April 2020 - Luther Tatler

April 2020

POETRY

EL SALVADOR

WORD SEARCH

DEAR READER . . .

HELLO TATLER readers! I hope you are all well in this time of uncertainty. Despite everything, I am so pleased we can continue to offer the Tatler to you! This is an edition full of inspiring articles, beautiful poetry, and so many other incredible submissions. Although this theme of “space” was chosen pre Covid –19 it truly resonates as each of us rises to the challenge of social distancing to protect our friends and family. On a lighter note, I am happy to announce we will be creating one more edition of the online Tatler (see below for details). So, enjoy this edition of the Tatler and take care out there!

PRESIDENTIAL LETTER IN THESE turbulent times it is important to remember what is most important to us. This pandemic has ended our current school year and has led to the deaths of many people, but it is teaching many important lessons. As SRC Treasurer Jasnoor Guliani said in his recent Leader Post article on the topic of the COVID-19 pandemic, “we can take this time as a chance to withdraw from the frantic world around us and reflect on the experiences and people we value in our lives.” He is saying that this pandemic also provides a slowdown in our evermoving lives. We are thankful for the professional manner in which the Luther Faculty has responded to these times. The Luther SRC is disappointed that we can no longer hold our events in person, but we are currently looking for ways to keep our treasured Luther community involved. The school year has not truly ended and the Luther SRC is optimistic and is looking forward to continuing serving the students of Luther.

Sincerely, BEN NORTON

VERONICA EXNER

CALLING ALL CREATIVE GENIUSES: The theme for the next edition will be

CREATIVITY While it may seem broad we want to give you a chance to show us what creativity means to you! It can be an article, art piece, poem, recipe or anything else you can think of!

As always this is just a guideline so feel free to be creative and submit outside the theme. After all, this is your newspaper so have fun with it! Thanks for all your submissions and stay creative.

HOW DO I SUBMIT? Google Classroom: u57ttzr Email: luthertatler@gmail.com

when the world storms around me and all i can hear are voices as chaotic as an orchestra warming up before a concert i retreat within myself and my thoughts and i turn to my friends. i turn to the sky and want its freedom. i turn to the moon and want its mystery. i turn to the sun who comforts me with her daily rituals. she shines her smiling face onto my worried one and tells me to trust. trust in the history of the earth not the futile fears of my thoughts.

VIRGINIA HECTOR

Cover art by: JOCELYN HEROUX

A Little Positivity Goes a Long Way During Self-Isolation IF YOU HAD told me merely two weeks ago that I would be spending the rest of my senior year of high school confined to my house with nothing to do, I would have stared at you in shock and disbelief.

Yet, in this time of great uncertainty, I find myself in an unexpected and unprecedented situation. With the celebrations and triumph of my graduation experience mercilessly stolen from me, I’ve had to grapple with apprehensions over unfinished courses and unclear futures. Further, as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads throughout the country and affects each Canadian citizen, the fear of a prolonged crisis settles and weighs in my brain, immobilizing me from any activity during the day. As I flip through the news each day, my concern and dismay for the future grow.

In this unforeseen and often gloomy environment, it is easy to fall prey to the weight of isolation from our friends and our communities. As humans, we are inherently social creatures, and while the whims of text messaging and facetime may satisfy our needs in the short-term, the demands of limited interaction with the world around us can take a harsh toll on our long-term psychological well-being.

However, I believe that COVID-19 presents us with a personal opportunity instead of a burden if we shift our perception of the circumstances.

While keeping those truly affected in our thoughts, we can take this time as a chance to withdraw from the frantic world around us and reflect on the experiences and people we value in our lives. In an increasingly technological age, it's often difficult to take a step back and get a clearer picture of our lives, but this extended isolation offers us the chance to do so.

Personally, I’ve taken this time to reflect on the past four years of my high school journey, by contemplating my successes, appreciating my failures, and pondering ways I can improve to become a more compassionate and caring member of society.

I am also taking this time to develop new skills and talents that I’ve never gotten the chance to work on in the bustle of school life. For example, learning how to code was always something I wanted to do, and a skill that I know will be important for my future. Whether it be picking up a passion for reading, taking the time to do yoga, or even getting some fresh air, I believe there’s a way for each of us to grow and develop in this time of great strife.

Ultimately, our response to this new reality depends on our reaction to it. We can either view it as a hardship and blame those around us, or take it as a challenge from the world to improve ourselves for the future. Taking the second path will allow us to become more compassionate and empathetic members of our world community. As someone who has faced much change in the past week, I’ve realized that it is only by appreciating the people and society around us that we can emerge from this crisis as renewed and improved people.

JASNOOR GULIANI

MEIKA SONNTAG

INTERVIEW WITH MS. STRUEBY ME AND ANDERSON (A friend of mine) decided to interview Ms. Strueby. I did most of the work, Anderson just watched. He does get to talk in the newspaper though.

Evan: Why do you have a service dog?

