Mary Ward Planet - Vol.16, Issue 3, Spring 2010-11

volume 16 | issue 3 | summer edition 2011

MARY ARY W WARD ARD M planet.maryward.ca

AN NEETT PPL LA information | art | style | leisure

I S p y a T h i e f | S e n i o r S p a c e s | I t ’s Fr i d a y !

MARY WARD PLANET www.planet.maryward.ca

Official Student Newspaper

Volume 16 | Issue 3 | Summer 2011

As the 2011 year comes to a close, PAL is excited to present an issue that is jam packed with contributions from our senior grade 12 students. On one hand, we are so proud to present yet another inspiring issue, but the experience is bittersweet, because we are losing some of Mary Ward’s finest journalists and layout artists. Planet veterans Michael Chen (Co-editor-in-chief ) and Cormac McGee (Sports Editor) will continue the Mary Ward J-Squad legacy in the Ryerson journalism program. Hazel and Mariah Llanes and Jan Cruz are going to rock OCADU with their artistry in the graphic design and illustration programs. We bid adieu to our rédacteur fantastique, Jed de los Reyes. We will miss Carmelina Robino (World Issues Editor) who will be at University of Toronto. Special shout outs to veteran contributors: Corrado Caruso, Anita Crawford, Aleya Lancita, Yulenka Rebello, Alex Sadowski and Jose Sierra, and Shankri Fabian. We wish you the best of luck in your post-secondary endeavours and the Planet staff will miss you dearly! — Powell, Albert, Largo

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CODE OF CONDUCT

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EDITORS’ SECTION

An Ode to the School Paper Summer Greetings

OPINIONS

Perplexed Texting Seniors Lacking Seniority?

Spare the Books, Save the Face Making the Switch

WORLD ISSUES

A Sea of Blue Osama Bin Laden Tapping Into Change I’d Call That MODERN-cide

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COMMUNITY

Wilkommen! Benvenuti!

Europe Band Trip 2011 Money Earned Versus Lesson Learned Mary Ward For Newbies Rolling in the Dough I Spy A Thief Fifth Times The Charm Rebello Represents!

Luminescence Art Show

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LAYOUT ARTISTS Kristine Buerano Shannon Cabrio Michael Chen Jed de los Reyes

Alex De Pompa Lydia He Hazel Llanes Mariah Llanes

Dorothy Manuel Christian Perez Keihl Vallon Inggrid Wibowo

All content © 2010-2011 Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of this newspaper, in part or whole, is prohibited without the approval of The Planet executive members.

The Mary Ward Planet is the official student newspaper of Mary Ward C.S.S. All members of the Mary Ward community may voluntarily contribute to the Planet. Everyone exhibits professionalism and respects one another in all exchanges while keeping Christian values and practices. All submitted articles, layouts, and photography are subject to moderation. Material submitted is subject to approval by the Executive, staff moderators, and administration. All material must positively support the ideas and spirit of Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School.

Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School is a self-directed learning centre located at 3200 Kennedy Road that was founded in 1985. It became a member of the CCSDL (Canadian Coalition of Self-Directed Learning Schools) in 1995.

LA PETITE PLANÈTE

Qui sont les Torontoistes?

J’ai appris du français. Quoi maintenant?

La formidable nouveau département du français à la fin d’année Seulement les unités ?

SPORTS

Spring Sports Review Sports Suck!

It Used To Be About The Basketball Field Games

WACT + LIFESTYLES

Nintendo 3D-YES! Youth Trek for Charity Black Plague T-Swift Therapy University Life: “Rez” Versus Home Top Five Summer Movies Take Me Away: Let’s Go Around the World in 80 Days Les E. Will You Go To Prom With Me? Charlie Sheen: Always Winning or Fighting A Losing Battle?

The Easy Way to Avoid Hard Times

CREATIVE SPACES

A Sudden Darkness Ashes Fall Like Snow Life of a Typical Mary Ward Student Crossword Summer Sudoku Teacher Puns

EXECUTIVE TEAM Co-Editor-in-Chief: Michael Chen Co-Editor-in-Chief: Alex De Pompa Art Editor: Jan Cruz Photo Editor: Agatha Choy World Issues Editor: Carmelina Robino Community Editor: Nairy Khodabakhshian Redacteur: Jed de los Reyes Sports Editor: Cormac McGee WACT/Lifestyles Editor: Inggrid Wibowo Creative Spaces Editor: Sarah Quinto Junior Editors: Lydia He & Carolina Vecchiarelli Planet Relations: Arevik Vardaryan Planet Webmaster: Hazel Llanes

COVER ARTIST: MARIAH LLANES

editors’section SECTION EDITORS’

Upon entering the classroom, I can smell a familiar scent which is the newsprint’s distinctive acidic fragrance. It feels like Christmas morning again. While I take my seat in morning TA, I notice that the copies are nicely folded at the middle crease. The full colour pages glow front and back. As I flip through the pages, I read the descriptive words that produce thought-provoking ideas in my head. The attractive and appealing layout designs stand out at every page. And don’t get me started on the centrefold.

Another year has gone by, and with it, many important events in the world and in our school community.

From the earthquake in Haiti to the trapped miners in Chile, the historic Canadian federal elections, and the death of Osama bin Laden; the world will never be the same.

Yes, maybe I do need to leave the basement once in a while. I’m afraid the smell of ink might be seeping into my brain and now newsprint is circulating through my veins.

Okay, not to that extent but you get the idea.

I would like to congratulate the Mary Ward Planet staff for all of their hard work.

I am consistently amazed by the expertise and work ethic of the writers, editors, and layout designers. I am excited to see what we will do next year. For all of the graduates of the Planet staff, goodbye and good luck. You will not be forgotten.

This year has been another successful year for the Mary Ward Planet, and might I add, quick and fast-paced just like the school herself. While students take their time to hand in units and consult with teachers, a similar process takes place all over the school. Dedicated volunteer reporters interview their fellow students and teachers on their opinions about issues taking place locally and globally.

Meanwhile, the layout designers work in conjunction with photographers to make the most aesthetically pleasing designs with all their talent.

In retrospect, the late nights spent meeting our deadlines were well worth the results. As a student, it is awe-inspiring to see dedicated members of the school community contributing their ideas and investing time and energy to make each issue worthwhile. The creativity and innovative articles make the newspaper that much richer. It has been a creative process every issue filled with layout jam sessions and writing workshops. It’s going to be sad knowing that I will never again stay late at school drinking Starbucks, eating sushi and making ‘pedestrian’ jokes with the rest of the editors and layout designers.

At this time, I would also like to commend the current student executive editors for the immense dedication that they have shown this year. I’d like to remark on the ‘awks’ moments, the ‘jokes times’, as well as the numerous meetings spent brainstorming the best headlines for our articles. As well, special thanks must go to the staff advisors, Mrs. Powell, Ms. Albert and Ms. Largo, and the administration team, Mrs. Lesniak, Mr. Chen and Ms. Keenan, for their meticulous editing and for the fact that they make the newspaper possible.

Our school experienced a drastic change earlier this year when Mrs. Coburn took a maternity leave, and we met the new principal Mrs. Lesniak.

Though we still have to write our final exams, the summer is fast approaching. I hope that everyone manages to catch up on their lost sleep from all-nighters, and that your dreams are free of units.

When you can, look over this final issue. Shankri Fabian’s “I Spy a Thief” analyzes the mystery of thievery at Mary Ward, while Fionna Chui questions whether the motivations behind Civvies Days are moral. Clodia Kassis follows the rise of “Internet Sensation”, Rebecca Black, and Cormac McGee tackles the disappearance of basketballs intramurals and the school’s new turf field. If you find yourself wondering whether to add your favourite teacher on Facebook, consult Sasha Soraine’s article, “Spare the Books, Save the Face”.

For those of you looking for a summer job, check out Nairy Khodabakhshian and Carolina Veccharelli’s “Rolling in the Dough” article. Or, you can revisit the art show Luminescence on the centrefold on pages 12 and 13, and the Mary Ward Senior Band’s trip to Europe on page 8. Graduates, don’t forget to read the interview with this year’s valedictorian, Yulenka Rebello.

Have a great summer everyone, and remember to brainstorm article ideas for next year’s newspaper!

Alex De Pompa, Co-Editor-In-Chief

I would also like to extend congratulations to the Mary Ward Planet’s extraordinary ‘Webmistress’, Hazel Llanes. Her innovation, technical skill with web and graphic design, and her dedication to the Planet have resulted in her win of the 2nd Place Best Electronic Newspaper, the first time the Planet has ever won this prestigious award. Congratulations, Hazel! And don’t cry Hazel, for fear that you might make me cry!

Lastly, on behalf of the entire Mary Ward Planet masthead, I would like to congratulate you, the reader. You are the reason why we painstakingly produce three issues annually. It’s alarming to find out that most high schools do not have a school newspaper to project the students’ voice and raise to light, the important issues that matter today. Fortunately, the Planet stands strong against adversity.

If you would like to be a part of the amazing school experience that is the Mary Ward Planet, you are more than welcome to contribute. After all, it is YOUR student newspaper.

Alex De Pompa, Co-Editor-In-Chief, Ms. Largo, Staff Advisor and Webmistress, Hazel Llanes strike a pose with national award-winning Star reporter, Jennifer Yang at the Toronto Star High School Newspaper Awards.

Before signing off, I don’t wish the Mary Ward Planet any luck at all for its future endeavours. For everyone, including the staff editors and advisors, know that it wasn’t simply ‘luck’ that has produced three annual issues, a surprise April Fool’s issue, and consistently amazing results and reactions.

To all the members who contribute and all the readers, I tip my hat off to you.

Hope you have a safe and enjoyable summer! God bless!

Michael Chen, Co-Editor-In-Chief

VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 2 mwplanet 03

editorials EDITORIALS

By Carmelina Robino

By Alex Sadowski There are many number of reasons why I dislike texting. The main one is that I am actually not having a conversation with the person I am texting.

I would only consider it an exchange of words which could or could not provide one with information. Since there are no natural facial expressions or body language, it ruins the art of a conversation with anybody.

Another thing about texting is how unreliable it is. Have you ever sent the same text to someone over and over again at 9 am, but they received it at 11am, then he or she did not respond until 2 pm? Texting is as reliable as a hall-walker who says he or she is going to English or Religion. It is not only the technical glitches, but also the responses people give you. What also ruins texting is the ability to edit your response. You are not giving a natural response and you change your response to ‘what’s best’ rather than your initial reaction.

The important thing about conversation is the amount of interest put into it. I often catch myself, and others, complaining about how they wrote a long text and their friend responded with only a ‘k’ or a ‘lol’. If I did the same thing to someone in real life, I know my head would be used as a punching bag.

For my final thought, I will conclude by saying I hate the amount of laziness texters have while texting. I hate useless abbreviations. Some of you may think these are useful, but I disagree with you as much as I disagree with lanyards. I feel this form of conversation is slaughtering the English language. To be honest, it is one of the reasons why I use the spellchecker when I can since all I read is the misuse of ‘your’ all day. Let me sound like you in this next sentence: Kk, so lyke dis is d end of me arictle n lyk i hppe u liky it so ttyl lol #SWAG.

Walking into the Canadian and World Studies resource area at Mary Ward, I find myself, a grade 12 student, having trouble finding a seat. Every seat, paired in two, is occupied by a junior, many of whom are chatting away.

Feeling frazzled and anxious to get my work done, I look to the windows to get a seat where I can plug in my laptop – but to no avail. They are once again occupied by juniors. So, I settle for a seat in the “silent” work room, though, needless to say, many know that this room has trouble staying quiet. I am not sure who is to blame for this, juniors or seniors, but the problem still remains: I cannot seem to find a decent seat throughout the week. Perhaps this problem would not arise so often if some more rooms were opened for seniors who are just looking to work in peace and quiet.

Before I fully propose this controversial suggestion and any juniors want to hunt me down, there are some biases that must be cleared up. Firstly, Canadian and World Studies is not the only resource area that can get rowdy for working seniors. There are a number of other areas, like English, where the juniors like to spend their days. Secondly, juniors are not being targeted, nor are their units considered less important in any way, but it cannot be denied that seniors have more pressures due to University and College deadlines, and are consequently in greater need of some quiet workspace. Even though teachers like Mr. McAlpine control the rowdiness of some areas by holding people back for a few minutes, the noise usually relocates to the next resource area, and so the endless cycle continues.

