The Cheetah Perspective - Charles P. Allen High School
Transcription
The Cheetah Perspective - Charles P. Allen High School
“ News, Views and Information from Charles P. Allen High School ! ” Charles P. Allen High School 196 Rocky Lake Road, Bedford, N.S. B4A 2T6 Phone: (902) 832-8964 The Cheetah Perspective February 2005 “Strive For Excellence” Issue 6 Modesty Absent From Classroom Roll Call Table Of Contents An Anonymous Opinion Put yourself in the following situation. You are a sixteen-year-old guy in grade ten with good grades and a strong desire to learn. It is 12:40 pm, and you are off to history class to study Ancient Greece. You are seated, when a fellow female student walks over and sits right in front of you. You can’t help but notice how high her skin-tight shirt is, exposing most of her back. Plus, her pants were so low that her bright pink thong was extensively exposed. This is a normal thing for you to see in most of your classes and you tell yourself not to pay any attention to it; however, it still distracts you from your note taking on Greek families. This is one of the many daily situations that I was put through last year; and likewise for most males in the school system. However, the truth is that you do not have to be a sixteen-year-old student like me to experience this. I believe a serious problem has arisen in our school system and it should be addressed. Adolescent women in the schools have the responsibility to dress in a relatively modest fashion, so as not to diminish the educational environment by their inappropriate dress. First, teen girls are responsible to respect their male peers by not wearing scanty clothing. A lot of girls fail to realize that their appearance can sexually arouse men. If a girl is revealing more than necessary, the guy cannot help but be uncomfortably distracted from his thought process while doing work. Many teen guys are at that point in life where the hormones are raging. However, this does not give an excuse for them to go out and sexually abuse a girl with skimpy clothing, since they, too, have a responsibility for their actions. However, what about the girls responsibility? Most girls argue that their dress is a form of selfexpression and that they are entitled to that right. However, should their dress not be considered a visual form of sexual harassment towards the guys? Moreover, teamwork is promoted in class to achieve excellence. But the way some girls dress today does not help guys with their studies! Therefore, the elimination of sexual harassment is more important than dressing however you feel. Second, these are not only problems for the male student body, but for the teachers as well. A teacher-friend of mine once said that sometimes he cannot even stand up in front of the class to face his provocatively dressed pupils. The attire of some girls makes it hard for teachers to operate normally in class without distractions; they cannot perform to their potential. Hence, this is a form of class disruption. Therefore, teen girls wearing their scanty clothing should be as responsible as anyone else in the classroom for not distracting the teacher! Finally, a girl in provocative dress should be responsible to herself for how other people react to the way she is clothed. Some girls make it harder on themselves by dressing the way they do, because it attracts negative attention. For Continued on Page 3 Modesty Crisis Messages We Are Listening Where’d The Co Go? Tsunami Update Guidance Amnesty International Sports Fitness Dance Pants! Grinding Same-Sex Debate CPA Style The Learning Center TCG Outlook Horoscopes 1 2 4 4 5 5 5 6 7 7 8 8 10 10 10 10 Up Coming Events Recognition Night ........... March 1 Band Concert .................. March 3 March Break ............March 14-18 Art Trip.....................March 21-24 Good Friday .................. March 25 Easter Monday .............. March 28 Root Beer Fest ...............March 31 The Cheetah Perspective Page 1 Welcome Back “Strive For Excellence” February 2005 Issue 6 Editors’ Message Principal's Message Hello again student type units. I hope you’re enjoying a heaping spoon full of semester two. Or a Lovin’ Spoonful for those who appreciate older music. I know I am, my classes taste like fried chicken, unless you don’t like chicken, in that case they taste like soy product. The snow from our three consecutive blizzards has almost melted away, much like our brains after three or four exams. At least said blizzards bought us extra study time. You guys did use it to study right… Right? Oh never mind. We have some pretty good articles this month, and if you read our cover story you already have an idea of the hoo-hah we’re stirring up this month. Everything from modesty, to grinding, to dance pants to the third month in a row we feature Mr. B working out. Though I know that’s a different sort of excitement. The non-existent kind… unless you like weight training. Speaking of Mr. B I have to make an apology. Last month I typed: “wicked remorseful” instead of: “wicked resourceful” under the picture of him weight training. I was supposed to put “wicked remorseful” under the picture of him teaching his Canadian Literature class. Well, I have to go get my custom golf balls printed for when I tee off with Ol’ Jean later with the rest of the hierarchy. Students and staff have settled into Semester Two and we are looking forward to the next few months as the excitement builds toward several major events. Regards, Dan Rodgers (and Keirsten Reilly) The Cheetah Perspective Page 2 RECOGNITION EVENING A very special evening for the recognition of student performance will be held in the gymnasium on March 1 at 7 p.m. Mengie