s’asseyait confortablement sur son trône, ses sacs occupant les deux chaises à son coté. Il y avait une femme enceinte et une vieille dame sans place dans un train surpeuplé. Encore, il ne les a payé aucune attention. J’ai juré que je l’ai entendu rire comme un maniaque. Mais ce n’était pas tout. Il portait sa couronne : des écouteurs “Beats”. Chaque

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matin, sa musique jouait plus fort que la tonnerre d’une tempête, sans aucun regard pour les autres. N’oublions pas qu’il n’ouvrait jamais la porte pour les autres non plus. Même, il ne dirait jamais merci si tu l’assisterais. Le plus pire : il entrait toujours sans attendre pour les passagers, il laissait ses ordures et il ne souriait jamais! Il s’appelle Passager Odieux. Surveillez vos dos, il est partout à tout temps. Ne pensez pas que vous êtes sans danger parce que vous prenez l’autobus; il est là aussi. Il a l’habileté de se changer de forme, même de sexe. Mais c’était la même, il terrorise le transport publique depuis le commencement du temps. Encore : faites bien attention parce que vous pourriez être le prochain victime!

ILLUSTRATION BY ANDREA HEISZ

la petite planète PLANETE LA PETITE Par Amanda Tanner

Réorganisez ces mots mélangés qui sont tous au sujet de la célébration de Noël. Ils sont écrits en anglais si vous avez besoin d’aide supplémentaire. Amusez-vous!

Par Rebecca Hsiung

1. nenac ed ucser _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (candy cane) 2. uen mheniecé _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (a chimney) 3. eun halreoc _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (a choir) 4. nu asb ed ëoNl _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (a stocking) 5. enu noneourc _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (a wreath) 6. L’bessémebla ed lëoN _’ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (the Christmas assembly) 7. nue ngae _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (an angel) 8. ePèr ëNol _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (Santa Claus) 9. al elvlie ed loNë _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (Christmas Eve) 10. al usiuqme _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (music) 11. el iug _ _ _ _ _ (mistletoe) 12. neu traec ed Nlëo _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ PHOTO BY ZACH BUSH, DEVIANTART.COM

Le 21 décembre, 2012. Comme vous le savez, il y a plein de rumeurs au sujet de la fin du monde qui arrivera… aujourd’hui, le 21 décembre à six heures et onze minutes. Après la production du film 2012, il y a eu beaucoup de discussion sur le sujet. Mais, comme vous pouvez voir, ces rumeurs étaient vraiment fausses car nous ne nous sommes même pas trouvés en danger. Les gens qui ont cru la rumeur pensaient que la planète et ses habitants transformeraient physiquement et spirituellement lors du 21 décembre, car le calendrier Maya s’est terminé sur cette date. Ils pensaient que la destruction de notre monde consisterait d’une guerre nucléaire, une catastrophe écologique, la pollution planétaire, la surpopulation, les maladies mortelles et une collision avec une comète ou un astéroïde. Ces sont des extrémités mortels, mais les scientistes ont l’évidence qui prouvent pourquoi la fin du monde n’arriverait pas aujourd’hui. Premièrement, le calendrier Maya ne terminait pas aujourd’hui. Ils n’ont même pas considéré ce jour comme étant la fin du monde. Ce jour, en fait, est quand un nouveau cycle dans leur calendrier commencerait. C’est comme un renouvellement de leur année! Une autre rumeur était que le monde s’essuiera par un « basculement des pôles ». Ça veut dire que la croûte et le manteau de la terre vont se tourner à cause de la force de la gravité à l’intérieur de la terre. Une extrémité comme ça causerait des océans de se séparer, dans lesquels des villes se seraient tombées, puis de nombreux désastres naturels comme les tremblements de terre et des éruptions volcaniques arriveraient. Les scientifiques disent que c’est extrêmement improbable pour les roches à l’intérieur de la terre d’effectuer un réarrangement car ça prendra des millions d’années. Les rumeurs de la fin du monde étaient extrêmement irréalistes et improbable. Alors, vous me dites, n’êtes-vous pas encore vivants?

GRAPHICS BY: FONTSPACE.COM

(a Christmas card)

A H

U D

N O

W U

‘

M B

F R

M M

U H

Q N

N E

D Q

Qu’est-ce que vous allez voir pendant les vacances? Trouvez ces mots en dessus pour te plaisir pendant les vacances. Ils sont tous en français, mais on peut les traduire pour apprendre un peu de vocabulaire. Vous pouvez trouver les mots à la diagonale, l’horizontale et la verticale. Joyeux Noël et bonne année, tout le monde! Aller sur notre site web pour

trouver les reponses pour les deux jeux. 1. une chandelle (a candle) 7. un cadeau (a gift) 2.Noël (Christmas) 8. un traîneau (a sled) 3. le sapin de Noël (the Christmas 9. Rudolf (Rudolph) tree) 10. Le Jour de l’An (New Year’s Day) 4. décembre (December) 11. une étoile (a star) 5. un bonhomme de neige (a 12. la messe (mass) snowman) VOLUME 18 / ISSUE 1 mwplanet 15 6. l’hiver (Winter)

sports SPORTS Step 2: Always surround yourself with positive thoughts. If you see yourself succeeding, there is a higher chance that you can succeed. If you imagine yourself moving around on the court or field and you practice your plays over and over in your mind, it becomes easier to perform and can take off the pressure during games or practices. Use your training time to your advantage and keep in mind what you have set for yourself.

