Mary Ward Planet - Vol.20, Issue 3, Summer 2014-2015

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MARY WARD PLANET

volume 20 || issue 3 || summer edition 2015

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To m S a w y e r | R e t i r e m e n t s | Fe m i n i s m

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3 4 5

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Four years of the Planet, it’s quite hard to believe that it’s over. 12 issues later, and yet, I can still clearly remember my very first interview with Ms. Powell to become Junior Editor in Grade 9. It’s been an amazing four years being part of the Planet and I cannot thank both past and present exec enough for the work they have put in to get each issue out on time. Memories of newspaper jam sessions, the Toronto Star Newspaper Awards, and doing those last minute edits just to catch those little mistakes will always pass through my head when I think back on the Planet. It’s definitely been a stressful time but it’s also been quite rewarding (cough, read the article below, cough). The Planet has shaped who I am today and thanks for an amazing four years as planet exec and three years as Editor-in-Chief.

Good luck next year! <3

By Kieona George On Thursday, May 2, 2015, The Mary Ward Planet’s executive team and a handful of special volunteers of The Planet were led by Mrs. Powell and Mrs. Dalgarno to the 19th annual Toronto Star High School Newspaper Awards. There, the team was honoured with eight highly coveted awards.

Before the appreciation lunch began, The Planet staff received a tour of the Toronto Star printing press plant. The newspaper industry is not the same as it was twenty—not even ten years ago. Only forty percent of the industry remains. Ten years ago, the Star used to publish about one million copies for a Saturday, now, the Star only prints

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I’m super thankful for having been able to discover a passion of mine through the newspaper! Grand merci aux francophiles de Ward pour la contribution au Petite Planète and shout out to Powell and the lovely exec. team!! Good luck and God bless <3

It’s been so great (and stressful) being a part of The Planet team this year. Here’s to all of those nights and endless periods of making layouts in comm so long, the newspaper exec team, and our well-deserved awards.

So much love to y’all!! Good luck future exec (especially you, Bianca)!! <3

Thanks for letting me capture the memories MW! Good luck to the upcoming photogs for the Planet. (esp Varsha and Jeow!!) S/O to the Planet team for being rad af. To my juniors, thanks for all the help and I know you’ll make the grads proud. <3

These past 10 months with the Planet have been absolutely amazing!

Although the newspaper jam session weeks (not nights) were stressful, the things I’ve learned were totally worth it. Goodbye, Mary Ward Planet, it’s been a great experience! Good luck to next year’s exec. team <3

450,000 copies. The Internet is now a major news source, and the newspaper industry is slowly dying.

When the award ceremony finally started, Mary Vallis, Life Editor of the Star, emceed the event. It began with the wise words of Star reporter, Tara Deschamps, who told students that journalism can take them to places beyond their imagination. To proceed, the son of Brad Henderson—the founder of the High School Newspaper Awards—David Henderson spoke about how proud his father would have been of the accomplishments of the student journalists. He also believes that the existence of a student’s passion for newspaper amongst the generation of iPhones and hashtags should definitely be rewarded. The Planet’s editor-inchief, Samantha Quinto, was graciously awarded the Brad Henderson award, “for outstanding journalistic potential and strength of character “. Individuals of the Planet staff were also awarded the following:

Layout and Design Page 1st Place: Kaitlyn Pontanilla Photography – Feature 1st Place: April Alforque Photography – News 1st Place: Beatrice Serdon Best Electronic Newspaper Runner-up: Mary Ward Planet Staff The proudest moment of the day was when The Planet staff was awarded

PHOTO BY BEA SERDON Best Newspaper with over 10 staff.

The seniors accepted the award while the rest of The Planet staff cheered on.

Comics Runner-up: Bianca Gomba Illustration Runner-up: Matthew Miranda PHOTO BY MICHELLE DALGARNO

PHOTOS BY BEA SERDON

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The simple Everywhere.

answer?

Everyone.

Today, women are still paid far less than their male counterparts, promoted far less frequently and subjected to far more scrutiny and harassment at the workplace. Today, women are still forced to make unfair choices between family and work because of the huge disadvantages they face if they take maternity leave, while men are biologically not required to make the same decisions.

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angry or hateful toward men, and they do not want to deprive men of what they’re entitled to either. What they want is to be on an equal playing field; accorded the same rights, privileges and protections as men, as well as the same opportunities and rewards.

Anyone who is paying attention can see that there is nothing anti-men about these wishes.

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appear to be fearful of alienating men.

They must have so little faith in the capabilities of women to advocate for themselves and to achieve the ultimate goal of living as equal, and successful, members of society. Perhaps these “anti-feminist” women are fearful of potential male backlash against feminists’ attempts at becoming equal citizens, or maybe they just simply do not understand w h a t

Today, women account for 95 percent of domestic violence survivors and 91 percent of rape survivors, and endure excruciating emotional and physical trauma. Today, women are still objectified in magazines and ads, paraded around in pageants to be gawked at, and exploited in mainstream music from internationally respected artists. And though many women engage in these acts intentionally and are paid well as a result, these incidents nevertheless perpetuate the notion that women are sexual objects -- not to be taken seriously, but to be degraded at will.

Feminists, on the other hand, see themselves as equal to men, so even if society refuses to accord them their equal rights, they assert their needs in their personal and professional relationships.

Feminists do not tolerate abuse, so they do not build up rage toward men; they assert themselves in the world, so even when they’re treated unfairly, just because they’re women, they do not resent men so much as bemoan the antiquated, dumb-headed system that prevents them all from being their best selves.

Equal rights? Not at all.

And yet the aversion to the word feminism is not uncommon. The well-publicized portrayal of feminists as angry, man-hating women has preserved the notion that feminism is destructive, dangerous, and to be avoided at all costs.

It is very strange that the notion of feminism currently seems to be equated with man-hating or manbashing. Interacting with any feminist, it becomes clear that one very rarely meets one who has the least bit of animosity, contempt or destructive wishes towards men.

For feminists the world over, the term identifies those who simply want men and women to be regarded as equals and treated as equals. Nothing more and nothing less. Feminists have nothing against men. They do not wish to take anything away from them. What they do want is for men to share what they have with women. Feminists do not feel superior to men; they are not VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 04

Another important thing that embracing feminism could do is decrease female hostility toward men.

Women who are disenfranchised (whether through their own choice to reject feminism or because of the way things are) very often resent men. They become angry, even enraged toward men who hold the balance of power.

Women can leak their hostility toward their partner or explode in anger, all because they’re enraged at the obvious, and obviously unfair, power imbalance that exists between a fully empowered male citizen and a woman who is, for all intents and purposes, considered to be a second-class citizen.

Feminists acknowledge that there are differences between men and women, as well as the fact that there may be things that some men are better at than some women, and viceversa, but none of this makes either gender superior or inferior.

Different theories can be formed on why men decry the notion of feminism—perhaps they simply do not want to share what they have with women. On the other hand, women who are “against feminism” may also be simply aligning themselves on the side of those who have more. Men who oppose feminism appear to want it all for themselves; all the power, the money, the rights and privileges, even the freedom to behave badly toward women. Women who oppose feminism

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really is.

It is disheartening when women say they oppose feminism, because if they bothered to learn what it actually is, how could they disagree with an idea that proposes their having the same rights, opportunities and privileges as men?

What both men and women need to know is that everyone will be happier if women are accorded equal rights.

Women making equal wages will only benefit families; women being regarded as equals will decrease violence toward women, both domestic and otherwise, and women being their best selves will be more interesting, loving, joyful and giving partners to men.

Nothing bad will come of everyone embracing the notion of feminism. Yes, perhaps some greedy, selfish men will resent having to share, but they will just have to get over it.

And perhaps some fearful women will want to hold onto the idea that a man will only want them if he doesn’t have to respect them, but hopefully they’ll see that it’s better to be loved as well as respected by the men in their lives.

Feminism is not a dirty word, any more than love is, or respect, or compassion or consideration. Ultimately, it’s time to redefine the word “feminist” and what it actually means. Because the truth is, everyone needs feminism. When people see this, perhaps everyone will be able to move a bit closer to a world in which men and women get to share all the good things in life, equally.

PHOTO BY KALYAN BARDHAN-MENDONCA

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By Tiffany Rioflorido Seen in a new propaganda video revealed by the infamous ISIS, the world is shaken by the gruesome reality of Christian Egyptians being beheaded on a Libyan beach. The twenty-nine minute video exposes the details of the brutal assassination. Displayed in high-definition, entitled “Defiant Response to the Bombing of Tyrants”, the video shows members of ISIS standing behind thirty Egyptian Christians who are about to be beheaded by a traditional large, curved sword on a beach in Libya. ISIS is prominent in utilizing publicity to convert people to Islam, and to eventually eliminate other religions by triggering fear and targeting non-Islamic groups and individuals. However, although the actions carried out by ISIS come off as exceptionally extreme, they are rooted from something as simple as the practice of judgement.

The video begins with a detailed description of the different branches of Catholicism. It then follows with footage of the destruction of several churches, altars, and Catholic works of art at undisclosed locations. Shortly afterwards, the video eventually reveals how the members of ISIS aggressively propelled the Christian captives to the ground and decapitated them.

President Obama has authorized the use of militant force in order to engage in a war against ISIS, and although it may be effective to induce fear within ISIS and to hinder their acts of terror, it doesn’t resolve the initial root of the problem; the inadequate dialogue between both parties.

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The issues at hand do not only concern the assassinations, but the simple inability to comprehend why certain individuals obey a religion or why they do not. Members of ISIS are so brainwashed under a set of fundamentalist beliefs that they regard the Islamic religion as the only valid faith. There is no appropriate understanding of other religions and there is no attempt to try and understand reasoning from both sides.

The actions perpetrated by ISIS occur solely out of judgment. These actions that have been, and continue to be, are carried out because of the prioritizing of ideology over morality.

Simple differences in ideology are put on a higher pedestal than the value of human life.

Once we are able to decipher why certain individuals act differently, or why some people look a certain way, our judgment deteriorates.

Appropriate dialogue and time allows us to move away from the cynical cycle of our fixed perceptions. The simple act of judgment has become the root of many of the recent problems in our society, as seen in the latest decapitation of innocent individuals and in the hundreds of other cases which have occurred closer to us. If we are able to set aside the pre-conceived notions of others we have formulated through discernment, we are able to help strengthen solidarity and eliminate the small or big issues that sprout from the simple act judging of others.

Although the actions executed by ISIS go far beyond our current capabilities, we are still able to aid in assisting in the betterment of the world.

PHOTO BY BNI

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By Megann Davidson What seemed like another regular day at Kenya’s Garissa University College took a turn for the worse when five members of the Somali terrorist group, Al-Shabaab, entered the campus and opened fire, leaving 147 dead. Of the 147, 142 were students and 5 were security guards and personnel. With 104 other victims also injured and 19 currently in critical care there is only one question that surrounds this horror: why?

The war between Kenya and AlShabaab started eight years ago in 2008 and continues today with retaliation attacks occurring on both sides like an interminable game of chess. After a series of onslaughts on Kenyan ground, such as the massacre at a Kenyan police station that led to the deaths of 22 people, Al-Shabaab pledged allegiance to AlQaeda, which has only increased its recruitment numbers.

