Issue One - September-December 2020
ROAR!
EDITORIAL TEAM Aysha Majeed Editor-in-chief Bali C-M Creative Director Lauren Brown Graphic Design Lead Grace Young Junior Editor Madeleine Quennec Junior Editor Kristen Chan Junior Editor Uma Kesting Junior Graphic Designer
CONTRIBUTORS 2020-2021 Prefects Arts Council Members Athletics Council Members Action + Wellness Council Members Zoe B. (6) Katy W. (6) Cedar Z. (6) Dawson A. (8) Uma K. (9) Jacqueline W. (9) Hannah C. (10) Alex C. (10) - cover artist Alyssa F. (10) Kaniel J-C (10)
Ms. Shoker + Mr. Williams Teacher Supervisors/Cheerleaders
Madeleine Q. (10)
Mr. Skipper + Mr. Casey + Ms. Uroni Arts Council Teacher Supervisors
Kurt C. (12)
Lauren B. (12)
Kiran D. (12) Bali C-M (12) Aysha M. (12) Madoka W. (12) Priya C. (12) Emma Y. (12)
EDITOR'S LETTER: WELCOME TO OUR VERY FIRST EDITION OF ROAR, OUR STUDENT MAGAZINE! WHEN BALI FIRST PRESENTED THIS IDEA TO ME DURING THE SUMMER, I WAS SUPER EXCITED TO SEE WHERE WE COULD GO WITH IT. WE’VE ALWAYS HAD A NEED IN THIS SCHOOL TO HIGHLIGHT THE ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS OF OUR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE IB TENDS TO HAVE SUCH AN INTENSE ACADEMIC FOCUS. WE ALSO WANTED ROAR TO BE A WAY TO CONNECT STUDENTS ACROSS GRADES DURING A TIME IN WHICH IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR OUR STUDENT COMMUNITY TO GATHER TOGETHER AND FEEL LIKE JUST THAT: A COMMUNITY. SO IT WAS WITH THIS GOAL THAT WE SET OUT - TO SHOWCASE THE VARIOUS ENDEAVOURS, OPINIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR STUDENTS IN A MAGAZINE BY STUDENTS, FOR STUDENTS. WE ASKED FOR YOUR SUBMISSIONS AND WE RECEIVED! IN THIS ISSUE WE’RE PROUD TO SHOWCASE POETRY, VISUAL ARTS, MOVIE REVIEWS, WRITING, COUNCIL INITIATIVES AND MORE. YOU CAN ALSO CHECK OUT THE PREFECT’S PICK SECTION TO GET SOME COOL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PREFECTS AND GET TO KNOW US A LITTLE. YOU CAN ALSO FIND SOME (NOT SO) USEFUL ADVICE FROM GRADE 12S TO THE QUESTIONS YOU SUBMITTED IN OUR Q&A SECTION. EVERY SINGLE EMAIL I RECEIVED WITH A STUDENT SUBMISSION BROUGHT A SMILE TO MY FACE - THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK A RISK AND SUBMITTED THEIR WORK TO ROAR. IF YOU DIDN'T SUBMIT FOR THIS ISSUE BUT THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF AS WELL, START GETTING YOUR SUBMISSIONS TOGETHER FOR OUR NEXT ISSUE AT THE END OF TERM 2! AYSHA MAJEED - EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
TABLE OF CONTENTS: 1 - EDITORIAL TEAM + CONTRIBUTORS 2 - EDITOR'S LETTER 4 - MANDALA - KIRAN D. 5 - COLLAGES - ARTS COUNCIL 7 - LADY LUNE - EMMA Y. 8 - HOT COMMODITY - KURT C. 9 - SAVIOR COMPLEX - ACTION + WELLNESS COUNCIL 11 - OPEN-MINDEDNESS IN ATHLETICS - ATHLETICS COUNCIL 12- ANGST - UMA K. AND FISH TANK - KATY W. 13 - MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS 18 - VISUAL ART - LAUREN B. 19 - THIS ANGER, IT'S FUTILE - ANONYMOUS 20 - THE SIREN SONG - ELLA T. 21 - SPECIAL! MUSIC, MOVIES, AND RECIPE! 23 - A SPLAT OF PAINT - CEDAR Z. 24 - A SPY KIT - ZOE B. 25 - A + C - HANNAH C. 27 - PREFECT'S PICKS 29 - Q&A WITH THE GRADE 12'S 32 - COMIC - DAWSON A.
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The Arts Council started the year off by working on collages. We (Bali + Aysha), wanted to give our council members a chance to express themselves through collage and destress using art. We selected our favourite collages to include in this issue, and we hope you enjoy our council's work.
Uma K. (9) Madeleine Q. (10)
Noelle Q. (10)
Kristen C. (10)
Grace Y. (10) Hannah C. (10)
Uma K. (9)
Sienna C. (9)
Lady Lune
by: emma y. (12)
She weaves dreams From moonbeams Capturing transparent spirits Amongst silver strands Twisted in slim fingers To see an end and peace so sweet As to be tantalizingly out of reach To chase midnight assurances In the absence of stars To wrap ourselves in her blanket of dreams–so reverently Gazing up at a different tomorrow This, Is but a fragile fallacy
Hot Commodity By: Kurt Coleman (12))
definition: a person who feels responsible for saving or helping others, even if that provision of service is detrimental to one or both of those people, over time. Commonly known as a messiah complex or Christ complex, the term has ancient and controversial roots.
