Please enjoy the Crusador Chronicle, St. Cecilia`s School Newspaper.

M ICROSOFT
C RUSADER C HRONICLE
V OLUME 2,
ISSUE
2
M AY 2015
S PECIAL
NOTE TO OUR
READERS
O UTDOOR CLASSROOM CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY
The construction of St. Cecilia’s first ever outdoor classroom is underway. The location for the outdoor learning
area is between the two perimeter fences on the east side of
the schoolyard (behind the
soccer net), parallel to Peter
Rupert Ave. “The purpose of
this initiative is to reduce the
ecological footprint by using a
natural setting to enhance outdoor learning,” says Mr.
D’Agostini. The outdoor classroom will have a WiFi connection as well as natural shade
from the trees that will be
planted around the area. The
classroom will be ready for
September.
Meanwhile, the Eco Team is
S INGING
eagerly awaiting the results of
their application for the Gold
level Certification. Gold level
status indicates that a school
has taken a comprehensive
approach to implementing the
EcoSchools Program and has
achieved significant results in
each section of certification.
To earn Gold status, a school
must achieve a minimum of
75% of the possible points in
EACH of the six sections of
certification; including Teamwork and Leadership, Energy
Conservation, Waste Management, School Ground Greening, Curriculum and Environmental Stewardship. Results
of St. Cecilia’s application are
expected within the coming
Music has the ability to connect people and one of the
most power instruments is
our voice. We have many
beautiful voices at St. Cecilia
starting with our choir. The
we live”, says Mr. D’Agostini.
Congratulations to the entire Eco I NSIDE THIS ISSUE :
team for doing such a great job at
2
B INGO NIGHT
keeping our school community
ECO friendly, healthy and beauti- A RTS NIGHT
3
ful.
D ANCE
THEIR HEARTS OUT
By: Joseph Cammisa
Crusader Reporter
On behalf of the Newspaper
Club, we would like to thank
all the staff, families and students of St. Cecilia for your
continued support throughout
the year. Within our final
issue, we tried to capture a
diverse range of interests, topics and events. It is our hope
that this newspaper embraces
the diverse voices of the students, showcasing who we are
both individually and collectively as a member of the
school , local and global comWorld Environment award” for
sparking student interest in envi- munity. May this newspaper
ronmental education and minimiz- be a tribute to all the amazing the school’s ecological footing staff and students we have
print. “I accepted the award on
here at St. Cecilia. We would
behalf of the Eco team. They are like wish you all a safe and
the true winners of this award.
happy summer and we look
They’ve worked so hard in proforward to seeing you again in
tecting and improving the world
September.
weeks. Much of the credit for the
goes to the outstanding ECO
Team of St. Cecilia, whose very
own Mr. D’Agostini was recognized with the “Change Our
choir didn’t only perform at
our masses and Arts night,
they also recently performed
at the Royal York Hotel in
Downtown Toronto. Choir
members sang their hearts
out for the members of York
Region Council .
They sang a total of four songs
which were met by a standing
ovation. Continue on page 2
TEAM
4
T HE C USTODIANS
5
TECHNOLOGY
6,7
EGYPT
8
G RADE 8’ S
9
LEAFS
10
HEALTH
11
ENTERTAINMENT
12
P ANAM
13
M ENTAL
GAMES
C RUSADER C HRONICLE
P AGE 2
C HOIR C ONTINUED ...
Choir members say that this was a night to
remember. “It was amazing. Even on the
bus ride, we were singing. It was a great
experience to see this old hotel and perform in front of all these people who help
with our school!”, says member Serena.
Throughout the year, the choir’s progress
has been remarkable. “Every time we practice, we always get better. I am elated with
their progress. They always continue to
amaze me,” says choir teacher Ms. Vilardo.
The choir has been meeting 1-3 times a
week. Organizers encourage all students
from grades 4 and up to join.
Just remember, you do not
need to know how to sing to be
in the choir because eventually
you will learn. Plus...you already have the instruments...your voice! The only
thing you have left to do is fine
tune it.
For now, the choir will continue practicing for the upcoming year-end
BBQ. They are planning on singing some amazing songs like “Dazzle” and
other spiritual and religious musical numbers. Looking forward to hearing
some more beautiful music from our talented choir members.
B- I - N - G - O
“T HIS IS ABOUT
BRINGING OUR
COMMUNITY
TOGETHER IN A
FUN AND
INTERACTIVE
WAY ”.
M S . R IMOLI
WAS CALLED ... A SUCCESS
By: Jaslyn Dela Crusz
Crusader Reporter
Bingo was called several times
as St. Cecilia hosted two
evening of games, food and
fun for the school community. Both Bingo nights were
filled with happiness and
cheer, which was the goal for
the parent council who organized the event as part of a
“community building initiative”.
“Bingo is about bringing the
community together in a fun
and interactive way. People
get to come out and connect
with old friends and get to
know new ones as well. Many
families don’t get a chance to
get to know the families of
their children’s friends. This
is about making important
friendships, not just for the
students, but the parents too.
