December 2009
49 posts
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Tapply Binet College →
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For Uncle Pete
Laugh – for laughter is the music of the angels. Laugh – for laughter can do what no tears are able. Smile – for its brightness will shine to the heavens. Smile – for it soothes the soul. Do not fear happiness in times of sorrow. Do not shun light in times of darkness: For it is in moments of smiles and laughter that heaven and Earth are closest, That the angels and man are one.
Written by...
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The Boy Who Could Not Laugh
Long ago there lived a boy much like any other, he had a father, older sister and a loving mother. He loved to play outside each day with friends across the path, but what made this boy so very strange was that he could not laugh. He watched his friends who screamed and laughed and chuckled with such joy, but not so much as a tiny giggle would come for this poor boy. He tried with all his power...
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Blackbird
Blackbird with two broken wings, upon a rotting branch he sings to an audience of fallen trees, of wooden stumps, and dying leaves. Of air as poisonous as a cobra’s bite, of barren soil and a starless night. Of creatures with no place to go, of burning rain and tainted snow. Of toxic fumes exhaled from metal beasts, of corporations all vying for a piece. Blackbird sings without a sound, as he...
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Maybe Tomorrow
Tomorrow, you’ll say the things untold. Tomorrow, you’ll go outside even if it’s cold.
You promise, “tomorrow,” you’ll get it done— “tomorrow,” will be so much fun.
“Tomorrow,” you say, “we’ll go for a walk over the hills and out on the dock.”
We’ll speak of things that riddle our pasts and our dreams for the future. Time goes by oh so fast.
What was tomorrow is now today. You look...
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The Perfect Fit
I wish I were as slim as she: she is far thinner than me. At eighty-eight pounds and five-foot three, she is so teeny-weeny. She couldn’t ask for more: she’s nothing but bone from her head to her toes. She eats a lot, but I don’t know where it goes. If she were to fall on a slanted floor, she’d slide and slide right under the door. If she fell outside, she wouldn’t be content. For she’d get stuck...
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Cathedral High School →
Principal — Ivana Fortino Vice-Principals — Michael Gravina, Carmelo Barone, Tim Hogan
Grades — 9 to 12 30 Wentworth St. N. Hamilton, ON L8L 8H5
Pulse Contact — Michael Gravina
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Let’s Turn up the HEAT!
At Cathedral High School, we pride ourselves on being representatives of our faith. This includes each person respecting the other, but most of all ourselves. An important aspect of respecting ourselves is healthy eating. At Cathedral and many schools across the district, the H.E.A.T. team has been assembled. The Healthy Eating Advisory Team (HEAT) primarily deals with the student body of...
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Minus One
I hear you But I don’t see you Your voice is the wind. Whispering to me Caressing my skin.
I hear you But I don’t see you Your touch is the snow. Loving to me Cooling my skin.
I feel you But I don’t see you.
I smell you But I don’t see you Your scent is the air. Soothing to me Perfuming my skin.
I smell you But I don’t see you I taste you But I don’t see you. Your flavour is on my...
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Cathedral’s Eco-Team
Since its founding, Cathedral’s Eco-team has been successful in educating others about environmental issues. For the past two years, the team has been awarded silver for Eco-School Certification and was honoured with Environmentalist of the Year Award of Merit for 2008. This year, two new senior environmental related courses are being offered at Cathedral, both of which,...
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La Persévérance
Pour tous les temps de désespoir… Entre tous les obstacles… Rappelez-vous des personnes qui vous encouragent… Sans ces personnes… Et sans la fidélité en vous-mêmes… Vous perdez la force de continuer Et vous vous battez contre les obstacles de la vie Rompez la chaîne de ces obstacles… Avec votre persévérance N’arrêtez pas tout parce que… Cette persévérance vous aide à vous battre Et à réussir…
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Fears and Expectations
With university applications nearing closer and closer to dated deadlines, a sudden dose of reality is slowly starting to creep into the lives of senior students around the country. It would be preposterous to assume that the thought of university is not taking its toll on nearly every senior student approaching their post secondary education. Fears and expectations of the coming year are...
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What is so Special about Portable Seven?
