“A phenomenon of the 21st century, Facebook seems an unstoppable force. ” p.6 “even under the most crushing state machinery courage rises up again and again”p.8
So Where Exactly DOES Santa Come From? Ana Simen
All of us have either heard or celebrated the plump, large, bearded man our whole lives-- as have our parents and their parents and their parents for generations. But, how often do we take a moment to reflect and wonder why we do this, or where this figure originates? Santa Claus is actually a pleasant mixture of various precedent figures. The first being Saint Nicolas: a 4th century Greek Christian bishop known for gifting those with lower economic standards. But this jolly man also resembles the Germanic folklore of the god Odin who possesses a flying horse, a long white beard (sound familiar?), and the munchkins of the nation would place their boots filled with food for his horse by the chimney. Aged images of Sinterklaas, the Dutch and Belgian folklore, are also present in that he carried a book stating what children had been good or bad that year. But lastly, Father Christmas, the ‘ghost of Christmas past’ -- depicted by Charles Dickens as guiding the unbelieving Scrooge to happiness. American press first used his name in 1773 but
long before that, colonialism had already brought together the different ingredients from which this figure was formed. His originally green and white outfit along with his pipe and thick belly all mimic a Dutch sailor according to Americanized versions of Santa. The three aforementioned features have all been preserved into his modern image—with the exception of the green apparel. Many speculate that he began to wear a red and white winter
coat following successful advertisement for Coca Cola in the 1930’s. However, earlier in the century, Santa had already appeared on the cover of Puck Magazine, White Rock Beverages, and Ginger ale advertisements wearing the famous red suit. The use of the reigned sleigh in order to fly the presents to children over the world was first expressed in 1821 in an anonymous poem called Old Santeclause sub-
Contents:
PAMUN XI p.2-3 School p.4-5 Social Networks p.6-7
mitted to a New York publication. The years following that, more and more publications included such an image of a little old man, landing his sleigh on rooftops, plopping down chimneys, and distributing gifts to the obedient and kind. Only as popular culture progressed did Mr. Claus become a large, weighty man. In 1863 Thomas Nast was one of the first men to draw him as such and also one of the first to conclude that Santa resided in the North Pole. By the 1870’s, it had become common belief that this was his home. His wife, Mrs. Claus, joined his existence towards the end of the 19th century also as a result of various publications. After centuries of a mix and mingle of culturally diverse ideas, we finalized our image of Santa Claus as a friendly, jolly, old man. Interesting how most ideas adding onto his physique and his relationships originated from witty publications that were simply toying with ideas. However, their light and entertaining charm enabled them to develop into a popular portrayal of one of the most iconic figures of the holiday season.
People p.8 Literature p.9 Culture p.10
2
PAMUN
The Generation of Empowered Youth written by Sara Venkatraman photos by Nikhil Pai
Since February of this year, ASP has been preparing for one of the highlights of the Upper School year: three memorable days for over 950 students scattered worldwide from New York to just outside Paris. The product of such dedication and perseverance has come and, unfortunately, gone, but the memories extracted from it shall remain unwaveringly strong within the hearts of all who participated. The 11th annual session of the Paris Model United Nations conference was thus not only successful but also served as one of the most unique conglomerations of equally dedicated and erudite students from across the globe. Having grown from a small summit of students from the Paris region in the very classrooms of ASP eleven years ago to the amalgamation of nearly a thousand delegates in the grandeur of the UNESCO world headquarters, PAMUN has continuously grown to be one of the primary forums for a simulation of the United Nations that unites young adults for the engaging discussion of global
affairs. Yet what truly unifies this generation of empowered and intelligent youth is not the sheer excitement of visiting the city of light to debate current events. Rather, it is the strong passion for the resolution of conflict and striking a balance between pragmatism and ethical values. While it seems that foreign students venturing to Paris for a three-day conference delight in simply being present in the same building that renowned diplomats and even the real UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon have conducted themselves in, what we as MUNers truly take away from any conference is the generation of peacekeeping ideas and the experience of accurately balancing the views of a country with those of the delegates themselves rather than the city we have traveled to. What makes PAMUN so unique compared to the plethora of other MUN conferences is its consistently high quality standard of debate as well as the amazing degree of competence that all of its participants holds, be they delegates, chairs, or members of the excep-
