Why We Write - Crofton House School

Transcription

Table of Contents
Why We Write
Inside Cover..........................p2
Life...........................................p3
Coffee & Conversation.....p6
Creative Corner..................p9
News........................................p11
Cubs Den................................p17
Entertainment.....................p25
Commentary..........................p28
Hallie Woo being studious.
by Coco Zhou, XII
I think I’m a brilliant writer. My English teachers often disagree. My poems, I think, are especially fantastic. Even when most of my readers tear them to pieces
with their teeth and set the scraps on fire I still think
my poems are great. One thing I’ve learned from writing workshops is, you could offer the most valuable
advice on a piece of writing, and the author might
still think, “What an idiot.” I wouldn’t go as far as calling all writers egocentric, but they must be narcissistic if they assume others will read their work at all.
You’re free to draw conclusions as to what this says
about me. The point is, good writing is honest. It reveals something true, be it about you alone or the
world at large. Margaret Atwood emphasizes the latter
in The Writer’s Responsibility, suggesting that writers should have a moral responsibility to speak the
reality. She labels pop literature as “Disneyland of the
soul,” produced at the request of the public by writers who are supposed “to entertain and to divert.” Of
course, society is partly guilty. Crowds like “to escape,”
and feeding their emotional voids is lucrative and isn’t
To myself and you, Hemingway has an important tip: all that hard for a mediocre writer. The author’s re“Forget your personal tragedies.” In order to write se- sponsibility, as Atwood argues, to inform the audience
riously we have to “hurt like hell,” but we’d be wrong to of the world’s struggles is sometimes totally ignored.
think that the hurt is important because it happened to
us. It is only meaningful because it is universal. If you In this article, we’re talking about Writers with a capidon’t believe me, check out personal writings by some- tal W. For anybody who just wants to tell a story, write,
body famously tragic. In The Unabridged Journals of but also remember to read. You’ll figure out what’s trash
Sylvia Plath, she talks about Ted Hughes, her literary along the way. You’ll imitate other writers and that’s fine.
struggles, her depression, all of which depresses her. Be a narcissist. But listen to criticism (sometimes). And
Sylvia gets so sensitive and annoying that I’m alarmed when all else fails, just write. Those who have contribbecause I identify with her, despite how personal uted both serious and lighthearted material to this paher issues are. She’s like the best friend I never had. per will hopefully inspire you to find your own purpose.
Chronicle
Team
Editors in Chief
With a new year come new
opportunities, and the Crofton Chronicle team is pleased
to reveal our latest makeover! In this issue, you will find
an abundance of interesting
pieces, from a TV review of
this season’s Glee to advice
on how to score 2400 on the
SAT. The Chronicle has also
adopted, in addition to a spectacular layout courtesy of
Jacqueline Law and Karin Lin,
our very own mission statement: “We value opinions
from all members of the Crofton community, and strive
to
encourage
debate
for
the greater intellectual good.”
As such, this issue features
two
new
sections:
“Life”
and
“Commentary”.
Both
are designed not only to
showcase
student
writing,
but also to stimulate thought:
would you agree or disagree that high school is a
microcosm of the real world?
Or, if you were a colour,
what colour would you be?
Special thank you to Ms.
Cuk and Ms. Gittens for their
contributions throughout the
entire process, from advertising the Chronicle to editing
the final draft. We could not
have done it without you!
We would also like to thank
the Section Heads, especially
the grads; we understand
that the first reporting period was a busy time for you, so
your efforts were much appreciated.
Have a wonderful and
well-deserved holiday, everyone!
Caption Contest Winners
Baby: RAWR!
Cat: Oh no, not again. I’m going to go bald.
Baby: Cats so blubbly I’m
gonna diee.
Cat: I hate my life.
-Jastina, grade 9
“Baby: Brrraaaiiinnss!
Cat: Run! The zombie apocalypse
has arrived.”
“The things we do to make our
loved ones smile...”
- Wina, grade 12
I got ripped off. Ginger cat does
not taste like ginger...
Yum.
Baby: I like my meat cooked
VERY rare.
Cat: I thought he wasn’t weaned
yet...
-Isabelle, grade 9
Catherine Chou, XII
Coco Zhou, XII
Sponsor Teachers
Ms. Cuk
Ms. Gittens
layout managers
Jackie Law, XII
Karin Lin, XI
Section Heads
News: Rachel Jin, IX
Coffee & Convo: Ling Ke, XI
Commentary: Valerie Kim, XI
Creative Corner: Julie Lym &
Nancy Lee, XII
Life: Rachel Kim, XI
Entertainment: Rachel Kim &
Eileen Huang, XII
Cubs: Adeline Cui, XII
Contributers
Lydia Jiang, X
Grace Hua, X
Angela Wu, X
Angela Lo, X
Serena Chan, X
Maya Wade, IX
Aya Coltle, IX
Rachel Kim, XII
Ravia Arora, X
Crystal Lin, X
Jessica Zhang, IX
Wina Huang, XII
Varisha Ahluwalia, VIII
Ariel Lam, IX
Harriet Chen, IX
Christie Choy, XI
Emily Ng, XII
Quinn Fotheringham, VIII
Lucy Lin, VIII
Mary Lin, VIII
Anika Arora, XII
Susan Ding, XI
Natasha Carr-Harris, X
Louise Zhang, X
FALL/WINTER 2012:
FASHION/BEAUTY
TIPS
Anika Arora, XII
Here are some tips to keep you
warm, comfortable, and stylish for the upcoming season:
Style Tips:
1. This year, bold coloured jeans
are a big hit both on the runway
and on the market. Whether you
own a pair of bright red jeans or
a pair of leopard printed jeans,
a “statement” jean is necessary
for the upcoming Winter season.
2. Peter-pan-collared sweaters have
also been a number one trends for
the fall and Winter season. Not only
do these sweaters keep you warm
and toasty during the cold Winter
months, but the added embellishment in the collar is a nice feminine
touch to really spice up an outfit.
3. The Fall and Winter seasons are
the perfect seasons to show off all
your fancy shoes! This season, if
you’re in the market for a new pair
of shoes, tribal printed Toms are a
big hit! Not only will you be supporting a child in need by purchasing a pair of Toms, but you will
have the perfect pair of shoes for
any occasion (the Toms one-toone program donates one pair of
shoes for every pair of Toms purchased). Whatever the occasion,
tribal printed Toms are a must!
4. The last fashion staple item that
every girl should have in her closet,
is a nice pair of boots. Whether they
are knee-length equestrian boots, or
heeled ankle booties, a girl can never go wrong with boots! Not only are
they easy to throw on, but they can
be paired with virtually any outfit.
Beauty Tips:
1.
This year, for the Fall and
Winter seasons, berry colors have
been a big hit. Red and plum colored
lipstick really pulls together an outfit, and darker colored nailpolishes
reflect the cold and gloomy weather.
Try:
- Revlon “Red Velvet” Lip butter, for the perfect subtle red lip.
- “We’ll Always Have Paris” by OPI Nailpolish, for the
perfect berry colored nails.
2.
Another trend for the fall
and winter season is to use neutral
colors whether you try a neutral
smokey eye, or you sport a nude
lip color. Using neutral makeup adds a nice touch to any outfit without being over-the-top.
Try:
Palette”
“Naked
- The
by Urban Decay for a perfect neutral smokey eye look.
- “Cream Cup” by Mac
for the perfect nude lipstick.
This year, try using sweet
3.
and fruity scented perfume, instead
of the dark and musky scents that
were popular last year. Instead of
mourning over the cold and murky
weather, your perfume should reflect the sweet and festive holiday
time, to put you in a better mood.
Try:
“Wonderstruck Enchanted”
-
perfume by Taylor Swift for the
perfect sweet and dreamy scent
- “Dotty” by Marc Jacobs for a light and fruity scent.
Random Tips for the Fall/Winter:
If you’re in the mood for a
1.
hot drink to warm you up during
the cold and rainy season, try the
Starbucks limited edition holiday
drinks. If you’re someone with a huge
sweet tooth, try the “White Chocolate Mocha” or the “Peppermint Mocha” to brighten your day. If you’re
not someone who has a penchant
for sweeter drinks, try the “Pumpkin Spice Latte”, the “Salted Caramel
Latte”, or the classic “Chair Tea Latte”.
2.
Lastly, to bring a little festivity into your homes, try decorating your houses with different
candles. The Bath & Body Works
“Slatkin & Co” candles, are an
easy way to not only spice up your
homes but to spice up your lives
with a multitude of different aromas. With such a variety of different scents, you can never go wrong!
Try:
-
“Leaves”, for a spicy fall scent.
-
“Pumpkin Caramel Latte” , for
a sweet and creamy smelling delight.
-
“Marshmallow Fireside”, for a
creamy, fluffy, mouthwatering aroma.
-“Frosted
Cupcake”,
a
sweet-smelling
classic.
-
“Merry Cookie”, for the
perfect cliché holiday scent.
Book Review:The
Kite Runner
By Khaled Hosseini
Ravia Arora, X
The Kite Runner is the
story of two boys: Amir, a highclass Sunni Muslim and Hassan,
his servant, a Shi’a Muslim who
grow up as best friends in Afghanistan before the invasion of the Soviet Army. One unfortunate day
in the winter of 1975, Amir witnesses Hassan being assaulted and
does nothing about it. This changes
their friendship forever, and causes
lifelong guilt in the mind of Amir.
The story then moves forward by
quite a few years and is set in San
Francisco where Amir and his father start a new life as immigrants.
One day Amir receives a telephone
call from his father’s old friend who
calls Amir back to Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is no longer the same
place where Amir and Hassan grew
up. It has become a place where Taliban soldiers guard, where people
are hung in the street, and where
children are forced to grow up to
become orphans. Amir has been
called back to atone for his sins.
Amir looks for forgiveness through
a series of complicated obstacles.
I found this book extremely touching and it gave me a wider
knowledge of the lives of people
living in dangerous situations. The
book touches on a variety of social issues such as the caste system,
war and personal issues such as assault and rape. The Kite Runner
also teaches the reader about sin,
redemption and then forgives and
the importance of washing away
your sins. I would give this book
a 9.5/10. I would recommend this
book to anyone willing to actually
read a serious book about a matter
that is no joke. I have to say, this is
not a light-hearted book and I had
to read it a couple of times before
understanding the in-depth meanings behind many of the words and
quotes. Overall, personally I found
The Kite runner quite eye-opening
and it changed my perspective on
many matters and pushed me away
from relying on stereotypes about
children living in Afghanistan.
Thumbs Up, Thumbs
Down
Lydia Jiang, X
Varisha Ahluwalia, VIII
C Halloween Haunted House
C Justin Bieber concert
D The Earthquake in B.C.
C Red by Taylor Swift
C iPhone 5
C iPad Mini
C WE Day
D Online bullying
C Mid-term breaks
D Tainted beef
C Grads 2013
D Lack of sleep
C Adele’s new baby boy
D Unflushed toilets
C One Direction pop-up store
in Vanouver
Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead Books, 2003.
The SAT: How to
Score 2400
The Math Section:
“It’s not easy to get 800 on math
even if you’re a good math stuFor students who are interested
dent at school. Read the quesin applying to US schools, the
tions very carefully, and memorize
SAT is an inevitable obstacle.
some basic formulas so that you
As the title suggests, I do plan to
can work through the math secprovide some suggestions for stutions quickly and have the time to
dents who are working on the SAT.
look over your answers” (Rachel).
However, I would also like to share
some insight into the significance
of this feared exam. Please refer below to some tips Rachel Kim and I
have regarding how to do well on
your SAT, or if you are aiming for
that perfect score, how to achieve it.
Wina Huang, XII
Vocabulary
The SAT does like to use words that
you may not use in everyday discussions, so “memorize words if your
vocabulary is rather limited. There
really is a limit to how well you can
do if you lack vocabulary” (Rachel).
What I liked to do prior to the exam
was record any words I did not know
from books I was reading at the time.
