verit

asFebruary 2012

Welcome to our new Year 7’s, the Class of 2017!

a few events for term one...

International Women’s Day BreakfastInterhouse Swimming Carnivalto be held at the Boroondara Swimming Complex on

Friday 16th MarchGet involved! See page 8 for more details :)

iPad 2’s for Year

9’s and 11’s

Year 12 was off to a rough start with a heavy homework load and no sleep for everyone. The Year 12 breakfast however was a nice distraction and a chance for the year level to bring their parents and socialize with each other. It was a quaint morning and we were fortunate for the lack of rain and delicious food. The chocolate croissants a personal favourite.

There was much banter between the adults and students, the Siena Parents Association organised a great morning, so much thanks to them! 

By Grace Ramsden, IT Captain 2012

year12 breakfast

February pollQuestion: what colour of skittles is your favourite?

A) Red

B) Orange

C) Yellow

D) Green

E) Purple

Vote now ! Results will appear in March Edition!

http://micropoll.com/t/KE1C0ZJ9es

Hundreds of millions of people, businesses and governments around the world unite each year to support the largest environmental event in history – Earth Hour.  

More than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries worldwide switched off their lights for Earth Hour 2011 alone, sending a powerful message for action on climate change. It also ushered in a new era with members going Beyond the Hour to commit to lasting action for the planet. Without a doubt, it’s shown how great things can be achieved when people come together for a common cause.

How to get involved?

The first step is signing up to show your support at http://www.earthhour.org/page/get-involved/join-community

Next step, planning something fun for the evening! In 2012 we're encouraging communities around Australia to throw a local "Earth Hour Unplugged" event, a great way to celebrate the night and help raise funds for WWF. Click here to find out more.

Finally, don't forget to check out this year's WWF Earth Hour Awards - celebrating grassroots community action by the people for the planet.

At the end of the day, Earth Hour is not about saving an hour’s electricity, it’s about uniting people to protect the planet.  And the best thing? Each one of us can be a part of it.

earth hour 2012

31st March, 8.30pm

Australia’s annual use of bottled water generates more

than 60,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions -

the same amount that 13,000 cars generate over the

course of a year

enviroFastFacts

Producing and delivering a litre of

bottled water can emit hundreds of times more greenhouse gases than

a litre of tap water

Australians spend more than half a billion dollars

a year on bottled water. Australia produced 582.9 million litres of bottled

water in 2009-10

Australia  recycles  only  36%  of  PET  plastic  drink  bottles.  

Assuming  the  582.9  million  litres  of  bottled  water  

produced  in  2009-­‐10  is  in  litre  bottles,  according  to  these  figures,  373  million  of  those  bottles  will  end  up  as  waste!

enviroSolutionsFiltering your tap water

with a high quality ‘under the sink’ water filter can cost as little as 2 cents a litre. Bottled water costs up to $2.50 a litre. Filter

jugs can also be bought at major supermarkets,

but they remove less impurities than ‘under the

sink’ models

Always ask for tap water or filtered water

when you’re in a restaurant

Buy a reusable bottled for when

you're going out and about in a car, on foot or on public

transport, picnic etc

Every  year,  millions  of  European  carbonated  water  bottles  are  imported  into  Australia,  causing  damage  to  the  environment  and  our  

wallets.  A  cheaper  alternative  is  to  filter  your  home  tap  water  and  then  carbonate  it  with  a  

Sodastream

Just drink tap water!

WEBSITES  TO  VISIT!!Want  to  learn  more  about  our  Earth???Below  are  some  great  websites  packed  full  of  informa:on  on  facts,  sta:s:cs  and  what  we  can  all  do  to  protect  our  environment

h"p://planetsave.com/  

h"p://www.50waystohelp.com/  

h"p://www.ecologyfund.com  

h"p://www.earthhour.org/  

h"p://earthday2012.com/  

h"p://planetark.org/  

h"p://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne.php?id=2226

h"p://kidsforsavingearth.org/index.html

h"p://www.olliesworld.com/planet/

h"p://www.thesavedplanet.com.au/

enviroFastfacts and solutions, as well as

websites to visit, all by Katherine LoPresti,

Environment Captain 2012

How you can help:Get involved over the next month and change the lives of those less fortunate then us by contributing to your project Compassion Box.

