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MARY WARD PLANET
volume 20 || issue 2 || spring edition 2015
Mental Health | Cirque De La Nuit | School Spirit
cover
tableof of contents contents table
editorial
03 editorial 04 world issues physician assisted death ban struck down american sniper: hardly an american hero
05 la petite planete des musiciens franco canadiens jouez, creez: vivez! la poesie francais
07 life heaDStart vs. freshstart: what’s better new year, new me! “literally”overused and abused words cash flow or savvy joe? to accept or not to accept? only i didn’t say fudge (or the sociology of profanity)
CODE OF ETHICS
All content © 2014-2015 Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this newspaper, in part or whole, is prohibited without the approval of 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 selfdirected 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) in 1995.
10 community community wrap-up do you smell that? eat healthy (desserts), stay healthy semi - cirque de la nuit winter activity day the interview: getting to know your teachers better shsm 2015: health and wellness ward’s newest club and your ticket to unit completion
15 sports sports wrap-up are the raptors elite enough? australian open championship 2015 skating: not just a pastime apathy: 1 school spirit: 0 t.i.p.s.y. getting fit... on a tuesday!
19 wact a killer tv show marvel worlds unite streaming superstars a new kind of crack new 3ds? ... not really
21 creative spaces race to freedom recess student illustrations illustrations from skills student photography photography from skills
21 FUN & GAMES mary ward crossword mary ward problem #7 mug brownie recipe
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ez nne Cort a e L to ingh ntha Quin a m Serena S a S o Dacoc a Gomba c n Adrienne ia B lagon a Serdon Joyce Gio anilla e B n ont hy Nguye t Kaitlyn P a C h ijme lyn Wong e s Andrea N o J r e d er Iskan nda Tann a Veronica m A ino eorge egra Fior Kieona G ll A ilva Julia D’S o e Bueran n n A y r a M
table of contents
editorial editorial
world issues Bell did the right thing when they came up with the hashtag #BellLetsTalk. It raises awareness on the topic of mental health, and encourages discussion on an otherwise taboo subject. Discussion allows individuals to contribute both informed and uninformed conclusions about mental health, which, while raising awareness, can hinder progress on properly understanding mental health and the associated topic of mental illness. Mental illnesses are constantly being ignored and discriminated against and nowadays, it is also being interpreted as an excuse. The lack of education on mental illnesses can already cause the afflicted to be confused about their current condition, of which, the stigmatization of those suffering from mental illness can cause unnecessary additional stress on the afflicted as well. A mental illness or disorder is defined as a behavioural anomaly that can impair one’s ability to perform natural tasks or participate in ordinary activities. Mental illnesses cannot be categorized into one specific health issue. Although symptoms from different disorders can overlap each other, there are distinct emotional and physical characteristics that can be associated with each disorder. As a result, those suffering with mental illnesses can misunderstand their current condition. They can be confused because they cannot understand their emotions or struggles. Even worse, when those affected by mental illness attempt to reach out to others and explain their current situation, they usually face a lack of understanding from their peers. This is due to the fact that most people have no idea what having a mental illness feels like, and thus, those with mental illness are further alienated from their companions. At the latest Mary Ward Senior Student Assembly, Kendra Fisher described to the audience her symptoms of hopelessness and anxiety. Most people could not comprehend it nor did they understand what it felt like for a person’s “heart to be so heavy that it might burst”, as described by Kendra Fisher. It goes without saying that most people fear what they do not understand. How do high school students react to the unknown? Well, they can either ignore its presence or they can become cruel and insensitive, which is what turns the subject into a mockery. People are not limited to these options. Students have multiple guest speakers that come in with their own personal experiences to share. They come to educate students about mental health and stigma, so that they may have options when it comes to understanding what surrounding people might be going through. Not only is it crucial to stay away from ignorance when it comes to mental health, it is also of extreme importance to remember that people are not defined by their mental illnesses.
It can be difficult to live with the various struggles that mental illness can present, such as social withdrawal, difficulty performing familiar tasks and heightened sensitivity to sights and surroundings. A person is more than their mental illness. Each person is distinct from all of their thoughts and is not defined by what goes on in their head. It is important to be understanding of their struggles and to be patient and non-judgemental with them as a person. A survey conducted by the Toronto Star shows that 8.3% of youth can honestly say that they have experienced a time in their life when they felt intensely emotional and felt angrier or sadder or more hopeless during a period of time. They felt mentally unhealthy and drained, but most of all, they felt alone. It is imperative that students understand that if they ever feel excessively depressed and upset, it is important that they seek help. Keeping it to themselves can worsen the symptoms and can lead to drastic consequences. In light of the need for those who suffer from mental illness to seek help, it is important to foster a safe environment that encourages, rather than vilifies, a person’s search for understanding of their disability. Not one single person should have to go through the distress that mental illness causes by themselves. Suicide has become one of the leading causes of death in youth. Evidently, there is a lack of communication and emotional support between youth, which leads them to think that there is only one way out. No one with a mental disorder should feel as of they are alone, and it has been said many times. There are support groups and teachers to talk to and counsellors that one can see, and there are also numerous people who were in the same shoes. Those are the people whose stories should be heard because it means that there is a way out of the struggle that a person with mental illness is facing. Mental illness is difficult to understand. The general public can be ignorant and misinformed about mental disorders. Those with a lack of understanding can use terms associated with mental disorders loosely. By making light of the seriousness of this issue, others are inadvertently adding to the stigmatisation of mental illness in general. Students are surrounded with opportunities to truly understand mental illness. One should not be quick to judge their surroundings, but stand by each and every single person they meet instead, so that they can be there to lend a hand for someone that feels like there is no one left around them. If you are seeking help, please talk to your Teacher Advisor or your guidance counsellor for further information. VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 03
editorial
By Cathy Nguyen The Supreme Court of Canada has unanimously overturned the ban on doctor-assisted suicide for adults who are mentally competent, but physically or psychologically suffering intolerably and permanently. The ruling came in the morning of February 6, 2015. The court has suspended its ruling for 12 months to give the Canadian government, medical regulatory bodies, and provinces a chance to draft new legislation that reflects the ruling.
The court says that the current ban on doctor-assisted death infringes on the life, liberty, and security of person provisions in Section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Furthermore, the ruling does not limit doctor-assisted suicide to those who suffer from a terminal illness, which raises a lot of questions about eligibility, restrictions, and requirements. The judgment says that the current laws “unjustifiably infringe s. 7 of the charter and are of no force or effect to the extent that they prohibit physicianassisted death for a competent adult person who (1) clearly consents to the termination of life and (2) has a grievous and irremediable medical condition (including an illness, disease or disability) that causes enduring suffering that is intolerable to the individual in the circumstances of his or her condition.” Should Parliament decide not to come up with new legislation, provinces and medical regulatory bodies will have to devise the details themselves. There are many questions that face those who are drafting the new legislation. For example, the usage of VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 04
world issues world issues
“competent adult person” begs the question, what exactly constitutes competence? How would it be measured in people across the country with a wide variety of physical and mental afflictions? Will doctors be forced to assist a patient who wishes to have medical assistance in suicide? How long should the process to determine eligibility take? Especially considering the many different medical conditions that could be cause for physicianassisted death with varying rates of progression of severity. Leaving any of these questions unanswered could potentially lead to the exploitation of physician-assisted death, which could prove disastrous to Canada.
PHOTO BY THE TORONTO SUN The reactions to this ruling have been mixed across the board. Critics of it say that it puts disabled people at risk, due to the implication that people who are living with a disability (or disabilities) are simply tolerating their disability and not embracing it. Furthermore, critics say that due to the fear and vulnerability people feel as they near the end of their lives, they will take advantage of physician-assisted death during a moment of intense fear and/or vulnerability. However, there are as many people supporting this decision as there are opposing it. Many say that this ruling supports the Canadian values of compassion and autonomy. A woman who took her mother to Switzerland for doctor-assisted death due to a degenerative spinal condition says that Canadians now “have a choice to die with dignity in our country, surrounded by friends and family.” It is obvious that there are many arguments to both the supporting and opposing sides of this ruling, however, until Parliament comes up with an official legislation, only speculation on potential risks can be addressed.
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PHOTO BY WARNER BROS. PICTURES By Katie Kennedy North Americans are flocking to see American Sniper, a controversial movie about an ex-SEAL who was commissioned to protect his fellow marines in Iraq. It’s actually quite predictable that American Sniper has been breaking box office records since its release in January. The film’s plot follows the always-popular storyline of the “American hero,” who goes to war and fights evil. Chris Kyle, the real soldier whose life the movie depicts, is not your average soldier, but a lethal marksman who the US military credits 160 to 350 Iraqi “kills”. These numbers represent real human beings who were killed by Kyle, with the statistic including many women and children. The response to American Sniper provides an interesting insight into the mind of the 21st Century North American citizen. Many are sympathetic towards the film’s protagonist and view him as an American hero without questioning what heroism really means. The movie has experienced record viewing and in its opening weekend raked in a massive $89 million, with reports of an audience “stunned into silence” and “veterans leaving the theaters in tears.” Twitter and other forms of social media have been filled with hatemongers who are perpetuating hate filled comments against people who are Arabic, Muslim or both. This nonchalant attitude towards the destruction of others is one of the many consequences of the Iraq war and involves the normalization of Islamophobia. It is clear that Eastwood’s film has played a significant role in stirring up raw emotions and
hatred that will lead to nothing besides the propagation of militarism and war at a time when what is needed is peace and harmony. Some North American writers were critical of American Sniper, however, such as Dennis Jett from The New Republic. Jett wrote an article criticizing the film, highlighting Kyle’s stimulation behind his Iraq mission; the association of Iraq with weapons of mass destruction and the tragedy of 9/11. Furthermore, Lindy West, an American writer and film critic, wrote an article in The Guardian asking: “The real American Sniper was a hate-filled killer. Why are simplistic patriots treating him as a hero?” Her statement is supported by Chris Kyle’s own autobiography, where he called all Iraqis “savages”, and described his desire to go back to Fallujah and kill more innocent civilians. In some scenes of this movie, Clint Eastwood tries to present Kyle as battling moral anxieties and hesitant to shoot at a target that was either an Iraqi woman or child. However, according to Chris Kyle’s autobiography, he viewed all Iraqis as the enemy, and explicitly evil savages. In reality, Kyle went beyond that and killed women and children. Chris Kyle should not be depicted as a soldier fighting for his homeland, but instead, as a remorseless killer. American Sniper is a movie about psychopathy and murder rather than glory and heroism. It is actually sad and offensive that after all of the atrocities that occurred in the Iraq war, someone like Chris Kyle is being glorified and revered. In the words of Michael Moore, “this film just underscores how many lives we ruined by doing something terribly wrong”.
