The Cheetah Perspective - Charles P. Allen High School
Transcription
The Cheetah Perspective - Charles P. Allen High School
“ News, Views and Information from Charles P. Allen High School ! ” Charles P. Allen High School 196 Rocky Lake Road, Bedford, N.S. B4A 2T6 Phone: (902) 832-8964 The Cheetah Perspective April 2005 “Strive For Excellence” Issue 8 Student Elections Table Of Contents By Laura Parlee Posters quoting our favorite movies, the pressure of choosing between two friends, and random barbeques and PJ days. What’s all the havoc really about? That’s right CPA, its Election week! A chance to vote for who will be representing the students in making a difference in our school. We had some great candidates this year who were all doubly qualified to do the job, but what’s CPA’s student council really about? Student council is a group of both elected and appointed students who try to make school a more fun place to be. They are in charge of organizing all extracurricular events like dances, root beer fest, and the Wednesday events as well as getting the school involved in charities, and keeping the students in touch with what’s going on. This year’s student council has been a great team and has done an awesome job at making CPA a fun place to be. The positions available include two co-presidents (male and female), a director of communications, a treasurer and a director of technology. The co-presidents and director of communications are positions that are voted for by the students while the other positions are chosen by the new elected co-presidents, the teacher advisor (Mr. Robertson), and the current holder of the position. There are also grade reps; they will be elected after the executive council has been chosen. There will be several reps for each grade. This year we had Kristie Forbes, Emma Vaasjo running for head girl and Cameron Campbell and Peter Horwitch running for head boy while Nazneen Rustom and Aly Thompson competed for the leader of communications spot. Grade 10 and 11 students were asked on Monday April 18, to choose between these candidates to elect the people they felt were most fit for the job. All candidates prepared great speeches and almost all the students were compelled to participate in the voting process. Who ever should win the co-presidents and director of communication spots I’m sure will do an excellent job! so congratulations to our new executive student council. People Are Talking On Kristie Forbes: “I think kristie will be a great head girl because she’s organized and approachable. She seems like she could make a good contribution to the school” –Jessica Jensen On Emma Vaasjo: “emma is really smart and I think she will have really fun and original ideas on council, plus she represents a wider range of students” –Kristen Tapson On Pete H.: “Pete seems like a funny guy, and he would do some really fun stuff if he won. He’s down to earth, and will be easy to talk to.” -anonymous On Cameron Campbell: “Cameron already has experience being on council and is more professional, he would get more done and still do lots of fun stuff too.”-anonymous. School Elections ......................... 1 Messages ....................................2 Encounters with Canada ............3 Barbara Hannigan ......................4 Robot Competition .....................4 Student Voices .........................5-8 Sports ..........................................9 Fitness with Mr. B .................... 10 Odds ‘n Ends............................ 11 Up Coming Events PD Day (no classes) ......... April 29 Musical .............................May 2-4 Rep Elections ............... May 12-13 Political Awareness Day .... May 16 Dinner Theatre ............. May 18-19 Victoria Day ......................May 23 CPA Blowout .....................May 24 Band Concert......................May26 PEP Rally ........................... June 2 Final Exams ................. June 13-16 Prom/Safe Grad ................June 18 Graduation ........................ June 23 Spain & Morocco School Trip March Break 2006 Application forms available in Room 306 Save $$ Apply NOW! The Cheetah Perspective Page 1 Messages “Strive For Excellence” April 2005 Message from the Principal In response to surveys indicating parents’ interest in increased communication from the school, we are currently implementing the following three initiatives: 1. Parent-School Communications Initiative We would like to remind parents of two options to increase information access from the school. You can get up-to-date attendance information from the Parent-Wise server located on the Parent and Student pages of the school web-site. To get access to your student’s account, please e-mail your request to the main office at cpah@staff.ednet.ns.ca. 2. Parent E-mail Distribution List Please send an e-mail request to cpah@staff.ednet.ns.ca for inclusion of your e-mail address on the parent distribution list. Also, include your name and your student’s name(s) in the request. We will be sending the Cheetah Perspective and regular parent memos to everyone on our list. 3. Summer Communication Package In late August, we will be mailing an Organizational and Communication Package to parents and students. Included in the package will be the following: -Opening day procedures -Map of the school -Course change protocol -School code of conduct -Photo pre-pay package -Staff list with contact -School calendar -Dress code information -P-wise registration information -Registration information required for opening day -School Fee information -Sport Teams and Clubs information -School Advisory Council information -Volunteer Information Package -and more Please contact us if you have requests for any other information that would be helpful to you for school start-up. Course Selection Ms. Armstrong and Mr. Ferguson have been busy finishing up course selections for 2005-06. I trust that parents