While it holds true that many seniors like to regularly practice the art of hall-walking and can be boisterous themselves, thus “undeserving” of the privilege of an exclusive work space, there are actually many seniors in the school who are constantly dedicated to their work and who would be extremely grateful, especially when university deadlines roll around, if they had a space all to themselves. Even seniors who are masters of the hall-walking trade eventually need a space to recoup and catch up in order to meet these important deadlines. The way I see it is that these rooms could be used for dual purposes. They could be merit rooms for seniors who are dedicated to their work and who feel the pressure around deadlines, but they could also act as catch-up rooms for those who have fallen behind and who really need to buckle down. TA rooms do not always work because many TAs are located in the main resource areas, so only students in TAs with exclusive rooms have the advantage of having a private workspace.

For those who really disagree, these rooms would not just be for anyone. The privilege to work in these rooms would have to be earned, but their implementation in our school would certainly help out a lot of seniors, especially with the Mary Ward system. There are so many empty rooms in the school that could be put to great use and could at least relieve seniors of the stress of finding a seat.

Juniors, do not worry, there really is no need to panic. You are not forgotten or neglected. We are one great school community. Senior rooms are in no way meant to segregate or sponsor favouritism; after all, you will all be seniors one day too.

Spare the Books, Save the Face

By Sasha Soraine Hey, remember that teacher we had? What about our old soccer coach? Oh and what about our old French teacher that retired a few years back? Man I wish I was still in touch with them.

Show of hands, how many people have had a similar thought? Most students would probably, albeit reluctantly, raise their hands. By the end of high school, a student taking the minimum number of courses to graduate will have interacted with at least forty teachers in their academic career. I havebeen through fortyfour, not counting the summer school teachers, long-term supply teachers, and other teachers that I had worked closely with over the past fourteen years of studies. Not to mention that I have had the same teacher teaching multiple courses over the years. So really the amount of teachers that a student gets to know is quite larger than forty. Students spend a quarter of their day, five days a week, in school, surrounded by their teachers. It is impossible to say that, with the variety of teachers that we come in contact with, and the amount of time that we spend with them, students would not find a teacher they would consider to be a friend. But can they actually be considered “friends”?

The issue of student-teacher relationships, specifically when it comes to social media like Facebook and Twitter, was recently addressed by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT). The College released for all teachers an advisory report with a simple message: “Represent yourself in social media the same way you would in person.” The report outlines the potential dangers and risks of indulging in e-communication between students and teachers. It highlights the potential of

opinions OPINIONS this media to undermine the authority of a teacher as students would no longer understand what is acceptable and what is not. Currently there are mixed views on the issues of Facebook and Twitter for teachers. Some interpret this advice to mean that teachers shouldn’t use these sites at all, which most definitely not the case. Michael Salvatori, the registrar and CEO of the college, elaborated on the issue, stating that “[The Ontario College of Teachers is] not suggesting [that teachers] shouldn’t use Facebook, but we are suggesting that the private profile that students have and exchanges between teacher and students are not appropriate.”

The Mary Ward population seems to be in agreement with the philosophy of the College. Both students and teachers responded to the topic with a resounding “No!” The general consensus among the community is that the entire situation would be incredibly unprofessional and would severely change the way that students and teachers view each other. It is true that in this new electronic age social media is a modern Pandora’s Box, and though this advice should be taken to heart, in the end it is up to the teacher’s discretion whether they should accept a friend request from a student. The only remaining question is whether a student or a teacher would ever want to be Facebook friends?

“Absolutely not!” says one teacher who asked to remain anonymous. “My life is my life. I love having students come back and tell me how and what they’re doing, but I wouldn’t tell them about my private life.”

Most teachers seem to feel the same way, as do students.

“I wouldn’t want my teacher seeing my pictures, or what I’m doing on the weekends,” says one grade twelve student. “I don’t think I ever have, or would ever want to be friends with my teachers like that...Well maybe with my math teachers, so that I can get help when I’m in university.”

There seems to be no two ways about it; both students and teachers agree that interaction on social media sites is just not acceptable. From both viewpoints it is unprofessional, unwanted and awkward.

TAP H2O presents

Making The Switch

“If T.A.P. H2O is encouraging people to stop drinking bottled water, what is the suggested alternative?”

TAP water. It’s the affordable, clean, environmentally friendly and ethical alternative to bottled water.

Here’s how to make the switch: 1. Stop purchasing bottled water.

2. Purchase a reusable water bottle instead.

We know – purchasing a reusable bottle means coughing up some of that lovely green stuff that none of us enjoy parting with, but in the long run - you’ll save money, promise - and lots of it too! Tap water costs less than peanuts when compared to bottled water, meaning that your reusable water bottle will pay for itself with the money you’ll save once bottled water has been removed from your weekly grocery bill.

You can easily purchase a reusable water bottle at many grocery stores, department stores, specialty stores and online. Prices vary depending on the size, brand, and type of water bottle – which are many. Here’s a little bit of a guidance for you conscious consumers:

Stainless Steel

We suggest a stainless steel reusable bottle because it’s more durable than plastic bottles and does not leach harmful chemicals such as Bisphenol A, (BPA) into water.

This is because stainless steel does not require a protective inner liner as aluminum bottles do. Admittedly it’s difficult to find a 100% stainless steel bottle as the mouths (the part you drink from) of many stainless steel bottles are often made from plastic. If you find this is the case, look for bottles that are BPA free by reading the labels and asking retailers questions. And, contrary to popular belief, the majority of stainless steel water bottles are not heavy!

Shop around for one that suits you. The walls of stainless steel water bottles do vary in thickness.

Aluminum

Aluminum reusable water bottles are also widely available; however, they have a spray-on protective lining. An epoxy resin lining that can contain and leach chemicals such as BPA, found in plastics, is often used. That’s why it’s good to read the labels, and don’t be afraid to ask retailers; “hey, is there BPA in the lining of this thing?” Also, if your aluminum bottle becomes dented, it’s best advised to stop using it. That means that the protective lining has most likely been damaged along with the lovely smooth profile of your bottle, which is no good for you no matter how indifferent you are to those dented imperfections (it’s the same drill with dented cans of food and pop).

Glass

A glass bottle is also another option, and an extremely sleek one at that. Although, they are definitely intended for the steady handed, so if you’re known for your butter fingers, best to steer clear of glass bottles. This bottle is not advised for use at sporting events or for children, but it is a very classy alternative for the office, special events, and for the fashion forward.

Fair Trade!

We also whole-heartedly encourage the purchase of fair trade reusable water bottles. This means products that have been produced in terms that meet social and economic principles of fair and ethical trade where, the rights of workers are respected. This will require a little bit of research but the accompanying peace of mind is sure to reward!

T.A.P TIP: If you’re known to take your water bottle with you, well, everywhere – purchase an everyday water bottle for things like work, school, the gym, and yoga. Then, buy another bottle (such as a glass bottle) for special events like concerts, parties and other functions in order to ensure that your reusable water bottle always looks its best with your cocktail dress! It’s sort of like purchasing a pair

of sneakers for weekdays and dress shoes for special occasions.

So, what should I do if I just recently bought three cases of bottled water from the grocery store and am interested in making the switch from bottled water to tap water?

Our advice: finish drinking the bottled water that you have already purchased; we do not advocate pouring clean water down the drain. Also, do not reuse these one-time use plastic water bottles. Repeated use of these has shown to leach a lot of harmful chemicals into water, (that’s why bottled water expires).

Plus, it’s also really important to remember to wash your reusable water bottle every day with soap and water. Bacteria can easily accumulate if you forget. However, a few days here or there with just a rinse in a pinch, won’t kill you. If you’re in a crunch for time in the morning, try to make a habit of washing your reusable bottle in the evening and leaving it near the sink for a quick fill of fresh, delicious tap water in the morning. The majority of reusable water bottles are not dishwasher safe, so it’s also vital that you read all the labels before putting a bottle in the dishwasher.

T.A.P. TIP: What about the taste? That unpleasant metallic taste that some stainless steel water bottles lend to your drinking water?

The Solution: Soak your stainless steel bottle in a solution of vinegar and water overnight before first use, which will eliminate any metallic taste in your water.

Also, as stainless steel bottles dent when they are dropped (plastic cracks), a well-travelled stainless steel bottle can become brutally injured with love after years of use. If it bothers you, dents can easily be reversed with a little physical strength and patience. However, removing dents from aluminum water bottles is not advised as this may cause aluminum to leach into your water, which is not good for you. (That’s why it’s advised not to purchase dented cans of food from the grocery store –which are also made of aluminum; it’s the same sort of idea).

world issues ISSUES WORLD

A Sea of Blue

By Alex Traballo With breaking news around the world, perhaps the most overlooked events are close to home. With the Royal wedding, the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the uprisings in the Middle East and the NHL playoffs, many people have overlooked the federal election in Canada. While all of the newsworthy events are indeed important, the federal election will most likely affect us more that any other event.

The seeds for an election were planted on March 22 when the new federal budget was presented before the House of Commons. The NDP, Liberals and the Bloc Québécois all stated that they would not support the budget that was proposed by the Conservative party; after which Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff introduced a no-confidence motion against the Conservatives which the other parties supported. Having proved that the other parties in the House of Commons had no trust in the existing federal government, an election was prompted.

With the election underway, there were many advertisements discrediting the other parties’ credibility. The Conservatives and the Liberals took shots at each other. Jack Layton’s NDP directed online advertising on sites such as Youtube. The debates were held with parties which held seats in the House of Commons, thus excluding the Green party.

In the polls leading up to the election, the Conservatives held a commanding lead, with the NDP coming in second and the Liberals third, followed by the Bloc Québécois and the Green Party.

On election day May 2nd, the Conservatives won decisively, winning a total of 167 seats in the House of Commons and a majority government. The NDP had their best showing in history with 102 seats. The Liberals won 34 seats, the Bloc Québécois won 4 seats and the Green party won 1 seat.

Stephen Harper has not only held on to the Prime Minister position, but ensured four uninterrupted years in power with the Conservatives’ newly-formed majority government. The NDP had their best showing in their existence; they are now the official opposition party. Conversely, the Liberals had one of their worst showings in history, losing 43 seats and prompting Michael Ignatieff to step down as the party’s leader.

Gilles Duceppe did the same, stepping down as the leader of the Bloc Québécois. The Green party, headed by Elizabeth May, won their first-ever seat in the House of Commons.

Several Mary Ward Students were eligible to vote this year. One voter, Sabrina Andrenacci, said, “It is important to vote because if you don’t like the world you live in, then you can change it by voting.” As many students approach adulthood, we will have more responsibility and awareness of the world around us and how it affects us. If there is a problem in society, it will be our responsibility to voice an opposition by voting. During the next federal election in four years, most of us will be eligible to vote; we will then have the opportunity to change the country.

PHOTO CREDITS: FORMAEMENTIS.WORDPRESS.COM

OSAMA BIN LADEN

By Cormac McGee

“Tonight, I can report to the people of the United States and the world, the United States had carried an operation that has killed Osama bin Laden, a terrorist responsible for killing thousands of innocent people,” Those were the words of US President Barack Obama as he announced that earlier that day; a group of Special Forces attacked a compound in the northern Pakistani city of Abbottabad, killing four people, including the Most Wanted Man in the World with a twenty-seven million dollar bounty on his head: Osama bin Laden.

The fifty four-year-old’s body was taken into custody and buried at sea to insure that his grave could not be used as a shrine or be vandalized. His body was washed three times and a white sheet placed over him as Islamic tradition calls for.

The special task group that buried him in the Arabian Sea of the USS Carl Vinson chose to do this instead of leaving bin Laden’s body untouched, which what would be done if he was regarded as a martyr.

Rather than hiding in a cave on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, bin Laden was found in an expensive compounded estate, rumoured to be worth one million dollars. According to top counterterrorism official at the White House John Brennan, bin Laden’s last acts were ones of cowardice, allegedly hiding behind a woman, using her as a shield to the line of fire.

Shortly after Obama made his announcement, a top Al-Qaeda ideologue going by the online name Assad al-Jihad2 posted a long eulogy for bin Laden on many Islamic Fundamentalist forums, as well as claiming revenge against the Pakistani and American governments for this attack.

06 mwplanet VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3

Another disturbing image is the party that erupted outside the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. According to many bloggers and news agencies, what started out as a sombre, moving celebration which involved singing the national anthem, turned into an all-out celebration of the death of the Al-Qaeda leader. Reports include hundreds of people passing around alcohol, as well as chanting “Ding, dong! Osama’s dead.”

Former President George W. Bush called his death a “momentous achievement”.

This operation is said to have been in the making for the past nine or ten months, with intelligent officials tracking bin Laden’s couriers, eventually leading them to his compound. After sever surveillance and inspection, they gathered a sense that strange things were going on, including the family who lived there burning their garbage in the backyard every week instead of putting it out for the trash collectors.

