the 2007 april fools issue

Issue 6 , Volume 10
Sunday April 1, 2007
Hamburgers to T
ofu Dogs: Best Cafeteria to Eliminate all Unhealthy Foods
Tofu
By Echo Reporters:
Katie Glover and
Zane Jiwa
After eliminating foot
long subs, and the slurpie
machine, adding juice to the
vending machines and minimizing the size of French
fries, the Charles Best cafeteria has now been ordered to
stop selling all unhealthy
food.
The school district under advisement from the
British Columbia Ministry of
Education issued this regulation after a recent board
meeting. “The food being
sold in schools today is unacceptable. Kids are slowly
becoming obese, which is
adversly affecting future
generations”
On March 16 , the
school administration and
PAC held a meeting where
healthy food in high school
cafeterias was made a priority. After a long discussion,
it was officially decided that
everything unhealthy will be
eliminated from
Best’s cafeterias.
The new
menus will include very sign i f i c a n t
changes. Instead of the
greasy hamburgers, the
cafe will soon
offer veggie
burgers and
tofu dogs. Subway Subs and
Pizza Hut pizza
will be a thing
of the past; instead, students
will be served a
much healthier menu from Organic World such as salads
and tofu. Students can no
longer expect to buy fried
foods like fries and chicken
nuggets; however
they will be able to buy carrot sticks and broccoli
(sans the unhealthy dip of
course.)
Even the vending
machines will be affected;
they will no longer contain
pops or candy bars but in-
stead will be filled
with granola bars,
water, juice and
milk.
Student
council is divided
on the issue. It
seems that many are
upset by these drastic changes. Grade
10 Tony Hayward
complains, “This is
stupid; there is no
way I will be buying
anything from the
cafeteria anymore.
I’ll just go up to the
village.” Others are
threatneing to take
more drastic measures, Courtney
J o h n s t o n ,
represntative from
student
concil
plans to organize a hunger
stirke. “If I can’t eat the food
I like at shcool, I won’t eat at
all,”she proclaims. Some,
however, are pleased with
the healthy new menus.
Grade 11 Tiffanie Sombers
states, “It’s about time the
cafeteria actually offered
some health foods! Currently
it is practically impossible for
a vegetarian to get something good to eat.”
The administration
supports the idea, “I understand and fully support the
healthy eating campaign. I
think these changes are very
necessary and will really improve the overall living of our
student community,” stated
Best Principal Mrs. O’Neil.
Her only fear is that with the
cafeterias “big” selling foods
gone the café might be unable to survive.
The PAC President,
Jane Goodman agrees, “Who
knows if students will continue to buy food from the
cafeteria after these
changes?We may have to
shutdown the cafeteria all together..
Best Considered for Extreme Makeover School Edition
By Echo Reporter:
Elizabeth The
Put on those hardhats
and grab some tools - the design team of “Extreme
Makeover” may be crossing
the border! ABC’s popular
reality program has extended
a nationwide search for the
filthiest school in America,
including their neighbours
up north. The spin-off special, “Extreme Makeover:
School Edition,” will seek to
grant the wishes of students
and teachers by transforming a run down establishment into a state of the art
learning institution.
Upon hearing about
the incredible opportunity, a
Grade 11 student from Dr.
Charles Best Secondary submitted a nomination tape of
the salmon-coloured school
in its current state, capturing
the theme of the building
gradually crumbling back to
its roots as a waste landfill.
Astoundingly, the short film
was convincing enough for
“Extreme Makeover” producers to select Best as one
of their ten finalists.
The winning school
will undergo a massive renovation planned for the summer months of 2007, and the
segment will air during the
fall television line-up. A consolatory cash prize of $10,000
will be rewarded to all runner-ups.
Senior Producer Diane
Korman has already been in
discussion with members of
the Coquitlam School District’s Board of Trustees over
the probable reconstruction
project. “We express our utmost gratitude to the produc-
ers of Extreme
Makeover for
their
overwhelming generosity,” says
Superintendent
L a u r e e n
Doerksen, “Our
common mission is to provide
quality education, and we believe that the
students and
staff of Dr.
Charles Best
Secondary
School would
surely benefit
from such a tremendous project.”
The
“Extreme
Makeover” team is committed to providing quality and
contemporary technology/
design. Therefore, the chosen campus can expect to see
vast improvements and to experience comfortable conditions. A wide range of ideas
have already been taken into
consideration if Best were to
prevail in the competition. At
the top of the priority list is
the installation of a more efficient air conditioning system. To secure comfort and
breathability within the
school, the show’s experts
recommend the integration
of windmill power, which
helps to save valuable re-
sources at the same time.
Another intriguing
proposal dealt with the revamping of the peeling,
stained walls of the school’s
interior. In an attempt to keep
students focused, classrooms (especially in the
dreadful Math wing) will be
revised according to moodenhancing hues. “Color psychologist Dr. Ruth Strock’s
studies reveal that productivity levels increase in bluepainted rooms,” stated the
Design Team’s interior designer Michael Moloney,
“Similarly, the color pink
evokes a calming atmosphere
suitable for social studies
classrooms”
Other suggestions include a proper auditorium for
music concerts and drama
productions, the widening
of the narrow hallways, a
roof atrium for the student
lounge, immaculate washroom facilities, advanced
and accessible computer
technology and an endless
supply of whiteboard markers (for teachers who always
find their pens mysteriously
running out.)
Students, teachers
and administrators alike
unanimously agree that the
school is most deserving of
the grand prize.“Best is in
desperate need of a
makeover,” remarked one
Grade 10 student. “I’d especially love to see a student
lounge with plasma TVs and
couches.”
“To be chosen would
an absolute blessing,” says
Principal Mary O’Neil. “I believe that an improved learning environment will bring
about a significant increase
in the students’ pride and respect for their school.”A visit
to the school has been
scheduled for Friday, April
20th. Everyone is encouraged to submit their requests
to the office; they will be forwarded for review at a meeting held by “Extreme
Makeover” producers before
the final decision is made.
EDITORIALS
Page 2
Mortgaging
the Farm
for a Prayer
is...
Page 1
1: Katie Glover
Page 5
5: Devon
Page 2: Farhan Devji
Henderson
Page 3:
3 Zane Jiwa,
Page 6: Mike Noble
Matthew Newton
Page 7
7: Brendan
Page 4
4: Lauren
Batchelor
Jeanneau, Elizabeth
Page 8
8: Leslie Bouillet
The
Cartoon by Cynthia Assen
superstar would be moved. I find it
hard to comprehend how professional teams can trade away their
future for a player who may only
be on their roster for one month.
