Aquila | 2016-2017

16-17

AQU e g n a h C ILA a year in discussion

CHANGE verb 1. make or become different.

2. take or use another instead of. noun 1. an act or process through which something becomes different.

2. a handful of loose change.

ADAPT ING It’s a change but maybe that’s good Some people wouldn’t want a change some people would Like a rebirth of the mind, a change of heart Feeling different and new, a fresh start Alteration, a change in your mind A difference, let’s see what we find When we step into a whole different light Will it burn or will it bite?

Maybe it won’t hurt us at all or maybe we will stumble and fall But after all we are rearranging we are becoming different people, we are changing Callie H (Year 9)

CONTENTS Adapting

2

Does Fashion Impact Society or Society Impact Fashion? 24

Note from the Editor

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Fashion and Feminism – A Voice for Change

25

“Everything Flows” - The Philosophical Idea of Change

4

Throughout the Year

26

The Three Parent Baby

6

Tchaikovsky and Twelfth Night: The Classics Today

28

From Legend to Loser

8

Romeo and Juliet Reimagined

30

The Future of Work: The Changing Face of Business

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How Virtual Reality is Changing All We Know

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“Me Change! Me Alter!” - The Changing Poetry of Emily Dickinson

32

The Linguistic Landscape of War

12

Has Art Changed?

34

Smashing the Stigmas

13

David Bowie: The Man Who Fell to Earth and Changed the Face of it

36

Who am I?

14

The Theatre

38

Raúl Castro “El Otro Hermano”

16

Head Girl’s Report: The Pipers Protest

39

Valete

40

Have Things Really Changed?

46

The American Dream: A crisis of confidence 1952 - 1980 18 Racism

20

Truth 4 Trump

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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Change was one of the original ideas for this year’s magazine. It appeared an obvious choice given the evolution, not only within Pipers itself, but also globally, over the past few years. Change is a multifaceted and vast concept. It can be really personal and intimate - moving house, the loss of a loved one - or it can be world change such as a war or revolution. Some people cope very well with change and actively seek it out. For others it’s a scary and daunting prospect. But no matter which of these categories you fall into, change is inevitable and unavoidable.

Although the theme seemed obvious, the articles within this publication are not. They explore a wealth of knowledge, ideas and viewpoints that create varied and dynamic reading. The articles are written by girls aged 12 to 18. Girls who are the face of the future and the pioneers of change. They are the people who will not only see change, but will also instigate it. So, although these articles explore change in the past and change that is happening right now, they all look with a view to the future and where this change will take us.

The design process was a particularly important element of fabricating the magazine. Dandy, the artistic director, and I had a strong vision of what we wanted to create; not only a completely different design to all previous editions, but also a design that included bold colours, contrasting designs and an element of shock that reflected the content of the writing. Because each article is so individual we wanted to make sure that each one stood out visually, but it is only thanks to Dandy’s creative genius and sagacity that we were able to achieve this.

The magazine meetings this year have made for entertaining lunchtimes and, despite my unremitting emails, the committee have been undyingly dedicated and contributed a never-ending stream of ideas.

Dr Smith has been our guru and guiding light, chaperoning us through our first foray into the world of journalism and enduring my constant questioning. Even though I led meetings and composed emails, this magazine is the result of many people’s zeal and hard work.

Choosing the articles for this year’s magazine was especially hard. The articles that you are about to read are not only exciting because of their gripping topics and exploratory styles, but also because the girls who wrote them were absorbed in what they were writing about. We focused on creating a magazine that represented modern times, but also one that had a timeless element to it. Despite grappling with current debates and issues, the core idea is one that will forever be at the root of society; how and why does the world change?

Romilly J (Upper Sixth)

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EVERYTHING

S W O L F THE PHILOSOPHICAL IDEA OF CHANGE

“Everything flows�. In this, Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism, states that all aspects of the universe are liable to change; however, we must question whether this statement is fully applicable.

Can you think of one thing which has not changed over the past 20 years? Even the rock will differ from one moment to the next, subject to erosion, weathering and slightly acidic soil.

Indeed, your body changes so frequently and significantly that by your seventh birthday, you no longer have any of the cells, excluding bone marrow, that you were originally born with.

You are literally a different person according to the principle of biological generation and corruption. Everything changes; however, ironically, change is the one thing which can be identified as a constant. The mere fact that change happens consistently and everything changes means that change as a concept, and as a state, cannot be changed.

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Many philosophers have adopted a similar approach to Lao Tzu’s, even to the extent of using the same analogy.

Heraclitus, living in the Sixth Century BCE, said “We both step and do not step in the same rivers. We are and are not”, implying that an action can never be exactly repeated owing to the constant alterations of the universe. However, analytically speaking, this will not always necessarily be the case. We should consider the infinite monkey theorem which states that that a monkey hitting keys at random on a typewriter for an infinite amount of time will eventually type a given text, such as the complete works of Shakespeare. In the same way, even though change, as Heraclitus maintained, means that things are constantly altering, there is always the possibility that change will bring about two independent yet identical situations. In other words, change is not a straight line, instead it is a more complex, meandering concept which can, seemingly, overlap on itself.

As previously mentioned, the same analogy of the river has been used by both philosophers to describe the notion of change, and we question why this is the case. When we think of rivers we think of strength - the river will shape landscapes, its plenitude will ultimately decide whether man is replenished or destroyed at harvest. In a similar way, change shapes the world and is able to both rejuvenate and disintegrate it. The key likeness between each phenomena is that they are symbols of both hope and fear and act independently of the desires of man.

The proposition of time and change is one which has been an integral part of philosophical thinking for centuries. We propose that time is an ever-moving spiral and change is a constant and, depending on how the river flows, you will see different monkeys and different plays. And, you’re right, it does not make sense. That’s the point.

Natasha B and Ruby B (Lower Sixth)

“WE BOTH STEP AND DO NOT STEP IN THE SAME

RIVERS.

WE ARE AND ARE NOT”.

Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

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THE THREE PARENT BABY

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Abrahim Hassan’s birth certificate reads: Date of birth: April 6 2016 Place of birth: Jordan Sex: Male Mother: Ibtisam Shaban Father: Mahmoud Hassan Although this is a seemingly ordinary birth certificate, Abrahim Hassan is no ordinary boy. He is the world’s first baby with DNA from three biological parents.

The “three-parent” technique prevents genetic diseases being passed from mother to child. Abrahim’s mother, Ibtisam Shaban, carries genes for the mitochondrial DNA-associated type of Leigh Syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects the developing nervous system and usually results in infant mortality. She is not affected as she is only a carrier of the disorder, but being a carrier has meant she has passed the disorder on to her previous children.

It has meant that the couple have suffered four miscarriages and lost two children; one aged six and another aged eight months.

The couple sought out the help of John Zhang and his team at the New Hope Fertility Centre in New York. The “three-parent” procedure, involved taking the healthy nucleus from one of Shaban’s eggs, and implanting it into a donor egg that had had its nucleus removed, but with the donor’s healthy mitochondrial DNA remaining. The resulting egg, carrying genetic material from both women, was then fertilised with Hassan’s sperm, and implanted in Shaban. Abrahim was born nine months later. Estimates suggest 150 “threeparent” babies could be born each year through this process.

However, this has caused much controversy. Supporters of the procedure insist that the mitochondrial DNA does not change a person’s gender, appearance (i.e. height or eye colour) or intelligence, therefore it does

not fundamentally affect what makes the person who they are. Although the counter-argument is that this cannot be proved for certain. Frank Dobson, a former UK Health Secretary, argued uncertainty was “the nature of medicine and science” and that IVF would not have gone ahead if one hundred percent certainty was needed. Human Genetics Alert, an independent public interest watchdog group in London, warn that this is all very well, but it could open the door to further genetic modification of children, leading to “designer babies”, genetically modified for traits like beauty, and intelligence.

The “three-parent” technique has only been legally approved in the UK so far. It received this approval, with MPs voting in favour, in February 2015. At first, the Anglican Church in England did not support it as they claimed the procedure to be unethical, as it destroys embryos.

The Catholic Church shared this view.

However, since the technique was legally approved, Bishop of Swindon, Dr Lee Rayfield, said “If the safeguards are there, the Church of England will be behind this.” David Cameron, the UK Prime Minister at the time of this legal decision, said “We’re not playing God here, we’re just making sure that two parents who want a healthy baby can have one.”

Whilst this technique has caused an ethical debate, with an underlying argument of whether it is right or wrong, Dr Gillian Lockwood, a reproductive ethicist has stressed that “The biggest problem is that this has been described as three-parent IVF. In fact it is 2.001-parent IVF”, i.e. less than one tenth of one percent of a person’s genetic material is actually affected by this technique. Whether Abrahim Hassan is a “three-parent”, or a “2.001” baby, his parents are hugely grateful for having a healthy child without Leigh Syndrome - and the usually fatal childhood prognosis associated with having this genetic disorder.

Anna M (Year 11)

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FROM LEGEND

TO LOSER

At what point does gaining an advantage in a competition become immoral or even illegal?

Some athletes take illegal substances to enhance their performance, an activity known as “doping”. Athletes such as Lance Armstrong and Maria Sharapova have been accused of, or have admitted to, drug doping during their careers as professional athletes. There are five types of doping, the most common being stimulants and hormones. Stimulants make athletes more alert and can hide tiredness. Anabolic agents, which include steroids, give athletes the advantage to train harder and build muscle more easily. Diuretics remove fluid from the body and can be used to make the weight, for example in boxing, or to hide other drug use. Narcotic analgesics mask pain caused by injury or fatigue which can make the injury worse. Peptides and hormones, also known as EPO or erythropoietin, give more energy, and HGH (human growth hormones) build muscle. All these drugs enhance the performance of the athlete which is obviously cheating and can cause their reputation and career to be ruined if found out. So, the question still lingers - is there ever a justification to perform doping in an acceptable manner?

Lance Armstrong, for much of the second phase of his career, faced constant allegations of drug doping – allegations he consistently denied. In 1996 he was diagnosed with cancer and was treated, so he managed to convince people that he wasn’t doping using his illness as a mask. In 2005 Lance Armstrong openly said “If you consider my situation - a guy who comes back from arguably, you know, a death sentence - why would I then enter into a sport and dope myself up and risk my life again? That’s crazy. I would never do that. No. No way.”

Lance Armstrong finally ended years of denials by admitting he used performance-enhancing drugs during all seven of his Tour de France wins. The 41-year-old confessed during his 2013 interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey in front of a worldwide television audience. “I view this situation as one big lie I repeated a lot of times,” he said. “I made those decisions, they were my mistake, and I’m here to say sorry.” The interview with Winfrey, was broadcast on prime time television, and was streamed worldwide.

The tens of millions watching saw Armstrong reveal he took performance-enhancing drugs in each of his Tour wins from 1999-2005 and that doping was “part of the process required to win the Tour.” He did not feel

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he was cheating at the time and viewed it as a “level playing field.” He did not fear getting caught, “all the fault and blame” should lie with him. He was a bully who “turned” on people he did not like. His cancer fight in the mid-1990s gave him a “win-at-all costs” attitude. He went on to co-operate with official inquiries into doping in cycling. But does that mean that an athlete should only consider the consequences of getting caught in his or her consideration of doping? What is missing from Armstrong’s explanation is any sense of the sport itself.