It is no doubt that bin Laden’s death is a symbolic victory.

Although it is not the end of terrorism, it is the end of a chapter of a man who evaded US soldiers and Afghan militiaforces in a large-scale assault on the Tora Bora Mountains in 2001. The trail quickly went cold after he disappeared and many intelligence officials believed he had been hiding in Pakistan. He had been on the run for almost ten years since the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center.

Besides September 11, Washington has also linked bin Laden to a string of attacks - including the 1998 bombings of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the 2000 bombing of the warship USS Cole in Yemen.

PHOTO CREDITS: BUSINESSINSIDER.COM

world issues ISSUES WORLD

The right to access to clean and affordable drinking water is as fundamental as the basic human right to life. With this major belief in mind, this past October, my sister Sonali and I started T.A.P. H2O. What began as just a group of 5 passionate friends has quickly grown to involve many students from Mary Ward, students from various TCDSB schools and even groups and partnerships with other school boards and youth groups.

The idea behind T.A.P. H2O was inspired by none other than Development and Peace’s Luke Stocking. We had the opportunity to hear him speak through the Catholic Student Leadership Impact Team (CSLIT), the student senate of the Toronto Catholic District School Board, of which Sonali and I are both a part of. Through a powerful workshop about the privatization of our world’s water sources by major bottled water corporations, my sister and I felt compelled to take action. We went home and started doing our own research on the topic. The more information on the countless injustices and human rights infringements in the bottled water industry that we found, the more empowered we felt. The solution seemed very clear – Let’s Boycott the Bottle! And so, Teens against the Privatization of Water was started.

board officials as well as a number of newspapers and magazines.

By Anjali Menezes

With the help of the talented Hazel Llanes, we set up a T.A.P. H2O website, www.tapthatwater.org, and a Facebook page. Our teacher moderator, Mr. Petrasek, as well as Ms. Saran helped us purchase fair t-shirts (which Mr. Notten helped us screen print in Art) as well as canteens. We were soon invited to speak at a number of rallies, symposiums and schools. Sonali, with the help of some dedicated T.A.P. H2O students made a travelling art installation, “the T.A.P. H2O room” which was displayed at different TCDSB buildings and schools before making its way back to Mary Ward for our annual art show.

T.A.P. H2O is still growing, and Sonali and I are so incredibly proud of what we have been able to accomplish in just one year. At their April 20 board meeting, the TCDSB student trustee, Natalie Rizzo, who is a huge advocate of the boycott the bottle movement and has worked very closely with T.A.P. H2O and the boycott the bottle committee, proposed a motion to make the school board “bottled water free”

by September 2012. The motion was passed unanimously.

Our first order of business was to introduce water privatization to more teens. So we arranged for Luke to come to Mary Ward to talk to our whole school with the help and invaluable organizational skills of Mr. Chen and Ms. Davies. More teens joined our ranks.

With CSLIT’s Boycott the Bottle committee, which I chair, we were then able to reach even more students. We have started boycott the bottle partnerships not just with other TCDSB schools, but other school boards as well. T.A.P. H2O became official endorsers of the Polaris Institute’s National Bottled Water Free Day. We joined up with CSLIT to help host a Student rally at the Catholic Education Centre, organized by development and Peace. Over a hundred students filled the centre for Bottled Water Free Day, catching the attention of many school

On May 10th, 3 T.A.P. H2O members from across the GTA had the privilege of running a workshop as guest speakers at the Halton District’s School Board’s Water Symposium.

Through continued campaigning against the privatization of water, workshops and speaking tours, T.A.P. H2O is dedicated to empowering more students not only to “Boycott the Bottle”, but to become leaders in their communities and spread the tap water word!

For more information on T.A.P. H2O, you can visit our website or e-mail us at teens.against.privatization@gmail.com CATHOLIC REGISTER

By Carmelina Robino When we think of the word “genocide,” we usually associate it with a past timeline, one that does not reflect the modernized, “ethical,” and moral society of today. And yet, the word genocide, in its gruesome entirety, is tagged onto the African country of Sudan, exposing it as a modern area of danger and major conflict. Sudan is Africa’s largest country, and located just south of Egypt, it has been prone to violence that has escalated to genocide, just recently in the 21st century. The concentration of the conflict comes mostly from Sudan’s westernmost region of Darfur. Now, the nostalgic phrase “Never Again” is still being uttered by many as the world bears witness to the most recent genocide currently happening in Darfur.

Civilian fighting based on political turmoil between rebel groups and the Sudanese government has maintained this brutal crisis since 2003. Everyday thousands of people are put in danger, displaced, and unreasonably killed in atrocious numbers due to this political unrest and overall corruption. The world is watching as the genocide is arbitrarily continuing, and yet, the international community seems to be lagging behind in its relief efforts. In September 2004, George W. Bush was the first sitting president to ever declare ongoing crisis a “genocide.” Though, despite the president’s risky declaration, there have been no significant governmental changes in the fate of Darfur. If anything, powers in the international community such as the United States, Russia, and China, are strengthening their economic ties to Sudan because of the benefits they reap from this relationship. Sudan’s rich oil supply has satisfied the needs of China, Russia and the United States, causing silence to spread amongst these countries. The international community knows that if they condemn the Sudanese government for various genocidal acts they committed, they will surely lose Sudan as an oil supplier, and thus, as an important economic tie. Can this be justified?

Where does the line between protection of economic ties and neglect of human suffering exist?

The international community is practically turning a blind eye to masses of suffering and dying people who have been victimized by their own government. The international community is being selfish in their political and economic tactics, and holding onto a tie with Sudan that proves to be devastating to millions of those in Sudan – and now, enough is enough.

New information from the U.S. State Department identifies more than 3,300 Darfur villages as damaged or completely destroyed, twice the number that was confirmed when Crisis in Darfur launched in 2007. (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum) In both the south and west, the Sudanese government traditionally exerts a pattern of assaults against civilians, killing, torturing, raping and displacing millions. Additionally, its forces have destroyed entire villages, food and water supplies, and other non-military targets. Primarily, it has used a divide-to-destroy strategy that pits ethnic groups against each other, while arming and supporting local militias. Though interestingly enough, the Sudanese government denies any connections to militias and have even gone as far as denying accusations that genocide exists in

Darfur. Because the only identifiable noise coming from the international community is that of chirping crickets, the Sudanese government is given a status of prevalence and a pass to continue the genocide as it pleases.

The Sudanese government representative, the UN ambassador to Darfur, denies the genocide, saying that it has always been a country of tolerance, and claims that it is because of resources and nomadic tribes that fighting is going on. Though, this rep and the Sudanese government in general have denied any accusations of the occurrence of a state-sponsored genocide. The Sudan ambassador says that Sudan will take care of the crisis on its own, which is generally a frightening and untrue statement since they are the ones implementing the genocide. Finally, the ambassador whipped back at Western assumptions of genocide by saying that the US is just trying to “win the black vote,” and so are TORONTO STAR ARCHIVES over-assuming and over-exaggerating the events in Darfur. This holds to be incredibly invalid, especially because of the thousands of visual testimonies of suffering that are prevalent all over Darfur.

Despite all of this devastation, there have been some smaller-scale, or individual, movements to help the situation in Darfur. For example, the process of the State of California to eradicate the crisis in Darfur has been to divest, or abort, economic ties with Darfur to get them to co-operate.

A regular civilian named Adam Sterling was the header of this project, and through his constant and voluntary rallying, he had the State of California sign a bill that ensured that the Governor of California would not invest pensions in oil companies in Sudan.

This process proves to be effective because it instills fear in the Sudanese government that their country will be isolated from economic and national ties if they do not admit and own up to perpetration of the genocide.

Just as Adam, we too all have the power to stand up and do something. Even if we cannot do as much as he did, this does not mean that we are justified to just sit back as the world’s modern-day genocide is going on. In today’s society, we have all the necessary resources to be able to make some sort of difference. Every little bit that we can do as individuals helps in so many ways – even if this means simply educating yourself on the events going on in Darfur.

In general, it is our duty to educate ourselves more on the crisis in Darfur and do little things to create awareness of the crisis. By starting a petition, informing others on what’s going on, being involved in groups that push various levels of governments to change laws and pass bills that help Darfur, and by participating in organizations that support things like the divestment of Sudan’s oil, we can each individually contribute to putting a stop to the crisis in Darfur. One person will not be able to stop an entire modern genocide, but if we each do our part to help the situation, many positive changes will occur to help Darfur. Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.

VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 07

community After years of preparation and months of practicing, 51 students from Mary Ward had the experience of a lifetime! During the March Break (plus a week of no school), we and six supervisors set out across the Atlantic to visit Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. Each day had something new and exciting to do: if we were not playing a concert, we were shopping, enjoying scenic views, or sleeping on a bus.

Thousands of pictures were taken; every view was amazing. Nördlingen, Germany was a unique medieval-style town surrounded by a huge wall that takes about an hour to walk around. Como, Italy was surrounded by a stunning view of the lake with tall mountains as the background. To make the view more magnificent, we travelled up the mountains on a funicular to see the entire city. Other “once-in-a-lifetime” spots include the MercedesBenz Museum in Stuttgart, the Dachau concentration camp in Munich, the Salt Mines in Salzburg and the Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan.

To top it off, we went skiing and snowboarding in the Alps! Some of us have never done anything like this before, but we knew this was the only chance. “It was one of the scariest slopes down the Alps,” says Jenny Yeung. “Firstly, it was my first time skiing. Second, I managed to fall and all my equipment came off, even the helmet. Fun times.”

It was not just a tour of Europe, though; we were there to perform six concerts! The set-up for the concerts was always a challenge, since most of our percussion instruments were either huge, heavy, or split apart into pieces. We had a lot of songs to choose from, and combined with our stage band, it was a great performance each time. We even did two extra pieces an hour before the shows started: the Italian National Anthem and Gabriel’s Oboe. Many concerts went late into the night, but they were always incredible.

And now, here are some other great moments : You know you are in Europe when you recieve carbonated water more than you see regular water. If I am not mistaken it’s what flows from their taps.

There are no kangaroos in Austria. To remind yourself of this, you can have it printed on a shirt, magnet or keychain.

Gelato is amazing.

The weather was great; it was sunny almost every day, except for two days of rain. I did not wear a coat for skiing.

The audience was great for every concert. They were people we have never met, so their applause felt amazing.

If you are in a restaurant in Europe and you point at an empty water jug to a non-English speaking waiter saying anything, “flapjacks” for example, they will refill it for you.

After 14 days, 4 countries, 10 cities, 6 concerts and approximately 1200 kilometres’ worth of bus rides, we were back in Toronto. We will never forget all we have done in those two weeks. Thanks to all the teachers, Mr. Jatiouk, Mr. Gassi, Mr. Hathaway, Mr. Volpe, our vice-principal Ms. Keenan, and Mr. Moore for organizing an unforgettable trip. There will never be anything like it. “The band grew like a family.” says Lucksson Namasivayasivam.”It felt like one big family tree.”

In the school semester, nearly our whole school population participates in Civvies Days. But do Civvies Days have ethical and moral implications of a Catholic school?

On Civvies Days, students are given an ultimatum: give a toonie in exchange for the right to wear civilian clothes on that particular day or wear their uniform. Of the entire school population, students often feel obligated to wear civvies because of “social protocol”. During Civvies Days, most of the school is likely to come to school in casual clothing, even if it was not well advertised. Grade 10 student Shannon Cabrio says, “I feel that Civvies Days are excellent fundraisers for worthy causes and days to express yourself a little more than usual, but rather than to show support for these causes, these days are widely misused as opportunities to temporarily get rid of the seemingly evil uniforms.”

The issue is: are students giving their two dollars as a generous donation or for the benefits that they will receive from it?

Not all students are financially able to pay for Civvies. Furthermore, whether or not a student chooses to donate money can be a personal matter.

In a Catholic school, the main reasoning behind the use of uniforms is to ensure equality amongst the students and to discourage materialism and vanity. During Civvies Days, students are encouraged to dress in many other ways, partially encouraging the aforementioned values and partially defeating the purpose of uniforms.

On the plus side, Civvies Days raise hundreds of dollars and the proceeds usually support various organizations, which give our school a good reputation. This year, a total of approximately twenty one thousand dollars were raised because of nine Civvies Days. Each student would pay approximately eighteen dollars for a year’s worth of Civvies Days. A student, Robert Ramassar responded, ”I think having civvies is a good thing, because it gives us a chance to escape from our uniform for a day and wear clothes that we are comfortable in and enjoy wearing. Also, most of the time, the donations go towards good causes and many people participate.”

