Remembrance Day was originally called “Armistice Day” and is used to commemorate the agreement that ended World War I on November eleventh, 1918, at the eleventh hour. The soldiers who fought in the war were killed, severely wounded, or returned home with many physical and mental scars that will forever plague them as a reminder of the brutal bloodshed. However, for most people, the war is
merely a historical event that they have viewed through a flat screen or an event that is read online. The closest glimpse of the war that people who do not belong to the family of a veteran have may just be a photograph or documentary of the brutalities that occurred. However, even these primary sources, such as letters, may seem detached from the people who were involved in the war.
We who were born or live in Canada during peacetime often take Canada’s general freedoms for granted, and that is to be expected. People cannot always be conscious of the things they are privileged to do, which is why Remembrance Day is so crucial. It serves as a reminder to us so that we do not forget in the midst of our own daily struggles. By remembering the Canadian soldiers’ service and
sacrifices, we recognize the price of the privilege we possess today that has been fought for to protect. On Remembrance Day, we Canadians acknowledge our responsibility to maintain the peace and freedoms that past Canadians have worked for, bled for, and died for in order to build.
I am of Chinese heritage; but I immigrated to Canada at six years old. Canada has greatly influenced who I am today. My ideals, friends, social circles, accomplishments, and everything that makes up who I am has been influenced by my living environment. Without Canada, I would not be here writing this article and living my current lifestyle, just like how Canada would not be the same without the sacrifices that the soldiers made. This is why Remembrance Day is so
significant. It is not just a day for us to remember those who have passed. Instead, it is a day for people to honor the very land we stand on, the very thing that makes our past, present, and future possible.
Due to the pandemic, Steveston London’s Remembrance Ceremonies have been held offline, yet this year’s ceremony was incredibly well organized. There were no notable technical issues and everything was handled professionally. Here is a brief summary of the events that occurred during SLSS’s annual Remembrance ceremony. The assembly started with a few opening words, including a land acknowledgement, ceremony protocols, etc.. This was followed by the entrance of the flag party and a performance of “Oh Canada” by the school band and choir. After the choir’s performance of “Runaway World” by Mr. Mikulin, Wendy Yan, the StuCo president gave a speech that led up to the candle lighting ceremony. While the candles were left alit, the senior concert band and the string ensemble performed their pieces. The Remembrance ceremony was then concluded with the video
about Canadian veteran Tommy Prince and the video by Alicia and the socials students, with The Last Post and Reveille as the customary conclusion of the assembly.
Remembrance Day is an acknowledgement of the sacrifice of those who served their country. It is a commemoration of the acts of heroism that occurred during the World War and a recognition that no matter how long it has been, the soldiers who sacrificed themselves will not just remain as numbers and statistics, but rather selfless heroes who protected the land we live on today. However, honoring the Canadian soldiers is not the only thing people can do to preserve their legacy. Acts of heroism are frequent, with only a few ever recorded for the public’s recognition, but that does not mean that people should act selflessly only for other people’s recognition. Everyday, we are privileged to be able to live on this land, and by realizing that privilege, we can begin to be kinder and more sympathetic people. So, as an act of solidarity, let us all appreciate what the Canadian soldiers sacrificed for us, and make the future they’ve secured worth something.
With the insightful speeches, alluring music, and polished events, I believe that this year’s Remembrance Ceremony has certainly been an exceptional restart of Steveston London’s offline assemblies.
“The speech was very powerful and was overall very respectful. I thought that the theme of reconciliation was very good… Steveston London’s Remembrance day events have always been well executed.”
Ms. McBurney“The live piano music to go with the video instead of putting piano music in the actual video was a nice touch. Even more impressive, the music ended when the video ended…
The candle lighting ceremony was also pretty cool. ”
Clara Yu
"I remember that the topics Tommy Prince talked about were really interesting.”
Francis ChungThank you for participating in our interview. How are you?
Good! How are you?
Pretty good. So, to start off, what made you decide to go into education?
Ms. Fackler: Well, I coached figure skating, gymnastics and hockey teams, and I was actually in criminology at SFU at the same time. Then somebody asked me, “Have you ever thought about teaching?”, and I thought, “No, I'm gonna be a lawyer. That's my path right now,” and that's what I was working towards. Basically, I enjoyed the courses that I was
taking, but I also really enjoyed coaching and giving back to communities and helping people learn and grow in new skills. That's sort of where my turning point was, to go from coaching athletes to teaching. So that's how I became a teacher, and the rest is history!
I did. I was a competitive figure skater for almost 18 years. It was a long time and I started competing probably when I was about five or six years old, and I actually skated out of Richmond. I enjoyed skating very much, and it was a passion and a hobby. I got to test out a lot of sports as a kid and when I was young, my parents asked, “What sport do you want to pursue?” or “What sport do you like?” I picked figure skating and I actually went to provincials, nationals and got to compete in many competitions. At the peak of my career, I was ranked fourth in Canada for
my level and age group. That was probably my biggest accomplishment in sports from my competitive career that I ended when I was about 18/19 years old, and I shifted into coaching after that. I coached for almost 10 years before I had kids, which was fun. I actually did it when I was teaching as well, but made for very long days. So I was up at five o'clock in the morning, and I'd coach from 5:45 till about 7:30, and then I'd beeline it to school and teach all day. Then, I'd go back to the rink [at] four o'clock and coach until five, six, seven or eight, and it was a very long day. So after a few years of that, I realized that two full-time jobs was a bit too much! So I boiled it down and then coached a few school sports as well, which I enjoyed. Mainly volleyball, but it was fun. I really enjoyed that.
