Run For the Cure
Local Environment Changes
The Gadget Generation
Back to the Jungle
Team Brentwood
The Bridgman Cup
Rogers Open House
Sports Results

RUNNING FOR THE CURE

Every week, over 400 women in Canada are diagnosed with breast cancer. It is estimated that in 2004, 40,000 women in the United States will die from this disease. And it isn’t just women who are affected, approximately 470 men will also die from it over the course of this year. These numbers are maybe one of the reasons why, this Sunday, many Brentwood students joined the ranks of men, women, children and even one purple princess, all doing their part in the fight against breast cancer. 131 Brentwood students, including every girl from Mackenzie House and the majority of Gwynneth, sacrificed their coveted Sunday morning sleep-in to participate. Maybe they did it because one in every eight women will get breast cancer. That means, theoretically, that 25 girls in this school will eventually fight this battle, a sobering thought for all. Almost every student at the run had someone to run for, some a grandmother, a mother, an aunt, and some even dedicated their 5 kilometres to Houseparent Mrs. Andrea Felix, a breast cancer survivor among us.

One student commented “It’s not just for women. It may be breast cancer, but advances in one field of cancer research will do nothing but better the chances of finding a cure for all kinds and saving more lives.” A mature and realistic view, there are cancer survivors who walk on our campus everyday. It’s why we do the Terry Fox run every year.The intention of this article is not to scare or depress, but to inspire. 131 students. That is something to be proud of. Collectively, the Brentwood participants raised over $1400, money that is now directly going towards breast cancer research. Just imagine what we can do next year!

A special set of thanks go out to Jacquie Brown, who spearheaded this event for the second year in a row with the eternal dedication and energy of Mrs. Felix. Thank you both for helping us help others.

Story by: Sydney Black (Grade 12)
Pictures by: Mike Flynn

LOGGING IN BRENTWOOD'S BACKYARD

"Turn right or left at the big tree!" used to be a familiar directional phrase to the Brentwood cross-country team, which prides itself in the beautiful, yet challenging runs they take every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Following this order on my first run with the team upon the commencement of the school year, I found myself heading up into the beautiful green hills above Mill Bay on the run dubbed "Rat Lake" (for the appropriately-named lake in the area). Barrelling out of the bushier part of the trail about an hour into the run, gasping for breath and what I thought was kilometres behind my team-mates, I was surprised to find them all standing in the middle of an open road, puzzling over huge stacks of freshly logged fir-trees downed across every path the group once would have followed — acres of them up and down the hillside all around us. There was no longer any "Big Tree" to help the runners determine their right or left turn on this once gorgeous run.

Warned of multiple logging trucks bearing heavy loads in the area during the week-days, our coaches had been cautious only to plan this run on the weekend, but were completely unaware of the extent of the recent logging — unaware of the fact that the frequently used and peaceful trails were gone.

Assistant cross-country coach and Brentwood Head of Catering Renée Wilson, who has been running and living in the area for twenty years described the newly logged area as previously being "Full of beautiful, shady and narrow pathways, like an enchanted forest." Ms. Wilson no longer feels comfortable running the area alone due to encroaching wildlife which are being driven out of their habitat, and the dangers of logging trucks. In her neighbourhood, there were more bear incidents reported last year than she can ever remember.

When I returned to the area recently on a foggy day to capture some of the images I'd seen on that first run, I ran into a couple walking their dog who told me they were frequent visitors to the area and had been for the past few years. The woman told me that the logging was worrisome and the rate at which it had expanded was shocking. She told me that in her local community there had even begun to be qualms about the safety of their water supply due to the effects of the logging.

The company handling the logging and property is Weyerhaeuser, which holds renewable, long-term licenses on 31.6 million acres (12.8 million hectares) of forest lands in five provinces and owns 664,000 acres (269,000 hectares). Specifically 750,000

hectares on Vancouver Island which run from the Victoria area all the way up to the northern end of the island (www.weyerheauser.com). Outlined in Weyerhaeuser's Sustainable Forestry Standards website is their policy of harvest at sustainable rates over the long term and promptly reforesting after harvesting by planting within the first available planting season, not to exceed twenty-four months, or by planned natural regeneration methods within five years or as provided in an applicable license. Although Weyerhaeuser supports positive methods for their practices, it is still noticeable just how close to home and abundant Vancouver Island's long-lasting main industry has become.

Story and Pictures by: Ellen Kutscher (Grade 12)

INSPECTOR OF GADGETS

Attention! If you didn’t already know, we are living in the age of technology where the machine truly is taking over. Evidence of this fact can be found across the Brentwood campus, where every dorm, classroom, and office show traces of the supersonic, the new and improved, the latest advances in the world of electronics.