But is our school truly moral if these hundreds of dollars were raised simply because people wanted to escape from uniforms? Does this mean that these good deeds are only possible because students are getting the opportunity to express materialism and vanity?

However, goodwill donations are possible from our school, as shown through the recent generosity of the school from the donation jar from Japan week. Sarah Quinto, one of the executive members of Free the Children, adds, “Civvies Days are obviously more profitable ways we earn money for Free the Children. It’s very efficient. Last Civvies Day, which was the Japan fundraiser effort, we raised over two thousand dollars for Sharelife.”

At any rate, every Civvies Day is an interesting day, since the school is a sea of colour rather than of navy blue and burgundy. In whatever way a person chooses to look at it, Civvies Days definitely adds colour to otherwise normal days.

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community COMMUNITY

By Nairy Khodabakhshian and Carolina Vecchiarelli Are you one of the many stressed teenagers who are looking for a job, but cannot catch a break? Have no fear! These few simple steps are sure to help you find a way to that extra cash!

Upon interviewing teachers at Mary Ward, we were surprised at learning their answer to our questions: “What was your first job?” and “What advice would you give to someone looking for their first job?” You would be surprised to find out Mr. Candiotto started his first job working at a bakery. Mr. Frair was an usher at a theatre while Ms. Hall was a cashier at “Bruno’s Fine Foods”. Ms. Gintoli was a retailer at Dynamite, while Mr. Notton worked at a local church answering incoming phone calls.

It was clear that these teachers accepted any first job that came their way. At this age, you probably won’t get the job of your choice, but any job is a chance at making money. Furthermore, you develop new skills and improve your working habits. New jobs are bound to make you a more time-efficient and organized person. If you aren’t, you’ll soon find that keeping up with your daily life will be stressful. These job experiences also look great on your resume, so anything is better than nothing at all. Even though these jobs may have not been the easiest, the teachers of Mary Ward took advantage of their first experiences. They used this knowledge to help guide them through the next chapter in their lives.

Some advice that we gained upon asking teachers from Ward the question, “What advice would you give to someone looking for their first job” was...

Do something that you like and to have fun while on the job.

Mr. Wong Never go into a job with high expectations! Work hard at whatever job you get and remember to balance school and family and friends.

Ms. Gintoli Even though, the job may be time consuming, what you will gain from it you will value.

Ms. Hall Be motivated by something you like to do, instead of just the money!

Mr. Notten Try manual labour. This will teach you the value of working.

Mr. Candiotto Remember to network with friends and family first! Think small (i.e. tutoring) then grow big. Also do not sign up for a job if you are not prepared to do it.

By Caitlin Gaerlan Traditionally, most schools have students begin the year in September; Mary Ward, however, works differently. Grade 9 students in Mary Ward have the option of beginning school in July, the summer before school actually begins, so that the niners can get used to the school’s unique system.

Although some say starting the school year in July is a waste of time, the course does fulfill its purpose to help these niners out. Grade nine Danielle Gabuya says, “It helped us out to learn firsthand about the whole point and program of Mary Ward. And you meet lots of new people, and gain awesome friends!” This course helps students get to know Mary Ward’s self-directed learning style. Also, it helps the students know their way around the school and it teaches them not to go down those pointless-leading-to-no-where staircases. Plus, you earn half a credit!

Some argue, however, that the course does not completely prepare you for Mary Ward. Jerome Naval, a student who took this course says, “It didn’t give me the exact overall expression of how the school works; when school started I was still confused.” Others say that it is a waste of their summer since they can just learn everything in the beginning of the year like most normal students. After graduating from grade 8, most students want to relax, have some fun or sleep all day. However, entering the Mary Ward course took them away from their summer and they decided to drop out of the course. Students have to work to earn their half credit. Like school in September, students must get to school early in the morning; they are given units that need to be handed in on target dates, and there are even TAs in this course as well. Even if it is summer school, it does not mean it is easier.

Within a month, it is expected that the students who took this course will have learned and have had a taste of the Mary Ward life. It is anticipated that these niners will turn out to be good students who are fully trained to live out this selfdirected program. As for the students who missed out, they were wished good luck upon entering Mary Ward in September.

Ms. Collymore Show that you are interested in the job during the interview and always think positive!

Ms. McGroarty It may not be easy but do not give up! A job may seem perfect on the outside, but every job has its challenges when you look beyond the outside. Do not judge a job based on what your friends tell you or what you see on the outside. Jobs are usually much more different than what they seem, whether it be good or bad. If you are not in desperate need of money or job experiences, focus on your work, because your grades will matter in the long run. Also, ask around. Try and have connections in as many ways as possible, because it’s one of the ways many people thrive in the business industry. The more connections you have, the more people know your name, and the more chance you have at finding a new job.

Throughout the process, try your best to stay confident and motivated whenever you are applying for a position. If you do not get the job initially, think positive and try somewhere else! Stick to these pieces of advice to guide you through your job application process. Best of luck!

GLS COURSE - starts July - make friends - 1/2 credit - TA - units + tagret dates

VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 09

community COMMUNITY

I Spy A Thief

By Shankri Fabian

Mary Ward’s foolproof doors shed light on missing gadgets and petty gizmos. Staff and students struggle to identify whether theft is an issue on school property.

Mary Ward’s administration has made announcements requesting unnamed individuals to return items, “With no questions asked...” In a conversation with Ms. Keenan, she describes the methods of finding lost or stolen objects. When an item is reported missing, the administration follows a meditative procedure.

Firstly, they help the individual walk through the last time they have seen the item. Secondly, they check the cameras to make sure that nothing is out of the ordinary. In most cases, Ms. Keenan discovers that the individual misplaces the item themselves, had not brought it to school at all, or a friend had picked it up for them in their absence. On the other hand, Ms. Giancola, an executive secretary who records lost and stolen items, makes an estimate of 2-3 reports of missing objects made by students each day. Usually these items include: agendas, units, pencil cases and USBs. In most circumstances, the items are returned. If ever there are reports of missing objects that are not returned, it mostly occurs during the Christmas season, and includes pricy items such as: iPods, cell-phones, electronics, and wallets.

In familiarity with the subject, Mr. Notten reveals a story that occurred a few years ago. Having discovered that a student of his had lost her school bag, Mr. Notten had taken the time to gather his TA advisees to help her look for it. The motto for his expedition was to “Think like a criminal.” Where would the perpetrator chuck the evidence? Mr. Notten recalls walking in a line, looking through classrooms, hallways, trash cans, any where a thief might have discarded her bag. Finally, they found it behind the school. Mr. Notten explains that Mary Ward provides a safe and hassle-free environment, which compels students to leave their stuff unattended without the need to think twice.

However, because Mary Ward provides such a safe environment, theft is probably one of its “major” crimes — which a small portion of the community, unfortunately, partakes in.

Fifth Time’s the Charm

By Cormac McGee

Remember back in the day when high school students had five years, or O.A.C? Yeah, neither do I, and anyone who entered high school after 2003 won’t either.

Nowadays, all students are expected to graduate in four short years with the same thirty credits. This isn’t a problem for many students, but for some, four just isn’t enough. For those who fall under this category, taking a 5th year-or victory lap-is a very viable option.

“I just felt like I wasn’t ready for university,” says grade twelve student Eryk Matczak, “plus I don’t have all the credits I need for the program I want to apply for, so a fifth year is a good choice for me.”

Walking down the hallways, it is very common to spot fifth years along the way. Each school across the TCDSB accepts students back for a fifth year. In fact, the TCDSB would rather a student stays in the board as opposed to attending alternative schools such as SOLE (School of Life Experience) or Subway Academy because then the schools can continue to receive funding, as long as students take more than two courses per semester. At non-semestered schools like Mary Ward, students are required to take at least five courses to be eligible for funding, which is why there has recently been a push for victory lappers to take more courses.

Mary Ward is a bit of a conundrum when it comes to fifth years, especially because some people need to take another year because the system doesn’t suit their needs. That is why Monsignor Fraser College is a very possible choice for many students. It has a wide range of programs and locations to meet the needs of their diverse types of students. The programs relate to different age groups that begin in grade ten or eleven and go to twenty-one and over. They focus on completing two credits at a time in nine week periods throughout the course of the year. This is a good solution for students who have trouble with the Mary Ward model, even though it is not a first choice for most. As current 5th year Michael Valdez explains, “It really depends on your situation. If you’re only working on one or two courses like me, Mary Ward is a good fit, but for people with full course loads, a fifth year can be really stressful.”

To have the opportunity to take a fifth year here at Mary Ward, students must go through an application process. The student must fill out an application form 10 mwplanet VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3

Taking a fifth year in high school It really depends on your situation.

outlining why they want to come back, and must get approval and input from their TA, parents and guidance counsellor. Next, it is on to an interview with one of the principals along with their TA. This process is used because the staff wants to know that students coming back for another year will be serious. “The biggest concern,” states Guidance Counsellor Mr. Petrasek, “is that people will come back and not accomplish their goals.” It is similar to the Murphy’s Law that states ‘everything takes longer than it takes.’ This is also a concern because the Ministry of Education recently updated the regulations for leaving high school. Students in Ontario cannot drop out of school until they are 18 and schools are encouraged to continue accepting students until they complete their diploma up until the age of 21. “Doing a fifth year has definitely slowed my pace this year because I had reasoned I had another year to get whatever I needed to done. I want to finish as quickly as possibly next year, though, so I can work and save money for university.”

Taking a fifth year is still an issue with people, especially parents who see it as a failure. Even though it is technically holding a student back another year, it is most likely for the best, considering a high school diploma is the bare minimum someone needs to even be considered for employment in today’s society.

With the elimination of OAC, students going to university at such a young age is also an issue. Most teachers, parents, and counsellors inform students that they had no idea what they wanted to do at their age, so why are students being sent off to try and realize their dreams that can also pay the bills? The brain is also still developing drastically at 18, which is when most students go to university.

This can cause a varying intensity of emotions, which can make it very difficult to make a decision with all the pressure of paying $15,000 a year to try and figure out what to do for the rest of their lives. When taken responsibly, an extra year to mature, brush up on marks and credits, and to ponder to the great mystery of the future, a fifth year can do nothing but good.

community COMMUNITY

If you had told her when she first entered Ward with clunky black shoes and an oversized uniform (or so she claims) that she would become valedictorian, she would have thought you were crazy. With a love for softball, incredible memories with many amazing people and four years’ worth of growth, her name is Yulenka Rebello, and she is the Valedictorian of Ward’s 2010-2011 Class.

By Jed de los Reyes

AGATHA CHOY

What was your first reaction when you found out you were going to be the Valedictorian?

That morning, my friend Sarah had the morning announcements, which was weird because I’m usually the one who reads them. She read “Okay, I’m going to start off with a really special announcement,” and I thought she was advertising a club she was in. Then she read it and I yelled “YES!” then “NO WAY!” and then they all gave me hugs. I still can’t believe it. But now I have to write a speech, so I better start believing it.

As the representative of your entire grade, do you feel pressured?

I’m really honoured that people picked me and voted for me. A lot of people tell me “Make it really funny!” Or “Who cares about what the parents think?” But I think “You’re gonna remember this for the rest of your life.” It’s not like I don’t want to make it funny, but I just hope I do everyone justice, because we’re a pretty great class!

Also, for one of our French units last year, we had to write a character bio that I didn’t want to write. So I asked: “Can I write an article instead and give it to the newspaper?” So I did that and then [Mme. Wisniowski] sent it to a contest and I won a hundred bucks.

JOSE SIERRA

What would you say is your greatest success at Ward?

OASIS and Camp O was so fun. They were amazing experiences.

Do you have any regrets?

At the Grade 12 Retreat, I started talking to people who I hadn’t talked to since Grade 9. I wish I didn’t wait until we were seniors. Also, I should have done more sports in Grade 9 because I had more time for them. Now when I want to do them, I have to do units!

Is there anything you would like to say to the school at large?

I love TA 51 so much, they’re like my family at school. We’re so close, it’s ridiculous.

Everyone, thank you. Even if we haven’t talked, you probably had some distant way of making me the way I am today. Like seeing if I’m okay after I trip on the stairs, because I do that often enough. And thank you so much for making me valedictorian, it means a lot to me.

MICHAEL CHIU

What are you going to remember most about high school?

The people. That sounds so cliché, but I actually do think I’m going to remember people the most. The fun times, the stupid things we did in seminars, our trip to France, cross-country meets... just times with friends. Friends and units! Stress, all-nighters, staying up late, coffee...

How is our class “great”?