Oh wow! So what was your first impression of Steveston-London?
To be honest, my first impression when I got my first tour of the school was, “Wow, this building is clean.” I really appreciated the fact that people take pride in the actual physical building space and I noticed that there was very little garbage in the hallways or on the floors and, it's not always like that at other schools. So I think that I was very impressed, firstly by the cleanliness of the building. And then, I got to open a few doors and meet some staff, and I think the people here are wonderful. They're very friendly. They're service-oriented people that have a heart of giving. And I think that's really important, to be in a space where you're willing to give back to your community. And I connect and have fun with kids and with staff. So I was really impressed with, firstly the building and then the people and the students as well. I think the students are very invested in their school community and invested in their learning. And I was overwhelmed with the amount of club applications I got, to be honest. I was like, “Wow, okay, here we go!” That's sort of something that really impressed me and also made me appreciate how
invested people are in bringing extracurriculars back, especially post-COVID. And also just the importance of being involved in your community was something that really interested me.
So what would you say is your favorite place or your favorite thing to do here at SLSS?
Honestly, I think for me it would be wandering the halls and having those impromptu conversations with staff and students that are not necessarily scheduled meetings. They're just like, “Hey, how's your day going,” and “What did you do this weekend?” Just casual conversations I think are what I really enjoy. Connecting with people and really developing relationships, with students and with staff. And so I think my favorite thing to do is wander the halls and have those random conversations. And it also allows me to be accessible to students and staff just to, you know, ask me questions and if there's something that you don't always have to make a meeting for something, you can just ask people and make myself available for those conversations. So, I think my favorite place to be is just the hallways.
So what about when you were our age? What was your high school experience like?
Oh, high school experience for me— so I actually, believe it or not,
I was a Richmond student and I graduated from Hugh Boyd Secondary! And it was a good school. I would say as a student I was pretty shy. I did play for one year on the field hockey team, which was really fun and I enjoyed that. But most of my life I was a “rinkrat” I lived and breathed at the skating rink. And school for me was important and I would say I was, I was a good student. I did my homework, I got my assignments done, but I'll admit I was a bit of a procrastinator at times. I was a good student, but I wouldn't say that I was super popular or anything like that. I was pretty shy and I kind of just, you know, kept myself and I had like two friends in high school. I had good relationships with my teachers and I think they knew that I was a very dedicated athlete, and because of that, they understood that I was at school for the purpose of school and more invested in my athletic community of skating. So most of my friends were all skating friends, but it was fun though.
So, this one's a bit random, but what's a fun fact about you? Like, do you have any hobbies?
I would say my second passion next to skating is definitely downhill skiing. I absolutely love downhill skiing. My family and I, we go skiing a lot in the interior. I grew up skiing in the Okanagan; our family used to go skiing a lot at Silver Star Mountain. My kids ski, my husband skis and we ski as a family every weekend. And so when I saw [the snow] I was like, “Yay!” I was so excited for snow ‘cause it just means there's more snow at Grouse! And that's kind of our go-to mountain. We ski there pretty much every weekend during the winter season.
Wow, so you're really into athletics!
I am. I do love sports and for me, sports is a way to stay fit physically but also to stay sharp mentally. And I think that having breaks from looking at a computer screen and being focused on spreadsheets and all sorts of things that we do, I think it's really important
to have those brain breaks and get out into your community and enjoy the outdoors. I mean, skating's not necessarily outdoors, but I have skated on many outdoor rinks as well, including frozen ponds and things like that, which were magical. But I think fresh air and sunshine and snow is just awesome.
Yeah, for sure. So, do you plan on getting more involved with athletics at Steveston-London?
Absolutely. I was actually pretty stoked to hear that they are keen to get their ski and snowboard club up and running. I was like, “Ooh, that sounds fun!” But yeah, I do love watching [games]. I've been out to a few games already, volleyball and a couple basketball games, and I think that the sports here, people seem really dedicated to athletics as well. So I'm excited. I will proudly cheer everybody on as a Steveston-London Shark. Go Sharks!
I have a pretty open-door policy. I would say that's one thing that my door is rarely closed unless I'm on a confidential phone call or having an important meeting that needs to have that space. But I'm a pretty open-door person and I was at my last school too. I think
Is there something that you want the students to know about you apart from your job? Maybe what you’re like or how you can help them?
people appreciate [it], at least in some of the comments I got in my farewell card when I left my last school. People appreciate that sort of open-door policy and like I'm totally fine with people just dropping in and honestly, unless I'm on a Zoom or Teams meeting or I'm in an actual meeting, I will happily welcome in whoever needs to see me and reset their password, or if they've got a problem, or they need to get a hold of their counsellor and their counsellor's not here or whatever the case is. I think that being accessible is what I would want students to know about me. I'm happy to sit down and have a conversation whenever, and you don't necessarily have to make an appointment with me, you can just drop in and say, “Hey, Mrs. Fackler, what's up?” I'm happy to see you; if you've got a problem, I will help you solve it. I value [this] as an administrator and I think it's important that we're accessible and students feel like we're as approachable as teachers. And I was a teacher for 15 years, so I feel like I still very much am. Even though I'm an administrator now, I think that the role of teaching has served me well in terms of always being available to students to help them with their questions [or] solve problems. And they're not always about school either, right? Some kids are just wanting to talk about other things, and that's okay too. And if I can help them, I will.
