From the Principal’s Desk: A Message from Dr. Christison

By Dr. Matt Christison

The CENTENNIAL CRIER

The Resounding Howl: By the Students, for the Students

This spring at Centennial has been

one of exceptional growth, change

and success. Our students and staff

have achieved amazing levels of suc-

cess in Athletics (provincial medals in

Badminton), Fine & Performing Arts

(the Music trip to NYC, Drama pro-

ductions on site and at the U of C as

well as carvers, guest artists and cli-

nicians), Academics (writing of AP

examinations, completion of more

courses and higher levels of qualify-

ing students for scholarships, bursa-

ries and awards), and Career & Tech-

nology Studies (including participa-

tion of the largest number of students

in Skills Alberta). In addition, one of

our many excellent teachers, Ms.

McIvor, was among 125 provincial

finalists in the Excellence in Teach-

ing Awards. Congratulations to all!

Registration for next year’s

courses has been completed, for both

current Centennial students and

those who will join us next year. In

September, we will have 1775 stu-

dents at Centennial, a continued in-

crease in our significant growth over

the past several years. Each grade

will consist of nearly 600 students.

We welcome many students who

come to Centennial from across the

city, enrolling in specific programs

offered here. The south side of Cal-

gary continues to grow with new fam-

ilies joining us from across Alberta,

Canada and the world.

As a result, our school will con-

tinue to be very full. There will be

increasing and constant pressures on

space, timetabling and, of course,

course offerings. The significant

changes in the budget available to

public schools, particularly high

schools in Calgary, will mean a 10%

reduction in the number of adults

who work at Centennial High School,

and as such, the depth and breadth of

what is offered will be impacted.

While we will continue to be an excel-

lent school in which to learn, work

and be, there will be changes in how

this school – and other high schools

in particular – are organized, staffed

and operated. As the next school

year begins, those changes will be

clearer and more defined.

On behalf of our staff, my

thanks for your continued support of,

kind words for and trust in the work

we do with you.

Matt Christison, Ed.D.

Calgary’s High School Drama

Festival was held May 1st to the

3rd. Students from all over Cal-

gary gathered at the University

of Calgary where they partici-

pated in workshops and perfor-

mances.

Centennial put on a phe-

nomenal performance for the

first evening’s performance,

called Tuesdays and Sundays,

which resulted in a standing

ovation.

Students in the audience

were not quite sure what to ex-

pect for that performance, but

afterwards, there wasn’t a dry

eye in the entire stadium. The

piece was very moving and was,

overall, spectacular.

In another one of the day’s

performances, Centennial put

on another amazing show called

This Property is Condemned

which, yet again, had the audi-

ence in awe.

Along with the perfor-

mances, there were several

workshops the students could

participate in such as directing,

character creating, and stage

fighting. All eleven of the work-

shops provided unforgettable

tools that the students can use

in their own final performanc-

es—regardless of which school’s

Drama program they are a part

of—and apply to the work they

do throughout the semester.

The Calgary High School

Drama Festival was a chance for

students to meet new people,

and explore the opportunities

they have in the world of drama.

This festival was the

chance of a lifetime; it taught

the meaning of teamwork and

how to problem solve in the dai-

ly world, especially when the

transit system nearby was shut

down.

All in all, the Festival was

a remarkable experience. If you

are ever offered the chance to

go, then accept it and embrace

the opportunity.

CHS “ACTS UP” AT CALGARY DRAMA FESTIVAL By Melissa Cadick

Life is what you put into it

Inspiration can come from anywhere

Whether it’s a song, a movie, or even a picture

Anything can inspire you

Although things feel like they can’t change

They’re changing all the time

One mistake can change your life forever, for better or for

worse

It’s always worth it to set goals

If you try you can succeed

The sky isn’t the limit; the limit is whatever you put your

mind to

If you make a mistake you can always turn it into something

beautiful

There’s beauty in every mistake

There’s a better decision in everything you do

With one idea there’s many more

With the blink of an eye you can change your life

Half a second is all it takes to make or break you

If you want something bad enough you’ll make it happen

It isn’t always easy to swim through the current of mistakes

But if you believe enough that you can change your past then

you can

Imagine something you want and now go prove to yourself

you can do it

Inspiration By Melissa Cadick

On May 7 to 10th, the Centennial

High School Musical Theatre cast

and crew put on an excellent adapta-

tion of Little Shop of Horrors.

