Trades In - Ville de Châteauguay

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Trades In
Spensir Roy
A brilliant idea was formed. That
idea was to create a program that would
allow children to view possible job
opportunities for the future and the type
of involvement each one would require.
This idea involves the Trades in Motion
program, freely providing a mini-class on
each of the trades for which programs are
offered in our area. This event is hosted
by two local school boards, namely New
Frontiers and Grandes Seigneuries, which
provide post secondary education in a
wide variety of trades.
What is best of all about the program
is how students react to the opportunity.
As they enter the tents that are set up,
they are given an introduction about what
each program comprises and how they
will go about visiting the trades. Each
student has a chance to visit two kiosks
(the area where the trade is being taught)
for twenty minutes and participate while
assisted by the teachers on hand. Each
kiosk will cover certain areas of the trade
and give future information on what
would be required before the students
move on. After the forty minutes are
over the students can roam freely around
the tents and pick up facts on specific
interests that they can try when they return
the following year. The program targets
June 2013
Motion
Introducing students to the trades at a young age was the goal of the Trades In Motion event hosted under the big top in the St. Willibrord
Elementary parking lot April 9-11. Hundreds of students from two school boards attended the show. (photo: Brendan O’Brien)
students in elementary and early high
school students, to maximize its effect
on the future. The students participating
Hands-on education =
also pay close attention as no time is to
be wasted. As Mr. Muirhead, an organizer
for the event, stated, “They arrive, they
do their thing and they go, no time is to
be wasted”. The reason for this is to hold
students’ attention and to allow as many
students as possible from both school
boards to participate.
Knowing that CEGEP is not suited
to everyone, Trades In Motion aims to
help students who don’t want to go onto
CEGEP find interests elsewhere. It was
an excellent experience and the program
plans to continue for many years to come.
minds on the future
Middle school and high school students got to try their hand at trades such as carpentry, horticulture, auto mechanics, RV repair, hairdressing, accounting,computer technologies, and
more to get them thinking about their future careers. New Frontiers and Grandes Seigneuries school boards jointly hosted the event. (photos: Brendan O’Brien & Kirk Elsmore)
2
community update
June 2013
Vision Newspaper
Espace: keeping children safe
Jessica Thauvette
Espace Chateauguay is an organization
devoted to preventing violence against
children. They believe that the best way
to achieve that is by giving children the
means, resources and education they
need to protect themselves. Espace
Chateauguay also believes that adults
play an essential role in preventing
violence. At Espace, adults receive
support and discover how they can get
prevent violence as well as deal with it.
CAP-ESPACE utilizes a program
in elementary schools that works with
children from kindergarten to grade six
and uses unique methods to have a larger
and longer lasting impact. In a 75-minute
workshop adapted for each age group the
ESPACE employees Mireille Poirier, Stephanie Rioux, Julie Mailhot, Nathalie Lafleur, and
Anne-Marie Newcombe (not pictured) plan workshops and skits that teach children to stand
up to abuse and bullying. (photo: Anna Yates Potier)
kids participate in a role-playing exercise
where a situation portraying different
forms of violence is acted out. The
children then have to decide if the person
in the situation was safe, strong, and free.
The workshops aim at improving selfesteem and problem solving abilities,
as well as learning to communicate
and cooperate. The objective of CAPESPACE is to reduce the vulnerability
of children to violence, to teach children
strategies to help prevent situations, to
offer help to children in need, to sensitize
adults to violence against children, and
to make child abuse prevention a public
issue.
The main tool Espace Chateauguay uses
is education; they offer useful information
for children’s benefit, such as The Door
That’s Not Locked, an information guide
for parents of children ages 10-12. The
guide suggests balancing the amount
of time the youth spend online, using
filtering software, and supervising their
activities and many other useful tips. It
also explains the risks in allowing your
kids online and the things you should talk
to your child about. For more information,
visit www.thedoorthatsnotlocked.ca.
Senior safety program in full swing
Amanda Bennett
It has already been three months
since the official launch of “Seniors’
Safety Matters”, a project aimed at
creating awareness about elder abuse
and mistreatment. This vast information
campaign began in March with the
distribution of lanyard money-holders for
seniors residing in Châteauguay, Mercier,
Léry, St-Isidore, St-Urbain-Premier and
Ste-Martine. Amanda Bennett, project
coordinator, Agent Nathalie Langevin,
the Châteauguay Police Department’s
Community Relations Officer and
Danielle Wolfe, Director of the Centre
d’action bénévole du grand Châteauguay
volunteer bureau, visited a number
of places frequented by seniors, for
example the Châteauguay and St-UrbainPremier Offices municipaux d’habitation
residences, the Civitan Club, the 55+
Center and Our Lady of Perpetual Help
parish, to name but a few.
Officer Langevin underscored the
importance of this initiative by choosing to
hold information kiosks on seniors’ safety
at the Châteauguay Shopping Center and
Anna Laberge Hospital during Police
Week from May 13-17. Approximately
600 lanyard money holders were
distributed via the kiosks and close to
1500 have been handed out to date. Visits
to locations frequented by seniors will
continue throughout the summer and fall
of 2013.
The “Seniors’ Safety Matters”
implementation committee also unveiled
the second phase of the project; a theatre
production called “Wake Up Arthur”. The
script was written by two police officers
and will be presented by the Troupe Poivre
et Sel, a professional theatre group from
Gatineau. The play, created for audiences
of individuals aged 65 years and up, will
be offered free of charge on numerous
occasions in both English and French
throughout the greater Châteauguay area.
“Wake Up Arthur” is both entertaining
and informative, and aims to create
awareness about the types of fraud, abuse
and isolation which can and do regularly
befall senior citizens.
“Wake Up Arthur” will be presented
in French (under the name Réveille-toi
Arthur) for seniors in Châteauguay on June
6, September 4, and October 16, as well
as in English on June 13 and October 2, at
the Châteauguay Cultural Center located
at 15 Maple Boulevard. All shows begin
at 2 pm. The play will also be presented in
French at 2 pm on September 12 at the StJean-Baptiste & Desjardins Community
Center in Ste-Martine at 13, RonaldoBélanger Street. Finally, the play will
be presented in French for seniors from
Mercier and St-Isidore on September 19
at 2 pm at the Maurice Perron Community
Center which is located at 730, St-JeanBaptiste Boulevard in Mercier. For
more information or if you would like
to reserve a free ticket for one of the
theatre productions, please call the Centre
d’action bénévole at 450.699.6289.
Check out Vision online
Thanks to our community partners, The City of Chateauguay and Le Soleil newspaper, we are pleased
to offer you online access to Vision. Add the following sites to your bookmarks and stay up to date with
community news in English!
virtual paper
City of Chateauguay website
http://www.ville.chateauguay.qc.ca/en/publications-reports/233
Le Soleil newspaper website
http://virtuel.canoe.ca (under Éditeurs choose ‘Le Soleil de Chateauguay - Vision’)
blog
http://blogues.hebdosregionaux.ca/vision/
Vision
C h â t e a u g u a y
c/o Billings High School
210 McLeod,
Châteauguay, QC J6J 2H4
450-691-3230 ext. 355
vision@nfsb.qc.ca
Project Manager & Editor
Mary Leblanc
Layout Editor
Mary Leblanc
Journalism Teacher
David Neudorfer
Copy Editors
Val Allen, Geza Burai, Angela Croteau,
Shirley Donohue, Judy Markhauser, Paula
Monette-Bennett, Kelsey Powell, Jill
Smeall, Mary Verelli
Advertising
Mary Leblanc
Contributing writers & photographers
Sabrina De Rosa, Chloe Emond-Lane,
Shandy Massicotte, Brendan O’Brien,
Kirk Elsmore, Tyrone Freeman, Shannon
Gillette, Ryan Holowaty, Corey Janisse,
Ryan Moulton, Spensir Roy, Lissa
Simoneau, Samantha Stevens, Anna
Yates-Potier, Jessica Thauvette, Natacha
Veilleux
---------------------------------------
See Vision online at:
www.hsbillings.qc.ca/pages/links.
html
and click on ‘current edition’
--------------------------------------We acknowledge the financial support
of the Forum Jeunesse de la Vallée-duHaut-Saint-Laurent
2012-2013 Provisional member of:
---------------------------------------
Vision would like to thank the following
citizens and businesses for their
generous support. Although space
does not allow to list all donors, Vision
also thanks those who donate under
$100. Your combined donations help
us greatly!
------------
Sponsors ($1,000 & +)
Forum Jeunesse
McDonald’s Restaurant
La table de concertation
jeunesse de Châteauguay
Chateauguay Civitan Club
PIerre Moreau, MNA
-----------
Patrons ($100 & +)
Chateauguay Seniors
Catherine Hooper
Alish O’Keeffe
Debbie Hofer
55+ Centre
Ed Colton
3
community update
June 2013
Vision Newspaper
More than ‘Magic’ needed to restore the hobby shop
the way to the ice cream parlour,
the businesses were burnt to the
ground, including the infamous
hobby shop.
It seems that customers,
friends, and family members
of the memorable hobby shop,
Sous Sol Hobby, will surely
miss the store. However,
collectors don’t wish to give up
so easily on the store’s rebirth.
The owners of the store, Norm
and Val Brodati, used to hold
weekly tournaments of the card
game ‘Magic the Gathering’,
considered to be a very
collectable game.
In fact, the week before the
fire, Sous Sol was readying
its’ store for an upcoming prerelease of a new set of cards
for the ‘Magic’ card game.
Unfortunately, due to what
happened, the tournament was
The terrible fire that destroyed half the Maple Shopping cancelled, leaving loyal gamers
Centre on April 19 impacted several small businesses. and the shop’s faithful owners
(photos: Kirk Elsmore)
very upset. These pre-release
events were very important for
Kirk Elsmore
the shop, not only in increasing revenue
What a disaster! On April 19, a Friday but in introducing more people to the
afternoon, the Maple Shopping Centre game of ‘Magic’; that is what Sous Sol
caught fire, taking down many businesses really loved to do.
Although some players showed their
and setting a record in Chateauguay for
the largest fire. From the bowling alley all respect by still attending the pre-release
Boxer
event, they simply chatted
with the owners around what
is left of Sous Sol Hobby at
the Maple shopping centre.