And if they need more counselling support, then I'm happy to help them connect with their counsellor.
Lastly, what are you looking forward to this year? Or do you have any hopes?
I am excited to have a more normal year. I think students are too, and I'm optimistic about people's willingness to get involved again in extracurricular events, like the StuCo's Snow Ball dance. We've got lots of clubs doing fundraisers, hosting events, doing garbage cleanup and all sorts of things in the community and service to the school too. And it was really nice to host the parent-teacher conferences and actually see parents back in the building. I had a few conversations with parents where they're like, “I don't know where this classroom is. I've actually never been in this building.” And their kid's in grade 10 now! But of course, you know, we haven't always had our building during COVID open to guests and parents. So I think that my hope for this year is that people remain hopeful and continue to get involved in the school community and they continue to make a positive change in their classrooms and start or continue to pursue and develop relationships with others in that mind frame of care and respect. And I do think that's something that I'm really proud of. At Steveston-London, we do stand for those values of care and respect, and I think that staff members show care and respect for each other. Students also show care and respect for each other, and I think having that sense of a happy environment to come to every day makes a really big difference. And I have fun with the people in the office, and I hope that in classrooms you guys are having fun too, because learning is about learning the curricular competencies, but it's also about engaging with others and socializing and having fun together— having those casual conversations and chats about life. So I think that a positive workplace culture is really important, and for me, that's something that I am hopeful that we can all embrace together.
We asked the newest members of our school:
1. 2. 3. 4.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
How is Steveston-London?
What is your hope for the new school year?
What do you enjoy most about your job?
By Sinoca Zou & David Hou1. Fun fact, I am a grandma of four little people.
2. I'm really enjoying my time here. I find the students are very interesting and fun, and it's been nice getting to know all of the staff… The students have been very friendly, the staff have been very welcoming, and it's certainly a beautiful building as well. My favourite part of being in SLSS, I think it's the connections that I'm making with both students and staff. Those [are] my favourite bits.
3. My hope for this year... I hope that I can contribute to the well-being of the students who are at the school.
4. Um, what do I enjoy most about being a counsellor? It's being able to really listen to other people and to help them with their thinking, help them explore different feelings. I think that teenagers often find themselves in places where they’re maybe just a little bit unsure or confused or a bit muddled, and I think that by sitting down with a counsellor, with an adult, sometimes it can help students to kind of get some clarity around their thinking and their feelings.
1.
Ifyou'retalkingaboutsomethingstrangeaboutme,I like to DIY different things using junk. For example, I haveapapertrayherethatImadeintoalaptopriser. Or I use poster paper to make curtains, or I use [an] envelopeboxtomakeafilecabinet.Somepeoplefind thisstrange,butotherwise,togobacktoyourquestion, Iwasborntobeateacher.OntheWorldTeacher’sDay inauguratedbyUNESCO.Soyeah,IwasbornonWorld Teacher’sDay.
2. I would say it has been great so far. I enjoy working with the students at Steveston-London. Other teachers are really nice as well. And of course, if you're asking, ‘Why Steveston-London?’ I think it is because the students at Steveston-London are the main reason for this place being a great place to learn. Students are serious learners with outstanding characteristics and I see students who care about the future, who care about their learning, and they want to be the best of
themselves every day. Yeah, so that's why I think I like Steveston-London and why I think it is great a great place to learn.
3. Okay, of course, my hope for the new school year is to get a raise. Seriously, like I need to payformyliving.Teachers[should]getaraisethatmatchesinflation,butIknowitisnotgoing tohappen.Itisnotgoingtohappen,andthat'swhypeoplewhowanttogetrichdon’tbecome teachers. But that is only a wish, not a hope. My hope is no more lockdowns [and] no more teaching over Zoom. They are very difficult. Students have a hard time learning and teachers have a hard time teaching. You have a sea of black screens in front of you and it can be quite detrimental to some teachers. And for [the] new school year, I hope the students will appreciate their opportunity to learn face-to-face and interact with others. I know some students have trouble interacting with others, especially losing two years of interaction with their peers, so I hope they can take- well, reignite their learning and their passion for learning andinteract[more]withothers.
4. I enjoy making math tie to things around us. There [is] math everywhere, right? We use math everywhere, we see math everyday. But however, instead of teaching math, I like teaching the logic behind math. I don't like teaching formulas because once you understand the logic, you can do every kind of math... What I want to do is to teach students how to think and how to reason. And if they can think, if they can reason, after they finish high school, they will be successful citizens. That's something that I would enjoy the most if I see students beingbetterthinkersandbetterreasoners.
[A] fun fact about myself is that even though I'm an English teacher, I mostly listen to Chinese and Korean and Japanese songs, so I have that commonality with some of my students who enjoy K-pop a little bit more, even though we like different groups and bands. We can still kind of talk about music, and you know, talk about subjects outside of my subject area.