Boxes will be distributed on Monday 27th February, and are due back on Tuesday 27th March. See how much you can contribute during Lent to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity in third world countries.

Background - What is Project Compassion?

Project Compassion began its ministry to the people of Mexico in 1991. During its first five years, Project Compassion made hundreds of single and five-day trips into the Northern and Central Baja regions providing free medical care where there was little or no care available. They play an active role in building clinics, planting churches, and assisting orphanages.

In 1995, Project Compassion grew, and began performing weeklong clinics in other developing nations. Through this, PC have assisted tens of thousands of people in need all over the world.

Project Compassion has responded to emergency requests, and has provided disaster relief from devastating events such as Hurricane Mitch to Nicaragua and Honduras, and earthquake relief to El Salvador. Their global response outreaches have included Central and South America, the Pacific Islands, Asia, Europe, and Africa. Project Compassion continues to receive requests for help from all around the world.

What do they do?

Through a strong network of dedicated volunteers, PC are able to bring their proven and invaluable service directly to the point of need. Most often the clinic site are in very rural and remote locations where medical care is limited or inaccessible.

All volunteers run a full-functioning clinic, regardless of the volunteer's career experience. A medical background is not essential, as PC draws from the talents and knowledge of each individual. The environment varies with each country they visit, and have conducted clinics in both churches and schools, local clinics and orphanages, and are even completely functional in open fields with mud-walled thatched-roof huts!

By Georgia O’Grady, Social Justice Captain 2012

(above) Bala regions

(above) Project Compassion Volunteers

InternaEonal  Women’s  Day  (IWD)  is  celebrated  on  March  8th  across  the  world.  IWD  is  a  global  day  celebraEng  the  economic,  poliEcal  and  social  achievements  of  

women  in  the  past,  present  and  future.  It  is  a  day  when  women  are  recognised  for  their  achievements,  regardless  of  divisions,  whether  naEonal,  ethnic,  linguisEc,  cultural,  

economic  or  poliEcal.

It  is  an  occasion  for  looking  back  on  past  struggles  and  accomplishments,  and  more  importantly,  for  looking  ahead  to  the  untapped  potenEal  and  opportuniEes  that  await  

future  generaEons  of  women.

Annually  on  8  March,  thousands  of  events  are  held  throughout  the  world  to  inspire  women  and  celebrate  achievements.  A  global  web  of  rich  and  diverse  local  acEvity  connects  women  from  all  around  the  world  ranging  from  poliEcal  rallies,  business  

conferences,  government  acEviEes  and  networking  events  through  to  local  women's  craP  markets,  theatric  performances,  fashion  parades  and  more.

So  come  along,  make  a  difference,  think  globally  and  act  locally!!  IWD  will  be  held  at  the  Box  Hill  Golf  Course  on  the  8th  March,  at  7.00am.  Tickets  to  be  distributed  at  a  later  

date.  Make  everyday  InternaEonal  Women's  Day!  Do  your  bit  to  ensure  that  the  future  for  girls  is  bright,  equal,  safe  and  rewarding.  

Tickets  are  limited  and  are  selling  fast!  Print  out  your  order  form  from  Siena’s  homepage!  Hope  to  see  you  there!

at Siena!

big sisterlittle sisterpajama party!

A few happy snaps

of the great night that was!

A BIG THANK YOU to the SPA and House Co-ordinators for

“The Big Sister Little Sister PJ Party!” Everyone had a blast, dancing, singing, talking, laughing, and

having a great time!

Thanks to everyone who attended!

Average  number  of  seeds  reportedly  on  a  Big  Mac  bun:  178

    The  word  ‘bible’  never  appears  in  the  works  of  Shakespeare.

Number  of  variaEons  in  the  first  four  moves  of  a  game  of  chess:  318,979,564,000

      There’s  an  esEmated  180,000  people  living  in  the  world  aged  over  100,             and  85%  of  these  people  are  women.

  The  longest  Eme  a  person  has  been  stuck  in  a  liP  is  6  days.       It  was  a  76-­‐year-­‐old  Cyprus  woman  in  1976.

Australia  is  one  of  only  30%  of  countries  worldwide  that  drive  on  the  leP  side  of  the  road.