Long running ‘Magic’player
Francois Allard, along with
other clients from Sous Sol,
are battling with insurance
claims, since the shop
rented out lockers where
players could store cards
and other miscellaneous
objects. “Trying to explain
to the insurance guy on how
much these cards are worth
is near to impossible,”
Francois explains. “I’ve
lost over $4,000 in cards,
but to tell them that a piece
of paper is worth more than
$20 is a joke.”
It is hard to believe, but Sous Sol Hobby owners Norm & Val Brodati are struggling to
many others also lost their recover losses, but plan to persevere.
stuff. However, it is not the
fault of the owners. “If I
without the store. “We should be opened
would have had a chance to take one thing just before the new set releases at the end
out, it would have been all the binders of September,” said Val, who is eagerly
and cards that belonged to other people,” looking forward to it. I think everyone
Norm stated, feeling responsible.
will surely enjoy the shops’ presence yet
Will this be the end of Sous Sol Hobby? again, because not only was the place a
It seems not. Norm and Val do have plans shop but a place where people would
to restart their wonderful business again go just to hang out or say ‘hello’ to the
if everything goes well. In fact, Val was owners.
ready to have the pre-release event even
A.M.R. pets of
the month
Hello, my name is Boxer, and I’m a...
you guessed it...a Boxer! I was found
stray on the streets of Chateauguay on
May 4, 2013. I’m 4 years old and they
say I’m nice and gentle. I love to play
and I’m very sociable. They recommend
that I take obedience courses and I also
need house training. Come and visit me
at AMR Refuge during adoption hours
and check their website listed below for
details.
Cotonel
Hi, my name is Cotonel. I’m
a nice 4-year-old cat. My former
owners had to leave me at the shelter
because of illness. I’m affectionate
and get along well with other cats.
My nails are removed from my
two front paws. You can visit me at
the AMR Refuge during adoption
hours. For more details, visit their
website.
For more details, visit AMR’s website: www.refugeamr.com or contact Refuge AMR at 47 St-Pierre, St-Constant, tel: 450-638-9698.
Hours are Monday-Wednesday: noon-5:00 p.m.; Thursday-Friday: noon-8:00 p.m.; Saturday: noon – 2:00 p.m.
community update
Vision Newspaper
Five easy ways to become more eco-friendly
Ryan Holowaty
With Earth Day just behind us, you may
want to be a bit kinder to mother earth.
These everyday tips and tricks will not
only help the Earth, but may also help
your wallet.
1. Time yourself while taking a
shower
It’s easy to get distracted while taking a
shower, especially if you’re tired or in need
of relaxation. Timing yourself will cause
you to focus on the mission of getting
clean. You can set goals for yourself and
try to beat your previous time. It’s a fun
way to wake up in the morning that will
save some water.
2. Buy rechargeable batteries
They might be a bit more expensive
than the traditional one-use kind; however
they’ll be worth it in the long run. You’ll
save money by not having to restock and
if you buy more than you need you can
switch out dead ones with charged ones
and go on your day. This will cut down
on the harmful chemicals produced by
throwing away one-use batteries.
3. Open the blinds and shut the
light
Natural light is a great source of vitamin
D and as we spend more time in the office,
at school or at home, it is a vitamin we can
all use a bit more of. It will cut not only
your usage but the electric bill too. To go
the extra mile: shut lights when they’re
not in use for even more earth/wallet
savings!
4. Use less paper after washing
your hands
To do this: simply shake your hands
in the sink about for about 5-10 seconds.
Then tear a piece of paper about 15 cm
(or 6 inches), or if the dispenser gives it
to you pre-cut use only one. Fold it in
half and wipe your hands. The rest of the
moisture will air dry. To go the extra mile
with this one: compete with yourself and
try to see how small you can get the piece
of paper while still getting dry hands.
5. Submit paperwork online
Whether it is at school, at work,
banking or filing taxes, save yourself the
hassle of all the paper and submit your
documents online. It’s a great way to save
trees by cutting paper usage as well as to
save money on printer ink and paper. Best
of all most people already have an email
address and most work happens on a
computer, so it’s even easier than walking
to the printer, loading it with paper and
then stapling it together and hoping it
won’t wrinkle between the house and
where it needs to be.
Today in history: May 15
In 1602, Cape Cod was
discovered by English navigator,
Bartholomew Gosnold. Cape
Cod is one of the biggest barrier
islands in the world, and found
in Massachusetts. During the
winter it is a few degrees warmer
and a few degrees colder in the
summer, it has a late spring and a
mild fall than the mainland. Cape
Cod is a major tourist attraction
in the summer due to its beautiful
beaches.
Sabrina De Rosa
In 1940, today’s largest fast food
restaurant, McDonald’s, opened its first
eatery in San Bernardino, California.
McDonald’s now has more than 33,000
franchiseds in 118 countries around the
world. This fast food restaurant was begun
by Richard and Maurice McDonald with
the headquarters in the United States. The
original mascot was a chef’s hat placed
on top of a hamburger-shaped head that
was named Speeded, who was eventually
replaced by Ronald McDonald in 1967.
4
June 2013
In 1928, the cartoon character Mickey
Mouse appeared in his first test screening,
Plane Crazy, but it did not impress the
audience and failed to attract a distributor.
Created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks
at a Walt Disney studio, Mickey Mouse
finally caught on and found a distributor in
November of 1928 for Steamboat Willie.
Need a
screen door?
Contact
PHANTOM
& tell them
you saw their
ad in Vision!
QCGN is looking for a few good men and women
The Quebec Community Groups
Network
(QCGN)
is
seeking
nominations for its fifth annual Sheila
and Victor Goldbloom Distinguished
Community Service Award which
celebrates individuals who have made
outstanding contributions to Quebec’s
English-speaking community.
“Candidates for our distinguished
community service award should
have demonstrated leadership and
commitment as a volunteer or as a
professional in their chosen field
of endeavour,” explained QCGN
President Dan Lamoureux, noting that
contributions can be in any and all regions
of Quebec and in any field from business
to academia; from youth to seniors;
from health and social services to arts
and culture; and any other area such as
heritage, the environment and sports.
“The Goldbloom Award was instituted
during the 15th anniversary of the QCGN
in 2009 to honour individuals who, like
Dr. and Mrs. Goldbloom, have gone
above and beyond in contributing to
the vitality and understanding of our
community and to building bridges of
understanding between Quebecers of
different backgrounds,” said Lamoureux,
explaining the awards will be judged by a
panel of outstanding Quebecers that will
include past winners and past judges. The
jury will consider a number of factors
including the impact of the nominee’s
contributions as well as the breadth and
impact of their work.
This year the QCGN will mark the fifth
anniversary with a special ceremony that
will include a performance by the comedic
duo of Bowser and Blue who will entertain
us with their original brand of satiric
humour. The evening will be emceed
by Richard Dagenais and Camille Ross,
co-anchors of Global Montreal Morning
News, will take place at Montreal’s St.
James Club on Thursday, October 17.
The deadline for nominations is
Wednesday, July 31. More details on the
award on how to nominate someone
can be found on the QCGN website at
www.qcgn.ca/nominate-a-candidate.
The Quebec Community Groups
Network (www.qcgn.ca) is a not-forprofit organization bringing together
41
English-language
community
organizations across Quebec. Its
mission is to identify, explore and
address strategic issues affecting the
development and vitality of Englishspeaking Quebec and to encourage
dialogue and collaboration among its
member organizations, individuals,
community groups, institutions and
leaders.
aboriginal pride
Vision Newspaper
Idle No More still a vital force
Chloe Emond-Lane
The Canadian government’s failure
to meet the First Nations demands for
protection of their waterways, territories
and general protection of their rights has
triggered protests across the country.
Idle No More is inspired in part by the
liquid diet hunger strike initiated by Chief
Theresa Spence from Attawapiskat in
response to alleged legislative abuses of
indigenous treaty rights by the federal
government. This movement mainly
erupted because of Bill C-45 which
modifies the Navigable Waters Protection
Act (NWPA), now called the Navigation
Protection Act. This act dictates and
monitors the types of boats that are
permitted to pass through certain waters.
Many of these waterways run through
Aboriginal territories. Previously the Bill
was handled by the federal government,
but it will now be run by individual
provincial and municipal governments,
which has caused concern to Native
communities in Canada.
Rusty Nolan, a security guard at Howard
S. Billings, is an active contributor to the
movement in Kahnawake. Rusty stated
that this movement is not only for Native
people. “This movement is an opportunity
that everybody could use to fight injustice.
We should work together toward
maintaining our way of life as a people,
as Canadians and as Natives to ensure
that our Canadian government is making
the right decisions for everybody.” When
asked how the Idle No More movement
plans on accomplishing their goals,
Rusty stated, “Through educating people,
protesting, and spreading awareness. We
should talk to each other. Come sit with us
to express our rights as humans.”
Many people say this movement is also
an opportunity to expose the injustices
regarding other issues that concern Native
The Idle No More movement was begun to fight injustice; not only injustice that affects First
Nations peoples, but all Canadians if they wish to resist total government control of natural
resources.
Aboriginal culture soars at HSB
Brendan, Tyrone, Ryan H,
Chloe, & Kirk
Mohawk and Kahnawake culture was
presented at Howard S. Billings on April
30. The aim: to share and educate staff
and students on an overlooked part of
local Canadian history and culture. Trina
Stacey hosted the event with help from
HSB’s NEST (Native Education Support
Team) students and staff members, along
with members of the Kahnawake Cultural
Center.
The audience was exposed to recitations
in the Mohawk language, traditional
dances and songs accompanied by the
drums. The auditorium was filled with
enthusiasm when some students joined
the traditional native dancing.
An interesting focus point was that
students were engaged with positive
attitudes throughout the event, even
though most spectators were not familiar
with the Mohawk language. Ms. Stacey
frequently resisted applause, although
appreciated, and explained that it was not
necessary. The true sign of appreciation is
one’s participation and one’s enjoyment.
She constantly reminded spectators that
they weren’t watching a show and that they
should be participating in a ceremony, in
the spirit of sharing Mohawk culture and
tradition.
The event started off with a
thanksgiving speech, paying tribute to
the Creator for all the amenities provided
on the earth, from the trees to the birds.
In the Iroquoian culture, the Creator left
behind “instructions”. These instructions
are: 1) Give thanks. 2) Be loving to one
another. 3) Make peace. These along with
others are the basic guidelines to how the
Iroquois are to live their lives. This puts
each person on the same page by being
humble and respectful.