tionally qualified and dedicated executive team. And, as one of this year’s Deputy Secretary Generals Alexi Bennink stated in an edition of PAMUN’s newspaper, “It’s the best conference - the best location, the best size, and the best timing”. As a student attending the founding school of PAMUN, I find that what delegates bring home the most from this conference in particular is the inspiration and mo-
PAMUN tivation to collaboratively resolve even the most pressing global issues. However, they also leave with new questions. At this conference, delegates have come up together with ways to protect the human rights of immigrants, to achieve Millennium Development Goals, to reevaluate the role of UN peacekeeping troops - but they have also found, as a generation amongst tumultuous times, that simulations like these are what will bring them to accept the responsibility of applying their empowerment and faith in humanity to the betterment of modern societies. The real United Nations and its underlying organizations are where these delegates will be in twenty years’ time as they in turn solve crises for future generations. As Anthony Ghosn, the Secretary General of PAMUN XI, eloquently stated in the opening ceremony of the conference, “The goal of this conference is to verse us in politics. By eliminating war as an option, and operating only through consensus, we understand the complexities of strife and conflict, and come to understand how to engage in
peaceful coexistence ... Delegates, the task is daunting, the obstacles abundant, but the burden is soon going to fall on our young shoulders. ... I hope that you feel in your hearts, the same motivation to improve the lot of others. I know I do, for I truly believe that by harnessing and drawing upon this common passion, any crisis made by humans, can be corrected by humans.” The question everyone in the conference equally imposed upon themselves dealt with the capabilities of their power to solve the conflict that fellow human beings had themselves created. What had been discussed in this opening speech found its way back into Mr.
3
Reshef ’s final words of wisdom in the closing ceremony, in which the statement “politics is the art of the possible” by Otto van Bismarck was discussed, further highlighting the potential of human power but also allowing delegates to reflect upon their work in the past three days. Already has this statement found its way into the discussion of ASP students themselves, as it has already appeared on the Junior TOK forum and sparked an interesting debate among us all. Ultimately, PAMUN and the general activity of MUN has not only enhanced its participants with the knowledge of pertinent global affairs, but continues to further enrich a generation of analytical, proactive young adults who will soon be at the forefront of international affairs. Like in the past, the conference that took place from December 2nd-4th will not be casually forgotten as the year goes on, for it will serve as a strong memory-not simply of pure enjoyment, but also teamwork, productivity, and proactivity. It is unfortunate that the “motion to extend PAMUN” cannot be entertained, but as the MUN world awaits PAMUN 2012 the questions and answers raised from these three days will continue to resonate as symbols of the true capabilities of this generation of empowered youth.
4
School
Putting It Off: Tomorrow Is Often the Busiest Day of the Week
All but the lucky few capable of Herculean concentration have been there: you sit at your computer, open a blank Word document, and spontaneously decide to check your Facebook, just in case. Several hours later, you’ve had a long conversation on the morality of beauty contests with a friend who lives halfway across the world, triple checked your email and powerschool, watched the new episode of Modern Family and salivated in front of Steve Madden’s new shoe collection. Your eyes meander to the clock and you snap out of it - is that bio essay due tomorrow? Procrastination is the act of habitually putting off tasks. It originates from the Latin verb procrastinare: pro meaning “forward” and crastinus meaning “of tomorrow”. Note that this word has been around for centuries; though our generation may fit the description best (because of the many distractions which did not exist in the past), we are not the first to struggle through it. It was first applied to free-spirited people who lived their lives with the mentality that “they were going to die anyways, so why bother”. We often associate procrastination with disorganization. However, as logical as this may seem, setting aside time to complete a task does not necessarily mean that this time will be devoted entirely to working: the lure of StumbleUpon is often too tempting. In fact, studies from the U. of Calgary have demonstrated that when veteran procrastinators finally get around to beginning a task, they work about eleven times faster than average. Though this statistic may be fortifying to those among us who recognize themselves as dilly-dalliers, it should not be tak-