Plus, the students love the
idea of eating dinner at school
and playing bingo with their
friends”, says Ms. Rimoli
from Parent Council.
Our Trustee Cathy Ferlisi was
also in attendance and assisted
in calling out Bingo numbers.
As well, she won the $300
gift certificate to Best Buy,
which she so generously donated back to the school to
purchase additional resources
for the students.
The event was successful in
the past, yet, there were
some changes made this year.
Previously, the event , which
draws in nearly 600 people,
was held on one evening. In
order to give more families an
opportunity to attend and
ensure comfort for those in
attendance, Parent council
decided to spread it out over
two evening. “Combined we
had close to 550 people come
to the two Bingo nights which
was much more comfortable
and less crowded than the
past. Many families told us
that they really enjoyed the
option of attending one or
more nights too, and it wasn’t
stuffy or crowded as in the
past”.
As an extra treat, Ms Magro
got participants up and moving during intermission, with
some fun dancing and movement activities that ended
with a conga line around the
gym.
With this behind them, the
Parent council is now busy
planning the famous year end
BBQ to be held on Friday
June 19th. There will be
jumping castles, games, food
and plenty of fun to be had by
all. Parents are encouraged to
purchase ride bracelets and
food and beverage tickets to
avoid the long lines. The
choir and dance team will also
be performing that evening.
V OLUME 2, ISSUE 2
P AGE 3
CHIEF FOR THE DAY
St. Cecilia’s very own Grade
5 student, Serena Francesca
Saltarelli, was the winner of
the annual Chief-for-a-Day
Contest.
Serena delivered her winning
essay before a panel of judges
on Tuesday, March 9, 2015.
This year’s topic was: “The
Community Safety Village is
an educational facility where
children learn fire, traffic,
Internet and personal safety
lessons, as well as lessons on
positive lifestyle choices.”
“What an amazing experience. It was such an honour
to be the Chief for a Day. I
took part of a debriefing
meeting and then got to meet
the different departments.
But what I enjoyed most of
A
all, was wearing the uniform
and getting saluted by every
single person that passed me at
Headquaters. It was an unforgettable experience”.
The day began with Serena
taking the Oath of Office at
York Regional Police Headquarters in Aurora. Serena,
who wore a specially-made
“Chief of Police” uniform
throughout the entire day, also
got a tour of the Community
Safety Village, Air2 and a tour
of the ERU and Canine Unit.
“After everything I saw, I may
want to pursue a career in the
Police Force. It’s interesting and
you get to help people too.”
But the day didn’t end there.
Upon her return to school later
that day, Serena was greeted by
the entire student body along
with Trustee Ms. Ferlisi and
Superintendent Ms. Battista.
On Tuesday, May 12, 2015,
Serena presented her essay to
more than 1,000 guests at the
23rd Annual Police Appreciation Night. On May 26th, Serena will be presenting her speech
to the Board of Trustees at the
Board office in Aurora. The
Chief-for-a-Day Contest is sponsored by the York Regional Police Appreciation Night committee, the Richmond Hill and
Markham Chinese Business Association and Shanahan Ford of
Newmarket.
NIGHT AMONG THE STARS
On Thursday May 7th, St.
Cecilia school was transformed into a gallery and
concert hall, as hundreds of
students showcased their artistic talents at “Night of the
Arts”. The main floor hallways were lined with beautiful artworks and sculptures,
covering the various genres
including modern contemporary, digital integration as
well as historical and renaissance pieces. There was an
interactive wall that allowed
students to add kind messages
to fellow peers while another
section featured 3-D sculptures based on the book
“Unnatural Selections” by
Wallace Edwards. The event
was led by the Intermediate
division, but all divisions contributed. T he event was held
as part of Education Week.
In addition to the artworks,
students also shared their
musical, dance and vocal talents as well with performances from the school’s musicians, dance and choir team,
which were led by Ms. Lister
and Ms. Badiali.
It was a night to remember,
with one parent saying, “This
is such a wonderful oppor-
tunity to see our children
flourish, not just academically, but artistically as well.”
St. Cecilia is the patron saint
of music, so its very fitting for
our school to be hosting such
an event that celebrates our
Faith through the Arts. She
is the acclaimed Patron Saint
of Music, especially church
music, as well as that of musicians, composers, instrument
makers and poets.
“I T WILL BE A
DAY I WILL
NEVER FORGET ”
S ERENA
S ALTARELLI
C RUSADER C HRONICLE
P AGE 4
M AKING “ EARTH
HOUR ” EXPAND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
By Samantha Van Ryswyck
Crusader Reporter
lunch. The less you throw away, the less
trash we have in the school.
As the rest of the world recognized Earth
Hour on March 28th, St. Cecilia’s ECO
team urges students to continue this environmental initiative throughout the year.
Earth Hour is when houses and buildings
all around the world keep the lights off
for one hour. Yet, every day should be a
day of care for the ecosystem. The ECOteam outlines 5 easy ways you can help:
5: Recycle items with the image of a
triangle made from arrows with a number inside. This means the item is recyclable.