and students have had the opportunity to review their choices and to use the three year planner to help structure the three years in terms of the courses you need to qualify for post-secondary programming. Robotics Congratulations to our students, community mentors and teacher advisors for the great success at Robotics East this year. Our team won the championship round at the competition of many of Atlantic Canada’s high schools. A special thanks goes to our community sponsor Mr. Ripley, and corporate sponsors NS Power and Princess Auto. The Cheetah Perspective Page 2 Issue 8 Former CPA grad turned Opera Star visits We were fortunate to have Barb Hannigan, a former CPA student visit with our drama and music students as they prepare for the musical in May. Ms. Hannigan is now an internationally acclaimed opera star. Please stay tuned to the Cheetah as we continue to profile our Cheetah grads. If you have a story for “Where Are They Now?” will you kindly let us know. Les Miserables Tickets are going fast for the evening performance of Les Mis. The show runs from Monday May 2-Wednesday May 5. Two matinees will be performed on Monday and Tuesday and two evening performances will go to stage on Tuesday and Wednes Continued on page 11... Message from the Editors Oh Daniel, you are so…...I dunno what! But yes, the rumor is true, I (KEIRSTEN) was away from my job as co-editor for some time do to University preparations and now I am back and I hope my fine accomplice, Daniel Rodgers, has not scarred you all for life! Love ya Dan! Anyways, ‘hey everyone’, the warm weather is approaching and the smiles are beaming and the bodies are glowing, summer is on the rise. I am so glad we actually have a real spring this year...and the Americans thought we couldn’t do it….Finally, we don’t have to go somewhere tropical to get away from the snow in Spring. Plus i'm afraid if I leave I will miss the good weather and come back and there be snow on the ground. OH CANADA…! As a grade twelve, I can finally say that this year for the most part has been the best of high school. New responsibilities, new fears, new dresses, new marks, new boyfriends, new schools, new adventures, and finally new feeling of having no money to go out with your friends on a Saturday night. THRILLING isn’t it. To all of you grade 11’s approaching grade 12, here’s a little advice from an elder who knows. Get good marks now so you can get accepted to the University you want to go to, so you’re not scrounging at the last minute for marks and start applying for scholarships early. You may think its pointless but there are scholarships out there for everyone -people with disabilities, people with a certain heritage (other than English), even scholarships for people who are average and not scholars (like myself) who will be attending Yale in the Fall. ( Oh Jake Gallagher! You lucky kid….congrats!) Anyways, ta ta and all that jazz cya next issue! Love, Keirsten and Dan The CPA Editors! What’s Going On? April 2005 “Strive For Excellence” A week in Ottawa by Danielle Delano For most high school students, getting to miss a week of school to go to Ottawa with a friend is a dream come true! But when you add in teens from all across Canada and activities that include shopping, going to the museum of Civilization and trips to Parliament to see the Prime Minster in the house of Commons, that makes it even better! You get to do all this and more when you get involved with Encounters With Canada. I left for Ottawa on Sunday April 3rd and I was nervous! I had not been on an airplane in nine years and I was a little scared! Once we landed in Ottawa, we were greeted by people who worked at the Terry Fox Youth Centre, our home for the week. Upon arriving at the centre, we had a chance to explore and meet dozens of youth from all over Canada. It was so cool realizing how much in common we share with teens from the North West Territories, British Columbia and even Newfoundland! After a night of playing no boundaries ping-pong, icebreakers and chatting, it was off to bed! The next morning we were heading to Parliament to see the Senate and the House of Commons. When we got there, we went straight to the Senate where we had a neat presentation on the Senate’s page program and the Senate itself. I realized that I knew very little about the Canadian Government and how it was run until I got there! After wondering around marble corridors and twisty stairwells, we got to go to Question Period and see our Government in action! Seeing Paul Martin and Steven Harper and other members of Parliament was pretty cool! After a day of presentations from Lauier LaPierre and other members of Parliament, we headed back to the Centre for evening activities, swimming, volleyball, line dancing or working out at a gym. Then is was lights out! The next few days we spent going on tours of Ottawa, listening to presentations about Social Science and Canada, getting to know one another and having fun. Thencame the best part, going shopping! We went to the Rideau Mall and the Ottawa Market! After being in a mall of that size, I realized that our little malls in Nova Scotia are nothing, NOTHING, compared to this! Sure shopping was fun, but there was so much more that we did! Going to the Corel Centre (Yay Sens!) to see the Harlem Globetrotters, having a peace module, going to the Museum of Nature, the Museum of Civilization and so much more, all while we were meeting other teens and forming bonds with one another! Our last day was by far the best day of the trip! The closing ceremonies, the all night dance and just hanging out meant the most to everyone! Leaving the Centre at 4:30 in the Issue 8 morning with tears in your eyes was hard but you know that you are leaving with new friends, new memories and new experiences that only a handful of people will get to experience was worth it! Next year, I would totally recommend