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| Week 14: 26th January 2005 | Next
Edition: Wednesday 2nd February,
2005 |
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This
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"I introduced him to a concrete wall." Constable Thain's words, as she spoke at the annual Drug Awareness Day, illustrated the seriousness with which the RCMP take their role in the protection of lives, property and the general peace. Her outrageous words, coming from someone who had previously spoke about her ability to "assume the best" in youth, helped to describe the incredible wreckage that is born from drugs of all nature. As she continued to both inspire and strike fear into Brentwood's tenth grade class, her admonitions to "keep an open mind" are overrun by her "fast and hard" policy to police calls. By the end of her speech, her goal to touch a nerve in the audience was achieved, and as the students filed out of the lecture theatre, words such as "informative", "drastic", "harsh", and "reality" flowed from whitened faces and wide eyes. |
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| Five other sections of Drug Awareness Day awaited the solemn tenth graders: a presentation from both Narcotics and Alcoholics Anonymous, a Student Panel, a Mental Health and Addictions Counsellor, and a game of Jeopardy. A self-described "spiritual program", the Narcotics group brought up the definition of addiction. All agreed that addiction is more about the why than the what, an idea that was brought up again during the Alcoholics Anonymous presentation relating drug abuse to more than the physical nature of the problem. Right:
Peter Range, Annie Zurrer, Will
Philippson |
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| Further down the newly converted Science wing an intimate ring of chairs was set up. Here, Matt Clever, Julian Snellgrove, and Molly Barker talked with their only-slightly-younger audience about experiences in the dark alley of drugs and drug related conflicts. The enthusiastic response to this section, run by peers and, as one student said, by role models, made the Student Panel a success. Taking a different look on the issue was the Addictions Counsellor that spoke about the organ stress and related diseases that often accompany drug abuse. Red flags for the observer (changes in behaviour, distorted sleeping, eating, and concentration patterns) were discussed as well as drugs and possible complications. The open nature of the speaker allowed for a free exchange of questions throughout the presentation that students both enjoyed and made good use of. |
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More light-hearted in essence than the previous stations, Jeopardy was equally informative. Here students competed in teams to answer, game show style, a range of questions. As on TV, movies and pictures were set up by the SPARC members involved for the entertainment and education of the audience. As always, the drunk goggles were a huge hit, causing bursts of laughter as the chosen victim staggered down an aisle to throw a ball at the target. To end the day, a personal story was shared by Joan Parsons, an active advocate in the prevention of drunk driving crashes. To say her story is sad would be an understatement, as even the least sensitive of the tenth graders left the room with a newly gained awareness of the seconds it takes for a life to change forever. |
| Although the hall has since been returned to the Science teachers and the horde of students that pack down there daily, the array of emotions that traveled through each Drug Awareness Day participant, from fear, to grief, to interest, to mirth, remained with the students. As Constable Thain said, the police are "winning the battle" in an undefinable war and so Saturday was a conference to keep Brentwood students from being soldiers on the losing side. Prevention, as all educators believe, is always more successful than discipline. Article
by:
Andrea Norlund (Grade 11) |
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Inhale....Exhale....Yoga has proven to be one of the most popular activities at Brentwood this term. This oversized class is made up of 30 girls, who, under the leadership and expertise of yoga instructor Ms. Katherine Mikes, are becoming yoga believers! The word yoga comes from the sanskrit word, yuj, meaning to yoke or bind and is often interpreted as a "union" or a method of discipline. It is estimated that certain civilizations have been practicing yoga for over 2000 years. The yoga sutra is a collection of 195 statements that serves as a philosophical guidebook for most of the yoga that is practiced today. At school, the girls practise yoga in the spacious, empty, old auditorium three times a week. Each lesson includes a number of versatile stretches and poses that aim to gradually increase one's flexibility and strengthen the muscles. The girls also practice a series of relaxation routines and stretches after each lesson, which are so effective that they have actually put people to sleep on their yoga mats. The most practised poses in the class to date have been the down dog pose, the warrior poses, the cobra poses and the lunging poses. Ms. Mikes adds new poses to each class to increase the difficulty level as the girls slowly become stronger and more flexible. This is Ms. Mikes second year of teaching the course but she has been practising the art of yoga for many years now. She believes the aim of yoga is to combine flexibility and muscle strengthening with inner calm and relaxation. She also believes that we should be able to take what we learn from yoga and apply it to our everyday lives so that we can remain relaxed at school or at work. For those of you who are under the impression that yoga is easy, you are very much mistaken! Yogis may appear to be hardly moving, and |
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making sloth-like transitions from one pose to the next, but yoga is a very challenging activity that would make anyone sweat. This is one of the reasons why yoga is so popular. It provides realistic yet challenging exercises that get the blood moving and the heart beating, but by the end of the session, the adherent feels completely relaxed and comfortable. You cannot put a price on the kind of relaxation one feels after an hour-and-a-half of yoga, a feeling that brings Brentonian girls crawling back each week for more. To all the yogis out there, keep up the good work and namaste! Story and pictures by: Amy Weinberg (Grade 12) |