Like Vancouver Canucks general
manager Dave Nonis said, “It’s a
joke.” It’s reassuring that Nonis has
learned his lesson from last season
when he moved some valuable assets to acquire “rentals” Keith
Carney and Eric Weinrich at the
deadline who proved to serve absolutely no assistance to VancouBy Echo Columnist
ver’s unsuccessful push for the
Farhan Devji
playoffs. What happened to the
Peter Forsberg for two top-notch days where we saw “hockey deals?”
prospects and two draft picks? Where two teams traded two playKeith Tkachuk for four draft picks ers of equal value for each other,
and a roster player? Craig Rivet for without the implication of draft
an elite prospect and a first round picks or rental players. I could posdraft pick? Ryan Smyth for two sibly grasp acquiring a “rental
world class prospects along with player” if the prices weren’t so high,
a first round draft pick? Each one but some teams are trading away
of these much sought after up to six prospects for one of these
veterans are unrestricted free- “rentals” and that’s absolutely preagents at the end of this season posterous. I think it’s safe to say
which means they have the that the prices of these “rental playopportunity to test the open ers” are equivalent to those of a
market in the
leaky condo
summer or
here in Van City.
even possibly
Furthermore,
return to the
what happened
original team
to the days
that traded
where we saw
them, like the
at least some
scenario last
noteworthy
spring with
trades taking
Doug Weight
place throughand
the
out the course
St.Louis Blues
of the regular
for example.
season rather
Last season at
than seeing a
the
trade
profusion of
deadline, the
them transpire
St.Louis Blues
at the eleventh
Peterpicture,
Forsberg
on Nashville
were out of the playoff
so puts
hour?
jersey for the first time.
they traded Weight to the Carolina
I propose the NHL introHurricanes, knowing full well that duces a new rule which prevents
he would return to their line-up in unrestricted free-agents who are
the summer. The Blues received traded at the deadline to return to
four players and three draft picks the team that originally traded them.
for Weight at the deadline and then This would flush the entire notion
Carolina proceeded to win the of a rental player down the drain. If
Stanley Cup. As expected, the we see the likes of Ryan Smyth,
St.Louis Blues re-signed Weight Peter Forsberg, Keith Tkachuk or
as soon as the clock struck twelve Bill Guerin returning to their respecon July 1 st when free agency tive teams this summer, I think it’s a
began. This is a rare circumstance distinct possibility that a new rule
where the “rent-a-player” concept preventing players returning to
actually panned out, but the their original team will be up for demajority of other teams who bate in the off-season, as I think it
choose to acquire rental players, should be. I just feel that teams,
seldom see an increase in their more often than not, get cheated
likelihood of winning.
when acquiring rent-a-players who
The NHL trading deadline is return to their old clubs the followdefinitely the most exciting time of ing season, but I guess if general
the year for hockey fanatics and I managers want to throw away their
was on the edge of my seat on Feb- future for a so-called “one-night
ruary 27th wondering which NHL stand,” it’s their prerogative.
Sunday, April 1st, 2007
At Home. . .
By Echo Columnist
Amber MacDonald
Every January and June, students cram as much knowledge into
their brains as possible before the
all too dreaded provincial exams.
These exams were introduced into
the B.C school system to allow
measure student knowledge in academic courses and to allow the province through standardized testing,
to measure and compare the quality of education
After studying, students sit
down in an invigilator monitored
room for up to three hours to spit
out their knowledge. When you
reach grade 12 your exam counts
for 40% of your total mark in the
course.
Are provincial exams truly
...And Abroad
By Echo Columnist
Nicole Ugali
Climate change isn’t a new
concept, yet people are only taking notice of its effects now, and
only now are they willing to take
action.
Al Gore has
been actively campaigning against global warming, especially
after a serious experience concerning his
son, who was hit by a
car when he was only
six years old. “It turned
my whole world around
and shook it until everything fell out. “This
led Gore to question
his vocation, asking
“How should I spend
my time on this earth.”
His concern for the world became
Gore’s priority even when he was
running for president of the U.S.A.
In his documentary (An Inconvenient Truth), he points out
that there has been numerous ice
ages and melting every century.
He emphasizes that what differs
this century is that the climate has
never been so warm, and the trend
may not be reversible.
fair? Honestly, should all the assignments, tests and homework
completed throughout the semester count for only 60% of your total
mark?
As far as I am concerned, it
is unfair to base 40% of one’s entire grade on a three hour exam. Although the province of British Columbia gives students the choice
if they would like to write the grade
12 provincial exams or not, the decision does not come easily. Opting out on an exam means opting
out of a University education in
many provinces.
Grade 12 students who
choose to write the provincial exams were given their results on
Tuesday, March 6th 2007. Some of
us were wondering how these exams were marked and why we received the grades we did. Shouldn’t
every student who chooses to write
provincial examinations have their
marked paper sent to them with their
result?
This would allow students to
know exactly where on the test they
made their mistakes, and assure the
students that no marking errors
were made on their exams. Marking
errors could easily occur on the
subjective parts of some exams like
the writing sections in all of the language and history exams.
Considering, nobody would
scrutinize my test paper for marking errors as thoroughly as I would;
I would really like to receive my
completed test after the marking
procedures are finished, especially
now that there are fewer students
opting to take the exams in the first
place.
Warming in oceans and seas
has increased and hurricanes
(Katrina), tornados and typhoons,
are stronger due to the increase of
warmer waters, wind velocity and
the moisture. It used to be said that
it was impossible to have hurricanes
in the south; these beliefs have
only evaporate ocean waters, but
suck the moisture from the earth as
well. Some of the world’s largest
lakes, one located in Africa (Chad
Lake), is almost completely dry because of the heat.
Although Al Gore says we
didn’t ask for these consequences,
I think otherwise.
The world has
been warned time
and time again
and yet no one
seems to change
their ways. We act
like naïve, ignorant and stubborn
children; we push
the issue aside,
and have pushed
the Earth beyond
its limits. Maybe
we were thinking
it was all a lie, a
mistake or just not
possible. Whether or not we expected these outcomes, pollution
has come back to our attention with
twice as much velocity and violence.
Winston Churchill once said:
“The era of procrastination, of halfmeasures, of soothing and baffling
expedients, of delays is coming to
its close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences.”
been proven false. There have been
more than a few hurricanes in the
southern U.S.A and the Caribbeanand typhoons in South Asia – all
because of the greenhouse gas effect. There has also been a world
wide increase in sea level, a reduction in ozone layers, more species
extinctions, and the spread of diseases such as the Avian Flu and
SARS .
Intensified heat waves not
NEWS
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Korean Drummers W
ow
Wow
Language Fair Crowd
Page 3
Tealess T
ea“the School’
Tea“the
School’ss
Best
Kept Secret”
By Echo Reporter
ers. The countless smiles and the
Katie Glover
By Echo Reporter
Matthew Newton
In blocks B, C, and D on March
9th, 2007, Best’s small gym was
packed full of student-made exhibits showcasing different aspects
of French, Spanish, Japanese, and
- for the first time - Korean cultures.
The displays boasted a wide range
of international entertainment designed to “have the whole school
learn about different cultures,”
stated Ms. Joba.
Students visiting the Language
Fair could easily spend a great deal
of time looking around at all the
different projects, answering trivia
questions or playing games that
could earn one some candy or cake.
