Mu Sochua

By Shelby M.  

The 9th graders and some 8th graders had the opportunity to hear a woman from Cambodia talk about the work she does in her country. Mu Sochua lived in Cambodia until she was 18 years old. At that time, the Khmer Rouge took control of the government. Sochua told us that during the “three years, nine months, and twenty-eight days” that the Khmer Rouge was in power, 1.7 million Cambodians died. Their deaths can be attributed to starvation, exhaustion, exposure to the elements, and landmines. Although Mu Sochua was able to leave for France to continue her education, her family died under the Khmer Rouge. Her mission is to help the Cambodian people out of the lasting effects of the Khmer’s tyrannous rule. She told us that four million of the 14 million Cambodians earn less than $.50 a day. In Cambodia, there are 100,000 prostitutes. Of the 100,000, 70% are trafficked. The other 30% become prostitutes to support their families. The trafficked women are kidnapped from Cambodia and are forced into prostitution in another country, such as Vietnam. Of the 70,000 forced prostitutes, 40% are under 16 years old. When we asked what we can do, she told us that we need to create better economic opportunities, prosecute traffickers, and declare child prostitution a violation of human rights. We need to get the United Nations involved, in order to help the Cambodians. As a member of Parliament, Mu Sochua’s mission is to help the Cambodian people realize that they can have a voice against the government, that they don’t have to live in poverty and deprivation. In the Cambodian culture, the krama is like a scarf. However, it has many uses that are essential to both men and women’s lifestyle. To do our part, the ninth grade is going to create an event called “Krama,” to raise money for Cambodian rights. This event will hopefully take place this spring. Mu Sochua truly influenced the way that we look at life and how we take for granted what we have. We hope that our event will raise awareness of human rights in Cambodia.

Below is an audio clip of an interview with Mu Sochua on the Brian Lehrer Show:





Here is an article from the New Canaan News about our meeting with Mu Sochua.


Here is a link to Sochua's blog: 
http://sochua.wordpress.com/

The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear

By Mayze T.

On Saturday morning, I woke up at 6:13. I got dressed, packed my backpack, and ran out the door. My mom was waiting for me in the car. We drove to Penn Station, a trip of about one hour, and boarded our train. When we sat down, we heard the passengers in front of us. “We want to prove that old people can be sane too!”one of them was saying. I whispered to my mom, “They’re going to the rally!” and she nodded. From then on, it was a three hour train ride before we finally arrived at our destination, Washington D.C. After leaving Union Station, we tried to find a taxi. We waited in line for about a half an hour, before finally getting a cab. I was dressed as Waldo and was getting some strange looks. One man even hopped out of his car to take a picture of me! We took the cab to our hotel, and on the way, we could see lines of people walking in costume, carrying signs. Once at the hotel, we checked our bags. Then we attempted to find a cab. There were no empty cabs. We walked around for a bit, but every cab was full.When we finally found a taxi, we embarked for the rally. Traffic was at a standstill, and on the streets coming up to the rally we saw tons of people in costume, carrying ridiculous signs. “Zombie party – we want politicians with BRAINS!” and “This is not a sign” were two of my favorites. I wasn’t the only Waldo either; we saw two or three other people in the same costume, along with Hogwarts students, Sarah Palin, giant bananas, and – the most fantastic one of all – the capsule that brought up the Chilean miners. When we left the cab, we walked up the street. There were some policemen out presumably to make sure that the rally didn’t get out of control. They too were enjoying the rally, laughing at the signs and costumes that people had. Even though we arrived a bit late, we managed to cut in through one of the side streets and found ourselves in the first quarter of the audience. Next to us was a group of people wearing the “Rally to Restore Sanity” logo shirts. John Legend played first. Unfortunately, we could not hear him, and we did not know that he was the one playing. Next up were the hosts of Mythbusters, who proceeded to stage what was, presumably, the largest “wave” ever done at a political rally. Finally –finally– Jon Stewart came on stage, followed by Stephen Colbert. Not that we could hear them, or see them. It didn’t matter, anyway. The point of this rally was not to listen to Stewart and Colbert, and the point of this rally was not to mock the rallies created with serious intent. The point of the rally was to bring together like-minded people; to bring together people who don’t want to blow tiny issues out of proportion; to bring together people who can talk about issues and think about them; and, most importantly, to bring together people of both parties, from all across the country, who just want a little sanity.


Here is Jon Stewart's wrap up of the rally, as shown on C-SPAN:

(video courtesy of youtube)

Ask Colbster

One of my friend’s ex boyfriends, that I have known all my life, hates me, calls me a brat, and announces to the class that he hates me. What should I do? Help!

-Don’t want to lose a friend

Hey “Don't want to lose a friend"

I know it's hard when boys are mean and rude. You kind of have to roll with the punches, showing them their meanness has no effect on you. If it’s really bothering you, confront the boy and ask him what his problem is and what you ever did! You always have the option of talking to a teacher or Mrs. Platt if it gets out of control. Good luck!