getting involved with this program. Go to www.ewc-rdc.ca and find out how you can get involved! Encounters by Kelilah Hughes A few months ago one of my teachers stopped me in the hall way and asked if I would be interested in taking part in a program called Encounters with Canada. At the time, I had never even heard of it but the idea of traveling to Ottawa by myself was intriguing so I started looking into it. After few letters, phone calls and meetings with Mr. Ferguson, I sent my application off to Ottawa. Two weeks later, a letter arrived saying I had been accepted and would be leaving on April 3rd. Needless to say, I was a just a little bit excited! All participants of the program stay at the Terry Fox youth center and are given the chance to tour Ottawa, visit Parliament and take part in numerous activities and work shops centered around the theme of the week. I was involved in the Social Sciences week but there are many to chose from including Political Sciences and Arts. The Social Sciences program focused on the multicultural aspects of Canada; everything from the benefits of being bilingual to racial issues. It was an incredible experience and I can honestly say that I have a new appreciation for what it means to be a Canadian. One of the most incredible things about this program is the people you meet. The participants are chosen from every province and territory. High school students from every background are represented. You have the chance to meet and interact with a variety of people whom would probably never come together anywhere else. And with MSN and email, you can keep the friendships you start there going, hopefully for years to come. Encounters with Canada is open to anyone who is between the ages of 14 and 17 and is a Canadian citizen. I strongly recommend this to any grade 10 or 11 student. No matter what your interests, you are guaranteed to have an awesome time and meet people who share your ideas. I would like to thank Ms. Walker for suggesting the program to me as well as Mr. Ferguson for providing all the information and helping find sponsors. Thanks for the amazing opportunity and all your help! The Cheetah Perspective Page 3 What’s Going On? “Strive For Excellence” April 2005 Issue 8 Barbara Hannigan Visits C.P. Allen by Meghan Louch Students looked on in awe as Barbara Hannigan took to the stage—or, front of the band class, as it were. The remarkable versatility that come from true talent shone though as Hannigan lead the leads through their roles, and did more: she became each character for a moment, while showing the other talented actors the way to really be a role, rather then just sing it. But singing, obviously, is another of Hannigan’s fortes: an opera singer based out of Amsterdam, she squeezed time between a concert in Toronto and performing an opera—written for her, she says without aplomb—to show the future stars of CPA what they can achieve with time and talent. The morning was dedicated to workshops with the leads, including Pete Smith, a.k.a. Jean Valjean, singing “Bring him Home” whose clear, pure voice is just plain pretty. Speaking of pretty, Marius and Cosette did a lovely job of their big love song, under the tutelage of Hannigan, who is, may I add with pride, a graduate of CPA herself. Our school seems to attract as much talent as it does media attention: several real, live journalists were on hand. The Perspective’s got to settle for me, though. I can’t do justice to the experience, but you’ll hear it: when you go to opening night of “Les Miserables” and Valjean’s holding you captive with his song. The afternoon workshop included the chorus, and the delight of the day: Barbara gave in to requests and sang a popular piece from Gianni Scicci. Twice. Her voice filled the room and the hearts of the audience: seriously, tear-worthy. Two times, two boxes of tissues. Many thanks to Barbara for her time and teaching, Mr. Beeler for just plain being awesome and to Mrs. Dompierre, who arranged for her one-time student to come in and lead the show for a day. Also, kudos to the cast and the lessons they learned. Countdown is on to the show! “Ammamoy” Wins Robot Competition! By Mr. Brown During the months of February, March , and April, a group of C.P.A. students together with engineering mentors built a robot to compete in the ‘Robots East Atlantic Championship’ held April 9 at Dalhousie University. This year’s theme was called “Last Ditch Effort”. The team, after building their mean machine, decided to name it “AMMAMOY” (spelled “yo mama” backwards). The CPA team decided to call themselves “ “The V.R. Troopers”. On Saturday April 9, the team went to Dalhousie to compete with 21 other teams who were from other parts of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and P.E.I.. During the whole competition, Ammamoy “ kicked butt “. The team briefly ran into trouble in the playoff when Ammamoy was pushed into the ditch by the Pugwash robot. The pressure was certainly on for Josh Levy, the CPA driver. When it was all over, Ammamoy and the V.R. Troopers prevailed to become the Robots East 2005 Atlantic Champs. Best wishes for a job well done. The V.R. Troopers consisted of CPA’s finest: Josh Levy, Alfonso Motta, Blair Mason, Mike Burns, B.J. Joshi, Moise Che, Kyle Andrus, Kenny MacKenzie, Nick Bentzen, Scott Sumatra, Jeff Gouebault, Brad Gillisie. The engineering mentors that helped the V.R. Troopers were Stephen The Cheetah Perspective Page 4 Boutilier, Jeff Lee, Carl Zinck, and Barry Brown. Our teacher advisors were Frank Brown, Tanya Skelhorn, Paul Geddes, Cathy MacLean, Lisa Wall, and Dave Mead. The V.R. Troopers want to also recognize those sponsors who helped make the event possible. Mr. Howard Ripley, Nova Scotia Power, M.M. MacDonald, Maritime Paper and C.B.C.L. Best wishes go out to CPA’s V.R. Troopers on their successful victory!!! Student Opinions “Strive For Excellence” April 