CONFRONTING THE
Ava Bhura (grade 7) Making a difference in our community is a significant value for me because our community is an extension of our family. I have been a part of many initiatives to help our community, such as food drives for Queen Alexandra, clothing drives for the Downtown Eastside Women's Shelter, fundraising for The World Partnership Walk and more. My goal is always to make our community safe for everyone to be themselves and to bring our communities together. By doing this, it's creating a positive environment for everyone! Alaana Shamji (grade 11) Taking action is an outlet for students to engage within and outside of their community, by exploring and developing various ways to contribute, and committing themselves to have an impactful role on individuals who may be enduring various societal issues. My role in spearheading the Stratford Hall World Partnership Walk team over the past years has been a tremendous experience that has expanded my perspectives and allowed me to have a significant impact on those who may be facing poor living conditions within this same society. Having the opportunity to engage in an experience that aims to alleviate global poverty has led me to recognize my privilege in being able to have adequate access to medical care, sanitation and clean water and various other commodities that a large portion across the globe may not have access to. While this experience may not have completely eradicated this pressing issue, through this initiative, I have demonstrated my capacity to be an influential individual. By engaging in this experience, I have benefited immensely by learning how to approach this imperative issue. This experience has allowed for the congregation of members within Stratford Hall with a common goal, in hopes to further bring together our community. Clare Aitken (grade 7) The action and wellness council has taught me a lot about the importance of giving. It has taught me how lucky I am to have what I have. It has also made me want to help others more often. I especially think it's important to give in a time that we are in today because so many people are struggling right now.
SAVIOR COMPLEX
Jashan Sidhu (grade 7) I wasn’t in the Action & Wellness Council last year but I have done volunteering in the past. The Volunteering I have done was in grade 5 for exhibition. I went downtown there was this awesome group of adults handing out free Indian food under a tent to those people who can’t afford it. The experience of giving food to the people who couldn’t afford any was so excellent that I can't explain. Especially when they said thank you. The group was called Guru Nanak's Free Kitchen and it is a temple organization.
Radhika Assanie (grade 10) Paul Dhaliwal (grade 9) When I was volunteering at the recently built modular The most memorable experience I had volunteering in housing units in my neighbourhood, I thought I was my life would be volunteering for the poppy volunteering because it made me feel like I was foundation. I was passionate about this because the improving our world. That feeling was incredible, money made from selling those poppies goes to however I soon realized, from when we cooked and helping veterans in financial distress and to provide served a special dinner for the new tenants, that it long term homes for veterans. It was cold that day but wasn't about me. They were so grateful and pleased I made a lot of friends and met a lot of people that day. with our support, and the fact that they were finally Helping veterans, people who left their families to being accepted into our community, which made me fight gave me a feeling of joy. I also met many new see that it is about the people you help and not people and had a lot of different interactions with yourself. other people. Sharing stories and making jokes! Giselle Fu (grade 9) Keryn Su (grade 7) My experience with Explanation from Audrey K. (12), During my time volunteering has one of the Action and Wellness Prefects: volunteering at been very exciting. This year, the Action and Wellness Council hopes to Jericho Tennis Club, I’ve helped out with divert from forming a Saviour Complex by fostering genuine I saw how important looking after my relationships with the organizations that we partner with, such and beneficial it was relatives’ children as Queen Alexandra Elementary and The New Fountain Shelter. to help others. and done trash Sometimes, people adopt a saviour mentality which motivates them When I volunteered to help others because they visualize themselves as heroes upon whom pickups around the the disenfranchised are dependent on for survival. However, this at JTC, I helped school for the ignores the reality that many of these disadvantaged people are actually during a tennis class community. This is victims of a society that relegates them as second-class citizens often for 7-9 years old on the basis of race or class. As a Council, we have recognized that our currently my first kids. Because I play year in the Action capacity to help others is not because we are heroes, but because we tennis, I was able to and Wellness benefit from privilege in an unequal society. Understanding this, in our initiatives are focused on asking organizations how we can help help them make council, so I’m them instead of assuming that we already know all the solutions progress in their slowly gaining to their issues. By fostering meaningful relationships, we have tennis skills. I experience developed symbiotic relationships with these organizations, learned that helping throughout my meaning that they help us in-turn by providing learning opportunities and broadening our global perspectives. someone when you years. I think that To demonstrate this, we have asked Council have the ability to is having the members to share their meaningful an important thing opportunity to give volunteering experiences. to do. back is really nice because being able Clara Tsai (grade 7) to give back is a Helping others has taught me about my privilege and wonderful feeling. others’ lifestyles. What motivates me to help others is Hanna Asin (grade 10) knowing they’re impacted by my help. Additionally, I I feel that volunteering gives me an opportunity to love helping the less fortunate and knowing I have connect with people outside of my immediate made a difference. After meeting, and helping Queen community. Creating human connections really helps Alexandra School deliver food I learnt a large me feel grateful for the things that I have through population of the school does not have proper food to meeting people that all have their own struggles and eat daily. Overall, I really enjoy helping others out stories. Volunteering isn’t just about helping others, when needed. it's very much about how building connections make positive impacts in the community. It’s not just for recognition.