The Essay & Writing Section:
“Prepare some examples that fit
many essay topics so that you can
easily write an essay without spending too much time brainstorming
on the test day. Remember that the
SAT is not looking for how deep
your arguments are; it knows that
25 minutes is a short time to develop a good essay, so it just wants
to see that you can argue a position
with sufficient support and few or
no grammar mistakes within the
time limit. It is very important that
you do not make any basic grammar errors on the essay” (Rachel).
Going through a couple of exams
will familiarize you with the types
of grammar questions that come up.
Practice
“Most importantly, do a lot and
lot of practice questions and tests.
You need to get used to the types
of questions the SAT asks and the
pattern of the test. You will eventually realize that there are some
types of answers that the SAT prefers over others, and if you don’t
see the pattern, then you need to
study the questions you got wrong
and find the pattern” (Rachel).
Stress:
“Remember that your score can vary
by hundreds just because of a few
questions. You need some luck to do
really well on the SAT too, so while
a little bit of stress helps you, don’t
stress so much about it” (Rachel).
Prepare well and write the SAT
once or twice. Try to avoid writing
the exam more than three times.
Many colleges stress this point.
The Importance of the SAT
While the SAT is an important aspect of your application, it is not
the only aspect. There are many
other parts of your application that
help define you as an individual.
The SAT is a measurement of your
academic and specifically test taking abilities; therefore, your results
Prep Classes:
really should parallel your progress
SAT prep classes are an option; how- in school. Remember that by doever, I believe that doing well on the ing well in school, you develop the
SAT is a personal initiative. While skills needed to excel in the SAT.
attending lessons may help you, a lot
of the SAT actually tests your school
My Message:
foundation, so if you find yourself To all girls who are planning to
falling behind in school because SAT write the SAT, remember to mainprep classes are occupying hours of tain balance in your life. Just as
your life, I would suggest focussing school and SATs are important,
on school. That way, not only will so are extra-curricular activiyou have a stronger academic pro- ties and other commitments. Do
file for school, but you will also in- what you love to do, and you will
crease your chances of doing well. end up in the right place for you.
Student Council 2013
Maya Wade and
Jessica Zhang, IX
As cheesy as it may sound, I
want to make a difference in the
lives of Crofties, and leave a lasting legacy here at the school. As
a student leader, I hope to create a comfortable and supporting atmosphere that will bring
the community closer together.
Q:
What
are
vorite
CHS
Callie Osler
Q: What are
ing
forward
you
to
most
this
lookyear?
The graudation year is something that
I have been looking forward to for as
long as I can remember. I am excited
to create lasting memories with my
fellow graduates, I am eager to explore my passions, and, above all,
I am thrilled to serve as Head Girl.
Q: Why did
come
a
you want
student
your
fatraditions?
There are small traditions within
the school that I have grown to appreciate, simply because they create
a strong sense of togetherness and
community. These include the crisp
uniforms we sport and the school
songs we sing during assemblies.
Crofton has also always held independence at a high standard, something I think is an incredibly important life skill. Courtesy, Honour, and
Service are values that I will live
by for the rest of my life because
of my education at this school.
to beleader?
I wanted to become a student leader because I enjoy being creative and coming
up with new ideas and initiatives. Being a student leader involves hard work
and dedication, qualities that, when
practiced, make one a better person.
Since it’s my final year at Crofton, I’m really looking forward to
immersing myself in all the activities and clubs I haven’t tried
yet. As well, I’m excited to have
as many great memories as possible with my friends at school
before going off to university!
Q: Why did you want to become
a
student
leader?
As the liaison between teachers,
students, and school administrators, I want to gain new insights into the workings of the
school and develop an understanding of all that is involved.
As a lifer, I would like to see
the school continue to uphold
its traditions and dedications.
Q: What are your goals for
this year as a student leader?
My main goals are to uphold
Crofton House School’s traditions
and to instill fresh, progressive
ideas that will benefit the school
Q:
What
are
vorite
CHS
Candice Chan
Q: What are
ing
forward
you most
to
this
lookyear?
your
fatraditions?
One of my favourite activities is the Carol Service because it marks the completion
of first term. As well, the ambiance of the event brings together the school community. a
and a year that we can remember.
Q:
What
are
vourite
CHS
your
fatraditions?
My favourite traditions at Crofton are
Friday assemblies. As a prefect I get to
help plan every assembly, and I have
had so much fun making different videos, dances, songs etc. for the couple of
assemblies we have had already. I also
Kathleen Mckeown
Q: What are
ing
forward
you most lookto
this
year?
To be completely honest... grad
perks! Finally getting our own jackets, sweaters and staircase has been,
well, worth the wait. I’m also excited
to have the best year of all my years
at Crofton and make the most out
of it without succumbing to stress!
Since my portfolio is Health & Wellness, I’d like to introduce initiatives to
encourage students to better take care
of themselves. I would like to bring in
yoga and/or meditation sessions during free periods to lower stress levels,
because we all know how stressful
school can be. I’d also like to continue
the tradition of the Wellness Assembly because it has had a significant impact on students in the last few years.
Q:
What
are
vourite
CHS
your
fatraditions?
I love all Crofton traditions, from
the carol service to the birthday celebration. However, I have to say that
the goodbye assembly put on by the
grade elevens for the grads is always
a tearjerker - it’s such a meaningful
and unforgettable way to say farewell. I’m excited for ours, but I’m
dreading it too. I just know I’m going to bawl through the whole thing.
Aidan Crawford
Q: What are you most looking forward to this year?
I am really looking forward to working with the executive team, teachers,
grade 12s, and the rest of the school
this year. We all have lots of new
ideas that we are bringing forward
and we are really striving to make
this school year a memorable one.
a
student
leader?
I wanted to become a student leader
because I really wanted to represent
the school. I have been at Crofton
since grade 1 and when I got into
the senior school I strongly admired
the prefects. I enjoy acting as a role
model for the rest of the school, and
I love sharing my ideas with everyone. I think I make a positive contribution to the team and I love the
environment I get to work in. We
have so much fun together and although it’s a lot of work I enjoy it
and am so happy I got this position.
I would like to leave a memorable and
positive impact on the school. I hope
that the rest of the school can look
up to us, the student council reps.,
and not be afraid to ask us a question
or share an idea with us. I know that
we all want this year to be a fun one
Joanna Tung
Q: What are
ing
forward
you
to
most
this
lookyear?
I’m most looking forward to graduating, of course, and also playing my last
season with the senior basketball team!
a
student
leader?
I wanted to become a student leader because I’ve been at Crofton since grade
1 and I’ve always looked up to the prefects. I was an activity captain last year,
so I thought it’d be a really cool experience to try a new leadership position.
My goal for this year as a student
leader is to come up with small ideas,
such as lazy lunch Wednesdays, that
can really let students relieve their
stress and enjoy their time at school!
Q:
What
are
vourite
CHS
your
fatraditions?
My favourite CHS traditions are
definitely the welcome back barbecue and the teacher assembly!
Sarah Carter
Mona Estaki
a
student
leader?
Q: What are
ing
forward
To be honest it was because I wanted to
wear a sash. No, I wanted to be a leader
because I really care about Crofton and
wanted to have the opportunity to have
my voice heard in decisions being made
and when organizing schools events.
I’m really looking forward to going on the grade 11/12 OE trip- I had
such an amazing time last year! I’m
excited to get to know more of the
grade 11s and spend some quality
time with the rest of the class of 2013.
a
student
leader?
A few of my goals are one, to create a bigger sense of community,
not only within each grade group
but also amongst older and younger
grades. As well, I want to make Crofton a place where girls can be completely comfortable as themselves
and want to strive to be their best.
I applied for a leadership position because I felt like I had good
ideas to bring forward to the school.
I thought it would be a good challenge, yet also lots of fun and
make me a more balanced person.
Q:
What
are
vourite
CHS
your
fatraditions?
the Carol Service, Sports Days,
and
the
Teachers’
Assembly.
you most
to
this
Nicola Hurst
lookyear?
I am hoping to make the school a
friendly and open environment for all
students. More importantly, I want to
make sure everyone has lots of fun and
is involved with the activities going on.
Q. What are
ing
forward
you
to
most
this
lookyear?
I am most looking forward to experiencing all the firsts and lasts I will
share with my grade. Specifically, the
convenience of the grad staircase, sitting front row or on chairs in assemblies, adding ties to the uniform etc.
More importantly, I am looking forward to working as a prefect and helping to plan some great school activities.
Q. What are your goals for
My goal as a student leader is to unite
the student body in hopes of eliminating a lot of the problems that we face
as students and girls. I really want
every single girl to walk into Crofton
every day and feel comfortable and at
home. I think we can do this by building stronger bonds between the grades
and addressing some of the key issues.
Student Council 2013
Maya Wade and
Jessica Zhang, IX
As cheesy as it may sound, I
want to make a difference in the
lives of Crofties, and leave a lasting legacy here at the school. As
a student leader, I hope to create a comfortable and supporting atmosphere that will bring
the community closer together.
Q:
What
are
vorite
CHS
Callie Osler
Q: What are
ing
forward
you
to
most
this
lookyear?
The graudation year is something that
I have been looking forward to for as
long as I can remember. I am excited
to create lasting memories with my
fellow graduates, I am eager to explore my passions, and, above all,
I am thrilled to serve as Head Girl.
Q: Why did
come
a
you want
student
your
fatraditions?
There are small traditions within
the school that I have grown to appreciate, simply because they create
a strong sense of togetherness and
community. These include the crisp
uniforms we sport and the school
songs we sing during assemblies.
Crofton has also always held independence at a high standard, something I think is an incredibly important life skill. Courtesy, Honour, and
Service are values that I will live
by for the rest of my life because
of my education at this school.
to beleader?
I wanted to become a student leader because I enjoy being creative and coming
up with new ideas and initiatives. Being a student leader involves hard work
and dedication, qualities that, when
practiced, make one a better person.
Since it’s my final year at Crofton, I’m really looking forward to
immersing myself in all the activities and clubs I haven’t tried
yet. As well, I’m excited to have
as many great memories as possible with my friends at school
before going off to university!
a
student
leader?
As the liaison between teachers,
students, and school administrators, I want to gain new insights into the workings of the
school and develop an understanding of all that is involved.
As a lifer, I would like to see
the school continue to uphold
its traditions and dedications.
My main goals are to uphold
Crofton House School’s traditions
and to instill fresh, progressive
ideas that will benefit the school
Q:
What
are
vorite
CHS
Candice Chan
Q: What are
ing
forward
you most
to
this
lookyear?
your
fatraditions?
One of my favourite activities is the Carol Service because it marks the completion
of first term. As well, the ambiance of the event brings together the school community. a
and a year that we can remember.
Q:
What
are
vourite
CHS
your
fatraditions?
My favourite traditions at Crofton are
Friday assemblies. As a prefect I get to
help plan every assembly, and I have
had so much fun making different videos, dances, songs etc. for the couple of
assemblies we have had already. I also
Kathleen Mckeown
Q: What are
ing
forward
you most lookto
this
year?
To be completely honest... grad
perks! Finally getting our own jackets, sweaters and staircase has been,
well, worth the wait. I’m also excited
to have the best year of all my years
at Crofton and make the most out
of it without succumbing to stress!
Since my portfolio is Health & Wellness, I’d like to introduce initiatives to
encourage students to better take care
of themselves. I would like to bring in
yoga and/or meditation sessions during free periods to lower stress levels,
because we all know how stressful
school can be. I’d also like to continue
the tradition of the Wellness Assembly because it has had a significant impact on students in the last few years.
Q:
What
are
vourite
CHS
your
fatraditions?
I love all Crofton traditions, from
the carol service to the birthday celebration. However, I have to say that
the goodbye assembly put on by the
grade elevens for the grads is always
a tearjerker - it’s such a meaningful
and unforgettable way to say farewell. I’m excited for ours, but I’m
dreading it too. I just know I’m going to bawl through the whole thing.
Aidan Crawford
Q: What are you most looking forward to this year?
I am really looking forward to working with the executive team, teachers,
grade 12s, and the rest of the school
this year. We all have lots of new
ideas that we are bringing forward
and we are really striving to make
this school year a memorable one.
a
student
leader?