Shulman awards will also be presented at this ceremony. You will not want to miss this celebration of excellence and the Ice Cream Social to follow. Staff will be contacting parents of students who have qualified. REGISTRATION INFORMATION Once again we are in the process of determining enrollments for the school year 2005-06. Very important decisions about staffing and availability of certain programs are based on spring enrollment numbers as of March 1. Please refer to the front page of our web-site www.cpa.ednet.ns.ca for important information on Student Registration. Families planning to move into or out of the area served by our school should check on the Out of Area Transfer Request Protocol. These requests will be accepted by the receiving school starting on April 1 for September enrollment. More Messages “Strive For Excellence” February 2005 Issue 6 Modesty Con’t example, when a girl is doing a presentation at the front of the class in a halter top and low rise pants, it is almost guaranteed that some guy (or guys) will be gawking at her figure, rather than the poster that she is holding. Girls complain about being viewed as sex objects. Well, maybe they should look in the mirror sometime and see how they can minimize the problem themselves. Truly, they need to understand why they are being viewed this way, and fix it themselves if they are offended by the male reactions. In conclusion, it is imperative that we do not let this problem be ignored anymore. It is very unfair for the guys to be forced into an educational environment where they are subjected to this distraction. Likewise, it is not fair for the girls to subject themselves to the reactions that the guys make, which might upset them. If girls do not take enough responsibility in the way they dress, we might as well label our class doors like we do on TV: WARNING: this classroom contains explicit content. Viewer discretion is impossible! Principal's Message Con’t PARENT-TEACHER VISITATION The first of two parent/teacher visitations for Semester Two will occur on Thursday, April 7 from 1:30-3:30. Please note the change from the date in the student calendar of April 6 to April 7. As this is quite early in term two, no term marks will be available at this time. Parents who have been contacted by teachers or administration are expected to attend this early meeting. As well, any parents who have early semester concerns are certainly invited to attend. The second parent/teacher visitation will occur on Tuesday, April 19 from 6:00pm-9:00 pm. This will be the same day that Semester 2, Term 1 report cards will be distributed to students. All parents/guardians are invited to attend. Please be reminded of the 5 minute meeting limit with teachers. We are anticipating a large crowd as there is no afternoon visitation on the 19th, only evening. FINE ARTS INFORMATION Plan now to attend upcoming performances by our Department of Fine Arts. The next Band concert will be held in the gymnasium on March 3 at 7 p.m. Visual Arts will be on the road with their Arts Tour of Toronto over March Break. PARENT ORIENTATION TO COURSE SELECTION MEETING DATES Administrators, guidance councilors, and curriculum coordinators will be presenting program and course selection information in the library at C. P. Allen following this schedule: 1. Feb. 22- Bedford Junior High and Bedford South Current Grade 9 Parents, 7-9 p.m. 2. Feb. 24- Madeline Symonds Middle School Current Grade 9 Parents, 7-9 p.m. 3. March 8- Current Grade 10 and 11 Parents, 7-9 p.m. As you know, the course selections made at this time of year will have great impact on our staffing requirements. It is very important that parents and students review academic calendars of postsecondary institutions to be aware of entrance requirements so that appropriate planning for three years of course selections can be started now. COURSE SELECTION IN MATHEMATICS It has come to our attention that many students and parents may have the false impression that they cannot attend university if they choose Foundations math. This is not the case. Many arts related programs do not require either Foundations Mathematics or Academic Mathematics. Foundations Mathematics courses are NOT intended for students interested in pursuing math, science or business programs however. These areas of study require Academic Math. Consult with post secondary academic calendars to determine specific mathematic admission requirements. If you have any questions, please speak to guidance councilors Kathy Armstrong (A-K) and Steve Ferguson (L-Z). CPA MUSICAL-LES MISERABLES You will not want to miss this tremendous production of Les Misérables now being staged by Acting Director Ms. Dompierre and Musical Director Mr. Beeler with a most talented cast of performers, pit band and stage crew. Please pencil in these dates on your calendar right now and plan to attend: May 2, 3, 4. -Jeff Lewis Principal UTTERLY OFFENDED? TELL US ABOUT IT. We know that everyone on this planet has an opinion, especially considering this month’s opinion-heavy front page story. Maybe you don’t agree with the statement our unseen friend put forward. In that case, write an article in response telling us why you think we’re full of hoo-hah or artificial hoo-hah replacement Of course, maybe a certain teacher that rhymes with the treaty organization he teaches has given you a bazillion page essay and you don’t have time to write a full blown article. In that case just send your 200-word max soap box rants to: [email protected] The Cheetah Perspective Page 3 Student Council “Strive For Excellence” February 2005 We Are Listening Issue 6 Where’d The “Co” Go? By Her Supreme Highness Jessica Ford By Her