2. Steveston-London is a fantastic school. It's very similar to previous schools where I've worked at. A lot of students here are very driven to learn, volunteer, give back to the community, as well as making a more vibrant school [and] community. Steveston London is a great school… I really like SLSS. Like I said, I enjoy the vibrant school community and the students are really great, polite, nice, and very confident. I also have a window in my classroom so occasionally my students and I do a bit of bird-watching out in the field; they fly away every 10 minutes and come back so that's fun.
E N G L I S H3. My hope for the new school year... This is my first year here and I'm not sure if I'll be here next year, but it's cool to see my students grow, especially in my first semester. I teach ELL for transitional English, so some of the students will be joining the rest of the school in their regular English class, so I look forward to seeing their progress once they move on from my class and into their regular stream. As well, a couple of them are in my English class next semester,soit'llbeinterestingtoseehowtheygrowbasicallyfromSeptemberuntilJune.
4. I enjoy talking about stories, obviously; analyzing and finding patterns in stories, as well as making deeper connections to our own personal experience and what we see and hear from aroundtheworld.
Iwasreallylucky;Iwasabigsportspersonasa kid. I was an athlete. More so an athlete than an academic, [I] was awarded a field hockey scholarship fullscholarship downtotheStates, in Michigan. So the school I went to everyone always asked me like, "Oh, did you win Michigan State?Areyouthem?"AndI'mlike,"No,Ididn’t."[It was] a little bit smaller of a school, same equivalency to UBC, but [I went to] Central Michigan University and played field hockey there and had my schooling paid for through something thatIwassopassionateabout,whichIfeellikewas the lucky part for me. Obviously, that I could play sports and do something that I love doing, but more importantly, my passions that I was excited for maybe it didn't get me a job, like, I'm not a professionalfieldhockeyplayer.ButthatskillthatI had, that I loved so much as a teenager, actually helpedmegettowhereIamtoday.SoIthinkthat's the cool part: that my passions helped me kind of progressforward,butdidn'twindupasmycareer.
2. Oh my gosh, I love it. I love it. It's really nice. So I grew up in Richmond; I graduated from McRoberts, just down the road here. And when I started teaching in education, I was in North Van, so I switched last year to come to Richmond. There's a huge part of me that was, like, drawn back to Richmond. I don't know what it was. Just this part of my life, I want[ed] to be able to give back to a community that was so good to me, despite all my craziness. So am I at McRoberts? No, [because] I think that's almost too close to home, whereas Steveston-London is just such a great school but so different— such a strong academic school. And athletics, super strong in athletics— our boys volleyball is in provincials right now. But it was a nice change for me. Being that: academics was something that was always secondary for me, and athletics always was my primary. So hearing how passionate everyone is at the school with regards to their academics and hearing about their career goals, and that [students are] starting to think about them so early. I'm like, "Gosh, I admire all of you so much!" It's such a cool thing to see… as an adult, seeing kids now that are thinking of these things. What type of job can I do to contribute to the world? I never thought like that as a kid. So it’s really refreshing to see students at Steveston-London thinking that way. It's really cool.
3. I want to immerse myself more in different areas of the school. I think sometimes it can be very easy to get caught up in my office because people are coming in and they are needing support which I'm here for, obviously. But I think it's also important to get out there and immerse myself in other areas of the school so people know me. And [they] feel comfortable coming to see me. But additionally, what I'd like to see as a whole for the school year and then some, is to reduce the stigma of counselling. That it's a healthy thing to do. And have people
feeling more comfortable. It is a very private thing, of course… I think that privacy is important, obviously. But being proud of seeking out help, I think is a barrier that we're still trying to break through. I think you can have that choice and whether or not you want your information to be private. Obviously, [counsellors are] bound by confidentiality. But I think making that choice to be like, "Yeah, I am actually going to see my counsellor and it's been really helpful," and hoping that we can get to that stage is really important. But I think that takes a lot of time that’s not going to take just one semester [or] for the rest of the school year. I think that's a continuous thing. I think me getting out there is gonna help at least reduce that stigma ‘cause I know that's scary.
1 .
A fun fact about myself: I can wiggle my ears… [and] I lived in Amsterdam for a few months.
2. I just love just how much energy everyone has. It is a really big school compared to other high schools in Richmond; some high schools have just a fraction of the population. So it's nice to see so many kids and a lot of them like being engaged in school activities, and a lot of participation.
3. In the school community, I would like to see, overall, more engagement with students in general. I think with the pandemic, it was kind of difficult for kids to participate in the school; like they just come here to learn and they leave. I would like to see, especially, like grade eight, grade nines, and
internationalstudentsfeelmorewelcomedandincludedinthecommunity.
4. What I enjoy most? It's never a dull day. I learned a lot of new things every day by teaching so many subjects. Like I feel if I were just to teach one subject, you know, I might get bored of it eventually or just sort of feel very routine, but by teaching so many things, I can see more students, get to know more kids, and just grow my own knowledge.