OPENMINDEDNESS IN ATHLETICS A y l a G a o ( G r a d e 8 ) : O n e s p o r t t h a t h a s t a u g h t m e t o b e m o re o p e n - m i n d e d i s U l t i m a t e . I n U l t i m a t e , t e a m w o r k i s w h a t w e v a l u e m o s t . P e o p le o fte n th i n k th a t e a c h p l a y e r n e e d s t o k n o w t h e s p o r t w e l l a n d h a v e g o o d s k i l l s i n o r d e r to w i n a ga m e . B u t t h e y n e g l e c t t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t e a m w o r k a n d o p e n - m i n d e d n e s s i n a te a m . E a c h te a m member plays a role, and all have their strengths and weaknesses. Every member of t h e t e a m s h o u l d b e o p e n - m i n d e d a n d c o n s i d e r a t e o f t h e o t h e r m e m b e r s i n o r d e r to w i n a g a m e . T h e p l a y e r s h a v e t o c o o p e r a t e w e l l b e c a u s e i n U lti m a te , s e lf- i m p o r ta n c e i s n o t a s i m p o r t a n t a s t e a m w o r k . A l s o , p e r s o n a l s k i l l s a r e v i ta l b u t c o m p a r e d to o p e n - m i n d e d n e s s i n a t e a m , i t c o u l d o n l y b e s e c o n d . O p e n - m i n d e d n e s s i s n o t o n ly a k e y p a r t i n U l t i m a t e , b u t i n o t h e r s p o r t s a n d e v e r y w h e r e in th e w o r ld . S i m o n L e i b u ( G r a d e 8 ) : B e i n g o p e n - m i n d e d i s a v e r y i m p o r ta n t p a r t o f yo u r d a y to d a y l i f e . Y o u n e e d t o b e o p e n - m i n d e d t o g o t o s c h o o l , t o e a t yo u r v e ge ta b le s , to go to a c e r t a i n c l u b . A l l o f t h e s e a r e v e r y i m p o r t a n t s k i l l s t o h a v e n o t ju s t n o w , b u t i n th e f u t u r e t o o . S i n c e w e a r e i n t h e a t h l e t i c s c o u n c i l , I w a n t t o h i gh li gh t b e i n g o p e n m i n d e d w h i l e p l a y i n g s p o r t s . H e r e i s a s t o r y o f w h e n I n e e d e d to b e o p e n - m i n d e d w h i l e p l a y i n g a s o c c e r g a m e . It w a s t h e s e c o n d h a l f o f o u r ga m e a n d th e s c o r e w a s 2 1 . M y f r i e n d d r i b b l e d p a s t t h e d e f e n d e r , p a s s e d t h e b a l l a n d to o k a s h o t. T h e b a ll s a i l e d t h r o u g h t h e a i r , h i t t i n g t h e p o s t , t h e n t h e c r o s s b a r a n d w e n t o v e r th e li n e (o r s o w e t h o u g h t ) . T h e r e f l o o k s a t t h e b a l l , t h e n t h e g o a l k e e p e r , a n d s a ys n o go a l. E v e r y o n e i s f u r i o u s , p e o p l e a r e y e l l i n g a n d s w e a r i n g a t t h e r e f. B u t th r o u gh a ll o f t h i s I r e a l i z e d t h a t n o n e o f t h i s w a s n e c e s s a r y . S u r e w e c o u ld h a v e w o n th e ga m e b u t a t t h e e n d o f t h e d a y i t ' s j u s t a g a m e . A t t h e e n d w e l o s e 2 - 1 a n d i n s te a d o f ju s t l e a v i n g , I g o u p t o t h e r e f a n d t e l l h i m s o r r y f o r t h e h u r t f u l w o r d s p e o p le s a i d a n d t h a t y o u w e r e j u s t d o i n g y o u r j o b . I t h e n s a y t h a n k y o u a n d le a v e . T h i s e n ti r e ga m e , e v e n t h o u g h t h e r e w e r e h i g h s a n d l o w s , I r e a l i z e d a n d l e a r n e d to b e o p e n - m i n d e d a n d t o p u t m y s e l f i n t h e r e f s s h o e s . T h a t i s m y s t o r y o f h o w I n e e d e d to b e o p e n minded while playing a game of soccer. J e n n y L i e u ( G r a d e 1 1 ) : W i t h t h e p a n d e m i c g o i n g o n , i t s u r e i s c h a lle n gi n g to p r a c ti c e , p l a y a n d c o m p e t e , a n d f e e l a s t h o u g h y o u w e r e i n y o u r o r d i n a r y a th le ti c r o u ti n e . C l o s e d g y m s , c a n c e l e d t o u r n a m e n t s , o r p r o t o c o l a d j u s t m e n ts c a n b e fr u s tr a ti n g to u s a s a t h l e t e s s i n c e w e ’ v e a l w a y s b e e n s u r r o u n d e d b y o u r o w n s u p p o r ti v e a th le ti c community. But this surely does not refrain you from growing as an individual a t h l e t e a n d e x c e l l i n g y o u r s k i l l s e v e r y d a y . It ’ s t h e m a t t e r o f b e i n g o p e n - m i n d e d th a t w i l l k e e p y o u r f e e t m o v i n g a n d m a k e r o o m f o r i m p r o v e m e n t. A s a b a s k e tb a ll p la ye r , I d e f i n i t e l y f e e l d i s c o u r a g e d b y t h e C o v i d - r e s t r i c t e d p r o t o c o ls b e c a u s e I c a n ’ t tr a i n w i t h m y t e a m m a t e s o r c o m p e t e i n t o u r n a m e n t s . H o w e v e r , I s ta r te d to s e e th i s a s a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o f o c u s o n m y p e r s o n a l g r o w t h : p h y s i c a l i t y a n d m e n ta li ty i n b a s k e tb a ll. I s t a r t e d t o b r e a k d o w n m y p e r s o n a l s t a t s l i k e f i e l d g o a l s , tu r n o v e r s , a s s i s ts , e tc . a n d p a y c l o s e r a t t e n t i o n t o e a c h c a t e g o r y t o t r y f i g u r i n g o u t h o w m ys e lf, a s a n i n d i v i d u a l , c a n c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e t e a m a s a c o l l e c t i v e . W i t h th a t s a yi n g, s ta y o p e n m i n d e d , e v e n i n d i f f i c u l t t i m e s , b e c a u s e d o o r s t o o p p o r t u n i ti e s n e v e r c lo s e .
