Putting the Scissors Away

By: Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 9  

Dedicated to Nickel; a toast to our thoughts.  

For me, the beginning of second term marks the end of those chaotic weeks of taking tests and completing projects. I can allow myself to relax for a while. Things will be easier for the next couple of weeks as I get back to my normal pace. This also allows me a bit of time to rest and prepare for the next term. Unfortunately, this is also the period of time when I start getting lazy. Several times in the past, my procrastination has cost me dearly, but I usually wake up and get to work in the nick of time.

I wonder why I become so lazy during these periods of time. Why do I work harder when the term is about to end versus the start of a term? I figure it’s because working extra hard toward the end will give a little boost to my percentage. It’s true: working hard does give you better results. Though if I’m concerned about getting a certain grade, why don’t I do my best regardless of where we stand in the term? In my case and perhaps in other’s as well, it’s a lack of motivation. Without the encroaching ‘last day to hand in work’, there seems to be no reason for the extra stress.

Girls are Fluff, Boys are Rough

By: Lucas Chan & Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 9

Back in the medieval days males were considered more superior than females. Men were supposedly stronger, more intelligent, and were believed to be better than women in many ways. On the other hand, women were thought of being delicate and not made for physical labor, but rather for bearing children and taking care of the house. Today, we have more equality amongst females and males. For example, females are generally allowed to take on any job a male can. Even though there is much more equality between genders, there are still many people who believe that one’s gender determines his/her abilities, characteristics, and many other attributions. There are still many men and women out there that use stereotypes against one another. However, many of those stereotypes have been classified as being sexist and have been proved to be incorrect. People tend to assume that girls aren’t fit or strong, but are either smart or shallow. Girls are often said to be smarter than boys in the academic category, but when you actually look at some of the test results, the results of males and females are very similar. Acknowledging this, many people tend to think modern girls care more about their appearance than their grades, prompting such sayings as: ‘a pretty girl is a pretty dumb one’. If a girl cares about her appearance, does that necessarily mean that she can’t be smart because of that? Appearance and intelligence are very different and do not affect one another.

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.

The Vending Machine Experience: An Interview with Nate

By: Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 8

 The vending machine: a wonderful contraption that will dispense snacks for less than two dollars. But what happens when it doesn’t work? Who fixes the vending machine? He’s a senior, he’s tall, he’s awesome, and he’s Nathanael Leung; but he prefers to be called Nate.

First off, why do you even take care of the vending machine?

Nate: Well, it’s a leadership project, and I’ve always been interested with food. It was actually quite fun for me. It looked interesting to handle.

Have you ever been really frustrated with this job?

Nate: Yes, yes. Um, because I get 5-6 calls a day about problems, like things getting stuck in the machine. I call the companies but they say there’s nothing they can really do. With 5 calls a day, about 35 calls a week, you can calculate how many calls I get in a month.

Introducing Vancouver’s New Convention Centre

By Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 8

Four years of construction and a budget of $495 million. What does that add up to?

Recently, I had the chance to take a look into the new convention centre that Vancouver now boasts, or more specifically, the expansion of the convention centre. While the main (and rather obvious) purpose will be to host conventions, this massive building will be the hub for media activity concerning the 2010 Olympics.

Personally, I didn’t really find anything that grasped my interest immediately, but it’s an attractive place with big rooms and high ceilings. There were numerous little conference rooms and a huge ballroom that included a spectacular view, and the exhibition hall was very spacious as well. Even the escalators rides were extended. In short, everything was just kind of big. However, there was some hype about its green features as well, especially about the green roof.

The Half-Way There Survey

By Soraya Ahmad Parwani, Grade 8

Our replies, if any, have been inserted
Also, if you would like to answer any of these questions, feel free.

If you were to change one thing, and keep one from the paper, what would it be, and why?

“I’d definitely keep the advice column, seems like it’s helping a lot of the student body indefinitely and for a change…to be honest I wouldn’t change anything, it’s great!
Cheers” – Elton. Grade 11

The January Blues

by Kaitlyn Fung

Not so long ago, school was out and we could sleep in, but now we must settle back into our normal routines. With a brand new year ahead, the beginning of the first month, January, is here. However, late January is often said to be a very depressing time of year for various reasons, and it’s easy to get a case of the January blues.

One reason why people might be depressed is because the holidays (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Day and others) are over, which means no more celebrations with family and friends. These are some of the things that most people look forward to in the month of December, and many will miss the spirit and cheer (and in some cases, the gifts and treats) when it’s over. Also, some might be quite bored or lonely after all the activity of the holidays. Visiting friends, spending time with family and shopping for gifts are all things that most people do more often during the holiday season, so the schedule might not be as busy as before.