PHOTO BY ALJAZEERA AMERICA Most attacks target Catholics and spare Muslims as the terrorist group ‘cleanses society of its dirt’. One example of this is referred to as the ‘Quran verse killing’ in which a bus carrying around 60 people was boarded by armed members of Al-Shabaab. Those who could not recite from the Quran were gunned down, resulting in 28 dead. After this attack it is reported that Kenyan security forces invaded Somalia and killed 100 Al-Shabaab militants, however terrorist numbers are not declining. The university massacre was also carried out during Salat al-Fajr, or Islamic Morning Prayer, ensuring that all Muslims would be at the onsite mosque and not targets for the Al-Shabaab once they entered the dormitories. Once the terrorists secured the residences, students were ordered facedown onto the ground. Those who identified themselves as Muslim were spared,

those who identified themselves as Catholics were not. The police and Kenyan Defence Forces arrived and surrounded the area in order to flush the gunmen out. Four of the hit men were killed while the fifth detonated his suicide bomb and injured some of the commandos. While Kenyan security and police are trying their best to protect civilians from attacks, many complain that security numbers are just not substantial enough to truly do so.

What may be more terrifying is that citizens of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, were even warned that there would be an attack on a major university. But no one expected such horrible results: “[this] was the bloodiest blow Islamist extremists have dealt to the country since the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi,” according to CNN. Although casualties nearly reached 150, many students and staff escaped near death through a hole in the fence surrounding the school. Others, like Helen Titus, had to play dead or hide in cupboards to survive. Titus, a 21-year-old student, had covered her face with the blood of her friends and lay still among a horde of dead bodies as Al-Shabaab militants ran by.

Another student refused to come out of a cupboard two days after the event and had to be convinced it was safe by a teacher they knew.

What also has to be taken into consideration is the reverberating effects the massacre has caused – families who had hopes that their children might rise out of poverty with their education were left with distress and heartache while over a hundred students, who were just studying for exams, would never see their graduation podium. Who knows what those students could have brought to the world, and could it all have been prevented by a simple means of increased security numbers?

In response to this most recent attack, Kenyan authorities announce the border between Kenya and Somalia is their biggest threat as it is easy for terrorists, due to low security, to cross. With the hopes of building a wall to create a solid boundary between opposing forces, the Kenyan government and its people hope it will be enough to see the Al-Shabaab terrorist attacks finally come to an end.

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By Henry Chu On April 25th, 2015, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal, killing more than 6300 people and injuring at least twice as many. The nightmare continues as more than 70 aftershocks measuring up to magnitude 6.7 have rattled the country since the initial earthquake.

The devastating quake that impaired the region over the weekend has affected more than 8 million people across Nepal. A UN agency estimates that over 500, 000 houses were either fully or partially damaged in Kathmandu, the capital city, due to the

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governments followed, mobilizing its units to respond to the catastrophe.

Thousands of experts, medical teams, armed forces and relief workers have been deployed to Nepal but government delays have been frustrating. Many cargo planes are still awaiting permission to fly to Kathmandu’s crowded airport. In many instances, the aid teams are not promptly told where to go or who to work with. The lack of coordination has hindered the efficiency of aid and workers are beginning to express frustration.

The limited number of aircrafts available has also been a major constraint. Many of the areas hardest-hit by the quake have received little or no relief due to

PHOTO BY AFP

By Isabelle Aquino

PHOTO BY THE TELEGRAPH quake. Concerned that even a minor aftershock could lead to the collapse of their houses, residents remain living in tent cities, built in open areas. Food and water remain scarce as locals, such as Yangchen Dulka, scavenge for food. Dulka counts herself lucky to be in Kathmandu and not in a rural area.

“People in the villages do not have access to shelter, tents, food or bottled water,” she said, “We just have basic needs that so far, have gone unmet.”

India, the first country to respond and Nepal’s neighbouring country, launched ‘Operation Maitri’, providing rescue and relief with its armed forces within hours. On 26 April 2015, international aid agencies and VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 06

lack of accessibility. Remote areas that have been badly damaged could only be reached by helicopters. Carriers all around the world brought in water, tents, hygiene kits, water purification tablets and other relief supplies to assist those they can. Canada has sent a Boeing C-17 military transport aircraft filled with supplies along with 150 Canadian troops and 30 experts.

The Government of Canada has also pledged to make an equivalent donation made by any Canadian to registered charities in assistance of Nepal between April 25 and May 25.

With this commitment, the Canadian Government is encouraging Canadians to do their part to help those most in need in Nepal.

On March 24th 2015, a Germanwings plane travelling from Barcelona, Spain to Dusseldorf, Germany crashed into the French Alps. This was Flight 9525, an Airbus A320. There were 150 passengers including crew members and pilot, Andreas Lubitz, who were all killed in the crash. The bodies were recovered about two weeks later by French investigators and are currently going through identification and verification. Services have been held for the victims of this crash over the following weeks after the incident.

The reason for this German plane’s crash had to do significantly with its pilot, Andreas Lubitz, who was diagnosed with depression and was suicidal in 2009. During his training at Lufthansa, the parent company of Germanwings, Lubitz took a break for a few months due to an episode of depression. He also had only 630 flight hours logged. Andreas Lubitz is believed to have purposely crashed the plane in an attempt to commit suicide.

The blackbox of the plane revealed that he locked the captain, Patrick Sondenheimer, out of the cockpit once the latter left for a washroom break. In addition, investigators also found that Lubitz searched terms – on his tablet computer to which they had access to – such as “bipolarity”, “migraines”, “acoustic trauma”, and ways to commit

suicide. However, they have avoided calling it suicide because Lubitz not only killed himself, but 149 other people. They have yet to come to a reasonable conclusion as to why Lubitz decided to crash the plane and if there was anything else behind it if not for an attempt at suicide.

The Airbus A320’s crash has raised significant concerns in the aviation industry. “This tragedy has changed us, and the scars that it has left on our company will remain forever,” said Carsten Spohr, Lufthansa’s chairman, at a shareholders meeting. Germanwings is owned by Lufthansa, one of the best safety airlines according to the Jet Airlines Crash Data Evaluation Centre and has been so since its founding in 1997. Furthermore, Lufthansa could now be charged for corporate manslaughter for letting one of their own psychiatrists allow Lubitz to fly the plane when they were aware of the co-pilot’s mental state. As a result, the European Aviation Safety Agency suggested that airlines follow a “rule of two”: that two pilots must always be present in the cockpit during flights. German Air Traffic Control also responded by calling to the aviation industry to consider remote command of a passenger plane, allowing everyone to safely land on the ground.

All airline companies are taking into consideration possible strategies to combat risks and concerns raised by the crash of Germanwings Flight 9525.

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By Alexis Aguila

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Taylor Alesana, Ash Haffner, and Zander Mahaffey have committed suicide due to bullying, harassment, abuse, and/or lack of family support because of their gender identity. Their stories have brought attention to the mistreatment of transgender people and issues that affect transgender people, such as conversion therapy and early transition. The visibility of these people has sparked change in the world to work toward equality between people of all genders.

On April 24th 2015, ABC News aired an interview with Caitlyn Jenner and Diana Sawyer for a special edition of 20/20. Caitlyn Jenner has always been a hot topic for tabloid gossip.

Specifically, Caitlyn’s gender identity and gender expression have been a topic of discussion and speculation for the media and the celebrity-watching public. During the two-hour interview, Caitlyn publicly addressed her gender Transgenderism comes with various identity for terms and the first time concepts that on television. many people The Olympiando not fully turned-reality understand. A star came person’s gender out as a identity is their transgender own sense w o m a n , of gender, s e t t l i n g whether that is rumours as male, female, she told Diane both, neither, Sawyer “for or anything all intents and in between. purposes, I am a Being cisgender woman.” In the means that comfort of her a person’s home, Caitlyn biological sex revealed her aligns with their story and gender identity PHOTO BY VANITY FAIR struggle with and expression. her gender identity. She explained her On the opposite end, a transgender feelings with honesty, telling Sawyer, person’s gender identity does not “my brain is much more female than it is match with the anatomy they were male. It’s hard for people to understand born with. Gender expression (a that. But that’s what my soul is.” With the person’s way of expressing their support of her family and close friends, gender) does not always have to relate Caitlyn was able to tell the world that to their gender identity. A person’s she was transitioning to become a preferred gender pronouns (usage woman and saying goodbye to “Bruce”. of she/her/hers, he/him/his, and/

or they/their/theirs when referring The intimate interview with Caitlyn to the person) cannot always be sparked headlines around the world. assumed based on appearance so it is However, it is just one part of the important to inquire about pronouns movement for the transgender when talking to someone for the first community. Recently, mainstream time. media has been shedding greater light on the transgender community, As of June 1st, 2015, she has come with celebrities like Laverne Cox out as Caitlyn Jenner and prefers giving a voice for those left unheard. she/her pronouns, as stated in an The transgender and non-gender interview with Vanity Fair.While each conforming community suffers from person’s opinion on the Jenners loss via suicide at a much higher and Kardashians may different, it is rate than the overall population, undeniable that Caitlyn Jenner’s story according to the Williams Institute, has further opened discussion to with over 41% of the community global understanding and acceptance attempting suicide sometime during of the transgender community. their life. Teens like Leelah Alcorn,

PHOTO BY NATIONAL POST

By Vivian Tseng Mike Duffy is a Canadian senator who represents Prince Edward Island. As of November 5, 2013, he was suspended without pay for two years. The Senate began to investigate after discovering four senators claimed expenses for which they were not eligible. Duffy is one of the four senators who are involved in this ongoing scandal for claiming primary residency outside of Ottawa in order to obtain living expenses.

Duffy claimed $42,802 for living expenses from his alleged primary residence in Prince Edward Island.

However, when the Senate asked for proof of residency outside Ottawa to assist the investigation, Duffy applied for a Prince Edward Island health card. He had been using his Ontario Health Card since 2009. In addition, residents near Duffy’s home in Prince Edward Island claim he was seldom seen there. Duffy is also charged for making expense claims on travel unrelated to Senate business.

Duffy’s affairs with the Senate began to receive widespread attention when it was revealed that the Prime

Minister’s legal advisor drafted a letter of understanding between Nigel Wright, the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, and Duffy. The letter stated Wright would give $90,172 to Duffy in order to pay for the expenses. The day after the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the money transfer; Duffy resigned from the Conservative caucus and is now an independent. Nigel Wright also resigned. Though Harper and many senior members insisted they knew nothing about the cheque, reports from the RCMP in June 2013 revealed otherwise. In October 2013, Duffy’s lawyer claimed the Prime Minister’s Office wanted Duffy to accept the cheque and that the Conservative Party paid for all his legal fees. Duffy has the supporting proof and email from Nigel Wright to confirm these reports.

Whether Duffy’s expenses are valid or not remains a matter of debate.

According to the Constitution, as long as a senator owns $4,000 worth of property in the province he represents and is a “resident” of the province, they are eligible to represent their province.

Duffy has 31 charges of breach of trust, fraud, and bribery. His trial began on April 7. Court Judge Charles believes it will take until June for a decision to be made on Duffy’s case.

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By Stefanie Malandrino

By Victoria Policicchio On April 20, 2015, at around 4:30 p.m., a house located at Brimley Rd. and Steeles Ave. exploded. One man died, and one woman was injured in the blast.

Firefighters were at the scene within minutes and described the scene as a warzone. Police quickly closed off Brimley Rd. and as a precaution, told residents to evacuate their homes.

Toronto Fire confirmed that natural gas was leaking from the site and later revealed that four small acetylene

Kalyan Bardhan-Mendonca lives approximately a kilometre away from where the blast had taken place and he felt the explosion as well. “I was sitting on my bed and all of a sudden, it sounded like the wind was blowing hard against the window. Everything else shook, and it was just for a split second. My kitchen cupboards flew open.

I thought a car crashed into my house. A few minutes later I heard the sirens and they continued for almost an hour. That’s when I knew something was wrong. It wasn’t for a while after that I learned a house exploded.“ The house destroyed in the explosion was not the only house affected by the

PHOTO BY CBC NEWS tanks were found in the house. Wayne Romaine, a supervisor with the Office of the Fire Marshal, said that just one of the small tanks would be enough to blow up the home.