2005 Issue 8 American Gun Control: A Better Lesson on “Emo” The Ultimate Oxymoron A response to “Lesson on Emo” By Corey MacDonald By Doug Flynn Upon viewing “Bowling For Columbine” for the second time, I realized how lucky I am to be living in Canada. In the United States, any person can go to a gun shop or convention and purchase any type of gun, from a Smith and Weston 9 mm pistol to a Tec-9 automatic pistol or a AK-47. They only need to sign for a license and wait seven days before being able to own a firearm. In Canada, firearms are restricted. To obtain a firearm, Canadians must get a possession-only license if they owned a firearm before January 1, 2001. For others who may want to purchase a firearm, they must obtain a Possessions and Acquisition Licence which would allow them to purchase firearms and ammunition. As well, they must pass the Canadian Firearms Safety Test. It is illegal in Canada to own automatic weapons or weapons that can be converted into a automatic weapon. I shudder to think what could have happened if the young man who shot and killed a student and seriously wounded another at a high school in Taber, Alberta had a automatic weapon, like a Tec-9 pistol. The school shooting in Taber could have been Canada’s ‘Columbine’. One of the biggest reasons that guns are so easily available in the United States is the second amendment in the U.S. constitution which states that all citizens of the United States have a right to bear arms. This section of the constitution was created during The American Revolution and was put in place because many of the soldiers were ordinary citizens or part of the militia. Although this seems to be an outdated notion by today’s standards, many still vigorously defend it. Organizations like the National Rifle Association are totally against any form of gun control. As a result of the NRA’s powerful influence, the Assault weapons ban passed in 1994 was allowed to expire. After the terrible school shooting on the Red lake Indian Reserve in Minnesota, American legislators are trying to either expand or establish laws that would allow people to carry concealed weapons. Their reasoning: carrying a concealed weapon will reduce the chance of being attacked. Yeah, right. With this type of thinking, more incidents like Red Lake or Atlanta (where a felon shot and killed three people in a court house) will happen again and again. Will this madness ever stop? Not while Dubya and his cronies are in power. The Emo article in the March edition was about 50% accurate. But I became confused around the point the writer was trying to get across. I began to think it was about not labeling people and for people not to label you, but then they went off labeling others using words such as: Jocks, cheerleaders, gangsters etc Why would you want people to label you on the music you listen to? Labeling is labeling! So if you don’t want to get labeled, stop dressing and acting the way you are! But I guarantee that if you changed, you would be labeled something different. I would also like to add some parts that the writer happened to leave out. First of all, Emo isn’t how you dress or who you hang out with, it purely means Emotional! Anyone can be emo, but they cannot be periodically. It is something that is inside of you and you cant grow out of.In fact, there are lots of “Emo kids” in our school who don’t even know they would be considered emo. The music that could actually be considered emo is about how you feel and purely about your emotions. And if you want me to break it down some more, it is emotionally charged punk or an acoustic whinny punk. That’s it! Some History… Emo actually came from a punk band “Rites of Spring”. This band used this word to address how they would connect to their audience. It would deal more with relationship problems and political problems. Effective enough to leave the band and audience crying at the end of the concert. So to the writer of the article and for everyone else who bothers to read this: why would you care about what people think about you anyways? Even if people called you “emo”, it shouldn’t mean anything to you! Actually being considered emo should be a compliment since you actually care about how you feel and about others. Besides, isn’t it good to be different? I mean it would suck if everyone was the same anyways! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Emo The Cheetah Perspective Page 5 Student Opinions “Strive For Excellence” April 2005 Issue 8 A “Lesson” on Something or Other Name: Meghan Loch Label: Bohemian. Happy? There’s an angle of attack for all the annoyed people, free of charge. As a general rule, I try to avoid any sort of real journalistic work. [I ought to re-think my proclaimed career choice, really.] It’s no small thing that’s ousted me from my horoscope niche. The Perspective’s getting pretty controversial, which is strange, considering the number of people who traditionally don’t read it; instead leave it as a statement expounding their ennui of all things literary by using it to paper the floors of this great academic institution. I’m going to try to avoid didactical, here. Please don’t get too offended. My heart goes out in a sort of condescending way to those maligned skinny little emo kids, and to the maligned cheerleaders, and the maligned Goths, punks, skaters, nerds et al. Listen: I adore emo kids. They’re great. They’re Goth with colour and they’re suicide by paper cut. I also adore cheerleaders. They’re equally great and easy to make fun of with a limited amount of effort and a lot of cliché. Now, I’m not a cheerleader. Do I hate them? Well, no. Sometimes do people who aren’t cheerleaders get jealous? I know sometimes I do. Then the second hand on my metaphorical mental clock ticks forward and I enjoy a healthy laugh, because the emo and the preps are pulling each other’s finely dyed black hair and hoop