The thanksgiving speech was followed
by dances including the popular Round
Dance, which includes drums. The
significance of the drums being a circle
that connects to the circle of life and the
circle of seasons.
Students learned that all the dances have
a specific meaning. In the Stomp Dance,
the dancers feel the earth with their feet.
Students were invited to participate in the
dance on stage. Trina Stacey mentioned
that the dancers reply to each other,
kind of like an answer and call. For the
Round Dance, the dancers stand in a
circle, holding hands. They dance in a
circular motion counterclockwise, then
stop dancing and go clockwise. A special
water-drum is played during this dance. It
represents life. The water-drum is made
up of water, air, earth (wood), fire, animal
skin and anything else that relates to life.
5
June 2013
communities.
The Canadian Center for Policy
Alternatives reported a study made
in 2006 regarding the income gap
between the Native Canadians and the
rest of Canada. The median income for
Aboriginal peoples was 30% lower than
for non-Native Canadians. Lack of proper
education is another important issue in the
Native community that is a contributing
factor to increased poverty. According
to the Center for Social Justice, 68% of
Aboriginal youth graduated compared
to 83% of non-Aboriginal youth. Many
Native communities have a higher rate of
substance abuse. A survey by the Nunavik
Inuit Health Society in Nunavik reported
an illegal substance abuse rate of 60%
in the community, more than four times
higher than that observed in Canada. The
movement intends to keep Canadians
focused on Native Canadian issues that
need to be resolved.
The movement is working hard to get
the attention of the Canadian government
with the goal of ultimately being able to
be included in any decisions made by the
government concerning Native issues.
It is in the best interest of all Canadians
to take note of their efforts and to work
in solidarity with Native Canadians in
achieving their goals for all people.
After all the dancing, the crowd settled
down and Trina Stacey gave a final
closing, as she and the others on stage
sang the Corn Bread song.
It was a truly interesting experience of
education and cultural sharing. A really
enjoyable part was how the auditorium
was transformed into an imaginary Long
House where the rules and cultures thrive,
influencing and broadening the sights of
our students.
Mohawk students from Billings teamed up with members from the Kahnawake Cultural
Centre to share their culture with the rest of HSB staff & students during a special social filled
with songs and dances on April 30. (photos: Brendan O’Brien)
6
entertainment
June 2013
Vision Newspaper
Did they really say that?
Shannon Gillette
In today’s society, we all communicate through language. Sometimes we don’t
think before we speak and we say something silly. Everyone does it, and sometimes
someone hears you say something stupid and uses it against you. For example,
celebrities are constantly on camera and being followed around by paparazzi, who
often switch things that celebrities say. Here are a few examples of silly things that
some famous people have said and you just think to yourself,
“Did they really just say that?”
Justin Bieber,
pop singer:
V i s i te d
Anne Frank’s
house, the
Amsterdam
museum
dedicated to
p re s e r v i n g
the memory of the young holocaust victim,
and wrote this in the guest book; “Truly
inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was
a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a
‘Belieber’.”
Mariah Carey, pop
singer: Was on the red
carpet for the TV show
she is on, ‘American Idol’
and said, “Whenever I
watch TV and see those
poor starving kids all
over the world, I can’t
help but cry. I mean I’d
love to be skinny like
that but not with all
those flies and death
and stuff.”
Snooki,
actress:
While pregnant, TMZ
caught her saying
this; “Pregnancy is
HELL; the process of
childbearing is much
more disgusting than
everyone makes it
out to be.”
Jessica Simpson,
actress: “Is this
chicken, what I
have, or is this
fish? I know its
tuna, but it says
‘Chicken of the
Sea.’”
Lana Del Rey
Sophie Neacsu
Elizabeth Woolridge Grant also known
by her stage name, Lana Del Rey, was
born in New York on June 21, 1986. She
grew up in Lake Placid with her two
younger siblings and sang in her local
church choir as a child. She later on in
life attended Fordham University in New
York and studied philosophy also known as
metaphysics. Of this she said, “It bridged
the gap between God and science. I was
interested in God and how technology
could bring us closer to finding out where
we came from and why.” She also said
that was when her musical experience
truly began. Her
uncle taught her how
to play guitar which
also opened her eyes
and made her realize
that she could write
millions of songs with
just six chords. She
started
performing
in clubs around New
York, playing under
various names such
as Sparkle Jump Rope
Queen and Lizzy
Grant but she never
thought about taking
her singing seriously and actually pursuing
it.
At the age of twenty, Lana signed a
record contract for $10,000 and moved into
a trailer park outside of her city. Instead
of working on her music, she took part in
community service and focused on helping
the homeless, reaching out to people with
drug and alcohol addiction because she was
Music Commentary
once herself an alcoholic. A few years later,
she was signed by Stranger Records and
released her debut single “Video Games”
and also signed a joint deal with Interscope
Records and Polydor and created her very
first album “Born To Die”. Lana is not only
a singer but a model as well; in January
of 2012 she signed with NEXT Model
Management and has also modeled for the
clothing store H&M.
Lana’s style can be described as a selfstyled gangsta Nancy Sinatra. Her music
varies in very different aspects of pop
culture but mostly reflects the 1950’s and
60’s. She has the persona of an Americana
lounge
singer.
Despite the various
stage names she’s
had, she chose the
name Lana Del Rey
because she claims
it’s beautiful and her
Spanish-speaking
Cuban
friends
helped her create it.
It also reminds her
of the glamorous
seasides. Her songs
vary from many
different beats and
also the way she
sings. In some songs you can hear more
of a rap tempo to her voice and in other
songs she sings in an angelic and soft
voice. Her voice has been described as
unique, captivating and highly emotive. If
you enjoy artists like Elvis Presley, Frank
Sinatra or for the younger generation,
Eminem, you’re guaranteed to enjoy her
music!
The best new apps to check out for your cell phone. (photo: Anna Yates-Potier)
Geeky garbage
Anna Yates-Potier
Things change. They evolve. They are reborn
and recreated. And that’s what makes this world
beautiful. From a seed in a Styrofoam cup
growing and blooming into a bright flower or
the glowing morning sun up high in the sky
slowly lowering itself as the moon rises up
beyond the stars; things change. That is what’s
happening right now, as you read this article;
the seconds are ticking by, planes are lifting
off into the forbidden clouds, borders are being
crossed. The question behind all of this madness
is simple: why do you think I care?
It is your future, your past and your present.
Letters-calls-e-mails-texts. This is who we are,
who we’ve become. Within the last six months
there have been hundreds of thousands of
millions of new pieces of technology created,
bought, destroyed and replaced. It’s a cycle that
humanity is addicted to; a cycle that society
thrives on. Since the start of the 2013 year
there have been so many new phones made
to suit your habits, style and personality. You
customize to the absolute max until your phone
is as close to you as humanly possible.
Apple I-Phones
The Apple I-Phone 5 came out in Quebec
on September 12, 2012, and raised a lot of
publicity and curious eyes. It was rated a
4.5 star on 5 from TechRadar, an online site
focused on technology, news and reviews of
tech products, focusing mostly on cellphones,
for its small mass, bigger screen, and amazing
camera. All of the Apple I-Phones are able to
download apps. The top 3 apps for the Apple
I-Phone right now are:
1) Infinity Blade II. Infinity Blade II’s
Vault of Tears is jam-packed with secrets and
branching paths giving gamers plenty of reason
to fight their way through every nook and
cranny. Even after the hours-long campaign
is complete players can still compete in largegroup “Clash Mob” challenges - the game truly
is endless. (See review at https://play.google.
com/store/apps/details?id=com.werinteractive.
playr )
2) Tiny Wings. While Tiny Wings may
initially seem like a goofy excuse to launch a
slippery, squealing bird through the sky, once
you take the time to understand how chaining
perfect slides boost your score and the best
place to land on a slope to ensure you speed
isn’t hindered. It’s an immensely replayable,
endlessly charming and challenging experience.
(http://ca.ign.com/articles/2013/02/07/the-top25-iphone-and-ipad-games?page=5)
3) Cut The Rope. Each level takes just a few
seconds to solve, making it a perfect time-killer.
But with much trickier three-star solutions and
over 300 levels available in total, there is plenty
of meaty brain-bending puzzles for gamers to
sink their teeth into as well. Each set of stages
introduces a new prop for gamers to play around
with - steam vents, portals, gravity-swapping
switches, trampolines and plenty more. (http://
ca.ign.com/articles/2013/02/07/the-top-25iphone-and-ipad-games?page=5).
Samsung Galaxy S4
The world never ceases to amaze the human
eye. The new Samsung Galaxy S4 has been
known to be the most powerful and desirable
device from Samsung yet, with its breath taking
screen, 13 megapixel camera and much like the
Apple I-Phone 5, small mass. TechRadar said
“the screen on the S4 has been increased once
more, to a whopping 5-inch display with Full
HD resolution. This means the same amount of
pixels you’d have seen on a TV that cost well
over £1000 four years ago is now riding around
in your pocket.” To think that things have
escalated so quickly is crazy, but so fascinating.
Like all technology, it has apps that improve its
performance and attract more people.
The top three apps are
1) I AM PLAYR is a companion to the
smash web game that lets you play the life of a
professional footballer. The Android version lets
you hone your football skills on the go - anytime,
anyplace, anywhere! (https://play.google.com/
store/apps/details?id=com.werinteractive.playr)
2) Tiny Legend : Heroes. A sinister shadow
stretches over the land of Kromdor. The dark
lord Necralis has imprisoned the continent’s
greatest champions and unleashed hordes of
murderous monsters on a reign of terror. But
into the darkness step brave new adventurers!
Do you have the courage to lead them into a
new age of heroes? (https://play.google.com/
store/apps/details?id=com.trinitigame.android.
tinylegendsheroes)
3) Hills of Glory 3D. A WW2 reverse tower
defense game with stunning 3D graphics. In this
war game, defend your bunker against hordes
of enemies with the military arsenal at your
disposal. (https://play.google.com/store/apps/
details?id=com.mando.hog3dfree)
The amazing thing about all of the new
technology and the apps they offer is that you
have a variety of apps to suit what you like. In my
opinion, the best thing is being able to get all of
these apps for free. For example, all of the ones
I have named above are free and you are able
to access them easily on your phone and other
appliances. Even though the generations before
us judge our dependence on the appliances we
use, even though they don’t see what we see, and
even though they constantly ask, “What did you
do before you had that thing?” or “Can’t you put
it down for five minutes?” we understand that
this is our future. Technology is what we have
become.
entertainment
Vision Newspaper
What types of tv series endure?
