THE SCOPE

the

scope

The PLC Armidale College Kaleidoscope

THE

BLACK AND WHITE ISSUE

letter from the editors Hi everyone and welcome to the very first issue of ‘the College Kaleidoscope’.

We are so excited to launch PLC’s new school student magazine!

We created this magazine to truly be a ‘Kaleidoscope’ of opinions and perspectives that aims to tell the stories of not only our students but our local and global communities - a cultural and intellectual tapestry. The Scope gives our students a voice and allows them to express their opinions on the things they truly care about it, whether it’s the perils of a failing democracy or something even more contentious - like the idea that fanny-packs can be considered fashionable (we think not). It gives our students a platform to speak their minds when they haven’t had one before and it is because of this that we believe that this magazine is so incredibly important.

The theme for our first edition is ‘The Black and White Issue’ and for us, this theme encompasses a number of diverse and complex social issues. It tells the stories of those impacted by ‘black and white’ perceptions of their circumstances, explores dichotomous concepts and in a more literal sense looks at black

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letter from the editors

and white cinematography and art. In an age of political partisanship and in light of recent societal turmoils across the globe, we hope that this edition can help you understand issues you may have heard about and bring to light ones you may have not to instigate vital conversations about these topics within our school.

This magazine was created as a result of the passion of a large number of writers, illustrators, photographers and graphic designers, without whom, this issue would never have been possible. In particular, we would like to sincerely thank Mrs Tier who helped us organise and build this magazine and was always there if we needed her. A massive thank you again to everyone that contributed - it was an absolute blast to create this magazine because of all of you.

We look forward to releasing more articles and issues and hope you enjoy our first one!

Izzy and Thurkka :)

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The Black and White Issue

CONTENTS 003

1 5

Letter from the Editors In the School

Matilda: The Making of a Musical

6

20 Questions w/ Mr Sheridan

7

Looking Back on Year Twelve

9

News & Opinion

11

The World in Black and White

13 15

Native Foreigners

17

The Lie

19 20 21 23 24 25

News Breakdown

10 Girls to Follow in the News

Arts

Portraits in Monochrome Short Story: “Bushfire” A Kaleidoscope of Poetry Poem: “A Dichotomous Summer”

Features & Human Interest Australia and China: As Different as They Seem?

The People of the Peacock Angel

contents

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Shostakovich vs Hindemith

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Australia: Courageous or Complacent?

29 31

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Entertainment

Television and Film Review: Frances Ha

Fashion

Fashion Through Time

Food

White Chocolate vs Dark Chocolate

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Australian Chinese Food vs Traditional Chinese Food

34

Recipe: Salted Caramel Brownies

35

The College Quizzes Which Teacher Are You?

37 38

Crossword Corner

40

Meet the Team

Cartoon Corner

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the making of a musical a look at PLC Armidale’s 2019 musical production Matilda: The Musical ISABELLE TAYLOR PHOTOGRAPHY BY ESTHER EICKHOFF

Matilda 2019, was an incredible demonstration of the sheer talent and skill of all PLC girls, staff and helpers involved.

The six sold-out shows proved that even though we’re a small school, our capacity to entertain is endless. A massive thank you to Mrs Wysel, Mrs Clynch and a number of other staff members who worked tirelessly to not only produce a hilarious and thoughtful show but to also create a

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positive and exciting environment for the entire cast. We were incredibly lucky to be able to produce the first amateur production of Matilda the Musical and I know the cast is incredibly grateful for the time and effort put into such a wonderful show.

Thank you again to everyone who was involved and to those who came to watch.

I’m excited to see what we do next!

in the school

twenty questions w/Mr Sheridan

INTERVIEW BY CAITLIN HANSFORD

1. DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN ONE WORD. Tall.

2. WHY DID YOU BECOME A TEACHER? I tried being a diplomat but decided that I would teach for a few years and discovered that I enjoyed it.

3. WHY DO YOU THINK THE SUBJECTS YOU TEACH ARE SO IMPORTANT? Well, History is extremely important in terms of people understanding the world. So I feel that if students didn’t have a good grasp of history (or chocolate), they would find it very difficult to interpret contemporary circumstances.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE HISTORICAL EVENT TO TEACH? I do enjoy teaching the origins of World War One. I enjoy teaching social change in Australia in the 1970s, progress for women, indigenous people and non-english speaking migrants.

5. WHAT IS YOUR STANCE ON HOMEWORK? There is far too much of it. I don’t think homework should be given automatically, I think it should only be given if it’s actually going to be useful.

8. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT LIVING IN ARMIDALE? Lack of congestion, clean air. It’s also really culturally interesting if you know how to locate sources of cultural diversity. And it has beautiful buildings.

9. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TEACHING IN JORDAN? Fun. The students were extremely demanding, more demanding than here.

The people were incredibly generous so I got to appreciate Arab culture. (*pensive pause*) Oh! And the food was GOOD. 10. WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT LIFE BY LIVING IN MIDDLE-EASTERN COUNTRIES? I guess the main thing I learned was how fortunate Australia was, both in terms of the wealth of our country but also the natural beauty, peace and cleanliness of our country and the availability of water - even though that is a problem now.

11. IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH THREE PEOPLE, LIVING OR DEAD, WHO WOULD IT BE? Hmmm. I would like to meet the composer Mozart. I think I would like to meet Mahatma Gandhi. And I think it would be interesting to meet WB Yeats.

6. DO YOU THINK THAT TECHNOLOGY HELPS OR HINDERS IN THE CLASSROOM? It helps me because I can show videos and films that might help explain things that I couldn’t otherwise locate in a written text. So for the most part, I think it helps enormously.

12. WHAT BOOK IS A ‘MUST-READ’ FOR THE STUDENTS AT PLC? Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.

7. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING TO DO OUTSIDE OF WORK? I like bushwalking by myself. I like drinking coffee. I like being with my family and I like looking at the sea.

14. WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE UNLIMITED INTERNATIONAL FIRSTCLASS TICKETS OR NEVER HAVE TO PAY FOR FOOD AT RESTAURANTS? Mmmm, probably unlimited interna-

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13. WOULD YOU RATHER LOSE THE ABILITY TO READ OR SPEAK? This is difficult. I’d have to say the ability to read.

tional first-class tickets.

15. WOULD YOU RATHER NEVER HAVE CAKE OR CHOCOLATE AGAIN? (“mmm”... *sighs*) I would have to say, I would forego cake.

16. IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERTED ISLAND, WHAT ARE THE THREE THINGS YOU WOULD TAKE? A book of poetry, some classical music and one good friend.

17. WHEN YOU WERE A KID, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? NOT King of the World. I thought I might be a diplomat or a poet or a barrister. … Not barista, barrister.

18. HOW DOES GROWING UP WHEN YOU DID CONTRAST WITH HOW WE GROW UP NOW? The biggest difference, I think, was the absence of technology.

So there was more face to face time and silence.

19. IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONLY ONE THING ABOUT AUSTRALIA WHAT WOULD IT BE? I would like us to have a government that took climate change seriously and was kind to refugees.

20. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH THE STUDENTS OF PLC? PLC students have been very kind to me and I have enjoyed teaching them. I wish them well because, for the most part, I think they are very well-intentioned and good-natured and thoughtful students. (*everyone wipes tears*)

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looking back on year twelve a conversation with Emma Pearce and Ruby Beatty INTERVIEW BY THURKKA JEYAKUMAR

(T): Ok, I’m not 100% sure how to start this.

What are your names?

(E): I don’t have a name.

(T): *awkward laugh* OK! (R): But you already know our names!

(T): Sigh. Ok, Emma Pearce and Ruby Beatty.

(E): Nice.