He entered it for the thrill of competition, but exited in ignominy.

Lance Armstrong’s image as a cycling hero changed immediately after this interview. Lance used EPO to increase the number of red blood cells in his circulatory system available to carry oxygen. The changes to his body enabled him to perform better with the endurance of the Tour de France. Blood transfusions increased his oxygen capacity and enhanced endurance and recovery. Lance Armstrong didn’t stop there; he also used testosterone and human growth hormones which both change the body by increasing the muscle mass and strength. His fall from grace had a huge impact on the sport of cycling and more widely on public opinion of sport and athletes in general. There is now much more speculation about drug use amongst athletes from many fields and stringent drug testing at every level.

At least in the case of Armstrong doping carried strict penalties but, on a larger level, what still needs to be considered is how we can create a culture that rewards effort rather than achievement, competition in its purest form rather than winning at all costs.

The solutions remain as unclear as the results of the tests themselves, but the question needs to be asked, repeatedly and insistently.

Isabelle M (Lower Sixth)

THE FUTURE OF WORK:

THE CHANGING FACE OF BUSINESS As the end of my school career looms, I embrace the opportunity to take my study of Business and Economics to an even higher level whilst at University, but there is always that slight niggle in the back of my mind that this whole “process” will need to culminate in some form of paid work.

The good news, if I can believe what the World Economic Forum has to say on the matter, is that “Office and administrative functions, along with manufacturing and production roles will see dramatic declines accounting for over six million roles over the next four years. Conversely, business and financial operations along with computer and mathematical functions will see steep rises.”

However, what I face is a very different way of working than that experienced by older generations. For example, a lifetime’s work at the same company, slowly but surely climbing the ladder is definitely a thing of the past.

Recently I considered what Microsoft has to say on the matter of future work - “[we will need to be] Responsive, Adaptive and Always Learning.” New companies will be built to be mobile from the start and yes, the possibilities to work remotely could be the norm. Forget the rigid corporate ladder – now the corporate lattice allows freeflowing ideas and career paths. So thankfully the way in which the field is working all seems more relaxed, with more freedom than just a few years ago, but there is still

the expectation to be “always on, always responsive and always available.” [Jared Lindzon] No doubt, technology will continue to drive rapid change in the workplace which is being referred to as the fourth industrial revolution. So what does this mean for me and the business knowledge I will need to succeed?

Most immediately, it’s going to be crucial to be able to collaborate with people remotely as well as face-to-face, to communicate across a wide array of digital channels and also to lead, whether that’s a team working across a digital platform, or with teams who come together to deliver specific projects. This is an exciting time as change is constantly happening and it’s estimated that some 65% of children entering primary school today will likely work in roles which don’t currently exist (World Economic Forum). Preparing for a fast moving business environment where digital business has removed many of the barriers to setting up new companies will mean thinking differently is where success lies.

Clara E (Upper Sixth)

65% OF CHILDREN

ENTERING PRIMARY SCHOOL TODAY WILL LIKELY WORK IN ROLES WHICH DON’T CURRENT LY EXIST. [World Economic Forum]

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HOW VIRTUAL REALITY IS

CHANGING ALL WE KNOW

Define reality - it’s something that actually exists right? Well, what if you could mimic everything you know and love and exist in it by putting on a pair of goggles? That’s virtual reality.

Stanley G Weinbaum’s 1935 fictional short story “Pygmalion’s Spectacles” begins with the line “But what is reality?” and continues with what was perhaps the first model of virtual reality that was ever written. The main character meets a professor who has invented a pair of goggles which allow someone to be “in the story,” and “speak to the shadows [...] the story is all about you, and you are in it.” Virtual Reality (VR) has been ever changing since this short story and the first “Experience Theatre” which was called the “Sensorama” and was built in 1962.

Since then, VR technology has revolutionised the way we buy, educate, entertain and interact with the world. In architecture, it is used to visualise, on unbuilt buildings, where the sunlight will shine most, whilst motor companies are now able to test their products prior to manufacturing them.

VR can be used for the training of professionals without them having to be in the field. For example training doctors and medical staff to perform surgery using VR, which allows them to be in a realistic environment and see how it would really look without their inexperience putting a patient at risk.

However, with every new and exciting technology, there are always concerns relating to the health and safety of both individuals and society. Although no official research has been conducted as VR is still a very new technology in the scheme of things, some experts have concerns about an increase in dissociative mental illnesses such as depersonalisation and derealisation. If these do come about as a result of increasing exposure to VR people may start to feel a lack of presence in objective reality, a scary and alien thought.

I recently saw a play entitled “Ugly Lies the Bone” at the National Theatre.

VR is used as therapy for an injured soldier to escape her painful memories of Afghanistan and reconnect with her family and friends. In fact VR therapy is now one of the primary treatments for PTSD and has been found to be incredibly effective.

Due to the constant development of today’s technology, I guarantee that in the time between me writing this now on Wednesday 8 March 2017 at 5:31pm and you reading this article there will be at least one more development within VR and technology as a whole, we just don’t understand or know about it yet.

Rebecka P (Upper Sixth)

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THE LINGUISTIC LANDSCAPE OF WAR Author of “Word Origins and Their Romantic Stories”, Wilfred Funk, has estimated that in the last four years of the Second World War, 24,000 new words entered the American vocabulary.

The conflicts of the twentieth century have irreversibly changed the face of the contemporary linguistic landscape, with The Great War and World War II having particularly defined those peaks, valleys and plains which constitute twenty-first century language and thought.

If you take 8,689,467 men from different class backgrounds, add a pinch of stress and three tablespoons of fear, force them under the lid of a melting pot and set your calendar to 1914, it will result in a lot of lingering slang entrenched into a now ruined pan. “It was a very creative time for language”, says Julian Walker of the British Library, “Soldiers have always had a genius for slang and coming up with terms. This was a citizen army - and also the first really literate army - and at the end of the war, those that survived took their new terms back to the general population.” It is thanks to these soldiers that we can now feel “washed-out”, “fed-up” and - at the end of it all – “push up daisies”.

In 1944 the Sunday Times reported, “The United Nations’ indictment of 24 Nazi leaders has brought a new word into the language – genocide”. Despite the fact that there had been mass extermination of one and a half million ethnic Armenians in the 1915 Ottoman Empire, no specific word was developed to describe the action. Indeed, Hitler himself felt these actions to be insignificant when, as he prepared to invade Poland, he questioned, “Who today still speaks of the massacre of the Armenians?” Hitler’s actions also altered the term “Holocaust” which people had previously known as, “whole burnt offering; wholesale sacrifice or destruction” (1911 first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary) and which was used generally to refer to mass death - as was seen in “The Great Gatsby” where Fitzgerald describes the protagonist’s death as a “holocaust complete”. Today the word has been deposited under the scope of the Nazi World War II genocide. Adolf Hitler’s influence extends to the word “Fuhrer” which has felt the effects of erosion in modern German politics as a result of the Second World War. The word translates as “political party leader” and, prior to Hitler’s declaration of himself as “Fuhrer”, it had been a commonplace title. Today, however, a new term, “Vorsitzender” (chairman), has risen over the linguistic landscape of Germany, and “Fuhrer” has been blown away by the winds of war.

It is true that war picks at, pulls and destroys; however, as Robert C. Ruark said in a newspaper column in 1950, “That seems to be one of the nicer things about war it enriches the language so.”

Ruby B and Emily H (Lower Sixth)

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SMASHING THE STIGMAS

CAN WE ABOLISH MENTAL HEALTH ST IGMAS? Throughout the world 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental or neurological disorder at least once in our lives.

This equates to 450 million people living with a mental health disorder at this exact moment in time. This could range from depression and anxiety to extreme schizophrenia, all of which are biologically different disorders but are the same in their creation of stress, upset and the huge changes they bring to the lives of an individual and their loved ones.

As a population we have greatly changed our views on how to treat and refer to mental health issues, however, sadly this has not always been the case. Schizophrenia was previously referred to as demonic possession or even magical powers. Matching these absurd descriptions were the ghastly treatment methods used at the time.

Early treatments included “Insulin Shock Therapy” which was introduced in 1927 by Manfred Sakel. This “therapy” involved injecting patients with very high doses of insulin which would send them into a drug induced coma potentially leading to seizures. Psychiatrists believed the insulin blocked the firing of the nerves which in some cases caused schizophrenic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. So the seizures were seen to be “therapeutic” for the patient, relieving them of their symptoms. By the 1970s, Insulin Shock Therapy was out of use, however other therapies still in use included hydrotherapy which involved wrapping patients in cloths and then in ice cold water to “shock” the schizophrenia out of them and even lobotomising the patient which left them almost zombified. Over time it was proved that these questionable methods had no real benefit, and thankfully they are no longer used by doctors.

In the Western world, as a majority, we have learnt to treat mental health in increasingly sensitive and appropriate ways and therefore mental health stigmas are nowhere near as prominent as they were decades ago. I find it particularly heartening when I see characters with mental health issues being portrayed in positive ways on television and in films. For example, the popular Netflix series

“Degrassi” looks at the lives of teenagers in high school and addresses issues ranging from serious depression and substance abuse, to other issues including homophobia and racism. Each mental health issue is addressed in a sensitive and educational way which shows the viewer that mental health is not an unheard issue, nor a “taboo” topic, and that there is help for anyone who suffers from a mental health disorder. Other series such as “Orange is the New Black”, “My Mad Fat Diary”, “Call the Midwife” and “Eastenders” have portrayed the lives of people living with mental health issues, including post-natal depression and schizophrenia, and most offer guidance and helplines.

I personally find that realistically exploring the lives of people with mental health disorders on screen is a great way to abolish the stigma around mental health and encourage people to seek help.

However, unfortunately it is not always the case that mental health disorders are treated with the same care and sensitivity in other parts of the world. When listening to a member of the Lower Sixth during a “Sixth Form Intellectual Discussion” (SID talk) this year, she informed us of what life was like growing up in Iran. She explained about the increasing educational pressure put on teenagers which can often lead to severe depression and anxiety. In her experience from living in Iran for over 10 years she found that it is often the case that no one will talk about depression and therefore people do not seek help. This can mean that the illness gets to chronic stages where strong medication is the only answer. It is important to note that this may not be the case across the whole of Iran, but shows that there are still areas of the world where mental health stigmas are still rife.

Mental health stigmas will arguably always be an issue due to everyone’s individual differences, varying cultures, social norms and opinions. However, it can be said with confidence that the world is changing to accept disorders - as shown by the advances in treatment methods and the ever increasing air time dedicated to increasing mental health knowledge. We know that there are areas in the world where mental health is currently not treated with respect and care, although we must be reminded that there is always time for change.

Oonagh O (Upper Sixth)

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WHO AM I? 14 AQUILA 2016-17

Young, old, tall, short, pretty, ugly.

Yet we reform, amiable, foul, caring, cruel, Yet we distinguish.