Kaitlyn Pontanilla, who was across the street at the time, saw the explosion occur. “The houses were shaking, and we saw a large cloud of smoke and debris above the house. It looked almost as if it was raining down from the sky – like in movies. The explosion sound was very loud. We looked to the house and saw all of the wood exposed, debris everywhere.

A large chuck of wood was stuck in a tree in one of the backyards.”

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blast. The damage spreads to upwards of 40 nearby houses and several other houses must be demolished because the foundation has been affected. Currently, eight homes are uninhabitable.

The 57 year old man who lived in the house, now confirmed to be Paul Zigomanis, died of explosion related injuries. He had been known to police in 2013 for assault and uttering death threats and was due in court the Friday before the explosion took place, but failed to show.

Currently, Brimley Rd. has been reopened and busses are running normally.

Let’s face it– everyone knows a coffee addict. It might be your mom, your teacher, your peer, or even, yourself. There is no greater feeling than indulging in a fresh cup of steaming hot coffee, giving you that jolt of energy needed to get through long days or nights. The beverage is a commodity that is the world’s second most tradable product and is now a growing multibillion dollar global industry, one that is incredibly popular within the Mary Ward community.

Notice the seniors relying on oversized and overpriced cups of coffee from Starbucks or Tim Hortons to get them through this busy time of year. Or note the teachers who make several cups of the drink with their espresso and Tassimo machines which they keep close at hand. However, what happens in the process of getting this coffee to these consumers? Surely, the majority of coffee addicts can relate to the fact that no one has ever really thought about how green their bitter drink really is.

Conventional coffee production plants are “cash crops” — nothing else grows alongside. The effect this coffee production has on the environment is one that is often underestimated by buyers like you. Coffee is typically cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas under shaded trees which provide a home to a variety of floras, indigenous animals and insects that contribute to high biodiversity levels.

As well, this form of cultivation prevents topsoil erosion and removes the need for chemical fertilizers. Of course, this method costs much more, but in a perfect world, this technique would be the only means of coffee production.

Due to increased market demands in recent years, this innocuous form of agriculture has been superseded by “sun cultivation”. “Sun cultivation” refers to a cultivation method where coffee is produced on plantations and forestry is cleared so that it is grown in rows as a monoculture with no canopy.

This incidentally results in fertilizers becoming a necessity, which has had a seriously detrimental effect on the

biodiversity that these cut-down trees inhabited prior to such deforestation.

WWF reports that because of this, 2.5 million acres of forest in the developing countries of Central America have been cleared to make way for coffee farming, and this deforestation is on the rise in coffee-growing countries. Think about all of creation that is destroyed just to provide you with that cup of coffee you savor every morning.It is quite obvious that the production of coffee causes damage to plants, animals,

PHOTO BY LEANNE CORTEZ water sources, air, and to the planet as a whole. Biodiversity and sustainability for tomorrow are threatened by the actions taken today due to the desire for fast cash in the coffee industry.

The evidence is there, and making a change in the way you get your coffee fix today can make a large difference for tomorrow. Switching to organic coffees that are shade-grown on sustainable plantations that are biodiverse and inherently bird friendly is the solution to this fast growing problem that contributes to climate change, the abolishment of our natural resources and the extinction of indigenous species.

“Birds & Beans”, “Salt Spring”, and “Ethical Bean” coffee are Canada’s choices for ecological coffee that offer a wide selection of healthy, rich tasting beverages that come from certified organic, shade grown, fairly traded, and bird friendly coffees - no conventional coffee here! Consider satisfying your coffee addiction in a way that not only helps you, but helps our planet. How green is your coffee?

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By Joselyn Wong It’s that time of the year again. As the school year end draws near, students and staff are hustling to get their job done in high anticipation for their summer to begin: long vacations in hot places or swimming in the lake, who wouldn’t want that? Of course, before all that begins, everyone has to get past the May-June rush. However, the Mary Ward community has found time to organize some awesome, cool events.

EARTH WEEK Go green! One of the most important events that happened during the school year was Earth week, taking place during the week of April 20th, 2015. Each day brought a new activity

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to help sustain the environment.

The theme of Monday was PLANTS. Several Green Quest members sold plant seeds in the foyer. Those who purchased seeds were taught how to take care of and plant the seeds properly so that they could bring the seeds home and plant them in their own gardens.

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In celebration of Earth Day, the lights were turned off during period 5.

The theme of Thursday was PAPER. The Green Quest committee organized a game in which students guessed the total number of sheets of paper used by the school in one year. The total equalled to over 1.5 million! Three students were declared winners and received a pair of Sony earphones.

The theme on Tuesday was ORGANIC. During lunch, the Green Quest committee held a table where students were table to taste food. The objective was to guess whether the food they were tasting was organic or nonorganic.

The theme of Friday was WASTE. Students who brought in a container for their lunch received a little treat.

During periods 4 and 5, students met up in the foyer and then headed outside for a community clean-up.

The theme of Wednesday was ENERGY. A civvies day was held and whoever wore green was able to get half off the regular price of $2 to wear civvies.

Earth Week was very successful and hopefully helped people appreciate the planet a little more. Thank you Green Quest!

DECA INTERNATIONALS The annual DECA internationals took place this year in Orlando, Florida, from April 23-30th, 2015. Out of thousands of students in Ontario, Nicole de Souza and Xhona Puja made it to Internationals, competing against other students from across Canada and the United States. Congratulations to Xhona Pulaj for making it to Internationals, competing in her category, Sports and Entertainment Promotional Plan.

As well, congratulations to Nicole De Souza for placing top 10 in her category, Quick Serve Restaurant Management Series!

OKOF

On April 28th, 2015, OKOF had their annual end of the year bake sale where this year’s proceeds went to Sick Kid’s Hospital. About $150 was raised from the sale. Great job everyone!

PHOTO BY VARSHA RAGURAMAN

PHOTO BY PATRISHA RANIN

By Roy Llanes No matter what you end up doing in the future, it’s important that you do something you love, something that you’re passionate about. This is something I learned after quitting my first real job at Food Basics. Frustrated by repetitive tasks, difficult customers, and strict managers, I realized that working as a cashier at a grocery store just wasn’t for me. It was a “eureka” moment where, from that point on, I refused to work strictly for money.

I wanted something more from the work experience, something that I would only be able to find through entrepreneurship and starting my own business that I call Prior.

It feels like it was bound to happen sooner or later. Even when I was younger, my dad would always take my sisters and I to garage sales and second-hand stores, where we would spend hours digging through piles of toys and clothes and find a bunch of really cool things. Over time, my appreciation for all the vintage clothes

and items that we would find grew, and I started regularly hunting for vintage pieces that appealed to me, constantly looking for more and more places to find some really unique pieces. By starting Prior, I was able to create revenue through something I was already doing all the time anyways and something that I love to do.

My goal with Prior is to provide shoppers with the best handpicked sportswear, streetwear, and vintage apparel for an affordable price. At Prior, we strive to offer a wide range of apparel that you won’t be able to find at any usual retail store, clothes that have character behind them, and pieces that are just as unique as the people who wear them. Our focus not only falls on our great products but also on our superior customer service. I’ve come to understand that the business would not be possible without customers who are willing to show their support for it, that being said, each customer is treated with as much respect and gratitude as possible.

Customer service and support is just one of the many responsibilities

of running the business. Other responsibilities include taking product pictures, colour-correcting, purchasing, accounting, shipping, and marketing. Because there is so much to do, things sometimes get a little hectic.

The biggest challenge of running the business has been balancing work with school. I really want to put all my effort into the business and make it the best it could possibly be, but sometimes I feel as if I’m held back with all the units and school work. In the past I was constantly torn between sacrificing the well-being of my business in order to benefit my studies, and sacrificing my studies in order to benefit my business.

I’ve been working hard to find the equal balance between the two, however as graduation is fast approaching, I have prioritized my education because I know once summer hits, I’ll be free to expand my business and place all of my focus into constant improvement.

I currently sell my products online and have been fortunate enough to have customers from all around the world; from multiple states in the US, Australia, Spain, the UK, and even from Japan.

The outreach has been amazing so far

and it will only continue to grow. Apart from online sales, I have been lucky enough to participate in the Aannex Flea Market in downtown, where I was able to set up a vendor’s booth with the help of my friends and interact with customers face to face.

PHOTO BY ROY LLANES There are definitely plans to participate in more of these flea markets during the summer and it would mean the world to me to have some of you come out to support. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. To hear about future flea market dates, check out some great products, and be part of the Prior experience, head over to our site at www.priorshop.ca or follow us on Instagram: @priorshop VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 09

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By Gennifer Emmanuel 3-2-1 lift off! The last week of April brought an exciting adventure for some math and physics students, six days and five nights well spent in Orlando, Florida. The first stop on the trip was to Downtown Disney where students enjoyed exploring picturesque boutiques, quaint little restaurants and whimsical stores straight out of our wildest imaginations despite the torrential downpours. The following day was a highly anticipated with a day at Kennedy Space Center, where students strolled through the visitors’ complex which is home to the rocket garden, an IMAX theatre, discovery exhibits to learn about space exploration, the chance to meet an astronaut and experience a realistic simulation of a shuttle launch where the force of gravity makes the skin on your face stretch well past your face.

However, the most exciting part of the day was taking the Kennedy Space Center bus tour to locations like the Apollo 8 launch center, the Apollo/ Saturn V Center, the Saturn V Rocket, Space Launch System, Launch Pad 39A and 39B, Cape Canaveral and the infamous Vehicle Assembly Building.

The bus tour provided students with great insights in to future projects that NASA is currently working towards, in particular with sending humans to mars and an asteroid, deep space exploration, the Orion spacecraft, the asteroid redirect mission, medical and physical research on the International Space Station (ISS), development of aeronautics, satellite systems, and cutting edge robotics and technology

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development to aid climate change.

A visit to Kennedy Space Center will definitely reinforce the necessity and importance of space exploration to advance technology and solve problems here on earth.

The trip also included a visit to the Florida Institute of Technology where students toured the campus and were given a seminar by Dr. Ugur Abdulla who solved a 200-year-old partial differentiation equation. Next was a visit to the Astronaut Hall of Fame where students marvelled at the timeline of space exploration and various missions throughout history. A trip to the Orlando Science Center provided for a unique experience with seeing the various exhibits, local wildlife and a screening at the CineDome where student enjoyed documentaries about the Forces of Nature and Under the Sea. The next day proved to be one of the most memorable with a day well spent at Universal Studios going on simulation and thrill rides that catered to the needs of adrenaline junkies and thrill seekers. Universal Studios definitely had something special for everyone.

A surprising promposal and a chance encounter with Trey Songz followed by some live entertainment was the perfect way to end a memorable and event filled trip to Orlando, Florida!

PHOTO BY GENNIFER EMMANUEL Want photos from all 3 trips? Check out mwplanet.tumblr.com for pictures!

By Kieona George Twenty-nine Mary Ward students, and three Bishop of Moracco students, led by four of the coolest teachers, Mdm. Malijan, Mdm. Reid, Mr. Adourian, and Mr. Démore, spent ten days traveling across France, and even hit up Spain for a few hours. On April 1st, huddled in a mass of blue sweaters— with the words “Si Vous Plait” sewn in white across the chest—was the eager group waiting to board their plane that would take them to France.

The first day in Paris felt like a continuation of the previous day in Toronto because of the time change when the group landed. People were tired, and hardly anyone was able to brush their teeth, but rest assured, everyone was wide awake for the VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 10

ride on the Paris subway where the group literally got the best seats to see the Parisian style buildings, actual Parisians, and the tourist attractions. It was also on the subway ride that the Eiffel Tower came into view. Any sign of exhaustion was thrown out the door as students rushed to the windows taking pictures and standing in awe of the structure that they finally got to see with their own eyes.