Some stands featured exotic food
samples, while others were more
high-tech, focusing on international pop culture.
Some of the most interesting
presentations were from students
in the new Korean Language class.
Their well-advertised contributions included a complimentary
serving of rice cakes, a table
showcasing Korean cell phones
and mp3 players that have found
popularity in North America, and
tables dedicated to K-Pop, with a
laptop set up to play music videos
and a poster board displaying a
who’s who of Korean pop music.
There were also opportunities for
students who are not currently taking a language course to get involved. There was an anime contest
in which students could submit two
original pieces of Japanese-style
drawings - won by grade 10 student
Jennifer Ray - and a chopstick game
held on the stage in blocks B and D,
in which three boys and three girls
were selected from the audience to
carry a pea from one side of the stage
to the other, with a pair of chopsticks. The winner’s prize was the
ever-popular Japanese snack Pocky.
By far, the most impressive aspect
of the fair was the Korean drum
performance. In D block a group of
young musicians took the stage,
and instantly captivated the Language Fair’s patrons. They had an
outstanding performance, using only
their drums and drumsticks to make
a symphony of sound, in a focused
and well-timed performance. Many
spectators would be surprised to
learn that they aren’t a professional
group, as was generally assumed,
but an unnamed ensemble from a
Coquitlam youth group, performing
in public for the very first time! Despite their lack of experience, they
wowed the crowd, and should be
very successful in future endeavours.
The activities, performances and
exhibits all came together in a pleasantly surprising, fun and interesting
event.
On Thursday March 1,
Room 103 was filled with treats,
happy people and beautiful decorations all to celebrate the seventh
annual Tealess Tea. Every year
the Skill Development Department
organizes the wonderful event, “in
which special needs students host
a party, practice social skills and allow
friends, teachers,
and neighbour’s to
see the special needs
students in a different light,” explains
Skill Development
teacher, Kathy
Hayword. This year,
the students outdid
themselves with
wonderful decorations and delicious treats.
It took two weeks to prepare for the event. With the help of
the ten special needs assistants
within the school, the twenty special needs students shopped, researched recipes and cooked to
get ready for the tea. The students
also were given the chance to practice their social skills as they were
able to invite their friends, grandparents and parents to the event
and introduce them to their teach-
cheerful environment, illustrated
students, teachers and parents
thoroughly enjoyed the tea.
Preparing for the Tealess
Tea is not all that the Special Needs
Department does. Throughout the
year, especially through the lunch
program, the Special Needs Department teaches
important life skills
and functional academics such as
food preparation,
telling time and
money organization. All through
high school, special needs students
prepare for graduation by learning
about being a part
of society. It is
events like the tea that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge
Kathy Hayword, the
teacher who organized the tea
states that “the Special Needs Department, which happens to be
the largest department in the
school, is the school’s best kept
secret.” With great celebrations
such as the Tealess Tea the secret
will soon be out.
Food Theory and Whistling to
Replace T
raditional Electives
Traditional
By Echo Reporter:
Kelsey Davis
The BC government
announced earlier this month that
School Districts across will BC will
have to cut all electives that require
fees out of middle and Secondary
schools. School District 43 will be
cancelling all school electives, as
well as school field trips and out of
province trips.
“Fees will no longer be
allowed for trades programs, special
academics and even musical
instruments for band programs. All
expenses for electives must be
covered within the school budget
or through donation,” Education
Minister Shirley Bond said last
week. This means any electives that
require fees will be remodelled. For
Charles Best students, this means
courses including Art, Wood,
Electronics, Food and senior P.E are
being deleted, as each of these
courses require money in order to
run. Other course cut backs include
Biology dissections, academic field
trips like the ever popular physics
trip to Playland and all out of
province trips including Orlando
and Europe.
For those involved in the
school’s Music Department, band
will continue, but fees will no longer
be put toward instruments. Only
students who own their
instruments will have access to
them; the school will no longer
provide musical instruments. This
will open up the band to a whole
new group of students, however.
Hand rhythm, whistling and vocal
beat boxing will be incorporated
into the band, to allow those who
cannot afford instruments to
participate. Technically, grades
cannot be based on instrument
difficulty, and band teachers are
legally required to grade a student
the same, whether they are a Tuba
player or whistler
As course selection forms
were due the at the end of February,
councellors will be coming around
in the coming weeks to make sure
all students are aware of these new
elective changes and will be making
schedule corrections to fit with the
new classes being offered in place
of electives. The Math Department
will now be offering specialized
courses including Geometry 12,
Algebra Principles 10/11 and
“Lifestyle Math”, where students
will examine the constantly asked
question, “When would we ever
use this in real life?” The P.E
Department will introduce Running
12, specializing in the mechanics
and techniques for running and
Yoga 11/12 will replace the ever
popular PE 11/12. Participation in
the yoga course will be done on
the wrestling mats, instead of yoga
mats, because of the money factor.
The Foods Department will
be shut down completely and the
empty classrooms will be used for
courses including “International
Cuisine”, where students will study
international recipes and be
expected to participate in research
projects and oral presentations on
specific recipes. More basic food
courses will also be offered and
food preparation will be replaced
by food theory. As for other
electives, hands on courses will be
replaced with more theory based
classes, including Theory of Wood
Technology 12, History of Drawing
and Painting 12 and “Electrical
Schemata”, an in-depth analysis of
electrical engineering drawings.
“I am most defiantly not
looking forward to the new classes.
Wood Tech isn’t something you
can teach out of a text book; it is
important for students to have
hands on experience.” said Wood
Tech teacher, Mr. Jones. “Trying
to keep kids engaged and interested
in the theory lessons will be
extremely difficult.”
Changes will take place in
the coming weeks and students are
encouraged to think about some of
the new course options available
and speak to counsellors if they
have any questions or concerns
about the following year.
“With the government
unable to ask parents for money
and provincial budget cutbacks,
cancelling certain courses were the
only way to go,” said Coquitlam
Superintendent of Schools,
Laureen Doerksen. “This move
was important for a provincially
balanced budget. It will be a tough
adjustment for students to make,
but schools are doing their best to
accommodate the change and are
working on introducing new
academic courses for the 2007/2008
school year.”
Sunday, April 1st, 2007
NEWS
Bridal T
errorism is an Endearing Hit Best Students Explore
Terrorism
By Echo Reporter
played by Sean Mahaffey, plays a ily.
the Big Apple
Lauren Jeanneau
smaller role in the story, as does
After an amusing scene in
Page 4
Terrorism: The calculated
use of violence (or threat of violence) against civilians in order to
attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this
is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear.
Terrorism. It’s a nasty term,
frequently linked with international
conflicts or airport bombings. It is
not often that we relate this word
with brides-to-be. As
a result, this made the
title of Best’s latest
drama production all
the more endearing.
‘Bridal Terrorism,’ put on by Best
Players,
debued
March 12th and played
through until the 14th.
The originality of the
plot, or at the very
least the mystery of
its title attracted a
fairly large crowd to
the play, where audience members uncovered the truth behind
this twisted story.
