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GREASE:

talented actors rehearse their lines before their big auditions PAGE 8

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AHS EXPRESS

ISSUE 3- AUGUST 2016 INSTAGRAM: @ahs_express

Twyford’s Top Teens Page 2

POKEMON GOne too far? That’s right. It hasn’t just taken your friends. The entire world has been taken by the newest gaming craze, an augmented reality entertainment called ‘Pokémon Go’. Page 3

Toilet Twitter Page 4 Suicide Squad Movie Review Page 5 Lanterns in Lismore Page 6 Moon Landing? I think not. Page 7 Plus a secret bonus review on page 8

THE AHS EXPRESS Alstonville High’s Premier Student Newspaper Written by students… for students.

THE AHS EXPRESS: ISSUE 3 www.alstonvillehighnewspaper.weebly.com

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Pik-a-chu, I see you! Welcome to the third edition of the AHS EXPRESS! With students walking through the plaza with their eyes peeled for Pokémon, our team of dedicated journalists were excited to release Kairo Byrne onto this hot topic. Amongst the stars, Grace O’Shannessy has

Welcome

HEADLINES! English teacher behind the disappearance of your friends on the occasional Friday lunch. EXPOSED! The students have all left on their own accord. SCANDAL! We bet you did not realise that they were ‘Twyford’s Top (cake-loving) Teens’ who meet for Writer’s Club every second Friday! Although the phrase ‘Writer’s Club’ does not immediately spark excitement within the hearts of most of us, the group meets in L3 fortnightly to discuss more than just writing. Run by the bubbly Mrs Twyford, the team enjoys releasing their ideas towards a group of students who span across all year levels. Students involved comment that the group is a fantastic collaborative space for those who share an interest in reading and writing literature. Some members suggest that it is the delicious cakes and slices, prepared by both students and Mrs Twyford herself, that stimulate the ideas that the group members put to paper. However, Mrs Twyford is certain that she is dealing with a talented bunch of students.

Twyford’s Top Teens

predicted something quite ‘oddish’ evolving into ‘gloom’. Things are getting slippery as practise for the school musical of ‘Grease’ has begun. Students have caught teachers singing “You’re the one that I want!” to potential fillers for main character parts. Graffiti in school toilets is a hot topic, as Lily Law dishes the dirt on the scandalous bathroom bants. In addition to an update on Alstonville’s school culinary creations as ‘Cinta takes to the

canteen to trial the quiche. How many ‘Cinta smiles will this dish be awarded? Results roll in from the last issue’s polls. Many students nominated the athletic carnivals’ ‘Best Dressed’. Our statistician Finn Ball struggled as an influx of emails left his inbox in fits. With that said, we would like to thank the newest journalist joining the team: Hannah Edwards. We invite any others curious to attend one of our meetings during Monday lunch in

L4. You can find more details or submit an application form on the official AHS EXPRESS website. Abra… Kadabra… Alakazam… We hope you enjoy our 3rd issue!

Finn Ball

Nikki Whitehead

The most recent project of the team is to modernise the script for the upcoming ‘Grease’ musical. They will be the ones replacing the ‘dimes’ with ‘cents’ and the ones pressuring to fit a dab into ‘You’re The One That I Want’. Overall, work produced by these students is extraordinary. One of the members has displayed some of their work in a relatable ‘Expression of the Edition’ on page 12.


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POKEMON GOne too far?