Exhaustion was back when the group travelled to the Louvre Art Museum.

Unfortunately, most students were so tired that they did not get to fully appreciate the entire Louvre. Students and teachers also got to see the magnificent mansion, Versailles. A person would think that they were in the cave in Aladdin for how much gold and riches there were.

After Paris, the group travelled to Bordeaux, “wine country”. Bordeaux

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By Cathy Nguyen On March 15, 2015, 71 students from Mary Ward’s Senior Band along with 6 supervisors including Mr. Jatiouk, Mrs. Magee, Mr. Volpe, Mr. Chau, and Mr. Kalisz departed from Toronto Pearson Airport for a 12-day tour around Sweden, Germany, and Denmark.

The first stop was Malmö, Sweden, where the band performed their first concert at the Academy of Mu-sic alongside some of the students from the school. During their stay in Malmö, the band visited many of the historical sites of the city, including a visit to the Viking Village of Foteviken, which was informative and fun.

The stop following Malmö, Sweden was Berlin, Germany, where the band stayed for four days. Following tradition, the band went on a panoramic tour of the city, seeing sights such as the Eastside Gallery, the Brandenburg Gate, the TV tower, Museum Island, and Potsdamer Platz. In Berlin, the band per-formed at the Berlin Brandenburg International School, where students from the school were able to play the concert with the band. The eight students from BBIS were enthusiastic and friendly, and were met with the same kind of enthusiasm from Mary Ward’s students.

The experience of making music with students from a different continent and sharing the stage with them was unforgettable.

After Berlin was Hamburg, Germany.

The band enjoyed a scenic tour of Hamburg’s main sights including, the Old Town, the Old Elbtunnel, St.

was the best shopping spot. With a one-kilometre street of pedestrian shops and food places, la Rue de St. Catherine exhibited what “shop till you drop” actually looks like.

Basque Country felt like time travel the way the group was able to visit an 80,000-year-old cave, and ride a vintage train that took them up the Rhune Mountain. The town the Francetrippers stayed in at this time was called Biarritz. It looked like a French California. The Atlantic Ocean was literally at the students’ fingertips.

Even more fun ensued when teachers revealed a chocolate Easter egg hunt they laid out. Mr. Démore pretended to be a crazy homeless man that was trying to steal their eggs. Following that the group travelled to a medieval fortress in Provence called Provence via Carcassone. The last few days of the trip were a blur as the group tried to cram in as much fun as possible.

Michaelis Church, and the Alster Lake.

The same day they arrived, the band was scheduled to perform at the Christianeum with the school’s band.

During their stay in Hamburg, Germany, the band visited two very special places: the town of Lübeck, and Miniatur Wunderland, the world’s largest model railway exhibition. Both Lübeck and Miniatur Wunderland were a welcome break from the stresses of travelling. Before their departure from Hamburg, the band performed at the Stadtteilschule Niendorf, an elementary school. The audience was extremely enthusiastic, asking for encores and dancing along to some of the pieces as they were performed.

The band woke up early on March 24, preparing to travel to the final stop on their tour: Copenhagen, Denmark. The travel involved a short, scenic ferry trip and a bus ride through the heart of the city. The band’s final performance took place at the Sankt Annæ Gymnasium, a prestigious music school in Copenhagen. The final notes of the concert were played with a bittersweet farewell. Tearful goodbyes were made as the trip came to an end.

The boisterous band who departed from Pearson airport 12 days earlier returned more subdued. They left as 71 students and 6 supervisors, but returned as one band.

PHOTO BY STACY CHIU

It was honestly a trip of a lifetime. New friends were made, and old friends became even closer. The France trip was an honest glimpse of the world outside Toronto where people were not in a rush to get somewhere, kids just enjoyed the day as it came, and people put their happiness first. For ten days the students and teachers experienced first-hand what Louis Armstrong was singing about in La Vie en Rose because life was in pink. Just lovely.

PHOTO BY NINOSHKA PAIS

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By Cathy Nguyen After 25 years of leading the music department at Mary Ward, Mr. Jatiouk will be retiring at the end of this school year. Mr. Jatiouk has been teaching for 33 years and has chosen to spend the last 25 with the Mary Ward community.

When he first joined Ward, the music program had roughly 60-100 students altogether, which has grown to a robust 450 students. Mr. Jatiouk captained the ship, so to speak, helping to grow and shape the music program with his endless enthusiasm and patience over the past 25 years. A shining example of this is the annual iRaffle during Christmas. Each year, students collectively sell 10,000 raffle tickets to raise money for the department and the biennial international music tour. With his passion for music, Mr. Jatiouk is able to bring out the best in his students, inspiring them to put 100% into everything that they do, and in return, they inspire him to work his hardest as well. Like Mr. Jatiouk said in an interview, “I got my energy from their energy. […] It’s not just me.

I’ll get it started, but then when it comes back, it gives me even more energy. It’s a constant back and forth, not just a oneway street.”

Mr. Jatiouk believes in always putting the experience of the students first. It’s from this desire that the tradition of the biennial music tours began. At first, what was once a short four-day trip to

By Cathy Nguyen Most Vice-Principals only stay at a school for three or four years, but Ms. Keenan has been with the Mary Ward community for six. These past six years, Ms. Keenan has been an essential part of the school community, often working behind-thescenes to make sure the school and its events run smoothly. After six years, at the end of this school year, Ms. Keenan will be retiring.

The Mary Ward community has been so fortunate to have her as one of the VicePrincipals for the past six years. Being a Vice-Principal is often a thankless job, and yet each day, Ms. Keenan comes

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Ottawa to participate in a music festival has now evolved into an international tour spanning across two weeks where students play multiple concerts across the various cities they visit.

When asked for a final farewell to school, Mr. Jatiouk said, “So my words are: continue to believe in the value of what this is. While not everybody can work in this environment, there are lots who can. Stay strong in holding onto it because it really is a cherished a way of working in education. Both for teachers and for students. Keep the faith”

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By Samantha Quinto Mrs. Kopach has been an iconic member of the Mary Ward community for the past 25 years. Mrs. Kopach will be retiring at the end of this school year, a decision she has made with a lot of thought and care.

the Self-Directed Learning program and the various curriculum changes.

She has always strived to do the best she can to teach effectively. Teaching is not a simple job, but Mrs. Kopach follows the philosophy of, “the longer you teach, the less you teach the subject, the more you teach the child.”

Before teaching, Mrs. Kopach was a cancer researcher. Getting into teaching was quite the learning curve, but over the years, Ms. Kopach has developed a teaching style that makes learning everything from basic ninthgrade mathematics, to twelfth-grade calculus, a little easier on students.

One of Mrs. Kopach’s proudest accomplishments is assisting in the maturation of the Self-Directed Learning program: “I remember when we first started, the very first day of Direction 2000. We had a For everything he’s done for the Mary [department] heads’ Ward community, Mr. Jatiouk will meeting the night be sorely missed, and his legacy will before and everybody Mrs. Kopach’s parting continue on forever, through the lives was really nervous, words are about honesty, of each student. We wish him all the and I remember the integrity, and discipline. best in his retirement, and whatever principal at the time She says the key to this next phase of his life holds! said something like success is having these ‘one thing is certain, traits and holding close at some point, the to them, not how “smart” day will end.’ And so a student is: “when you the first day was just look at math students, the a zoo, nobody knew students who are successful what to expect, and are self-disciplined, they there were hordes of are polite, they’re willing people in the hallway. to take criticism and We didn’t have the constantly push to improve PHOTO BY NINOSHKA PAIS themselves.” safeguards in place.

Over the years, it’s been a lot of refining: the 10-day cycle, Mrs. Kopach leaves behind an excellent the block cycle, the seminar schedule. department, and the tools to allow What you’re looking at is 25 years of it to continue to grow and develop progress.” alongside the students. Thank you, Mrs. Kopach, for being such an amazing Mrs. Kopach has lead the math part of the Mary Ward community, and department through many trying we wish you all the happiness in your PHOTO BY NINOSHKA PAIS times, including the introduction of retirement!

to school with a smile on her face, ready to greet the day. When asked to describe Ms. Keenan, Mrs. Magee, Mary Ward’s principal, said Ms. Keenan is “like a cheerleader,” the unsung hero of the school community. Ms. Keenan is often found out supporting various school sports teams, clubs, events, and activities. She is always there to lend a hand and a “go Ward!”

Ms. Keenan’s fondest memories of Mary Ward involve these extracurricular events: “So many, I guess…just tons. I guess of the things that you get to go see like the art show, concerts, plays, debating, activities like DECA, seeing students performing in one way or another. That’s actually quite exciting and it’s exciting because students do

great things, but can’t do it without staff so there’s that involvement where everyone’s together.”

and happiness, and wish you all the best in the next phase of your life.

Ms. Keenan’s staunch belief in the value of compassion and support are reflected in her parting words: “always remember your roots at Mary Ward because you’ve learned a lot of good things that I think that what people learn here to become good people, and to treat people with respect, and do good things for people that need it.”

Ms. Keenan, thank you for everything you’ve done for Mary Ward and the Mary Ward community. The level of commitment you’ve shown is inspiring and your legacy will live on. We wish you a happy retirement filled with fun

PHOTO BY NINOSHKA PAIS VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 11

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PHOTOS BY BEA SERDON

By Bianca Gomba From April 16 to 17, Mary Wardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nights became more theatrical and sunny than usual. This year, the Drama Departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production was based around a fairly well-known play: Tom Sawyer. It tells the story of the titular character whose mischievous yet witty behaviour influences the crazy town he lives in. From having his heart stolen by the new girl in town to witnessing a manipulative crime, there is no doubt that he is going through a compelling adventure. After all, he experiences new friendships, love, and the benefit of telling the truth.

Alongside Tom Sawyer are his best friend Huck Finn and his love interest, Becky Thatcher, played by Evan Sands, Christopher Rondilla, and Xhona Pulaj respectively. They were incredible in their lead roles, though they would not have done it without the supporting cast! Everyone enticed the crowd to laugh from the silliness of their characters, or react positively with their excellent acting. The tech crew also pulled off a great job with the atmospheric lighting and appropriate sounds.

Keep on the sunny side of life, Mary Ward, the Drama Department did a fantastic job once again!

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By Nicole Crawford Congratulations to the arts departments for another successful art show! The art show of 2015 was an amazing and inspirational show. Students got to experience the art of Phi and phi puns all week may 4-8. From the grade nine instillation to the amazing construction works Phi show cased every grade in every art department with great detail. The Mary Ward basement was filled with lots of colour, music and life as students, teacher and strangers admired the works that were on display that week.

The annual art show is a proud tradition at our school and phi defiantly stood up to these standards.

Many of the projects used in the art follows the golden ratio also known as phi. Upon close inspection you will see that every piece contains some element of phi; from the dimensions of a table to the 1:1.68 ratio of a movie screen. Subtle elements of phi were combined with the art showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spectacular installations and pieces. The students who participated in this years event should be proud of their works. The Mary Ward art show was a huge success because of their dedication as well as the time and effort spent by the teachers. Phi was a very enjoyable event that has enriched our schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique high school experience.

Congratulations to everyone who participated in the phi show, and best wishes for the rest of this year.

PHOTOS BY AMANDA LUM AND FATIMA CASTILLO VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 13

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By Serena Singh

PHOTO BY CINEMABLEND

By Rebekah Barona On March 25, fans everywhere were heartbroken to learn that Zayn Malik decided to leave the internationally successful boyband One Direction.

The unfortunate news was announced on the band’s Facebook page, saying that Malik won’t be joining the other boys for the rest of their tour due to stress: “My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined,” Malik posted, “But, after five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band. I’d like to apologize to the fans if I’ve let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart.”