Empirical Awesomeness Kathleen Healy As your students’ council co-president, I am often torn between my responsibility to represent the students as well as obey the authority of the administration. This is what led to the assembly that was held a few weeks ago. It was an opportunity for everyone in the student body to hear of new policies through the rational and understandable voice of fellow students. I was very impressed with the outpouring of opinions that were expressed in the surveys. There were a few comments that I would like to mention that particularly raised my interest. There were suggestions that we should do activities that students want and not just what we want. That is a very good point, because yes, we are the students’ council. We like to say that we are a very diverse council, made up of many different opinions within the school. However, could you disagree with the fact that the surveys put out were a chance to tell us what you want? Student council meetings are an open forum. They are held every Tuesday morning at 7:45, and if you feel that we are not doing activities that appeal to you, you are more than welcome to come. For a more informal meeting, just approach any council member. To find one that represents you, or a complete list, visit the council office. People also want us to lower the cost of activities. Each activity we run, costs a set amount of money. Regular dances themselves can cost up to $2000. The price you pay goes hand in hand with attendance. If more people go to the evening activities, the price can be lowered. Wednesday activities and special giveaways are there for your enjoyment. There is no charge to go see C.P.A. Idol or the Polar Bear Swim and the cost of events does add up. Another comment was that we should keep dances because other schools do. Chris and I talk to dozens of students’ council presidents from all across Canada. The truth is, many schools are resorting to other evening events such as coffeehouses and movie nights. This is due to the lack of attendance by both teachers and students. D.J. businesses are going under because the market is slimming. At Nova Scotian schools, including our own, the frequency of dances has decreased. They are all dealing with the same issues that we are. I appreciate all the comments we received, and we’ll be sure to keep the surveys coming. For all the statistics collected from the surveys visit the students’ council office. I hope that I cleared up any misconceptions. It is important that you all know how hard we work for you and how much we stand up for what you want. You all have a great year, and you know where I am if you need me. I’m sure we have all heard just about as much as we can take about the gender-segregated grinding assemblies, but I still have an ax to grind. (Pun definitely intended). This has nothing to do with the aforementioned “mating ritual”, because I personally don’t care where you put your butt—though I do respect the gross-out factor the teachers have to experience. My problem comes from the seeming lack of respect for our “co-presidents”. Considering that I am female, I was not privy to the goings-on at the boy’s assembly, though from what I can gather, Jessica Ford (that’s Co-President Jessica Ford) did not speak. Whoop-de-do, right? Well at the girl’s assembly she did speak and this is where things get problematic. Chew on this except from our assembly: “And now we’ll hear from our President of the Student’s Council, Chris Green.” I’m sorry, but I was under the impression that we had two presidents here. I certainly voted for two; BOTH of whom have made this year seriously rock, with their awesome council behind them. The problem continues when Jessica is introduced. “And now, Jessica Ford.” What was that? No, “President Jessica Ford”? Why doesn’t she get treated with the same respect Chris does? I do not blame anyone on the council; I blame the student body, administration included. If by chance, Mr. Lewis was unaware of the way our Student Council works, with two Presidents, why didn’t one of the teachers or the students correct him? We have two Presidents, CPA, count ‘em, two! You don’t need to be Mr. Lyne or Mr. Aucoin to figure this one out. And these TWO (2, II, the square root of four, you get my drift) student leaders have done such an amazing job that it is just plain disrespectful to not validate their hard work with the titles they have earned. Very, very few people like anything about school other than the social factor and I think that the grade elevens and twelves can attest to how much more enjoyable this year has been. And we can thank the people who have brought this to us. Grab a pen and jot this down children- The Cheetah Perspective Page 4 Thank you Co-Presidents Jessica Ford and Chris Green, and your wonderful council. In The School “Strive For Excellence” February 2005 Tsunami Update By Melody Lotfi It’s been two months since the horrific Tsunami hit the Pacific coast into Asia and Africa. Over 280,000 people were killed and survivors have had to live with the aftermath of the torn buildings, suppressed land, and the lack of food and clean water. Fortunately, organizations and governments from all over the world sent monetary and medical aid as quickly as possible. Thanks to devoted staff and students, C.P.A was able to help with tsunami relief. Almost immediately after news of the disaster broke, a group was created at our school that held a “Strive for Five” campaign. It went on for two weeks in January, and it was hoped that the fund would reach a maximum of $5000. A plan was setup to create new ways to raise money for those suffering in Africa and Asia. The fund grew as