Why We Write Table of Contents
Inside Cover...... p2
Life...... p3
Coffee & Conversation.....p6
Creative Corner...... p9
News...... p11
Cubs Den...... p17
Entertainment...... p25
Commentary...... p28 Hallie Woo being studious. by Coco Zhou, XII
I think I’m a brilliant writer. My English teachers of- You’re free to draw conclusions as to what this says ten disagree. My poems, I think, are especially fantas- about me. The point is, good writing is honest. It re- tic. Even when most of my readers tear them to pieces veals something true, be it about you alone or the with their teeth and set the scraps on fire I still think world at large. Margaret Atwood emphasizes the latter my poems are great. One thing I’ve learned from writ- in The Writer’s Responsibility, suggesting that writ- ing workshops is, you could offer the most valuable ers should have a moral responsibility to speak the advice on a piece of writing, and the author might reality. She labels pop literature as “Disneyland of the still think, “What an idiot.” I wouldn’t go as far as call- soul,” produced at the request of the public by writ- ing all writers egocentric, but they must be narcissis- ers who are supposed “to entertain and to divert.” Of tic if they assume others will read their work at all. course, society is partly guilty. Crowds like “to escape,” and feeding their emotional voids is lucrative and isn’t To myself and you, Hemingway has an important tip: all that hard for a mediocre writer. The author’s re- “Forget your personal tragedies.” In order to write se- sponsibility, as Atwood argues, to inform the audience riously we have to “hurt like hell,” but we’d be wrong to of the world’s struggles is sometimes totally ignored. think that the hurt is important because it happened to us. It is only meaningful because it is universal. If you In this article, we’re talking about Writers with a capi- don’t believe me, check out personal writings by some- tal W. For anybody who just wants to tell a story, write, body famously tragic. In The Unabridged Journals of but also remember to read. You’ll figure out what’s trash Sylvia Plath, she talks about Ted Hughes, her literary along the way. You’ll imitate other writers and that’s fine. struggles, her depression, all of which depresses her. Be a narcissist. But listen to criticism (sometimes). And Sylvia gets so sensitive and annoying that I’m alarmed when all else fails, just write. Those who have contrib- because I identify with her, despite how personal uted both serious and lighthearted material to this pa- her issues are. She’s like the best friend I never had. per will hopefully inspire you to find your own purpose. Chronicle Team Editors in Chief Catherine Chou, XII With a new year come new but also to stimulate thought: Coco Zhou, XII opportunities, and the Crof- would you agree or dis- Sponsor Teachers ton Chronicle team is pleased agree that high school is a Ms. Cuk to reveal our latest make- microcosm of the real world? Ms. Gittens over! In this issue, you will find Or, if you were a colour, an abundance of interesting what colour would you be? layout managers pieces, from a TV review of Jackie Law, XII this season’s Glee to advice Special thank you to Ms. Karin Lin, XI on how to score 2400 on the Cuk and Ms. Gittens for their Section Heads SAT. The Chronicle has also contributions throughout the News: Rachel Jin, IX adopted, in addition to a spec- entire process, from advertis- Coffee & Convo: Ling Ke, XI tacular layout courtesy of ing the Chronicle to editing Commentary: Valerie Kim, XI Jacqueline Law and Karin Lin, the final draft. We could not Creative Corner: Julie Lym & Nancy Lee, XII our very own mission state- have done it without you! Life: Rachel Kim, XI ment: “We value opinions We would also like to thank Entertainment: Rachel Kim & from all members of the Crof- the Section Heads, especially Eileen Huang, XII ton community, and strive the grads; we understand Cubs: Adeline Cui, XII to encourage debate for that the first reporting peri- the greater intellectual good.” od was a busy time for you, so Contributers As such, this issue features your efforts were much appreciated. Lydia Jiang, X two new sections: “Life” Grace Hua, X and “Commentary”. Both Have a wonderful and Angela Wu, X Angela Lo, X are designed not only to well-deserved holiday, everyone! Serena Chan, X showcase student writing, Maya Wade, IX Aya Coltle, IX Caption Contest Winners Rachel Kim, XII Ravia Arora, X Crystal Lin, X Baby: RAWR! Jessica Zhang, IX Cat: Oh no, not again. I’m go- Wina Huang, XII ing to go bald. Varisha Ahluwalia, VIII Ariel Lam, IX Harriet Chen, IX Baby: Cats so blubbly I’m Christie Choy, XI gonna diee. Emily Ng, XII Cat: I hate my life. Quinn Fotheringham, VIII -Jastina, grade 9 Lucy Lin, VIII Mary Lin, VIII Anika Arora, XII I got ripped off. Ginger cat does Susan Ding, XI not taste like ginger... Natasha Carr-Harris, X “Baby: Brrraaaiiinnss! Louise Zhang, X Cat: Run! The zombie apocalypse Yum. has arrived.” Baby: I like my meat cooked “The things we do to make our VERY rare. loved ones smile...” Cat: I thought he wasn’t weaned yet... - Wina, grade 12 -Isabelle, grade 9 any occasion (the Toms one-to- Try: FALL/WINTER 2012: one program donates one pair of - The “Naked Palette” shoes for every pair of Toms pur- by Urban Decay for a per- FASHION/BEAUTY chased). Whatever the occasion, fect neutral smokey eye look. TIPS tribal printed Toms are a must! - “Cream Cup” by Mac Anika Arora, XII for the perfect nude lipstick. 4. The last fashion staple item that every girl should have in her closet, 3. This year, try using sweet Here are some tips to keep you is a nice pair of boots. Whether they and fruity scented perfume, instead warm, comfortable, and styl- are knee-length equestrian boots, or of the dark and musky scents that ish for the upcoming season: heeled ankle booties, a girl can nev- were popular last year. Instead of Style Tips: er go wrong with boots! Not only are mourning over the cold and murky 1. This year, bold coloured jeans they easy to throw on, but they can weather, your perfume should re- are a big hit both on the runway be paired with virtually any outfit. flect the sweet and festive holiday and on the market. Whether you time, to put you in a better mood. own a pair of bright red jeans or Beauty Tips: a pair of leopard printed jeans, Try: 1. This year, for the Fall and a “statement” jean is necessary Winter seasons, berry colors have - “Wonderstruck Enchanted” for the upcoming Winter season. been a big hit. Red and plum colored perfume by Taylor Swift for the lipstick really pulls together an out- perfect sweet and dreamy scent 2. Peter-pan-collared sweaters have fit, and darker colored nailpolishes - “Dotty” by Marc Ja- also been a number one trends for reflect the cold and gloomy weather. cobs for a light and fruity scent. the fall and Winter season. Not only do these sweaters keep you warm Try: Random Tips for the Fall/Winter: and toasty during the cold Winter - Revlon “Red Velvet” Lip but- months, but the added embellish- ter, for the perfect subtle red lip. 1. If you’re in the mood for a ment in the collar is a nice feminine - “We’ll Always Have Par- hot drink to warm you up during touch to really spice up an outfit. is” by OPI Nailpolish, for the the cold and rainy season, try the perfect berry colored nails. Starbucks limited edition holiday 3. The Fall and Winter seasons are 2. Another trend for the fall drinks. If you’re someone with a huge the perfect seasons to show off all and winter season is to use neutral sweet tooth, try the “White Choco- your fancy shoes! This season, if colors whether you try a neutral late Mocha” or the “Peppermint Mo- you’re in the market for a new pair smokey eye, or you sport a nude cha” to brighten your day. If you’re of shoes, tribal printed Toms are a lip color. Using neutral make- not someone who has a penchant big hit! Not only will you be sup- up adds a nice touch to any out- for sweeter drinks, try the “Pump- porting a child in need by purchas- fit without being over-the-top.kin Spice Latte”, the “Salted Caramel ing a pair of Toms, but you will Latte”, or the classic “Chair Tea Latte”. have the perfect pair of shoes for 2. Lastly, to bring a little fes- up. It has become a place where Tal- Thumbs Up, Thumbs tivity into your homes, try deco- iban soldiers guard, where people rating your houses with different are hung in the street, and where Down candles. The Bath & Body Works children are forced to grow up to Lydia Jiang, X “Slatkin & Co” candles, are an become orphans. Amir has been Varisha Ahluwalia, VIII easy way to not only spice up your called back to atone for his sins. homes but to spice up your lives Amir looks for forgiveness through C Halloween Haunted House with a multitude of different aro- a series of complicated obstacles. mas. With such a variety of differ- ent scents, you can never go wrong! I found this book extreme- C Justin Bieber concert ly touching and it gave me a wider Try: knowledge of the lives of people - “Leaves”, for a spicy fall scent. living in dangerous situations. The D The Earthquake in B.C. - “Pumpkin Caramel Latte” , for book touches on a variety of so- a sweet and creamy smelling delight. cial issues such as the caste system, C Red by Taylor Swift - “Marshmallow Fireside”, for a war and personal issues such as as- creamy, fluffy, mouthwatering aroma. sault and rape. The Kite Runner - “Frosted Cupcake”, also teaches the reader about sin, C iPhone 5 a sweet-smelling classic. redemption and then forgives and - “Merry Cookie”, for the the importance of washing away perfect cliché holiday scent. your sins. I would give this book C iPad Mini a 9.5/10. I would recommend this Book Review:The book to anyone willing to actually C WE Day Kite Runner read a serious book about a matter that is no joke. I have to say, this is By Khaled Hosseini not a light-hearted book and I had D Online bullying to read it a couple of times before Ravia Arora, X understanding the in-depth mean- The Kite Runner is theings behind many of the words and C Mid-term breaks story of two boys: Amir, a high- quotes. Overall, personally I found The Kite runner quite eye-opening class Sunni Muslim and Hassan, D Tainted beef his servant, a Shi’a Muslim who and it changed my perspective on grow up as best friends in Afghani- many matters and pushed me away stan before the invasion of the So- from relying on stereotypes about C Grads 2013 viet Army. One unfortunate day children living in Afghanistan. in the winter of 1975, Amir wit- nesses Hassan being assaulted and D Lack of sleep does nothing about it. This changes their friendship forever, and causes C Adele’s new baby boy lifelong guilt in the mind of Amir. The story then moves forward by quite a few years and is set in San D Unflushed toilets Francisco where Amir and his fa- ther start a new life as immigrants. One day Amir receives a telephone C One Direction pop-up store call from his father’s old friend who in Vanouver calls Amir back to Afghanistan. Afghanistan is no longer the same Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead Books, 2003. place where Amir and Hassan grew The SAT: How to The Math Section: Practice Score 2400 Wina Huang, XII “It’s not easy to get 800 on math “Most importantly, do a lot and even if you’re a good math stu- lot of practice questions and tests. For students who are interested dent at school. Read the ques- You need to get used to the types in applying to US schools, the tions very carefully, and memorize of questions the SAT asks and the SAT is an inevitable obstacle. some basic formulas so that you pattern of the test. You will even- As the title suggests, I do plan to can work through the math sec- tually realize that there are some provide some suggestions for stu- tions quickly and have the time to types of answers that the SAT pre- dents who are working on the SAT. look over your answers” (Rachel). fers over others, and if you don’t However, I would also like to share see the pattern, then you need to some insight into the significance study the questions you got wrong of this feared exam. Please refer be- and find the pattern” (Rachel). low to some tips Rachel Kim and I have regarding how to do well on Stress: your SAT, or if you are aiming for “Remember that your score can vary that perfect score, how to achieve it. by hundreds just because of a few questions. You need some luck to do Vocabulary really well on the SAT too, so while The SAT does like to use words that a little bit of stress helps you, don’t you may not use in everyday discus- stress so much about it” (Rachel). sions, so “memorize words if your Prepare well and write the SAT vocabulary is rather limited. There once or twice. Try to avoid writing really is a limit to how well you can the exam more than three times. do if you lack vocabulary” (Rachel). Many colleges stress this point. What I liked to do prior to the exam was record any words I did not know The Importance of the SAT from books I was reading at the time. While the SAT is an important as- The Essay & Writing Section: pect of your application, it is not the only aspect. There are many “Prepare some examples that fit other parts of your application that many essay topics so that you can help define you as an individual. easily write an essay without spend- The SAT is a measurement of your ing too much time brainstorming academic and specifically test tak- on the test day. Remember that the Prep Classes: ing abilities; therefore, your results SAT is not looking for how deep really should parallel your progress your arguments are; it knows that SAT prep classes are an option; how- in school. Remember that by do- 25 minutes is a short time to de- ever, I believe that doing well on the ing well in school, you develop the velop a good essay, so it just wants SAT is a personal initiative. While skills needed to excel in the SAT. to see that you can argue a position attending lessons may help you, a lot with sufficient support and few or of the SAT actually tests your school My Message: no grammar mistakes within the foundation, so if you find yourself To all girls who are planning to time limit. It is very important that falling behind in school because SAT write the SAT, remember to main- you do not make any basic gram- prep classes are occupying hours of tain balance in your life. Just as mar errors on the essay” (Rachel). your life, I would suggest focussing school and SATs are important, on school. That way, not only will so are extra-curricular activi- Going through a couple of exams you have a stronger academic pro- ties and other commitments. Do will familiarize you with the types file for school, but you will also in- what you love to do, and you will of grammar questions that come up. crease your chances of doing well. end up in the right place for you. Since it’s my final year at Crof- As cheesy as it may sound, I Student Council 2013 ton, I’m really looking forward to want to make a difference in the immersing myself in all the ac- Maya Wade and lives of Crofties, and leave a last- tivities and clubs I haven’t tried Jessica Zhang, IX ing legacy here at the school. As yet. As well, I’m excited to have a student leader, I hope to cre- as many great memories as pos- ate a comfortable and support- sible with my friends at school ing atmosphere that will bring before going off to university! the community closer together. Q: Why did you want to be- Q: What are your fa- come a student leader? vorite CHS traditions? As the liaison between teachers, There are small traditions within students, and school adminis- the school that I have grown to ap- trators, I want to gain new in- Callie Osler preciate, simply because they create sights into the workings of the a strong sense of togetherness and school and develop an under- Q: What are you most look- community. These include the crisp standing of all that is involved. ing forward to this year? uniforms we sport and the school As a lifer, I would like to see songs we sing during assemblies. the school continue to uphold The graudation year is something that Crofton has also always held inde- its traditions and dedications. I have been looking forward to for as pendence at a high standard, some- long as I can remember. I am excited thing I think is an incredibly impor- Q: What are your goals for to create lasting memories with my tant life skill. Courtesy, Honour, and this year as a student leader? fellow graduates, I am eager to ex- Service are values that I will live plore my passions, and, above all, by for the rest of my life because My main goals are to uphold I am thrilled to serve as Head Girl. of my education at this school. Crofton House School’s traditions Q: Why did you want to be- and to instill fresh, progressive come a student leader? ideas that will benefit the school
I wanted to become a student leader be- Q: What are your fa- cause I enjoy being creative and coming vorite CHS traditions? up with new ideas and initiatives. Be- ing a student leader involves hard work One of my favourite activi- and dedication, qualities that, when ties is the Carol Service be- practiced, make one a better person. cause it marks the completion Candice Chan of first term. As well, the am-
Q: What are your goals for biance of the event brings to- Q: What are you most look- this year as a student leader? gether the school community. a ing forward to this year? and a year that we can remember.
Q: What are your fa- vourite CHS traditions?
My favourite traditions at Crofton are Friday assemblies. As a prefect I get to help plan every assembly, and I have had so much fun making different vid- eos, dances, songs etc. for the couple of assemblies we have had already. I also
Kathleen Mckeown Aidan Crawford Q: What are you most look- Q: What are you most look- ing forward to this year? ing forward to this year? I am really looking forward to work- To be completely honest... grad ing with the executive team, teachers, perks! Finally getting our own jack- grade 12s, and the rest of the school ets, sweaters and staircase has been, this year. We all have lots of new Joanna Tung well, worth the wait. I’m also excited ideas that we are bringing forward Q: What are you most look- to have the best year of all my years and we are really striving to make ing forward to this year? at Crofton and make the most out this school year a memorable one. of it without succumbing to stress! I’m most looking forward to graduat- Q: Why did you want to be- ing, of course, and also playing my last Q: What are your goals for come a student leader? season with the senior basketball team! this year as a student leader? I wanted to become a student leader Q: Why did you want to be- Since my portfolio is Health & Well- because I really wanted to represent come a student leader? ness, I’d like to introduce initiatives to the school. I have been at Crofton encourage students to better take care since grade 1 and when I got into I wanted to become a student leader be- of themselves. I would like to bring in the senior school I strongly admired cause I’ve been at Crofton since grade yoga and/or meditation sessions dur- the prefects. I enjoy acting as a role 1 and I’ve always looked up to the pre- ing free periods to lower stress levels, model for the rest of the school, and fects. I was an activity captain last year, because we all know how stressful I love sharing my ideas with every- so I thought it’d be a really cool experi- school can be. I’d also like to continue one. I think I make a positive con- ence to try a new leadership position. the tradition of the Wellness Assem- tribution to the team and I love the bly because it has had a significant im- environment I get to work in. We Q: What are your goals for pact on students in the last few years. have so much fun together and al- this year as a student leader? though it’s a lot of work I enjoy it Q: What are your fa- and am so happy I got this position. My goal for this year as a student vourite CHS traditions? leader is to come up with small ideas, such as lazy lunch Wednesdays, that I love all Crofton traditions, from Q: What are your goals for can really let students relieve their the carol service to the birthday cel- this year as a student leader? stress and enjoy their time at school! ebration. However, I have to say that the goodbye assembly put on by the I would like to leave a memorable and Q: What are your fa- grade elevens for the grads is always positive impact on the school. I hope vourite CHS traditions? a tearjerker - it’s such a meaningful that the rest of the school can look and unforgettable way to say fare- up to us, the student council reps., My favourite CHS traditions are well. I’m excited for ours, but I’m and not be afraid to ask us a question definitely the welcome back- bar dreading it too. I just know I’m go- or share an idea with us. I know that becue and the teacher assembly! ing to bawl through the whole thing. we all want this year to be a fun one Sarah Carter Mona Estaki Nicola Hurst Q: Why did you want to be- Q: What are you most look- Q. What are you most look- come a student leader? ing forward to this year? ing forward to this year?
To be honest it was because I wanted to I’m really looking forward to go- I am most looking forward to expe- wear a sash. No, I wanted to be a leader ing on the grade 11/12 OE trip- I had riencing all the firsts and lasts I will because I really care about Crofton and such an amazing time last year! I’m share with my grade. Specifically, the wanted to have the opportunity to have excited to get to know more of the convenience of the grad staircase, sit- my voice heard in decisions being made grade 11s and spend some quality ting front row or on chairs in assem- and when organizing schools events. time with the rest of the class of 2013. blies, adding ties to the uniform etc. More importantly, I am looking for- Q: What are your goals for Q: Why did you want to be- ward to working as a prefect and help- this year as a student leader? come a student leader? ing to plan some great school activities.
