The Wally Street Journal | Issue 8

The Wally Street Journal

9/2/2018 Issue 8

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Editors’ Note Soundtrack To Your Week A Message from Afro-Caribbean Society Year 11 Perspectives on Poetry Unsung heroine : Olive Morris Spring Gardening How – To How I dealt with frequent existential crises No Such Thing As A Fish Sister Act Review Be My Valentine?

Head Girl Interviews Perhaps A Grimace Children’s Mental Health Week Year 12 Art

Cover Image – Eté Thurgood

Editors’ Note

Rhiannon – I’m a Year 12 and I thought that the Wally Street Journal was a really creative and interesting way for students to get involved in our school community and to share ideas. I hope you really enjoy this issue that Anya and I have worked on, and that if you weren’t involved this time, will send a submission in for us next term!

Anya – I’m in year 12; participating in the curation of the school newspaper has been an interesting opportunity to explore various areas of school life from a student perspective as well as collecting articles on a broad range of topics that can be explored better through student journalism. We hope you enjoy this edition.

As we’ve all experienced, this half term has been really busy: we’ve had Sister Act, Mentoring Day, the Year 7 & 8 disco, Senior Prefect elections. We’ve managed to muddle our way through a never-ending January and emerged with many a broken resolution, however, 2018 promises to be a year of excitement and change with February’s upcoming Black History Month events – Spring might even arrive at some point!

This issue has seen some really impressive entries for our Wally Street Journal, which is now coming out every half term – so we will need more student submissions to add to the diverse range of prose, poetry, opinion pieces that we’ve enjoyed putting together for your thoughts and amusement this time.

Issue 8 is packed with content covering everything from Black History Month to Valentine’s Day with ventures into comedy and philosophy. We’ve inherited the privilege of sharing this collection of innovative writing from Malgosia and we’re really grateful for her guidance in how to go about encompassing as much of WHSG students’ brilliance as we can.

Enjoy!

Soundtrack to Your Week Anya Desai 12SET

Curious Hayley Kiyoko Kiyoko’s first single from her upcoming album, Expectations, delivers a catchy pop ballad with fun synth and thump beats that create a sassy, confident LGBT+ anthem.

Poison Ivy Fick as Fieves This energetic indie rock tune is the perfect edition to any winter playlist and will definitely a powerful punch to your week no matter what mood you’re in.

Pray For Me The Weeknd ft. Kendrick Lamar If anyone tells you they aren’t excited for Black Panther they’re either lying or ignorant. On this track from the soundtrack the Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar team up to create an exciting, punchy yet emotional accompaniment.

You are the Problem Here First Aid Kit Released on international women’s day in 2017, You are the problem here serves as a haunting yet powerful commentary on the violence and emotional abuse against women that came to the forefront last year regarding Weinstein and the MeToo campaign. This song is full of anger and provides a composed response of frustration that says what needs to be said.

Me and Michael MGMT This song is perfect winter listening to distract you from the dark nights and cold days with its optimistic and uplifting synth beats laced with MGMT’s signature vocals and peculiarities.

Du Pouvoir Halo Maud This refreshing French indie rock track is comforting and catchy filled with calming guitar and interesting harmonies. The lyrics feel simultaneously haunting and soothing. The bewitching vocals on this song offer a new and interesting approach.

A Message from Afro-Caribbean Society Deborah Acheampong, 12TBM Black history month is upon us and it still amazes me how some heroes of the past live on in today's society. It puts the slave trade, the civil rights movement and the oppression of blacks in perspective in the grand timeline of world history today.

Ruby Bridges’ activism began just at the age of six. She was the first African-American to desegregate an all-white school in Louisiana (William Frantz elementary school) during the New Orleans desegregation crisis in 1960. Ruby, determined to prove herself to the NAACP as well as whites, passed the test that determined that she could go to an all-white school. Though there had been six other students who passed the test, it was only Ruby that was brave enough to continue to go to school by herself. She and her mother were escorted every day to school by four federal marshals. I can’t imagine my journey to and fro school being closely guarded, let alone my joyous walks to primary school. I can still remember my first journey alone to school. Without any adult supervision, the roads between my school and house became my playground. I was free, with the exception of cars bolting down the streets to avoid the morning rush.

Ruby was escorted everyday by four marshals, commanded by President Eisenhower, arguably to “take this step forward … for all black children.” When she would actually make it in the building, she received discrimination from all students and teachers alike; teachers would refuse to even teach her and she often spent days hiding in the principal’s office. Ruby Bridges today is now sixtyfour years old, having lived a successful life and now working in Mississippi as a philanthropist. Her story talks of that childhood bravery and confidence, something that I have definitely lost as I have grown up.

“Phillis Wheatley” Perhaps one way you could look at it is through the art that has been passed on. Phillis Wheatley (original birth name unknown) was one of the first African-American female poets to be recorded. Born in West Africa, she was made a slave at the age of seven and transported to North America with regular trips to England. Educated and enslaved in the household of John Wheatley, her writing was a testimony that blacks also could be artistic and intellectual.

Having seen her talent, she was emancipated shortly after the publication of her book. Within her poetry, she regularly expressed what it was like to be enslaved and she regularly spoke up against slavery in public meetings.

‘I, young in life, by seeming cruel fate, Was snach’d from Africa’s fancy’d happy seat; What pangs excruciating must molest, What sorrows labour in my parents’ breast?

