Issues in Art Are yEU in or out?
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Our Marketing Team
By Nina Sukkar
As of this year, a sixth form marketing team has been working hard to try to improve the school’s advertising and its brand ready for Becky High’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
The team has a variety of responsibilities which they carry out in their volunteering ses- sions and lunch time. Responsibilities include working on ideas to improve the school web- site, and creating school merchandise that can be used by students, teachers and par- ents.
Currently, a photo book is being created to show off Year 7’s achievements and events of this academic year. The team hope that it will become a fantastic memory book that can also be used at open days and parents’ evenings as well as being sold to students as a keep- sake. The team are currently after photo- Becky High’s 50th Anniversary Logo was de- graphs from school life to be sent in by Year 7 signed by Zhané Nathan Grant with the help students and parents which can be included of the Graphics Department. in this year’s photo book. If the memory book is a success, the marketing team hope that fur- ther books can be created next academic school year for other year groups. 2 Becky High: Bustling Spring in Becky High
Congratulations to Eleanor Benson in 8KXN for winning the Graphics Department’s What’s Nature Photography Competition!
On?
School Events Next Term
26th March—10th April Easter Holidays
14th April Y8 Blood Brothers Theatre Trip
15th April Y8 Easter Fair
21st April The Becky Highlights Guardian Trip
14th May Bel Canto Concert
15th July BeckyFest!
Young Enterprise
Purchase your very own student-friendly cookbook for £7.50! Becky’s Bake Off Star By Millie Copas
This year’s Great British Bake Off was such a success, with 13.4 million viewers tuning in to watch! I interviewed our very-own future rising star of the show. Hafsar Qamar, a year 8 student at BHS, was a contestant in the most-recent Junior Bake Off. She talks to us about her exciting experience on the show and the challenges she faced.
Firstly, what did it feel like to be on Bake Off? I found it very exciting because there were lots of contest- ants who were all my age! I loved meeting the presenters (Sam Nixon and Mark Rhodes); they were really funny. Although I must admit, I did find it nerve wracking at times when the judges were watching me, as I felt under pressure. “I loved meeting the presenters”
Where did you get your passion for baking from?
I used to watch cooking shows when I was Where do you get your inspiration younger and then my interest developed from from? reading books with my friend who likes bak- ing as well. I am very creative so I relish find- People such as Mary Berry and Paul Holly- ing different ways to show off my skills by wood. I used to watch the Bake Off when I baking. I also found my love for baking from was younger, so it was a great experience being bored at home and having nothing to that I had the opportunity to be on the Junior do! Bake Off… only 32 applicants were chosen out of 2000 children! What was your favourite part about being on the show? “Only 32 applicants chosen out of 2000!”
I really enjoyed meeting the presenters and Could you see yourself on Bake Off when they took me away from the show and in a few years time? interviewed me to see how it was going, I felt very professional! I really liked it when the Yes I probably could, the competition will judges tried my cake because I loved seeing get bigger and better but I will definitely their reaction. I also made friends whilst being apply and see what happens. I found mak- on the show which was great because we are ing the salted caramel cake quite challeng- ing as it was difficult to make the caramel What recipes did you make and what and then fill the inside with butter cream, was you favourite? so I will have to practise that! I also hope to pursue my career in baking when I’m old- I made a salted caramel cake and musical er. I would love to sell my own cakes from biscuits. My favourite was definitely the salt- an ice cream van! ed caramel recipe, it was very challenging to bake but I loved how it turned out in the end. “Cakes from an ice cream van!” 4 Becky High: Part of the World Zika By Kyla Melville Zika is thought to be connected with Micro- Zika is a disease that is cephaly- a disease that causes children's transmitted by Aedes brains to not develop properly, resulting in mosquitoes which car- the infant's head being less than the average ry the virus. The infec- head size. Women around Brazil have been tion has already been warned by doctors to delay their pregnancy discovered in 21 coun- until a vaccine has been found, just to be tries, including the safe. Caribbean, North and Worryingly, officials have stated that there is South America. Symp- a high chance that the virus will spread to toms include mild fe- Asia, which would be ver, conjunctivitis and headaches. It has catastrophic. With the caused thousands of babies being born with Olympic Games coming an undeveloped brain, which will affect them up soon, the Brazilian for life. Government are trying Unfortunately, no vaccination or treatment is their best to abolish available at the moment, although there are mosquitoes in Rio de research teams frantically searching for one. Janeiro. Healthcare professionals predict that a vac- cine will not be available for years. Crane Crash in Manhattan
By Saakshi Sharma tives, police and the builders at the site are The collapse of a large still trying to discover what caused this crane construction crane oc- to collapse the way it had. curred on West Broad- Robert Harold, witness, was in one of the way in lower Manhat- nearby houses. Harold said, “It was right out- tan, New York City, ear- side my window…You could feel the vibra- ly on Friday 5th Febru- tion in the buildings. I looked out the window ary. The 500ft crane and saw it lying in the street.” He also said filled the whole width of that he saw somebody confined in a car and the street blocking the someone lying still on the street. way of cars. If it were An investigation was carried out regarding any bigger, it would’ve the efficiency and safety of the use of con- hit the houses surrounding it. struction equipment – let’s hope that inci- During the crane’s collapse, it killed at least dents like this will not be of frequent occur- one person and injured two people. Detec- rence in the near future. Are yEU in or out? By Aman Hoonjan Citizens in Britain have been given the chance to say whether they would or would not like to stay in the European Union, with the date to vote set for the 23rd June. There are many as- pects that will affect UK citizens and the generations to come as a result of the referendum and no other country has withdrawn from the EU before. Therefore we cannot be certain about the outcomes, however there have been many assumptions regarding the benefits and disad- vantages of staying in the EU.