en as encouragement: procrastination negatively impacts health, as it disrupts or shortens sleeping patterns. Recent studies at the U. of Sidney have shown that the problems of most clinically depressed adults stem back to their erratic sleeping cycles. The “scare-tactic” is often not sufficient motivation: telling someone who complains about their inclinations to procrastinate to invest in an agenda is almost equivalent, though to a lesser degree, to advising a drug addict to stop using drugs. Studies have shown that we are not born procrastinators. Essentially, there is an array of procrastinator types: t Adrenaline Junkies: Although the excuse of “I work better under pressure” is most often a lie we tell ourselves, some people get a euphoric thrill out of the panic of potentially not being able to meet a deadline. t Scaredy-Cats: Though the fear of failure is present in all of us, whether or not we are able to overcome it is a different story. Terror is so omnipresent for some that they would rather not attempt a task, fearing that it may be difficult. Of course, what they don’t realise is that in most cases the easiest way to fail something is by not doing it. t “If and But-ers”: People who do not have the ability to make decisions or are afraid they will make the wrong decision. Should I make a poster or a PowerPoint? Deal with this or that? They put off decisions until the last minute, which most often implies that tasks do not get done. Though procrastination is often regarded as anathema, is it
Maddy Pauchet
really all that bad? There are several ways in which to procrastinate: Often, we procrastinate because by working on assignment A, we are putting off assignments B, C and D. Though there are strategies for addressing procrastination, such as disabling internet connections and switching off mobile phones, the best solution is to learn how to procrastinate well. The three most common procrastination methods are: t Procrastinating by doing nothing t Procrastinating by doing something less important t Procrastinating by doing something more important The problem is how we define importance. Small, less important things are achievements or tasks performed that few will remember; the more important things are the ones that end up in one’s obituary. Duties such as errands, cleaning, laundry and maybe even homework are things that the world’s heroes may have put off so they could finish their real work. Imagine John Lennon had to pay his bills, but procrastinated and wrote a moving and influential song instead. In order to compose that song, he had to go through the wearisome process of learning how to compose and how to write – and though he may have procrastinated, the work was eventually done. Although homework may occasionally seem futile, it is perhaps necessary preparation for the “important things” that we want to eventually accomplish. As a concluding remark, I’ll leave you all knowing that this article is a product of exemplary procrastination.
School
How to Study for Exams
5
Alison Mai
With the last two weeks to go before we hit our first semester exams, everyone’s feeling the pressure. Teachers are cramming in last minute quizzes and tests, along with the ever-growing pile of homework, and we’re feeling a bit buried under it all. So what’s better than a few pointers on how to ace your exams? 1. Don’t procrastinate – studying for 5 exams is not really something you should leave until the last minute. Spread out the mass of studying that you should be doing over a period of time. It’s better for your brain, and your remember things better if they’re repeated over time, not crammed in the night before. 2. If you start to feel stressed, take a few deep breaths to calm yourself down. Not only will it calm your nerves, it’ll also oxygenate your blood, which helps your brain to think. 3. Take breaks – studying all day long non-stop is not the greatest plan. With breaks, your brain has time to process the information you’ve just studied and therefore keep it in your memory. A 10-15 minute break after every hour of studying will do you good. 4. Drink more water and less coffee – caffeine is a stimulant that can make you feel more stressed, and can lead to loss of sleep. Drink water instead and you’ll feel healthier and more relaxed for your exam. Eating healthy food (for example, fruit and carbs) will keep you energized and less stressed as well. 5. Exercising is a good way to relieve stress and take a break from studying. Maybe right after school, go to the PTC and work out a little, treating the work out as a small break from the long school day. It’ll be better for your brain to process the work you’ve done during the day and prepare itself for the night of studying ahead of you. 6. Sleep. A lot. People say the brain never sleeps, and it’s true – once you spend a long day studying, going to sleep is the ideal time for your brain to memorize and process the information. So instead of cramming in for your exam at 1 a.m., go to sleep! 7. Mnemonic devices (special symbols, rhymes, or similar to help memorize things) are a great way to remember facts and dates for exams. Example: HOMES= the great lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior. 8. Limit distractions available to you. Studies show that you are distracted by things detected by your senses; such as hearing your phone ring, or a Facebook chat box, etc. Try to eliminate these distractions to stay focused and concentrated. 9. Getting together with friends to study is a good idea, as long as you don’t get distracted too often. Study groups are effective because repeating the information back to one another, or in certain cases, teaching it to someone, helps you memorize the information. Hopefully these tips can help you guys during this last week before exams. Study hard, don’t stress too much, and take breaks! Good luck to everyone on their exams!