Little Shop of Horrors features

Seymour, a lonely plant shop em-

ployee of Skid Row, who intends to

increase the shop’s success by plac-

ing a strange and interesting plant

in the window. This plant, Audrey

II, creates many unique opportuni-

ties for Seymour, including fame,

fortune, success, adoption by his

boss, and a romance with the girl of

his dreams. But at what cost?

Audrey II immediately proves herself

to be hazardous to Seymour’s health

when she refuses to be fed with any-

thing but flesh and blood!

Seymour was played by Layton

B., who was thrilled to have the op-

portunity to star in his first Centen-

nial Musical Theatre production.

Layton did a fantastic acting job and

made the audience love Seymour.

An outstanding vocal perfor-

mance was given by Chantal B., who

played the role of Audrey, Seymour’s

love interest. Chantal did a great job

of portraying the quirky character,

and was adored by the audience.

The show featured a variety of

Centennial stars including Christy

C., Danyael C., and Kaycee B., who

blew the audience away with their

lovely vocal harmonization and their

hilarious interpretations of the three

urchins.

Shaun H. gave a beautiful por-

trayal of Mr. Mushnik. He stunned

the audience with his snazzy dance

skills in “Mushnik and Son”, not to

mention his killer singing voice.

The role of Orin, the dentist

we all love to hate, was taken on by

Centennial’s senior Aaron H., who

showed his superb acting skills.

Daylan B. shared his phenom-

enal vocal abilities when he took on

the menacing role of Audrey II, the

carnivorous plant who dominates

Skid Row. Daylan belted out those

R&B tunes with loads of soul.

Under the instruction of John

M. and Mr. Edmonds, the musical

orchestra, composed of Centennial

students and staff, brought a whole

new liveliness to the evening perfor-

mances.

Not only did the cast give a

triple-threat performance of singing,

dancing and acting, but they also did

a fabulous job of assembling their

own costumes, hair and makeup,

with the assistance of Ms. Haney.

Another great aspect of the

show was the set, which was con-

structed by a talented and hardwork-

ing technical theatre crew. Audrey

II, created and operated by Kimiko

N., wowed the audience each night

when the plant itself began to move

The show was an immediate

hit, surely one for the Centennial

record books. Thank you to stage

manager Ryley F., his second-in-

command Julia C., Mr. Edmonds,

everyone who helped out and to

those who came to see the perfor-

mance, making the show a huge suc-

cess.

And remember, “Please, what-

ever they offer you, don’t feed the

plants!”

“Whatever They Offer You, DON’T Feed the Plants!”

By Brittney Felske

For months, a group of Centennial High

School students have been in the process of

recreating a theatre production called Voices

From Beyond the Dark that is set to premiere

on Friday, May 24th. This production will be

viewed by the English and Social Studies de-

partments as well as in the evening by whoev-

er would like to attend. Both directed and or-

ganized by Centennial students, this is an en-

tirely student-led production.

This play aims to relate hardships that

many of us, living in Canada, are absolutely

sheltered from. It discusses issues which we

hear on the news regularly, which we know

exist out there in countries more corrupt and

violent than ours, and yet we rarely take the

initiative to help solve. We have become so

accustomed to knowing that these injustices

exist and are daily occurrences that such

knowledge has now simply lost shock value.

Though we hear every once in a while of

the odd story which makes it past the borders

of its city and becomes a national or even in-

ternational symbol, which causes people to

take a moment to call for change, many terrors

go unmentioned. Too many, some might say.

Crimes due to discrimination, torture,

abuse, and poverty are some of topics raised in

this performance. This theatrical display

brings to light the voices that have been sti-

fled, and aspires to make us all think for a bit

longer on how we affect our global society and

what our role is in shaping the world that we

want.

Seven students will relay the true stories

of people who have made a dent, although

slight, in our international civilization. They

will convey stories of hope, loss, accomplish-

ments and disappointments.

