WEEKEND OF MUSIC

If anyone wanted to fill a musical gap in their lives, last weekend would have been the time to do it. In a series of four concerts over two days, the musical talent of many Brentwood students was on display for all to see. Ranging from classical to jazz and pop, audiences were stunned by the exceptional performances in strings, brass, voice, and piano. Under the direction of teachers John Williams, Gord Clements, Elizabeth MacIsaac, Ruth Williams and others, the students prepared the series of concerts for months, and all were well attended.

Friday and Saturday nights mainly featured soloists and the school's larger ensembles: Jr. and Sr. Concert and Jazz Bands, Jr. and Sr. Concert Choirs and the Jazz Choir. With help from local percussionist Kelby MacNayr, pianists Thomas Kinzel and Phil Newns and Brentwood's own guitarist, Grade 12 Mitch Sato (who is headed for the Berklee School of Music in Boston next year) along with soprano Marguerite Thompson, each group performed an exceptional set of numbers.

At the conclusion of the last concert on Saturday night, the Jazz choir and all music students bid a tearful goodbye to Director of Music, Mr. John Williams, as Head of School Mrs. Andrea Pennells introduced his successor, Mr. Phil Newns.

Many thanks to those who made these evenings and afternoons possible, they were much enjoyed by all.

Story by: Ellen Kutscher (Grade 12)

Note: all pictures taken on the Friday evening performance can be viewed on the Brentwood Photogallery

LIFE LESSONS

Imagine. You are a lifer, a national medallist rower, and a day student. You have just graduated. Your ‘real life’ is just beginning. Most adolescents have what is known as the personal fable. Our own uniqueness and invincibility consumes us. We are envied because we are at our peak, and it seems that nothing could bring us down. Then there are those experiences that will forever alter your life path. Those events that make you question your very existence. Snapped out of the delusions of that perfect life with just the slam of the car.

Last week’s assembly consisted of a unexpected visit from a former student of Brentwood. Chris Bayley (Grad of ’87) came to relay the exceptional sequence of events that happened to him immediately after his own graduation. Attending a local party, Chris took a ride home from another student and then was involved in an unfortunate car crash. “Crash,” he said, “not car accident; accidents are not preventable.” The irony of his situation, however, was that no substance was involved. “The causes of the crash were inexperience and speed.” Chris took us through his successful Brentwood career, then the crash and its repercussions. His injuries placed him near death, leaving him to question what had actually happened. After many reconstructive surgeries

Chris appeared healthy and happy. The only noticeable hint of the crash is on the left side of his face which has limited movement. He joked around with his half smile and the fact that his face looks angry when it isn't. But the poignant sadness arose when he shared the loss of the little things, like smiles in pictures.

Listening to his story hopefully brought a little bite of reality, especially into the perspective of the grad class. His casual manner and relatable story was eerie and relevant to everyone in the room. When life-changing events occur, they affect everyone who is remotely connected to that event, be it parents, teachers, friends or family. In a close knit community like Brentwood, these events send shockwaves though everyone. In raising the awareness of teenage vulnerability, hopefully Chris prevented possible future mistakes in the lives of everyone.

Story by: Jennalee Desjardins

THE ZAMBIAN WELLS

At Friday’s assembly last week, Mr. Richard Osler made a return visit to update the staff and students on the progress of our well construction in the Gwembe village of Zambia. During the past few months, our students were able to raise
over $10,000 in order to build two wells in the African village, with the help of The Colin Glassco Charitable Foundation for Children. Mr. Osler presented the school with a video (with commentary by Mr. Colin Glassco) showing the first of our two wells, dedicatory plaque and all, which has been dug beside the village school. Students saw the inside of the tiny school as well as the straw hut in which the headmaster lives. To the smiles of all, footage was also shown of the presentation of the Mackenzie House girls’ donated teddy bears to the children of Gwembe, as well as the Gwembe village soccer team,
adorned with our own Brentwood jerseys. Mr. Osler informed us that the village people, to show their sincerest gratitude, presented him with a chicken; a gift which, for a village that has struggled through continuous

Mr. Richard Osler

bouts of famine and disease, is the most generous of offerings. In addition, the ladies of the village sent Mr. Osler back with original African hand woven bowls, to be given to selected staff and students who were directly involved with organising the whole process. It should also be noted that our students were able to raise over $60,000 for various charities this year alone.

