Committee’s Message

Hey Warriors! You guys made it through the first month of school! I know right, it’s already OCTOBER; which of course means another issue of the Windermere WORD!  However, I know what you all must be thinking right now, why is the Word coming out in the morning instead of lunch? Well, we thought it was time for some change! Most newspaper’s get delivered in the morning and most people read the newspaper in the morning so, the committee and I thought that we’d go for a more “real” newspaper release. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy the articles in this month’s issue because your peers have worked really hard on writing those articles and the committee has worked just as hard to put it all together. In addition, if you have any feed back for us or would like to write for the Word, don’t hesitate to email us at whs_word@yahoo.com. New Writers are always welcome!

On the Behalf of the Committee,
Gurjita Gadey

TO WHOM  IT MAY CONCERN:
Hey, warriors! This month’s issue is packed with some excellent content, including an article about over-commercialized holidays, such as Halloween! Speaking of Halloween; what’s your costume going to be? Remember your manners when going trick-or-treating, and check the weather before you go out – October’s been a rainy month so far! Sit back and read about movie reviews, horoscopes, climate change and more! Also, find out who won this month’s Warrior of the Month. Enjoy October’s issue of the word – 2 issues down, only 8 more to go. For me, personally, I’m really excited to see the Word take off – as we are expanding our newspaper by distributing it to the elementary schools! This month’s issue is a mix of seasoned and new writers – wish them luck in issues to come! A big, huge, colossal thanks goes to the committee and everyone else who contributed to this month’s issue of the word! Keep it up!

Valerie Wong, Editor

To all aspiring writers out there, the Windermere Word is looking for fresh faces to write for the upcoming issues of the Word. Interested? Send an email to whs_word@yahoo.ca!

October’s Warriors of the Month

By:  Emily Chan, Grade 11 & Puneet Riar, Grade 12

So Windermere voted, and your October Warrior’s of the Month are Kimmy Basra and Jason Dhatt in grade 12!

Here’s an exclusive interview I had with them.

CONGRATS! YOU GUYS ARE THE WARRIORS OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER! ARE YOU GUYS WILLING TO DO A VICTORY DANCE?
K: Uhhh…. NO!
J: Yeah I’ll dance! I’m a dancing machine!

LOL! ANYWAYS, WHY DO YOU GUYS THINK YOU WERE NOMINATED?
J: I think for the recycling program I lead but I’m still kind of surprised and I have a feeling that this is some kind of set up.

CONSPIRACY! NO, I’M JUST KIDDING HAHAHA! HOW ABOUT YOU KIMMY?
K: I didn’t even know I was nominated…. I guess because people felt like it…

NEXT QUESTION. WHAT KIND OF THINGS ARE YOU GUYS INVOLVED IN WITHIN THE SCHOOL?
J: I lead the recycling program at our school and am on the senior boys’ soccer team. Out of school I volunteer at RCC and play ice hockey.
K: I’m a leader of the recycling program too.

ANY HOBBIES? INTERESTS?
K: Recycling… and watching 90210 and One Tree Hill and So You Think You Can Dance! I like to read too… OH! And I like to ride my bike sometimes.

YOU READ KIMMY? REALLY?? JOKES! HOW ABOUT YOU JASON?
J: I love sports, especially ice hockey and soccer, watching the Canucks and spending time with my friends.

OH EM GEE! I LIKE SOCCER AND HOCKEY TOO! SO, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR AFTER GRAD?
J: Post secondary, work, and partying 24/7 lol.
K: Oh goodness! I want to be an elementary school teacher.

NICE! OKAY, RANDOM QUESTION: WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD? I LIKE PIZZA, BUT SOMETIMES I LIKE ICE CREAM…OR EVEN LIKE THOSE LITTLE… SORRY! I FORGOT THIS ISNT ABOUT ME. GO AHEAD J
K: OH! I know this one…BREAKFAST! I love breakfast. If I could eat breakfast all day I would. I would eat breakfast for breakfast, lunch, dinner AND midnight snack!
J: Pizza or Inderpaul’s famous butter chicken (inside joke) LOL!

HAHAHA! SO, LAST QUESTION AND THEN YOUR 15 MINTUES OF FEELING LIKE CELEBRITIES BEING INTERVIEWED ARE OVER! CANUCKS OR FLAMES?
K: CANUCKS
J: CANUCKS!!!

WELL, OBVIOUSLY! THANKS FOR DOING THE INTERVIEW KIMMY AND JASON, AND CONGRATS!

October Horoscopes

Aries     Cool your jets. Something in your near future is going to anger you somehow. Just look forward to the end of the month and relax!