(T): How long have you been at PLC? (E): Since Year 7. Way too long.

(R): I came in Year 11. Two years.

(T): Cool. What was your favourite part of Year 12?

(E): The friendships. I think you take them for granted until you end up in Year 11 and Year 12 when you have SO MUCH to do. But it’s when you’re thrown into those stressful situations that you realise how important your friendships are.

(R): For me, it was finishing all the assessments. Not having to do assessments right now is SO great.

(E): Coming out of Trials and throwing away a forest’s worth of English notes was great.

(R): Even though we still have to use them?

(E): Yeah. Actually, I put a video on my Snapchat story of me throwing away my English notes and them landing perfectly into a recycling bin and like 70 people re007

sponded to them saying “You do realise we still need them, right?” and I was like “Do you think I’m stupid?!” *some reluctant laughter* (T): Great story Emma.

(E): Thanks.

(T): Ok, What did you hate most about Year 12? *awkward silence* (E): Probably the drama.

(R): Emma going on my phone every day and ruining my life.

(E): I didn’t ruin your life!

(R): No, but I’m going to have to do damage control. *laughter* (E): See what I did was I went onto her phone every day and snap-chatted all these random people.

(R): And if they sent a photo of NOTHING she commented on the NOTHING! (E): There’s this one person that just sends a photo of a sheep every day. So I changed his name to ‘Sheep-Boy’. *laughter* (T): Another great story, Emma.

(E): Thanks.

(T): So the thing you hated most was drama, and Emma basically?

(E): Also waking up every single day at 7:00am to get ready for school and still never getting to school on time!

(R): The best part of school is seeing in the school

Emma come in looking just so dishevelled every single day.

(T): That’s actually so true! Emma texted me today and said “be ready to leave when I come” and then rocked up at 8:40!

(E): I left my house at 8:25! *laughter* (T): Do you have any favourite memories?

(E): This one Duke of Ed hike to Woy Woy where we got lost and arrived like 2 hours late and apparently if we had arrived any later they would have called SES. (R): Yikes. Mine’s maths lessons. Our maths lessons are so good.

(T): Awww!

(E): That’s actually true. Woy Woy isn’t my favourite memory it just scarred me. But maths is so much fun with you guys. I sound like such a nerd.

(R): I’m going to miss them so much!

(T): I know! If you had any advice for a Year 11 that’s coming into Year 12 what would it be?

(E): Don’t stress too much. I think we all take school very seriously in Year 12 but your ATAR and HSC are not the be-all and end-all.

(R): There are so many ways to get into UNI and you don’t even have to the black and white issue

go. There is so much pressure placed on you in Year 12 and I just don’t think it’s necessary.

(E): And don’t think that university is the only way to be successful. I guarantee a lot of people will feel like they HAVE to go do a five-year uni degree but won’t get anything out of it because they won’t be doing what they enjoy.

(R): Basically, don’t be too stressed out. Just enjoy it.

(T): That’s so cute.

(E): I know it sounds cliché and stuff but I regret not going out with friends more.

(R): Even during the HSC, go out and do what makes you happy. Looks after your mental health!

(E): So true. I feel like Year 12 has been one of the best years.

(R): It makes you feel like the past decade of schooling is worth it.

(E): Definitely. Also, the friendships I have made this year are the best friendships I’ve ever had. They are the kind you want to keep forever. So just appreciate it because it goes by so fast.

(T): That was adorable. Do you have any final words?

(R): Just remember to look after yourself and enjoy yourself!

(E): School can (sometimes) be a blast.

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news breakdown

a breakdown of all the news you may have heard of but never understood.

LUCY MARTIN

Let’s be honest, how many of us read the news?

And no, not just skipping through entertainment websites to learn about Kylie Jenner’s new photoshop fail - the actual news. The one full of politics, conflict and confusion. For a generation who decide after 6 seconds whether a video, post or article is worth our time; the rate of literacy and understanding of the seemingly boring elements of our news and current affairs (such as ScoMo’s™ latest tax cuts), is in decline. Essentially, we are the most connected generation of people ever to exist, but perhaps we cannot communicate our ideas about global affairs simply because we don’t understand their impact within our own lives. But being connected is one of the most powerful tools we all need as we grow and leave the small community that is PLC to become global citizens.

The US-China Trade war

Money makes the world go round. But money is essentially just numbers and graphs right? And if you’re like me and maths isn’t your strong point, it sometimes doesn’t make sense. At other times, it’s hard to comprehend just how much money is floating around. Well this year, there’s been A LOT of money being tossed around, mostly due to this thing called a ‘trade war’ which is happening right now between the US and China. Basically, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President, Xi Jingping are placing billions of dollars worth of tariffs - taxes on imported goods - on each others goods.

They are making it more expensive for each other to import goods to the other country, so things that are made in China, like iPhones, are more expensive for Americans to buy and vice versa. This is a big deal because trade around the world has been disrupted because these countries are the two largest economies in the world. It shows that some countries don’t support free trade anymore (which is a bad thing), because free trade is generally a good thing.

It means that we can easily buy stuff from overseas, it means that overseas companies can import their products to Australia. This

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means there are more goods for us to buy - you don’t just have to buy socks made in Australia, you can buy socks that were made in China or Switzerland if you really want. This makes things cheaper for everyone. What’s happening between the US and China at the moment is making goods more expensive for people in those countries, but it is changing trading patterns and prices around the rest of the world.

Brexit

Britain is approximately two 11 hour flights away, which is about enough time to watch High School Musical 16 times. Similarly Brexit has been going on for 3 years, enough time to rehearse, film and produce High School Musical 2, 30 times. It’s taking forever, and the UK is onto its 3rd Prime Minister, now Boris Johnson aka BoJo™. Brexit is more than just a weird name, it describes the situation where the British population voted to leave the European Union (an organisation of most European countries who all share the same currency and trade a lot with one another). Britain leaving this group means that it will be fairly isolated in Europe and trading and travelling will become more challenging. So why is it all taking so long? Well, this is essentially a divorce between one country and 27 others. The UK is very wealthy and provides a lot to the EU, just as Britain needs the EU’s agricultural products. So what they’re trying to reach is a ‘deal’ where the hope is that Britain can leave the EU but not be completely cut off. There’s also the issue of an Irish hard border because Ireland and Northern Ireland are two different countries but are on the same island. Ireland is independent, but Northern Ireland belongs to the UK, so if Brexit was to pass with a ‘hard border’ then people would have to show their passports at the Irish border. The problem is, no one can agree on anything and so British politicians are being removed and negotiations are moving very slowly. It’s kind of gotten to the point where the British people would be happier not to leave the EU if it meant all the fuss would go away. Others aren’t sure what to expect when the country leaves, with one guy storing canned food and building his own Brexit shelter should the separation lead to the apocalypse.

news and opinion

Courtesy of AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Climate Protests

Does anyone else feel like the awareness and activism about global warming has skyrocketed this year? From metal straws to the spreading of Keep Cups, it seems as though finally, people are starting to care properly about the environment.

In case you were wondering, global warming is a real and threatening thing. The fires in the Amazon over the past few months come as a result of deforestation in the region, destroying thousands of hectares of land which makes it easier for fires to spread. The fires in the Amazon aren’t likely to go out completely for at least another year, destroying ecosystems as they go. We’ve seen the impacts of climate change in our own backyard, with a continuing drought and the recent widespread bushfires being attributed to the increased temperatures. So what’s happening about it all?

The truth is, not enough. Climate policy is something that is still debated frequently by politicians, with some leaders continuing to deny that climate change is actually a thing, and most prioritising

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economic growth and money over long term environmental sustainability. Unfortunately each world leader has a different attitude toward how to deal with climate change. Donald Trump doesn’t really believe it’s a thing, whereas Justin Trudeau has approved a ban on single use plastic in Canada by 2021. Climate policy is something that will affect our generation the most which is why we’ve seen increases in climate activism from people our age like the Schools Strike for Climate Change.

