HSC Middle School's
@THEHELM DECEMBER 2025 | VOL 7 | ISSUE 2
Hillfield Strathallan College - Middle School Student Newspaper
CONTENTS
@theHelm—Issue 2: Nov-Dec 2025 On cover: photo by Charlie Chou
10 But is it art? Opinion on whether AI design is really “art”
12 Feeling Blue? It’s not just you: it’s “SAD” Learn more about the causes, effects, and solutions
35-36 Survey Results!! We asked, you answered. See the results here...
SPECIAL FEATURES 03 Boxing Day & New Year’s 03 Fun facts about November 06-7 Fun facts about history, energy, & space! 07 How to start programming 08 Historical Figure: Frederick Douglass 09 All About Harrods 11 Switching instruments: pros & cons 12 Give your house more Christmas cheer! 16 Holiday humour 18 Italian Christmas 28 @theHelm quotes
REGULAR FEATURES 03 Calendar days 04-5 Sports Corner 13 Animal fun facts: Emus & Budgies 14 Random facts 15 Jokes & comics 17 Pet Corner 19 Movie review: The Grinch 19-21 Game reviews 21 Book review 24 Music review 25 Harajuku Spotlight series 26-27 Chiikawa Character series 28 Student Spotlight 29 Teacher Interview 30-34 Recipes
ART AND CREATIVE WRITING 16 How to Draw The Grinch 22 Middle School artwork 23 Poetry
@theHelm - page 2
Sunday 30
7
Monday 1
Advent starts!!
25 days until Christmas!!
2nd Sunday of Bodhi Day Advent (Buddhism) 8
Tuesday
December Wednesday
2
3
9
Int’l AntiCorruption Day
10
Int’l Day for the Int’l Day of Persons with Disabilities Abolition of Slavery
Human Rights Day
Thusday
4
World Soil Day
6
International Mountain Day
12
Int’l Day of Neutrality
13
14
15
16
17
18
Arabic Language Day
19
21
22
23
Christmas Eve eve
24
25
Christmas day!
26
28
29
30
31
Hanukkah and 3rd Sunday of Advent
4th Sunday of Advent
Christmas Eve
1
New Year’s Eve 31
1
2
3
Saturday
5
Cookie day!!
11
Friday
St Nicholas Day
St Lucia day 20
27
Kwanzaa begins
2
3
5
6
Notes
Portia Valeri 601 Source 1 Source 2 Source 3
2026!!!! 4
Boxing Day
Five Fun Facts About November by Hudson Dishke 603
1. Explanations for the origin of the name have varied, with some believing that it derived from the opening of alms boxes that had been placed in churches for the collection of donations to aid the poor.
2.
November has two birthstones
November has this moon called the super moon
3. The first Thanksgiving was in November 4. The coolest day on record was on November 18
5. Remembrance Day used to be called Armistice Day
Fun fact: The traditional boxs were made of wood or clay.
Since 1871, Boxing day has been a holiday
Source 1
By Emma Chauhan and Clare Ge 702
Source: Weather spark
WEEKLY NHL UPDATES
B y H a s s a a n A l ex i s , W i l l M o s l e y , a n d N at e M a s o t t i 703 N ove m b e r 2 4 t h
Auston Matthews, Maple Leaf centre, returned to play on Wednesday, November 26, after a lower-body injury he sustained in a game against the Boston Bruins.
Canada unveiled its 2026 winter Olympic jerseys!
POINT RANKINGS 1 NATHAN MACKINNON 37PTS 2 MACKLIN CELEBRINI 34PTS 3 CONNOR MCDAVID 33PTS 4 CONNOR BEDARD 31PTS 5 DAVID PASTRNAK 29PTS
TOP GOAL SCORERS
Source NHL.com
1 NATHAN MACKINNON GOALS 2 MORGAN GEEKIE 22 GOALS 3 CONNOR BEDARD 18 GOALS 4 LEON DRAISAITL 14 GOALS 5 BO HARVAT 14 GOALS @theHelm - page 4
NFL Weekly by HAssaan Alexis and will Mosely 703 Nov 24th
Shadeur Sanders set to start week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers after week 12 win against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Dallas Cowboys defense is suddenly becoming a strength since acquiring DT Quinnen Williams.
Is it possible for Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers to secure a playoff spot?
Dallas Cowboys comeback from 21 points down against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Source: ESPN Football
@theHelm - page 5
How to Start Programming
Fun and Weird Facts from History Hamdan Salman 604 Did you know that in the 1830s, they used to sell ketchup as medicine. In 1834, it was sold as a cure for an upset stomach by an Ohio physician named John Cook? It wasn’t a condiment until the late nineteenth century.
Ibrahim Eltabei 805
Did you know Cleopatra was likely Greek even though she was an Egyptian pharaoh?