By Abbygail Silva-Porras Sports psychology is a form of mental training for athletes. It may help to develop the study of how the mind affects the body and the body affects the mind. It can be used in many different ways, but once applied correctly, can significantly improve an athlete’s performance. The following are three steps used most common among most sports articles. Here is how to start your mental training.

Step 3: Have control over your emotional levels. Although difficult to resist unintentional emotions, when there is a lot of pressure on your athletic abilities, it is easy to become overly stressed or anxious. In some cases, you can use your anxiousness and turn it into energy. Use that energy to prepare yourself for your game. You can direct that energy on doing well. In other cases, the practice of deep breathing is necessary to calm your nerves before a game. When you learn to control your inner emotions, you can learn to perform at your best.

Step 1: Set goals for yourself. Be realistic about your goals. Set your goals at levels you know you can accomplish. When your goals are set, they become motivators that constantly remind you of your desired achievements. Make sure you also set goals that you can take control of, goals that have a process such as improving endurance, rather than things that you do not have control of, like winning. Winning is a good motivator, but is not always realistic. Such lofty goals can demotivate you and lead you to unreasonable expectations; therefore, focus on what you can achieve, set goals, and challenge yourself.

By Arevik Vardanyan

The effects of crowd cheering go far beyond the athletes playing; they also benefit members of the crowd. In a school community, there is more to a team than its athletes; teams represent the school when they project power to the opposing team. Many students, teachers, and parents can agree that when their team wins, they also share that feeling of victory. After putting in so much effort into cheering and encouraging the team, these supporters often feel like they have contributed to the success of the team. Anyone who has ever been part of a game or an audience can agree that this feeling is mutual. Thus, next time any of our Mary Ward sports teams have a game, make an effort to be part of an energetic and supportive crowd to give our team that extra advantage over the competition.

A study conducted by Harvard University used data from 5,000 English Premier League games to gather information on whether a cheering crowd can truly improve a home team’s performance. The results were published in the 2006 issue of the Journal of Sports Science. Using over 50 different references, the study found that for every 10,000 crowd members, the home team had a 0.1 goal advantage. The study proves that crowd cheering boosts athletic performance; however, the numbers are large and unrealistic for a high school community. Although a secondary institution has a fraction of the students the study suggests, the study proves that cheering for a team, as well as the presence of support, encourages athletes towards a better performance. Altogether, having an encouraging and supportive crowd motivates athletes to do better. According to a 1993 study by Moree and Brylinksy, a performance boost can be attributed to the fact that with a sympathetic crowd, athletes experience less humiliation of defeat or passion and feel more encouraged to make the crowd PHOTO BY: FREDDY, HSJ.ORG proud.

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ILLUSTRATION BY: EASTLIMESTONEHIGH.ORG

Whether you are part of one of Mary Ward’s sports teams or just an avid fan in the audience, you ought to love the competition that the Mary Ward Wolverines bring to each game. Alongside the great athletes that make up the team, the crowd plays a role in the victory—and sometimes defeat—of each game. Cheering for a team may seem like just a typical activity friends participate in when they decide to support their fellow athletes. However, there are actually great psychological effects that are associated with sup porting and encouraging the home team.

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sports SPORT

By Kathleen Francisco

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Mr. Dever has stepped down as Mary Ward’s Athletic Director. Devoting extra time and effort to managing teams, he successfully served the athletics department for eight years. The community now gives a warm welcome to Ms. Davies and Mr. Wong as they take over the Wolverine’s Den. For this school year, 2012-2013, Ms. Davies and Mr. Wong are now geared to start running the athletics department. Ms. Davies, a former member of Canada’s junior track and field team, is a University of Toronto and D’Youville Faculty of Education alumnus. She currently holds teaching positions in the English and Special Education departments. Mr. Wong, on the other hand, is a graduate of University of Toronto who majored in Human Biology before attending the

University of Windsor for the Faculty of Education. Presently, he is teaching grade nine science. Being an athletic director requires more than their usual responsibilities and challenges. Ms. Davies and Mr. Wong were both fearless enough to step up and take on the role of Athletic Directors. They believe that sports play an important part in the school community. Their role as directors is essential in running the department smoothly. The duo is currently busy working on multiple projects in the department, such as fixing up the storage room and making use of Edmodo to communicate with coaches and athletes. In addition, they are revamping and upgrading sports equipment. When asked about the plans for the department, they stated that their goal was to ensure that everything the coaches need will be provided as long as it will benefit the team. They have also placed emphasis on fostering good camaraderie among the coaches and athletes, which will further boost the morale of the entire athletic team. With all the exciting plans and activities that the new directors have hope for, more students will definitely be encouraged and inspired to join different athletic teams. Ms. Davies and Mr. Wong are not only concerned about their students’ academic success, but also care in seeing them become more involved and excel in sports, sportsmanship, and teamwork.

