GRADUATION DINNER AND DANCE

Although the celebrations may be slightly premature, the graduation dinner and dance for the class of 2005 was held last Saturday over the mid-term break. The Bayshore Hotel was the perfect venue for a night of formal festivities and frolic. With rented tuxedos and original dresses, the grad class cleaned up rather well! Though cringing at the endless flashes of cameras, stiff collars, and too-tight high heels, smiles of polished faces recoiled in shock at the transformation of close friends. Accompanied by oodles of relatives and friends, the procession of grads flocked into the familiar gatherings of friends of the years gone by.

Between the sumptuous meal and the house photographs, the comedic routines of Mr. Paul Collis and Ken Ukrainec occupied the microphone. Using fictional anecdotes of several grads, Mr. Collis kept everyone hanging on his words and choking on their steak. Included was a quirky little number, 'Bye Bye Grads', 'with full accompaniment. In response, Grad President Ken Ukrainec expressed gratitude to parents, families and Brentwood staff, and entertained the audience with some witty stories.

The most musically talented students of Brentwood’s grad class then had the chance to strut their stuff in a cabaret performance. Grace Fok played a classical piece on the piano, followed by Mitch Sato and Marguerite Thompson with a pretty little ditty. Mitch then went on to perform a solo guitar piece, jazzing up the night, hypnotizing everyone with his fast fingers. To conclude, Ken Ukrainec, Ellen Kutscher, Steph Gatzionis and Amy Weinberg – Brentwood’s fantastic four – harmonized their own rendition of The Supreme’s “Ain’t No Mountain”.

Finally, the highly anticipated grad class video, directed, produced and filmed by Gilly Milne filled the giant screen. Grads immediately hustled for a better view,

sitting cross-legged on the dance floor, anxious to see themselves immortalised in a few seconds of film. The snickers and giggles as the video got underway was reminiscent of the easy-going days of pre-school. Those days are gone now and with only a month left in the Brentonian section of the Grads' lives... they sigh, but for a few moments the pressure of work, examinations, and school routine faded away as the Bayshore doors closed behind them.

Story by: Jennalee Desjardins (Grade 12)

NAPOLEON WAS DYNAMITE!

On Monday afternoon, a group of junior drama students, under the direction of Ms. Susan Quinton, put on a very special production for the students and staff on the T. Gil Bunch stage. Napoleon Dynamite, the dynamic, unusual, but hilarious underground film that was released earlier this year, rapidly became a success after its arrival on the “new release” shelves and had every teenager for miles around talking. The film tells the story of the high school trials and tribulations of Napoleon Dynamite, social outcast, loner and oddball, who lives in a small time-warped desert town somewhere in the States. The characters are unusual, yet so real, that there were doubts beforehand whether or not our Brentonian actors would be able to capture the essence of each character and of the film itself. During the performance, however, everyone breathed a sigh of relief; the young actors spectacularly replicated the story and effectively captured each character, almost to perfection. This was, no doubt, thanks to director Ms. Quinton, who reportedly watched the film fifteen times and wrote out the script herself.

Of noted excellence also, was Ellis House’s Mark Aylward Nally, whose captivating performance as Napoleon had the audience in constant laughter, particularly during some of the story’s most well-loved scenes; Napoleon’s phone call home for his chap stick, his performance of “The Rose” with the Happy Hands Club, not to mention his famous dance finale to Jamiroquai’s “Just Dance” at the end of the play.

There were also cameo appearances by Mr. Clayton Johnson and even Ms. Quinton herself, who played Napoleon’s grandmother. Those who doubted the talent of these young Brentonian actors were certainly proved wrong after Monday’s side-splitting performance that left everyone present completely enamoured of its characters.

Story by: Amy Weinberg (Grade 12)

Cast

Napoleon - Mark Aylward Nally
Summer - Sarah Bell-Etkin
Trisha - Brynne Clark
Kip - Oliver (Loggs) Dickinson
Uncle Rico - Larson Grimm
Lafawnduh and Trisha's mom - Jenn Mann
Deb - Caroline McLean
Pedro - Up Saksanguanmanoon
Bullies - Matt Kay, Alex Milligan
Happy Hands members - Emily Woods, Bridget Scott
K id - Matt Lin
Principal- Mr. Johnston
Grandma - Mrs Quinton

Production Team

Director/Producer - Mrs. Susan Quinton
Technical Director - Don Armitage
Visual Projections - Mr. Darryl Pavitt and Nathan Cheng
Stage Manager - Candace Creighton
Lights - Nick Corey
Sound - Ophelia Chua
Stage Crew - Julian Schleicher, Matt Van der Lee
Dance Instructors - Amy Quinton, Gaylan Johnson

A TRIP TO MAKE ONE SHUTTER

Last Thursday, while most Brentwood students were still enjoying leisurely dinners in the cafe or lounging on the lawn of the plaza, basking in the glowing novelty of the early summer's day, ten select Grade 12 students were preparing to embark on a creative adventure into the depths of Washington state. Led by Photography Instructor Paul Fletcher, the group spent three intensive days on Bainbridge Island at the home of Karen and Randy Wingfield, who not only generously donated their home as the base camp of this digital photography bonanza, but provided the group with a studio in which to explore their artsy sides as well as state-of-the-art photo equipment including digital still and video cameras, a wave table, film editing software, and lighting equipment for the masses.