Activism such as this highlights how involved our generation wants to be in deciding our future and the strikes have done their job in enhancing awareness about the global climate issues. While politicians may want to achieve economic growth, the longer droughts and natural disasters persist, the more money that is lost, which means over the long term, the economy will stop growing anyway.

It’s fair to say that the inaction of our current old and greying politicians has bred a generation of activists in the process.

It’s important that we all have an understanding of news and current affairs so that we can know how to respond and deal with issues when they arise.

My recommendation is to follow a news website on Instagram or Facebook and keep up to date with what’s going on. This way you get your news in small, manageable bites. Not all this news is light hearted but many of the stories raised on the news each night will become the things our generation will have to fix or deal with when it comes our turn to run the world. So it’s important to have at least a gist of what’s going on. The best way to make sense of these stories then, is to start a conversation.

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looking at the world PRO

In our modern age, the phrase ‘black and white’ often gets thrown around. But what does it actually mean? Well, to classify something as black and white means that it is clear- there is a clear answer, choice or solution. Some see this as a negative, but there are many positives involved with classifying things as ‘black and white’.

When you consider the constructs of society, some areas must be black and white for them to function efficiently. One of these areas is in the law. There have been many cases through our history where our legal system has not been black and white, and it ended with criminals let free, and victims left without closure. American financer, Jeffery Epstein, sexually assaulted dozens of young girls in the early 2000s and is known notoriously for his somewhat controversial death - suicide while within a high-security prison in New York. How, you ask, could this happen if he was in a high-security prison cell? Well, the answer is that he found a loophole in the seemingly flawless constitution. That fault in the system left numerous families without the closure that they deserved and gave a corrupt criminal satisfaction. This would not have happened if we had a ‘black and white’ legal system. A lack of impartiality within our legal systems is what allows for the bias and prejudiced treatment of individuals that are perceived as dangerous and unstable based on unfair stereotypes. With a ‘black and white’ system, an individual’s race, gender or sexuality would not make them more or less susceptible to

AZARIA JONES AND

persecution, but rather, we will have achieved a state of equality under the law. This will allow citizens of our country to feel safe and happy that in the unfortunate situation that they will be involved in the law, they can have complete faith that they will be protected and will receive justice.

If we have the ability to classify anything as black and white, we will get a definitive answer from where we can further our knowledge about the particular area. Classifying anything from data to relationships can become easier if we are able to strip back what we know to the basics. We have all gone through school having to do problem-solving.

We are only able to solve the problem once we dismiss the unnecessary information that is carefully placed to stump us. We have to step back and assess the information that we have been given, remove the points we know are wrong and then work from there. Perhaps if we could do this in our own reality we would be able to experience everyday situations more simply.

So yes, ‘black and white’ can be positive. It can ensure our legal system is uncorrupted and unprejudiced and can be used to simplify our daily lives and improve them for the better.

so which is it?

‘Black and white’ is a phrase holding a lot of power that we often use today. It can be positive as it a looking for a simplistic lifestyle and it means that we have the ability to get definite answers. Howeve and can lead us into the trap of thinking that our idea is always right- and then being sorely disappoi always more than one way to look at the situation. While in some cases having a black and white min an open mind to try to stop stereotyping and categorising that is often a result of ‘black and white’ th

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news and opinion

in black and white SARAH WATERS

We all know that scene from every teen movie ever, where the guy and the girl have a falling out because of some big misunderstanding. You know - the type of scene that makes you just want to jump into the screen and tell them what happened because how could they not know?!

See, to these characters, the world is black and white. They’re either right or wrong about a situation, and of course, there are never two sides to a story, only their own version.

Even reading that seems wrong doesn’t it?

When we label things as black and white, we’re restricting all the possibilities and exceptions that often come with the truth.

We’re used to this one way thinking- that things are either one way or the other and that they can’t be both. Except, in reality, this type of thinking usually leads to simply “thinking in extremes” which is pretty much thinking that everything in life is either terrible or brilliant, right or wrong, true or false - when in reality most things are a mixture of blacks, whites and greys. It is this thinking that leads to political partisanship and reduces complex issues into their simplest forms overlooking important but nuanced factors.

CON It is for this very reason that controversial issues such as abortion are debated so intensely - there are no clear “blacks and whites” to the issue. The problems with topics such as these is the fact that they are inherently complex issues, with an infinite number of unique perspectives - and looking at these situations in black and white can undermine these opinions. With these arguments, and the many others that vex us daily in almost every area of our lives, comes the question- how on earth could you make a “black and white” law or even decision for something so complex and differing?

As you can see, although the idea of issues being “black and white” may seem as if they are beneficial, perceiving a topic in this way can overlook and undermine the nuanced factors that contribute to an argument. Instead, we must give way to the idea that real life isn’t purely one or the other, and rather a mix of many possibilities and reasons, as seen in situations of every level.

allows systems that we use today- such as our legal system- to functional efficiently, it appeals to people er, if we simply define something as ‘black and white’ it restricts us from looking at other possible options inted and confused in the often case that it is not. A black and white world is simply unachievable- there is ndset is a good thing, more often than not it is not the attitude that we should aspire for. We need to keep hinking.

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native foreigners THURKKA JEYAKUMAR

A few months ago I read my first book by an Indian author. When I was about halfway through this book, I came to the sudden realisation that it was one of the first novels I had ever read that told a story I could relate to, that had characters that looked like me, had names that sounded like mine and that even called their mother “Amma” instead of “Mum”. And it was because of this that I realised that for the 13 years I had been able to read, I had never once read a story that told mine.

I think we forget how vulnerable we are in the face of a story, particularly as children; we forget the lasting impact of the things we read and see. Everything from smiling white families in our history books to movies, TV shows and cartoons, news, politics, the media. These things shaped the kind of country we that thought Australia was. And that country we were shown as children, that country that was portrayed as a beachy

I grew up in Australia, but I wasn’t born here and for the first few years of my life, I thought that that didn’t matter. I thought that as long as I could speak without an accent, avoid communicating with my parents in Tamil in public and consistently abbreviate the words ‘track pants’ to ‘trackies’, I would be - in all senses of the word - Australian. But as the years passed I became acutely aware that I didn’t belong, or rather, that I was being told that I didn’t.

When I was little I would read stories about these children that would go on adventures in the snow and form secret societies and find lost treasure in the woods. But the stories I read were British and Australian, the characters in them white and blue-eyed.

And for many years that is what I thought constituted a story - I thought that books by their very nature had to have white characters, had to tell white stories.

I loved those British and Australian books I read, but it was because of these stories was that I did not know that people like me could exist in literature. It was as a result of this foundation that I grew up with the idea that to be normal, was to be white, and to be anything else, was just not.

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paradise of tanned models and surfers - that country didn’t seem to have any room for us.

Almost every child that in Austragrow up as a in their own

non-white grows up lia, will foreigner country.Because for ethnic Aus-

tralian youth, “Yeah, nah but where do news and opinion

you really come from?” is just the beginning.

Asian culture, in particular, is only seen by Asian youth as shopkeeper stereotypes with Indian accents and Chinese billionaires that don’t understand English. Different versions of the same story. When you show a people as one thing, as only one thing then that is what they become. And the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incom-

plete. They make one story, the only story.

These stereotypes undermine entire cultures, ridicule and diminish traditions until those children that grew up in Australia are embarrassed about their homeland and ashamed to speak their mother-tongue - unable to identify with their culture, nor their country. Homeless.