Angst By: Uma K. (9)
Fish Tank By: Katy W. (6)
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THINGS WE LIKE TO WATCH With winter break coming up, it's time to relax at home and watch a good movie. Here are some comfort classics and newer favourites from various senior school students - Hope you find one that you like!
“I may not always be right, but I am never wrong.” Little Women (2019) dir. Greta Gerwig Grace Y. (10)
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This is a movie of plot twists and reality. It is based on the classic book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. The main characters are the March sisters (Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth), starring Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, and Eliza Scalen respectively. Each struggle growing up as their dreams and desires manifest, while experiencing the trials of love, friendship, and ambition. It is a fairly realistic representation of women in 19th century North America. I think it is a good movie to get one thinking, with a complex layout of cuts between different time periods. The best part of Little Women is how real the characters seem, and how their interactions bring the scenes to life. However, this movie can be a little confusing, especially since the jumps between different realities are frequent, and hard to distinguish between at times. The ending is realistic, however not necessarily satisfying to all. Just like this movie review.
The Movie That Made Me Realize I Have Feelings The Wind Rises (2013) dir. Hayao Miyazaki Bali C-M (12)
2 The only reason why I won't be attending Harvard Rope (1948) dir. Alfred Hitchcock Lauren Brown (12) Rope is probably one of my personal favorite films by Alfred Hitchcock and arguably one of the most innovative pieces of cinema released in the late 1940s. Like many Hitchcock films, I found myself on the edge of my seat the entire time. The plot of the film starts immediately following two men in their attempt to prove they committed the perfect crime by hosting a dinner party right after murdering their former classmate. The film’s suspense is only intensified by the exceptional use of one shot and framing. I highly suggest checking out this suspenseful crime/thriller masterpiece when you can.
I’m a big Studio Ghibli fan (my favourite is Howl’s Moving Castle) and I watched The Wind Rises for the first time and absolutely loved it! It’s a heavily fictionalized story about Jiro Horikoshi, an aviation engineer who created the A6M WWII fighter plane. The overall tone is more serious and the narrative as a whole is very sentimental. The plot is less fantastical, more complex, and more mature than some of his other movies; it’s very beautiful and bittersweet. The movie lacks the childlike sense of wonder that most of his films have, which makes it more appealing to all ages, and is what initially drew me to watching the film. It was pretty emotional and I’m not one for emotional movies but it was very touching and pulled on my heartstrings and all that jazz. A masterpiece!
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4 A Gothic Fairytale The Corpse Bride (2005) dir. Tim Burton Uma Kesting (9) You wouldn't expect to find true “love” in the middle of the woods. Corpse Bride, directed by Tim Burton has been an iconic film ever since its release in 2005. Tim Burton adds gothic, creepy elements to animated movies, making it enjoyable for the entire family. This movie is full of plot twists and “oh no” moments, but overall it is a heart warming film with a beautiful message. This movie presents the theme, love and selfishness in a unique, whimsical way.
Studio Ghibli Nostalgia Ponyo (2008) dir. Hayao Miyazaki Madeleine Quennec (10)
Feel Good Movie Into the Spider-Verse (2018) dir. Peter Ramsey et al. Alyssa Fielding (10)
What? Another Studio Ghibli film? To be completely truthful, it’s no surprise that the talented Hayao Miyazaki clinched two spots on this list. This is a cute, nostalgic film that follows the story of a goldfish who gets discovered by a little boy named Sosuke. Sosuke names the goldfish Ponyo, and so the tale begins. Ponyo wishes so badly to be human, that she transforms into the precocious, mischievous character (with a strange love of ham) that we all know and love today. It’s got everything from laughter, to fantasy, to quintessential feelgood moments. Not to mention, it’s got an adorable theme song. Go check it out! It’s called gake no ue no Ponyo, aka “Ponyo on the cliff”. If you’re like me, and watched other Ghibli classics such as Totoro and The Secret World of Arrietty, then you’ll be sure to love Ponyo. Check it out!
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6 An Emotional Masterpiece Avengers: Endgame (2019) dir. Russo Brothers Kaniel J-C (10) Avengers: Endgame is a phenomenal movie. It’s the perfect conclusion to the 22 movies with (mostly) amazing stories over the course of 11 years. The movie blends emotion, comedy, action, and so much more into 3 hours, which doesn’t even feel that long as you’re taken on this amazing experience. The Russo Brothers did a phenomenal job directing this masterpiece, and the performances of the actors were breathtaking. This movie brought out so many emotions in so many viewers, and deserves to be one of the highest-grossing films in history.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a 2018 Oscar winning film telling the story of Miles Morales’s journey to becoming Spiderman, with a multiverse of different people like him! It uses animation to throw the viewer into the world of an action-packed comic book, with highly stylized transitions and vibrant colours. It’s got quick cuts and classic character designs guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. The story is super engaging, and there is a character for you to relate to, regardless of who you are. Whether you like the iconic Spider-Man (voiced by Chris Pine), or the hysterical SpiderHam (voiced by John Mulaney), there is a Spider-Someone for everyone. At the end of the day, Into the Spider-Verse is an absolute blast to watch and has a range of both heart wrenching moments and laugh-out-loud scenes.
