The Highlander bernice macnaughton high school - new brunswick - Thursday, MArch 27th 2014

photo credit: jennifer mckelvey like, and I’m hoping that it’s not only an amazing night for Prom Is Coming myself, but more importantly for our entire grad class. by Maya Mutter “We are working on a couple of surprises, but I’d rather leave that a secret for now,” Murphy said after being questioned or the graduating class of 2014, prom is closer than about the secrets of the event, of which only the venue is ever. Students are buzzing over the hot topic of dates Fand dresses, and the excitement that comes with finally CONTINUED ON next Page approaching that pivotal moment in every North American student’s life: prom night. what’s inside? reach for the top success The prom theme—The Great Gatsby—is wildly popular GOJIS TAKING THE MARITIMES BY STORM with many grads, including Emily Buck, who said, The Great GSA TO SAFESPACES AT YMCA Gatsby is a giant party, so therefore [prom is] going to be GRADS IN MUSCLE SHIRTS? great.” FRYE FESTIVAL 2014 She has high hopes for the event and those in charge of it. COURSE SELECTIONS “I’m really excited to see what the Prom Committee has in PROGReSS REPORTS: ARE THEY WORTH IT? store. They’re going to do such a good job, I know it.” 2014 CAREER FAIR HEALTHY EATING Maeve Murphy is a graduating student and member of the 2014 NEW YORK ART TRIP Prom Committee who is working tirelessly with the other COOP ED AT BMHS members to make this year’s prom unforgettable. THE OLD GRADE 9 ENRICHMENT DAYS CONCERT REVIEW: HEDLEY “I’m overwhelmed with excitement,” she said. “Being part of this event allows me to see exactly what prom will be OLD SCHOOL STORIES BMHS FUN FACTS

page 1 - The highlander - march 2014 prom is coming (con’t) BMHS “Reach for the Top” Team currently known: Royal Oaks Golf Club. Claims Success at However, Murphy did disclose some interesting details about Five Consecutive Tournaments the event: “The planning for prom this year is different as we decided to go with a professional decor company, rather than do it ourselves. This way, the decorations are going to be amazing.”

Grads are preparing for their special night slowly but steadily, in a calm fashion unseen in previous years.

Welmoed Wessels, a twelfth-grade exchange student from Holland, doesn’t have her prom dress yet… where she comes from, high school graduation is celebrated in a much more relaxed manner, instead of the prom night North American students are so used to.

“You wait around all day for the phone to ring to be told if you’ve graduated. You would get sweaty just waiting for the news. If you’ve successfully graduated, you hang the flag [of Holland] on your house and go eat cake and drink beer.”

On the other hand, student Mark Dennis—who is planning RFTT members with their coach, Mrs. Natasha LeBlanc to attend prom with Wessels as friends—has his prom attire already, but he only has one problem: “I have so many ties, I By Meagan Beale don’t know which one I’m going to wear,” he said. ernice MacNaughton High School’s Reach for the As prom looms on the horizon, students are also finding Top teams dominated at their recent provincial creative ways to advertise themselves as potential prom tournament in Oromocto, marking their fifth dates. Connor Snair, one student whose hunt for a date B straight victory this academic year. has thus far proved unsuccessful, doesn’t even have a tux yet, but he’s looking for a good time with a nice girl. “I like The intermediate team ranked 1st provincially for the long walks on the beach, teddy bears, and snuggle times,” fourth time this year. The senior team placed second he shared exclusively with the MacNaughton Highlander. to Kennebecasis Valley High School by a very small Additionally, Snair is “11 out of 10” excited for prom and margin. This marked the senior team’s 5th time this would like to say to all of the eligible young women that year, placing 2nd to their long-time Reach rival, KVHS. “ladies, if you’re looking for a date, SnairLines is open 24/7.” The team practices thrice weekly. These practices have evidently paid off in terms of success and team spirit. “I think we have made ourselves a formidable opponent,” says 2nd year Reach member, Nathanael Telman, “with more level and organized teams that work as one.” Given their recent record of success, the future of BMHS’ Reach for the Top team is looking bright. The intermediate team has placed first in all but one tournament, and the Senior team loses to a KVHS by a smaller margin each time, giving the team renewed hope for a gold medal in their near future. The team vows to work tirelessly with the ambition to make their Highlander family proud and to prove once again that academics continue to be a valued entity within their school. photo credit: jennifer mckelvey