world issues
Par Julia D’Silva 1. Cœur de Pirate « Cœur de Pirate » est le nom de scène de Béatrice Martin, une chanteuse de Montréal. Elle est allée au Conservatoire de musique de Québec à Montréal. Cœur de Pirate a joué avec quelques groupes avant de commencer sa carrière solo. Elle chante parfois en anglais, mais principalement en français. Elle a gagné 4 prix Félix depuis son début solo en 2009. Écoute : Golden Baby et sa reprise de la chanson Wicked Games par The Weeknd
PHOTO PAR 96.9 CKOI 2. Lisa LeBlanc Lisa LeBlanc est une chanteuse Acadienne qui vient de NouveauBrunswick. Sa musique est grandement influencée par ses origines acadiennes. Son premier album Lisa LeBlanc était en français, mais son nouvel album Highways, Heartaches and Time Well Wasted est en anglais. Écoute : Kraft Dinner et Lignes d’Hydro
PHOTO PAR LISA BLANCA
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Écoute : Décembre avec Orelsan et Rien ne sert de courir 4. Les Sœurs Boulay Deux sœurs, Stéphanie et Mélanie Boulay, jouent de la musique folk. Elles viennent de la Gaspésie, au Québec, et elles ont gagné deux prix Félix pour leur premier album Le poids des confettis. Elles sont allées en tournée pendant 2014, et elles vont publier un nouvel album pendant l’automne de 2015. Écoute : Mappemonde et T’es pas game
PHOTO PAR VILLE D’ACTON VALE 5. Louis-Jean Cormier Né à Sept-Îles, Québec, Louis-Jean Cormier est un musicien d’indie rock. Il était un membre du groupe Karkwa de 1998 à 2011. En 2013, il a gagné un prix Juno pour son premier album, Le treizième étage. Écoute : Tout le monde en même temps et L’ascenseur
PHOTO PAR RADIO-CANADA
3. Karim Ouellet Karim Ouellet est un auteurcompositeur-interprète qui est né au Sénégal. Il a déménagé à Québec quand il avait 15 ans, et en 2011 il a publié son premier album, Plume. En 2014, Karim Ouellet a gagné le prix Juno pour son deuxième album, Fox. Son musique est un mélange des genres folk, hip-hop et pop.
6. Marie-Mai Marie-Mai Bouchard est une chanteuse Québécoise. Elle chante du jazz, pop et rock. Marie-Mai a participé sur l’émission Star Académie, une émission de la téléréalité comme ‘American Idol’. Elle a gagné la troisième place sur l’émission. Elle a sorti 5 albums qui sont, sauf un, tous certifiés platine. Puis, Marie-Mai a gagné 9 prix Félix depuis son premier album en 2005. Écoute : C’est moi et Laissez-moi dormir
PHOTO PAR URBA
PHOTO PAR 7JOURS
Par Amanda Tanner Il y a des leçons dans la vie qu’on apprendra seulement si on saute dans une piscine d’opportunités avec ceux qui partagent la même passion avec nous. Les jeunes qui intègrent eux-mêmes dans les arts, les sports ou la culture développent une connaissance pour le sens de communauté et la vérité de la coexistence. Quand ils commencent à explorer les sports, les arts et la culture, ils commencent à trouver une réalité dans la vie. Le monde collapsera en désespoir sans ces branches d’activités parce que le monde sera plat, sans créativité et sans aventure. Les arts, les sports et la culture créent la diversité dans la vie, ils enseignent des leçons précieuses, et nous offrent un sens d'appartenance dans le monde. La participation dans les arts enrichit l’esprit et la motivation des étudiants. Par exemple, le mouvement culturel de hip hop, présenté par plusieurs moyens artistiques (incluant la musique, la danse, la poésie, etc…) nous donne l’occasion d’utiliser un de ces moyens à capturer l’essence d’une image plus grande. Pour plusieurs de jeunes adolescents, c'est le moyen d'exprimer un message. Ce moyen d’art rassemble les jeunes qui sont motivés pour avoir un impact sur leur audience. Michael Dana Gioia, un poète Américain, a dit, « L’art est un moyen irremplaçable de comprendre et d'exprimer le monde ». Le résultat de l’art apporte un sens d’unité et, comme on peut voir dans le monde aujourd’hui, l’unité apporte de la paix et de l’harmonie; une autonomisation communautaire. Au Canada, où on a la liberté de l’expression et du pensé, on est chanceux d’avoir le pouvoir d’utiliser les sports, les arts et la culture pour présenter nos idées avec nos communautés. Les sports et les arts offrent une nouvelle expérience dehors un curriculum d’éducation. Comme membre d’une équipe de soccer, par exemple, on développe des compétences par la pratique sur le terrain. On ne parle pas des compétences physiques, on parle de
PHOTO PAR BEA SERDON l’apprentissage des virtus universelles. Dr. Sylvia Rimm, une psychologue pour les enfants a dit, « Le monde du sport reflète comment on peut jouer le jeu de l'école et la vie ». En pratiquant constamment pour s’améliorer, on développera la patience, la détermination, et le courage pour la vie. La culture varie dans chaque pays et même peut varier dans chaque voisinage au Canada à cause du multiculturalisme. La culture est une nécessitée pour l’unité d’une communauté. Quand ceux qui partagent une culture se réunissent, ils trouvent un sens d’appartenance. Puis, le multiculturalisme donne une chance aux communautés de trouver des similarités et des différences entre leurs voisins pour apprendre plus au sujet du monde qu’ils y vivent. Je crois que sans la culture, nous serions tous la même race, avec les mêmes croyances et les mêmes idées avec rien à dire et rien à faire. La diversité donne l’occasion aux jeunes qui veulent travailler pour établir la paix entre nos cultures. La culture est essentielle pour le développement du monde entier. On peut voir avec la recherche et l’expérience comment les sports, les arts et la culture contribuent à l’unité des communautés et comment ils donnent aux jeunes un moyen à s’exprimer. Ils nous donnent l’occasion de faire des liens avec les autres pour faire une différence, ils nous enseignent des leçons dehors la classe, et ils nous font sentir comme un parti de quelque chose plus grand que nous-mêmes. Les sports, les arts et la culture offrent l’unité, l’expression du soi, et d’éducation dans notre monde aujourd’hui. VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 05
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Chaque Jeudi soir, Pleurez des larmes de joie, De l’amour français.
Bébé, j’aime tes yeux Tu es très belle et je t’aime Tu es dans mon cœur
Par Maurice Yeung
Par Christopher Rondilla IMAGE PAR JUSTYNE BENICO
life
IMAGE PAR BEA SERDON
Jour populaire mais, Je n’aime pas « Valentines ». Seulement, « Galentines ».
Je ne sais jamais. C’est difficile de savoir Où est la réponse
Par Laura Rocha-Sersanti
Par Carolyn Aun
IMAGE PAR JUSTYNE BENICO
IMAGE PAR BEA SERDON
Je t’aime beaucoup. Vous êtes mon chéri dans ma vie, Je t’adore seulement toujours.
J’aime la couleur rouge Ça me rappelle de l’amour Tu me manques beaucoup
Par Mme. Bailey
Par Stephanie Ng Ping Cheung IMAGE PAR BEA SERDON
IMAGE PAR NINOSHKA PAIS J’aime les bisous, Les bisous de chocolat. Ça c’est un haïku. Par Krystal Salonia
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Ma chérie, Je pense à toi Tous les jours Et tous les soirs. Mon cœur Est à toi. Tes yeux comme les étoiles.
L’amour est dans l’air Les petits bisous très beaux Sur ton joue, je t’aime.
Par Mr. Cuschieri
Par Abbygail Silva-Porras
IMAGE PAR BEA SERDON
IMAGE PAR NINOSHKA PAIS
la petite planète
life life
life
By Joyce Giolagon By Julia D’Silva Before beginning their grade nine year, Mary Ward students have the opportunity to participate in the Headstart program: a monthlong course introducing them to the self-directed program at Mary Ward. Although most entering students choose to complete the course, there are those that decide not to. The question is: is it better to start fresh in September or start early in July? Participating in the Headstart program gives you a credit and an introduction to the unique program of Mary Ward, as well as the opportunity to meet the rest of your grade. “It was fun to just meet everyone,” said Kevin, a grade ten student. “If I had the choice now, I would take the course, 100%,” said Kasia, who didn’t participate in the Headstart program. “I just remember
year with the false expectations that people got from Headstart.” Although the general consensus seems to be that Headstart is a worthwhile program, the experience will be different for everyone. “I think most people were already in their cliques so they didn’t separate or try to make a lot of friends.” said Dominique of her time in Headstart. “It would have helped if you were able to schedule your own day,” said another student, Jonathan.
It’s the beginning of 2015 and many of us have New Year’s resolutions that we hope to accomplish. However, those resolutions are probably a lot easier said than done. Here are a few tips to make sure that
Completion of the Headstart course does not guarantee success at Ward, but most seem to agree that it has helped them. “If I hadn’t done Headstart, I would have come in here completely blind,” said Jonathan. Kasia agreed that “It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but when you get here and you don’t know anything, it’s a pretty big deal. “ you stick to your New Year’s resolutions before they become too overwhelming: 1. Set yourself a goal that’s realistic. If your New Year’s resolution was to give up eating chocolate for the entire year, there’s a big chance you won’t be able to complete it. Your best option is to break down your plan into a goal that is a lot more reasonable. Why not limit yourself to eating chocolate or any sweets only on Fridays as a prize for surviving another week of school? This goal is a lot more achievable than not eating chocolate for an entire year, and you’ll feel a lot better when you actually accomplish it! PHOTO BY BEA SERDON
feeling really lost.” It is true that there are many necessary skills required for success at Mary Ward that are learnt in the Headstart program, such as how to read TA mail, how to manage your time, and how to use the agenda. On the other hand, there are those who don’t regret their decision not to complete the Headstart program. Andrea, a tenth-grader, says that not doing Headstart was the best decision she’d ever made. “I was able to really enjoy my last summer before high school,” she said, “and I didn’t start the
you will stick to it. It also makes your resolution a reality and can help you be very aware of it. A friend can also help you stay on track with whatever you wish to achieve, and you can even create a resolution that you can complete together. However, make sure that it is something that you both agree on (as aforementioned) since
Attending the Headstart program gives students the opportunity to get to know who they are and who they can be. On the other hand, upon entering your first day at Mary Ward (without having attended the Headstart program), will you be faced with a labyrinth? No, definitely not. There are actually many students who have transferred in grade ten or eleven that are doing just fine here at Mary Ward. The only difference is that they are short one credit and have been introduced to the selfdirected system by being self-directed.