Smart, dumb, talkative, quiet, Yet we abhor.

I am me and you are you, What do you care what I do?

Yes, maybe I am mindless Or maybe I am monstrous, Well at least I am courteous.

Change can be for the good, It should not be trod upon, Dumb can change to bright, And cruel to caring, So, what I’m not perfect I can correct Change made me, me And without it, would we not all be the same?

From birth to death, Change occurs Whether wanted or not, It should not be feared It should not be chilling, Just remember change is for a reason And things happen for a reason, Change, what does it mean to you?

Amber J (Year 10)

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Raúl Cas t ro “El O t ro Hermano” Antes de su muerte el año pasado, en 2008, Fidel Castro entregó el mando de Presidente cubano a su hermano más joven, Raúl. A pesar de su influencia en la sublevación, vivió a la sombra de su hermano y muy pocos saben del ‘Otro Castro’.

Raúl Modesto Castro es el hijo de Ángel Castro, un terrateniente, y de Lina Ruz, cocinera y criada de la primera esposa de Castro. Raúl Castro nació el 3 de junio de 1931 en Birán (Cuba) y tenía tres hermanos mayores y cuatro hermanas. Cuando eran más jóvenes, los Hermanos Castro fueron expulsados de su primera escuela. Debido a esto, comenzaron a asistir al Colegio Belén en La Habana. Sin embargo, debido a sus malos resultados académicos fueron expulsados y se vieron obligados a completar su educación en un colegio militar. No obstante, sus padres permitieron que Raúl fuera a La Habana, siguiendo la petición de sus hermanos, donde estudió una licenciatura de ciencias sociales en la Universidad de La Habana.

Debido a sus estudios en la rama de ciencias sociales, Raúl se acercó a movimientos comunistas y se unió a la Juventud Socialista, convirtiéndose en un afiliado del Partido Comunista Cubano. En ocasiones, participó en manifestaciones y protestas violentas. En 1953, a la edad de 22, realizó su primer viaje fuera del país a Viena para participar en la Conferencia Internacional de Defensa de los Derechos de la Juventud, y después, viajó a Bucarest, para asistir a la reunión del Comité Organizador del IV Festival Mundial de La Juventud y los Estudiantes. Ambas excursiones influyeron enormemente en sus ideas políticas y, al regresar, pasó el tiempo compartiendo estas opiniones e ideas con otros jóvenes cubanos, consiguiendo apoyos para el derrocamiento del dictador, Fulgencio Batista.

Durante el ataque al Cuartel Moncada, el 26 de julio de 1953, a menudo visto como el inicio de la revolución, Raúl dirigió un grupo de 120 rebeldes, en una agresión a la sede central del ejército de Antonio Maceo y al Palacio de Justicia. Una pequeña cantidad de rebeldes, entre ellos Raúl, escapó a un campo cercano, pero estos fueron arrestados allí. Raúl fue juzgado y fue condenado a 13 años en ‘La Isla de Pinos’.

Después de 22 meses, Raúl fue perdonado y huyó a México con su hermano.

Durante este período, Raúl creó un verdadero gobierno en los territorios liberados, creando incluso la Fuerza Aérea Rebelde, y las primeras instituciones de inteligencia y policía de los revolucionarios, además de departamentos de sanidad, educación, etc. En octubre de 1958, los rebeldes ya contaban con 2.000 combatientes y tenían poder sobre la Provincia de Oriente y, el 30 de diciembre, los ejércitos de Raúl y Fidel capturaron a Maffo y después fueron a Santiago de Cuba, la capital de la provincia de Oriente.

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Cuando el Dictador Fulgencio Batista huyó de Cuba, los hermanos Castro, Fidel y Raúl, llegaron a Santiago de Cuba y amenazaron con apoderarse de la ciudad si las fuerzas gubernamentales no se rendían. Cuando el comandante, el Coronel Rego Rubido, se rindió, la guerra terminó y Fidel tomó el poder.

Después de la victoria, Raúl fue nombrado miembro y líder de las ‘Organizaciones OP Revolucionarias Integradas’ y del Partido Unido de la Revolución Socialista de Cuba, pero, sin duda, la posición más importante fue la de vicepresidente y Capitán de las Fuerzas Armadas. Cuando Fidel fue sometido a una cirugía intestinal de emergencia, Raúl se convirtió en el presidente temporal. No obstante, en 2008, Raúl fue nombrado presidente.

Como presidente, Raúl ha mantenido muchas de las leyes de Fidel. Sin embargo, siendo consciente de las consecuencias de las leyes más estrictas de su hermano, Raúl ha querido mirar hacia el futuro de Cuba y ha mejorado la economía mediante la eliminación de los límites comerciales. También ha permitido la compra de ciertos productos, como juegos de DVD, ordenadores y móviles y permitió el libre acceso a los hoteles y el alquiler de automóviles, mejorando el comercio local. También, en 2009, Raúl tomó una de sus mayores decisiones al quitar las restricciones de los salarios, una ley clave bajo el mandato de Fidel.

Pero, lo más importante, ha mejorado las relaciones entre Cuba y otros países, particularmente con los Estados Unidos. Desde muy temprano en su presidencia, revisó las relaciones de Cuba con Rusia, China y México.

Como presidente provisional de Cuba, Raúl anunció que el gobierno cubano estaba abierto a empezar conversaciones con los Estados Unidos, pero fue hasta el 17 de diciembre de 2014 cuando Raúl y el Presidente Americano, Barack Obama, anunciaron el restablecimiento de las relaciones diplomáticas entre los EEUU y La República de Cuba. Este rebrote de la relación culminó con la histórica visita de Obama a Cuba en 2016.

Por último, siguiendo la muerte de su hermano el año pasado, Raúl Castro se enfrenta a muchas decisiones difíciles. Con una nueva generación de jóvenes, debe buscar entre la polémica ideología de su hermano y los deseos actuales del pueblo cubano. Por lo tanto, el futuro de Cuba parece incierto y poco claro. No obstante, a pesar de su historia turbulenta y su futuro ambiguo, está en manos de Raúl el guiar a Cuba hacia un futuro más seguro y brillante.

Romilly J (Upper Sixth)

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THE AMERICAN DREAM: A CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE 1952 - 1980 20 January 1961. America is the most powerful country in the world and its population know it.

There is an overwhelming sense of national self-confidence as newly inaugurated President John F Kennedy asks “not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country” and for many “The American Dream” was a reality.

However, only ten years later America was facing a major government corruption scandal and had faced a decade of gruelling war in Vietnam. The country was economically and socially unstable, seen through the increasing protest movements of the 60s and 70s and by 1980 America was experiencing a crisis of confidence. A significant change from the prosperous and secure America seen in the 1950s and early 60s.

The USA, under President Eisenhower, was deserving of its title as a World Superpower with the 50s being deemed the “Affluent Society” due to the consumer boom that America experienced after World War Two. By 1960 the US population owned almost half the world’s cars and telephones, whilst also owning 90% of the world’s televisions.

The sudden desire, largely pushed by the increased use of advertising, to buy seemingly unnecessary items such as radios and coffee machines, highlighted the stability of the country as many could afford to spend through the increased availability of credit, money they wouldn’t have had a decade earlier. The mass production of cheap houses, in what became known as “suburbia”, allowed 80,000 families to make “The American Dream” of picket fences outside the cities, a reality. Yet, life was not completely perfect and groups, primarily African Americans, were excluded from the affluence, with Michael Harrington describing America as having “the best dressed poverty,” concealing those living in poverty. However,

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externally, America was perceived to be the greatest nation in the world and therefore, its national self-confidence was at an all-time high.

JFK’s largely successful, although tragically short, presidency saw that national selfconfidence continue. JFK wasn’t just seen as the President, he became a national celebrity, something Truman and Eisenhower were never perceived to be. With the Republican candidate, Richard Nixon, not yet recovered from a bout of illness, Kennedy’s charm was used as a tool to lure the American population to him. Before the campaign started Kennedy was on holiday to ensure that he looked tanned and healthy for the debates, with his seemingly perfect family, including his glamorous, Chanel wearing wife at his side. They represented an America that many wanted to be part of. Furthermore, small details, including dressing Kennedy in blue suits instead of grey ones, made him stand out during televised debates and drew people to vote for him.

Kennedy had success during his presidency as well, somehow managing to turn the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961 into a success through his famous “Ich Bin Ein Berliner” speech, whilst also bringing the world back from the brink of nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Therefore, many felt that nothing could change America’s dominance across the world as well as the self-confidence within.

However, the assassination of JFK in 1963 was a significant blow to America’s prestige and more importantly the way America viewed itself. Kennedy’s assassination highlighted that America was not untouchable and as foreign relations deteriorated from 1963 onwards, particularly with Vietnam, America changed from a country of wealth and leisure to one lacking in national self-confidence.

Only 20 days before Kennedy’s assassination, the American backed leader of South Vietnam, Ngô Đình Diệm, was also assassinated. He left a power vacuum in the south, subsequently handing JFK’s successor, Lyndon Baines Johnson, a poisoned chalice as withdrawing the 25,000 military advisers - sent to Vietnam

by Kennedy - would lead to an inevitable communist takeover thereby presenting the USA to be weak in containing communism. As a result, Johnson initiated “Operation Rolling Thunder” in 1964, which ordered military airstrikes on North Vietnam entangling America in a war they couldn’t win for the next decade.

The ongoing struggles in Vietnam sparked, for many, the change in American confidence.

Unlike the First and Second World Wars, where America was hailed as the driving force in the victory, the US misjudged just about everything they could with Vietnam leading to a drawn out, failing campaign. The US presumed they could use brute force and underestimated the deadly guerrilla type warfare they faced, as well as not being prepared for the extreme jungle terrain they found themselves in. Moreover, their use of the chemicals Napalm and Agent Orange was extremely unpopular not just in Vietnam, but also back home, ending in the anti-Vietnam protests by thousands of people nationwide.

The escalation in Vietnam marked the point in which the American people’s national selfconfidence began to change whilst the failure to defeat the Vietnamese highlighted to many that America was not invincible.

Following on from Johnson, President Nixon successfully managed to bring an end to the draining war in Vietnam through the 1973 Peace Accords. The US had spent $173 billion on Vietnam whilst also losing an estimated 58,000 troops during the conflict, making the Peace Accords hugely popular. However, whilst Nixon managed to end one problem, another occurred in the form of the Watergate scandal which saw Americans’ confidence in their politicians dramatically decline. Kennedy, and to an extent Eisenhower, were liked because of their charisma and the feeling that the population could trust them. However, the discovery that Nixon was involved in an FBI and CIA break in at the Democratic Party Headquarters during the ‘72 election, changed this as it gave the American population reason to doubt their politicians. Nixon denied the claims but slowly more and more

evidence was found, proving his involvement.

By 1973 the tapes from the Oval Office had been subpoenaed and, although 18 and a half minutes of the tapes were suspiciously missing, with Nixon blaming a secretary for accidentally deleting parts of the tape, enough evidence was found to convict Nixon in the court of public opinion. Nixon resigned before he was impeached; however, the damage was already done. Americans felt they could no longer trust Washington Politics and nothing could be done to change their mind.