Lissa Simoneau
Ryan Moulton
The time when a TV show is considered
to be a hit or miss is usually during the
pilot episode. That is an incredibly short
amount of time to make a judgment call,
but producers don’t want to waste money
on a flop.
However, some series take a little while
to catch on. Although many TV shows have
bid their farewell early on or overstayed
their welcome, some have stayed in our
minds for generations. Some would argue
that the most enduring shows are classics
or underrated gems.
Most of the longest running TV series are
American-born and are news broadcasts
that started as radio shows, while others are
entertainment shows that started as radio
shows. In Canada, the longest running
program is Hockey Night in Canada, which
started as a television show in 1952, but ran
as a radio show long before.
Others shows come from all around the
world, such as Tagesschau from Germany,
which is a newscast that started in 1952
and is still running today. Dr. Who, which
hails from across the pond, is celebrating
its 50th anniversary, the longest running
science fiction television show in the world
(see article below).
TV shows can leave a legacy behind,
such as M*A*S*H did, which, at one point
in its 11-year run, was the most popular
show in the world. Even though it ran so
7
June 2013
long, considering that most
television shows today only
last 5 years, it is relatively short
compared to the longest running
TV broadcasts on record, which
include Gunsmoke, Lassie, The
Simpsons, and Law And Order
in the top six.
Television
has
had
momentous achievements and
bestowed coveted awards. The
longest running TV broadcasts
leave impacts and impressions
that will never be forgotten Do you still watch M*A*S*H* reruns or, need we ask,
Hockey Night in Canada?
and will be enjoyed for years
to come. Which ones will you
keep in your dvd library?
Television
The world’s longest running sci-fi television show
Kirk Elsmore
It’s been 50 years since Doctor Who
appeared on the BBC network for the first
time, and to this the day the program retains
its fame. The show follows the adventures
of a humanoid alien with two hearts, known
as a “Time Lord,” who goes by the name of
The Doctor. Travelling in his TARDIS, he
travels throughout space and time battling
countless foes and saving the universe.
Since Doctor Who has been on the air
for so long, various actors have played the
role of the main character as Time Lords
can regenerate upon death. Once a Time
Lord regenerates, his face changes, and
a new actor takes the role as the Doctor.
Although the plot heavily follows the line
of the Doctor in his TARDIS, one does not
simply travel alone. From the beginning
of travels the Doctor always fashioned
himself a companion. Presently Matt
Smith, the current Doctor, journeys with
Clara, played by Jenna-Louise Coleman,
and will be a part of the 50th Anniversary
special airing on November 23, 2013. The
world and Whovians alike will be tuning
in to celebrate the show’s success. The
episode will be featuring previous actors on
Doctor Who, like David Tennant, the 10th
Doctor, and Billie Piper, the companion of
Timeless Classics
the 9th and 10th doctor, along with famous
British actor John Hurt, who is rumoured
to have acted the part of the Doctor whose
regeneration is unknown.
lasted from 1963 with the appearance
of the 1st Doctor played by William
Hartnell until it’s cancellation in 1989,
ending with Sylvester McCoy. Although
While it is the longest running sci-fi
television show, it’s difficult to say in
complete honesty that it is celebrating its
50th anniversary, because Doctor Who
has been cancelled in the past and was off
air for several years. The first 26 series
it’s popularity at the time might have
been lacking, the TV series maintained an
interested following and soon returned in
the form of a film, which was released in
1996, featuring McCoy regenerating into
the 8th Doctor, played by Paul McGann.
The Wizard of Oz
Sammii Stevens
The Wizard of Oz is a widely famous
movie and has been a favourite for
many generations. The movie was
filmed in 1939 and has been a hit ever
since. It will be celebrating its 75th
anniversary this upcoming year. It has
been my favourite movie since I first
viewed it; I absolutely love the story
line and how easily each scene flows
into the next.
In my personal opinion, I wouldn’t
change one thing about this movie
because in my eyes, it’s perfect just
the way it is. In general, all of the
characters and the actors were really
well developed. I believe the director made
great choices in deciding which actors to
hire. The entire cast is what truly brought
the movie to life.
I also enjoyed all of the music that they
made for the movie. It was fun and easy
to sing along to and, being a kid, that
is something that most kids enjoy very
much.
I also enjoyed the uniqueness of the story
and how it managed to include all of the
parts from the original book. Today, this is
hard to find in a book-to-movie transition.
The Wizard of Oz is a very enjoyable,
very likable movie for people of all ages.
Unfortunately, the 1996 film, co-produced
by American film industries in hopes of
reviving the series in America, proved
unsuccessful. It took another nine years
for BBC studios to recover the series and
bring it back to broadcasting in 2005. Ever
since Doctor Who’s resurrection, it has
gained substantial popularity as the series
progressed with famous British actors
like Alex Kingston, Sir Michael Gambon,
Sir Ian McKellen, Bill Nighy and many
more, including classical-crossover singer
Katherine Jenkins. Officially, Doctor Who
has been aired for 35 years instead of 50,
as it claims.
The 50th anniversary showing is targeting
the true fans of Doctor Who, both old and
new. BBC and other associate workers
came together to support the great success
for the 50th celebration. Time has been
kind to this long running series, created
by Canadian writer Sydney Newman who
brought the program alive and to the air
waves in 1963 through BBC Television in
England. However you look at it, the show
has experienced great success with a tally
of nearly 35 seasons, 26 from 1963-1989
and 7 from 2005 to the present, with nearly
800 episodes. Here’s hoping that the myriad
occurrences of the Doctor Who series will
never reach its EX-TERM-I-NA-TION.
“For... years this
story has given faithful
service to the Young at
Heart; and Time has
been powerless to put its
kindly philosophy out of
fashion. To those of you
who have been faithful
to it in return...and to
the Young in Heart, we
dedicate this picture.”
- Quote from the beginning
of the film
8
community update
June 2013
Vision Newspaper
Summer fun!
Affordable things to do around town
Tyrone Freeman
Chloe Emond-Lane
Summer is fast approaching and many of us like to get out of the house. For those
who don’t want to spend a lot of money, here are some fun affordable activities to do
in and around Châteauguay and Montreal.
Montreal
Dollar Cinema, 6900 Decarie
Square. The Dollar Cinema airs
films that are recent releases on
DVD and provides a less expensive
movie theatre experience. With an
admission of $2.50 and all snacks at
$1.00, this cinema offers an affordable
entertainment.
Yellow Door,
3625
Aylmer,
Montreal.
The
Yellow Door is
a coffee house
situated in the
McGill
campus.
With admission of
$5 the Yellow Door
features open mic shows and readings
of story, poetry and prose.
Châteauguay
St-Timothy Beach, 240 rue SaintLaurent, Salaberry-de–Valleyfield. With
a pleasant natural setting, enjoy a fun
filled day in the great outdoors. SaintTimothy beach offers canoeing, kayaking,
walking along the beach, picnics and
enjoyable parks and of course swimming
in quality waters.
Les Glaceurs, 453 Rue Saint
Sulpice Montreal, Phone: (514)
504-1469. If you are in the mood
for a treat Les Glaceurs sells
delicious cupcakes and ice cream.
You will truly get your money’s
worth.
Fireworks, Old Port, Montreal
Fireworks can usually be seen at
the Old Port on Saturdays around 10:00
pm. They’re truly spectacular!
facing Île Saint-Bernard. The loop is five
kilometers long.
Fireworks at the Old Port in Montreal
Sidewalk sales, Saint Catherine
Street, Montreal. Cool and interesting
stuff can be bought at the many sidewalk
sales held on Saint Catherine Street.
Many stores also give out deals and
promotional sales.
Carifiesta, René Lévesque Boulevard
Experience the Caribbean culture at
Montreal’s annual Carifiesta. Held on
René Lévesque Boulevard in July, it’s
the second largest Caribbean festival in
Canada. Enjoy festive music, detailed
costumes and colorful floats.
The Montreal Science Centre,
2 Rue de la Commune Ouest Montreal,
Phone: (514) 496-4724. The Montréal
Science Centre offers fun educational
activities the whole family can enjoy.
Open Monday to Friday from 9:00am 4:00pm, and Saturday to Sunday from
10:00am - 5:00pm.
***At the end of May Montreal hosts
a FREE Museum Day. All entry
to museums are free, as well as the
buses running between museums that
day.***
paddle boat and various other
types of nautical experiences.
Maison
Lepailleur 54
Salaberry South, Phone: (450)
698-3193. Built in 1792, Maison
Lepailleur is one of the oldest
buildings in Chateauguay. Get a
guided tour of the house and
its gardens. Touring hours are
Chateauguay Nautical Centre
Saturday and Sunday from
12am - 5pm. From June 24 to
August 30 guided tours are
also made available at 9:30am
- 4:30pm from Tuesday to
Friday. Prices: Child $4, Seniors and
students $5, Adults $6 and Family (2
adults and 2 children) $12.
Nautical Center, 540 boulevard
D’Youville. The nautical center offers a
beautiful water front view of Lac SaintLouis. You can rent a kayak, a canoe, a
Fernand Seguin Park
Fernand-Seguin
Park,
Boulevard Brisebois. This beautiful
site features an elevated walkway
over a wetland and bird watching,
a true delight for nature lovers.
Accessible on foot or by bike, the
walkway is connected to the Parc
de la Commune multipurpose path
Quillorama, 250 Boul Saint-Francis,
Phone: (450) 692-4318. It’s Friday
Maison Lepailleur
night and you are bored out of your
mind. What do you do? Why not go to
Quillorama. Quillorama is family-friendly
bowling alley.
Ribbon Shirt Day kicks off cultural celebrations
As part of Aboriginal Cultural celebrations, all Native students were allowed to wear authentic ribbon shirts on April 25. Shirts in all colors were seen throughout the hallways.
Students above proudly wearing their shirts are Lester Whitebean-Cross, Paxton Phillips, Tekahawakwen Rice, Annie Marquis, Graysen Moses, Bryar Lawrence, Onerahtaken:ra RiceCommando, and Karhakaion Benwell Cross. In addition to the social on April 30 (see article on page 5), other activities included a maple taffy sale, strawberry juice & snack sale, Native
artifacts and project displays, and a traditional lunch composed of chicken & dumplings, meat pie, cole slaw, strawberry salad, and pumpkin pie. Proceeds will go towards Native
Education Support Team (NEST) student activities. (photos: M. Leblanc)
billings billboard
9
June 2013
Vision Newspaper
HSB grads experience the best of Europe
On a 13-day trip to Europe, 42 grade 11 students visited four
countries on a life changing trip. The 2013 Europe trip included
visits to France, Germany, Austria and Italy.