Steel’d was that soul and by no mis’ry mov’d That from a father seiz’d his babe belove’d; Such-such my case; and can I then but pray Others may never feel tyrannic sway?’

An untitled poem by the poet, published after her death in London.

Her achievements as a young black woman in the 18th Century are telling of the extent of her talent.

Civil Rights in the United Kingdom Perhaps a topic that is overlooked is the involvement of the UK in the Civil Rights. In 1963 a young black protester, Paul Stephenson, in Britain echoed the action of Rosa Parks in America and began a bus boycott that helped bring in Britain’s anti-discrimination law.

The Bristol bus company operated a colour bar that refused employment to blacks or Asians. Stephenson, a 26 year old teacher, organised the 60 day bus boycott on the city’s buses. Thousands of people supported the bus boycott and the news of the racism made headlines. By the 28 August 1963 the bus company lifted the employment colour ban. This was the same day that Martin Luther King Jr made his “I have a dream speech”.

The slave trade was documented first in 1562, with over 14,000 black people living in Britain by the 18th century. After World War Two, a period of mass migration began as Britain began inviting workers from the Caribbean and Africa to fill job vacancies as labourers.

The government began to curb immigration and by 1972 non-whites could only settle in Britain with a work permit or if they had parents or grandparents who were born in Britain. By 1970 the amount of non-white residents in the UK numbered 1.4 million, although a third of this number was born in Britain. Signs outside pubs with slogans such as “no Irish, no blacks, no dogs” were popularized, although Prime Minister Wilson had introduced anti-discrimination laws.

Racial discrimination and the abuse of civil rights did not end when the anti-discrimination legislation was passed in the 1960s. But this legislation did mean that anyone who practiced discrimination could face legal consequences. The fight for equality and freedom has been a struggle in America, Britain and many other countries around world. Hopefully this struggle will help future generations live in a more equal society.

Checking Out Me History

Poem studied in GCSE English Literature by John Agard This poem is probably one of the most interesting and relatable poems I have studied; John Agard really emphasises the importance of us to go out and educate ourselves about our own history which is why I think this poem is so important.

“We should appreciate all figures in history because a lot of them don’t get enough recognition.” Anisah

“It inspired me to research my history” Rahmat

“This poem made me realise how much we need to educate ourselves on different cultures and origins and really highlighted how even multicultural countries like ours don’t educate us on these which is why we need to.” Shanuja

Nanny See-far woman Of mountain dream Fire-woman struggle Hopeful stream To freedom river

“It made me wonder what parts of my history I still don’t know.” Megha Dem tell me

“Checking Out Me History helped me to feel proud of my culture and remember my true identity.” Leanne

Dem tell me wha dem want to tell me But now I checking out me own history I carving out me identity

“This poem encouraged me to research into the past more.” Zahari Augustina Ofori Kwarteng

Unsung Heroine: Olive Morris Ama Appiah, 12JNL

Throughout history, black people have made incredible contributions to society in the fields of art, music, science, literature and, of course, civil rights. The American Civil Rights Movement is a story taught and acknowledged worldwide with key figureheads such as Martin Luther King, Malcom X and Rosa Parks becoming some of the most celebrated black figures in history. On the other hand, the British Civil Rights Movement is a section of our history that is often overlooked and ignored. Many inspiring stories have been lost and it’s important they are told again in order to preserve a history which would otherwise be lost for our future generations.

One unsung hero of the British Civil Rights Movement is Olive Morris (26th June 1952 – 12th July 1979). Morris was a passionate and fearless activist and community leader who actively campaigned for a range of different social issues affecting the black communities of Brixton and Manchester during the late 60s and throughout the 70s. She tirelessly campaigned and organised anti-racist and anti-imperialist campaigns, protested against state and police repression, rallied for squatters’ rights campaigns whilst simultaneously advocating for the rights of women and access to education and decent living conditions for black communities.

Morris was born in St Catherine, Jamaica but moved to Brixton, South London at the age of 9. Upon immigrating to the UK, Morris realised the injustices people of colour within her community were suffering. For example, in 1824 England and Wales saw ‘The Sus Law’ passed as part of the ‘Vagrancy Act’. This allowed police officers to stop, search and potentially arrest any individuals found in public that they suspected might intend to commit a criminal offence. Two witnesses would be needed to justify this which was usually two police officers patrolling

together. This law caused a lot of discontent among the growing black and ethnic minorities throughout the 1970s due to the racial profiling that resulted from it. This consequently caused ‘race riots’ in 1981 in places such as Brixton, Birmingham and Leeds. At the age of 17 Morris witnessed this law being used by police officers to discriminate against a black man. In 1969 Nigerian diplomat Clement Gomwalk parked his white Mercedes Benz, planning to join his wife and child in shopping. Police officers targeted Gomwalk and physically pulled him from his car, suspecting that he had stolen the car and was lying when he said he was a diplomat. Morris witnessed this and attempted to stop the police offers from physically attacking Gomwalk. This resulted in her getting badly beaten as well. She was charged that day of engaging in threatening behaviour and assaulting a police officer. This led to her active involvement in civil rights campaigning.

Despite leaving high school with no qualifications, Morris graduated with a degree in social sciences from The University of Manchester.