It isn’t okay that to see ourselves represented in literature we have to look for novels that weren’t written in Australia. It isn’t the black and white issue

okay that at age 6, I would ask my mum if I could dye my hair because I thought blonde was better than black. It isn’t okay that I spent most of my life thinking I was less than all of my friends simply because I wasn’t white. Minority underrepresentation in Australia is alienating and exculding so many of our young people. And that isn’t okay.

But it isn’t too late for us to change.

The solution is not simple. It will take time. But if our literature can progress, for example, from the once two-dimensional depiction of women as mere housewives and love interests to the advent of multifaceted characters like Hermoine Granger and Clarissa Dalloway; we can progress from shopkeepers and billionaires to real and accurate representations of multicultural Australia.

The first step is to acknowledge that the issue is real, to acknowledge the impact it has on the youth of Australia - how divisive and alienating the idea of a white Australia truly is. Because Australia is home to beaches and surfers and tanned models. But we are also home to Eddie Mabo, feasts for Ramadan and festivals for Diwali. We are many cultures, many races, many religions, but we are one people, and if we stand together, we can ensure that every child that will grow up in Australia, will grow up with a real place to call home. For no matter our race, culture or ethnicity we share the same identity.

We are Australian.

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ten girls to foll ISABELLE

gretathunberg

1. GRETA THUNBERG This Swedish born teenager is taking the world by storm and raising awareness about the critical state of our earth due to the impacts of climate change. At only 16 years of age she has pioneered multiple climate strikes and encouraged millions of people across the globe to do the same. She is an inspiration to us all and is definitely an icon worth following online.

emmawise18

2. EMMA GONZALEZ This 19-year-old is an American activist and advocate for gun control. She, herself is a survivor of The horrific Parkland shooting in Florida. She organised and lead the “March For Our Lives” walk, which aimed to raise awareness and instigate legislative change to the American constitution. As the cofounder of a gun control advocacy group and an outspoken public leader, Gonzalez is definitely a girl you should be following.

ashleygraham

3. ASHLEY GRAHAM Ahsley Graham is an American plus size model and television presenter.

She has actively encouraged younger teens to learn to love the shape they are given, however socially “acceptable” or “unacceptable” it may be.

Graham’s light-hearted approach to life and confident attitude makes her an incredibly prominent, inspiring woman you should definitely be following on all your socials.

macliney_butson

4. MACINLEY BUTSON Macinley Butson, an 18 year old inventor from Wollongong NSW, became the first ever Australian to win 1st place in the world at the INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair when she was only 16 years of age. Recognising the need to tackle the threat of radiation therapy during breast cancer treatment, she invented “Smart Armour” - a shield which protects the contralateral breast (the breast not being treated) from excess radiation. Her Smart Armour invention has shown that it can block out 80% of radiation. Macinley is a true inspiration and someone you should definitely be looking out for in the scientific sphere.

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littlemissflint

5. MARI COPENY (AKA LITTLE MISS FLINT) At only 8 years of age Mari Copeny wrote a letter to president Obama order to draw attention to the Flint Water Crisis of lead poisoning in her hometown. Since then she has pioneered hundreds of fundraisers and marches aiming to incite global understanding and active change to her current situation. Little Miss Flint is an incredible example of a persistent, confident young girl helping not just her community, but also the world.

news and opinion

low in the news TAYLOR

nupol_justice

6. NUPOL KIAZOLU Nupol, a budding young political activist and aspiring politician aims to reframe how the country of America looks at racism. She has been an outspoken advocate for “Black Lives Matter” and her aspiration to become the President in 2036 has driven her to speak up about police brutality, racial profiling and racial discrimination towards African American people and illustrated to us that she is most certainly a person to be watching in the media.

yarashahidi

7. YARA SHAHIDI Yara Shahidi is an actress and activist who founded Eighteen x 18 - a platform that encourages people to vote in elections. Shahidi’s activism was noticed by former first lady Michelle Obama, who wrote her a letter of recommendation to Harvard University. She was also given the opportunity by Teen Vogue to interview Hillary Clinton in 2017. Her work, not only under the bright lights of Hollywood but also with young women and girls proves that as an actress you can do both successfully and look incredible whilst doing it. All I can say is, you should definitely be following her.

iammarleydias

8. MARLEY DIAS Marley Dias is a 14 year old American activist and feminist who launched a campaign in 2015 called #1000BlackGirlBooks, aiming to collect 1,000 books to donate for black girls. Her initiative to start a book drive featuring literature that contained Black female protagonists caught the attention of thousands of young black girls who also felt there was a significant underrepresentation of black female characters in literature. This pioneer of the future is definitely someone you should be following and supporting as much as possible!

courtesy of justice king

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abbiebull_

9. ABBIE BULL Abbie Bull is a vocal member of the acne positive movement on instagram who creates content that fights stigmas around acne whilst offering advice to those who want to clear and conceal their skin. Abbie often posts candid unfiltered photos to reassure other girls and boys that acne is real and can affect anyone. Abbie is definitely a girl to be following online and tracking as she continues to normalise acne and its effects.

10. JUSTICE KING At just 15 years old, mental health campaigner and Waayni woman Justice King launched her first mental health campaign in her local community of Mt Isa. The inspirational 19-year-old now runs three community campaigns to raise awareness and break down the taboos surrounding mental illness. Justice is an incredible young woman who has broken some challenging social molds and done hard things - she is certainly worth a follow.

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the lie JESSICA LI

Maybe it’s because I’ve grown up in an all-girls school. Maybe it’s because I was brought up by parents who believed in me. Growing up I was told that I could do anything, as long as I worked hard and set my mind to it. Now part of me wonders whether I’ve been lied to for the better part of two decades.

weeks to live. After reading that, I was inspired to become a neurosurgeon ... and cure cancer. A few years later, I read ‘Gifted Hands’ about neurosurgeon Dr Ben Carson who successfully separated conjoined twins and decided... I was going to go to John Hopkins, become a neurosurgeon, separate conjoined twins and cure cancer.

Eleven. Eleven is the total number of female cardiothoracic surgeons in Australia. The number of women in medical degrees is equal to the number of men in Australia, if not greater, but only 9% of those who become surgeons are women. I’m not going to lie, these figures shocked me. I didn’t realise the phrase ‘only a handful’; wasn’t exaggerated. But the more I thought about it, I realised these figures weren’t only alarming; in fact they were the reality. What alarmed me more perhaps, is that I hadn’t noticed it until about two weeks ago.

Despite the stereotype, I’ve known since I was four that I wanted to be a doctor — more specifically that I wanted to cure cancer. My parents never forced it upon me (in fact they don’t even want me to do medicine — which you might understand after reading this article). The first novel Mum ever gave me was ‘Life in his Hands’. It’s a story about Australian neurosurgeon Charlie Teo who successfully operated on pianist Aaron McMillan when had been given just six

What Charlie Teo and Ben Carson have in common isn’t that they’re both neurosurgeons, in fact if it wasn’t obvious already, they’re also both male. I guess until two weeks ago, I had always just assumed that, ‘Of course there were heaps of female surgeons, they probably just weren’t as famous.’ I didn’t realise that the reason I don’t see female surgeons is because there aren’t as many in the first place.

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A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that health professionals across the field — both men and women — exhibited explicit bias regarding women: that men should be surgeons and women should pursue family medicine. Dr Nikki Stamp (one of Australia’s ‘handful’ of cardiothoracic surgeons) argues that, “Consciously or unconsciously, we don’t always see surgery as a place for women.”

Although there is a subtle physical barrier that surgery was not made for those who are smaller and thus wom-

news and opinion

en are somehow less capable, much of the reasons for the lack of women in surgery goes beyond the mentality that women aren’t as strong as men.