I wanted to become a student leader
because I really wanted to represent
the school. I have been at Crofton
since grade 1 and when I got into
the senior school I strongly admired
the prefects. I enjoy acting as a role
model for the rest of the school, and
I love sharing my ideas with everyone. I think I make a positive contribution to the team and I love the
environment I get to work in. We
have so much fun together and although it’s a lot of work I enjoy it
and am so happy I got this position.
I would like to leave a memorable and
positive impact on the school. I hope
that the rest of the school can look
up to us, the student council reps.,
and not be afraid to ask us a question
or share an idea with us. I know that
we all want this year to be a fun one
Joanna Tung
Q: What are
ing
forward
you
to
most
this
lookyear?
I’m most looking forward to graduating, of course, and also playing my last
season with the senior basketball team!
a
student
leader?
I wanted to become a student leader because I’ve been at Crofton since grade
1 and I’ve always looked up to the prefects. I was an activity captain last year,
so I thought it’d be a really cool experience to try a new leadership position.
My goal for this year as a student
leader is to come up with small ideas,
such as lazy lunch Wednesdays, that
can really let students relieve their
stress and enjoy their time at school!
Q:
What
are
vourite
CHS
your
fatraditions?
definitely the welcome back barbecue and the teacher assembly!
Sarah Carter
Mona Estaki
a
student
leader?
Q: What are
ing
forward
To be honest it was because I wanted to
wear a sash. No, I wanted to be a leader
because I really care about Crofton and
wanted to have the opportunity to have
my voice heard in decisions being made
and when organizing schools events.
I’m really looking forward to going on the grade 11/12 OE trip- I had
such an amazing time last year! I’m
excited to get to know more of the
grade 11s and spend some quality
time with the rest of the class of 2013.
a
student
leader?
A few of my goals are one, to create a bigger sense of community,
not only within each grade group
but also amongst older and younger
grades. As well, I want to make Crofton a place where girls can be completely comfortable as themselves
and want to strive to be their best.
I applied for a leadership position because I felt like I had good
ideas to bring forward to the school.
I thought it would be a good challenge, yet also lots of fun and
make me a more balanced person.
Q:
What
are
vourite
CHS
your
fatraditions?
the Carol Service, Sports Days,
and
the
Teachers’
Assembly.
you most
to
this
Nicola Hurst
lookyear?
I am hoping to make the school a
friendly and open environment for all
students. More importantly, I want to
make sure everyone has lots of fun and
is involved with the activities going on.
Q. What are
ing
forward
you
to
most
this
lookyear?
I am most looking forward to experiencing all the firsts and lasts I will
share with my grade. Specifically, the
convenience of the grad staircase, sitting front row or on chairs in assemblies, adding ties to the uniform etc.
More importantly, I am looking forward to working as a prefect and helping to plan some great school activities.
Q. What are your goals for
My goal as a student leader is to unite
the student body in hopes of eliminating a lot of the problems that we face
as students and girls. I really want
every single girl to walk into Crofton
every day and feel comfortable and at
home. I think we can do this by building stronger bonds between the grades
and addressing some of the key issues.
You are driving along on a
wild, stormy night; it’s raining
heavily, when suddenly you pass
by a bus stop, and you see three
people
waiting for a bus:
comic
1. An old lady who looks as if she is
about to die.
2. An old friend who once saved
your life.
3. The perfect partner you have
been
dreaming about.
Which one would you choose
to offer a ride to, knowing very well
that
there could only be one passenger
in your car?
Two words, my answer is
only two words.
To keep me, you must give
me.
Words of Wisdom...
“The camel that wears
earmuffs cannot hear
the sand shift.”
- Mr. Hemmings
“I don’t inspire at a
moment’s notice; I need
time to think about it.”
- Ms. Ball
“De-stress, come find a
good book.”
-Ms. Meunier
What It Feels Like
Wina Huang, XII
It feels like being the shortest athlete in a basketball tryout,
Like waiting for the start of a test to be called,
Like struggling to find your favorite shirt in the back of your closet,
Like looking at an unlit audience from on stage,
Like walking down a silent hall alone,
Like facing an inevitable end.
But it also feels like being the star player of the season,
Like writing the last line on an exam,
Like looking at yourself in the mirror with the perfect outfit on,
Like hearing the claps and cheers after your performance,
Like crying and laughing at the same time with your friends,
Like looking towards a new beginning.
That is what it feels like: being in grade twelve.
Processing Laundry
Coco Zhou, XII
We found a hairpin in a jean pocket. Sorry
if you worried. We secured the bean
from its pod. In your palm it grows. Listen to it as your garden would to any seed. The iris inhabits these woods. A thread of deer,
thick with fungus, hums a word. Knowledge
is inhaled by thirsty currents. In gossip they travel.
Eventually, an echo system. These are all things
your hand earths.
On November 6, 2012, Barack Obama was re-elected
as the President of the United States of America.
Autumn’s Story
Quinn Fotheringham, VIII
they came in amber, gold and red,
in orange and maroon.
in chestnut brown and burgundy
to sing their autumn tune.
the wind came by and filled its cheeks
the leaves flew ever higher!
they swirled and danced up to the clouds
and set the sky on fire.
they coated sodden pasture lanes
plunged down river rides
piled themselves in grassy yards
and followed forest guides
then savage rain came racing down
and stripped the branches bare
swiped the apples off the trees
flung frost into the air
while winter gives us coziness,
christmas cake and coats,
it sets fall fires up in smoke
brings autumn’s final note
and though the children love the snow
it’s said there is a sigh
amid shouts for first winter flakes
the day that autumn dies
Superstorm Sandy
Ariel Lam, IX
On October 25th, the Atlantic coast
faced one of the most deadly hurricanes to date. Superstorm Sandy
started in the Caribbean Sea, just near
Jamaica. She then moved upwards, impacting Cuba and the Bahamas. Sandy
swirled into Florida and up the east
coast of the United States, finally subsiding in New York City on October
31st. The hurricane affected at least
24 states in the US, from Florida to
Maine. The damage superstorm Sandy
has caused was estimated at $50 billion, killied hundreds, and left the
majority of the United States in peril.
In New York, on October 29th, the
superstorm was so bad that it cut out
power lines and flooded subway stations. The damage to the subway stations may take months to repair, as
water completely flooded some stations
to the very top. Activity on Wall Street,
Broadway, and shops and restaurants
came to a halt due to the rough wet
weather. In some streets in Manhattan, three feet of water flooded cars and
taxis. And to the south of New York,
New Jersey experienced wreckage to
its beaches, with homes close to the
coast being completely destroyed. The
superstorm damaged natural gas lines
as well, causing homes to catch on fire.
Entire neighbourhoods, such as Breezy
Point, Queens, were burned down. Millions have been left either homeless, or
without power and gas, or transportation, and little food. Also, schools, businesses, gas stations all closed due to the
storm. Hospitals reached full capacity
due the number of citizens being treated for injuries caused by the hurricane.
President Barack Obama responded quickly to the situation to help the
citizens of New Jersey and New York.
The government provided water and
temporary power sources flown in by
military aircraft and helicopters. Having a power generator was a luxury, as
many parts of New York had no power
at all. President Barack Obama provided hope for the residents of New
York and New Jersey, visiting each state
personally and helping victims reunite
with friends and family. He worked
with the Governor of New Jersey, Chris
Christie to determine the condition of
the area and residents impacted by Sandy. The citizens who lost their homes
were relocated to temporary shelters,
and firefighters worked hard to rescue those who were reported missing.
Scientists believe that the increasing rate of natural disasters (such as
Superstorm Sandy), may be the effects
of global warming. Although blaming the weather on man-made global
warming may not be ideal, the extreme
conditions of the superstorm provide a
good indicator of what to expect for the
future. Weather patterns are a key factor in predicting hurricanes and flooding. Long ago, climate scientists predicted that along with the greenhouse
effect, sea levels would rise and even
more powerful storms would eventually occur. Sadly, these predictions appear to have become a reality and responsibility must be taken by humans
to slow down the process. For now,
until we find a better and less costly
way to produce energy, we will have
to prepare for more disasters ahead.
http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/
sandy110112/s16_RTR39UC1.jpg
Fortunately, there is a lesser chance
of encountering hurricanes on the West
Coast, because there are less violent
currents and waves in the Pacific Ocean.
There have been approximately 110 fatalities in the U.S. alone, and approximately 200 fatalities in all of the Atlantic
Coast including the Caribbean. Most
of the deaths were caused when people
were crushed by trees or drowned in
the floods. Thanks to geography, we
are lucky to live in an area where hurricanes are less likely to occur. However,
we may still be subject to these disasters in the near future with the rapidly
growing process of global warming.
“Hurricane Sandy: The Aftermath - In
Focus - The Atlantic.” The Atlantic —
News and analysis on politics, business,
culture, technology, national, international, and life at TheAtlantic.com. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. <http://www.
“killed hundreds, and left
a large majority of the
United States in peril”
--Ariel Lam
theatlantic.com/infocus/2012/11/hurricane-sandy-the-aftermath/100397/>.
“Climate change and super storm Sandy: Is
there a link? - Los Angeles Times.” Featured
Articles From The Los Angeles Times.
N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. <http://articles.latimes.com/2012/nov/01/opinion/
la-ed-sandy-climate-change-20121101>
The US Election
Angela Wu, Lydia Jiang, X
After a long and tough season of campaigning, American citizens went
to the polls to vote on Tuesday, November 6. Citizens elected President
Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe
Biden, from the Democratic Party, to a
second term in office against their opposition, Republican Mitt Romney and
Paul Ryan. A candidate needs at least
270 electoral votes to win the presidency and as of right now Obama holds at
least 332 electoral votes and Mitt Romney holds around 206 electoral votes.
In Obama’s election speech he revealed the goals of his second term:
“Reducing our deficit. Reforming our
tax code. Fixing our immigration system. Freeing ourselves from foreign
oil.” He also spoke of the imminent
issue of global warming with heated
passion, winning back the supporters that have been annoyed by his lack
of spirit in the first electoral debate
– this was the Obama they had been
waiting for. His healthcare reform,
Obama Cares, which would have been
repealed by Romney, will now continue to be implemented. If he can
somehow reverse the economic crisis
while balancing the immense country
deficit, it would increase his popularity with the upper and middle classes.
On the other hand, Romney’s agenda
will hopefully curb federal spending
and improve America’s fiscal outlook
(Lowry, The Case of Mitt Romney).
Considering all the aspirations Obama
has cultivated, no substantial changes
have been made regarding the government. Instead of reforming it, he only
expanded it. Romney wishes to achieve
a long-term balance without tax increases whereas Obama’s initiative is to
increase taxes on the rich. Sounds innocent enough, but Obama’s plan would
only raise $80 billions when there are
$1 trillion deficits needing to be paid.
Therefore, his plan would inevitably
lead to tax increases on the middle
class. In terms of character, Rich Lowry
finds Romney to be a “prudent and decent man” who would never publicly
display contempt for the other parties.
The choice, however, goes beyond
the candidates themselves. As E.J. Dionne Jr says, “The election represents
a choice between balance and a new,
extreme form of conservatism.” Does
not balance sound a lot better? Furthermore, putting away consideration for
each candidate’s plans for the next four
years, here’s the big question: Is America better than 4 years ago? For the most
part, yes. 4 years ago, GDP was shrinking annually by close to 9%. As statistically shown by Times Magazine, since
January 2012, Obama has created 4.5
million private sector jobs, and stock
markets have doubled since their low a
few years ago. Mitt Romney may promise 12 million more jobs over 4 years
if he gets elected, but his vision is only
made possible due to Obama’s policies
that have already been implemented.
Because America’s constitution begins
with “we”, success is dependent on government’s actions (E.J.Dionne Jr, The
Case of Barack Obama). Will Obama be
the one that puts the ‘we’ in government.
Dionne Jr., E.J.. “The Case for Barack
Obama.” Times 12 Nov. 2012: 42-7. Print.
Freedland, Jonathan. “Obama American
President
Continues
Odyssey.” The Guardian. The Guardian, 7 Sept. 2012. Web. 13 Sept. 2012.
