Page 7 Newsflash: Elections in 2024 and what they mean for our future
Page 10 Bride Kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan and Violence in Albanian Schools
Page 11 Do Farm Animals Deserve A Better Life?
Page 12 Comic Corner
Page 15 Christmas Quiz
Page 17 Answers to Christmas Quiz
Page 18 Contributors to this issue
EDITORIAL
This issue of Peak Perspectives feels very seasonal
‘Tis the season of goodwill after all and this edition is full of our students’ usual creativity and good humour, but also a generous dose of reflective gratitude and empathy
As 2024 comes to a close and we look forward with hope and optimism to 2025, we wish you all a wonderful holiday with your nearest and dearest and look forward to seeing you again in a few weeks, refreshed and ready for some fun on the slopes!
Mrs Shaw, Daniela Frenkel and the Peak Perspectives student-led magazine team
SPOOKY CREATIVE WRITING
Inspired by Frankenstein
Fun fact: Mary Shelley was only 19 years old when she wrote “Frankenstein”, while on holiday in Cologny on the banks of Lake Geneva, Switzerland! These photos show the bronze statue of Dr Frankenstein’s “monster” created by the Genevan artists Jérôme Massard, Florian Saini, Konstantin Sgouridis You can find it in Plainpalais in Geneva’s city centre
Frankenstein’s Monster
By Carolina Girardi Sirotsky, written in Grade
Living in a creature with every body part he could fi He had no idea he was giving me a psychopathic mind.
Rejected by society made me stubborn, All I ask is a friend, but father is stern. I fly my wings, As I do some very bad things I am responsible for all, And I will fall I will fall Fall
My Father
By Maya Varga, written in Grade 7
My father gave me life I thought he would care for me, But no Instead of being my father, He was my creator.
He abandoned and neglected me He never listened to my needs He placed screws into my heart Leaving my heart to bleed.
I thought my father would love me, I thought my father would want me, I thought my father would need me, But now I need him
Without him, I will die
Without his love I will kill.
Sympathetic Monster by Iona Allan, Grade 8
Blood pouring from a slit near my eye Tickling down my tongue and dripping down my throat It leaves a salty trail wherever it walks
I trace the plain map of my face with my finger All its ridges and caverns The occasional bloodied red landmark
Each stinging pain, so familiar it is the closest thing I have to a friend. The only constant in my life. Always there
I grovel around the pebbles I lay on. They leave subtle indents on my pale skin, if put under too much pressure, pierce my skin My hands finally find the near empty metal water bowl They haven't filled it in a while I've had to be careful with my usage I've gone days without water before due to bassing my usage on wants instead of needs.
I close the lids of my eyes and escape this desolate place My body is trapped between these four walls but my mind runs away It runs to a distant meadow Each blade of grass sprinkled with fresh morning due and my skin seeping in warm beams of sunlight. I try to remember my mothers laugh So sweet so succulent, like honeydew and nectar And then it all goes black In a second all that's left is the echo of laughter
It taunts me A cruel jester mocking me for all ive lost Pressing it to my face, suffocating to the point from which I cannot breathe
Breathe. I remind myself. I feel the skin rise from my bones. As it falls again moulding to the shape of my ribs, like a thin piece of clay
A rapid ringing fills my head. I force my hands around the pinpoints which used to be my ears. The sound vibrates through my brittle bones I stare at the faces of the two armed guards standing before me One a pail man his cheekbones and eye sockets both sunken in His brown eyes look above me, most probably in a vain attempt to shield himself from the sharp dagger that is the truth. The truth that they were the ones who helped create the monster who now lays helpless before them. The other shorter, more stout with much softer features looks dead at me His tinged expression most visibly fighting with full force to hold down the urge to gag I've seen the look many times before, the line of his mouth gently pulled in the middle. Jaw pressed slightly shut A look i would have completely missed before yet now stands out to me like a hot of lightning on a clear day,, They take me arm and arm and drag me to the room
The fluorescent lights give me a headache They fill the room with a yellow manmade hugh I'm laid flat against the reclinable metal table It's so cold So, so cold The hairs on my skin are beginning to prickle starting at my fingertips and spreading like the plague.
I wish for death yet no soul holds enough mercy to grant me it The angels do not look at me and the devil looks down on me with disgust.
They tried to mould a god, yet have created a monster
Scars from 1919
by Rafa Ubeda Ferrero, Grade 8
In a forgotten forest,1921, there lived a lonely monster named Scars Unlike other creatures, Scars had no arms, just bare bones instead of a body, and a sharp knife lodged deep in his skull Three large eyes watched the world through loneliness. He felt the scars every day, reminders of battles and injuries that would never heal. It seemed as if a lost soldier from WW1 defending his country, survived as a miracle.
One day, while resting, a small child entered the forest Lost and afraid, she suddenly went across Scars At first, she trembled at the sight of his bony body and the sharp blade in his skull. But then, her sight met his three eyes, each one full of blood and sadness, with no intentions of hurting her. She felt a strange warmth.