The issue of maternity leave presents females surgeons with a challenging ultimatum early on; choosing a family or their career. If they choose the first, each second they spend with their child is another second they’ve fallen behind in their specialty. The current structures should be improved to make it easier for women and men – or the second parent– to take shared parental leave or less-than-full-time training. This would not only improve life for these doctors, but also show future cohorts that this is possible.

would I be to the surgical service?” No one tells me that there will be those in medicine who refute the existence of gender bias, that women in medicine will try to commit suicide. The figures are painted in black and white. They’re obvious. But there aren’t just two options of: making it, or giving up. The powerful truth is, that these are realities that don’t just apply to medicine, they apply to every field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Quite frankly, we should feel hurt about being lied to, we should be embarrassed that such stigmas still exist in a modern age, but rather than wallowing in it like I have here, we HAVE to set about changing it.

This is why I feel like I’ve been lied to. No one tells me that in 2019 the reality of life as a female surgeon is one where a boy’s club is truly alive and well. That I’ll probably be looked over for promotions or leadership positions. That my dreams of holding a scalpel, being a BOSS like ‘Christina from Grey’s Anatomy,’ will be dimmed by the people in the operating theatre who assume I’m not the surgeon.

Girls can do anything, I still firmly believe that. I will still tell my six year old sister that she can be a dentist if she wants to. I will tell her and any other girl that she can do anything as long as she works hard and sets her mind to it. But I will not lie about what it will be like to be part of the handful. I’ll tell them to change the system... to change the phrase from ‘handful’ to ‘masses’.

No one warned me that I’m likely to experience sexual harassment. That my male colleagues might undermine my authority with the words, “Touch my nipples. You know you want to.” That I would be discouraged from having children because if I did, “What use

the black and white issue

So do it. Prove that they were wrong.

That you will not give in to the beliefs about women in a male-dominated field. Prove that you aren’t just an exception, rather set the pace that you are the representation.

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Artist: Mae Yee

Artist: Ann Zhang

Artist: Sarah Hughes

portraits in monochrome SARAH HUGHES

The Year Eleven Visual Arts students completed drawings earlier this year using black and white charcoal on A3 paper. Using photographs that we chose, we spent a term carefully encapsulating the human face-using the versatility of the monochrome to form realistic portraits. Even though it was a long process, it was surprisingly fun and the results speak for themselves!

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Artist: Charlotte Caldwell

arts

bushfire a short story ABIGAIL EASTMENT

And then I see it.

Driving, driving, driving. The only sound is the tyres on the road. The rumble drowns out every- The only sight is black. This darkness, it smothers, thing else. All I see is the inside of the blindfold. it suffocates. The tree I played in last summer All I see is black. But, if I cannot see out the win- black - The grass between my toes in the morndow, I can remember what is there. Green and ing - black. The fences I climbed - black. Mere gold paddocks, as far as the eye can see. Lus- weeks ago, my home was full of colour; browns, cious trees looming over small wooden stables. greens, yellows, reds.

And Piper, my sweetest friend, over the fence. A But now all is black.

Bushfire tore apart this land. ride awaits.

My knees buckle at the sight before me. A sob escapes from within me.

But suddenly, through this ravaged place of bitter tears, a ray of hope shines. That familiar shining white appears. The first sound I hear is a whinny and a thundering of hooves. Piper. My hope, my shining white light. A voice whispers, “She was the Driving, driving, driving. Away from school, from only animal that survived”.

The only thing left in this darkness is the thing I my dorm, my locker, my friends. All the things love most. The thing I cherish. The one thing I look I am familiar with fade away. Quite abruptly, the rumbling stops. The fumes relent. The black to above all else. My horse. shifts. The door opens. The darkness flickers.

No matter how this fire has tested me, it cannot Then it disappears. take away my hope. Through a land of charred, black darkness, a ray of hope shines, a light. A At first, I am blinded by a bright light. My eyes speck of white in the black. aren’t used to the light.

As soon as my parents picked me up from school, they gave me the blindfold and told me not to take it off. But no-one spoke. The only sound was of the tyres. No voices. But surprises are good, aren’t they? So why do I have a bad feeling about this surprise?

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a kaleidosco

coloured person

that old tv

Sarah Waters

Huna Moghaddar

Inside I’m in pain, but I

Inside I’m hurting, but No-one can see behin no-one can see behind

Look at that thing! So old and dusty, Ancient, creaky, small and rusty,

Can anyone hear me, Do they lie awake dre knowing that tomorro Am I the only one who

Even though it works, all you see, Is black and white on that old TV,

Surely not, are those t Looking around, I see their heads. How can I that I don’t notice how

No depth, no vision, what’s the use?

If you can’t even see the colour of orange juice?

colourblind Azaria Jones

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Grandpa still loves it, it’s true!

But in my opinion, it is too out of view, I guess that I should just get used to That big, old, black and white hullabaloo!

Perhaps inside they’re Inside they’re hurting, No-one can see behin no-one can see behind

Is it possible that while they are hiding a pain Perhaps, for even a flo is followed by a black

Once I was colourblind Could only see black and white Only smile in the daytime And only hurt at night

The colour, it was limited Dimmed and light But it seemed to get stronger Whenever I met his eyes

I missed the yellow flowers And the red of the valentines Until one day I saw him And looked him in his eyes

The flowers all had colour Their scents were just as sweet Fire’s glowing embers astounded And with them, I felt complete

Then all of a sudden it hit me Smack right in the face When one day I looked out And I could see colour, just a trace

Now I thank all the people That looked me in the eyes Because they showed me how bright life was If I just let go of the lies arts

ope of poetry

nality

winter day winter night

I can just laugh.

I can just smile. nd this coloured walld this coloured mask.

Chiyo Brown

Snowflakes Like tiny white butterflies Flutter in and out of the trees

can they feel my pain? eading sleep, ow will be the same? o feels this strain?

They dance ballerinas dressed in feathers of soft white

tears that I see? the voices in I be so ignorant w... no-one feels free?

Sunlight Gently pours down onto the rooftops of the houses littering the mountains

e in pain, but they laugh. but they can just smile. nd their coloured walld their coloured masks.

e their faces are aglow, n too deep to understand? oating white feather shadow.

And the snow glitters Like tiny diamonds Woven into the carpet of white

animals

Phoebe Imberger Black and white are the two colours That are used to distinguish us from others This is the way for humankind But when it comes to animals they are quite blind They are blind to these words All creatures, bugs and birds.

When humans mention it, whole lives can shatter.

But for them black and white just don’t seem to matter. the black and white issue

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a dichotomous summer a diptych RIA KEALEY

i.

Summer bright like a milk tooth, Days scattering under our hands like Confetti, dandelion moons, Sugar grains on a coffee table, Sweetness swept away before it can spoil.

We laugh like a flock of birds taking flight, Dance with sun dripping off us like honey, Sing like the world doesn’t press its weight on us ii.

But merely skims our skin, lightly, Summer dark like a toothache, Feather or fern.

We slip into the hollow stomach of the

river Honeyed and sulky, Pick blackberries and let them snatch at our skin, Hands like a murder weapon, Lips a bloody prayer.

Storm clouds lean over us, Lingering, irresolute.

We seek baptism, renaissance, Cataclysm, crucible, Anything to rinse ourselves of our selves, Yearning for the catharsis locked in a cupboard out of reach.

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arts

australia and china: as different as they seem? are Australia and China as ‘black and white’ as they appear to be?

CAROL SUN

I’m an overseas student from China and I came to Australia a few months ago. Before I came here, I thought it would be really scary because I didn’t know very much English or know much about Australian culture and I expected there to be great differences between the two countries.