This December, sharks can look forward to the Snow Ball, which is a winter themed dance taking place on December 1st! There will be a variety of activities at the Snow Ball, including the dance, slushies and a Photo Booth. This dance will be the first one we have had at the school since the Halloween dance in October 2019. That means the only students still at the school that would have been able to attend that dance are now in grade11and12!
The Snow Ball will be held in the Legends gym, with some activities around the 100 wing. As you check in, there will be a donation collection for the food bank of either money or a non-perishable food item. There will be two separate sections to the Snow Ball for different grades. The first one, for students in grades 8 and 9, will go from 5:00-6:30,andthesecondoneforstudentsin grades 10-12 will be from 7:00-9:00. The tickets are being sold from November 1516thforgrades10-12andNovember17-18th forgrades8-9.Theticketpriceswillbesoldat $4 for grades 8 and 9, and $5 for grades 1012. There will also be a last chance sale on the 21st for all grades. There will be a DJ playing music in the Legends gym, and in the 100 wing, there will be a Photo Booth and a slushy sale, with all the proceeds also going to the food bank, along with the rest of the moneyraisedatthedance.
It’s bound to be a great winter event for everyone to enjoy. With all the proceeds collected at this event going to the food bank, the dance won’t only be a fun night, but a good reminder to think of others this holiday season. Make sure to get tickets and head out to the Snow Ball on December1stSharks!
With another season of basketball coming up, we have interviewed two of the junior team members to see their goals, feelings, and the team atmosphere regarding their upcoming season. We asked two of the rising stars in our school, Eric Wu and Taylor Sayson from the SLSS junior basketball team, to get a feel of what is to be expected of the year. Judging from their response, the team is really excited about this upcoming season. From the result of theirpractice,theythinkthattheycangeta lot of wins this year and be a true topcontending team! In just the last few weeks of practice, Taylor states that “... We’ve gotten a lot better and will only continue to get better as the season progresses. We just have to continue to put our full effort intoourgameandthatstartsbyputtingthe workintopractice.IknowRichmondalways hastoughcompetition;however,Ithinkour teamhasalotoftalentcapableofmakingit out of Richmond and, hopefully, even further. Overall, I’m just really excited for what’s to come.” What truly inspirational words. In terms of team chemistry, they said that most of them played together last year so they have a good connection with oneanother,and from what we ourselves
and the experienced players have seen in their practice, the new guys are fitting in without a problem. Taylor also has high hopesthatastheseasonprogressesandas they play more games together, their team chemistry will definitely continue to grow! Eric states that “I feel very excited to play this season even though I know there’s gonna be new challenges for everybody, as a team and individually, but we’re definitely a way stronger team this year and I’m confident we can go very far. My goal this yearistogetbetterandtoalsobecomethe Richmond champs. The team is looking great this year. In my opinion, this year has been the best one so far. We have a few newplayersthisyearandmostplayersfrom last year are still here so we still have chemistry together. We’re getting more and more comfortable with one another, which is a really good thing. During practice, we workhardduringeachdrill.Wehavealotof laughs on and off the court which makes practice more fun and the team has a lot of trustineachother.”Withtheseresponsesin mind, it is very hard for us not to be getting excitedabouttheupcomingseason.Besure to attend their games and give them your fullsupport!GoSharks!
Their first elementary school concert this year was at Maple Lane. With all the preparation and practices in the past months, one band member said “It’s great to be back.” Everyone's participation in the concerts have made it spectacular. Mr. Mikulin also stated that “The gratification of an audience makes me much more motivated to work hard for the next concert.” One band exec said, “We love doing them a lot and like how the children are happy when we play for them.” In the end, the audience's joy in listening can motivate them to make each concert spectacular.
“I missed having a real concert and the enjoyment of performing in front of a live audience and working towards the performance,” expressed Mr. Mikulin. Band members will work together to make each performance a great experience for everyone. Look forward to hearing more music from the SLSS Band community!
While school events are slowly coming back from the COVID outbreak, band students are now able to perform at elementary schools and even more upcoming assemblies. For the past two years, we have been seeing them play their instruments on YouTube. As this experience was “not the same as before,” some said that it was difficult to perform without a live audience. “Music is all out there and there is no incentive for a live performance if people's motivation go down,” Mr. Mikulin stated. Now, band students are back to play inperson! Moreover, they are able to express different genres of music while working as a team. As a result, one jazz club admin described band as “Fun and enjoyable because you get to build connections while contributing to the school community in a positive way”.
The Drama Club at Steveston-London is known for their fantastic shows that never fail to amaze the audience. Hours of dedication, rehearsals, and planning goes into each and every show to create the spectacular and highly professional theatre experience. This semester the Drama Club will be performing the famous Shakespeare play, Julius Caesar. The story takes place in the city of Rome, following alongside the success of Julius Caesar as a great general and leader. A movement to promote him to King of Rome occurs all whilst being a democratic society. So, as one can imagine, there happened to be some disagreements (He killed Pompey, who he had been working alongside with, which caused citizens to panic). The show includes plenty of action, violence, war, and interpersonal relationships that keep the viewers hooked from the moment the curtain opens. While one can imagine the gravity of the topic, it does not fail to encompass humour and an ease to understand. Ms. Kosar, the sponsor teacher of the drama club, mentions, “The play is very easy to follow, with lots of physical things happening.” As for dates, the preview of the show will be on January 9th at 3pm,
opening night on Tuesday the 10th of January at 7pm, and from there it will run until Friday the 13th of January. Students from all grades are involved in this play, making it the masterpiece it is. From acting, to backstage, to managing, there is a passion from all age groups. With no surprise, Ms. Kosar is highly interactive in helping rehearse scenes. Whether it be filling in for missing students or sharing input, she is there to create a fun environment full of thrilling learning opportunities. A student acting in the play had mentioned, “The theatre is so fun and I love to come here. In fact it is my favourite place in the school!” With such a warm dynamic to this club, Steveston-London is sure to experience a beautiful and collaborative take on Julius Caesar this term.