Lowry, Rich. “The Case for Mitt Romney.” Times 12 Nov. 2012: 42-7. Print.
The Enbridge Pipeline
Rachel Jin, IX
A heated debate has begun over the
controversial project, the Enbridge
Northern Gateway pipeline, which is
taking over Canadian news, A plan by
the Albertan oil company Enbridge
to build a twin pipeline running from
Bruderheim, Alberta, to Kitimat, BC
began over a decade ago. This project
is claimed to provide large economic
benefit for Canada and BC. However, BC Premier Christy Clark and
her citizens are not pleased with the
safety measures Enbridge is proposing.
This project is destined to provide
billions in profit by exporting tar sand
oil and natural resources to Asia, as well
as creating 3000 jobs during its construction, and 560 full-time jobs for BC
people. Every day, the Northern Gateway pipeline would ship 525,000 barrels
of oil to BC’s coasts to be transported
by way of the Douglas Channel, a route
to Asia. The pipeline can be seen as an
innovative, efficient, and economicallybeneficial project that will move us away
from the US, the sole importer of Canadian oil, and help us become a larger
resource power and increase GDP. It is
offering thousands of employment opportunities, and a developing trade relationship with one of the world’s largest
booming economies, China. Unfortunately, the environmental risks are a
prohibitor for the project to go forward.
http://www.financialpost.
com/3610336.bin?size=620x465
Christy Clark has refused the construction of the pipeline unless five conditions
are met: three concern the environmental safety of the pipeline, one involves the
consultation of First Nations, and the
last one details BC getting a fair share of
the economic profits. BC’s environment
minister, Terry Lake, like many British
Columbians, is not confident that the
pipeline will be safe, and a spill would
possibly cost more than the economic
profit the pipeline will gain. According
to the official site of the project, Enbridge
and the Northern Gateway are guaranteeing extra measures in ensuring the
safety of the pipeline. The extra measures
include: increasing the pipeline wall
thickness and installing dual leak detection systems and staff pump stations
on a 24/7 basis for on-site monitoring,
heightened security, and rapid response
to any insecure conditions. Citizens are
not convinced this will be enough. Important habitats such as the Great Bear
“inevitable deforestation
and destruction of animal
and plant habitats”
-- Rachel Jin
The Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline offers many employment opportunities and economic benefits for BC
and on a national basis, but there will
also be terrible environmental risks,
especially to the protected lands of the
Aboriginals. The question being contemplated by judge review panels of the
project, the BC government, and citizens of Canada is... will it be worth it?
“Enbridge Northern Gateway Project - Nature Canada.” Nature Canada
Preservation
Conservation
Endangered Species Canada. N.p., n.d. Web.
22 Nov. 2012. <http://naturecanada.
ca/enbridge_northern_gateway.asp>.
“Benefits for British Columbia - Northern Gateway.” Enbridge Northern Gateway Project - Northern Gateway. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. <http://www.
northerngateway.ca/economic-opportunity/benefits-for-british-columbians/>.
“Enbridge’s Northern Gateway benefits questioned at hearing - Business CBC News.” CBC.ca - Canadian News
Sports Entertainment Kids Docs Radio TV. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2012/09/18/enbridge-hearing.html>.
“Killer” Whale
At Seaworld
Rainforest, numerous bird habitats,
and countless rivers throughout British
Columbia will be affected in the event
of a spill according to Nature Canada.
Natasha Carr-Harris, X
There would be inevitable deforestation and destruction of animal and
plant habitats. Also, the pipeline would
facilitate tar sands expansion by 30%,
Canada’s fastest growing source of carbon emissions. Another environmental danger is the risk of a huge tanker
spilling oil in the Douglas Channel, a
treacherous rocky route. One of these
tankers would take an entire mile to
reach a full stop, increasing the chance
of a mishap. Furthermore, by destroying and digging up our coastlines we
are likely to lose billions in tourism.
There is a detrimental impact on the
economy as well as the environment. http://workbench.cadenhead.org/
media/seaworld-trainer-dawnbrancheau.jpg
A week long hearing will be opened
soon by the lawyers of the US government who have determined that SeaWorld animal trainers are incompetent
in working with killer whales.
The case was triggered in February
of 2010 when a SeaWorld trainer Dawn
Brancheau was pulled underwater and
killed by a six ton killer whale by the
name of Tillikum. Tillikum had also
been involved in two human deaths
before Bracheau’s: a trainer’s death
in 1991 and the killing of a man who
sneaked into the killer whale territory
after closing hours in 1999.
A member of the US Department of
Labor Attorney John Black stated that
killer whales are powerful, un-domesticated animals and therefore dangerous.
They should be kept in seclusion and
trainers should avoid all contact with
them.
Some have accused SeaWorld of not
making adequate attempts in protecting their trainers and ensuring their
safety.
Lawyers have investigated the case
for six months, and stated that trainers should never again be permitted
to have close contact with the killer
whales, unless a physical barrier can be
ensured, making going into the water
impossible.
The trial that will soon be held
will determine the future of SeaWorld
Parks and Entertainment’s long revered
and famous Shamu shows. The lawyers
of the US government will be aiming to
close down the shows while SeaWorld
will have to defend themselves in Tillikum’s case.
This is a very interesting article
covering the dangers of the killer whale
and what different people’s opinion of
them is. If I were to take a side in this
trial, I would actually take SeaWorld’s
side, not just because it’s a great amusement park and the Shamu shows are
great but because the killings made by
Tillikum might not be the general characteristics of the average killer whale.
For example, we know that Tillikum
“ the killer of three people
in the past twenty years”
--Natasha Carr-Harris
himself has been the killer of three people in the past twenty years but that’s
only one killer whale that been accused
of so. Possibly, not all killer whales are
inclined to be violent and like SeaWorld said in their defense, Brancheau
and the other’s deaths could have been
mere accidents. Besides that, they’re
great marine mammals and should really be kept preserved and not let them
be endangered.
Halloween
Harriet Chen, IX
Halloween, otherwise known as
Hallows’ Evening (or Hallowe’en) is
an annual celebration on October
31st, the day on which the boundary
between the world of the living and
the world of the dead is believed to
be the thinnest; so thin that spirits are able to pass into the living
world. To celebrate Halloween,
people go out trick or treating, have
costume parties, carve jack-o-lanterns, visit haunted houses or other
“haunted” attractions, tell supernatural stories and watch horror films.
This year, similar to every
other year, the senior school upper foyer was a treasure trove of all
Now a question for you to ponder:
types of “mythical” creatures. SurSeaWorld on the other hand have If you were to determine the outcome prisingly enough, there are always
chosen to characterize Dawn Bran- of the trial between the US government new and original costumes. From
cheau’s unfortunate death as an isolated lawyers and SeaWorld, who would you a box of skittles to a gutless man,
incident that should be disregarded due determine the winner based on the inboth students and teachers were
to the numerous safety precautions that formation you already know about the
enthusiastic in picking out his or
SeaWorld is now taking care to imple- case? And in your opinion, are killer
whales dangerous creatures and should her costume.
ment.
the Shamu shows still go on?
SeaWorld has also taken care to
explain that Brancheau’s death was an
accidental tragedy. According to them,
Tillikum had never made any attempt
in sweeping any of his victims in. They
have repeatedly insisted that Tillikum’s
tale swept Bracheau in, and she drifted
to the orca’s mouth.
“Infamous Whale Kills Trainer at Seaworld.” Province. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct.
2012. <http://www.theprovince.com/technology/killer+whale+heart+landmark+saf
ety+hearing/5425554/story.html >.
The junior school students
were just as energetic. Just like
past years, they walked around the
school to teachers who were giving
out Halloween candy. Holding their
little trick-or-treating bags, they
walked around with their buddies;
some in a group and others on their
own. Also, during lunch, many
victims went to the haunted house
built in the auditorium by the grade
12 students.
Halloween this year was fun and
exciting. Just how different will
Halloween be next year?
Business Club Guest
Speakers
Some of the other guest speakers that have spoken to the Business
Club are: Janet Austin, the CEO of
the Vancouver YWCA; Ludia Li, the
BMW World Ambassador as the top
sales consultant for BMW worldwide
in 2008; and Aimee Chan, the President and CEO of Norsat. Janet Austin
told the girls in the Business Club, “be
yourself, become involved in activities
that generally interest you and find
some time to invest in making the
community a better place for citizens
in general, such as through the means
of volunteering.” Ludia Li taught
us not only important things about
running a business but also valuable
life lessons such as the importance of
honesty and never giving up. Aimee
Chan encouraged us to not be afraid
to go against the flow and to break the
“glass ceiling” for women.
Louise Zhang, X
Business Club is an opportunity to
meet amazing people and a great
learning experience for me. For the
last 2 years, I have been bringing influential and successful female entrepreneurs to our club to speak to members
of the club and community about their
successes and give us tips on how to
become a great entrepreneur. I think
it is always a wonderful experience for
the members of Business Club to meet
these speakers and be in spired by
their stories.
Recently, we had Ms. Sarah
Morgan-Silvester come in and share
her story with us. She is a very involved woman –not only is she the
Chancellor of UBC she is also the
Chair of the Women’s Hospital and
Health Center Foundation, just to list
a few of her main roles. She is also a
recipient of the Influential Women in
Business Award. In her speech, she
emphasized the importance of keeping
an open mind and finding one’s passion.
http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Morgan-SilvesterSarah_2008.jpg
Crofton/Saints
Mixed Choir
Louise Zhang, X
This year, the music department has
started an exciting new program – the
Crofton-Saints Mixed Choir. This new
choir is a four credit, off-timetable
course that includes both boys and
girls. Currently, there are about 45 girls
and 20 boys involved. Every Monday
morning, these singers wake up early
and get to school at 7:00 am to rehearse
the great pieces they will perform. In
fact, these committed individuals have
early morning rehearsals twice a week;
one with the Saints boys, and one themselves. However, rehearsals are never
boring – the music teacher, Ms. Bonnycastle, is always enthusiastic; the music
room is always filled with energy and
smiling faces even as early as 7 in the
morning. In these two short months,
the Crofton-Saints choir has already
learned 3 pieces, each with more than
3 respective vocal parts. Before Ms.
Bonnycastle started this program, the
choirs had only girls’ voices, and even
though Crofton girls create beautiful
sounds, having the boys’ low, rumbling voices brings the choir to another
level .Participants in the Mixed choir
have performed at both the Crofton
and Saint George’s Remembrance Day
assemblies, as well as Crofton House
Fall Concert and the Saint George’s
Concert. For those who are curious to hear it, this choir is sure to be
an unique and exciting experience.
THE CUB’S DEN
There
is
a
rumour
stating
that
our
beautiful
school is changing from beautiful... to GLORIOUS! The only person
who can give us the truth is Dr. Dawson.
Interview With Dr. Dawson:
The New School Called
Hogwarts (not really!)
Fiona Reuter, Hanna Lee, and Simi Di Paula VI
When most people think changes they think:
what buildings are going to be added to CHS? Well,
one new major building is coming to Crofton, but here’s
the catch: it’s going to be in two parts. One part will be called Crofton Hall, and the other, Senior School Athletic Centre. Crofton Hall is where we’ll have gatherings from JK to
grade 12, such as the Opening Assembly. It’s also where girls will eat their lunch. The
Senior School Athletic Centre will be where girls in the senior school have P.E. and
will give Crofton the opportunity to host more tournaments and ISEA competitions.
The builders are also going to be very careful about the green space and are going to make
more of it, including the new Fern Forest! We also will have an Outdoor Theatre! The outdoor
theatre will be located by the horse tree - the next “big hill”. And don’t worry - Dr. Dawson herself confirmed that the Horse Tree is staying. So no, green space is going, just more is coming!
Now, let’s dig deeper. We asked Dr. Dawson what gave her the idea to change the school.
In 2000, there was NO master plan. So Dr. Dawson asked some big questions: “Who are
we?”, “What’s our program?” and “What buildings and facilities do we want?” Dr. Dawson and the other leaders decided that they would like to have university prep, kindergarten and a fine arts center, and that is just what they did. These changes will give more room
for everyone to be together, give more support, and will make this school even more special.