That’s right. It hasn’t just taken your friends. The entire world has been taken by the newest gaming craze, an augmented reality entertainment called ‘Pokémon Go’. Pokémon has been a large part of many people’s lives. It first appeared around 1996 under the name ‘Pocket Monsters Red And Green’. Next, the creators (Satoshi Tajiri, Ken Sugimori, ‘Game Freak’) changed the name to Pokémon – and that was the beginning of a long and successful franchise. Many years later, we find the world’s data being eaten up by a new viral app. There has been much criticism of the game, along with a lot of praise. Some health experts have praised it, saying that it helps “typical gamers” (i.e. people who live on

SUBMITTED BY JOSH TWYFORD, YEAR 7

their laptops) have a chance to do some physical activity while also doing something they love. Others have condemned it, saying that it causes a nuisance and possible accidents. Pokémon Go was called ‘enjoyable’ by the critic website Metacritic, but the reviews also drew attention to some of Pokémon Go’s technical issues. Since its release, servers have suffered various crashes, most caused by overuse. As for some other incidents concerning Pokémon Go, 21 year old Michael Baker was playing Pokémon Go at around 1 am in Oregon. He saw a man standing in the street, and Michael asked

him if he was playing Pokémon Go – that was when the man pulled out a knife and stabbed him. However, instead of immediately calling an ambulance, Michael continued on his quest for Pokémon. Michael eventually received medical attention (and 8 stitches), and told a

journalist that “No, I won’t stop playing the game. It’s very important to me, I pretty much gotta catch em all.” Another man, an American volunteer fighting against IS caught a Pokémon on the Mosul front line. 24 year old Tom Currie quit his barista job to travel New Zealand catching the creatures. Another woman in Florida walked right through a live weather broadcast trying to catch a Pokémon! It seems as though with this new application it’s go big or go home. But do Pokémon really mean that much to you? Head to our website to cast your vote!

Kairo Byrne


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As a member of the female student population at Alstonville High, I feel safe to say it is not often that we forget what to do in a bathroom. We will certainly never forget to flush or wash our hands, despite the permanent graffiti on the flush button and door handles. In fact, the presence of toilet graffiti has been painted over repeatedly, but the student body simply needs this communication method for deep messages and off-the-cuff thoughts.

Toilet Twitter

Daily Life with the AHS EXPRESS

Lily Law

Comments in reply to graffiti messages are also everywhere, with the popular use of the black Sharpie. Some of us can't help but question if the author of these comments might just be replying to themselves. The AHS Express team were humbly reminded of the many social media sites spammed with unnecessary conjecture about who-knows-what as it seems the students need their social media connection everywhere they aren't supposed to have it; in the classrooms and now on the toilet seat. Despite something of a tongue in cheek regard towards the issue, graffiti is a serious crime. It can ruin reputations, whether it's a high school or a community. Furthermore, it's the unfortunate truth that high school students are some of the biggest graffiti offenders in Australia. The BOS website tells us that 46% of males between 14-16 years old tag or vandalise school or government property, and there is no pattern of economic status linking to this behaviour showing that stereotypes should not apply. The majority of student offenders haven't committed any other crime, showing that many of the students caught were simply writing a message in a wall like those doing so in our student bathrooms. The sad fact is, these unnecessary words, sometimes related to highly offensive issues, are disturbing to the majority of students. One student has been quoted has saying, "Whether you find it funny or not, many of the posts haunting our toilet stalls need to be reported. Let the cleaners cover up the walls with the wrong purple to match the existing colour, and don't send hate to all those already suffering from the horrible chemical smell in our bathroom." The AHS news team remain without bias, we can only hope there will always be soap and paper towels in the dispenser. Have you read something interesting in your cubicle? Let us know your thoughts on graffiti on our website.


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Kairo Byrne

AHS EXPRESS MOVIE REVIEW

MOVIE: SUICIDE SQUAD Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m not into DC as much as I’m into Marvel. However, Suicide Squad exceeded my expectations. When I walked into the theatre, I was expecting 2 hours of explosions and Harley Quinn’s butt. Instead I got 2 hours of explosions, a good plot, awesome backstories, a great soundtrack, fun characters and Harley Quinn. It’s a bargain. The plot sounds reasonably simple: a bunch of bad guys go to kill some worse guys in exchange for time off their prison sentence. But it’s way better than it sounds, I swear – the characters all have good roots and development. The members of the so-called ‘Suicide Squad’ are not super-heroes, and neither are they bad guys. They’re people trying to protect someone special to them, or they’re people who want peace, or maybe they’re just a little bit unhinged. There are certainly some unexpected twists in the plot, and some brilliant acting – I recommend you all see it, unless you’re not into superhero movies. In which case, goodbye. If you do like superhero movies, go see it! It really is great! Did you enjoy Suicide Squad as much as we did? Got any comments? Cast your vote on our website!