By Maya Longauer
For the first book in my book review column, I have chosen to review the novel, “we are all made of molecules” , written by Susin Nielsen. This book is available in the StevestonLondon library as well as in public libraries. This book follows the story of two teens who are polar opposites but have to live and function together in the same house. They aren’t biologically related, but legally they are half-siblings. The first main character, Stewart, is an academic genius without any social skills. The second character, Ashley, falls under the high school stereotype of ‘popular girl’, and playing to the stereotype, her grades are well below average. Naturally, their personalities clash when Stewart moves into Ashley’s house partway through the school year. This novel tells their story through the perspectives of Stewart and Ashley as they proceed through the year.
and how it is perceived differently by different types of people. Personally, I liked how well she was able to write the story from various viewpoints. I think that many readers will be able to relate with the characters in this book, alongside their different personalities, strengths, and weaknesses.
This is a book that leans towards the lighter side, and takes place in British Columbia. I would say the genre of the book is teen fiction. This book would be a great recommendationforstudentsjuststartinghighschoolwho enjoy reading fiction. I believe grade eight and grade nine students would get the most out of this book. The writing stylemightbetoosimpleforoldergradessuchaseleventh and twelfth graders. However, there are some mature themes, such as death, that would be too mature for students younger than grade eight. In my opinion, Nielsen doesagoodjob of capturing the essenceof highschool,
Some recurring themes that I noticed in this book include family, acceptance, and bullying. This is the story about pieces of a family trying to work as a whole and how they are trying to accept each other’s differences to live a more fulfilling life.
In conclusion, I would give this novel four out of five ‘books’. I enjoyed reading this story and found it addressed important themes and concepts while remaining light and easy to read.
I knew it. Before I even realized what had unraveled within the deepest recesses of my mind, I had become enthralled with him.
When did this infatuation even start? How did it even start? No matter the answers to these questions, I knew I could no longer deny what had subconsciously entangled within the strings of my heart.
Everyday, I greeted him in band class. We both played the trumpet, giggling near the back and exchanging lighthearted banter. I had initially assumed I would accept his friendship and that would satisfy me, yet I craved for something more. What exactly I did not fully understand, but friendship could not satisfy my heart. So, I told myself, “If these feelings last until February, I’ll confess.”
My low expectations repeated to me that just confessing would be enough. After all, I didn’t think it right to continually feel this way toward my friend without telling him. If anything, confessing might stop the fluttering emotions I experienced every time I laid my eyes on him. But I enjoyed these emotions, the dopamine just from looking and thinking of a person was a rush I loved. I never wanted to let this feeling go. Who knew when I would next endure this warmth, if this was the first time I had ever encountered it? I would enjoy this while it lasted.
The bell rang, just as I sat down in my seat, preparing to open my trumpet case. Close call. Had I not sprinted, I would have been late.
“Hey! You made it just in time!” He exclaimed. He appeared cheerful, despite it being eight in the morning.
“I guess I shouldn’t have savoured my breakfast for so long today.” I laughed, attempting to make a joke. He chuckled. He laughed at my joke!
I turned around briefly to calm myself down, praying I wasn’t blushing just from that interaction. I bent forward and swiftly continued to prepare my trumpet for class, waiting until the teacher started the cacophony of unsynced music. We did not sound at all decent
yet, but I thought we were improving by the day. Through sporadic bursts of small breaks and pauses, we chatted about various topics, all mundane in content, weighing gold in value. Though sometimes I had nothing in particular I wanted to say to him, I made the effort to find a topic, regardless of its appeal. However, I grew afraid that I was boring him with every single conversation. He always came up with such great conversation points. I lacked that quality at times.
The bell rang. I had ten minutes to reach my next class, math. Unfortunately, band was the only class I had with him. We didn't really text each other. We only occasionally had conversations, if anything prompted it. Say, I forgot the homework, or if either of us needed to send each other sheet music. Otherwise, I never contacted him for just a casual conversation.
I packed up my music and instrument, sighing before I put my backpack on.
“Anything bothering you?” He asked. “You can tell me if you want.”
He cared. He cared about me. As much as I wanted to tell him about my plight, I couldn’t. If I did, that would be confessing my feelings.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Not excited for math. That’s all, haha.” I replied.
“I get that. Yeah, I don’t like math either.”
We laughed and waved each other goodbye. We parted our separate ways down the gloomy hallway, dark because the brightness in my life strolled away. Yet, I could not deny the fuzzy feeling bubbling within me. I will never be able to forget about him. He had become too much a part of my life, even if one day I lost these feelings. The impact of his presence on my subconscious would never fade.