"You're hurt," she whispered, stepping closer
Scars didn’t move, fearing that even the slightest movement might scare her away But she didn't run Instead, the child reached into her pocket and pulled out a small cloth She wiped the dust from his bones and placed a tiny flower in the arrow between his heart
For the first time in ages, Scars felt seen, not as a monster, but as someone who had so much pain yet being gentle The forest, once a prison of isolation, now felt a little less, all because someone who could understand his feelings
Elections in 2024and what they may mean for the future
By Petra Coleman, IB1
undertake for the new Party and the new Prime Minister, Keir Starmer Will they succeed in passing their ideal policies and implement their leftist ideologies? The Labour party intends to tackle the cost of living, immigration, and rebuilding the country’s services like the health and transportation systems
United States of America
With the highly anticipated United States election this past year, uncertainty within the country and around their neighbors is rising. The election of President Donald J. Trump and J.D. Vance has brought a wave of change over the American people. Their morale for their country is higher and expectations of what policies they will guide their 4 years with have been met with praise and backlash. His plans so far have covered mass deportation and a more isolationist approach to foreign policy: “America First Foreign Policy”, mirroring what happened after World War I. Citizens all over the world are questioning what this could mean for Ukraine, Israel, and even North Korea.
that Maduros’ party was rigging the election, controlling ballots and making the election neither free nor fair. González fled to Spain before the results were announced, and when the Venezuelan authorities did disclose that Maduro won, it was without any evidence The UNHCR is now investigating the election after their crackdown on the people when they protested the winner Countries such as Russia, China, Iran, North Korea and Cuba are showing their support for Maduro, recognizing him as the rightful president Nothing has yet to be declared by the official UN on whether or not he will investigate the election itself, and many venezuelans are fighting for their free democratic election
The value of education for women
By Ajar Shadieva, Grade 10
Growing up in a small developing country in Central Asia called Kyrgyzstan, education was not something that was generally valued in women. This is partially to blame on the still existing tradition of “Ala kachuu” (“take and run”), which is a form of nonconsensual bride kidnapping. My own grandma was a victim of this “custom,” married off at just 16 years old and unable to complete her secondary education. In fact, around 40% of marriages are done this way in Kyrgyzstan, with brides being at most freshly out of high-school, robbed of any opportunity for further education. (Read more about this issue in the next edition of Peak Perspectives.)
A Shock of Gratitude and a Change of Heart
By Maja Luca, IB2
If you ask any of my teachers about me you will probably get something along the lines that I am a good student but also that my favourite hobby is to complain about anything and everything regarding the school Over the two years that I have been in this school, if you put all the emails that I have written complaining, the word count would probably put my extended essay to shame. Even though I complain from dusk till dawn this article is about the opposite.
As one of the three Albanians in this school I can assure you that we, along with the 10 million Albanians worldwide, are all devastated about what has recently happened in our country. A 14 year old boy was stabbed seven times in his school's courtyard because he looked at another student the wrong way This is an unfortunate time in my country that has forced us all to think deeply and reflect on the world surrounding us. The event that took place disappointed us all in the justice system and the educational system that we have in Albania. This tragedy could have easily been avoided as it had started three days prior, but because our Minister of Education has issued schools not to report fights in school as that would increase our violence statistics, nothing was done and it resulted in the life of an athlete, devoted student, and a wonderful person being taken away
I will spare you from any further complaints as I could go on forever, trust me, but I will say this. I am now grateful for the school that I am in, where even the slightest threat of violence is taken seriously Where we have a wonderful staff working everyday to keep students balanced and help anyone who needs to be heard. I am grateful that I can sleep comfortably knowing that someone will not pull out a knife at me for looking at them the wrong way, which is a comfort that not everyone has I thank all our school's staff members for making our school a safe space and promise to try to tone down my complaining by 20% It is unfortunate that it took this kind of tragedy for me to realise but better late than never and I hope that this article made at least one of the students who read Peak Perspective have a more positive perspective towards our school
Do Farm Animals Deserve a Better Life?
By Cynthia Guo, written in Grade 8
Animals on farm endure constant fear and torture. Animals often are given spaces that they can’t even turn around or lie down comfortably. Hens that lay eggs are kept in small cages, chicken and pigs are kept in crowded sheds. Cows are kept in crowded, filthy and nasty feedlots They use antibiotics to make animals grow faster and to keep them alive in unsanitary conditions Most factory-farmed animals are genetically changed to grow larger or produce more milk or eggs. This causes some chickens to grow so large that their legs aren’t able to support their oversized bodies.
People disagree with what the factory farms are doing. But people still eat a large amount of meat which comes from factory farm animals
Why do people not care about how farm animals are treated? Because they view farm animals as disposable items Also they think animals are food and without food humans are going to die so animals aren’t important. For some people, it's not so much that they don't care, but that they never have a reason to think about it.