In his first interview after his leave, Malik admitted to The Sun that he felt overworked, and that the fame and everything associated with the band wasn’t real to him anymore. He stated: “It’s not that I’ve turned my back on [the fans] or anything, it’s just that I just can’t do that anymore because it’s not the real me.” After years of devotion and commitment, he felt that it was right for him to step out and have some time for himself: “It is crazy and a bit mad,” Malik continued. “But at the same time, I’ve never felt more in control in my life, and I feel like I’m doing what’s right—

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Also known as the Narcisstick, the selfie stick has become an important part of culture in these social mediaobsessed times. The selfie stick is used to help people take selfies from a short distance on their smartphones and is a common sight to see in many cities today.

Fromm, the man considered to be the inventor of the selfie stick.

Contrarily, some museums are aiming to be more inviting to a younger audience. This means entertaining their love of social media and their enthusiasm for selfies. There are even some places that encourage the use of selfie sticks, as clarified by Marnie Peters, assistant vice president, public relations and publications at the

right by myself and right by the boys, so I feel good.”

The other members—Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, and Louis Tomlinson—are very supportive of his decision: “We’re really sad to see Zayn go, but we totally respect his decision and send him all our love for the future,” they said on their Facebook page. “The past five years have been beyond amazing, we’ve gone through so much together, so we will always be friends.”

Since Malik’s departure from the band, he has been seen travelling around Europe with his family. He has also been spotted at a London recording studio with producer Naughty Boy, leading to rumours of the pair working on an album together. Malik made his first public appearance after his split at the Asian Awards on April 17 where he donated $105,000 to the British Asian Trust. During the ceremony, he was awarded Outstanding Achievement in Music and thanked Styles, Horan, Payne, and Tomlinson in his acceptance speech, as well as God and his parents.

The rest of the band will continue with a fifth album prepared to be released later this year. There are many rumours speculating that Malik will release his own album as a solo artist in 2016, leaving fans very hopeful for the future.

PHOTO BY WIKIA

PHOTO BY BIANCA GOMBA Recently, many museums and art galleries have banned the selfie stick for various reasons. The Chateau de Versailles and Britain’s National Gallery say they need to protect artworks and their visitors. This reflects the feelings of many institutions that have decided to ban the selfie stick from their establishments. The fear of the physical dangers that the selfie stick can be used for have fuelled the bans and are an ongoing concern for many.

In addition, selfie sticks are considered to be in the same category as tripods and are banned in places that already have a ban on tripods. Since many cultural institutions already ask visitors to leave distance between themselves and artwork or displays, and often limit flash photography as well as cumbersome equipment such as tripods, it is not surprising to see them ban selfie sticks as well. This categorization comes from Wayne

ROM. “There are lots of areas where we do encourage selfies and photos,” says Peters. “Right now, we have got a wildlife photographer of the year exhibition that has lots of selfie and photo options for people, and our (Douglas) Coupland exhibit, which is on right now, also encourages lots of photography.”

Selfie sticks have also been officially banned in France, Brazil, the Colosseum, concerts, American cultural sites, Disneyland rides, the Kentucky Derby, and soccer stadiums. The list of places banning the selfie stick is still growing as many institutions debate the health and safety concerns of the selfie stick over its practical use and appeal to younger generations. Finally, Mary Ward's own drama teacher, Mr. Dalton, has put a personal ban on selfie sticks and claims to be ready to take them away if he ever sees them. So be mindful of where selfie sticks are being used!

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By Andrea Nijmeh

Dragonboat Parise-Bullock, Torossian

The Dragonboat team completed their four month land-practices on May 13th and have begun their boat practices.

They will be competing in the Pickering regatta on June 7th and the Centre Island regatta on June 20th.

Yadao placed 2nd in Senior Boy’s 100 meter dash, Midget Girls 4x100 M Relay placed 2nd and Simon Pieris placed 3rd in Junior Boys High Jump. All medal winners will be competing at OFSAA from June 4th to June 5th. It was a spectacular season for the Track and Field team!

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placed 2nd in Senior Men’s Singles, Natasha Pillas and Matthew placed 2nd in Junior Mixed Doubles, Lewis Huang placed in Junior Boy’s Singles and Tian Qin and Marizan Chandrasegar placed 3rd in Senior boy’s Doubles.

The coaches are proud of the team’s success.

Plaza and Joshua Iskander finished in 3rd place in Mixed Doubles. On April 15th the senior team competed, winning the overall men’s banner and Senior Trophy. Numerous medals were won: Steven Zhou 2nd place in Men’s singles, Mark Tismo and Sean Tengco 1st place in Men’s Doubles, and Tian Qin and Penny Zhao 1st place in Mixed doubles. Congratulations to Coach Notten and the table tennis team for another successful season.

Track & Field D’Agostino

On May 21st the track and field team competed at TDCAA’s where they won a number of medals; Open Men’s 4x400 Meter Relay 1st place, Senior Men 4x100 Meter Relay 2nd place, Jerome Jude 1st place in Senior Men’s

PHOTO BY VARSHA RAGURAMAN

Varsity Girls Soccer

Rossi, Parlato Record: 2 wins, 2 losses

PHOTO BY ANTHONY D’AGOSTINO

Varsity Girl’s Softball Zidar, Poole Record: 1 win, 5 losses

PHOTO BY ANTHONY D’AGOSTINO 800 Meter Dash, and Senior Men’s 1500 Meter Dash, Jason Yadao 2nd place in Senior Men’s 100 Meter Dash, Junior Women’s 4x100 Meter Relay 3rd place, Midget Women’s 4x100 Meter Relay 2nd place, Jessica Abellanosa 3rd place in Midget Women’s 200 Meter Dash and 2nd in 100 Meter Dash midget and Simon Pieris 2nd place in Men’s High Jump Junior.

All medal winners will be competing at Metro Finals on May 27th and 28th. On March 27th and 28th they competed at Metros winning a number of medals: Open Men’s 4x400 Meter Relay 3rd place, Jerome Jude placed 3rd in Senior Men’s 800 Meter Dash and 3rd place in Men’s 1500 Meter Dash, Jason

On May 19th the girls competed won their opening match against Father Henry Carr 5-3 qualifying for quarterfinals. On May 21st they competed at quarterfinals where they lost to Monsignor Johnson 1-0. Due to the fact that the majority of the team are juniors and will be returning, Coach Rossi says he’s looking forward to a “dynamite” season next year.

PHOTO BY BEA SERDON

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Junior Boys Volleyball

Sersanti, Peets, MacIsaac, W. Schwan Record: 3 wins, 2 losses

It was a learning season for the varsity girl’s softball team who, despite their losses, were able to win one game against Jean Vanier 10-4. The team competedat playoffs on May 28th and despite their best efforts, lost to Father John Redmond. Coach Zidar says the girls were very hard working and is proud of their dedication to the team.

PHOTO BY BEA SERDON

The junior boys volleyball team’s strong efforts and skill placed them third overall in their tier. They played at quarterfinals on May 6th where they won against Archbishop Romero 3-0.

On May 12th they competed at semi finals, losing to Jean Vanier 3-2 and just missing playoffs.

PHOTO BY BEA SERDON PHOTO BY BEA SERDON

Badminton

Coleman, W. Schwan It was an incredible season for the badminton team who finished in first place overall at TDCAAs. Nathan Lam

Table Tennis Notten

It was an excellent season for the Table Tennis team who finished in second place overall. The junior’s team competed on April 14th where Stanley Wong and Miko Man finished in 2nd place in Men’s Doubles, and Elyssa

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By Bea Serdon and Mary-Anne Buerano On April 26th, 2015, dedicated Raptors’ fans witnessed the downfall of the Toronto Raptors in Game 4 against the Washington Wizards. In a four game sweep, the Toronto Raptors fell victim to a 125-94 final, in their short-lived playoff career. The devastating final score at the end of Game 4 caused Raptors’ fans everywhere to question the capability of the players and the coaching team. Rumours emerged, questioning possible changes in the coaching staff, and in-fighting between the staff and the players. Regardless of the rumours, it is evident that the Raptors require work if they ever want to live up to the “We the North” buildup they have created.

Starting off the season with a 22-6 record, the future of the Raptors’ this season seemed bright. However, improvements that should have been made throughout the regular season failed to be carried out into the playoffs.

It appears as though following the AllStar break, the Raptors motivation

By Marizan Chandrasegar Often referred to as “powerful education”, P.E goes beyond the scopes of any other subject taught in school. Why that is can be understood in the following quote by former president John F. Kennedy.

“Intelligence and skill can only function at the peak of their capacity when the body is healthy and strong.” The best part of this message is that, you can achieve mental and physical strength all at the same place and time. This is made possible by having programs in school dedicated to staying active.

There’s even the option to take your love for gym to the next level and learn the science behind it in courses like Exercise Science which will be formally known as Kinesiology in the new school year.

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and ability, quickly changed to sloppy three-pointers, and constant pick-androll plays. The Raptors had lost their passion to win, and traded it with their motivation to avoid losing. Despite the franchise’s record high of 49 wins this season, the Raptors’ ideal of being an elite-level team was thwarted due to players’ incapability to communicate with each other, and listen to Coach Casey. Considering Casey is a primarily defensive coach, as emphasized in his various interviews, it is questionable as to why the Raptors are 23rd in the

PHOTO BY RAPTORS REPUBLIC league in defence. The Raptors are an offensive team, as seen in their reliance on the three-pointer. This dependence on hitting superfluous threes negatively impacts the team as a whole. A lack of ball movement is the result. There is no presence in the paint, as the team rushes the three, instead of driving.

This is most evident in Sixth Man of the Year, Lou Williams, and former AllStar, Demar DeRozan. Their shoot first, defence-optional strategy has done

more harm than good for the team.

Though DeRozan ends games with high points, his shooting percentage is dramatically low. The ceaseless cycle of isolation plays cause DeRozan to take a considerable number of shots, without reason.

Although Toronto has advanced our offense, the team is lacking the defence required to play effectively.

Therefore, Masai Ujiri, general manager of the Toronto Raptors, must take the opportunity in the off-season to make serious trades. As it stands, Toronto has six free agents. Toronto must take the necessary steps to improve, and reform the Raptors if we expect to be a contender for the playoffs next season.

Considering Casey’s refusal to play James Johnson, a veteran big-man is in great need for the Raptors. This is not even to mention the Raptors poor rebounding throughout the season.

In the regular season, the Raptors managed 41.5 rebounds per game, ranking in the bottom third of the league. Normally, the team’s effective offence compensated for the lack of presence in the paint. However, against Marcin Gortat and Nene Hilario, the Wizards, whose regular season rebounding averaged at 44.7 per game, the Raptors simply could not contest.

In the playoffs, the Wizards increased to 48.3 rebounds per game, whereas

The reason everyone should take Nurses, Athletic Trainer, a Phys Ed related course is simply Physiotherapists, Chiropractors, and because of the benefits that come Exercise Physiologists are just a few alongside healthy jobs associated within living. These include; the boundaries of controlling your physical education. weight, improving All it takes is a little moods, boosts energy, information to show & is overall a good students that there is a way to make friends. future career If there are so many opportunity in the benefits to taking Phys Ed field! We must a Phys Ed course in show students that high school, why are physical education students reluctant to explicitly teaches the take them? According necessary knowledge to a recent survey I and skills for working took at school, the with and relating main reason is that PHOTO BY VERONICA ISKANDER to others, and student’s don’t believe provides the learning there are many job opportunities past opportunities to develop these skills. It university or college. It’s unfortunate enables the development of leadership how many people are still uninformed and teamwork skills and encourages when it comes to possible careers students to transfer knowledge to involved in the Phys Ed field. other learning areas. It does this for

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the Raptors fell to 38.5 rebounds per game in their four post-season losses.