2. Create a resolution that will better you as a person. Resolutions are made for each person’s individual benefit, so if you create a resolution that you genuinely care about, there’s a big chance you’ll stick to it. Take a moment to reflect on your own self and find something that you can work towards that you know will make you feel happier. 3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Resolutions don’t need to be completed on your own. Tell someone about your resolution as a way to ensure that
PHOTO BY JUSTYNE BENICO you both will feel a lot more dedicated! 4. Reward yourself/Keep a positive attitude. As you progress towards achieving your New Year’s resolution, show yourself some love! Motivation is very important and if you start to lack in motivation, it will bring forth many setbacks and room for failure. If your resolution was to be more active, praise yourself for going through the effort of hitting the gym or taking a jog. It’s so easy for all of us to lose sight of our plans and goals because it becomes too difficult and it would be much easier to just give up, but if we look at our resolutions optimistically, you’ll realize that it will be worth it in the long run. Make sure to recognize all of your achievements; no matter how little they are and even if they don’t seem to count for much at first. New Year’s Resolutions aren’t for everyone, so if you didn’t think of one this year, don’t be alarmed! These tips can also be applied to help keep any long-term goals you’ve set for yourself. And to those who needed a bit of a push, the Planet wish you the best of luck on your resolutions. Make 2015 a good year! VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 07
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By Allegra Fiorino Every December, publications start coming out with scads of lists; best books of the year, worst movies of the year, most shocking celebrity break-ups of the year. Lists upon lists upon lists meant to define the past 12 months. One list that often pops up however is most overused words of the year. Usually, lists of most overused words focus on new, trendy words that have seen a sudden surge in usage; twerk, selfie, and hashtag are commonly cited examples. These neologisms are admittedly irritating, and we’d likely all be pleased to hear them less frequently. “Overuse” is the wrong complaint, however. We really are talking about selfies and hashtags alarmingly often these days, so invoking the words themselves makes complete sense. The real scourge of overused words is far less obvious. Literally. Honestly. Absolutely. Our everyday language has become littered with such terms, so nondescript and ubiquitous that we barely even register their presence. Unique, a word meaning “unlike anything else,” has become so common that we now modify it with very or so to emphasize that it really is unlike anything else, rather than just
By Amanda Tanner Money coming into your own personal bank account every couple of weeks sounds attractive but it’s scary when it comes to balancing school with a part-time job. Between assignments, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and everything in between, students question whether they will ever have the time to make money on the side. Students actually spend more time contemplating whether or not they can handle a part-time job, than they do actually applying and gaining first-hand experience. Having a part-time job is a huge responsibility, however students often think of it as a bigger deal that it really is. Taking the risk of accepting a job is not really a risk at all. As a young person in the workplace, you can always optVOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 08
somewhat different from the norm.
or even add on some cheap emphasis by saying totally awesome. Maybe your friend’s accomplishment is aweinspiring, or thrillincg, or well-deserved, or warms the cockles of your heart. Some thoughts are worth expressing as meaningfully as possible.
Writers often beseech us to stop employing overused duds like actually and awesome. Conversation would be more lively if people started throwing out groovy, magnificent, and shazam in place of the omnipresent options like awesome and amazing, but the Here are 12 words that have been reality is that language doesn’t tend to so overused they really don’t mean work that way. anything If a movement anymore: was made to abandon •literally: awesome, most Originally of us would meant “in a simply gravitate literal or strict to another sense,” but easy, catch-all is used as a option. Maybe more general someday we’ll intensifier for PHOTO BY KAITLYN PONTANILLA all be saying everything from a things that are delicious cookie to a heart-wrenching not strictly true. Because of this, “in a documentary is stupendous. And soon, figurative sense,” the exact opposite that word will be just as annoying as of the original meaning, has now been awesome ever was. added to the dictionary as a definition for literally. So let’s not go overboard and start banning words. Instead, take our list •unique: Originally meant “unlike of overused words as a reminder that anything else,” but is used to mean sometimes, the words we say don’t “different, to some degree, from the mean much. A cookie, to you, may just standard or the norm.” be awesome, but don’t some occasions deserve more than that? If you really •awesome: Originally meant “causing want to express a heartfelt enthusiasm feelings of fear or wonder,” but is used for your best friend’s dream job offer, as a general, positive descriptor like don’t mindlessly say that it’s awesome, “great” or “cool.”
out if it gets overwhelming and your managers will definitely understand. It is not the end of the world if you have a part-time job and feel the need to quit. There will always be brighter opportunities and just know that after you quit, the next big thing will be on its way for you. Quitting is not failing. Here’s the question. Do you want to make money or focus on school? If you already know how to balance the two, you have nothing to worry about. But if you’re in the first step of decisionmaking, reevaluate what you want to get out of a job. And on the other hand, what do you want out of getting good grades at school: the best postsecondary education or scholarships? If you’ve determined that you want a job for the money, yet you want scholarships, you’re going to overwork yourself. Why not work extra hard for scholarships to pay for your post-
secondary education rather than getting money now and wasting it on materialistic things? After all, you will have to pay for your education one way or another. When you’ve spent all your money and didn’t meet the grade requirements for important scholarships, you’ll face some financial challenges in the future. Though, don’t spend too much time thinking; start doing, and experience things for yourself. You thought you could handle a job and suddenly you find yourself drowning in responsibilities and commitments, so don’t feel ashamed to quit. Or, you thought you couldn’t handle a job but you find out that you have the ability to balance your time efficiently and you figure out what you like to do through your experience at work. You’ll look back and realize that was one of the best decisions you probably ever made.
life
•amazing: Originally meant “causing overwhelming surprise or astonishment,” but is used as a general, positive descriptor like “great” or “cool.” •totally: Originally meant “completely, in every part,” but is now used as a general intensifier, much like “really.” •basically: Originally meant “essentially” or “fundamentally,” but is now used as general verbal filler. •incredible: Originally meant “impossible to believe,” but is now used as a general, positive descriptor like “great” or “cool.” •really: Originally meant “actually true,” but is now used frequently as a general intensifier. •very: Meaning “to a high degree,” we all just need to stop using it in every other sentence. •honestly: Originally meant “in an honest and genuine manner,” but is now often used as general verbal filler. •absolutely: Originally meant “in a complete and total manner,” but is now used as a general intensifier. •unbelievable: Originally meant “impossible to believe,” but is now used as a general, positive descriptor.
At the end of the day, you know what’s ultimately best for you, but don’t miss out on a great opportunity. Experience having a part-time job to learn more about yourself, your capabilities and your yet-to-discover passions.
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TO ACCEPT OR NOT TO ACCEPT? By Samantha Quinto A critical time of the school year has just passed for Mary Ward seniors—university deadlines have come and gone, February marks have been submitted, and early offers of admission are being sent. The thrill of receiving an offer is overshadowed by the looming stress of whether to accept or not. All students must carefully consider all the factors that comes with an acceptance before making that final decision. While it may be tempting to immediately accept that offer from your dream college/university, it is important to wait for all your offers to come in before making your final
By Allegra Fiorino It’s hypocritical to condemn something that you yourself do. And so I feel a bit guilty about my hatred of profanity. Admittedly, I’m occasionally prone to using salty language -- when I hurt myself or I’m angry. But I’m not proud of it. But using dirty words is, by logical definition, to brag that you use dirty words. And that’s not something to be proud of. When people swear, they sound trashy. They sound uneducated and empty and coarse. And it reeks of desperation. I’m not a socioeconomic snob. This is not about money. I’ve met poor people who never swear. I’ve met wealthy people who swear all the time. The Dalai Lama is poor. His words are poetry. The Real Housewives of New Jersey are rich. They scream the “F” word a lot. Who sounds more like they actually have something to say? And I don’t want to hear about George Carlin. Yes, he was brilliant and he used profanity on stage. But for Carlin, dirty words weren’t the punchline. Rather, he was fascinated with language itself. Carlin’s comedy, in regards to profanity, came from the ridiculousness of designating certain words as “taboo.” But swearing isn’t taboo anymore. We’re surrounded by profanity now. You can’t escape it. Not even George Carlin’s famous “seven words you
decision. Most colleges and universities will only require an acceptance to their offer at the very start of June, which gives you plenty of time to ponder over several things to consider before accepting. First and foremost, it is especially important to do research on any colleges/universities you are considering attending--it will give you a rough idea on what exactly each school will be able to offer you. Each college/university will have their own perks that can be a definite incentive to going to that school. Other than the Internet, campus tours are a great way to gain information on any potential colleges/universities on your list. These tours can give you a physical experience on what to expect when attending that
can’t say on television” routine applies anymore. You can say most of those words on network TV now. Heck, you can show a guy swearing his head off while cutting another guy’s head off... as long as they’re not naked, because the human body is dirty and shameful. Thank God we still have some standards of decency. Words are simply letters put together in a way that is pronounceable to human beings. And society randomly, subjectively deems some of these words as “bad.” Objectively, the words feces and dung and excrement all mean the same thing. In fact, there are about two dozen other ways to also describe the end result of a bowel movement. But yet there is one particular word defined as fecal matter that you’re not supposed to say. And so everyone says it. And so it has no emotional impact or rebellious connotation anymore. Instead, it’s just word pollution. There must be at least four or five hundred words in the English dictionary- one more if you count “Belieber.” Aside from the crassness of profanity, it just sounds stupid. With so many fabulotastic words to choose from, to just keep repeating these same five curse words over and overas nouns, as verbs, as adjectives, as adverbs, as Facebook statuses- makes one sound ignorant of his or her native tongue. If you can’t come up with more words to tell someone to shut the something up, then you should
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specific college/university, and will also give you a feel for what the campus is like.
to be independent, and allows you to meet several new people. On the other hand, staying at home can help ease these costs associated with college/university, and you will remain familiar with your surroundings.
