The Ghost of Grad Pranks

Past By: Saba Sadegh-pour

Graduation pranks have been a part of high school tradition for as long as we can remember. The temptation to leave a memorable legacy is almost crucial to grade twelve students. An example of a Langstaff grad prank was three years ago. It was a Friday near the end of the semester with the deadlines of projects and tests drawing near. Many of Langstaff’s students were packed in the library during lunch time trying to use what little time they had left to finish their projects on the computers before they had to hand them in the next period. Meanwhile classes were also using the computer labs. “I was in the computer lab,” says Jasmin Badakhshi, “when suddenly, all the computers were locked onto a screen saying something like ‘Happy Friday! Courtesy of the Graduating Class.’ At the same time, the infamous song “Friday” by Rebecca Black was being played from all of the

computer speakers.” Although most students working in the library found this frustrating, one has to admit that it was a fairly good prank. However, no matter how brilliant the idea, such plans do not always go smoothly. For instance two years ago, the soon to be graduates made an elaborate plan to break every Langstaff library rule imaginable in order to irritate our librarians. The eager students lined up at the library entrance armed with soccer balls and plastic water bottles only to find that Mr. Baxter was to be absent that same day. There have also been years where the pranks have been carried out perfectly only to foiled by Langstaff staff. Such pranks include that of two years ago when staff drove to school to find boxers and panties with “Grads 2011” painted on them, hanging off the roof tops of Langstaff. The underwear was taken down before most students had arrived. Another well-thought out, but failed prank was that of the famous brick wall. Approximately five years ago, some students had somehow managed to gather bricks and cement to build a wall blocking the school driveway from Garden Ave to the parking lot. Unfortunately a school staff member that lived nearby had gone out for a walk that

night and upon seeing the wall, reported it to the school immediately. There wasn’t a trace of the wall to be found in the morning. Hence, it’s evident that some of our previous pranks have gone amiss. Yet, sometimes it’s better to have no prank at all. The same year as the attempted underwear prank, grade twelve students stuck forks in the soccer field before the start of the school day. The responsible individuals were later seen taking the forks out of the field. “I think it was pretty funny,” says current grade twelve student, Julia Lim. “Especially because it was track and field day.” However, most staff and students do not share this point of view. Although it was thankfully a fairly harmless prank, Ms. Samji believes “the meaning was lost.” Experienced history teacher, Mr. Parkinson, stated that the worst prank he had ever witnessed was when “some people released thousands of crickets into all of the washrooms. It was an infestation of bugs and we had no washroom, so that was particularly stupid.” Calling in pest control, it took the caretakers several days to get rid of the bugs. Meanwhile, all the school’s bathrooms were out of service. “Not only was it gross, but thousands and thousands of crickets came to a

horrible end because of it.” Unfortunately, some of our pranks have included breaking the law. For example, one year, a group of graduates stole a giant blow up gorilla from a Toyota store and strapped it to the top of the school building. “It was kind of funny,” says Mr. Parkinson, “but, at the same time, it was a very expensive theft from Toyota.” However, the worst year for pranks had to be 2013. One June morning, students and staff arrived at school to find the building completely vandalised from the outside with very offensive material. The spray painted graffiti was washed off before the end of the day. Some question whether this was even a graduation prank at all. “I think last year’s prank was the worst, but I don’t know if that was really the grads,” says Mrs. Shukster. Grade 12 student, Franco Pang, states, “I think it was meant as a grad prank, but it wasn’t perceived as one.” Yet, over the course of Langstaff history, there is one prank that will never be forgotten. It took place almost a decade ago. Four chickens were let loose in the administration office around exam time. The feathered culprits were wearing little capes numbered 1, 2, 4, and 5. Staff spent much time chasing and catching the chickens and they caught all four, but spent hours looking for the non-existent #3. “They [the chickens] were particularly fond of the principle’s desk and they did a lot of their ‘business’ there,” says Mr. Parkinson. Most Langstaff students and teachers listed this as their all-time favourite prank, as it was harmless, funny, and if it had been a blockbuster movie, would have been rated 5 stars. When asked what they like to see this year, Adam Retsinas suggested, “something with

underwear.” Meanwhile, the general consensus seemed to be, as Franco Pang stated, “funny but legal.” The past few years have been quite disappointing, the highlights being forks and vandalism. However, the torch has now been passed on to this year’s grade twelve’s. As Serena Williams once said, “make a legacy, and then retire champions.”