During her time in Manchester, she cofounded the Manchester Black Women’s Cooperative and Manchester Black Women’s Aid group. Morris was also a member of the British Black Panther Movement (the BBP). In Brixton, the centre of the British Black Panther Movement, Morris along with other Panthers of black and South Asian backgrounds worked to educate the general public on the problems people of colour were facing. Though unaffiliated with the American Black Panther Party the British Black Panthers were inspired by them. However, they saw themselves as a movement with no interest in gaining seats in parliament or behaving like a political party. Their main aims were to raise awareness for problems coloured communities were facing such as the hardship they encountered whilst trying to climb the job ladder and enter more skilled professions such as teaching and law in opposed to the factory work many were left to do. One way they did this was by publishing their own newspaper named ‘Freedom News’. Educating future generations also made up a huge amount of their work. Members ran a Saturday school on Shakespeare Road, Brixton where they gave local children extra lessons in Maths and English.

Once the BPP dissolved Morris felt it was important to have a group where people of colour could feel empowered. She founded the Organisation of Woman of African and Asian descent and the Brixton Black Women’s Group with the aim of encouraging young women of colour to take a stand for their rights and beliefs.

Sadly, Morris died at the age of 27 due to cancer. Despite dying at a young age, Morris empowered those who lived and worked around her and contributed a great deal to black communities across the country. She was fearless and committed to changing Britain for the better and her legacy shines fierce and strong, helping to disrupt the silence and invisibility surrounding Black British history.

Spring !

The start of the year is associated with new starts and resolutions in our lives, and in nature we see new life springing up everywhere (haha). Here are some tips for anyone who loves gardening, who secretly asks their grandparents about it, or who wants to find out that you don’t have to be an Auntie Mabel to have green fingers!

Here are some outdoor plants to sow in January/February time: 1. Sweet peas -

To start your seeds off you can rehydrate them overnight in warm water Use plenty of moist soil when sowing your seeds; add compost if you have some so they can get extra nutrients You can sow these in pots or directly into the ground in a sunny spot

2. Lobelia flowers -

Like sweet peas these can be planted indoors to move outdoors when there’s warmer weather (they can’t take frost) These need moist soil too, with a lot of sunlight Lobelia seeds can be planted on the top of the soil

3. Himalayan Poppy -

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These flowers are used to colder weather, so plant them in half shady areas (the shade level should be around how you feel when someone copies your test without asking) They need a lot of nutrients as they don’t have very deep roots, so add compost to your soil, or other garden material you can find (e.g. dead plants)

Here are some more examples: Geraniums

Antirrhinum

If outdoor gardening seems a bit too much effort, a bit cold because sometimes British weather doesn’t get the memo that spring is the build up to summer, or you don’t have enough space outside – here are some tips for indoor plants!

1. Cacti -

These friendly little plants are easy to maintain and can make a boring space look fun In general, cacti and succulents are happiest with plenty of sunlight Water every few days Check the label/ask the shop when you buy for specific advice

2. Aloe Vera -

Another type of indoor plant that is easy to look after They like sunlight and not too much water They’re also very healthy !

3. Amaryllis -

These need water regularly They like bright sunlight but not direct – it’s too strong

http://www.suttons.co.uk/Gardening/Flower+Seeds/When+to+Sow+Flowers/ https://www.thompson-morgan.com/how-to-grow-sweet-peas https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/lobelia/lobelia.htm http://www.seedsofeaden.com/ornamental-plants-k7/how-to-grow-the-himalayan-blue-poppy-b88.html

How I dealt with my frequent existential crises.

Cerys Roberts A short introduction to existentialism and how it influenced me A common theme in my adolescence has been the occurrence of what can only be described as existential crises. Every now and then I would read something or have a bizarre encounter/experience that would lead me to question the very nature of everything that I take to be the case in my everyday life. An example of such may be as I would finish a book and stare at the wall in my bedroom wondering what to do next. Suddenly it would be like I was being crushed down by the weight of my own existence, my head swimming with questions concerning why I exist, what my purpose is, and how my life has happened to reach this exact moment in time. In case you are not familiar with such a sensation; it is somewhat unpleasant. Until I began studying philosophy, I would end these crises by distracting myself in some way and continuing with my life, pushing these terrifying thoughts to some dark corner of my brain that I would never visit voluntarily.

I came across the term Existentialism when reading an article for a politics lesson on Simone De Beauvoir, famous for her radical feminism but also for her influence on philosophy in 20th century Paris. Immediately intrigued by the notion that our existence is contingent and that our lives have no purpose, I got to google and started what would turn out to be hours and hours of reading and research on the subject. In layman’s terms, I will attempt to outline the key concepts of existentialism and then explain how this philosophy has radically changed my outlook on human existence.

Jean Paul Sartre is credited for coining the term ‘Existentialism’, using it to describe himself and his philosophy in the early-mid 20th century. Sartre’s philosophy had many influencers, notably Husserl and his work on phenomenology, essentially to do with human consciousness and experience from a first-person perspective. The proposition that Sartre makes in his most famous work, ‘Being and nothingness’ is that ‘Existence precedes Essence’. Put simply, we exist prior to us having a purpose or meaning. Contrary to popular religious belief at the time, Sartre is saying that as we are born we have our existence and our existence only; purpose or meaning comes from us and it is contingent (i.e., dependent on other things). It is us living our lives that gives us the ‘purpose’ and defines who we truly are. Being an atheist, this was immediately appealing to me as I had always struggled with the popular notion that there is some higher purpose of human existence, whether this is through duty to God or to some other moral code. I questioned where this purpose would come from and how we could ever know and

universally agree upon exactly what it entailed. The possibility of us creating meaning for ourselves I immediately adopted, and this hugely aided me moving out of this existential fog I had frequently found myself in.