-Colbster

I have a friend that doesn’t trust me with a stupid little thing or anything else! Should I trust her? HELP

-Anonymous

Hola! Basically mistrust comes from past betrayal. Your friend might just have fear of trusting people because of past experiences. I know it can be frustrating, but you really have to be open-minded to your friend and show her that you can be trusted.

-Colbster

Any tips for surviving Upper School?

-Anonymous

Ni Hao! My best tip for surviving the Upper School is staying on top of your class assignments. Procrastinating only adds to stress and tension, and believe me, Upper School is so much more enjoyable when you aren’t stressed! Most of all, just try to enjoy Upper School, because it’s a lot of fun and is a truly unique experience.

-Colbster

What’s something that will help me to complete my homework faster?

LOL

-an anonymous boy

Anonymous boy,

1. Never get a Facebook page

2. Never get an AIM

Facebook and AIM are HUGE distractions, and I find that when not used, homework can be completed a millions times faster. If you already have a Facebook page and/or an AIM and find yourself easily distracted, ask your Mom or Dad to change your password, and not allow you to go on until all your homework is done. Eighth periods and study halls are also great times to get a head start on your homework, so you’ll be less stressed at night. Good luck!

-Colbster

A Declaration of Grievance and Change

IN CLASS, OCTOBER 21, 2010 

BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 

NEW CANAAN COUNTRY SCHOOL STUDENT BODY  

A Declaration of Grievance and Change  

IN 7 McDONOUGH HISTORY CLASS ASSEMBLED.  

All men are put upon this earth with the same rights and the same being to freedom, happiness, and the pursuit of justice. If this be true, we must obey the rights of others and ourselves in agreement that all citizens of any community are created equal; and it is thus that we send this most urgent complaint to those who disrespect our honor and unjustly represent our rights (administrative staff of New Canaan Country School). We have dealt with appallingly vile and abominable suffering at the hand of tyranny for too long. With the utmost glee, I am pleased to inform you that upon your regrettable comportment, our humble people have concluded our only option is to demand change from your grisly school. If the administration is unwilling to heed our cries for justice, we have no choice but to remove, revolt, and relieve you of your role as dictator. If students can do what they want when they want, they will pay more attention in class. They will pay more attention because they will be in a comfortable environment and not have to worry about anything. If you listen to us I am sure we will get better grades, and New Canaan Country School will be a place where everyone will be excited to go. Many people such as Mr. Delehaunty or Mr. Bazemore may argue that there are many good reasons not to change any of the rules. They may insist that it would be silly to have recess after each class because the students would be all rallied up and not focused during class. Mr. Delehaunty or Mr. Bazemore may say that it would be crazy for kids to be able to wear whatever they want to school. They may argue that this is absurd because kids may come in with inappropriate clothing giving off a bad message when visitors come to tour the school. Lastly, they might disagree that there should be free seating at all times because people’s feelings will be hurt, and that is not what NCCS is about. However, Mr. Delehaunty and Mr. Bazemore’s arguments are fatuous. Certain changes at NCCS would help the students benefit in many ways. For instance, shorter classes would give students more time to relax and have a break in between classes. More class electives would give kids more freedom to do things that they enjoy and they would excel in subject matters that they find interesting. Students sit on metal chairs all day; if there were more comfortable chairs, kids would feel calmer and more at home. For many people it is hard to find this special trait and it would be advantageous to have more electives such as cooking or hip-hop class. Moreover, it would benefit us if the school had Apple computers instead of Dells. More than 70% of the students with laptops have Macintosh computers, and we all feel that teachers are wasting too much time explaining how to use the Dells. Everyone already knows how to use the Macintosh computers. To the person who is reading this, you should know that NCCS students have borne the burden for too long! There are simply too many concerning issues with the school and on behalf of the students, we declare that you must fix them! Long enough have the rock hard chairs and the eight hour school days been tolerated by us. Our complaints are simple, easy to accept and I hope that all of you, students of NCCS, appreciate this when we say that these suggestions should be met not just

because we want them to but because we have taken these endless rules for countless years and now we have had enough. If these needs are not met, we will be forced to remove ourselves from this community, declaring independence from the tyranny of Country School’s regime. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of our Cougar mascot, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor. For starters, since third grade, every night has been dedicated to endless hours of homework. Restless nights after endless days have led to unhealthy students, which does not only hurt us but hurts the school’s reputation. Rules have to be set for the amount of homework given in each subject and limited to only fifteen minutes. Students are trying but our voices aren’t being heard. In addition, every student has a hidden talent; it is the teachers’ roles to help us uncover these hidden caches.

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF

NCCS raised $1901.13 for UNICEF!!!

Nice job trick-or-treating!!!

See where our money goes:

$0.07 provides 50 kids with safe water for a day.

$2.00 buys 1 liter of therapeutic milk.

$19.00 buys three mosquito nets to protect kids from malaria.

$25.00 can give immunizations to a child against measles, polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and tuberculosis.

$100.00 gives a water purification kit for ten families.

$250.00 provides a “school in a box” (school supplies).

What is String Theory?

By Ryan L.