Programming is a very useful skill and many people would like to learn it, but it is not easy to start to learn to programming, here are some of my tips from my years of coding.
Did you know that in the summer, the Eiffel Tower can grow taller because of the heat from the sun? The shortest war in history lasted only 38 minutes. This war was the Anglo-Zanzibar War. It was dated August 27, 1896. The king or ruler of the area chosen by the British died, and his cousin took the throne without the British’s permission. This led to the British completely invading the whole castle, seizing it, and making the new king surrender.
Tip 1. Be Patient Programming is a very hard skill to learn and requires lots of time and practice!
Tip 2. Start Small Don’t start with your dream game, start with small minigames.
Tip 3. Challenge Yourself Experiment with the coding skills you know to test your skills.
Tip 4. Watch Videos YouTube is a great resource to learn coding!
Source: National Geographic
Hockey Star Emmett Cronkwright 503
This hockey star is Alexander Ovechkin. Alexander’s all-time goal record is 899 goals. That puts him in front of Wayne Gretzky! Alexander Ovechkin is 40 years old which means that he will probably retire in the next five years.
Black holes Harim Oh 504
What are black holes? Black holes are objects with an unthinkable amount of mass, gravity, and density. They suck up anything that is in their range of gravity. Their pull is so strong that even light can’t escape; this is why black holes are invisible.
Examples of black holes Some black holes are Sagittarius A*, which is at the centre of our Milky Way galaxy. Another famous black hole is M87 , the first ever black hole imagined.
Source @theHelm - page 6
Parts of a black hole The singularity is at the very centre of a black hole and is the densest part of a black hole. Another part is the event horizon which is where nothing can escape.
Types of black holes Types of black holes are supermassive black holes and stellar-mass black holes. Supermassive black holes are the biggest type of black hole. Stellar-mass black holes are the most common, and there are probably thousands existing in are Milky Way galaxy.
Exoplanets Harim Oh 504
What is an exoplanet?
How do we detect exoplanets?
Exoplanets are planets that orbit a star. Exoplanets are fairly common as most stars have one if you look closely.
Astronomers detect exoplanets by tracking the motion of the star, this works because no matter what the mass the planet will be able to push the star slightly.
Source
Fun fact:
For quite a long time, humans thought that the planets in our solar system might be the only planets in the universe. There are about 5,000 exoplanets that scientists have discovered.
ENERGY ENERGY
Parnika Karthick 603
More information about energy
Energy is what makes things happen. It can help us do work, move things, or change things.
Potential energy is stored
Energy changes forms
POTENTIAL ENERGY A skier at the top of a slope has potential energy because they have the potential to move down the slope. Once in motion, the energy transforms into kinetic energy.
KINETIC ENERGY When a child swings on a swing, they have kinetic energy because they are moving back and forth.
Kinetic energy is motion
ENERGY TRANSFORMATION Before the toy clown is released, potential energy is stored within the toy's spring. As the toy is released, that energy is transformed into kinetic energy causing the clown to pop out of the box.
@theHelm - page 7
Frederick Douglass BY iMMANUEL kWAPONG 603 Frederick Douglass was a famous speaker. He spoke against slavery. Frederick was born into slavery in 1818 in Maryland. He was named Frederick Bailey. Enslaved life was hard. Frederick's enslavers beat him. In 1838, Anna Murray helped Frederick escape. Frederick changed his name to Douglass so his enslavers couldn't find him. Then Frederick married Anna. In 1841, Frederick began giving speeches against slavery. In 1845, Frederick wrote a book about his life. He also wrote letters to President Abraham Lincoln. Frederick asked the president to make slavery illegal. In 1865, the U.S. Congress passed the 13th Amendment. This law freed all enslaved people. However, there was still racism and inequality. Frederick continued speaking about the importance of equality for women and Black Americans. Frederick died on February 20, 1895. Frederick Douglass was a powerful speaker and writer. He believed all people should be treated equally. His work helped gain freedom for enslaved people.
SOURCE @theHelm - page 8
HARRODS Harrods offers a diverse range of products, from makeup to pencil cases. The first items they ever released were tea and groceries, and now they sell televisions. The most recent addition to Harrods was a sushi restaurant located in Japan. As Harrods is a popular brand, they offer international shipping from anywhere around the world. They created this advancement in 1894 when their business started to bloom. Since they are considered “luxury” from their marketing to their products, their products usually range from $200 to $300. They do sell some less significant products, like pencils, which usually range somewhere between $10 and $30. Considering those factors, the average price of a typical Harrods product ranges from $ 100 to $120.
by Benson Barron, Noah Fergani, Rishaan Gupta (702/703) SOurces: https://www.harrods.com/en-ca @theHelm - page 9 4
BUKAYO TIAMIYU 704
MY TAKE ON AI “ART” We are all aware that AI can produce stunning images. These are well known as “AI Art”, but is it really art? In this article, I will be sharing my views on AI-generated “art” and telling you guys whether I think it should be identified as art or robot slop.
