VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1
NOVEMBER 2017
PIN TREE POS ELECTIONS STUDENT
An old tradition for humanity, a new one for Pinetree
SENIOR SAIL Where did all the hype go?
VIEWS AND INTERVIEWS
Getting down to business with the newest grade
THIS TOO (MIGHT) PASS
Diversity in Coquitlam isn’t always a smooth path
2 FIRST GLANCE P.4: NEWS
P.8: SCHOOL
The Pinetree Post
STAFF FOUNDERS Russell Kim, Felix Guo EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Emily Liang, Julia Park
News Beyond the Borders of Pinetree
P.12: STUDENTS
Fright Fest, Student Elections, and Sports
P.16: FEATURES
ARTICLE EDITOR Julia Park CONTRIBUTORS Devon Chung, Noemi Galdamez, Briana Ho, Jimmy Ji, Aida Kadiric, Noor Khawer, Sunny Liang, Susan Liu, Cameron Philp, Marvin Shi, Sophie Zhao GRAPHIC DESIGN Emily Liang ONLINE CONTENT Saina Adamy, Kate Chou, Katherine Liu SPECIAL THANKS TO Mr. Clarke, Ms. Korby, Mr. Lau, Pinetree’s Club Leaders, Coco Chen
Pinetree’s Voices on Senior Sail and Grade 9
Insights on the Community and Travel
GET INVOLVED IN THE PT POST! Although we at the Pinetree Post try our best to represent the voice of the everyone at Pinetree, we are only a small group of students. To find the most pressing topics and interesting avenues to explore, we rely on input from readers to curate relevant content only. Anyone is welcome to suggest a topic or provide an opinion for Pinetree Post writers and contributors to look
into further. Do you have something to say that needs your voice? The Pinetree Post also welcomes guest content. Feel free to submit an article on a topic you are passionate for, a comic you think everyone deserves to see, maybe even a letter to the editor! You can submit your original content to us at thepinetreepost@gmail.com.
Have a question or a request? Contact us at: facebook.com/thepinetreepost
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First Glance EDITOR’S NOTE
Welcome to us, again!
Oh jeez. Look at us go.
Working with new staff, and new standards. Emily Liang, Julia Park Editors-in-Chief
Marvin Shi / Pinetree Post
Are you excited for updates on the larger world (page 4, September-October Ongoings)? Are you excited for more timely school events (page 8, Fright Fest and Freak Flix)? Are you excited for a new system of democracy in Pinetree (page 9, Student Elections)? Or maybe your real passion lies in physical exertions (page 10, Sports)? Maybe you weren’t so excited for Senior Sail (page 12, Senior Sail)? Or are you still wondering what to be excited about (page 14, Grade 9 Interviews)? Are you excited about additions to diversity in our community (page 16, Rainbow Crosswalk)? Are you excited for a summer away from school (page 18, Spain and Italy Trip)? Or heck, maybe you’re just excited to get to the real entertainment of the issue (page 22, Halloween comic and Sudoku)? Whatever it is that ignites your interest, we hope you enjoy this issue! Happy Halloween!
Hello Pinetree, it’s nice to be back! You might have noticed that this issue is coming a bit later in the year than usual. We’ve decided to take it easy in the first weeks back at school to promote the Post and really double down on refining the inner workings of the newspaper. This year, we’ve started from the ground up. In fact, all members of the permanent staff, except for three Grade 12s, are new to the Pinetree Post! They’ve all done a great job adjusting to becoming school reporters, and us editors are definitely excited to work with them more as the year develops. We were so excited in fact, that we decided to make that the October issue’s theme! What are you Sincerely, excited for Pinetree? Contributors new and old tried to Emily Liang and Julia Park delve into this topic with a variety of content this issue. Editors-in-Chief
4 NEWS NEWS: GLOBAL, LOCAL, AND DISTRICT
September-October Ongoings
Destroyed vehicles in the aftermath of the car bombing in Mogadishu, Somalia.
The fall of the ISIS capital, a special Terry Fox Run, and a floating McDonald’s museum. Briana Ho, Cameron Philp Writers
GLOBAL NEWS HURRICANE IRMA
This September, a Category 5 storm with roughly 298 km/h winds first hit the Caribbean and then Florida. Hurricane Irma hit 1.2 million people, killing at least 44 in the Caribbean alone, and 34 more in Florida. Both were left without electricity, and in many places, without running or drinkable water. As of Oct. 20, it has been a month since the people in St. John of the U.S. Virgin Islands have had power. They were first struck by Hurricane Irma, and then two weeks later, Hurricane Maria. In the Caribbean, the island of Barbuda and other islands were left barely habitable, with 99 percent of their structures destroyed including 132 schools in Cuba. A week after Irma, the Netherlands, the U.K., and France sent food, water, military services, and other forms of aid to the
Source: CNN
Caribbean. The U.S. offered $223 million in funding and the Venezuelan government donated 6,622.5 kilograms of aid. However, it is still not enough. Looting, crime, and jailbreak rates are up. Ruined agriculture and decreased tourism due to closed hotels leaves many without jobs, heavily impacting the Caribbean economy. The tourism industry makes up about 15 percent of the region’s GDP, and is expecting heavy losses. Cuba’s agricultural industry reports extreme damage to warehouses, livestock, factories, and fields. Sugar is one of the country’s biggest exports, but flooding has damaged their plantations. Over 71,000 chickens were lost in Irma, and more than 48.5 km² of vegetable and fruit plantations were left severely damaged. It is estimated that Irma will cause a loss of around $10 billion dollars across affected islands. A restaurant St. Martin after Irma.