The group worked a grueling eight hours a day to develop their own personal photography portfolios, shooting footage of friends, and visually stimulating objects. Projects ranged from films about the routine of everyday life and love to still image portfolios, and everyone came away with a DVD of their own work, which they created through many careful hours of editing using programs such as iDVD and iMovie. Despite a hectic schedule and intense periods of artistic creation, the group still found time for a few photographic festivities, including a celebratory dinner, during which birthday boy Mr. Fletcher was serenaded by his students as they sang an original

birthday composition entitled, “10 Reasons Why We Like You”. They also enjoyed a private screening of Finding Neverland in an outdoor theater setting created by Mr. Wingfield exclusively for the event, and scaled the heights of Vertical World, a local climbing gym.

At the end of the three days, the students returned to campus, physically exhausted from commitment to their craft, yet brimming with the camaraderie of a group which took part in character-building experiences and emerged victorious, bearing a plethora of compositional achievement. There was, perhaps, one drawback to such a focused and productive excursion — one member of the expedition was overheard complaining about his/her sore shutter finger!

Story by: Berit Anderson (Grade 12)

FUTURE BIOLOGISTS

In accordance with Brentwood tradition, this year’s Biology 11 AP classes followed the footsteps of past classes down to the labs of the University of Victoria. As the sun shone outside, baking the green grass, students gathered inside around cool buckets of ice, a material in the first of the two lab exercises.

Although the labs demonstrated ideas important to the completion of the genetics unit, insight into the laboratory process and environment were also gained.

The professor awed the students with both her in depth explanations as well as her correct pronunciation of several complex bacteria names.To conclude the session and share the results, she will arrive at Brentwood on Tuesday.

This trip gave students an opportunity to explore the U-Vic campus and practice accuracy and steady hands, two requirements for future labs. The stop for ice-cream on the hot bus ride back to school was another highlight of the eventful day!

Story and picture by: Andrea Norlund (Grade 11)

FABRICATIONS III

The winners and runners-up of the third term Fabrications competition were announced at the Thursday school assembly. Writers were asked to take their inspiration for prose or poetry from the many pieces of student art work that are on display throughout the W.T. Ross Academic Centre. The winners are shown below.

HOUSE OF GREEN

To the farthest reaches of the jungle, did these brave explorers go. Without fear or caution, they endured the harshest deprivations nature could offer, risking life and limb to the fiercest of predators. The looming threat of animal attack could not deter these hardy young men.

What, then was their quest? To camp, for a single night, on Portland Island. The terrors of this island, located about five miles from Brentwood, served to scare away most of the cowardly seniors, and in the end a group of ten juniors, two seniors, Mr. Rose, and Mr. McCarthy boated to the island. Ellis House, enjoying the bright weather, had decided to spend their weekend camping.

Landing on the island, the group encountered several fellow campers, also preparing to enjoy the weather. They were reassured that the fiercest, and only, predator on the island was the Anopheles, or common mosquito. Reassured, the group pitched their tents, opened their cafeteria-packed boxes of food and settled down for some serious eating. As the evening progressed however, the mosquitoes became more and more threatening, prompting a flight into the tents for some indoor games. Green as it may be, the mosquitoes certainly found the students’ blood red enough.

The morning after, the group decided to indulge in some of the hair of the dog that bit them, roasting and eating a few more smores. After playing a few more outdoor games, they sent off the first group to return to Brentwood aboard the sturdy Hardie. An hour and a half later, the first group completed the fifteen-minute boat ride to Brentwood, cursing a malfunctioning engine the entire way. After some minor repairs, the Hardie, piloted by Magnus Gibson and Matt Friderichs, returned to the island to pick up the final few. Fortunately, fun was had by all, and now, after spending a few days recovering from the sunburns, the camping can begin again!

Story and pictures by: Nick Chesterley (Grade 11)

JAZZ ENSEMBLE

Over the mid-term break, Brentwood's Large Jazz Ensemble joined 117 jazz groups from across Canada at the national festival, MusicFest Canada, which this year took place in Richmond, BC. To qualify, all groups had to have achieved a Gold rating from a provincial festival, which Brentwood earned this April at the West Coast Jazz Fest in Nanaimo.

Gord Clements (Instructor: Instrumental Music)

RHYTHMS

HOT HOT HEAT

The sun comes out, baking the air as thick as the cafeteria chowder, scaring away pant legs, blushing the shoulders and melting the sanity; welcome to spring on Vancouver Island! It has been a hot, humid week here at Brentwood, and though we have previously complained of showers, snowstorms and cold, the heat is not completely welcomed by all.