Oh Lorde Jesus, She’s on Fire

By: Kimia Mostafaei

After the likes of Justin Bieber entered the music industry, we have become sceptical of teenage artists. However, this is not the case with Ella Yellach-O'Connor (stage name Lorde, her feminized version of the aristocratic title). Her EP* “Love Club” reached number one on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, making her the first woman to do this after seventeen years. She is quickly becoming more and more popular in the music scene, and for good reason. At only sixteen years of age her songs possess a certain maturity and style that are undeniably unique. Her lyrics both critique and simultaneously show her fascination with rap and pop stars' endorsement of lavish consumerist lifestyles. She expresses herself with sophistication and through

minimal and simple beats relying on her sultry and soulful voice to create harmonies, making her songs simple, yet brilliant and powerful. Although she has just freshly entered the music industry, her raw talent and simple yet powerful style make her a top contender in dominating the indie-pop music industry. *EP: An extended play (EP) is a musical recording that contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full studio album or LP.

Me to We Day By: Anita Sepasi-Ahouei

On September 20th, fourteen hard working members of Langstaff's "Free the Children" attended the annual “We Day” concert at the Air Canada Centre. The ACC was packed with students from all over Ontario who fundraised and made a difference in the world by helping children live better, more sustainable lives. This year, the show was hosted by Darren Criss, a popular singer and actor from the television show Glee. Many inspirational speakers and influential celebrities also made an appearance; such as Demi Lovato, Serena Ryder, and Austin Mahone. From agriculture, to education, to clean water, to medical care, and alternative income; We Day covers all the campaigns that “Free the Children” will run this year to help support developing countries. Although the Free the Children club will be running the events, they’re not the only ones who can help make a difference. Throughout the year, many of the events will require school-wide participation so that many of the issues faced in other parts of the world can be spoken about. In the words of Master Yoda, and as Spencer West (a keynote speaker at We Day) quoted, “Do, or do not… There is no try.”

Let’s Face It By: Jenny Chu

Do you catch yourself staring blankly at your phone screen when nothing is on it? Do you find yourself relying on your cell phone to keep you company in awkward situations? Is it the first thing you see in the morning and the last thing you see at night? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, your phone may mean more to you than you think; you may even be addicted to it! Here are 3 signs that you are obsessed with your phone: 1. You become sad when you don’t receive notifications. Have you ever felt lonely or forgotten because you haven’t received any notifications for a few hours? Yes? You’re probably addicted. 2. You find yourself checking your social media accounts over and over again. Nothing interesting has been posted between now and two minutes ago, yet, you still feel the urge to check everything…just in case. 3. You feel incomplete without it. If you feel like a part of you is missing when you don’t have your cellphone close by, you’re most likely way too attached to it! If any of these signs describe you, put your phone down! Go for a walk, get some fresh air! It will be more interesting than your Twitter newsfeed, I promise.