1: Turning off electronics and lights when
you’re finished with them.
2: Planting flowers and saplings in your
backyard.
3: Join the Eco-schools team. It’s for intermediates and you can brainstorm ways
to help the environment.
4: Maximize reusable items in your
D ANCING
At school, please recycle properly! Plastic, aluminum, metal, and tinfoil are just
some of the items that can belong in the
blue bin. Paper (that you write on) needs
to go into the green bin, and trash in the
black bin. Make sure your bins go outside the classroom on certain days so it
can be collected. Paper towels, paper
plates, napkins, and paper bags shouldn’t
go into the green bin, where they sometimes end up. Items like these can confuse people on which bin they should go
in (usually the black bin). Don’t get
mixed up!
Goos paper (paper that is Good On
One Side) can be reused. The school is
trying to reduce the amount of paper
being used. Trees are cut down for
paper, and by conserving paper, less
trees are being chopped.
Our school is doing so much to become
more eco-friendly. You can help! Do
all you can and think of who you are
helping. Did you know when you take
care of the earth, you’re not just affecting future for Mother Nature, you’re
affecting future for us too!
FOR THE LOVE OF IT
By: Selena Giglio &
Sienna Georges
Crusader Reporters
The dance team has dancers
that are fantastic. They are
working so hard to perform at
the Spring Concert which is
June and are proud of their past
performances including Arts
Night, the Christmas Concert
and many more. They do so
many different styles of dance
such as lyrical, hip hop, jazz,
tap and many more. There are
43 dancers on the Junior and
Intermediate dance team altogether and 25 dancers in the
Grade 3 dance club. The team
represented our school at a
competition on April 22, which
they worked really hard for. “It
was really fun and easy because
we have great dance teachers
that helped us a lot”, say many
of the intermediate and junior
dancers about Ms. Badiali and
Ms. deSousa. The team members learned so many new
dance moves and choreographed routines .The members say they feel confident and
excited because they practice
often, even at home. The Intermediates are dancing to a lot of
songs such as “Uptown Funk”,
“Love Now”, “Shake it Off” and
many more. The Juniors are
dancing to “Colours of the
Wind”, “Trashing Camp” and
“Time of our Lives”. All the
members enjoy dancing and it
shows in their passion and excitement when performing.
Great work dance team...You
all make St. Cecilia proud!
V OLUME 2, ISSUE 2
K EEPING
P AGE 5
OUR SCHOOL CLEAN AND
S AFE
By Julia Murillo
Crusader Reporter
more. Also during lunch, while everyone is outside, Walter empties all the
recycling and garbage from every
classroom.
Have you ever wondered what it is
like to be a custodian at a school
working from 5:00 A.M, yes, 5
A.M until 11:00 at night? It must
be very hard, working with spills
of various liquids, not to mention
your lunch on the floor. Well say
no more! Of course, being a custodian is hard work. Cleaning the
school all day, the bathrooms, and
your own mess of spilled liquids in
the classrooms.
We too were curious about the
people who worked hard to keep
our school clean and decided to
interview two of the approximately 5 custodians that work tirelessly,
during the day and night.
For a lucky 13 years, Walter has
Other than cleaning up the spills and
accidents of students, most of the
cleaning is done in the evening. “Its
easier to clean when there is nobody
in the classroom or hallways”, says
Jorge. “The only thing, it gets a bit
lonely. I like people and at night,
there’s nobody here except another
custodian and my radio to keep me
company”, says Jorge.
What’s the most challenging part
of your job?
“Keeping up with all the jobs because I
repeat them 3 - 5 times a week and it
gets not only hard, but also gets a bit
boring” says Walter. But the worst
part of Walter is the 5am job of cleaning the snow during those freezing
mornings, “Ya, that’s tough”. For
Jorge, he says that “making the school
shiny and clean is a challenge, especially when you have nearly 600 students
using the building everyday. Plus,
“making sure I get rid of all the germs
at night so the students stay healthy
during the day”, says Jorge who comes
in at 3 pm and stays at the school until
11pm. “I don’t get to see my family
very much during the week. So, that’s
pretty hard for me too.”
What are the responsibilities of a
custodian?
been experiencing the craziest incidents for cleaning up and fixing
things that don’t work. He is the
day custodian whereas Jorge, who
has been a custodian for 7 years,
comes in the afternoons. Many of
us have seen them around the
school, but do know what they do
day in and out.
“Keeping the school in good condition
by taking care of building is the major
part of my responsibilities as the custodian” says Walter. For Walter, he
has many responsibilities like making
sure that the systems work properly
like the sprinkler, fire and security
alarm systems, the cooling system in
the library and office, the doors all
around the school, fire hose connections, emergency lighting and many
What message would you like to
give to the students to keep the
school clean?
Walter has a similar message as Jorge;
They ask that all of the students in our
school, including our guests and staff,
to clean up after themselves and to
put the right garbage in the right bin.
