June 2020
ARTICLES
POETRY
ARTWORK
DEAR READER . . . HELLO EVERYONE! It is crazy to me that this is the final edition of the Tatler for the year. It has been so wonderful being a co-editor for the last two years. And I’m so excited that despite a global pandemic we are able to present you with one more Tatler. This edition is full of incredible art, poetry, articles, and so much more. The community at Luther is truly unlike any other and it has been inspiring to see all of your creative submissions. The Tatler is a unique place for students to showcase their creativity, express opinions, and experience an escape from reality. So, keep that creativity flowing for future editions. A huge thank you to Mrs. Smoliak, Ms. Wilkinson, Mme. Marpole, and Virginia Hector for all their contributions and support! Make sure to keep writing, reading, and creating beautiful art! I hope you enjoy this last edition as much as I did! VERONICA EXNER HELLO READERS! I am pleased to present our final edition of the Tatler for this year! It has been a challenging, surprising year, and a year which has made me realize how grateful I am for our community. I hope the Tatler will continue to be a place for everyone to express, create and share with our school! Thank you to all of our contributors, to amazing co - editor Veronica Exner, and to Mrs. Smoliak and Ms. Wilkinson for all of your work this year! I am excited to announce that I will be your editor for next year’s Tatler, and I look forward to our 2020-21 editions! Take good care everyone and have a wonderful summer! VIRGINIA HECTOR
CALLING ALL CREATIVE GENIUSES: Stay tuned for future editions of
THE TATLER Even though the Tatler is done for this year, for those of you continuing at Luther next year make sure you look for information on how to submit! This summer make sure to continue to explore your creativity. Paint something, pick up a book, write an article, and do what makes you happy! We hope you all have a wonderful summer and we look forward to seeing you in the fall!
PRESIDENTIAL LETTERS THIS IS IT, the final Tatler of the 2019-2020 school year. Over this year we have faced challenges, viruses and much more, but we are strong. My last year at Luther has taught me to cherish the everyday things that one takes for granted. I know that the school year did not finish the way we wanted it to, but we need to appreciate the little things. First of all, the support of our teachers and admin over this period has been huge, guiding us even when we might not want to learn. The student body for staying positive and joining in on virtual events such as All College and Fine Arts Night, student involvement is part of what makes Luther such a great community. And finally, our family for pushing us to always succeed. Students continuing at Luther next year, I wish you good luck and all the best. Grade 12’s, it was an honour going to school with all of you and I know that you will all go on to do great things in the future. Thank you to everyone contributing to a year full of love, compassion and dedication, 2020 will never be forgotten. BEN NORTON HELLO LUTHER STUDENTS. It’s your SRC President for the 2020/2021 year, Jacob Goodpipe. I would like to start by saying how thankful I am for being elected into this position. A little bit about myself: I enjoy going biking, playing badminton, watching Netflix, and helping out at our school. I plan on doing everything in my power to make this school year the best one yet. Though the school year may not look the same as it has in past years due to these unusual times, your SRC is already working on ways to make the next year as fun as possible, and we will keep you updated as we approach the new school year. We have an excellent team on our SRC this year. I am grateful to be working with them, and I know we will do great things for our school. Join us next Thursday for film night, featuring an intermission giveaway from your SRC. Looking towards a great year with all of you,
JACOB GOODPIPE
HOW DO I SUBMIT? Keep a lookout for information on future Tatlers!
NATALIE HAMM Cover art by: ANNIKA DRUMMOND
CLASS ZOOM LINK: COVID-19-2020 i gaze upon the computer screen through luminescent glass i hear no laughter or giggles only the silence of my class there are no hushed whispers as the teacher talks their cameras all turned off the presence of my classmates is there but the “I-contact” is not the same as eye contact. i see signs at grocery stores Keep Six Feet Apart they say we are all so connected, yet we are all still So Far Away heavenly parks, streets, and cities lay deserted, empty, stagnant….. alone…. forgotten alone, forgotten taken over by the virtual world. i only hear the essence of the wind, wrapping itself around me like a chilly embrace we all realized too late, how special it is to have human interaction. It’s the little things, smiles in the hallway high fives after a tough exam the feeling of being close without wearing a mask without being afraid I miss the most. ALYSSA ANAND
MIA BHATIA
IS THERE REALLY A “NEW NORMAL”? OVER THE past few months, among the hundreds of new buzz words ingrained into our daily lives, we’ve constantly heard the phrase of a “new normal” being floated around. Essentially, the idea is that the structure of our societies and the way that we interact with people both socially and physically on a day to day basis will be radically and forever changed by this pandemic. Blog posts warn about the end of “hugs, handshakes, and mass gatherings,” while news sites remind us of the possibilities of public surveillance and increased fear tactics. Even more, we get the sense that technology is increasingly invading our personal lives, as we seek to maintain the connections with our loved ones and friends.