Story by: Amy Weinberg (Grade 12)

The school year is drawing to an end, bringing with its inevitably closing jaws the hope of sun-bleached days cooled with the icy brush of a cherry popsicle against one's ruby stained lips, the physical thrill of leaping sidelong, head over heels from the wooded banks of the lake and plunging into the spine-tickling depths, shrieking at the unexpected caress of bottom weed against one’s ankle. There’s no doubt about it—summer is the favourite time of year for students everywhere, as much for the weather as for the utter lack of responsibility and commitment. It stands in wait, a vast stretch of unmarked sun disrupted only by the occasional vacation plan.

In our great and unhurried perception of the summer as such a carefree time it’s easy for us to sometimes forget, surrounded as we are by such bounty and resources, those who cannot afford the luxury of fun packed summers such as we are accustomed to. It is in tribute to such families that the Grade 9's of Mackenzie house have for the past two summers sponsored a child’s summer camp experience at Camp Qwanoes. The camp is located on the east coast of Vancouver Island between Victoria and Nanaimo, and includes such hair-raising activities as water skiing, wakeboarding, rock climbing, a ropes course and even a zip line.

The tradition first started in the 2002-2003 school year when Nurse Decker, a regular duty staff member in Mackenzie House, looking for a way to help underprivileged local families came up with the idea of sponsoring a child’s summer at camp. In order to fund such an experience, the entire House bands together, each person donating about eight dollars to the cause. The money raised pays for the child’s tuition at camp as well as any necessary supplies for the summer such as swimsuits, and towels. This year, Mackenzie House is sponsoring a thirteen year old boy from the local Cowichan area, with a single mother. Although the girls do not have much information about him (in an effort to protect his privacy), he is said to chomping at the bit for his weeklong venture into the world of summer camp. And that should make the girls of Mackenzie House feel good.

Story and pictures by: Berit Anderson, Grade 12

THE WAR OF THE CLASSES

Taking a break from the usual routine, Mr. Collis’ 2003-2004 Grade 11 class and his current 2004-2005 class met at his house on Sunday to battle for the English Class title. It was a day of so-so weather, competition, and veggie burgers.
Warming up on the tetherball court or at the snack food table as some preferred, the two teams moved into the yard for Botchy Ball. Overcoming the challenging conditions of a slanted surface and long grass, the Grade 11’s were the victors.

The “Cups” Game, consisting of cups set upon upright posts, signaled the start of the second round. The goal of the opposing team is to either send a frisbee through the posts or knock the cup off a post. Aided by the highly skilled Toby Collis, the 12’s took the point for this game.

Moving inside, the two teams assembled to face off during the music round. Star Players Marlee Hahn and Barclay Martin stole the show and set the 12’s into the lead. Not to be outdone, the 11’s pulled the team together for Charades and tied up the competition.

The last and final game awaited on the driveway. To win this round, each team had to create an original Haiku to be judged by Toby Collis. Straight from Corey Ranger’s imagination came the inspiration for the poem:

Candy is sweet
Toby is neat;
Mr. Collis won’t let him eat meat!

That won the championship for the 11’s.
As 6:00 pm rolled around, screaming students engaged in defensive tactics to evade Toby’s water gun and simultaneously pose for pictures then jumped aboard the bus. The English Class Title has been handed down to the 2004-2005 class – let’s see how long they hold it!

Story and pictures by: Andrea Norlund (Grade 11)

The host - Mr. Collis

DE MANU IN MANUM

Dr. Andrew Gillespie and Dr. Fergus Macdowall, distinguished members of the Class of 1942, were special guests at the school assembly last Thursday, together with Andrew’s wife, Betty. Both Andrew and Fergus were members of their Brentwood 1st XV and both shared a particular passion for track and field, both at Brentwood and during their university careers. Indeed, Fergus became the Canadian Intercollegiate Champion, and was a Men’s Canadian Open Track and Field gold medallist, while Andrew became the Canadian intercollegiate 880 yards champion from 1945 to 1947, and was a gold medallist of the Men’s 880 yards Canadian Open Track and Field Championships, when competing for McGill University in 1946-1947.

Picture credit: Gerry Pennells

The guests jointly presented Brentwood College with the Gillespie-Macdowall Cups for Senior Boys and Girls 4 x 400m. Dr. Gillespie also presented the school with the Andrew Gillespie cups for Senior Boys and Girls 800m. Andrew and Fergus have done so in the hope that their dedication to sport and success in both athletic competition and professional pursuits will inspire today’s Brentonians. These men have been close friends since kindergarten. They are Canadian athletes, scholars and scientific men of great distinction. We are proud to call them Brentonians and immensely grateful to them for continuing, de manu in manum, to remember their alma mater.