“Keeping the school clean isn’t just
the custodian’s job...its all of our responsibility”, says both Walter and
Jorge. In addition, they ask that students pitch in and pick up garbage
they see around the school . More
importantly, they ask that you be extra respectful when using the washrooms in the school as there have been
incidences in which poor choices by a
few students have lead to inconvenient and unpleasant consequences for
all.
As you can see, being a custodian is
very difficult especially when the rest
of the school doesn’t pitch in and
help. Don’t leave the mess for the
custodians to do. Also, when you
leave at night, remember to make
sure none of your possessions are on
the floor school because it makes it
difficult for the custodians to clean the
school properly.
C RUSADER C HRONICLE
P AGE 6
W ELCOME
TO THE FUTURE
By Mmesoma Ejesi
Crusader Reporter
Android has created the
“Circret” which is a smart,
wearable bracelet that allows
you to work with it anywhere
at anytime! In November 2014,
they launched a video of a concept which symbolizes our ideal
in terms of wearable technology: The Cicret Bracelet. With
the Cicret Bracelet, you can
make your skin your new
“touchscreen”. Read your
mails, play your favorite games,
answer your calls, check the
the Cicret Team is the first one and
only one in the world who succeeded to combine 4 technologies which
create this groundbreaking wearable device: - project with a lowangle. - make it work on any skin
color. - Controllable with the finger. -and make it work even in
bright daylight.
weather, find your way…Do whatever
you want on your arm. They made a
video of the Cicret Team showing the
uses of the first working prototype of
the CICRET BRACELET. It shows that
S T . C ECILIA
PARTICIPATES IN
By Marcus Di Mola
Crusader Reporter
O UR S TUDENT
EDT ECH
INITIATIVE IS
ONE THAT
ENGAGES
STUDENTS AS
PARTNERS IN
LEARNING .
YCDSB
YCDSB hosted its first ever
Student EDTech Day on Saturday, May 2nd, 2015. Two
students were selected from
each school in the region by
their school Principals and
Teachers, each representing
the Junior and Intermediate
division. The two students
selected to represent St. Cecilia were Jade Pablo and
Marcus Di Mola (myself).
Both students headed to
YCDSB head office where
they took part in a conference
aimed at teaching students
Recently, Android has also created
the Bluetooth Wireless Smart Wrist
Watch, which can be a camera and
a phone. Can’t wait to see what is
next in the limitless future of technology.
E DTECH
about the latest school-based
technology and ways it can be
used to enhance learning.
“The place is very vibrant and
big, and good for learning.
Instead of pencil and paper,
everything we learned there
was fun and about technology.” says Jade Pablo. Its also a
great opportunity to meet
other students from other
schools. The day began by
talking about what it means to
be a good citizen. This conversation continued throughout the course of the day as
students interacted with one
another both on-line and face
to face.
One of the aims of the
INITIATIVE
EdTech initiatives was to engage students as partners in
learning. As a result, each
student can return to their
respective schools and share
their knowledge with their
peers. In addition, they can
offer technical support if
needed.
During the conference, students learned about chrome
books (computers), iPads,
and smart/promethean
boards with projectors. There
were two workshops then
another workshop in the afternoon. At the end, they
have a raffle with the nametags and whoever got picked
won a prize which ranged
from a school bag to iTunes
cards and Speakers.
V OLUME 2, ISSUE 2
P AGE 7
C RUSADER C HRONICLE
P AGE 8
E GYPT ’ S
CONNECTION TO CHRISTIANITY
By: Aron Thakur
Crusader Reporter

Ancient Egypt is a mystifying civilization. Yet, what is truly astounding is
that this ancient civilization has similarities to Christianity.

Before outlining similarities, is important to highlight the differences first.
Unlike Catholicism which believes in
one God, Egyptian civilization’s beliefs
include a number of gods. Here is a list
of them from A to Z.










Anubis-The God of funerals and
death
Apophis-The God of chaos
Bast\Bastet-The Cat Goddess
Geb-The Earth God
Horus-The War God, and the
God of the skies, or the Falcon
God
Isis-The Goddess of Magic and
Potions
Khons- The moon God
Nephthys- The water and Goddess
Nut- The Sky Goddess
Osiris- The Lord of the Dead and
Underworld






Ra- The Sun God and the Ruler of
the Gods
Sekhmet-The Goddess of Medicines with a lion head
Serqet- The Scorpion Goddess
Set- The God of Evil
Shezmu-The God of blood and
wine
Shu- The God of Air
Sobek- The Crocodile God and
God of the Nile
Thoth- The God of Knowledge.
The Eye Of Horus
Thoth and the other Gods created a
new eye by spitting on it, thus creating
the eye of Horus. The left eye represents the moon and the right, the sun.
The eye of Horus is a popular symbol
of protection.
Similarities between Horus and
Jesus:
1. Both were born of a Virgin Mother.
2. Both were crucified.
3. Both performed miracles.
4. They rose from the dead after three
days
5. Herod tried to murder Jesus and
Herut tried to murder Horus.
