Hillfield Strathallan College - Middle School Student Newspaper
CONTENTS
@theHelm—Issue 4: Apr-May 2026
On cover: photo by Joe Fishbein 503
08AllAboutFormula1
Learn all about the hype over the style and speed
09 AsianHeritageMonthFeature:India
Check out some iconic landmarks and history here!
15-16BirdingatHSC!
Join our HSC birder to learn more about migrating birds
SPECIALFEATURES
04 The End of Spirit Airlines
05 Saving Thunder Bay: the water crisis
10 What to know about strokes
11-12 What if? Black holes & sleep deprivation
18, 22 History: Jackie Kennedy & Marie Antoinette
20 The Panhandle of Namibia
21 Grade 5 Science Corner
27 Book Recommendations
31 Take the Quiz: Sweet or Salty?
40 About the Piano
41-42 Kindness and Tips for Tough Times
42 Artemis II Photos of the moon
REGULARFEATURES
06-7 Sports Corner
07, 12 Jokes & Comics
13, 16 Fun Facts: various topics
17 French Corner
15, 19, 36 Animal Fun Facts
27 Student Spotlight
27 Movie Review: David
28-33, 36 Survey Results
37-39 Music Reviews
39 Harajuku Spotlight series
40 Pet Corner
41 Game Review & Word Search
43-45 Recipes
ARTANDCREATIVEWRITING
23-26 Poems: April is National Poetry Month!
34 Short story by Bukayo T
35-36 Photo Gallery by Charlie C
42 Complementary Colours & 3D-Printing Ideas
International Workers' Day
May 1st
International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day, is celebrated on May 1st every year. It is a day to honour workers and their contributions to society. People all around the world recognize the value of hard work and the importance of fair working conditions on this special day.
The origin of May Day goes back to the labour movement in the 19th century, when workers fought for better rights, including shorter working hours and safer workplaces. Over time, this day became a symbol of respect for workers and their efforts.
In many countries, people celebrate May Day with parades and speeches. Some people also take this opportunity to rest and spend time with their families. It is not only a public holiday but also a meaningful time to reflect on the dignity of labour.
Source: Link
“Venture outside your comfort zone. The rewards are worth it.”–Tangled
Source
“I’m like a shooting star, I’ve come so far. I can’t go back to where I used to be.” – Aladdin
Some of my MLB predictions include the National League and American League league MVPs. My current prediction for the AL MVP is Jose Ramirez, the third baseman for the Cleveland Guardians. My NL MVP prediction is Shohei Ohtani, Designated Hitter and Pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Shohei Ohtani
Jose Ramirez
My World Series prediction will be the New York Yankees facing the Atlanta Braves in the 2026 World series.
sources : MLB
Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions
By Grok Ai
Winner:
Our personal predictions are that we think it guessed the teams that won because the teams were better in the regular season. There was one season where that was not the case (the Penguins series), but it was correct in real life.
Stanley Cup Playoff Predictions
By ChatGPT
Winner:
Our personal predictions were that the Habs won their series, Boston lost, Carolina won, Pittsburgh lost, Ducks won, Vegas won, Dallas won, and Colorado won. A few of those were correct, but the Penguins, Stars, and Oilers didn’t make it to the second round.
Will Mosley, Nate Masotti, JP Jahshan 703
Will Mosley, Nate Masotti, JP Jahshan 703
PoolRiddles
DELILAH FLEMING 802
Moonlight paints a silver skin, Yet I stay silent, deep within. I hold up clouds and faces too, But swallow stones that pass me through.
I vanish in the blazing sun, Return when all the day is done. What am I, waiting, still and cool— A quiet witness by the blue?
I’m measured not in miles but tiles, Where laughter echoes off the sides. I count in laps, in gasping breaths, In racing hearts that cheat at rest. I keep your secrets when you sink, Your shouted dares, your edge clung think.
Four walls, no roof, a shifting floor— Step off the step, you’re not on shore.
What am I, ruled by depth and rule, Both game and danger, safe and cruel? No water fills this silent place, Yet still reflections chase a face. I shimmer blue without a wave, Hold storms of cheers for those who play.
I never rain, I never dry, But hear the thunder from on high. Here battles flow on painted ground, While oceans of bright lights surround. What “pool” am I, where fans all see A war of skill on a green sea?
SOURCE WORD STUDIOS
Facts
By Joe Fishbein 503
Formula 1 (also known as F1) is the highest class of international racing for single-seater racing cars. F1 racing is a team sport. Some of the teams include Aston Martin, Mclaren, Cadillac, and Red Bull. The drivers are more like fighter pilots than racecar drivers because of how fast they go. There are a total of 11 teams and 22 drivers.
