Peak Perspectives - 4th Edition

Watercolour

Censorship: A tale as old as time

Dear lovely readers,

As some of you may know, we have recently had some issues regarding the contents of the magazine, a certain sentence, (which I’m pretty sure can be found in the rules and regulations handbook) was found to be just a bit too spicy for the school to handle, this ended in a very generous member of staff taking down our last issue for us. In celebration of this wonderful act of kindness, I have taken it upon myself to teach you all a lesson on censorship.

Censorship laws according to a ‘truly swiss, truly international’ school:

Rule #1: Make it clear when humour is being used. Apparently being ‘all you can be’ doesn't include trying your hand at comedy. And judging from recent events, it seems as though taking the mick is no longer an international thing. Lord, what have we come to…

To be clear, I’m taking the mick.

Rule #2: *redacted

Yeah guys, my bad, I’ll try and keep it more professional next time.

Rule #3: Originality is key.

The title of ‘Agony Uncle’, a concept that’s widely known all across the UK, has been deemed to be ‘unoriginal’. For more original names, please confer with https://chat.openai.com/auth/login, as many of you already do.

Rule #4: You can make it funny, but not slanderous. I have and will not in any way ever slander this school or our wonderful staff (once again big up my man who removed last edition, many thanks for that one fam).

Rule #5: Don’t mix humour with serious issues.

In all seriousness (see what I did there?), freedom of press is important. If I get censored for every edition I edit, or every piece I write, like I’m sure this one will be, what's the point of even doing it? What is the point of having socalled ‘creative labs’ if all creativity that’s not approved or liked gets penalised?

Basically to summarise, please read this before I get censored.

Much love,

Daniela Frenkel

By Django Shaw

140 Character Stories

In honour of the death of twitter and the subsequent rise of X, here are some short stories with a maximum of 140 characters in celebration of twitter’s frustrating word cap that we will no longer have to suffer through.

Barney Goodright:

• Mr Haggis was a wonderful man who loved haggis. He ate haggis every day and never grew sick of it. One day, Monday, he turned into a haggis.

• Dogs are silly things, they love to chew on bones. They sniff butts, chase sticks and are utterly petrified of hoovers. By mister woofy poo.

Larry Lavrenyuk:

• My name is the Lorax. I speak to the trees for no apparent reason. They are speaking back in Vietnamese. This is the quote from the Lorax.

Finn Urey-McDermott

• Harry the Marmot is training to be a Jedi knight. He’ll battle adversity. He must succeed to

Max Kalinski:

• There was banging on the door last night. It woke me up. I stayed in bed. Today I walked down stairs and saw a smashed window. He’s in here…

• Today my turtle fell out of its cage. I followed a trail of blood from his cage to a room in my house. I saw him as the murderer. My turtle…

Iona Allen:

• “Mum, can I have a story? " " Ok ,” She said. After tucking him in she ran to her room and locked the door. Her son had died 5 years ago.

• “Papa, why is mum always angry at me? “ Said the young girl. "She's just mad you survived your birth and not her, ” responded the father.

Maya Varga:

• Every night I hear his voice and the rattling of the train tracks. I visit his grave to ask him to stop but it just gets louder and louder.

• He jumped off the bridge with only his screams being left behind. Every night the river under the bridge has a dark colour a lot like blood.

I had a reason…

Seriously dark creative writing

by Raphaëlle Le Quéré

It still came as a surprise – I don't know why – when two policemen came over and took hold of my arms. I mean I knew that I had killed my sister's boyfriend, but I didn’t expect to get caught so fast. Plus, I had a reason to kill that annoying 18-year-old boy with zero brain cells: I had saved my sister from being heart broken. I love my sister, but I have to say the day she brought that loser home I thought she had fallen on her head and became even stupider than our cat… and our cat is dead. I mean she’s a beautiful,16 years old kind-hearted girl. Why would she even want to date him? He only thinks about sport and all kinds of stupid things. My choice in boyfriends is not perfect but at least they don’t decide to leave the country forever with another girl than me.

Oh, and I just remembered the police arrested me for two murders. I completely forgot that I have killed Jessica. The girl that came in between the stupid relationship of my sister and her boyfriend. I should be thankful that Jessica broke up that ugly couple but on the other hand it would have broken my sister’s heart if she found out “the man of her life” – as she liked to call her boyfriend – had cheated on her with a cheerleader of his football team. So, I did a reasonable thing: I killed both of them.

I don’t regret killing my sister’s boyfriend, but I do regret the consequences that it has had on my life. Firstly, jail sucks: the food here is disgusting and the people there look like they have zero feelings. Plus being in jails scares me so much. All the people there have either huge muscles, or they are deformed with huge bruises that cover their whole body because they have been beaten up so much by the people who are stronger than them.

Secondly, my parents are constantly yelling at each other because they disagree on how to feel about me. My dad is ashamed of me. Mainly because he would have never expected me to kill anybody, but I know that some part of him misses my sister’s ex. You see my dad loved my sister’s boyfriend so much that once he even invited him to the funeral of his cousin – I didn’t even know the cousin in question so how would the boyfriend know him? Well, he didn’t, but that didn’t matter to my dad because – as I said before – he loved the boyfriend.

On the other hand, my mum was quite proud of me because she almost hated the boyfriend as much as I did. She even told me once that if I hadn’t killed him, she would have eventually. But I know she would have never killed him she is way too sweet for that.