earrings out, respectively, over the topic of who’s better. Cheerleaders aren’t “fake.” Emo people aren’t fake. I’m addressing the unvoiced hypocrisy in the article “A lesson on Emo”, here. It’s nice to want your voice to be heard, but if you’re trying to make a point, don’t negate yourself by telling people to respect you then taking away respect from them. You may as well be wasting paper writing out lines to songs that aren’t your own as writing a piece that belies your point. No one clique is the true belief, the paragon of a societal model that’s effective, the best way to be. They’re all just different cliques and different ways of thinking and acting and dressing. So why is there some unspoken hierarchy in everyone’s mind that puts their genre at the top? I’m not going to downplay the importance of cliques in high school. High school is a microcosm of the socio-economic real world; we’re in training for society. So keep your cliques. Just realize they’re transitional. If people ask me about, well, me, I don’t have answers prepared to slot myself firmly into a normal category. I like the Postal Service, but I don’t dress like an emo child. I like the intangible aspect of that subculture. I’m still not emo. I don’t think the world’s great problems are all going to be solved because I don’t eat meat. I don’t like society and norms; I like art and have literary pretensions, but I’m not rushing out to buy everything that has “Truth, Beauty, Love” bohemian on it. Do I have to stop calling myself bohemian? No, because I really don’t care if I meet all the criteria for a necessary sub-culture. These clique things aren’t so important. There’s no list of rules and regulations to be something. At least, not spoken ones. Accedence isn’t very much to go on, though. Is it so scary outside of your little circles that you have to hide under the attitudes expected of your chosen high school class? I challenge you: if you’re a cheerleader, read something about philosophy and dare to enjoy it. If you’re emo, wear something that makes you look like a cheerleader. And if you’re going to spend all day feeling uncomfortable and not like yourself, then get over your object style, because the clothes you’re wearing aren’t you. Get into your culture in your head. Go ahead. Be aggressively whatever you want to be. Just leave some room for everyone else. The Center Of Learning by Justin Pearce Hello again from the learning center. We are so glad to see the nice weather. I told you that we had our own NSSSA conference in my last newsletter and what a great conference it was. We ate great food, subs and Swiss Chalet. We did skill building, where we broke off into groups and learned how to get along better with other people. We also learned how to be more open to talking and being with other people. We had a talent show where just about everyone was on The Cheetah Perspective Page 6 stage at some point showing his or her talents. Alex, Kyle, and Lesley sang "I Love Rock and Roll" and had the whole floor up dancing. Jamie did impressions; Brad played the maracas with his group. For myself I sang "Lukey's Boat" and everyone seemed to enjoy it. We had a couple of entertainers perform for us. One was a mime that was really good. The other did a variety of performances including juggling riding a unicycle and some ventriloquism. He was a laugh a minute. As we enter the final phase of the school year, we are planning to go to a couple of outings. I will pass on more information on these in the next article. Hope everyone is enjoying spring. That's it for now. Student Opinions April 2005 “Strive For Excellence” Issue 8 A Matter Of R-E-S-P-E-C-T By Johnelle Sciocchetti If there’s one thing that Charles P. Allen is missing, it’s respect; especially respect for teachers. I have noticed a lot of things around our school that make me shake my head and wonder why people would do or say the things they do. I’ve heard the worst comments about teachers, be it about how strict they are, the rules that they have in their class, or things they’ve said. The worst by far is when a student who really has no room to complain criticizes a teacher’s appearance. Sometimes I’ll get defensive because I happen to respect my teachers and would even consider at least one to be a personal role model. But then I end up with people against me. What, I can’t defend someone other than myself? They’re not around to stick up for themselves! But they could be. I think that if a student has anything negative to say about a teacher, they should suck it up and tell it to their face. Instead, they just whine to their friends in an obvious attempt to seem “cool”. Trust me, it doesn’t come off that way to observers, it really can be quite hurtful. Now, don’t get me wrong, I mean if a teacher is doing something that you don’t agree with or making you feel uncomfortable in class, you shouldn’t just let it go. It’s important to do something about it that would actually help the situation (such as talking to the teacher after class) instead of just bad-mouthing them. You can’t expect a teacher to change his or her policies just for you though; it won’t happen. Finally, I hope that maybe the next time somebody decides to pick on a teacher behind their backs, someone will stand up for them. Wouldn’t you want someone to do that for you? A Question of Sanitation Rootbeer Fest: An Inside Look by: Kathleen Healy by Christophe Dupuy If CPA was put through a health inspection, I have serious doubts that it would pass. Our bathrooms are disgusting, with an utterly appalling lack of doors, soap and paper towel. The toilets do not flush properly and when you are finally lucky enough to find soap in the bathroom, a door to a working stall, and paper towel in the holder, you learn that because of the gross number of people who have discovered it before you, there is not any toilet paper left! No wonder so many