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My Only Source of Dopamine The Mandalorian (2019) Madoka Wowk (12) The Mandalorian is a Star Wars TV series on Disney+, it's based five years after The Return of the Jedi and the fall of the Empire. The Mandalorian is about a lone bounty hunter who travels across the galaxy to protect a young child —who resembles a child-like version of Jedi Master Yoda—who is wanted by imperial forces. This series is amazing if you love The Neighborhood Tour by the Star Wars franchise and Totoro enjoy action and adventure! My Neighbor Totoro (1988) But you don’t need to be a Star dir. Hayao Miyazaki Wars geek to watch this show! Jacqueline Wilson (9) This series brings back A really good movie I enjoy is a elements from the original Star film called My Neighbour Totoro. It’s Wars movies but is also super a kids film about two girls who unique at the same time. Give move into a neighborhood where it a watch, you won’t be they see strange things, like a giant disappointed!!! cat who can fly, and cat buses. It’s
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an amazing film full of adventure and emotion and an amazing soundtrack. It’s beautifully animated and is a great fit for all ages. The film has messages of friendship, and growing as a person, and it has an effect of making you feel like your almost witnessing these miracles along side the kids. I 100% recommend this film for a nice relaxing family friendly film :)
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10 Take a Dive into the Unknown! Chasing Coral (2017) dir. Jeff Orlowski Priya Conatser (12) My love for Chasing Coral will forever be unmatched. It is the best documentary I have ever watched and I have not found anything like it. Not only do you get to travel through the oceans of the Bahamas, Myanmar and Hawaii to see the beautiful coral, aquatic animals and ecosystems through the eyes of a diver, you also get to listen to the phenomenal soundtrack (trust me… my Spotify wrapped was just this soundtrack). The documentary also sheds light on the detrimental impact climate change has on the coral, giving you a first hand view into the rapid deterioration of the ocean as a result of coral bleaching. Chasing Coral is a tear-jerker that will make you rethink your daily actions and provide ways for you to make a difference.
By: Lauren B. (12)
THIS ANGER, IT'S FUTILE BY: EMMA Y. I KNOW THIS IS NO DEMOCRACY BUT I WON’T KNEEL DOWN TO AUTOCRACY OH, YOU THINK YOU’RE COY BOY YOU’RE NOTHING BUT A CONDESCENDING HACK WITHOUT ANY SUBSTANCE TO BACK SUCH CLAIMS OF ENLIGHTENMENT WHEN CLEARLY, YOU’RE JUST AMBIVALENT SO IT’S TIME, IGNOBLE STEED, FOR YOU TO FACE YOUR MISDEEDS DID I MENTION I HAVE [INSERT MINORITY GROUP HERE] FRIENDS THE IMPORTANCE OF WHICH I THINK DEPENDS ON WHETHER YOUR SUPPOSED PROXIMITY EXCUSES SUCH WILLFUL STUPIDITY AH, SHE WHOSE VOICE IS A CARCINOGEN DRIPPING WITH PRIVILEGE AND COLD CONDESCENSION I THINK IT’S TIME YOU WERE SCHOOLED EVEN RIDICULED ARROGANCE; EGO A SHINING CARICATURE OF A HERO INFLATED, AND RIDDLED WITH ROT, LONG FESTERING AND IGNORANCE WROUGHT DID I MENTION I GO BY SHE/HER PRONOUNS ACCEPTANCE, IT’S NOT HARD TO PRONOUNCE FOR THIS, YOU BEND AT THE WAIST YET, INCLUSIVITY IS DISCARDED, A WASTE I ADMIRE YOU, TRULY NOT UNDULY WHAT A GOOD SHOW YOU’VE PUT ON A CONVINCING–EVEN COMMENDABLE–CON REALLY, QUITE INFORMATIVE ABOUT HOW EXACTLY TO BE PERFORMATIVE THIS IS NOTHING BUT PURE INDULGENCE IN CREATIVITY AND ACTIVITY TO UP AND SERVE EXACTLY WHAT I THINK YOU DESERVE THE TWO OF YOU WILL SEE THE CONSEQUENCE OF SUCH A PHALLIC COUNTENANCE THUS, DON’T MISTAKE THE GLIMMER IN MY EYE AS BENIGN ALL I’M PICTURING IS YOUR DECLINE
The Siren Song
by: ella t (9) I am the siren, the siren of the sea.I sing a song and make you sleep,And you’ll think of what you could’ve been.My voice can heal but can kill you too.Do not come near nor hear me out.Do not listen nor fall in deep.Cause all you’ll see is nothing but me.So run along, my foolish child,You’ll get nothing from me other than a pot of trouble.Or I’ll turn you into bubbles. I am the siren, the siren of the sea.I may be pretty and super sweet,But don’t forget, I’m the siren of the sea.I will lure you to the sea, and in you go indeed.My voice can heal but can kill you too.If you wanna fight me, you gotta believe.If you wanna try, you won’t be alive.I won’t say why me, I’ll say try me.So come and play with me.The game of the siren of the sea. I am the siren, the siren of the sea.I’ll sing a song and make you sleep,Or you’ll fall down to your feet.I warned you about finding me,Now I’ll have to kill you to revenge for thee.The ocean is my mother and she is mad,She ordered me, to vanish you from the land. I am the siren, the siren of the sea.So be very careful, very careful indeed.