Stolen Jobs? Mistakes As we all know, AI can make mistakes. Most of the time, they aren’t that obvious. Now, when they are turned into images, they definitely are. These mistakes can make the image look weird or gross at times, and that’s never good.
AI is stealing lots of human jobs. Artists are one of the groups of people suffering. More and more people are choosing AIgenerated “art” over human art simply because it’s cheaper and more convenient. This is a big problem because not only does AI “art” lack originality, it lacks creativity, and it’s missing a soul.
The Definition of Art The textbook definition of art is “The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination”. Right off the bat, we know that AI is the exact opposite of human skill. Although lots of people can make the argument that the prompts take a creative process, I’m pretty sure anyone can write a few descriptive words into a chatbot.
Bias Is It Really Art?
AI can be very biased. On many occasions, it has said and made many offensive things. This is a big problem. People can use AI to generate Racist, Sexist or Homophobic art.
In my opinion, no. It's like telling a chef what to make and going around serving someone else's dish to people, saying that you’re a chef. AI “artists” cannot be identified as artists and are simply just prompters. @theHelm @theHelm--page page10 6
witching Instruments Cons
Pros Switching instruments can boost your confidence and motivation to practice. Skills that can be transferred, such as rhythm and basic theory, can give you a head start on your new instrument. Switching instruments can give you new opportunities, like joining new ensembles and playing different genres of music.
Muscle memory from your former instrument might mess you up for the first few weeks on your new instrument. It can also be hard to suddenly change embouchures from a brass instrument to a woodwind and vice versa. You will likely have to start from the bottom up. Starting as a beginner again can be very frustrating and takes a lot of perseverance.
What to think about Make sure you consider what kind of music you want to play. If jazz is your genre, then go for it! However, instruments like flutes and oboes aren’t accounted for in many jazz pieces. In our school, the Junior Jazz Band doesn‘t have flutes or clarinets, likely because they might not be included in the sheet music for the arrangements they play. Additionally, if you live in a space where loud instruments are not allowed, then an instrument like a baritone or trumpet might not be the best option.
Evie Xue 702
Tip When choosing a new instrument, don’t choose the one that calls to you; choose the one that screams and shouts at you! @theHelm - page 11
Source 1 Source 2
Seasonal Affective DISORDER “Caring for Your Mind and Well Being during Seasonal Changes” by Diya Chhabriya 804
WHAT CAUSES “SAD”?
What is “SAD ”? When you feel sad /depressed during seasonal changes, especially during the months of fall and winter. It is similar to “winter blues“ but can be more severe in some cases.
How is “SAD” treated ? Mindfulness and meditation techniques can help you stay focused on the present moment and reduce negative thoughts. Take a few minutes each day to meditate and focus on your breathing. A brisk walk outside can refreshen you and adequate sleep is important.
Lack of exposure to sunlight can effect the melatonin levels and increased melatonin causes fatigue and feeling sleepy. Lack of sunlight also reduces a hormone “serotonin” which can cause depression, lack of sleep and anxiety.
Source
Source
Important facts to remember FOR KIDS/TEENS
Stay active Stay socially connected with family/friends Get enough sleep Have a good diet that contains Vit D or take a supplement Talk to you parent if you are feeling low
Give Your House More Christmas Cheer! By Anna Legault 601
Green and red pillows
More wooden decor than plastic
Wreaths and Christmas lights
White blankets and carpets can tie the Christmas look together! @theHelm @theHelm--page page13 12 8
Now, about the war.... The Emu War was a shortlived and unsuccessful military operation in 1932 aimed at addressing the issue of emus damaging crops in Western Australia.
First off, what is an Emu? Emus are: large flightless birds native to Australia known as the continent's tallest native bird and
The emus were considered the “winners” as the military operation “lost”. The government later provided ammunition to farmers and created bounties for emu hunting.
the world's second-largest bird after the ostrich. They have long necks and powerful legs, allowing them to run up to 31 mph (50 km/h)
Annabel Gough 604
https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/emu https://www.britannica.com/topic/Emu-War
Budgies! For those of you who don’t know what a budgie is, well, I can tell you THAT.... In the wild, they
live in Australia
rds rn human wo They can lea Their scien tifi budg c name is eriga r
Annabel Gough 604 @theHelm - page 10 13
d o n a m
R
R
Facts Facts
Hannah Kebbi Hannah Kebbi 701 701 && Evie Evie Xue Xue 702 702 1.1. Babies Babies are are born born with with 275 275 to to 300 bones. 300 bones. When When they they grow grow ololder, der, those those bones bones fuse, fuse, leaving them leaving them with with 206. 206.
