Submitted by Claire Cartwright
Happy Spring everyone. Despite the two weeks off of school for March break, SHSS was quite a busy place prior to the annual pause in the school year. So let’s take a peek into the happenings at the high school.
Spirit Week
SHSS celebrated the week leading up to March Break with yet another spirit week. Staff and students were able to ease the stress of a week full of tests and due dates with adding a little fun to their school week.
Throughout the week students participated in Jersey Day, Athletes vs. Mathletes Day, Tie Dye Day, 80’s Day and Pajama Day.
Art Show
The Young Visions Art Show will be happening again this year. It will be at the Kootenay Gallery of Art by the airport and the community is able to go take a look at some amazing student art. Student’s art will be on display from April 22 - May 29. Grade 11 and 12 SHSS students who have taken art this year — don’t forget to submit your art so your talent can be showcased at the show.
Course Selection
Course selection is coming up from April 12 - 16. If you or a student you know is stressed about what classes to take whether it be about a future career or a heavy course load, don’t forget that SHSS has an amazing group of teachers, counselors, and support staff that will be there to guide and encourage students through their high school career every step of the way. Also for grade 10 students going into grade 11, if I could give you any advice I would say take these three sciences: chemistry, physics, and biology. It keeps your options open for university applications and each of them are extremely interesting subjects. It will also help you find your niche if you’re trying to choose what kind of career path you’re leaning towards.
Grad Fundraiser - Spring Flowers
From March 15 - April 20 the SHSS Grad Class of 2021 is selling spring flowers as a fundraiser for the funding of the year end grad events. Every purchase means the world to this group and we are so thankful for the community’s aid throughout the extremely interesting grad year. Also, for the members of the community who are interested in ordering and supporting the grads, but you don’t have a reference to put down for your delivery, feel free to use my name Claire Cartwright. I would be happy to deliver your spring flowers.
More info can be found at shsssafegrad.growingsmilesfundraising.com/home
Book Recommendation from Claire
This month, I have yet another book recommendation for you all, and again it’s one of my all time favourites. This book made me feel every emotion possible and it was such a beautiful story. It’s called The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and I think anyone who picks this book up will have no trouble falling in love with the story.
The Song of Achilles has won many awards and is beloved by bookworms across the world. I hope you’ll love it as much as I do if you decide to pick it up.
Riddle of the Month
Question: I fall, but I don’t get hurt. I pour, but I’m not a jug. I help plants grow, but I’m not the sun. What am I?
Answer: Rain
Stop Asian Hate
As an APPI (Asian American / Pacific Islanders) ally and a Stop Asian Hate movement supporter, I am so thankful I have been given a platform larger than my social media accounts where I am able to spread awareness. Across the world, there has been a heavy increase in anti-Asian violence since the beginning of the pandemic. Not only has there been an increase in verbal harassment and vandalism against APPI people, on March 16, 2021 there was a shooting in Atlanta, Georgia that killed eight people, six of them being of East Asian descent.
In Canada across all provinces, there has been a seven-fold increase in anti-Asian violence. Children and elderly have been publicly and violently harassed by Canadian citizens and this needs to come to an end. In late March, multiple Stop Asian Hate rallies took place in Metro Vancouver. The purpose of these empowering gatherings is to “oppose discrimination against Asians, mourn the victims of the Atlanta shooting in the United States, support Asian Americans, and call on all sectors of Canadian society to be diligent against the growing discrimination.”
If you’re wondering what you can do to help AAPI people to show your allyship, here are some ways you can do so: support AAPI owned businesses, donate to stop AAPI hate, educate yourself and stay informed, spread awareness, use your voice to make a difference — silence is violence.