A few of my goals are one, to cre- I applied for a leadership posi- Q. What are your goals for ate a bigger sense of community, tion because I felt like I had good this year as a student leader? not only within each grade group ideas to bring forward to the school. but also amongst older and younger I thought it would be a good chal- My goal as a student leader is to unite grades. As well, I want to make Crof- lenge, yet also lots of fun and the student body in hopes of eliminat- ton a place where girls can be com- make me a more balanced person. ing a lot of the problems that we face pletely comfortable as themselves as students and girls. I really want and want to strive to be their best. Q: What are your goals for every single girl to walk into Crofton this year as a student leader? every day and feel comfortable and at Q: What are your fa- home. I think we can do this by build- vourite CHS traditions? I am hoping to make the school a ing stronger bonds between the grades friendly and open environment for all and addressing some of the key issues. My favourite CHS traditions are students. More importantly, I want to the Carol Service, Sports Days, make sure everyone has lots of fun and and the Teachers’ Assembly. is involved with the activities going on. Since it’s my final year at Crof- As cheesy as it may sound, I Student Council 2013 ton, I’m really looking forward to want to make a difference in the immersing myself in all the ac- Maya Wade and lives of Crofties, and leave a last- tivities and clubs I haven’t tried Jessica Zhang, IX ing legacy here at the school. As yet. As well, I’m excited to have a student leader, I hope to cre- as many great memories as pos- ate a comfortable and support- sible with my friends at school ing atmosphere that will bring before going off to university! the community closer together. Q: Why did you want to be- Q: What are your fa- come a student leader? vorite CHS traditions? As the liaison between teachers, There are small traditions within students, and school adminis- the school that I have grown to ap- trators, I want to gain new in- Callie Osler preciate, simply because they create sights into the workings of the a strong sense of togetherness and school and develop an under- Q: What are you most look- community. These include the crisp standing of all that is involved. ing forward to this year? uniforms we sport and the school As a lifer, I would like to see songs we sing during assemblies. the school continue to uphold The graudation year is something that Crofton has also always held inde- its traditions and dedications. I have been looking forward to for as pendence at a high standard, some- long as I can remember. I am excited thing I think is an incredibly impor- Q: What are your goals for to create lasting memories with my tant life skill. Courtesy, Honour, and this year as a student leader? fellow graduates, I am eager to ex- Service are values that I will live plore my passions, and, above all, by for the rest of my life because My main goals are to uphold I am thrilled to serve as Head Girl. of my education at this school. Crofton House School’s traditions Q: Why did you want to be- and to instill fresh, progressive come a student leader? ideas that will benefit the school
I wanted to become a student leader be- Q: What are your fa- cause I enjoy being creative and coming vorite CHS traditions? up with new ideas and initiatives. Be- ing a student leader involves hard work One of my favourite activi- and dedication, qualities that, when ties is the Carol Service be- practiced, make one a better person. cause it marks the completion Candice Chan of first term. As well, the am-
Q: What are your goals for biance of the event brings to- Q: What are you most look- this year as a student leader? gether the school community. a ing forward to this year? and a year that we can remember.
Q: What are your fa- vourite CHS traditions?
My favourite traditions at Crofton are Friday assemblies. As a prefect I get to help plan every assembly, and I have had so much fun making different vid- eos, dances, songs etc. for the couple of assemblies we have had already. I also
Kathleen Mckeown Aidan Crawford Q: What are you most look- Q: What are you most look- ing forward to this year? ing forward to this year? I am really looking forward to work- To be completely honest... grad ing with the executive team, teachers, perks! Finally getting our own jack- grade 12s, and the rest of the school ets, sweaters and staircase has been, this year. We all have lots of new Joanna Tung well, worth the wait. I’m also excited ideas that we are bringing forward Q: What are you most look- to have the best year of all my years and we are really striving to make ing forward to this year? at Crofton and make the most out this school year a memorable one. of it without succumbing to stress! I’m most looking forward to graduat- Q: Why did you want to be- ing, of course, and also playing my last Q: What are your goals for come a student leader? season with the senior basketball team! this year as a student leader? I wanted to become a student leader Q: Why did you want to be- Since my portfolio is Health & Well- because I really wanted to represent come a student leader? ness, I’d like to introduce initiatives to the school. I have been at Crofton encourage students to better take care since grade 1 and when I got into I wanted to become a student leader be- of themselves. I would like to bring in the senior school I strongly admired cause I’ve been at Crofton since grade yoga and/or meditation sessions dur- the prefects. I enjoy acting as a role 1 and I’ve always looked up to the pre- ing free periods to lower stress levels, model for the rest of the school, and fects. I was an activity captain last year, because we all know how stressful I love sharing my ideas with every- so I thought it’d be a really cool experi- school can be. I’d also like to continue one. I think I make a positive con- ence to try a new leadership position. the tradition of the Wellness Assem- tribution to the team and I love the bly because it has had a significant im- environment I get to work in. We Q: What are your goals for pact on students in the last few years. have so much fun together and al- this year as a student leader? though it’s a lot of work I enjoy it Q: What are your fa- and am so happy I got this position. My goal for this year as a student vourite CHS traditions? leader is to come up with small ideas, such as lazy lunch Wednesdays, that I love all Crofton traditions, from Q: What are your goals for can really let students relieve their the carol service to the birthday cel- this year as a student leader? stress and enjoy their time at school! ebration. However, I have to say that the goodbye assembly put on by the I would like to leave a memorable and Q: What are your fa- grade elevens for the grads is always positive impact on the school. I hope vourite CHS traditions? a tearjerker - it’s such a meaningful that the rest of the school can look and unforgettable way to say fare- up to us, the student council reps., My favourite CHS traditions are well. I’m excited for ours, but I’m and not be afraid to ask us a question definitely the welcome back- bar dreading it too. I just know I’m go- or share an idea with us. I know that becue and the teacher assembly! ing to bawl through the whole thing. we all want this year to be a fun one Sarah Carter Mona Estaki Nicola Hurst Q: Why did you want to be- Q: What are you most look- Q. What are you most look- come a student leader? ing forward to this year? ing forward to this year?
To be honest it was because I wanted to I’m really looking forward to go- I am most looking forward to expe- wear a sash. No, I wanted to be a leader ing on the grade 11/12 OE trip- I had riencing all the firsts and lasts I will because I really care about Crofton and such an amazing time last year! I’m share with my grade. Specifically, the wanted to have the opportunity to have excited to get to know more of the convenience of the grad staircase, sit- my voice heard in decisions being made grade 11s and spend some quality ting front row or on chairs in assem- and when organizing schools events. time with the rest of the class of 2013. blies, adding ties to the uniform etc. More importantly, I am looking for- Q: What are your goals for Q: Why did you want to be- ward to working as a prefect and help- this year as a student leader? come a student leader? ing to plan some great school activities.
A few of my goals are one, to cre- I applied for a leadership posi- Q. What are your goals for ate a bigger sense of community, tion because I felt like I had good this year as a student leader? not only within each grade group ideas to bring forward to the school. but also amongst older and younger I thought it would be a good chal- My goal as a student leader is to unite grades. As well, I want to make Crof- lenge, yet also lots of fun and the student body in hopes of eliminat- ton a place where girls can be com- make me a more balanced person. ing a lot of the problems that we face pletely comfortable as themselves as students and girls. I really want and want to strive to be their best. Q: What are your goals for every single girl to walk into Crofton this year as a student leader? every day and feel comfortable and at Q: What are your fa- home. I think we can do this by build- vourite CHS traditions? I am hoping to make the school a ing stronger bonds between the grades friendly and open environment for all and addressing some of the key issues. My favourite CHS traditions are students. More importantly, I want to the Carol Service, Sports Days, make sure everyone has lots of fun and and the Teachers’ Assembly. is involved with the activities going on. You are driving along on a wild, stormy night; it’s raining heavily, when suddenly you pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for a bus: comic 1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.
2. An old friend who once saved your life.
3. The perfect partner you have been dreaming about.
Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing very well What It Feels Like that Wina Huang, XII there could only be one passenger in your car? It feels like being the shortest athlete in a basketball tryout, Two words, my answer is Like waiting for the start of a test to be called, only two words. Like struggling to find your favorite shirt in the back of your closet, To keep me, you must give Like looking at an unlit audience from on stage, me. Like walking down a silent hall alone, Words of Wisdom... Like facing an inevitable end. “The camel that wears earmuffs cannot hear But it also feels like being the star player of the season, the sand shift.” Like writing the last line on an exam, - Mr. Hemmings “I don’t inspire at a Like looking at yourself in the mirror with the perfect outfit on, moment’s notice; I need Like hearing the claps and cheers after your performance, time to think about it.” Like crying and laughing at the same time with your friends, - Ms. Ball Like looking towards a new beginning. “De-stress, come find a good book.” That is what it feels like: being in grade twelve. -Ms. Meunier Processing Laundry Coco Zhou, XII
We found a hairpin in a jean pocket. Sorry if you worried. We secured the bean from its pod. In your palm it grows. Listen to it as your garden would to any seed. The iris inhabits these woods. A thread of deer, thick with fungus, hums a word. Knowledge is inhaled by thirsty currents. In gossip they travel. On November 6, 2012, Barack Obama was re-elected as the President of the United States of America. Eventually, an echo system. These are all things Autumn’s Story your hand earths. Quinn Fotheringham, VIII they came in amber, gold and red, in orange and maroon. in chestnut brown and burgundy to sing their autumn tune.
the wind came by and filled its cheeks the leaves flew ever higher! they swirled and danced up to the clouds and set the sky on fire.