Transitioning from high school to college/university can be a scary time, but it also brings about new experiences. It marks that transformation from teenager PHOTO BY BEA SERDON into young adult. Life lessons Other factors to consider before will be learned and exciting changes accepting are the associated costs will take place. Thus, one must truly with attending each college/university. take into consideration all factors Some offers of admissions will also associated with accepting an offer of come with entrance scholarships, and admission. The school you choose will tuition can vary from school to school. affect your future and what the future Residence at a college/university out has in store for you—it is definitely of town can also make quite a dent a decision that should not be taken on your bank account, and you may lightly. experience homesickness or feel fear at the thought of leaving home. But Good luck with all your future residence provides you an opportunity endeavours!
probably just shut the gizzard up. Profanity is not “cultural.” That’s a cop-out. It is of no racial, ethnic, religious, generational, or regional “culture” to describe what the guy who just cut you off in traffic should do to himself. This, along with violence, discrimination, and cooking shows, exemplifies a lack of culture. And yet as prolific as social profanity has become, it’s not even close to what you hear at the movies. Do movie studios think profanity attracts audiences? I’ve heard filmmakers say they use a lot of profanity in their films for “realism.” The Wolf of Wall Street contains no less than 506 F-words. I can’t imagine any stock broker saying the F-word 506 times in three hours. There have been other movies about stock trading. When you watched those films, did you think, “I’m having trouble suspending my state of disbelief because the characters aren’t cursing enough?” Yes, I liked Scarface and The Big Lebowski. But those films used profanity with a purpose. Plus, they were good movies; they earned their language. Sometimes toddlers and very young children curse, people often think
PHOTO BY JUSTYNE BENICO this is hysterical. I don’t. I just think it’s depressing. It wasn’t so long ago that North America watched Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Now we’re living it. Although when toddlers fall down, that’s sort of amusing. Children swear because they hear their parents swear. Can we at least agree that profanity is an adult thing, for adults? Can you at least control yourself around children? Profanity isn’t shocking anymore. It’s not edgy or sassy or hip or rebellious. It’s just a sad, tiresome example of our shrinking vocabulary. Thanks, Twitter. People swear when they have nothing to say, but they want to talk. My feeling? You’re not getting paid by the word and you’re not a sailor. So keep it simple. Unless you are a sailor. Then swear away! I’m a traditionalist.
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By Joselyn Wong Time sure flies by! Already, we are in the midst of the school year, quickly approaching the March Break. It also marks the time of stress as students try to hand in as many units as they can before the break arrives. However, not only are students busy with units and staff with marking, but Mary Ward itself has been bustling with great activities and events. Teens for Jeans Over a million young people are homeless and are in need for clothing. Thus, Mary Ward agreed to participate in the Teen for Jeans campaign where
PHOTO BY BEA SERDON ca is also a great website where you can do some assessment questions to determine areas in the work field that you might enjoy. Homework Club In the beginning of January, Homework club commenced. This is where students who need some help on subjects can come in to the library after school every Monday and Thursday. Tutors in specialized subjects can help their peers and give them advice. All grades are welcomed and one can also come in to simply do independent work in the library. Spirit Week
To pump up the spirit at Mary Ward, the annual Spirit Week was held. On PHOTO BY AMANDA LUM Feb 2, Mary Ward kicked off the week with Crazy Socks day; it was the day students donated unwanted jeans that were still in good condition. Over 400 pairs of jeans were collected and sent to the charity so that they could distribute the jeans to those in need. So thank you Mary Ward for participating in this event! SHSM Day for Construction SHSM (Specialist High Skills Major) day for Construction was held on January 22nd, 2015. Construction SHSM day involved a variety of activities to encourage students to consider taking Construction SHSM in grade 11 and 12. One activity included seeing who could hammer the nails into the board the fastest. There was also an obstacle course where one could drive the robot through the course and even race the robots as well. Course Selection
white for grade 10s, blue for grade 11s, and red for grade 12s. Many students went all out with the spirit, wearing sweaters and shirts of their grade colour and painting the colour on their faces. To end off Spirit week, Friday was accessory day: necklaces, bracelets (etc). All in all, students truly became involved in the school, showing lots of spirit.
to show off the crazy patterns and brightly coloured socks and give some spirit. Tuesday was Crazy Hat day. Many students came in with wild hats, some handmade, others just simply outrageous and awesome. Wednesday was Twin Day; students dressed up alike and even dressed in the same clothing as groups; well, it was certainly hard to tell who was who. Following this was wearing your grade colours. The colours were green for grade 9s,
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to dance to their favourite music but most of all, have fun. On Saturday some students wrote an exam while others simply relaxed in their rooms or even went out to Eaton’s. Finally, to conclude the DECA Provincials of 2015, the award ceremonies were held for individuals, team, and written participants at the grand ballroom of Sheraton. Some of the Mary Ward
Mary Ward’s Birthday January 23 once again marked Mary Ward’s birthday. TA’s were given cake mix to create Mary W a r d ’s birthday cake and add their own spin/ style to it. On January 2 6 , T A ’ s brought their freshly PHOTO BY BEA SERDON made cakes to the cafeteria, ready for them to be judged. Whoever had the most creative decorated cake would win a prize. With great anticipation, the winner was announced... which was Mr. Adourian’s TA! Congrats to all for participating and creating such lovely cakes! DECA Provincials On February 6, 2015, DECA Provincials was held at the Sheraton hotel in downtown Toronto. DECA students
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It’s that time of the year to select courses once again. Students everywhere are either dreading or excited to choose their future courses; some know what they are going to take for their next grade while others are still trying to find their path. If anyone needs help or advice for course selection, talk to your TA, guidance counsellors and family to try to find your interests. MyBlueprint. VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 10
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PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER CHIU stayed at the Hilton hotel, which connected to the Sheraton via an underground pathway. There, Mary Ward students presented their written reports to the judges and others did impromptu case studies. For individual competitors, they completed their first oral events, which were followed by another. Team and written events were for the most part, done for the day until the exam on Saturday. For the DECA chapter dinner on Friday, students and the teachers went to Pickle Barrel. To end off the night, the Dreams Take Flight DECA dance took place in the grand ballroom where all DECA participants gathered together
PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER CHIU students even won medals in their category. Well done DECA members! As well, congratulations to all DECA participants for making it this far into the competition, handling those intimidating case studies, writing the exams, and presenting written events/ role plays to the judges. It was definitely a memorable experience for all. OKOF Get ready to RUMBLE! On February 27, 2015, Mary Ward’s OKOF hosted the annual Rumble basketball game between students and teachers. This year’s rumble was called Our kids our Rumble and once again, it was met with great success with numerous students coming out to watch the game. It was a nerve-wracking match as both teams reached the fourth quarter. Full of anticipation, tension, and determination, the audience cheered on their teams as the students and teachers played on with renewed energy. It was such a close match where in the end, the students won by two points! Thank you all who particpated in the Rumble and made this such an
PHOTO BY FATIMA CASTILLO exciting match to watch! Over $800 was raised from this game. Great job everyone!
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By Kimberly Pallarca
PHOTO BY BEA SERDON By Kimberly Ng It’s a Tuesday morning and you’re at school. Your stomach is growling but luckily for you, Angel Foundation knows your needs. Recently at Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School, a program called, “The Breakfast Club,” has started and no, it is not the movie. Every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday they hand out little bags of mixed cereal, yogurt tubes, cheese strings, pita bread, and fresh fruit. Best of all, this is all for free! That’s right, you heard it correctly, free. No, this is no lie and while it’s quite unbelievable, there is no catch, and this program is completely free. This program is funded by Angel Foundation and provides students, who arrive before 8:40am, free breakfast--and get this, the food provided aren’t little Costco samples either. If you’re a student benefiting from this program, you are getting way more than free food. Eating your breakfast not only satisfies your hunger but improves your grades, boosts your concentration, and helps to maintain your weight! How great is that? Definitely, the Breakfast Club is the best idea yet, but don’t take it for granted. The work behind it all is enormous. Let’s do a small summary of where your free breakfast comes from. First, someone has to plan what to buy, how much to buy, where to buy, and the budget for the groceries. Next, it has to be prepared. Some items like fruits
and yogurt tubes can just be handed out, but others, like bagels and cereal, need preparation. Your bagel does not toast or slather cream cheese on itself – someone has to do it and if it isn’t you, then it must be one of your classmates. One may take this free food for granted, but the work behind the program is undeniable. Several Mary Ward students all work hard in order to ensure that the program runs smoothly in the morning. One such student who is involved with this program, was interviewed. It came to light that this student has to arrive at school by 7:00am just to prepare everything. SEVEN! That meant they had to wake up at six to get ready and go to school on time. What a commitment! Most students would rather use this time to sleep and knowing that someone is getting up at six o’clock, four out of five days of school to bring students free food, can be just mind-blowing! It is definitely a cause for reflection on the efforts of these students and reminds you to appreciate the people around you. So don’t forget to thank the people handing out your breakfast next time. It may be a convenience to you but it takes a lot of effort for those involved in preparing your food. We should all be thankful for attending a school that cares about the wellbeing of their students and although free breakfast is great, one begins to wish they would start a Lunch Club as well.
and even skin wrinkling. If you are up for an interesting swap, applesauce is the ingredient to use for a softer and healthier outcome.