Source : F1 .com
More Facts
Each team has two cars in one race. Some famous drivers include Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, and Oscar Piastri. F1 races usually last an hour and a half to two hours. But that can be changed with the Safety Cars that come on after a crash. And a red flag stops the race completely. One type of race is a Grand Prix , which is French for Grand Prize. It is given that name because the winner of the Grand Prix gets a trophy plus an extra cash prize.
A stroke is a disturbance to the brain’s functions caused by sudden damage to a brain blood vessel (ischemic stroke) or rupture (hemorrhagic stroke).
There are two types of stokes which are ischemic, which means there is a shortage of blood in a part of the brain The second stroke is called a Hemorrhagic stroke, which is when a blood vessel in the brain leaks and causes bleeding inside the brain Strokes are medical emergencies, so you must find medical treatment right away.
Symptoms
The acronym “FAST” is a way that you can catch a stroke F stands for face; you can smile, and if one side of your face droops down, then you may have a stroke A stands for arms, you can check if when you raise both hands, only one goes up and the other stays down. S is for speech, is your talking slurred or hesitant? Lastly, T is for time. If you notice any of these symptoms, then it is time to call 911.
The first step to getting spaghettified would be turning into one long strip of human spaghetti. Now, how can a black hole do this? Because the black hole has a stronger gravitational pull and is stronger at your feet. It stretches you and makes you thinner because the black hole is pushing your body inward to help make it easier to stretch your body into a human spaghetti blob.
PHASETWO
Next, as you get closer to the black hole, the stretches get more extreme. In this phase, your body would be pulled into a long, thin noodle shape. Your atoms would still be held together, but you would be very thin
PHASETHREE
Finally, you have crossed the event horizon, the point of no return. Gravity grabs you and pulls you so hard you become one long spaghetti stream of particles, stuck in the black hole as spaghetti!
This mosque is located in Ifsahan, Iran. In Ifsahan, there are cold winters and hot summers.
This mosque has an internal force because gravity pushes down, and the mosque pushes up. Fun facts that also show compression, which is why there is an internal force.
Did you know gravity is a static load? Static load is always there and is outside of a structure.
There is also a dynamic load on the mosque. This is because of the wind hitting it, people walking, etc
The Shaik Lutfollah mosque is very beautiful. The purpose of it is for prayer.
HSCBirdNests
By Neyan Sutha 604
Nest monitorization is very important. It shows the success rate of birds that nest here, and if they need any help. It also monitors certain uncommon or rare species that may nest here. Knowing this information about nests educates people, making them more aware of the environment and nests they may encounter. This also allows us to find better ways to increase biodiversity at HSC in future years.
The picture in the background is a Tree Swallow (male) from Pexels com.
Birds already showing signs of nesting Tree swallow pair
Status: Checking out boxes near Miyawaki forest; I have seen birds nesting for multiple consecutive days, landing on boxes 1 & 4, and entering and exiting them. I hope they start bringing nesting material into one of the boxes, which means they chose to nest in it
Normallyyestheyare comfortablewithhumans,but thatdoesnotmeantogonear them Therehavebeencases ofthembeingaggresive So becarefulandawareifyou arenearthem
, place in Islam, is the biggest worship site in the world.
Masjid-e-nabawi
This Mosque was built by the Prophet Muhammed (ﷺ) himself, it is located in Medina
Hegra
KingdomCentre
The Kingdom Centre, is a 302 meter tall tower, which is in the capital, Ridyah It has many stores, and a shopping mall.
Hegra is an ancient Nabataean city in Saudi Arabia famous for its 111 monumental tombs carved directly into sandstone cliffs. As the southern capital of the kingdom that built Petra, it served as a vital hub for the ancient incense and spice trade
In geography, a panhandle refers to a long, narrow strip of land that is part of a larger country or territory, named “panhandle” for its “panhandle-like” shape. Some examples of a panhandle are the one in Namibia or the one that the U.S. state of Oklahoma has.
WhatisNamibia?
Namibia is a sovereign country in Southwestern Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean. It is widely known for being home to the Namib and Kalahari deserts and its fascinating panhandle shape
The panhandle of Namibia has a legendary history. In 1890, Germany controlled several colonies in Africa, including modern-day Namibia. At the time, Namibia was called “German South West Africa,” and the problem was that they had difficulty reaching their other British colony, “German East Africa” (in modern-day Tanzania), as it was very far and was a long, expensive sea voyage all around Africa. That was when Germany had an idea: if they could reach the Zambezi River, which flowed between their two colonies, they could travel much faster. But this river in question was in a British-controlled area! So, Germany gave up the island of Zanzibar, which was one of their greatest assets, for a narrow stretch of land that reached the river. In the end, the deal was completed, and Germany thought it had secured a direct route between their colonies. However, there was one massive problem: Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls is the largest (widest) waterfall in the world, and it sits right in the middle of the river, making it impossible for boats to pass through. Legend says that the British were aware of this all along but happily accepted the deal, knowing the land would be completely useless to Germany.