The Trevi Fountain in Rome
France
Ryan Holowaty
Ahh, Paris: the city of love. It was
our first stop and although jet lag had
affected us, it was a very pleasurable
experience. Our tour of Paris took us to
see all the sights: from l’Arc de Triumph
streets. Of course, when in Rome… many
of us bought, shared and enjoyed the
French baguettes. With so many bakeries
around, finding a cheap delicious snack
was never a hard task. All in all, Paris is a
world class city, with a deep, rich history
and culture. France is a clear example
that no matter what
happens, whether it be
rebellions against kings,
tyrannical dictatorships
like Napoleon’s, or
massive World Wars
that happened right in
their backyard, there is
always a tomorrow and
life goes on.
Italy
Lissa Simoneau
Bridges in Florence, Italy
I couldn’t wait for
April 8 to come. The
joys of packing my
suit case knowing that
I’d be on a plane leaving for Paris was
exhilarating. The ride was a little nerve
wracking, though, as it was my first time
on a plane. However, moving our seats to
sit with friends was well worth it.
to the Eiffel Tower; from the Louvre to
Les Invalides. We had the chance to
absorb the beauty of the Notre Dame
Cathedral, an old gothic church and in
complete contrast, Sacré Cœur, which
sits atop Mont Martre as a much
newer but equally breath-taking
church. However, Paris is much
more than just landmarks. Their
society is immersed in their
history, which spans centuries.
The Louvre was once home to
kings, but is now turned into a
museum featuring such aweinspiring works as the Mona
Lisa.
As much as one would
think their kings, particularly
Napoleon, have shaped their
lives, there are still traces from
both World Wars. The Franklin
D. Roosevelt metro station and
a Holocaust memorial sight are
just two of the more prevalent
examples.
French cuisine was very
unique. For a Euro, locals
would buy baguettes, leave the
shop with it under their arm, Allie Cavalieri and Wesley Hayman hone their cooking
rip pieces off and eat it in the skills in Italy.
Forty-two Billings grade 11 students visit the Eiffel Tower in France during the first part
of their 13-day trip to Europe, which included stops in Italy, Germany and Austria as well.
My favourite place had to be Italy, other
than Austria, because the culture was so
rich and the monuments jumped out at
you. To see the Roman Coliseum up close
was breath taking, but I adored standing
on the grounds of the Vatican even more,
knowing that I’d get to witness the
glorious Sistine Chapel up close. Another
thing I really enjoyed in Italy, which you
could get in all of Europe, was the gelato.
I’d give anything to go back to have
another bowl!
I really enjoyed the trip, and I’d love to
do it all again. Except I’d stay in certain
places a little longer.
Austria
Ryan Moulton
schnitzel and spaetzle and apple strudel
for desert.
In Innsbruck the beautiful city was
full of wonders and beautiful buildings.
Afterwards we enjoyed gelato in a
17th century building and walking the
narrow streets full of colourful window
displays and characters. The individual
groups were making their way to the
canal and back to the bus when two
young men rode up on a bicycle and
began to sing O Canada, and the entire
group proceeded to follow along and
sing the national anthem.
The hotels in Austria were beyond
anything in anyone’s wildest dreams
with views of the Austrian Alps and
awe inspiring views of the cities.
In Austria the group
visited Salzburg for a
wonderful evening in
the beautiful Austrian
city. The night spent
there incorporated a
fantastic show of ‘The
Sound of Salzburg’,
which was made up
of traditional Austrian
music, Mozart and
The Sound of Music.
The singers were
all graduates of the
Salzburg
Music
School. During the
show the group had Ben Godbout and Jordan McMullan are on the attack at a
a fantastic meal of gladiator school outside Rome. (photos: Ryan Moulton)
10
billings billboard
June 2013
Vision Newspaper
5 study tips for June exams
Ryan Holowaty
The arrival of June exams is eminent;
students will try to study more to ensure
that they are one step closer to graduation.
It’s a stressful time of the year where
students try to cram everything acquired
throughout the year in a couple of weeks
or days. It doesn’t have to be like this! Use
these study tips to boost your productivity
while still taking time to relax and
unwind.
1: Put away all electronic devices
Simply put, electronic devices are a
distraction! Turn off the phones, IPods,
tablets, TV’s and computers so that you
can really focus on the work and not
what’s happening on social media. If you
fully concentrate on your studies, you’ll
absorb more, thus, using less time to
review the material.
2: Work on the reward system
The reward system helps motivate you to
start and continue studying. No one really
wants to study, so if you give yourself a
little treat or a break you will more likely
to enjoy it. For instance, “for this amount
of studying, I will allow myself to watch
this amount of TV.” Develop a plan and
stick to it. Giving yourself time to unwind
and de-stress will help you study better
and retain more information.
Pro tip: If something really frustrates
you, leave it, distract yourself for a while
and go back to it. In your calm state you
can see mistakes or things you forgot the
first time around.
3: Talk it out
This works very well with history
but can be applied to any other subject.
Start at the beginning of the chapter in
the textbook or notes. Look at the page
and if you’re able to summarize the page
verbally without reading too much off
the page, continue on. Do this until you
come across information you skipped on
the page and that is the content you study.
Next, go back and quiz yourself on the
topics covered by the chapters. This can
also be useful if you’re studying with a
friend. Just remember not to get off topic
too much, and to have all distractions
removed. Then quiz each other and
explain things to one another; essentially,
tutor each other.
than the people who
taught you the content?
Using these strategies
and
tips,
exams
shouldn’t be such a big
worry. Just remember to
stay focused, work hard
and give 110% into all
you do. Don’t forget, in
very little time, you’ll
be on summer break
having a great time with
friends and family!
Is that a fact?
Anna Yates-Potier
Shannon Gillette
4: Rewrite the notes
A lot of people do this. It’s pretty clear
why. It helps them revise the material and
retain information because they wrote it
down. This can be combined with tip 2
and 3 for maximum effectiveness.
Don’t be nervous, be prepared for upcoming exams by following
these great tips. (photo: Ryan Holowaty)
When glass breaks, the cracks move
faster than 3,000 miles per hour. To
photograph the event, a camera must
shoot at a millionth of a second.
5: Go to tutorials
HSB teachers are very dedicated to
ensuring your success. Math teachers have
tutorials and can be available after school
and after exams. The best thing to do if
you don’t understand something is to ask
them. Most teachers will go the extra mile
and help you until you understand. After
all, who better to answer your questions
The sentence “The quick brown fox
jumps over a lazy dog.” uses every
letter of the alphabet.
You’re born with 300 bones, but
when you get to be an adult,
you only have 206! That’s
because some of babies’ bones
fuse together as they grow,
resulting in only 206 once they
reach adulthood, according to
kidshealth.org.
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billings billboard
Vision Newspaper
Great song mix offered at Billings Idol
Samantha Stevens
The night started off with the hosts
Ryan Holowaty and Jessica Mackey
doing an introduction that explained
Billings Idol; how the night would go and
who the judges were. The panel of judges
were Mr. Reddick (An HSB phys-ed
teacher, who DJ’s in his spare time), Mrs.
Gundry-White (the HSB music teacher,
who is also a singer), Ms. Morrison (the
HSB sound engineering teacher, who
sang lead vocal in a band called Meesh),
Mr. Snow, who took over Mr. Kurzydlo’s
Place, and guest judge Ryan Byrne who
was last year’s Billings Idol winner. After
the judges were introduced, the singers
were introduced as well. This year’s
contestants were, Amberlyn Spremulli,
Tiernan Cornford, Sierra BesserPaul, Sarah Lapointe, Hailey Pelland,
Kawennitake Foote, Adam WintringhamNorrish, America Benitez, Kwahara:ni
Jacobs, and Ariel Fitz-Patrick.
First up to sing was Amberlyn, singing
Someone Like You by Adele. The judges
loved the way she preformed the song.
Up next was Tiernan, who sang Brand
New You from 13 The Musical. The
judges loved how she used her upper
register and loved how she chose songs
that aren’t as popular as others every time
she performed. Then it was Sierra’s turn.
She sang If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia
Keys. The judges had nothing but good
comments for her. Afterwards, Sarah sang
Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
from The Phantom of the Opera. Ryan
Byrne was shocked and made a humorous
comment, saying, “My dad is an opera
singer and even I would never attempt
singing opera.” Sarah got much kudos for
doing so. Next up was Hailey. She sang
a unique version of Complicated by Avril
Lavigne. The judges like the individuality
of Hailey’s song and loved how she made
it her own. Ms. Morrison even added,
“Every performer here knows how much
I dislike Avril Lavigne, but I loved the
way you sang it and I would rather listen
to you sing it any day than listen to her.”
Kawennitake sang A Little Bit Stronger
by Sara Evans. The judges loved the
quality and maturity of her voice. When
it was Adam’s turn, he sang Adele’s
song, Rolling In the Deep. The judges
had nothing but good comments for him.
America then sang an old song called
Stompin’ at the Savoy composed by Edgar
Sampson. The judges had never heard the
song before, but they really enjoyed her
performance.
When Kwahara:ni sang One And Only
by Adele, the judges were blown away by
her performance. Ryan was astonished to
find out that Kwahara:ni is only 14 years
old and was glad he wasn’t competing
this year. Last but not least was Ariel; she
sang a gospel hymn called His Eye Is On
The Sparrow composed by Charles H.
Gabriel. The judges loved it.
The audience never had a dull moment
during the first half of the show. Now
it was time for the judges to make their
decision about who would be moving on
to the finals to sing once more. During
the finals the judges were not allowed to
comment and the winner would be up to
the audience. During the judge’s meeting
Ryan sang Your Man by Josh Turner to
pass the time.
The finalists were Sierra Besser-Paul,
Sarah Lapointe, Kawennitake Foote,
Kwahara:ni Jacobs, and Ariel FitzPatrick. Sierra was first up yet again for
the finals. She sang The Greatest Love Of
All by Whitney Houston. Then Sarah sang
a song called Fairytale by Sara Bareilles.