Mary Ward’s very own Health Action Team had some Is it true that ground flax seeds are spectacular successes in hosting one of the most powerful plant foods several of their Healthy Bake Sales on the planet? The truth is in the this past school year. The general idea pudding! This specific type of flax most people have when they hear seed was one of the key ingredients the words “bake sale” is that there in HAT’s Chocolate Zucchini Bread. will be typical baked goods sold, such The Omega-3 essential fatty acids in as vanilla cupcakes, chocolate chip this great source of dietary fibre help cookies, or brownies. If you relate that lower the risk of heart disease. Just two idea to HEALTH Action Team, which is tablespoons contain more than 100% supposed to be promoting healthiness, of your recommended daily intake for wouldn’t the two contradict? Have fat. Substituting oil for flax seeds no fear! There are always ways in baking or adding ground to incorporate “healthy” flax to doughs, batters, with “dessert.” The Health and casseroles are Action Team did not some great ideas to host your average add flax to your diet. bake sale. Schools are only allowed Out of all the up to 10 days for baked goods, “special events” Health Action that do not meet Team’s ultimate the nutritional hit was definitely standards set the Doubleout in the School C h o c o l a t e Food and Beverage Brownie. This Policy introduced delicious dessert consisted of by the Ministry of unsweetened apple Education. However, sauce, whole-wheat since the HAT’s (Health flour and of course, Action Team’s) baked those delicious black goods met the nutrition Using black criteria, this bake sale was PHOTO BY BEA SERDON beans. beans instead of regular not considered a “special event.” This meant that there can be flour could cut up to 200 calories, as an unlimited amount of Health Action well as add protein to a sweet treat. Team Healthy bake sales! The baked Consuming black beans can include goods from the Team’s sale were all beneficial factors to the digestive tract, followed by recipes from Eat Right cardiovascular health, and more. The Ontario’s Bake It Up recipe book, which high quantities of fibre and protein provided healthy recipes consisting of in black beans help with digestion in various ingredients that you wouldn’t the body while the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties combat find in everyday baking recipes. cardiovascular disease. Substituting (An apple a day keeps the doctor flour for black beans in brownies is away!) One of the special ingredients a great way to add protein and cut that were used in HAT’s baked goods out the gluten. Plus, they taste great! is unsweetened applesauce. Using None of HAT’s buyers guessed that the this ingredient to substitute eggs brownies had black beans in them. or oil lightens the caloric density of the baked good while giving a more There are always ways to make desserts tender and crumbly texture. Whether healthier. By simply substituting apples are whole or in the form of a ingredients, you can cut down on sauce, they contain fibre and vitamin calories and gain more nutrients. Try C, which is always beneficial for the baking black bean brownies, chocolate body. The fibre helps with digestion zucchini bread, or any baked good that while the vitamin C contributes to the contains substitutions that your body protection against immune system can benefit from. You won’t regret it! deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 11
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By Joselyn Wong This year’s semi-formal took place at Crystal Fountain on February 20th, 2015, where SAC sold tickets for a special price of $40. This year’s theme was Cirque de la Nuit.
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PHOTOS BY DENISE VELASCO AND APRIL ALFORQUE
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PHOTOS BY YUKI TAN, NINOSHKA PAIS AND NICOLE POWELL
By Joselyn Wong Winter Activity Day took place on January 30, 2015. There were a variety of fun-filled activities for students to participate in, such as ice-fishing, skiing/snowboarding, rockclimbing, Skyzone, and activities at Mary Ward to name a few. However, there were so many more activities to choose from, allowing students to have an awesome relaxed day to end off the month of January and simply enjoy the beautiful winter. Look out for snowballs, bundle up for the cold, and get ready to have the time of your life! Mary Ward’s annual Winter Activity Day took place on January 30, 2015. To add a fresh exciting spin to WAD, some new awesome activities like rock climbing at the Hub and gymnastics were introduced. Students had the opportunity to participate in a variety of fun-filled activities outside of school such as ice-fishing, skiing/ snowboarding, Skyzone, treasure hunt at Vaughn Mills, and 10-pin bowling. There were also numerous other activities at Mary Ward like basketball, Ping-Pong, and winter Zen. It was a great way to end off the month of January as students and staff relaxed and simply enjoyed the beautiful winter that nature brought. However, WAD would not have been made possible without the help of teachers and staff who organized the events, prepared the forms, and booked the buses for transportation. So many thanks to all those who helped make WAD another successful thrilling day! VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 13
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By Andrew Osamudiamen
By Marizan Chandrasegar and Veronica Iskander Ever wanted to know a little bit more about the teachers? Although many students may not believe this, teachers are just people. They are all humans, capable of having emotions, dreams, hobbies, and special talents. The aim of this article is to help students see them as more thanjust being a teacher, and with these 5 questions, students can draw their own conclusions on what kind of a person their teacher is!
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get a tan, sell watermelon slices on the beach, and buy the Jacques Cousteau Museum of Oceanography so he can have his own personal tours there. 2. If Mr. Rossi was not a teacher, he’d be a butcher and sell animal bones to people who make beef bone broth.
3. Mr. Rossi would bring back his grandfather who was a former prisoner of war in Africa, a bush pilot, and a master champion chess player. He was also a big sports fan. Mr. Rossi would ask his grandfather to teach him all of his moves so that he too could become a master chess player. Mr. Rossi would also bring back his father to thank him for teaching him how to be a wonderful gardener and farmer, plus teaching him PHOTO BY VERONICA ISKANDER the wonders of sheep and cow manure. The Questions 1. If you suddenly won 10 million 4. Mr. Rossi’s favorite food is ESCARGOTS dollars, what are the first 3 things aka snails, best served with black bean sauce. you would do? 2. If you weren’t a teacher, what 5. Mr. Rossi loves in-line skating would you be doing right now? 3. You can have a conversation from marathons, in-line speed skating and the past. Whom do you have it with he LOVES his $1000 Luigino leather inline speed skates. Mr. Rossi is also a big and what would you say? Rolling Stones fan and likes to pop and 4. What is your favorite meal? 5. An interesting fact that not a lot of lock on the dance floor. people know about you! This is only a preview of “The Interview”! Read more of “Marizan’s Mr. Rossi Corner” online at the Planet website, mwplanet.tumblr.com 1. Mr. Rossi would buy a house in the southern part of France next to Nice,
By Veronica Iskander It’s very rare to see a school with so much dedication, a school that has both students and teachers working around the clock. Mary Ward has jam sessions that run until 9:00pm for newspaper and yearbook, as well as countless sports teams that train after school and throughout the evening. We are definitely not lacking in clubs and extracurricular activities and yet, we continue to create more. VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 14
Our newest addition to the community of afterschool activities is the Homework Club. In an interview with one of the volunteers from the Homework Club, Shambavi Dhermarasa, a clearer idea on what this new club exactly is was given. “The homework club is a club that gives students of any grade a chance to ask their peers for help, in a quiet environment with serious intentions of getting work done. The homework club also gives students a chance to become tutors, help their peers and earn some volunteer hours.” The Homework Club
Nutritious fruit s m o o t h i e s , exhilarating Zumba classes, a selfie contest, and fascinating facts about health and wellness all have one thing in common. Other than keeping you healthy and being sure to boost your mood, they all add up to a fun-filled day of excitement! On January 19, 2015, Mary Ward’s SHSM Day in healthcare was held! It may not have been as long as last year’s SHSM week, however it was just as fun nonetheless. The day started off with a prayer for health and wellness. Not everybody is fortunate enough to reap the benefits of having good health, so it is important to be grateful for the health that we do have. Following this was some fun facts about the human body that students and teachers probably would not have known otherwise. It is essential to fuel the body with nutritious foods, but what better way than to kick off the day than with some food for thought? After all, they say that to take care of the body, you must care for the PHOTO BY YVETTE ENGALLA mind first. Following a fun morning came the much anticipated fourth period Zumba class. This was without a doubt the highlight of SHSM day. Students had the opportunity to take a break from the stress us Wolverines know as units, to get in some daily exercise. The exotic music and energetic students made for an hour of excitement.
was originally thought of by a grade 11 student, Lily Song, who had a similar program at her elementary school. When she came to Mary Ward, she had the idea of starting a new club in the school community. “It’s a great club that gives any student an opportunity to sit down and get some work done. It can be really difficult at Ward to really have a good couple of productive hours,” says a student attending the club. Anyone at Mary Ward knows that when your friends surround you, work can be practically impossible to get done. That’s the point of the Homework Club,
Who says Wolverines can’t bust some moves? Shout-out to the amazing Zumba instructor and Dr. Engalla for making the hour worth the wait, so that we could lose some weight! Throughout the day students were asked to participate in a selfie contest. Whoever could take the most PHOTO BY YVETTE ENGALLA selfies with members of the SHSM executive team would win a set of scrubs, courtesy of Dr. Engalla and the SHSM executive team. After a day of the sweetest selfies with the SHSM executive members, one winner rose above the rest. Congratulations to Joshua Madrigal for your enthusiasm! Those selfie angles were definitely on point! To end off the day, the SHSM executive team hosted a smoothie/baked goods sale. Staff and students alike indulged in fresh fruit smoothies and nutritious baked treats. All proceeds went to The Kidney Foundation of Canada.
PHOTO BY YVETTE ENGALLA The SHSM executive team would like to thank everyone for participating in the events. We hope that everyone had loads of fun! Only more fun and excitement is in store for next year.
to help students understand their work and get a couple of units done. For anyone that is interested in attending the Homework Club, it runs from 3:00 to 4:15 in the library every Monday and Thursday and any student who wants help, can walk in and find a tutor that is qualified to assist them with their work. Each tutor has a card on their table that states their name and also what they are qualified to help with. It’s pretty easy to get stressed out at Ward, especially if you’re new to the system. Check out the Homework Club to help you get on track and meet some new people!
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By Andrea Nijmeh
Junior Boys Basketball Coaches: Reid, Weathers Record: 7 wins, 5 losses
Here are the highlights from this season’s teams. Great job, Wolverines!
It was a great season for the junior boys’ basketball team who tried their best and improved over the course of the season. The boys managed to make play offs where, despite their strong effort, lost to Newman.
PHOTO BY BEA SERDON Varsity Swim Team Coaches: Petrasek, Davies, Lenardon This year’s varsity swim team dove right into the season in early November. The team competed at the University of Toronto high school swim meet on January 9, and the Bishop Marrocco/ Thomas Merton meet on January 16. On February 12 they competed at TDCAA’s where the team won a number of medals; Senior Boys 100m freestyle relay 3rd place, Melissa Carvhalo junior girls 50m breastroke 2nd place, Sharon Ng midget girls 50 m butterfly 3rd place, Emil Co senior boys 100m IM 3rd place, junior girls 100m medly relay 3rd place, Heidi Escobal junior girls 100m IM 1st place and 1st place in junior girls 50m butterfly. Heidi competed at OFSAA this month in 9th and 14th place in her two respective categories.
PHOTO BY BEA SERDON three straight sets. The team competed at semi finals on February 12. The girls worked hard and tried their best but unfortunately lost to Cardinal Newman. Varsity Girls Hockey Coaches: Dever, Poole, Ventura Record: 0 wins, 6 losses Itwas a learning year for the varsity girls’ hockey team as a majority of the girls were new to the sport. Although the team did not make playoffs, they had fun and improved over the course of the season.