What does String Theory mean? Is it some sort of complicated system that requires heavy math? Will it create a black hole and destroy us all? Is it a ball of yarn controlling the universe? Well, it does require some math but as far as the basics are concerned, it is fairly simple. On a guitar, the musical note that is produced by plucking a string varies by how the string is plucked and how much tension is in the string. Similarly, the subatomic particles observed in particle accelerators can be thought of as “excitation modes” of the elementary strings. In string theory, like a guitar, the string must be very tight to become excited. Elementary strings are floating in spacetime, but they are tightened by forces that require lots of math, so I won’t go into details. If string theory is to be quantum gravity, the strings’ length should be around a millionth of a billionth of a billionth of a billionth of a centimeter. This means that such strings cannot, unfortunately, be seen with today’s technology. There are many different kinds of string theory; each one has a different theory of the strings’ shape. Some theories say that the strings are closed loops, others say they float free; some include elemental fermions, subatomic particles smaller than a proton, neutron, or electron. There are 24 different kinds of elemental fermions. There are six quarks, six anti-quarks, six leptons, and six anti-leptons. In order for string theories to include fermions, there needs to be super-symmetry, which means that for every particle that transmits force (a boson), there has to be a fermion (a particle that makes up matter). Currently, super-symmetric particles have not been seen in particle accelerators because they are too large, but in the next ten years, evidence may be found that would make string theory much more realistic.

Indian Hip-Hop Ballet

By Caroline F.

A couple of months ago, I had the opportunity to perform a ballet piece. I was really excited because Megan McCool, a choreographer whom I really like, was creating the dance for us. I was excited also because performing onstage is the best part of ballet and is something that dancers my age need to take advantage of. However, when I heard what the piece was for, my excitement lowered; it was for an Indian beauty pageant, Miss India of CT, 2010. First of all, we are in the USA, not India. Second of all, it was a beauty pageant. Really? In spite of that, when I was given the full description of what we were doing, I decided to give it a try. The dance was a “cultural fusion” of ballet, classical Indian dance, and hip-hop, and we had dancers from all categories collaborating and working together. I didn’t think that the piece, Mere Dholna Sun, was going to work or come together by the show—but let me tell you, it did. The audience at the Palace Theater in Stamford, CT, went wild. They were clapping and shouting, and we got a sanding ovation. A group of the Indian singers even told McCool that it was the best part of the show. Despite all of this, and the fact that lots of people stopped by our dressing room to congratulate and compliment us, I didn’t realize the importance or significance of what I had just participated in. It dawned on me only when we were invited to perform the dance three more times: for the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) state conference in Stamford, CT, for an international Indian cultural organization in New York, NY, and for the United Nations in New York, NY. I was dumbfounded—how could all of these big organizations, especially the United Nations, want the negligible little Ballet School of Stamford to perform for their big events? It is quite an honor to have had our dancing so highly recognized, and these performances and recognitions give lots of much needed publicity to my ballet school as well as have us give back to the community. I now realize that evryone’s got to take advantage of every single opportunity that is thrown at him or her, because it could turn out to be a lot more significant than you would think.

Pumpkin Day in the Eighth Grade

By James M.
 

Pumpkins come in many different shapes and sizes, but for the sixty-three eighth graders at Irwin Park, the golden pumpkin was all that mattered. After arriving at the park and learning about what the day had in store, we split into six teams: The Decepticons, The Brahmans, The Dalits, The Narwhals, The Winners, and last but not least, Gryffindor. After a day including various fun and team-building activities such as Halloween charades and a pumpkin relay, the six groups prepared for the climax of their day—The Tour de Pumpkin. In the first challenge of the tour, each team had to run a pumpkin up a hill, while each member of the team had his or her hand on the pumpkin. After a strong performance, The Decepticons took the lead. The next event's winner was determined by who could roll a pumpkin the closest to a flag in the ground. Each team chose a representative to roll their pumpkin. Gryffindor's Brandon Salvatore won the event, rolling his pumpkin 8 feet and 11 inches away from the flag. In the next event each team had to roll its pumpkin up a hill as fast as they could. Each team experimented with very different rolling techniques, but in the end, Gryffindor prevailed. With one event to go, Gryffindor thought they had it, but The Decepticons thought otherwise.

With only the pumpkin long roll left in the tour, The Decepticons had victory in their sights. With Christian Arntzen representing The Decepticons and living legend Corey Wieczoreck representing Gryffindor, everyone knew it was going to be a close match. The event was won by Sean McEwen, but Christian was the runner up. After the event was finished, we were all eager to find out what team was the winner. We soon found out that there was no winner—Gryffindor and The Decepticons were in a deadlock tie. It all came down to a sudden death pumpkin relay. Each member had to run a pumpkin to third base and back, and then pass it on to the next teammate in line. After everyone had gone, it came down to two of the fastest people in the 8th grade, Jack Lane and Corey Wieczoreck. Corey had a slight lead when he got the pumpkin, but it seemed as if Jack was closing the gap. Right before he stepped past the finish line, Corey looked over to his right and saw that Jack was behind him. Moments later, Gryffindor had won the race, as well as the whole tour. Gryffindor came out on top again, although this time instead of snatching the golden snitch, they snatched the golden pumpkin.