6. Horus was born in Anu (the place
of bread) and Jesus was born in Bethlehem (the house of bread).
7. Both were baptized at age 30 in a
river.
8. Both were crucified beside thieves.
This is a mystifying legend about how the
eye came to be. How it starts is that Horus and Set were having a battle, Osiris
was killed by Set (he was raised form the
dead by Horus) during the battle while
helping Horus, who lost his left eye.
9. An angel warned both of their
mothers.
10. Both were the son of a God or
God.
11. Jesus raised Lazarus form the dead
and Horus raised Osiris from the
dead.
HOW TO PLAY SENET, AN ANCIENT E GYPTIAN BOARD GAME
By Ethan Moses
Crusader Chronicle
Senet is an Egyptian game that was
played using spools and cones. Now
we use counters.
The board should have 30 tiles in 3
rows of 10 and the last squares with
different marks. You also need to
have at least 4 throw sticks which are
wooden lollipop sticks.
Playing: One player puts their counters on the odd numbers , while the
other player puts their counters on
the even numbers. Each player drops
the throw sticks. Depending on the side the
sticks land, you get points.
- 4 decorated surfaces up scores 5
- 4 plain surfaces up scores 4
- 3 plain surfaces up scores 3
- 2 plain surfaces up scores 2
- 1 plain surface up scores 1
At the start of each turn a player drops the four
throw sticks. The player can then move any
counter as many squares as the throw
has scored but the counter can only be
moved to an empty square or to one
occupied by an undefended player. A
counter is undefended when the
squares beside it are empty or occupied
by another player’s counter. They are
safe from attack. If a counter can’t be
moved forward it must be moved back
by the score. The first player to move
all the counters off the board wins. This
is a fun game that dates back to ancient
times. Since its still popular around the
world, it must be good, so give it a
try.. For more information go to
www.discoveringegypt.com.
V OLUME 2, ISSUE 2
S AYING
P AGE 9
FAREWELL TO OUR GRADUATING CLASS
By Laura Murillo & Cassandra
Cunningham
Crusader Reporters
hough many students are concerned about the workload and assignments, Julia Sawicks believes that their
teachers prepared them well. “I know there’s going to
be more work, but the teachers here are great and we
The Grade 8’s at St. Cecilia
feel ready for it”. The classes Julia is most excited about
Catholic School are not going
to be in this school any longer! are drama and photography. Although many students
As of June 2015,the grade 8’s will be going to St. Joan of Arc, there are those still
are going to high school! Many undecided.
of the graduating students are
looking forward to starting the
next chapter of their educational journey. “Many of us are
going to miss seeing the same
faces everyday. Its like a family
here. In high school, its going
to be different. It’s a lot bigger As the students reminisce about the years at St. Cecilia,
and I don’t have the same clas- their favourite memory is the Christmas fireplace gathses with my friends all day”,
ering because it will live on as the best time of their
says Eydrsse Dela Cruz. AltGrade 8 experience. They are also looking forward to
C ELEBRATING
THE SACRAMENTS
By Laura Murillo &
Cassandra Cunningham
Crusader Reporters
The Grade 8 students received the sacrament of Confirmation on May 14th at
7pm at St. David’s Church . Many of
the students were excited about this
spiritual milestone that deepens their
connection to their Catholic communi- God and it shows my commitment to my faith,”
says Isabella Bauca.
ty. “I really enjoyed this celebration
because it’s a way of getting closer to
In addition, the Grade 2 students are also pre-
O NE MILK BAG AT A TIME
By Raina Lee
Crusader Reporter
Members of Luke 4:18 continues to collect
pop can tabs and used milk bags. They have
successfully made two mats, which will be
donated to the poor. It took members over six
meetings to make the milk bag mats. The metal pop can tabs will be melted down to make
wheelchairs for those in need. Students can
also bring whole cans too. Currently, Luke
the upcoming trip to Quebec City in
early June. Many of the students will
miss the many extra curricular clubs
and activities. Most of all, they are
going to miss the school community,
because it really does feel like “home”.
As they prepare to venture off to high
school, the Grade 8’s share some
words of advice, “Study hard and enjoy
the years here at St. Cecilia because
before you know it, you too will be
going off to high school”.
On behalf of St Cecilia, we bid all the
graduating class of 2015 good luck and
best wishes as they prepare to embark
on a new journey into high school.
Congratulations and thank you all for
being wonderful role models and leaving behind a great legacy. Don’t forget
to come back and visit.
paring for the religious sacrament of
Communion which will be held on
June 6th and 7th. Many students, like
Natalie, say that they are nervous
about getting the Eucharist because
“there are so many things to remember”. As a guide, here are 3 simple
rules to help some the Grade 2 students; Say “Amen” after you receive
the Eucharist, do the Sign of the Cross
after its received and say a prayer
when you return to your seat. Both
these sacraments are important in
helping students become full participants in our service to God.
4:18 is making paper flowers.