I hadn’t completely fallen for a stranger at school. In fact, he was a part of my friend group. We had grown closer through a group chat, but those moments were minuscule and fleeting. Lately though, he came online more often.
[SunnySideUp]: Artemis
[Artimistic]: ?
[SunnySideUp]: Do you like nicknames?
[Artimistic]: depends what are you thinking of?
[SunnySideUp]: How about Arti, kinda like your username?
I closed my laptop to take a breather. I never thought he would give me a nickname.
[Artimistic]: i like that!
[SunnySideUp]: Oh I’m glad Arti!
A blush inexplicably warmed my body from the chilly winter temperatures. How could a simple nickname have messed with my head this much? The warm feeling kept me company for several more nights as we texted. How was I going to face him at school once the break was over?
I curled up under my blanket and hugged my pillow to sleep, as the butterflies brought me toward slumber.
“Hey, Arti! How was winter break?”
A jolt shivered throughout my entire body. The nickname caught me off guard. “I had a few family dinners and a driving trip to the mountains. You?”
“Nothing much. I mostly relaxed at home and went out with friends a couple of times. Still fun though!”
Seeing him happy struck a chord within me. His beams blinded me. I was unable to continue staring. Flustered, I sat down and opened my trumpet case, not speaking a word. Soon enough, the brash music of our class started once the teacher raised the baton. I could barely focus. We still had our conversations during the breaks, but I wasn’t entirely there. I kept rewinding that moment, like it was my favourite part of a movie, desperate to capture the same feelings again. I became blissfully unaware of the time.
“Hey.” He nudged me on the shoulder. “Class is over. Gotta get packing or else we’ll be late to our next class.”
Startled, I shook my head and stuttered, “Oh, yeah, right. I didn't realize class was over.”
The nervous laughter probably didn't help my case. I packed up, and we headed out the
door together and parted ways. What a weird sensation. To be so lost in your own thoughts that you need to be shaken awake to snap out of it. It was a little embarrassing actually, especially in front of him. What would he think of me now?
I dragged myself down the hallways as usual, a little disheartened by the moment earlier.
Bored in class, I mindlessly scrolled through my social media feed, until I came across a post from the student council. The caption read as followed:
“Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! Why not send a friend, crush, or a lover a message? Sign-ups start tomorrow. Submit it before February 7th. More rules are written in the post.”
I swiped through the pictures to read the rest properly. I could confess to him anonymously! But, would I want my identity to be shrouded in mystery forever? I had long come to the conclusion that I would not want to leave high school with any regrets. If I chose not to confess, would I regret it years later? Despite my conclusion, actually confessing made me nervous. I needed to discuss this with a friend. However, it meant telling them about my current… infatuation.
[Artimistic]: lets go to our private spot for lunch today
[Cynghorwr]: i’ll meet u there
Maybe I was a little desperate, but I really did need a second opinion. Ceri would definitely know. She always gave the best advice for every issue I came to her with.
I packed up my biology homework a minute before class ended, zipped up my jacket, and speeded outside. I traversed across the baseball field, ducked under the large willow tree, and found my friend already sitting at the hidden picnic table, waiting for me.
“Darn, you beat me here again.” I chuckled.
"Of course, I figured out the best route from my classroom to here,” she said smugly. “I also run much faster.”
I sat down and took my lunch out, a simple sandwich with some ham and cheese. I took a bite as she began speaking, “So, what did you need my help for?”
“Perceptive as always.”
“You’re easy to read.”
I explained that I started having feelings for a friend in our group.
“No way, is it-“
“Don’t say his name!” I turned and blushed. “Sorry, it makes me nervous.” “What do you like about him?”
I stopped. I had to put my thoughts together.
I held up my fingers to count. “Well, he’s always really nice to me. We talk a lot. He’s also tall and pretty good at the trumpet. I like his scruffy hair and eyes and-“
“Okay, okay, I get it. If I don’t stop you now, you never will.”
I nervously laughed.
She ate a bit of her spaghetti and glanced back at me. “What are you going to do now, confess? I couldn’t possibly imagine someone as shy as you doing that.”
“Valentine’s day is coming up, and I figured. Well, I could confess using this.”
I showed her the post.
“Not a bad idea,” she replied, after reading for a while. “But if you stay anonymous, then what’s the point?”
“What if I drop a little hint to be written on the card?”
“Oh, so you want to delegate the task to him instead. I see how it is.”
“But I… I still want to confess properly. I think this might make it less nerve wracking for me. He’s just so perfect in every way.”
Ceri put down her fork, and patted me on the shoulder. “You do you, Artemis. But, don’t you think you’re putting him on too high of a pedestal?”
“It’s just how he is.”
“He’s only human. He has his own emotions and flaws hiding underneath your perfectly painted picture. Keep that in mind, m’kay?”
“That doesn’t change the fact that he’s flawless.” I muttered, ignoring her words by focusing on my food.
“And also, in case the worst case scenario happens, don’t forget that you two can probably stay friends.”
“I guess that's not too bad of a loss. He’s a good friend, but I don’t think it's entirely right for me to continue feeling this way without telling him.”
We finished lunch and walked back into the school together, before the bell rang.