Advantages: Disadvantages:
One of the main advantages of Leaving the European Union staying in the EU is the free gives us freedom from the EU’s trade across the Union. This rules and regulations. means that it’s less expensive to export goods within Europe. Many politicians like Boris John- son say the Britain is being Consequently, shop prices would held back by the EU as there be considerably lower as the are “too many” rules on busi- World Trade Organisation nesses. claims that the costs of imports would increase by around £11 There is a large cost to be a mem- billion if we left the EU. ber of the EU due to the high membership fees. Staying in the European Union is said to keep UK citizens safer Britain can control its national due to the European Arrest boarders, so they can take Warrant. This means that charge of the numbers of Brit- crimes committed in the UK ons working in Europe, and EU can be easily dealt with as flee- citizens working in the UK. ing abroad will not elude crim- inals from their actions. We can also take control of mi- gration and the Legal System. Many believe that the flow of im- migrants fuels economic growth which can help to pay for public services. 6 Becky High: Art and Culture Art: Graffiti or Vandalism?
By Hannah Davis have been placed there to spread a global Graffiti comes in all different forms and plac- message, like Banksy does, then it is a form of es. Its increase in popularity has led to con- art, because art is a creative way of spreading troversial debates as to whether graffiti is art a message. or vandalism. Art is made to spread a mes- sage, so if graffiti does the same thing, then it Another way that people decide whether must be a form of art. An example of this is graffiti is art or vandalism, is whether it is the graffiti artist, Banksy, who spreads politi- pleasing to the eye. So, if the graffiti looked cal and social messages through his graffiti all something like graffiti in Camden Town, peo- around the world. ple would call it art. This is because clearly a lot of time and care has been put into it to This got me thinking that maybe the message make it look like something you might see in of the graffiti is what defines whether the graf- a gallery. fiti is vandalism or art. This means that if someone has spray painted a message on the Graffiti can be considered vandalism or art wall which is a gang tag or a message that depending on where it is placed. The South- may only mean something to one person, bank skate park is full of graffiti and this is al- then it is not art. This is because it is not lowed and encouraged. Some people think spreading a social or political message. But if that graffiti is vandalism if it is in a place someone has created an image or words that where it is not allowed to be like a bus stop or even in the school toilets. Some people may argue that the point of graf- Overall, I think that graffiti is art depending fiti is to be in a place where it is not supposed on the purpose of the graffiti. As long as it is to be, because this way it stands out to more trying to spread a message in a creative way, people and is more likely to spread a mes- it does not matter where it is, because by sage, such as Banksy’s graffiti around a phone spreading a message in a way that looks aes- box on a private building in Cheltenham. thetically pleasing, makes it a piece of art.
Banksy and not the graffiti of others who are not as famous and do not get as much publici- ty.