students and staff donated money to their homerooms, at school events and by buying candy and ribbons. The campaign was a success, thanks to the students and staff that fully understood the gravity of the situation halfway across the world. The fund exceeded the $5000 goal that our school had intended. Instead, we raised $5770. The money was given to the Red Cross, who continue to help with monetary and emotional support for the survivors. C.P.A. will surely remember the selfless act they’ve performed to help those who would otherwise be unknown to us. Issue 6 Guidance News APPLICATION TIME IS HERE!! Pick up your applications and sign up for transcripts in the guidance office. If you have any questions, please see Ms Armstrong or Mr Ferguson. GRADUATION FEES….are now due. $50 payable to the main office. If you haven’t paid your fees we will assume that you will not be participating in grad ceremonies! COURSE SELECTION FOR SEPT 2005 In early March there will be presentations in class about your course selection for next year. There will be a parent meeting on March 8th in the cafeteria to answer any questions that your parents may have. AWARDS NIGHT This will be held March 1st in the gym for all students who have attained honour status. Mengie Schulman awards will also be handed out that night followed by an ice cream social in the cafeteria. SCHOLARSHIPS/BURSARIES Please check the wall outside guidance for new scholarships/bursaries. Get your CPA awards applications in guidance! UPCOMING VISITS: NSCAD Feb 17th lunch, St FX Feb 22nd, IW Akerley (NSCC) Open house Feb 22nd, Trip to Mt Allison Feb 25th Amnesty International: Spreading Amnesty Internationally By Jessica Ford With recent global events leaving many people in our world community helpless, people within C. P. Allen High School have looked to themselves to see what they can do to benefit the needy. We successfully raised $5770 for tsunami relief, but unfortunately, the generosity cannot stop there. If you want to find someplace where your voice can be your best tool in helping the disadvantaged, you need to look no further than room 213. Currently, there is a group of students who are working, over and above their course load, to help bring injustices to light. They work side by side with a human rights organisation called Amnesty International. From their beginning in 1961, Amnesty International has successfully enforced justice by ensuring that human rights are maintained for all people, regardless of their race, religion or gender. Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human liberties. Their goal is to ensure that citizens of the world are protected under the universal declaration of human rights. They seek out injustices and aim to correct them. Some familiar faces in the 1.5 million members include Blink 182, Ryan Adams, Coldplay, Bright Eyes, Dashboard Confessional, Foo Fighters, The Hives, Alanis Morissette, Paul McCartney, Missy Elliot and No Doubt. Three year Amnesty International member, and current co-chair, Alyse Hand says, “It's horrible that so many people in the world continue to have their rights violated on a daily basis. Groups like AI, give anyone the opportunity to voice their opinions in a powerful way, through letters, petitions, and protests. Without Amnesty International, and other groups that work to help protect the basic human rights of others, millions of people would not have the rights that they have today”. The Charles P. Allen group takes up important case files from across the world. They write letters to government officials, making them aware of the unfairness. Currently they are dealing with stopping child executions in Iran, by writing to the Iranian Minister of Justice. For more information on Amnesty International at your school and abroad, go to www.amnesty.org or take action by attending a meeting. The Cheetah Perspective Page 5 Sports “Strive For Excellence” February 2005 Issue 6 Athletic Director’s Report The basketball and hockey seasons are nearing their completion. Play-off results and season summaries will be posted in the next newsletter. The teams have experienced a busy season with league games and exhibition tournaments. Our girl’s and boy’s hockey teams both went to NFLD for a tournament. Rumour has it they had a great time. The highlight for the boy’s basketball team was their participation in the prestigious Coal Bowl Basketball Tournament held in Cape Breton. The results are posted on the school web page. In fact, the schedules and the results for all the teams are posted on the school web page. Our newest addition to the extensive CPA athletics program is the CPA snowboarding team. Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Mac Duff, students from C.P. Allen participated in the first ever high school snowboarding competition. The boy’s team advanced to the provincial championships. Wow, what a start to snowboarding. More news about the snowboarding events and results will be featured in the next newsletter. Mr. Mac Duff is also responsible for reviving the CPA ski team. Competitions are taking place at Martock and Wentworth during February and March. Results will be posted on the school web page. The indoor field hockey team, defending league champions, is in the process of being selected. The coaches are very excited about the prospects. The league will begin the first week of March. The Cheerleading team is in their final preparation stages. Their first meet is scheduled for February 25th. Good luck team. The badminton club will pick up momentum as they move towards the team selection. High school badminton competitions begin in April. Mr. Aucoin and Madame Comeau-Livingston