Senior Boys Basketball Coaches: Reid, Rossi, Evangelista Record: 5 wins, 4 losses The senior boys’ basketball team is having an excellent season with 5 wins and 4 losses. Their strong team work and powerful offensive playing took them all the way to playoffs where they lost to Monsignor Johnson by only four points. PHOTO BY BEA SERDON Senior Boys Hockey Coaches: Toth, Harrison Record: 1 win, 7 losses
Ski & Snowboard Coaches: Kennedy, Bozek The ski and snowboard team hit the slopes in early January. The team consisted of 6 alpine skiers and 9 snow boarders. On February 10 they competed at TDCAA’s at Mount St. Louis Moonstone. It was a successful season for Sebastian Gajewski who finished 1st overall in Boys’ Level 1 skiing and qualifying for OFSAA. At OFSAA, Sebastian placed 15th in Level One Boys Individual Slalom and 12th in Level One Boys Individual Giant Slalom.
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The senior boys’ hockey team hit the ice for the first time in over 5 years. Although they did not qualify for playoffs, they did manage to win one game against Bishop Marrocco. Shoutout to Mr. Toth for coaching Senior Boys Hockey despite his short stay at the school. We wish him all the best!
PHOTOS BY BEA SERDON Junior Girls Volleyball Coaches: Emer, Wong Record: 3 wins, 4 losses It was a great season for the junior girls’ volleyball team, making it to playoffs where they beat Pope John Paul in
PHOTO BY MARLA MIRANDA PHOTO BY MICHAEL KENNEDY
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By Mary-Anne Buerano We the North spirit throughout Canada has endured the highs and lows of the Toronto Raptors this season. The Raptors began the season with a 22-6 winning record, defeating elite Western teams from the likes of the OKC Thunder, the Phoenix Suns, and the Sacramento Kings. These impressive records fueled Raptors’ fans with the passion and hope for yet another successful season. However, the late-December slump, where the team took their first Western road trip of the season, may have tested otherwise. Starting the season with a 22-6 record, the future of the Raptors seemed bright. However, when the team ended their Western Conference road trip losing four of their six games, the Raptors’ slump persisted when they returned home. Once being first in the league, the Raptors fell from elite status. “The Raptors are no longer elite”, stated Charles Barkley on Inside the NBA. The Raptors slump, following their road trip, caused Shaquille O’Neal to retract his previous comments on the Raptors’ elite status, as well. The Raptors are objectively, a relatively
By Grace Boulos The annual Australian Open Tennis Championships began January 19 and concluded, after many matches, on the first of February. With hundreds of pro athletes at the games, Australia was the place to be. World No.1 for Men’s, Novak Djokovic, won his fifth Australian Open title against friend and opponent Andy Murray. The intense men’s final took four sets, concluding the game with a scoring of 7-6(5) 6-7(4) 6-3 6-0 with Novak stealing the lead. The World No.1 for Women’s tennis, Serena Williams received her sixth Australian Open title, playing all time component and No.2 in the world, Maria Sharapova. The women’s final had everyone on the VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 16
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strong team. The issues with their play are minor; however, a major flaw in the team is their lack of team play. Rushing the ball and attempting unnecessary three-pointers do not win games. It seems as though whenever the Raptors are behind, their solution is rushing a three-pointer, rather than playing in the paint. Improvement in their inconsistent ball movement and the selection of three-point shots are crucial if the Raptors want to claw their way back to elite status. Another key factor is in their players. Coach Dwayne Casey doesn’t use his players effectively, or to their full potential. Jonas Valanciunas has definitely refined his skills since last season. Casey will play JV for extended periods of time, yet refuses to play the starting centre in the fourth, when he is most needed. A veteran centre on the bench to fill Valanciunas’ position would be ideal. When Casey made the decision to bench Terrence Ross following unpromising results, this left past All-Star Demar Derozan as the team’s starting small forward to fill Ross’ position. As a young player, Ross’ ball handling and overall play is inconsistent, and in much need of improvement. The Raptors have a strong bench, yet not used effectively. Despite his size, Chuck Hayes is
excellent at guarding l a r g e r players, but played rarely. Coach Casey needs to learn how to rotate his players if he expects to gain the lead once again. Despite the lack of confidence by basketball commentators, and disheartened Raptors fans, all is not lost with the fate of the Raptors. As of February 6, 2015, the Raptors are second in the Eastern Conference. In comparison to last year, the team has demonstrated immense improvement. Trading veteran John Salmons was a paramount step in this year’s team dynamic. In return for John Salmons, the team gained Lou Williams, and Lucas Nogueira. The Raptors rookies, Bruno Caboclo, and Lucas Nogueira obtain unrecognized potential, however haven’t had the opportunities to promote. Lou Williams has made an immense impact on the Raptors thanks to the trade of Salmons. Lou moved from Atlanta, where he was rarely used, to playing a pivotal role with
also making a name for himself in the world of professional tennis, ranked No.6 in the world and became known for his strong and precise serve. Twelve Canadian The twenty four tennis players year old athlete participated in the tournament, made his debut with our two during the 2011 Australian Open, honorary star climbing from players making No.102 to No.37 the highlights: PHOTO BY DAILYMOTION Eugenie Bouchard in a month. Milos played until the quarterfinals at this for women’s singles and Milos Raonic for men’s singles. The well-known year’s Australian Open, only to be Canadian, Bouchard made her debut beaten by the Serbian player Novak as No.7 in the world at the 2014 Djokovic, No.1 in the world. Wimbledon games making it to the finals and standing as the runner up Many players disappointed the crowd to Petra Kvitová. Eugenie played in the by falling short of expectations, semi-finals at the 2015 Australian Open, particularly the pro players, Nadal and but sadly was eliminated by Russian Federer, respectively ranked No.2 and player, Maria Sharapova. Milos Raonic, No.3 in the world for Men’s. The bar was edge of their seat as Serena took the game by storm finishing it in two sets with a score of 6-3 7-6.
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PHOTO BY BEA SERDON the Raptors. James Johnson and Patrick Patterson do not receive the credit they deserve for their contributions to the team. Johnson is an excellent veteran from the D-League, and played as a starter during Derozan’s injury, while Patrick Patterson is a well-rounded player, both offensively and defensively. Lead by this year’s All-Star, Kyle Lowry, and past All-Star, Demar Derozan, the Raptors’ fate as an elite team, remains to be predicted. With a few strategically planned trades, minor technical corrections, and better management of players, the Raptors can and will prove why we are The North.
set high for these two players, but sadly they failed to reach the standards. The Spaniard Nadal was defeated in the quarterfinals by Berdych, and Roger Federer was beaten by Andrea Seppi in the third round. With disappointment also came satisfaction, Aussie player Nick Kyrgios proved himself at the Rod Laver arena in the quarterfinals versus Murray, but fell short in the last eight. This player has been on everyone’s radar and his future in tennis looks to be progressing! As the 2015 Australian Tennis Open came to a finish new athletes made their mark and will hopefully continue to impress, while old professionals continued to prove their skill. The sport of tennis is looking good for the future as it continues introducing star quality players to its game. Until next time Australia!
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By Samara Mascarenhas Ice Skating is one of the popular winter activities that have been adapted by many Canadian families over the years and has even gotten more popular in recent years. Usually known as only an activity for social pastime; ice-skating has evolved and is definitely more than lacing up figure skates and having a good time. Many benefits both physically and mentally can be acquired when ice-skating. One of the reasons ice-skating is at the top of the list for most popular winter activities in Canada is that this sport is
very easy on the joints because of the low impact required. Therefore, iceskating is one of the safest sports to do to stay in shape. The most common known physical benefits from skating is the toned physique gained through skating and the calories burned. The body of an ice skater is toned all the way from the stomach area to the calves. This is gained by the tremendous training that is done by skating up and down the rink. However, even a beginner ice skater can begin toning up to this kind of body from just recreational skating for about three times a week for 2 hours (this varies with age). Ice-skating can burn about 6 calories a minute, or 360 calories in one hour. Another physical benefit of iceskating is that it improves balance and coordination. Due to the narrow blade attached to the boot at the bottom, after several sessions of skating, a
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person’s balance and coordination of the foot tends to improve. These two skills can also help in various other sports like running, skiing, yoga, soccer and day-to-day activities. Besides physical benefits, there are many mental benefits that can be gained through ice-skating. First, iceskating can help in the reduction of stressful thoughts. The environments where rinks are usually located are very peaceful, quiet and most importantly, they can be outside in the fresh air (although indoor rinks can present benefits as well!) With this type of environment, a calm tone is set which helps gets the person’s mind off of anything that is bothering them and helps them to relax.
PHOTO BY YUKI TAN Secondly there is an improvement of the respiratory system, which is the system responsible for breathing. Due to the stress-free environment, people tend to breathe much easier and in a calm pattern. This can be a great benefit for people with asthma. If one is skating outdoors, the fresh air can also help improve breathing patterns. Lastly, skating is a lot of physical exercise that can benefit the body and muscles and encourage refueling through proper nutrition as well as help induce a good nights’ sleep. Overall, ice-skating is a great winter activity that should be introduced to even more Canadian families, as there are several public rinks available for use in Canada. The various physical and mental benefits that ice-skating can provide are definitely something to take note of.
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“Students are too busy and they do not have the time to stay after school. If there were ways to make events more fun, it could boost up attendance”.
By Bea Serdon & Veronica Iskander Being a photographer at Mary Ward has a lot of perks, one of which is front row access to all the events, clubs, and sports our school has to offer. For the past couple of years, student photographer Bea Serdon has attended nearly every home game, and after school and in-school event notes that school spirit is not what it used to be. Gone are the days when faithful
supporters of the school teams that would go to every game and stay right until the end. Gone are the days when all that could be heard in the den was an overwhelming chant of “Let’s Go Ward!” Who knows if those days will be back? Spirit week is a great reminder of how our school spirit should be and this year it was held on the week of February 2 to February 6. Every day, students were invited to show their spirit through different themes such as crazy sock, hair and hat day, twinning day, colour day or represent your grade, and lastly, excessive accessories day. However, only colour day really energized the whole school. Mary Ward school events are lacking support from our community and to remedy that, students need to get more involved. In Mary Ward, it is recommended that you join at least one club, sport, or the organization of an event. However, if that is not possible students can still help bring school spirit up by participating in events and cheering for the sports teams. Ninoshka P., a grade 11 student said,
Mr. Rossi, who insists that school spirit is seriously lacking at our school. “There should be buy-outs in games where you have to pay to leave a game.” It seems that one of the biggest problems in Mary Ward’s school spirit is the amount of students showing up to games. Mr. Dever mentions that there used to be days where Mary Ward’s games would start early, and students could pay a dollar to watch the game during fifth period.