While bikini tops and swim trunks dot the sports fields for the waning afternoon sun, the heat becomes almost unbearable at night. And, despite the practicality of the short shorts and halter

Whiskey Point in all its glory

tops in this heat, certain teachers just may insist you don the proper uniform to class. And while Mr. Collis, with his flexible and fantastical wardrobe, may be able to weather a day spent in the old academic block, us mere mortal students cannot. So how do students cope when their rocky landscape seems to be on the verge of reverting back to lava?

Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink. Well we are not in the same boat as the ancient mariner (luckily) and many beat the heat with hydration. Nalgenes and Evian bottles glisten in the hands of those whose brows are wet but tongues are not. And, in the words of last year’s valedictorian Daniel Hinks, we have the largest swimming pool in the world. The waterfront is the ideal place for overheated students to submerge themselves in the cool, some may say

cold, waters of the Pacific. And that blue body never looks quite as delicious as it does from Mr. Crossley’s classroom as the fifth block class slogs on.

And dress code! How could we ever forget the dress code? Students have invented unique ways of keeping cool while keeping safe from Mr. Felix’s dress inspection eyes. The girls have the blessing of their kilts which, as the boys learn on crossover day, help to cope with the heat. The boys have to endure their dress pants, however, which have been rolled and even stapled up to cool down those calves. Some of the more ingenious boys have even modified their dress shirts, removing their sleeves to keep them from being stifled under their blazers. They keep the cuffs of course; we must keep up appearances!

While the steamy nights and excruciatingly humid days may be dragging some people down, most are adapting and, dare I say it, warming up to our new temperatures.

Story by: Sydney Black (Grade 12)
Pictures by: Marlee Hahn (Grade 12)

Mr. Johnston and Mitch Sato rocking out

NEW OUTDOOR BASKETBALL COURT

Last Thursday, students and staff left the school assembly on a gorgeous, sunny morning to witness the opening of Brentwood's first outdoor basketball court, located by the side of Gillespie field between Rogers and Ellis Houses. The project was funded by donations and completed in an extraordinarily short time given that the construction was not in the budget at the beginning of the year. Opening shots and baskets were thrown by Garrett Graham, Noah Stevens and Lenutsa Reid, outfitted in Number One uniform and basketball shoes. A special basket was made (after much prodding) by Head of School Mrs. Andrea Pennells, making for a great opening of a court which will be very well used.

SENIOR GIRLS

Well folks, they did it again! The girls 1st XV rugby team is, for the second year in a row, Tier 2 Provincial Champions. The victory was by no means easy, but the team persevered against much larger schools and their spirit carried them through. Their courage was tested every minute on the field, and the pride they feel today was well earned.

For a full account of the Provincial Championships games, please see Repeat Champions!

Game 7 vs Cindy Collison’s team – Loss: 0-1 (May 31)

After a very even game filled with excitement and great saves at both ends, we are still searching for our first win of the season. Wayne Newman kept us alive with his brilliant (and timely) saves and we had chances from the forward right up to the end of the game. Special thanks to Pat Johnston, Nick Biedermann, Sonya Rokosh and Katherine Higginson who filled in for the players who were on the Commendee outing (not to mention a BIG thanks for those who decided to stay and play field hockey instead of taking the trip to Victoria!!). Our sights now turn to a make-up game this Thursday (June 2) afternoon against Shawnigan.

Rachel Peters

Three Brentwood students have been named to the Baden Cup try-outs to be held in Kelowna. Liz Cosulich (Grade 10), Megan Jackson and Stefanie Steinbrink Kelly (Grade 9) will be hoping to make the Baden Cup team and thus represent BC in the Lorne Sawula Cup. Given that this is an Under-16 event, Megan and Stephanie have done exceptionally well as they normally compete at the Under-15 level. With success at the national level, a possible trip to the World Championships next year could follow

The Brentwood tennis team set out last Wednesday evening to compete in the AA Provincial tournament held in Vancouver, from Thursday, May 26th, through to Saturday, May 28th. Last year, Brentwood won this tournament, and thus based on their standing as defending champions and this year's win at the Islands tournament, the team was looking expectantly at another gold medal. The Thursday and Friday matches (two per day) went perfectly; all the Brentwood players were at the top of their game thanks to spare time practice at the hotel tennis court. The Saturday final was against Mennonite Educational Institute, a team that kept a fairly low-profile last year, yet who recently acquired four national level players. Brentwood was defeated by MEI in a series of tough matches, but only Up Saksanguanmanoon and Larson Grimm managed to beat their opponents, an achievement that earned them an award for the best men’s double pair. Brentwood thus placed second in the Province, an impressive achievement by anyone’s standard. Head Coach Franco Biondo was overjoyed with the quality of the contributions made by every team member, and the players were more than happy with their three days off school spent playing sport and resting within the luxury of the Hilton Hotel! It was a fabulous way to end a strong season, and most of the team will be returning next year to enjoy (hopefully) another successful year.

Frances Candy (Grade 11)

T. GIL BUNCH CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Future presentations:

Pacific Institute of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts Concert

www.celticperformingarts.com, 250-758-0208, 1-866-301-2358

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