Taurus You’re going to have a very lucky October this year. Be confident and you’ll be very successful this month.

 Gemini   Get some rest this month; September must have been tiring for you. Make sure to sleep induring I-Block, unless you have tutorials.

Cancer  Watch your step, and don’t trip on pumpkins. Especially watch out for Jack-o-lanterns that are frowning, they will spell trouble.

Leo  You are in good favour with the stars this month. Make sure that you pick up that coin, bill or million dollar cheque on the sidewalk.

Virgo You’ll catch yourself procrastinating this month. Pick up the pace or you will be left behind, and remember that procrastination is a nasty habit.

Protests = Bloody Battles?

By: Cassandra Ly, Grade 11

When was the last time it was known to everyone that protesting, a simple display of civil disobedience, has transformed into something disastrous and even deadly? Recently, there have been many of these so-called “peaceful” protests occurring in China. This is in regard to many issues including employment, safety, and security demands in different aspects of the Chinese society. These dangerous protests have occurred in the city of Urumqi, Xinjiang; starting off as a crowd of citizens demanding change to the public health system to having paramilitary policemen being brought in.

So, what is the reason for this hysteria? In early September, many incidents of syringe stabbings were reported in the city of Urumqi. Approximately 600 citizens became victims of these arbitrary stabbings, and fortunately only 100 cases “showed any sign of injury.” Innocent people have been targeted on crowded buses and other well-populated areas in the city. Due to the dangers of these “hypodermic syringe needles”, many parents have been very concerned about the safety of their children at school, especially since the H1N1 flu and many other diseases are infecting more and more people.

United Nations Summit on Climate Change

By: Puneet Riar, Grade 12

“The objective of the Summit on Climate Change, which I am convening on 22 September, is to mobilize the political will and vision needed to reach an ambitious agreed outcome based on science at the UN climate talks in Copenhagen.” – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

When you put environment and politics together, it can’t be a good thing. This was the case for the main theme of the day-long UN Summit on Climate Change. Over 100 heads of government attended the summit on September 22nd, which was intended to get all the leaders thinking on the same page before the major climate change summit in Copenhagen (the Copenhagen meeting will replace the Kyoto Protocol). Ki-moon urged world leaders to work on a draft proposal that would work with developing countries.

Canucks Update

By: Jasmin Gadey, Grade 8

Hellooo hockey fans! Here’s an update on your Vancouver Canucks. Over the off-season, GM Mike Gillis was busy negotiating contracts with several players, one of them being Captain Roberto Luongo.  After talking with Luongo, they had him sign a 12 year contract extension worth 64 million; there’s no question now that he’s going to be, forever a Canuck. Gillis also brought 6 new faces to the team, F Tanner Glass, F Mikeal Samuelsson, F Sergei Shirokov, D Christian Ehrhoff, D Aaron Rome, D Mathieu Schneider and G Andrew Raycroft.

The 9 game pre-season went well for Vancouver, going 7-0-2. The pre-season put all the players to the test as Coach Alain Vigneault and his staff kept a watchful eye, as to how well each one was contributing to the team. Unfortunately, the Canucks 2008 first-round draft pick, Cody Hodgson, was sent back to his OHL team, Brampton Battalion for some more development. Throughout each game, the Canucks battled with their best efforts and there were plenty of games where they came out from behind with great third period outbursts. Hopefully, they can carry on this momentum from the exhibition games to the regular season. Go Canucks Go!

Sockeye Salmon

By Soraya Parwani, Grade 9

Sockeye salmon are one of the world’s brightest red fish. When they reach maturity at the age of four, and weigh in at five to twelve pounds, they are ready to spawn. They travel long distances to reach their spawning ground.  The most important spawning areas in British Columbia are the Fraser, Nass, and Skeena Rivers.

A female sockeye salmon lays about 2000-5000 eggs in a shallow red. The eggs, which mature in pebbly gravel, hatch after two months. After the eggs hatch, the sockeye salmon begin life as an alevin. Alevin’s are tiny with huge eyes, and carry an orange sac, filled with nutrients. Approximately after two months, the alevins lose their egg sacs and emerge from the gravel, no longer alevins. Instead, they are fingerlings; at this stage they make their way downstream toward the sea. The last and final stage of sockeye salmon is the adult spawners, as during this period the salmon make their way back upstream towards the river to spawn. After the female lays the eggs, the male fertilizes them by covering them with a milky substance called milt. Several days later, the spawning salmon will die.

Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince – Movie Review

Hallowe’en

By: Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 9

Hallowe’en is older than you think. The holiday originates in the 10th century, but back then it was known as All Saints’ Day, or All Hallows Day. All Souls’ Day (a day to pray for the dead) and Samhain (a Celtic festival meaning ’summer’s end’) are also believed to be where Hallowe’en originates. Although for most people it’s a fun night where kids can score some free candy and dress up. So what are you going to dress up as this year?