2.2. The The raw raw ingredients ingredients of of an average an average human human body body wouldd cost woul cost around around $218,277. $218,277.
4. ItIt takes 4. takes roughly roughly 540 540 peanuts to peanuts to make make aa jar jar of peanut of peanut butter. butter.
5. Australia 5. Australia isis wider wider than the than the moon. moon. source 1
source 2
@theHelm - page 12
3. Bananas 3. Bananas are are slightly radioactive. slightly radioactive.
6. There’s 6. There’s aa condition condition inin which your which your body body can can brew brew alcohol. alcohol.
How did the reindeer learn to play piano? – He was elf-taught.
That Random Joke Page nn a C h g u H
Why did the Little Drummer Boy put his drum to bed? – It was beat.
Heyyy, guys! to open up, I’ll tell ya this one:
Holiday Jokes Christmas Jokes
601
I once attended a concert!
How did the reindeer learn to play piano? He was elf-taught.
What is every parent's favourite Christmas song? -- Silent Night!
What, ya mean there’s no pun in tended?
What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire? – Frostbite.
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
Why did Rudolph have to attend summer school? – Because he went down in history.
What did one snowman say to the other?
“does anyone smell carrots?”
by Rayna Weaver Source
There are two fish in a tank. and one of them says to the other, I just don’t get it! How on earth do you drive this thing?!
Your monthly dose of @theHelm comics Green, look what I found.
(Tries to spawn something)
So, you’re So, you’re stealing stealing puns puns from from the the internet, eh? internet, eh?
Toucan play that game
(Spawns Guest 66)
Great that I got out of there
Um that’s bad
Joke 1. Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis Joke 2. Ms. G’s office wall (Grammarly Puns) Joke 3. Overheard it one time Joke 4. https://quotereel.com/hilarious-jokes/
s s e e k k o iic J s Jo s ! c ! m m o o c c & &
SOMEONE HELP MEEEE
by Alex Matos 702
Sources:
@theHelm - page 15
A Nonsense Christmas 'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring... except Mickey Mouse?!! “You're not supposed to be here!” I said. He replied, “Well, you're supposed to be in your bed!” It was 12:00, and I stood there and said, “Mickey, at least I haven’t lost all the hair on my head!” Then Mickey took off his shoes and chased me out to the bus stop! Wait, I’m on winter break, which means Mickey will be afraid! Then Mickey just turned into dust; his plans to annoy me were a total bust. Then I ate dinner, which was roasted mouse, because I just roasted the mouse that stepped into my house.
Portia Valeri 601
Portia Valeri 601
SANTA GOT CAUGHT ON CAMERA Outfit: red suit with white fur Time: 12:00 am December 25th, 2010 What setting: living room with fieplace
Proof:
@theHelm - page 16
By Carina Ding 801
Community Pet Corner Aarohi B.
Juliet K.
Ella N.
Owen H.
Dorothea C.
Duncan H.
Charlotte B.
Paige H.
Luca M.
Wenni W.
Hannah W.
Arman K.
@theHelm @theHelm- -page page15 17
ITALIAN WORDS OF THE MONTH
Italian Christmas Traditions
Portia Valeri 601
ITALIAN TRADITIONS INCLUDE:
Buon Natale Panettone
Buon Natale means Merry Christmas in Italian.
Panettone is an Italian dessert eaten on Christmas.
Meat is not allowed on Christmas Eve. Only fish is eaten.
Italians set up nativity scenes; called presepio. On Christmas Eve, Italians attend midnight mass. To this day, there is still midnight mass at the Vatican.
Portia Valeri 601
ALL ABOUT
Italian Christmas
Torrone (a chocolate “fudge-like” dessert), panettone, and dried figs are eaten a lot during Christmas.
@theHelm - page 18
Presents are given on January 6, which is the epiphany from a nice witch, la Befana.
🎄The Grinch 2018🎄 Movie Review
🎄By Madyn Verbeek 601🎄 The Plot: The Grinch movie is about how the Grinch lives alone with his dog, Max, on Mount Crumpit outside of Whoville. The Grinch doesn’t like Christmas because his heart is three sizes too small. The Grinch wants to take Christmas away from the Whos. Then the Grinch meets Cindy Lou Who and Mr. Bricklebaum (the chocolate beard guy and the guy who lives on the lower part of Mount Crumpit), and they try to change the Grinch's mind about Christmas. Rating: I rate this movie a 10/10. Watch The Grinch on Netflix to find out more and if he takes Christmas or if Christmas takes him!!!!!
FC Mobile
FI L M & GA M E S W E I V E R
n u ca , yo ame ent g e r h iffe e 2024 he t In t lay in d inc a p ts. S he Cop n e am nt i n r y tou an pla . a c eric you Am
Explained by Real Madrid
FC Mobile was released on October 11, 2016. Hala Madrid!
atures The game fe and ts live even hich w s ck prize pa s or er ay pl n contai coins.