would like to have any students interested in badminton come out to the training sessions. The boy’s curling team consisting of Jono Mac Neil, Mark Cahill, Pat Dean, Ryan Norwood and Spencer Doue are participating in the Metro/Regional Curling Championships at the Mayflower Curling Club on February 14th and 15th. The top two teams will advance to the NSSAF Provincial Curling Championships in Bridgewater on March 31st, April 1s and 2nd. The rugby teams will begin their training sessions in the gym the first week of March. Coach Connors for the boy’s team and coach Mac Duff for the girl’s team are looking forward to high spirited, energetic players trying out. As you can see, the CPA teams are thriving and continue to be strong competitors in the high school sporting scene. I can assure you that watching our athletes in action is a wonderful experience. I encourage you to come out and support our teams. Girls B Basketball The Girl’s “B” Basketball team’s seasons is almost over. The girls were able to finish regular season play with a 8-2 record, enough for second in the league. In the semi-finals the girl’s lost to Eastern Shore who will go on to play for the league championship. The girls had a great season, going to Baddeck and finishing in second place to Baddeck. In Baddeck Justine Finlayson was named to the all-star team In their own tournament the Cheetahs finished first in their division and lost in the championship to Baddeck. At the Cheetah’s tournament Justine Finlayson was on the all-star team and Jayne Dempsey was named, “Most Sportsmanlike Player.” This was a great season for the girls with only 2 returning players. The new grade 10s really stepped up and played with a lot of maturity. The grade 10 players Justine Finalyson, Rebecca Randell, Vanessa Arsenault, Rachel Steeves, Jayne Dempsey and Suzanne Lewis all adjusted easily to high school basketball and play a crucial role on the team. The grade 11 players Kara Brison, Megan Kenny, Karmen Pipes, Michelle Balcom also were huge for the team. The experience the grade 11s brought was substantial for this young team. Only two players will be graduating from the team, those girls are Jessica Baker and Allison MacPherson who both brought a great amount of leadership to the team in their role as captains. The girls will be missed next year. The Cheetah Perspective Page 6 Picture Time! The Girl’s B Basket Ball Team. I pretend the B stands for Bwesome I also pretend awesome is spelled with a “b.” What can I say. I’m out of touch with reality Fitness “Strive For Excellence” February 2005 Issue 6 Body Break! With Mr. B By Hal Johnson and Jo… oh wait… Mr. B Of all the gym related questions most often heard at CPA “how much can you bench?” is the king. I understand why, since our culture does put a lot of emphasis on pectoral development. This is more of an ego thing, since chest development is actually not as important for most sports as back and leg development. The main functions of the chest are to push and to pull in a circular motion. The following exercises will help you in reaching your full potential. Bench Press- this has been explained in a previous issue, but it still is the king of chest exercises. Variations on the barbell press are dumbbell press and incline press. Incline Press: barbell or dumbbell. This exercise is mainly for developing the upper part of your chest. With an incline bench you would use either a barbell or dumbbells and the movement will be very similar to a regular bench press, up and out. Your body will find its natural groove, but watch that you do not drift too far forward with the bar or bells. As well, this exercise is more challenging than a regular bench press, so you will use less weight. Wide grip dips- This exercise is used to develop the lower pectoral muscles. You do need a dip bar and you lower yourself down and explode back up. Another variation is the decline press on a machine or a decline bench. Next year’s CPA weight room should have these items. Flys- This exercise is designed to use the hugging motion of the chest. Pick two dumbbells, lie on a flat bench, and pretend that you are hugging a tree. You start with the weights facing each other and your palms together, then arc your hands away from each other until you feel a deep stretch in your pectorals. At this point, you arc your hands back up to the starting position like you were hugging the tree! Dip Picture far too sexy to be included. Sorry Ladies. Weight Room update… We have moved the weight room to room 305. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are going to be after school workout times, and Mr. Lewis is looking into having the room open during some blocks for grade twelve students. I know it has been frustrating, but we are getting there. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was Arnold… or is that AHHH-Nuldd! Dance 2005 By Anne Marie Lang Well, our second annual dance recital was a great success, despite a “few bumps in the road,” as Kristina Power would put it! It was enjoyed by many, but mostly by those involved. Fortunately, there were no breakdowns or quitters. The jazz sequence was a blast, and I heard some great feedback, such as “It was fun to watch.” A big thanks goes out to Vlada Tabachuk for taking the time to fabricate and supply the costumes for the Jazz and the Ukrainian Dance. Oh, that brings me to the cultural dances which were, undoubtedly, amazing! The dances included gumboot, Ukrainian, Medieval, Scottish and Line dancing, which I heard were very interesting to watch. The small group choreographies were also big hits. Then there were the “open dances” which were the highlight of the show. The contemporary piece