they coated sodden pasture lanes plunged down river rides piled themselves in grassy yards and followed forest guides
then savage rain came racing down and stripped the branches bare swiped the apples off the trees flung frost into the air
while winter gives us coziness, christmas cake and coats, it sets fall fires up in smoke brings autumn’s final note
and though the children love the snow it’s said there is a sigh amid shouts for first winter flakes the day that autumn dies Superstorm Sandy Ariel Lam, IX
On October 25th, the Atlantic coast as well, causing homes to catch on fire. Scientists believe that the increas- faced one of the most deadly hur- Entire neighbourhoods, such as Breezy ing rate of natural disasters (such as ricanes to date. Superstorm Sandy Point, Queens, were burned down. Mil- Superstorm Sandy), may be the effects started in the Caribbean Sea, just near lions have been left either homeless, or of global warming. Although blam- Jamaica. She then moved upwards, im- without power and gas, or transporta- ing the weather on man-made global pacting Cuba and the Bahamas. Sandy tion, and little food. Also, schools, busi- warming may not be ideal, the extreme swirled into Florida and up the east nesses, gas stations all closed due to the conditions of the superstorm provide a coast of the United States, finally sub- storm. Hospitals reached full capacity good indicator of what to expect for the siding in New York City on October due the number of citizens being treat- future. Weather patterns are a key fac- 31st. The hurricane affected at least ed for injuries caused by the hurricane. tor in predicting hurricanes and flood- 24 states in the US, from Florida to ing. Long ago, climate scientists pre- Maine. The damage superstorm Sandy President Barack Obama respond- dicted that along with the greenhouse has caused was estimated at $50 bil- ed quickly to the situation to help the effect, sea levels would rise and even lion, killied hundreds, and left the citizens of New Jersey and New York. more powerful storms would eventu- majority of the United States in peril. The government provided water and ally occur. Sadly, these predictions ap- temporary power sources flown in by pear to have become a reality and re- In New York, on October 29th, the military aircraft and helicopters. Hav- sponsibility must be taken by humans superstorm was so bad that it cut out ing a power generator was a luxury, as to slow down the process. For now, power lines and flooded subway sta- many parts of New York had no power until we find a better and less costly tions. The damage to the subway sta- at all. President Barack Obama pro- way to produce energy, we will have tions may take months to repair, as vided hope for the residents of New to prepare for more disasters ahead. water completely flooded some stations York and New Jersey, visiting each state to the very top. Activity on Wall Street, personally and helping victims reunite Broadway, and shops and restaurants with friends and family. He worked came to a halt due to the rough wet with the Governor of New Jersey, Chris weather. In some streets in Manhat- Christie to determine the condition of tan, three feet of water flooded cars and the area and residents impacted by San- taxis. And to the south of New York, dy. The citizens who lost their homes New Jersey experienced wreckage to were relocated to temporary shelters, its beaches, with homes close to the and firefighters worked hard to res- coast being completely destroyed. The cue those who were reported missing. http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/ superstorm damaged natural gas lines sandy110112/s16_RTR39UC1.jpg 270 electoral votes to win the presiden- each candidate’s plans for the next four Fortunately, there is a lesser chance cy and as of right now Obama holds at years, here’s the big question: Is Ameri- of encountering hurricanes on the West least 332 electoral votes and Mitt Rom- ca better than 4 years ago? For the most Coast, because there are less violent ney holds around 206 electoral votes. part, yes. 4 years ago, GDP was shrink- currents and waves in the Pacific Ocean. ing annually by close to 9%. As statisti- There have been approximately 110 fa- In Obama’s election speech he re- cally shown by Times Magazine, since talities in the U.S. alone, and approxi- vealed the goals of his second term: January 2012, Obama has created 4.5 mately 200 fatalities in all of the Atlantic “Reducing our deficit. Reforming our million private sector jobs, and stock Coast including the Caribbean. Most tax code. Fixing our immigration sys- markets have doubled since their low a of the deaths were caused when people tem. Freeing ourselves from foreign few years ago. Mitt Romney may prom- were crushed by trees or drowned in oil.” He also spoke of the imminent ise 12 million more jobs over 4 years the floods. Thanks to geography, we issue of global warming with heated if he gets elected, but his vision is only are lucky to live in an area where hurri- passion, winning back the support- made possible due to Obama’s policies canes are less likely to occur. However, ers that have been annoyed by his lack that have already been implemented. we may still be subject to these disas- of spirit in the first electoral debate Because America’s constitution begins ters in the near future with the rapidly – this was the Obama they had been with “we”, success is dependent on gov- growing process of global warming. waiting for. His healthcare reform, ernment’s actions (E.J.Dionne Jr, The Obama Cares, which would have been Case of Barack Obama). Will Obama be “Hurricane Sandy: The Aftermath - In repealed by Romney, will now con- the one that puts the ‘we’ in government. Focus - The Atlantic.” The Atlantic — tinue to be implemented. If he can News and analysis on politics, business, somehow reverse the economic crisis Dionne Jr., E.J.. “The Case for Barack culture, technology, national, interna- while balancing the immense country Obama.” Times 12 Nov. 2012: 42-7. Print. tional, and life at TheAtlantic.com. N.p., deficit, it would increase his popular- n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2012.
!e builders are also going to be very careful about the green space and are going to make more of it, including the new Fern Forest! We also will have an Outdoor !eatre! !e outdoor theatre will be located by the horse tree - the next “big hill”. And don’t worry - Dr. Dawson her- self con#rmed that the Horse Tree is staying. So no, green space is going, just more is coming!
Now, let’s dig deeper. We asked Dr. Dawson what gave her the idea to change the school. In 2000, there was NO master plan. So Dr. Dawson asked some big questions: “Who are we?”, “What’s our program?” and “What buildings and facilities do we want?” Dr. Daw- son and the other leaders decided that they would like to have university prep, kindergar- ten and a #ne arts center, and that is just what they did. !ese changes will give more room for everyone to be together, give more support, and will make this school even more special. To Dr. Dawson, it’s really important to have spaces in the school, such as the Court Yard.
We predicted that the Junior School students’ favourite change might be the athletics centre, but Cro"on Hall is very unique and will bring everyone together.We predicted that for athletic teachers, theierfavourite addition will be the athletics center, but for some of the other teachers it might be Cro"on Hall because the hall connects people. And for the Senior School students, their favourite addition might be the added P.E center, now that everything will be connected!
If this project goes well, it will end in 2014. !e Board of Governors decision is taking place in February. Un- til then, we will just have to wait and see. So in the end the story is... Drum-roll please! !at CHS is going to be turned into Hogwarts (Fio- na wanted it to be something else, but it was two against one, so she eventually gave in). !ank you for reading! ECEC Update Saira Suleman, Cate Melanchuk, Lauren Manrell VI f a v o u r i t e R ay y a London 2012 subject at school? Amanda Lee, Jady Chan, Maia Poon V We went to Mandy SKC: Cars. JKH: I like the ECEC to ask Jemma SKC: Making ballet. the girls some ques- pumpkins. Q: What are you going to tions. Here are their re- Madison SKC: Art. dress up as for Halloween? !e audience is waiting anxiously. sponses: Melissa JKH: Ballet. Priya SKC: As batman. !e lights are dimmed... BOOM! POP! Q: What do you like most about Q: What have you learned about so Fiona SKH: Ariel. CRACK! !e sound of #reworks echoes your teacher? far this year? Emori JKH: Doggy. around the huge stadium. !e London Olym- Ava SKH: She’s really nice and Crystal SKH: I learned how to read. Q: Are you learning dance at school pics has begun! !e world watched as the spirit helps me. Mandy SKH: We learned how to put and what kind of dance? of the Games took over, and everyone cheered their Madison SKC: !ey help us learn on our boots. It was really easy. Sandy SKC: Skipping, marching, clap- team on. !e Opening Ceremony was fantastic, and the stu$. Ruby SKC: Leaves, winter, and how ping. people of London were proud. Angel SKC: Laughter! to count. Tessa SKH: I do ballet. Q: What do you like about school Vanessa JKH: Painting. Most kids said that they do ballet. !e awesome and outstanding TEAM CANADA includes: Rosie MacLennan, who proudly so far? Q: Why do you like Cro"on Q: What do you like about being won our #rst gold medal; the soccer players, who won bronze with the winning goal by Diane Fiona SKC: Some toys. House School? the oldest in the ECE? Matheson; Ryan Cochrane, who won silver for the 1500m freestyle in swimming; and Lauren Sarah SKC: !e assemblies Ruby SKC: It’s lots of fun, Rachel SKH: Mini woods, the Wilkinson, who won silver for rowing! Did you know she is an alumna of Cro"on House Olive SKH: Playing with my all the activities we road on the terrace. School? Canada is very proud of all our wonderful athletes: wrestlers, track and #elders, bas- friends. get to do. Jenna SKH: I like ballet. ketball team, cyclists, and swimmers. !ey all put in a lot of e$ort, and were bold, strong, and Jasmin JKC: Gym. Olivia SKH: I like inspiring. For athletes though, there are always ups and downs. Just ask Canada’s sprinting Q: What is your music. team. Everyone was excited that they won bronze for the 4 by 100 relay. But then Team Can- ada’s sprinters, Jared Connaughton, Gavin Smellie, Justyn Warner and Seyi Smith found out New Cooking Program they were disquali#ed because Connaughton stepped out of their lane. He felt very ashamed Michelle Sung and Amelia Tu VI but what li"ed the team’s spirits was a surprise package from Elijah Porter, a 10 year old boy. A new cooking program just started this year. Every other Elijah touched many hearts by sending the team a Bronze medal he had won. Wednesday a"ernoon, Dr. Dawson to teaches the lucky Gr. 7’s how to cook! !ey get together and learn how to make amazing and delicious food. We interviewed !e Closing Ceremony came too soon. U. S. A. came #rst with an outstanding 104 medals. Dr. Dawson to #nd out more about it: !en came China, with an amazing total of 88. !ird was the Russian