page 2 - The highlander - march 2014 photo credit: spitfiredesign.ca Goji’s: the coolest franchise with moncton roots By: Hannah Wedge The possibilities are endless for this new franchise, as stores may continue to open all over the country. So far, Gojis has n a trip to Florida, Carol Wirsz and Janette Zacharias, had a successful run, making delicious and healthy frozen the founders of Gojis, were introduced to what they yogurt that people seem to love. Osaw as an oppurtunity: Frozen Yogurt. Upon visiting a Frozen Yogurt store on their trip, they returned home with Not everyone is in favour of the frozen product. Meagan the idea that perhaps a business like that would be popular Beale, a student of BMHS, claims that the yogurt is quite back home in Moncton. disgusting. “It tastes like cigarette ash.”

Intensive research was done and the two women seriously Perhaps Gojis isn’t for everyone, but for Carol Wirsz and began to consider the idea. They eventually came in contact Janette Zacharias, it was just enough, providing them with a with Tom Ostoich, the president of Socially Responsible wonderful fast-growing business. Food Group Inc., whose mission is to make healthy products using local ingredients. Luckily for the girls, Tom is partners with Chris McCabe, a man who works for Compass Yogurt; a company that specializes in the development of frozen GSA To SafeSpaces at YMCA yogurt restaurants. By: Katrina Leger With the help of Ostoich and McCabe, the ladies were able The GSA at BMHS will be hosting a night at the YMCA’s to create delicious and yet healthy flavors. Apart from the Safe spaces this April to help promote the GSA and help obvious fact that frozen yogurt is healthier than ice cream, the LGBTQ youth in the greater Moncton area. as it has a third fewer calories for every ounce, there is something that sets Gojis frozen yogurt apart from the rest. Sarah Doiron, the director of SafeSpaces Moncton, The frozen yogurt produced at Gojis is made from good originally emailed the GSA, asking if they wanted to quality ingredients that are packed with live and active come and hangout, and the GSA replied asking if they cultures. There are 100 probiotics in every ounce, making could host the night. Doiron replied that it would be a their frozen yogurt healthy and extremely flavorful. great idea.