Untitled

By Alyssa T.

You stare at an almost blank screen thinking of what to

type

You start typing random things, realizing that it makes

no sense

Then you think of an idea

You start typing really fast not even bothering to correct

mistakes until it’s done

Sooner or later you have a finished product

You begin to ask yourself how this happened

Then you realize it wasn’t so hard

If you stare at a blank screen things will appear

I call this untitled because at first I did not know what to

type

Then I started typing out of nowhere

Realizing that I could write about

Wetness of the Undergrowth

By Avery L.

Rain, after a mighty storm,

glazed on the grassy field is a

happy sight, like an everlasting smile for miles and

miles.

The passion for this mighty sight explodes in

my mind, and festers like a diabolic scheme.

My glee lasts so long, floating gently through the

air.

The smiles on my face were manifold, sunlit

with joy and exultation.

I sigh a deep happy sigh of relief.

The secrets of nature show their beauty within the

sparkling crystals resting upon the undergrowth.

The water silently bends the mighty grass.

Halloween Hangover

On November 5 The Upper School class of 2011 had their first dance of the school year. The theme was "Hang on to Halloween". It went from 7pm-10pm. Being a Halloween dance, it was also a costume party. People came in costumes that ranged from fairies to gorillas, cowboys to graduates, and mice to mimes. There was also a DJ. He was the organizer of the costume contest. First, he split us up into 7th, 8th and 9th grade. Then he would call up each person from one grade at a time. If the dance attendants liked their costume, they would clap and cheer. If they got enough applause, they continued to the next round. Next, two 9th grade judges picked the top three costumes. Finally, the two who got the most applause won! The prizes were free seating for that person for one lunch period. Deciding was hard, but each grade came out with two winners. The winners were:

Seventh Grade - 

Brooke L. as a punk rocker

Kate C. as a pirate

Eighth Grade -

Grant G. as Michael Jackson

Julia M. as the Devil

Ninth Grade - 

Ryan L. as an archeologist

Vlady R. as a Slash

The Halloween dance was so much fun and we can’t wait for the next one. The ninth graders will have a tough job organizing a dance as good as that one, but they can definitely do it.

By Kate C.

Man Flies on Jetpack Over Swiss Town

By Alec B.  

Nov, 5th 2010, Bercher, Switzerland

A man, with the help of four Breitling engines, has successfully flown a jetpack. The jetpack, straight out of Hollywood movies like Thunderball (and who can forget the bounty hunter, Boba Fett?) has come off the big screen into real life. Swiss fusion engine scientist, Yves Rossy tried his prototype jetpack in civilian airspace. His training vastly differs from the risks; spending six years in the Swiss Air Force and another four for Swiss Airlines definitely gave him thumbs up from the locals and the Swiss government. His test worked wonderfully; he spent just over an hour and a half flying around the town and doing some 360 loops, making him look like he was having another day on a 4-engine fixed wing jetpack, over 8000 feet above the earth. As he came down in a parachute (the jetpack itself is still unable to stabilize a descent), he landed with precision and said he wanted to -go right back up. Even though strapped to four fusion engines that could blow him right out of the sky, several nations including China, Germany, and the United States want him to develop these jetpacks for use within the next twenty years. He said “to develop these things for weapons use is not what should be intended. This is travel for the future, not war of the future.”

OAT

By Aisha M.

Sitting, apprehensive, we approach the vast mountain 

Slowly we exit the van and put on our packs 

Trek, Trek, Trek…we are getting closer 

Stairs…nothing but a bunch of flights of stairs 

Panting, Panting, Panting we climb the stairs 

Finally, beyond the tall tall trees, we spot…BLUE SKIES! 

We have reached the very top of the mountain! 

Looking down at all the things that were once smaller than us 

In taking the beautiful sights that were displayed before us 

Waking up early in the morning was very hard to do 

For last night, the wind blew 

Downhill, downhill we shall go 

As well as many up-hills that kept many of us at a reasonable pace 

More beautiful views we did see Mother Nature is so gorgeous, as pretty as can be 

The next morning was the last morning there 

Where did the time go? 

What’s that in the distance? Road! 

We have successfully completed the hike! 

That will be an experience that will forever stay in our hearts

Visitors

By Dawson J.

We are visitors to you, but we come not to disturb. 

We simply come to admire your beauty in silence. 

Your leaves turning from pre-school green to a blazing red fire. 

Your spider webs that live out in the open, 

And your spider webs that stay hidden, 

Waiting like a cat, ready to pounce on its prey. 

I wander off into my own little world, but I am still a visitor to yours.

I rest on one of Mother Nature’s benches. 

I take in the water-burdened leaves, sagging to the moist earth. 

I watch leaves spiraling to the ground, like helicopters 

Each one sun-lit and blinding. 

Do you mean to blind me? 

Have I wandered off where I shouldn’t? 

I ask myself, but know that there is no answer. 

And so I wander further into your world, 

And can only hope you will welcome me soon, 

As part of you.