To Dr. Dawson, it’s really important to have spaces in the school, such as the Court Yard.
We predicted that the Junior School students’ favourite change might be the athletics centre,
but Crofton Hall is very unique and will bring everyone together.We predicted that for athletic
teachers, theierfavourite addition will be the athletics center, but for some of the other teachers
it might be Crofton Hall because the hall connects people. And for the Senior School students,
their favourite addition might be the added P.E center, now that everything will be connected!
If this project goes well, it will end in 2014. The Board of
Governors decision is taking place in February. Until then, we will just have to wait and see. So in the
end the story is... Drum-roll please! That CHS
is going to be turned into Hogwarts (Fiona wanted it to be something else, but it
was two against one, so she eventually
gave in). Thank you for reading!
ECEC Update
Saira Suleman, Cate Melanchuk, Lauren Manrell VI
favourite
subject at school?
We went to
Mandy SKC: Cars.
the ECEC to ask
Jemma SKC:
Making
the girls some quespumpkins.
tions. Here are their reMadison SKC: Art.
sponses:
Melissa JKH: Ballet.
Q: What do you like most about
Q: What have you learned about so
your teacher?
far this year?
Ava SKH: She’s really nice and Crystal SKH: I learned how to read.
helps me.
Mandy SKH: We learned how to put
Madison SKC: They help us learn on our boots. It was really easy.
stuff.
Ruby SKC: Leaves, winter, and how
Angel SKC: Laughter!
to count.
Q: What do you like about school Vanessa JKH: Painting.
so far?
Q: Why do you like Crofton
Fiona SKC: Some toys.
House School?
Sarah SKC: The assemblies
Ruby SKC: It’s lots of fun,
Olive SKH: Playing with my
all the activities we
friends.
get to do.
Jasmin JKC: Gym.
Q: What is your
Rayya
JKH: I like
ballet.
Q: What are you going to
dress up as for Halloween?
Priya SKC: As batman.
Fiona SKH: Ariel.
Emori JKH: Doggy.
Q: Are you learning dance at school
and what kind of dance?
Sandy SKC: Skipping, marching, clapping.
Tessa SKH: I do ballet.
Most kids said that they do ballet.
Q: What do you like about being
the oldest in the ECE?
Rachel SKH: Mini woods, the
road on the terrace.
Jenna SKH: I like ballet.
Olivia SKH: I like
music.
New Cooking Program
Michelle Sung and Amelia Tu VI
A new cooking program just started this year. Every other
Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Dawson to teaches the lucky Gr. 7’s how to cook!
They get together and learn how to make amazing and delicious food. We interviewed
Dr. Dawson to find out more about it:
Q: What is your favourite part of cooking?
A: I like cooking for company, when we have people over for dinner.
Q: Why did you choose to teach cooking club?
A: When I went to university, I studied science, food science, and textile science.
Q: What is the most challenging part of teaching cooking club?
A: Probably ensuring that the everything is done to the right tenderness and the way you prefer.
Q: What is your favourite food to eat?
A: My favourite thing to eat is apple crumble with ice cream, but it has to be warm.
Q: When you are not working what do you do in your free time? What are some of your favourite hobbies?
A: If I have an afternoon on the weekend I like to cook and I always try new recipes when my daughter is
around. I also love biking and golfing, and I hope to get back to snowboarding.
Q: When you were still in school, what was your favourite subject?
A: I really liked school but when I think back to my final year, it was probably chemistry.
Thank you for your time Dr. Dawson! As you can see, Dr. Dawson is extremely
busy, so we are very lucky to have her around and teach something to us.
London 2012
Amanda Lee, Jady Chan, Maia Poon V
The audience is waiting anxiously.
The lights are dimmed... BOOM! POP!
CRACK! The sound of fireworks echoes
around the huge stadium. The London Olympics has begun! The world watched as the spirit
of the Games took over, and everyone cheered their
team on. The Opening Ceremony was fantastic, and the
people of London were proud.
The awesome and outstanding TEAM CANADA includes: Rosie MacLennan, who proudly
won our first gold medal; the soccer players, who won bronze with the winning goal by Diane
Matheson; Ryan Cochrane, who won silver for the 1500m freestyle in swimming; and Lauren
Wilkinson, who won silver for rowing! Did you know she is an alumna of Crofton House
School? Canada is very proud of all our wonderful athletes: wrestlers, track and fielders, basketball team, cyclists, and swimmers. They all put in a lot of effort, and were bold, strong, and
inspiring. For athletes though, there are always ups and downs. Just ask Canada’s sprinting
team. Everyone was excited that they won bronze for the 4 by 100 relay. But then Team Canada’s sprinters, Jared Connaughton, Gavin Smellie, Justyn Warner and Seyi Smith found out
they were disqualified because Connaughton stepped out of their lane. He felt very ashamed
but what lifted the team’s spirits was a surprise package from Elijah Porter, a 10 year old boy.
Elijah touched many hearts by sending the team a Bronze medal he had won.
The Closing Ceremony came too soon. U. S. A. came first with an outstanding 104 medals.
Then came China, with an amazing total of 88. Third was the Russian Federation, with a great
total of 82. Canada was 13th with a super total of 18 medals- 1 gold, 5 silver, and 12 bronze!
Then came the Paralympics. The Paralympics shows us that everyone has a chance to shine, do
what they like, and be themselves. The Opening and Closing Ceremonies were performed by
extraordinary physically-challenged artists. People may be challenged in their bodies, but they
can do many things with their minds. They have many of the same traits as the Olympic athletes: persistance, hope, and boldness. Canada’s Paralympic team came 14th with a total of 31
medals: 7 gold, 15 silver, and 9 bronze. Canada’s swimmers won 16 medals, track and fielders
won 9 medals, our wheelchair basketball team won gold, and our wheelchair rugby team won
silver! What a feat.
Overall, in both the Olympics and the Paralympics, the athletes definitely did “Inspire A Generation”.
We can’t wait for the Rio De Janeiro 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, where Team
Canada will shine again!
Interview with Mr. Ogasawara (Mr.O)
Cynthia Lo, Rebecca Tsow, and Lauren Hung VII
Whimsical, intelligent, a fan of saluting, a whiz at technology, and completely kid-friendly, Mr. O (Ogasawara) is the new
grade 6/7 teacher for math. After Christmas, he will be teaching in the computer lab, filling in for Ms. Aharon. We had a
super-fun time talking to him and finding out more about our new teacher.
Q: How are you liking CHS so far? Mr.O: I LOVE IT!
Q: What school(s) or businesses did you teach/work at before CHS? What/where is ASK?
Mr. O: I worked at Apple teaching about computers and fixing them. I also worked at the American School of Kuwait for 4
years teaching technology, science, and math from grade 6-12. And before that I was a substitute teacher in Surrey. And I
also worked at Gap...
Ms. Harris: Did you do a paper route? Mr. O: Haha, no.
Q: Tell us about your family.
Mr. O: My wife’s name is Jennifer, and my daughter’s is Grace. She’s two years old and she’s fantastic.
Q: What was your dream job, and why did you choose to be a teacher?
Mr. O: Hmm. If you asked me this in grade 7, I probably would have said video game tester. I became a teacher because I
was always excited to get to school in the fall.
Q: What was your favourite subject in school?
Mr. O: Oh... math, actually. Math. Uh, no... Drama class. Wait, don’t put that in there. Put math.
Q: What’s your absolute favourite sport?
Ms. Harris: Math. Mr. O: No, football. But they didn’t have football in my schools. I’m trying to make this funny... never
mind. American football. Yeah.
Q: How would you best describe your personality?
Mr. O: (eating granola bar.) Easy going, flexible... Is that a personality trait?
Q: Can you say a few Japanese words for us?
Mr. O: Yay. Rebecca: What?
Mr. O: I-I-E. Which means no. Atsui desu Ne.
Us: Huh? (a few minutes later)
Mr. O: AAH. SO.
Us: What?
Q: If you were given one day where you can do anything you wanted to, what would you do?
Mr. O: Can I buy a winning lottery ticket? Us: Uh... no.
Mr. O: Oh. Okay. I’d watch the Superbowl with my daughter. As long as she’s with me. Umm... honestly? This is going to
sound kind of cheesy...I would just follow my daughter around all day.
Us: How old is she? Mr. O: Two. Us: Aww!
Q: What is your favourite food of all time? Mr. O: Potato chips.
Q: Since you love drama, would you be interested in being “Mr.Poppel” in our winter musical?
Mr. O: Sounds like a big commitment... (after sophisticated thinking and discussion) So basically, no.
Q: If you had to give us one great tip for high school, what would it be?
Mr. O: If you find the content easy, focus on the study skills.
Q: What is your favourite outfit to wear? Describe.
Mr. O: Blue jeans. They’re really old now, but my checkered Vans, a mono-coloured American Apparel t-shirt, and a baseball
hat. But if I have to go to the Emmy Awards.... I’d take off the hat and put on a cardigan.
Q: What was your favourite grade to be in? Why?
Mr. O: That’s a hard question! Grade 12.
Rebecca: Isn’t that the hardest grade?
Mr. O: School wasn’t hard for me. But I don’t want to sound stuck up.
Q: Who’s your favourite actor/actress?
Mr. O: Three years ago I would have said John Cusack, but now...Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The guy from Inception
Mr. O: So did I give the best answers you’ve received from a teacher? (Very anxiously waiting)
Us: Actually, yeah!
Mr. O: (Does “yes” actions) YES!
Holiday Plans
Amelia Chan, Zoe Chee, Matea Folprecht V
Andrea 5H:
Maui with my
family.
We walked around
Esmee 5H: Hawaii with my
the woods and asked
parents and my friends.
the girls what they are
Tara 5C: I’m pretty sure that I
going to do for break.
am going to NYC and New Jersey.
Poppy 1C: I am staying home.
Elisa: I think I’m going to go to
Alysha 1C: Learning to ski.
Whistler or Hawaii.
Sarah 1C: I’m going to Hawaii.
Ailsa 6S: My family is coming to visit.
Lina 2C: Mexico.
Eunice 6S: I’m staying here.
Megan L: Having a party.
Fiona 6C: Staying here, and going to
Lexie 3H: I’m staying here.
Lillooet to celebrate.
Emily A: Skiing in Whistler.
Kiran 6C: I will be going to India
Charlotte 4C: I am going to Hawaii.
for four weeks.
Sydney 4H: Sun Peaks Resort.
Caia 6C: I will ski in Whistler,
Natalie T. 5C: I will be relaxing
then I will go to Arizona.
and staying in Vancouver.
Megan 6H: I will go to
Madisyn 5H: I will be going to
Hong Kong to visit my
Whistler, skiing, and going
cousins and make
to the Fairmont Christfake snow.
mas dance.
Kelly 7H: I’m
going to Hawaii
and taking a cruise.
Katherine 7C: I’m going to
England to spend Christmas
in Cambridge.
Lily 7H: This Christmas I will be
spending time with my mom.
Manny 7C: I will skip all the boring
Christmas shows and eat seasonal
food.
Charis 7H: I’m going to Malaysia with
my cousins and meet some relatives
there.
Nikola 7H: I am going to Japan
That is the end. Thank you for
reading our part of the Crofton Chronicle and have a
Santariffic Christmas.
Grade Six Band
Kiran Bisara and Payton Southam VI
“Hot Cross Buns” and “Mary had a little lamb” are just two of the many
songs that Gr. 6 band plays at the moment. This year the grade 6’s have band
class two times a week. There are eight trombones, nine baritones, twelve flutes,
sixteen clarinets, one bass clarinet four French horns, and fourteen trumpets. The
trombones are one of the favourites for the grade 6’s because of their colourful blue,
red, yellow, green, and purple shells and the noise they make! They are also the lightest
instrument. The heaviest instrument is definitely the French horn, but it doesn’t matter because the sound
carries you away. With the new girls coming in, Ms.Bonnycastle thought that it would be a fun project to start.
Two of the other reasons why she wanted to make band possible is for the grade 6’s to try new things and to see
what it sounds like with all the instruments together. After weeks of practice, we could not wait to show you all
we had learned in our first band recital, on November 20th.