LET ME PUT YOU ONTO SOMETHING: This year may have been awful, but at least the music wasn't. Bali C-M (12) For me, and I think everyone on this planet, 2020 was not the best year ever. However, one thing that helped me through it was music. I love music, dare I say more than your average person does, and listening to my favourite artists and discovering new ones was both a source of comfort and joy this year. Music is a great way to connect with people, and I did that this year by making playlists for my friends around the world, to share what music I'd been enjoying and receiving their music recommendations in return. I wanted to do the same for you all, so I compiled a list of my favourite albums that came out this year, and collaborated with some of my music-loving friends to give you a list of our favourite not-so-mainstream (alternative) artists. I hope you find a new artist that you like!
punisher by phoebe bridgers best songs: garden song, saviour complex, chinese satellite down in the weeds, where the world once was by bright eyes best songs: one and done, forced convalescence, pan and broom, stairwell song chip chrome and the monotones (deluxe) by the neighbourhood best songs: stargazing, the shining, over the influence zeros by declan mckenna best songs: be an astronaut, saggiatarius a*, rapture what could possibly go wrong by dominic fike best songs: why, vampire, politics and violence fetch the bolt cutters by fiona apple best songs: I want you to love me, under the table, shameika folklore by taylor swift best songs: mirrorball, seven, my tears ricochet, august, the lakes ungodly hour by chloe x halle best songs: ungodly hour and do it plastic hearts by miley cyrus best songs: gimme what i want, WTF do i know, midnight sky after hours by the weeknd best songs: after hours, escape from la, faith, in your eyes, and snowchild man on the moon III: the chosen by kid cudi best songs: tequila shots, sad people, solo dolo pt. 3, elsie’s baby boy ctv3: cool tape vol. 3 by jaden smith best songs: rainbow bap, cabin fever sin miedo by kali uchis best songs: aqui yo mando, telepatia miss anthropocene by grimes best songs: delete forever, violence en garde by ethan gruska best songs: enough for now, blood in rain, dialing drunk sawayama by rina sawayama best songs: xs, bad friend beginners by christian lee hutson best songs: athiest, lose this number, get the old band back together
Chrissy Teigen's Banana Bread! Baking was another activity I got more into in 2020, and I made this recipe a ton when we did school online. The coconut and pudding mix make it unlike any other banana bread I've ever had.
Ingredients: 5 mashed bananas 4 eggs 2/3 cup canola oil 2 cups flour 2 cups white sugar 2 1.7oz boxes of chocolate instant pudding mix 1 teaspoon baking soda 1.5 teaspoons sea salt 1 cup shredded coconut 1 semi sweet chocolate bar cut into fine-ish chunks
Method: 1. Heat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan. 2. In large bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs and oil. 3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking soda and salt as well as the chocolate and coconut 4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine gently, folding it with a rubber spatula 5. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes from my experience if not longer. 6. Let it cool for a few minutes then flip that bad boy over onto a plate. 7. Let it cool more and slice.
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies! I spent a lot of time on TikTok too, and found many creators that I enjoyed. This recipe is is from Jeremy Scheck who makes cooking videos. Check him out @jeremyschek!
Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) softened unsalted butter 1 and 1/2 cup (300g) white sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups (260g) all purpose flour 2/3 cups (65g) cocoa powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 package Guittard Mint Chips, or other baking chips
Method: 1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Take out two half-sheet pans, line with silpats or wax paper. 2. Cream the butter with the sugar for 3 minutes, until very creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla extract. 3. Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Add to the wet all at once and mix on low. 4. Add most of the mint chips while mixing on low, saving a few to press into the tops of the cookies. 5. Use a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop to drop 12 cookies on each sheet pan. Press 3 chips on top of each mound of dough. It'll look nice when they bake. 6. Bake for 10 minutes, one tray at a time. When the first batch comes out, puffed and dry on top but still not quite done in the center, let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before using a metal spatula to carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. After you do this with the first batch, you can reuse the tray for the third.
A Splat of Paint
By: Cedar Zulkoskey 6SM
A new family moves to the city of Vancouver, into an old dusty mansion on the side of the city. The middle child of the family, Alex Johnson, wasn't so impressed. The high tech crazed teenager hated the odd smell of the new old house she had to live in. On the other hand the oldest kid, Ben, was loving the rusty vibes this house had. The youngest child, Jess, was too shy to say anything. Jess hadn't said a single word since she was 2 years old. As the Johnson family trots into the house, dust flies up… nobody had been in there for years. The kids run around finding their rooms, but Jess somehow finds herself lost in the attic. Jess notices a bright splat of paint, and carefully she wanders over to an old canvas. She is amazed when she looks at all the outstanding colors splattered on the canvas. Her eyes fill with joy as she picks up a new canvas. Painting was Jess’s favourite thing. She couldn't talk so her art talked for her. Dipping the old dusty paint brush into the new neon colors felt so alive. Her paintbrush danced around her canvas, making a magnificent picture. Her phone rings, so she puts her paint palette down to glance at her phone. She is texting her friend back when she hears a noise. Jess tucks her phone into the back pocket of her jeans, and she walks over to the other end of the attic. A little brown kitten pops out from a box, surprising Jess. She scoops up the little brown cat and thinks in her head I’m gonna call you Ginger..Oh shoot. Mommy is allergic to kittens, oh well I will just hide you extra well! Jess tucks Ginger comfortably under her arm and shuffles into her big fluffy coat hiding the cat. She slowly walks down stairs