Kawennitake sang the Disney song
Colors Of The Wind from the movie,
Pocahontas. Kwahara:ni Sang No One By
Alicia Keys. And Ariel sang Still I Rise
by Yolanda Adams. All the performances
were amazing.
Then it was the audience’s time to
make their decision. During the ballot
collecting that would determine the
winner, Ryan came up once again to sing
the song, Follow Me by Uncle Kracker.
Then the winners were revealed. The 3rd
place winner was Sierra Besser-Paul, the
2nd place winner was Ariel Fitz-Patrick,
and the winner was Kwahara:ni Jacobs.
Kwahara:ni sang one final song, Chasing
Pavements by Adele. After the show her
family came up to take pictures. They
were extremely proud of her. It turns out
that almost all of Kwahara:ni’s family
members are singers.
When asked how they thought she did,
her aunt, Donna Jacobs, replied, “We
think she did an absolutely phenomenal
job and were all very proud of her.” Ryan
Byrne also gave his opinion of the show
and the performers. “If the contestants
11
June 2013
The 2013 Billings Idol winner, grade 9 student
Kwahara:ni Jacobs, with her trophy. (photo:
Sammii Stevens)
continue like this, Billings Idol could
eventually become huge. I think there
must be something in the water because
the performances were amazing,” he
stated.
Everyone who participated in Billings
Idol did a fantastic job and they all had a
great time doing so.
Autism run a worthwhile event
Zoë Tremblay
The crisp air and bright sunshine were
the start of a great day on April 28 as
runners and walkers laced up for the 5th
annual Soutien Autism(e) Support (S.Au.
S) Run/Walk for Autism in Candiac, and
volunteers assumed positions. A bus full
of HSB students showed up to the event to
participate in the race. Some students also
completed community and service hours
in one of the many positions available.
And help was definitely needed! More
than 1500 participants and volunteers
were on the site; the biggest outcome
since the race’s beginning a few short
years ago!
The event has come a long way since it
began in 2008. At the first race, organizer
Audrey Burt simply wanted to raise
awareness for autism, and there were 225
participants and 75 volunteers. But over
the next few years, she began to develop
ways that she could give back to her
community; one of which is the gift of
iPads and iPods to schools that help with
the event.
The aim of S.Au.S. has always been to
enrich the lives of the families and children
with autism. Having an autistic son
herself, Audrey is personally connected
to her goal and the organization she
established and is deeply passionate about
it. The run is the most important event for
the organization each year, and it turned
out great, thanks to organized plans and
devoted volunteers.
Students from our school contributed in
all domains: tracking the times of the first
five finishers in each category, cheering
on participants, helping with the kiddie
run, giving out medals, working security,
and the list goes on. Their hard work
contributed to the success of the race,
including some amazing finishing times.
The first place male runner clocked in
at 18:10, and our own participant, grade
seven student Celeste Groux, finished
at 23:24, taking women’s third place
and winning a $50 Running Room gift
certificate. Besides the outstanding times
and creation of lasting memories, $19,720
was raised, helping to fund the programs
and activities of the organization and
the gift of iPads to five schools who
participated. Other highlights include
Audrey’s tearful thank you to her
daughter, who is her main cheerleader and
puts countless hours into the organization,
as well as the talented young runners who
participated in the 1-km race.
If you weren’t there, give this event
a try next year. It wasn’t the first year
that Billings students volunteered and it
definitely won’t be the last either. The
Run/Walk for Autism is a fun-filled day
leaving all of its participants fulfilled
and happy, whether they were a runner, a
walker, or a volunteer. It’s an event worth
participating in.
Student Anthony Ojeda explains Spain’s many attractions to Vice Principals Ms. Lane
and Ms. Claude. (photo: Ms. Smeall)
Around the world in 40 ways
HSB’s first ever Geo-Expo took place on May 9. A collaborative effort of HSB’s
Pre-Work, DARE, and Learning Center programs, the exposition’s goal was to
broaden students’ knowledge of places other than home. A total of 40 students were
given the opportunity to learn about different countries around the world. After
extensive research, each student set up a presentation – poster boards, pictures,
native art forms, even local foods were displayed for all who wanted to come and
experience the world.
The event was a resounding success. From Argentina to North Korea to Papua
New Guinea, students and staff alike enjoyed taking a trip around the world. To
acknowledge the effort the students put into their work, at the end of the day winners
were chosen by a panel of judges. Congratulations to first place winner - Rocco
Gallo (Italy), second place - Bianca Gariepy (France), third place – Brook Borrello
(Afghanistan) and fourth place – Lindsay Turk (Indonesia). Special mention was
also given to Aidan McCambridge’s amazing project on Ireland.
12
commentary
June 2013
Vision Newspaper
To underclassmen: what you need to know
Tyrone Freeman
Natacha Veilleux
We are Grade 11 students in our last
year of high school. Having been here for
five years, we know that problems may
arise. Here are some tips that we find are
important to know:
Before school
1. Get LOTS of sleep at night. Make
sure that you get enough rest so you’re
ready to take on your day. Dozing off
in class can make you miss important
information.
2. Eat Breakfast. Breakfast is the most
important meal of the day, so make sure
you eat breakfast before going to school.
Studies show that kids who eat breakfast
are more likely to succeed in school. Plus,
no one wants his/her stomach to growl in
the middle of class (especially during a
test!).
At School
1. Make sure you’re on time. That goes
for every period, not just in the morning.
If not, make sure you have a note or
something explaining your absence or
you may face a lunch or after-school
detention.
2. Do your work in class. There are
days where you don’t feel like doing
anything. However, if you don’t do your
work in class, you’ll get stuck with it for
homework and that may pile up
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Teachers won’t bite your head off if you
do. Classmates are also good to ask.
After School
1. Do your Homework. Do it even
if it seems meaningless. Homework is
important. It may cover things that the
teacher did not go over. Homework is
great practice, especially for tests.
2. Study! You may think you know
Save the frogs!
!
LP
E
H
Brittney Martineau
Too many schools throughout North
America are killing frogs because they
want to use them to dissect for school
marks in science class, but not all students
want to dissect frogs. Are there any
alternatives?
With today’s technology,
there are several realistic
simulation
computer
programs available. In fact,
there is a movement in the
U.S. to have frog dissections
out of every public school in
the USA by 2014. However,
teachers’ groups in Canada
say flesh-and-bones dissections offer
a better learning tool than simulations.
Many people say we shouldn’t test on
animals, yet we are using them to ‘learn’
about how the body works and it’s just
wrong.
everything, but study to make sure. Always
study for your end of year exams.
General tips
1. It’s very important to pass your
classes. Try hard to pass all of them. It’s
essential to pass grades 10 and 11 because
you earn credits in them that go towards
your graduation and college prospects. If
you fail a class and don’t get your credits,
you may have to repeat an entire year and
your college plans may be jeopardized.
2. Having friends is important. No man
is an island! We all need people in our
lives. Some classes will require group
work. The easiest way to make friends
is by joining a group, more specifically,
an after school program such as sports or
SWAT. Don’t wait for someone to come
to you; take the initiative and go up to
him/her first.
3. Monkey see, Monkey NOT do. Don’t
follow the crowd. Be your only leader.
Why should most students learn about
dissection at all? Not all students are
going into science technology when they
reach university; most students will be
picking other courses that don’t relate to
science technology. Why would students
want to dissect a frog when they aren’t
even going to gain anything from it?
I don’t believe in dissecting animals
because I think it is cruel and animals
shouldn’t be suffering like this. I think
that students should have other choices
available to them without penalty; instead
of failing science, they should have
something else to work on.
Not all teachers agree on alternatives.
We even found differences in policy
among teachers within Billings. Why does
one teacher say students can be given a
different assignment if they don’t want to
dissect a frog, while another teacher says
students would fail? It doesn’t make sense
that students from one class would get
detentions or failed marks for something
Don’t do something just because others
are doing it.
Education is very important. The things
you learn in school will follow you all of
your life; some more than others. Having
a high school diploma gives you more
opportunities. You’re more likely to get a
better job with a high school diploma than
without. Getting your diploma also gives
you the chance to further your schooling,
e.g CEGEP, University, etc. Think of the
millions of kids who can’t go to school
because they can’t afford it or it’s too far
to travel; they would be thrilled to go to
school. School can be dull and, at times,
rough. So, the faster you get your diploma,
the faster you can leave high school
behind and move on to more fun things. A
lot of people who dropout later regret it in
life. For those who do go back, that’s time
they could have spent doing something
else. Hopefully you’ll take what we say to
heart. Good Luck to you all!
that they don’t want to do because they
feel it is cruel and other students would
not.
In my opinion, I don’t think that any
students should be penalized for doing
something that is against their conscience.
I don’t like dissecting because I feel it is
wrong. I got in trouble both last year and
this year for not doing a frog dissection.
When students go home and tell their
parents, some will get support and others
won’t, but one fact is sure; no parent
wants their child to fail science because
of a dissection.
Schools should ban the dissection of
animals because few students like the fact
that they have to dissect animals. With
an estimated population of more than
350,000 grade 9 students in Canada alone,
should we really be sacrificing as many
frogs’ lives for students’ ‘education’ when
they can learn just as well without the loss
of life?
Are you getting video or getting involved?
Chloe Emond-Lane
Hailley Fraser
Danika Sierant-Stacey
Social networking websites such as
You Tube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
and Keek offer excellent communication
services, media exchange and general
entertainment when used responsibly.
Used irresponsibly, they can invade
people’s privacy. It is extremely harmful
and degrading to the individual having
their privacy infringed upon. Many of us
will not consider this issue until it affects
us personally, whether the victim is an
adult or a child. Every country has laws
protecting an individual’s right to privacy,
however they aren’t always enforced.
Other issues that are becoming more
frequent regarding irresponsible social
Some people would rather record or watch an incident than get help for others. You should
react the way you would want others to react if you needed help. (Vision archive photo)
networking usage involve violence
videotaped at schools and posted online.
For example, a recent incident took
place in Westwood Senior High School
in Montreal. A17-year-old high school
student in Hudson nearly lost an eye after
he was badly beaten during a fight. The
boy’s parents and school board staff said
they were most disturbed by how many
students witnessed the event, and did
nothing to help. The video was posted on
YouTube and later removed. It appears
that almost 50 fellow students stood in
a circle watching the fight, many taking
videos with their cell phones.