What, then, are the most popular electronic gadgets being used on campus these days by students and teachers alike? Presently, it seems as if everyone owns a cellular phone, digital camera, and portable Discman. But because technology advances with lightning speed, these gizmos could almost be called “old news.” The typical cell phone is being replaced by the picture phone, the digital camera has become a pocket sized video recorder, and the discman has been overtaken by the mp3 player, or the even more recent iPod, a tiny rectangular music player, with some models holding up to 10,000 tracks.

Although there are still a few people who carry ghetto blasters around on their shoulders, the iPod has been sweeping the nation. Some say this is because it is small, convenient, adaptable and very easy to use. The price may cause some people to gasp (the latest edition costing over $400), but if you are a music downloader, the iPod is definitely for you. Once hooked up to the computer it soaks up songs like a sponge.

And if you are not using your computer to check your email, then you must be using your cell phone! Who would have thought of the internet 30 years ago, let alone wireless internet? You can check your email or text message a friend any time of the day, anywhere, if you have a cell phone. But the computer is still a very important tool, particularly for students. Almost all students now have their own computer/laptop, printer, and — in some cases — scanners in their dorms: a convenient

Kendra Floren with her laptop, DigiCam
and Discman

Gillian Milne, Celeste Kallos, and Jenny Johel
take the party line

way to achieve computer access whenever it is required. It is even possible these days to do away with the pen and the paper and take your laptop to class, take it on the bus or plane. Some may not like to admit it, but the machine is definitely taking over. And binders? They may become a thing of the past.

Story and Pictures by: Amy Weinberg (Grade 12)

BACK TO THE JUNGLE

It was a quiet afternoon in Bright Angel Park. The birds were happily chirping and the bees (and other winged, stinging creatures of similar bent) were buzzing. Yes, all was peaceful until the arrival of the notorious Alex House girls. Fresh from rigorous Saturday inspection and classes, the girls from Grades 8, 9, and the tiresome twelve's were ready to rampage through the forest.

It began with the simple task of setting up tents. It turned out to be more challenging than previously thought. Some girls were shocked by the size of the petite tents, knowing that six of them would be cramming in. Others were fortunate enough to be sleeping in a real-life circus tent; big enough to house amazing acts of insomnia.

Next up; the competition. The girls warmed up with a round of sardines in which Mary Nielson was able to lose herself in the trees in a matter of minutes. She was

quickly presumed lost, but managed to show up just in time for the next game. The game with no name turned the girls a little too easily back to their wild instincts. Brooke Browning and Caroline Philippson took on the role as the invincible cougars, hunting herbivores and carnivores, who were in turn running from each other, who were also searching for “food.” Gasp! Complicated, strategic, and downright grueling, one would think that the girls of Alex House would have had enough. But no, there was much more in store. An all-out war broke out between the blue and yellow teams in Capture the Bag. Both teams won a game and were rewarded with the most regal of toilet paper.

Finally, the traditional campfire. Everyone was greeted with s’mores, sing-a-longs and games. Scary stories were shared courtesy of Jane Griffel and Erin O’Shea, complete with sound effects, flashlights and creepy mask. Those with dramatic flair took their turn to perform in the game ‘Bus Stop,’ with highlights from Tonia Medina, Maggie Chang and Laura McLean.

Everyone returned safely the next morning, with nothing but bags under their eyes and distorted bodies from the hard ground. All in all, the trip was a success and a great chance for the girls to escape the Brentwood bubble and to experience a transportation into another dimension (a dimension in which Alex House was able to escape from the prim and proper image).

Story and pictures by: Jennalee Desjardins (Grade 12)

TEAM BRENTWOOD

All new students who enter Brentwood undergo a series of adjustments, but for boys in Grades 8 through 10, one of the most daunting is learning the game of rugby. All junior boys are required to play rugby in the first term, after which they are free to make their own choices in sports for the remainder of the year. For some, this is a chance to display their superior athletic skills and learn how to play a new sport they may enjoy for the rest of their life; for others, it isn’t. This is understood, and the students give rugby a fair chance, trying it and determining whether are not it is the sport for them. Those who enjoy it have various reasons for their affection: Derek King, member of the senior rugby team, loves rugby because he “enjoys the commitment and dedication it requires…if you aren’t 100% committed, you’ll fail.” This is, however, someone who truly enjoys the sport; if another student decides rugby is not their sport

of choice, once the term finishes, there is no need for them to play it again that year. As long as they approach the term with an open mind, they are accepted, and they can often learn valuable lessons from it.

