WIC HOWLER
Valerie Wong and
Ainsley Fielden
Editors:
BOOKS TO READ
By Lora H (Grade 7)
Have you finished that series you’ve been reading? Are you bored out of your mind because every single book you see looks mediocre? In this article, you can explore some book recommendations when nothing else seems to hit the spot.
Firstly, we will dive into some fantasy novels you should think about Some popular fantasy books read by almost everybody include series like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and the Maze Runner Maybe you’ve already read them or you’re just not a fan, so here are some other alternatives to consider. A popular fantasy novel is Caraval by Stephanie Garber. A wellknown novel, Caraval is the first book in a trilogy and tells the story of two sisters, Tella and Scarlett. The girls lived on an island with their abusive father until they ran away to participate in the game of Caraval. Both sisters are taken there by a sailor named Julian, and both are also given a romantic subplot as well. If you’ve already read this series and enjoyed it, you might also want to check out a similar standalone novel titled The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern The book features two rival magicians, Celia and Marco, who, unknown to them, have been trained specifically for a fight-to-thedeath duel at the circus, Le Cirque De Reves, which is open only at night
On the mystery side of things, Agatha Christie is always a good place to start Her books star the detective Hercule Poirot with most books being written from his friend, Captain Hasting’s, perspective. In later stories, Miss Marple replaces Poirot as the detective. A more recent mystery trilogy that became popular on social media is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder follows a senior in high school named Pip who is on a mission to prove a dead friend of hers, Sal, innocent for her school’s final project.
"Books HD" by Abee5 is licensed under CC BY 2 0
Slowly, her investigation starts to escalate, and her own life is put at risk
Another book is The Silent Patient, by Alex Michaelides. It is a horror/mystery standalone that opens with a successful painter, Alicia Berenson, who had what looked like a perfect life. Alicia was married to a fashion photographer named Gabriel. One day, Gabriel came home late from work and was shot in the face five times by his wife Afterwards, Alicia refused to speak a single word to anyone.
Everybody dabbles in a little historical fiction and many enjoy the genre, so let’s look at The Book Thief by Markus Zusak The Book Thief is set in Nazi Germany during World War II and begins with Death introducing himself as the narrator telling the story of a girl named Liesel, who steals books, learns to read, and survives the war while her foster family protects and hides a Jew in their basement. Another amazing historical fiction book is Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah It takes place more recently in 1999 - 2000 with a boy named Alem. Alem’s parents are from Eritrea and Ethiopia where these two countries are at war with each other. His parents leave their son in London to be left in the care of a Mr Hardwick Soon, Alem finds himself jumping to different homes and living letter-to-letter while he faces the situation before him
Whatever type of reader you are, whether you want to read the genre you know best or you’re feeling like you want to switch it up a little, hopefully one of these books catches your eye When the books on your shelves look a little duller than usual, take these book recommendations into consideration for your next read.
VOLUNTEERING
by Dana P (Grade 11)
As the celebration of the New Year is slowly fading behind us, that time of year begins when people’s resolutions begin to fade too. Whether your resolution is going to the gym more often, eating healthier, or trying to be kinder, it is hard to find a good starting place and keep momentum For some, a New Year's resolution that could be fulfilling is volunteering. Volunteering helps both the community and the volunteer in many ways such as reducing loneliness and increasing empathy. It is for everyone, no matter what their interests or age are, and it helps teens grow more independent by spending more time out of the house while meeting people from all walks of life.
Where to start as a student? That can be the most challenging thing about volunteering. Start with your interests. Maybe after spending time with a buddy from Girls and Boys Club during CALM class, you realize that you like spending time with kids. Or maybe you know you don’t like kids, so you’d rather spend time with seniors Maybe you don’t like spending time with people at all, but you do like animals or helping people without talking to them. Are you interested in a career in medicine? Volunteering at a hospital can not only get you experience in a hospital setting but also looks good on medical school applications. Volunteering with animals can help you learn if you want to study conservation or veterinary science. If this sounds appealing to you, volunteering may be the 2025 resolution you were meant to start.