Source: CNN
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News DEADLY SOMALIA EXPLOSION KILLS HUNDREDS
On Oct. 14 in Mogadishu, the capital of African republic Somalia, a double car bombing was recorded as the deadliest incident in modern Somali history. A second vehicle bomb went off minutes after the first explosion in the heart of the city, but none were injured. The death toll is at 358 people as of Oct. 20, with 56 people still missing and 228 injured. 122 of the severely wounded were airlifted to Kenya, Sudan, and Turkey for better medical aid. So far no group has claimed responsibility for the incident, but terrorist group Al-Shabaab is the prime suspect.
THE CAPITAL OF ISIS LIBERATED
The Syrian city of Raqqa fell to the Islamic State group (ISIS) in 2014 and became its terrorist capital. On Oct. 16, 2017, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) captured the infamous Paradise Square,
“‘Operations to clear landmines and extremist sleeper cells are underway,’ said Brig. Gen. Talal Sillo, dubbing it ‘the fall of the capital of terrorism.’” where ISIS had performed public executions, and on Oct. 17, a commander with the U.S./Syrian Forces declared the city free of ISIS militants. -“‘Operations to clear landmines and extremist sleeper cells are underway,’ said Brig. Gen. Talal Sillo, dubbing it ‘the
fall of the capital of terrorism.’”- There are no more clashes going on in the city as of Oct. 20. ISIS has been steadily losing territory in Syria and Iraq, and the loss of Raqqa has hit them hard. The battle for the city began in June and has left its buildings in ruins.
LOCAL NEWS SEARS CLOSING AFTER 65 YEARS IN CANADA
Sears has announced the liquidation of its remaining 130 stores after 65 years in Canada, and the closing will put 12,000 employees out of a job. Some time after the start of the company, Sears suffered years of financial hardships, and in February 2009, cut 300 jobs and sold away locations in prime areas. Now, on the first day of the closing sales, some people were left disappointed. “They’re not that good at all actually,” a shopper told Global News. “Ten per cent off [on some items], when it says 20 to 50. I don’t know. I’m here [at the exit] with nothing.” Sears is also not going to validate warranties after Oct. 18, which upset even more of their consumers. Several Sears patrons had been assured by sales representatives that their warranties would last through a bankruptcy, yet it turned out that that was only true for furniture. This caused patrons to lose hundreds of dollars from invalid warranties. The fall of Sears has been an impactful but expected conclusion to its legacy.
Sears Canada attempted to rebrand itself with a new logo in August 2016, but retail chain still struggled to turn profits. Source: Global News
6 NEWS LEADERSHIP EMERGES AGAINST THE OVERDOSE CRISIS
Sarah Blyth is the founder of the Overdose Prevention Society in Downtown Eastside (DTES). She leads multiple temporary supervised injection sites outside of the law, setting up medic tents in alleyways with trained medics and volunteers. People thought they were crazy with their makeshift overdose help sites, but the overdoses were happening so fast that Sarah felt like they needed to do something. The loss of
“People thought [DTES] were crazy with their makeshift overdose help sites, but the overdoses were happening so fast that Sarah felt like they needed to do something.” The McBarge sat in Burrard Inlet, neglected, Source: CBC until 2015.
EXPO 86 MCDONALD’S BARGE, INTO A DEEP SEA MUSEUM
The McBarge was a 57 metre long vessel used as a floating McDonald’s built for Vancouver Expo 86, and last saw legal visitors in 1986 during its fame as a restaurant. After two decades of neglecting it, owner Howard Meakin and diving industry pioneer Phil Nuytten revealed active plans to turn it into a Deep Ocean Discovery Centre, dedicated to teaching visitors about diving history and the Pacific Ocean. The barge was swept clean of graffiti and gutted in preparation for the museum, weighing around 90,718 kilograms lighter. One of the museum’s collections features multiple pieces of groundbreaking equipment engineered in B.C. “It’s very well known in the global underwater community, as we call ourselves, that B.C. is a sort of cutting edge technology centre, a mecca — but almost nobody in B.C. seems to know that,” Nuytten said to CBC News. Meakin and Nuytten plan for the centre to have a movie theatre, showcase both antique and high tech diving equipment, and, if crowdfunding works, feature submersible rides that take visitors more than 200 metres under the ocean. Meakin believes that when the centre opens, it will be “the star attraction of Vancouver.”
so many people, including family and friends of those working in the DTES market, drove Blyth and her team to make a difference despite what people were saying. The society is now supported by Vancouver Coastal Health and has many volunteers.
DISTRICT NEWS MOVE 4 MANA CAMPAIGN
Heritage Woods Secondary launched a month long campaign on World Food Day, Oct.16. Move 4 Mana is a movement where students track their fitness activity on a smartphone app, where for every 500 calories burned, the Food for Famine Society gives a 500 calorie MANA nutrient packet to a developing child in need. A packet of MANA is a ready-to-use source of fuel that looks and tastes like peanut butter, but has the equivalent nutrients of two hamburger patties, half a chicken breast, a bunch of spinach, nine asparagus stalks, three cups of milk, half a cup of olive oil, one third of a stick of butter, an orange, and one and a half carrots. The packet does not require any refrigeration, water, or preparation. This student-led initiative is the first of its kind in Canada. It aims to raise awareness for world hunger, save the lives of starving children in third-world countries, and promote physical activity in students.