Ms. Strueby: I have a service dog because I have mental health complications. She helps with depression and anxiety.

Evan: How long have you had your dog?

Ms. Strueby: I have had her since she was four months old. She is now 3 and a half, so I have had her for 3 years, and she has been in service for 2 years.

Evan: What is your dog’s name, what does she like, and what does she dislike?

Ms. Strueby: Her name is Stella, and she loves cucumbers and popcorn. Those are her favourites, and she does not like loud noises.

Evan: Why did you come to Luther for your internship and did you enjoy it?

Ms. Strueby: I actually came to Luther for my internship because this was my third placement. I was placed at Riffel to start, and they kicked me out because they did not want Stella there. Then I moved to a small town called Milestone, and I was there for a week, and they also kicked me out because they did not like Stella. Yeah, and so, my last option was here at Luther because it was its own private school, so I was allowed to come here with Stella. So far, I have loved it.

(During Ms. Strueby’s answer to my question, me and Anderson were expressing our emotions, by saying “What?” and “Noooo!”)

Evan: Why do you have a service dog?

Ms. Strueby: I have a service dog because I have mental health complications. She helps with depression and anxiety.

Evan: How long have you had your dog?

Ms. Strueby: I have had her since she was four months old. She is now 3 and a half, so I have had her for 3 years, and she has been in service for 2 years.

Ms. Strueby: She is smart when she is in vest, but at home? So stupid. And sleeps a lot. Whenever she is in my office, she sleeps, sleeps a lot.

Evan: How did you get Stella, and what’s the process of getting her?

Ms. Strueby : So, I got her one day, and it was kind of funny. I went to the Humane Society with my brother’s girlfriend. We don’t get along very well. And I said, “Oh I want to get this dog!” and my brother’s girlfriend said “No, no. That’s a lot of responsibility, you can’t handle it.” And I said “OH I CAN HANDLE IT.” And I just impulsively got this dog. I got this puppy, and I went home to my parents and said, “Hey, I got this puppy.” And they were so mad, but after she came home, they started liking her, which was good. I got Stella by accident. She was doing very well at home, and my doctor suggested that we do service dog training. There is this lady in the city who does service animal training so we went to her for about six months, and yeah, she got all trained.

Evan: Is it safe to say that you got Stella out of spite?

Ms. Strueby: Yes. Definitely (Me, Ms. Strueby, and Anderson all laugh) Evan: How much training did she have?

Ms. Strueby: She did six months’ worth, so we did six one-hourlong sessions. We would go to a session and then take Stella home and practice what we learned for about two weeks straight, until she could master it. Then we would go back again. Stella was pretty quick with the training because she has a pretty calm temperament.

Evan: What’s Stella’s favourite dog toy and what is her favourite food?

Ms. Strueby: Stella has a bunny she carries around at home. She doesn’t rip it apart, she just licks it. Stella would eat anything, but her favourite is popcorn. If she hears it at home, she will follow you. Cucumbers she really likes, but honestly, she would eat anything.

Evan: As you finish your time here, do you have any parting words for students and staff?

Ms. Strueby: I just want to say thank you for this experience Evan: Is it ok to pet your dog, and are there any rules for the here, I have absolutely loved it. I have met so many wonderful general public to know? people here, students included. I will miss it a lot and I think I Ms. Strueby: In schools, I allow students to meet my dog. I say no to strangers because Stella will never see them again. But with am going to come back to visit you guys. students she sees every day, it’s nice for the students to meet StelEvan: Any parting words to say? la and Stella to meet the students.

Ms. Strueby: Merry Christmas I guess?

Evan: So if Stella was one of the dwarves from Sleeping BeauNote: This was recorded on December 13, 2019, before Christty- wait not Sleeping Beautymas.

Anderson: Snow White.

Evan: Snow White, *Long Inhale* which one would she be?

Anderson and I said our goodbyes and left. In my honest opinMs. Strueby: Sleepy for sure, or Dopey. Is there one dwarf ion, Ms. Strueby was a great person and it seems like she really named Stupid, because if so, Stella would be Stupid. did enjoy her Internship here at Luther.

(Me and Anderson start laughing)

EVAN LI

#GLOBALWARMINGISREAL AS A CHILD, I always had an interest in the expanse which exists beyond the Earth and between the heavenly bodies. In simpler terms, I wanted to be an astronaut. I was often told by my elders that being an astronaut was for men and that I wasn’t space material. They encouraged me to become a doctor, which isn’t bad considering the good deeds and new people I would meet and serve. As I grew up, I continued my research about outer space and its glories. Upon one of the many books, I figured there was a position called a flight surgeon. The flight surgeon is a doctor who helps the other astronauts maintain a stable healthy life due to the gravity loss, and homesickness. It was a two in one job for myself as I explained it to my parents. They really liked the concept and accepted my ambition to become this flight surgeon. In grade 7, my teacher shared the concept of global warming by making us watch this Leonardo DiCaprio documentary Before the Flood about it. In the documentary, Mr. DiCaprio goes to various places on Earth that are showing massive changes, such as the glaciers collapsing in the Arctic. This made me realize before we ever discuss the topic of outer space and its phenomenon's, we should actually start worrying about the world we live in currently. So since grade 7, whenever I am given the opportunity to talk about a world issue, I choose to address the drastic changes in the climate. I wrote many speeches, poems, and even debated the topic. I even wrote a slam poem, which I have added down here:

“Global Warming!