As expected, Mary Ward’s fall season for sports was filled with commitment, achievement, and improvement. Of course, fun was a major player in each sport as well, and led to enjoyable experiences for many students. Here are some highlights: This year’s Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country Team, led by Ms. Davies, Mr. Démoré, Ms. Poole, and Mr. Wong, persevered through mud and hills to achieve several personal and team achievements. Ms. Davies says, “We did really well; made a lot of improvements throughout the season. Our highlight is that one midget boy, Jerome Judd, made it to OFSAA. It was his first experience at OFSAA, yet he did very well there as well. It was an excellent season overall!” In the face of tough competition, the Junior Boys’ Soccer Team was able to work hard to improve their sole goal last season to over four goals. Behind the effort were coaches Mr. Carabine and Mr. Veccharielli. Proud and pleased, Mr. Carabine comments, “It was a great season! We improved by four or five goals this year. Last year, we only scored one goal - Bernardo Athayde was our lone goal scorer. But this year, Michael Mines scored a few goals. So last year when we were losing 12 or 10 games, it’s now down to 5 or 6. We improved 100%! I have to say we have a great group of guys and had a lot of fun.” Despite a short season, the Varsity Girls’ Field Hockey Team, coached by Ms. Fleischacker, Ms. Parise, and Ms. Saran, was able to thrive and reach the Quarter Finals. In good spirit, Ms. Saran recounts how “the games were fast-paced and exhilarating. Unfortunately, we had to go without our experienced goalie, Amanda Bailey, during our first game because of the senior phys. ed camping trip. Luckily enough, grade 11 [student] Rebecca Saldahna solved the problem by replacing Amanda during the game. Rebecca held her own quite well! A couple of victories were won on the home field with the guidance of our experienced league player and captain, Rebecca Titus, and the team was able to move onto

By Samantha Quinto

the Quarter Finals. Sadly, the girls lost to Bishop Allen after a well-played game. The coaches look forward to new and returning players and wish the best of luck to those graduating.”

This year’s Grade 9 Boys’ Flag Football Team was coached by Mr. Adourian and Ms. Sersanti. Mr. Adourian explains: “The boys’ team came off pretty rusty, but once we got into the playoffs, we were able to beat Libermann. We felt really good about that, because we lost to them twice before that, and we actually got revenge which was the best part of it. But unfortunately we lost in the semi-finals, and even though it was a short season, it was a very good season.” Coached solely by Mr. Simone, the Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Tennis team had an incredible tryout and a successful season as well. Mr. Simone divulges, “Numerous enthusiastic individuals tried out. This year, 14 Mary Ward students represented us at Markham Tennis Club and Sir Winston Churchill Park in downtown Toronto. Fun was had by all, and a special mention goes to Jessica Abalos and Kathreena Tejada who managed to place 2nd in Junior Girls’ doubles.” The Varsity Golf Team, despite having only two members, was able to show good effort and play competitively against tough opponents. Mr. Emer, coach of the team, shares: “The two members were Mark Wodz in Grade 10 and Erin Edghill in Grade 12. Erin Edghill has been on the team for three years now, but both were able to have a competitive season. The pair had a good day. It was tough and they didn’t score their best scores, but they had a good effort. They were competitive, but they also had fun. “ An amazing combination of ambition, skill, and sportsmanship, Mary Ward’s sports teams always impress and improve each year. Each athlete creates and sets new standards, and contributes to that unmistakable team spirit that Mary Ward teams always have. Congratulations to all teams and their dedicated coaches; you have represented our school terrifically! VOLUME 18 / ISSUE 1 mwplanet 17

WACT WACT By Jercy David Just as Luke shockingly discovered that Darth was his father, the Lucasfilm franchise will be looking to a new “father” as well: Mickey Mouse. Or, rather, Walt Disney. This past October, George Lucas, founder of Lucasfilm, agreed to sell his film company to Disney for $4.4 billion in stock and cash. Talks were conducted personally by Disney CEO Robert Iger and founder of Lucasfilm George Lucas, and began about a year and a half ago in Orlando, Florida. The two spent time together while reopening a Star Wars attraction at Disney World. Lucasfilm is a leader in entertainment, innovation, and technology; it includes its massively popular and “evergreen” Star Wars franchise, as well as its operating businesses in live-action film production, consumer products, animal, visual effects, and audio post-production. However, Lucasfilm’s chief financial officer, Jay Rasulo, said that Disney’s financial calculations in agreeing to purchase the company were driven almost entirely by the potential of the Star Wars series. Among divisions like Industrial Light & Magic, Skywalker Sound and video game company LucasArts, Disney will acquire Lucasfilm’s live-action production business. Other physical properties in Marin County, California - such as Mr. Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch - were not part of the deal, and will continue to remain with Lucas. On the deal, founder George Lucas says, “For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next. It’s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers.” The 68-year-old chair and CEO of Lucasfilm states that he will serve as a creative consultant, but ultimately plans to retire. Kathleen Kennedy, current co-chair of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios. Lucas comments, “I’m confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney’s reach and experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze trails in film, television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer products.” Lucas will receive $40 million in Disney shares from the deal, and will become the second-largest, non-institutional shareholder of Disney with a 2.2% stake. In addition, despite Lucas denying any plans for more movies after Revenge of the Sith back in 2005, the series will release Episode VII in 2015, with plans “to release a new Star Wars feature film every two to three years,” says Iger. Episodes VIII and IX would follow “probably on a cadence of every other year and then go from there…The [first] film is in early stage development right now.” George Lucas will be a consultant on the film projects, but Disney acquired rights to detailed treatment for the next three Star Wars films. However, not only does Disney intend on expanding the series, they also plan to expand the Star Wars franchise into their other plugs. “We definitely plan to expand the presence of Star Wars in our parks, which could include new parks,” Iger says. The buyout is currently Disney’s fourth largest deal ever, topping the $3.96 billion they paid for Marvel back in August 2009. Combined with the purchase of Pixar Animation Studios for $7.4 billion in 2006, the acquisition solidifies Disney’s status as a leader in animation and superhero films. This strengthens the legacy of Robert Iger, who is become known for his aggressive expansion of the company since taking charge in 2005. Along with Star Wars and its many iterations on movie screens, TV, and video gaming, George Lucas has been a partner in the Indiana Jones series and the occasional unrelated film. However, Disney executives said they were not relying on those films for future profit, but instead were keeping with the series set in a galaxy far, far away.