In just a year, four Gojis restaurants have opened, the first The GSA has been increasing in fundraising, and even being in Dieppe, followed by Riverview, Moncton, and put on a dance for the school back in February. They Shediac. Carol and Janette couldn’t be happier with the have wanted to get out and do more for not just the results, as people seem to love their frozen yogurt.With school but for the city of Moncton, and this will be a its growing popularity, the families of Wirsz and Zacharias great way to do just that. decided to develop a franchise. So far, there has been four new Gojis stores opened outside of the province of New Safe Spaces is a place for LGBTQ youth in the greater Brunswick: one in Charlottetown, P.E.I., two in Halifax, N.S., Moncton area to have a safe place to go and not have and one as far away as , B.C. to worry about people being judgmental. They can go there and hang out with friends and get to know other Gojis, although a seasonal ordeal, has still managed to keep LGBTQ youth around the area. its business and popularity steady. “The store is much busier in the summer” said Jennifer McKelvey, the supervisor of The GSA is very excited about the opportunity to help Gojis, Moncton. “In the winter we lose a lot of business but out and promote more outside of the school. we still get enough to keep the store running.” page 3 - The highlander - march 2014 A New Tradition: Grads in Muscleshirts? by: arianna burt Frye Festival Moncton 2014 his past fall, graduating boys at BMHS looked By Jesse Roy at school photos a little differently than other Thigh school students. any staff and students are readying for the Frye Festival, which is fast approaching. They turned school photos into a fun activity by M matching their outfits for their pictures. “The Frye Festival offers the best of local, Canadian and Co-President Keifer Bell, who was involved in the international authors, including children’s authors, graphic event, was able to provide some information about novelists, storytellers, poets, playwrights, spoken-word this phenomenon. artists and more,” according to the Frye website. Q: Was this previously planned out? The mission is “to foster the discovery and enjoyment of reading and writing by bringing together authors A: “Yes, three weeks in advance we went to a local with audiences of all ages, creating an annual bilingual Walmart and bought a handful. They were then celebration of words.” shared on the day of the school pictures.” This year’s festival will take place between thest 21 and Q: What did the photographers say? 27th of April and features a numerous amount of events, A: “The photographers didn’t take us very seriously including the Café Underground, which offers students the and probably thought we were juvenile delinquents. opportunity to share their work. Some found it funny but others seemed annoyed rd after the 13th student of the day.” Café Underground – which is taking place on the 23 of April – is an event in which students perform their work, In the past, photographers have not allowed which includes writers, poets, songwriters, and musicians. students to use school photos as humoristic outlets; It is being held at the Empress Theatre, which is adjoined to however, the graduates’ photos do not appear in the Capitol Theatre, and is free of charge. the school yearbook. Because of this, the photos were allowed. There have been a few grads in the The event also features guest authors; the highlight of this past who have turned their school photos into year’s Café Underground being Lynn Coady, who wrote a organized foolishness, but never in such numbers collection of short stories titled Hellgoing, which won the as of this year. 2013 Giller Prize.

Will this become a trend? The grads of every year For anyone wishing to register, the deadline is March 28th, exercise some influence on the other grades, and and is for both English and French students. Each student will we will have to wait until next year to determine receive a personalized invitation, a Frye t-shirt, a certificate whether the current grade 11s will turn this into a tradition. of achievement, and a free pass to Magic Mountain. Mrs. Judy Roper, BMHS principal, cautions that “The Northrop Frye Festival is a wonderful opportunity for this “tradition” will not be a “a favorite of the BMHS students to both share their writing through Café administration, as it does go against the dress code Underground,” said Connie Corbett, an English teacher policy. Out of respect and as leaders in the school, at MacNaughton, “or become inspired by an established probably not a trend grads should be setting.” visiting author.”