6
Social Networks
Facebook: Friend or Foe? Sabrine Keane
Launched in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, a young Harvard college student, Facebook has become the largest social network of our time, with 800 million users as of September 2011 and with this number continually increasing. The McKinsey Global Institute has approximated users post up to 30 billion pieces of content, including photos, status updates, and wall posts, every month. A phenomenon of the 21st century, Facebook seems an unstoppable force. The idea of “six degrees of separation” describes the possibility that all people are only six introductions away from knowing one another. Recent research by the
University of Milan, based on 721 million Facebook users, calculate the average number of acquaintances separating any two people is 4.74, and no longer 6. Facebook has essentially condensed time and space, making the world and even smaller place. Facebook was created to bring friends together and in doing so becomes our “friend”, positively affecting our lives in numerous ways. This social network is an incredibly efficient way to reach out to others. Instead of having to develop pictures and send them by mail to different addresses in the world, or attaching them in an email to your loved ones, Facebook has provided us with the possibility of uploading albums made public to whoever we choose. Friends and families can be updated instantaneously on important events or changes in our lives and they, by clicking “like” or commenting, produce a personal exchange. Other useful features of Facebook include the groups, events, and pages anyone can create. They serve as an organizational tool and a way to develop common interests between people. Facebook creates community. Furthermore, Ameri-
can Psychological Association, published findings by Dr Larry Rosen, PhD, professor of psychology at California State University found a number of positive aspects to Facebook: it helps introverted adolescents to express themselves using the distance and safety of a computer screen, increases “virtual empathy” among users, and used as a means for teaching, can help engage students. Perhaps most importantly, Facebook has been an instrument for positive social change in places such as Tunisia and Egypt. John Pollock in Technology Review studied the role of the use of social media, in particular Facebook, during the uprisings against the dictators Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak. In Tunisia, Facebook was widely used in the absence of the availability of other media, which was controlled by the state, to organize citizens. Because it offered a level of anonymity, it allowed rebellion. Pollock’s article follows the journey of two Tunisians, “Foetus” and “Waterman”, whose group Takriz helped incite the protests and who called Facebook “the GPS for this revolution”. In Egypt, one of the key moments of the revolution came when
Social Networks a photo of Khaled Said, a computer programmer who had been beaten to death by the police, had gone viral on Facebook. Facebook served the double purpose of spreading information and inspiration to those who felt otherwise helpless. Yet Facebook can be a double-edged sword. That same anonymity that served the Arab Spring so well and gives insecure teenagers courage, can also abet online bullying as well as harassment. A June 2011 Consumer Reports article indicates that of the 20 million minors using Facebook in the past year, more than one third were younger than thirteen and therefore vulnerable to making immature decisions. One million children were victims of cyber bullying. The American Psychological Association although publishing the benefits of Facebook also indicated the risks. Overuse of media and technology can lead to anxiety, depression, and other psychological disorders. Studies have shown that students who checked Facebook at least once in a fifteen-minute study period had lower grades than those who were less dependent. Teenagers who use Facebook have more of a tendency towards narcissistic behavior. In fact, Nick Bilton, in a New York Times article November 11, 2011, describes the new Facebook Timeline feature
that is soon to come out, as highlighting “me in a way that gives me borderline Digital Narcissistic Personality Disorder”. Soon, are entire lives will be displayed for all to see, which brings up the frightening thought, does anything ever go away on the Internet? We all make mistakes, but a mistake on Facebook is potentially permanent. German regulators, after a recent investigation, suspects that Facebook has been unlawfully tracking subscribers through the use of “cookies”, installed on users’ computers, even after they canceled their accounts. They join the Irish Data Protection Agency and the Norwegian Privacy Watchdog in their concerns over privacy issues regarding Facebook. Furthermore, Facebook and the Federal Trade Commission are on the verge of signing a settlement with regard to Facebook’s deceptive practices, including privacy settings, which would force the site to privacy audits for the next 20 years. Facebook has become an indispensible tool to our generation. It is nearly impossible not to partake in such a popular social network. But be careful. In an adaptation of a Thomas Jefferson quote: when biting at the bait of pleasure, beware of the hook beneath it.