Federation, with a great Q: What is your favourite part of cooking? total of 82. Canada was 13th with a super total of 18 medals- 1 gold, 5 silver, and 12 bronze! A: I like cooking for company, when we have people over for dinner. !en came the Paralympics. !e Paralympics shows us that everyone has a chance to shine, do Q: Why did you choose to teach cooking club? what they like, and be themselves. !e Opening and Closing Ceremonies were performed by A: When I went to university, I studied science, food science, and textile science. extraordinary physically-challenged artists. People may be challenged in their bodies, but they Q: What is the most challenging part of teaching cooking club? can do many things with their minds. !ey have many of the same traits as the Olympic ath- A: Probably ensuring that the everything is done to the right tenderness and the way you prefer. letes: persistance, hope, and boldness. Canada’s Paralympic team came 14th with a total of 31 Q: What is your favourite food to eat? medals: 7 gold, 15 silver, and 9 bronze. Canada’s swimmers won 16 medals, track and #elders A: My favourite thing to eat is apple crumble with ice cream, but it has to be warm. won 9 medals, our wheelchair basketball team won gold, and our wheelchair rugby team won Q: When you are not working what do you do in your free time? What are some of your favourite hobbies? silver! What a feat. A: If I have an a"ernoon on the weekend I like to cook and I always try new recipes when my daughter is Overall, in both the Olympics and the Paralympics, the ath- around. I also love biking and gol#ng, and I hope to get back to snowboarding. letes de#nitely did “Inspire A Generation”. Q: When you were still in school, what was your favourite subject? A: I really liked school but when I think back to my #nal year, it was probably chemistry. We can’t wait for the Rio De Janeiro 2016 Sum- mer Olympics and Paralympics, where Team !ank you for your time Dr. Dawson! As you can see, Dr. Dawson is extremely Canada will shine again! busy, so we are very lucky to have her around and teach something to us. Interview with Mr. Ogasawara (Mr.O) Amelia Chan, Zoe Chee, Matea Folprecht V Cynthia Lo, Rebecca Tsow, and Lauren Hung VII Holiday Plans Whimsical, intelligent, a fan of saluting, a whiz at technology, and completely kid-friendly, Mr. O (Ogasawara) is the new Andrea 5H: Maui with my grade 6/7 teacher for math. A"er Christmas, he will be teaching in the computer lab, #lling in for Ms. Aharon. We had a Kelly 7H: I’m family. super-fun time talking to him and #nding out more about our new teacher. We walked around going to Hawaii Q: How are you liking CHS so far? Mr.O: I LOVE IT! Esmee 5H: Hawaii with my the woods and asked and taking a cruise. Q: What school(s) or businesses did you teach/work at before CHS? What/where is ASK? parents and my friends. the girls what they are Katherine 7C: I’m going to Mr. O: I worked at Apple teaching about computers and #xing them. I also worked at the American School of Kuwait for 4 Tara 5C: I’m pretty sure that I going to do for break. England to spend Christmas years teaching technology, science, and math from grade 6-12. And before that I was a substitute teacher in Surrey. And I am going to NYC and New Jersey. Poppy 1C: I am staying home. in Cambridge. also worked at Gap... Elisa: I think I’m going to go to Ms. Harris: Did you do a paper route? Mr. O: Haha, no. Alysha 1C: Learning to ski. Lily 7H: !is Christmas I will be Whistler or Hawaii. Q: Tell us about your family. Sarah 1C: I’m going to Hawaii. spending time with my mom. Ailsa 6S: My family is coming to visit. Mr. O: My wife’s name is Jennifer, and my daughter’s is Grace. She’s two years old and she’s fantastic. Lina 2C: Mexico. Manny 7C: I will skip all the boring Eunice 6S: I’m staying here. Q: What was your dream job, and why did you choose to be a teacher? Megan L: Having a party. Christmas shows and eat seasonal Fiona 6C: Staying here, and going to Mr. O: Hmm. If you asked me this in grade 7, I probably would have said video game tester. I became a teacher because I Lexie 3H: I’m staying here. food. Lillooet to celebrate. was always excited to get to school in the fall. Emily A: Skiing in Whistler. Charis 7H: I’m going to Malaysia with Kiran 6C: I will be going to India Q: What was your favourite subject in school? Charlotte 4C: I am going to Hawaii. my cousins and meet some relatives Mr. O: Oh... math, actually. Math. Uh, no... Drama class. Wait, don’t put that in there. Put math. for four weeks. Sydney 4H: Sun Peaks Resort. there. Q: What’s your absolute favourite sport? Caia 6C: I will ski in Whistler, Natalie T. 5C: I will be relaxing Nikola 7H: I am going to Japan Ms. Harris: Math. Mr. O: No, football. But they didn’t have football in my schools. I’m trying to make this funny... never then I will go to Arizona. and staying in Vancouver. mind. American football. Yeah. Megan 6H: I will go to Madisyn 5H: I will be going to !at is the end. !ank you for Q: How would you best describe your personality? Hong Kong to visit my Mr. O: (eating granola bar.) Easy going, %exible... Is that a personality trait? Whistler, skiing, and going reading our part of the Crof- cousins and make Q: Can you say a few Japanese words for us? to the Fairmont Christ- ton Chronicle and have a fake snow. Mr. O: Yay. Rebecca: What? mas dance. Santari&c Christmas. Mr. O: I-I-E. Which means no. Atsui desu Ne. Us: Huh? (a few minutes later) Mr. O: AAH. SO. Grade Six Band Us: What? Kiran Bisara and Payton Southam VI Q: If you were given one day where you can do anything you wanted to, what would you do? Mr. O: Can I buy a winning lottery ticket? Us: Uh... no. “Hot Cross Buns” and “Mary had a little lamb” are just two of the many Mr. O: Oh. Okay. I’d watch the Superbowl with my daughter. As long as she’s with me. Umm... honestly? !is is going to songs that Gr. 6 band plays at the moment. !is year the grade 6’s have band sound kind of cheesy...I would just follow my daughter around all day. class two times a week. !ere are eight trombones, nine baritones, twelve %utes, Us: How old is she? Mr. O: Two. Us: Aww! sixteen clarinets, one bass clarinet four French horns, and fourteen trumpets. !e Q: What is your favourite food of all time? Mr. O: Potato chips. Q: Since you love drama, would you be interested in being “Mr.Poppel” in our winter musical? trombones are one of the favourites for the grade 6’s because of their colourful blue, Mr. O: Sounds like a big commitment... (a"er sophisticated thinking and discussion) So basically, no. red, yellow, green, and purple shells and the noise they make! !ey are also the lightest Q: If you had to give us one great tip for high school, what would it be? instrument. !e heaviest instrument is de#nitely the French horn, but it doesn’t matter because the sound Mr. O: If you #nd the content easy, focus on the study skills. carries you away. With the new girls coming in, Ms.Bonnycastle thought that it would be a fun project to start. Q: What is your favourite out#t to wear? Describe. Two of the other reasons why she wanted to make band possible is for the grade 6’s to try new things and to see Mr. O: Blue jeans. !ey’re really old now, but my checkered Vans, a mono-coloured American Apparel t-shirt, and a baseball what it sounds like with all the instruments together. A"er weeks of practice, we could not wait to show you all hat. But if I have to go to the Emmy Awards.... I’d take o$ the hat and put on a cardigan. we had learned in our #rst band recital, on November 20th. Q: What was your favourite grade to be in? Why? Here are what some students said about band: Mr. O: !at’s a hard question! Grade 12. Madeline: I play the baritone. I like the way it sounds and I like to hug it. Rebecca: Isn’t that the hardest grade? Saara: I play the trumpet, and it is always awesome, but at times, challenging. Mr. O: School wasn’t hard for me. But I don’t want to sound stuck up. Tayla: I play the trombone, and I like the uniqueness of it, since it has a slide instead of buttons or Q: Who’s your favourite actor/actress? Mr. O: !ree years ago I would have said John Cusack, but now...Joseph Gordon-Levitt. !e guy from Inception holes. Also, I love how there are di$erent colours, which makes them very awesome! Mr. O: So did I give the best answers you’ve received from a teacher? (Very anxiously waiting) Us: Actually, yeah! We are very excited to show you the progress we have made this term and all of Mr. O: (Does “yes” actions) YES! the knowledge we have learned from Ms. Bonnycastle. Make sure to look forward to upcoming band performances! Grade Three and Four Updates Serena Chen and Celine Chak V Q: Why did you sign up? Rhiannon 5C: I thought it was strategies. going to be fun. Also I want to play Q: What are you against other teams. Grade Five Volleyball doing in music? Abby 3C: Joyce 5C: I signed up because our school is Natalie Teghararian, Katrina Aidelbaum, Ever wonder what Chantelle 3H: Quarter Mandarin and very good at it, and I wanted to be a part of it. goes on in grade 3 and notes and bingo. choir. Q: What time do you arrive at school in the morn- Bronwen Rees-Wiedermann, Rebecca Liu V 4? Dorothy 4H: “Inscription of Lily 4H: Science club and ing when there is volleyball practice? chess club. Tara 5C: 6:45 a.m Elise 5H: 7:15 a.m Q: What is your favourite Hope” and “Somewhere Over the Sydney 4H: No, I haven’t. Q: Do you like volleyball? Why or why not? subject? Rainbow”. Lexie 3H: Cross Country. Anya 5H: I like volleyball, because I really like serving the ball. Zoe 4H: Science Audrey 4C: We are learning Gina 4H: I do peer tutoring. Ti!any 5C: I like volleyball, because I can beat my brother Cohen at it. Emily 4C: Socials Christmas songs. Q: What are you doing in P.E.? Q: Do you think Cro"on has a good chance of winning? Why or why not? Pippa 4C: P.E. I like music too. Q: What is your favourite thing so Jiera 3C: Soccer and ringette Natalie 5C: Yes; it is our best sport, and with this many people I think we can make the best of it. Kate 3C: P.E. far? Nicole 4C: Soccer, volleyball, and Q: How good would you rate yourself at playing volleyball? Katie 3C: Art, because we get to Madeline 4H: !e “I Am From” skipping. Clare 5H: I would rate myself a 8/10 Olivia 5C: I would rate myself a 10/10 make di$erent things. thingy. Gabriella 4H: Volleyball. Q: What’s your favourite position to play? Q: What are you doing in math? Ellen 4C: Mostly the #eld trips. Jaqueline 3H: Badminton Natalie H 5C: I would choose the server and the spiker. Amanda 5C: !e server. Vanessa 4C: Mental math, esti- Josie 3C: !e class pet we get Q: Does anybody else in your family play volleyball? mating, and a little bit of place to take home. It’s kinda fun. Now you know what is going Jady 5H: No one in my family plays volleyball. Anya 5H: My dad, older sister, and twin sister. value. Q: Have you joined any on in grade 3 and 4; hope you Q: Did you know how to play volleyball before joining the Sakura 3H: Place value, clubs? Which ones? enjoyed reading our Hello! We have a lot of new teach- team at Cro"on? and it’s quite easy. update. !at’s it for ers at CHS and here is just one of Natalie L 5C: I knew a little bit in grade four. Ally 4H: We just now, so check back