In my opinion, I disagree with the people who know but don’t care. People often rationalise it with the argument that "it's just a stupid animal" However they don’t realise that animals are sentient It has nerves, it can feel cold and heat, it can feel pain, it has memories and feels affection. Just because it may be a food animal, doesn’t mean we should treat it as if it is an object. Imagine yourself in the condition that the farm animals are in. "Humanity" to animals must depend on humans showing "humanity". Research shows that widespread use of antibiotics in factory farms can lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, threatening human health What do you think now?
COMIC CORNER
By Barney Goodright, Grade 8
Challenge your friends and family to this Christmas Quiz!
By Hazel Tseng, IB2
1 In which country did the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree in the house originate?
A) United States
B) Germany
C) Italy
D) France
2 Which popular Christmas song was originally written for Thanksgiving?
A) Silent Night
B) Jingle Bells
C) Deck the Halls
D) Frosty the Snowman
BONUS: All the artwork in this quiz is by Grade 6 students!
Can you guess who drew what?!
(Hint: check the list of contributors at the end of the magazine!)
3. What is the name of the Grinch’s dog in the Dr. Seuss classic “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”?
A) Max
B) Buddy
C) Charlie
D) Sparky
4. In what country is KFC a popular Christmas meal tradition?
A) South Korea
B) Japan
C) Canada
D) Australia
5. What do the three wise men give to baby Jesus in the Nativity story?
A) Silver, gold, and spices
B) Frankincense, gold, and myrrh
C) Gems, gold, and oil
D) Wine, bread, and gold
6 Which of the following Christmas movies features a cameo from Donald Trump?
A) Home Alone
B) Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
C) The Santa Clause
D) Elf
7 When was the first Christmas card sent?
A) 1486
B) 1698
C) 1843
D) 1920
8. Which of Santa’s reindeer has the same name as a popular symbol of Valentine’s Day?
A) Cupid
B) Vixen
C) Blitzen
D) Dancer
Question 1: B) Germany
The tradition of the Christmas tree is believed to have started in Germany in the 16th century Devout Christians would bring decorated trees into their homes Some say the Protestant reformer Martin Luther was the first to add lighted candles to a tree, inspired by the brilliance of stars twinkling amidst evergreens Over time, the tradition spread to other countries, including the UK, where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who was German, made Christmas trees fashionable
Question 2: B) Jingle Bells
“Jingle Bells,” written by James Lord Pierpont in 1857, was originally meant for Thanksgiving, not Christmas. Titled “One Horse Open Sleigh,” it was intended to capture the spirit of a fun winter’s day However, its catchy tune and wintry imagery made it quickly associated with Christmas, and it became a holiday favorite
Question 3: A) Max
Max, the Grinch’s loyal yet reluctant dog, is a beloved character in Dr Seuss’s classic tale *How the Grinch Stole Christmas*, published in 1957 Max represents innocence and loyalty, standing by the Grinch despite his grumpy nature His iconic appearance, with a single antler tied to his head, adds a touch of humor to the story as he helps the Grinch carry out his plan to "steal" Christmas.
Question 4: B) Japan
In Japan, eating KFC on Christmas is a beloved tradition, largely due to a 1974 marketing campaign called "Kentucky for Christmas." At the time, Japan did not have many Christmas traditions, so when KFC promoted its fried chicken as a substitute for a traditional Western-style Christmas dinner, it quickly became a hit Now, many Japanese people pre-order their KFC Christmas meal weeks in advance!
Question 5: B) Frankincense, gold, and myrrh
In the Christian Nativity story, the three wise men, or Magi, bring gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the newborn Jesus These gifts have deep symbolic meaning: gold represents Jesus’ kingship, frankincense signifies his role as a divine figure, and myrrh, which was used for embalming, symbolizes his future death The story of the Magi has been celebrated in Christian tradition for centuries, often reenacted in Nativity plays
Question 6: B) Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
In *Home Alone 2: Lost in New York* (1992), Kevin McCallister, played by Macaulay Culkin, gets lost in New York City and ends up at the Plaza Hotel In a brief scene, he asks a man for directions in the hotel lobby, and that man is Donald Trump At the time, Trump owned the Plaza Hotel and agreed to allow the movie to film there, on the condition that he appear in the film
Question 7: C) 1843
The very first Christmas card was designed and sent in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole, a British civil servant He commissioned artist John Horsley to create the card, which featured a festive illustration of a family celebrating together, along with the message “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You” At the time, Cole wanted to encourage the use of the postal service, and his idea quickly became a popular tradition
Question 8: A) Cupid
Cupid, known as one of Santa’s eight reindeer, shares his name with the Roman god of love, who is often depicted with a bow and arrow on Valentine’s Day The reindeer were first introduced in the 1823 poem “A Visit from St Nicholas” (commonly known as "The Night Before Christmas") by Clement Clarke Moore Cupid, along with his fellow reindeer, helps guide Santa’s sleigh through the night on Christmas Eve
We hope you enjoyed this edition of the magazine!
Have a great winter break and we look forward to seeing you next year!