was performed by Kristin Sutherland; the lyrical freestyle battle, done to “1,2 step” by Ciara, (Thanks to everyone who inspired my to really “come out of my shell.”); the ballroom dancing, by Tomasa Rulka and VladaTabachuk; and last, but not least, was the modern dance expressing memorable events in our lives. The dance was inspired by the group Mocean Dance. The finale of the show was the dance choreographed by none other than Jake Evens, done to “Goodies” by Ciara. Everyone did a great job performing. Special thanks go out to Shannon Sager and Jessica Jenson, who were our excellent M.C.s; great job, girls! Kristin Power who voluntarily typed up our outline, otherwise, we’d be lost; Vlada Tadachuk for the great costumes and choreography; guest instructors Jake Evans, Kim Butler, Mocean dance, Veronique Mackenzie-Bourne and Ms. Walker, our dance teacher, for making it happen. Great job everyone. It was a pleasure learning the different dance styles that people are into these days. Hope to see you all next semester. Remember everyone… Dance the night away! The Cheetah Perspective Page 7 Issues “Strive For Excellence” February 2005 Grinding: The Epidemic By Chhristophe Dupuy Grinding. This is an issue in which our administration has decided to take the bull by the horns. They even had an assembly about it. (Much like last year. And the year before. I could go on.) Which took place on the first day of the second semester, in hopes of getting what can be considered a fresh start. The event starts out with the introduction of our very own CO-President, (and I stress the CO) Chris Green. He then proceeded with a comical take on things: a slideshow featuring animals doing what they do best, increasing their numbers. This was a good icebreaker to jump into the topic at large. Mike Gerrow brought out the big guns. He was well prepared and spoke very frankly about the issue; he used what some might call “crass” language to get his point across This helped keep the audience from letting their minds wander and kept their attention lock onto what he had to say. He described grinding as getting out of hand, and asked if we would want our parents there and if they would feel comfortable watching all that. Bryce Taylor also had his time with the floor and is quoted as “going to dances and getting his grind on.” His overall point was that grinding doesn’t have to be eliminated completely, just significantly dialed back. The general opinion of those I spoke with about the issue was the same as Bryce’s. The thought is that grinding shouldn’t be halted completely, but it does really need to get dialed back. People don’t want to see people doing it to the extent that it could be considered something that, if photographed, would come in a paper bag, but no one seems to want to give it up themselves. One person said that they “don’t mind it if people are just into the music”, but they don’t enjoy it when it is an “obvious cry for attention.” It seems that with this assembly, the administration wants to raise awareness about their distaste for grinding, and that dances can still be fun without it. In order to discourage people from grinding, the school is now offering dance classes, which was touched upon at the assembly, along with making an appearance on the referendum that was passed around afterward to check the opinions of the student body. Listen to announcements for more details concerning the time and price. Personally, I couldn’t care less what people do; it’s none of my business anyhow, although some people may be uncomfortable with what they see with regard to our school dances. It isn’t necessary to see people going at it like a couple of randy caribou in the middle of the gym, there are places for that kind of activity, and school isn’t one of them. If the The Cheetah Perspective Page 8 Issue 6 only reason you go to dances is to grind away with as many people as you can, then maybe you should take your pleasure elsewhere. Music with a heavy bass-line isn’t an invitation to start dry humping in front of all your peers and teachers. Think of it this way, if you can’t do it in the halls, don’t do it at dances. It’s that simple. On the other side of things, if you think that this assembly was just giving you trouble, and you should get to do what you want, you should keep in mind that you don’t make the rules, and if you persist in engaging in such activities then you risk losing school dances as a whole for the rest of the year. To grind, or not to grind does not matter. It’s nice to see our student council working together to get us out of class and give us a laugh, while still getting their point across. Lets see more of this. Canada’s Same-Sex Marriage Debate By Master Photographer Corey MacDonald The right to be legally recognized as a couple is something gay and lesbian rights activists have been fighting to gain for years. The issue of same sex marriage has been debated in many countries, including Canada. Two nations have already legalized same-sex marriage and others including Canada are considering it as well. The issue that most people have trouble with is the redefinition of marriage. For many, marriage is defined as a union between a man and a woman. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, protects against discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity background, disability or sexual orientation. This means that our traditional definition of marriage is unconstitutional because it discriminates against gays and lesbians. As a result, the Supreme Court of Canada and many Provincial Supreme Courts have ruled that this traditional definition is unconstitutional. Prior to 1968, Gay and Lesbian citizens had very few rights in Canada. In fact, if you were openly gay, you could be arrested and sent to prison as a sexual offender. You could also be designated a dangerous offender and be kept in jail indefinitely. Homosexuality was considered a mental illness and deviant behaviour. When Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau changed the law in 1968 and uttered the words, “the state has no business in the bedrooms of the nation”, he opened the door to a debate that continues to this date. It provided the first step for gays and lesbians acquire equal rights and become more politically active. One of our countries best known gay rights activists is Issues, I Know I Have Them February 2005 “Strive For Excellence” Issue 6 Same-Sex Debate Con’t Svend Robinson. He is a Member of Parliament for British Columbia and a political voice for the gay and lesbian communities. He has able to voice their concerns nationally in the House of Commons and has shown the rest of Canada that gays and lesbians are just people, living and working like anyone else. Until 2003, Canada had a hate crimes law that did not cover crimes against sexual orientation. Svend Robinson drafted an amendment to that law that it now protects against sex-based hate crimes. Those people who cherish traditional values believe that government should not try and change the definition of marriage. Many religions view homosexuality as a sin and those who partake in it as immoral. They further believe that by providing homosexuals the right to marry goes against biblical teachings and will further erode moral values. Clergy are concerned that if marriage is legally redefined, that they will be forced to marry homosexuals against their religious beliefs. Not only do they not like the idea of homosexuals and same sex marriage, they also do not believe in children being made aware of the fact that there are homosexuals or lesbians out there in the world. The Church does not believe that the government should change the legal definition of marriage, and if it is changed, they feel that the government does not the right to force them to go against their religious and moral code. I believe that gays and lesbians should be given the same rights and freedoms as all Canadians. This includes the right to be legally married. They are Canadian citizens; sexual orientation should have nothing to do with their rights. A person should be able to marry the person they want to. The fact that two people are saying they love and respect each other and want to legally declare this should be celebrated, not demonized. If they are given the right to legally marry, it will help Canada become a better country. By showing it is willing to accept people with differences not considered traditional, it says to the rest of the world that Canada is a forward thinking country. The Cheetah Perspective Page 9 The School, Events Happen Here You Know “Strive For Excellence” February 2005 The Learning Center and G.O.A.L. Issue 6 Game Mastah’s TCG Outlook By Alyse Hand By Andrew McWatch On February 26th 2005, students from the Learning center will be attending G.O.A.L., Great Opportunities for Achievements and Learning, a daylong conference being held at Ecole de Carrefour. The twelve students attending from C.P.A. will be engaging in a variety ofactivities that will involve leadership, teamwork and personal growth. As well, the students will have the oppurtunity to meet and interact with other high school students from all over Nova Scotia. This will be the first ever Special Needs Conference held in our province. The students from the learning center are looking forward to the experiences they will have and the friends they will meet at G.O.A.L. 2005! Hello, and welcome to Game Master’s TCG Outlook. I will be informing some of the TCG card players and/or collectors about the upcoming sets and card expansions for Magic: The Gathering, and Yu-Gi-Oh. CPA Style By Sarah Livingstone Spring is in people and new fashions are popping up in stores everywhere! Read on to find out what’s blooming now. The Tribal/Ethnic look is very hot right now. That doesn’t mean you should go survivor grungy, but try out colours like golds and deep greens. If you don’t think you can pull those colours off, then purchase some wooden jewellery like a wood cuff. Other jewellery that will help you achieve this look is beaded pieces such as a beaded layered necklace. A hot pair of animal print ballet flats can make an outfit go a long way. Reptiles have slithered there way into our hands; snakeskin bags are a very popular accessory right now. An apple a day keeps the doctor away and also makes you a fashionable girl, even Louis Vuitton has designed a bag complete with apple print. This bag might become the new hit at CPA. The Romans may have lived thousands of years ago but their gladiator style sandals have made a come back! Stars such as Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell have been spotted sporting the latest in footwear Those are only a few things that are “in” right now; if you want more details or maybe visuals, check out magazines like In Style, Cosmopolitan or Teen Vogue. CPA has 30-40% more chillin’ than any other school in the area. That I know about at least. The Cheetah Perspective Page 10 YU-GI-OH: Trading Card Game News: Yata-Garasu Common? The rumors are true. In Dark Beginning 2, the 2nd expansion to the Dark Beginning expansion, YataGarasu, the Secret Rare card from Legacy of Darkness, with the infamous “Yata-Lock” is now becoming more common. Flaming Eternity Sneak Preview: The newest set to be released in March of this year is going to have a Sneak Preview, the same