During the playoffs, the Raptors inability to grab rebounds is a major contributing factor that the Wizards, a team that struggled offensively throughout the regular season, were able to consistently attack offensively.

What the franchise in general and Masai Ujiri must resolve is the identity of the Raptors. Once this is determined, the coaching staff will be able to construct the team to better fit their distinct identity. Despite the lows of the Raptors this season, Lou Williams won the well-deserved title as Sixth Man of the Year. Lead by starting All-Star point guard, Kyle Lowry, the future of the Toronto Raptors is yet to be predicted for next season. With any luck, the newly announced D-League team will assist in improving the Raptors for the upcoming season.

PHOTO BY NATIONAL POST

example, by supporting students to work cooperatively in other subjects, or when working with groups in a leadership role in the school setting and in their lives outside of school in sports clubs or community groups.

If someone told you that there was a course that had it all, wouldn’t you want to take it? Luckily at our school, you can choose from Personal Fitness, Healthy Active Living Education, or even Kinesiology!

The choice is yours, and whether you choose to include Phys Ed into your life is up to you. Just remember that you learn to think critically and to make meaning of the world around you by exploring health-related and movement contexts. You also learn how to bring about sustainable healthenhancing change for individuals, communities, and society.

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sports

By Veronica Iskander Well... it’s finally come to the end of the year.

It’s right about now that everything starts catching up. Now that it’s possible to count how many school weeks are left on just one hand, it’s time to start working. OK, pencils out, math textbook on the right and a stack of graph paper on the left. Open the unit, read the first question, and…nothing.

What to do?

People are often told to stop procrastinating, and for some, if they are lucky they might actually heed that advice and get some work done. However, some people would rather take their chances and hope that somehow the more urgent and working portion of their being will make its annual appearance to save them from having to come back during the summer. Hopefully the ideas presented in this article will help keep overwhelming feelings at bay.

Here goes nothing.

If there is anything that I have learned in the past 2, soon to be 3 years here, it’s that thinking about all the stuff you have to do succeeds only in keeping you from doing said tasks. So, do not waste your time thinking, rather waste it doing something, anything, because even reading through your units to get an idea of how much you need to do, is better than facing it on Thursday night, thinking that it’s just one unit and realizing that you don’t understand it, and it really is more than you expected.

I must stress to you that it is very easy to get lost in your thoughts and that if you do just keep thinking why you never did anything before and pile up a list in your head of every single last thing you must do, you will be exhausted and it will feel like you have done so much work and that you deserve a break. So here is where the doing part comes into effect. Make a written list of all that needs to be done for the coming week only, because you need to be careful not to get overwhelmed and at the same time you need to try and make sure that you stay organised.

Now that you have your list, if you think it is necessary, you can also try and make a kind of master list that contains every single last thing that you need to do

from now until the last target date. This way, you are aware of everything you have to do and can plan accordingly for the remaining weeks. One of the most important things you can do that will make your life easier is read through the unit guide. Just quickly flip through it and take a look at some questions.

That way, you know the difficulty of your work and can start it earlier so that it is more possible to get it done by the end of the week.

This is the last point and the point I stress the most: use up all of your time.

If you usually go home and watch TV or eat, multitask. Open a textbook or your laptop and try to get some small portion of work done. EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS. While it is important to make sure you do set some solid time just for working, try to get some work done during your free time as well. Yes, that means that you don’t get much of a break, but it depends on you as a person. Don’t eat, breathe, and dream units, but work at it and work towards your goals. If your goal is summer school, plan according to that. If your goal is to carryover, work towards that.

The year is almost over and although most of us will plan to start fresh next year, realistically, since we are not completely forced to hand in our units on the target date, it will be kind of difficult to get rid of our habits. A word of advice: since I find that I am eager to do work at the beginning of the year, I tried to do as much as I could in September, so that when I got lazy and started to procrastinate, I would have something to fall back on. If you are going to procrastinate, at least try and get a lot of work done at the beginning of the year so that by the end of the year, you won’t be too overwhelmed.

I would tell you not to procrastinate at all, but lets face it will it stop any of us?

Good Luck Mary Ward!

PHOTO BY VERONICA ISKANDER

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By Mary-Anne Buerano

Studying has become an increasingly difficult issue that students on a global scale must undergo on a daily basis.

Throughout the years, students have experimented with numerous forms and variations of studying. Whether this studying is applied to tests, quizzes, midterms, or exams, the following tips and tricks will help any procrastinator, to stay productive.

PHOTO BY APRIL ALFORQUE ORGANIZATION In order to have a productive study session, organization is of the utmost importance. An organized work space equates to an organized mind. To begin, locate a secluded, quiet, and well-lit area in your home. Establish this location as your work area, with a desk and comfortable chair. Complete all work in this area.

Miniature storage boxes and desk shelves are keen investments, as these will aid you in studying. Denote each shelf to a subject, and place your work and study material in the respective shelf. This ensures that important documents and notes will never be lost.

A pencil holder with extra writing utensils and miscellaneous stationery will be convenient, and in quick accessibility. Place all material you will need in order to complete school work and studying in this area. This restricts unnecessary breaks from studying, and organizes your school supplies. Although not vital to your studying, embellishing your work area with positive reminders will motivate you, and illuminate your space. It is important that your desk does not bore you, yet does not distract you.

Positive reminders and photographs posted around your desk will inspirit the otherwise tediousness of studying, and motivate you to proceed.

MUSIC The most common misconception with studying is that listening to music while studying will distract one from absorbing information. In a study completed in 2013 by the University of Phoenix, listening to specific genres of music stimulate the brain, awaken your senses, and in most scenarios, reduce the boredom of studying. Although the result of studying whilst listening to music varies among persons and their preferred methods of learning, the genre of music played affects the individual. There are a few genres that I would recommend avoiding, however. Songs containing lyrics should be avoided whilst studying, as this can result in impromptu karaoke sessions, and ultimately distract one from understanding information. If listening to music is the preferred method of maintaining concentration while studying, it is highly suggest that your daily playlist consisting of your favourite songs is not used. Possibly a slight change in genre will aid you in concentrating. If you are one to become easily distracted, an instrumental playlist will be ideal.

SNACKS No matter the task, it is crucial that your urges are controlled. Ensure that you do not neglect hunger or thirst while studying. By managing food and water intake throughout extended or short term study sessions, unnecessary breaks will be avoided. Although brief pauses from your work are fundamental in an effective study session, keeping yourself satisfied will minimize the number of breaks, thereby granting more time for learning.

Bite-size food and treats are recommended, as they do not create a mess or interfere with any index cards, books, or notes. Popcorn, mini pretzels and cereals are easily prepared snacks that are inexpensive and only require minimal cleaning if spilled. Fruits and other healthy foods such as carrots, grapes, assorted berries, apple slices, and granola bars, although require a more extensive clean-up, are healthy alternatives that will energize you through enduring nights of learning.

Remember! You’re only human, and you will be distracted. Try your best to stretch and take a break from studying every forty minutes to avoid distraction.

Happy studying!

VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 17

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By Sarah Menzies

should savour every moment of it.

You want advice from us? That’s your first mistake.

3. “Just do it. You’re going to be great.”

– Wendy Lin It’s okay to take risks. People learn through experiences, good or bad.

High school is all about change. Truth be told, we learn a lot more outside of the classroom than we do in it. So remember that the easy choice is not always the best choice. You won’t know what you’re capable of until you take a step outside of your comfort zone.

Needless to say, being a Mary Ward student is not easy. We’re in a never ending series of unfortunate events with the increasing price of cafeteria cookies, ISP consultation lines, and the fact that there’s a song about conditional zeroes. But let’s be serious for a second, because regardless of the stress, we all love our school immensely. So for all those returning

PHOTO BY LEANNE CORTEZ to Ward next year, here’s something you can ponder while you’re out there making your own mistakes.

1. “Listen to your parents, but also make sure that they listen to you.” – Ellesor Lucero Parents are like blankets. They’re big and warm, and comforting. But sometime it gets really hot outside and a blanket becomes really constricting.

I don’t know what a duvet is, but it can’t be good. I’d like to believe that all parents love their children regardless of choices they make. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Just remember that what you say has value, when you speak, it means something. “Yes mom, I’ll be a doctor,” or, “no dad, I want to be a dancer,”— at the end of the day, all people just want to be happy. So make sure that your voice is heard, because the only person who can dictate your life is you.

2. “Don’t take things too seriously, laugh more, have fun but still work hard… oh and join more clubs/school/ sport events!” – Anonymous Pretty self-explanatory. High school passes by pretty quickly, and you VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 18

4. “Be nice to people.” – Anonymous So, because you go to Mary Ward, you will constantly have to explain what exactly a “self-directed” school is. Be prepared for a variety of responses from the most common, “So you don’t have to go to school?” to the very annoying, “that doesn’t even sound that hard.” The only people that will truly understand the struggles of allnighters and fifth period on Fridays are those who experience them with you. Always be there to give someone a hand, because on the #roadtograd those same people will be holding you up.

5. “Your happiness depends on you, so make life how you want it to be.

Everything will be okay.” – Michelle Li People will tell you all the time that you shouldn’t be upset, because in twenty years none of it will matter. But the thing is, your feelings do matter; because you’re a person and YOU matter. The important thing to remember is not to define your entire life by one specific moment. High school will end but you’ll keep on living, so just be happy and do you.

PHOTO BY LEANNE CORTEZ

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By Rachel Peiris High school, like all good things – and bad too – must come to an end. It is at this point, after four long years of sleepless nights and priceless memories, that we graduates must ask ourselves, “what next?

Having been surrounded by curious adults my entire life, I have always been questioned about my future. It is almost as if my aunts, my uncles, and especially my parents feel the need to remind me that I am getting older with each passing day. But every single time I am faced with that teenage-angst-

the people who are closest to us – are definitely factors that contribute to the decisions we make for our futures.

However, is our own happiness more significant?

From a young age, I can recall being judged severely for my aspirations.

It was not long before I began telling people that I did not know what I wanted to do because I believed that it was the best – and also the safest – thing to say. In reality, it was not so much that I did not know what I wanted to do, but rather that I did not know what I should do.

Fast-forward a few years, and things are beginning to shift into perspective

PHOTO BY BEA SERDON inducing question (“So, what do you want to do with your life?”), I am almost always certain that I have absolutely no clue.

We who stand on the brink of adulthood seem to be facing many decisions these days. We are making choices for our futures, which is often a frightening task. We all want to make money, we all want to be safe, and we all want to please our family and friends. So, what should we do and how should we do it?

Unfortunately, there is no instruction manual in existence that we can follow, no formula we can use to derive the answers to our burning questions.

Perhaps we have been taught to be ignorant of the simplicity of it all.

Truth be told, nobody wants to do something which they lack an interest in for the rest of their life. It is, of course, passion and perseverance that push us along the path toward achieving our dreams. Money, security, and external influences – particularly from

for me. We young people are always being told to hurry up and figure our lives out. For some of us, this is a rather simple task, which is okay. It is okay to be confident and to have everything planned out. For others, it is more challenging. This is okay too. It is okay to be confused and to make mistakes and to not have all the answers – this is something that I believe we are not told often enough.

Whether you are going to university after graduation or taking a year off, maybe you are chasing down your dreams or meeting your parents’ expectations, whether you have your eyes set on medical school or you are considering dropping out of Mary Ward, remember that life is full of learning experiences. No one knows you better than you do, and no one is more qualified to determine what your future will look like than you are.

Best wishes for the road ahead.