I volunteer at two organizations: the Calgary Public Library (CPL), which I would recommend to anyone, and Alberta Health Services (AHS), which I would recommend to someone interested in a career in medicine. Volunteering at the CPL is a great segue into the volunteering world It is easy to apply, and you can build hours without too much commitment. There are many different opportunities. Most require interaction with kids and run once per week for six weeks, so the commitment really is low Some of these activities are playing with LEGO, playing math games, and reading with a buddy It also gets you a lot of experience with children and library programming, if these are jobs (like paid summer camp counselor) and career paths you might have considered. The application is briefwith short answer questions about why you want to volunteer, sections to provide your contact information, and preferred library at which to volunteer.
The link to the application can be found on the CPL website It takes you to a site that many volunteer organizations use called “My Impact”. https://www calgarylibrary ca/your-library/volunteer/youth-volunteers/ "Calgary public library" by kootenayvolcano is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
My volunteer work with AHS at the South Health Campus allows me to work with adults of all ages who are receiving in-patient care AHS recently started an initiative geared towards building a connection between patients and the hospital. In my volunteer work, I go to specific hospital units to paint rocks with patients This job is both fulfilling and enlightening, as I spend my time socializing with patients. The commitment is higher with a minimum one-year commitment, and I go every Friday night (it is possible to miss a shift occasionally, but they do ask that volunteers pick up other shifts when they do have to miss).
The application process for AHS is not as quick and easy as the CPL, but it is worth the effort. Like the library, there is a questionnaire followed by an interview if you make it past the first step. The interview is scary but a great way to prepare for future job and/or university interviews If accepted as a volunteer, there is site-specific training and then volunteering will start! There are not a lot of options for youth volunteers at AHS, but putting yourself out there and letting them know what you would be willing to do as a volunteer is a great way to explore your volunteer opportunities. The best way to find a volunteer application form is on your hospital’s website because each hospital has a different link It is important to know that these are not your only options for volunteering in Calgary Below is a list I found after a quick search, and I know people who have volunteered at the Alberta Birds of Prey Foundation and Youth Central and really loved it. Lastly, volunteering can happen spontaneously with your neighbors, family, or friends, too It doesn’t have to be “official” through an organization. Maybe your neighbor is injured and needs their dog walked or sidewalk shoveled Whatever volunteer opportunities you take up, be sure to have fun!
Organization Name Requirements Link
Alberta Birds of Prey Foundation (Lethbridge)
Volunteer at least 3 hours a week during the summer Must be 16 or older to volunteer without a parent/guardian
https://burrowingowl com/content php? p=34
Youth Central
Must be 12-18 years old
https://app betterimpact com/PublicOrga nization/9b2e409d-1472-40c7-8396e4c145e75829/1
Day Camps with City of Calgary
Must be 13-16 years old Available during the summer months
https://www calgary ca/volunteer/recreat ion html
IS THE LORD OF THE RINGS AN ALLEGORY?
by Tashi D (Grade 8)
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien is a well-known and highly thought of fantasy series written between the years 1954 - 1955 The series is composed of three novels: The Fellowship of the Ring (1954), The Two Towers (1954), and The Return of the King (1955) There is no doubt that Tolkien’s masterful works were influenced by many different things, such as Norse mythology, his own Christian beliefs, and much more. However, is the world he created an allegory?
An allegory is the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence (Webster Dictionary). In simpler terms, an allegory is the representation of something bigger through characters, events, or anything within a story Examples of an allegory are Aslan from The Chronicles of Narnia being a representation of Jesus Christ, or George Orwell’s Animal Farm being an allegory of the Russian Revolution and the rise of communism Many believe that Tolkien’s works are allegorical, but is this really the case?
By Tolkien’s own words, The Lord of the Rings is not a strict allegory, or a direct representation of anything in specific He thought that the idea of an allegory was bad, and it was one of his main criticisms for Narnia. Tolkien said that his works focused mainly on topics such as good vs evil, power, and sacrifice Though Tolkien never intended to use an allegory, many fans and scholars have strong beliefs that there is allegory in his novels. The most popular cases of this are the One Ring being a reference to nuclear weapons in that time, Frodo’s journey being a metaphor for sacrifice and the burden of responsibility, or Saruman’s industrialization symbolizing the destruction of the environment. There are many different allegories in Tolkien’s novels, though these are the most agreed upon.