and into her room. Closing the door silently, Jess pulls out the kitty and slips her into her bed. Jess slides into bed next to Ginger. Kissing her secret pet on the head, she falls into a deep dream. The next morning Jess is at the table stuffing her pockets with cheese. She didn't know if Ginger liked cheese, but it's all the 7 year old could get her hands on. Later that day Jess was up in the attic painting away, when all of a sudden she hears her mom scream. She bolts down stairs to see her mom standing on the table while Ginger is licking her paws at the door. Jess runs up to Ginger, scooping her up. She knew she was in big trouble, Jess started to cry, she didn’t want to be in trouble. “Put that cat away!” screams her mom. Jess puts Ginger back in her room, and then she goes to talk to her mom. “What were you thinking, Jess Johnson!” asks her mom. Honestly, Jess just wanted a friend. As her mom gets down from the table, Jess stops crying and, trembling she speaks, “I’m sorry mommy.” She hugs her mom and they both smile. Jess runs to the attic and grabs her latest piece of art. “For you.” She whispers. The End
A SPY KIT
BY: ZOE BUITELAAR, 6SM
BRIINNNGGGG! The school bell goes off. Ashley jumps off her chair with a loud thump. She grabs her backpack, and rushes off to art class. She swings the door open: all she sees is a rusty old table, and dust on every inch of the classroom. What happened to the art room? She silently closes the door, and tip toes over to the principal’s office with a frown. “Hey, Principal Funly!” she says frustratedly. “Hello Ashley. What may I help you with?'' he says excitedly. “Oh, well, um, never mind. Sorry.” she says nervously. “Okay,” he says curiously. Ashley leaves. Her face is bright red. She gallops over to her homeroom, grabs her notebook, and starts to solve this crime, one step at a time. But it all adds up to nothing. She can’t figure out what really happened. The final bell in the day goes off, and Ashley runs over to her locker to pack up. Jill, her best friend, hops over. “Hey, Ash.” “Hey, Jill.” Jill walks away and Ashley walks over to her mom's car. “Hey, Ash,” says her mom. “Hi, Mommy,” says Ashley The car starts, and Ashley pulls out her notebook to think more. They get home. Ashley hops out of the car and runs to the house. She then goes to her room and studies. She hears a weird sound up in the attic. She climbs up the swirly, rusty, old ladder and jumps up on the final step. The attic was clear and nothing was up there. An old green blanket is sitting on the floor, and Ashley holds it up. A bunch of dust flies through the air, and Ashley coughs. She takes a few steps back, and moves her hands to get rid of the dust on her plaid shirt. She sees a weird box that looks like a treasure chest. It’s brown and made out of wood. She opens it and sees a spy kit! She leaps in the air and holds the kit with pride. She jumps up and down. This will help me solve that crime. With one last jump of joy, she climbs down the ladder and jumps to her feet. She puts the kit down on her desk and decides to wait for tomorrow to investigate further. The next day, she gets to school and opens up the kit. She takes the magnifying glass out and takes a peek. Dust, dirt, and sawdust is all she can see. She jots down in a notebook. She finds out so much new information. She comes to a conclusion, and realizes what happened. With a smile on her face, she reaches out and grabs her notebook. She then runs down to the assembly. She steals the mic from a teacher and yells loudly, “the art room was destroyed because - ”. The teachers looked curiously at her and the students did too. A small kid yelled “Why?” “Because when that rain storm hit, the room collapsed and it made the art room fall apart.” Everybody cheers. She had solved a crime! With a smile on her face, she feels proud. Very proud.
A+C BY: HANNAH C (10)
THOMAS: Among us is a fun video game you can play with your friends. As a crew mate the objective of the game is to complete tasks while simultaneously figuring out who the impostor is. As the impostor your goal is to eliminate as many of your friends before getting caught. This game is super fun and I would recommend playing it with your friends if you haven't already!
This album is considered Mac Miller’s most impactful album of his career and is definitely one of my favourites at the moment. It was even nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2019 Grammy Awards. My favourite song is 2009. Some honorable mentions would be Self Care, Ladders, and Wings. I would recommend this for students older than grade 8.
KIRAN: The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a GREAT MOVIE!! It follows a case in the US that took place after the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Seven of the anti-war protesters were charged with conspiracy, inciting riot, and more. The movie is quite well done, and dives into each character in their experience with the trial. I would definitely watch with your family, or friends! It initiates in depth and meaningful conversations about politics and human rights.
AYSHA: The Adventure Zone is a Dungeons and Dragons actual play podcast starring three brothers and their dad! Very welcoming to people who haven’t played d&d before (they haven't either :0), it's very comedic but they start to take it a bit more seriously as it continues and it grows into an epic story! I recommend starting with the Balance arc. You will probably cry. Also, LGBT rep!!
KADEN: Look, I understand this is Korean pop, but great music exists outside of the languages we usually speak. BTS made me realize that we often establish expectations of what music should sound like and reject things that we don’t understand. You should give BTS a try because their lyrics and music relate to powerful themes that pertain to the youth, such as self-appreciation and social expectations. Also, K-pop is something fun to learn about — a new culture! Jungkook is my bias :3 Some songs to try: Love Maze, My Time, 00:00, FAKE LOVE, Your eyes tell, I’m Fine
PREFE PIC
ECTS' CKS
AUDREY: Inconvenient Indian is SO, SO, SO GOOD! As re-examination of our country’s history is more important than ever, this documentary dismantles our nation’s colonial narrative and reframes it with the voices of those continuing the legacy of Indigenous resistance to white supremacy. Thomas King’s narration is especially compelling as he concludes that in today’s society we can no longer exploit the self-serving excuse of ignorance to justify our disregard for Indigenous lives. Although it is certainly a difficult watch, it is a must-see that I would recommend it to anyone!