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By Andy Lau a.k.a the Gadget Geek We are embedded in a universe dominated by information technology. It is true: nowadays, everyone owns devices such as media players, smartphones, tablet computers, PCs and Macs, to name a few. So, what are the new gadgets that came out in 2012? Actually, every major tech giant has released something new this year. Perhaps you have heard of that fierce competition between Apple, Google, Microsoft, and our very own Research in Motion. Within this past year, each has released the latest version of their mobile operating system. Let us begin with Apple, since that is what everyone is talking about. The world is always anticipating a new iPhone or iPad. The 3rd and 4th generation of iPads were released this year, in March and November respectively. Who would have expected two generations to be developed just eight months apart? Then there is the all-new iPad mini, released concurrently with the 4th gen iPad. And the iPhone 5 came out this past September, one year after the iPhone 4S. All of the above are using the iOS 6 mobile operating system. Believe it or not, Apple has also rebuilt their iPods, and there is also a new version of Mac OS X, version 10.8 Mountain Lion. What more could you expect to bite out of? Not far behind Apple is Google, best known for its search engine, who led the Open Handset Alliance to build the Android mobile operating system. This year alone saw the release of the Android 4.1 and 4.2 versions in July and November respectively, including some hot new Nexus devices, such as the Nexus 4 phone by LG and the Nexus 10 tablet by Samsung. Samsung and many other companies, like HTC, Sony, Asus, and Acer, make their own Android phones and tablets, like the Galaxy series of phones. There are lots to choose from, and they all share a common kernel. Besides, they are cheap, too, and many at no phone cost with a term contract. Thinking of choosing the robot? Still catching up in the mobile market is Microsoft, whose Windows OS is the world’s most popular for desktop and laptop PCs. The latest version of their Windows Phone platform is version 8, out since last November. Phones using this are made by Nokia, Samsung, and HTC. Not too many, eh? As for tablets, you’re in luck if you are looking for fast, instant-boot technology. Windows RT is designed to do that, and you can now get machines made by Asus, Samsung, Dell, and Lenovo. If you are using just an ordinary PC, go for Windows 8, on the market since October. You can upgrade for a limited time for fifty dollars. Yes, you heard right! Be aware, though, that a new Windows only comes every three years. Will you hurry up, then, to open your doors and Windows before it is too late? Lastly, there is the Waterloo, Ontario-based Research in Motion, who designed and built the BlackBerry business-oriented smartphone. I know many of us use BlackBerrys because it is easier to type on their small built-in keyboard. We all want to chat, and using an on-screen keyboard can be challenging. And, we don’t mind proprietary data services. Unfortunately, the latest version of BlackBerry OS, version 7.1, came out one year ago. But have no fear, BlackBerry 10 is coming and it will change the way we use BlackBerry forever. Perhaps it will be able to fight with Microsoft for number three in the market, behind Apple and Google. What do you think? With all the machines that are here, or coming out soon, you are never far behind in the race. There is always something to choose from, no matter who makes it. So, what are you going for? Take your choice!

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By Arevik Vardanyan Now declared a #1 bestselling author on the New York Times Bestseller list, John Green claims the status of one of the best young adult fiction writers of our time. Consider Vlogbrothers, the hit YouTube channel that features him and his brother, Hank; or his confrontational, stimulating, and heartfelt novels, such as Looking for Alaska or The Fault in Our Stars. Many may wonder what makes this author so great, as there are other honest and relatable young adult fiction writers out there. Here are ten reasons why John Green is AWESOME. Vlogbrothers is one of the most revealing, edifying, and hilarious channels on YouTube. Not only does John Green discuss his daily affairs, chat about his family, and reveal truths about the human anatomy and of course the mind: he and his brother also create parodies and other creative discussions with witty comebacks. Peanut Butter This award winning author amuses his fans by using his face as toast and masking his face with our favourite sweet-salty spread.