    There  are  14billion  pencils  manufactured  worldwide  each  year.  They  can  write  an         average  of  55  kilometers  each,  that  is,  roughly  45,000  words.

        Average  Eme  a  women  spends  in  a  store;     If  accompanied  by  another  women:  8  minutes,  15  seconds   If  accompanied  by  her  children:  7  minutes,  19  secondsIf  accompanied  by  a  man:  4  minutes,  41  seconds

    There  are  4000  men  in  the  Bolivian  navy,  however,  Bolivia  has  no  coast  line.

statistics

By Charly McInnes, PR and Admin. Captain 2012

Celebrity success...after death?

BY  KATHERINE  LO  PRESTI

The  recent  death  of  Whitney  Houston  has  reignited  the  argument  that  death  for  a  celebrity  could  in  fact  be  their  best  publicity  weapon.  Are  celebriEes  worth  more  dead?  Or  alive?  It  appears  that  in  death,  celebriEes  reach  new  levels  of  media  interest  and  sales  of  their  work  booms  resulEng  in  success  that  they  haven’t  achieved  since  they  were  in  the  height  of  their  prime.  Is  it  because  now  that  they  are  gone,  their  work  is  that  much  more  valuable?  Are  they  seen  in  a  new  light?  Appreciated  more?  It’s  funny  that  when  a  celebrity  dies,  everyone  is  their  fan  all  of  a  sudden.  ArEsts  have  for  centuries  found  appreciaEon  aPer  death  –  Van  Gough  cut  off  his  ear  and  died  broke,  but  didn’t  live  to  see  his  work  recognised  or  sell  for  millions  of  dollars  decades  later.

I  am  an  enthusiasEc  (slightly  obsessed)  Michael  Jackson  fan  and  was  amazed  by  the  amount  of  news  his  death  made  in  the  weeks,  months  and  even  years  aPer  his  passing.  His  (already  astronomically  high)  record  sales  jumped  through  the  roof,  his  This  Is  It  movie  was  a  huge  success  and  his  other  merchandise  profits  and  revenue  has  nearly  erased  all  the  unbelievable  amount  of  debt  he  leP  behind  in  this  world.  He  had  his  many  issues,  but  I  strongly  believe  he  was  completely  innocent  of  the  criminal  charges  he  was  accused  of.  Whitney  had  her  fair  share  of  problems  too,  but  at  the  end  of  the  day,  most  acknowledge  the  tremendous  amount  of  accolades  they  both  won,  the  contribuEons  they  made  to  the  music  industry,  and  their  humanitarian  efforts.  

The  Elvis  Presley  and  John  Lennon  estates  conEnue  to  rake  in  money  –  thirty  years  on,  and  Kurt  Cobain’s  influence  is  sEll  vast.  The  huge  success  of  these  masters  of  their  field  is  a  sign  that  even  in  death,  the  presence  of  these  celebriEes  are  sEll  felt  here.  CelebriEes  can  have  tough  demons  to  face  in  their  lives,  and  some  deal  with  it  be"er  than  others.  But  one  thing  is  for  sure,  no  ma"er  whether  you  hate  or  love  that  celebrity,  their  success  beyond  the  grave  seems  to  be  a  guaranteed  certainty.  

MJ  will  con:nue  to  be  a  thriller,  we  will  always  love  Whitney,  Kurt  Cobain  will  forever  smell  like  teen  spirit,  John  Lennon  will  keep  on  imagining  and  Elvis  will  forever  keep  rocking  in  Viva  Las  Vegas.

QUICK  QUIZ!!

In  what  month  and  year  did  the  famous  celebrity  die??

a)  Michael  Jackson?

b)  Elvis  Presley?

c)  Kurt  Cobain?

d)  John  Lennon?  

e)  Whitney  Houston?  (this  is  a  tad  easy)

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!

Looks like that’s the end of the February

2012 edition of Veritas! A huge thank you to

all those who submitted content! :)

We want you to submit your articles, random

facts, artwork, stories, jokes, experiences for

the March 2012 edition! Feel free to submit

your articles to vertias@siena.vic.edu.au by

the Friday 16th March!

Anna V,

Veritas Captain 2012