5/5

‘Cinta’s Canteen Column

The tomato and cheese quiche was just perfect! I loved how it was still warm when I took my first bite. The egg with the salt and pepper enhanced the flavour and the tomatoes brought a great colour to the quiche, which made the meal very appealing. Personally I like soft pastry and not crunchy and this quiche was pretty spot on. The cheese on top finished the meal with a high. This tomato and cheese quiche was faultless and will definitely be having it again!

‘CINTA’S SCORE: 5 ‘Cinta Smiles


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Leah Chessells

Grace O’Shannessy

On Saturday the 25th of June, people of all ages in the Northern Rivers community came together to participate in or watch the Lismore Lantern parade. This was not only celebrating the arrival of the winter solstice on the 21st of June but also showcased Lismore’s vibrant culture. There were many different organisations involved that showcased their causes to the general public. This year, organisations such as the Friends for the Koalas, Headspace, the Northern Rivers Conservatorium and the Richmond River Library lit up the streets on the darkest day of the year. The night might’ve been cold, but the spirit of Lismore was bright enough to keep everyone warm at heart. The fire show after the march was something to remember. The storyline of the show followed a number of dreamtime stories about the cycle of the seasons and the balance that the different animals within the ecosystem provide for us. The show is run by volunteers and the Lismore City Council to showcase the rich culture of Australia. PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY AHS STUDENTS WHO ATTENDED THE LANTERN PARADE IN LISMORE LAST MONTH. Submit your own photos to the AHS EXPRESS by sending us an email: [email protected].

Lanterns in Lismore

The September Calendar Nikki Whitehead Internationally recognised dates for September 2016… 3rd Vulture Awareness Day 4th Pet Rock Day 6th Fight Procrastination Day 8th Iguana Awareness Day 13th Roald Dahl Day 18th Cheeseburger Day 16th Collect Rocks Day 19th Talk Like a Pirate Day 21st International Day of Peace… and red pandas 22nd White Chocolate Day 23rd Hug a Vegetarian Day 26th Batman Day

Let us know if you celebrate any of these dates this month. Send your photos to [email protected]!

mailto:[email protected]


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As the anniversary of America’s great achievement of the Moon landing has recently passed, (July 20th), it is seasonally appropriate to eliminate all of your previous beliefs and misconceptions that this great day did happen, because it frankly, did not. The Apollo 11 expedition and launch of the Apollo CSM-107 and Apollo LM-5 did undoubtedly happen – but did they really land on the moon or was it a cheated race for pride between America and Russia?

To begin, when the first moon landing was shown on live television, viewers could clearly see the American flag waving and fluttering as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin planted it. Photos of the landing also seem to show rippling in a breeze. The obvious problem here is that there’s no air in the moon’s atmosphere, and therefore no wind to cause the flag to blow. Additionally, the Sun is the ONLY light source on the moon. So it’s fair to suggest that all shadows should run parallel to one another. But this was not the case during the moon landing; videos and photographs clearly show that shadows fall in different directions. Could this propose that there were lights from a set or film crew? To extend this argument even further, had NASA really landed us on the moon, there would be a blast crater underneath the lunar module to mark its landing. On evert video footage or photograph of the landings, there is no crater is visible, appearing as though the ship was simply placed on the floor of a stage. The surface of the moon is covered in fine lunar dust, and even this doesn’t seem to have been displaced in photographic evidence. According to this evidence, there is a high chance that the moon landing was faked. Nonetheless, this story still remains a conspiracy – and now it’s your turn. Vote on our website.