They will be collecting donations of $1 which allows you to write
a name of someone you love on the
flower which will be put together to
make one big flower in the school
foyer.
Luke 4:18 also helped the Grade 4, 5
& 6 students sell hand made jewelry,
which collected nearly $50 towards
cancer research .Members want to
thank all students for their continued
support.
C RUSADER C HRONICLE
P AGE 10
A REA
FINALS FOR TWO PUBLIC SPEAKERS !
By Serena Saltarelli
Mmsoma Ejesi
Crusader Reporters
Two of our students at St. Cecilia
moved on from our school to area
finals for speeches: Isabella Tio
and Jessica Peters. Both students
said their speeches at Our Lady of
Hope on April 29th. “It was a lot
of fun just to be part of it,” said
both Isabella and Jessica.
They both believed the strong poin
ts in their speeches were their
delivery and Jessica liked her conclusion. Isabella did her speech on
C ARTOONS
AND
“The Best Things in Life” and
Jessica’s topic was Euthanasia”.
Both Isabella and Jessica were
shocked and speechless when
their names were called on the
P.A. system at our school. The
competition was very hard and
everyone had interesting topics,” said Jessica. Both were
very nervous, but the butterflies flew away as they stepped
onto the stage. They certainly
represented St. Cecilia very sell
and made our school very
proud. Congratulations to you
both.
C HOCOLATE ... PERFECT
By Alessandra Guardiani.
Logan Bennet
who lives at the bottom of the
sea. He constantly annoys
Squid Ward his next door
Many kids favorite shows is
neighbor . He also works as a
SpongeBob SquarePants. “I love
cook at the Krusty Krab makSpongeBob because he is so funing the famous Krabby Patties.
ny and silly. He makes me laugh
all the time”, says one grade 3
Another kid favorite is chocostudent. But, did you know that late, especially Hershey’s chocSpongeBob Square Pants won
olate. Did you know founder
the kids choice awards 9 times Milton S. Hershey opened up
in a row! Spongebob
his first candy business at 19
SquarePants is an American
years old in 1857. It was used
show and it is about a sponge
only as a coating for caramel
The Toronto Maple Leafs have finished
their season in the bottom 5 which gives
them a 9.5% chance of getting Connor
Mc David in the NHL draft day that is
taking place in June after the playoffs.
Many are pointing the finger to the to
the staff. Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis
paid the price for the team's disappointing season, fired along with interim
head coach Peter Horachek and his assis-
candy and wasn’t used exclusively as a “chocolate bar” until
1893. What started in a small
town in Pennsylvania nearly a
century ago is now available in
over 90 countries across the
world today, including those
delicious Hershey’s kisses that
were introduced in 1901. Just
some cool facts to know next
time you’re watching SpongeBob Square Pants while eating
Hershey’s chocolate.
Horacek replaced fired head
coach Randy Carlyle on an intant Steve Spott, among other
terim basis in January. Many
staff members. Leafs President, hope the Leafs will get a good
Brendan Shanahan said he has no draft pick in top five which
interest in being Maple Leafs
should help in their 2015-2016
GM, and added his plan is not
season.
something unique from what the
The Leafs have not had much
other 29 teams in the NHL are
trying to accomplish. “It is about success in the play offs, having
drafting, developing and show- last won the cup in 1967. The
ing patience with players.” Fans Leafs made the playoffs 2 years
are hoping Shanahan is their key ago, but lost a 4-1 lead to the
Bruins with only 12 minutes
to the cup. Toronto won just
left in the game during overnine times in 42 games since
time.
L EAFS FANS LEFT FEELING BLUE
By Anthony Baglione
Crusader Reporter
PAIR !!!
V OLUME 2, ISSUE 2
“B REAKING
P AGE 11
THE SILENCE ” ON MENTAL HEALTH
By Serena Saltarelli
Crusader Reporter
the same time,
they may lack
the life experiOn March 27 th 2015 , 27 year old Anence that lets
dreas Lubitz, the co-pilot of a Gerthem know that
manwings Airbus 320, deliberately
difficult situacrashed the plane into French Alps, killing
tions will not
all 150 passengers on board. As investigalast forever.
tors and family members struggle to unDepression is a type of mental illness
derstand the cause of the accident, it has
called a mood disorder. Mood disorsince been revealed that Lubitz was battled
ders affect the way you feel, which also
severe mental health issues and had even
affects the way you think and act. With
had treatment for suicidal tendencies bedepression, you may feel ‘down,’ hopefore he got his pilot's license. Despite
less, or find that you can’t enjoy things
this, Lubitz did not reveal his condition to
you used to like. Many people who
his employee or co-workers. This incident
experience depression feel irritable or
has brought to light the importance of
angry. And some people say that they
breaking the silence of mental health .
feel ‘numb’ all the time.