Many Billings students have witnessed
or participated in this type of behavior
themselves and not enough has been done
to stop it. It is up to responsible Billings
students themselves to report this activity
when it occurs instead of participating as
bystanders.
Vice-principal Ms. Lane states, “I
believe students should get an adult
instead of video taping the fight. It feels
good to help someone else.”
Although social networking web
services have brought us closer together,
we must take a moral stand against people
who abuse it.
13
nfsb news
June 2013
Vision Newspaper
CPS combats waste with recycle-upcycle program
Brendan O’Brien
Recycling is hardly a new concept—it is
the process of converting or reconstructing
materials into other products. The most
common form of recycling today follows
this process, but the materials involved
are generally converted into products of
lesser value. This concept is known as
“downcycling”. It is not the most efficient
practice, but it works well all the same.
However, “upcycling” is exactly the
opposite; it converts the materials into
products of even greater value. And that is
what a small program at Centennial Park
Elementary School is demonstrating for its
students.
In November of 2012, Bonnie Whitehead,
with the help of Mr. Serge Dubuc and Mrs.
Cher, assembled a group of two student
volunteers from each class of CPS between
Grades 3-6, for a total of 16 students.
They began the program by creating
posters showcasing different items that they
were planning on recycling and presenting
these posters to each class. The posters
were done by grade 5 and 6 students. They
labeled different recycling/upcycling bins
and made a bulletin board in their cafeteria
that show which products that can be
recycled or upcycled. Between November
and December student volunteers stayed
in the cafeteria during lunch to help other
students sort out which bin they put their
waste in.
Their recycling portion of the project
permits anything plastic, along with juice
boxes and milk containers. Since the
project’s inception, they’ve been collecting
around 4 big garbage bags a week, which
are then picked up by Melimax Company.
In the upcycling portion of the project,
they specifically collect Mr. Christie’s
cookie and cracker wrappers, juice
pouches and Schneider’s Lunchmate
containers. These products are then sent
to TerraCycle, a corporation specializing
in repurposing materials into traditional
consumer products. For example you can
have a tote bag of your favorite brand, such
as Kool-Aid, and the bag would be made
out of the labels which that brand uses
CVR’s We Day a hit!
Daphne Brault
On Thursday April 18, CVR hosted its
very first We Day, a day of empowerment
for youth, for grade five and six students
from the New Frontiers School Board.
Months of planning done by CVR’s
Student Union and several teachers made
the day a great success.
The students heard from former CVR
students such as Lexis Beattie, who has
co-founded with three other friends an
organization called “Heshima”, which is
currently helping youth in Kenya to get an
education. They also heard from former
students Connor Stacey, Mark Tannahill,
James Furey, and Jaëlle Marlier, who spoke
CVR students motivate grade 5 and 6 students to pledge to make changes after an empowering
We Day experience. (photo: Lexis Beattie)
with its products. If
that’s not your style,
you could go with
more
traditional
h o u s e h o l d
appliances, such as
watering cans and
Adirondack chairs,
made out of the same
waste materials as
other
TerraCycle
products.
The
partnership between
the
recycling/
upcycling
project
and TerraCycle has
only strengthened
the
project’s CPS students led by Ms. Bonnie maintain an impressive recycle-upcyle
efforts in making program that they hope will be adopted in other schools. (courtesy
a
difference. photo)
TerraCycle rewards
school.
points for each item collected, and the
Some students have gotten really
sender can redeem those points for money.
involved, and have decided to identify
In the case of the CPS project they will use
themselves with the recycling group, even
the cash to donate to a non-profit group or
coming up with logo ideas for the project.
Ms. Bonnie is proud to see that the students
involved have taken matters into their own
hands and are becoming role models to
about how they were empowered by their
their peers, as well as making them more
personal experiences to make a change.
conscious of their environment. “I could
In conjunction with the grade
see this program being passed to all schools
six orientation day, the event was a
within the New Frontiers School Board,”
motivating experience for all. Students
she said. “I can also see it as a stepping
got a glimpse of three acts from the
stone for more recycling opportunities.”
upcoming Talent Fest, which was held on
April 19 and 20.
CVR’s Student Council spoke to
the students about different ways they
can get involved within the school in
different sports and committees. There
were musical performances by a quartet
of students: Rachel Patenaude, Morgan
Faille, Callan Forrester and Serena
Berthiaume, as well as Lynn Harper’s
CVR choir and the Sullivan and White
Band.
The energy and excitement in the room
could be compared to no other. Students
who attended the event were motivated
to make a change in the world, as the
event’s theme, “You’ve Got The Power”,
really hit home for most. The event was
an enriching and empowering experience
for all who attended and all are hopeful
that it will become an annual event at
CVR.
Harmony & MGS prep students for rezoning
Sabrina De Rosa
Shandy Massicotte
Rezoning is not new
to Mary Gardner and
Harmony
elementary
schools. There have been
transfers
for
various
reasons at one time or
another for the past 15
years. The first one was 15
years ago when Harmony
first
opened.
Mary
Gardner was overcrowded
and Harmony was empty
so they transferred the first
group of students. The
MGS students who are transferring to Harmony Elementary next
year got to visit their new school as part of a transition program to second time was a couple
years after when Harmony
help children readjust. (photo: Shandy Massicotte)
became over crowded and transferred
students who live in certain areas to either
St. Willibrord or Mary Gardner.
But the process is new to the group of
students who will be transferring from
MGS to Harmony next August. This year
students from Mary Gardner will be sent
to Harmony. MGS Principal Ms. Van
Droffelaar explained why. “The school was
overcrowded. We started having resource
classes in the hallways.” Since Harmony
has the most space available, it was the
logical place to transfer the children.
Most of the students being transferred
are in grade 6, which gave the principals
the idea of having a joint graduation
ceremony. Grade 6 Harmony students gave
a tour around the school to the transferring
MGS Principal Ms. Van Droffelaar and Harmony
Principal Mr. Seltmann reassure transferring
students that Harmony is a great school too!
(photo: Shandy Massicotte)
students from MGS. While enjoying
some cookies and milk in the cafeteria the
students were given a chance to ask some
questions about the school.
Overall the rezoning and transfer of
students was a smooth process with the
help of the school board organizing help
with the transfers, according to Ms. Van
Droffelaar. Students and parents have been
very positive and do not see the rezoning
as bad thing. The parents were welcomed
to an open house at Harmony if they had
any concerns about the school for their
children. Harmony students find it’s a good
thing, and they don’t mind welcoming new
students.
Mary Gardner students have a positive
attitude. “I think it’s a good school, and
I’m excited to make new friends” said one
transferring grade 5 student.
14
billings billboard
June 2013
Vision Newspaper
Yummy breakfast
Sammii Stevens
This is a yummy, nutritious breakfast of bacon, eggs & potatoes that is
quick and very easy. It might come in handy for Father’s Day!
Ingredients:
2-4 large eggs
1/2 a cup of milk
2 small potatoes, diced
butter or margarine
parsley
sea salt
black pepper
1 slice of onion
bacon
Start by taking out all the ingredients. Peel, dice, and rinse the potatoes and
put them aside. Take out a medium sized pan and coat it evenly with a non
stick spray, place the desired amount of bacon in the pan and put on low
heat. Take the potatoes and season them with 1 tsp margarine or butter, parsley, a pinch of sea salt and a dash of black pepper.
Take the onion slice, chop it very finely and add it to the potatoes. Put the potatoes into a pan that is also sprayed with a non stick
spray and cook on low heat, turning when lightly browned. Take the 2 large eggs and crack them into a medium sized bowl and
add the 1/2 cup of milk to it. Beat the eggs for 1 minute then pour into a small pan that has also been coated with the non stick
spray. Evenly distribute a small amount of the sea salt and black pepper on top of the uncooked egg. Cook the eggs on medium
for around 5 minutes. Turn up the bacon and potatoes to a medium-high heat and cook for 5-7 minutes. Toast your bread the last
2 minutes; butter when done. Place everything attractively on a plate. You can put out a few extra toppings for the breakfast onto
the table like jam, peanut butter, ketchup, and anything you would like to go with your yummy breakfast. (Serves 2)
Music Maynia madly moving
Ryan Holowaty
Vision distribution
Châteauguay
All English schools and churches
Chateauguay Public Library
Mini-General, St. Francis
Maison des Jeunes
Chateau Bagel
Civitan Club
Photolux
City Hall
CLSC
55+ Centre
Pizza Maya
Sous-Sol Hobby
Chateauguay Legion
Chateauguay Horizons Club
Chateauguay Seniors (OLPH)
Anna Laberge Hospital (CHAL)
Kahnawake
Kateri Hospital
Maddie’s Place
McComber’s Store
Iron Horse Wear House
Turtle Bay Elders’ Lodge
Kahnawake Public Library
Chateauguay Churches
Welcome You!
OLPH Catholic Church
Howard S. Billings’s music and SWAT
students performed their spring repertoire
on May 8. The annual show, known as
Music Maynia, was held in the Mosher
Auditorium. Any community member
could attend for one of the cheapest and
best shows this spring. At only $7, tickets
were a steal as students displayed their
musical talents. The night showcased the
enchanting music of the ensemble and
Billing’s Idol competitors, who mixed their
vocal talents with the melodies of magical
music. Guests and former HSB students
performed, which gave the night a different,
more enriched sound. Notable moments of
the night were the piano solos of Celeste
Groux, Chloe Émond-Lane, Kirk Elsmore,
and returning alumnus Gage Diabo. The
first ever performance of grade 8 students
and the ensemble’s tribute to Adele was as
complex as it was well performed.
All funds raised will go towards the
music program to help students get musical
instruments.
295 McLeod • 450-691-4430
Saturday Mass 5:15 pm
Sunday Mass 10:30 am
Maplewood Presbyterian
215 McLeod • 450-691-4560
Sunday Worship 9 am
St. Andrew’s United
46 Dupont • 450-698-1050
Sunday Worship & Sunday
School 10:30 am
Calvary Baptist Church
215 McLeod • 450-691-7828
Summer Sunday Worship
11 am to 12:30 pm
St. George’s Anglican
162 St-Francis
450-691-4970
Said Holy Eucharist 8 am
Holy Eucharist 9:30 am
Chateauguay
Community Church
111 Lauzon Street
450-699-4673
Sunday Worship: 11 am
The
end-of-year
dance
recital
at
Billings put students’
hard work on display
for
parents
and
friends to see. There
was a wide variety
of dance numbers for
all tastes. (photos:
Jessica Thauvette)
Beth-Rephael Ministries
Church of God
68A boul. Salaberry Sud
514-777-9715
450-844-7771
Sunday School 10 am
Worship 11 am
We pray for the healing of
the sick and afflicted
15
billings billboard
Vision Newspaper
Wham bam poetry slam
Shandy Massicotte
Tyrone Freedman
Over the past few
years, students from
HSB have participated
in a poetry slam. The
slam is open to all grade
levels, and encourages
students to let loose,
express
themselves
and have fun as they
compete against each
other to win a prize.