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“Well,
we all have to do projects…” The tied and topless Colin Scott
explained minutes before his last pre-show practice, “ I decided
to make mine this concert.” |
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 Matt Clever, just one of the helpful theatre production students working behind the scenes |
So how do they make it a real concert? Make people pay admission, of course. But Colin can’t get a good mark and make profit, no matter how well Strong Feet (the student band) or Staff Infection (the staff band…shockingly) performed, so all of the money the student body paid for admission went to the Tsunami Relief fund. “It just seemed like a good thing to do,” Colin confessed. The concert earned over $650 in all, and the band seemed quite impressed by it. “These guys are getting to live the dream.” Mr Nichols commented as he waited for the band to finish their practice so that Staff Infection could run through their songs. Colin went to Mr. Clayton Johnston, having seen the staff band perform at last years Java Hut, asking if he would help. Mr. Johnston was enthusiastic, and so Thursday night became not only Strong Feet’s première but yet another performance by Staff Infection. |
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the ground breaking performance? It was an event to be reckoned with.
The fog machine churned forth vapour that caught every hue the lights
projected across the stage, and each speaker was crisp and clean. Strong
Feet, consisting of Averill Kuhns (Grade 9) on bass and guitar, Peter
Range (10) on bass and guitar, Mitch Sato (12) on guitar, Colin Scott
(10) on drums, and, of course Ken Ukrainec (12) and his magnificent vocals,
premiered with 3 songs, including Panama originally by Van Halen. As the
band strolled off Ken introduced, to the abundant applause of the fans,
Staff Infection. A physics teacher, two humanities teachers, and technical
wizard took the stage. The band is no stranger to Brentwood, with Garth
Nichols on drums, Dewi Griffiths on bass, Clayton Johnston on Guitar,
and Rick Rodrigues on vocals, so they had to work extra hard to keep up
their sterling reputation. |
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Opening with Where the Streets have no Names, by U2, and closing 3 songs later with Jet’s Are You Going to Be My Girl, they exited the stage to copious applause and a steady, but unsuccessful, chant of “encore”. An exciting Thursday night for Mill Bay, let alone Brentwood, and hopefully one that will not wait long to be repeated. Both bands are expected to thrill the student body again at this year's Java Hut. So all you die-hard Strong Feet and Staff Infection fans, do not fret, there will be an encore. Story and Pictures by: Sydney Black (Grade 12) |
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While students and staff prepared for exams last term, a handful of senior art students faced an additional challenge: compiling a portfolio most favourably reflective of artistic skill and character to present at National Portfolio Day. The Emily Carr Institute and 17 participating schools (Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, San Francisco Art Institute, Concordia University, etc.) host the event annually for students applying to post-secondary Visual Arts programs. Brentwood students Sarah Williams, Julia Robinson, Maggie Chang, Taryn Bodrug, Barclay Martin, Chris Wingfield, and Ms. Jessica Boesel ventured to Vancouver on a brief, rainy, trip, which unfortunately necessitated Snow Ball dates to be canceled for the sake of art. Representatives from each school set up in classrooms to meet student artists, view portfolios, and offer guidance and criticism for five to twenty minutes per critique. Line-ups of keen artists, which had begun forming at 5am and coiled throughout the institute, enabled prospective students to meet, but made it virtually impossible to benefit from more than two critiques. Nervously calm students sneaked glimpses of peers presenting portfolios and radiated anxious anticipation reminiscent of American Idol. Having traveled from as far away as Seattle and Vernon, students lugged an array of portfolios; from standard professional portfolios to makeshift ones including wheelbarrows and trolleys. Brentwood’s rustic cardboard portfolios evidently stood out in content — students received helpful advice on further developing a body of art work, and two were honoured with internal advice on attaining scholarships on site and even via follow-up emails. The artists arrived back at Brentwood to the excitement of Snow Ball and a few more hours of diversion from exam frenzy. Jessica
Boesel |
 Sarah Williams, Taryn Bodrug, Jessica Boesel, Julia Robinson and Maggie Chang |
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 Geoff Friderichs and Megan Jackson |
“Be it resolved that the developed world forgive the debt of the developing world.” This year's annual Interhouse debate started off with a yelp. Many debaters and non-debaters alike were intimidated by the controversial resolution — no-one was getting off easy. Both negative and affirmative sides had to do in-depth research while questioning their own moral motivation. Putting their own opinions aside, debaters had to embrace the point of view thrust upon them. To prepare, Ellis House had a night-time rendezvous, while Privett desperately searched the grounds for support. Everyone was anxious to spend their fifth class of the day witnessing their peers pick each other apart. |
 Jennifer Mann and Sammy Hull |
| Ellis
seemed to be this years favourite, with many experienced and intimidating
speakers. They had been confident of this win since September. Plus, with
the current standings in this year's Interhouse results so close, every
point counted. Many Grade 12's were seen roaming the campus in search of
persuasive juniors that could hold their own.