Many people think that in this day and age people should not be ‘vandalising’ private property without the owner’s permission as it is illegal. However I think that graffiti is a way to express your thoughts and feelings where people can relate to what you’re going through. This debate has been going on for years and I personally think that if graffiti was legalised, the amount of art on buildings would be reduced until only the ‘professional’ pieces of art would remain. Graffiti is also usu- ally only painted on abandoned buildings and I personally believe that this should not be seen as vandalism as it is just someone trying to make an abandoned building look nicer and attract more attention. If the building is By Emilia Smith run down and no one is looking after it then Graffiti is a great issue in the art world as surely it is partly the owner’s fault for letting there are many opposing views with people the buildings get to that state of disrepair. on both sides of the argument giving good reasons for their opinions. I feel quite strongly on this topic as I think
graffiti is a way in which many people of the I researched different graffiti artists, the most younger generation feel comfortable in ex- well-known one being Banksy. Banksy has pressing their views on politics and society. It caused much controversy over the years by is quite hard to pull yourself away from every- painting political messages around the world day life; of living in a society with many faults while staying anonymous. I personally think and through seeing art on the walls through- that Banksy’s graffiti should be seen as art as out the day it makes you think more about the it is thought to have a political purpose and is faults in society and how you can change to not meant to be seen as messy. His graffiti become a better person. gets the area where it is painted a lot of pub- licity. This is one of the reasons why I think that graffiti should be seen as an art form as many graffiti artists only paint to put across a Image courtesy of getbucks.co.uk taken at Pyebush message. I also believe that it is quite unfair to accept and allow the graffiti of people like roundabout, Beaconsfield A “Creative” curriculum? Should music and art be more
prominent in the curriculum?
By Jennifer Pang career option. steady income. Art and music are seen by some students as Appreciation of the arts is an These creative subjects are a waste of lesson time and increasingly important issue. a great way for children to should be provided as extra- In 2014 the Arts Council ( who meet people and develop so- curricular activities. Some ar- distribute money to hundreds cial skills. Offering a well- gue that these subjects are not of arts venues, theatre groups rounded education creates a necessities as few people will and galleries) have already well-rounded generation. In go on to be artists and musi- seen their government grant these creative subjects, you cians and therefore the teach- of £449m drop to £349m. So, learn practical skills which ing of these subjects are irrel- should all schools provide are very important and trans- evant to most pupils. students with music and art ferrable. In any career life education? I put this question skills, such as coordination 94% of pupils and teachers, to 50 students and teachers and creativity, are required to who I asked, said that music and this is what they think… advance and succeed. Art is and the arts should be taught everywhere, expressed in schools and the other 6% Many members of our school throughout history, but said it shouldn’t. What do you said they think that art and schools lack emphasis on this. think? music help students express themselves as not all students It has been proven that the excel academically or athleti- arts have a strong correlation cally. Everyone is good at to academic success. Howev- something different, so abili- er, some people argue that ties should be encouraged academic subjects are more and given the opportunity to important and would be more be creative. Giving students a helpful for success in the fu- hobby they genuinely love ture. Some might also say that could help them express the arts cost too much, and themselves in the future – or people are less likely to want even give them another a “proper career” with a Ageless Internet
By Eesha Makh eye to eye, hand to hand and Bloggers promote skinny teas to most, the world captured and tablets, products and po- Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, on the screen is more im- tions that leave us interested Snapchat, Tumblr and Vine portant than the one around and addicted to their es- are all accessible to whoever us. Through easy access to teemed appearance on social can make an account, and make-up artists and models, media. once that has been done, the many teenagers feel pressur- whole world is at the account- ised to look a certain way: to Trend after trend, the young owner’s fingertips. have a thigh gap or a thin generation is hooked on the waist, which in many cases ‘it’ thing, whether it be big Instead of worrying about can lead to illnesses such as lips or ‘on fleek’ eyebrows. screaming “snap” first or try- anorexia or bulimia. ing to finding fairies in their With several swipes and taps, gardens, the concerns of chil- Different challenges start to the whole world, brimming dren of today involve the trend, such as the Kylie Jenner with different cultures and ag- amounts of followers they Lip Challenge, or more re- es and appearances are in- have, or if a certain someone cently, the Duct Tape Chal- stantly available, which can liked their photo. lenge – which left one boy in be wonderful or equally wor- Washington lucky to be alive. rying. So what will be the Devices of all kind are con- next trend? stantly present, passed from Being a documentary fanatic
By Simran Hoonjan
I remember being young and thinking that watch- ing a documentary was such a boring way to spend an hour of your life. I mean the idea of just sitting down whilst being hurled facts at seemed as if it was extra school and who would want that? Especially when you were a naïve 9 year old who thought that the word documentary immediately suggested an old fashioned black and white screen.
However as I’ve grown up I have become a docu- mentary enthusiast. The truth is that the power of a single camera lens is incredible. You can immerse yourself into the viewpoints of others whilst gaining information that is often concealed about the world that we live in. Spending up to 60 minutes with a blanket whilst staring at a screen can often trans- form your opinions and the way that you live your life once the last ad-break is over. You can learn so much about global issues by simply turning on a TV screen if you simply look past the cliché stereotype of a hearty documentary.