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By Allegra Fiorino Recently, during a conversation with a colleague, I described a mutual friend as “charming.” I’d meant it as a compliment, describing how adept this person was at getting along with people, making them feel valued and at ease, but my friend reacted as if I’d fired shots. “Wow, you really think that?” she said, aghast. I was surprised at first, but quickly realized that I’d made a mistake: I’d used a word frequently deployed as a backhanded compliment as a, well, compliment.

Want to subtly imply that someone’s reputation far exceeds their actual qualities, without directly insulting them? Try calling them “charismatic,” “pleasant,” or “clever.” Notice they don’t have the same ring as “great leader,” “fascinating,” or “intelligent” -- without denying that they’re any of those highly admirable things, you’ve suggested that what they actually are is something more trivial.

These words have positive meanings, at least on the surface.

You’ve probably used at least some of them with genuine affection and sincerity. And yet… there’s an undertone of snide disdain just underneath.

Perhaps it’s because they praise traits or behaviors that are perceived as shallow or easily faked; if you call a prospective suitor “charming,” you’re stating that he’s capable of easily winning people over, but by using that word instead of calling him “a wonderful guy,” you’re implying that he doesn’t necessarily deserve such approval.

If you’ve ever been graced with one of these adjectives and found yourself unsure of whether you’ve just been complimented or coolly insulted, you’re not alone.

Charming: See above -- although sometimes used in a sincerely complimentary manner, it can make a person’s likability sound calculated and even a bit unsavory.

Charismatic: Charisma is an intangible quality that draws people in, so it’s often applied to people who seem to attract people despite clear flaws. When someone says “He’s so charismatic!” it

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seems like they may as well be saying “Everyone seems to love him, but I don’t know why!”

Clever: The word suggests smarts, but not wisdom or depth of understanding.

It can be deployed to minimize intelligence by suggesting it’s no more than a surface-level quickness. An ironic “Well, how clever of you” is a great way to deflate someone who’s overly impressed with their own insight or ingenuity.

Creative: Sure, we all want to be “creative.” But if your new necklace, hairstyle, use of punctuation, or reading of the instruction manual is in question, creative starts to sound more like “bizarre.” For example: “Are those new earrings from the folk art museum? They’re so ... creative.”

Well-meaning: It’s good to mean well! But if someone has to point out that you’re well-meaning, it’s probably because your good intentions paved a road to hell.

PHOTO BY KIEONA GEORGE Intense: If people frequently call you “intense,” consider that they may simply be afraid to call you “terrifying” or “high-strung.”

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By Kaitlyn Pontanilla “Just because it is not my reality, doesn’t mean that it isn’t someone else’s,” Uzma Shakir told our Equity and Social Justice Class. This very statement is something that some parents have a lot of trouble understanding. The gap in communication between parents and children is especially big within first-generation Canadians. It is common for first-generation kids to feel the pressure of living in both their parents’ reality and Western reality. The real question is: How do I create my own reality? Here are some common barriers that first-generation Canadians must overcome: LANGUAGE AND CULTURE Living in a bilingual or multilingual household can pose a struggle for people trying to find a balance. While I have had a lot of influence from my parents’ culture, I am not able to speak in their mother tongue fluently. Sure, there are always family gatherings, and different media outlets from the Philippines. My parents speak to me primarily in English, with Tagalog as a secondary language. I am able to understand the language fluently, but I cannot speak the language fluently.

With language comes culture. The more we become accustomed to Western culture, the more we can lose the culture of our parents. Will I continue to do these customs and traditions, prepare cultural meals, and speak the language as I get older and live with future generations?

UNREALISTIC EXPECTIONS Growing up, I heard a lot of talk from my parents about my academics, relationships, and lifestyle choices.

Getting the highest marks possible is the goal. “99%? Where’s the other 1%?”

For a long time, I believed it too. There

has never been a time where I wasn’t under this kind of pressure. From a young age, these expectations ruled my self-worth and confidence, making me insecure of my inherent worth as a person. Managing the expectations of my parents was a constant battle, one I shouldn’t have had to fight. Of course, you should always do your best and work hard, but if and when you fail, remember that you’re only human, and you still deserve good things.

THE FUTURE Here’s something that you need to hear: Your personal worth is not dictated by your career choice. You might not become a doctor, lawyer, engineer, accountant, or scientist, and that is completely okay. While there are people that work incredibly hard to make this a reality, this is not the projected path for many people, and parents need to understand this. Every child’s skill set does not sit within the supposed perfect boundaries of taking 3 maths and 3 sciences or the path to law school. If art, music, or liberal arts are things that you excel at, never stop doing these just because it is not your parent’s wishes. The opportunities for employment in Canada are so different and cover a wide range of different subjects. Your future career may not have even been created yet. The creative industries are growing. Don’t lose hope in yourself.

The truth is that there is no perfect formula to strike that perfect balance.

Finding what works for you comes from accepting both, taking from each, and creating what is best for you.

You are not your parents, nor are you exactly what modern society expects you to be. Do what feels right, believe in yourself, and you’re on your way.

This article, of course, does not reflect the only truth to the first-generation Canadian experience.

Capable: It’s wonderful to be perceived as capable at your job, but it’s no “talented” or “brilliant.” “She’s capable” can sound a bit like a dismissive pat on the head at times, implying that higher accolades simply aren’t merited.

Pleasant: Is there any more tepid compliment than “pleasant”? It’s not “fun.” It’s not “fantastic.” It’s just ... pleasant. Enjoyable enough, but not exciting or noteworthy. Saying someone is pleasant carries a whiff of lukewarm approval, if not slight disdain.

PHOTO BY CALGARY SOCIAL VOICE VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 19

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By Julia D’Silva It’s summer vacation, two glorious months of freedom! But you’ve spent all year cooped up in your house doing units—how will you figure out what to do with all of this free time? And how will you be able to afford it on your minimal student budget? Never fear! Here are a few free (or cheap) things that you can do in Toronto this summer!

Spend the day walking along the water, playing some beach volleyball, and working on your tan! The Beach is a beautiful area with no shortage of things to do. You can even pretend that you’re on a tropical vacation.

If you want to window shop for all the things you’ll buy when you finally make some money, head to Yorkville and marvel at the high-end high-priced shops: Chanel, Gucci, Tiffany’s... you can start a wish list for the future!

1. VISIT A MUSEUM!

3. GO TO A PARK!

If you like art or history or museums in general, Toronto is the place to be!

Admission to the Royal Ontario Museum is $15.50 for students, but it’s only $9 on Fridays after 4:30pm. The Art Gallery of Ontario offers discounted admission on Thursdays from 6-8:30pm, and the Bata Shoe Museum, a collection of over 10,000 pairs of shoes, offers paywhat-you-can admission on Thursday evenings from 5-8pm. If you don’t want to pay anything at all, admission to the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art and The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery is always free!

When you think of Toronto, green spaces are probably the last thing that comes to mind. However, the city is full of beautiful parks! Check out Riverdale Farm, a seven-acre farm right in the middle of the city. Or take a ferry to Toronto Island, which is full of parkland and beaches. A ferry ride for a student costs $4.75 including return. Save money by packing your own picnic lunch! Another great park to check out is High Park, which has a swimming pool, picnic areas, and even a zoo. High Park is also a good place to witness a little Shakespeare…

4. WATCH A SHAKESPEAREAN PLAY!

PHOTO BY CATHY NGUYEN 2. EXPLORE A NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD! Toronto is a pretty hip city, with lots of great neighbourhoods to walk around.

Queen St. West was recently named the world’s second-hippest district in the world by Vogue. The neighbourhood boasts tons of small cafés, artisanal bakeries, and indie art galleries. All you need is bus fare and money for lunch!

Another great area to visit is The Beach.

VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 20

Shakespeare might be the last thing you want to think about during your summer vacation, but getting to see a live, outdoor performance of one of his plays is a pretty amazing experience.

Canadian Stage puts on performances of classic Shakespearean plays in the outdoor amphitheatre in High Park from July 2 to September 6, Tuesday to Sunday. The plays this year are Julius Caesar and The Comedy of Errors, two plays that you won’t get a chance to read in high school. If you want a reserved spot, the cost is $25, but if you buy your ticket at the box office it’s pay-what-you-can. Shakespeare in High Park is a unique experience that’s fun for all ages and will impress your English teacher!

There are so many fantastic things to do this summer! Make sure you take a break because you deserve it. But just in case you do decide you want to go out, make sure to check out something new and to try exploring the city!

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By Allegra Fiorino Nobody is more irritated by Internet distractions than I. And nothing can compare to the “what colour is the dress” fiasco. Some people looked at the dress and saw white and gold.

Some people looked at the dress and saw blue and black. Scientists say it has something to do with the reflection of the light.

Nevertheless, the Internet dress sensation got me thinking about our relationship with colours.

Conduct your own sociological study.

Go up to ten random people, introduce yourself, and say, “Quick. Without thinking about it, ask me a personal question.” I bet “What’s your favorite colour?” pops up the most frequently, along with “How old are you?” One’s favorite colour gives no real insight into his or her personality. But, yet, people want to know because we love colours.

According to most polls, the largest percentage of people name blue as their favorite colour. Blue has it easy.

It’s all around us. The sky is blue. The ocean is blue. People like to wear bluecoloured contact lenses to pretend their eyes are blue.

Nobody with blue eyes wears browncoloured contact lenses. Nobody likes brown. People with brown eyes don’t even like to use the word. Instead, they say that their eyes are hazel. I’m not even sure if hazel is a real color. Crayola doesn’t make a hazel-colored crayon.

It makes an eggplant-colored crayon, a timberwolf-colored crayon, but no hazel.

But brown is a wonderful colour. It’s the color of big beautiful eyes, of long flowing hair, of chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Unfortunately for brown, it’s also the colour of feces. And it’s hard to live that down. If feces were indigo, we’d have an entirely different colour perspective.

Red might be our most intriguing color.

On one hand, we associate red with love and valentines. When children draw a heart, they color it red. On the other hand, red is violent— bloody and

loud and unstable. Politicians usually wear red ties during debates. Red denotes power. You don’t want to mess with red.

Customarily, boys wear blue and girls wear pink, though this relatively new tradition has no objective basis. I mean, boys aren’t blue and girls aren’t pink. If your newborn baby is a Smurf, then I can understand the blue ribbon on the birth announcement... along with the awkward explanation about who the father is. Otherwise, it’s illogical.

Perhaps it’s time to change things up a bit. How about yellow for boys and silver for girls? Or why does it have to be about gender? Let’s do magenta for easy deliveries and peach for difficult births. Fuchsia for C-sections.

When I was a kid, we learned about a rainbow’s colour sequence by using the acronym Roy G Biv. As a matter of fact, rainbows span a continuous, infinite spectrum of color. But as a way of remembering the seven colors most visible to the naked eye, our teacher told us to think of this name. It’s interesting that Roy G Biv works so well as a mnemonic device since I’ve never met anyone with the last name Biv. Actually, one might suggest black and white are the main colors. But science explains that black and white are not really colors, per se. Rather, black is the absence of color and white is the presence of all color. Perhaps. But can science explain plaid?

Science aside, out of convenience, most people still refer to black and white as colours. I mean, nobody ever asks, “What is your favorite absence of color?”

When it comes to skin colour, descriptions tend to be subtle. No real human being is literally white or black.

Clowns and mimes are white, but that’s just the make-up and besides, they’re not real human beings. We’re all the same basic color, just lighter or darker versions, based on environment differences and how often you go to the tanning centre in the mall. Hence, colour shouldn’t separate society.

Colour unites us. And regardless of your race, we all agree that the built-in crayon sharper on the Crayola crayon box is stupid and doesn’t work.

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Faisons la crème au caramel cet été!