Game review by Joe Fishbein 503
Source
@theHelm - page 19
Astro bot
lo Kitty Video Game l e H Cafe Review
Nathan Leung and Harim Oh 503/504 Hello Kitty Cafe is a cafe game on Roblox. It was made as a Sanrio and Rock Panda Games Collab.
As Astro, the player goes on a mission to save lost robots, retrieve parts for the PlayStation 5 mothership, and defeat the green alien.
Did you know that Astro bot is the highest-rated game of 2024? Also the game has won Game of the Year at several major awards shows!
The main goal of this game is to grow your cafe. You complete floors with coins and diamonds. There is also a gacha mechanic where you can gamble your coins for power-ups in your cafe.
Overall, I give the game a 5-star rating.
Bukayo Tiamiyu 704
This information is from our own experience.
Clash Royale !! Clash Royale is a strategy mobile card game that is super fun and really addictive. In Clash Royale, there are arenas that you get to by earning trophies, and when you get to an arena, you can unlock new cards, such as Arena 7, Dark Prince. But you can sometimes get cards earlier, even if you are not at the designated arena where you obtain them.
Some cards have something called evolutions which are basically a power-up to make the card better. You have to use the card at least a certain number of times to unlock its evolution. To first get an evolution of a card, you have to collect evolution shards.
If you are looking to download the game, here are some cards that are good for the early game... In arena 1, some of your most reliable win conditions are Mini Pekka or Giant, but when you get to arena 5, for example, you should use Hog Rider because it goes straight for the tower and is one of the fastest cards in the game. Mini Pekka and Knight are some of your best defensive options, too, but Goblin Cage would be better early on, so if the opponent is using a swarm on you, they go to the Goblin Cage instead of obliterating your tower. Valkryie is very good for defense, and tanks swarm units well. Overall, Clash Royale is a good game. Whether you're on the bus or even at home bored, it’s fun to play. I think you’ll love it!
Hamdan Salman 604
@theHelm - page 19
Sources: Royale Api
Warriors Cats (Roblox) Warrior Cats is a Roblox game where you play as a cat. If you read the Warriors book series before, it’s like a roleplay of that, and also you can make your own avatar and play a variety of roles.
There are also “kitty pets” that live with twolegs/humans. “Loners” are cats that live in the barn.
Willow Xu 602 Here are all the roles in the game: First, the leader is the lead of the clan then there’s the deputy, which is the lead of the clan when the leader is not there. The warriors hunt for the clan and the meds heal cats when they get hurt. The apprentice is a cat training to become a warrior and a kit is a cat that is not 6 moons old yet.
Warrior Cats - Into the Wild Nora Zhu 603
Info about Warrior Cats NAMES When a kit is born, its mother gives the kit his/her first name. For example, when a kit is just born, a name like “Flower” would be FlowerKIT, and when the kit becomes an apprentice, the name changes to FlowerPAW. Finally, when the cat turns into a adult, the leader changes the last name to FlowerHEART or another combination. Once a leader is chosen, he/she goes to the moonstone (a shiny rock in a abandoned mineshaft) and gets his/her 9 lives and changes his/her last name to STAR (FlowerHEART becomes FlowerSTAR). CLAN & CLAN ROLES There are five clans: Windclan, Riverclan, Shadowclan, Thunderclan and Starclan (the last of which is the clan of cats who died). Some roles in the clans are: warrior (an adult cat who doesn’t have kits), apprentice (a cat who is not a kit and has a mentor), kit (a baby cat), deputy (the leader’s assistant, an adult cat), leader (a probably wise adult cat), med cat (a careful caring adult cat who is supposed to be able to heal other cats with herbs), and queen (an adult cat with kits to take care of). Fun Fact: med cats have special connections with Starclan. @theHelm - page 21
In the Warrior Cats book series, Into the Wild introduces Rusty, a pampered housecat who dreams of adventure, only to find himself drawn into the dangerous world of the wild cats in the forest. Later, he joins ThunderClan after a rough fight and becomes a Firepaw to learn their ways, uncover ancient prophecies (like “fire alone will save our clan,” as Spotted Leaf said), and confront death (from within the clan, as well as threats from rival clans like ShadowClan, Windclan, and Riverclan). This is all while navigating warrior traditions and the spiritual guidance of Starclan!
Source: Pinterest
Middle School Artwork Let's take a look at the Middle School's beautiful art! By Anna Legault 601
Mahi Nathoo
Yunjing Sheng
Chloe Pang
Ella Nicholl Zoeya Geleynse
@theHelm - page 22
Jackson Zizzo
Bukayo T 704
Bukayo Tiamiyu 704
Art Art isn’t just art It’s a reflection of you and me Of who we are in the present And who we wish to be Art isn’t just red splatters It’s splatters of morals and dreams It shows that we can reach anything No matter how far it seems Art isn’t just a silly drawing You made on the whiteboard in Math It's a drawing that shows Life can be a rocky path Art isn’t just an expression What makes us smile or grin It’s an expression of what we will choose And what lies within.