However, this is not the only part of existentialism I found to fit with my intuitions. Another fundamental concept that Sartre draws upon is that of the absurdity of life. The ‘absurd’ is a necessary predecessor to the attempts of humans to place meaning and purpose on a world that appears to lack these things. In his first novel ‘Nausea’ published in 1938, the protagonist is frequently confronted with everyday situations in which he finds himself directly confronted with the absurd nature of their existence. A famous example is the wooden chair on a tram that he is unable to put into context and sees separate from the experiences and situations in which we come to understand it. The idea of absurdity was examined in great depth by Albert Camus who defined it as the confrontation of human need and the ‘unreasonable silence of the world’.

Unsurprisingly I was familiar with this feeling of detachment and having it defined as ‘absurd’ was, in an odd way, comforting.

So far I’m sure you’re wondering how such a bleak and dreary outlook on the world can have saved me from my existential dread, and up to a point, I kind of agreed. What I have yet failed to mention is the consequences that Sartre draws from these conclusions about our bleak and meaningless existence: the consequences concerning freedom. An issue that existentialists including Sartre have with the idea of human purpose is the lack of freedom it allows the individual. If we are striving for one ultimate goal- maximising pleasure for example as Bentham would suggest is right to do- then our freedom is severely limited, as our choices regarding what to do in a particular situation must correspond with the achieving of this goal and thus we do not have ‘freewill’ in the truest sense.

However, if we accept existentialist theory, then the freedom that comes with our lack of purpose is dizzying. Because we have no obligation to meet a certain end, we are completely and wholly free to act in whatever way we please and live our lives however we want.

While some may find the meaninglessness of our lives bleak and austere, others (i.e. me), find the freedom that comes with it liberating and exciting.

All in all, learning about existentialism has both cured and worsened my existential questioning insofar that I no longer experience 15 minute crises, but instead I am constantly wondering and grasping at more and more of existential philosophy. If I’m honest, I’m not entirely sure what’s worse. This piece has been an extremely short introduction to some of the key concepts in existentialism. I have neglected to mention Sartre’s idea of ‘bad

faith’ and how his philosophy supported (or didn’t support) the radical Marxist ideology he identified with. Also, Sartre is only one of up to a dozen influential existentialist philosophers.

However it is the basic ideas of the points that I mentioned that initially piqued my interest and filled the existence-sized gap in my brain. What existentialism has done for me, other than convince me that there is no objective ethical truths and that our existence is entirely contingent and another coincidence in this infinitely large and random universe, is help me to provide some sort of answer to the unanswerable question ‘what is the meaning of life’? Now, when asked, I can say with relative confidence, that I believe the meaning of life to be whatever you make it.

No Such Thing as a Fish I am addicted to podcasts. It's possibly unhealthy but this article is not an exploration of the author's bad habits, sadly this publication is not long enough for that. What it is, is shameless idea stealing. One of my favourite podcasts is 'No Such Thing as a Fish' created by QI researchers who discuss their favourite facts that they have found out that week during the course of their research. Thus, inspired by (or directly lifted from) this podcast I present the most entertaining facts I have come across for each week of this half term: Week 1 - 1/1/18 - 5/1/18 The reason we have grass in our gardens.

For many centuries having a lawn around your castle was a status symbol. It evidenced extreme wealth as you could afford acres of your land to be completely useless and could afford the exorbitant cost of upkeep. As time passed, a well-manicured patch of grass remained a status symbol and now it’s common practice to waste a plot of land with useless grass that requires frequent maintenance.

Week 2 - 8/1/18 - 12/1/18 The Origin Story of Scientology Once a member of the ‘church’ of Scientology reaches a certain level, they are told about the origin story of ‘thetans’ – souls that inhabit us all. According to the official story, the dictator of the Galactic Confederation, Xenu, sent billions of citizens of the confederation to Earth. Ostensibly they were sent for a tax audit but in reality this was a population control method. Hydrogen bombs were detonated killing all of the aliens who had been shepherded to Earth. Their thetans were then released and inhabit a human form. It may not surprise the reader to know that L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of scientology, was also a science-fiction author.

Week 3 - 15/1/18 - 19/1/18 German Trenches Unlike British troops who were told World War 1 would be ‘over by Christmas’, German troops planned for the long haul. This meant that they built their trenches a little differently. German trenches had

wallpaper, door bells, bunk beds, cupboards and even electric lighting.

Week 4 - 22/1/18- 26/1/18 Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson often hosted parties at his ranch during his presidency. He would then proceed to get roaring drunk and drive guests around his ranch. If he needed a refill, he would stick his hand out of the window and the secret service car that had to be following the President at all times would stop, an agent would run out and refill Johnson’s cup. If any of-age readers are interested, Lyndon B. Johnson’s drink of choice was scotch and soda which he liked to take in a Styrofoam cup.

Week 5 - 29/1/18 - 2/2/18 Why Michael Eavis always wears shorts Michael Eavis is the founder of Glastonbury and is always sporting shorts in any weather. The reason for this is, according to him, his GP’s wife. He was at an anti-nuclear and anti-Thatcher march and wore shorts for this occasion. His GP’s wife, walking behind him, supposedly told him he had great legs. Eavis was so flattered by this he decided everyone must be blessed with his ‘amazing’ – to quote the GP’s wife in question – legs.