The story of the Germans wanting access to the Zambezi River to connect their colonies is historically accurate. However, the legend that the British deliberately tricked them by staying quiet about Victoria Falls is more of a famous historical myth than an intentional act of deception.
human body systems
By Arman Khalid 501
Skeletal System
Muscular System
Circulatory (Cardiovascular) System
Digestive System
Endocrine System
The skeletal system contains all the bones and joints in the human body
The muscular system is the system that is in charge of the movement of our body.
The cardiovascular system is a system made up of the heart and blood vessels About 5 Litars of blood is the amount that the blood vessels transport.
The digestive system is a group of parts that work to turn the food you eat into energy and nutrients to give to your whole body
A physical change is when a state changes its form without changing what it's made of. For example, if you cut paper and make a paper origami, even though you turn it into an origami, it is still paper. Another example is when you play with clay, you can make clay into a ball, even though you changed its shape, it is still clay. That is what physical change is, and some examples of it.
Why making a salad is an example of a physical change...
Making salad is a perfect example of physical change because. When you cut all the vegetables, even though you cut them into a salad, the vegetables are still the same. That is why salad is a perfect example of physical change.
Types of Physical Change
Freezing Melting
Evaporation
Condensation
Sublimation
Dissolving Breaking Cutting
How
is weathering a Phisical Change
?
Weathering is when something turns from new to old or good to not good. For example, imagine a medal chain on a bike. After the bike gets very old and is used a lot, you will see that the chain starts to rust, and it will start to wear out. Another example is when you leave a rock in the desert/any hot place, after a lot of time, it will change its colour, and over time it will weather. This is a physical change because it is still the same thing after it weathers.
sources used:
https://app.pebblego.com/pgnplayer/articles/8614
Marie Antoinette Identity
Marie Antoinette’s identity was shaped by being both a foreign princess and the queen of France. Born in Austria, she married Louis XVI, which gave her power and influence in the royal court. She influenced fashion, spending, and even some political decisions, but many people saw this influence as negative. Because she lived a wealthy lifestyle while many citizens were struggling, she became a symbol of unfairness. Overall, her identity and influence were closely connected, as people judged her not only for who she was, but for the impact they believed she had on France’s problems.
Addison Bentley-Caron 804
Marie Antoinette was born on Nov 7, 1755, the youngest daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Frances I and Maria Theresa. Her childhood was carefree, but her education was neglected. Marie was known to be charming, merry, and musical. She loved music and dancing. But at just 14, Marie left France to marry Louis XV1. They were married on May 16, 1770 at Versailles.
Growingup Impact
Marie Antoinette’s impact on France was mostly connected to how people viewed the monarchy during a time of crisis. As queen, she influenced the royal court and was close to political decisions through her position as the wife of Louis XVI. However, many French citizens saw her as part of a royal system that ignored their struggles, especially during times of poverty and food shortages Because of this, she became a symbol of inequality between the rich and the poor. Her reputation increased anger toward the monarchy, leading to the French Revolution. Britannica guides.loc wikipedia chateau versailles Sources
Sources: Merlin Bird ID and The Cornell lab of ornithology
by Neyan Sutha 604
REWRITINGCRINGEY STORIESIMADEIN GRADE4
Bukayo T 704
“Hey, what are you doing here? Stop! I said, Stop!”
Tanuki heard her brother scream from outside the vault. She ran outside to see her sibling Jackal wrestling a dark red wolf.
A while ago, in Grade 4, I wrote a corny short-story series called “Mehzia Tales”. It took place on an island (Mehzia) inhabited by highly intelligent wolves that divided themselves into four clans/groups: Calyxe, Eremis, Silvum, and the Dark Ones. The Dark Ones were a mysterious group of wolves with oh-so-mystical magical powers (a bit cringe, I know), and all the other clans despised them. The short stories are obviously connected/in the same universe, and honestly, I think they might have potential. So, I decided to rewrite the stories and share them with you guys.
“Dark One,” she growled as she unsheathed her sword. Jackal quickly wrestled away from the Dark One’s grasp and sided with Tanuki, who drove him to a wall.
“Who are you?” she hissed.
The wolf coldly glared at her, unresponsive.
“I said,” Tanuki continued, bringing the tip of her sword inches away from his snout, “Who are you? And keep in mind that your face is on the line.”
The Dark One snorted aggressively.
“Stay curious,” he laughed cruelly.
Jackal pounced on him and pinned him to the floor angrily.