Fast Fashion Fast Fashion
Use me quickly Then throw me in the trash Too bad that my fabric Barely lasts Every last stitch Clearly doesn’t matter For I fall apart Quicker and faster Who cares about the ocean When you can have an ocean's worth of clothes One for every single colour From periwinkle to rose This fashion is for the people Who buy new clothes every week Who don’t care about the process As long as it's cheap This fashion is for the people Who disregard our wonderful earth People who never cared For our planet’s worth.
Shark-Fin Soup Would you like a taste Of shark-fin soup? It’s bad for the ocean And it's tasteless, too! 100-million sharks Are killed every year For an expensive dish That tastes so drear. Of course it’s fine! They’re dangerous, anyway Even though humans Aren’t even one of their prey. Let’s eat these helpless animals Alongside our caviar Because we’ll never truly know How important they are. Bukayo T 704 @theHelm - page 23
Bukayo Tiamiyu 704
Lagtrain Review
Lagtrain Cover A rt (Kaai Yuki)
INABAKUMORI ft. Kaai Yuki
WHAT IT’S ABOUT Lagtrain is a popular vocaloid song by INABAKUMORI using the underrated voice bank of Kaai Yuki.
The song constantly uses the metaphor “missing the train connecting the cities” which basically just means that they are missing their chances to speak up and do something.
Overall, it is a very cool and iconic song with an important message behind it.
In this song, the instrumental mainly consists of an electric guitar and very loud flute with the melody.
FINAL RATING
@theHelm- -page page25 24 @theHelm
HARAJUKU SPOTLIGHT 2 GYARU WHAT IS HARAJUKU?
Harajuku is an umbrella term for Japanese fashion subcultures. It is named after a Tokyo district where these subcultures were born and practised.
MUSIC
ORIGIN
Gyaru music is similar to Scene music. It can be very upbeat and pop-like, but it can also be similar to rock/emo music at times.
APPEARANCE
Gyaru has many substyles, but to save space, I will only be referring to the main ones. Gyaru started in Tokyo, Japan, in the 70s-90s. It was originally used as a way for young girls to rebel against fashion norms.
Gyaru mostly consists of bright animal prints and shades of brown and pink.
It is usually made up of puffy legwarmers, denim skirts, bows, platform shoes, and tan skin/hair
SOURCES (S2)
BUKAYO TIAMIYU 704 @theHelm - page 25
a Chiikaw
Character Series
Usagi Usagi is a character from the series Chiikawa. Chiikawa is a Japanese show created by the artist, Nagano. Chiikawa started from sketches in 2020 and blew up on social media due to its cute characters and adorable plot. Chiikawa literally translates to, “something small and cute.”
Una, yaha!
Usagi is a silly, energetic, and quite a glutinous bunny. Usagi is one of the main characters of Chiikawa and is quite the funny one. They’re mostly found jumping high in the air and plummeting down to eat giant foods. Usagi enjoys teasing their friends and deceiving everyone around. Fun fact: Usagi has a talent for being able to throw objects with great accuracy. Also, Usagi is the bravest out of the main three characters.
By Katrina Genov 701 @theHelm - page 26
source
Chiikawa Character Series
Hachiware H a c i w a r e is Haciware is a a character c h a r a c t e r from from t h e series the s e r i e s Chiikawa, C h i i k a w a , the the J a p a n e s e show Japanese s h o w created c r e a t e d by by
Nanda~ mou Nanda~ mou asa asa ka to... ka to...
t h e artist, the a r t i s t , Nagano. N a g a n o . As As m e n t i o n e d in mentioned i n the t h e page p a g e on on U s a g i , Chiikawa Usagi, Chiikawa s t a r t e d from started from s k e t c h e s in sketches i n 2020 2 0 2 0 and a n d became became s u p e r popular super p o p u l a r on o n social s o c i a l media media s h o r t l y after. shortly after.
H a c h i w a r e is Hachiware is a a cheerful, c h e e r f u l , easy-going easy-going c h a r a c t e r with character w i t h an a n interest i n t e r e s t in i n reading. reading. H a c i w a r e is Haciware i s surprisingly s u r p r i s i n g l y the t h e one o n e with w i t h the the m o s t advanced most a d v a n c e d vocabulary v o c a b u l a r y out o u t of o f the t h e main main t r i o . Hachi trio. H a c h i is i s also a l s o the t h e most m o s t mature m a t u r e out o u t of of t h e three, the t h r e e , often o f t e n found f o u n d comforting comforting C h i i k a w a and Chiikawa a n d solving s o l v i n g problems. p r o b l e m s . But B u t Hachi Hachi u n f o r t u n a t e l y has unfortunately has a a tendency t e n d e n c y to to o v e r t h i n k their overthink t h e i r decisions. d e c i s i o n s . Lastly, L a s t l y , Hachi Hachi has a has a passion p a s s i o n for f o r the t h e arts a r t s with w i t h their their g u i t a r and guitar a n d camera. camera.