Week 6 - 5/2/18 - 9/2/18 Ferdinand I of Bulgaria was a petty man When on his way to the funeral of Edward VII, he wanted to be in the front carriage of the train as befitted his high rank. However, he got the second carriage on the train, the first going to Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Franz had to get through Ferdinand’s carriage to get to the food cart so, in retaliation, Ferdinand locked the door so Franz couldn’t get any food. On another occasion Kaiser Wilhelm II came up behind him and smacked him on the bottom. Highly offended by this, Ferdinand demanded an apology but Wilhelm refused. In response Ferdinand gave a valuable contract to a French firm rather than a German one.

Sister Act Review This year, for the fifth year running, the drama and music departments have teamed up to create a show – this year it’s WHSG’s fourth musical, Sister Act! The production features Oyeyimika Osilaja as Deloris, Jenny Crompton as Mother Superior, Hazel Jenkins as Eddie and Sara Okusi as Curtis.

The cast have been working on Sister Act since September, and are so excited to share their creation with the school and with family, friends and supporters. The basic storyline is that a talented singer, Deloris, having decided to leave her boyfriend, Curtis, sees him murder someone so she is sent to a nunnery to hide until she can testify against him in court. While at the nunnery she causes quite a lot of disruption and joy!

Here are some thoughts from students involved: For the first year ever, I was part of the Crew for Sister Act and I admire the hard work and dedication of the entire crew who work behind the scenes! They may not be in the spotlight but without them the show would never work. From costume, to lighting, to sound to the band; there is so much to consider and organise. This year, like every other, has been incredible and I could not have asked for a better cast to work with! Their enthusiasm sparkles like their costumes and the show is definitely one for the books! It’s funny and heartfelt. The talent of the young cast is astounding and I have heard nothing but praise for them! Keep rocking girls and Raise your voice! Laurynne MacCallum

Music is such an integral part of WHSG. The school has so many singers and musicians, all of them full of talent, who jump at opportunities to perform. The school play is one of those opportunities, and probably the most popular of them all.

Students from all year groups audition for chorus parts or principal roles, eager to get up on stage under that spotlight and sing their hearts out. What many people don't realise, however, is that the best experiences of these school musicals aren't all in front of the audience. The community of actors and singers, rehearsing and working together to produce a beautiful performance, is so strong and supportive - many people finish working on a school production with a whole new group of close friends. The relationships between the characters seen on the stage are mere echoes of the strong friendships between the students involved. For me, 'Sister Act' created a family of singers, musicians, actors, dancers and stage crew, and for that I am incredibly grateful.

Jenny Crompton, Mother Superior

I thoroughly enjoyed working with everyone in Sister Act. You know that feeling when you know you've seen people around school and then you get to know them and realise they're really cool... yeah that's basically what I experienced all the time.

I am so proud to have been a part of what was, in my opinion, the best school production I've seen in a long time (huge thanks to the band, lighting, costumes and directors). Thanks again to everyone who was a part of something so special):) Yimika Osilaja, Deloris No different to other years, this year’s production has been absolutely incredible and I have been honoured to be one of the choreographers/dancers of the musical.

Each year is filled with laughter, pride and energy and this year has been no exception. At times the rehearsal processes have been long and hard but there is always light at the end of each tunnel and finally we can see it! The cast and crew have worked so hard and I’m so proud of the outcome. Well done cast!

Anoushka Deshmukh, Dance Captain

Teachers who organised and supported the show gave their thoughts on Sister Act as well: Our 2018 school production was a fantastic show to work on. All the staff and students involved worked incredibly hard as a team to produce a West End- quality show. Special thanks should also go to parents for supporting their children throughout the many rehearsals. Lastly, I couldn’t be prouder of the cast and crew for their dedication and amazing talent. They’ve set a very high standard for future productions. Mrs Borrageiro-Maier, Director

I was so pleased to finally gain performing rights for ‘Sister Act’ after trying for a good few years. The music itself is excellent and there are so many vibrant, toe-tapping numbers as well as some very stylish numbers and ballads.

I was so thrilled with the production and was blown away by the talent and energy of all the performers. The band which was led by Kathy Gunn, was outstanding and they demonstrated excellent musicianship and teamwork.

The entire cast and crew really came together on all nights, and the show was so polished and slick, bursting with energy and enthusiasm. The standard of the performances was so high and the talent was outstanding. I am extremely proud of everyone involved in ‘Sister Act’ and I hope that everyone can hang on to the memories of such a great show for many years to come. Thank you to all.

Mrs Yard, Musical Director

Sister Act is the first time that I’ve been in charge of choreographing a whole show, which was quite daunting to begin with! It’s definitely been a learning curve – both in terms of actually making up dances that people can do and that look good on stage and in terms of trying to put that across to the cast (I was trained to teach Physics, not dance!). I’ve absolutely loved it though, and really hope to do more in the future (although I do now have a lot more sympathy for the people who have choreographed me in shows in the past – I’m sorry for when I forgot where to stand/didn’t have straight arms/didn’t smile!). It’s been lovely to get to know my students in a different capacity and for them to know that I’m not all about science all of the time!