This pandemic has shown that our generosity for others far exceeds our selfishness or indifference. Covid-19 has also been accompanied with a growing mental health crisis, as we fear for our loved ones, feel lonely due to isolation, and struggle to concentrate amidst the growing stress. However, despite the traditional stigmas associated with mental health support, our ability to feel empathy for others has shone through our response. Whether it be increased resources available for people to seek help, such as health lines, wellness activities, and counselling for those struggling with addiction, or simply reaching out to the lonely and grieving, our efforts indicate that we truly care for one another despite our circumstances. Rather than become socially divided, we have become increasingly connected in our understanding of each others’ struggles and suffering.
Now, to be fair, all of this hypothesizing may have a glimmer of truth. It may be the case that we never go back to life as we once knew it for another few years, and it may be true that some parts of our old social fabric will be drastically altered. But, in all Lastly, this pressure has revealed humankind’s honesty, this is a pretty gloomy stance to take on the unique courage and creativity in finding solutions to world. While the circumstances of “THROUGH COMPASSION AND problems. People are finding inthis pandemic temporarily change EMPATHY TO OUR NEIGHBOURS ventive ways to design medical how we express our human nature, AND FRIENDS, WE HAVE SHOWN masks for healthcare workers, the strength of our resiliency and whether it be sewing them at THAT WE CAN UNITE UNDER ability to adapt has never been home, or creating unique designs ANY CONDITION.” more present. Over the past couple for the deaf and hard of hearing. months, this truly global crisis has We are lending our individual exrevealed the courage and generosity of humankind, pertises to a whole greater than ourselves, demonstratproving that a “new normal” is merely a slight shift in ing our resiliency in uniting as a community. In Canaour condition. da, teams are even finding creative uses for 3D printers, such as manufacturing cheap ventilators and other First, we have seen humanity’s unique compas- hospital equipment. Humankind has shown that we sion for those in need, which has been expressed are not confined by the limits of our technology or through the variety of campaigns seeking to aid the economics, as we can find solutions that use our colmost vulnerable. While physical distancing has prelective intelligence for the aid of others. vented many children and adults from gaining access to food and necessities, organizations and individuals The “new normal” of masks, distancing, and isoacross the country are committing their time and effort lation warned about by so many has not changed our to ensure communities are well fed. In Canada alone, resilience and strength. Through compassion and emover 100,000 people volunteered in the first month of pathy to our neighbors and friends, we have shown the pandemic, and that is a number that grows with that we can unite under any condition. So as we, the each day. Even more, people are seeking everyday to young people of the future, venture into this new realimaintain contact with the most vulnerable of our pop- ty, we must continually remind ourselves that the ulation, the elderly, by writing letters, visiting win“new normal” is not shaped by its circumstances, but dows, and uniting loved ones through technology. by the people who succeed despite them. JASNOOR GULIANI
ART IN DIFFICULT TIMES THE IMPORTANCE of art has become more evident than ever before. Fine Arts Night, One-Act, All College, and countless more events across Regina have been canceled. Everyone has felt the impact of the pandemic, and because of the fact that we have more time available this is our chance to find an outlet. This year a group of grade 11 and 12 students had the incredible opportunity to visit El Salvador and speak to Sister Peggy at the Peace Arts Center. We had the pleasure of hearing how teachers from around the world come to the Arts Center to teach vulnerable children and families the value of art. They hold different classes depending on the specialties of their current teachers. Something I took away from that time was the power of art. Anyone with any skill set can find a form of art that brings healing and joy. As a student body, we have all lost events that we were excited for. This is disappointing but it’s not the end of the story. Take this time to appreciate your family time at home and make something new. Art is healing and this is a time for each of us to connect with ourselves and each other in new ways. Try making something or learning a new skill with a friend from a distance. Art in any form is a great way to entertain yourself and grow while you stay safe at home. HOPE VAN VLIET
PEYTON BRYKSA
THE TRUE MEANING OF ART Art comes from the heart, And the brain when you drain. The mind takes you on a fun glide. Art can be made anyway, Paper, pen, pencil, or clay. Art will take you on an adventure, You just gotta wait! AKSHAYA RAVI
TIRE SWING When I was a child I used to walk in the park with my family. I marveled at the brilliant, shining sun, like it was a shooting star in the sky Or a glowing volleyball of the heavens Or a tasty orange with infinite sweetness Or the eyes of the creator looking down But it’s just the sun. That’s it. When I was a child I used to hike in the woods with my friends. I marveled at the towering tall trees, like they were the broccoli in my favourite soup Or the old souls who now protect and oversee us Or the givers of unlimited fruit Or the homes of delicate and inquisitive critters But they’re just trees. That’s it. When I was a child I used to play in the backyard with my siblings. I marveled at the swaying tire swing like it was a contraption of unlimited fun Or an inedible, yet tasty donut Or a lost part of an exhilarating race car Or the biggest, most valuable coin But it’s just a tire swing. That’s it. The sun is just the sun. The trees are just trees. The tire swing is just a tire swing. hanging in the backyard. untouched, old, dirty. unexplored. limited. That’s it.
JORDON HA
CONGRATULATIONS! The prompt for this edition was CREATIVITY and you certainly did not disappoint! First place goes to Annika Drummond! Second place goes to Jordon Ha! Third place goes to Peyton Bryksa!
Thanks to everyone who submitted. You were all amazing! Keep up the great work and stay tuned for details about upcoming editions!
MYKA DER