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The Fault in Our Stars. What is better than a novel discussing clichés with clichés? This novel. John Green’s FiOS discusses a genuine love story between two youth struggling through their adolescent angst with cancer. NERDFIGHTERS. The social nerd elite of in-jokes and other hipster activities. Henry. Henry Green is John’s son, this makes John awesome because the cute little guy has been an inspiration for John PHOTO BY SMIICHAN.WORDPRESS.COM and says some pretty witty, childish citations that define the world through a naïve, innocent, hopeful, and adventurous perspective.

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Project for AWESOME. This annual event on YouTube encourages people to upload a video discussing their favourite charity. Later in December, YouTube and the viewers tune into a live stream that includes donations and promotion of various charities.

Open Minded. John Green sums up awesomeness because of his world -- a world where characters are freed from the typical discriminatory categories of sex, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, race, and colour.

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Looking for Alaska. For anyone that has never shed a tear for a novel or a character, you need to read this book. Every human being who has experienced the wisdom and earnest emotions of this book has felt a warm tear down their cheek. All while captivating the reader through words and fuelling our adrenaline, Looking for Alaska discusses contradictions of love, friendship, the labyrinth of life, the mystery behind finding life, and the journey of escaping it.

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WACT WACT By Erin Edghill The other day as I was trolling the depths of my Tumblr dashboard, I saw a post that read: “Glee is trying to be Degrassi and failing.” This statement struck me as quite odd considering Glee is a huge show with millions of viewers worldwide. How could it be failing? I think this person was not referring to the show’s viewership or production value, but rather its inconsistent content. From its inception, Glee has had its critics because of its stance on issues that are often swept under the rug. But with 9.62 million viewers in its season one premiere, it has also captivated audiences with its lovable and relatable characters, its hard-hitting yet lighthearted story lines, and of course, its music. Similarly to Degrassi, Glee has covered topics such as “coming out” to friends and family, religion in public schools, awkward teenage romance, and homophobic bullying - all topics which are rarely portrayed accurately in the media. But as Glee’s popularity grows, so does its inconsistency. Choosing to cover even more topics geared towards LGBTQ youth, eating disorders, peer pressure, and teenage drinking, Glee has lost its ability to make these hard hitting issues the main focus of the show and has become seemingly incapable of keeping a major story lines going for more than three episodes. One example that has always stood out to me is the attempted suicide of the character Dave Karofsky. The show did a wonderful job of showing the complexity and dangers of teen suicide within the LGBTQ community in one episode, but then swept it under the carpet the very next episode. Since this bold and honest episode in season three, we have not heard a single word about Dave, his condition, or his plans beyond high school. Another inconsistency found in Glee is McKinley’s Violence Policy. In the episode ‘I Kissed a Girl,’ the character Santana is suspended for slapping Finn in the face. The principal justifies it with an incident that happened three years previous; however, this policy clearly did not exist in the previous seasons. Throughout the show, there have been many cases of violent behavior where people are reprimanded and sent back to class. For example, characters Puck and Finn brawl with each other in the episodes ‘Wheels’ and ‘Sectionals,’ as do Finn and Sam, but they are never suspended for it. The character Dave Karofsky had violently shoved Kurt into a locker several times and had beaten up several other students prior to that, yet the principal at the time (Sue Sylvester) claims she has no reason to expel him. Santana herself had been in several fights previous - with Mercedes, Quinn and Lauren - and she even made Rory’s nose bleed in ‘I Kissed a Girl’; however, she was never held accountable. It is precisely this collection of small inconsistencies that makes Glee a hard show to keep up with. In its fourth season premiere, Glee lost just less than 30% of its viewers with 7.41 million, which, granted, is still a large amount of viewers; but it begs the question of whether this might be the downfall of Glee? Just one week short of its winter finale, the show is now splitting time between Ohio and New York. I am not sure how much longer it can hold on.

Intellectual. No one wants to tune in every week for a dull video; however, John’s intellect captivates. His videos offer critical arguments that never fail to spur personal insight. Reality. John Green’s prose and dialogue express the true reality of the world in which we live -- not only within societies, but within the minds of human beings. He explains that every person matters and that we ought to take the time to understand ourselves to acknowledge everyone else around us.

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danger when he finds a clue that might help him understand why his parents disappeared when he was young.

Top 15 Movies of 2012 By Gabriella Boulos There have been many great movies produced over the year of 2012. But the question remains: which were the best ones? Through a great deal of research, I have come up with a list of the top 15 best movies of 2012. 1. Argo: A re-enactment of the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to bring six American fugitives out of revolutionary Iran.

7. Lawless: A gang is threatened by a new deputy and other authorities who want a cut of their profits. 8. 21 Jump Street: Two cops are sent back to blend in at a local high school to bring down a synthetic drug that is spreading across the community. 9. Perks of Being a Wallflower: A reclusive freshman learns about the real world from two seniors who take him under their wings. 10. Chronicle: Three high school friends gain superpowers after making an incredible discovery underground. They soon find their friendship and the control of their powers tested as they embrace their darker sides. 11. The Bourne Legacy: Centered on a new hero’s life that gets into jeopardy due to the events in the previous three films.