“What do-”
He was interrupted by the mysterious wolf as he chanted unfamiliar words. Then, before they could even blink, the Dark One disappeared, letting Jackal fall to the empty floor.
G A L L E R Y
PHOTO OF HOGWART’S CASTLE AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS CHARLIE CHOU 801
The Capybar
What makes them so g
Grade 5 Bedroom Design Project
By Arman Khalid 501
What to choose and why you should choose it
A desk is just what you will need
I picked a desk for my dream bedroom because on the survey, many people had a desk in their bedroom. 156 out of 230 of the surveyed people had a desk in their room.
No need for a TV
I surveyed people in grade 4, M9, grade 5, and grade 6 about whether they had a TV in their room. From the survey, out of the 230 people who were surveyed, 117 of them did not have a TV in their bedroom, but 52 people did. This is why I did not include a TV in my dream bedroom.
Your books need a bookshelf I
I surveyed the Grade 4s, M9s, Grade 5s, and Grade 6s. In total, we surveyed 230 people The reason why I put a bookshelf in my room is that out of the 230 we surveyed, 156 students have a desk in their bedroom, and 71 did not have a bookshelf in their room.
Source: HSC grade 4, 5, 6 and M9s
WhatisK-pop?
To start, everyone is wondering what Kpop even is. Well, K-pop is a short term for Korean pop or idol music. K-pop started in the early 1990s with the first K-pop group named Seo Taiji and Boys. If you're wondering what's so special about K-pop, it's not just that it’s pop in Korea? No, that’s not what makes K-pop so special. It has a mix of pop, hip-hop, singing, dancing, and more.
It’s also special because if a person wants to be a K-pop idol, they have to first audition in an entertainment company like YG, JYP, HYBE, or SM. It’s not very easy to pass an audition; you have to be very good at singing, rapping, and dancing. You also have to fit a certain look. You may know some K-pop group like BTS, Blackpink, or songs like "Butter" by BTS and "Cupid” by Fifty Fifty. I think you will started loving Kpop if you just listen to some songs that are very good.
Drake’s brand OVO, which stand for October’s Very Own, was inspired by his birthdate: October 24. It is recognized as a premium streetwear specializing in hoodies, T-shirts, and jewelry. The owl logo with black and gold creates a distinct visual identity
I Just threw out the I Just threw out the I Just threw out the love of my dreams love of my dreams love of my dreams
By Weezer
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
The song description is basically in the title. I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams (IJTOTLOMD) is about a girl who regrets losing the love of her dreams. The girl sings about how she is always reminded of him, even though he is gone.
IJTOTLOMD is the 15 song in Weezer’s deluxe version of their second album, Pinkerton It is in the first disc, and was released in 1996.
It is also the 6 most popular Weezer song (rightfully so), and has over 137 million streams on Spotify It is kind of rock/alternative and very catchy th
The original singer of the song is Rachel Haden, who was part of The Haden Triplets and The Rentals.
Source:
blog.prototypr.io seatuniquecom
BukayoTiamiyu 704
Overall, it is one of my favourite songs of all time and doesn’t have a deep/bad meaning, so anyone can listen to it! I would recommend adding it to your playlist!
Mori Kei was started in the late 2000s It was started as a sister fashion to cottagecore. It shares plenty of similarities with it, and is also somewhat a lifestyle
The piano is an instrument that has white keys and also some smaller black keys on it, in groups of two and three. When you press on each key, they make different sounds, activated by a hammer system on the inside of the piano. Higher sounds are activated on the right, and lower on the left
Pianos were improved by the introduction (in the 19th century) of the iron frame
The piano replaced another instrument called the harpsichord
Unlike most instruments, the piano could be placed in two of the three main groups of instruments (string and percussion)
In 1777, the main idea of the grand piano was created
Pianos were the first keyboard instrument to be able to play soft and loud dynamics
5 Facts about the Piano
Video Game Highlight
Shelly
One of the holiday main toons in Dandy’s World (from Roblox) is Bassie, a supporttype toon, able to drop items and with extra space for items. Her lore shows that she is extremely needy in many ways and she has a fear of being replaced by the rare Easter toon, Cocoa. This drives Bassie to become twisted with envy when she sees Cocoa getting a lot of the spotlight.
Another main toon from Dandy’s World, Shelly, is an extractor and a support type toon, being able to give faster extraction than other toons. Her lore shows that she was blatantly ignored by all the toons, which drove her mad until she turned twisted. She was turned twisted because of anger toward other toons in Dandy’s World.
Whisk eggs, milk, water, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add flour and melted butter; whisk vigorously until batter is smooth and pourable.
If the batter is too thick to spread easily in the pan, whisk in 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until it reaches the proper consistency.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the pan, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crêpe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