Paul the Octopus Obituary

By Alec B. 

Paul the Oracle Octopus died in his German aquarium on October 26th. Paul became famous when he famously picked all of Germany’s wins in the 2010 World Cup, along with accurately predicting the wins of the 2008 Euro Cup. Paul was originally from England and was supposed to be the sponsor of the English 2018 World Cup bid. He has been given the posthumous title of Lord Protector of England, as well as honorary citizenship from Spain, France, Italy and Croatia. His trainer, Etienne Roquain, stated that following the World Cup, Paul became sick but died peacefully. He will be missed.


Below is a video of Paul the Octopus predicting the winner of the world cup:

Speak Now – Taylor Swift

By Sarah H.

Taylor Swift’s latest, and third, album is her best yet! The twenty-year-old’s music just gets better and better. She wrote every word to fourteen songs, every melody, every guitar piece, everything by herself, and, as she claims, “at three in the morning.” She also says the heartfelt album is a diary of her last two years. The title track, “Speak Now,” is one of her top songs – written about a friend hoping to crash her true love’s wedding. Other popular tracks are “Mine” and “Back to December” – written about Taylor Lautner – both released before to album. My personal favorites are “Haunted,” “Dear John,” (written about John Mayer) and “Mean.” All of the songs, ballads and melodies are beautifully composed, with very upbeat tracks and amazing vocals. I would recommend this passionate album to anyone who appreciates good vocals, great guitar pieces, and just genuinely good music.

World Traveler Comes to NCCS!

By Mayze T.

Mrs. Platt has the new role of school counselor for the Upper School and the Middle School. She also teaches Life Skills to the ninth grade. Before she came to New Canaan Country School, she was the school counselor at a school in Washington D.C., and prior to that she was a middle school teacher in Hawaii. Outside of school, she likes to run, read, bake, and travel. In the past years she ran in several triathlons, including Ironman triathlons and she has been to many different countries. She has been to every continent except Antarctica, and her favorite place that she has visited is Nepal. Last year she spent New Year’s Day at the base of Mount Everest. She enjoys a variety of books; her favorites range from

Water for Elephants to Into Thin Air, a book about Mount Everest. Her favorite movies are Elf, Christmas Vacation, and Serendipity. When asked about OAT, she says, “OAT was so much fun! It was definitely a highlight [of the year]. [It was also] a great way to get to know some of the students and staff. We were incredibly lucky with the weather.”

Ask Boris

*Remember heavy Russian accent for answers

My ex-boyfriend still likes me.  How do I

tell him that I don’t like him AND get him

out of my hair?  -Clueless

Dear Clueless,

In Russia there is no such thing as ‘ex-boyfriend,’ so I do not know what you are talking about, but if you looking to get rid of someone, assassination is always option. -Boris

What’s a great book to read?  -Book Seeker.

Dear Book Seeker,

My personal favorite is either Russia: A History or

The KGB Field Manual… Okay, I lied.  My favorite book is Twilight. You should consider reading. -Boris

If you had to choose between buying a platypus and buying a lemur, which would you chose?  -Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,

Neither.  I would choose messenger pigeon.  Very reliable.  -Boris

Boris, this question has been in my head for days, please help!  If  x = 22.9 and y = 7.1, does 3x²y³ · 10^-5 equal the are of a quadrilateral with the dimensions of

(x+4) by (yx²-3)?  -Math…person, I assume.

Dear Math Person,

If this strange question has been in head for days, have you considered it was put there via inception?  In Russia this is real technique.  Have you been involved with KGB at all?  -Boris

The Issue of the Polar Bears

By Claire M., Claire H., and Laurel J.

Global warming is occurring and the polar bears are dropping one by one. When you‘re a parent, do you want to have to tell your kids what a polar bear was because they‘re gone? These soft, white bears have no issue at all. It is not fair for them to be the ones to go extinct; if anything it should be us—the destroyers of animals and the cause of global warming. It is our goal to help and save the bears. To start, we will protest around the White House to the President about awareness for global warming. We will make posters of hurt, sad, and dying polar bears as well. We love the polar bears and can‘t stand to watch them go. These creatures are here for a reason, and it is our job to do our best to help them.

Varsity Soccer

By Lucy B.
The NCCS girls‘ varsity soccer team started their season off with an easy victory over the Sacred Heart 8
Our second game was against the New Canaan High School freshman team. It was a heartbreaking 0-2 loss. However, the girls‘ varsity field hockey team and the boys varsity football team came to watch us during the second half—their cheers and support boosted our spirits and made us play even harder. It was a sad game to lose, but the hard-working and exciting second half made the loss easier to take.
The soccer team‘s latest game was against the Harvey School. We tied them 0-0, with approximately 70 shots on the Harvey net. The only thing that kept them in the game was their goalie; we outran, out shot, and out played them the entire game. Hopefully, we‘ll have a chance to play them again, and next time we‘ll take them down. In the meantime, we‘ll be crushing all of our other opponents. th grade team. The camaraderie on the Country School team was evident, even though this was only our first official game of the season. We supported each other, spread out, passed, and congratulated those who scored. By the end of the game, I already knew that this season was going to be fun.