them: Ms. Pipes! She is a kind, creative Andrea 5H: No I did not know how to play vol- did math next term! New Technology intern who has come to CHS from UVIC leyball. Katharine Lee and Manny Li VII (University of Victoria). She is not only an in- Q: How fun would you rate volleyball? tern, but a great dance teacher! Emma 5H: 10/10 Pareesa 5C: 9/10 A"er many meetings with Mrs. Hutchison and technicians in the school, Q: Why did you decide to teach at Cro"on House? Maia 5C: I would rate it a 10/10. Cro"on House #nally received new Apple products: Macbook Airs, iMacs, and A: My roommate’s sister had a connection here and rec- iPod Touches. iMacs are 21.5 inches wide, great for watching Brainpop videos and going ommended it and told me about the position. “It is a great on Kid Pix. !e Macbook Airs and iPod touches are portable, lightweight, and e&cient. !e place to work!” she told me. technology loads very quickly, so we can spend more time working, not logging in. Students can Q: What was your favourite subject in school? A: ART! and art, and art! practice their multiplication skills with the Math Drills. !e new products are very useful for learning Q: What is your opinion on the new grade 7 dance program? and great for teachers and students. Before making the purchase, the teachers had to #nd all the pros and A: I love it! I love to teach it and I think it is a good opportunity to try dance in a stress-free cons of the products. Apple is a reliable company; their products are e&cient and they are compatible with the environment. programs we use. !ey are also user-friendly which makes it easier for everyone. !e school also had to factor Q: What elementary school did you go to? A: Lord Kitchener. in the price. !ere are twenty iPod touches, and each cost $199, so the total is $3980. Forty Macbook Airs cost Q: What’s your favourite food? A: Roast chicken dinner! $39 960, and iMacs cost $54 579. Is it worth it? Here is what the students think: Q: What inspired you to become a dancer? Lauren 7H: !e new MacBook Airs are faster and more e&cient and portable than the old laptops. A: My friend and I took dance classes together. We really enjoyed it and couldn’t stop! Ashley K. 7C: I think the new Macbooks are more e&cient. Q: Why did you want to become a teacher? Rachael 4C, Ava 4H: !e new iMacs are really cool, great, and amazing! A: I feel like it was in me from a young age. A"er school, I Maia 5C: !ey’re really cool and it’s really good technology. would teach my younger sister! Fiona 6C: MacBook airs are the best! And we get to use Comic Life! Q: Do you have any pets? Natalie 6H: MacBooks are light and fast. A: I have a dog, Sophie, who I love very much. Last, but not least, thank you very much to all of the teachers who helped organize and Interview With Ms. Pipes Q: What is your favourite subject to teach? purchase everything. Many of the teachers are involved, such as Ms. Aharon, Ms. Luisa Peters & Charlotte Rolfe VII A: Art and dance. Hutchison, and Dr. Dawson. At lunch, many of the students are playing on Well, thats the interview. We hope the iMacs and are very grateful for the technology. you enjoyed it! !e grade 6 team has been embracing the new school Book Reviews Ashley Phord-Toy, Kelly Kwan, and Rachel Horng VII year with its e$ort, energy, and enthusiasm. First, we in- Grade Six Vollyball terviewed Naya from 6C : Angelina Zhang and Carissa Sy VI Elephant and Q: Why did you decide to join the team? Piggie series A: Because it’s fun and I thought it would get me into school spirit. "e Maze When You Q: Are you enjoying volleyball? Genre: Humour Runner Reach Me A: Love it. I get to play so many games! Genre: Dystopian, Age Recommendation: 5+ Genre: Mystery, Realistic Q: Was there anything that you didn’t expect? Sci-# Quote: “Gerald is careful. Pig- Fiction A: I didn’t expect there to be two opportunities to play (lunch league and school Age Recommendation: 10+ gie is not. Piggie cannot help Age Recommendation: 9-12 team). Quote: “It’s kind of hard to ask smiling. Gerald can. Gerald and Quote: “I don’t know. I just feel Next, we interviewed Jasneet, also from 6C : a dead guy what he did wrong.” Piggy are the best of friends.” stuck, like I’m afraid to take any Q: What do you think is the best thing about volleyball? -Minho Elephant and Piggy are the best of steps, in case they’re the wrong A: It’s a good way to get to know everyone and explore a new sport. !is book is a suspenseful nov- friends; they do absolutely everything ones.” -Miranda Q: What is the hardest thing for you to do right now in volleyball? el following a teenager named together. !is series follows a pig !is book is about a girl named A: !e hardest thing for me right now would have to be bumping the ball to the setter. !ank you so much for spending the time to share your thoughts about volleyball, and keep up the good work! !omas. It starts o$ with !omas and a elephant, and they are not the Miranda who #nd a mysterious note smartest animals ever. !ey have Now we are going to hear some of the coaches’ opinions and thoughts about the work and progress of the awakening to #nd himself in an le" by an anonymous person. She grade 6 volleyball team. Here, we interviewed Ms.Cohee: many adventures together: play- elevator. !e door opens to a sim- discovers that this person can see the Q: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the grade 6 volleyball team this year? ulated environment with other ing hide-and-seek, buying new future. Later Miranda #nds more A: !e students are very positive and supportive. !ey sometimes have TOO much fun though. Lots of gig- children. He soon learns that toys, and dancing in the rain. notes and keeps them to herself, gles during practices, which is good news for them, but bad news for the coaches. they are trapped in a twisted !ese books are about in fear of the possibly danger- Q: Why did you decide to become a volleyball coach? world, and the only way out friendship issues and ous sender. She embarks on a A: Last year I taught basketball and #eld hockey, so I thought it’d be good for me to get to know the volleyball is through a maze #lled how to resolve mystery #lled with girls this year and try something new. with dangerous them. suspense and surprise Q: Do you enjoy teaching volleyball? creatures. at every turn. A: Yes! Volleyball is a new challenge for me and I love setting goals for myself to accomplish. Volleyball’s my favourite sport to teach so far, and I don’t have to go outside on cold mornings! Grade 1 Interviews We interviewed Ms.Demco as well: Jasneet Cheema, Cassidy Reichman, and Samantha Q: How is this year’s volleyball team di$erent from last year’s? Aymong VI A: I coached grade #ve last year and grade six this year, so I have seen the girls’ skills develop over two years.!e girls are great team players and are showing a love for volleyball. We went out on a quest to search for some grade one-ers, to see what they like about Q: How do you think the team is doing so far? our AWESOME school! So we asked them all about their ECE Centre, our Junior School A: !e team is doing really well so far, and I am excited to see their success on our playday on Oct. 29. and what they thought of their new bigger school. Q: Do you plan on teaching volleyball again next year? Why? Here is what we asked them and what they said. A: Yes, because volleyball is one of my favourite sports to play and coach, but I’m thinking about coaching an- other new sport as well. And #nally we interviewed Ms.Ehman: Q: How is grade one di$erent from the ECE? Q: Do you coach any sports other than volleyball? Franchesca 1H: Grade one has more homework than the ECE did and also in the ECE we had more play time. A: Yes. I might coach basketball in second-term. I have coached volleyball and basketball before as well. But now we just have lots and lots of silent reading. Q: Is the team how you expected it to be like? Q: Are the classes a lot harder than you expected? A: !e team was much better than I expected! !ey have the basics that not all grade six volleyball teams have. Sarah 1H: !ey are just a little bit harder than I expected but they are still lots of fun! Q: What is the best and most fun part about coaching volleyball? Q: How do you like the Junior School? And rate it out of 10. A: Cheering on the games; I like the excitement and energy! Poppy 1C: I like all the subjects, and the parent assemblies on Mondays. I rate the Junior School nine out of ten, because the woods are too big for me. We had an amazing time interviewing you, coaches. You’re the best! Without Q: What do you miss most about SK? you, the volleyball team would de#nately not be as successful as it is, so thak Sarah 1H: I miss the mini woods the most, and also I miss Ms. Beauchamp and Ms. Wilk. you. !is year’s grade six volleyball team is o$ to a great start. !e girls are doing well at their games and practices, and exceeding all their Q: Do you like your a"er school activities? coaches’ expectations, but they are just getting warmed up. Let’s A: I really love the activities they have for us because they are super fun. Also I get to hope the girls work hard, play hard, and have a very success- be with my friends so we can play together. ful year using teamwork, and determination. Good luck, !ere you have it, all the answers from our new grade ones! grade sixes! Field Hockey Interview Bump, set, spike! !e grade sev- Betty Huang, Chloe Berryere VI en volleyball team had an amazing season. !ey had tons of fun working Cro"on’s #eld together and helping each other improve. Q: What do you enjoy most about being on Grade Seven Volleyball hockey team? that the external league? Mimi Ye, Janice Lam, and Michelle Kim V A: Yes!! you’re on the Q: Why did Ashley P. 7C: Playing with my friends, and cookies! Q: What do you think can team? you join #eld hockey? Q: What have you been focusing on? improve the team more? A: Yes! A: It is a challenge, and we Amanda 7C: My overhand serve. A: We need to spread out more and Q: Who is your coach? want to try it. Also it is fun. Q: Do you think the team has improved? How? do more passing. A: Ms. Moore and Ms. Kedgley Q: Do you like #eld hockey? Ms. Sharma: !ey’ve improved so much. At the start of the Q: Do you think more people Q: What are you doing right now in Why? season the girls had one or two hits before they sent it over the net, but now they’ve almost mas- should join? class? A: Yes because it is fun. We are tered the three hit strategy. A: Yes because it is fun and A: Playing mini games! very active and good at it. Q: How many games have you played? exciting. Q: What do you feel about the Q: How would you describe #eld Michelle 7C: We’ve played around four games and one tournament so far. Q: Are you happy sport? hockey in one word? Q: How many times do you practice a week? Katharine 7C: We usually practice three times. A: Happy and relaxed. A: Exciting Q: Is volleyball your favourite sport? Janice 7C: No, but it is a de#nitely a close second. Q: Do you enjoy Q: What did you enjoy the most while playing volleyball games? playing on Interview With Ms. Birch Ali 7H: I liked being a part of the team. Ms. Birch used to come to Cro"on House as a student. Q: What skills did you learn? Ashley C. 7C: We learned