page 4 - The highlander - march 2014 photo credit: mr.cormier Students planning their course selections. Upcoming Course Selection: planning for the future by: Jordan Richard any students at Bernice MacNaughton High Progress Reports: School are stressing about what classes they are Are They Worth It? Mchoosing for next year. It seems that their options By Jesse Roy for classes next year are expanding slightly. ernice MacNaughton High School issued Around this time every year, students are trying to decide progress reports to its students last Friday, to what classes they wish to take for the next year. Most of give them an indication of how they are faring the time this is a stressful process, especially when trying B in their courses. to figure out what you will need for graduation and post- secondary education. Progress reports are handed out in the middle of every term so students can see how they are progressing in “Student’s should take this process seriously,” advised Mr. their particular courses. The reports usually feature Stephen Harris, one of the guidance counsellors in BMHS, a course average, and sometimes may contain marks “don’t choose classes just because your friends are taking for individual assignments, in addition to comments them,” from teachers. The question is: are these progress There are some new courses being offered to students reports worth it? Student opinion on this is widely of BMHS, but only some will stay, depending on whether divided. people decide they want to take these classes. The classes “I think progress reports are actually insulting and are based on demand, and will only remain available if degrading,” said a grade 11 MacNaughton student, there are enough students are enrolling. who wishes to remain anonymous. “They are not Harris carried on to request that students, “...don’t rush it indicative of the final report card mark at all, and and take your time. There’s time to find information about they can give false hope to students who feel they your courses, just talk to teachers, parents, and guidance. are doing well.” Don’t be stressed or hesitant to ask for help.” CONTINUED ON next Page CONTINUED ON next Page page 5 - The highlander - march 2014 2014 Career Fair at the course selctions (con’t) I’m sure students are excited for the next year and new Moncton Coliseum classes, and with those classes to make new friends By: Devan Frazee and learn new things. Mr. Harris also asks that all those completing the course selection sheet “Think about what n March 20th 2014, students from Anglophone East they like to do and what they are interested in, where they School District attended a career fair at the Monition want to go, and to make sure that their grad requirements OColiseum. This fair allows for students to look at are met.” post-secondary education, possible lifetime careers, and summer jobs. The career fair is a small event where companies set up progress reports (con’t) booths where grade 11 students from various schools could submit resumes to potential employers and see Also addressed was the time at which they were possible career paths that they might take, so they are not given. “They’re given at the middle of the term, at a thinking about everything at the last minute and becoming time when the course might be particularly difficult or overwhelmed. pressing, making me worry,” said the same student. Two employees of Rogers, upon questioning, said that the Others, however, have expressed different sentiments. career fair is very important for them, as it advertises them and encourages students to work there. The available jobs “I love the fact that we give these out to students at Rogers, for example, include sales and, for grade 12 so that they and their parents can get an idea of students, resale. how they’re progressing in the class,” said Megan Robertson, a Math teacher at Bernice McNaughton. Many noticeable booths were Rogers, Subway, Irving, and a significant number of colleges.. Unfortunately The fair, Progress reports are only one of many ways that unfortunately, was cut short by the Hedley concert that was students can chart their progress. Parent-teacher happening that night. Instead of the intended three hours, meetings are also held at the beginning of April, a one- the fair was cut to two, and many students were ushered on-one chat between parents and teachers so that out of the Coliseum in a rush. A pre-concert sound test was teachers can discuss the work ethic and attitudes of required, and students could not be present, so they were their students. Progress reports are just another way vacated. to affirm marks and work quality for both students “This is very important for Rogers” added the attendant at and parents alike. Rogers “this gets our name out there and helps us get new “I think we should give out more progress reports,” employees.” added Robertson, referring to the fact that some American schools give them out every two or three weeks. “So, yeah, I’m pro-progress reports.”

A typical progress report, indicating an approximate mark and, in some instances, behavior scores.

page 6 - The highlander - march 2014 photo credit: http://www.bewellbarroncounty.org/healthy-living/ Food for Thought: A Healthy Perspective By: Rebecca Robinson BMHS New York Art Trip 2014 majority of students today rely on unhealthy food By: Matthew McCormick groups to keep them active and energized on a daily basis. What they may not realize is those food groups MHS New York Art Trip is planned for April 29th to May A 4th. Other high schools from the Anglophone East are high in fat, sodium and sugars which can lead to obesity, poor academic performance, as well as a wide range of BDistrict will be accompanying our students. health concerns. Students with unhealthy eating habits The New York Art Trip includes a variety of artistic and have a higher risk of poor academic performance, according monumental experiences, such as the Statue of Liberty, to a study by the Centre for Environmental Education. The Blue Man Group, St. Pat’s Cathedral, Rockefeller Plaza, in addition to several Museums. Generally, students also A student may feel tired while trying to concentrate in attend a Broadway musical production. There will bea school as their body is lacking proper nutrients from the walking tour of New York landmarks, including a Central right food groups that help keep you focused. According Park tour and Fifth Avenue. to nutritional researchers, even in the short term, eating unhealthy can make one feel uncomfortable. For example, “I have been an art student since grade nine. I learned more it can lead to mood swings, while still increasing cravings for seeing everything than going to the classes,” says Chelsie sugary and salty snacks. Unhealthy eating also contributes Leger, a BMHS student who participated in the trip last year. to lower energy levels; this may cause the student to lose interest in the exercise they need to burn off those extra This trip will certainly be a great inspiration to students who are interested in a variety of artistic fields and will surely be calories. a memorable experience.