But the worst consequence that it had on my life was my sister. You see by killing the boyfriend my aim was to stop my sister from being heartbroken. Well, to be honest, it totally failed. She cried when he was found dead, and she cried and screamed even more when she found out I had killed him. At first, she tried to convince herself that I had done it by accident, but seriously how can you murder someone by “accident”? She soon realised that. Then she just stopped talking to me and that broke my heart more than anything. My mum tried to convince her it was for her own good that I had done it, but she got so mad at my mum when she saw that she was on “my side” and she even stopped talking to mum and that broke mum’s heart. My dad tried to do nothing to make my sister forgive my mum and I. He even told her he was on “her side”. So yeah, there was a war worse than World War 2 in our family and that sucked.

All of that happened just because I killed a loser with zero brain cells. Can you imagine how stupid the world is to think that’s a crime?

Celebrating International Women’s Day

By Maja Luca

International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8th, signifies a global recognition of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It is a day that celebrates the advancement towards gender equality, the empowerment of women, and the acknowledgement of their often overlooked contributions to society. As the battle for gender equality continues, this day serves as a powerful reminder of the work yet to be done in addressing gender disparities, and the importance of showcasing the accomplishments of remarkable women. By shedding light on the struggles women have faced historically and continue to face today, International Women’s Day is a call to action for the advancement of women's rights worldwide.

The significance of International Women's Day is deeply rooted in a historical context marked by oppression and gender inequality that women have courageously challenged and continue to navigate. This day provides a critical opportunity to recognise and honour the countless contributions of women across every facet of society, from politics and economics to arts and sciences. Celebrating International Women's Day is vital because it serves as a powerful platform for advocating gender equality, raising awareness about the persisting challenges faced by women, and highlighting the necessity for comprehensive social and political action to ensure women's rights are upheld and respected. With a dedicated day, the world comes together to amplify the voices of women and work towards a future of true equality.

Celebrations in Mexico on International Women's Day are marked by colourful parades, vibrant rallies, and a myriad of cultural events that highlight the achievements and struggles of women. The day plays a significant role in empowering and uniting women across Mexico. These events are a powerful platform for women to voice their concerns, advocate for gender equality, and showcase their essential role in Mexican society. International Women's Day, through these vibrant celebrations, serves as a unifying force, encouraging women to stand in solidarity and strive for a future free from gender-based discrimination.

In the rich tapestry of Slavic cultures, the celebration of International Women's Day brings to light a fusion of traditions and customs specific to each nation. From Russia's flower-laden festivities to Ukraine's poetic tributes to women, the day holds profound value in fostering solidarity and raising awareness of gender equality issues. The impact of this celebration resonates through the fabric of Slavic society, empowering women and highlighting their significant contributions. It serves as an occasion for Slavic states to come together in support of women's rights and to advocate for a more equitable future.

The influence and significance of worldwide celebrations of International Women's Day cannot be overstated. It serves as a collective effort to address gender inequality on a global scale, transcending borders and cultures. The observance of this day resonates internationally as a testament to the ongoing struggle for gender equality and the recognition of women's contributions to society. This united effort fosters solidarity and highlights the need for continuous advocacy, making it an essential platform for raising awareness and promoting meaningful change around the world.

Recognising the ongoing battle for gender equality and commemorating the accomplishments of women is the cornerstone of International Women's Day. It provides a platform to highlight the persistent challenges that women face globally and the need for continuous efforts to achieve gender equality. From historical struggles to modern-day advancements, the day serves as a reminder of women's remarkable achievements and their ongoing fight for empowerment, inclusion, and recognition. It is an occasion to advocate for women's rights and inspire future generations to uphold the principles of equality and justice for all. International Women's Day symbolises the collective determination to create a world where women are celebrated, respected, and granted equal opportunities in all aspects of life.

The significance of International Women's Day cannot be overstated. It serves as a poignant reminder of the historical and ongoing struggle for gender equality, honouring the accomplishments of women and advocating for their rights. This day creates a platform for communities worldwide to unite in addressing gender inequality and promoting women's empowerment. Therefore, it is essential for educational institutions like Le Régent to celebrate and acknowledge International Women's Day. By recognising and participating in this global movement, we actively contribute to fostering a culture of gender equality within our school community and beyond.

Indifference

By Daniela Frenkel

I smear indifference on open wounds like the fix all salve. I feign indifference with panic in my eyes. I poke indifference. I eye indifference and it eyes me. It winks at me and I startle. Is it flirting with me? My cheeks grow rosy with blush. Indifference rolls its eyes and stabs me in the chest. I bleed to death, indifferently.

Banksy inspired Street Art

by Grade 7

Daniela Frenkel

Contributors to this Edition:

Larry Lavrenyuk Anastasia Pozdeeva

Ephraima Nzeyimana Finn Urey-Mcdermott Max Kalinski

Django Shaw Margot Mutton-Bruck Noko Nagato

Manon Hanique Raphaelle Le Quéré Yishan Cai

Barney Goodright Maya Varga

Harry Nunn

Maja Luca Raymond Phillips Iria Carnota

Tanja Rruga Iona Allen

Natalie Savage

Kevin Shannon

Peak Perspectives At Sunset

By Tanja Rruga

Lucy Shaw