To many people, portable seven is just another “boring” classroom. However, it is actually home to a unique and exciting program. It is known as NYAWEH and was created to provide support to Cathedral’s community of aboriginal youth. The word NYAWEH is an acronym for Native Youth Advancement with Education Hamilton, and is also a Native Mohawk word for “Thank You”. Statistics show that...
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The Unknown Thought
Nervousness consumes me Invisible to your eyes I try to make you see That there are no lies I would say I love you But it never comes out right There’s nothing I wouldn’t do To see that smile shine so bright If I suddenly sprouted wings And wanted to fly away Would you come with me And promise you’ll never stray Friends may not approve Because they don’t know...
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The ABC’s of Human Shame
Animal cruelty Bombs Child labour Damned Egocentric Failure to protect the earth Guns Homophobia Ignorance Jeopardizing our future Killing our rainforests Lying to ourselves Malice Neglecting our elderly Oil spills kill animals Protection of money instead of children Qualms Racial prejudice Sacrificing justice for greed Terrorism Unkind treatment of Native people Violence What have we done!...
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The Disillusion
Revolution Thousands of years have passed Answers were given to the questions we asked It was proven That we humans can get along By welcoming the right and resisting the wrong The solution Though we haven’t yet reached it We can still try to teach it To the people who seek it Evolution So many things have changed From the words that we use To the way we behave If we aim for resolution And...
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Salfleet Secondary School →
Principal — M. Rehill Vice-Principals — E. Jones, K. Graham
108 Highland Road West Stoney Creek, ON
Pulse Contact — T. Shea
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Is Mandatory Grade Thirteen The Way To Go?
Did you feel ready to tackle the world at seventeen, or eighteen? Were you academically and financially prepared to enter college or university? Since 2003, the same year Grade 13 was abolished by former Tory Premier Mike Harris, the dropout rate of high school students has steadily increased from 22% in 1999, to over 32% in 2008. The current Minister of Education Kathleen Wynne stated in...
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The H1N1 Vaccination is not necessary
None of us can escape the topic of the H1N1 vaccination or the decision of whether or not to get the shot. I feel that it may, in fact, be ok to refuse the vaccination. Even scientists who helped develop a vaccine for smallpox refuse the vaccination for H1N1 and have urged their family and friends to follow suit, says investigative journalist Wayne Madsen. Health Canada says...
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Sleep Needs To Be Taken Seriously
Not getting enough sleep at night is a problem many people deal with on a regular basis. However, most of them think nothing of it, and carry on with their daily routines despite their feeling of tiredness in the middle of the day. But it has recently been proven that lack of sleep can do some serious harm to one’s health. A study shows that getting less than seven to nine hours of...
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Overcrowded Doctors' Offices and H1N1
The H1N1 pandemic is becoming more serious everyday, and doctor’s offices are getting more crowded with people who think they have the virus. People who have the smallest form of a cold are going to get tested. Naomi Powell, writer for The Hamilton Spectator writes, “Family physicians associated with Hamilton Health Sciences reported a 30 per cent increase in patient demand even after...
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Money: the Source of Society’s Apathy
Money is the major reason people are becoming apathetic to the world around them. Money is increasingly causing the most stress in people’s everyday lives. The struggle to make ends meet, and the need to achieve higher levels of payment are common issues. “We are becoming a culture of cheaters and excuse makers,” says David Graham of The Hamilton Spectator. The major excuse is that...
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Websites to Help Lives
Imagine a world where no one lives in fear of where their next meal will come from. There are so many people living in poverty around the world, and not just in third world countries. In October of 2007, John Breen set out to help provide food for these people. As the founder of freerice.com, he helps to donate rice to people living in many third world countries. Freerice is an...
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The Obsession of Today’s Teens
The generation of today is obsessed with technology. The teens of the 80’s had hair scrunchies, the teens of the 90’s brought us Doc Martens and flannel shirts. The teens of today bring Facebook, instant messaging and texting. All three are forms of communication. The teens of today want information, and fast: they use Face book to broadcast photos, instant messaging to talk to...