“I think eating healthy is paramount to both academic So for you students going on this amazing trip, don’t forget performance and everyday life; it allows you to feel good all of us back at BMHS who are “green with envy” that you about yourself and to think clearly,” stated grade 12 student are watching the Blue Man Group. Meagan Beale.

Students should become more aware of the positive results of healthy eating and the outcome of academic performance. Healthy eating has a positive effect on those who fuel with proper nutritional food groups as well in addition to decreasing the chance of major health concerns. Proper nutrition allows students to improve academic performance while enhancing self-esteem, and provides students with a healthier mind set. page 7 - The highlander - march 2014 photo credit: mrs. tingley Co-Op Education works at BMHS By: Tegan Frazee does it look good on your resume, but if you do decide to go into the same profession as your placement, then it also o-Op Education has been a great asset at Bernice gives you a bit of an advantage compared to people who go MacNaughton High School for many years. It allows into that profession and haven’t done Co-Op,” states Rachel Cstudents the opportunity to venture off into their Mombourqutte, a grade 12 co-op student. chosen field of work and discover firsthand whether or not they want to pursue that career, before they spend When working in a field that requires a university or college thousands of dollars on a university or college education. degree, a student may not be able to see all aspects of that job, and not know fully what they wish to go to school for. Yet, despite its many beneficial qualities, Co-Op does have For example, those who wish to become a veterinarian are its downsides. Some students may not be able to take doing their Co-Op as a vet technician because they are not this course because the career they wish to partake in is qualified to be dealing with the animals. It is the same for not offered to students as a placement. Grade 12 student people who want to pursue a career in the medical field. Cyndy Arbeau was told that she was able to go to Studio 21, a tattoo and piercing parlor, as a placement, but was later Being able to talk to professionals is also an upside to taking denied the option. “I was told I was able to go [to Studio 21] Co-Op. Being able to talk to people who have been doing before Co-Op even started, and then they decided not to. I that certain job for a few years and give you their take on was a little disappointed.” their experiences is an added bonus to this course.

There are definitely more ‘pros’ to taking Co-Op Ed than Some students don’t fully appreciate the Co-Op program there are ‘cons’, because you are being put into your choice and will only take the course for ”free” credits, instead field, and experiencing what you want to do firsthand. of grasping the opportunities presents for them. Some of University and colleges aren’t cheap, and it’s best to fully those students don’t even take their placement to a place understand what you will be doing before you spend all that they are interested in, but simply to a place that is that money. Some people only find out after they have convenient for them. completed their education that that is not what they really want to do, and either have to dredge through that job, or “I think Co-Op provides a real life simulation on your job pay for an even further education. placement, and it helps expand your knowledge on the job,” added Mombourquette. “Being a Co-Op student is definitely beneficial. Not only page 8 - The highlander - march 2014 The Last remnants of the Enrichment 9 Class