The tale begins with May,
played by Robynne
McPherson, who is
desperately seeking a
husband to marry
that very same day. It is quickly revealed that she is prepared to settle for whomever she can find.
Cue Lionel Stark, played by
Matthew Newton, an unsuspecting
man simply reading a book in the
park. He is taken by surprise when
May interrupts his momentary serenity to hastily select him as her
new groom.
To confuse Lionel even
more, May’s family soon arrives,
after May has confirmed her determination to marry this stranger. Her
sister Gina, played by Stephanie
Carrasco, is a ditsy, outgoing and
therefore, inevitably humorous
character. Gina’s husband Colin,
mother Betty, played by Alicia
Lynn, and wedding judge Terry,
played by Ben Dick. All of these
characters are relevant to the plot
though, as they push Lionel Stark
towards agreeing to marry their
beloved and lonely May, as well as
providing much comedic relief.
As the plot progresses, we
learn more about May and her motives to opt for a random groom.
She is part of the Bridal Terrorist
Party, whose members essentially
search for random husbands, so not
to become Old Maids. “Us Bridal
Terrorists have an 87 percent success rate,” May informs Lionel enthusiastically.
The audience sees clearly
that Lionel is not okay with the
wedding plans, even after May
points a gun at his head to convince him. He suggests that she is
a little crazy, but May only responds “who isn’t these days?”
This is the point of realization for
Lionel; he figures that acting potentially crazy could scare off the
determined bride-to-be and her fam-
which Lionel subtly informs May
of his ‘insanity,’ and she over-dramatically breaks down, she finally
walks away, leaving only Lionel behind, gleaming with relief that his
twisted plan was a success.
For those who were not particularly amused by the plot, the
exaggerated facial expressions
alone could have been enough to
entertain the audience. Matt Newton
and
Stephanie
Carrasco in particular were able
to portray their
characters emotions through
their actions, and
produce strong,
dramatic performances. “I really
liked working on
this
play,”
Carrasco reflects.
“I got to have a
lot of fun with my
character and
how ditzy she
was.” Another
captivating aspect of the performance was
R o b y n n e
M c P h e r s o n ’s
costume. This
main Bridal Terrorist, despite her
ugly plan, wore a beautiful white
wedding dress that grasped everybody’s attention.
This humorous one act play
was not only an opportunity for
actors to entertain the crowd, but
also a hands-on chance for Charles
Best student teacher Ms. Bauman,
who aspired to direct at least one
play before leaving the school. I
think it’s safe to say that her efforts, and those of the cast members definitely paid off.
Bridal Terrorism was an unlikely but entertaining scenario that
kept the crowd wondering until the
very last line.
Mushens to Run for Prime Minister
By Echo Reporter
Brendan Batchelor
Beloved Dr. Charles Best
teacher David Mushens has made
it official; he’s running for Prime
Minister of Canada. Now you
ask; for what party is he
running? Will he be an
independent? The answer may shock you.
Mushens will be running as head of the National Fascist Party
(NFP.)
“Demokratie ist für
kleine gekümmerte
Dummköpfe,” said
Mushens in a recent interview. “Ich bilde
Kanada die neue Welt
Superenergie.
Wir
zerquetschen sie mit unseren
Bibern und Hockeystöcken.”
Mushens also revealed
that his recently published novel,
“Deadly Lessons,” is actually the
German version of Hitler’s “Mein
Kampf” typed backwards.
Mushens has also appointed fellow teachers Mr. Sutherland and
Mr. Smith as his joint chiefs of
staff.
“He’s a super awesome guy,”
said Sutherland. “He even planned
a toothbrush moustache growing
contest for the whole Socials Department. It was a great bonding
experience.”
Mushens has promised
sweeping changes across the
board for the structure of government in Canada. Although his
eradication of democracy may rub
some people the wrong
way, Mushens promises
to keep the needs of the
people in mind when he,
“Gewordener König der
Welt.”
When
asked
about his main competitors in the upcoming
election, Conservative
leader Stephen Harper
and Liberal leader
Stephane
Dion,
Mushens replied with
disdain, “Sie erinnern
mich an Celine Dion und Shania
Twain.”
Mushens’ fan club at the
school is also steadily growing
under their motto, “Demokratie ist
der Teufel.”
By Echo Reporter
Elizabeth The
On Saturday, March 17th,
sixteen Best students, two teachers and three family members departed from Vancouver to visit one
of the major capitals of the world,
New York City.
The Spring Break field trip
promised an eye-opening look at
the art collections and architectural wonders that the city has to
offer.
Upon arriving at JFK airport
and settling
into their Upper West Side
hotel, the eager travelers
immediately
embarked in
an array of
sightseeing
and activities.
Taking initiative as the
trip’s tour
guide, art
teacher Mr.
Scott enjoyed
sharing his
knowledge of
the city’s artwork as the
group ventured uptown and
downtown. He shared the responsibility of leading students
through the Metropolis with Ms.
Sousa, a Socials teacher at Centennial Secondary.
Together, they brought the
group to familar attractions and
famous landmarks such as the
Brooklyn Bridge, Ground Zero,
the Empire State Bulding, the
Chrysler Building, Grand Central
Station, Time Square, the United
Nations headquarters, Rockefeller
Center and Central Park.
Walking tours were another
part of the initerary. The group got
to participate in tours of Greenwich Village and the financial district of Wall Street.
A priority on the agenda was
to view various pieces of art and
learn about its interesting history
at acclaimed New York museums,
including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum. Among the masterpieces
discovered at the exhibitions were
Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” at the
MoMA and ancient artifacts –
from Asia to Egypt - at the Met.
“The Met was my favourite museum,” said Sindu Dharma.
“it had a lot of old paintings
which I recognized.”
No trip to New York is complete without getting tickets to a
Broadway musical. This year, the
students got to see the popular
play, “Rent.”
“I absolutely loved Rent,”
fawns Samantha Lee. “The performances were fantastic.”
New York shopping was a
highly beloved activity. The students enjoyed making purchases in
top shopping destinations
such as the
lively Time
Square, the
upscale
Fifth Avenue, Canal
Street in
Chinatown
and trendy
SoHo boutiques.
During their action-packed week in
the city that never sleeps, the students quickly adopted the New
York way of life. They became accustomed to public transportation - hailing taxi cabs, using subways and walking through the
streets.
They were amazed by the
tall skyscraper buildings and
bright city lights as seen on a
Harbour Boat Cruise and a view
from Empire State Building. As
well, they were lucky enough to
experience the city’s nightlife by
going to a night club and comedy club.
By the final day, the students were both fulfilled from the
experience and disappointed that
the journey had come to an end.
“It’s the anticipation of
someplace new and the great experiences that make New York
such a great city,” says Oscar
Chung.
“I felt that the trip was a
huge success,” commented Sindu
Dharma, “I wish I didn’t have to
leave!