a lot about how to do control bumps, sets, Q: How do you like this school? A: I love it! Everyone is so kind. and proper spiking. Q: What is your favourite subject to teach? Q:Why did you try out for the team? Q: We heard you are the drama A: !is is a hard question. Probably teaching Gr. 4 French and Gr. 5 spelling. Susan 7H: I thought it would be fun and hard work. teacher for grade 7. What experi- Q: Why do you like to teach French and spelling? Everyone on the team has grown as volleyball play- ence do you have as a performer? A: I like teaching French because I like to put forward my knowledge of French to the grade 4s. ers, and it’s been great to see them on the court A: My degree was acting, I did shows in I like teaching spelling because it is always fun to learn spelling tricks. and doing what they love. A special thanks Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo. !en I de- Q: How is the school now compared to when you were here as a student? to Mrs. Wong and Ms. Sharma for coach- cided to be a teacher. A: I was a lifer. I came here in Grade 1 in 1995 and graduated in 2007. !ere are a lot of gr. 6s now and ing and supporting the grade sevens Q: What are your hobbies? the gr. 7s used to be in the senior school. !ere were only three or four house captains per house back then, throughout the season! A: All types of cra"s, seeing plays, reading books and whereas now every grade seven gets to be a house captain. !ere are lots of new buildings around. making costumes. Q: Where did you play when you were a student? Q: What are your top three favourite athletic activities? A: So"ball, sur#ng, and yoga A: !e woods, the horse tree, mostly the swings, back when we had four. I love the swings. I still swing now! Q: What is your favourite book or series? A: !e Penderwicks Q: What house are you in now, and what house were you in before? Q: When you were in school, what was your favourite subject? A. Drama A: Robins now, and I used to be in Swallows. In the senior school, I was in Douglas, even though all my cousins Q: What is your favourite holiday? A: Halloween and Christmas and relatives were in Gordon. Q: What is your favourite store /shop? A: Michaels’ cra" store Q: Do you like volleyball? Q: Do you have any siblings? A: !ree step sisters, two step brothers and a sister A: Yes, and I love teaching it. My favourite sport is actually soccer. It would be fun to teach soccer as well. Q: What is your favourite summer memory? Q: When is your birthday? A: I went to Southeast Asia and learned how to surf and scuba dive. A: July 27. I wish it were during the school so I could celebrate with the class. Q: What other schools have you worked at? Q: What is your favourite hobby? A: St. George’s, for three years A: KAYAKING! I love to kayak at Jericho in groups and to take courses. I like the feeling of being out Q: What do you like about Cro"on House School? on the water and if I’m lucky, I sometimes see animals. I used to work at the Vancouver Aquar- A: I like everything about this lovely school ium, and working there has inspired me to spend more time out on the water. especially my grade four class. I am also really Q: What is your favourite song? thankful to get to work with such wonderful “Alberta Bound” by Paul Brandt. He sings this song himself. He’s a Canadian Interview With Ms. Taylor teachers. country singer and he is my favourite. If he had a show here in Madisyn Kruk, Shruti Goyal, and Hailey Vancouver I’d de#nitely be in the front seats! Chutter V Interview With Ms. Fontaine Paws Up Paws Down Interview with Ms. Roides Esmee Alexiadis- Beech and Rebecca Liu V Kayla Chutter, Tina Nezami, Aava Param VII Saara Meghji and Anna Je$s VI
Q: What’s your favourite hobby? Paws Up: Ms. Roides is all about music. “I Ms.Fontaine: My favourite hobby is camping. t3VO'PSćF$VSF8FIPQFZPVXJMMCFUIFSFOFYU love a lot of hip hop,” she eagerly Q: What do you like most about Cro"on? year, on Oct. 6! tells, “And R&B. And jazz. And clas- Ms. Fontaine: How everyone is kind and welcoming. t/FX%BMCVN 5BLF.F)PNF sical.” She laughs. “I was in four choirs in Q: What is your favourite sport? t/FXHSBEFTJYDMBTT high school” she announces proudly, “two Ms. Fontaine: I like running. t(SBEFWPMMFZCBMMCSPO[FNFEBMBHBJOTU4U+PIOTJO bands, and the jazz band. My music teacher be- Q: What was your job before coming to Cro"on? the Dig It tournament! lieved in me and encouraged me to take risks and Ms. Fontaine: I ran day camps for kids. t1VNQLJOSVO PO4BUVSEBZ0DUPCFSTU introduced me to the world of music” Ms. Roides still Q: What is your favourite animal? t'SJFOETIJQ8FFL continues to practice now. She is a music teacher, a"er all, Ms. Fontaine: My favourite animals are dogs. t+VTUJO#JFCFS$PODFSUO0DUUI and a really good one at that. Ms. Roides only came to Crof- Q: Do you have any pets? tćF"NFSJDBO&MFDUJPOPO/PWFNCFSUI ton House this year. She used to teach at !e Rosedale Day School in Toronto. “I taught there Ms. Fontaine: No, I don’t have any pets. t8F%BZ for two years. It’s a great school” she says. “I moved to Vancouver because it’s peaceful, beauti- Q: What is your least favourite food in the world? t4VOTIJOFJO0DUPCFS ful, and I absolutely love the mountains and ocean. It’s such a change from a busy Toronto city Ms. Fontaine: Bananas t)BMMPXFFO MPUTPGDBOEZ"OEDPTUVNFT life. I have to say, I prefer Vancouver to Toronto. And then there’s Cro"on House School, this Q: Where were you born? t(VZHPFTVQUPUIFBUNPTQIFSFJOBCBMMPPOUIFO lovely school, in which every single individual works as a friendly, close, and inviting team. Ms. Fontaine: Saint John, New Brunswick. jumped. He broke a world record and traveled faster !is job as a music teacher was actually one of the last jobs I applied for. I had been applying Q: Where did you go to Elementary school? than the speed of light! to jobs all over BC for months from Toronto. !e week before I moved out I decided to check Ms. Fontaine: Quispamsis Elementary in NB t/FXJQIPOFĕOBMMZPVU one last time for new postings, and that’s when I saw the Cro"on posting. I am so happy I did! Q: Where did you graduate from? tJ1PEPVU Cro"on is so amazing. It’s a warm, safe, comfortable environment, in which everyone works Ms.Fontaine: !e University of New Brunswick and t$SPęPODISPOJDMF as a lovely, close little family. Ms. Hutchison is a big supporter of the music program, which is UBC. t8JOUFSCSFBLDPNJOHVQTPPO amazing, and actually really unique nowadays.” !is is when we hear that the music program Q: Did you teach at any other school before? tćFNPWJFi)PUFM5SBOTZMWBOJBwDBNFPVU is being cut from most schools. “It’s terrible,” she exclaims, “I can’t imagine life without music.” Ms Fontaine: I taught at Lord Selkirk Elementary. tćBOLTHJWJOH Ms. R re%ects on the grades she teaches - JK to four. A"er laughing at their squirminess, she Q: How do you get to work? t$SPTTDPVOUSZ*4&" tells us about how she wants to be the best music teacher EVER. “I want to incorporate a lot of Ms. Fontaine: I take the bus or drive my car. t(SBEF BOEWPMMFZCBMM*4&"T new stu$: new songs, new games etc. I believe I can do it, and it’s going to be fun. Even more,” Q: Do you like school? t8JOUFSDPODFSUT she continues, “with someone like Ms. Bonnycastle. She is amazing. She’s a fun person to work Ms. Fontaine: I love teaching at CHS! t/FXUFBDIFSTBOEJOUFSOT with, and we’re always there for each other. We’re always learning new things from each other Q: Do you play an instrument? t-BEZ(B(BDPNJOHUP7BODPVWFS :BZ too.” We all think the two make a great team. She admires Ms. Bonnycastle just as she admires Ms. Fontaine: I used to play the violin. any other musician/singer/actor - they are extremely dedicated and passionate about their ca- Q: What’s your favourite food? Paws down: reers. “I can easily lose myself in music, 100%. Losing yourself in something is no 2+2=4. It just Ms. Fontaine: I like Pasta and Nanaimo bars t"'PSFTUĕSFJO1FBDIMBOE #$$BOBEBXJUI happens. It comes naturally. For me, I think experiencing music live is really what I can lose Q: What’s your favourite piece of technology? people under evacuation order myself in - with such beautiful notes coming right at you from the stage, it’s hard not to lose Ms. Fontaine: My iPhone. t"MMPWFS/PSUI"NFSJDB BTIPSUBHFPGPWFSUIF yourself in something like that! It’s like paradise!” Q: How many siblings do you have? counter cold or pain reliever medication But what really is paradise, in her opinion? She takes a while before answering, “It’s hard to say Ms. Fontaine: I have two brothers. t#VMMZJOH*O$PRVJUMBN - I’m sure everyone has multiple ideas of paradise. Probably Q: Why did you come to Cro"on? t8FUXFBUIFS a beautiful, warm beach, with the gleaming sun shining Ms. Fontaine: I had heard it was a good school, and I t5SPQJDBM4UPSN*O/FX:PSL down on my face, a comforting massage, lots of rich, wanted a chance to teach here. t%JTFBTFJOCFFG delicious food or snowy mountains, Q: What is your favourite subject to teach? t3BJOFEPO)BMMPXFFO that I can just snowboard on Ms. Fontaine: I like teaching science. t%DPODFSUTPMEPVU forever and ever.” Q: If you could have any superpower, what would it !ank you, Ms. Roides. be? Ms. Fontaine: I would like to %y. TVXQ, the Gods of the East 5 Japanese albums, over 20 Korean singles, Rachel Kim, XII and over 30 Japanese singles. Over 11 million Have you ever heard of TVXQ? Or DBSK? If copies of TVXQ albums, singles and DVDs not, well, you have missed a lot. But do not have been sold in Korea and Japan alone, and worry! It is never too late to get interested, over 20 million copies worldwide. From these and by the time you finish reading this arti- numbers, it is safe to say that TVXQ is one cle, you will be an honourable TVXQ expert of the most successful Asian acts not only yourself. in Asia, but also worldwide. There are two TVXQ, an acronym for Tong Vfang official TVXQ fan clubs: BigEast in Japan, and Xien Qi, is a South Korean pop group formed Cassiopeia in Korea and around the world. in 2003 under the most famous Korean Boasting 800 000 fans in Korea alone, Cassio- entertainment agency, SM Entertainment. peia even earned the honour of the largest fan The group is known as Dong Bang Shin Ki club in the world in the 2008 Guinness World (DBSK) in Korea, and Tohoshinki in Japan. Records. The name may seem complicated, but the TVXQ seems pretty amazing, eh? meaning is simple: Rising Gods of the East. Feel free to find out more about TVXQ and These Gods of the East debuted in its former members, JYJ, by simply Google- 2003 as a group of five boys: leader U-Know ing and YouTube-ing! Yunho, Max Changmin, Hero Jaejoong, Micky Yoochun, and Xiah Junsu. Not only do the members have gorgeous looks, but they are also extremely talented singers and danc- ers. TVXQ, however, now consists of only U-Know Yunho and Max Changmin, as the three other members left the group to create a group of their own, JYJ, after filing an injunc- tion against SM Entertainment in 2009. The lawsuit is still not closed to this day. Despite the conflict, however, the five original mem- bers are all successful in pursuing their own paths as artists, actors, and musical actors. Furthermore, the five original mem- “Babyshinki.” Tumblr. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2012.