2. The Dark Knight Rises: A new threat brings the Dark Knight back to protect Gotham City, a city that thinks of him as an enemy.

12. Premium Rush: A bike messenger in Manhattan picks up an envelope that attracts the interest of a dirty cop, who follows the cyclist throughout the city.

3. Avengers: A team of super humans form The Avengers to help save the Earth from evil.

13. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: A nine-year-old boy searches New York City for the lock that matches a mysterious key left behind by his father, who died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

4. Skyfall: James Bond’s loyalty is tested when M’s past comes back to haunt her. He must track down and destroy the threat, no matter the cost. 5. Moonrise Kingdom: A search party forms when a pair of two young lovers flees their New England town.

PHOTO BY KRISTY PUCHKO

6. The Amazing Spiderman: Peter Parker puts himself and the ones he loves in

14. The Lucky One: After serving three missions in Iraq, a Marine travels to Louisiana in search of the unknown woman he believes was his good luck charm during the war.

15. This Means War: Two top CIA workers discover they’re dating the same woman, and battle one another for her love.

City of Bones: The Next Big Thing? By Roshaany Asirvatham Teen novel series are notorious for being adapted into films, and City of Bones by Cassandra Clare is no exception. The first book of The Mortal Instruments series is expected to steal the spotlight with its theatrical release on August 23, 2013. The books, selling more than 12 million copies worldwide, have been a big hit; but there is no telling if the movie will live up to the book’s popularity. This fantasy novel follows fifteen-year-old Clary Fray: an average girl whose world turns upside down when she witnesses a murder committed by three strange teenagers. Her mother is then kidnapped. The coincidence of the events startle her, and in desperate need for answers she uncovers a world within her own. This world is filled with strange beings called Shadowhunters, whose mandate is to rid the world of demons. But why would Clary and her mother, two seemingly ordinary humans, be involved in the Shadowhunter world? She meets Jace Wayland, known to be one of the best Shadowhunters of his time, and fellow Shadowhunters, Isabelle and her brother Alec Lightwood. They are all eager to uncover the answers to questions that link Clary and her mother to the Shadowhunter world. As Clary digs deep to discover secrets kept hidden by her mother, she soon realizes that her role in the Shadowhunter world seems to be bigger than imagined. Not only is her goal to find her mother, but also to keep the Shadowhunter world from falling to pieces. In order to stay true to the novel, the actors chosen had to have the ability to bring these characters to life. Lily Collins will play the strong protagonist, Clary Fray. Jamie Campbell Bower, who is no stranger to popular teen movie franchises (Twilight and Harry Potter), will take on the role of Jace Wayland. Canada’s own Kevin Zegers will play the reserved Shadowhunter, Alec Lightwood. Fierce sister of Alec, Isabelle Lightwood, will be played by Jemima West. Other actors who take part in the film are: Robert Sheehan who will play Simon Lewis; Clary’s best friend who follows Clary into the Shadowhunter’s world; and

Game of Thrones’s Lena Headway, who will play Clary’s mother, Jocelyn. These talents are each on their way to starring in the next big movie franchise. It is safe to say that you should not be surprised to hear the buzz about the movie very soon. With the Twilight series at its end, it is inevitable that another major picture adaptation should fall victim to Twilight comparisons. But before you say, “Oh, here comes another Twilight movie,” pick up a copy of Cassandra Clare’s City of Bones and judge it for yourself. But if you are not a fan of reading, check out the movie, which hits theatres in August. If you are not convinced enough, make sure you also check out the trailer for the movie!

PHOTO BY ERIN WILLARD

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WACT WACT By Ashley Quan MODERN FAMILY TV, Comedy

Perfection. There are a lot of great comedies out there: How I Met Your Mother, Community, The Office, and The Big Bang Theory to name a few. But to me (and the Emmys), Modern Family just always comes out on top. The show has everything a good comedy should. It has a witty sense of humour, great comedic timing, and excellent acting. But what sets Modern Family apart from the rest? Modern Family has something that many comedies lack: heart. There is so much heart in Modern Family; every episode ends in a feel-good, warm and fuzzy moment without feeling cheesy or forced. The show’s premise is not anything off the charts or zany, but thrives off living in a relatively normal world. This makes it extremely relatable, because it tells stories of everyday people living their everyday lives. They do it with honesty, sincerity, and a fantastic sense of humour, and that is what gets me in the heart each time. ONE DIRECTION - LITTLE THINGS Single, Pop

Upon first listen, Little Things is very easy on the ears. Unlike One Direction’s previous singles, Little Things is a tender ballad featuring only their voices and the strumming of acoustic guitars. There is something really sweet and gentle in the boys’ (over-produced) vocals -- not to mention that the music video features the five of them acting ridiculously adorable. It is even filmed in black and white – can you say ‘artsy’? But after I got over the pretty faces and the soothing sound, I started to listen to what they were actually singing. To put it bluntly: the lyrics are terrible. Not that lyrics have ever been a priority to One Direction, whose first and most successful single feature the line “You don’t know you’re beautiful / That’s what makes you beautiful.” But the lyrics in Little Things take it to the next level. I’ll let the them speak for themselves: “I’m joining up the dots with the freckles on your cheeks / And it all makes sense to me ... / You’ve never loved your stomach or your thighs / The dimples in your back at the bottom of your spine... You never want to know how much you weigh / You still have to squeeze into your jeans / But you’re perfect to me.” Um, thanks? I’m glad that you decided to serenade me with all my insecurities. It does not take a genius to see that these lyrics are not good. But, more than that, I just cannot stand behind the message that this song sends out.