Yeah I know you all know what it is but have you thought of the causes and the issues everyone in the world's been going through!

Global Warming!

The pollution!

The waster energy!

The water you waste!

Global Warming!

Many people don’t have water or any resources and here we are sabotaging them!

Global Warming!

Complaining we don’t get enough!

Complaining we don’t get what we want!

Global Warming!

Don’t just talk about it.

Do something to make it right Global Warming!

It’s not just your fault, It’s all of our faults…”

And no I am not just addressing global warming just for the attention or the popularity. I am actually very well educated about the topic. If you want, you can ask me any questions about the topic or let me know if you want to contribute in any way. So, please join me to help the climate. #GlobalWarmingisreal

AKSHAYA RAVI

UN NUEVO VIAJE EL SALVADOR was a place of new beginnings for me. The experiences, people I met, and the food, were all different things that added on to this amazing journey. When I first got the opportunity to go on this trip, I was pretty excited.

When the date got closer and closer, I became scared and started to have second thoughts on this trip. What happens if I cannot adapt to the culture? Will I get kidnapped? And so on. It was very selfish of me to be thinking about such things, but to be honest; it is what most people would have thought when travelling to a place where there was and still is violence.

Now I can tell you about the many things I got to do there, but honestly, that will take forever. In the many experiences I had while in El Salvador, I felt like going to the Homestay (Carasque) was the one thing that hit me the most. We went to this village known as Carasque for two days. There we stayed with our host families and took part in the activities that they planned for us.

We got to learn their way of living, and also the essential jobs that exist in the community. The best part of staying here was probably meeting the children. I met this one girl named Dianna. She is a 10 year old girl who I hung around with a lot.

She and the rest of the children were always so happy and playful, no matter what circumstances they faced. I was amazed at how they were all so happy when they did not have much to live on.

The thing is that it wasn't just the children who showed this sense of happiness. Everywhere we went in El Salvador, I would see smiles on people's faces, whether they are on the street selling things or in a car driving to their destination. In a place where a civil war occurred, I was surprised to see this much joy. It made me happy, but also sad at the same time when I saw the amount of poverty in this place.

The thing is El Salvador is ranked in the middle when it comes to poverty in third world countries. That means that there are places worse than El Salvador living in poverty. It hurt me many times seeing people on the streets, knowing that I couldn't do anything because this was not a mission trip but a solidarity trip.

It took time for me to understand what this trip was mainly about. If I wasn't here to help people, then why am I here?

That question kept running through my mind every time I came across something devastating in that place.

I finally realized after some time that listening overpowers talking in many situations. When I was there, I did more listening than talking, which made a difference on my trip. I reflected more on myself and about the things I learned by keeping a journal.

This trip honestly is something that I will remember forever, as it taught me many valuable things in life that I will cherish forever. One day I plan on returning and visiting all the new people I met.

If there were to be a question saying what the most important thing I have learnt on my trip was, I would say it is the gift of listening. All the people wanted there was for someone to listen to their life experiences. We are so young and have a long way to go before experiencing many things in our life, but for them, they have already lived through so many things.

By just listening to them, you not only build on your wisdom, but you can grow and use that growth to benefit others in life; in other words, find your passion. This trip was not easy as we learned so many heartbreaking stories, but in the end, it was beneficial for my learning, as it has paved a new path for how I see the world today.

I am grateful for my parents, teachers, and classmates, who helped me make this journey possible.

Hasta la proxima vez.

TIFFANY SOTOMI

“IF THERE WERE TO BE A QUESTION SAYING WHAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I HAVE LEARNT ON MY TRIP WAS, I WOULD SAY IT IS THE GIFT OF LISTENING.”

Photos courtesy of MEIKA SONNTAG

PLANETS

CONGRATULATIONS! The prompt for this edition was SPACE and you certainly did not disappoint!

First place goes to Jocelyn Heroux!

Second place goes to Britten McGonigal!

Third place goes to Ella Yang and Cindy Cheng!

Thanks to everyone who submitted.

You were all amazing! Keep up the great work and stay tuned for details about upcoming editions!

BRITTEN MCGONIGAL

WORD BANK: Asteroid

Pluto

Cosmos

Star

Gravity

Uranus

Mercury

Equinox

Neptune

Mars

Saturn

Nebula

Telescope

Satellite

Astronaut

Sun

Eclipse

Venus

Jupiter

Constellation

Moon

ELLA YANG and CINDY CHENG