Entertainment
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Murray
Goes
Hollywood
By Echo Reporter:
Mike Noble
double? Well, there are some stunts
that don’t want to mess with Chuck
Norris, so don’t take Mr Murray
too lightly, because there are some
things you may not know about
him.
•
Farewell, Mr Murray.
Mr Murray only speaks in
blank verse, with the
exception
of
his
After countless years at Dr Charles
Best Secondary, our beloved
English teacher will be leaving Best
after receiving word that he will be
a stunt double for Chuck Norris in
his upcoming movie “The Cutter 2:
Vengeance on the Horizon.”
During a stimulating lesson on
dissonance on a cool March
morning, Mr Murray received a
phone call that shocked him and
his Block A English 12 class. Upon
hearing that he had been accepted,
he instantly roundhouse kicked
three unsuspecting students to
prepare himself for the role. He then
ripped off his shirt and ran out of
the room shouting a native tribal
song.
“It’s been a dream of mine
to be featured on the silver screen,”
quipped Murray when asked about
his new job. “I got an idea to
audition for the role when vandals
wrote on the school portraits last
year. I thought I might as well, since
I need more excitement in my life.”
Now you may be wondering; why
would Chuck Norris need a stunt
Wednesday lessons, in
which he speaks in Haiku.
Mr Murray always gets 7/
6 on Poetry responses.
Always.
Mr Murray knows the
mathematical formula to
cure cancer, too bad he
teaches English.
Mr Murray is the reason
why Mr Baker needed
braces.
•
•
•
•
Mr Murray can speak
Braille.
• The opening scene from
“Saving Private Ryan” is
actually Mr Murray
playing dodge ball in
elementary school.
• Mr Murray attaches
cheese graters to his arms,
pretending to be Shredder
from Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles; he then
battles invisible Ninja
Turtles on his front
lawn until sunrise.
• Mr Murray whistles
in German.
• Mr
Murray’s
calendar goes from
March 31 st to April
2nd; No one fools Mr
Murray.
The filming for “The
Cutter 2” will begin in
the summer, and most
likely end midNovember with an
early 2008 release.
During this time, Mr Murray’s
English teaching duties will be
taken over by former student
teacher, Mr Sutherland. Sutherland
was ecstatic about hearing about
his new position.
“It will be big shoes to fill,
which is saying a lot, since Mr
Murray wears custom made size
17.5 shoes which are sewed by his
students during their detentions at
7:30.”
Page 5
Seperated at Birth
Teachers on Spring Break
Page 6
ENTERT
AINMENT
ENTERTAINMENT
CD Reviews: T
oday’
Today’
oday’ss Finest
By Devon Henderson
By Leanne Feichtinger
By Leanne Feichtinger
Kevin Federline – Playing
With Fire
Throw away any preconceived notions you once had about
Kevin Federline; this man is a poet.
I was very skeptical when I heard
about his debut album “Playing
With Fire.” How very wrong I was.
On the track “Americas Most
Hated”, Federline uses wit and
modesty as retorts to his shabby
portrayal in the media.
He uses a similar tactic on the
title track “Playing With Fire,”
which is set to an equally original
and catchy beat. The best way to
describe K-Fed’s style is by quoting his lyrics. “This is that hip-hop
flavour mixed with a little bit of rock
and roll.” Well said.
Paris Hilton - Paris
On this instant modern classic, Paris Hilton spills her soul to
listeners in emotional songs such
as “Screwed”, “Turn You On”, and
“I Want You.” Hilton’s version of
“Do You Think I’m Sexy” is a reworked, re-vamped version of
Stewart’s classic – and hers
eclipses the original. On her lead
single, “Stars are Blind”, she demonstrates her vocal range as well
as showcasing her poetic lyrics: If
you show me real love baby I’ll
show you mine. Don’t let the album
cover fool you; Hilton is more than
just a pretty face. This album has
substance, depth and lyrics that will
have you poring over them for
hours.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Totally Pokemon (Soundtrack)
This compilation has something for every Pokemon fan: pop,
rock, and ballads. It even has a song
called PokeRap GS in which the
names of 100 Pokemon are rapped
out for those hip-hop fans. Of
course, it includes the Pokemon
theme song as its opener; however,
it is not the original but the theme
from the 3rd season. This version
has the classic, well-loved lyrics
with a new, drum-and-bass inspired
beat and will definitely be appearing at your next school dance. The
album closes with 7 karaoke songs,
so you can record your own versions and become a true Pokemon
Master!
Rating: 5/5 stars
Rating: 4/5 stars
Mal Peet’
Peet’ss “The Keeper”
will be sure to score
By Nicole Ugali
The book, set in South
America in the late 1970’s to early
1980’s, is about on a boy who initially is unaware of his gifts as a
tremendous goalkeeper. He meets
a mentor in the jungle who helps
him hone his abilities, and becomes
an outstanding goalkeeper.
The book starts of with a well
known journalist (Paul Faustino)
interviewing the best goalkeeper in
the world (“Le Gato” ) who has just
won the World Cup for his country. Gato is famous for his extreme calmness
u n d e r
pressure, which is
the foundation of
his
amazing
goalkeeping abilities.
T
h
e
goalkeeper starts
off
telling
Faustino of his
life as a child in an
isolated logging
camp, in the jungle. He tells the journalist how small
and secluded his town was.
As a child, he seemed different: taller and quieter than most
kids. Most surprisingly, he seemed
to lack the great soccer abilities his
friends possessed. Le Gato was always clumsy and unable to score a
goal; whereas, his playmates did
amazing things with the ball.
Le Gato’s training started the
moment he ventured into the forbidden jungle. There he encounters a ghostly figure called the
keeper, his soon to be mentor and
the one who would teach him all he
would need to know. Gato’s mentor was strict and emotionless, always pushing the boy beyond his
limits.
The boy ages and starts to
work for his father in the logging
camp. Every Saturday, the workers
would play against each other in a
game of soccer and word gets out
and scouts from the country’s
team come to watch the young
Gato at 15, becomes the country’s
goalkeeper. Since then, he has remained on the team and
won the World Cup.
A
l
l
this information would
be needed to write in
the paper the next
day, but to the journalist’s surprise, the information Le Gato had
given him wasn’t for
him to write for the
newspaper he worked
for, but another idea the
goalkeeper had in mind.
Mal Peet’s idea of
combining soccer with
moral values is astonishing and
well done.
This book drags you in,
whether you’re a soccer fan or not
and shows the reader more than the
tricks of soccer or the life of a
young hopeless boy; it shows you
respect for others.
It’s a very touching book with
unexpected twists. It is also a very
clever and intelligent, mystery. I
give this novel 3 1/2 stars out of
five.
Sunday, April 1st, 2007
Vancouver W
ill “Still
Will
Remember”
Bloc Party
By Leanne Feichtinger
Bloc Party, the much-hyped
UK band, played a sold-out show
at the Commodore on Monday,
March 12th. The crowd of mostly
20-something hipsters were
restless
waiting for
Bloc Party to
take
the
stage, but received the
two opening
a c t s ,
Smoosh and
especially
Final Fantasy, very
warmly.