It’s also been great to work with other teachers outside of the science department and get to know them better. Watching the dress rehearsal (the last time I would get to see it!) was pretty emotional though – I was so proud of everyone on stage and definitely teared up a little!

Miss Lowe, Choreographer Having seen the show on Tuesday 30th January, Wednesday 31st January or Thursday 1st February, some of the audience gave their opinions:

I thought that our school production this year was outstanding, and I think the main reason for that was the strong relationship between the cast, which for a member of the audience, was noticeable. I particularly found the role of Deloris (lead) outstanding due to how well the part suited her character and personality. The bubbly and light-hearted nuns were also a joy to watch because it was interesting to see how their own personalities were used to benefit the characters.

Brilliant production! Shamita Datta, Year 12

An absolutely wonderful performance.

Through upbeat music, which energised the entire audience and perfectly timed comedic moments, Sister Act entertained while conveying an important message.

Well done to everyone involved!

Ria Patel, Year 12 Sanjana Idnani, Year 12

It was by far the best performance I have seen at WHSG! There were so many people involved and yet it appeared to work seamlessly without any hitches and this must be due to the incredibly hard work and commitment, not just of the performers but the stage crew and lighting as well as all the staff. Just the sheer number of different costumes showed how carefully this had been planned.

Each student clearly gave their best and I felt quite moved to see so many students blessed with such a range of talent. Of course I appreciated the use of Spanish and French in the play – who wouldn’t?! What I really loved though was seeing how much the girls enjoyed taking part - I have never seen so many smiles and sparkly eyes!

I could name individuals but the list would be huge, so, instead, I shall just say the evening was thoroughly enjoyable, I laughed so much and haven’t stopped smiling since – thank you to everyone who played a part in the creation of such a huge success!

Karen Hopgood, Director of MFL

by Rhiannon Abrams, Sister Mary Patrick

Be My Valentine?

I am sure that every girl, possibly along with many boys also, has dreamt of the day they are asked a question like the one above.

Perhaps the scenario is painted with roses and a dinner in a restaurant for two. Perhaps it is set by the river whilst the sun is setting over the horizon. Perhaps it is even set on a hot beach whilst being passed an ice cold drink, (obviously this can’t be England anymore, especially in February of all times!)

But, to our despair, what seems far more likely is an obscure snapchat from that person you’ve been messaging briefly, equipped with a poor attempt at humour and a dozen too many winky face emojis.

Putting it in other words, the American-warped version of Valentine’s Day is something that may be strived for, but may never be reached. The whole ‘I bumped into you by the lockers and our books fell and our hands touched and our eyes met and now I love you’ concept seems a little bit oversaturated and frankly, ridiculous.

If you are still reading this and have put up with my obvious sarcasm and cynical view, firstly I applaud your perseverance, secondly, I want to highlight that I don’t actually HATE Valentine’s Day! Not at all!

I think sharing your love with your significant other is a wonderful thing. Or, if this destined day in February is the day you spike up enough courage to talk to the person you like for the first time, then I am supporting you completely and cheering you on from the side-lines.

You see, I think being in love, having relationships and dating are wonderful and unique experiences; they therefore shouldn’t be something the media uses to gain money and benefit from. Think about it, have you SEEN how many ice cream and chick flick discounts there are around that time of year!

I don’t want to end on a sour note, so I shall conclude by wishing everyone a wonderful Valentine’s Day in advance!

However, this year, don’t waste the day away hoping for something unreachable. Don’t despair if you don’t yet have a ‘special someone’. And most certainly don’t be discouraged and restricted by what the media has portrayed Valentine’s Day to be. Spend the day exactly how you want, hopefully with a smile on your face throughout.

Interviews with the new Head Girls

Rakeb Yosef 1. What was your reaction to finding out you were Head Girl?

I was shocked to say the least! I have always looked up to the head girls since I was back in year 7 so to find out that I was going to be one of those people I had previously looked up to felt amazing. I really wasn’t expecting it and I didn’t think I had it in me so when I was told I felt honoured, thankful as well as slightly nervous about the new level of responsibility that comes with the role. I’m extremely privileged to be given this opportunity and I am really looking forward to this new and exciting journey ahead.

2. Who inspires you and why?

Someone who has always inspired me is Oprah Winfrey. I am sure that almost everybody knows her name, but many people may not know the struggles that she came from. Oprah came from an extremely troubled start to life. She was born into a life of poverty, facing continuous childhood abuse such as sexual abuse by a number of her male relatives leading to her pregnancy and miscarriage at 14. This troubled early life did not stop Oprah from working hard and becoming the first African-American woman to reach billionaire status in 2003 which is extremely inspirational. As well as this, she is known for her charity work, giving almost $50 million to charities. She inspires me and many others to work hard and is living proof that it is your work ethic that gets you to success, not the circumstances into which you were born. Additionally, her close work with charity is also another aspect that makes her one of my biggest inspirations as her openness and compassion allows for a vision of a better world.

3. Any funny/embarrassing WHSG anecdotes?

WHSG has allowed me to create so many funny memories and stories that I will always remember. My friends are extremely humorous so there is almost never a day where something funny doesn’t happen.

One fun memory I do have must be the black history month showcase last year that was such an exciting event that showcased talent as

well as being so much fun. Many of my embarrassing anecdotes come from my PE classes where I got way too involved in the sports leading to me skidding while playing rounders into the post, running straight into one of the people in my class as we were both running to catch a ball leaving her with a black eye, as well as falling and tripping over a hurdle in one of my races. However, all my other times in PE were filled with fun!