Sonali Saxena, Grade 8- Something extreme. What’s extreme?
Kaitlyn- I don’t know. What do you think?
Sonali- A serial killer.

You Know What Grinds My Gears?

By: Jenny Ho, Grade 11

You know what really grinds me gears? Overhyped and over commercialized holidays.

When I walked into Superstore in August, I saw boxes of assorted Halloween candy on sale already. Or maybe you’ve seen Christmas decorations go up for sale as early as October, and Valentine’s Day paraphernalia in January. Is this a practical joke or what? Quite simply, businesses and major cooperations are trying to make more money by putting their holiday products up for sale earlier. This may make sense economically speaking, but it’s created a very materialistic representation for the holidays that we celebrate.

Generation Me

By: Brendan Chan, Grade 11

Over many generations, people have changed in the same way as animals. We adapt to our new surroundings and learn our manners/behaviours from our parents. Today, a major problem exists. To put it simply, our manners have disappeared. As a result, people have become selfish and in a world that needs more help than ever, selfishness is not the solution.

To begin, as teenagers, we feel we need certain things such as computers, cell phones, and video games. Living in this increasingly changing world means that we the people have to change our behaviours as well. Is change always a good thing? The answer is no; not always. Has society noticed that everyone talks on cell phones instead of meeting with others in person?  Where’s the interaction? Why don’t people want to see each other? Or how about the fact that more and more people are either playing video games or working? Why do we interrupt someone when they’re talking? Where are our manners? Communities are no longer close to each other. Parents are constantly busy at work, kids are always at school; there’s just no time for anyone except for ‘Me, Myself and I’. People are simply immersed in a world where work and money overrules all. Our society has definitely changed, a point summarized precisely by Valerie Pringle, a CBC journalist, “I’m always being shocked. No one signals, people don’t say hello back when you pass them in the park, people walk three abreast on the sidewalk and don’t move for anyone. Who says excuse me or sorry or thank you anymore?”

BANG BANG IT SHOT ME – Amnesty International

Brought to you by: Puneet & Nikki, Grade 12

Extra, extra, read all about it! Yes, for the first time in Windermere history, Amnesty International will be starting up. For those who are passionate about Human Rights and how they are being abused, and wondering what you can do about this travesty, come out and check us out! Every month we will be focusing on a different topic and a different issue. We will have hands on activities and possibly might even be able to go on a trip if we have enough members! Stay tuned for Clubs Day and come by to get more information if you are just even slightly interested. We will have a column every month from now on discussing our topic of the month, so come and join us if it intrigues you. That’s all from us, for now. Be sure to read more about us in the next month’s issue!

Canada’s Budget, Controversy, and Cuts on Creativity

By: Emily Chan, Grade 11

Money, money, money – must be funny – in a rich man’s world. Although this may merely be the opening line to ABBA’s hit song’s chorus, it has a much deeper meaning than that. Have you ever stopped and just thought about money? Has it ever occurred to you how foolish it is to immerse ourselves in the world of money the way we do? Every thing that we buy, and every choice that we make, is, for the most part, centered on money. How absurd is that?
On Monday, March 19th, 2009, our Finance Minster – Jim Flaherty – issued a new budget, which, amazingly, dealt with … money! This budget had everything in it, from tax-cuts to up to $2000 rebates for buying environmentally friendly cars. Not only will the budget help children with giving the benefit of a $310 tax relief, but you’ll also be able to receive pensions and saving plans for an extra 2 years!

Unfortunately, there are two sides to every story… and in this case, the other side is not a pretty one. Although the new budget seems to be promising in terms of tax-cuts, other areas are being overlooked – the main one being the Arts. What wasn’t written on the CTV article was the 45 million dollars that was taken away from the arts and culture funding. As Elizabeth May, the leader of the Green Party questioned, “I think it’s a fair question to ask Mr. Harper what has he got against artists. Maybe they were mean to him in high school.” (qtd. in “Harper’s art cuts slammed in Canada” by Jessica Werb, 2008). All jokes aside, rallies have been held all over the country to protest this unreasonable cutback. Even on Facebook, people are changing their profile pictures to grey boxes to point out that the cutbacks on funding is like a cutback on creativity. As they’ve said repeatedly, “the Arts aren’t a luxury – it’s a necessity.”
Sadly, these cutbacks will not help the cause for bringing awareness to the importance of fine arts. In fact, quite the opposite will happen. Arts programs and camps will start to be cut, and there will be no escaping them.