Smoosh is
an up and
coming
band of two
sisters, one
15 and one
only 13 years old. Final Fantasy,
the solo project of a member of Arcade Fire, had his own fans in the
crowd who shouted out requests
for songs, which he played live by
looping the violin tracks. Then Bloc
Party appeared. Playing songs
from their latest album, including
“The Prayer”, “Hunting for
Witches”, and “I Still Remember”,
the four-piece band had the whole
audience dancing. Of course
they also performed a few
songs off their
debut album,
such as “Blue
Light”, “This
Modern Love”,
and
their
breakout song
“Banquet”. For
the encore, the
band pulled out
another drum
set for a rendition of “Sunday” that kept
the crowd on
their feet. In
fact, I don’t
think anyone
sat down all night. To close the
show, Bloc Party played “Helicopter”, and front man Kele Okereke
invited members of the audience to
dance onstage with the band. You
might’ve seen me up there, that girl
with the blue shirt.
SPORTS
Page 7
Sunday, April 1st, 2007
Tricks and Deals: The Echo’s NHL Trade Deadline Journal
By Echo Columnist
Brendan Batchelor
Driver T
o Play
To
For Gators
By Echo Columnist Chris Tse
12:27pm
Tentatively, Ryan Smyth to the
Isles! This has to be the biggest
trade of the season, let alone the
day. He is rumoured to have been
traded for a bunch of picks, more to
come. I guess the Oilers didn’t sign
him after all.
12:34pm
The Ryan Smyth deal has been
confirmed. Wow.
12:35pm
Gene Principe on Sportsnet compares the Smyth deal to the Gretzky
deal back in 89. This is history in the
making!
12:45pm
Ryan O’Marra, a first rounder and
Robert Nilson to Edmonton for Ryan
Smyth is confirmed.
12:46pm
The Flames have made two alleged trades. One for defenseman
David Hale out of New Jersey and
another for Martin Gelinas! Vancouver fans are crying.
12:55pm
Still no news but I find it interesting that Messier will be honoured at
the Oiler game tonight on the same
day that Smyth was dealt.
12:56pm
TSN reports Brad Boyes to St.
Louis.
12:57pm
Apparently GM’s are calling TSN
and ranting about how Smyth wasn’t
even on the market, and no one
seems to have known he was being
offered. Kevin Lowe is a sneaky little
devil.
1:02pm
Apparently Norstrom actually
went to Dallas.
1:04pm
TSN.ca confirms the Martin
Gelinas to Calgary trade (they were
wrong.)
1:05pm
The Boyes deal is now confirmed
by TSN.
1:42pm
Jaroslav Modry went to LA in the
Norstrom deal.
1:44pm
The bell for E block goes and I am
forced to log off. No more deals to
come through.
attending the southern university.
“Well, obviously I’m excited,” Driver
laughed when asked. “Who
wouldn’t want to go play ball in
Florida, man? Especially with JNoah down there, it’s gonna be
dope!” Driver was referring to University of Florida standout Joakim
Noah, who led the Gators to the
national championship with his 16point, 9-rebound season averages.
Noah, who was considered a lock to
become a top-five pick in the 2006
NBA Draft, decided to bypass the
draft and stay in university. All
signs pointed to him declaring for
the 2007 Draft after this season, but
once Noah heard about Driver’s
verbal commitment, he had other
things to say. “Everyone’s saying
that I’m gonna declare for the L and
all that, but with this new Canadian
kid coming down, who knows? I
might decide to stick around for
another two years cuz my eligibility
allows me to do that. I want a chance
to play a year with this cat.”
the ball. He’s got good size for a
guard and has decent ball-handling
skills. We see him becoming a valuable contributor to our program.”
The one knock against Driver has
been his defense, which is hampered by his lack of speed. “He’s a
big kid,” Donovan continued when
asked about Driver’s apparent
lackluster movement. “Obviously
he’ll never be the quickest player in
the SEC, but if he works out and
sheds a few pounds, there’s no telling what this kid can do. Look at
what Big Baby’s doing over at LSU.
He tore it up last year as an overweight forward, and during the summer he worked out and lost thirty
pounds and now he’s absolutely
dominating our league. I haven’t a
doubt that Reza’s got the same potential in him. Give him a summer
with a personal trainer and maybe a
few pounds less, and he could make
an instant impact.” A NCAA scout
added, “Reza Driver could be the
next Canadian in the NBA.”
Driver didn’t play for the
Charles Best senior boys team this
year for several reasons. First, playing with the team would have been
an enormous time commitment for
him since he also trains daily with
the UBC men’s team. Secondly,
Driver says, “Well, we’ve got a few
other elite players in our program
like Sam Freeman and David Joyce.
If I was playing, then I’d take away
from their game. I’ve already committed to Florida; those guys need
as much of the limelight as they can
get.”
Driver, who will spend this
summer training with the junior men’s
national team, says that he is excited
about next year. “I’ll be going down
to play senior ball in the States next
year,” he said. “Probably Oak Hill,
though Maryland Prep was looking
at me too. We’ll see how things go.
All I know is that if I keep working,
then like my momma says, I can do
anything I put my mind to. And my
mind’s set on making the L.”
What then, is so special about
Reza Driver that even the arguable
top player in all of college basketball
might consider delaying his entry
espn.com
Though Canada isn’t exactly
a basketball hotbed, there are certain things about the sport that Canadians can call their own, the invention of the game and Steve Nash
among them. But it seems that
Coquitlam’s been hiding its own
little secret. Just recently in early
March, Grade 11 student Reza Driver
verbally committed to the University of Florida, home of the Gators
and the top men’s basketball program in the NCAA’s SEC division.
The powerhouse Gators won their
first national championship in 2006
when they defeated the UCLA
Bruins 73-57.
Driver, who has played basketball for the Tri-Cities Youth Basketball Association and the Charles
Best grade 9 and grade 10 teams,
says he is extremely excited to be
prospect Brendan Bell for Perrault.
11:52am
Eight minutes left until the deadline and it’s getting down to the wire.
Ekland has some fishy rumours
about Marty Lapointe going to Detroit, Derek Morris moving to
Calgary, and Robert Esche going to
LA. He also mentions that seven
teams are going after Marty Gelinas.
11:55am
Yet another fishy rumour from
Eklund that has Boynton
going to Ottawa. This has
to be the most boring trade
deadline in ten years.
11:59am
50 seconds left! Gelinas
could be on the move to
Anaheim or maybe Vancouver! Esche to Tampa Bay
says Eklund, but I didn’t
catch if it’s confirmed or
not.
12:00pm
The official trade deadline; more news will continue to trickle in.
12:08pm
Eklund says that the
Kings have moved
Norstrom to Anaheim. He
also reiterates that Morris
is likely going to Calgary,
boring.
12:12pm
Eklund says the Islanders are rumoured to have moved Jason Blake
to Calgary or Nashville.
12:18pm
Matt Stajan being dealt out of
Toronto also seems to be a hot rumour, although there is no confirmed
destination for him.