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8
People
“Fear is a habit; I am not afraid.”-Aung San Suu Kyi: An Inspirational Story Chandler Sterling
This is a principle at the heart of the life and mission of Aung San Suu Kyi. Born in June 1945, she is currently the leader of the democratic movement in Burma/Myanmar, which is currently ruled by a military junta that has been in place ideas of Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King Jr., she has worked to establish democracy in Burma through peaceful protests and has been imprisoned several times. Her story is inspirational and litical movements in today’s world. Aung San Suu Kyi’s political career really began during a visit to her native land, Burma, to care for her mother who had been ill for quite some time. Coincidentally in this year, General Ne Win, the longtime military ruler of Burma, stepped down sparking many protests and demonstrations advocating for democracy. With her articulacy and family history, her belated father being a liberator of Burma, she quickly rose to the forefront of the democratic effort by speaking in front of half a million people on August 8th, 1988 at a protest which later became known as the “888 Uprising.” Despite these efforts, a new military junta came into power in September 1988 putting Aung San house arrests in July 1989. In this case, she was presented with the choice of house arrest or leaving Burma and selected house arrest. Her perceived desire for democracy amongst the people of Burma was not misinformed. In 1990, the junta held an election in which the National League for Democracy, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, won 59% of the votes and 89% of the seats in parliament. However, the
junta refused to hand over power, sparking worldwide outcry and increased awareness of the oppressive nature of the Burmese government. This triggered her winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990. Since this time, her political career has been one of steadfast courage. She has spent 15 of the last 21 years under house arrest during which time her husband died of prostate cancer. She was formally released from house arrest in 2010 and recently met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lomatic visits to Burma in years. The struggle she has endured has been met with placidity and poise. Her strength is not one of obvious intimidation, but of unwavering persistence. For her inspiration, she cites leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi-- both of whom are renowned for their efforts to use peaceful protest as a method to bring about political change. She also references Buddhist ideas regarding non-violence. Aung San Suu Kyi has drawn parallels between the Arab Spring and the prodemocracy movement in Burma but acknowledges that the societal make-up between the two places is massively different and notes with regret the situation in Egypt. However, she remains unwav-
eringly optimistic about the future for not only Burma, but also the world as a whole. She says, “The struggle for democracy and human rights in Burma is a struggle for life and dignity. It is a struggle that encompasses our political, social and economic aspirations.” She groups democracy and human rights, recognizing the parallel between the two, but also highlighting the importance of dignity. The military presence in the government has had an incredible demoralizing effect on the people, creating an atmosphere of unabating fear and incessant dehumanization. But according to Aung San Suu Kyi, fear is an enemy easily defeated and one that is more detrimental to the government than the people. “It is not easy for a people conditioned by fear under the iron rule of the principle that might is right to free themselves from the enervating miasma of fear. Yet, even under the most crushing state machinery courage rises up again and again, for fear is not the natural state of civilized man,” stated Aung San Suu Kyi Indeed, despite its myriad tribulations, the movement for democracy in Burma is still alive and well. Clearly, through Aung San Suu Kyi’s undaunted leadership, people are learning not fear oppression and in doing so, making leaps towards a better future. .