However, the truth is - it’s actually not that scary. Most people here are friendly to us, and even though it seems like the two countries are completely different, there are some similarities between my home country and Australia. If you pay some attention, you can even find some similarities in our school!

In Australia, we go to church once a month to pray and learn about God. I have found this to be very similar to going to the temple in China.

Australians seek God’s refuge just like we do in China. We go to the temple when we are facing a big decision or are in a difficult situation. We believe that our God will always be with us if we are in a pickle!

Many people believe that the education system in Australia and China are very different, and while I think that in some ways this is true, there are still some things that they have in common.

There aren’t a lot of people in our class, usually only around 30. Teachers care about each stu-

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dent and try to offer the best education for them like our director Mrs Eastment. It is because of this that I think that the biggest similarity between Australian teachers and Chinese teachers is that even though they have different methods of teaching students, they all have keen hearts to teach and care very much about their pupils.

Another particularly interesting similarity I found was between Australian and Chinese teenagers. No matter where you are, I’ve realised that you can’t say no to the charm of technologies. I was addicted to screens when I was in China, but I thought this would change after I came to Australia.

I thought Australian teenagers were very active and loved sports so I thought that we would exercise together instead of chatting online. However, that was wrong. I found that they are the same as me. We are all addicted to technology.

I think that we all look at Australia and China as if they are two separate worlds, as if they are black and white, but the truth is there are in fact many similarities between the two countries. While we may not live identical lives, the values that truly matter such as love, kindness and honesty can be found within both societies and for me that is what is most important.

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the people of the We look at the refugee crisis in black and white - as impact it has on individual lives. We This is the story of

CHARLOTTE T

The Ezidi refugees that now call Armidale their home have become a familiar sight to many of us. You may have seen them downtown or at a sporting game.

But you may not know much about them.

The Ezidi people are a separate people to the Kurds of Northern Iraq and Syria. This is not due to their race, but because of their religion which is deemed by the Ezidi people as the oldest and truest religion in the world. It is their identity.

They have been highly persecuted because they worship Tawsi Malek, who is depicted as a ‘peacock angel’ in their traditions and customs. In their religion, Tawsi Malek was a fallen angel who came to Earth to serve humans. He is not above God, and not against him, but merely a server on Earth.

Due to this belief, the extremist group, ISIS, have highly persecuted the Ezidi people, believing them to be ‘devil worshippers’.

However, the Ezidi people are in fact a monotheistic group and do not believe in the concept of Hell but rather believe that they are descended directly from Adam’s lineage, whilst the rest of the world come from the lineage of both Adam and Eve. There have been almost 80 attempted genocides on the Ezidi people, and their persecution by ISIS has lasted for decades.

August 3rd, 2014 was the day of the Sinjar Massacre, the last attempted genocide on the Ezidi people. Thousands of women and young girls, as young as 5 years 025

old, were taken hostage and sold as sex slaves to ISIS men. Men have been killed or tortured, and young boys taken to be trained as ISIS soldiers from the age of 3.

Every Ezidi in Armidale has been subject to horrific abuse, both emotional and physical, with many still missing family members and in particular, younger siblings.

However, despite the horrors they have faced, the Ezidi people are making the best out of their situation in Australia.

They are making a big effort to integrate into Australian society and their new communities. The things they most enjoy about Australia include the opportunity to attend school, meet new friends, and the wide variety of shops (even in Armidale!). They also love the new food and opportunities that Australia provides.

Here is an interview with some of the Ezidi girls from the Intensive English Class at Armidale Secondary College to ask about their experiences in Australia.

Questions cover food customs, celebrations, and what their plans were for the future, now that they are safe in Australia.

features and human interest

e peacock angel mere facts and statistics. By doing so we ignore the ignore their stories, their history. the Ezidi Refugees.

THOMAS

HOW LONG HAVE YOU ALL BEEN IN ARMIDALE? Ashan: I have been in Armidale for about 1 year and 2 months now.

Samra and Salwa: We have been here for 1 year and 1 month.

Asia: I have been here for 1 year now.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT ARMIDALE AND AUSTRALIA? We love school, Australian people, the weather, playing sports like soccer on the weekend and shopping.

DO YOU PLAY ANY SPORTS? Ashan and Asia: We play soccer at Rologas Fields on the weekend. We have made many Australian friends.

It is really good fun.

All: We go to Gymnastics every two weeks at school.

We love Gymnastics, especially the climbing wall, the trampolines and jumping into the foam pit.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING TO DO OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL? We love spending time with our family and friends. We help our family cook the food and clean the house.

We like sleeping, studying, playing soccer and having special events and parties with friends.

HOW MANY LANGUAGES DO YOU SPEAK? We speak Kurdish Kurmanji at home with our family. We can speak a little bit of Arabic, and some English.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO WHEN YOU FINISH SCHOOL AND WHY? Ashan: I want to be a Police Officer because I want to help innocent people, and enforce the law. I want to help Australia be safe.

Asia and Samra: We want to be Nurses because we like to help people when they are sick and need help.

Salwa: I don’t know yet. I want to be a Nurse, but it is very difficult without the English language. I will keep learning my English and see what I can do when I am good at English.

Despite the trauma that the Ezidi refugees in Armidale have gone through, they remain hopeful about the future that they have now in Australia. The hope and joy that they have despite their circumstances is an inspiration to us all, to look on the bright side - even when the shadows are darkest. the black and white issue

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shostakovich vs hindemith a look into the contrasting lives and music of the two infamous composers SOPHIA MACKSON

Shostakovich was seen to be one of the most influential composers of the 20th century, and one of the most revolutionary. His music reflected a mixture of the romantic period and his knowledge of the atonal soundscape of the 20th century. He was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, where he attended the conservatory as an adolescent before his first symphony premiered in 1924. The work received critical acclaim throughout Russia and was claimed to have been inspired by one of his contemporaries, Hindemith.

Hindemith was born in Hanau, Germany in 1895 and studied music at the Frankfurt Conservatory where he learnt composition from Arnold Mendelssohn and Bernhard Sekles. He then went on to write some of his earliest works.

For those who might not understand atonal music, here is a brief explanation. Atonal music is seen to be music that lacks a tonal centre so there isn’t a definite key for a piece and it sounds quite “clashy” when you listen to it. People find atonal music to be strange and describe it as a “jumble of notes.” But, being the very clever composers Shostakovich and Hindemith were they were able to combine both tonal and atonal music.

Hindemith and Shostakovich belonged to the 20th century period of music when composers pushed boundaries heavily within their compositions. Hindemith, for example, made simple but complex sounding compositions by creating a structure that defied the traditional methods of composing. In the same realm, Shostakovich created largely complex sounding pieces, whilst also having moments of tonal structure. Although Hindemith was born before Shostakovich, they still ultimately belonged to the same period of music. They represented largely the complex 027

thoughts that went into composition, and revolutionised a lot of different aspects of music.

For example, Shostakovich is seen to have revolutionised the string quartet, as he transformed the intricacies of earlier string quartets to make the music that bit more smarter.

Hindemith’s works had some similarities with Shostakovich’s; however, he became a pioneer of the “Neue Sachlichkeit” (new objectivity) style to his music. Although his music is now seen as innovative, similarly to Shostakovich the Nazis claimed his music as degenerate with the Minister for Propoganda Joseph Goebbels claiming him as an “atonal noisemaker”. In October of 1936 his music was officially banned by the Nazis. He continued to write music, tonally and atonally as it fell in and out of favor with the Nazis. His works, as a whole, are often described as “neoclassical”, and is seen to be tonal but to also be non-diatonic,where there are notes or chords not related to the key.