12:20pm
Eklund reports that the Islanders
have made a huge trade, but it
doesn’t involve Jason Blake. I didn’t
know they were dealing anyone else.
12:25pm
Eklund says there seems to be
some genuine weight to the Islanders rumour and that a big Edmonton
Oiler name is rumoured to be heading to Long Island. Could it be Ryan
Smyth? I thought he was signed?
This is confusing but exhilarating,
finally some good deals.
Driver shakes hands with
Gators’ coach.
into the NBA just to play with him?
Florida head coach Billy Donovan
had a few things to say at the signing
conference. “Well, we’re definitely
excited about Reza’s ability to shoot
nhl.com
The NHL trade deadline is one of
the most exciting events of the NHL
season. For diehard hockey fans
this is Christmas in February, and as
one of said fans I followed the trade
rumours and deals throughout the
day (except when those pesky
classes got in the way.) Here is my
personal trade deadline journal
chronicling the deals, rumours, and
events of the most exciting day of
the NHL season. A day that will go
down in history as the day a key
player left the town he loved and
travelled to a new country and a new
beginning.
February 27, 2007, 7:00am
The alarm beeps loudly and without even a hesitation I jump up to
shut it off. Fumbling for the remote
in the dark, I click the power button
and the small 12 inch television that
resides in my room springs to life,
blinding me momentarily. Although
my vision is slightly impaired, I can
still hear Nick Kypreos, Darren
Millard, and Keith Primeau discussing the trades made yesterday and
the day to come. Sopel and Smolinski
were dealt to Vancouver the previous afternoon, a good sign for any
Canucks fan in my opinion. I hope
they pick up a backup. I hate
Sabourin.
7:05am
Roberts has waived his no-trade
clause and has been moved from
Florida to Pittsburgh.
7:08am
The legendary, anonymous
hockey blogger Eklund is appearing
on Sportsnet (not showing his face
though) to help with the coverage.
A small graphic lights up at the
bottom of the screen everytime
Eklund has some breaking news.
Sportsnet has aptly named these
“Eklund Alerts.”
8:00am
Marty Biron is rumoured to have
been moved out of Buffalo, but they
don’t know where he’s headed. They
say it might be Philly. Sucks to be
him.
8:25am
Mr. Murray’s English class has a
no cell-phone rule. This may hamper Detroit are actively pursuing a trade
my ability to obtain updates, or will for Todd Bertuzzi; Glen Murray is
rumoured to be moving to Detroit;
it?
and Dainius Zubrus is possibly on
9:14am
Bathroom break and I can check the move to Anaheim.
11:20am
the deals on my cell phone’s internet.
Eklund confirms on the internet
Biron did go to Philly. Buffalo then
that
Todd Bertuzzi has been dealt to
picked up Conklin from Columbus.
Detroit!
Man, I look like an idiot after
Laraque has been dealt to Pittscalling
that
he was going to Anaheim.
burgh; that adds more veteran leadThe
first
blockbuster
of the day but
ership in addition to Roberts. They
still
no
word
on
what
Florida
got for
could go far. Guerin to San Jose!!
That’s a big deal for the
Sharks. I wouldn’t want to
be a fan of a team in the
Western Conference...
9:25am
I’m going down to the
computer lab to work on an
essay, and check updates of
course. I check Eklund’s
website. He says Bertuzzi to
Anaheim is practically done!
9:45am
After finishing my work, I
walk back to English and brag
to a number of people en
route that, “I’m calling that
Bertuzzi is getting dealt to
Anaheim within the hour.” I
am cool.
10:02am
Ryan Smyth with his new team
I check my cell in Law, but
there’s nothing new. Hopefully the deals start flowing more him. In my estimation this means
steadily the closer we get to noon. that Murray isn’t going to Detroit,
and Zubrus is more likely to move to
11:05am
Out of Law and I check the cell Anaheim after they missed out on
phone again. TSN isn’t reporting the Bertuzzi sweepstakes.
11:23am
anything but I have a feeling Eklund
The Panthers got a conditional
knows more than they do; I rush to
pick
and a prospect for Bertuzzi, kind
Mr. Cairney’s computer lab as fast
of
a
low
price if you ask me.
as I can.
11:30am
11:10am
On Sportsnet TV Nick Kypreos
Arrival in the computer lab and I
reports
that Yanic Perrault is on the
check all the various websites.
move
and
going to the Maple Leafs.
Sportsnet has a live streaming video
I
guess
they
are going to make a
of their trade deadline coverage!
playoff
push
afterall.
Excellent; I settle in for the long haul.
11:33am
11:18am
Eklund reports that Zubrus has
Eklund reports several trades and
been
dealt to Buffalo! Wow, they’re
deals
on
his
website,
going
to be powerful upfront. Pascal
hockeybuzz.com. According to
Dupuis
is also moving to Atlanta.
Eklund Brad May has been dealt to
It’s
the
second
time he’s been dealt
Anaheim; Ryan Smyth has re-signed
in
a
month,
poor
guy.
with the Oilers; Oleg Saprykin was
11:36am
sent to the Senators for a Coyotes
Phoenix got a 2nd rounder and
2nd round draft pick; Anaheim and
SPORTS
Sunday, April 1st 2007
Rugby
Season
Kicks Off
By Echo Reporter
Tara Staples
It is spring and the rugby
season has commenced. The
boys’ team will include returning players, Spencer Newberry,
Razvan Cuclea, Daniel
Camillari and David Zima.“I
think this is going to be an exciting season,” predicts coach
Johnstone. “The boys have a
lot of potential as well as speed,
and speed kills.”
High
Hopes for
Track
By Echo Reporter
Chris Tse
Sr
.T
ennis
Sr.T
.Tennis
Confident
By Echo Reporter
Leslie Bouillet
Blue Devils’ tennis has
started up once again, and this
year’s team has already begun
to practice Tuesday and Thursday’s at People’s Courts. Mr.
Choi is coaching the team,
which is comprised of many returning players. Grade 12 student and tennis player Lauren
Parker is confident feeling:
“The team is going to rock the
house.” The season starts April
1st, and this year’s team hopes
to achieve success and partake
in provincials. With the dedication that is being shown already,
Mr. Choi doesn’t seem to think
that will be a problem: “We have
very strong senior teams, and I
expect to do very well.”
Senior Boys Fall Short at Provincial T
ournament
Tournament
By Echo Reporter
Leslie Bouillet
From Wednesday, March
7 to Saturday, March 10 the senior
boy’s lacrosse team hosted and
participated in the annual Brine
Blue Devils Tournament, which
doubles as the provincial championships. The Senior Blue Devils
started the tournament against Terry
Fox Secondary. Best took the lead
early in the game when Kiegan
Scharnberg
and Travis
Cornwall
scored two
goals each,
and
DJ
Reynes and
Cory Martel
added singles. In the
second half,
Terry Fox
mounted a
comeback,
scoring
three unanswered
goals, but
their rally
fell short.