Skill at rugby, though highly valued, is not the only skill that coaches attempt to develop: students are divided into 'A' and 'B' teams, and although the 'A' team is applauded for its skill, the 'B' team also plays competitive matches against other schools and is appreciated for its victories. The value of rugby to the school lies not just in the competitive spirit between it and other schools, however, but in the team spirit that each team acquires. Rugby serves to bring together the males of each grade through a collective experience, through collective victories and losses, and establishes a communal feeling that lasts throughout the year. Each team links together, and in a time when students are often feeling somewhat disoriented, these teammates create a network which can help stabilise the first tumultuous months of school. It is these virtues foster the strength of rugby at Brentwood, requiring that all students to join in, regardless of experience or athleticism. It is these ties which link together the rugby players as part of the greater Brentwood community.

Story and pictures by: Nick Chesterley (Grade 11)

TOMORROW'S RESULTS ULTIMATELY START TODAY: TRUST

This motto, introduced by coaches Ms. Alanna Martin and M. Rachel Peters, became a mantra for the 1st XI field hockey team during the Bridgman Cup. It rang through the yellow school bus, early Friday, as the team traveled to the University of Victoria. Trust, intermingled with effort and enthusiasm rebounded across the field throughout both warm up and game as Brentwood faced GNS in the first game of the tournament. A resulting score of 4-0 signifies not only the shots of forwards, but the ball distribution by Eva Shockey and support from defender Lisa Small.

As the next game was not to be played until much later, the team spent the long afternoon feasting on a lunch provided by Mrs. Small. The field hockey girls were up and competing sooner than expected in small group activities, such as the alphabet game and who could stand in the cold ocean water the longest.

Catherine Higginson and Rachel Miller
closing in on Mt. Doug.

South Delta awaited the Brentwood team later that afternoon. Although proving to be a more challenging game, the girls stepped up to the mark and, with a team effort involving quick passes and even quicker running, won 1-0. The bus ride back to school carried a tired but satisfied crew.
Saturday dawned hot and bright, but the later start time was appreciated by the girls. The third game of the tournament was played against Vic High. Both teams fought hard for the win and at half time the score was still 0-0. An unlucky shot broke through Brentwood’s defenses with the end of the game closing in. Brentwood was still first in its pool, however, and entered the quarter finals with energy and spirit. West Van was the competition and Brentwood began the game on the offensive. The little orange game ball flew up and down the wings. It was the game of the tournament and every team member played with the heart and soul of a true field hockey player. Every tackle, every successful pass was a tiny victory and Brentwood worked for those victories. Finally, with both teams tied 0-0, strokes were called and Brentwood nervously sat along the sideline. Despite the excellent skills of the Brentwood team, Vic High took the victory. Highlights of the shootout included Sophie Beswck’s shot that hit the crossbar before rebounding into the back of the net, Brentwood goalie Jane Griffel’s amazing saves, and the gorgeous streaks of colour flowing from the evening sunset.

The fifth game of the tournament was played early Sunday morning against Oak Bay. Although hungry now for a win, the Brentwood girls were defeated 0-2.

1st XI line-up

Throughout the game Caroline Philippson and Sam Choi pushed hard up the right and Marlee Hahn was inexhaustible on the left. The team left the field tired, but ready to play the next game.
Brentwood stepped onto the field later that afternoon with Mt. Doug in the sixth, and final, game of the tournament. The two teams' music clashed throughout the warm-up and the coach of the opposition spiced up the game tone with a dance preview. The Brentwood field hockey girls flung themselves into the game, ignoring the sweat under the heat of the afternoon sun. Sophie Beswck tipped the ball into the net for the first goal of the game, but Mt. Doug quickly retaliated. An end score of 1-1 called the game to strokes. Once more, six team members, Eva Shockey, Catherine Higginson, Sophie Beswck, Caroline Philippson, Laura Neilson, and Jane Griffel took their places at the twenty-five and beside the net. The sudden cheering from the Brentwood side gave the win to Brentwood with great

strokes and saves respectively. Throughout all the ups and downs of the tournament, Brentwood rode out the wave with 7th place; not a first, but a victory all the same. TRUST was the steady feeling of a team that played with effort and determination for three days of athletic endeavour.

Story and pictures by: Andrea Norlund (Grade 11)

Co-Captains Catherine Higginson and Caroline Philippson

Rogers House Pictures by: Ken Snow

Rugby

The Rugby Club played a series of games against Shawnigan Late School on Saturday. Their results appear below.

Grade 8: Brentwood 5, Shawnigan 5.
Grade 9: Brentwood 36, Shawnigan 15. (Tries from Javier Alvarez (3 — a hat-trick!), Geoff Friderichs 2, and Sean Ferguson. San Silbergeld made 3 conversions.
Grade 10a: Brentwood 5, Shawnigan 26.
Grade 10b: Brentwood 22, Shawnigan 20.
Grade 10c: Brentwood 37, Shawnigan 5.

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