4. What are your aspirations for life after school?

Once I leave the school, I hope to get into medical school and hopefully pursue a career as a doctor due to my passion for biology as well as helping others. I hope to get in to a good university that will give me the resources to be able become a successful doctor as well as enable me to grow as a person. I also aspire to be a part of a scheme to travel and go abroad to different countries, aiding refugee centres as part of a medical team.

5. Words of wisdom for younger years?

My words of wisdom for the younger years are to definitely make the most of all opportunities that come your way and to always give everything a try. When I signed up for senior prefect and head girl, I had no idea that I was capable of getting the role. Therefore, by putting yourself out there you are able to embrace being out of your comfort zone as well as opening yourself up for new possibilities.

Something that goes hand in hand with this is to believe in yourself as you are capable of anything that you put your mind to. Another piece of advice would be to make sure you are enjoying your time at the school by surrounding yourself with positive people that uplift you as before you know it, your time at Wallington High School for Girls will fly by and you want to be able to have a load of memories to take with you!

Rhiannon Abrams

1. What was your reaction to finding out you were Head Girl?

I was quite surprised – the competition had been so strong and in the meeting Miss Goodall and Mr Booth kept such straight faces I thought I hadn’t got the position! Then, I was just so excited and I had to stop myself from laughing too much!

2. Who inspires you and why?

I’m a Christian and I’d say my main inspiration comes from my faith; that’s where my anchor is; I guess most of the people I look up to have that same faith. Inevitably my parents have inspired me so much and I’m really grateful to them because they’ve shown me patience and hard work in practice which I think are invaluable. I have this friend I met on a church beach mission in summer, the same age as me, and she is a huge inspiration to me as she’s been ill for quite

a while and throughout her difficulties she never stops being grateful and supportive to other people – I’d say she’s one of my inspirations. As for famous people, I think Gina Rodriguez is actually a big inspiration for me just because of her courage and hard work in representing her Latino culture and using her voice to support people who may not have one in society; her talent is amazing but the way she uses the platform it gives her for other people is inspirational.

3. Any funny/embarrassing WHSG anecdotes?

Plenty! One of my favourites to look back on is Bookworm Rhi in year 7 (I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this) – I was so desperate to keep reading throughout the day that I would ask Devika (one of my best friends) to take my arm and lead me around the corridors so I could carry on: I don’t think you’ll ever find a more patient friend!! Then there are always those funny times when I went to perform with Gospel choir or something, with no idea what the words were. This actually used to happen fairly frequently, but it was always made worse if I had a sibling in the audience, because they’d spot it and I’d never be able to stop giggling.

4. What are your aspirations for life after school?

I’m not sure about what I want to do yet, but I’m really interested in studying languages (perhaps with something else) at university.

I’m really enjoying French A level and I’d love to carry it on, so I’d love to study a course with French which includes some element of History or Literature – something like that. Apart from studying, I really want to see the world and experience different cultures because I think the more of the world you see, the more people you can understand and connect with!

5. Words of wisdom for younger years?

Work hard, get enough sleep, all the sensible stuff – but don’t forget to put things into perspective. These years are so important but they’re also really precious so don’t forget to give yourself time to enjoy them; that means use your time well and with people who you appreciate and who appreciate you!

PERHAPS A GRIMACE Dana Collins 11 Sharman

the day i became aware that my body was anything less than my own, my friend told me about the time she got catcalled walking home from school. perhaps it wasn’t the first incident i heard about, but it certainly wouldn’t be the last. she told me of the way she had to smile back the vomit rising up her throat, because maybe if she smiled she wouldn’t have to worry about being followed home. that thought rooted itself like a tree into my mind, growing and growing until the branches reached my mouth and weathered it into a smile (or perhaps a grimace) that i only save for the worst case scenario. until eventually, as i walked home from school in the winter with the sun just set and the glow of early evening dark growing around me like a tumour, i kept that smile (or perhaps a grimace) stitched into my face and eyes down low. because maybe if i didn’t walk with the power that grew with my aching limbs i wouldn’t have to worry about being followed home. multiple times that year my mother warned me of the dangers i was surrounded by when i walked alone in the dark. i was steered away from shorter sleeves and necklines, lest i find myself in the wrong place at the wrong time because even if i found myself there, it would still be my fault. it should be drilled into my head by now that my clothes should shroud me. maybe if my body is hidden from head to toe in grey, i will be hidden from those that rely on the silly women. the silly women who forget to not walk down the dark part of town the silly women who don’t wear a hemline that lines up with their ankles. the silly women who get the blame for the crime. but there will always be a silly woman with a badly planned route home

and a shirt that doesn’t cover up her shoulders who forgot to carve the lines of a smile (or perhaps a grimace) into her cheeks and to look at her own feet. yet somehow she is worthy of being the victim. somehow she is looked at as though she was the perpetrator. because even if it’s too vulgar to be said aloud, they can’t help it if they slap us across the face with a comment. we should hide ourselves in dust to make it easier for them; lock the energy radiating out of us inside of our bodies, because breaking us is easier than teaching someone else what a compliment is. the day i became aware my body was anything less than my own i held my keys as makeshift knives in my hands and tattooed a permanent smile (or perhaps a grimace) into my skin, so that when it was dark, i could be mistaken for an object rather than a young girl who shouldn’t understand what their words mean. i took as small a step as possible with my eyes pushed back into my skull because maybe if i couldn’t see what was about to happen i wouldn’t have to worry about being followed home

Children’s Mental Health Week Caitlin Attrill, 12FWS

5th February to 11th February is the week of children's mental health in 2018. It’s a week of challenging the stigma, of helping children coping with mental health problems feel accepted into a society that generally has poor understanding of mental health. Before we come back to the 'stigma', let's explore what mental health really is.