PHOTO BY BEA SERDON A couple of suggestions were that Mary Ward should get a school mascot and have a cheerleading team to get the crowd hyped up. One of the main suggestions that a lot of our teachers agreed with was a sports council. “All the schools in York Region have one, it’s just a group of students and teachers that get together (similar to SAC) and plan out events like pep rallies, brunches, lunches and the annual athletic banquet.” Mr. Rossi says. So the question stands: has school spirit gone down? Maybe. Is there hope for it to go back up? A tentative, yes, there is hope. Even though students have a lot of units to do or extracurricular activities that take up their time, there are still regular and faithful students at Ward who are able to find the time to support school events. However, it is encouraging to see new faces boosting up our school spirit, giving hope for the future. For tips on how to help raise school spirit, visit mwplanet.tumblr.com! VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 17
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PHOTO BY AMANDA TANNER By Angeline Nijmeh Did you know that thousands of people die each year due to distracted driving? It is something we do not often stop to think about, but that affects the lives of so many people across the country every day. In the ThinkFirst Injury Prevention Strategy for Youth (TIPSY) program at St. Michael’s Hospital, students had the opportunity to learn about the dangers of reckless driving. This not only included driving while intoxicated, but also texting and driving, which is the cause of nearly 25% of all accidents. Students were given a new perspective on the potential outcomes of impaired driving, specifically with regards to the damage that can be done to the brain and spinal cord. The program consisted of several presentations on human anatomy, mainly focusing on the nervous system. Students also watched two shocking videos about real-life victims of distracted driving. After the presentation and videos, a nurse at St. Michael’s Hospital gave students a tour of the Emergency Room and the Patient Simulation Centre where students had the opportunity to learn how brain and spinal cord injuries are treated. Perhaps the most eye-opening part of this experience was seeing the type of restraints placed on people who have suffered from such injuries. The nurse demonstrated the use of a neck brace and tubes inserted into the patient to help with simple tasks such as breathing and urination. After VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 18
observing just how difficult it is to live with a brain or spinal cord injury, students were able to fully understand the way in which impaired driving can destroy a person’s life.
PHOTO BY BEA SERDON By Sara Ventura
After the tour, students returned to the auditorium where they were each given a clicker to test their knowledge on brain and spinal cord injuries. From the use of helmets, to impaired driving, the statistics were absolutely shocking. So many lives have been lost in accidents that could have easily been prevented by making the right decisions. The facts demonstrated why it is crucial to take caution and make smart decisions, because one bad choice can be extremely harmful to you and others. Speakers explained this in even greater detail with presentations from the Toronto Police Services, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and Voice of Injury Prevention, who each talked about the impact that distracted driving has had on their lives.
Zumba is a highintensity, active workout that combines Latin and international music to create a challenging, but beneficial to your health dance routine. Zumba is an excellent alternative way to incorporate fun and exercise into your
The St. Michael’s TIPSY program was an experience like no other. Students were able to learn about the dangers of impaired driving and the importance of injury prevention in a way that was fun, informative, and engaging. With many youth having just obtained their driver’s license or in the process of doing so, the TIPSY program was pivotal in reminding students why it is important to be cautious and make the right decisions. Distracted driving is a serious issue that continues to affect the lives of so many and it is crucial that the TIPSY program continues to raise awareness on this important issue.
weekly routine. This activity is very beneficial for your mental and physical health. An instructor dances at the front of the room while the rest of the class replicates his/her dance moves. Zumba is a great way to get or stay fit and be entertained while doing it. This great activity is so effective because it doesn’t feel like working out: it feels like a dance party that encourages you to keep going because it’s fun! With Zumba you burn calories without even realizing it!
PHOTO BY FATIMA CASTILLO
Zumba has many amazing benefits, the first and foremost reason Zumba is so
popular is because of how much fat it burns. This enjoyable workout involves energetic routines that will improve your cardiovascular system. This is extremely helpful in burning calories and building stamina. The average person will burn around 600 to 1000 calories in one Zumba class. During Zumba classes you are required to move your body to rhythmic music which not only makes you look like a pro dancer, but also tones your muscles. While creating a group environment that is interactive, Zumba enables you to have fun with your friends and possibly make new ones. Going to a class several times a week with the same people is a great way to create and strengthen friendships. Zumba is a fun, interactive and social activity that effectively relieves stress and keeps you in shape. And if you think you’re too old or too young don’t worry – regardless of your age or fitness level, you’ll leave Zumba class feeling ecstatic and capable of taking on the dance floor on your own! Our school has just begun offering a Zumba class on Tuesdays in the gym during lunch. It is highly recommend you go to at least one class. Many people tried it out for the first time two weeks ago and they loved it. Not only did they break a sweat, they also had a blast dancing with my friends. The Zumba instructor is very enthusiastic and encouraging as well. You have nothing to lose and many health benefits to gain. See you there!
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By Edy Tatomir It’s been a full season since the CTV sitcom How to Get Away With Murder has made its way into our living rooms every Thursday night. Now it’s time in review the season.
storyline with Wes’s nightmares and the previous tenant, Rudy, is picking up speed since the first episode when we saw the nail markings on the wall. Apparently, some of his family still thinks he lives there, but why? Who knows? Maybe this could be main plot of season two so pay attention. A f t e r How to Get Away With Murder has that, a new character comes to town: already been renewed for a second Annalise’s sister-in-law, Anna, creating season; just in time too, since season a new rivalry between them. Anna one ends in February. Just as a head’s seems to be doing some investigating up, this will contain spoilers. Do not of her own, questioning the sorority continue reading if you’re still on girls and looking for sightings of her brother, Sam. Annalise spent the better episode one. You’ve been warned. part of three days convincing her that Sam killed Lila and he would never come home and that she had nothing to do with his “disappearance,” only for the police to discover his remains at the very end. Now, Annalise, Keating five, and Rebecca are in deep trouble, knowing full well two important PHOTO BY TVLINE.COM things will get them Since that mind-blowing ending caught: Michaela’s engagement ring months ago in November, we’ve been which went missing during the disposal left hanging with only two words. She of the body, and Sam’s ring, which knew. Annalise knew. Now, the show has Wes took and gave to Annalise for returned for six more episodes before safekeeping. And, we all know, if one of the season finale. And if you thought them gets caught, they all get caught. I the winter finale kept you guessing, guess getting away with murder wasn’t wait until you see what they’ll drop on as easy as they thought. us this February. They’ll still continue to flash back to the night of Sam’s murder, when Annalise discovered his body, the way she created that false voicemail and told Wes how to get rid of the body as he blindly followed her orders. Meanwhile, an alternate
By Serena Singh If you’re a fan of Marvel, especially their latest series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, then you must have heard of the newest edition to the Marvel scene Marvel’s Agent Carter. This action-packed show follows Captain America’s girlfriend, Agent ‘Peggy’ Carter, following the ‘loss’ of Captain America. After the war ended, Agent Carter continued working with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D). Unfortunately, her co-workers merely treat her as a secretary and demean
With the second season most likely premiering in September (like the first) I suggest forcing your friends binge season one since they’re probably the only people in the country who haven’t.
her because she is a woman. At the beginning of the series, it is revealed that Howard Stark, Tony Stark’s father, may be selling his most dangerous inventions to other countries and is being treated as a traitor. When Howard Stark asks Agent Carter for her help to clear his name, she jumps at the chance to do some real work; helping her old friend as a bonus. As the series progresses, more dramatic twists and turns are revealed. This is definitely a series that any Marvel and Captain America fan should not miss! Even if you have never really liked Marvel, one will surely enjoy the Agent Carter series!
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By Denise Velasco Recently, there has been a variety of TV streaming services offered to Canadians. Since 2010, Netflix has only been the frontrunner of Internet streaming media, but now local Canadian based providers have also started to offer online TV streaming. Just last year, two of the biggest Canadian providers launched their own services; Rogers launched Shomi while Bell introduced CraveTV. Netflix, Shomi and CraveTV basically serve the same purpose, but differ in certain areas. If you are curious and thinking of subscribing to any of these services, here is a comparison guide between the three services that may help you out.
Shomi Shomi, founded by Rogers launched August 2014, also allows unlimited online TV and movie streaming on different devices just like Netflix. The regular price is $8.99 a month, however it is only available to Rogers and Shaw customers. Like Netflix, the Shomi service can also be cancelled anytime the customer wishes to. One of the best features of Shomi that beats Netflix is the fact that they have TV shows such as American Horror Story, Scandal, Vikings, New Girl and Sons of Anarchy. If you are currently a Rogers customer and wish to be able to watch a variety of TV shows like listed above, then you may be able to enjoy Shomi.
PHOTO BY BEA SERDON Netflix
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Netflix, an American based service, offers three levels of services: Basic ($7.99 - 1 device), Standard ($8.99 - 2 devices) and Premium ($11.99 - 4 devices). First time customers automatically receive a free month trial upon signing up. It provides a wide range of full series of TV shows, movies and documentaries for unlimited streaming and allows customers to watch on different types of devices such as TV, laptops and tablets. Conveniently, customers can downgrade, upgrade or cancel anytime they want without penalty. Netflix is also known for their exclusive original series such as the Emmy Award winning Orange Is The New Black and House of Cards. The downside however is that some shows are not available to watch in Canada such as popular TV shows such as American Horror Story, Scandal, Parks and Recreation, and New Girl. If you would like a service that would accommodate your whole family and has most of everything then Netflix is for you.