We’re a really, really extended group of friends. We’re cool because we’ve been through a lot. Our admin changed completely, there’s no more day zeroes, it’s days 1-10, we remember what it was like before lanyards and we’re still here.

Ward is one of those schools where it can work out really amazing or not-so-amazing, but either way you’ll have fun, so just have fun. Do clubs and don’t wait until the end of high school to spread your wings (laughs). High school, it’s been awesome.

VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 11

community COMMUNITY

By Hazel Llanes

PHOTOS BY: ALAN TANNER & ADRIAN LIM

Months of hard work by young artists, designers, photographers, filmmakers, and constructors of all grades culminated into Mary Ward’s Luminescence art show which was held on the second week of May and met with much critical aclaim by visitors old and young alike.

On the opening gala, much food and performances was enjoyed by all. What set this art show apart from previous years was an elaborate fashion show organized by Ms. Redigonda’s design students, complete with a catwalk and a DJ. “The overwhelming response we got from all the visitors made everything worth it”, says Princess Cabrera, a member of the arts administration team who helped curate the show, “It’s going to be difficult to top this!”

12 mwplanet VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3

community COMMUNITY

VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 13

la petite planète PLANÈ TE LA PETITE

Vous en avez probablement entendu autour de l’école, mais est-ce que vous savez ce qu’il est?

Les Torontoists sont un groupe informel qui discute des actualités à Toronto et autour du monde. C’est l’inspiration de Fionna Chui et Rowena Rollon, des étudiantes en 11e année. « On peut parler de n’importe quoi, » Rowena Rollon explique. « On ne doit pas parler d’un sujet en particulier. »

AGATHA CHOY

Les élèves aiment la flexibilité du club. Stephanie John, une étudiante en 9e année, dit « C’est bon de savoir que d’autres personnes de son âge s’intéressent aux actualités. » Les autres élèves pensent que Les Torontoists leur convient. « Je vais aux Torontoists parce que je m’intéresse aux événements, mais je n’ai pas du temps pour regarder les nouvelles. » dit Alexandra Cabaj, une étudiante a 11e année. « J’aime aussi écouter les opinions des autres. » Quelques sujets récents incluent la mort d’Osama Bin Laden, l’élection du gouvernement fédéral et l’augmentation du prix du gaz. Un autre sujet populaire est notre maire Rob Ford qui fait toujours une discussion amusante. Quelquefois, les discussions deviennent les débats, comme la conversation au sujet de la mort récente d’Osama Bin Laden. Bien que Osama est connu comme l’ennemi public numéro 1, il était encore un être humain. Était-ce bien pour Obama à donner l’ordre de tuer un homme désarmé sur place? La plupart des étudiants ont accepté le point de vue d’Obama.

Après des conversations sur la politique, les célébrités et bien sûr le Toronto, les Torontoists avaient plusieurs moments amusants dans leur première année. L’année prochaine semble bonne pour eux, particulièrement après la création de leurs forums. Si long qu’il y a des nouvelles, les Torontoists seraient là pour les discuter.

Par Caitlin Chang et Karen Choi

Par Jed de los Reyes Félicitations! Tu as appris de la grammaire, lit des livres, et complété des examens, et survécu l’année. Au moins, tes talents français sont suffisants à lire cet article.

Mais qu’est-ce que tu fais maintenant ?

Pour commencer, votre esprit est plus capable. Des personnes bilingues ont des meilleures notes. « Tu peux apprendre plus vite l’espagnol, l’italien, et d’autres langues romantiques si vous savez le français, » dit Mlle Maljian.

Si tu es dans votre neuvième ou dixième année, il y a beaucoup de faire encore. Tu peux participer aux concours, aux drames en français et à la voyage au Québec. C’est seulement le commencement. « Il sera utile dans mon carrière, » dit Vivienne Yip. « Il serait bon de savoir une autre langue. » On peut continuer des études français même après l’école secondaire! On peut s’immerger dans un environnement français avec des journaux, des pièces, et des personnes qui

14 mwplanet VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3

veulent apprendre une deuxième langue. « J’ai choisi le Collège Glendon parce que c’est bilingue, » dit Dean Venpin.

Le Collège Glendon, le deuxième campus de l’Université York, est un des trois campus bilingues en Ontario; les autres sont l’Université Laurentian et l’Université d’Ottawa.

Mettez votre nouveau talent sur un résumé!

C’est plus facile de gagner du travail, particulièrement dans un pays où la notre deuxième langue est le français! Ne pensez pas que l’éducation est la seule domaine. On a besoin des employés dans la loi, le traduction, les aéroports (des voyages complémentaires sont très attractives), le gouvernement, le journalisme, et les services générales.

Mais les carrières sont pas la vraie raison pour apprendre des langues! Tu peux communiquer avec plus de personnes. Le français est la quatrième langue de l’Union Européen, très importante en Afrique, et même une des six langues officielles de l’ONU. Chloe Ip dit « Aux Îles Caribéennes, je peux comprendre les choses que les citoyens ont dit. J’étais la seule personne qui peut parler français dans ma famille. Alors, j’étais la seule qui peut demander du gaz. » Donc, félicitations pour tes accomplissements dans le français! Si tu continuerais, un monde des possibilités t’attend.

La formidable nouveau département du

la petite planète PLANÈTE LA PETITE

Français

Par Shannon Cabrio

à la fin d’année

Il y a environ 6 mois que nous vous avons présenté les nouveaux enseignants dans le département de français (Nous vous avons dit qu’ils sont formidables!). Ils ont très bien fait dans leur première année scolaire à Mary Ward et ils continuent le beau travail. Voyons qu’est-ce qu’ils ont à dire à propos de la vie à Ward.

Nous avons déjà su que Mlle Maljian est le nouveau chef du département. Mais consulter et corriger ne sont pas les seules choses qu’elle fait. Avec les autres enseignants de français, elle a créé Le café français. Avec M. Adourian, elle a mené le pavillon arménien à la journée internationale. Aussi, elle a amené quelques étudiants au «Concours d’art oratoire».

Au début de l’année, Mlle Maljian savait qu’elle aura beaucoup de défis, mais elle a beaucoup appris à propos de notre école. Comme elle avait prédit (sûrtout comme chef du département) et elle pense qu’elle les a bien surmonté.

Mlle, nous sommes d’accord.

Cette année, elle a fait de bonnes amitiés dans l’école et elle est venue à mieux connaître ses étudiants.

L’apprentissage du français est différent ici pour elle car elle peut avoir les consultations avec ses élèves et leur donner des remarques spécifiques à propos de leur travail. Néanmoins, elle a des changements à proposer pour améliorer le département.

Depuis son début à Mary Ward, sa vie personnelle a beaucoup changé.

Elle n’a pas de temps pour l’exercice, pour se reposer et pour voir ses amis plus qu’une fois par semaine. Elle corrige de l’après-midi jusqu’à la nuit.

Pendant le «Rush» infâme, Mlle Maljian va essayer son mieux de rester calme. «Je vais garder beaucoup de chocolat dans mon bureau!». Néanmoins, bonne chance, Mademoiselle (vous l’aurez besoin)!

C’est certain que Mlle Maljian retournera en septembre. Maintenant qu’elle connaît mieux le programme, l’année prochaine, elle pense qu’elle pourra Professeur. TA. Entraîneur. Pepé le Pew. On peut appeler Monsieur Démoré beaucoup de choses, mais un mot qu’on ne peut jamais lui appeler est ennuyeux.

Avant l’année, M. Démoré voulait beaucoup apprendre, et il a beaucoup appris.

Les étudiants pensent que le travail d’un prof finit à 15h, mais cette année était très occupée. Ça ne veut pas dire qu’il ne s’est pas amusé.

L’année scolaire s’est très bien passé pour lui, bien que Mary Ward est toujours différente que ses autres expériences. Il était beaucoup plus organisé qu’il avait pensé être. Maintenant, il connait tous les noms et les enseignants sont de meilleures amis. Il a beaucoup aimé la danse au spectacle Noël (vous souvenez-vous son «Freeze»?), gagner le championnat de badminton, la rencontre de cross-country, mener le pavillon français canadien pour la journée internationale, le café français et commencer «The Torontoists». Il ne tient pas de mauvaises mémoires. À propos du « Rush » notoire, il le prendra en main un pas à la fois.

Depuis septembre, M. Démoré s’est acheté un piano. Il a aussi lu Harry Potter…du début à la fin.

M. Démoré a aucune idée s’il retournera en septembre, mais il et tout le monde espèrent que oui. Si c’est le cas, il a aucune idée qu’est-ce qu’il fera en septembre. «Peut-être le français, mais j’ai autres trucs dans ma boîte.» S’il ne retournait pas, il serait un «busker» sur le TTC.

être plus efficace avec son temps. Elle aimerait participer plus dans les clubs et les activités extrascolaires, et elle fera le «Concours d’art oratoire» encore une fois.

«Est-ce qu’on travaille?!» : l’expression fameuse de Mademoiselle Reid. Ces trois mots nous donnent seulement un goût de son autorité, mais aussi l’attention qu’elle nous donne et surtout notre apprentissage du français.

Selon une enseignante (surtout une qui est nouvelle à Mary Ward), Mlle Reid a appris beaucoup à propos de Mary Ward et son environnement, et elle pense que l’année scolaire s’est très bien passée, mais elle ne pensait pas que l’année aurait passé si vite. Elle n’avait aucunes attentes avant septembre; elle voulait seulement une année qui allait réussir et des étudiants qui démontrent ce qu’ils ont appris. Heureusement, elle a trouvé qu’il y avait plusieurs étudiants qui ont réussi et ont fait du bon travail. Cette année, Mlle Reid s’est beaucoup engagée avec l’école- entraîner les équipes, le café français, le pavillon français canadien (Vous souvenez-vous de Bonhomme?), la célébration du mois d’histoire Afrique, etc. Elle a aussi fait beaucoup d’amis.

Tout le monde sait que les expériences à Mary Ward sont très différentes, mais elle pense que la chose la plus différente est que les étudiants ici sont extrêmement chanceux car ils reçoivent tellement d’options. Elle pense aussi que, parce qu’elle avait l’opportunité d’enseigner à Mary Ward, elle est devenue une meilleure enseignante qui a pu apprendre de beaucoup de ses élèves. La meilleure expérience qu’elle avait ici jusqu’à maintenant : entendre la croissance des élèves en l’apprentissage du français.

Mlle Reid est un peu nerveuse à propos du «Rush» infâme, mais elle le prendra en main jour après jour, avec patience!

Mlle Reid ne sait pas si elle retournera en septembre. Si non, on lui manquera …et elle nous manquera, aussi! Si oui, elle donnera à ses étudiants plusieurs façons à réussir.

Seulement Si vous ne comprenez pas Utilisez votre dictionnaire

les unités ?

Par: Louis Talon et Tristan Mina

De toute façon on revient au point Parler à propos de Mary Ward. L’école est très Difficile ? Non, pas pour appliqué Ou théorique, seulement pour étudier Les sujets à Mary Ward Ne sont pas très difficiles, au moins que les devoirs sont en retard Nous travaillons tous ensemble pour construire l’école Surtout quand les profs surveillant les corridors Nous prenons la science, la géo, les maths et l’histoire La religion et l’art, voilà de pouvoir Et c’est pourquoi nous travaillons fort, pour réaliser Un jour, un bon emploi et une belle famille pour adorer Mais n’oubliez pas une chose, les carcajous : La meilleure chose que nous faisons chez nous PHOTOS PAR AGATHA CHOY

Ce n’est pas seulement compléter les unités C’est aussi pour former toutes ces amitiés.

VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 15

sports SPORTS

stop spiting sports

Articles By Cormac McGee

Recently while digging through the depths of the internet attempting to find the effects of high school sports on people later in life, I stumbled upon an interesting site. Sportssuck.org is, according to the banner at the top of the page, “dedicated to the eradication of sports”. Their manifesto includes lines like “sports fans have clay, tapioca, straw, mush for brains”.

“They are saying 95% of the population are idiots for watching sports?” questions grade 11 student Christian Lumia, while his good friend Lucksson Namasivayasivam comments “Sports actually enhance several hands on skills required in many jobs today, like hand-eye coordination and good reflexes. It’s important to have a healthy lifestyle and keep a good balance including daily activities.”

One of the main articles on the website is about how physical education should not be mandatory at all in high school, because it is futile and an irrelevant subject.