By Talin Atikian PHOTOS BY DISNEY

Wreck-it-Ralph is an adventure-packed animated movie. It centres on a video game character called Wreck-itRalph. He comes from the video game Fix-it-Felix Jr, where he breaks windows and crushes walls for the game’s hero, Fix-it-Felix, in order to fix it with his trusty hammer. Felix is awarded for his efforts with a medal. In spite of this, Ralph decides to ditch the life of being a villain and ventures off into different video games where he tries to prove that he, too, can be a hero. After hopping from game to game, he ends up in Hero’s Duty, where he meets the resilient Sergeant Calhoun (Jane Lynch). He finally receives a medal from using his climbing skills to “hack” his way up to the tower. Suddenly, he accidentally ejects into a different video game, Sugar Rush -- and brings a virus along with him. The virus is a huge threat to Sugar Rush and all of Game Central. Upon meeting mischievous Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman), a Glitch who everyone picks on, she steals his medal and uses it as a coin in-game which allows her to enter the races. She soon becomes one of his allies, and will help him retrieve the medal, if only he helps her build a car and teaches her how to drive. Sergeant

THE VOICE TV, Reality

The Voice shines brightest at the beginning of the competition during the blind auditions. While some may consider the button-pushing, chair-turning thing a tad gimmicky, you cannot deny that it adds a level of suspense, and an extra layer of investment. The four judges, established musicians in the industry, are all refreshingly articulate and honest in their critiques. Even when a contestant doesn’t make it through to the next round, the judges do a good job of giving helpful feedback, and delivering it in a way that lets them leave with their head held high. On top of that, all the auditions are good ones. While seemingly logical, every other talent show on TV enjoys using their airtime on bad auditions. (Apparently, people find humour in making fun of a person’s lack of talent.) The coaches are all very likeable, and they have a great sense of camaraderie. However, as the series progresses, the show becomes increasingly frustrating to watch. Constructive criticism becomes non-existent, and coaches do nothing but sing praises to their artists –even when contestants do a poor rendition of a song. The honesty the coaches once had towards their artist begins to deteriorate, as does my trust in the coaches and my emotional investment in the show. X FACTOR TV, Reality

Oh, X Factor. The big engine that couldn’t. You try so hard, but you invest money in all the wrong places. If you are a singing competition, investing in proper audio equipment should be a given. But not to X Factor. No, they would much rather invest that money in six noisy smoke machines, 50 lasers, and 300 backup dancers. X Factor and I both have that in common: we have our priorities all mixed up. It is clear that X Factor has a lot of money at its disposal, but it prefers to spend it on flash and over-production, rather than investing in what could really be a quality show. It has Simon Cowell, for crying out loud! He is the stamp of talent/reality TV judge. And he is extremely unlikable on it. In fact, none of the judges are likeable. There is a lot of tension on the panel, making it uncomfortable for viewers at home to watch. The judges are not very good at mentoring either, as they tend to limit artistic freedom and often concentrate more on stage production than vocal performance. While there is talent on the show, many of the more gifted contestants were let go earlier on. X Factor feels insincere and inauthentic; it settles for mediocre. But I still tune in every week.

Calhoun and Fix-it-Felix team up in destroying the virus. Will Vanellope win the race? Will Ralph get his medal and prove that he can also be a hero? Can Sergeant Calhoun and Fix-it-Felix stop the virus in time? When I watched this film, I was filled with nostalgia. I was ecstatic; my fellow gamers and I could finally show the world what they were missing if they did not have video games in their childhood. Just the sheer amount of awesomeness found in the movie poster was enough to drive me straight to the movie theatre. The amazing soundtrack made by Henry Jackman gave the movie just what it needed with the 8-bit music mixed in with epic orchestra (Skrillex and Noisia were featured too!). So many little things made this movie just that awesome: the exclamation mark from Metal Gear Solid, the Mario Kart inspired track in Sugar Rush, and many others just waiting to be identified. Featuring many famous characters such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Pac-Man, Wreck-it-Ralph is full of colour, adventure, and nostalgia. It is equal fun for both kids and adults, making it a “smashing” movie for all. VOLUME 18 / ISSUE 1 mwplanet 21

By Arevik Vardanyan

Aside from performing her inspiring and evocative music, Marina connected with her fans frequently through small talks about the following performances and by making full use of the entire stage. Her voice, even more moving live, along with her lovely British accent, captivated all of her fans, and especially this writer. Marina played most of the tracks from her latest album, Electra Heart, but also performed a few tracks from her first album, Family Jewels.