Relations between the population and the politicians continued to deteriorate through until the election of Reagan in 1980. Carter was seen as incompetent, largely as a result of his failure to address the Iranian Hostage Crisis in 1979, but the photos of him uncomfortably warding off a “swamp rabbit” on a fishing trip didn’t do him any favours. Moreover, the country had faced one of the most significant economic problems in decades with the oil crisis which saw inflation climb to 12.1% and therefore, the America seen in 1980 was dramatically different to the prosperous, nationally self-confident America of the 1950s.

Kennedy’s rhetoric was long forgotten - people didn’t care what their country did for them, and there was little they could do for a country in crisis.

Bethan T (Upper Sixth)

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R AC RACISM

noun [mass noun]

the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races

Or Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior.

RACE noun Each of the major divisions of humankind, having distinct physical characteristics

Or A group of people sharing the same culture, history, language, etc.; an ethnic group.

(All these definitions are from the Oxford English Dictionary)

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I SM Often a taboo subject, the mere word, “racism”, can make people squirm in their seats, however; it shouldn’t, it is a part of history and present day. Although the foundation of racism hasn’t changed, the realisation occurred to me that perspectives and what we view as racism has.

Harvard University created a project called “Project Implicit” which is a test to see if you have a racial bias. Using pictures of African Americans and White Europeans, participants must differentiate between them and then between positive and negatives words. After doing this you will have one from each group on the right and left-hand side. When the words and pictures come up in the middle you have to click on the appropriate side. Following this it will tell you if you have a slight, moderate or strong racial preference. When I found out about the test, I immediately researched the questions that people have about this project and they are mainly about what happens if I make too many errors? Or what happens if I take the test more than once? I was filled with reassurance when people with a slight racial bias didn’t think this was accurate, as many psychologists are of the belief that if you grew up in a safe environment you will choose the pictures and words you are familiar with. This idea is also shown through the number of men that marry someone similar to their mother – selecting the type of woman they are familiar with.

Many years ago this preference wasn’t considered racist and society’s thoughts on how we must treat other people and why we shouldn’t be racist have changed.

Racism has been in society since the Persians fought the Ancient Greeks, I assume that the parents told their children how bad the others were. This has carried on throughout history, however; we have become more aware about what we should and shouldn’t say leading to many people biting their tongue in public and saying things that may be frowned upon only in front of trusted friends.

Denying anybody the right of freedom of speech could take society down a slippery slope - what will happen if we slide down? This piece began with the definitions of racism and race. These may be definitions, but the peculiar thing about racism is that it is how you think of it. Although we have divisions in the world we are all still human and as we grow into a more accepting society there will be change to talk about as certain as there is death.

Sheetal S (Year 10)

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TRUTH 4 TRUMP

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Friedrich Nietzsche’s “Will to Power” promotes the ostensibly innate human desire to strive to reach the highest position possible. Condemning the “slavemorality” promoted by Christianity, his subversive ideas instead favoured the Graeco-Roman self-celebration of anthropomorphic Gods.

Such ideas were later adapted, and ultimately parodied, by Adolf Hitler, and largely influenced the lethal ideologies of the Third Reich. These dogmatic ideas promote the destruction of anything that goes against achieving this life, including firing your acting attorney general if she disagrees with your policies.

On Holocaust Memorial Day 2017, President Trump signed an executive 90 day ban prohibiting people from seven Muslim-majority countries, including refugees from war-torn Syria, from entering the US. This, seems to be a harrowing echo of the 1930s, when America closed its borders to immigrants during the Second World War. Additionally, the omissive statement from the White House on this day commemorated the “innocent victims” of the Holocaust. These statements have been largely criticised, arguing that, although people with disabilities, homosexuals, and vocal dissenters of Nazi Germany’s ideologies were persecuted and executed, the Nazi regime was fundamentally rooted with the goal to wipe out an entire race of, specifically, Jewish people. To ignore such a factor is not only insulting, but profoundly disconcerting when one considers the wave of alternative-right support throughout the United States, and what the word “truth” has come to mean in the modern world.

The term “Orwellian”, referring to the characteristics of George Orwell’s writing and in particularly the dystopian state illustrated in “Nineteen Eighty-Four”, has never been used as much as it is currently. Nearly 70 years after the book was published, the similarities particularly regarding the rewriting of the past in order to fit with the political ideologies of the present appear to be paralleled in the White House’s implicit erasure of the Jewish community’s suffering. Ultimately, the Orwellian phrase that, “Those who control the present, control the past and those who control the past control the future” is under no threat of becoming a platitude. Instead, it is an accurate description of the current climate we are living in - a period where history is able to be manipulated and, essentially, erased by those in power if it goes against a political agenda.

A President relying on post-truth and appealing to popularity and emotion in order to justify his actions and opinions is treacherous to a society already in divisive times. For Donald Trump, the concept of truth is, ironically, subjective. Truth, therefore, does not mean fact, and epitomises the coherence theory of truth: a set of propositions are true if they cohere with the already-held beliefs within a community. Without making gross generalisations, Hegel’s thesis, antithesis, synthesis thought - combining an original idea with an opposing idea to produce an amalgamation of both perspectives - hasn’t seemed to create a pragmatic harmony, but only an oscillation between far-right-bordering-on-fascism and far-leftbordering-on-communism.

Comedian Stephen Colbert coined the term “truthiness”, defined as the quality of seeming or being felt to be true, even if not necessarily true. Colbert, satirising the misuse of appeals to emotion as a rhetorical device, alarmingly foreshadows the very views held by the 45th President. Olivier Weber, a French to English translator, expressed the difficulty of translating Trump’s colloquial and infantile oration. When Donald Trump asserts he’s going to build a “beautiful wall” to keep out the “bad hombres”, the translation, “Trump will build a wall to stop immigration” loses the initial juvenility that perplexes English speakers.

WHEN A LEADER

DANGEROUS

AS AS T RUMP IS ABLE TO REWRITE HISTORY TO FIT AN ANT I-MUSLIM, ANT ILGBT, AND INTOLERANT AGENDA THERE WILL BE

INDIVIDUALS

WHO, AS NIET ZSCHE FORESAW, WILL

BLINDLY FOLLOW.

Nietzsche predicted an eventual dystopia due to the perpetuation of the “herds’ empty values”. When a leader as dangerous as Trump is able to rewrite history to fit an anti-Muslim, anti-LGBT, and intolerant agenda there will be individuals who, as Nietzsche foresaw, will blindly follow.

Sophie B (Upper Sixth)

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WOMEN IN FASHION DOES FASHION IMPACT SOCIETY OR SOCIETY IMPACT FASHION? From watching 2017s fashion month taking place with weeks in Paris, Milan, New York and London, I was proud to not only see fashion in an aesthetically pleasing form, but also including political and immensely relevant symbolism.

Models from Dior, one of the most well-known and respected names in fashion, took to the runway wearing slogan t-shirts emblazoned with “We Should All Be Feminists,” extolling messages reflecting the recent feminist marches.

By using their social platform, Dior was successfully able to present an important message to the world, of equality in gender and exposing the prejudice which 2017 still carries. Dior and other fashion houses triumphed in capturing the message of female rights through clothing, putting a highly positive spin on what fashion in the future will present. This made me question, has fashion in the past reflected current political trends and if so did it change political opinion?

Starting in 1917, England had been at war for three years, women were needed to fill the men’s roles, keeping the country at home running. Women’s fashion was forced to change, accommodating their evolved place in society as the age of excess was over. The image of masculinity has always been associated with uniform, known as a symbol of status and honourable duty. Woman were as much involved in the war as men were, having to hold together the health of a nation. Replicating the image of soldiers, women’s fashion was hugely reflective of the power of uniform and the effect it had on appearance, giving woman a newfound respect and strength, having as much armour as a man. This breakthrough in fashion, presented women based on their ability to survive in a world diseased by war. As soon as fashion takes steps forward, prejudice pushes it back and when the men returned from war, women were forced out of jobs and made to return to the housewife appearance, clearly the progression of fashion’s effect was slow and uneasy.

1967 is renowned for its fresh, new and liberating fashion for women, moving away from the conservative 1950s and the constraints with the covered up and modest clothing, the 1960s felt like an explosive difference. The introduction of the contraceptive pill created a more sexualised and liberated style of fashion. Miniskirts were revolutionary, destroying perceptions of the housewife ideal. Women were finally taking back control of their clothing and fashion and the rising of the skirt length, became a big step in women’s fashion liberation. Colour and pattern was exalted in clothing, truly reflecting the pop art and modern art movements with its boldness and released creativity. New ideals of women were introduced, figures such as Twiggy who didn’t fit the conventional idealism but instead sparked a difference in what a model should be, presenting that change was inevitable and that it would never drift back to the ancient belief of modesty.

Looking back at past fashion in conjunction with political events and changes in society, shows just how much politics is affected by fashion and also how much fashion affects society’s attitudes. The long battle for the women’s vote is translated in fashion history, women having to give up their newly given power in society as soon as the men came back from war to take it. Going from wearing the strength of a uniform back to the floral tea dress. Fashion, however, is able to honestly translate the opinions and culture of its time, linking to not only the creative art forms but also the political state in which the world is in, showing fashion’s importance in understanding past societies and eras.

Eloise G (Lower Sixth)

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FASHION AND FEMINISM - A VOICE FOR CHANGE Theresa May, Nicola Sturgeon, Angela Merkel, Hillary Clinton (almost).

There has never been such a dramatic change in power across the globe. In my opinion it has never been a more inspiring time to be female. Despite the shock of the US presidential election results, having the first woman run for the presidential election, and the UK having gained only the second female prime minister, this is not yet equality. Of course this is all great progress but it is not enough, more can be done. Now isn’t the time to be resting on our laurels.

Yet, it is the complex and problematic relationship between fashion and feminism, that I, as a young woman and fashion enthusiast feel needs to be investigated.

Despite these influential women and their achievements, which have aided women’s liberation, will fashion and feminism ever see eye to eye?

Fashion aids women’s liberation by promoting and advertising the voices of women and their ideas. It gives women an outlet to express their opinions and political voices. Dame Vivienne Westwood, a British designer, uses fashion and the catwalk to voice her own views on issues within politics including restrictive gender norms, pay gap and Scottish independence. However, where the fashion world contradicts women’s liberation is with its constant feminist debate on the disproportionate and unrealistic, “Barbie-like” ideas of how the female body should be.

In November 2016 British Vogue published their “Real Issue” which involved no professional models in its fashion editorial shoots. This idea intrigued me. Alexandra Shulman, then editor-in-chief, has, since the early 90s, expressed that fashion needs to be accessible to everyone. This is not entirely surprising. In 2009 Shulman wrote to major fashion houses complaining that the too-small sample sizes were forcing editorials to hire models with “jutting bones” and “no breasts or hips.” Initially I believed the “Real Issue” was a positive step for women, towards true diversity of women’s bodies, real bodies. But I realised I was making an assumption as to how Vogue would define “real”. Does this mean that models somehow aren’t real? As plus-size blogger Bethany Rutter acknowledged, “Any kind of special edition, or short-term tick box exercise ends up maybe being worse.” It feels like a token project that lets fashion magazines say “We did it, now leave us alone”. The issue still remains unchallenged. Did this issue contradict its “model free zone” with sponsored adverts featuring, yes you guessed it, models? The view that fashion magazines promote unrealistic body expectations for both boys and girls contradicts any benefit that fashion provides for women’s liberation.