Grade ten student Richard Kennedy disagrees, “Since child obesity rates are on the rise, I believe kids should have to go get exercise rather than it being an option.” Child obesity rates in Canada have almost tripled in the past 25 years. Approximately 26% of children age 2-17 are overweight or obese. According to Sportssuck.org, gym is not needed because children can exercise on their own time to maintain a healthy lifestyle-they do not need “ineffectual, mindless sports”. “They should have to go through exercise tests that have standards and if they can prove they do exercise on their own, they shouldn’t need to take it,” continues Richard. “Because everyone’s views on exercise are different-some think working out for 2 hours is good while others think walking for 5 minutes is enough.”

After clawing through the initial message of hate towards sport and anyone who is a fan of it, a small paragraph seems to be written sanely. It carefully claims that this website is not against physical fitness or well-being: “There’s nothing wrong with a neighbourhood softball game or shooting hoops in the driveway. But we think there is something wrong when people base their lives on the outcome of a game. We think there is something wrong when grown men collect baseball cards and are willing to pay for the opportunity to watch other people play and have fun.” Reading further I discover some of the writers are all for living healthily-but are not so found of athletes getting paid millions of dollars to go out and have fun. I agree with this point; there is no need for these people to be making so much money for something I have to pay to participate in, it just doesn’t make sense.

It is such an unfortunate shame that once I agree with something posted, I click a next link to find a bunch of forum threads with titles such as: “I Hate Basketball” and “We Hate Hockey eh?.” These are filled with nothing but people blasting these sports for no apparent reason. At least the articles on this website are thought out, these are just people saying “yeah hockey like every other sport sucks” or “there are no bulls in Chicago, what an idiotic team name, I hope the roof collapses”. What is anyone accomplishing by saying this? One other thing that really bugs me is that anyone who posts saying they are a sports fan and disagree, they are immediately labelled a “jock” and dismissed as stupid. These people need to realize that respect is a two-way street.

With the hypocrisy featured on this website, I decided to do a little more research into why sports attract people. Firstly, after running or doing and extreme physical exertion, endorphins —opium-like chemicals that create a euphoric effect in your brain-are released in large doses, causing you to feel good about what you just did. There is also no doubt that playing sports or exercising is the key to a long and happy life. Even if they do not like playing sports, many people still enjoy watching them. People have a need to be connected with something larger than themselves and sport provides that opportunity. Ask around and I am sure everyone you know is a part of something bigger than themselves-be it sports, a club, a church organization, or just a group of friends with a common goal. Sport helps shape your identity, just like any other activity, but with it you get to compete with your friends and stay fit. Sports are about so much more than being a jock or getting paid millions of dollars, just ask the kid outside on the street scoring the game winner in sudden death overtime.

Now what drove anyone to create this website is beyond me, especially because the hate over-shadows some smart points that it makes.

http://www.sportssuck.org/

SPORTS ROUNDUP Girls Rugby Record: 0-6 Coaches: Ms. Peets, Mr. Adourian Captain: Roxanne Dykeman This season Mary Ward’s Girls Rugby featured a lot of new faces, with many players graduating the past year. A lot of girls developed greatly and they look forward to being a contender next year.

Boys Soccer Record: 2-2 Lost in Quarter Finals of Playoffs to Cardinal Newman Coaches: Mr. Morra, Mr. Vecharelli Captains: Michael Borowski, Renaldo Romeral, Cormac McGee The boys had one of their most successful seasons in recent years. They captured first place in the Eastern Conference as well as winning the Maple Invitational Tournament.

Boys Rugby Record: 1-8 Coaches: Ms. Peets, Mr. Adourian Captain: Aaron Chan The boys had an up and down year with many injuries and unlucky bounces. They unfortunately missed the playoffs. Their effort and refusal to quit put them in a good position to start next year.

Girls Softball Record: 3-3 Coaches: Ms. Ireland, Ms. Tsang The Girls have advanced to the finals of TDCAA Playoffs and are ready to take their opponents down. Their grit and heart has taken them all the way and hope to capture the trophy.

Junior Boys Volleyball Record: 1-8 Coaches: Mr. Simone, Ms. Powell Captain: Jansen Rojas Boys Volleyball took an uncommon slip this year falling to 1-8 in the regular season and not advancing to the playoffs.

Girls Soccer Record: 7-1 Lost to Etienne Brule in Playoffs Coaches: Mr. Emer, Mr. Rossi, Ms. Reid Captains: Raven Mason, Olivia Giammarioli, Victoria Greco The girls had a great season with many new players growing in skill and heart with each game they played. They hope to continue developing their skills next year so they can continue their dominance.

16 mwplanet VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3

Boys Softball Record: 2-5 Coaches: Mr. Harrison, Mr. Hathaway, Mrs. Dever The boys fought hard all year and dug deep when they needed. They impressed their fans as well as Mr. Harrison as they came together as a team near the end of the season. They played for each other. Just missing playoffs was disappointing, but gives great expectations for next year.

Girls Flag Football Record: 6-3 Lost in Quarter Finals of Playoffs Coach: Mr. Dever The girls had a great season showing tremendous heart and skill, with an unfortunate loss in the playoffs. They look forward to an even better one next year.

sports SPORTS

By Cormac McGee As I pull out my sandwich from the brown paper bag that someone always feels necessary to point out is “classic white boy”, I find myself wishing that I could be doing something better than straining to hear my friends whine about their units over the uproar of the hundred students surrounding us. My mind begins to wander, thinking about better lunch times-when you could stroll down to the gym to watch some of Mary Ward’s finest young talent shoot some hoops. These weren’t any normal hoops though, these were basketball intramurals. Where two best friends could be pitted against each other or a teacher can be completely embarrassed by a student their failing. Those were good games, with good crowds that cheered for broken ankles and were not afraid to jeer when one of their friends messed up. These days passed us by too quickly, being cancelled indefinitely then totally, leaving students rattled.

“It was a disappointment this year, it ruined years of tradition,” says grade 12 student Andrew Diryas, “you could always rely on intramurals to relieve stress and have fun, but not this year.”

The beginning of the season saw upsets and blow-outs alike, with both players and spectators having a great time. “It all started off really smoothly,” explains co-organizer Jan Nigel Santos, “but then teachers who were supposed to referee couldn’t show up sometimes so we had to keep replacing them. Then we kept getting bugged about the garbage that was being left around.”

could get half an hour or something for watching basketball and cleaning up for ten minutes.”

Games then resumed with a spectators ban to see if it was about the fans or playing the game, but that just led to more troubles.

“Taking away spectators is worse than cancelling it,” comments grade 11 student Lucksson Namasivayasivam “basketball is a spectator sport.”

Fooling around on the court and lack of respect for the referees led to the regular season being halted and going straight to playoffs. Mr. Candiotto had it all planned out, with two teams from each division advancing along with the teachers forfeiting their playoff spot.

“We scheduled it so that if we played two games each day we could crown a champion in a week and a half,” they had to try to finish quickly because the school likes to have all intramurals over by mid-May as to not interfere with students getting to class on time so late in the year when stress levels are so high, “But then the nets broke and we just couldn’t afford another three weeks of playing.” This is tough to accept, but it is reality nonetheless.

A bright spot in this tragic tale of intramural basketball was having a girls league for the first time ever.

Ah yes, the age-old garbage problem. As people we are trained to throw out garbage out, but for some reason at school-specifically sporting events-massive amounts of garbage always is left behind. I experienced this first hand while helping run soccer intramurals; each day a few of us would always have to stay after to clean up after other people. Maybe it’s because people forget about their garbage, I know I have. It could be that they are inclined to just toss it under their seat at a professional game, but there is no clean-up crew here waiting to catch your sandwich wrapper in a bag. Whatever the reason is, it can come across like people just don’t care. “It’s a respect thing,” says Mr. Candiotto, who organized and ultimately pulled the plug on the games, “sure, I probably could have walked around with a garbage can and that may have solved it, but it’s about respect.

I along with a couple of other people had to spend an extra fifteen minutes after lunch cleaning up other people’s messes.” He battled with the situation and met with other teachers, before deciding to cancel several games.

“It was a lot of fun, I would definitely do it again” comments grade 12 student and baller Tammy Nguyen. Mr. Candiotto also agrees:

Grade twelve Brian Millado does not agree with this solution, “There are many other ways this could have been solved. Why not have volunteers clean up after and get hours? They

“I would love to have the chance to run intramurals again” says Jan, “I’m sorry we couldn’t finish the season, but there wasn’t much else we could do.”

“The girl’s league went very well; we were all impressed with the interest, enthusiasm and skill.”

This league worked out very well because it only had one division, while the boy’s had many, making scheduling very difficult. In the end, most teams got to play three or four games, but for those who got less the cancellation was a blow. I was very frustrated that my team only had two games, especially because one was rescheduled three times.

“Even though the organization wasn’t up to par on previous years, you could see that people in our school still love basketball,” adds Lucksson, “the passion was there.”

PHOTO: KRISTINE BUERANO

By Cormac McGee On May 31st at 4pm, the turf field outside Mary Ward-you know, the fenced one with our logo in it-finally opened , five months after the original projected due date-December 1st.

The construction company handed over the keys, but expected the school to assemble the soccer nets that had been sitting in our storage unit for a few months for a game the next evening. It is clear that nobody around Mary Ward has time for something so futile this late in the year-especially when we wouldn’t even be using the nets.

We first heard about this magical turf field a year ago, when the city announced plans to dig up the old one and replace it with something that is not affected by the elements.

They hired DOL Turf Restoration Ltd to work on the project-the same company that renovated two synthetic turf fields down at Cherry Beach. Last June, Mr. Dever was questioning whether or not we would have our logo on the field, not when it would finally be finished.

“Look, they’ve given us the keys and said it’s ready to go, but they’re still out there working on it.”

Earlier in the school year construction was moving along at an excellent pace, faster than predicted- believe it or not-which meant the completion date was pushed up to November. Then suddenly the DOL went on strike and after that the snow came, leaving the company unable to work during those frigid winter months.

What’s troubling is that DOL and the city did not meet again with the Phys Ed department until the first week of May. “It seemed like nothing was getting done for the longest time” continues Mr. Dever.

There are many theories why the project seemed to be abandoned. The construction workers may have been trying to get more wages for their prolonged work, or maybe they had other projects on the go. Another possibility is that they were trying to soak

up money from the city by procrastinating. It was a deadlock between the city and DOL. The company would not allow people to play on it because it “wasn’t finished” aka they had to sweep it-which would take a few hours at most. The City of Toronto could take the keys from DOL and let teams play, but then they legally don’t have to show up again to finish it.

“It’s all common construction politics,” says Mr. Morra, religion teacher and frustrated coach, “Companies never finish on time and most of the delays are preventable.”

It was completely out of our school’s hands. Senior Project Manager for the City of Toronto Tony Nagy The construction company would have a new completion date every week, along with a new excuse as to why they couldn’t finish everything this time, which left teachers and students alike very frustrated. As a senior, I am disappointed that I never had the opportunity to play on this great field, especially when our soccer team had to give up home field advantage twice in the playoffs. Mr. Dever agrees.

“It’s unfair to the students, not having any home games for two years straight.”

However, now that it is finally ready to go, it is now to start thinking about the positives many this field has to offer. Firstly, the days of rain delays are now history, because only snow-covered ground can impede play. It will also be in use starting in April up until December, which is good news for sports teams and gym classes. The early opening also means more home games for soccer, rugby and flag football. “ We always had a great working relationship with the city,” comments Mr. D’Agastino “but this one smelled because of the timeline.”

PHOTO: KRISTINE BUERANO VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 17

WACT WACT

By Alex Sadowski

Nintendo launched its latest portable gaming console in March - the Nintendo 3DS. It displays images, takes pictures and plays video – all in 3D, without the glasses. It is not the cheapest product, starting at $249.99, but has a lot of promising titles like Ocarina of Time 3D, Super Mario 3D, and Super Street Fighter IV 3D. How does it work? Well, the screen sends two different images to your right and left eyes separately.

The trick is that you have to look through the screen so you can see the moving characters inside the device.

to have lost its novelty after 10 minutes and turned the 3D feature off to enjoy the game.

What also becomes a nuisance is the fact that you often find the 3D effect to waver because you need to look directly into the device.

Overall, I would purchase the 3DS if it was not so expensive. I feel it is quite nifty and I am genuinely planning on making the purchase as soon as the price lowers. Grade 9 student, Kariza Santos, said, “I actually think the 3DS is really cool. It's taking portable gaming to a whole different level.” I would definitely recommend you play on the device. It is a great experience and you may like the 3DS more or less after playing for 30 minutes. One thing for sure is that this is a very innovative product and shows how amazing technology can be.

Did you know?