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News A VERY SPECIAL TERRY FOX RUN
105 students from five elementary schools participated in an unique event called Running Terry’s Money Home on Friday, Oct. 16. The students ran 12.4 kilometres from Seaview Elementary in Port Moody to the Terry Fox Foundation in Port Coquitlam, stopping by Miller Park, Parkland, Hillcrest, and Riverview
“At the end of the route a $15,581.54 cheque was presented to Kirsten Fox.” Elementary, where students from R.C. MacDonald Elementary also joined. When they stopped each school, more participants joined and runners collected more money. At the end of the route a $15,581.54 cheque was presented to Terry’s niece, Kirsten Fox. Mason Jones, a student at Seaview Elementary, whose aunt was taken by cancer, raised $725: the most donated by a single student. The run received support from the Port Moody Police Department, the Coquitlam/Port Coquitlam RCMP, and the Terry Fox Foundation.
CITADEL MIDDLE IS B.C.’S FIRST ALL LED SCHOOL
In three years, School District No. 43 (SD43) has tackled dozens of energy projects and led two successful LED projects. Now, Citadel Middle School expects to save $27,000 a year in energy and maintenance costs after becoming one of B.C.’s first 100 percent LED lit schools. The school used to be one of SD43’s highest energy users, and now, along with its LED lighting, has integrated control systems that allow teachers to brighten and dim the lights as needed. The district removed a third of Citadel’s light fixtures and upgraded the remaining ones to LED. Students and staff reacted positively to the “brighter and more natural lighting.” BC Hydro and FortisBC guided SD43’s energy management team through the change, and the trio’s next project is to implement systems allowing teachers to change the colour of the light to suit class needs. Cory Farquharson, BC Hydro’s key account manager for SD43, said he applauds the district’s creativity and innovative LED technology. 4
A 12.4 kilometre Terry Fox Run spans from Port Moody to Port Coquitlam.
Source: SD43
8 SCHOOL EVENTS
Fright Fest and Freaky Flix
Fright Fest, Annabelle: Creation, Star Wars: Rogue One, and Get Out.
A spooky night for spooky students. Sunny Liang Writer
After school on Thursday, October 26th, the Leadership group hosted two consecutive events: “Fright Fest,” a Halloween-themed event for ninth and tenth-grade students, and “Pineplex,” a movie-night and pizza meal open to all students. Twelve teams of four signed up and paid $4 per teammate for Fright Fest in advance, of which eight teams ended up arriving on the day of the event. Teams were given a schedule listing the room numbers of each of the fourteen stations adorned in Halloween decorations. Each station was organized and run by two or three volunteers from the Leadership group who had set up various games for teams to play. Some games put two teams in a head-to-head competition while others required a single team to work together towards an objective. For example, some stations required teams to find hidden objects in a dark room with nothing but a phone light in limited time. Some stations involved lots of candy; one in particular combined throwing candy with a blindfold, resulting in a crushed-candy covered floor. The more success each team had at each station, the more tickets they received which meant a higher chance of winning a prize from a raffle at the end of
Source: PT Leadership FB
the event. The prizes consisted of four sets of iTunes, Cineplex, and Coquitlam Centre gift cards, and each set was awarded to one of three lucky teams. Immediately after Fright Fest, Pinetree’s Leadership group was again busy handing out pizza, chips, and soda to attendees of Pinetree’s second annual Pineplex. Students paid three dollars to watch the movie and have a fairly large meal. The school ordered several large boxes of Domino’s, enough for many people to have thirds or fourths and for volunteers to have their efforts rewarded. Participants of Fright Fest who had already paid five dollars were also allowed to partake in the Pineplex event, free of extra charge. Once everyone had finished eating, they were directed to the upper B-wing where volunteers performed bag-checks. After proceeding through the check conducted by three volunteers, participants went to one of three rooms, each playing a different movie: Star Wars: Rogue One, Get Out, and Annabelle: Creation. Originally, Hotel Transylvania was to be played in place of Rogue One, but “there was more interest in the newest Star Wars film instead of Hotel Transylvania,” says a member of the Pinetree leadership group who has asked to remain anonymous. Those who opted for either Get Out or Annabelle: Creation, on the other hand, were treated to a horrifying evening of the traditional Halloween terror and cinematic scares. 2
9
School
STUDENT ELECTIONS
Democracy at Pinetree
Jeffrey
Noor Khawer Writer The Pinetree student elections were held this past Oct. 18th during Wednesday PACK with paper ballots. Ms. Hopkins, Mr. Wong and Mr. Nelson have planned on implementing this new system of Student Council for a couple years, and hope to carry it out into later years. The group of students that are elected serves as the eyes and ears of the school. The council works on similar lines as a city council does. The members discuss problems and solutions that students may be having, then take those ideas to the teachers and administrators of the school. The student council provides a way for students to communicate their problems with teachers.
Running for Grade 9 representatives were Jeremy Chung, Kate Lee, Andy Kim, and William Zhang. Running for Grade 10 representatives were Bernice Liu, Sophie Luo, Shirley Tian, Kevin Zhou. Running for vice president were Jeffrey Shen, Katherine Liu, Gaby Abdi, Raghda Naji, and Angelo Wang. Running for president were Sophia Lacuna, Emily Liang, Marisa Lin, Colin Wang, and Eric Wu. Students in Grade 9 and 10 voted for their grade representative, while students of all grades voted for vice president and president. Ballots were counted by volunteer Pinetree Leadership students. Students who want to be a part of the student council in following years will have to take a Leadership course at Pinetree. A new election will be held every year and everyone has the opportunity to run. 2
10 SCHOOL SPORTS
Pinetree Timberwolves
Mr. Lau prepares to spike against his own Senior Girls’ Volleyball team.