However, in both politics and fashion we have seen a correlating change in power. Last year we saw Maria Grazia Chiuri appointed the new artistic director of Dior, shockingly the first woman to take this role in the iconic fashion house in 70 years of running it. Chiuri introduced

a slogan t-shirt using the title of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED talk - “We should all be feminists”.

Maria Grazia Chiuri has made it explicitly clear that she intends to embrace the feminist symbolism of her appointment at Dior. Closer to home, London has seen women leading some of the most successful and forward thinking fashion labels in the world such as Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and Anya Hindmarch to name a few. As well as these brilliant leaders, in 2015 women made up more than half the student body in two thirds of subject areas in UK universities. However, the press and media choose to point the finger at the education system - that it is “failing boys” rather than celebrating how women are succeeding at a higher rate and increasing their educational achievements. They choose not report that women are achieving more in school, emerging into highpowered political positions and there are increasingly more female leaders in fashion and art.

With an increasing rise in female leaders throughout fashion and art, we need to take it upon ourselves to promote a positive ideal for women. Fashion brands and magazines need to take it upon themselves to think of the ethical issues with ultra-thin, unattainable ideals because it is degrading, a waste of time and money and regressive. The fashion industry needs to promote women’s rights, to ensure safety from violence, access to education, family planning and to ensure equality in the workplace with pay and promotion prospects. Feminism is not about improving women’s self-esteem, it is about giving proper value to the work women do, whether it be at home or in the office. It is about restructuring our society to value women in all aspects.

Recently there has been a change in the wind. The fashion industry has taken partial responsibility for this lack of progress and I believe together we can use fashion as a tool of empowerment. I have been dipping in and out of the idea that “fashion is un-feminist” for a while, however, in recent months I have seen beyond this and can now see clearly that it is more than just the clothes… but an identity and a voice.

Jessica E (Upper Sixth)

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THROUGHOUT THE YEAR night.

During t he summer, t he children play T hrough day, afternoon and even evening.

T hey dar t like mayflies, falling, flying, laughing Unt il at las t, t hey are all t ucked up, safely at home, Gazing at t he sun, sett ing high in t he sky.

Aut umn comes slowly and sadly, A child A person walks wit h his head held low, Watching t he rolling mis t s cover t he darkening field. grass, Wait ing for t he larks to fly, and softly land.

A lonesome figure moves purposefully along, Not icing t he t ree, wit h it s leaves which fall.

He holds out his pipe, and heaves a sigh, As he watches t he winter night. observes happily Spring rushes in, to push t he winter out, Flowers begin to bloom, as t he birds s tar t t heir yearly crow.

T he sun comes back from it s home beyond t he clouds, Filling t he ear t h wit h it s warmt h and light.

Children and animals go out to play, While t he lonesome figure watches from a dis tance.

far away.

Cat herine S (Year 9)

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nce up Tchaikovsky and Twelfth Night: The Classics Today It is well known that a creative individual never thrives in a vacuum. They are starved of intellectual curiosity, creative flair, influences, whether they be good or bad. Any artist, writer, composer or dancer brings change to their domain, but at the same time can never fail to be a reflection of their environment.

The endless interpretations of ancient stories, poetry, music and art brings new life to the original, but still retains the same elements. The most influential classic stories that have been endlessly reinvented include the works of Shakespeare and the Classical ballets.

William Shakespeare is no doubt the most highly acclaimed and influential playwright of all time.

His works are considered, frankly, biblical in the circles of English teachers, dramatists, actors and playwrights. Shakespeare’s plays still influence the arts today and the adaptations of his plays are always changing, yet still retain the human emotion and dramatic electricity that was evident when Queen Elizabeth I sat on the English throne. In 2015 we saw Michael Fassbender star as Macbeth in a new adaptation of the Shakespearean tragedy, “Macbeth”, directed by Justin Kurzel. Kurzel controversially edited the original text by removing Hecate’s speech and changing Macbeth’s visions into post-traumatic stress hallucinations. In 2012 “Twelfth Night” at The Globe, directed by Tim Carroll and starring Mark Rylance as Olivia and Stephen Fry as Malvolio brought the gender debate onstage. At the beginning of the production the audience witnessed the actors preparing themselves for their performance. They watched as the all male cast carefully put on their makeup and costume, emphasising Shakespeare’s intentions of showing the audience the comedic element of Viola, Olivia and Orsino’s love triangle. Yet despite the male dominance of the play the power of the female character was shown through the portrayal of Olivia and Maria. Alex Needham wrote in The Guardian “In other productions I’ve seen, a young, often beautiful woman plays Olivia. Played by Rylance, she could easily seem grotesque, but in a performance of incredible finesse and intelligence, he creates a character that exerts her power through wit and intelligence, not looks.” Clearly, Shakespeare’s plays have been adapted and influenced numerous times, certainly too many to document, and have changed over the centuries becoming more modernised, feminist and abstract - indeed The Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company was founded in 2009 by Alaka. The numerous adaptations show significant change, but there can be no doubt that the fundamental elements of the power of Shakespeare’s language and storytelling cannot be altered.

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on a time The world of ballet, like Shakespeare, has branched out and has spanned numerous interpretations of classic stories such as “Giselle”, “Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker”. In December 2016 BBC Two went behind the scenes of the preparation of “The Nutcracker” in time for the Christmas season and it was clear that the choreography of Peter Wright, the creator of the classic production of “The Nutcracker”, had to remain exactly the same. The need for the balletic steps to be reproduced exactly the same as the original, however, was broken when Wright rehearsed The Chinese (Tea) Dance with two members of the Company. One of the dancers rolled backwards into the splits when he forgot the choreography. Wright enjoyed the cheekiness of it and so it was added into the iconic dance showing that changes to the rigid structure of the classic ballets are evident with each new dancer and choreographer bringing their new artistic flair.

Perhaps the most controversial choreographer, bringing significant change with him, can be said to be Matthew Bourne the founder of “New Adventures”. Bourne took the ballet world by storm with his version of “Swan Lake” first staged at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in 1995. Bourne controversially had the traditional female swan roles performed by men. Bourne still retained Tchaikovsky’s haunting music but reversed the view of the swan as a gentle, pure and feminine creature to masculine, violent and vicious. Indeed, in the climactic finale of Bourne’s production we see the swans peck their leader to death and in “The Dance of the Cygnets” we see the four male dancers mock and parody the traditional female ballet dancers.

Bourne’s mocking of the traditional choreography shows the change in attitude toward the traditional view that ballet is for girls but continuously shows the power of dance in storytelling just as the original Russian ballet masters intended. The juxtaposition of the traditional versions of the classic ballets such as “Swan Lake” and the new interpretations of the classic productions reflect the change in the ballet world but also the way both equally reflect the grandeur and dazzling power of the original.

All of these examples reflect the beauty and splendour that is achieved through the change and adaptation of the classic stories, but also the humbling reflection of the original works. Any artist, writer, composer or dancer should not be afraid to change, make mistakes, satirise and mock their influences. The splendour of the vast umbrella that is the Arts shows the way creating in a vacuum is useless. But of course change cannot come about without the reflection of the original.

Eleanor S (Lower Sixth)

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ROMEO AND JULIET

REIMAGINED

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In March 2016 I saw Kenneth Branagh’s reimagining of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” at the Garrick Theatre, starring Richard Madden and Lily James in the lead roles.

Having previously seen Branagh’s version of “A Winter’s Tale”, also by the Bard, and been dazzled by both the level of performance and the ingenuity of the production elements I was looking forward to the production.

Branagh’s concept transferred the tale of fated love to a glamourous Italian setting.

Designer Christopher Oram captured the identity of 1950s Verona by coupling gorgeous costumes, inspired by Federico Fellini’s classic “La Dolce Vita”, with a brutalistic set. The imposing stone columns and sharp edges overshadowed the silk and lace.

Holly Williams, Theatre reviewer for “The Independent” wrote, “Michael Rouse as Juliet’s father gives a performance that would blister paint off the walls. His rash insistence that Juliet marries Paris may grow from grief, a loss of control for a man used to exerting it, but it spirals rapidly; the moment when, bending his daughter to his will he ends up straddling her, is skin-crawling”.

In August I learnt that the lead role of Romeo had been transferred from Richard Madden to Freddie Fox. Whilst many ticket holders were understandably disappointed at the change of lead actors, I was delighted and saw this turn of events as a rare opportunity to compare the styles of two successful actors. I was keen to see how Fox’s performance differed to Madden’s within the context of identical productions, especially since Madden had had months to rehearse with James to build the relationship between the star-crossed lovers, whilst Fox had only been given a weekend’s notice before he would be performing it onstage.

Although aesthetically Fox stood out with his Celtic blonde hair amidst the typically Italian setting Branagh had created, his boyish yet sophisticated Romeo harmonised beautifully with the company. Having previously seen the production I was awestruck by just how believable Fox and James had made the relationship between their two characters. Whilst I had found Madden’s portrayal of Romeo to be more sensitive and tender, creating a sense of calm and security between his character and James’ Juliet reinforcing the idea of fated love, Fox’s Romeo was characterised by naive and impulsive streaks accentuating the youth of his character. This very juxtaposition is emphasised in Act Three Scene Three when the reactions of the two Romeos to learning of their exile differs drastically. Whilst Madden collapsed into sobs in keeping with his sensitive portrayal, Fox began violently gagging onstage.

By reacting so physically to the news of his character’s separation from Juliet, Fox implies that Romeo’s connection to his lover runs deeper than emotions.

Ultimately, I was not only struck by how impressive Fox’s performance had been but also how James had moulded and altered her Juliet to complement his portrayal of Romeo. In the air of an Argentine tango, Fox presented the steps and James accepted. That is to say that Fox entered the stage with a rash and hotblooded Romeo and James raised him a quick-witted and fiery Juliet resulting in a dangerous and explosive relationship.

Bethan R (Upper Sixth)

I WAS

AWEST RUCK

BY JUST HOW BELIEVABLE FOX AND JAMES HAD MADE THE RELAT IONSHIP BET WEEN THEIR T WO CHARACTERS.

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“ME CHANGE! ME ALTER!” THE CHANGING POET RY OF EMILY DICKINSON The striking words of Emily Dickinson’s poem 268 insist that she and her poetry cannot be subject to change. However, with just the briefest flick through her complete works, the reader observes not only her ascent into madness and consequently varying content, but also a change in the very structure and punctuation of her poems, most significantly with regards to her signature dash.