The showcase debate, held in the T. Gil Bunch Centre, created a formal and daunting atmosphere. Noah McColl and Cerisse Stephens, representing Ellis, found their previous debating experience extremely helpful in their defeat of Roger's Fred Zenker and Sydney Black. Although the theatre was full of students, not a sound could be heard, other than the dramatic arguments of the students on stage. Being on stage in front of one's peers is probably one of the most unnerving experiences an adolescent can have. We can look back fondly or cringe and hide. All students participating in this year's debate did a fantastic job in preparing, presenting and attempting to persuade the judges. If preparation is any indication of who should have won, then Ellis were most certainly deserving in their achievement. Article
by: Jennalee
Desjardins (Grade 12) |
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 Jacob Robinson and Sam Reynolds |
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 Alison Gillespie and Ria Parks |
 Will Philippson and Richard Corkal |
 Ashley Van Order and Simon Murray |
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On Saturday night, the biggest event of the year took place in the Mackenzie House common room. The venue was packed, the crowds were ruthless and the contestants were ready to sing their hearts out, regardless of whether they would make it to the next round or not. The array of judges, each sitting behind a can of pepsi at the judges table, looked quite intimidating: Mrs. Flynn in her pink feather boa, assisted by others including Ms. Boesel, Ms. Peters and friend and Ms. Mikes, all of whom made an excellent team as they critiqued and announced who was "heading to Hollywood" and who had not quite made the cut. There was country, there were oldies, rap, The Spice Girls (questionably categorised as music!) and much, much more. Boys and girls watched as the acts were carried out with conviction, some with humour and some in complete seriousness. Audiences watched as contestants squealed with glee at moving on to the next round, or left with heads hung low after being shut down. All in all, it was a very realistic replica of the real thing. But no, for the audience, Mackenzie Idol was the real thing. A date has yet to be set for round two, but for now those orange slips given to the first group of winners will be hung in frames on dorm room walls until the time comes to present them for the second round. I'll be there... will you? Story
and Pictures by:
Ellen Kutscher (Grade 12) |
 Katie Jackman and Claire Dickens |
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Judge
Rachel Peters welcomes the crowds and contestants |
Star
struck
Buttercup Girls: Keira Haddow, Rosie Pavely, Ariana Vito and Amanda Pederson |
The
Spice Girls: Claire Dickens, Katie Jackman, Berit Anderson and
Rachel Miller |
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Last Saturday night, the Duncan Lanes were crawling with Mackenzie House girls and their guests who, with the help of their lucky bowling shoes, threw more than a few strikes. Bowling balls were flying and the pop was flowing freely as everyone loosened their ties and got down to bowling business. Five- and ten-pin bowling and free pizza was served to each Mackenzie girl and her guest, as they bowled away the midnight hours. A swell time was had by all, and even the less bowling-inclined among the group admitted to having fun. Despite inexhaustible supplies of pizza and soda, everyone's inner energiser eventually dies, and by 1 a.m. even the most fiendish of bowlers was ready to re-board the buses and head back to the crackerjack town of Mill Bay. The night was a true example of cosmic bowling at its most extreme. Story and pictures by: Berit Anderson (Grade 12) |
 Jacquie Brown, Kauri Thornton, Mack Lee, Artom Katkoff, and Steve Pointon show off their bowling bulk |
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Carly
Turnbull and Kim Benda dressed to impress in their bowling best |
Noah
Stevens, Meghan Mcguigan, Johnny Toews
and Richelle Daves feel the magic of their lucky
bowling shoes |
Amanda
Munsell, Emma Hsu, |
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The majority of students at the school have homes scattered around the globe. In our 'Home From Home' series, we invite students from diverse backgrounds to give some details of their home away from Brentwood. I have been living overseas since the age of five; my most recent home being in the south-eastern part of Indonesia, on an island called Sumbawa. My father works at a big U.S. gold mine. I live in a compound that you need a badge to get in and out of. This concept is difficult for some to understand, but I have simply adapted to it as a way of life. Though Sumbawa is over-ridden by monkeys, snakes and bugs, the foreign North American inhabitants have attempted to make Indonesia seem like the traditional North American town. There is now a swimming pool, baseball field, international school and traffic lights on this traditional Indonesian Island. |