I submitted the form. I spent all night thinking of the right message that would clue him in enough, but not too obvious that it would be apparent. I ended up writing: “Music is my favourite art form, and you’re my favourite piece.”
I found it a bit cheesy, but I couldn’t come up with anything else. For good measure, I drew music notes like one of those connecting the dot puzzles. The sheet music looked extremely off to any music enthusiast, but they would end up connecting into a vague outline of my name. He was smart, but he would have to consider all the people in band class, if he considered the music reference. If he couldn’t cut down on his suspects, hopefully he would understand that it was from me with the puzzle.
"What’s done is done,” I sighed. Just a week of waiting left until the real gut-wrenching day. Suddenly, I heard a faint voice calling my name.
“Arti! Hey, Arti!” He yelled from over a crowd. “Whatcha doing?”
Oh shoot, I was right beside the box where I submitted the form. But, I was also right beside the office.
“Haha, uhh, just about to ask for a band aid. I cut my finger.” I tittered.
“Oh no, you good?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Gimme a sec.”
I politely asked for a band aid and wrapped it around my fake cut.
I gave him a thumbs up. “All good now!”
“C’mon, let’s head to class.”
I followed him in, as he opened the door for me. I wondered if he believed my excuse. D-day arrived. The cards had been sent out first block, which was not band today. So, we were in separate classrooms. Fortunately, I knew his schedule. Thoughts whirled through my head, constantly passing in and out. I worried more with each passing minute. What if the card wasn’t sent out? What if they forgot to write my message? What if they sent it to the wrong person?
I checked the group chat. It bursted with messages:
[Parrot]: Yo guys who sent @SunnySideUp a card?
[Novital]: he got a card?
[Parrot]: Ye I’m with him right now
[Sliced Onions]: dang
That was one worry out of the way. So, he did receive the card.
[Novital]: whos it from
[Parrot]: We don't know atm. There’s no name. Only a message
As well, he had no clue. Was the hint too vague? They discussed the contents of the card for a few messages.
[Sliced Onions]: what is he gonna do about it? search for them?
[Cynghorwr]: i hope they confess if he finds them
Ouch, that was definitely directed at me. The bell rang. I slinged my backpack across my shoulder and exited the room.
After the second block passed, I grew more nervous upon approaching the band room.
Would he have figured it out by now? He didn't appear once in the group chat.
I entered the classroom to find him not there yet. A huge wave of relief washed over my body. I needed more time to calm down. I set down my trumpet case and prepared for class. As I finished assembling my instrument, he stepped in. He had no card in hand, and looked just about the same as usual. Perfectly dreamy. He glowed in absolute sheer brilliance. His very presence warmed me, despite the cold winter breeze drifting in through the open window. However, the knot in my stomach tightened, preparing for confrontation.
“Hey, Arti. Did you get anything today?” He casually asked.
“No, actually. I’m not that popular.” I said as I shook my head.
“Humble.” He set up his trumpet. “I got one today. I was pretty shocked. I think it's someone from this class though.”
“Oh, yeah, it was something about music, right? I saw it in the chat.”
“Yep, I don’t know how I’m going to figure it out though.”
A part of me was relieved, but also frustrated. How long will it take for him to figure it out? Was I going to have to initiate regardless?
I was worried for nothing. Class went on as usual between us without any changes. It was normal.
Disappointed, I hurriedly sorted my belongings and moseyed toward lunch. Except, he stopped me right as we were out the door.
“Wait, Arti, can we… talk before we go to lunch?” He seemed to fumble through his words. “Oh.” A million incomprehensible thoughts surged through my head. “Sure, what is it?”
He hesitated before replying with, “I think I know who sent me the card. In fact, I know who sent it to me.”
I held my breath in anticipation. He scratched the back of his head.
“Is it… is it you?”
I turned to look around, seeing if anyone was watching us. The words I wanted, no, needed
to say trapped themselves in my throat. After a few seconds, I finally forced them out and answered, “Yes, I did.”
I could see his ears turn red. My face was probably blushing too. I didn't even notice that I had started playing with my hair.
“And I did it… because I like you.”
We stood in silence. The agony grew unbearable. What was going through his mind? Was he finding the lightest way to let me down? I had considered the possibility of him accepting, but I deemed it highly unlikely. I would have been satisfied with that outcome, as long as I had confessed. And finally, he broke the deafening silence.
“Artemis.” He began fidgeting with his fingers. “I like you too.”
Shocked would be an understatement. I hid my face with my hands, in disbelief that my crush liked me back. Was I not the only one suffering in agony?
“Would you like to go with me to the movies this Sunday?” He asked me, putting his hand out for a handshake.
I peeked through my fingers. He was fidgeting, rocking his feet side to side, and turning red from the question. He’s only human. The words rang clearly. The confession was a two way street. My card allowed both of us to be honest with each other. Maybe I was his ray of sunshine. He was just like me. Just like me.
In the heat of the moment, I took his hand and pulled him in for a hug. “I would love to, Elios.”
Articles by Kenric Ang, Hayley Chan, Jayden Chan, Aishani Dandapure, David Hou, Samantha Hsu, Maya Longauer, Amber Moniz, Nelson Ren, Monica Yang, and Sinoca Zou Articles edited by Maya Longauer and Jenny Xin Designed by Jennifer Lin