As the poem number steadily rises, the path becomes darker and more precarious for Dickinson. The focus of her earlier work is planted in nature and the admiration and awe that it pollinates, especially in those cherished solitary landscapes of poems 318 and 48. The cascading sunbeams, “a ribbon at a time”, glint and smile in the halcyon optimism of the speaker as she searches for idealism. Indeed this initial positive outlook of life can be summed up in the first line of poem 536: “the heart asks pleasure first”. The focus of this poem is debatable, for it can be read with reference to a fatal injury, or alternately with regards to the very lives of men.

In the same way that a child tries to convince themselves that all is good and well in life, Dickinson’s poetry begins on a positive, arguably forced, note but the child soon grows to realise that there are trivialities in the world and so asks for “excuse from pain” which is perhaps most readily observed in poem 61. Dickinson here begins by addressing “papa above”, perhaps a reference to the recent death of one of her most beloved professors, and whilst this death-ridden image should appear morbid, she continues with some of her most manic and childish imagery. We can see the forced smile and gritted teeth in the overtly optimistic three exclamation marks as she exclaims “in your kingdom // a “mansion” for the rat!”

The notion is so absurd, and the speaker’s desperation for normality so profuse, that the reader can feel the spurring pain that we wish could end.

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In the same way that poem 536 shifts suddenly in the second stanza, Dickinson’s poetry took a sharp turn in 1874 when her father died. Death had always been a notion which fascinated and terrified Dickinson, owing to her experience of it from an early age - not only did her family house overlook Amherst’s graveyard but at the age of 14, her close friend and second cousin, Sophia Holland, died of typhus, leaving Dickinson traumatised. As a result, much over her poetry revolves around this primary fear; however, more so in her later works following the death of her father, a man with whom she was exceedingly close. In poem 1297, thought to have been written in the year of his death, Dickinson orders for her soul “to feed itself” and outrun the “Competing Death”, spoken with blatant carpe diem truth and little sensitivity. However, the true acceptance that death is inescapable is revealed in the poem’s last line where she likens dying to “a kiss”, similar to poem 536 in that death will be “the will of the inquisitor” - the will of Death himself, an individual whom she can here speak of comfortably and with numbed fear.

Her growing acceptance of death’s presence can be perceived in Dickinson’s trademark use of the dash.

Use of this key piece of punctuation was originally relatively scarce in her poetry and, when it was used, it typically ended a line and thereby adhered to a more formalised structural approach. However, as Dickinson ages and begins to further understand the world, the once fairly ordered verses become fractured with caesura, in that same unpredictability which dominates human life. Poems such as 573, 452 and 1072 are positively infested with the strikes of Emily Dickinson’s black dipping ink and take up more than half of the designated space. But interestingly, her use of the dash does not increase exponentially - on the contrary, in her last poems,

the dash seems almost exempt for her work, having been replaced by full stops.

Dickinson, diagnosed with nephritis, a disease of the kidneys, knows that she is dying and with this definitive knowledge, she does not have to end with the unpredictability of the dash. Whilst before the future seemed out of her control, her recognition and acceptance of death allows for her to govern those things which previously scared her. She looks boldly over Amherst’s graveyard then bids “goodbye to all men” and there are neither questions nor regrets as in those final words of 536: “the liberty to die”.

The Heart asks Pleasure - first - And then - Excuse from Pain - And then - those little Anodynes That deaden suffering And then - to go to sleep - And then - if it should be The will of its Inquisitor The liberty to die Ruby B (Lower Sixth)

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HAS ART

CHAN GED?

Has Art changed? A pretty broad question which has led to many universal debates but I believe the question deserves a blunt answer - no!

From the Stone Age to Postmodernism, Art has been a survival mechanism for humans making us attentive to our surroundings; if we did not need art it wouldn’t have subsisted for this long. Yes, Art has visually changed in style, from parietal paintings to the now accumulating digital art, but has the true purpose of why we create Art changed?

Artists, Seurat and Picasso, anticipated the science

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of the 19th Century, revealing that a landscape is just a palette of an organised mess or as, graphic designer, Milton Glaser defines Art as “the only truth we can ever know”. It is Art which makes us subconsciously view the world as if we are viewing it for the first time; whether it is a portrait, landscape, sculpture or architecture the viewer is revising a routine image of day-to-day life yet through another person’s perspective.

“Art is a lie that makes us realise truth” (Picasso) - art displays society’s truths, good or bad, and artists of our time are fortunate to create and comment on whatever they choose. However, religion dominated Art in the Renaissance period,

commercialised it and used it as propaganda. My own attitude towards religion has changed due to my recent visit to Florence, and especially from viewing the collection of biblical paintings and frescos at the Santa Maria Novella. Having such a pessimistic approach to Catharsis, I was surprised to have such an emotional connection to the paintings as the tranquil atmosphere and almost intimidating space amplify the Art. In a slightly confused state, I began to understand how people could begin to believe in a figure beyond their understanding. Whilst in the cathedral I guess the ineffable feeling that I felt, would have been the prevailing emotion for Florentines in the 14th and 17th Century, seemingly the catalyst to their belief in God. However, for me, this layering of thoughts and feelings was not an act of some omnibenevolent God but simple the power of Art. I believe that this indescribable feeling that one experiences, when immersed in a painting, was changed into an act of propaganda which demonstrates the power of faith, controlled by some dude named “God”. But, why does the sublime emotion of Art have to have an answer? Why do we as human beings have to have a conclusion to our thoughts and feelings? Why don’t we just live our life, of course questioning, but most importantly appreciating and not searching for supposedly convenient answers?

The Renaissance period was simply made from an artist passion and genuine gratitude towards life; I wonder if that attachment towards Art is still current today or are artists simply creating for their own material gain? Or perhaps this idea of loss of appreciation of Art doesn’t reflect the artists but the society. Are we, in the 21st Century, losing interest in the Arts? And perhaps my smug comment of religious Art being commercialised is actually a reflection of the next generation’s ignorant approach to Art. In today’s Art there doesn’t seem to be the same acknowledgement of an artist’s skill, due to the rise of techniques and resources; unfortunately, this idea creates a stigma of manufactured Art; perhaps this accumulation of techniques and even the modern rapidity to be able to produce something, has dampened our interest and once fascinated attitude towards Art...

Dandy-Day H (Upper Sixth)

WHY DO WE AS

HUMAN BEINGS HAVE TO HAVE A CONCLUSION TO OUR THOUGHT S AND FEELINGS?

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DAV ID BOWIE THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH AND CHANGED THE FACE OF IT

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I will be the first to admit that other than the notes of “Hero’s” and “Let’s Dance”, of which, following their 1977 and 1983 exculpations, youths entered the world knowing the lyrics to, my first true interaction with David Bowie came through his featuring on “Under Pressure”, a title more syndicated with his peers of Queen than the Starman, and his 1976 playing of Thomas Jerome Newton in “The Man Who Fell to Earth”. It was through the latter of these that I understood what it was that the boy from Brixton had that enamoured so many. So began my journey into the world and work of David Bowie.

Despite not being the first UK mainstream musician to come out, following Dusty Springfield in 1970, his declaration came just after his marriage to Angie Bowie and fathering his first son Duncan and sparked much intrigue. The juxtaposition of his dogmatic position as a new husband and father with the persona portrayed through his songs such as “Queen Bitch”, a chronicle from the perspective of a participant in gay life, meant that Bowie was the first musician to truly contextualize pop through LGBT identity.

His career was chameleon-like, marked by constant innovation and reinvention, the man who fell to earth buttressed the way for experimentation in fashion, music and gender. His egos such as Ziggy Stardust; the Thin White Duke and Aladdin Sane not only constantly shifted the public perception of Bowie, it licensed peregrination for others.

Forasmuch an alien presence in pop music, years before non-binary identities were absorbed into the mainstream, Bowie’s fluidity and androgyny was a valuable and recherché endowment.

By this point in his career, Bowie’s waves were to be felt far beyond his own actions. Chaperoning the UK music scene through its post-Beatles-mania slump, Bowie offered us songs such as Lou Reed’s first hit; the Bowie-produced “Walk on The Wild Side”, the anecdote of Warhol’s colossally queer Factory. As well as igniting our interest through revolutionizing a forbidding balladeer into the pre-eminent Technicolor; Elton John, adding to his securing the Elektra Records singings of Jobiath and Queen.

Speaking to BBC’s Tonight programme in support of his organisation, “The Society for The Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men”, Bowie declared; “I think we all like long hair and I don’t see why other people should persecute us because of it”. Beyond a male’s choice in coiffure, accepting others choices is something that, even in our current climate, society seems to be lacking and, in a civilization where having the gumption to challenge social normality still puts fear into many, Bowie had it in buckets. Although not a part of the punk scene, Bowie’s drifting from societal formula embodied a similar sense of the punk questioning of convention. His anarchistic and ostentatious presentation of gender tested the virile, mainstream ideas associated to cisgender men, offering others avenues of self-exploration.

Later that same year, Bowie scored a UK hit with the pansexual knowingness of “John, I’m Only Dancing”, considered too idiosyncratic for the American market.

Withheld US release of “John, I’m Only Dancing” continued until the 1976 collection “ChangesOneBowie” and it was during this press run, with the ever-controversial publication “Playboy”, that Cameron Crowe nudged Bowie to provide the response “It’s true, I am bisexual. But I can’t hide the fact that I’ve used it very well,” reposting a smattering of queries but promoting others.

In conjunction with his metamorphic display of gender, Bowie’s bending genre offered him R&B radio success with hits such as “Young Americans” and “Fame”. Using his amorphous genre, Bowie bastioned the yoking of the unequivocally prosperous soul with the melodies of furtive gay dance halls, his seat on the outsider’s entitling him to build bridges between the multifarious yet mellifluous genres.

So whilst we will never again be gifted pristine music from the Starman, Bowie’s legacy lives far beyond his years, engaging ideas that most, in 2017, haven’t even begun to think about. So even when, in 1971, Bowie wrote the lyrics “turn and face the strange”, whichever of his personas he chose to narrate it, we can be sure that we were the recipients of it.

Romilly J (Upper Sixth)

“I’m gay and always have been, even when I was David Jones”. It was in the January 22, 1972 edition of the English Publication “Melody Maker”, shortly after the December release of “Hunky Dory” and before his entrance into full stardom, that Bowie promulgated these words. Considering homosexuality had only been decriminalized in 1967 and the stigma that was still attached to it, Bowie’s move was ambitious and risky.

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THE THEAT RE One of the biggest changes we have faced as a community in Pipers is our brand new Theatre and what possible words are there to describe it other than a simple “wow”. The scale of the Theatre is breathtaking and within the building the future stars and creative minds of Pipers are evolving both on and off stage.

For those who remember past performances in the Landau Hall, the Theatre is a complete transformation.

We are equipped with multiple wings, backstage area for costume and hair and makeup, a basement to hold vast amount of set, green rooms with television screens, spacious brand new studios which are multi-purpose for performing, rehearsing and hosting events and workshops. In addition the auditorium is fitted with theatre style and, may I add, comfortable seating – a welcome change to the plastic squeaks of the Landau Hall.

Yet wait, there’s more… we have a band and orchestra pit for our productions, a trap door, a brand new modern cafe attached to the theatre and even a professional West End standard technician board including an impeccable sound system and the ability to control unbelievable lighting.