Moon Landing? I think not. Hannah Edwards

Interpreting the Stars with Grace O’Shannessy

Okay, well I don’t know what to say. There were no apocalypses, there were no extreme calamities and I’m not even sure if anything bad happened last month!

I don’t know little cherubs; I think I’m losing my clairvoyance. The winter solstice could affect some things that happen in the world… or maybe that’s something else. Anyway, I’ve been outside this month and so now I know that the sun has been cosmically connected with Saturn recently and I’m not completely certain, but that could mean that in the next month, you need to be extra careful around anything that includes breathing oxygen because that stuff is dangerous. Believe me when I say that every creature that has died breathed oxygen or has been around it at some point. Well my little pumpkins, my cosmic powers are drained so stay strong for this month and remember: the stars are always right, but never accurate.

What can you on the AHS EXPRESS website?

- Answer questions and polls on all the articles this issue

- Express yourself and get your comments featured

- Read previous issues that you may have missed

- Comment and follow our blog

- Sponsor the AHS EXPRESS

- Subscribe to the AHS EXPRESS to get issues delivered to

your personal inbox


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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

This book was… intense. A wild ride from start to finish, the next instalment of the series ‘Harry Potter’ is not a book but a published script (now showing in London at the Palace Theatre). The story follows both Harry and his son, Albus, on their escapades through the magical world. Things turn sour when a terrible plot is uncovered, and as Albus tries to repair mistakes and Harry tries to repair his relationship with his son, everything gets a bit out of hand. Clue: it involves drama, Draco Malfoy and talking portraits. Have fun! But really, it was a great read. However, nothing is ever going to be quite as good as the original seven books. But I don’t think this was a bad idea – it’s really brought the Harry Potter craze back to life, and it’s made us all remember our childhoods for a minute. It’s really nice to read this script and imagine Harry’s life after everything was over, and just how well everything went with his past, present and future (THAT’S ANOTHER CLUE!!!!!!!).

A bonus exclusive review by Kairo Byrne

I hope we all get to read this book. If you’ve never read Harry Potter, all the books are available in the library – get going now! They really are a brilliant read (I’ve read them all about 10 times). If you love Harry Potter and have not gotten around to it yet– get in quick, or people will gave you much more revealing spoilers than the ones above. Read like you’ve never read before! ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ is available for $14.99 at Barnes and Noble, or $17.99 from Target if you want to get reading straight away. Did you enjoy this book? Leave us a review on our website.

Auditions are over, spaces have been filled and we’re ready to start moving and grooving into rehearsals. After, what I’m sure was a tough choice for Mr Thomas, they have finally cast the roles for Grease the Musical. There was a lot of talent this year and it was very hard for Mr Thomas to choose but I’m sure he made the right choice. Over the next couple of weeks, the cast will be learning the choreography, the props crew have been making sets and posters and the music crew have been working away learning new music every week to give you the best experience they can when it comes to October.

A Slick Update on ‘Grease’ Leah Chessells

Assistant Director Lily Law and Cast Member Hayley Creed

Danny: Jack McCabe Kenickie: Patrick Bundock Sonny: Becky Chessells Roger: Hannah Adcock Doody: Finn Ball Sandy: Lucy Turner Rizzo: Carly Mackerras Frenchy: Charlotte Unsworth Jan: Eloise Fitzgerald Marty: Kallista Fay Patty: Jasmin Maxwell Eugene: Hayley Creed


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A Day in the Life of a

Nepalese Teen

Jasmin Maxwell is back uncovering the lives of teens around the world... In this issue, she explores the life of Saken Shrestha- a Nepalese child sponsored by the Alstonville High SRC.

Nepal is situated in south Asia in between India and China. Nepal is the home Mount Everest and the mountain range of the Himalayas. The capital of Nepal is Kathmandu. In April 2015 Nepal was struck by a horrible earthquake of 8.1 magnitude. The earthquake killed over eight thousand people and injured over twenty thousand.