Here are what some students said about band:
Madeline: I play the baritone. I like the way it sounds and I like to hug it.
Saara: I play the trumpet, and it is always awesome, but at times, challenging.
Tayla: I play the trombone, and I like the uniqueness of it, since it has a slide instead of buttons or
holes. Also, I love how there are different colours, which makes them very awesome!
We are very excited to show you the progress we have made this term and all of
the knowledge we have learned from Ms. Bonnycastle. Make sure to
look forward to upcoming band performances!
Grade Three and Four Updates
Ever wonder what
goes on in grade 3 and
4?
Q: What is your favourite
subject?
Zoe 4H: Science
Emily 4C: Socials
Pippa 4C: P.E. I like music too.
Kate 3C: P.E.
Katie 3C: Art, because we get to
make different things.
Q: What are you doing in math?
Vanessa 4C: Mental math, estimating, and a little bit of place
value.
Sakura 3H: Place value,
and it’s quite easy.
Ally 4H: We just
did math
Serena Chen and Celine Chak V
strategies.
Q: What are you
doing in music?
Chantelle 3H: Quarter
notes and bingo.
Dorothy 4H: “Inscription of
Hope” and “Somewhere Over the
Rainbow”.
Audrey 4C: We are learning
Christmas songs.
Q: What is your favourite thing so
far?
Madeline 4H: The “I Am From”
thingy.
Ellen 4C: Mostly the field trips.
Josie 3C: The class pet we get
to take home. It’s kinda fun.
Q: Have you joined any
clubs? Which ones?
New Technology
Abby 3C:
Mandarin and
choir.
Lily 4H: Science club and
chess club.
Sydney 4H: No, I haven’t.
Lexie 3H: Cross Country.
Gina 4H: I do peer tutoring.
Q: What are you doing in P.E.?
Jiera 3C: Soccer and ringette
Nicole 4C: Soccer, volleyball, and
skipping.
Gabriella 4H: Volleyball.
Jaqueline 3H: Badminton
Now you know what is going
on in grade 3 and 4; hope you
enjoyed reading our
update. That’s it for
now, so check back
next term!
Katharine Lee and Manny Li VII
After many meetings with Mrs. Hutchison and technicians in the school,
Crofton House finally received new Apple products: Macbook Airs, iMacs, and
iPod Touches. iMacs are 21.5 inches wide, great for watching Brainpop videos and going
on Kid Pix. The Macbook Airs and iPod touches are portable, lightweight, and efficient. The
technology loads very quickly, so we can spend more time working, not logging in. Students can
practice their multiplication skills with the Math Drills. The new products are very useful for learning
and great for teachers and students. Before making the purchase, the teachers had to find all the pros and
cons of the products. Apple is a reliable company; their products are efficient and they are compatible with the
programs we use. They are also user-friendly which makes it easier for everyone. The school also had to factor
in the price. There are twenty iPod touches, and each cost $199, so the total is $3980. Forty Macbook Airs cost
$39 960, and iMacs cost $54 579. Is it worth it? Here is what the students think:
Lauren 7H: The new MacBook Airs are faster and more efficient and portable than the old laptops.
Ashley K. 7C: I think the new Macbooks are more efficient.
Rachael 4C, Ava 4H: The new iMacs are really cool, great, and amazing!
Maia 5C: They’re really cool and it’s really good technology.
Fiona 6C: MacBook airs are the best! And we get to use Comic Life!
Natalie 6H: MacBooks are light and fast.
Last, but not least, thank you very much to all of the teachers who helped organize and
purchase everything. Many of the teachers are involved, such as Ms. Aharon, Ms.
Hutchison, and Dr. Dawson. At lunch, many of the students are playing on
the iMacs and are very grateful for the technology.
Q: Why did you sign up?
Rhiannon 5C: I thought it was
going to be fun. Also I want to play
against other teams.
Grade Five Volleyball
Joyce 5C: I signed up because our school is
Natalie Teghararian, Katrina Aidelbaum,
very good at it, and I wanted to be a part of it.
Q: What time do you arrive at school in the mornBronwen Rees-Wiedermann, Rebecca Liu V
ing when there is volleyball practice?
Tara 5C: 6:45 a.m Elise 5H: 7:15 a.m
Q: Do you like volleyball? Why or why not?
Anya 5H: I like volleyball, because I really like serving the ball.
Tiffany 5C: I like volleyball, because I can beat my brother Cohen at it.
Q: Do you think Crofton has a good chance of winning? Why or why not?
Natalie 5C: Yes; it is our best sport, and with this many people I think we can make the best of it.
Q: How good would you rate yourself at playing volleyball?
Clare 5H: I would rate myself a 8/10 Olivia 5C: I would rate myself a 10/10
Q: What’s your favourite position to play?
Natalie H 5C: I would choose the server and the spiker. Amanda 5C: The server.
Q: Does anybody else in your family play volleyball?
Jady 5H: No one in my family plays volleyball. Anya 5H: My dad, older sister, and twin sister.
Q: Did you know how to play volleyball before joining the
Hello! We have a lot of new teach- team at Crofton?
ers at CHS and here is just one of
Natalie L 5C: I knew a little bit in grade four.
them: Ms. Pipes! She is a kind, creative
Andrea 5H: No I did not know how to play volintern who has come to CHS from UVIC
leyball.
(University of Victoria). She is not only an inQ: How fun would you rate volleyball?
tern, but a great dance teacher!
Emma 5H: 10/10 Pareesa 5C: 9/10
Q: Why did you decide to teach at Crofton House?
Maia 5C: I would rate it a 10/10.
A: My roommate’s sister had a connection here and recommended it and told me about the position. “It is a great
place to work!” she told me.
Q: What was your favourite subject in school? A: ART! and art, and art!
Q: What is your opinion on the new grade 7 dance program?
A: I love it! I love to teach it and I think it is a good opportunity to try dance in a stress-free
environment.
Q: What elementary school did you go to? A: Lord Kitchener.
Q: What’s your favourite food? A: Roast chicken dinner!
Q: What inspired you to become a dancer?
A: My friend and I took dance classes together. We really enjoyed it and couldn’t stop!
Q: Why did you want to become a teacher?
A: I feel like it was in me from a young age. After school, I
would teach my younger sister!
Q: Do you have any pets?
A: I have a dog, Sophie, who I love very much.
Interview With Ms. Pipes
Q: What is your favourite subject to teach?
Luisa Peters & Charlotte Rolfe VII
A: Art and dance.
Well, thats the interview. We hope
you enjoyed it!
Book Reviews The Maze
Runner
Genre: Dystopian,
Sci-fi
Age Recommendation: 10+
Quote: “It’s kind of hard to ask
a dead guy what he did wrong.”
-Minho
This book is a suspenseful novel following a teenager named
Thomas. It starts off with Thomas
awakening to find himself in an
elevator. The door opens to a simulated environment with other
children. He soon learns that
they are trapped in a twisted
world, and the only way out
is through a maze filled
with
dangerous
creatures.
Ashley Phord-Toy, Kelly Kwan, and Rachel Horng VII
Elephant and
Piggie series
Genre: Humour
Age Recommendation: 5+
Quote: “Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help
smiling. Gerald can. Gerald and
Piggy are the best of friends.”
Elephant and Piggy are the best of
friends; they do absolutely everything
together. This series follows a pig
and a elephant, and they are not the
smartest animals ever. They have
many adventures together: playing hide-and-seek, buying new
toys, and dancing in the rain.
These books are about
friendship issues and
how to resolve
them.
When You
Reach Me
Genre: Mystery, Realistic
Fiction
Age Recommendation: 9-12
Quote: “I don’t know. I just feel
stuck, like I’m afraid to take any
steps, in case they’re the wrong
ones.” -Miranda
This book is about a girl named
Miranda who find a mysterious note
left by an anonymous person. She
discovers that this person can see the
future. Later Miranda finds more
notes and keeps them to herself,
in fear of the possibly dangerous sender. She embarks on a
mystery filled with
suspense and surprise
at every turn.
Grade 1 Interviews
Jasneet Cheema, Cassidy Reichman, and Samantha
Aymong VI
We went out on a quest to search for some grade one-ers, to see what they like about
our AWESOME school! So we asked them all about their ECE Centre, our Junior School
and what they thought of their new bigger school.
Here is what we asked them and what they said.
Q: How is grade one different from the ECE?
Franchesca 1H: Grade one has more homework than the ECE did and also in the ECE we had more play time.
But now we just have lots and lots of silent reading.
Q: Are the classes a lot harder than you expected?
Sarah 1H: They are just a little bit harder than I expected but they are still lots of fun!
Q: How do you like the Junior School? And rate it out of 10.
Poppy 1C: I like all the subjects, and the parent assemblies on Mondays. I rate the Junior School nine out of
ten, because the woods are too big for me.
Q: What do you miss most about SK?
Sarah 1H: I miss the mini woods the most, and also I miss Ms. Beauchamp and Ms. Wilk.
Q: Do you like your after school activities?
A: I really love the activities they have for us because they are super fun. Also I get to
be with my friends so we can play together.
There you have it, all the answers from our new grade ones!
The grade 6 team has been embracing the new school
year with its effort, energy, and enthusiasm. First, we interviewed Naya from 6C :
Angelina Zhang and Carissa Sy VI
Q: Why did you decide to join the team?
A: Because it’s fun and I thought it would get me into school spirit.
Q: Are you enjoying volleyball?
A: Love it. I get to play so many games!
Q: Was there anything that you didn’t expect?
A: I didn’t expect there to be two opportunities to play (lunch league and school
team).
Next, we interviewed Jasneet, also from 6C :
Q: What do you think is the best thing about volleyball?
A: It’s a good way to get to know everyone and explore a new sport.
Q: What is the hardest thing for you to do right now in volleyball?
A: The hardest thing for me right now would have to be bumping the ball to the setter.
Thank you so much for spending the time to share your thoughts about volleyball, and keep up the good work!
Now we are going to hear some of the coaches’ opinions and thoughts about the work and progress of the
grade 6 volleyball team. Here, we interviewed Ms.Cohee:
Q: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the grade 6 volleyball team this year?
A: The students are very positive and supportive. They sometimes have TOO much fun though. Lots of giggles during practices, which is good news for them, but bad news for the coaches.
Q: Why did you decide to become a volleyball coach?
A: Last year I taught basketball and field hockey, so I thought it’d be good for me to get to know the volleyball
girls this year and try something new.
Q: Do you enjoy teaching volleyball?
A: Yes! Volleyball is a new challenge for me and I love setting goals for myself to accomplish. Volleyball’s my
favourite sport to teach so far, and I don’t have to go outside on cold mornings!
We interviewed Ms.Demco as well:
Q: How is this year’s volleyball team different from last year’s?
A: I coached grade five last year and grade six this year, so I have seen the girls’ skills develop over two years.The
girls are great team players and are showing a love for volleyball.
Q: How do you think the team is doing so far?
A: The team is doing really well so far, and I am excited to see their success on our playday on Oct. 29.
Q: Do you plan on teaching volleyball again next year? Why?
A: Yes, because volleyball is one of my favourite sports to play and coach, but I’m thinking about coaching another new sport as well.
And finally we interviewed Ms.Ehman:
Q: Do you coach any sports other than volleyball?
A: Yes. I might coach basketball in second-term. I have coached volleyball and basketball before as well.
Q: Is the team how you expected it to be like?
A: The team was much better than I expected! They have the basics that not all grade six volleyball teams have.
Q: What is the best and most fun part about coaching volleyball?
A: Cheering on the games; I like the excitement and energy!
Grade Six Vollyball
We had an amazing time interviewing you, coaches. You’re the best! Without
you, the volleyball team would definately not be as successful as it is, so thak
you. This year’s grade six volleyball team is off to a great start. The girls
are doing well at their games and practices, and exceeding all their
coaches’ expectations, but they are just getting warmed up. Let’s
hope the girls work hard, play hard, and have a very successful year using teamwork, and determination. Good luck,
grade sixes!
Field Hockey Interview
Betty Huang, Chloe Berryere VI
Q: Why did
you join field hockey?