Did you know that 20% of Canadians
Recognizing depression in young peohave or will have mental health issues.
ple can be more difficult than recognizAbout 49% of Canadians with mental
ing depression in adults because young
health issues choose to remain silent! As a
people experience so many changes.
result, only 1 in 5 Canadians get treatOften times, it’s family and friends that
ment. Although Mental health is commonare the first defense because the person
ly associated with adults, such as depressuffering may not realize the changes.
sion, it can also affect young people. AdoYou may wonder what is ‘normal’ and
lescence is a time of dramatic change. The
what might be an “issue”. Also, many
journey from child to adult can be comchildren and teens may not want to talk
plex and challenging. Young people often
about their feelings, or may have their
feel tremendous pressure to succeed at
own explanation for their experiences.
school, at home and in social groups. At
However, you may still notice the following
changes; Changes in feelings, Changes in
physical health, Changes in thinking,
Changes in behavior. Some of these changes
may be signs of mental health issues other
than depression. It’s important to look at
the bigger picture: how intense the changes
are, how they impact a youths life, and
how long they last. It’s particularly important to talk to your friend or family
member if you’ve noticed several changes
lasting more than two weeks. Depression
often starts between the ages of 15 and 30,
but it can affect anyone—even teens and
younger children. While we don’t know
exactly what causes depression, many factors are likely at play. These include family
history, personality, life events, and changes
in a child’s body. Certain medications and
physical illnesses can also contribute to depression. Depression is very treatable. Children, teens, and adults can all recover from
depression with proper treatment. For children and teens in particular, early treatment is important. For more information
please go to www.cmha.ca or
www.kidsmentalhealth.ca. Also, you can
contact Kids Help Phone ( 1­800­6686868) or Canadian Mental Help (416-7897953 ). Remember the best help is talking
about it and breaking the silence.
H EALTHY CHOICES LEAD TO HEALTHY HABITS
By Selena Giglio
Crusader Reporter
There are lots of foods and
things that we can eat and do
but do we really think of how
much exercise and healthy foods
we need every single day? Kids
need less fruits and vegetables,
meat, dairy products and less
grain than adults. Adults also
need more exercise than children, and it is harder when
you're an adult to get exercise
because kids usually run around
all day and are more energetic
than adults. . Kids and adults
need a certain amount of all
the food groups per day.
Kids (under the age of 13)need
6 servings of fruits and vegetables, 6 servings of grains, 3-4
servings of milk and alternatives and 1-2 servings of meat
and alternatives
Adults ages 19- 50, need 7- 10 fruits
and vegetables. Adults also need around
6-8 grains, 2 milk products and 2-3
meat and alternatives. For adults, they
should have 120 minutes of exercise
per day. Although its recommended for
kids to get about 120 minutes as well,
its easier because they have gym class
and sports to keep them active.
As the summer kicks off, try and start it
off on a healthy foot by eating right and
exercising...its the best key towards a
healthy and happy life. .For more information, please go to the Canadian Food
Guide at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca
C RUSADER C HRONICLE
P AGE 12
S UMMER
STYLE TRENDS
By Elena Scobici
Crusader Reporter
Spring is going to soon pass,
and summer is rolling in! As
we finally shed all those heavy
winter coats and kick off those
big boots, many people are
asking themselves: “What are
2015’s Summer Fashion
Trends?”
First of all, for the females,
what’s trending at the moment
are Straw baskets! That’s right:
Straw Baskets are back in style!
You can use it as an accessory
or purse, or a great way to pack
a picnic lunch.
Next, what’s a Summer without a beach? And what is a
beach without a gorgeous
swimsuit to swim in? This year,
swimsuits that have a fun cut
out like at the stomach seem
very popular. Especially one-
es seem to be more than a
way of telling time….its also
a
way of making a statement.
piece suits!
Thirdly, shorts. If you’re going to the beach but not planning to swim, then whether
you’re a girl or boy, denim
shorts are in style. They are
short, cute and they are perfect for the weather.
Fashion is not limited to only
the females. For the boys out
there who want to dress fashionable, anything red seems
to stand out as the color of
choice this Summer. As an
accessory, the all black watch-
Overall, Summer has many
trends for everyone to try and
wear. From baskets and
shorts to red shirts and black
watches, most of these trends
are easily available at many
stores for reasonable prices. It
appears fashion has taken a
turn towards simple, yet
clean looks that cater to all
ages and sizes. In all, 2015’s
Summer is going to be very
fun and fashionable!
Happy shopping!
M OVIE R EVIEW —A VENGERS :A GE O F U LTRON
By Lucas Godefa
Crusader Reporter
and soon uneasy alliances and
unexpected action pave the
way for an epic and unique
The movie Avengers Age of
Ultron was released on May 1st, global adventure.
the epic follow-up to the biggest Marvel's "Avengers: Age of
Ultron" stars Robert Downey
Super Hero movie of all time.