By Katrina Genov 701 @theHelm - page 27
Student spotlight: Rayna Weaver
By Anna Legault 601
Q. What’s your favourite animal?
A. dog
Q. What’s your favourite food?
A. sushi
Q. What’s your favourite season?
A. autumn
Q. What’s your favourite book?
@TheHelm Quotes 2025 Clara Vedelago and Bella Nwalia 704
A. Sugar and Spite
P o r t i a Va l e r i 6 0 1
H O L I D AY E D I T I O N
e t t o l Char w a h s d Bra
‘You’re not my son’ -Ms. G
‘Christmas Cook Book’ -Bella Nwalia
‘The text can’t be like orange on top of yellow with flashing lights.’ -Ms. G
‘Meet sugar cookies -Clare Ge
Q: What’s your favourite Christmas food? A: Candy canes Q: What’s your favourite Christmas colour? A: Green Q: Would you rather wear a dress or dress pants on Christmas? A: Dress pants
‘It’s just like BLEHH’ -Ms. G
‘I’m so done with Sally’s baking addiction.’ -Clare Ge @theHelm - page 28
TEACHER INTERVIEW By Charlotte Bradshaw 601 Source: Ms Gutauskas Hi, my name is Charlotte and I am interviewing Ms G. If you don’t know her, she is an amazing teacher. I am doing this because Ms G is one of the club leaders for @theHelm and I had her as my music teacher in Grade 5.
Charlotte - What subjects do you teach? Ms G - This year, I teach music and French, but I’ve also enjoyed teaching English and art.
Charlotte - What co-curricular activities do you do? Ms G - @theHelm, the Middle School musical, and the Inclusivity+ club
Charlotte - Are you a cat or dog person, and why? Ms G - I grew up with cats and enjoy their personalities, but I think dogs are fun, too!
Charlotte - What is your favourite musical that you have done? Ms G - Oliver! JR was a pretty special production, but I’ve loved them all.
Charlotte - Why did you decide to become a teacher? Ms G - Music is my passion, and I always loved the idea of sharing music with young people.
Charlotte - Final question: what’s your favourite holiday colour and why? Ms G - Probably silver and gold on holiday ornaments - they look classy!
Nutella Lava Cake INGREDIENTS:
Source
1 large egg 1 large egg yolk 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1/3 cup Nutella 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
STEPS: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease two small ramekins, then dust with cocoa powder, shaking out any excess. Set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolk, and granulated sugar until fluffy and pale yellow in colour. Add melted butter and Nutella and whisk until well-combined. Add flour and whisk until incorporated. Divide batter among the prepared ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet, and bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes. You want to keep a close eye on these; all ovens run differently, so remove them from the oven when the edges are set but the centre still jiggles slightly. Run a knife around the edges of the cakes as soon as you remove them from the oven. Let cool for 3-4 minutes, then swiftly but gently invert onto individual serving plates. Garnish with strawberries and powdered sugar if desired, and serve immediately.
KIARA MISHRA AND WILLOW XU 602 @theHelm - page 30
Christmas Cookie Recipe
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F 2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set it aside 3. In another bowl, mix butter and sugar till it's fluffy 4. Add egg and vanilla extract, and put the dry ingredients in as well 5. Gently stir everything together with the M&Ms, sprinkles, and chocolate chips 6. Place the dough in small chunks onto parchment paper 7. Bake for 8-11 minutes 8. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
▢ 1½ cups plus one tablespoon all purpose flour ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter, softened but still cool ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar ▢ ⅓ cup brown sugar, lightly packed - make sure it's fresh and soft
▢ 1 large egg ▢ 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract ▢ 1½ cups M&M's or a mixture of M&M's and chocolate chips, divided
▢ ¼ cup holiday sprinkles Cookie Recipe Clare Ge 702 and Rose Clearly-Yu 703 @theHelm - page 31
Popcorn Ball Christmas Wreaths Ingredients 14 cups of air-popped plain popcorn 12 ounces of marshmallows 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Source: Foodnetwork .com
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract 14 drops of green food colouring Nonstick cooking spray Half a cup of M&Ms 1 red fruit leather candy
By Aanya Jain & Anna Legault 601/602
How to make 1. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Put the popcorn in a bowl large enough to toss it with the melted marshmallows. 2. Combine the marshmallows and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals at 50 percent power until the marshmallows are puffed and melted inside, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla and food colouring and stir until smooth and bright green. 3. Pour the marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and use a spatula to gently stir until the mixture is well combined. Coat your hands well with cooking spray. Use your hands to toss and finish combining the ingredients. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, then sprinkle in half of the candy-coated chocolates and mix. Add the remaining chocolates, mixing until they are evenly combined. 4.