students have been sick this year. With disease breeding situations as ripe as this, it's amazing we don't have a plague going around! Doctors say that the best way to prevent the flu is to wash your hands frequently. That is somewhat difficult when the needed tools (i.e., soap, water and paper towels) are not made available. And washing with just water? Aside from the fact that not all the taps work, water is repelled by the sebum (that's the oil found in your hands), so all you're doing is getting your hands wet. I can understand where the lack of funding for things like new computers comes from, but give me a break! If CPA is really the third best school in Nova Scotia and we can't afford basic sanitation, than something is very, very wrong. I am not the first to say this, and I probably won't be the last, but ‘ew’! Students should not have to buy hand sanitizer as one of their school supplies. As you all know, Rootbeer Fest on the 7th of April was a smash hit. Bands like “Sweaty Palms”, “22nd Street”, “Identity Crisis” and “The Sulfur Skies” tore up the place. Solo acts including Pete Smith, and Greig Sylvester Neil McCormick and Mr. Burke kicked musical tushy as well. (Sorry if I forgot your act: this is off the top of my head.) Everything went off without a hitch. But I’m sure you all know that by now. What you don’t see or hear is the preparation it takes to make it to Rootbeer Fest. Seeing as I don’t know how other bands prepared, I’ll have to tell my own story. This is the story of “Wake Up James”. I joined Mark (bass), Scott Grundy (guitar), and Chace Hynes (guitar), the founders of the band, in about mid December when I heard a song that Scott was playing on the computer in Design class. Scott expressed that he, his brother and Chace, still needed a drummer, so I decided to give it a go. The guys already had numerous original songs, so I had my hands full learning and creating drum parts. We had decided that we wanted to play Rootbeer Fest early and tried out many combinations of songs for a set list to play that night. This was exciting because it was my first show with these guys, and my first time gracing the stage of continued on page 8... The Cheetah Perspective Page 7 “I Don’t Think We’re In Kansas Anymore” “Strive For Excellence” April 2005 The Dark Side of the Oz By Aly Thomson Is "Dark Side of the Moon" really an alternate soundtrack to the "Wizard of Oz"? Your guess is as good as mine. But seeing is believing; and I certainly believe. The past few weekends, I have been fixed in front of my television set, boggled by the eerie timing of the ambient music and the colorful pictures. The band denies it and their management says it’s just a coincidence, but fans swear it was planned. Never heard of the Dark Side of the Oz phenomenon? Basically, you turn down the volume of your television, turn up the volume of your CD player, pop in Pink Floyd’s "Dark Side of the Moon" and "The Wizard of Oz" and wait for the result. Soon you’ll realize you’re not just watching a movie with no sound while listening to a completely unrelated CD. The mixture of images and sounds come together in symbiosis. The relationship between the movie and the CD produces an offspring that is set out to find a habitat inside your organized head and move all your stuff around so you can’t find anything; a rad but astonished feeling. So watch out. Alan Parsons, the engineer of Dark Side of the Moon, says, "There simply wasn’t the mechanics to do. We had no means of playing videos tapes in the room at all. I don’t think VHS had come along by ‘72, had it?" Indeed, the story seems to be all ‘bong-wash’. But whether you believe it is a myth or not, I saw it and the thing totally blew me away. So, whether you believe it or not, I know you all want to go try it. So here are the synchronicity instructions: 1. Buy or rent the movie the Wizard of Oz. Issue 8 2. Buy or rent the CD Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd. 3. Put the CD in the CD player and press play, quickly press pause (to prevent timing issues). 4. Put the movie in the VCR and press play. 5. Turn down the volume on your T.V. and turn up the volume on your CD player (turn it up to the max for the full effect). 6. Fast forward through all the previews until you come to the MGM lion, and on the third roar press play on your CD player. 7. If the credit "Produced by Mervyl Leroy" appears onscreen at the transition between "Speak to me" and "Breathe, " then you are correctly synched. WARNING: People with a heart condition should check with their doctor before viewing. Movies can cause heart failure or the explosion of your brain.So there you have it. Go try it, I guarantee you’ll be just as flabbergasted as I am. And for all you nay Sayers, if you plan on watching it just to tell me it doesn’t work, here are some tips. First, Use a CD, not an album. Stopping to flip the album would mess up the synchronicity. Second, end the movie after one play-through of the CD. Avoid the "looping" method to replay the CD as anything after this point is minor and far-fetched. And finally, think of it as an extremely long music video and don’t expect pigs to start flying around with cinder blocks shooting out of their butts. If you don’t expect much, you might be amazed. There are still many unanswered questions. Who did this? Where did it come from? Why does it work so well? Is it only a coincidence? But to me, the mystery makes for a better experience. Enjoy, CPA. Rootbeer Fest (continued from page 7)... Rootbeer Fest that has once been graced by such amazing acts as “The Adult Contemporary’s”, and the legendary, “Mackoids”. About a week before the big night, we decided that we had to pick it up a notch and started having four-hour daily practices. This was very stressful in combination with homework (hint-hint: no homework during Rootbeer Fest week, teachers). But in the end, it all paid