Jr., who returns as Iron Man,
So what is it about? When
along with Chris Hemsworth
Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a
as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk
dormant peacekeeping proand Chris Evans as Captain
gram, things go awry and
America. Together with ScarEarth's Mightiest Heroes, inlett Johansson as Black Widow
cluding Iron Man, Captain
America, Thor, The Incredible and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, , the team must reasHulk, Black Widow and Hawsemble to defeat James Spader
keye, are put to the ultimate
as Ultron, a terrifying technotest as the fate of the planet
logical villain hell-bent on huhangs in the balance. As the
villainous Ultron emerges, it is man extinction. Along the
up to The Avengers to stop him way, they confront two mystefrom enacting his terrible plans, rious and powerful newcom-
ers, Pietro Maximoff, played by
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and
Wanda Maximoff, played by
Elizabeth Olsen and meet an
old friend in a new form when
Paul Bettany becomes Vision.
Written and directed by Joss
Whedon , Marvel's "Avengers:
Age of Ultron" is based on the
ever-popular Marvel comic
book series "The Avengers,"
first published in 1963.
If you like superhero films and
enjoy going on an actionpacked thrill ride, then
"Avengers: Age of Ultron" is a
movie you’ll definitely want to
watch.
V OLUME 2, ISSUE 2
P AN
P AGE 13
AM GAMES ARE COMING TO TORONTO
By Mary Musilli
Crusader Reporter
Pan American Games website, the
The Pan American Games is one
of the world’s largest sporting
events, next to the Summer and
Winter Olympic Games. In
1951, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the first Pan Am Games were
held. It is held every four years.
The Royal Canadian Mint will
hand out over 4,000 medals for
the competition, and about
15,600 medals for participation.
The 2015 Pan Am Games will
take place in Toronto for 16
days, from July 10-26. Canada
was lucky enough to host the
Games twice before, in 1967 and
1999, and now the third time in
2015. Over 7,000 athletes from
around the world will participate
and compete in this exciting
event. Another cool fact is that
the Games costs around $1.4
billion to build. The Pan American Sports Organization (PASO)
governs the Pan Am Games. The
Games are held the year before
P REPARING
FOR
the Summer Olympic Games. Forty one Olympic
Committees will vote to determine the host for the
Games.
Pachi the porcupine is the mascot for the Games. He
has gray skin and
wears a bright
yellow hat.
Some sports that
will be featured
in the Pan American Games include basic sports
such as soccer, basketball, swimming and more. The
games also include sports like archery, weightlifting
and golf. They will be held at different venues around
the city, including York University. According to the
EQAO
By Lara Ranieri, Edan Kwon and
Sophia Tedesco
Crusader Reporters
EQAO stands for Education Quality and Accountability Office. It is
the provincial agency that designs
and tests Grade 3 and Grade 6 students in reading, writing and mathematics. (Grade 9 students are
tested in mathematics and Grade
10 students are given a literacy
test.)
The EQAO tests give parents,
teachers, principals and school
boards information about how well
students have learned the Ontario curriculum
in reading, writing and mathematics.
EQAO was established based on recommendations of the Ontario Royal Commission on
Learning in 1995. The Commission consulted
extensively with educators, parents, students
and taxpayers and concluded that province
wide assessments would help to respond to
medal design for the 2015 Pan Am
Games in Toronto is meant to
highlight unity across America and
the Caribbean. Although they were
created by the Royal Canadian
Mint, it was created with input
from Metis visual artist Christi
Belcourt. The Pan Am Games
wouldn’t be complete without
dedicated sponsors. The sponsors
contribute to every athlete and
help stage the event. The leading
sponsor in CIBC, followed by
Chevrolet, Cisco and more.
If you would like to find more
information on the Pan American
Games, or if you would want to
purchase a ticket, please visit
http://www.toronto2015.org/
public demands for greater quality and
accountability in the publically funded
school system. Students do not need to
study, yet some class use an EQAO prep
book that helps students prepare for it.
The testing takes place during a twoweek period in late May and early June,
which is determined by each school. St.
Cecilia will be starting EQAO on May
26th .The test is administered by the
student’s regular teacher in his or her
own classroom. It is made up of three
booklets—two for language, one
for math. Each test booklet has two sections, each of which takes one uninterrupted hour to complete.
Results will be available in the fall.
P AGE 14
COMICS
C RUSADER C HRONICLE
P AGE 15
V OLUME 2, ISSUE 2
J UNIOR
H ELP
INTERMEDIATE TEACHERS WORD SEARCH
MR .
B ARRILA
FIND HIS WAY BACK TO ST .
C ECILIA
SCHOOL
C AT
MEMES BY
N EWSPAPER
G ABRIEL B ONO
CLUB MEMBERS
Anthony Baglione
Sienna Georges
Laura Murillo
Logan Bennet
Selena Giglio
Mary Musilli
Supervisors
Gabriel Bono
Lucas Godefa
Lara Ranieri
Mr. Spatari
Joseph Cammisa
Alessandra Guardiani
Serena Saltarelli
Ms. Pin
Cassandra Cunningham
Edan Kwon
Elena Scobici
Jaslyn Dela Cruz
Raina Lee
Sophia Tedesco
Marcus Di Mola
Etan Moses
Aron Thakur
Mmesoma Ejesi
Julia Murillo
Samantha Van Ryswyck