Eyes

By Alyssa T.

Everywhere I go I see people studying, eating or in some sort of chat group when we have recess or free time. I also see that some people are just walking around, maybe exploring the building.
Some people are just getting ready for what is next. I notice that everyone has something going on.
Everywhere I look there are signs saying to write for
I seem to think the "Upper Upper Level," as I like to call it, is the most popular hangout spot, especially for the 7
You may not agree with me but I cannot help what I notice and see. I‘ve been told by friends, "you‘ve got eyes, use 'em." I finally realized what they meant. Without asking questions, observing, noticing or seeing things, you may not get the big picture. But I sure do The Column or Ponus Papers. There are even signs for this in the bathroom. People are mostly always excited for sports games or maybe are showing off something new they have or got. th graders. Most kids are there during any free time. I guess the 3rd level is cooler. Every day I hear something new. I wonder what all the buzz is about; then I eventually find out. So, I wrote this article, story, poem or whatever you want to call it to show my appreciation for what I see or notice every day. I love how the 9th graders are so energetic and how they have so much spirit. I soon realize there is so much more I can say I have noticed, but people will soon notice it too. Look around and you will see what I see: A BIG, HAPPY STUDENT BODY. see it.

Ecuador Report

By Alec B.

Quito, Ecuador, Oct 5th 2010

Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa‘s advisors said he is in good spirits after a failed police revolution. The Ecuadorian government seemed like it was on the verge of collapse a few weeks ago after the national police stormed through the streets of Quito, the capital, and physically beat Mr. Correa and kidnapped him. The government declared a one week national emergency on Thursday, shutting down schools, buses and the public subway system, practically bringing the country to a standstill.
The police force was protesting the Ecuadorian parliament‘s decision to cut bonuses and promotions within the national police. After hearing the news, the police stationed in and around Quito revolted, storming city streets and public buildings and even going as far as throwing tear gas at the president in his own presidential palace. Mr. Correa is in good health and is awaiting permission from the Army to return home after they swiftly entered the city and put an end to the uprising.
According to an official in the U.S. Secretary of State‘s office in Washington, many nations sympathized with Mr. Correa while others stated that the event was mistreatment of the police force by the Ecuadorian government. The official said, ―If they are revolting, they are doing it because they are desperate and are in need of help and aid. This should not be a war cry, but a wake-up call that the president is not doing his job. Emergency meetings with the nations of South America took place on Friday. They came to a decision that until the state of emergency is lifted, all countries surrounding Ecuador are advised to close their borders with the nation. ―They have a right,‖ said Honduran president Manuel Zelaya, whose country had its own coup last year, ―to provide themselves with safety—it‘s a necessary precaution.‖ Honduras, a nation in the middle of a constitutional crisis, had closed borders with surrounding nations as late as March of this year. The national crisis is set to be lifted if the Army and the president deem the country safe. The President said, ―I won‘t punish them, they don‘t deserve that if they are just trying to make a life for themselves. If I let them rot in a prison cell, am I any better than they are?
This just proves a stronger point. Thomas Jefferson said, ―a rebellion here and now is not such a bad thing. I believe the police uprising in Ecuador is not such a bad thing.

Football Report

By James M.

Winning their first game 28 to 14, the varsity football team starts off the season strong. Due to many different aspects of the game, including good defense, great blocking, and a great running and passing game, the eighteen 8th and 9th graders could not be stopped last Thursday. I had the opportunity to meet with tight end Brandon S. to talk about the season.

JM - How does it feel to be a cougar?

BS - It feels good.

JM - Looking back on last week’s game, how do you feel about your team’s performance?

BS - It went well for our first game. Dawson J., Cole F., and living legend Corey W. all had key runs that contributed to our victory. Also, CJ made some great passes to gain lots of yards. The defense played well and had lots of good stops, and no one could get through our offensive line.

JM – How was the game against Greenwich?

BS – Although we lost we fought hard throughout the game. We played well despite injuries. It was a good game.

MS - How is the leadership from the 9th grade within your team?

BS - It‘s good. They set a great example.

JM - What is your favorite NFL team?

BS - Go Pats!

JM - Goals for the season?

BS -Improve at football, win some games, and have some fun.

JM - Any games in particular?

BS - I think every game is equally important.

JM - Any Shout outs?

BS - No…

Great things are expected from this group of boys. I hope they do well throughout the season. Let‘s go, Cougars!

New Teacher - Ex- Punk Rock Diva

By Mayze T.