Par Gisselle Villagracia et Amanda Tanner

Étapes :

3

3. Juste avant l’ébullition, ajouter le Foster Clark’s Caramel mix en remuant le lait.

1 4. Laissez-le pendant 2 minutes en continuant à remuer.

5

4 6. Quand le crème au caramel est froid et prêt, sortez-le du réfrigérateur.

6

7. Renversez le sur une assiette.

5. Versez lentement le mélange sur le nappage dans les moules ou les coupes et laissez-le dans le réfrigérateur pour 2 à 4 heures.

7a

8. Coupez vos fruits et arrangez-les comme vous voulez.

8

Sombres

Par Joselyn Wong

Mon cœur s’est brisé en deux, Et tu m’as embrassée une dernière fois au revoir.

Tu as dit que tu retournerais très vite, Et puis, tu es parti le soir.

2

1. Versez le contenu du sachet de nappage caramel dans votre moule ou dans vos coupes.

Les Jours

Quand nous nous sommes séparés ce jour, Avec les larmes de tristesse.

Tu as dit «je t’aime » Et tu m’as regardée avec grande tendresse.

Du lait (500mL) Des fruits Tasse à mesurer Foster Clark’s Caramel mix (boite que vous pouvez acheter à une épicerie qui inclut du nappage caramel) Une grande casserole Une cuillère en bois Une moule ou un saladier d’un demi-litre ou des petites coupes/moules 2. Faire chauffer le lait dans une grande casserole.

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7b

Je m’allonge réveillée sur le lit, Anxieuse, angoissée, agitée.

Je m’inquiète jour et nuit, que mon pire cauchemar, Devient une réalité.

Que tu ne retournerais pas, Et je ne te verrais pas jamais encore, Que je ne sentirais pas ta touche, Ni sentir ton amour.

Désolée et seule, mon imagination se déchaîne Avec des scénarios de blessures et de sang.

Je peux entendre les cris terrifiants.

Et voir les corps sur la moraine.

J’imagine toutes les scènes de bain de sang Et je frissonne avec horreur, Car tu luttes dans la révolution, Et la peur froide touche mon cœur.

Mais quelquefois, je te vois debout, Dans ma chambre ou dans la rue.

Quand je me cligne les yeux, Comme la brume dans l’air, tu as disparu.

Et je me rends compte avec désespoir, Et avec un déchirant cri, Que tu n’étais pas réel, Mais seulement une cruelle rêverie.

Avec tout mon cœur, Je prie pour ta sécurité et ton retour.

Que je te vois bientôt, Pour tu es mon seul…mon seul amour.

9. Voilà! C'est prêt à servir!

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PHOTOS PRISES PAR GISSELLE VILLAGRACIA ET AMANDA TANNER

On est heureux de vous annoncer que les nouvelles leaders de Je dis, Jeudi! pour l’année prochaine seront Brittney Persaud et Jenny Rasiah! Visitez notre site web pour apprendre un peu de plus au sujet d’eux. Félicitations les filles!

Visitez notre site web aussi pour lire les mots derniers d’Amanda Tanner, l’animatrice du club cette année: Une chose que j’ai appris en école secondaire!

Ayez un bon été, Mary Ward et continuez le français!

VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 21

la petite planète

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By Kieona George Sitting at a black park bench Watching the children play I can remember my childhood The late afternoons/early evenings at Aunt Bev’s The magical shine on everything Kissed with light by the Sun The primary coloured playground that was so small But seemed worldly to me The little flies seeming to float from the grass when you walk through it I could always feel the grime on my fingers But that meant I was playing the right way Climbing as bravely as those trying to conquer Everest Running as fast as a jaguar To the point where the other kids couldn’t catch me And those swings, Those swings were my safe haven The closest I ever came to flying Gliding feet first in the air Then falling back to the wind in my seat Every time I got close to the trees in front of me I felt like I could jump off and soar through the canopy of light green leaves Going home I always felt like a champion I had played my heart out and my body could support me Washing my hands, I liked to wrap one around the other, Then push all the white soap turned brown from the dirt, To the end of my fingers Then watch it fall in the sink My accomplishment However, hot water and soap could not get rid of my warrior scars, The callouses on my fingers from the monkey bars I was a superhuman for the way I could play But then life handed me my kryptonite

PHOTO BY KIEONA GEORGE VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 22

By Tristan Sabado It was just a walk, Downtown, where there’s lots of grid-lock.

Not that day though.

We went to the place, with only a little bit of dough, It wasn’t glamorous, It wasn’t treacherous, It was a calm, cloudy day.

It is also the home, where many lay, Not in a house, all warm or comfy, But a corner, some stairs, maybe a grate, and for free.

Is it free?

Cold nights, Dim lights, Barely any food, Probably not in the mood, If we are all the same, Then why are the homeless out in the rain?

It doesn’t make sense, So we made a difference.

We brought juice, socks, and sandwich to give, They weren’t sensitive, They were open and friendly, They accepted happily, We made a difference, And it was just a walk.

PHOTO BY BIANCA GOMBA

creative spaces

By Kieona George In the distant future, no one is allowed to have an imagination. The innocence of childhood, the magic of friendship, and the gift of “make believe” is stripped away. Babies start their life in grey hospitals to be raised with analytical attitudes, children are forced into school systems that drain the energy out of their dreams, and teenagers are pushed to think logically. This all happens at the hands of evil, soulless, controlling, robotic brainwashers – a.k.a. Stluda.

Although mankind’s physical magic is demolished, dreamers continue to exist. Hiding yet sustaining their imagination they hope for a revolution. One of these dreamers is Kaskazini. A scientist whose life’s work was to send 100 portals in the shape of small jewellery pieces back in time, hopefully reaching children with wild imaginations that can save mankind from its bleak

creative spaces creative spaces

fate. On January 1st, 2050 before Kaskazini was caught and murdered, he sent off the Imaginariums.

Where they went and who they were presented to was unplanned and unknown, but hope and destiny have a way of working themselves out.

fun and games

if this big tree blocks out sunlight?

Kay looked down at her dirty worn out black Converse in deep thought, closing her eyes, when she heard it. The sound of wind chimes mixed with the rustle of leaves dancing in the wind. Kay immediately got excited. Her school had no wind chimes. It was something else. Oh Kay stood outside my gosh! I’m going to trying to solve the find a fairy, or I’m going mystery of what to get magic powers. caused the unnatural glisten on her PHOTO BY NINOSHKA PAIS Harry Potter has nothing on me right now. Eeck! classroom window.

From where she sat in her grade nine class, the cause could only come Kay tilted her head upwards then from the beautiful oak tree nearby. slowly opened her eyes. There was Kay walked under the tree and no fairy but there was something. stared at the vibrant green leaves A bronze jewellery piece hanging that reached way above her head from a stub of a branch high above and created a canopy, blocking out her. Kay had no doubt that it was the lots of light. So what made the shine cause for the window situation and

that it surely had magical properties.

What am I supposed to do with this intriguing discovery? Without any push, her bag slipped off her shoulder and slid onto the ground.

That was the only sign Kay needed.

I need to reach it. She zipped up her jacket and made sure her laces were tied before she grabbed the first branch about two feet above her. It wasn’t that hard for Kay to swing her legs over.

The climb was fun in itself. Kay didn’t spot any bugs. Warm sunlight hit her skin. The scent of crisp autumn air chilled her nose but Kay was smiling her biggest in that moment. From the pounding of her heart and the slight glow of sweat on her skin, Kay didn’t notice that everything went still and quiet when she sat inches near the jewellery piece.

To read more, visit the website: www. mwplanet.tumblr.com

By Rebekah Barona

By Michael Morales Because maybe one day you’ll read one of these.

Whether it be the day it gets handed to you, or years from now in a box full of old memories.

When your kids find an old newspaper from when you were just a teenager, Or when life beats you down and all you have is this poem to remind you that there are still tissue boxes that can wipe away worn-out tears.

I hope you know that I still think you’re beautiful.

That your eyes were the most precious diamonds I have ever seen in person.

That your skin was softer than the heart you saw at night when I needed someone to talk to.

That your smile was brighter than the future we always said we would have together.

And that your hands were the only ones that could fit perfectly into mine.

I wrote about you, a little more often than I should have.

And somewhere, I know someone is reading the words I never had the courage to say.

If this should be the first poem you ever read, I want you to know that there really was someone out there.

He cared for you more than you ever would have expected.

He loved every inch of your personality, and accepted each of your flaws.

He wants you to know that every word he ever wrote, and every song he ever sung; was about you.

VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 23

funand and games fun games

creative spaces

By Julia D’Silva and Kasia Wodz Infused water Tastier than plain water, less sticky than juice! Infused waters are the perfect healthy summer refreshment. All you need is water, some fruits, and herbs for flavour. For a subtle taste, try lemon, raspberry and mint. Another popular combination is blackberry, cherry and lime. Feel free to experiment!

Potato/pasta/tomato salad A summer staple, salads without lettuce are just so much better. Simple recipes for potato and pasta salad can be found on the internet, and tomato salad is pretty self-explanatory: tomatoes, salt, pepper, garlic and onions, and a salad dressing of your choice!

Light sandwiches It’s too warm to turn your oven on, so you’ll want to make some sandwiches that don’t involve cooking. You can always go with a classic chicken salad sandwich, or you could make a simple turkey club. Check websites like Pinterest for more ideas!

Money for the ice cream truck Ice cream will probably melt in your cooler, so it’s better to get it fresh. Plus who can resist some good soft-serve? A small ice cream cone typically costs around $2.50.

By Nicole Crawford

Cards You don’t want to spend the whole day on your phone, so bring some cards or portable board games like Charades to pass the time!

Portable speaker Can’t forget the tunes! You can get a small portable speaker for $17 at Walmart. If that’s too expensive, you could always bring a small cup to act as a speaker.

Cooler Nobody wants warm water or melted Jell-O! Put your food in a small cooler with a little bit of ice to keep it cool all day long.

Now you’re ready for the perfect summer picnic. The only thing left is to find some good friends to enjoy the day with!

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ARIES: Waiting for Friday to consult or hand in a unit, seems like a good idea at first, but in hindsight, only causes trouble to both your mental stability and unit tracker.

TAURUS: You’re always hallwalking, always trying to find a seat in a department, always questioning which way to go.

Remember—you make your own path.

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GEMINI: Lying at your TA interviews only puts you on the path of a downward spiral. Start telling the truth, before the lies catch up to you!

CANCER: Debating LEO: whether to You are stay up to finding it do units or difficult to go to sleep balance is a difficult extracurrictask; do ulars, social work but life, units, remember and sleep. to take care Remember of yourself! to prioritize and stay on task.

VIRGO: You have been working on this unit for a while now, finetuning it for perfection, and waiting to hand it in. That moment is now!! Stop hesitating, it’s stellar!!

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VOLUME 20 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 24

Mary Ward Community Department Interview Students

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Graduation Teamwork Kennedy McNicoll Phi

SCORPIO: Lately you’ve SAGITbeen TARIUS: feeling lazy. Using your Take a deep teachers’ breath, floor times have some to avoid tea, watch a them, movie and instead hang out of actuwith your ally seeing friends. them, will Re-find pose dire your moticonsevation. quences in the future.

Tom Sawyer Spring concert Prom Leadership Faith

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LIBRA: Remember how you spent that period talking to your friends yesterday and last week? It’s time to spend more periods by yourself.

Hard work pays off later!

CAPRICORN: You don’t know what day it is and you don’t know what target date we’re on.

Usage of the agenda will be a fruitful decision.

AQUARIUS: Remember that unit you were supposed to hand in? Lately you’ve been absent minded; write yourself reminders before you forget again.

PISCES: You sprinted for the consultation line only to find 15 people already there. Don’t lose your momentum; keep your eyes on the finish line!!

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By Vivian Tseng