By: Jennifer McKelvay nrichment 9 was a class that lasted three years at Bernice enrichment student. MacNaughton High School by teacher Jason Agnew.. E But, “our FTE (teacher positions) was reduced. Second, we In the last semester of the 2010-2011 school year, Mr. Agnew were informed that Enrichment 9 was not a provincially found out that the group he was teaching would be the final recognized course so we would have to apply for local options one. status. Since local option courses are limited to only the grade 11-12 level, there are mandatory classes that everyone The course presented many different learning opportunities must take as a course and when setting up schedules for the to the students taking the class, such as: strong essay writing, school year. You need to make sure that those classes are learning about biased opinions, learning about philosophers, covered before you give teachers extra classes to take on. like Aristotle and Plato, comparing The Allegory of the Cave When looking at that, you must also consider teachers that by Plato to movies like The Matrix. have taken on a heavier or extracurricular load, like student council or athletic director,” said Mr. Robert Bowser, BMHS “Critical thinking was a main idea of the course while giving vice-principal, when asked why Enrichment was a course that students a chance to be questioned and made to back up was no longer in existence. their argument,” said Mr. Agnew. “It was a chance for me to think critically, and instead of The Oxford Dictionary definition of “enrich” is to “improve there being one right answer, everyone was able to have or enhance the quality or value of or to make a valuable their own completely valid opinion. Also, the course gave addition to.” me a taste of what later social science classes would be like, when we studied philosophers like Plato,” said Alex Pattison “One of the greatest things about being able to teach the when asked why the course was important to his learning grade 9’s in Enrichment was the connections made with the experience. students,” said Mr. Agnew. If teachers have extra time in their schedule, the Many of the current grade 12 students who took the class administrators are able to create different courses, like AP believe that’s exactly what the course did: it created a classes and Enrichment, but in the last few years they have different outlet for students to express their thoughts on not had enough allocated time for teachers to make it possible daily issues. because other mandatory classes needed to be covered. For “[Enrichment] was beneficial because it gave grade nines the those types of classes you must also have a certain number of opportunity to think creatively and openly, without feeling students to be able to make the class a reality. like we had to follow a specific rubric or assignment. Instead “[Such] a great way to start high school off, and being a young it gave us the opportunity to think for ourselves through grade 9, it allowed us to get our opinions out there. Plus it was discussions and presentations,” said Katie Betts, former a time and a half,” said Hailey O’Blenes, on her experience. page 9 - The highlander - march 2014 Hedley Wild Live Tour 2014 Old School Stories Editor’s note: LongtimeBMHS Teacher Andrew Campbell began his teaching career at L.B. MacNaughton High School, which was a trade school at that time. He recalls stories of the “old days” “String” By Andrew Campbell ometime in the early 1990’s, when BMHS was Dr. L.B. MacNaughton High School, there were a number of classes clustered under the heading of S“The 103 Prep Program.” This program was created (as near as I can tell) by Mssrs. Harry Dole and Gary Mitton, because too many MacNaughton students who were mentally and intellectually able to succeed were instead dropping out. By: Nicole Campbell Because they often had poor attendance and little anadian band Hedley returned to the Moncton support at home, these students frequently arrived Coliseum Thursday, March 20th for their Wild Live 2014 at MacNaughton after junior high lacking the skills concert tour. and the patience needed to succeed. This program C placed candidates in a single class that moved as a The show opened with pop singers JRDN and Danny unit throughout the day; they had much time together. Fernandes. The two men started strong and built the After completing the program, most of the students crowed up with each passing song, only to prepare them who ‘stuck it out’ were well enough prepared to enter for the blood-pumping performance by the “Crazy for You” a regular program, finish high school, enter the work frontman , , and his bandmates. force, get an apartment, buy a car, and start paying taxes. Hoggard preformed songs from their newest Wild I ‘inherited’ the English Language Arts segment of this Life, as well as other popular songs from their previous program through various bumps and transfers. As a The Show Must Go, the self-titled album Hedley, novice teacher (with less than three years experience), Storms, and Famous Last Words. Surprisingly, the band also I didn’t always catch on to the machinations of a class played songs by artists Miley Cyrus and Rihanna, combining composed only of males, who had enjoyed often more the two popular songs “We Can’t Stop” and “Stay” into a success in the woods behind the school than in the soft medley to end the concert. classroom. Whenever I entered the classroom after break, the huddles would disintegrate and the boys Throughout the entire concert, the band members were would take their seats and begin working to keep me beyond enthusiastic and knew just how to get the crowd from starting class. jumping and singing along. With a stunning light show to match the quality of their performance, this year’s Hedley One day I walked into the classroom and there was only concert was, by far, their most impressive yet. CONTINUED ON next Page The British Colombia based rock band has been touring off and on since early 2004 and do not plan on slowing down anytime soon. This year’s Wild Live tour is the bands most extensive tour yet, with the thirty shows on the schedule. “We are going to a record-breaking amount of cities this year and we want to see all of your beautiful, shining faces there!” says Hoggard.