2001 Mary Ward Graduate Arnold Tsang does artwork for Street Fighter. You can see some of his art at: arnistotle.deviantart.com

Optometrists say there is no possibility of eye damage while using the 3DS. However, the 3DS can cause headaches and slight visual distortion after around 30 minutes of use. I personally found the 3D effect youth and approximately fifteen thousand dollars has been donated by Trek for Teens to date.

By Harriet Austria One day, countless teams, hard-working volunteers, and spectacular events all combined together to complete one goal. On May 14, 2011, students from across the GTA arrived at Dundas Square to participate in an event called Trek for Teens. Trek for Teens is a nonprofit organization whose main purpose is to raise awareness and prevent youth homelessness. Teams throughout the city gathered and used their problem-solving skills and quick wits to complete checkpoints: an activity comparable to The Amazing Race. The day did not only include the race but was also comprised of a fashion show, a dance competition, and a battle of the bands.

The organization offered volunteer hours and amazing opportunities for students through various sanctions that were held. Prior to participating in the race, each team had fundraised money to help projects like Covenant House and Youth Without Shelter. Trek for Teens has been a growing organization since it’s formation in 2007 by a group of high school students from the Toronto area. It is a non profit project that is run by youth and is intended for youth. Each year the organization collects money for charities helping homeless

18 mwplanet VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3

Rainy weather did not detour the planned events for that day.

The dance competition was held at Dundas Square while the race was under way. Other events like the fashion show and the battle of the bands had taken place later on during the day. The fashion show was held at Ryerson’s RAM in the Rye. It gave many designers and models the opening to unveil pieces from their collections and it gave the models the chance to showcase their talents. Battle of the Bands was held at Dundas Square with eight bands which competed for the title. The competition gave bands the chance to broadcast their music capabilities to a large audience.

Trek for Teens is an organization that has brought delight to many. Volunteers and participants were exuberant during the festivities. It was made obvious that everyone had enjoyed themselves despite the weather set backs. Camille Galindez, a volunteer at the event says, “I had lots of fun...apparently though others did not have fun at my checkpoint.”

Together, youth from across the city gathered into the heart of downtown to experience the gratifying effects of this charity. Teens of all ages were taught the value of caring and respect through a charity that helped those less fortunate. The day was not only filled with fun but it was also filled with purpose.

WACT WACT Arevik Vardanyan With top charting singles cementing her place as an idol to teen boys and girls alike, Taylor Swift is considered an iconic lyrical genius who doubles as the role of a shrink amongst her fans. Good days, bad days, sad days, happy days, Swift just seems to always be there for us.

I may not be a fan of Swift, but I found the simple tricks of her chart topping songs.

From her debut self-titled album, she has hit the charts with an endless array of catchy singles and deeply emotional videos. Taylor’s songs are extremely catchy. Whether it’s the melody or lyrics, Swift’s message will get to you. Many can relate to Swift as a stereotypical big sister, a great role model. She’s the friend that will make sure you learn from her mistakes.

“Her claim to fame is because every teenage girl in North America has had their heart broken, and she’s very relatable,” said grade ten Mary Ward student Astrid Da Silva. With the heartbroken, Swift’s music can be very inspiring, giving teenage girls inner strength. Your friends and parents might help you get over the little things that make you insecure but Swift’s tales help knowing she went through the same thing.

Some girls don’t need Ben & Jerry’s creamy, frozen comfort when they have Taylor Swift. Without a doubt, she is very relatable; but what makes her songs so uplifting for teen girls is how she empowers girls. Whether it was the girl’s fault or the guy’s that resulted in a relationship’s demise, Swift sticks with the female youth. Swift has prioritized the process of making sure the girls feel better, one sappy, sad song at a time. Next time you want to throw furniture around, eat a tub of ice cream, or cry your problems away, listen to Swift.

Black Plague

By Clodia Kassis “Dear Rebecca Black, we don’t hate you because you’re famous, you’re famous because we hate you.”

-Twitter On February 10, 2011, a music video was uploaded on YouTube that forever changed the way the world perceives Fridays. Today, Rebecca Black’s viral single Friday has hit over 100 million views.

Rebecca Black was born on June 21st 1997, and lives in Anaheim Hills, California. After showing great interest in the performing arts, specifically music and dance, her mother paid Ark Music Factory $4000 to develop the viral music video. After the video hit tens of millions of views, it was suggested that Black would make millions of dollars. Although that is not the case, Black is making thousands of dollars daily due the YouTube views as well as iTunes sales.

The 13-year-old’s video received a tremendous amount of attention on several social networking sites, especially Twitter. Despite the hundreds of critics constantly claiming it to be the “worst song ever”.

Friday’s ratings on iTunes average at about four out of five stars. Rebecca Black’s fame seems to keep growing, although many believe that Black’s fame is due to the great deal of negative feedback her single has received.

It seems that everyone has their personal opinion about this song, and after asking Mary Ward students to describe Rebecca Black’s Friday in one word, the most popular responses largely varied: catchy, irritating, different, fun, annoying, and “no comment”. Many students in the school shared 12th grader Sylvia Santhiappillai’s opinion about Rebecca Black: “I just can’t listen to it. It bothers me greatly, and so does the fact that this is the kind of music that is popular in the world today.” However, contrary to popular belief, there are many Rebecca Black fans out there. When Ator Isak (Grade 12) was asked her opinion about ‘Friday’, she exclaimed, “As annoying as many people think the song is, I think it’s catchy and entertaining. I enjoy listening to it!”

Despite the variety of opinions concerning Rebecca Black’s Friday, the debate over whether she should take the front seat or the back seat, and the rumours of Black’s video having a net worth of millions of dollars, only one issue seems to boggle everyone’s mind: will Fridays ever be the same? The answer is probably not, because each time someone wakes up on a Friday morning, trying get their cereal while everybody is rushing, the first thing that will pop into their head is Rebecca Black. Every time one realizes that Thursday comes before Friday, and Saturday comes a day later (followed by Sunday, I might add), Rebecca Black will be the first thing on their mind. Each time one is unsure of which seat to take, they will understand how Rebecca felt that morning. So will Fridays, or any other day for that matter, ever be the same?! The answer is clear: certainly not.

VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 19

WACT WACT

By Priscilla Chen Change is about to hit your life. University is only two months away, twelfth graders. We have already applied, and are waiting or have received offers of admission (Congratulations to all those who have been accepted). Aside from academics, have you decided whether you are living at home or on residence? Double room or single room? Traditional style or suite style?

Living at home or on residence can drastically impact your university experience, but whether it will be for the better or worse, depends on you.

The Luxuries of Living at Home University is a huge leap in your life. Living on residence contributes to that enormously. By living at home, however, you will not have to endure the risks of getting a roommate you do not like or sharing bathrooms. This can be a major plus, because you will not have to change your lifestyle. In addition, your privacy stays intact and home can be your haven; a less chaotic environment to study in. Living at home also means you will need to commute to school, which can be a hassle depending on distance and method of transportation. Furthermore, living at home is away from the party scene, but also away from resources you may need and people to study with. Nevertheless, the biggest deal maker about living at home is saving money.

The University Life on “Rez” By living on residence, everything is right at your fingertips: food vendors, athletic facilities, libraries, transportation, friends, and of course, classes. This convenience lets you wake up at 8:50 a.m. and get to your 9 o’clock class on time, something that would be impossible if you lived at home. Whether you will get there all dolled up or in your pyjamas, though, is up to you. Living on “rez” also has the perks of being with your friends all the time. With students constantly surrounding you, organizing study sessions becomes easy, especially if you have an assignment due or a final coming up. You are bound to find a floor mate studying too, and resources are easily accessible at the library. In addition, if you are extremely fascinated by your program and want to live with fellow students, whether it is Business or Nanotechnology, many universities have residences with floors dedicated to specific programs. There are many social opportunities for those living on residence. Residence will give you the chance to meet more people outside of your classes. Since you will be at school all day, you will be able to participate in the countless clubs, teams, and social events your university has to offer. Undeniably, one must be independent in order to thrive on residence. If this is what you

are looking for, residence is for you.

If you have chosen to live on residence, here are a couple tips to help you!

1) Be sure to research the different residences at your future university thoroughly. Keep in mind: you will be living there for eight months!

Choose whether traditional rooms or suite/apartment style rooms fit your lifestyle better.

2) Decide whether you want to live in a co-ed or same-sex dorm. Consider your family and whether you live with the same sex or mixed. One or the other may be more comfortable.

3) Weigh out the pros and cons of living with a roommate versus living alone.

4) If you have chosen to live with a roommate, be extremely careful and selective if you are choosing a friend. You do not fully know someone until you have lived with him or her, afterall.

5) Make sure to set ground rules with your roommates.

6) Do not bring all of your belongings with you. Keep the question, “Could I be happy without ____?” in mind.

7) Know your priorities for university. Remember, you are paying for your education!

8) Remember to bring a pair of shower shoes.

9) Remember to bring a printer with extra ink cartridges and printing paper.

10) Have fun and make the most out of your university experience by participating in extracurricular activities.

When it comes to living on residence or living at home, you are the only one that can make that decision. However, discussing your options with your parents will be helpful. Keep in mind these pieces of advice from your teachers: “Do not get caught up in the party lifestyle; there is always someone who does not need to study.” – Mr. Rosseel “Residence is an overwhelming social forum; there are no boundaries.

People walk in and out of your room without permission.” – Mr. Morra “Avoid getting caught up in the wildness. Find a comfortable place for you to work. Residence is a good social outlet, but find balance.” – Mr. Petrasek From one potential grad to another, best of luck!

By Shankri Fabian As summer break nears, Mary Ward students plan summer events. If your summer plans run short on fuel, give them a boost with fun, thrilling, and adventurous summertime films. These are the top five movies you must see over the break: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 will be released on July 15, 2011. The epic two-part fantasy will be the seventh and PHOTO CREDITS: onlinemovieshut.com final addition to the film series based off J.K. Rowling’s novels. The series has stolen the hearts of many and is predicted to be a smash hit, so make sure to watch before it is too late to experience it on the big screen!

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides will be released on May 20, 2011. The 3-D fantasy-adventure is the fourth film in the series distributed by Walt Disney pictures. It promises to be an action-packed adventure you cannot miss!

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Captain America: The First Avenger will be released on July 22, 2011. The film is said to be a 3-D film based on the titular Marvel Comics superhero ‘Captain America’, originally created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

Green Lantern will be released on June 17, 2011. The epic superhero film is based off the titular DC Comics superhero ‘Green Lantern’, originally crePHOTO CREDITS: planetill.com ated by Bill Finger and illustrated

by Martin Nodell. The 3-D film, starring Canadian native Ryan Reynolds, is an exciting thriller you can’t miss!

The Hangover: Part II will be released on May 26, 2011. The epic comedy film is expected to be a success; be sure to check it out.

For information on these and more exciting big screen adventures, log on to http://www.imdb.com/calendar/?region=ca.

WACT WACT

After the endless waiting, auditions, and months of preparation, the Mary Ward Production of Around the World in 80 Days arrived. Mr. Dalton, Ms. Tsang and Mr. Hathway worked tirelessly, making the cast look good and the stage amazing. We owe it to the people working backstage for setting this up and providing entertainment for us all, as well as giving the cast an opportunity to be part of such an amazing production. Mr. Emer and the Tech students also worked tirelessly on the sets so that the audience not only gets to see a great performance, but amazing sets as well.

The audience was accompanied by the multi-talented Passpartout (Nicolle White), the serious Mr. Phileas Fogg (Allan Razon), the beautiful Aouda (Logi Pius), and the very determined Detective Fix (Randell Rivera), on their exciting and humorous trip around the world.

This year, Mr. Dalton and Ms. Tsang decided to try something that has never been used in any of Mary Ward’s previous productions. The use of projections (a world map, an ongoing clock, and an animation of a calendar).

Dancers and fighters were both featured this year to complement the wide This year’s production allowed the audience travel around the world in diversity of cultures and suspense of the play. under two hours. They travelled to London, England, streets littered with the poor; India where the beautiful Aouda resided; and the bars of China.

It is a little over a month away from the long-awaited Prom. I cannot believe the year has moved this quickly... but enough of that! Prom being a month away means that I still need to get my dress and shoes. And... I have a date. I know, I know, I am as surprised as you are, if not more. Here’s what happened.

I was in my TA room one morning and my friend--let’s call him Les E.--was there too. I was joking with him about prom when he goes:

No, but seriously, Prom with me?

And I, being not awkward at all, said:

because it would be pretty funny. I thought it was actually a cool idea, so I agreed.

Luckily, none of that stuff happened and all worked out well.