A source of novelty, excitement, and support. Sophie Zhao Writer
The T-Wolves at Pinetree may be part of some of the most hardworking and exciting communities. Although it has only been two months into this school year, members participating have already had the opportunity to connect with each other and obtain many achievements. Joining a sports team is one of the best ways to meet new people, have fun, and gain new experiences. At first, the members and players may have a rough start regarding skills and relationships, but it only takes a few practices before strong connections are developed throughout. One of the major teams this month is the cross-country team. These enthusiastic runners spend time every week practicing with high spirits and a
Emily Liang/ Pinetree Post
positive energy for the Wednesday meets. It is often a challenging battle to get past traffic to the races held at Mundy Park. However, the hard work on the team pays off during the race as they run a range of 4-7 kilometers against other schools also taking part in the event. Pinetree had been the runner-up for the John Taylor District Championship for two years, until the last three years. Currently the team has won their fourth championship in a row with a record number of 50 members on the team. This is a huge achievement and the team is now aiming for a fifth win in the next coming year. Cross-country is a great way to get involved in a sport and watch oneself improve over time along with the rest of the team. Some started off on the team not used to running the lengths required in the races, then as time passed, found running no longer as exhausting as it was in the beginning. Additionally, the meets allow for many chances to run into old friend which motivates the runners to become even faster. “At the moment it’s tiring and you wish you never joined, but
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School once you’re done the race you feel amazing.” said Nona Mohammadi, a member of the cross country team. Hearing this from the coaches and athletes emphasizes the supporting spirits of the team as a whole making it comforting and enjoyable to be a part of. This is why it is encouraged for anyone to become a part of this wonderful team.
CROSS COUNTRY SECOND MEET RESULTS (SEPT. 27TH AT MUNDY PARK) GRADE 9 GIRLS
5th - Samantha Nix, 16:48 14th - Nona Mohammadi 23:40
GRADE 10 GIRLS
14th - Emily Jeon, 20:39 15th - Erin Petrik, 20:46 18th - Martine Crespo, 23:39 21st - Tiana Kim, 27:02 22nd - Alice Niu, 27:47 23rd - Mehrsa Samani, 29:34
GRADE 10 BOYS
13th - Matteus Ticne, 14:56 15th - Nestor Lin, 15:25 17th - Leon Li, 15:33 20th - Caesar Ni, 16:43 21st - Richard Lee, 17:19 23rd - Michael Zhang, 30:58 24th - John Wang, 30:59
GRADE 11 GIRLS
7th - Yvonne Wang, 16:10 9th - Nyala Gopie, 19:35 16th - Ivana Truong, 19:39
GRADE 11 BOYS
13th - Richard Wang, 21:06 (Gr.10) 20th - Angelo Wang, 23:32 26th - Sunny Sun, 27:43 28th - Jeff Wang, 30:28
GRADE 12 GIRLS
1st- Camila Gomez, 16:24 12th - Elena Balogova, 22:03 15th - Judith Nagy, 24:08
GRADE 12 BOYS
2nd - Michael Jang, 18:23 3rd - Taishi Ishioka, 18:34 7th - Cameron Lee, 19:29 13th - Michael Chan, 21:31 15th - Simon Yu, 24:01 19th - Abay Nassimov, 27:08 20th - Malcolm Koh, 30:45
Another important sport featured this month is volleyball. As a team sport, cooperation and support are all important and often critical factors. Games and practices at Pinetree have both shown these two aspects which keeps the focus and energy on the team. During plays, the students and teachers always encourage excitement, hard work, and enthusiasm. Considering the teamwork required for high performance and success, the members have already enabled themselves to play with ease and comfort within a short time. The senior, junior, and grade nine volleyball teams have played against schools such as Heritage Woods, Gleneagle, Maple Ridge, Riverside, Centennial, Port Moody, and Charles Best. There were often games where one team would lead far ahead of another. On the other hand, many games ended with different strategies and techniques but neither side could pull away in terms of points. Adding on to the games played with other schools, on Oct. 18th, the senior girls had a match during lunch against the teachers. They played before a larger audience including much of Pinetree’s student body. The match ended in the teachers’ victory both sets.
“[Sports are] the best way to make friends, stay healthy, and have fun.”
As those who joined at least one sport team know, participating in teams such as these is arguably the best way to learn, make friends, stay healthy, and have fun all at the same time. The sports mentioned previously are not the only ones occurring this year, either. For example, wrestling is back at Pinetree and is being run by Mrs. Adair as well as Mr. Adair. Sign-ups have already started in the second half of this month and anybody is encouraged to join. Also, a tournament for basketball is currently being organized. There will be a total of 16 senior boys’ teams participating. This huge event is being sponsored by Hub International, Sportscheck, and Trevor Linden Fitness. It has drawn the attention of many, including the mayor, as there are only three tournaments like it throughout the entire province. Knowing this adds on to the different athletic events to look forward to. In general, not only is there a variety of sports happening recently, there are many more coming up in the future and coaches are encouraging anyone to join and get involved. 2
12 STUDENTS SCHOOL EVENTS AND STUDENT OPINIONS
Senior Sail
Grade 12 students pose for a picture on the Senior Sail DJ’s Instagram.