After hearing these claims, Tolkien himself described his works as “applicable”, meaning that the readers may find their own connections to something in the world, though that is not his intention. This is one of the things that made Tolkien a unique writer His novels contrasted with for other popular books at the time which embraced allegories. This was a very interesting move from Tolkien as, instead of having direct allegories which would create only one “right” way to think about the novel, he used applicability to demonstrate the many ways to looks at his novels.
This became another reason why many people love his novels so much, as applicability leaves open a door for the reader to interpret everything how they wish. This allows individuals to make their own personal story along the way rather than the idea of a direct allegory that, in the eyes of Tolkien, closed the door for thought-provoking interpretations.
To conclude, Tolkien deciding to not have strict allegory but rather have applicability is one of the reasons his novels are so timeless and personal to many The beloved author opened the door for every reader to have their own personal experience reading his novels, allowing each individual to interpret the novels in a way that resonates with their perspectives. He ensured that The Lord of the Rings would always have depths and be one of the most profound novels of our time.
LATEST DISNEY MOVIE REVIEWS!
by Ainsley F (Grade 11)
Many of us grew up watching Disney movies, which means that there’s probably a lot of people happy about all the new movies that have come out recently. These are the two newest Disney movies that I knew I had to see, and I wanted to share my thoughts on them (I’ll try not to spoil them too much).
Moana 2
I came in to Moana 2 with low expectations Most of the time when a second movie comes out, it’s never as good as the first. It’s always either because we don’t like the new characters, or simply because it’s not the movie that we grew up with I was also skeptical since I heard that LinManuel Miranda, who wrote the music for Moana, didn’t write the music for Moana 2. And let me tell you, I loved the music for the first movie. A big thing that made me still want to go see it though was that I saw in the trailer that Pua went with Moana this time! I never understood why Heihei got to go and not Pua in the first one, so I was really excited about this
Either way, I was so happy after I watched it because the movie was definitely better than I expected. I thought that the relationship that Moana had with her little sister was adorable and was possibly one of my favorite parts about the movie. I also liked that it expanded the story beyond just Moana’s own people on Motonui, since the whole reason Moana set out into the ocean again was to reconnect all of the different people on the nearby islands I felt like this made it feel like a whole new story, and not just a repeat of the first movie. One thing that I didn’t love about the movie was the music. There was only one song that I really liked, and I felt like none of the others really compared to the music in the first movie. Overall, Moana 2 is something that I would recommend seeing if you liked the first movie and wanted to learn more about Moana’s and, of course, Pua’s adventures.
"MOANA" by Melissa Hillier is licensed under CC BY 2 0
Mufasa: The Lion King
After the live action Lion King that they released a while ago, I didn’t expect much to come of Mufasa when I first heard about it. The live action Lion King felt like an exact copy of the cartoon, with nothing original about it, so I didn’t really know what to expect with this one However, like Moana 2, this movie was also better than I’d originally expected.
I loved all of the characters, especially the relationship between Mufasa and Taka (Scar before his name was Scar) The movie followed Mufasa when he was a stray cub and how Taka convinced his father to take Mufasa in. My favorite part about the movie was the foreshadowing throughout that hinted about how Taka/Scar would betray Mufasa in The Lion King It also showed how many of the other characters met Mufasa, like Simba’s mom, Sarabi, Zazu, and Rafiki, which made me love all of these characters even more than I did from watching The Lion King growing up. The only thing that I didn’t love was, just like Moana 2, the music. A couple of the songs were very repetitive, although there were still some that I really liked
This is another movie that I’d recommend, because of how original it was, and how planned and connected it was to The Lion King
Happy watching !