New Years Resolutions Questionaire

by Nicole Yu

Kylie Rondpre, Grade 9: Oh. I will give more to the needy; I will help raise awareness [for] poverty, not only other countries, but also our own; I will reduce waste; I will gain super powers and save the helpless; I will show my appreciation for others, [and] I will accept what comes to me.
Nicole: That’s great!
Kylie: I will also read to old people, hahaha.

Allison Ferreira, Grade 8: In 2009, I will… hm… I will try to volunteer in the community more!

What’s Really Going On In Iraq?

by Kaitlyn Fung

“In just 2 years, USA has killed 1.2 MILLION Iraqis, leaving 8 million Iraqis needing medical assistance. 10,000 people were killed in Chile, but none of these peoples’ stories were told. It’s the soldiers that make the news, but the thousands and millions of civilians killed are unmentioned. Dahlia’s last message: “In campaigns, you hear to ‘support the warriors, not the war.’ Would you support the rapist, and not the rape? The murderer, but not the murder? The killer, but not the kill?” Again, SO powerful.” – Emily Chan

The war in Iraq has been going on for some time. That war that you usually hear about in the news, because more innocent people are getting killed. In case you didn’t know, this war has been going on since 2003. That’s five years of killing that hasn’t amounted to anything. Anything positive, that is. The U.S. army has been there the whole time to help, but are they really helping? No, they’re not helping at all. This is the exact point that Dr. Dahlia Wasfi tries to get across in her speeches about Iraq.

“What do you want for Christmas?” Questionaire

by Cassandra Ly

Chanel Ly: A newer, shinier, faster, red road bike.
Nathan Dinh: A better, faster, stronger city bike.
Chanel Ly: Are you talking about your own bike?
Nathan Dinh: Nooo… I’m just trying to make fun of yours.

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Dan Calud – Grade 10: Money and goodies. 

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Mr. Rymer: Jaguar XKE 1967-1969.
Cassandra: Would you like a new watch with that?
Mr. Rymer: Sure, definitely!

Student Life Questionaire

by Jenny Ho

Welcome back, Warriors, to a new school year! After [two] months of hitting the books and studying, a handful of students were asked for their opinions about the first month of school. Anyways, I hope you do your homework, have a ton of fun, and keep reading The Word!

How was your first day of school?
“Everyone was very nice. The students and teachers were supportive. Everyone answers when I ask questions.” – Christopher, grade 8

“I couldn’t find my friends…I had to look for them! It was annoying too, [when] I found out that we have permanent lockers!” – Jessica, grade 11

How do you feel about the locker arrangements this year?

Questionaire

Interviewer; Cassandra Ly

Would you rather have a fairy godmother like Cinderella or be able to fly like Tinkerbell?

Emily Chan – Grade 10
 “Be able to fly. So I can see the world in a different view. Hehe!  “

Mr. Castilho
 “Fly for freedom…but as long as I don’t cause any pollution.”

Angela Wong – Grade 9
 “If I choose to have a fairy godmother, can I wish for the other?“
Cassandra: “Sure, why not?!”
Angela: “Then a fairy godmother!  “

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Athina Pilarinos – Grade 10
 “A woodchuck would chuck A LOT of wood, if a woodchuck could chuck wood.“

Mr. Griffiths
 “2 root 2!“

Madame Begg
 “A woodchuck can’t chuck wood!“

Would you rather grow your hair like Rapunzel or have a full grown Santa beard?

Mitchell Agostinho – Grade 11
 “HMMM… good question… I would go for the beard.”

Mr. Zitka
 “None of the above…due to BUNSEN BURNER safety.”

Mr. Hamlen
 “Long hair like Rapunzel. The hair on my face just doesn’t work for me…”
Cassandra: “Too itchy?”
Mr. Hamlen: “Yeah, too itchy!”

X-ray vision or invisibility?

Christopher Ly – Grade 8
 “Invisibility… So, I can hook up with ‘Ms. Invisible.’”

Kaitlyn Fung – Grade 8
 “Invisibility powers. Then, I could sneak around and overhear evil plans!”

Windermere’s Annual Halloween Can Food Drive

Hey warriors! As you probably know, that time of year when the ghosts and
evil pumpkins come out to play on that dark eerie night we call Halloween is
over. While many may consider Halloween a night to collect free candy, a
group of Windermere students devoted their evening to gathering any food
that could go toward people in need. They went around the neighbourhood and
asked the residents if they would like to donate any food, and
found that many residents were more than willing to contribute. That
attitude and kindness is what we like to build upon at Windermere. Thank you
to everyone who participated, and hopefully more students will participate
next year. This Halloween Can Food Drive was a great success and we hope to
keep it going for many years to come.

- Riya Talwar and Kaitlyn Fung