What spurs the low turnout of events such as Senior Sail? Noemi Galdamez, Aida Kadiric Writers In the recent years including 2015, 2016, and 2017, Grad events have always had precarious status in Pinetree. Every senior student has long absorbed the pessimistic announcement: “if we don’t get enough ticket sales, the event will be cancelled”. Despite the graduating year of 2018 encompassing about a third of the school population, the Senior Sail of this year failed to escape the threat of cancellation due to low ticket sales. School events must always walk the balance between cost and student participation, and with the costs of renting of a sailboat, full catering, and a professional DJ, versus dwindling numbers of student attendance, the Senior Sail was teetering. The Pinetree Post set out to find the reasons why. Senior Sail is one of the first Grad events for the Grade 12s. It’s an event for the graduating class to cruise on a boat, from Vancouver Harbour to the Tranquil Sea. Students who participated in Senior Sail
Photo courtesy of Coco Chen
bought tickets for $55 and met at the school at 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4th. Grade 12s have presented complaints that 45 minutes is simply not enough time to prepare themselves for Senior Sail, and that having the event on a weekday was not ideal. Even with the extra time to get ready for the event, not all of Pinetree’s graduating class of 2018 decided to go. After asking multiple students who had not gone why they decided not to go, here are some of their answers. One of the grade 12 students who wished to remain anonymous said, “it was $55 and my group of friends wanted to go downtown and have a better dinner than the pasta they were serving on the boat. It was only around four hours long and really cold. It was also on a Wednesday so we would have to attend classes the next day, and usually after a grad event you would get together with your friends afterwards and hang out, but we wouldn’t have been able to do that.” Another grade 12 student, Jason Shi, said, “it was too expensive, I didn’t want to spend $55 in a room so crowded I’d be up against the walls.” As for students that attended the Senior Sail, Sara Moosavi, reported that “Besides just relaxing with your friends, [Senior Sail] is also a great opportunity to meet new people on
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Students one of the most memorable events of grade 12. What got me most excited was to sail on a boat for the first time in downtown!” Mr. Clarke responded to some points of contention brought up by students. “The only day we could book was on Wednesday, but that worked well for us because we could make it a no pack day, giving our grade 12s a little bit of extra time to make themselves look a little bit nicer,” he said. “[The administrators’] responsibility is to make sure this is a safe event. To do this we need to make sure students are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol or bringing anything that is inappropriate to the event. So we have to do bag checks… and we do those for all of our Grad events.” Mr. Clarke also said that booking the boat on a weekend would be out of the school’s budget, due to higher costs for weekends. Furthermore, finding enough teachers to supervise the event on a weekend could be a problem. This issue would also occur if they had tried to make Senior Sail longer in duration.
“Despite the graduating year of 2018 encompassing about a third of the school population, the Senior Sail failed to escape the threat of cancellation.” Some attending grade 12s also protested against the ‘no guest rule’ for Senior Sail. “Why can’t they allow guests? They can make profit that way,” said a grade 12 student who would like to remain anonymous. The ‘no guest’ rule appears to be another significant reasons for a low turnout at the Senior Sail. When asked about the no guest rule, Mr. Clarke said, “Most schools in Coquitlam do not allow guests for their Senior Sail. When I talk to other principals most of us agree this first grad event should be about our students, not guests.” Senior Sail is an annual event that can be used by the senior class to form stronger friendships before graduation. However, a few limitations of the event caused students to be hesitant in attending, leading to a lower-than-ideal turn out. From photographs and the general mood observed on the boat during Senior Sail, one can reasonably assume that students enjoyed the event. The hurdle that needed to be cleared was getting students on the boat in the first place. 5
PERSPECTIVES “It was too expensive. I didn’t want to spend $55 in a room so crowded I’d be up against the walls.” -Jason Shi
“Besides just relaxing with your friends, [Senior Sail] is also a great opportunity to meet new people on one of the most memorable events of grade 12. What got me most excited was to sail on a boat for the first time in downtown!” -Sara Moosavi
“My group of friends wanted to go downtown and have a better dinner than the pasta they were serving on the boat. It was only around four hours long and really cold. It was also on a Wednesday so we would have to attend classes the next day, and usually after a grad event you would get together with your friends afterwards and hangout, but we wouldn’t have been able to do that.” -Anonymous Grade 12
“[The administrators’] responsibility is to make sure this is a safe event.” -Mr. Clarke
14 STUDENTS FEATURING PINETREE’S NEWEST STUDENTS
Grade 9 Interviews
Pinetree Secondary, as seen from Douglas College side.
What’s going on with the youth?
Briana Ho, Jimmy Ji, Susan Liu, Sophie Zhao Interviewers
ANONYMOUS GRADE 9 PTP: Why did you choose Pinetree as your high school? A: Most of my friends were going here. PTP: What did you expect before you came to Pinetree, and what was your actual first impression? A: It was kind of like a nice community. PTP: What are some changes, compared to middle school? A: Good changes… I think that there are a lot more responsibilities that you need to go through. I can’t think of any really bad changes. PTP: What are your goals for your grade nine year? A: To get the highest grades possible. PTP: And if you’re grade oriented, are you planning on joining any clubs or sports? What is your opinion on those sorts of things? A: For me, yeah, maybe some sports, but not very many because I need to focus academically. I do think it’s a good thing to join sports and clubs because you get to meet new people, so you should join stuff like that.
Source: SD43
ANONYMOUS GRADE 9 PTP: What are you excited about for this year? A: Halloween and Christmas, quite excited about next semester because I don’t have PE and math. PTP: Which classes do you like better? A: Oral communication is pretty cool. We do drama in class and Ms. Fera let me join her play! Yeah, I am excited about that. PTP: Do you think high school drama and classes are really different than middle school? A: I didn’t have drama in Middle School.