off. We had our set list of four songs approximately three minutes each that we had practiced the living hell out of. Our school’s Co-President, Chris Green, came up to us before the show and asked if we had a name. That night we became “Wake Up James”, and we played well, getting a response I won’t soon forget from the crowd. That’s just us. Some other bands took much less time to get ready and still sounded amazing. Other bands have been in existence for over a year and even headlined both this last year’s event. So it really depends on your dedication to your band and the music you play. Highlights of the night definitely include the comedic stylings of the Perspective’s very own editor-in-chief, Dan “The Man” Rodgers who entertained the crowd between sets. Props to the ‘Danmeister’ for a job well done. Lowlights include the price of mugs and the pint cups. These were five bucks, not made of glass, and lacked a handle. The traditional cheetah logo that has become such a part of the mug itself was also missing this year. Maybe next year we can return to the classic. If you attended this fine shindig, I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you on behalf of all the performers for being such a great crowd. I can’t wait for next year. The Cheetah Perspective Page 8 Sports “Strive For Excellence” April 2005 Issue 8 Girls Indoor Field Hockey Exhibition Tournament by Tracey Landry This is brief insight on how the field hockey team is doing. As you all heard over the past few weeks on the announcements, we haven’t lost very many games. On April 8th and 9th, the team played in the St.Pat’s exhibition tournament. This provided the team with the practice they need to improve for league games. Even though our top players weren’t all there, the team did tremendously well. They lost three out of the four games they played but they improved a great deal and will do very well in the tournament held in May. The two games on Friday night were a little bit shaky because forwards moved to defense and everyone else just got moved around. Rules were changed, not to mention that the subs had to get use to playing on the team and getting the ball. CHARGE!!! On Saturday things improved, and the team did more passing and actually started listening to the coach for the weekend, Ms. MacKinnon. They lost the first game but picked it up in the last game against QEH. Good job girls, keep up the awesome work. Good luck at play-offs. The 2005 Rugby Season is Here Boys’ Rugby 1 Neil Sorenson 2 Justin Brown 3 Jackson Drummey 4 Ryan Grosvenor 5 Dave Fowler 6 Steve McGrath 8 Keagan Giles 9 Shayne Bennett 10 Blaise Morrison 11 Devon Taylor 12 Ting-Li Hsieh 13 Steven Borle 14 Cameron Campbell 15 Ben Ferguson 15 Ben Ferguson DATE Girls’ Rugby 16 Brad Manders 17 Andrew Smith 18 Bryce Taylor 19 Zan Clark-Gallant 21 David Ferguson 22 Evan Lapointe 23 Charis Liberatore 24 Ryan Melanson 25 Steven Sattler 27 Dane Whitlock 28 Keith Stewart 29 Stanley Boudreau Pat Connors - Coach/Advisor Brad Boudreau - Coach/Advisor MATCH April 18 ....................................... C.P. Allen @ Lockview April 20 ........................................... Auburn @ C.P. Allen April 25 ............................... Prince Andrew @ C.P. Allen April 29 ..................................Cole Harbour @ C.P. Allen May 4 ...........................................C.P. Allen @ Millwood May 9. ....................................... Sir John A. @ C.P. Allen May 11 ..........................................C.P. Allen @ Sackville May 16 ................................... C.P. Allen @ Halifax West May 18 ....................................... Dartmouth @ C.P. Allen May 25 ................................................................ Play-offs May 27 ....................................................... Championship 1 Deborah Guptill 2 Kendra Matheson 4 Rebecca Gibbs 5 Amanda Heath 7 Colleen O'Brien 8 Lee-Ann Geddes 9 Wendy Wilson 10 Elizabeth MacLellan 11 Katherine Brien 12 Laurette Toulany DATE 13 Rebecca DeLong 14 Amanda Williams 15 Amanda Hilchey 16 Christena MacDonald 17 Beth Schellenberg 18 Keirsten Reilly 19 Alexandra Finlayson 25 Jenn Flynn 26 Kristen Havill 27 Sadie Toulany MATCH April 21 ..................................C.P. Allen @ Halifax West April 26 ....................................... C.P. Allen @ Lockview May 3..................................... C.P. Allen @ Cole Harbour May 5.............................................. C.P. Allen @ St. Pat's May 10.............................................Auburn @ C.P. Allen May 12........................................Dartmouth @ C.P. Allen May 17................................. C.P. Allen @ Prince Andrew Check out all the scores at http://www.cpa.ednet.ns.ca/ index_6.html The Cheetah Perspective Page 9 Fitness With Mr. B “Strive For Excellence” April 2005 Issue 8 Shoulders Shoulders are comprised of 3 heads, front side and rear, as well as the trapezius muscle which runs from the upper back to the neck. These muscles are extremely important for most athletic endeavours and strengthening the shoulder girdle is one way to diminish injuries. As well, if you have strong and prominent shoulders, you will never have to buy padded suit jackets. Shoulder Press Many trainers are loath to include behind the neck presses for fear of injury. I get around this by using barbell/ dumbbell/machine front presses. Take a barbell with a shoulder width grip and lower it to your chest when you are in a seated position. Drive the bar up and over your head, being careful not to lock out your elbows…. lower and repeat. If you are doing a standing version, you need to start from a dead lift and pull it up to your chest before you start, this is called cleaning. Arnold Press Named after our favourite Californian Governor, this press variation hits all 3 heads of the shoulder. You start with dumbbells at shoulder height but