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To think of all the productions to come in this outstanding and magical space is very exciting especially when we look back on our first performance in the space. The Theatre was officially opened with an incredible show – “We Will Rock You!” I don’t even know where to start, what a performance! Not only did the cast’s vocals, acting and dancing skills blow the audiences away, but the atmosphere was incredible. The girls and staff who were members of the design team, who contributed to creating the costumes, doing, planning and organising hair and makeup for each member of the cast and girls and staff who worked behind stage as our crew running the whole show deserve a recognition, to bring the musical to life was not an easy task.

The new theatre is a really significant change for Pipers as creative teams of staff and girls can come together to run a whole show. There are so many new opportunities available for girls not only to shine on stage, but to learn technical skills as members of the crew assisting on lighting and set changes. They can also take on responsibilities of leadership - for example cueing and co-running the whole show. I for one am looking forward to a great deal of exciting shows to come!

Ellie G (Lower Sixth)

HEAD GIRL’S REPORT: THE PIPERS PROTEST It is estimated that 3.7 million people nationwide attended the Women’s March, on Saturday 21 January 2017.

I remember watching the news that evening and seeing the protests in Washington D.C, Sydney, London and South Korea, and thinking about what an incredible achievement it was. Despite the blanket name of “The Women’s March”, the protest was not just about women’s rights, but also immigration and healthcare reform, LGBTQ rights and racial equality. Washington D.C was particularly prevalent with almost three times more people attending than the numbers at President Trump’s inauguration the day before. You couldn’t help but be in absolute awe at the unity and dedication of people across the globe to stand up to oppression, even the oppression that takes the form of the leader of the “free world”.

However, despite my support for the protests, I didn’t attend the demonstrations that took place. I wasn’t alone in my lack of action, with a total of six Pipers girls and staff attending the protest in London. I presumed that everyone was at the protest apart from me. I expected that someone else had taken my place on that march and therefore, there wasn’t much point in me attending.

However, this is the reason why these protests are taking place. We still face so many issues and we cannot expect others to stand up and make changes if we will not take the risk and challenge those things we disagree with.

Discovering that only six people from Pipers attended the march led the Sixth Form and I to run a protest within assembly. Rather manically, we managed to create a host of banners, with some left over cardboard and about half of the Art Department’s paint supply, on topics ranging from reintroducing capital punishment to allowing more refugees into the country. The banners only took five minutes to make, not because we didn’t put effort into them, but because we knew the change that we wanted to see. The assembly took everyone by surprise, with 60 girls, coming into the Sports Hall chanting and shouting about all those things we had written on their banners.

The noise we created was incredible and although it was no more than a mini-protest within the four walls of the Sports Hall, it had made a difference. The small cardboard banners raised issues some girls had never thought about before and sparked an interest to research them further.

They had shown the power their voices had and this was only the beginning.

From our mini-protest we launched our Pipers’ “Day of Protest”. Working with Mr Gifford, I wanted to give girls the opportunity to experience protest within the relative safety of a familiar environment to show them the possibilities that their voices had. Through some carefully planned Form times, numerous reminder emails and the remaining half of the Art Department’s paints, the banners began to emerge. Slowly the corridors and Form Rooms began to fill with bits of cardboard with slogans

campaigning for LGBTQ rights, free sanitary products, a ban on animal hunting and things finally started to come together.

On Monday 8 May we held our Protest. Year 6 through to Year 13 girls and staff gathered to protest about the issues closest to their hearts. For the first time we sat and ate lunch, not in a staggered, Dining Room friendly lunch rota way, but instead as a school. The lack of sunshine, despite my best efforts to book good weather, did not dampen spirits and as nearly 500 students and staff assembled outside the Arts Centre we realised the scale of our achievement. We were going to stand together and fight for what we believed in. Chants rang out across the field (I hear that High Wycombe was disrupted by the noise) whilst we also held a two minutes silence as a symbol for all those people, across the world, who do not have the freedom or opportunity to speak out in the way that we do.

For me, the best part was girls coming up to the microphone to tell the crowd what they were protesting about or lead chants. Standing up in front of a group of people is scary enough but all the girls that came up spoke with such fervor and confidence. Girls in Year 6 stood next to girls in Sixth Form, both concerned with the same issues and there was nothing to divide them. They were united in a common cause and it was incredible to see.

We also had the pleasure of having Toni Brodelle, a member of the House of Lords Task Group, specifically working with the Wycombe Refugee Partnership, come and join the protest. Toni spoke about the importance of our generation using their voice to stand up against injustice. We are the future and we cannot afford to sit back and let other people change it for us.

Our Protest was a risk. There was a strong chance that it could have just been me and a couple of Sixth Formers chanting on the balcony whilst listening to the Beatles; however, the sheer number of girls that took part and really got themselves involved is something I will never forget. I will never forget that feeling of standing among the rest of the school and feeling so incredibly proud of what we had achieved together. I am so proud of the time you spent making banners, researching an issue to protest about, even putting together a packed lunch (although I know I also need to thank some parents for that as well). Girls, you showed your absolute dedication to issues outside of Pipers, issues that are a reality for too many people and your desire to initiate change. As Toni said, don’t let this be the end. This protest is only the beginning. You are never too young, too old, too shy to stand up for what you believe in.

If you take one thing away from our Protest let it be Angela Davis’ message: “I am no longer accepting things I cannot change but changing things I cannot accept.”

Bethan T (Upper Sixth)

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VALETE Neil Walker Deputy Head

Neil Walker joined the school in 2014 and although he has been a constant presence at numerous concerts, Parents Evenings’ and PPTA meetings ever since, much of his work remains unseen - within the policies and documents related to compliance, within the reports to ISC, within school performance data or related to his work as designated safeguarding lead or in tackling Health and Safety concerns in school. To all of these he has brought his meticulous attention to detail and his sound common sense.

In addition to his responsibilities as Deputy Head Neil has also taught both Science and Psychology in his time at Pipers as well as leading regular, thoughtful assemblies.

He can be relied on at all times to give a sensible and considered opinion and he enjoys discussing both educational theory and its real implications for learning and young people.

As often falls to the Deputy Head in any school, Neil has had to have difficult conversations, on occasions, with staff or parents and occasionally outside agencies, and yet whatever the situation, the complexities of the issue or the emotions of the moment, he can always be relied on to remain calm, reflective and eminently polite. These qualities will no doubt stand him in good stead as he moves to Newcastle to take on the Headship of Westfield School - an independent girls’ school for 350 students aged 3-18. We wish him well in his new role and in his move further north to be nearer family and we thank him for all he has done for Pipers over the last three years.

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Jeremy Carey Head of Design Technology

Jeremy Carey joined Pipers initially in 2010 in a temporary role before returning in September 2012 when he became our permanent Head of Design Technology, having impressed us so much previously. Jeremy immediately injected creativity and imagination into the Department, raising its profile considerably. All of a sudden the school was overflowing with innovative design projects completed by the girls, filling display cabinets and windowsills where ever one turned. Jeremy also pioneered the use of various new techniques in design, bringing in a 3-D printer and laser cutter to enhance the practical work of his students across all levels.

Jeremy’s contribution to Pipers has not been limited to the classroom. He will also be remembered for his significant design skills, particularly shown through his work with the Performing Arts teams to design and make set and props for several of the recent school productions. His designs for many of the costumes and all of the set for “The Lion King” were particularly stunning and innovative - whilst also being highly practical and surviving several performances. Jeremy has tackled even the most impossible of challenges with his characteristic determination, enthusiasm and thorough approach to detail.

Jeremy has also been the member of the teaching staff most likely to be found in school during holidays - either redesigning his studio, constructing a complex piece of scenery or possibly tinkering with his own projects, including his much loved boat. It was inevitable that we were going to lose him to somewhere closer to the sea and we wish him well with his new business venture in the South West.

Lisa Cookson Head of Psychology Lisa Cookson joined the school as a part-time Psychology teacher in 2007 and the subject soon developed in popularity and the number of A Level classes in both Lower and Upper Sixth greatly increased. Lisa expects her students to work hard and would always challenge them with extra material. Her marking pile seemed endless with extra essays being submitted in order for students to achieve elusive top marks! Her passion for her subject has been transferred to many of her pupils and she has an excellent record of students achieving the highest grades and continuing their study of Psychology at university.

As Lisa became a full time member of staff she expanded her role into the delivery of Careers in the school. She has been responsible for developing the Alumnae speaker series, and organised the school’s first Careers’ Fair. As a Sixth Form Tutor, Lisa has worked tirelessly with students to help them understand the requirements of their chosen career path; she has arranged numerous work experience placements, ensured personal statements had depth and academic rigour and helped students to make difficult decisions regarding final choices of university.

During her final year of teaching Lisa has been studying for her RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles and Practices of Horticulture. It has been interesting to discuss how she has used the revision strategies she has taught students to use for her own examinations, and how she has dealt with exam nerves! Past papers, past papers and more past papers…leads eventually to practice makes perfect. Lisa leaves Pipers to start her own gardening business. We wish her every success in her new venture and hope the sun shines often!

Alison Robinson Head of Mathematics Alison Robinson joined Pipers as Head of Mathematics in September 2014 and in her time at Pipers she has brought a change to the perception of Mathematics as a hard subject to one that girls are enthusiastic about and have an “I can do this” attitude. She has developed a happy, cohesive Department where teachers have been developed and enabled to progress to promotions. Many girls have been successful in Mathematical competitions and it is very common now to see girls out and about around school taking part in active maths.

In addition to her Head of Department duties Alison took on the role of Form Tutor when she arrived at Pipers and in September 2016 she was appointed Head of Year 9. Throughout this year she has led the Tutor team with a calm, purposeful manner and the girls have been supported and encouraged to rise to the challenge of tackling the harder work in their chosen subjects so they are fully prepared for their GCSE courses next year. Many of the girls have actively sought out Mrs Robinson for her advice and support throughout this year.

Alison also has a love of hockey and she has been very enthusiastic in helping to run the U13 Hockey team this year. The girls have really enjoyed seeing their teachers outside the classroom and the passion of their coaches has inspired some real commitment from the girls.

We wish Alison every success in her new role and all the very best for the future.

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Fitz Smith Second in English I fingered the pile with trepidation and placed the American application at the bottom, fearing misplaced desperation and hopeless incongruity: time in California, slow backwaters of Kentucky, evenings no doubt of jazz and bourbon night air, years of swept Midwest emptiness: all a long way from the gift shop world of our delicate national treasures. But paper-clipped to doctoral studies were pages of student testimonials. They glowed.

Discarding the interview timetable, we walked out across the lawns towards the wildflower meadow. A chuckling anecdote on Fitzgerald, another on a critic of Fitzgerald, and then a third on the man who once served Fitzgerald in a diner’s cousin, were embroidered by stanzas intoned with chuckling reverence – probably Yeats. In minutes we discovered Joyce’s raking of the soil, burdocks of Hardy, tiny orchids of Parker, James’s unfortunate convolvulus, and overriding all, a fresh breeze: “I want to leave university teaching to be able to get to know students.”