 The Indonesian contingent: Jennalee (Grade 12) and Dan Desjardins (Grade 10), Akiko Ogawa (a Shawnigan Lake School student) and Rona Mitchell (Grade 8) |
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Although “Didn’t you get hit by that earthquake-wave thing?” can get tiresome after the hundredth time of asking, I still think that I am really lucky to live in such a cool place. One of the best parts about living in Indonesia must be the environment. How many Canadians can say that the coldest it has been on their porch in the last ten years is 18 degrees Celsius (which happened to be at four in the morning)? And how many Canadians went to the beach to go for a picnic and boogie-boarding trip on Christmas Day, never leaving their local area? The concept of me coming to Brentwood was brought upon me by my parents, who thought I was having a tough time being the only kid in my grade for the second year in a row. So after grade seven, I packed up my bags and was dropped off on the Mackenzie House doorstep. I have definitely enjoyed my first term here at Brentwood, and hope to return next year. Story by: Rona Mitchell (Grade 8) |
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Pictures by: Jennalee Desjardins (Grade 12) |
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Flouting class convention, Mr. Maclean took his Art History 12 students up to the local Serious Coffee outlet for a scholarly discussion. In the midst of hot chocolate, coffee, grilled panini, books on medieval art, and comfortable leather couches, Gero's crucifix and Cologne Cathedral received appropriate reverence. The coffee house buzz of cappuccino makers and talk contributed to the intimate setting that enclosed the small group. Productive debate and comments drifted from the area sparked as much by the subject as the change in atmosphere. Saturday afternoons will never be the same. Story and pictures by: Andrea Norlund (Grade 11) |
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Squash is certainly not as high profile as other sports at Brentwood: rarely, if ever, do you hear of how a squash team has flipped their boat and been towed to shore, or how, in the final few seconds of a match, an athlete has broken multiple bones while he prevented the game winning try. Nonetheless, dry and unbroken, squash players enjoy their sport. Over the past weekend, as the snow began to melt, fifteen players from Brentwood packed up for a three day tournament in Victoria. Before they could go, of course, they required extensive mental preparation. Nights spent lying awake practicing yoga and planning their games were a small price to pay for the glory that awaited them. Unfortunately, as those readers still wondering who is on the squash team will have |
Grace Fok prepares a killer backhand |
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realised, these players were sadly mistaken as to the glory to be had. The lure of squash lies not in glory, but in a sheer love of the sport: in that area, if not in name recognition, squash players can compete with the best in any field. In the tournament, games were played against competitors from Shawnigan Lake School and the Victoria area. Andrew Blackmore placed second in his category, while Nicholas Chesterley and David Yeon, playing in the U19 B division, placed third and fifth respectively. Other players also distinguished themselves, including Grace Fok, James Haberman, Scott Duxbury, and Kaz Kurosawa. What next for these excellent, if unknown, athletes? They can but wait until their next competition. Until then, if you see them wandering the campus, no longer will you have to wonder what physically and mentally demanding sport they enjoy: you can congratulate them on a game well played. Story
and pictures by:
Nicholas Chesterley (Grade 11) |
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Senior Boys The Senior Boys Basketball team is still undefeated after beating Gulf Islands secondary on Tuesday of last week, 76-72 in a hard fought battle. Leading scorer of the game was Julian Snellgrove with 29 points. Ben Felix had a superb performance achieving a double-double and getting some key blocks down the stretch. The team is off to a tournament in Nanaimo on Friday with a chance to play the top team in the province. On Tuesday night, the senior boys team remained undefeated in league play, beating Gulf Islands 56-47. Ben Felix had 19 points and 18 rebounds, Julian Snellgrove had 18 points and 9 rebounds, Garett Graeme had 10 points and 2 rebounds. Clayton Johnston |
| Senior Girls Thursday
13th January: first game of the season, an exhibition game against Shawnigan
Lake School. Friday
14th January: ISA Tournament. The tournament featured an excellent performance by Chelsea Altice and Rachel Miller, and noticeable improvement by the entire team over the course of the weekend!!! Marlee Hahn |
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Pictures by: Adria Hahn |