with your palms facing you. As you lift the weight you rotate your palms away from you. On the descent you rotate again and have your palms facing you. Painful but effective. Lateral raises Designed to hit the side head of the shoulder, this exercise involves grabbing a dumbbell in each hand and holding them at your hips. You then lift your hands away from your body and stop when you hit shoulder height. Keep the weights low on this movement. Front raises Same idea as lateral except hitting the front heads. Start with 2 dumbbells at waist height in front of you and lift them to shoulder height. Rear Raises Bend at waist and do the lateral raise. Shoulder Shrugs The shrug movement will give you strong neck and back muscles. Rugby and football players especially should do this exercise and this is one to pile on the weight! Take a barbell at shoulder width grip at waist height and do a shrugging motion with the trap muscles. Remember that your arms serve as “hooks” and should not really bend or do a lot of the lifting. I use straps for this exercise as my hands give out long before my trapezius muscles. Listen Up CPA! The students of the Learning center are now doing the recycling and need your help!! Please put only recyclable cans and bottles in the blue barrels and all other Garbage in the garbage can. We all need to take pride in our school. We are required to empty the containers and remove the garbage from the bags before we can take them to the depot. It can be a very GROSS job, but with your help it doesn’t have to be. All of us on “The Blue Crew” thank you for your cooperation The Cheetah Perspective Page 10 CPA students Kelilah Hughes and Danielle Delano visit Parliament Hill! See details on page 3. Odds ‘n Ends April 2005 “Strive For Excellence” Game Mastah’s TCG Review by Andrew McWatch Hello again, Duelists @ CPA. I have decided to dedicate this column to one of the greatest past times in many Hobby Game Stores, Yu-Gi-Oh! On a beginning note, I enter into tournaments at times when I have free time. So when I enter, I have a chance to look at my opponent’s cards for trade purposes. I happen to notice quite a few powerful cards in their arsenal. So for this column, I decided to suggest the best of the best, and some of their downsides. JinzoDARK/Machine/Effect/Level 6/2400/1500As long as this card remains face-up on the field, all Trap Cards cannot be activated. The effects of all face-up Trap Cards are also negated. This card is quite a powerful card. It can negate any and all Trap Cards in its arsenal. However, this card is vulnerable to 1 card, and that card is named “Double Snare”. This Spell Card can destroy 1 monster that has the effect to negate Trap Cards. For those who use Jinzo, I advise that you watch for this Spell Card. Breaker the Magical WarriorDARK/Spellcaster/Effect/Level 4/1600/1000When this card is successfully Normal Summoned, put 1 Spell Counter on it (max.1) Increase the ATK of this monster by 300 points for each Spell counter on this card. Also you can remove 1 Spell Counter from this card to destroy 1 Spell Card or Trap Card on the field. Breaker is also a must-have for any Deck. When you Summon him, you can put 1 Spell Counter on him to power him up to 1900. Big whoop! You can also Tribute the Spell Counter to destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card on the field. 1 card that is a definite to watch for is the Trap Card “Divine Wrath”. In order to activate this Trap, you must discard 1 card from your hand. Then you can negate the effects of Breaker and destroy him. SanganDARK/Fiend/Effect/Level 3/1000/600When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, you may select 1 monster with an ATK of 1500 or less from your Deck and add it to your hand. Your Deck is then shuffled. This card is also a must have for an Exodia Deck! Exodia the Forbidden One is 1 of the most powerful cards ever released. This card combo existed when the game was still young. First released in Legend of Blue-Eyes White Dragon (LOB-EN for short), this card combo could only be accomplished when the controller has all 5 pieces of Exodia. Exodia’s Head, Left/Right Arms, and Left/Right Legs. When this is accomplished, the controller wins the duel instantly. Sangan is now off the Restricted List’s Banned List, so now players can use him to add 1 piece of Exodia from your Deck to your hand. Another good combo is using cards to call back your Sangan, like Premature Burial, Call of the Haunted, The Shallow Grave, and Spear Cretin’s effect. When he is summoned, you can bring back a monster from your Graveyard. Once this effect is in play, you can use Sangan’s effect multiple times and bring Issue 8 Principals Message (continued from page 2)... day evenings at 7 p.m.. Parent Teacher April 19 Thanks to all our parents and teachers for another great evening. We appreciate very much the interest of parents in their students’ progress. Web Announcements Please note our daily announcements are now posted on-line from the home page and from the school calendar page. Exam Schedule Please note the following exam schedule and prom and safe grad for June. Mon. June 13 – NSE English and Block “A” Tues. June 14 – NSE Math and Block “B” Wed. June 15 – NSE Physics and Block “C” Thurs. June 16 – NSE Chemistry and Block “D” Sat. June 18 – Prom and Safe Grad Thurs. June 23 - Graduation Career Cruising For students and parents who are working on career planning, I would like to direct your attention to the following website for which we have purchased access. The web site for it is www.careercruising.com . The username is cpahs and the password is careers. Cards… A famous sport during grade 12 frees. Go MOO$E! Exodia to your hand. I figure that this may take a while to explain, so for now, I’ll see you next time for Part 2 of my Ultimate Must-Haves for Decks! The Cheetah Perspective Page 11 The Cheetah Perspective Page 12