A: It is a challenge, and we
want to try it. Also it is fun.
Q: Do you like field hockey?
Why?
A: Yes because it is fun. We are
very active and good at it.
Q: How would you describe field
hockey in one word?
A: Exciting
Q: Do you enjoy
playing on
Crofton’s field
hockey team?
A: Yes!!
Q: What do you think can
improve the team more?
A: We need to spread out more and
do more passing.
Q: Do you think more people
should join?
A: Yes because it is fun and
exciting.
Q: Are you happy
that
you’re on the
team?
A: Yes!
Q: Who is your coach?
A: Ms. Moore and Ms. Kedgley
Q: What are you doing right now in
class?
A: Playing mini games!
Q: What do you feel about the
sport?
A: Happy and relaxed.
Interview With Ms. Birch
Ms. Birch used to come to Crofton House as a student.
Q: How do you like this school? A: I love it! Everyone is so kind.
A: This is a hard question. Probably teaching Gr. 4 French and Gr. 5 spelling.
Q: Why do you like to teach French and spelling?
A: I like teaching French because I like to put forward my knowledge of French to the grade 4s.
I like teaching spelling because it is always fun to learn spelling tricks.
Q: How is the school now compared to when you were here as a student?
A: I was a lifer. I came here in Grade 1 in 1995 and graduated in 2007. There are a lot of gr. 6s now and
the gr. 7s used to be in the senior school. There were only three or four house captains per house back then,
whereas now every grade seven gets to be a house captain. There are lots of new buildings around.
Q: Where did you play when you were a student?
A: The woods, the horse tree, mostly the swings, back when we had four. I love the swings. I still swing now!
Q: What house are you in now, and what house were you in before?
A: Robins now, and I used to be in Swallows. In the senior school, I was in Douglas, even though all my cousins
and relatives were in Gordon.
Q: Do you like volleyball?
A: Yes, and I love teaching it. My favourite sport is actually soccer. It would be fun to teach soccer as well.
Q: When is your birthday?
A: July 27. I wish it were during the school so I could celebrate with the class.
Q: What is your favourite hobby?
A: KAYAKING! I love to kayak at Jericho in groups and to take courses. I like the feeling of being out
on the water and if I’m lucky, I sometimes see animals. I used to work at the Vancouver Aquarium, and working there has inspired me to spend more time out on the water.
Q: What is your favourite song?
“Alberta Bound” by Paul Brandt. He sings this song himself. He’s a Canadian
country singer and he is my favourite. If he had a show here in
Vancouver I’d definitely be in the front seats!
Bump, set, spike! The grade seven volleyball team had an amazing
season. They had tons of fun working
together and helping each other improve.
Grade Seven Volleyball
Q: What do you enjoy most about being on
Mimi Ye, Janice Lam, and Michelle Kim V
the external league?
Ashley P. 7C: Playing with my friends, and cookies!
Q: What have you been focusing on?
Amanda 7C: My overhand serve.
Q: Do you think the team has improved? How?
Ms. Sharma: They’ve improved so much. At the start of the
season the girls had one or two hits before they sent it over the net, but now they’ve almost mastered the three hit strategy.
Q: How many games have you played?
Michelle 7C: We’ve played around four games and one tournament so far.
Q: How many times do you practice a week? Katharine 7C: We usually practice three times.
Q: Is volleyball your favourite sport? Janice 7C: No, but it is a definitely a close second.
Q: What did you enjoy the most while playing volleyball games?
Ali 7H: I liked being a part of the team.
Q: What skills did you learn? Ashley C. 7C: We learned a lot about how to do control bumps, sets,
and proper spiking.
Q:Why did you try out for the team?
Q: We heard you are the drama
Susan 7H: I thought it would be fun and hard work.
teacher for grade 7. What experiEveryone on the team has grown as volleyball playence do you have as a performer?
ers, and it’s been great to see them on the court
A: My degree was acting, I did shows in
and doing what they love. A special thanks
Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo. Then I deto Mrs. Wong and Ms. Sharma for coachcided to be a teacher.
ing and supporting the grade sevens
Q: What are your hobbies?
throughout the season!
A: All types of crafts, seeing plays, reading books and
making costumes.
Q: What are your top three favourite athletic activities? A: Softball, surfing, and yoga
Q: What is your favourite book or series? A: The Penderwicks
Q: When you were in school, what was your favourite subject? A. Drama
Q: What is your favourite holiday? A: Halloween and Christmas
Q: What is your favourite store /shop? A: Michaels’ craft store
Q: Do you have any siblings? A: Three step sisters, two step brothers and a sister
Q: What is your favourite summer memory?
A: I went to Southeast Asia and learned how to surf and scuba dive.
Q: What other schools have you worked at?
A: St. George’s, for three years
Q: What do you like about Crofton House School?
A: I like everything about this lovely school
especially my grade four class. I am also really
thankful to get to work with such wonderful
Interview With Ms. Taylor
teachers.
Madisyn Kruk, Shruti Goyal, and Hailey
Chutter V
Interview With Ms. Fontaine
Esmee Alexiadis- Beech and Rebecca Liu V
Q: What’s your favourite hobby?
Ms.Fontaine: My favourite hobby is camping.
Q: What do you like most about Crofton?
Ms. Fontaine: How everyone is kind and welcoming.
Q: What is your favourite sport?
Ms. Fontaine: I like running.
Q: What was your job before coming to Crofton?
Ms. Fontaine: I ran day camps for kids.
Q: What is your favourite animal?
Ms. Fontaine: My favourite animals are dogs.
Q: Do you have any pets?
Ms. Fontaine: No, I don’t have any pets.
Q: What is your least favourite food in the world?
Ms. Fontaine: Bananas
Q: Where were you born?
Ms. Fontaine: Saint John, New Brunswick.
Q: Where did you go to Elementary school?
Ms. Fontaine: Quispamsis Elementary in NB
Q: Where did you graduate from?
Ms.Fontaine: The University of New Brunswick and
UBC.
Q: Did you teach at any other school before?
Ms Fontaine: I taught at Lord Selkirk Elementary.
Q: How do you get to work?
Ms. Fontaine: I take the bus or drive my car.
Q: Do you like school?
Ms. Fontaine: I love teaching at CHS!
Q: Do you play an instrument?
Ms. Fontaine: I used to play the violin.
Q: What’s your favourite food?
Ms. Fontaine: I like Pasta and Nanaimo bars
Q: What’s your favourite piece of technology?
Ms. Fontaine: My iPhone.
Q: How many siblings do you have?
Ms. Fontaine: I have two brothers.
Q: Why did you come to Crofton?
Ms. Fontaine: I had heard it was a good school, and I
wanted a chance to teach here.
Ms. Fontaine: I like teaching science.
Q: If you could have any superpower, what would it
be?
Ms. Fontaine: I would like to fly.
Paws Up Paws Down
Kayla Chutter, Tina Nezami, Aava Param VII
Paws Up:
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year, on Oct. 6!
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the Dig It tournament!
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jumped. He broke a world record and traveled faster
than the speed of light!
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Paws down:
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people under evacuation order
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counter cold or pain reliever medication
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Interview with Ms. Roides
Saara Meghji and Anna Jeffs VI
Ms. Roides is all about music. “I
love a lot of hip hop,” she eagerly
tells, “And R&B. And jazz. And classical.” She laughs. “I was in four choirs in
high school” she announces proudly, “two
bands, and the jazz band. My music teacher believed in me and encouraged me to take risks and
introduced me to the world of music” Ms. Roides still
continues to practice now. She is a music teacher, after all,
and a really good one at that. Ms. Roides only came to Crofton House this year. She used to teach at The Rosedale Day School in Toronto. “I taught there
for two years. It’s a great school” she says. “I moved to Vancouver because it’s peaceful, beautiful, and I absolutely love the mountains and ocean. It’s such a change from a busy Toronto city
life. I have to say, I prefer Vancouver to Toronto. And then there’s Crofton House School, this
lovely school, in which every single individual works as a friendly, close, and inviting team.
This job as a music teacher was actually one of the last jobs I applied for. I had been applying
to jobs all over BC for months from Toronto. The week before I moved out I decided to check
one last time for new postings, and that’s when I saw the Crofton posting. I am so happy I did!
Crofton is so amazing. It’s a warm, safe, comfortable environment, in which everyone works
as a lovely, close little family. Ms. Hutchison is a big supporter of the music program, which is
amazing, and actually really unique nowadays.” This is when we hear that the music program
is being cut from most schools. “It’s terrible,” she exclaims, “I can’t imagine life without music.”
Ms. R reflects on the grades she teaches - JK to four. After laughing at their squirminess, she
tells us about how she wants to be the best music teacher EVER. “I want to incorporate a lot of
new stuff: new songs, new games etc. I believe I can do it, and it’s going to be fun. Even more,”
she continues, “with someone like Ms. Bonnycastle. She is amazing. She’s a fun person to work
with, and we’re always there for each other. We’re always learning new things from each other
too.” We all think the two make a great team. She admires Ms. Bonnycastle just as she admires
any other musician/singer/actor - they are extremely dedicated and passionate about their careers. “I can easily lose myself in music, 100%. Losing yourself in something is no 2+2=4. It just
happens. It comes naturally. For me, I think experiencing music live is really what I can lose
myself in - with such beautiful notes coming right at you from the stage, it’s hard not to lose
yourself in something like that! It’s like paradise!”
But what really is paradise, in her opinion? She takes a while before answering, “It’s hard to say
- I’m sure everyone has multiple ideas of paradise. Probably
a beautiful, warm beach, with the gleaming sun shining
down on my face, a comforting massage, lots of rich,
delicious food or snowy mountains,
that I can just snowboard on
forever and ever.”
Thank you, Ms. Roides.
TVXQ, the Gods of the East
5 Japanese albums, over 20 Korean singles,
and over 30 Japanese singles. Over 11 million
Rachel Kim, XII
Have you ever heard of TVXQ? Or DBSK? If copies of TVXQ albums, singles and DVDs
have been sold in Korea and Japan alone, and
not, well, you have missed a lot. But do not
over 20 million copies worldwide. From these
worry! It is never too late to get interested,
numbers, it is safe to say that TVXQ is one
and by the time you finish reading this artiof the most successful Asian acts not only
cle, you will be an honourable TVXQ expert
in Asia, but also worldwide. There are two
yourself.
official TVXQ fan clubs: BigEast in Japan, and
TVXQ, an acronym for Tong Vfang
Xien Qi, is a South Korean pop group formed Cassiopeia in Korea and around the world.
Boasting 800 000 fans in Korea alone, Cassioin 2003 under the most famous Korean
peia even earned the honour of the largest fan
entertainment agency, SM Entertainment.
club in the world in the 2008 Guinness World
The group is known as Dong Bang Shin Ki
Records.
(DBSK) in Korea, and Tohoshinki in Japan.
TVXQ seems pretty amazing, eh?
The name may seem complicated, but the
Feel
free
to find out more about TVXQ and
meaning is simple: Rising Gods of the East.
its former members, JYJ, by simply Google
These Gods of the East debuted in
ing and YouTube-ing!
2003 as a group of five boys: leader U-Know
Yunho, Max Changmin, Hero Jaejoong,
Micky Yoochun, and Xiah Junsu. Not only do
the members have gorgeous looks, but they
are also extremely talented singers and dancers. TVXQ, however, now consists of only
U-Know Yunho and Max Changmin, as the
three other members left the group to create a
group of their own, JYJ, after filing an injunction against SM Entertainment in 2009. The
lawsuit is still not closed to this day. Despite
the conflict, however, the five original members are all successful in pursuing their own
paths as artists, actors, and musical actors.
Furthermore, the five original mem- “Babyshinki.” Tumblr. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2012. <http://
bers of TVXQ are among Asia’s most success- indulgy.com/post/Nq6BZuExQ1/babyshinki>.
ful artists and are often referred to as “Asia’s
Stars”. TVXQ has not only changed the entire
pop culture of Korea since its debut, but
those of other Asian countries as well; since
2003, TVXQ has released 6 Korean albums,
“TVXQ.” Nemopan. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2012. <http://www.
nemopan.com/2810063>.