Before the finals,
students
pformed
their poems in front
of their classmates. The Senior school poetry slam winners: Jessica Lapenna, 2nd place;
Kristara Napier-Davies, 1st place; and Jon Bergeron, 3rd place.
best were chosen by their
(photo: Ronald Gutierez)
peers to represent their
class and their grade
in the semi-finals. The
semi-finals were held on
April 29, and the chosen
individuals recited their poems in front of the performance of Peter Pan and was crowned
whole school. Teachers were asked to judge the winner for middle school students.
the event and to choose the finalists. The
Senior school student Kristara Napier
event was opened by the school principal, Davies made students think as she performed
Mr. Tennant, as he proudly announced, “I “Genetic Modification”. Jessica Lapenna
was here when it started and I’m happy that it recited her touching poem “Gone”, while Jon
still goes on today.”
Bergeron performed a “Pre Game Speech”,
Middle school student Celeste Groux that students were eager to join as they
recited a poem called “Good Grammar”, shouted “I am the Champion”. All three won
while her peer Sybelle Montes performed the senior division.
“Pretty”. Jade Underwood gave a stirring
ongoing
Chateauguay
CIVITAN
Club
BINGO is held every Saturday
evening at 7:30 pm at the Bingo Hall
at 305 Principale Street. Your bingo
$$ is appreciated and helps several
deserving
community
groups,
including Vision Newspaper. For
info call Anita at 450-692-9629.
Chateauguay CIVITAN Club CRIB:
next games are on September 14
and October 12.Team play and cash
prizes; donation $7.00. For info call
Henry: 450-692-8441.
PAIR PROGRAM: A reassuring
free program of prevention and
safety at home for people living
alone by the Greater Chateauguay
Volunteer Center. You remain free to
go about your activities, you notify
us in case of absence. To register,
contact us at 450-699-6289.
MOMMY & ME PLAYGROUP:
A free morning of activities and
discussions await mothers who are
home with their toddlers and looking
for something fun to do. If you have
children under 5 and live in the
Chateauguay area, this playgroup is
for you! For info call Frankie at ReNou-Vie: 450-692-9805.
FRIENDLY VISITS: If you are 65
years of age and older, live alone, and
would like to have some company, the
Centre d’action bénévole du Grand
Châteauguay (CABGC) has just
the right service for you! One of our
volunteers could visit you for 3 hours
a week, to talk, play cards or do any
other activities that may interest you.
To register for this free service or to
become a volunteer (we need you!),
please call Lisa at 450-699-6289.
HELP WITH WALKING: CABGC
has a help with walking service. Aging
individuals who are experiencing a loss
of autonomy and cannot walk on their
own due to health reasons or out of
fear can sign-up for this free service.
We accept those living in apartment
buildings, houses, retirement homes,
and long-term care facilities and
those who use canes, walkers, or
wheelchairs. To register or become a
volunteer (we need you!), please call
Lisa at 450-699-6289.
june
June 16, 9:30 am-1 pm: Civitan Club
is hosting a Father’s Day Brunch at 3
rue Paul-Hallé in Chateauguay with
scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon,
home fries, toast, coffee, tea. Adults
June 2013
Grade 11 wish list
We asked journalism students if they could change anything at Billings, what would it
be? Here are the responses of four grade 11 students who best articulated what’s at the
top of their HSB wish list.
“Next year, even though I will no longer be a student, I would love if there was more
school spirit. I know the Prefects and Student Council do their very best to try and enforce
it, but I'd really like to see students getting involved. Maybe pep rallies? Or more activities?
I feel like the teachers show as little enthusiasm as the students, which is terribly sad. If
the teachers, who are paid to be here, can't get excited about the things going on, then
why should the students who are forced to be? School needs to be a place kids want to go;
a home away from home, not a chore.” Anna Yates-Potier
“I’ve been a student here for five years and now that I’m graduating I’ve taken a lot of
time to reflect on how things were when I started. One of the most prominent changes
is that students no longer take pride in our school. School, to our students, is merely a
structure where one goes to get educated and hang with friends. What many seem to
forget is that our school is really a community, one that will only be as successful as the
people within make it. I understand with friends, a job, homework, sports, etc., there is a
lot to keep up with, but the only way to make your high school life better is to be a part of
it. Join Student Council and try to make a difference for the school. You can’t fully blame
the school staff until you have tried to make a difference.” Ryan Holowaty
“Things I would like to be changed or improved in Billings are few. Everything is flawed
in the world; some things more than others, and HSB is no exception. In the school there
are many things that need to be changed, such as the way students care for the school.
Students always complain about the dilapidated state that the school is in, but overlook
the reason that it is in such condition. The students must take much better care of it. Love
it or hate it, we are all here so we need to have a higher level of respect for the school and
environment that we spend so much time in. I find that the building could use a facelift. I
know that because of budget problems or damages that happen mid-year, repairs must
sometimes be delayed, but the building’s cosmetics make a huge impact on the people
and presentation of the school.” Ryan Moulton
“I would like to see the overall respect that students give to their teachers change. I find
that kids nowadays have little or no respect for most teachers and are less willing to do
the school work that is given to them. I see kids in younger grades calling their teachers
names and giving them no respect and I disagree strongly with their actions.” Sammii
Stevens
$6, children 10 and under $3. For info
Jessie (450) 692-2666.
June 1, 9:30am to 2:00pm, St.
George’s Church Garage Sale at 162
St. Francis Blvd. Contact person: Sue
Ward 450-691-7532 or sue.ward@
videotron.ca.
June 13, 2 pm. The Centre d’action
bénévole du grand Châteauguay
(CABGC) is inviting seniors to a free
theatre production called ”Wake up
Arthur!” at the Cultural Center (15, boul.
Maple) by Poivre et Sel, a professional
theatre troupe. Above and beyond
entertaining, this comedy creates
awareness about the abuse, violence
and negligence that can befall senior
citizens. Please call 450.699.6289
to reserve. Tell a friend, the more the
merrier!
June 15, 1 pm, Strawberry Social
and Fun Fashion Show at St. George’s
Church Garage Sale, 162 St. Francis
Blvd. Contact person: Sylvia Williams
at 450-698-2832.
June 29, Civitan Club is holding a
fundraiser selling hot dogs, etc. at WalMart in Chateauguay. Come out and
see what’s happening! For info, call
Louise at 450-699-1255.
july
July 29-August 2, 8:30 am to 3:30
pm, St. George’s Day Camp, 162
St. Francis Blvd for children ages
4-12. Register now: $40; special
rates for families. Call 450-6914970 or email rcamara@montreal.
anglican.ca.
august
August, Watch for Civitan Club’s
Bread Blitz. Don’t know what that
is? Call Karen for info: 450-6922245.
september
September 7: Icing for Smiles at
Civitan Hall, 3 rue Paul Halle. Cake
Decorating Contest! For info call
Karen at 450-692-2245.
September 28, 9 am-2 pm,
Maplewood Presbyterian Church
Rummage Sale at 215 McLeod,
Chateauguay. Clothing, books, and
other small items for sale.
community update
Vision Newspaper
Conserving water an important priority
With summer approaching, the
City of Châteauguay has created a
new tab on its website at www.ville.
chateauguay.qc.ca in order to better
inform the citizens on watering
conditions in force. This tab,
which will be updated according to
the weather conditions, will enable
residents to be rapidly aware of the
measures to adopt, as well as the
rules to respect regarding outdoor
watering.
The tab system put in place relies
on three (3) distinct colours: green,
yellow and red. Each colour has its
own special significance.
PERMITTED – A GREEN tab indicates
that it is permitted to water outside from
9 pm to midnight on even-numbered days
for residences having an even-numbered
address and on odd-numbered days for
homes with an odd-numbered address.
16
June 2013
WITH A CONTAINER – A YELLOW tab
indicates that only the use of drinking water
for the purpose of food or human hygiene
is permitted. Watering flowers, plants and
vegetables must be done manually with the
help of a container, without a hose or an
automatic spray system.
FORBIDDEN – A RED tab signifies that
all forms of spraying are forbidden.
The social networks (Facebook, Twitter)
will be put into use to make known the
watering policy in force. An information
letter will also be sent to our subscribers
following every change.
You will also find on the City’s website advice and suggestions for conserving water. By taking concrete steps on a daily basis, we can
all make a difference! Follow us on social media at: www.facebook.com/chateauguay and www.twitter.com/chateauguay.
Many thanks to the 2012-2013 Vision team!
Copy editors
Ms. J. Smeall
Ms. J. Markhauser
Ms. P. Monette
Ms. V. Allan
Ms. S. Donahue
Ms. M. Verelli
The 2012-2013 grade 10 and 11 Vision journalism class: (back row) Project Manager Mary Leblanc, Anna Yates-Potier, Tyrone
Freeman, Lissa Simoneau, Ryan Moulton, Sabrina De Rosa, Shandy Massicotte, Chloe Emond-Lane, Austin Robson, and Teacher
Mr. Neudorfer; (front row) Shannon Gillette, Sammii Stevens, Natacha Veilleux, Brendan O’Brien, Jessica Thauvette, Sophie
Neacsu, and Ryan Holowaty. Missing: Spensir Roy, Corey Janisse, and Kirk Elsmore. (photo: Ms. E. Kyle)
(and Ms. A. Croteau,
not pictured)
Will you support Vision?
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know that many small donations can add up to a lot of support. Here’s a way to make sure your donation is felt and not forgotten…
Please send this coupon to the address below, or send us an email that states the amount you would like to pledge and your contact info. When we
return next year, we will contact you in September to fulfill your pledge. We look forward to continuing to cover your stories!
Individuals and community groups may use this form. Those donating more than $10 will receive a receipt.
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Vision Newspaper
210 McLeod, Chateauguay QC J6J 2H4
Telephone: 450-691-3230, Ext. 355
Email: vision@nfsb.qc.ca