KAMILLA NYAZULLAH PTP: Do you think Pinetree is very different from your middle school? If yes, why? A: Well let’s see. I went to Maple Creek Middle and yes I’d say it was pretty different from Pinetree. First of all Pinetree is a much bigger school with 4 different grades (9-12) rather than just 3 (6-8). It is also a greater community of students. Pinetree is right next to the
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Students community centre, Douglas College and Lafarge Lake, so there are lots of people coming and going around the school. It is diverse with different students from different cultures and different personalities. For example, sometimes when you walk the hallways at lunch you can notice students hanging out in different cliques and everyone comes from a different background or race but that doesn’t change who they are. Everyone at Pinetree is quite supportive and welcoming. When I first got to Pinetree, I later than usual, but I was welcomed generously and made lots of new friends. There are also all sorts of clubs you can be in and it gives everyone an opportunity to try all sorts of different activities and programs like joining the improv club or choir, or trying out certain leadership programs. PTP: Also, is there any changes this year that you’re happy for or sad for? Compared to previous years? A: Um no, I guess I like everything here so far. I was a little upset last year because I thought they were going to take off blocks out this year but thankfully they didn’t so everything is good. Oh by the way, for things that are different about this school compared to my middle school is that they have off blocks here. I’m really happy about this because off blocks give me a chance to catch up on homework I didn’t finish because of gymnastics and sometimes I come home really late from gymnastics so it gives me a chance to sleep in. PTP: Oh, I see, thank you so much for answering all the questions! A: No problem! Thanks for interviewing me! I really like this high school. For example compared to Terry Fox it is really organized and clean. It is also academically stronger and the environment here is safer and more welcoming. It is next to Douglas, the community centre and Lafarge Lake so there is a vast number of things to do and places to go here.
ANONYMOUS GRADE 9 PTP: What did you expect in high school? A: I expected high school to be hours upon hours of homework each night and horrible teachers but my teachers are very nice and amazing so far and homework is only about an hour. PTP: What makes Pinetree different from middle school?
A: There is a lot more freedom and a lot more options to choose from like picking different classes. PTP: What are you looking forward to this year? A: I am looking forward to Science Honours because I am hopeful it will be fun and interesting. PTP: What are you happy and not happy about? A: I am happy about the teachers I have and I am starting to like subjects I didn’t like before. I am not so happy about Spanish ending so quickly. PTP: What is your current favourite and least favourite subject? A: My favourite subject this semester is Spanish because I get to learn a new language and my least favourite class is Social Studies because I just haven’t liked Socials very much since I started it.
RACHAEL PAN PTP: What did you expect in high school? A: When I first came to Pinetree, I expected a lot of homework. PTP: What makes Pinetree different from middle school? A: There’s a lot more people and more teachers. PTP: What are you looking forward to this year? A: I’m just looking forward to making myself better than I was before. PTP: What is one change you are glad for? One change you are sad for? A: I’m happy for meeting new people but sad because there’s new people. PTP: How are you planning to spend your grade 9 year? A: I’m going to be just experimenting with new clubs.
JULIA YE PTP: What did you expect in high school? A: I expected that math and badminton will be fun. PTP: What makes Pinetree different from middle school? A: There are less subjects you have to take, and you get to go to school late. PTP: What is one change you are glad for? One change you are sad for? A: I’m happy for getting to choose electives and having more options but the thing I am sad for is that I think math is too easy. 5
16 FEATURES COMMUNITY DIVERSITY
Rainbow Crosswalks
Six colour rainbow crosswalk as shown in Toronto.
Coquitlam’s possible newest addition, and its newest controversy. Julia Park Writer Rainbow crosswalks have been trending across the globe as a symbol of diversity and acceptance. After installation in New Westminster, members of the Tri-Cities Pride Society are calling on Coquitlam to install a rainbow crosswalk at prominent intersections, including Pinetree and Guilford, Pinetree and Glen Drive, Marmont Street and Brunette Avenue, and Pinetree and Lincoln. Nicola Spurling, Green candidate in Tri-City ridings in the May provincial election and the president of the Tri-Cities Pride Society, proposed the idea of a rainbow crosswalk and a trans crosswalk. The trans crosswalk, which upon installation will be the first of its kind in British Columbia, is to be painted blue, pink,
Source: CBC
and white to show support of a marginalized group of the Tri-Cities area and highlight diversity. When the idea was first proposed, not all at the council table agreed with the proposal. Some council members argued that allowing one specific marginalized group to have a crosswalk could cause other organizations to ask for similar consideration from the city, and some argued that Coquitlam should show its diversity through actions and not symbols. Some brought up the contention of higher cost, but New Westminster spent only $7,500 on its rainbow crosswalk, which is not significantly higher than creating a standard crosswalk. Vancouver paid $25,000 for four permanent rainbow crosswalks, landscaping, and park benches whereas Victoria paid $14,000 for three. Spurling is willing to fundraise for the crosswalks if deemed necessary. Despite the arguments, Coun. Chris Wilson believes that the benefits greatly outweigh the negatives, and urges the council members to not shy away from making a difference to avoid controversy.
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Features The citizens of the City of Coquitlam appear to be mostly in favor of the crosswalks. “I’m honestly so in love with the idea,” said Jodie Barros, grade 12 and a leader of the Spectrum Club at Pinetree. “I think it’s great that the municipal government has approved this idea because it’s so much more than just colourful blocks of stone, these crosswalks are symbols of love, unity, and acceptance in our city. It really makes us feel a sense of acceptance and validation in society.”