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TAYLOR SWIFT ERAS TOUR
by Abby B (Grade 10) and Neva K (Grade 10)
With 149 shows spanning five continents, it’s safe to say that Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour was an enormous success Since kicking off on March 17, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona and wrapping up on December 8, 2024, it’s estimated that over ten million people were in attendance over the 21 month-long tour. Not only was it the highest-grossing tour in history (grossing over $2 7 billion in ticket sales alone), it also had the largest attendance record, the most countries visited in a single tour, and the longest run of sold-out shows (every single show on the tour was sold out) If it wasn’t clear before that Taylor Swift is one of the biggest artists of this century, it certainly is now.
The three and a half hour-long show had songs from ten of her “eras”, a term she uses to describe each album and its significance in her life. Originally, the show included 44 songs from nine albums; however, after the release of her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, the number of songs was increased to 46 songs over ten albums. Included in the setlist were hit songs like “Cruel Summer”, “Cardigan”, and “Shake It Off” In addition, two “surprise songs” were played at each show, with the goal being to make each performance a little different. As the tour went on, it became more common for mashups to be played as surprise songs For example, on night one in Vancouver, a mashup of her songs “Haunted” and “Wonderland” were played on guitar, and “Never Grow Up” and “The Best Day” were played on piano In addition, there was a very impressive list of openers that kicked off her shows, with their sets being around thirty minutes in length. Some of these openers included Gracie Abrams, Sabrina Carpenter, Paramore, Suki Waterhouse, Maisie Peters, and Benson Boone
Not only did The Eras Tour celebrate Taylor Swift’s music internationally, but it also assisted in boosting the economies of the hosting cities. One of the most well-known Canadian concerts took place in Vancouver, BC. With fans from across the world, Vancouver became a well-known tourist destination to travel to for the outstanding and unique Taylor Swift-related attractions. Firstly, as travelling through the city, tourists were welcomed by the Swift-Couver sign representing Vancouver’s support towards the concert Additionally, a variety of song names were placed around the city including “Style”, “Willow”, “Betty”, and “Anti-Hero” with photo opportunities along the way!
Even further, markets revolving around the concert were created, providing a chance for fans to fully immerse themselves in the concert experience and find a place to shop, warm-up, and interact with other fans. When at the concert, and strolling through the city, bracelet trading was also a common activity Whether you were at the concert or making your way through downtown, individuals were provided the chance to trade Taylor Swift bracelets with one another, which often included words or slogans from albums and songs Restaurants, street names, and shops often decorated their buildings with large bracelets or changed the names of foods and activities to support this world-renowned artist. As a result of the significant changes in Vancouver and a much-increased population during this period of time, the economy significantly increased through more spending at malls, restaurants, hotels, taxis, and around the city center. In fact, there was an estimated twenty-fivemillion-dollar boost for Metro Vancouver's establishment. Either way, the Taylor Swift concert entertained a large audience in different ways whether you were a fan at the concert, in the city for the weekend, or an individual living in Vancouver Even if you may not be a fan of Taylor Swift, it’s important to consider the economic advantages the concert provided for the globe
Sources: Campbell,Johanna “JustHowManyRecordsDidTaylorSwift’sErasTourBreak-andWhatWereThey?”RouteNoteBlog,RouteNote,10Dec 2024, https://routenotecom/blog/taylor-swift-eras-tour-stats/
VancouverenteringitsholidayErawithrepurposedTaylorSwiftsigns (2024,December11) CBC https://wwwcbcca/news/canada/british-columbia/repurposedtaylor-swift-signs-17407073
WICKED: THE MOVIE OF THE CENTURY
by Valerie W (Grade 11)
The hype surrounding the newly released Wicked has been unmatched as it is a pop culture hit with a massive amount of both fans and critics! A-list actors Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have revived both the film industry and The Wizard of Oz fandom Wicked grossed over 100 million dollars in its first week, not to mention the merchandise, books, and other trinkets that are also being sold. This movie is also a social media phenomenon where TikTok videos using Wicked music, sounds, and scripts have gone viral This publicity surrounding Wicked has probably put this movie on your to-watch-list, but do you really know what this movie is about?