Sweater Weather

A Guide to 2013 Fall Trends By: Sasha Pollak

As the last days of summer slowly fade away into early sunsets and yellow leaves littering the sidewalk, the scent of pumpkin spice lattes fill coffee shops. Fashion choices become more primarily focused on warmth and comfort, just in time for the quickly descending temperatures. With exclamations from many autumn loving students of “It’s finally sweater weather” echoing through our school, you’re here today to discover what to wear when this season of pumpkins and comfy clothing arrive. Fitted pants and comfy knits are 2013 fall essentials! With winter creeping in, those thin graphic print sweaters just aren’t going to cut it. Trade in your shapeless sweaters for thick, slouchy, knit sweaters in neutral and rich tones. From bold burgundies to dark heather greys, the colour scheme for this autumn is rich and full of variety. Now, what could be more perfect for a brisk fall day than a cozy sweater? Scarves are the answer, an accessory that you had better get used to, because fall is their time to shine. Transitioning your wardrobe for fall is all about accessories and scarves, in particular, are key-not only because are they cozy, but also because they can add a bright pop of colour to a dark-hued autumn ensemble. Scarves allow you to turn almost any outfit into not only a cozy one, but a chic one. Paired with tights or well fitted pants to contrast the bulkiness of your knits, your autumn will not only be a

comfortable one, but a stylish one as well. Not only are knits a fall essential, because patterns are crucial as well. Kurt Cobain wasn't the only one mad about plaid. A simple flannel button up shirt tied around the waist or worn under a jacket adds a fun touch to any outfit. Layering is a key aspect to putting together the perfect outfit. Adding layers creates a more complex look, even if you are simply adding a scarf on top of a jacket. With military inspired looks coming into play, a pair of combat boots or a Khaki green coat easily becomes a staple this season. Fall 2013 is all about simple comforts, with rich colours and knits galore start off your fall with a fresh look.

Run For The Cure By: Jin Choi

On Sunday October 6th, 2013 The Langstaff Bear Breast Team went to represent our school to run for the charity, Run for the Cure. A group of around 30 Langstaff students and staff met up at Richmond Green Public School to participate. As a team we were able to raise a total of $7,046.10! The student who gained the most donations this year was Adam Retsinas with a total of $3,170. In every year that we have participated in this cause, we have been the top public school fundraiser team and were able to achieve it again this year. We were proud to accept an award for our accomplishment and wish to continue to help with this fundraiser in upcoming years. If there are any students who are willing to help organize this event in the future, please contact Ms. Shukster.

Teacher of the Month Profile: Ms. Samji

By: Saba Sadegh-pour and Patricia Park

Ms. Samji has been working at Langstaff for 17 years now, teaching Grade 9 Science, Grade 12 Biology and Grade 12 Chemistry. Her fan-made Facebook page (307 likes) describes her as “Master of Science and all things badassery.” According to this fan page, Ms. Samji’s personal interests include “Biology, Chemistry, chalk, shaping of the heavens and earth.” She is known for staying after school every day until at least 6:00p.m and sometimes 11:00 p.m, dedicating her time to her students and work. She often uses this time to help students who have missed a lesson or who need some help understanding the concepts taught in class. She will even look over assignments prior to the due date and give feedback and general guidance for improvement. Hence, there is no question as to why Dr. Samji deserves this small recognition for all her work and dedication over the past 17 years. Degrees: BsC in Chemistry from University of Toronto Masters in Biochemical Toxicology from York University PhD in Molecular Biology from York University Bachelor of Education at University of Toronto in Science and Math

“What is your most embarrassing moment?” “Oh god. Too many of them. I would say the day I showed up at the Opera. It was a spur of the moment to go, and we got tickets at the front. Everyone was dressed in long beautiful gowns, and here I was with jeans on. And then the governor general walked in, and we all had to stand up, and I looked really out of place.” “What is your favourite and least favourite grade to teach?” “I like all grades. Even grade nines; they’re fresh faces, and I like to see them grow. I have never had any classes that were that bad to say I didn’t like them. Sometimes the tens, because they are no longer nines, and they no longer care about the marks.” “Would you ever get whiteboards, and if so would you keep chalks around?” “I love chalk… I would always keep chalk around.” “How has Langstaff changed over the years?” “I would say the classes are the same. But I find the students are sometimes disrespectful. So I’ve seen more of that during the years.” “And are you aware of your Facebook fan page?” “Somebody has mentioned it to me, but I don’t want to go there.”