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The Unknown Dangers of Hands-Free Cell Phones
The province has put a ban on the use of hand-held cell phones while driving, but has not included hands-free devices. The ban is supposed to decrease distractions the driver must face, but in reality, hands-free devices are still as dangerous as cell phones that people had been using prior to the ban. A person still must turn their attention away from driving, and this is where the main...
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Orchard Park Secondary School →
Principal — M. Barzetti Vice-Principals — M. Putignano, T. Nieuwenhuis
200 DeWitt Road Stoney Creek, ON
Pulse Contacts — E. Jeppesen, K. Armstrong, C. Roberts
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O.P. Students Work to End Homophobia
Last June, a handful of Orchard Park students along with teacher liaison, Mrs. Manoukian, attended a “True-U Positive Space Training” conference at McMaster University in order to gain skills and information that would allow them to combat homophobia and heterosexism in their high school. They learned that one in seven Canadians identifies herself or himself as lesbian, gay,...
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Art at O.P.
An artist never really finishes his work; he merely abandons it. — Paul Valery
Orchard Park Secondary School is a diverse school with many different learning opportunities available to its students. However, one program offered at O.P. stands out from the others, and this would be the O.P Arts Program. Students can build upon and improve their technique every year while learning the...
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Lucky D.D. Students at O.P.!
Students share their thoughts about why they feel lucky to be in Room 152
We answer “Brain Quest” trivia cards (Bryan, 15)
We do art activities (Kiran, 16)
We go to the Snoezelen Room (Kyle, 18)
We go grocery shopping (Kaitlin, 16)
We go swimming (David, 15)
We go to the park (Julia, 14)
We have cool Halloween decorations (Evan S. 19)I
It’s happy (Evan L., 17)
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Who Are You At Orchard Park?
One thing that is unique about Orchard Park is the freedom of expression on campus. At O.P., students are exposed to a variety of styles, ethnic groups and sexualities. In turn, students are very accepting of each other’s creativity. “Orchard Park is full of interesting people,” says Hannah Clark, a grade 9 student. “We all seem to cooperate with one another.” There are also...
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Travel
I’d rather be a car than a motorcycle, To visit the places I’ve never seen near my house.
I’d rather be a boat than a car, To explore the lakes and the oceans, and to join other continents.
I’d rather be a plane than a boat, To travel all around the world and view the countries I’ve only admired in pictures.
I’d rather be an eagle than a plane, To fly free in the sky, to see everything that’s...
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“Food for thought. . .” Patriot Pizza
This pizza was created by Alyssa Wolfe – a recent graduate of Orchard Park. It has become a favourite with the O.P. Hospitality Program.
Ingredients:
- pizza dough
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 med. green pepper chopped
- 7 to 8 mushrooms, sliced
- 2 chicken breasts
- ¼ cup Diane BBQ sauce
- ...
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Community Connections
My name is Taylor Riley. I attend a great offsite program for Orchard Park S.S. students located at the Optimist Park. Hence, our program name, OP2. The HWDSB has joined with the Stoney Creek Optimists to create a workplace full of opportunity. School can be a frustrating place for some students. That’s why the program offers a flexible day, with breaks to calm down or just relax....
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The Stressful Year - Reality of Grade 12
Grade 12 students at Orchard Park Secondary School are finding themselves stressed out constantly. For some, this is the year they have decided to become involved because applications for universities and colleges are on their minds. Grades have never been more important and neither have extra curricular activities and community involvement. The students at Orchard Park take part in a...
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Music at Orchard Park: A Passion Inside and...
“It’s life. Freedom. Medicine. An adventure in sound…”
A student’s definition of music
Music at Orchard Park is a big thing. Inside the walls of Mr. and Mrs. Young’s music room is a passionate group of music lovers and appreciators. “The music classes at Orchard Park have a light environment; you’re accepted and you’re not put down if you don’t do well,” says grade twelve student...
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Gym Class at Orchard Park
Gym. Most girls think it’s such a waste of a subject period. They think “Eww…like who actually wants to get all sweaty and gross?” or “I don’t even like sports”. What most people don’t realize is that there is more to it than meets the eye. There are the memories you make doing all the crazy, silly things will last you a lifetime. You will also make new friends, and probably in the most...