Originally based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked revolves around two frenemies, Glinda and Elphaba. Elphaba is a talented but lonely young witch who has been discriminated against her entire life due to her green skin color Conversely, Glinda is a popular and shallow girl who has dreamed of being a witch her entire life, yet she lacks the skill and the power to do so. In the beginning, both witches were jealous of each other, as they each wanted what the other one had. Sharing a room together, they often have petty arguments and fights However, Glinda performs a devious prank on Elphaba making Glinda feel remorse and regret This is the catalyst that encourages Glinda and Elphaba to reconcile and become friends Soon, Elphaba has the opportunity to travel to Oz and meet the Wizard who can grant her a wish Inviting Glinda along as company, the movie follows the two young witches who navigate their way through this strange land.
Overall, this movie was engaging and entertaining, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys musicals as there was an extensive amount of singing One of the critiques voiced by the audience was that the film was nearly three hours long yet still ends on a cliffhanger. Luckily, Wicked Part 2 is projected to be released in November 2025 If you are looking for a cozy film to watch during the winter with your friends and family, Wicked would be the perfect movie for you.
References Chu,J M (2024,November22) Wicked Mercuri,M (2024,November24) Whenis‘Wicked:Part2’comingout?Here’severythingtoknow Forbes https://wwwforbescom/sites/monicamercuri/2024/11/24/when-is-wicked-part-2-coming-out-heres-everything-to-know/ Ruscinski,M (2024,November25) Wickedboxofficenumbers:Total,worldwide,domestic,opening&records ScreenRant https://screenrantcom/wickedbox-office-total-worldwide-opening-records/
HYPER-COMPETITIVENESS AND ITS IMPACT ON STUDENT LIFE
by Basil M (Grade 11)
Some experiences are simply universal For instance, getting caught in a lie to your parents, learning that Santa Claus isn’t real, and absolutely wasting your first paycheck on something you didn't even want However, none sting as hard as realizing that your friends all got a higher grade than you on the last test. I cannot be the only one who feels like the bar for acceptability has spiked way up. It is no longer enough to pass, but now we must excel This is a uniquely North American problem too. I have lived in four countries across three continents, and I have never seen this problem anywhere else to this extent Some people will ask you why you dare to have ambition while they outperform you which can lead to feelings of inadequacy if not properly addressed. In this article, I will be going over how hyper-competitiveness has completely changed attitudes towards schooling through a study I conducted on both WIC Chemistry 20 classes.
We are all told that the regular grade range is between 60 a nd 80 percent, but that's not enough anymore. We all know of those who claim to study for hours on end for every single test without fail, flaunting their academic superiority at every chance. That person is lying to you. Well, maybe not them specifically but someone definitely is I surveyed both Chemistry 20 classes to determine if people overinflated their study times to seem more hardworking I asked one class out loud to give their study times for the chem 20 acids and bases unit tests I then did the same thing but instead of telling me the study times out loud I got them to write it anonymously to see if there would be a difference. Both of the classes were taught by the same teacher, and the students should in theory be identical so any change in answers should be to look better socially.
The results are as follows on the next page:
Out loud sample class
Stated
study time for acids and bases unit exam (hours) Average mean study time per person (hours)
Average median study time per person (hours)
2.5, 2, 2, 0, 0.5, 2, 2, 3.5, 3, 3.5, 3,5 2.64 2
Anonymous sample class
2, 1, 2, 2.5, 1, 1.5, 6.5, 3, 1.5, 4, 0.5, 3, 0.5 2.23 1.75
"DID YOU KNOW THAT THE WOLVERINE IS ONE OF THE STINKIEST ANIMALS IN THE WORLD?"
It is important to note that the class average for the two classes was 76% and this does not include retests There were two findings from this study which I found interesting. In the public study, people found an average number that they saw as “acceptable,” which was then used most commonly out of the other options. In my opinion, this would suggest that this is not the average number that people study, but instead, the number for which people are not embarrassed to say The other point of interest is that the public study found an approximate 20% increase in study time for all these people So, the majority of people will lie about their study times to look good in front of their peers. What does this mean for you? It can be incredibly easy to feel like you’re not trying hard enough, even when on the brink of burnout. Take a break between semesters and don’t be afraid to let a deadline pass if it means you can engage meaningfully with your family or enjoy the hobbies which you have been neglecting