Nepal is a developing country and its people suffer from poverty and hunger. Also due to the recent earthquakes many rivers have been polluted leading the rural areas to major water shortages. According to The world bank 25% of inhabitants earn less than $1.25 a day. The world bank also estimates that that the country may become a developed country by 2022.

Most Nepalese make money from farming and handcraft. Most children in rural areas work on farms instead of going to school mainly due to financial reasons. Many girls get married at young ages due to their families being too poor to support their daughters. School is started with singing and stretches. The first class of the morning is also started with singing. Many children of Nepal spend the majority of their afternoons doing chores such as collecting water, farming, washing and selling handcrafts to tourist.

The S.R.C is supporting one of these disadvantaged children living in Nepal. His name is Saken Shrestha. Please support our sponsor child by donating spare change in the tin at the canteen.

The Rich and Mysterious History of the

Chihuahua

Hannah Edwards The Chihuahua, ancient hot water bottle, sacred religious being, or messenger of love as we are led to believe in the film Chihuahua 2*? Here we will debunk the confusing and intriguing past of the noble Chihuahua. Chihuahua descendants, also known as the Techichi, were present in Mexico as early as the 9th century A.D. and perhaps earlier. Some sources suggest that the Techichi date back to the 5th century, during the Mayan times. Despite the Techichi’s appearance being circa 5th century, it was the Toltec’s (the people that conquered the Mayans) who were responsible for domesticating the pet and bringing them home to act as companions, and supposedly to be used in religious ceremonies. The dogs were found in the state of Chihuahua in the year 1850 in the area of old ruins near Casas Grandes, and are thought to be the remnants of the palace built by Emperor Montezuma I. The relics and remains of the Techichi point towards the breed being longhaired and mute, very different from the modern Chihuahua which can now come in either short or long haired, and are infamous for their questionably irritating barking. The Aztec’s wealthy and clergy thought the Techichi to be sacred while the lower class had little use for the dogs and sometimes used them as food**. These theories of the techichi being used for religious purposes are supported by the remains of techichi found in graves in both Mexico and the United States. This is generally the most accepted theory of the techichi but related texts specify the techichi being used in the way that the hot water bottle or heating pad is used today. The Chihuahua is an adorable, affectionate, caring and loving dog that we should cherish as one of life’s small blessings.

*The messengers of love scene in the questionably good movie Chihuahua 2 are in no way factual. **I do not advise anyone to eat a Chihuahua or any dog as despite it being legal, is truly horrible.


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Polls and Opinions Finn Ball

The AHS EXPRESS experienced an overwhelming flood of emails after the release of Issue Two last term. Many students had their say on the issues our team covered- most importantly including Jasmin Maxwell’s on the inconvenience of the AHS school uniform skirts. 74% of students voted that the skirts fitted either ‘horribly’ or ‘not too well’. Submissions also came in with suggestions as to how the uniform could be adjusted. Whilst some (most likely male) students opted for fur suits and skin suits, several students were in favour of the ‘skort’ option. Finally, comments on the Hard-Core Parkour were numerous. The questions was posed as to if the Hard-Core Parkour team was in fact a danger to our school community. 57% voted that they were not a danger, 29% voted yes and 14% stayed neutral. Despite this, a majority of students said that they did not enjoy the Facebook videos. What will the student body say about Pokémon Go… the toilet twitter… or even the latest DC phenomenon Suicide Squad? Head to our website to have your say! Want to see more results, vote on the polls or leave a comment for us to include next issue? Head to our website and click on the tab ‘Polls and Opinions’.

26%

74%

DO THE AHS SKIRTS FIT YOU?

Yes No

29%

57%

14%

ARE THE HARD-CORE PARKOUR TEAM A

DANGER TO OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY?

Yes No Neutral

Congratulations to Sam Cavanagh for winning best dressed at the

Athletics Carnival last term.