So what is the comparison between these two? They are born within the same period of music and they have both been influenced by politics during their lives but the main comparison that can be made is that they both have such interesting and complex ways of writing music. They cover different styles within the same period, as well as creating new and different methods of composition. They used and invented many different methods which were heavily scrutinised whilst they were alive.

They made themselves known in a highly political climate whilst also presenting new ideas for writing music, which transformed the way musicians analyse music today. features and human interest

australia: courageous or complacent?

CAITLIN HANSFORD

Australia has traditionally been seen as the land of the larrikin, the battler and the digger. We have identified ourselves as adventurers, risk-takers and pioneers. In all areas of life, we are industrious, innovative and egalitarian. Or are we? Do the descriptions of ‘laid back’ and ‘easy-going’ really mean ‘slack’ and thoughtlessly compliant?

In the last century, Australia sought to create a national identity fit for the world stage. Our identity incorporated the necessity of migration for the construction of a modern nation keen to participate in the wider world. Various campaigns ensued as a response to the necessity to ‘populate or perish’. People were needed to build the necessary infrastructure of a modern nation such as the Snowy Hydro Scheme, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, a National Highway, social housing and the Sydney Opera House. Australia was a ‘land of opportunity’ for the new families coming to call it home.

We became proud of our multiculturalism, our ‘boundless plains to share’ and our ‘courage to combine’. Australians were represented as friendly, generous and committed to the idea of ‘fair go’ for all. These values were supposedly instilled in us, embraced and we proudly promoted them.

Our governments made bold policy to make Australia the ‘land of tomorrow’ that others envied. A universal healthcare system was introduced in 1984. In 1989, the Hawke government granted 42000 visas to Chinese students escaping the violence of their government after the Tiananmen Square protests. In 1996, the Howard government implemented compre-

the black and white issue

hensive gun control legislation, inspiring many other countries to follow. Australia was courageous in its actions and Australians knew it all too well.

And yet, today, we have become an apathetic lot prizing comfort and safety, happily swaddled in policies of avoidance rather than acceptance. We have taken the view that laws keeping us safe are always good and right. We allow our government to betray responsibilities to the UN by denying human rights in detaining refugees offshore. We allow the degradation of key environments with the continuation of dated policy.

We increasingly take the attitude of “there’s nothing we can do”.

Good news seems limited to the First Australians who have continued to fight for their rights despite innumerable setbacks. During the creation of our modern country, the ancient history, traditions and customs of Australia were ignored and aboriginal peoples are yet to be properly remunerated for the atrocities which they have faced.

Despite their needs being clearly outlined in the Uluru Statement from the Heart, there is no effective and consistent national response. Almost 3% of the population identify as Aboriginal yet they form 28% of the prison population. With a lack of answers and action over Aboriginal treatment in custody from the government,

Aboriginal people have been forced to look further afield to seek help from international organisations when national organisations do not respond.

Earlier this year, 12-year-old Dujuan Hoosan spoke at the UN to bring light to the issue of the age of criminal responsibility, currently 10 in the Northern Territory, and the failures of the education system for Aboriginal children. Through sport, art and music, Australia’s first people have continually conveyed their messages to the wider Australian population and the world.

Artists and musicians such as Vincent Namatjira, Daniel Boyd, Spinifex Gum and Archie Roach, protest through their work to bring about change. The First people of Australia continue not to obey, conform or settle. So, why do the rest of us settle for the imperfections of the status quo?

An attitude of apathy and compliance held by many Australians is keeping refugees in offshore detention, enabling repeated invasions of privacy and stopping Indigenous Australians from having their rights fulfilled. Australia is now the land of the safe, the comfortable and the mindlessly obedient. It’s time to take up our responsibilities as citizens and shed the ‘she’ll be right’ mentality. It’s time to educate ourselves to be bold and activate the power to do the right thing.

It’s time to stop being complacent and be courageous.

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Courtesy of film Frances Ha

review: frances ha HELEN WEI

Frances is a girl who lives in New York by herself. Unfortunately, she falls into all different sorts of trouble. She has no career and has complicated relationships with everyone she knows, but she loves daydreaming. Does she feel confused? Exhausted? How does she fix it?

How does the “smallest” girl catch her “biggest” dream in New York?

Frances is not an emotional person. She is graceful and luminous. Even though she knew the implications of reality, she threw herself headfirst into everything she did. Despite the challenges, she remained free and able to chase her dreams. She doesn’t get worn down, because of her optimism. Frances Ha is funny, sympathetic and relatable. She brings colour to her boring life.

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She is herself.

As of recently, black and white movies are reemerging and becoming more trendy as we become nostalgic for the past. Even though this film was released in 2012, it is shot completely in black and white. ‘Levy’ who is the cinematographer of Frances Ha says, “I felt connected to the past, to the great cinematographers of the 1930s and ’40s.

Silver was an important word for me on Frances Ha, and part of me feels like I could spend a lifetime working on that silvery tone.” It is for this reason that I believe this movie is so well made. It tells an interesting story by utilising intelligent cinematography and it is why I would recommend this film to you all. It is a must-watch. entertainment

white chocolate vs dark chocolate THE timeless debate ANVITI SINHA

Everyone likes chocolate right? Well, except for the 8.3 % of PLC students who filled in my google form, that seems to be the case. But which is the superior chocolate? Which one tastes better? Makes us feel better? Is healthier?

White or dark?

Dark chocolate. There, sitting on the shelf as you go past the sweet aisle at the grocery store. For chocolate to be chocolate, it needs something called ‘chocolate liquor’ which is made from an extract from cocoa beans. This said chocolate liquor is really good for your health. For those who are interested, there are only 24 grams of sugar in 100 grams of dark chocolate but this varies between different amounts of cocoa powder and chocolate liquor added, for example, in 99% dark chocolate from Lindt, there is only 1 gram of sugar in 100 grams of it. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants called flavonoids and nutrients, increasing with a higher cocoa content. Research has proven that dark chocolate may reduce the risk of heart disease and also protect your skin from the sun.

White Chocolate. There, sitting on the shelf as you... I’m just going to skip to what’s in it.

White chocolate contains cocoa butter, sugar the black and white issue

and milk products. Since white chocolate doesn’t contain chocolate liquor, there has been a lot of debate of whether it is chocolate or not. I’ve done a lot of research on this and there are mixed opinions. For chocolate to be chocolate, it has to be made of at least 20% cacao products and cocoa butter comes from cocoa beans. If your white chocolate is composed of at least 20% cocoa butter, you’re eating chocolate.

There are 59 grams of sugar in 100 grams of white chocolate, but white chocolate is an excellent source of calcium, can prevent hypertension, and can relieve a headache.

But which chocolate is better? Drum roll, please… Dark chocolate came through with the title. Dark chocolate has many health benefits and contains many good things for your body. But remember guys, too much of anything is bad for you. What I am trying to say is that just because you learnt that there are health benefits of chocolate doesn’t mean that you can go home and stuff your face with it. The recommended amount of dark chocolate you should have per day is 30-60 grams and for white chocolate is no more than 36 grams. But don’t lose hope. 40 grams of dark chocolate per day is still a lot!

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fashion through time Fashion over the past century hasn’t been black and white, but has rather developed throughout time. This is its evolution.

JOSIE FLINT ILLUSTRATIONS BY BETHANY EICKHOFF

1910s The S-bend corset, frilly blouses and lace collars became popular.

Hair was worn in a centre part, often looped around pads to create a wide ‘brim’ of hair around the hairline..

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1930s Long evening gowns were worn, with satin most often used to skim over the body’s curves. Sport and beachwear influenced fashionable dress, and during the day things such as fluted length skirts, fox fur collars and embellished hats were worn.