The literal definition is 'the state of emotional and psychological wellbeing in a person'. In reality it's so much more than this. It's being able to cope with stuff that happens during a day that wouldn’t phase most people, of resisting particular urges and sometimes it can just be getting out of bed and saying 'I made it'.

A lot of the struggles that suffers experience is the misunderstanding of their illness and this can be hindering on a road to recovery. A child, or anyone for that matter, suffering from depression is not just sad. Too many of us have false perceptions of what it is like to live with something like depression, and these perceptions can lead us to say stuff like 'just cheer up'; these unhelpful comments are naïve and undermine what a sufferer goes through. Depression is one of the most common illnesses of its type, one that everyone reading this has probably heard of, but still it is invalidated and is seen as less serious than it truly is. OCD is another problem that has false perceptions. I'm sure that at some point in your life you have been guilty of saying 'Ugh, stop being so OCD' or 'Why are you so OCD about that?'. OCD (or ANY other types

of mental health problem) should never ever be used as an adjective to describe a person's actions – it is a problematic and stressful condition, and by using it in this way it is being normalised and can make sufferers feel victimised. Similarly don’t self-diagnose!!

This is so invalidating to someone suffering from the illness you claim to have. Yes, it is possible to show all the symptoms and it can be likely you have something but it takes a rigorous assessment to diagnose most mental health problems.

You may or may not have heard the statistic that 1 in 4 people in this country will experience a mental health problem in their lives.

It is estimated that 1 million children / adolescents are currently suffering from something. But the important statistic here is that just 3 in 8 children suffering will ever get proper help for it.

This may be because they never reach out; this is where the stigma comes in. Our society has built a false image around suffering, it is often seen as a sign of weakness, or giving up. What most don’t realise that living a life with an illness requires bravery and determination. Often people don’t reach out because when they do they are told that there are no services available to help them. 5 in 8 children are left vulnerable and without support simply because the NHS is failing to provide sufficient services for us. There are more than 200 classified illnesses and this figure will only grow, as will the number of people needing help. Due to a lack of services across the board 1 in 5 people with anorexia nervosa will die from their condition. This is an upsetting figure, but with better understanding and recognition this could go down in the future.

These statistics also mean that at some point in your life you are almost guaranteed to be in contact with someone who suffers. Whether this be a family member, a friend or a colleague you need to understand that they don’t want to or need to be treated differently from other people. Just because they might have a different outlook on life, or a different way of coping or different experiences they are still just like you.

It's really not that hard. Being nice to people should be normal but unfortunately it sometimes isn't. You don’t know when someone is suffering because most battles are silent and concealed, and often people being nice is the difference between a good and bad day.

This week is about educating people on these issues and raising awareness about them. It's about breaking the stigma and understanding how much of a serious issue mental health is. It's about empowering others and learning to accept everyone no matter what their experiences may be. #breakthestigma

Year 12 Art

"This is an illustration created on the iPad and suggests ideas about the relationship between ourselves and nature. There are a few faces embedded amongst the flowers which could symbolise this relationship."

Maryam Ghani

This was a new technique we learnt in class, which is polar opposite to my realism drawing before. It was more about being loose and experimental, and some of the outcomes were actually ‘happy accidents’ – some of the prints were created from me trying to actually clean up some ink.

I rolled out ink and used pencil to print certain textures on to paper.

I’ve chosen these two pieces to show how ‘wide’ art really is.

This is an observational drawing where I really focused on realism and creating tones and depth to relay exactly what I saw on to paper.

Kirthiha Kumar

In this piece, I experimented with the use of negative space and interpretations of colour in contrast to each other. I liked this idea as the concept of negative space holds many connotations of things such as vulnerability and incompleteness.

Whereas on the other hand the colours I used are much bolder, further giving implications of strength and power, meaning the piece can be interpreted in different ways. Caitlin Conçeicão

Caitlin Conçeicão I tried to recreate the style of tarot in my own simple way with materials I was comfortable with. Tarot has a much deeper meaning than the initial ‘it can tell your future’; it can be interpreted in many ways. This piece represents 'The Star' which has the positive meaning of recovery, optimism, intuition and hope when the card is shown upright.

Emily Chan

It’s been wonderful to see our students embrace a wide variety of ideas and processes during their Autumn & Spring term experimental project. They are developing strong ideas ready for their independent project to begin in March.

Mrs Moore, Head of Art

This is my two experimenting pages of mono printing. Mono printing involves Mrs Moore, Head cutting of Art out areas (in my case, regions of white) rolling ink over it and printing.

Evon Wee Yi Kan

Thank you for reading, we hope it was as enjoyable to read as it was to make!

Thanks to everyone who participated in this issue; if you’d like to get involved in the Wally Street Journal please send us your submissions, or save them in the Newspaper Shared Area folder – we’re excited to hear what you have to say!

We can’t to share more journalism and writing with you next half term – have a great break everyone ☺