MADOKA: I recently watched this documentary on Netflix and it made me cry :) It takes you through the life of a curious, young octopus that forms a connection with this diver (forewarning: it will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions). It’s a very interesting documentary if you’re interested in the behaviours of marine animals or you just want a good cry.. but maybe that’s just me. SARAH: I recently rewatched one of my favourite childhood movies, Fantastic Mr. Fox. This movie uses stop-motion animation to follow the protagonist, Mr. Fox, through the heist he plans against three local farmers. It’s funny, it’s cute and for me, it's a quintessential fall movie. The colour palette used and animation style are absolutely breathtaking! I highly recommend you check it out :^)
ZUBIN: When fall ends and winter has arrived there is nothing more cosy than the warm glow of a candle. Year-round red garden berries are personally my favourite scent but the seasonal Christmas candles are absolutely divine. In the evening I enjoy lighting up some of these candles and sitting back with a book to relax after a long day of work.
BALI: I really like The Neighbourhood’s new album, Chip Chrome and the Mono-tones. The sound is a lot different from their previous works, and all the tracks are spectacular but my favourite track is Pretty Boy. Honourable mentions include Silver Lining and Cherry Flavoured. There are a bunch of music videos for this album, so check them out if you like it! I love the lead singer (Jesse Rutherford) and his girlfriend, Devon Lee Carlson, and they are in the videos together. Very cute <3 I recommend this for students older than grade 8.
Q&
A Grade 12
answers YOUR questions
Q: how do you deal with people who are not being nice with you? A: Everybody is going to have a different approach to this, but I’ve found it important to acknowledge that there are always going to be people who don’t like me, just as there are always going to be people that I don’t like. I’ve found it helpful to counteract this by surrounding myself with people I value, and people who value me too. In my experience, it’s okay not to get along with everybody, even at such a small school where you may feel like you should.
Q: What DP courses did you like taking and why?
Q: If you love someone of the same sex and you don’t know how to express it to them, what should you do? A: Hi, Kurt here - I think it’s important to know that you don’t have to come out to people you don’t want to if you don’t feel safe doing so. However I do understand it’s hard to keep it to yourself all the time, so you could start by telling the people that you trust. It can feel very lonely keeping your sexuality to yourself all the time, and even if it might not seem like it there is a whole community of allies and other LGBTQ2+ people out there, and at this school, who will support you (including myself, if you ever wanted to reach out)
A: In my DP experience I’ve found that physics and chemistry work very well together. Physics has helped me do chemistry because some units kind of overlap and the exam papers have the exact same format. Math HL can help with physics because of calculus, which is taught earlier on (compared to Math SL) A: If you aren’t science inclined at all, one option would be taking Biology SL and then a class like Visual Art, Theatre, or (insert many other options here) instead of a second science. I personally take art and it’s one of my favourite classes. In grade 12 you have total artistic freedom over what medium you use and what you make your art about! It’s a really relaxing class to take because it’s a nice change of pace from the lectures and tests in the other classes. A: I’m taking History HL and I love it! It’s a difficult class so know that you will have to put a lot of work into it but you learn about a lot of really important events and periods in a lot of depth. I feel like it has made me a more well rounded and knowledgeable person with better critical thinking skills and I find the content really interesting.
Q: I get really busy after school. How do I get all of my home learning done? A: One thing you can do is to break up your homework into more manageable time chunks. What I like to do is, instead of sitting at one assignment for hours, I do 15-20 minutes of focused work before moving on to the next task. It allows me to cram more work into one night, helps me remain focused (because you’re not sitting for hours while your brain falls out your ears) and saves a lot of time. This is especially effective if you space things out over several days (so instead of doing an entire essay in one night, you do a few minutes of it every day until the due date). This way you can get a little bit done even on busy nights.
Q: Is it hard to write the personal project report? A: Since I picked something I’m really passionate about (I have certain restricted interests and I can fixate on them for probably many hours at a time) it was quite easy for me and also quite fun. The report was also kinda fun to write. Other people did things they found really stressful though, so if you think you might struggle finding motivation to write I would PICK SOMETHING YOU’RE TRULY PASSIONATE ABOUT! I applied this same rule to the extended essay and I had pretty much no stress at all while everyone else was going “uggggghhhhhhhhh EEE EEEEEE is soooo stressssfulll…………” and I was like heheheh…
Q: Studying tips for the DP? How hard is it? How much homework do you have? How do you organize your time? A: The most difficult part for me balancing my school work with my general life. I think it’s important that you have a medium between the two, so that you don’t feel overwhelmed. For me it’s been essential to try to accomplish a couple of things as soon as I get home from school, and I try my best to do this even when it might be more difficult. This way I can take a break before dinner, maybe even have some down time just for myself, so that I don’t feel stressed out for the rest of the week. For me, I usually do an average of 2-3 hours of homework per night, and on the weekend I would probably say an average of 4-5 hours per day, but of course this varies based on what courses you take and how you work.
BY: DAWSON A. (8)
OUR MISSION Stratford Hall educates students to the highest global standards through the programmes of the International Baccalaureate. Excellence and confidence are developed through a challenging academic curriculum with further emphasis on creativity, action and service. We foster a strong pluralistic community built on integrity and respect.
OUR VISION Stratford Hall strives to be a global leader in the International Baccalaureate community. Our students will gain a deep understanding of the world around them, and they will act on their connections to the outside community. They will excel to the best of their abilities, and graduates will be equipped to achieve their chosen goals. This is accomplished by acquiring and retaining the best teachers, and by a commitment to a balanced and enriched curriculum. The success of Stratford Hall is deeply rooted in the establishment of a supportive, knowledgeable and committed community.
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