that Rise of Destiny had when it was released. This time, when you enter, any participants of the event will receive an excusive “Cyber Harpie Lady” card just for showing up to the event. This preview will allow players to use the newest and latest of cards that will appear in the set including the highly anticipated “Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys”, “Gearfried the Swordmaster”, and “Granmada the Rock Monarch”. The set will also include new Beast-Type monsters, EARTH monsters, and two new Fusion Cards; “Gatling Dragon”, and “Lord of Dragoon”. MAGIC: THE GATHERING-Betrayal of Kamigawa Released The newest set in Magic: the Gathering, Betrayal of Kamigawa, has just been released. This set includes a special “Fat Pack” for collectors and players of the game. There are brand new Kamigawa cards, like “Kami of the Honored Dead”, which allows you to gain life every time “Kami of the Honored Dead” is dealt damage, and “Kami of the Tattered Shoji”, which allows him to receive the Flying Ability whenever a Spirit or Arcane spell is activated. There are also 4 new Theme Decks released, “Dark Devotion”, “Ninjitsu”, “Rat’s Nest”, and “Spiritcraft”. Be sure to go to your local gaming store to look for the new “Betrayal of Kamigawa set. Andrew writes these articles and draws these cartoons This Page is Part of a Balanced Breakfast February 2005 “Strive For Excellence” Issue 6 The Cheetah Perspective Page 11 The Last Page “Strive For Excellence” February 2005 Issue 6 Horoscopes By Meghan Loch Pisces-- Birthday Fish! Apparently, you like water. That’s a great thing, since you need it to stay alive; in fact, experts agree that you need at least eight glasses of it a day. Don’t blame me if you have to pee in the middle of your birthday celebrations. Love, this month, should be primarily directed at you. It’s your month, after all. Aries--Has it ever occurred to you to change things about yourself? You know, your love life, your underpants, your personality, the sort of things that matter? Actually, if you change just one of those things, you may see an improvement anyway. Think about it. This is the month of love. Nobody loves people who smell funny. Taurus—You never guessed it, but every Gemini in the world is madly in love with you. Why, I’ll never know. But watch out. They can be two-faced. Wait outside a Gemini’s house with flowers. Surprising relationships could develop! Gemini—Yeah, I’ll bet you never knew that every Taurus in the world hates your guts and is secretly plotting your downfall. But if you’re nice to their face, you may just be able get along fine. That is, it they’re not already lying in wait for you now. Watch out for that. Cancer—Although you’re named after a disease, you’re the thing that everybody wants this month. The thing is, they want you for your homework advice, not your love. But hey, look on the bright side! It could mean a booming business for you, and with the proceeds, you can buy all he love you want! Who said money can’t buy friends? Leo-- Consider this: you’re the symbol of the lion. Brave, proud, hairy, and the adorably exploitable source of most of Disney’s annual income. Too bad you’re going to a school where the mascot is a cheetah. Loser. [No wonder you feel slightly out of place.] Libra-- That’s right. Love is in the air this month and you can feel it. Just make sure you remember to use protection, and of course I’m talking about air-bourn pollutants. Love’s not the only thing around you this month, though. Listen, I’m being paid big money by his agents not to tell you this, but what the heck? Johnny Depp has been stalking you, so you should be flattered. You should be even more flattered to know that it’s not some kind of press thing; he just thinks you’re hot. Johnny and chocolat should be arriving at your door any day now. Wait with baited breath and skimpy underclothes. Scorpio—Love is in the-oh, wait, I used that one already. So that means the stars are telling you AVOID RUSSIAN PEOPLE. Because socialism is also in the air, and it’s catching. You don’t want to be social with the Russians, do you? Sagittarius-- You think you’re racking up some kind of karma points for being so nice, don’t you? Well, the word is out from here to Nirvana* that you’re a sucker. So just wait: you’re going to get re-incarnated as a cockroach, instead of somebody else, just because they ask to trade; because you’re too nice. Really, just let yourself go and kill those people who are metaphorically stepping on you-if you don’t, you may actually end up getting stepped on. And that would suck. Capricorn—People are expecting great things out of you now, more than what you’re expecting of yourself: like breathing and moving. Within these exacting parameters, however. there lies a great potential for not achieving anything at all! Inversely disappoint the people who love you by proving them wrong and make something of yourself. Aquarius—You’re always last—in love, and in the horoscopes. In life, you watch everybody get the good stuff before you, and in the star predictions, you read all the good stuff about everyone else before you come to your own. It’s always going to be that way, Aquarius. At least you got a song and an age out of it. But wait—we’re done with that, too. *Disclaimer: I love the Buddhist philosophies and this is for humorous purposes only. Besides, unless you’re an authentic, well-informed practitioner of the Buddhist religion, please do not tell me I’ve offended you. Cheetah Perspective Back Issues (Even the ones you don’t want) are available Online! http://www.cpa.ednet.ns.ca/newspaper.html The Cheetah Perspective Page 12
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