Literature
9
The Lovely Bones Book Review
Tamara Ezzat
The narrator of The Lovely Bones, Susie Salmon, is a normal fourteen year-old girl looking forward to going to high school next year. On her way back home from school, her neighbor wants to show her something in the cornfield. But this man, George Harvey, is a serial killer who rapes and murders Susie. Susie is taken to heaven, where she meets Franny, her guide in the afterlife. In The Lovely Bones, one creates one’s own Heaven and Susie decides to replicate her hometown high school. However, the only thing Susie truly wants is to be back on Earth, grow-
ing up with the people she loves. From heaven, Susie can look down and watch her family as they struggle with their own feelings about her murder. Susie follows her sister Lindsey’s life from heaven. She watches vigorously as her sister has life changing experiences. Since Susie cannot grow up, she tries to understand the process through her sister’s growth into adolescence. She watches as Lindsey grows into a strong young woman who also shares her father’s determination to find Susie’s killer. Lindsey learns from Grandma Lynn the name of the man her father believes killed
Susie. Lindsey begins watching Harvey’s house, determined to find evidence of the murder. Susie’s first kiss is overshadowed by Susie’s death. Ray Singh is also the first suspect in the police’s investigation, but they quickly rule him out. Ruth Connors, a girl in Susie’s class, was the last person Susie touches as her spirit left Earth. Ruth becomes obsessed with death and begins seeing the dead on Earth. Ray and Ruth grown a friendship in their shared grief and understanding. Susie also watches George Harvey, her killer. She learns that she was not his only victim and searches for the stories of all of his girls. She watches as he hides her body and lie to her father and the police wishing she could help them convict him. Sadly Susie can only sit, watch, and hope they uncover the truth of her death. Alice Sebold has written a heart touching book. As a reader, you feel heartache for Susie as she’s watching her try to contact her family from Heaven. You’re terrified for the narrator and the entire way though you’re standing next to Susie shouting at her family to catch George Harvey. Not only does Sebold present difference forms of grief over a death, she presents something we don’t usually see, the view of the dead. Sebold opens up our minds to whole other view on afterlife. The idea that you create your own Heaven and “live” in it as you imagine is interesting and though provoking. Throughout the entire book you’re interested, eagerly flipping to the next page in order to find out what comes next. I highly recommend this book to all readers, as it is a unique and well-written book.
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Culture
ASP and Parisian Fashion Lily Rivkin
What comes to mind when one thinks about the city of Paris? When asked this question, a majority of people think of the eclectic and high-end fashion the city is famous for, being one of the fashion capitals of the world. With our school being just outside of Paris,
the cutest. “Once I moved here, I discovered different styles and it completely changed my whole fashion sense” says Alison Gieske. Just living in the city and walk-
But one may still be wondering what an average ASPer wears? “I city. Just walking down the halls, usually wear jeans, a nice sweater, one can notice several different and some cool shoes to match. trends accumulating: designer Maybe I might crack out the sperbags for carrying books, and the faint scent of a high-end perfume “My go to is a tanktop, cardigan wafting through the air. But what sweater, and jeans” says Pauline makes ASP fashion so different Kress. These juniors sport casual than normal US high schools? and comfortable attire, but not Our school’s fashion is an everyone chooses this style. “Caimmense change for some who sual is not in my dictionary,” says come from the US, where many Tijn de Nooj, who is usually seen attend classes in sweats. In Paris, around the halls in dress shoes and while just sitting on the metro one a sports coat. Every student has a can see women and men wearing some of the most outrageous our school’s fashion one of a kind.
Even students who have previously attended other international schools notice the difference diverse styles; but moreover, ASP has students dressing in high fashold school in Germany” says Ana Simen a junior at ASP. She continits placement in one of the worlds most vivid fashion centers”. This point coincides with Alison’s feelings in her style evolving over her time in Paris. Just walking around our school, jumpers, er jeans, mini skirts, plaid shirts, and many other trends are visible. It is almost as if the ASP halls heading to class but models on a runway showing off their latest look. So keep your eyes peeled! .