“It’s so much more than just colourful blocks of stone, these crosswalks are symbols of love, unity, and acceptance in our city. It really makes us feel a sense of acceptance and validation in society.” Currently as of Oct. 29th, the City of Coquitlam has approved a rainbow crosswalk in front of the City Hall but this decision has, expectedly, drawn some criticism. Contrary to popular belief, the rainbow is not symbolic of only the LGBTQ community — the pride crosswalk is inclusive of everyone. The city has approved a seven coloured rainbow, the symbol of the LGBTQ community, whereas Spurling wanted the six or eight colour rainbow that artist Gilbert Baker has designed. The six or eight colour rainbow embraces everyone in any community and identity, and each colour represents something else: life, healing, sunlight, nature, serenity, and spirit. Because of the positive message that the crosswalks convey, the city hopes to bring a broader sense of acceptance and love in Coquitlam. 9 Gilbert Baker’s rainbow.
Source: CBC
I HAVE OPINIONS
Social Advertising Nothing comes for free. Emily Liang Columnist As I’m sure that any person plugged into the digital world in even the slightest way knows, advertising has mutated into an entirely different monster in the Internet Age. Social media outlets and news websites are obvious hosts for sponsored content, but less obviously, are the creations of fellow human people, on mobile applications or websites like Youtube, Instagram, and Snapchat. It is pretty easy to identify an ad when it is playing in between cuts of an episode broadcasted on cable television, but when that advertisement comes from an Internet person whose entire career is based on building trust with the audience, it is harder to tell. No one likes ads. A large number of people have moved away from cable television, both to avoid the money-sinking channel packages and the unskippable ads. An even greater number of people have installed some sort of ad-blocking extension on their browsers, so that ungainly advertising banners disappear from the Internet experience. In order for companies to get their products pushed into the faces of potential consumers, to get clicks and personal information, they must disguise their ads among the regular content that users publish. A teenager’s Instagram selfie becomes an ad for Ray Bans, a Youtuber’s vlog about housekeeping becomes an ad for Windex, and so on. Not only does this method circumvent ad-blockers, but it also acts with the power of any friendly recommendation, a personal endorsement that five stars on Amazon Reviews can’t compete with. Not all digital content creators have to be sellouts, of course. With the Internet’s evils also comes counterbalances that give creators a livelihood through their fans’ direct funding and subscription services. It’s easier than ever to pay people for their work in entertainment. Successful content creators will always find a way to make money. It’s up to the audience to decide how they wish to pay. 4
18 FEATURES PINETREE ABROAD
Spain and Italy Trip 2017
Students with their Spanish language certificates in Cádiz.
No Spanish or Italian language proficiency required, evidently. Emily Liang, Marvin Shi Writer, photographer More than a vacation, the Spain and Italy Trip of 2017, headed by Ms. Korby and Ms. Santos, was an education. The Spain and Italy Trip was a journey in culture, history, and the everyday beauty that one cannot find in a classroom environment. Students looking to recreate the experience should contact Ms. Korby in room A209 if they are interested in a similar trip for the coming summer, this time to Spain and France.
JULY 4: FLORENCE We took a flight from Vancouver, transferred in Paris, and finally arrived in Florence, Italy to meet our homestays. For the purpose of maximum cultural immersion, students do not stay in hotels; instead they live with a local family, or a “homestay”. The homestay provides meals, a place to sleep, and guidance on how to get around the city.
Photo courtesy of Ms. Korby
JULY 5: FLORENCE Florence is a city with a long and rich history, such that the modern streets follow traditional pathways rather than the grid-like style of modern cities like Vancouver. It is possible to visit all of the points of interest within Florence’s historic city centre within two hours on foot, provided a brisk walking pace and no stops. Cars are common, but not the best way to get around, as the streets are narrow, filled with tourists, and far too interesting to breeze past in an automobile. Il Duomo di Firenze is in the centre of the city, and its distinctive multi-storied dome rising above the surrounding buildings means that direction and distance in Florence can almost always be determined via proximity to the Duomo. The Gothic building, and especially its impressive brick dome (the largest of its kind in the world), is as much an emblem of the city as the red fleur-de-lis. The outside is covered in white, pink, and green marble, which produces a detailed and unique pattern that makes the Duomo stand out against the plain, warmtoned exteriors of most Florentine buildings.
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Features JULY 7: FLORENCE
The painted interior of the Duomo’s dome.
JULY 6: ROME
Back in Florence, we visited the Mercato Centrale. It is primarily a food market, where vendors sell fresh fruit, vegetables, spices, cured meats, shellfish, regular fish, and any other ingredients necessary for a hearty Tuscan meal. Like most food markets, it is poorly lit, filled with the sounds of bargaining, and a fascinating representation of the local culture. Outside of the Mercato Centrale is a market of a different colour. Under tent-like constructions, vendors sell clothing, souvenirs, and products of the leather industry that Florence is well known for. It is a market built for tourists, and tourists alone, reflecting not the traditions of the city but the tradition of business itself.
Highlights include the Roman Forum (the ruins of important government buildings), the Trevi Fountain (a Baroque-style fountain, into which 3000 Euros are thrown each day), the Pantheon (a Roman temple honouring all gods), the Colosseum (largest amphitheatre ever built), and the Vatican City (the smallest country in the world and ruled by the Pope). Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we were unable to enter the Vatican City’s Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Still, it was nice to tick yet another country off of the “nations visited” list.
Briana and Ms. Korby at the Colosseum.
Florence viewed from the Arno’s south bank.