Want to poll the school on something you’re passionate about? Direct message us on Instagram (@ahs_express) for more information.


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Across

9. Alstonville High's sponsor child

10. controversial, viral mobile application

11. Lanterns in ______

12. a small dog descended from the Aztecs

Down

1. the upcoming school musical

2. spacecraft that possibly reached the moon

3. a social media site likened to toilet graffiti

4. Twyford's Top '____-______' Teens

5. a canteen creation scoring 5 'Cinta Smiles

6. Harry Potter and the ______ _____

7. September the 4th

8. a popular character in Suicide Squad

@ahs_express

Edition 3 Crossword

Sponsor of the AHS EXPRESS


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Submitted by Eli Mclean, Year 10

Edition 3

Expression of the Edition

Nutella-Stuffed Chicken and Financial Responsibility: An Open Letter It was Samuel Beckett who once said, “What do I know of man's destiny? I could tell you more about radishes.” I would, and do, wholeheartedly agree with this statement, and I can use it to my advantage here. Of the 800 or so students here at Alstonville High, there are a handful I know well. I could tell you more about radishes than the morals and motivations of the students of Alstonville High, yet there is one thing I can confidently surmise about the general AHS population; one thing that I, my friends and the majority of the school’s spirited faculty can agree on; the dangerously steep pricing of canteen goods. Rarely do I arrive at school with the intention and/or facilities to buy my lunch at the canteen, but on the off chance I do, I am more than slightly perturbed at how much I have to dredge out of my pockets just for sustenance. Now, I’m no economist, but Australia doesn’t appear to be in any sort of financial crisis; that’s just what I’ve assumed from the startling lack of suitcases being launched from bedroom windows of late. Everybody is safe in their investment properties, keeping their children fed and clothed as if John Howard was nothing more than a Slavic folk tale used to scare children. So, bearing all this in mind, you would think the canteen would have the sense not to charge $2.50 for a mini pie unless they were staring down the barrel of a financial shotgun. But, alas, that is the world we live in. C’est la vie, or whatever. Now, I have a debt of gratitude to the women and occasional men that keep the canteen fully locked and loaded; it can’t be easy having to cook all that food and serve the starving hordes of children that bear down on their gates like a Trojan horse with a smile on the face and minimal sweat on the brow. But guys, if you have to charge $1.50 for a SINGLE TENDIE, I expect that tendie to have Nutella in the middle (I can buy a crate of Beckett’s radishes for $1.50). And, if it’s not the humble canteen people that determine the pricing, then I am saddened that they have not yet protested the prices to the people that do. Perhaps that’s just the cruel capitalistic machine into which they are ensnared; don’t ask questions, just serve the food. Either way, I have a bone to pick with the pricing, which I can only complain about in the humble school newspaper, and nothing more. Perhaps with enough students raising their pitchforks in silent rebellion, we can make a change. People power and stuff. I see the canteen as the Legolas to my Gimli; we have major disagreements, but I continue to return to it with open arms and an empty stomach. But that’s entirely subjective; much like the coveted tendie, this article may not even be worth the paper it’s written on. I would know; I wrote it, after all.

Hi. Do you want to join the AHS EXPRESS? It’s easy. Just fill in the blanks, tear off this nifty slip and hand it to Mr

Thomas in the English staffroom. First things first, what is your full name? __________________. It is very nice to

meet you. What grade are you in this year? _____ Cheers. Now tell us- what is your favourite colour? __________

animal? ____________ food? ___________ Do you have a favourite quote? Can you tell us? (you can write it on

the back if it will not fit ) ____________________________________________________ Which articles did you

enjoy most this issue? ________________________________________________ Now to sell yourself: what

important aspect do you feel you could bring to the AHS EXPRESS? ______________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________.

And lastly, please give us your email so that we can contact you: _______________________________________

Thank you. We look forward to reviewing your application.

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