Here’s what I did. I definitely wanted it to be a surprise and I did not necessarily want to have to rely on too many people to pull it off. So I thought it would be a cool idea if I could add a bonus question to a test in which I ask him to prom. I knew Les. E had some physics tests that he would be writing soon, so I approached Mr. Cuschieri with my plan. He was more than happy to help out (thank you Sir, could not have done it without you!).

So I wrote up a question and with the help of Mr. Wong and Mr. Cuschieri, printed it onto the end of the test.

Most importantly, he liked it! He was really surprised, but circled option “b”, so one could call it a success.

This is what it looked like:

Is this your promposal?

(Yes, I know, totally embarrassing.)

He looked at me weird then said, “yes”. Then I said, “sure”, and my whole TA group said, “AWWWW”. And that was that.

I will be honest and say that I did notknow that having a date would entail all these details that I had not cared about previously, but it is kind of nice at the same time.

Wait, it gets more interesting! We were talking about it one day, and Les E. said that he wanted to do a proper promposal since he asked me in a very spur-of-the-moment way. He suggested that I prompose to him too,

I was actually pretty nervous about how it would work. What if he suspected something? How would they coordinate it? And my worst fear: what if someone else got his test?

My remaining concerns were still my dress and the shoes. I think I have settled on heels for pictures and such, and kicks for the rest of the night. I was more excited to buy new sneakers.

I did try to get my dress. My friend and I went dress shopping together. If I thought online shopping was bad, trying on the dresses in the store was worse. I tried on at least 30 dresses, all of which did not really strike me as anything special. All I know after that day is that I really do not want to do it again. Taking dresses on and off, the dresses falling off, and the fact that even after 30-something dresses I found nothing, are just a few of the reasons that I do not want to go dress shopping again anytime soon. Of course, I will eventually have to try again.

This is my last article in my “Road to Prom” series. Thank you for following along. There’s still a pretty steep hill up ahead, but I am sure I will make it looking at least somewhat presentable.

Good luck to everyone who’s going and best wishes for the end of the year!

VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 21

WACT WACT

DON’T BRING UP PAST ISSUES.

Arguments are a part of life, no matter who you are and what you do. In the setting of a relationship, however, an argument can be a fickle thing to deal with. It’s kind of obvious to say that nobody likes to argue, but arguments are inevitable. Two individuals will obviously share differences the same way they share similarities. The sooner you accept the fact that arguments are an unavoidable part of life, the sooner you can realize what to do in an argument to prevent it from turning worse.

Arguments don’t have to end badly, and they really shouldn’t, unless of course you want negative emotions lingering for the rest of the day. If you don’t, keep a few things in mind the next time you are in an argument with your significant other:

DON’T INSTIGATE AN ARGUMENT.

Arguments should never really be instigated. If they happen out of the blue, chances are it will wear out fast before things can escalate. If you instigate an argument, you prolong an argument. Considering there is no way to subtly instigate your significant other into arguing with you, the other person is going to know that you instigated it, and things will be rocky very soon. If you have a pressing need to discuss something serious, a way to avoid instigating an argument is to initiate conversation, that way you get the communication you need without things turning sour.

KEEP IT CLEAN; DON’T ANTAGONIZE.

Arguments often degenerate into verbal and sometimes, even physical abuse, in which each person finds out how much they can hurt the other. Whenever it reaches this point, it has already gone too far and the damage will be done. To avoid this, here are a few helpful tips. First, don’t be accusatory. Talk about how you feel and why you are feeling this way. If you accuse, you will put the other person on the defensive, and it can only turn worse from there. You should never name call and you should never have to resort to name calling.

22 mwplanet VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3

Personally, whenever I argue with my parents, they feel the need to bring up the past in some sort of guilt trip power play combo. The only things that does is make the other person feel incredibly bad about themselves and when people are upset, they usually become inward and defensive. You should keep the argument focused on one issue at a time, so you can state how you feel and sort things out without much trouble.

DON’T UNDERMINE THE OTHER’S PROBLEMS.

Just because a problem might be small for you doesn’t mean it will have the same impact with your partner. Be aware of what affects your partner so that you have a better understanding of them. Just remember that you are not the same person and you don’t share the same feelings towards different subjects. For example, my parents yell at me when I spill milk. I say it’s a small mistake, they say it’s a big mess. Not much one can do there.

REDUNDANCY GETS YOU NOWHERE.

Repeating yourself more and more does not get your point across any faster. It is just annoying, and can aggravate both parties. If either party is just not getting it, then the only thing you can really do is agree to disagree. Change doesn’t happen over night, and it’s stupid to assume that one can change in one night. It’s hard for teens to realize that everyone is going to have different opinions, even your mate.

The rise and fall of any good relationship will be based on a few arguments. Passionate disputes will always exist. Keep in mind that you don’t ever “win” or “lose” an argument. The only purpose for an argument is to defend your views against someone who defends their views. Through arguments, you can learn a lot about someone; from what they feel passionate about to what they really don’t like. At the same time you learn a lot, you shouldn’t be having ample opportunities to learn about someone solely through arguments. We could argue all day about it, but in the long run, I’d rather just sit down, talk and make up. Wouldn’t you?

Life of a Typical Mary Ward Student

By Jhobell Faustino

I walk to school With my heavy bag.

Sleep-deprived Oh, what a drag!

I open the door To those after me.

No thank yous, no nods Not even a smile for me.

The music plays And then we pray Listen to the announcements What did she say?

The person beside me Has his earphones on.

It boom, boom, booms Like a faulty cannon.

The girls beside me Talk nonstop.

Why won’t the teacher Shut them up?

creative spaces SPACES CREATIVE Ashes Fall like Snow:

A Tribute to Japan

By Veronica To Petals fall on grassy fields,

All around the people yell,

in a land as great as this…

clinging to their lives…

Where people live their simple lives,

Earthquake! Tsunami!

like soaring birds alive and free…

Run to where it’s safe!

But despite the light,

For then there is no escaping,

a shadow grows,

devastation hell creates.

looming in the dark…

Moment past,

Light fades while darkness comes near…

a barren land,

The people sense the eerie feel,

left nothing but destruction…

lurking in their midst…

Sorrow sown like seeds of despair…

Coming closer, ever so near,

Haunting a deadened land…

the people are prepared…

Still the people stand united,

Yet…

a violet blossoms in the snow,

Math seminar Oh, no. Oh, no!

Is it alright If I don’t go?

I go to the washroom I need to pee Someone didn’t flush It’s super yucky.

Tons of essays I need to write.

I feel so bad Facebooking all night.

To Science department I go instead As I imagine myself At home in bed.

The end is near It’s near alright.

Must do units All through the night.

I take out a unit What the heck is this?

I scratch my head I can’t do this!

I’m so tired.

I’m so stressed.

I’m exhausted.

I might be depressed.

TA interview Oh, no. Oh, no!

Is it alright If I don’t go?

Despite all these I love this school ‘Cuz Mary Ward Is super cool!

Resistance fades,

fingertips grasp the ends of a rope…

protection fails,

Not a tear is shed among them…

and summer turns to fall…

And hope was returned…

To the Business Department I go instead.

I need to research For a report I dread.

For reading this I thank you all.

The end is near Let’s rock & roll!

As snowflakes drift from up above

A baby was born just minutes after it all…

A Sudden Darkness

Darkness is a ruse; A short-lived bliss, Day light, Shines on a 110 pounds Of existence I wish to shred—ERASE

I move, I move, Till I’m called To stand still, My thought collaborated with fear,

Powders, Pink, grey, and violet Spread out Across the fine-lines of My eyes,

How does it feel, to have a choice— be told at once, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace”?

I would like for once, To be served fresh air, A wind blew out of the cloud and bore it away from me, I grow frail, Slither across the grainy waters Wishing to stab, Thinking, Rising to swallow me,

Eyes which hold The predictable, World...

A bowl of Darken deep sorrow—pupils, Hidden between the curves Of sudden happiness, It swirls, it swirls, Twenty-four-seven, Three hundred, sixty-five days a year, Elongated Unnecessarily for “probable”, Yet unlikely Cause, In likeness There isn’t a pause in the air,

like ashes from the sky…

I’m frozen,

So how does it feel— This elite freedom seized from me?

I scuffle to breathe, Like salmon brought above the sea, So how does it FEEL? Rolls of film Replaced itself one after the other Embedded, Stitched beneath my skin,

They know that there is still hope…

By Shankri Fabian

I’m a product— A corporation product, Brought about to entertain the world, An introduction, Is usually a sequel for despair Won’t someone save me, Treat me, Retrieve me a share?

I WANT THE WORLD, As real as it can be, Without its need For a dramatic flair, Oh, won’t someone save me?

Here before a crowd, I shuffle for words, Jumbled as they stare, I’m frozen, Vanity takes away From the throbbing trembles As they observe—ME, Measuring eternity With Coffeespoons, “Time, please?”

Time will not be recovered, But buried alive— In a coffin Filled with shame, It’s beyond me, I’m called to stand, Till they understand, Just exactly What I wish to say, But, what exactly am I trying to say?

If time had rushed as fast as My blood rushed, To be misplaced I wouldn’t have the need, To trouble, Myself to stay awake, I unwind To darkness, Where the colors liquefy, I’m the heroine Of my own domain, Till human voices wake me, And I drown—Again.

VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 3 mwplanet 23

fun and AND games GAMES FUN

By Carolina Vecharelli A I H A A A A B I C A O A T D E E O E L W N S E K

C E B S U P N S B O O T O B U U W O L W E M C S I

S O D A R S U A A E I Q H N A V C T S L W O U B O

S W E B R N P H O W I T L A E E U E T T N I M C

S N I A A B B O R I T C U T M F A B E T B S O A L

I A M M I B E C L S I H A A A A S B A L C S T L A

T C B O M C L Q S F A A E O A A D G O W Q E H S G

B H N E B I E H U A P D N S M O E C P U W S D N O

A S A R B K N U E E N I E T E A K R I I E S I T E

L I C T Q O O G E E A D L S T T E T N A E F B A V

N B C O E U N R T T S C C F U R O R R B R B M T B

F U M T R A A U U N B A N A S S P I C U D A A U L

A A T A U E S A O B R S G V S B U O S E P O C R W

A A I F S S C W A L U A S S E T H B T L C I W N E

T O N L U R R A I S G O L C M R L A E K K I A N L

M E L H E A N T T M E E B C O I A E T A N A M S O

A A L D E M I S D L S R D E R E T C N C A E N E

L H S W I D T W F D A U S P A O V R R E T H T L E

P H O C A R A O S V A S I N P C U A O A S A E F O

E S F T O V N N U G C E A T N B H E W B R M A D I

E A N H S F E O N N G T Q E N A W B P T O E I H A

L H S I E O U S K D A S D U A A N N A N A S G B S

T E A A T V D N A A N E S O I E P S A L S E M A O

Flipflops Barbeque Flipflops Tanktop Barbeque Heatwave Tanktop Beach

Beachball Hat Beachball Waves Hat Surfing WavesSwimsuit

Sandcastle Sunburn Sandcastle Sunblock Sunburn Lemonade Sunblock Icecream

Shorts Mosquitos Shorts Cottage Mosquitos Sand Cottage Swimming

Heatwave

Surfing

Lemonade

Sand

Beach

Swimsuit

Icecream

Swimming

E T L A M N O P B C N A S T D E E D T C L O H A W

A T L P T K A A L B O B S H D S E E W O O A N I S

By Veronica To

3 What do Science teachers wrap their lunches in? Saran wraps.

How do you get inside Canadian & World Studies? You open Zidar.

Where do English teachers go after school? They go Holmes.

What did the Religion department do at the concert? They Tsang.

Why are Science students smart? Because they’re never Wong.

What do you call a small crush? A Valentini.

What is the Art Department’s favorite gym activity? Arturi You missed the IDP Art-English seminar? Hayes, it’s Notten to worry about!

What is the Geography teacher’s favourite bird? A Schwan.

Demoré you know, the less Powell of units you have.

I wanted to visit the McAlpines, but the Weathers didn’t look too good.

I waited for you to get out of the shower, but Jatiouk fordEver!

It’s like stealing Candi from a Bailey.

In Religion we learn to be Morra Frair.

Waud do you want from me? Give me Simone-y.

What do you say to justify a mark to science teachers? That’s Wong and not Frair.

I put Heisz ketchup on my Krisch-py fries.

Demoré you Reid, the Morra you know.

Don’t get a Peets-C, get a Mak! Emer-se yourself in the Poole if the water isn’t Collie-d.

Shave the Harris-on your Chen.

I’m not too Keen-an these puns.

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