Mrs. Carroll is the new English teacher in the Stevens building. Outside of school, she likes to read, write, cook, and walk.  She has two dogs, one named Toast and one named Ziggy. When she was a student, she said that at first she went to a “very proper girls’ school in London where we had to write with fountain pens and go for prayers every morning.” However, in high school she went to a more “non-traditional” school where students called their teachers by their first names. She says that NCCS is a good blend of non-traditional and traditional schools. She likes the school because it values “curiosity, community, and a nice balance of work and play and high standards in everything.” Her first job after college was as a “Photo Stylist.”  A photo stylist is “a person who gets all the props and wardrobe that you see in pictures.” She has, apparently, chosen the wardrobes for several famous people. “I’ve seen Martha Stewart and Al Roker in their underwear,” she says and laughs. She worked as a photo stylist while she was in graduate school in New York. After graduate school, she was a writer and editor for about a decade. She had three books published and edited a variety of others. She also had articles published in the San Francisco Chronicle, New York Times Magazine, and several literary magazines. A Fun Fact about Mrs. Caroll: She was in a punk band when she was younger. She played keyboard and wrote the lyrics. When her father came to one of their concerts, he said, “The popcorn was very good!”

The Social Network Review

By Nick M.

     I went to see The Social Network last weekend, and was kind of unsure of whether or not to believe the story.  Nowadays, the phrase “based on a true story” means the film’s plot is very general.  The dialogue is not going to be very accurate, as no one really keeps a record of what they say.  Therefore, the movie has to be filled with mostly fiction, which I thought, in the case of The Social Network, was done very well.  The story was a little complex, as it was basically 4 or 5 large flashbacks and a few smaller flashbacks from two different lawsuits Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg, Zombieland) was in.  The first lawsuit was between Zuckerberg and his former best friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), who was suing Zuckerberg for everything Facebook was worth after—well, you’ll find out if you see the movie.  The other lawsuit was between Zuckerberg and students who claim Facebook was their idea.
    The somewhat comedic script, partnered with superb acting, really sets The Social Network apart from the films this fall.  If you want entertainment in a movie, but not in the sense of mindless explosions and carnage, definitely check out The Social Network.
    Now, about the characters.  Jesse Eisenberg portrays a sense of naïveté as Mark Zuckerberg, like he’s really not sure what reality is, but still manages to be a genius and create Facebook.  He seems to think like a computer, meaning he doesn’t appear to have a lot of common sense.  He even reminds me of Abed from NBC’s Community.
Eduardo Saverin, Mark’s “best friend,” is someone who seems to be slowly realizing that he is being left out of the loop, which makes him seem very lost and distant throughout the story.
    I think the story may be little difficult to follow for some people, but for most people, The Social Network should be just easy enough to follow to be appealing, while still sophisticated enough to be an intelligent film.  I know it was for me.


The trailer for the movie is below:

New Student – Olivia M.

By Shelby M.

Olivia is a new student at New Canaan Country School; however, she is unlike your typical seventh grader. Olivia‘s last school was a boarding school in London, England. She was raised in England after being born in New York City. Olivia loves not having to deal with the rainy weather of England, and she is enjoying the States. She‘s found that the adjustment to New Canaan Country School hasn‘t been too hard. She likes that the Upper School has a lot more freedom than her last school, and loves not having to wear an ugly green plaid uniform. Olivia finds that it‘s a lot easier to make friends at Country School, and that people here are a lot friendlier. Olivia loves eating Pirate Booty and playing field hockey. She also is going to play lacrosse in the spring for NCCS. Welcome, Olivia. We are glad that you are here.

New Student – Julia M.

By Peter E.

Julia M., a new student in the eighth grade, came to NCCS this year after going to the Connecticut Friends School for sixth and seventh grades. Before moving to Wilton, Julia lived in Vermont. She likes NCCS so far and says that she "has really good friends and [she] likes [her] teachers." There have been some big changes for her because this is her first year switching classes for each subject. She‘s also enjoying the sports here, having a great time playing soccer. Besides soccer, another sport Julia practices is horseback riding. When she‘s not playing sports, she likes to hang out with her friends or teach her dog how to do special tricks. She is considering entering him into a trick competition. Julia is doing a great job making the adjustment into a new school, and we are glad to have her here.

Tribute to John Lennon

By Alec B.

John Lennon turned 70 on October 9

Mayor Bloomberg has been given the task to protect and preserve the site in New York City. In a memorial in Chavasse Park in Liverpool, an 18-foot statue has been erected in Lennon‘s honor; the statue th to December 8th, the day that he was shot in front of his apartment in New York City. Back in London, Cynthia Powell, ex-wife of Mr. Lennon, was quoted as saying, "I think the mourning is over for John. I think it‘s time to celebrate. Enjoy the joy that he had, and that we all have, from his music." Ms. Powell was in tears as she said this. She also said, "He was a great man with a troubled life. He tried to avoid his past by helping everyone else so no one had to go through what he did. I did not realize it then, but John always looked after everyone else like he was the father of every child in Vietnam and the other oppressed people of the world." He was a great artist, thinker, and singer and he wrote songs like a pro, but he was even a better man.
was named Peace & Harmony for Lennon‘s commitment to peace. Lennon‘s birthday also went viral. YouTube set up a page where users could submit birthday wishes to Lennon, Ono and other family members. A-list celebrities like Tony Hawk, Jeff Bridges, the Jonas Brothers and Aerosmith made videos for the singer. Former Beatle Pete Best also made a video along with Ringo Starr. Some big names missing included ex-band mate Paul McCartney; McCartney‘s omission surprised the world and outraged some devoted fans. Nevertheless, people in the world sang and listened in celebration of Lennon‘s birthday. Yoko Ono spearheaded the idea and actively contributed in forming celebrations for her husband, including setting up concerts with his former band The Quarrymen in New York. She paid for a restoration of all statues commemorating the ex-Beatle. Julian Lennon made a rare public appearance at the childhood home of his father in Liverpool. He later went to the statue unveiling. Ono spent the day in Iceland with her son Sean, where they put the final touches on the Imagine Peace Tower, a gift from Ono to Lennon. It is to be lit from October 9th. He is celebrated as one of the most gifted artists of all time; his wisdom and compassion encouraged the world to find better ways to bring about peace. People all over the world gathered in Strawberry Fields memorial in New York City to respect his cause: to end wars and bring about love and peace. Mayor Michael Bloomberg and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon made it an honorary UNESCO site, and created it as a place of peace, love and hope, three values Lennon lived by.