Scharnberg
and Cornwall both
contributed
single goals
respectively to complete their hat
tricks, and Taylor Morrison added
two more to finish off the Ravens.
The final score was 10-3 for Best.
Curtis Sim racked up two assists.
Their opening tilt a good start for
the boys and clearly boosted their
confidence for the upcoming games.
Next, Best faced Seaquam
Secondary School from Delta.
Once again, Best took an early lead
thanks to goals from Scharnberg,
Cornwall and Morrison. The game
went back and forth until a check
from Matt Beers landed a Seaquam
player in the hospital. After the
demoralyzing hit, Best controlled
the second half ,scoring nine goals
to Seaquam’s two. Goals came from
Reynes, Sim, Cornwall, Morrison,
J o s h
Sedden
and Tor
Reinholdt.
Goalie
D a n
Lewis
was a key
factor in
the win,
allowing
in only
t h r e e
goals.
The final
score was
12-3 for
B e s t .
Hatzic
Seconda r y
would be
their next
opponent, and Best would once again
come out on top. By the end of the
first half Best was already leading
8-1, thanks to goals from Scott
Duncan, Morrison, Martel, Beers
and a hat trick from key contributor
Matt Greenall,who was later named
game MVP.
Hatzic posed little opposition
Pictures by: Leslie Bouillet
The Charles Best track
team began training in early February, a testament to the team’s
willingness to work hard in order to achieve new heights this
year. Although the Blue Devils
have lost seniors Matt Willcox
and Jessica Richards, the void
has been filled by several elite
juniors, including Tom Willcox,
Jocelyn Webster, and Timma
Hickenbotham, who will ensure
that the program’s winning tradition continues. On the senior
side of things, the boys hope to
build on last year’s success with
their district champion relay
team of Mike Drozdik, Etienne
Siew, Chris Tse, and _______.
If anyone is interested in filling
this blank, please talk to Ms.
Bazley. New additions to the
senior girls include Bahaar
Vafai and Sahar Golestani.
Page 8
and Best defeated them handily 113, with Stu Goodman and Ryan
McLarchrie adding two points and
a goal respectively. The Blue Devils appeared invincible: “By this
point we were very confident, and
felt like nothing could hurt us,” explains
Greenall.
“Everyone was
playing
their best
game and
we were
pumped
to play
Centennial.”
Centennial
also fell
easily to the Best boys, who once
again controlled the entire game.
Against the highly penalyized Centennial team, Best capitalized on the
man advantage to win the game 122.
The undefeated boys left
their home field and traveled to
Mercer Stadium to face the New
Westminster team which would
prove to be their only challenge in
the tournament,in the pouring rain.
Best knew their opponents were
not only a school team, but also
the city team. New Westminster led
early in the game, but Best fought
hard to catch up. It was an ongoing struggle to gain dominance, but
in the end the senior boys were
unable to attain victory. The final
score was 6-4 for New Westminste
“Although we fell short in
the semi-finals, we played hard.
Any given day the out come could
have been reversed, but New Westminster was the better team on this
particular day,” explains defensive
player Matt Beers, whose presence
on defence – along with Chris
Seidel – was a huge part of the
team’s
success.
After the
game a
sense of
sadness
fell over
the team,
but they
all handled it
pretty
well, and
most of
the team
went to watch the gold medal game
at Best. DJ Reynes was content
with the team’s actions in the game,
stating, “We played well, came up
short, and celebrated hard.”
In the end the Charles Best
Senior Boys would place third overall in the Provincials. For many of
the players, it was their last season, and even though they didn’t
win, they’re still proud of the team’s
accomplishments this season.
Explains Sim, “It would’ve
been nice to go out a champ as a
senior, but you can’t win them all, I
guess. Congratulations to the juniors on owning the show! 10’s, do
it again next year; let’s take that
senior title; it’s about time we take
home our own trophy.”
Well said Curtis.
Jr
Jr.. Devils Dominate at Provincial Championship
By Echo Reporter
Josh Bloomfield
Heading into the Blue Devil
Classic the Junior Boy’s
Lacrosse Team looked
incredibly strong. They had an
undefeated season and were
very close to securing the
number one spot provincially.
In the tournament
which has become a tradition
at Best and the juniors
definitely did not disappoint
with
their
incredible
performance. Last year, the
team made the finals but was
knocked off by a very strong
New Westminster team.
This year, they cruised through the
tournament knocking off every
team they faced en route to the
championship.
They looked solid from start
to finish. Their first game was
against a North Delta team that,
heading into the tournament,
looked like the only problem on
Best’s round-robin schedule.
The team blew away any chance
of an upset early and jumped ahead
to a five goal halftime lead which
they carried through the rest of the
game.
After cruising through the
rest of the round robin 3-0, their
first real test was in the Saturday
semi-final match-up at noon in
Mercer Stadium. This game was
the rematch of last year’s final
against New West. New West had
already suffered a loss to
Claremont but was very dangerous
and Best did not take them lightly.
Thanks to another dominating
performance
the
Blue
Devils were
once again
victorious
and prepared
for a 3:30
final, only
two hours
after
the
conclusion of
their semifinal tilt.
The final
was against
their biggest rival, Claremont from
Vancouver Island. At a tournament
earlier this year Best had beaten
Claremont. The team was
motivated and was all over
Claremont from the get go. Big
saves, big hits and nice goals for
Best were very common in this
game and “Big Emmo”
Scharnberg had two goals and two
assists. Claremont managed only
a single goal while Best scored a
total of 13. During
the
tournament all players played well
but some standouts defensively
were Emerson Scharnberg, Kevin
Neufeld and Braden Weir. On
offence Marty Dinsdale was
named tournament MVP and Cody
Craven and Kyle Dennison also
played great throughout.
This was a big win for the
team and they were ecstatic. “We
were unreal all tournament long,”
said Emerson Scharnberg. “We
expected to win every game, and
we did,” added Kevin Neufeld
After the triumphant 13-1 win over
Claremont, the team became the
number one ranked team in the
province.
This was the 6 th Annual
Best Classic Tournament and the
four grade 9’s on the team will be
looking to help with the repeat next
year while most of team will be
moving up to the senior team and
will look to win there.
Badminton T
eam Sheds “Nerdy” Image, Becomes the New Cool
Team
By Echo Reporter
Josh Bloomfield
A sport that does not often
get recognition at Best is
badminton. Badminton is an
extremely challenging sport and
usually flies under the radar behind
bigger sports.
The badminton club at Best
is large and is coached by Mr.
Smith, who offers all the knowledge
and advice he can give to aspiring
badminton stars.
The students involved
usually put in a lot of work and
practice after school, as well as
playing matches against other
schools. This team is not often
mentioned but is quite large in size.
Soojie Hahn is one of the
standouts on the team and this is
her third year being a member. The
team is steadily gaining in
popularity and next year the group
will most likely increase in size
again.
There is a broad range of
skill on the team, from beginners
to experienced players. The
badminton team is a really fun club
and continues to get better and
better.