JULY 8-9: FLORENCE Museum highlights include the Uffizi Gallery (host to the Medici family’s art collection, including works from Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, etc.), the Galleria dell’Accademia (most well known for hosting Michelangelo’s David, which has its own dome for display), and the Palazzo Pitti (chief residence of the Medici family when they still ruled Florence, contains ballrooms, gardens, royal chambers, and numerous ceiling frescoes).
20 FEATURES JULY 10-11: CÁDIZ We took a morning flight from Florence to Málaga, Spain. From there, we took a bus to Cádiz, the oldest city in Western Europe and our home for the next 6 days. Cádiz is a port city in the autonomous community of Andalusia, which in turn makes up southwestern Spain. Quintessentially Spanish traditions, such as flamenco dancing, were defining characteristics of Andalusia, before spreading to the entire Iberian Peninsula. The Andalusian variety of Spanish, however, influences mostly Caribbean Spanish and Latin American Spanish. Outside of the historic city limits lies the beach where we would spend a lot of time on. The weather in Cádiz was perfect for the beach, hot and dry, with just enough wind to make waves.
Interior of the Seville Cathedral.
JULY 13: TANGIER
Just outside of old Cádiz.
JULY 12: SEVILLE Seville is another Andalusian city of modern and historical importance. Towering over the city is the Seville Cathedral, the largest Gothic church in the world. It began as a Moorish mosque about a thousand years ago, but when Ferdinand III of Castile conquered Seville, it was converted into the city’s cathedral. Directly adjacent to the Seville Cathedral is the Alcázar. The royal palace is the oldest one still in usage in Europe. Interestingly, the palace gardens were also the filming location for several scenes in Season Five of popular television show Game of Thrones.
We took a bus from Cádiz to Tarifa, 105 km away and the southernmost point of Spain. From there, it was a mere skip across the Strait of Gibraltar to get to Tangier, Morocco. The city is a blend of many different cultures, from its traditional Berber roots to modern European commercial influence. This much is evident in the language. Most people speak Darija, which is a dialect also known as “Western Arabic”. Berber, the native language of the land, still persists in daily use. French, Spanish, and English are also well-known due to tourism and former colonial interests. We spent most of our time in the medina quarter, which has a maze-like composition and steeply sloping streets. Most streets were less than three metres wide, which wasn’t enough space for cars, but plenty of space for merchants to display their wares on the ground: spices, jewellery, leather goods, and the like. Through equally narrow doors, one can see people making shoe repairs, baking flatbread, and weaving on giant looms. Of course we gazed upon the ancient relics of the city and indulged in the local delicacies, but it was the bustle of human activity in the medina that was most illuminating.
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Features JULY 14: CÁDIZ We toured the Archaeology museum and the Roman Theatre. Cádiz was founded around 1104 BCE by the Phoenicians, who called it “Gadir”. After that came the Carthaginians, then the Romans, then the Moors, then Alfonso X of Castile. Old Cádiz is so well-preserved that the old watchtower is still the city’s highest point. Legend tells that the city’s founder was Hercules. In Spain, mornings generally seemed to start later, and with the tradition of siesta, a midday nap taken after lunch, it should have been obvious that the night would also end later for the Spanish. However, it was still somewhat surreal to wake up in the middle of the night while the locals around us seemed unfazed at the late hour.
Selina with a camel in Tangier.
JULY 15: SANTA MARIA/JEREZ Our last day in Spain was split between El Puerto de Santa Maria and Jerez de la Frontera, two cities in the province of Cádiz. In Santa Maria there was the Castle of San Marcos, built from a mosque. There were watchtowers, arrow slits, strangely angled hallways; anything that Alfonso X required to defend from enemies. As for Jerez, the main focus of our school group was the city’s famous sherry wine. Although all students were underage, one is never too young to learn about drink and culture. 1
STRAY OBSERVATIONS
Unofficial Journal
My Florentine homestay was a woman who had once been a professional chef. I’m still haunted by the memory of her strawberry tiramisu today. Speaking of food, this was around the time that I discovered that lactose was not the greatest for my health. Apparently, I didn’t eat enough dairy in Canada to notice, but several days of frequent gelato breaks and living with an Italian grandmother changed that. One particularly helpful dinner guest we had was an American, fluent in English, Italian, French, and Spanish. He designated himself the table translator. I learned from him that traditional Florentine bread tastes the way it does because of a long ago spat with the rival city of Pisa, in which Pisa refused to trade salt to Florence, and bakers went without it until it became the standard recipe. Thanks Pisa! It sounds cliche, but in the case of David, you really do have to see him in person to understand why everyone is so obsessed with the statue. It’s such an incredible work of art that you forget to be awkward about the overt nudity. I could make myself generally understandable in Florence with Italian-accented English and Englishaccented French, but in Southern Spain, to my homestay’s constant delight, my only connection was Google Translate and the lyrics to “Despacito”. The second one was often more helpful. It was 45 degrees Celsius on the day that we visited Seville. I could no longer differentiate between my human skin and the surrounding air. While walking through the marketplace in Tangier, I found vendors often calling out to me, “Japanese? Korean? Chinese?”, trying to guess my ethnicity. I don’t think they meant to be rude, or else they would have been guessing in Darija. In Jerez, the winery employees humoured us by providing champagne flutes filled with apple juice. In Spain, it’s not unusual for people to kiss or touch each other’s cheeks when saying goodbye. In Canada, this is extremely unusual. 2
22 HUMOUR COMICS
Halloween
Devon Chung Illustrator
Diversions PUZZLES
Sudoku
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