New Teacher - The Amazing Unicyclist

By Mayze T.

Mr. Kucher is the new Upper School Student Services teacher.  He teaches the English Lab classes for all of the grades in the Upper School. He says, “I try and help students find their learning strengths and use their strengths to come up with strategies to work with some of the more challenging areas of their learning.”

 Outside of school, Mr. Kucher enjoys reading and writing. Last year he wrote a play that was produced in Massachusetts. This play is going to be produced in Manhattan in March 2011. As for what he likes to read, Mr. Kucher enjoys reading all fiction. He says, “I have my guilty pleasures, like John Grisham, but I equally like reading more well-reviewed literature. The most recent book I read was Freedom (by Jonathan Frantzen). It’s a tough read, very similar to The Great Gatsby. I go between erudite and easy to read books.” He says that after he finished Freedom, he read a more mainstream book that was the fourth in a series. Any guesses?

Before he came to New Canaan Country School, Mr. Kucher worked at the Southfield Center in Darien, which he helped open. He was their executive functions/ADHD coach. In high school, he did several television commercials.  Many years later he was the spokesperson for a plumbing company. He estimates that he did about twenty-five commercials for them in the last six to seven years. As for a strange talent - “I can ride a unicycle,” he says.

Doo-Wops & Hooligans - Bruno Mars

By Sarah H.
 
If you turn on the radio, three songs you are likely to hear are: ―Just the Way You Are, ―Nothin‘ On You, and ―Billionaire.  What do these songs have in common? They are all sung by Bruno Mars, a 25-year-old Hawaiian singer, whose debut song was ―Nothin‘ On You featuring B.o.B. On October 4th, his new album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, was released. This album is in the style of soft R&B, rock, and soul. Some of the most notable tracks on the album are ―Grenade, ―Marry You, ―The Lazy Song and ―The Other Side (featuring Cee Lo Green and B.o.B). For the most part, the music is light and cheerful, and I just can‘t get enough of Bruno Mars‘s falsetto! I would recommend most of the songs on this album, but as there a few that don‘t come up to par, I don‘t think it is worth it to buy the whole album, and would buy the songs singularly.

New Student – Tighe M.

By Peter Elkind

Tighe M., a new student this year in the seventh grade, came to our school from Saxe Middle School in New Canaan. So far, he‘s been enjoying Country School very much, and, when comparing it to Saxe, says, "it‘s a lot smaller and the food‘s a lot better." Special thanks to the cafeteria staff. :) When asked about the adjustment, he responded, "it‘s been pretty simple because the kids are a lot nicer and they help you through it."

After a few weeks of school, he has decided that his favorite class is his language, Mandarin. He does say, however, that the different tones are difficult. Another part of NCCS Tighe particularly likes is our sports period and the way that we choose one sport for the whole season. He plays soccer and likes it because "it's a chance to meet [new kids] and bond with them." Tighe also really likes baseball which he plays outside of school. I‘m glad that I got the chance to talk to Tighe and hope that he enjoys his time at New Canaan Country School.

Super-Tough Hockey Relation of Jesse James

By Mayze T. 

Ms. Elmore is the new seventh grade math teacher in the Upper School. She is usually found in Ms. Sherwin’s room, teaching her class, or doing a crazy project like the “Barbie Bungee Jumping.” She grew up in Long Island, where she played ice hockey. There weren’t any girls’ teams where she lived, so she played on the all-boys’ team. She has been teaching for about seventeen years, in places that range from New York to Michigan and Texas. She loves to travel around the country. She met her husband around the same time that she started teaching. He is now the head of the Upper School at GFA, the school that her eight-year-old daughter attends. She is an avid reader. Her favorite books include The Little Prince, The Velveteen Rabbit, All The King’s Men, The Book Thief, and To Kill a Mockingbird, and she has written two math and science books! She also enjoys listening to music and is a pianist herself. She enjoys playing pieces by Debussy and Michael Nyman (a more modern composer). Her movie of choice is “Billy Elliot”, which she has seen as both a play on Broadway and a movie. Why does she like it so much? “The dance and the storyline”, she says.