John Allpress

GROUP PHOTOGRAPHS

All Houses gathered to have their pictures taken last week, some in formal and others in not so formal poses.
The more conservative results can be purchased in the School Store. Those below can be viewed in the tabloid press.

STRONG, STRONGER, STRONGEST!

They are the strong. They are those who will risk all to perform a new feat of strength, to scale a new height of endurance. They are those who participate in Mr. Norman’s Strong Person Competition.

On Sunday, nine individuals, four women and five men, competed against their gender for the title of strongest person. Events like stair climb lift, tire throw, tire flipping, and rock lifting were run to see who could lift the heaviest rock and flip tires the greatest number of times in a minute.

Due to the numbers, juniors and seniors competed against each other in the male category. The results seemed to argue that this joining was unfair, with both junior boys coming in first and second, while the seniors trailed behind! Cam Gilham and Sebastion Kallos, both having just returned from St. Catharines where they earned two gold medals each at the National Rowing Championships, managed to tie for first overall. Even in the tiebreaker round, when Cam and Sebastion pulled Mr. Norman’s van a set distance, hoping to beat each other’s time, the difference was only .4 of a second, small enough that the event, and the competition, was declared a tie.

The girls, too, competed fiercely for first. The four of them struggled to move rocks and throw tires, yet attempted to do so with somewhat more grace than the guys, with some limited success, as can be seen with Hanako Okano. In the end, first place was claimed by Ashley van Order, with a close second by Molly Barker. To truly understand the magnitude of their feats, we must only examine the pictures.

Story and pictures by: Nicolas Chesterley (Grade 11)

TRACK AND FIELD DAY

Gillespie field was dressed to the nines this last week; freshly manicured with the flashy French tips to boot. The sand pit was exposed and well raked, and perfect circles were painted on the soccer field. These signs could mean only one thing. Sophisticated alien evolution from traditional crop vandalism? No. The Grad Class moving their pranks away from the rowing house? Never. Interhouse Track and Field Day? Priceless…I mean…yes, it was the Interhouse track and field day.

Track and field is two glorious days of athleticism and solidarity. On Tuesday afternoon, despite the threatening rain, each category, senior, intermediate and junior, had three events to compete.

Thursday, however, was when things really got going, whether you were warming the non-existent benches, supporting or competing. The events started at 2:00 and wound down with the relays at around 5:30, with barbeques hosted by Ellis, Privett, and Rogers in honour of their athletes.

This interhouse event brings out the best in all students; the best organisation attempts, the best runners on the track, the best arms in the field, the best excuses why you can’t run in the 400 m. OK, all jokes aside, it is track and field where the real mettle of a house becomes evident. You see the dedication of Marlee Hahn and Gigi McQueen as they run race after race in the name of the bull; the support of the Rogers boys as they got out there and cheered Amy Howlett and Molly Barker on for all eight of their laps on Tuesday; the determination of Ellis as Noah McColl and Sarah Laird sprint their last 100 meters; the desperation of Darren Tardif as he tries to make up for the small Privett contingent. The track and field days ring in the end of this year’s sports program. The entire school out supporting and cheering each other on in the friendly, yet competitive, interhouse spirit, congratulating the person in eighth as earnestly as the one in first; camaraderie and sportsmanship, what a way to go.

Story by: Sydney Black (Grade 12)
Pictures by: Gerry Pennells

Note: the results for all events showing competitors, times, places, etc. can be seen on the Track and Field page

All pictures of the track meet can be seen on the Brentwood Photogallery

BRENTWOOD FLASHBACKS

As the school year enters its final month — the, in turn, hated and beloved June — conversations reflect on the past nine months. Events, a surprising number generated by the school, are remembered fondly with smiles and laughs. With the beginning of exams now only days away, hopefully everyone can turn to their fondest memories and finish the year out with a smile.

Nathan Cowie: "Java Hut," with a nod of his head. "It's a lot of fun getting an act together."

Chris Macklam: "I can answer that in one word...Tofino!"

Mrs. Martin: "Mine's going to have a bias. It's definately a hockey memory. Maybe when the team was all together down at the beach."

Molly Barker: "My running club: me, Adam Reid, Sarah Laird, and Noah McColl. We all had nicknames and ty-dyed t-shirts together."

Tonia Medina: "The Lifers' Dinner. Being with the original Grade 8 class...seeing the movie..."

Tim Yen: "My roommate Up Sean, staying up late chatting, watching movies..."

Tristan Furbacher: "All the sports...even the Brentwood Regatta!"

Story and pictures by: Andrea Norlund (Grade 11)

The 1st XI field hockey girls at the Bridgman Cup.

Roommates Tim Yen and Up Saksanguanmanoon

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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