Divide the mixture into 12 portions (about 1 cup each). Pat the dough into balls, then flatten them slightly and use your thumb to make a hole in the center, similar to a wreath. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
5. To make the bows, cut 12 thin strips (about 1/8 inch thick) from the fruit leather and loop them into bows. Place one at the bottom of each wreath.
6.
Lastly, ENJOY!!!!!!!
@theHelm - page 32
Peppermint Frozen Hot Chocolate Zoey Dam 704
Ingredients: 1 cup ice cubes 4 tablespoons hot chocolate mix powder Milk just enough to cover the ice in the blender 1 crushed candy cane Whipped cream (to top)
Source: https://www.d omesticallyspeaking.com /peppermintfrozen-hotchocolate/
Steps: Add the ice cubes, milk and hot chocolate powder to the blender. Put in ¾ of the candy cane, then blend for 30-35 seconds. Pour into a cup, top with whipped cream to your liking, then add the rest of the candy cane to finish. Enjoy!
Annabel Gough 604
Ingredients: 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (150g) flour ½ teaspoon (2 mL) baking powder A pinch of salt ⅔ cup + 1 tablespoon (155g) butter ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (125g) granulated sugar 1 tablespoon (15g) brown sugar 1 tablespoon (15g) honey 4 eggs Zest of 2 lemons
Today’s Recipe:
Lemon Madeleines !! (makes 24)
Instructions:
Reference
Heat the oven to 400F (200C) Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Then melt the butter and slowly add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and honey. Then add the eggs and the lemon zest to rest and whisk until all one colour. Pour them into the molds and set them into the oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
@theHelm - page 33
Cupcakes Ingredients:
Kaleena Gupta 601
6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter softened ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar firmly packed 1 large egg room temperature preferred 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 1 ⅓ cup (167 g) all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon table salt ¾ cup (175 ml) buttermilk room temperature preferred
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
Vanilla Bean Frosting 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened ¼ teaspoon table salt 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste 1-2 Tablespoons heavy cream
▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢
Follow this link for directions: Sugar Spun Run
Hot Cocoa Soft Mix Snack Bella Nwalia and Clara Vedelago 704
Ingredients: 4 cups rice cereal or corn cereal 1 cup milk chocolate chips 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1/2 cup powdered sugar 2 packets hot cocoa mix 1 cup mini marshmallows 1 cup candy-coated chocolate pieces such as M&M's
Source: https://www.allrecipes.com/hot -cocoa-snack-mix-recipe11854982
Directions: 1.Pour rice or corn cereal into a large mixing bowl. 2.Combine chocolate chips and oil in a separate microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. 3.Pour melted chocolate over cereal and carefully stir until cereal is completely coated. 4.Add powdered sugar and hot cocoa mix to the cereal mixture and toss gently until evenly coated. Allow the mixture to completely dry before storing. 5.If desired, add in mini marshmallows and M&M’s and mix.
@theHelm - page 34
What’s Your Favourite Type of Pizza? According to the Middle School, the most popular type of pizza is Meat Lover’s!
RESULTS! Messi vs Ronaldo vs
This survey got 150 responses with Meat lover’s in first, Cheese in second and Pepperoni in third.
Survey by Joe Fishbein 503
Nathan Leung 503
Form results for Clash Royale vs Clash of Clans Hamdan Salman 604
The results are in and the winner is... Messi by a landslide. Messi stands at 66% while Ronaldo stands at 34%, therefore Messi is the winner!
Hey Middle School, we did a survey to see which game was better, Clash Royale or Clash of Clans. The option with the highest amount of votes is Clash Royale! Clash Royale has 44.4 percent of votes meanwhile Clash of Clans has 7.4 percent of votes.
Clearly from you guys...
PORTIA VALERI 601
HOT CHOCOLATE WINS!!
@theHelm - page 35
Form Results: “What is YOUR Favourite Book Genre?”
Sushi Survey by Charlotte Bradshaw 601
The sushi quiz results have come in! The most liked one is.... the cucumber roll!! Thank you to everyone who answered. I got an amazing result of 114 responses. In my personal opinion, I like the spicy tuna roll.
Fantasy: 34 People (23.1%) Mystery: 28 People (19%) Action: 18 People (12.2%) Romance: 16 People (10.9%) Source: Britannica Sci-fi, Horror, Thriller: 13 People (8.9%) Realism: 12 People (8.2%)
Katrina Genov 701
@theHelm - page 36