1950s

The and s decided posed wartim that c fore, an the waist, bust an skirt be antithe early ’4

1920s

1940s

19

Flapper ensembles are the look of the ‘20s, with their ornately beaded designs, dropped waists and feathered accessories showcasing glamour and excitement. Jewellery was important in their decade, large brooches, strings of pearls and large stones worn to embellish and impress.

The close of the 1930s brought the start of World War 2, this having a profound impact on fashion and causing it to stall. Both men and women were commonly seen in uniform, otherwise, their clothing styles were dictated by rationing and utility clothing.

He up ev tio sk uti da ey us an fea wa ou in

entertainment

s

silhouette style were dly opto the mes outfits came bend instead nipped-in structured nd layered ecame the esis of the 40s.

2010s

1970s

1990s

At the dawn of the seventies, jeans got wider, heels got taller and synthetic fabric flooded the fashion industry. As the decade progressed, disco trends like halter tops and palazzo pants became mainstream and the punk scene thrived in tattered T-shirts and safety-pinned plaid.

Floral prints and baggy flannels were embraced, and runways were ruled by slip dresses, sheer materials and a monochrome colour palette.

A culmination of the past century of fashion, some of the most notable and widely worn pieces from this decade include chunky sneakers, mum jeans, tiny sunglasses athleisure and mini bags.

960s

1980s

2000s

emlines crept p, leading to the ventual introducon of the mini kirt. Makeup was ilised, pale founation and false yelashes were sed to enhance nd exaggerate atures, and hair as generally worn ut and straight or a shaped bob.

The 1980s were a decade of bold style, colours and silhouettes.

Alongside the aerobics craze of the decade, leggings quickly became a staple item, worn alongside leg warmers, off the shoulder sweatshirts and scrunchies.

Commonly referred to as ‘the decade of the tracksuit’, casual clothing and leisurewear were the big trends of the early 2000s and denim became a staple. Some of the most common pieces included crop tops, hoodies, low-rise flared jeans, cargo pants, daisy dukes, jean skirts, off the shoulder tops, ribbed sweaters, with platform sandals, ugg boots and sneakers.

the black and white issue

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traditional chinese food vs australian chinese food ELAINE SHI AND BELLE LIN ILLUSTRATIONS BY HARRIET GILPIN

TRADITIONAL CHINESE

AUSTRALIAN CHINESE

Braised Pork Although many people don’t like fatty meat, in this dish the pork doesn’t feel greasy but instead feels rubbery and elastic and is really tasty.

9/10

Fried Rice This dish is quite different from traditional Chinese fried rice that is normally much spicier and sometimes stickier.

8/10

Chicken-Sweet Corn Soup This soup is made up mostly of sweetcorn and chicken. It is not always eaten in China, but if it is, it is normally as a starter.

7/10

Tomato Scambled Eggs Normally, tomato is a very sour vegetable, but when it meets egg, the flavours mix together and dish becomes sweet and a little bit sour.

7/10

Mapo Tofu Because this food is from Sichuan, it is extremely spicy. This dish is smooth and tender and delicious - but only if you like hot food!

8/10

Cola Chicken Wings It is made by cooking chicken wings and cola, which makes the flavour very sweet and the overall dish amazing!

9/10

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Sweet and Sour Pork This food can be sour, but the pineapple can make it sweet. It is not always eaten in China, but is very popular in Australia.

9/10

Mongolian Lamb This typically mild and sweet dish is eaten in some parts of China, but in Australia is quite different.

9/10

entertainment

salted caramel brownies Recipe

CAITLIN HANSFORD

INGREDIENTS METHOD Caramel 1. Grease a 20cm (base measurement) 1 cup caster square cake pan and line with baking pasugar per. Be sure to have all ingredients near1/4 cup water by.

55 grams salted butter 2.

For the caramel, In a medium 1/2 cup pouring heavy-bottomed saucepan stir together cream the sugar and water and bring to a boil 1 tsp salt flakes over high heat. Stir constantly with a metal spoon until the sugar has dissolved.

Brownie 125g unsalted 3. When it reaches a boil stop stirring but butter chopped occasionally swirl gently so as not to get it 125g dark choco- up the sides of the pan. Do not let it burn! late, chopped 3 eggs, lightly 4. When it reaches a dark amber colour, whisked add the butter. Be careful as it will bub1 1/2 cups cast- ble. Whisk vigorously until the butter has er sugar melted and fully combined.

3/4 cup plain flour 5. Let it continue to boil for another min30g 1/4 cup ute then remove from the heat. Slowly dutch cocoa pow- add the cream in a thin stream as you der whisk. Add the salt and continue stirring 1 teaspoon va- until it is completely combined. nilla extract pinch of salt 6. Transfer to a small jug or jar without a

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lid and leave in the fridge until it is at least room temperature.

7. For the brownies, preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Place butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water) stirring occasionally with a metal spoon.

8. Meanwhile, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder and salt in another bowl. Add the vanilla to the whisked eggs. When the chocolate and butter are melted, remove from the heat and add half the flour mix.

Combine then mix in the eggs followed by the rest of the flour.

9. Pour into prepared pan but do not smooth. Dollop three-quarters of the caramel on top and swirl lightly through the top of the mixture.

10. Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges are firm and crisp. Pour remaining caramel over brownies. Set aside to cool completely and place in the fridge when cool enough. Ensure it is set before eating.

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which teach Creative

ARE YOU A LOGICAL OR THINKER?

WOULD YOU RATHER BURN TO DEATH OR FREEZE TO DEATH?

Freeze

ARE

Introvert

Burn

SWEET OR SAVOURY?

WOULD YOU RATHER BE EXCEPTIONALLY TALL OR EXCEPTIONALLY SHORT?

Short Sweet

Mrs Goode

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Tall

Savoury

Miss T

Mrs C

the college quizzes

her are you?

Logical

CREATIVE

WOULD YOU RATHER CONTROL ALL OF SPACE OR ALL OF TIME?

E YOU AN INTROVERT OR AN EXTROVERT?

Space Time

Extrovert

ARE YOU BEYONCE OR TAYLOR SWIFT? IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN READING AND WATCHING TV, WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Reading

TV

Clynch

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Mr J

Taylor Swift

Beyonce

Mr Shumack

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crossword corner

DOWN

ACROSS

1. World’s most expensive food: “white .............”.

3. Voice of Po in Kung Fu Panda.

2. Surname of singer of “Black or White”.

5. What is the best hot special?

4. “Girls _______ at PLC Armidale!”.

7. A black and white swimmer.

6. What Mr Minter believes is prevented by taking his shoes off?

8. What nationality are Mr Sheridan’s “Dancing Men”?

9. In the words of Mr Dorrian, “___ is an ancient god of Babylon.”.

10. Side that moves first in chess.

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the college quizzes

cartoon corner HARRIET GILPIN

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meet the team EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Thurkka Jeyakumar Isabelle Taylor SOCIAL MEDIA AND GRAPHIC DESIGN OFFICER Shelby Philp NEWS AND OPINION EDITOR Jessica Li ARTS EDITOR Sarah Hughes FEATURES AND HUMAN INTEREST EDITOR Caitlin Hansford ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Josie Flint

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CONTRIBUTORS Abigail Eastment Huna Moghaddar Sarah Waters Chiyo Brown Azaria Jones Phoebe Imberger Ria Kealey Carol Sun Charlotte Thomas Sophia Mackson Harriet Gilpin Pearl Rogers Helen Wei Anviti Sinha Elaine Shi Belle Lin Lucy Martin

CARTOONIST Harriet Gilpin ILLUSTRATORS Bethany Eickhoff Harriet Gilpin CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS Huna Moghaddar Harriet Eastment PHOTOGRAPHER Esther Eickhoff ADVISOR Mrs Shirley Tier

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contact us For enquiries, comments and questions: thescope@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

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