This spring, a plethora of documentaries have come to our screens. If you are stuck on what to watch, why don’t you check out one of these…
Who Do You Think You Are? Celebrities delve into the past to explore their an- cestry and heritage. Some celebrities include Anita Rani and Paul Hollywood (catch up on iPlayer) Britain on Film The Rank Organisation (a 1950’s cinema company) have replaced its newsreels with a series of short documentaries that look at life in Britain. Or even catch up on one of these in iPlayer: Walking the Himalayas Watch explorer Levison Wood and his trek from one end of the Himalayas to the other Greece with Simon Reeve Simon Reeve with yet another brilliant documentary where he goes through Greece and looks at not on- ly the economy but also the effects of migrants on the country and more. Also, Amy - a documentary of Amy Winehouse which won an Oscar for best documentary – is one to look out for! 11 Becky High: Bitesize More women in the curriculum? By Kitty Sparrowhawk
All the news on TV about The United States’ presidential election turned my interest to our own politics lessons in school. Nick Gibb (England’s Schools Minister) has ad- mitted that, in the draft plans for the curriculum for Poli- tics A-level, there had not been proper recognition of women in politics. There had previously been plans to remove feminism from the core political ideologies. A petition started by student June Eric-Dorie to add more female thinkers to the Politics A-level gained over 45,000 supporters. This was similar to the one started by Jessy McCabe in December last year which succeeded in increased representation of women in the A-level Mu- sic syllabus. After various opposition and campaigns, a spokesman from the Department of Education has said that recent updates has increased the number of women being studied in subjects such as history, music, politics and science. Earth-like worlds: Kepler—186f
By Lily Gvero significant step towards finding worlds like our planet Earth. Future NASA missions, like Using NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, astron- transmitting exoplanets survey satellite and omers have discovered the first Earth-sized the James Webb Space Telescope, will dis- planet. The new planet orbits a star in the cover the nearest rock exoplanets and deter- "habitable zone", which is the range of differ- mine their composition and atmospheric con- ence from a star where the planet orbiting it ditions, containing humankind's quest to find might have water pool on its surface. truly Earth-like worlds." So, the discovery of Kepler-186f (the planet) confirms that there are planets the size of Although the size of Kepler-186f is known, it's Earth in the habitable zones of stars other than mass and composition is not. Kepler-186f is our sun. about 500 light years away from Earth and still hasn't been given a proper name yet! Paul Hertz, NASA's astrophysics division di- rector at the agency's headquarters in Wash- Even though much is unknown, we are now ington said, "The discovery of Kepler-186f is a one step closer to finding out. By Sahar Mulji As soon as it is switched on Colours of distress burn the eyes Cherry scarlets Editors Page Bright royal hues of blue 12 Ebon-hued Black Wispy, barren brown But No yellow Skeletons wrapped In chocolate Scamper the hot dessert terrain A vast undulating sea Punctuated by the shadowy Silhouettes of cactus Your eyes focus On a child Scrawny Weathered lines On the craggy face Breath like rasping rattle Eyes empty Sunken Meaningless Filled with despair They pierce into your back The fire is gone Good luck to all of you revising over the Easter break! The flames of life Reds Golds Yellows Extinguished In the golden sun Hi Everyone! All is left is Black Screams echo Over the past month, a range of events have occurred in our Echo school community. From the successfulWorld Record Attempt Voices of Pure terror in the LRC to the incredible Rock Challenge event (which we High pitched and raw will hear more about next issue). Sounds of children in pain You tear your eyes From the screen I would just like to thank everyone who was involved in this is- Emotions grab you sue: Nina Sukkar, Millie Copas, Kyla Melville, Saakshi Sharma, By the tongue Aman Hoonjan, Simran Hoonjan, Eesha Makh, Emilia Smith, Jen- They dry your mouth Guilt prickles your neck ny Pang, Hannah Davis, Kitty Sparrowhawk and Lily Gvero and Like sharp needles Ameera Khan—you have all worked so hard this term! Pressing into your skin You have not done A thing I also want to thank Natalie Russo, who has been an incredible Yet the guilt Journalism Prefect and her work is an inspiration to us all but is Lies inside leaving this term. I would really like to wish her a good luck for A scab you want to peel the future! Away Nevertheless You make your eyes Drift to the screen Once more Kavya Sharma There is only One Question Seeping through Editor Your troubled mind When will it end?