“TVXQ.” Nemopan. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2012.
Each episode is filled with sus- - pense and mystery that leaves the viewers on the edge of their seats. T gives us a good idea of how the upcoming episodes will look. Rating: 8.5/10 With dazzling musical acts and even better singing than that of last season, Glee seems to have a fantastic year ahead. Glee Channel: Global, Thursday eve- Rating: 8/10 nings O Summary: In its fourth season this Gravity Falls year, Glee is still running as strong Channel: Family Channel, Friday evenings as ever, back with a new cast along Summary: I know what you are thinking now. “Why F with past favourite characters, such is this girl reviewing a kids’ show?” But in fact, Gravity as Rachel and Kurt. In the season’s Falls is not your average kids’ cartoon show. The show is first episode, we are introduced to about a brother and a sister being sent off to live with their a diverse new cast: Marley, a nice great-uncle in a small remote town named Gravity Falls. girl with big dreams from a humble What the twins believe to be a normal town is actually background; Brody, Rachel’s new a place filled with paranormal happenings and frighten- H charming love interest; Jake, a de- ing monsters. As the twins, Dipper and Mabel Pines, try linquent troublemaker with a secret to solve the strange occurrences and mysteries of Grav- passion for singing; and Kitty, the ity Falls, they encounter friends and foes who help them O new nasty head cheerleader. Glee along the way. With awesome animation and intriguing may have been guilty of using some characters, Gravity Falls is guaranteed not to disappoint. repetitive themes and storylines M over the past three years, but what Rating: 9/10 we have seen so far of season four E The World of High Schools by Valerie Kim, XI by Catherine Chou, XII It’s only the end of the first reporting period, High school is in no way a microcosm of the but already, many students are already imagining the real world. It is a secure area for students to grow end of the school year with anticipation without being judged, providing a and excitement. For the senioritis-in- cushion for our failures and offering flicted grade 12’s, June 2013 marks support without fear of malicious the end of their high school careers;. intent. It protects us from the stress- For the rest of us (unfortunately?), it ful reality of finances and budgets, marks only a step closer to the end. and provides a purpose that is often At one point or another, regardless of forgotten in the real world: to instill our grades, we’ve all eagerly imagined a love of learning. In the real world, graduation and the end of high school we tend to strive not to become more as a monumental milestone, one knowledgeable or to help others that marks the beginning of life in the “real world.” achieve, but solely to keep ourselves, and our loved ones, alive. We often consider our years at high school A high school student’s focus is to attain good as nothing more than five years of “playing grown- grades and to enjoy her youth. She is encouraged to up;” when we spend hours finishing our socials proj- join clubs that she finds interesting and to share her ects (career work), meeting our friends (co-work- thoughts. Doing badly on one test will not do per- ers), and obeying our teachers (bosses), we see manent damage; there are many more evaluations ourselves as five year olds experimenting with fake to make up for it. Everyone looks out for each other stoves and cutting plastic carrots. In our minds, high because competition is not a matter of life-or-death. school is a soft, fluffy, wannabe of the “real world.” As long as a student works hard in high school, she Yet, caught up in the excitement to graduate, will graduate and will continue with life. Moreover, we neglect to recognize how similar our high school high school students who take on side jobs often do it world is to our idea of the “real world.” Though we to gain experience or to earn spending money. Only won’t have the Ivy leaf mascot or the clearly-outlined very rare exceptions have to work to survive. Aca- day 8 schedule once we leave Crofton’s ivy walls, some demic or intellectual learning is the greatest purpose things will stay the same in the larger, more daunting of high school education. “real world.” The importance of finding your passion, working diligently to achieve goals, and maintaining Meanwhile, the real world is cruel. One slip strong relationships with your neighbours permeates could have tremendous effects; accidentally misdiag- both in the classroom and the office, both with your nosing a patient could result in a lawsuit and a revoke Crofton peers and your future co-workers. Expecta- of one’s license, for example. Furthermore, selfishness, tions might increase and consequences might inten- an aspect of human nature, drives decisions made in sify, but ultimately, the high school world that en- the real world. Even worse, the effects of any of these courages a student to foster strong decisions are now magnified. relationships, to work conscien- tiously, and to seek knowledge is a microcosm that prepares us for the “real world” that awaits us. Notice the Colours Julie Lym, XII
When people talk about a person’s colour, they usually mean that person’s race. Well, there is another type of colour that is much more important – personality colour. Many people aren’t aware of this, but colours have distinct personalities, characteristics that create an impression on the viewer. Advertisers, for example, understand the earth-friendly, natural character of the colour green, and teachers understand the urgent feeling produced by red ink. For me, I find the personality of colours very useful for identifying and understanding the people around me. Perhaps the most obvious personality colour is orange. It is hard to miss these people because they spend a lot of time bouncing off the ceiling. Orange people are bright, cheerful, quick-witted, and happy to the point of giddiness. They can be fun to be around, but exhausting in large doses. I think everyone should have at least one friend who is definitely orange. My friend, let’s call her Lenore, is a good example. She can laugh for hours at her own jokes and fill up your inbox with links to YouTube clips of cats doing the Oppa GangNam Style. Orange celebrities include Robin Williams, Jim Carey, and Will Ferrell. Purple people are almost the exact opposite of orange people. They are sober, dignified, and noble. They walk with grace, like royalty. They are not necessarily arrogant but will probably make you feel small and unwor- thy. Luckily, I haven’t had much personal experience with purple people. But I once had the pleasure of camping with one and enjoyed immensely watching her struggle to cook with stream water in which floated bits of tree bark and leaves. Especially entertaining was seeing the look on her face when she was told to use leaves as toilet paper. Purple celebrities include Nicole Kidman, Keira Knightly, and Anderson Cooper. Most of us have encountered at some point the red personality. They are fiery, hot-tempered, and quick to judge. Many of us have had the misfortune to have this type of individual as a teacher. My grade seven teacher was as red as they come. Her tiny, piercing brown pupils, fully surrounded by white sclera, bored into my very soul whenever I had the audacity to ask her a simple question such as “May I go to the washroom?” My mom, al- though not strictly a red personality, can produce a respectable red haze when I “forget” to clean up after myself. Not surprisingly, lots of celebrities fit the red personality: Russell Crowe, James Cameron, Martha Stewart, Steve Jobs, and James T. Kirk. My favorite personality colour is blue. Many people associate blue with moodiness and melancholia. To me, however, blue people are relaxed, accepting, easy-going, and warm. Blues are the type of people I want to be myself. They are the type of people I want to be around. I look for these qualities in my friends and appreciate these qualities in my family. My father is the best example of the blue type. Even on bad days, he projects a sense of calm, poise, and elegance. I feel I can talk to him about anything without fear of being judged or reprimanded. Blue celebrities include Colin Firth, Julie Andrews, Gerald McRaney, J.K. Rowling, and Dumbledore. White people are interesting because they are so uninteresting. They are passionless, bland, lacking in anything resembling a personality. For some reason, these people enjoy holding committee meetings and read- ing the fine print on software agreements. Their home offices very often contain at least one shoebox full of debit card receipts. I usually avoid these people, but I try to be friendly whenever forced to sit next to one in class, unless they are the type of whites who like to talk. The worst experience a person might ever have is to be stuck in an elevator with ones of these, talking constantly about the weather, the economy, and the comfort of their shoes. White celebrities include Mr. Spock. Everyday, life presents us with dozens, if not hundreds, of questions and challenges, both large and small. We all have our ways of coping, of organizing our thoughts and emotions to enable us to process the day’s events. Although I am careful not to over-simplify or stereotype people, personality colours, I have found, are useful tools to help me communicate with the fascinating, and sometimes baffling, peo- ple I encounter in life.