Teen Drug Abuse Facts: A Growing Problem
Lidia Lagioia
Because of the belief that we, as humans, superior and immune to anything that surrounds ment with drugs without consequence. But, while some may only try others will develop a dependency. Whatever the decision, one must be aware of the effects drugs have in present and later life. With around 49,000 adolescents using inhalants, 27,000 using hallucinogens such as ecstasy and other club drugs, 13,000 using cocaine, and 3,800 using heroin daily, the consequences of drug
increase your chances of using other drugs later but, it will also
ors or sudden weight loss or gain. So, before you just
headaches, paranoia, nausea, depression, withdrawal, rapid heart rate, and, if
think: is it really worth it?
mentation, they should still look out for those dependent or using. The most common signs are: bloodshot eyes, pupils visibly changing in size, changes in appetite and sleep, unNaturally, using any of these ille- usual smell on breath, gal drugs at a young age will only body or clothing, trem-
Games
11
Puzzles
Alexandra Goffard
WORD LADDER
RULES: Using only four letters, change the first word into the last word by changing only one letter at each rung. (CAT -> COT -> DOT -> DOG)
PAMUN XI Photos Nikhil Pai
12
Students
Student Life Section Student Council
The Student Life section is a new feature written by the Student Council. It is designed to keep the student body up-to-date on upcoming events, club news, and to increase transparency between the Student Council and the rest of the student body. Clubs can submit information for this section to any of the Student Council officers. For all information concerning clubs, you can also contact Ms. Lowe, Service Learning Coordinator, at mjlowe@asparis.fr .
Club Announcements:
Model United Nations: This weekend the eleventh annual Paris Model United Nations conference took place at the UNESCO building in Paris. This conference, led by Ouriel Reshef and a team of twelve students, draws over nine hundred students from around the world for three days of debate regarding some of the UN’s most pressing issues. Senior Anthony Ghosn served as the Secretary-General; Alexi Bennink, Clara Steiner and Adam Willems were Deputy Secretaries-General. Four ASP students acted as committee Chairs: Brian Carden chaired the Security Council, Michael Carden the European Council, Tess Miller the Group of 77, and Sara Venkatraman the Human Rights Panel. ASP brought a delegation of about twenty students, all of whom had done extensive research on their assigned countries and topics, and who showed a level of innovation, articulate speech, and respectful debate that rivaled that of professional diplomats. Mallika Bhandari and Lidia Lagioia were recognized with Best Delegate awards, and Flavia Garcia received an Honorable Mention. ASP students were also involved in the administrative organization of the conference: an admin staff of sixty, led by Martina Belloni, worked to make badges, placard, and folders for the delegates, set up and clean the conference rooms, and pass notes among delegates during debates. Anna Bradley Web masterfully lead her press team as the editor in chief of the PAMUN 2011 MUNificence. Anna and her co-editors, Cassidy Howard and Lily Rivkin, managed to publish 4 issues of MUNificence as well as being one of the first ever PAMUN newspaper staffs to publish a 12-page paper. The ASP jazz band performed many pieces as the delegates exited on Sunday. Overall, it was a very successful and rewarding experience for those involved.
Student Council Updates:
Student Council Held Part 1 of the Tri-Ball competition on November 25th. It definitely was a success! Many people came and enjoyed watching their peers play volleyball. The final round was extremely exciting—the seniors won by only a fraction! Grade-on-Grade Competition points are currently as follows: Seniors: 4 Juniors: 3 Sophomores: 3 Freshmen: 1
Start of Delta Lunches First: room 391 Second: room 456 Make a difference. Photo sources:
http://staff.imsa.edu/socsci/jvictory/nast_07/santa_claus_ camp100.jpg http://enpositivo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Aung-SanSuu-Kyi.jpg http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs22/f/2007/350/2/e/Book_Cover__ The_Lovely_Bones_by_neurotripsy.png http://www.wbur.org/files/2010/12/1215_mark-zuckerbergtime1.jpg http://www.drugfreehomes.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/ teen-issues-300x300.jpg http://www.helenjaques.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/ Exam.jpg
Article sources:
How to Study for Exams http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/top-10-most-effectivestudy-habits/all/1/ http://www.ehow.com/how_2146288_improve-study-skills. html http://www.time-management-success.com/good-studyhabits.html Teen Drug Abuse Facts: A Growing Problem http://www.focusas.com/SubstanceAbuse.html http://listverse.com/2007/09/27/top-10-drugs-and-theireffects/
Editors: Lily Rivkin and Rebecca Slade Layout Editor: Nikhil Pai Assistant Editor: Cassidy Howard
For questions and comments concerning ASPIRE, please contact our faculty advisor, Mr. Brazeau, at bbrazeau@asparis.fr .