Hedley’s awe-inspiring show left the crowd’s ears ringing and songs playing in their heads, earning the group a long- lasting and well-deserved standingovation at the end of their show. Hopefully, Moncton residents will be able to enjoy another incredible show by Hedley sometime in the near future.

page 10 - The highlander - march 2014 old school stories (con’t) ten more things you likely one huddle. Now, I was still a noob, but I did grow up with three brothers and I took shop in grade eight, so even I didn’t know about bmhs knew that a class in a single huddle meant conspiracy. They took their seats and, after the gang fanned out, one student was left, sitting in the center seat of the back row. I couldn’t Editor’s note: have blocked it any better if I’d been directing DeGrassi for Former BMHS principal Jack Powers made some a sum exceeding union scale. notes about the school’s history upon his retire- ment. He was part of the staff when MacNaugh- He sat there complacently, as if it was a regular day. A wet ton was first opened in 1976. string, like white cotton packing twine (because it was white cotton packing twine) hung three inches from his nostril. A similar, soggy strand dangled from the corner of his mouth. Suddenly, he took hold of the end of each string, and moved • Dr. L.B. MacNaughton was an MHS English them back and forth in tandem. The class roared. It was a teacher for 50 years! During that time she single piece of string; it was one piece of string slathered earned a PhD in English. in saliva and snorted up his nose, then coughed out his mouth, apparently. I laughed and asked him to remove the • Dr. LBMHS was constructed as a trade school, offending twine, which he did. something that our namesake wasn’t thrilled about giving her name to. I thought that was the end of it. • She passed away just before we became a The next day when I entered the room, there were no fully comprehensive high school. huddles, and there was no discipline required. They were all sitting quietly in their seats, barely able to control their • Our first principal became a superintendent; laughter, each with one end of a string hanging out his nostril and the other tumbling from his mouth. our first vice-principal became a member of the school board. I wanted to weep for the future of humanity. But I laughed instead. • Our second principal is now a Guidance Counsellor in China. Suddenly, a panicked cry broke from the back of the class. One of the students (the one that might accidentally staple • Sloan cut their first CD at MacNaughton and his hand to his test while the teacher is out of the room mentioned us in their acceptance speech at for a moment, especially after being told to stay put) was the East Coast Music Awards. in distress. He was the last one to get string, and there wasn’t a single piece left for him that was long enough to • Our first graduation class in 1976 had taken do the trick, so he had tied two shorter pieces together. But most of their classes in a warehouse next he must have missed that particular Tuesday night at Cubs door to MHS. where they taught the reef knot (you know… right over left and under; left over right and under), and he had tieda • From 1976 – 1994 the grad classes ranged slipknot instead. in size from 50 to 126. All graduations were He had fought half of his makeshift length of string into his held in our auditorium. nasal cavity and had yet to cough it out his mouth when he changed his mind and pulled on it. Pop! The knot unraveled • Since 1976 we have had 7 Principals and 8 somewhere past where his knuckle could reach, and now I Vice-Principals. had a student before me with a foot and a half of string in his nose and the same length in his hand. • The office across from Mr. Bowser’s office has its own washroom because it was His panic grew, but I had no idea how or what I was going originally the sick room. to tell the office. I had visions of my triumphant return to jobs with paper hats and unpleasant smells. His classmates • We stopped using it as a sick room when we shouted advice – “Snort!” said some, and “Blow!” shouted forgot a sick student there on a Friday. A others. When the string fell against his throat he dug for it custodian found her at 10 PM. and pulled it out so quickly that he gave himself a rope-burn on his palate. • For seven years we ran a child care centre in the area near the CoOp office. It served all The ladies down in the cafeteria kitchen gave him some salt water to gargle. He returned to class refreshed, with salty the district’s high school student mothers. tears tracks framing his face from the corners of his eyes.

That learned him.

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