CraveTV launched by Bell on December 2014 is only $4 a month. Unlike Shomi and Netflix which has a variety of movies, CraveTV only offers TV show streaming which explains the reasonably cheap price. CraveTV is the only local online streaming service that offers HBO’s full list of series from dramas, classic sitcoms and exclusive original series. Users are always free to cancel their CraveTV subscription anytime, though this service is only limited to Bell, Telus, and Bell Aliant & Eastlink users. The best thing about CraveTV is that users may have up to five devices at any time for such a reasonable price. It also allows parents to set parental controls that would require a PIN when viewing content that are rated above particular level. If you are a Bell or Telus customer and would like to catch up or watch your favourite HBO series anytime and anywhere for a fairly low price then CraveTV would be the best thing for you. VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 19
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By Bianca Gomba
By Patrisha Ranin Before, there was Flappy Bird, 2048 and the Kim Kardashian app—those games that take the mobile world by storm and become so mainstream that it was guaranteed everyone with a phone has, at least, tried them once. Now, a new game is paving its way up the charts of both the App Store and the Google Play Store with already tens and thousands of reviews and a 4.5 star rating—Trivia Crack.
a wheel and answers a trivia question based on the category it stops on. Once they answer 3 questions in a row correctly or they land on the crown icon on the wheel, the player will be given two choices: Crown, where they pick a category and answer a question from it to get that character, or Challenge, where they can take one of their enemy’s characters if they get more correct answers out of 6 questions but lose one of their own if they lose.
Nintendo is ready to win the handheld gaming war with a new addition to their line of consoles: the New Nintendo 3DS! And yes, all they did was add the word New to actually make this new system new. Before its release on the thirteen of February, it garnered a lot of attention for its new features and potential in
that you connect to the New Nintendo 3DS to get bonus content) can also be used on this new system rather than only on the WiiU. Nevertheless, the most noticeable changes are the new controls; ones that allow for even more options in upcoming games. First of all, there is the C-Stick, a tiny analog stick that could be used for camera control or other options that a game might need. Then, there are the added ZR/ZL buttons at the back of the handheld system. This
The Challenge mode, on the other hand, allows you to play with a
PHOTO BY TECHNO BUFFALO
PHOTO BY BEA SERDON Trivia Crack has been available on the digital market since October 2013 but only started becoming popular late last year, becoming the most downloaded app of December 2014. Unlike the other three previously mentioned which were, for the most part, designed for single play, Trivia Crack is all about multiplayer and having games with other people, be it a friend or a random stranger. There are two modes to choose from: Classic and Challenge. In the Classic mode, the objective to win the game is to collect all 6 characters from the game’s 6 categories—Art, Science, Entertainment, History, Geography and Sports. To start, the player spins VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 20
maximum of nine other people, and the aim is to answer more of the 12 questions correctly in the shortest time possible. The former is for people who prefer leisure gaming while the latter is perfect for people who prefer a more fast-paced type of gaming. Just a warning, the feeling of beating your friends (or strangers) with your superior knowledge of useless, random trivia is very addictive, which explains the undeniable popularity of Trivia Crack and its current ranking as the number one most downloaded app at both the App Store and Google Play Store. Give it a spin--but don’t get addicted!
the handheld gaming world. In North America, only the New Nintendo 3DS XL has come out, giving buyers their first reason for buying this new system – its size. Second of all, its price comes to $229.99, only $30 more than the current regular 3DS price. One might argue that this small price difference is equivalent to only a few new features; however, Nintendo has actually considered what gamers want and what they didn’t think they wanted. And this time they really delivered. In terms of how the gaming experience has improved, they have changed the 3D capabilities of the 3DS. Initially, it would be blurry from anyone viewing the screen from the side. The player would be the only one who would not have a headache-inducing experience. Now, Nintendo has changed it so that there is a clear view of the 3D on the 3DS from any angle! Amiibos (figurines
also creates more versatility in new games, though not much information has been released about it just yet. Extra additions Nintendo has added are easier data sharing between the new consoles, faster Internet browsing, and improved camera settings if you really want to take a selfie on the New Nintendo 3DS. Evidently, this new handheld system is an interesting successor of the 3DS and allows for a lot of potential in new games for 2015. If you don’t have a 3DS, no worries; you can now be really hip and buy the New Nintendo 3DS! As for those who already own a 3DS… let’s hope EB Games makes trading in our old systems for a new one easy (though that is very unlikely). Nonetheless, good job Nintendo, you have made it easier for many to empty their wallets.
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By Joseyln Wong Hit, Slap, Pull. Red marks plastered on my brother’s face. Silent sobs wracking his body, Tears streaming at an even pace.
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We battle the bitter wintry winds, Their claws raking my face, Running away from the horrors at bay, Surroundings a blur, running this dangerous race.
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When I picture my mom who’s gone and I weep.
To the reaching hands of the night, On feathers’ wings they fly.
Soon, dawn breezes in, rippling the sky, Casting an over glow to the mountains above, I push aside the melancholy when an idea pounces, In my head to live with our Aunt beloved.
Where they disperse into the night air, Shredding into nothing, My shoulders lighten, heart lifting, Free of the dark spiteful ring.
Trudging through the sheets of the crestfallen snow, The wind howls in My stepfather towering over him We set course the sleepy kiss, Fist clenched high, for the sunOf the boneLike an iron ball ready to drop, kissed peaks, numbing night, And drop it does, onto my face with a Lumbering over cry. rocks and sly And my brother’s white turfs, step becomes a Stars swirl shamelessly around me. Reaching to the miss. I always try to take, pulsing horizon, We trip and The painful merciless slap, And up slippery tumble together, For my brother’s sake. steep surfs. in the frigid snow, And drag I grab my brother, Far up in the ourselves with no Off the hard floor, late lingering place to go. Running up the creaky wooden stairs, light of the To my room and, “bang,” shut the door. But spot a deep hour, alcove in the PHOTO BY LEANNE CORTEZ The air warmer midst of misery, I toss a heap of clothing into my sac, than before, we And that’s shelter for all we know. And don my warmest jacket, chow on nuts and berries. Pounding up the stairs, my stepfather is On the flat meadow of the mountain, Darkness hangs in the brumal air, close, my brother sleeps, Fingers numb, teeth chattering as we Causing a rumble ruckus racket. And I look up at the sky of tiny fairies. wait nigh, For the painstaking endless night to He is a knife, The stars painted across a black pass, Sharp, pointed, dangerous. canvas, For if we sleep, cold will grasp us and Can easily rip through the lock, Brimming with silver streaks of die. Time is tenuous. moonshine dust. The taste of hope emerging in my In the waning hours of moonlight, I I swing my leg over the ledge, mouth, think of my stepfather, My brother in tow, As I gaze upon the beauty, full of lust. And together we drop from two stories Whose cruel eyes and harsh hits haunt my sleep. high, And all the hatred and anger inside of Hatred igniting like a flame, but Onto a fresh shroud of cold snow. me, extinguishing just as quickly, I release them with a cry.
Fatigue washes over me, And I lay in the dark shadows. But too soon I wake up, To the sunlight that bathes the meadow. The sun floats in an earthly glow, Signaling another new day. We move to our destination, against all odds; The winds, snow, against all fray. And we are rewarded in the clearing beyond, Nestled between armies of hills and barren trees, A cozy cared cottage sits, dotted with junipers, And evergreens as far as I can see. With a breath of excitement and yearning, We wallow down the cottage pathway. “Knock, Knock,” and the door parts, Our Aunt opening her arms where we lay. Ushering us into the warm hearth, She smiles gently with love and concern written on her face. We tell our story, knowing that, Here is where we end our painful dangerous race. If you’re in an abusive situation talk to your T.A., your guidance counsellor, or Kid’s Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868
By Michael Morales From the moment this all started, I remember bells going off in my head Like a slave finding his path to freedom, my eyes lit up when I saw you I had a scraped heart, bruised cheeks that would bleed the color pink and a band-aid for a mouth. When you asked me “what happened?” If I had the courage to tell you I guess I would say that today I fell in love a little harder than I’m used to. You see cause this type of love, is like two best friends at recess. It doesn’t matter what path you came from, where you were last How old you were, or how many people were in between us Somehow everyone just always knew that we would be together. But little did they know, that the first time I saw you, my heart played hopscotch, inside my ribs My ears played tug of war with my smile, and I fainted Just to reassure myself that you were the woman of my dreams. You see, a lot of girls have played with me And at times I felt like a rebound You made me feel like love was just something I should take another shot at. And if at some point we feel like this loneliness will never end and if our final bell should ring right now, remind me to say thank you For showing me forever in this short period of time spent together.
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Illustration by Rebekah Barona
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“Home sweet home!” Illustration by Matthew Miranda “I drew this in summer school everyday after I finished my work. Coming back to Toronto after 3 years inspired me to draw this only with my pen and mind. I finished all of this in only 2 weeks! I wanted to share to you all this drawing and this gifted talent that God gave me. More arts from me coming soon!”
Denise Velasco participated in the TCDSB Graphic Design Presentation Skills Competition. Congratulations to Denise for placing 2nd out of 10 students accross the TCDSB. Artworks by Denise Velasco VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 22
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PHOTOS BY VERONICA ISKANDER
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On February 27th, 2015 two students from our photography program, Bea Serdon and Ninoshka Pais, entered into the TCDSB photography competition/ This was a board wide event where ten students from various schools participated BEA SERDON in the competition that was held at George Brown College of design. The students had one day to go out and photograph around the streets of Toronto, and produce two final images that represented the culture and diversity of our city. Congratatulations to Bea Serdon for placing 2nd out of 10 students across the TCDSB.
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VISIT MWPLANET.TUMBLR.COM FOR ANSWERS
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2. MW’s road 5. “My seminar is __-__ today” 7. “Because We __” 8. Finishing course in the next year 9. Project grade 12s stress over 11. Wear this around your neck 15. School store (2 wds) 16. Filled out every day 20. Planet’s teacher supervisor
21. Yoga lovin’ religion teacher 22. Mary Ward mascot 23. Subject required to graduate 26. Band trip destination 29. TA 8 teacher 32. Signature needed to go here 33. Department with kitchen (2 wds) 32. Filled out every morning
1. Signed after every unit (2 wds) 3. SNC1D1 subject 4. La petite __ 6. Done with TA every 2 weeks (2 wds) 10. This year’s art show 12. “Guys get to an __!” 13. Dalton’s subject 14. Mother/son teaching duo 17. TA 25 teacher
18. TA 61 teacher 19. Wear regular clothes 21. Student medical response team 24. Business club 25. Event after grad 27. Principal 28. School play: Tom __ 30. Uniform skirt 31. Grade 9 orientation 33. Parlez-vous __? 34. MW’s student council
ILLUSTRATIONS AND COMIC BY KAITLYN PONTANILLA