And so an old Toyota Corolla spluttered in, pigeon poop splattered faded paint and rusty doors, and out stepped a burning concordance of the beauty of English Literature.

Three years later. Lunchtime, and a queue of Year 8s agog at the Office Door. “Is Dr Smith in? … “Oh, Dr Smith, last night ….” The Upper Sixth English group is camped out on the Office floor. A member begins: “I’ve always wondered about …”. Pause. Dr Smith leans forward, tousle haired and corduroyed, perched on the rickety printer table, legs hunched up under chin: ... “Tell me … tell me …”

And when they are gone, an aside: “Oh that makes me think … right? You know … it’s Homer isn’t it. The entrance of Helen … like cicadas. It’s the effect.

Yes, the effect.

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Georgina Van Ot Second in Drama Georgina Van Ot leaves Pipers Corner School after seven years of teaching Drama and Theatre Studies, specialising in both A Level and GCSE Drama, teaching both devising, set texts and exam preparation.

Georgina was also a very popular teacher of LAMDA examinations and gained excellent results for her students across the board at all levels. Georgina was the director of many excellent productions reflecting a diverse range of genres from murder mysteries, to fairy-tales, to her most recent achievement - an excellent interpretation of Stephen Berkoff’s “The Trial” and “Metamorphosis”.

This production both challenged and stretched the students understanding of abstract theatre and Berkoff’s distinctive performance style.

Georgina was also a dedicated and caring Upper Sixth Form Tutor for a number of years and was always an exceptional support to each and every girl. As an organised and efficient Second in Department Georgina was an asset to the smooth running of the curriculum.

Georgina has recently been on maternity leave after the birth of her second son and is embracing the challenges of motherhood with two young boys. Georgina will be greatly missed by the members of her Department and colleagues across the school and we wish her all the very best in her future endeavours.

Pauline Child Reception Teacher Pauline Child has been a stalwart member of the Pre-Prep team since 1998, firstly taking the PreReception class and then moving into Reception. She will be remembered for her kindness and patience with the girls who have come through her care and also for pioneering the introduction of chick hatching in Pre-Prep.

In the first year of trying this, the most valuable lessons the girls learnt were those of patience and disappointment - as none of the eggs hatched. The activity certainly supported the development of resilience! But subsequent years saw many exciting moments as the Pre-Prep community was joined each year by chicks at the end of April.

Pauline was responsible for delivering the Early Years Curriculum and for recording the girls’ progress throughout their learning journeys. She had seen various changes in the Pre-Prep Department in her time, both in terms of staffing and curriculum, and had witnessed first-hand the many new learning technologies embraced by the Pre-Prep girls. She was also in the Department when the Forest School curriculum was introduced and when outdoor learning became a natural extension of the skills they were developing within the classroom. We wish Pauline all the best for her future beyond Pipers Corner.

Lily Glypti Teacher of Mathematics Lily Glypti has been with us for three years and in that time has worked tirelessly on behalf of her students to get the very best out of each one of them. Her firmly held belief that everyone is capable of success in our subject has inspired us all in the Department and has helped us to develop our curriculum with a positive, academic focus whilst being interesting and hopefully enjoyable. She has never settled for the easy way out and always wants students to really understand rather than just regurgitate. Anyone who has been taught by her knows the passion she has for Mathematics and her joy at sharing that enthusiasm. Her students have always performed well in the examinations, after “above and beyond” input from Lily and the lovely letters she has received from them are testament to her dedication.

For us as staff, Lily has been a dynamic member of our team, a good friend to talk to, a forthright personality with the kindest heart and we will miss her presence greatly.

We wish her every success in her new role.

Jane Newson Teacher of Science Jane joined Pipers Corner in September 2007 as a part-time teacher of Physics. She came to us on the recommendation of member of staff who had worked with her previously at Holy Cross School. Her exact words were “If you want a great physics teacher then Jane Newson is the one”. High praise indeed! Jane has certainly lived up to all our expectations and beyond! She has a way of making physics “easy” and thereby accessible to all her teaching sets.

Jane has also been one of the most professional members of staff you could asked for. She always looks for the positive in every situation and the Science Department have valued her clarity of thought so many times when encountering a challenge. She has arranged many talks from visiting speakers on her beloved subject of Physics, along with taking the girls to lectures on interesting Physics related topics. As a Sixth Form Tutor she has been kind and generous of her time with her tutees, giving them the individual support they need. She is starting an early “retirement” so that she can travel around the world for a year or two with her husband, but has promised us she is not finished with teaching yet as it is her passion. The profession will miss her absence and look forward to her return.

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Katie Reid Teacher of Mathematics and PE Katie Reid bounced in to the Mathematics Department three years ago and has maintained her energy and enthusiasm throughout.

Every student taught by Katie can feel truly lucky - she inspires students, but has that dash of realism which helps to reach out to those who may not always share the passion. Katie has been fully behind every initiative tried by the Department, and is always looking for new resources and new ways of teaching. All the students in the school have benefitted from her ideas at some point, as have the other Mathematics teachers. She has also made herself available to help students whenever they have sought it outside of lessons, and this has been greatly appreciated.

Katie will be greatly missed by the Pipers community. She has been an excellent Form Tutor and sports coach in hockey, football and rounders, often running fixtures after school, and her sound and sensible approach to life has helped students and staff alike. She knows the character of just about every student in the Senior School and is amazing with learning and remembering names - a real quality. She is very popular amongst the Mathematics Staff and we wish her every success in her new school.

Saima Saif Teacher of Science Saima joined Pipers Corner in September 1999 as a parttime teacher of Science. She quickly became a popular member of not just the Science Department but also the whole school teaching team. She is known for her wicked sense of humour and her “Carry On“ style laugh which was perfected growing up on a diet of 1970s Carry On films. Her lessons have been about learning but embedded into them has been her comic style which she has used to make Science fun, exciting and relevant to the students she has taught over the years.

In the Science Department she is known as our most versatile teacher - adaptable equally in Biology and Physics lessons, alongside her passion for Chemistry.

She has, over the years, been a Year 10 and 11 Year co-ordinator putting her pastoral skills to great use. She has organised proms for Year 11s, as well as trips to the Natural History and Science Museums. Her logical mind has been put to the test as a Pipers Timetabler and her legacy will live on as we teach our lessons next academic year according to the timetable she has helped to set up.

Saima has been a great friend to all and we will miss her company and friendship along with her fantastic curries at social events. However, she is moving to pastures new and we wish her much success in her new role.

Harmanna van Dalen Teacher of Sociology Harmanna joined the school as a part-time A Level Sociology teacher in 2010. Harmanna has a keen interest in the current political events in the world and has always encouraged her students to understand the sociological theories and reasons behind any changes. The EU referendum and the American elections fuelled many discussions both in class and in the staffroom. Her explanation regarding Donald Trump’s appointment was most insightful. The girls she has taught have progressed onto a variety of degree courses; many having links with sociological ideas such as Social Care, Counselling, Education Studies and Teaching. Harmanna has encouraged the next generation of Sociology students by running weekly discussion sessions for girls in Year 10 and 11 in order that they have a clear understanding of what the A Level entails and the knowledge they develop has proved most useful in debating issues in other lessons. As well as teaching Sociology, Harmanna is known for making her own jewellery and has regularly been seen selling her wares at the Pipers Christmas Fair. At the end of the school year, Harmanna is relocating to Nottinghamshire and we wish her all the very best for the future.

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Becky Brudenell Pre-Prep Teaching Assistant Becky Brudenell first joined Pipers as a part-time PrePrep Teaching Assistant in 2007 and again in 2012 after a spell abroad. She has been both a parent and a member of staff at Pipers and a constant and reassuring presence for the girls in the Department. She has supported the girls in their many activities in Pre-Prep and has been proud of their achievements in so many areas.

We wish Becky well as she leaves Pipers for the second time and hope that she will enjoy having more time to devote to her family and her interests beyond education.

Charlotte Cairns PE Assistant/ Lifeguard Charlotte Cairns joined the PE Department in 2015 and her energy, motivation and good humour made her an instantly valuable member of the team. Charlotte has been a fantastic lifeguard in all swimming lessons from Reception to Year 10, as well as for swimming clubs and evening swimming sessions.

For the three years she has worked at Pipers Charlotte has demonstrated outstanding organisational skills to assist all staff in PE with the busy day-to-day running of the Department. She has had fantastic and positive relationships with all pupils, being described as “smiley, approachable, bubbly and funny”. Charlotte has been a member of staff who has gone “above and beyond” for both staff and pupils and we wish her all the very best for the future.

Eve Wagstaff Teaching Assistant Evie has been a real asset to Pipers since joining in 2015. Not only has she been a Teaching Assistant in Pre-Prep, Prep and Individual Learning, but she has thrown herself into numerous other areas of school life. She frequently accompanies school trips, residential activities and sporting fixtures, and has supervised the Prep girls in After School Prep. Since arriving she has shown how adaptable she is, from taking numeracy catch-up lessons to making shelters in Forest School. She has a fabulous relationship with the girls and staff and is always willing to help out at a moment’s notice. Although we will miss her greatly we are delighted that she is pursuing her dream of becoming a PE Teacher and wish her all the best for the future.

AQUILA 2016-17 45

46 AQUILA 2016-17

HAVE THINGS REALLY

CHANGED?

Between the chains and manacles, a young girl, the perceptive mind, murmurs numbers to herself in the street whilst a young boy heightened the hopes of the ignorant citizens, the adolescents wasting their childhoods on unspent pasttimes, the innocents who suffer the relentlessly from blasts meant to cease, the light that dips and waivers under the pressure of the dissolution of truth.

This morning, I woke up to this; Afghanistan: IS gunmen dressed as medics kill 30 at Kabul Military Hospital.

I think, I forgot how to speak for a few moments.

To show you how I feel, I must introduce you to no one. After 42 minutes of searching, I have found no faces, no one to identify with.

“There is a moment when you have to choose; whether to be silent or to stand up.”

Tomorrow morning, I will wake up to this; Guatemala children’s home blaze kills 19 teenage girls.

I can bet, my speech will leave me again.

Those 19 girls are unnamed so far, maybe they will remain this way forever. Nameless faces living in a crowd of floating bodies.

‘When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.” But there are no voices.

Humans have pillaged the earth for 200,000 years and the Universe has thrived for 14 billion.

In those short, managed years, we have spread destruction in our path. A government claims it fights for only the freedom of its people, yet, they feed us small post-truths through a narrow hole in the media.

Before all the wars we have ever fought in search of justice. We have looked to our ancestors who have fought the very same wars that we believe are for freedom.

Have things really changed?

Emily F (Year 10)

Behind the flowers and gardens, a young girl, a resilient force, whispers elements to the ground in a room whilst a man exacerbated his morals of the ideals he calls “dreams” , the peace fought as wars, the ignorance taught as happiness.

AQUILA 2016-17 47

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Pipers Lane, Great Kingshill, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP15 6LP theschool@piperscorner.co.uk 01494 718255 www.piperscorner.co.uk www.facebook.com/PipersCornerSchool @PipersCornerSch