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On December 3, 2012, the electric and indie pop singer, Marina and the Diamonds, took the stage at Kool Haus in Toronto. The show began with the hyped “diamonds” (fans, according to Marina) being treated to an opening act by the amazing Swedish synthpop duo Icona Pop. Although it was my first time listening to the indie-pop house music of the Swedish pair, I quickly fell in love with their upbeat tunes that made you just want to dance. Combined with the great atmosphere, it was an incredible start to the show.

After a long 30-minute wait, Marina and the Diamonds finally took to the stage with her heartfelt ballad, “Homewrecker.” Accompanying the British sensation’s performance was a spectacularly decorated stage designed just for The Lonely Hearts Club tour. The stage featured the famous “Electra

Heart” in the background and was embellished with touches of bubblegum, black, and baby pink. The stage also had a hook hanger that flaunted the fantastic costumes Marina changed into for different songs.

I loved every single performance of Marina’s, due to her creative prop use of a silk sleeping gown cardigan, her personalized sashes, large heart shaped sunglasses, and bridal veil. I would say that Radioactive, Hollywood and Power & Control were the most memorable performances because of Marina’s energy, dancing, and constant spinning. She finished the Toronto show of the Lonely Hearts Club tour with her latest single, “How to be a Heartbreaker,” a playful melody that left the audience exposed to heartache. Marina and the Diamonds presented an unforgettable night for her fans, and her music will live on in the cold hearts of her “diamonds”. PHOTOS BY AREVIK VARDANYAN

22 mwplanet VOLUME 18 / ISSUE 1

creative spaces SPACES CREATIVE By: Carolina Vecchiarelli I was gasping for air, running through the streets of Rome with a gun in one hand and blood in the other. Millions of questions were racing through my mind. “What did I do? Why did I do it? Oh my God, am I going to jail?” I turned into a gloomy alleyway as I fought with myself, and then stopped dead in my tracks. I could not believe my eyes. I felt the blood drain from my face. I began trembling. Then she finally spoke. “Nick. Nick, what have you done?” I was dumbfounded. “Fine, do not answer me, but please, Nick, just turn yourself in. You cannot keep running!” She stood there looking at me with her bright blue eyes and gorgeous long blonde hair, wearing her favourite white silk robe. I started feeling lightheaded. Was that really her? She chuckled, then said, “Yes, Nick, it is me and I will always love you no matter what.” And then she was gone. No flash, no boom, nothing. She just disappeared right in front of me, and I did not understand how.

By: Erin Edghill My head is full of questions But they won’t come out They get lost in the lyrics of my favourite songs As my mind mellows to the soothing sounds of the guitar The words twist and turn till they are nothing but dust Swept under the carpet Never to be seen Their answers no longer sought after A distant memory Waiting to be Triggered Longing to burst FREE

So I yelled, “Maria! I love you! Please come back!” I began sobbing, “I miss you, and I do not know why I did this! But I will fix everything, I promise!” Suddenly, police cars were speeding my way and policemen were pinning me to the ground. I yelled, “Maria, I am sorry! I am sorry!” At the corner of my eye, I saw a policeman pull out a taser. I yelled, “Please, no! Maria, help me!” I was out cold… TO BE CONTINUED… Follow up with this dramatic story in issue 2 of the Mary Ward Planet

VOLUME 18 / ISSUE 1 mwplanet 23

fun & games FUN & GAMES lted tter, me

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Several male teachers at Mary Ward grew facial hair for ‘Movember,’ an annual fundraiser. Can you guess which mustache belongs to who?

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AKELIF EDELIC r, sifted e w o IOUS.C p 1. Preh ocoa c OM p e u a c t ½ o v e n to 18 f cake tin w o la il 0 n ° a C it . ocker V 2. In a b h baking pap Line a round Betty Cr icing f o e o r b w an u t l, beat t 1 te he sug d set aside. Chocola a r and e to 3. Beat ggs in the fl gether. kers c a r c e o ic r u f r o , m t a nd elte 1 packe 4. Pour vanilla until w d butter, coc o ell com mixture bined. a into ca k e tin an 25 5. Leav d bake e the c -30 minutes. for ake to cool. O cooled 6. Place , slice cake in nce the cake to is t bag an he vanilla icin 8 wedges. d snip a g into a co Ziplock onto th e wedg rner off. Pipe th es to co ver the e icing 7. Place whole of the f brownie ront or a rice c Z .N r . O a .C c T ker into KIDSPO create t h e PHOTO BY b 8. Now o -- here a tree stump. ttom to comes the fun with va -rious d ecoratio decorate ns!

Once finished creating this delicious treat, take a funny or Christmas-y photo of yourself with your baked good and send it to mwplanet@gmail.com for your chance to win a tasty treat. Also, the winner’s photo will posted on the Mary Ward Planet’s website. Happy baking and good luck!

PHOTOS BY DAN GONZALES

It’s the rush before break! Help Joe get to his teacher’s consultation list before it’s too late!

a. Mr. Laconte

e. Mr. Candiatto

b. Mr. Wong

f. Mr. McAlpine

c. Mr. Notten

g. Mr. Morra

d. Mr. Carabine

h. Mr. Adourian

Check your answers at mwplanet.tumblr.com! 24 mwplanet VOLUME 18 / ISSUE 1

ILLUSTRATION BY FAYE ZHANG