S
C
R
E
E
N
Many of you have already heard of this
name from your fellow classmates and
FB-mates: The Voice of China. What
is this show? And why is it so popular?
The show originated from The Voice of
Holland and was first aired on July 13th, 2012
by China’s own ZheJiang Station. It consists
of a panel of judges and hundreds of contestants. The four judges, who are successful singers themselves, select contestants they would
like to have on their teams. If two or more
judges select a contestant, the person would
have the choice to choose among the judges.
After a blind audition, the judges mentor and
prepare each contestant for the next round,
called the battle stage, in which two singers from the same team battle against each
other. Ultimately, one singer from each team
survives and advances to the final round.
The show earned its title, The Voice of China,
mainly from its audition process, in which
judges are not allowed to see the contestants, and
are asked to judge based only on the quality of
the voice. This process is what makes this reality
show so special; this show judges singers solely
on their voices, whereas many talent shows today
are often accused of being appearance-based.
Furthermore, the unique organization of this
show attracted many talented singers. Some of
the netizens’ favorites were: Zhang Wei, who
surprised the audience with his incredible high
vocal range and charm; Jin Chi, a school teacher
who almost lost her voice in a car accident years
ago but managed to come back stronger than
ever; Wu Mo Chou, a“new generation” representative, whose bold style of music impressed the
audiences, and many more. The Voice of China gave these talented
singers a new platform and allowed them to shine.
If you have time, check out the show
on YouTube. You will be amazed!
Original ideas seem to be rare in Hollywood these
days, especially when considering the list of film
releases of 2013, dominated by sequels, prequels
and remakes. Upcoming titles include Ironman
3, Thor 2, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,
Star Trek 2, Wolverine 2, 300: Rise of an Empire, Die Hard 5, and The Fast and the Furious
6. It is not only summer action blockbusters that
have a certain predilection for follow-up movies,
but also family, comedy and romance movies as
well, such as The Smurfs 2, Percy Jackson: Sea of
Monsters, The Hangover Part II, and remakes of
old hits like Carrie, Dirty Dancing, and Robocop.
Of course, there are films slated for release
in the immediate future, such as Hansel and Gretel:
Witch Hunters?, that really do entertain creative
or unusual ideas. Yet, it is difficult to find these
unique gems among the mountain of sequels, prequels and reboots that Hollywood happily presents
movie-goers instead. It is easy to understand why
movie studios choose to produce suffixed-films –
they are low-risk, require minimal marketing, and
often have either an existing fan base or a feeling
of nostalgia attached to them (or both, in the case
of Star Trek). However, today’s studios should
take a moment to remember that every successful
franchise started from a successful original idea.
Movie-goers, the mass public, are not robots or
cavemen; we do appreciate ingenuity, we do have
standards, and we will eventually tire of Die Hard
11: Maybe He’ll Die This Time (Not Really). Making sequels for the sake of making sequels is lazy
and insulting to the intellect of consumers; in fact,
we should expect more from the entertainment,
especially for the small fortune that is the price
of movie tickets nowadays. If Hollywood expects
to hold its monopoly on the North American
entertainment industry, especially in the age of
YouTube web series and free Internet streaming,
Hollywood needs to find something original, fast.
Eileen Huang, XII
logo.” Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web.
22. Nov. 2012
B
I
G
The Year of Sequels
“The Voice of China official
T
H
E
The Voice of China
Susan Ding, XI
Tv..com http://www.google.ca/imgres?start=128&num=106 http://www.google.ca/imgres?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=N&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1440&bih=700&tbm=isch&tbnid=R1H_2U7tnDZrUM:&imgrefurl=http://gravityfalls.wikia.com/wiki/Gravity_Falls_%28TV_series%29&docid=q2HrHzRd82aGRM&imgurl=http://images4.
TV Reviews
Ariel Lam, IX
Elementary
Channel: Global, Thursday evenings
Summary: There have been many
recreations of Arthur Conan
Doyle’s “Sherlock Holmes” series,
and Elementary stands out above
all others. Elementary is based in
New York City, rather than London, and features for the first time
a female Dr. Watson (Lucy Liu)
with a surprising past. Sherlock
Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) is a recovering drug addict with Watson
as his “personal valet”. They work
together to solve murder mysteries and keep order in New York.
Each episode is filled with suspense and mystery that leaves the
viewers on the edge of their seats.
Rating: 8.5/10
Glee
Channel: Global, Thursday evenings
Summary: In its fourth season this
year, Glee is still running as strong
as ever, back with a new cast along
with past favourite characters, such
as Rachel and Kurt. In the season’s
first episode, we are introduced to
a diverse new cast: Marley, a nice
girl with big dreams from a humble
background; Brody, Rachel’s new
charming love interest; Jake, a delinquent troublemaker with a secret
passion for singing; and Kitty, the
new nasty head cheerleader. Glee
may have been guilty of using some
repetitive themes and storylines
over the past three years, but what
we have seen so far of season four
gives us a good idea of how the upcoming episodes will look.
With dazzling musical acts and even better singing than
that of last season, Glee seems to have a fantastic year ahead.
Rating: 8/10
Gravity Falls
Channel: Family Channel, Friday evenings
Summary: I know what you are thinking now. “Why
is this girl reviewing a kids’ show?” But in fact, Gravity
Falls is not your average kids’ cartoon show. The show is
about a brother and a sister being sent off to live with their
great-uncle in a small remote town named Gravity Falls.
What the twins believe to be a normal town is actually
a place filled with paranormal happenings and frightening monsters. As the twins, Dipper and Mabel Pines, try
to solve the strange occurrences and mysteries of Gravity Falls, they encounter friends and foes who help them
along the way. With awesome animation and intriguing
characters, Gravity Falls is guaranteed not to disappoint.
Rating: 9/10
C
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M
F
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T
O
F
H
O
M
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The World of High Schools
by Valerie Kim, XI
It’s only the end of the first reporting period,
but already, many students are already imagining the
end of the school year with anticipation
and excitement. For the senioritis-inflicted grade 12’s, June 2013 marks
the end of their high school careers;.
For the rest of us (unfortunately?), it
marks only a step closer to the end.
At one point or another, regardless of
our grades, we’ve all eagerly imagined
graduation and the end of high school
as a monumental milestone, one
that marks the beginning of life in the “real world.”
We often consider our years at high school
as nothing more than five years of “playing grownup;” when we spend hours finishing our socials projects (career work), meeting our friends (co-workers), and obeying our teachers (bosses), we see
ourselves as five year olds experimenting with fake
stoves and cutting plastic carrots. In our minds, high
school is a soft, fluffy, wannabe of the “real world.”
Yet, caught up in the excitement to graduate,
we neglect to recognize how similar our high school
world is to our idea of the “real world.” Though we
won’t have the Ivy leaf mascot or the clearly-outlined
day 8 schedule once we leave Crofton’s ivy walls, some
things will stay the same in the larger, more daunting
“real world.” The importance of finding your passion,
working diligently to achieve goals, and maintaining
strong relationships with your neighbours permeates
both in the classroom and the office, both with your
Crofton peers and your future co-workers. Expectations might increase and consequences might intensify, but ultimately, the high school world that encourages a student to foster strong
relationships, to work conscientiously, and to seek knowledge is
a microcosm that prepares us for
the “real world” that awaits us.
by Catherine Chou, XII
High school is in no way a microcosm of the
real world. It is a secure area for students to grow
without being judged, providing a
cushion for our failures and offering
support without fear of malicious
intent. It protects us from the stressful reality of finances and budgets,
and provides a purpose that is often
forgotten in the real world: to instill
a love of learning. In the real world,
we tend to strive not to become more
knowledgeable or to help others
achieve, but solely to keep ourselves, and our loved
ones, alive.
A high school student’s focus is to attain good
grades and to enjoy her youth. She is encouraged to
join clubs that she finds interesting and to share her
thoughts. Doing badly on one test will not do permanent damage; there are many more evaluations
to make up for it. Everyone looks out for each other
because competition is not a matter of life-or-death.
As long as a student works hard in high school, she
will graduate and will continue with life. Moreover,
high school students who take on side jobs often do it
to gain experience or to earn spending money. Only
very rare exceptions have to work to survive. Academic or intellectual learning is the greatest purpose
of high school education.
Meanwhile, the real world is cruel. One slip
could have tremendous effects; accidentally misdiagnosing a patient could result in a lawsuit and a revoke
of one’s license, for example. Furthermore, selfishness,
an aspect of human nature, drives decisions made in
the real world. Even worse, the effects of any of these
decisions are now magnified.
Notice the Colours
Julie Lym, XII
When people talk about a person’s colour, they usually mean that person’s race. Well, there is another
type of colour that is much more important – personality colour. Many people aren’t aware of this, but colours
have distinct personalities, characteristics that create an impression on the viewer. Advertisers, for example,
understand the earth-friendly, natural character of the colour green, and teachers understand the urgent feeling
produced by red ink. For me, I find the personality of colours very useful for identifying and understanding the
people around me.
Perhaps the most obvious personality colour is orange. It is hard to miss these people because they spend
a lot of time bouncing off the ceiling. Orange people are bright, cheerful, quick-witted, and happy to the point
of giddiness. They can be fun to be around, but exhausting in large doses. I think everyone should have at least
one friend who is definitely orange. My friend, let’s call her Lenore, is a good example. She can laugh for hours at
her own jokes and fill up your inbox with links to YouTube clips of cats doing the Oppa GangNam Style. Orange
celebrities include Robin Williams, Jim Carey, and Will Ferrell.
Purple people are almost the exact opposite of orange people. They are sober, dignified, and noble. They
walk with grace, like royalty. They are not necessarily arrogant but will probably make you feel small and unworthy. Luckily, I haven’t had much personal experience with purple people. But I once had the pleasure of camping
with one and enjoyed immensely watching her struggle to cook with stream water in which floated bits of tree
bark and leaves. Especially entertaining was seeing the look on her face when she was told to use leaves as toilet
paper. Purple celebrities include Nicole Kidman, Keira Knightly, and Anderson Cooper.
Most of us have encountered at some point the red personality. They are fiery, hot-tempered, and quick to
judge. Many of us have had the misfortune to have this type of individual as a teacher. My grade seven teacher
was as red as they come. Her tiny, piercing brown pupils, fully surrounded by white sclera, bored into my very
soul whenever I had the audacity to ask her a simple question such as “May I go to the washroom?” My mom, although not strictly a red personality, can produce a respectable red haze when I “forget” to clean up after myself.
Not surprisingly, lots of celebrities fit the red personality: Russell Crowe, James Cameron, Martha Stewart, Steve
Jobs, and James T. Kirk.
My favorite personality colour is blue. Many people associate blue with moodiness and melancholia. To
me, however, blue people are relaxed, accepting, easy-going, and warm. Blues are the type of people I want to be
myself. They are the type of people I want to be around. I look for these qualities in my friends and appreciate
these qualities in my family. My father is the best example of the blue type. Even on bad days, he projects a sense
of calm, poise, and elegance. I feel I can talk to him about anything without fear of being judged or reprimanded.
Blue celebrities include Colin Firth, Julie Andrews, Gerald McRaney, J.K. Rowling, and Dumbledore.
White people are interesting because they are so uninteresting. They are passionless, bland, lacking in
anything resembling a personality. For some reason, these people enjoy holding committee meetings and reading the fine print on software agreements. Their home offices very often contain at least one shoebox full of debit
card receipts. I usually avoid these people, but I try to be friendly whenever forced to sit next to one in class,
unless they are the type of whites who like to talk. The worst experience a person might ever have is to be stuck
in an elevator with ones of these, talking constantly about the weather, the economy, and the comfort of their
shoes. White celebrities include Mr. Spock.
Everyday, life presents us with dozens, if not hundreds, of questions and
challenges, both large and small. We all have our ways of coping, of organizing
our thoughts and emotions to enable us to process the day’s events. Although I am
careful not to over-simplify or stereotype people, personality colours, I have
found, are useful tools to help me communicate with the
fascinating, and sometimes baffling, people I encounter in life.

Why We Write - Crofton House School

Transcription

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