The tickets to see this performance will

be sold for one dollar each, and all proceeds

will be forwarded to UNICEF.

This is an attempt by everyone involved

in this production to make a change, however

slight, in our world.

By Anna Basu

Dr. Who, Wolverine, and a Stormtrooper Walk into Bar… An Exciting Assortment of Characters and

Events at Calgary’s Comic and Entertainment Expo By Will Cowan

My family and I waited in line behind seven

Dr. Whos, three Wolverines, and dozens of

others in front of the BMO Centre for the Cal-

gary Comic and Entertainment Expo 2013.

We arrived shortly past 8:30 am, after collect-

ing our badges and wristbands to have access

to the park on Saturday, April 26, hoping to

have bypassed the inevitable rush that would

happen at some point during the day, a sold-

out, 60 000-person event.

I was still wiping the sleep from my eyes

as I started to comprehend that I may be

slightly underdressed in clothing whilst look-

ing upon my fellow Expo-goers who are

draped in some of the most unique and fan-

tastical clothing I had ever seen. They were

taking pages from comic books and scenes

from films and bringing them to life in front

of my eyes: Bane and Batman brawling for

flashing cameras; Deadpool and Spider-Man

enjoying a sandwich together; Thanos passing

Captain America a cigarette; a Jedi cradling

his baby stormtrooper. And this described

only what I could see in front of me.

When ten o’clock hit and the doors were

opened, this prompted a Xena Warrior Prin-

cess battle cry from the man a few dozen peo-

ple down the line. We got held up once or

twice, just to relieve congestion between all

the people. My mother beside me started to

get agitated because she knew that every

time we stopped, we were losing time from

autograph sessions—more specifically, the

autograph session with her favorite film and

television star, Norman Reedus, aka Daryl

Dixon from The Walking Dead.

By ten minutes after ten, we were in,

waving our wristbands in front of Expo volun-

teers to verify our entry into the event. The

security had definitely gotten far more effi-

cient this year, I think. From there, I pulled

out my Canon Rebel camera and started tak-

ing shots of some of the best costumes in the

Expo, ranging from books to movies to anime.

I headed straight to the autograph center in

Hall D of the BMO Centre to snap some quick

shots of some of Hollywood’s leading talent.

However, this proved difficult since I got a

very stern warning from security and volun-

teers for even lifting the camera in the gen-

eral direction of some of the celebrities.

This left me somewhat bewildered because I

had never seen this much seriousness at the

Expo before but, at the same time, I hadn’t

seen it move so efficiently ever before. I

simply took the bad with the good and

stopped taking snapshots of the famed.

This efficiency was illustrated even

more when we lined up for our photo-op with

Reedus, who we unfortunately didn’t receive

an autograph from as he was an hour and a

half late arriving at the Expo. Nevertheless,

we still got in line quite early enough for our

two o’clock photo to be one of the first groups

of people to get the picture taken. Compared

to a few years ago, where you would take the

picture and then wait in another line a few

hours later to pick it up, the picture was

made available to you the moment the shot

was taken, just right outside the photo-op

area. We were able to get in and get out

within fifteen minutes.

Soon after that, I met up with a friend

of mine and started doing what we were

meant to do here at the Expo: buy things,

from t-shirts to comics. We witnessed books

ranging in price from $2 all the way up to

$300 or even $400, neatly organized and

packaged. There were tables for artists and

writers, sword-makers and web-designers,

even workshops for those uninitiated in the

world of entertainment, giving helpful tips

for new comic creators and voice actors.

By the time it neared the end of the

day, I was sitting at a table in the Big Four

building enjoying a pizza while my friend

was in line for his photo-op with comic leg-

end Stan Lee. I started a conversation with

the person I was sharing the table with and

found out he was working as one of the vol-

unteers at the Expo. He explained to me

that there was a heavily-structured ap-

proach to organizing the volunteers this

year, similar to the training new employees

get at the Stampede grounds every summer.

Each volunteer went through an orientation

day where they were walked through the mi-

nutiae of everything at the Expo, what might

happen and the questions that will be asked

by the customers. Each volunteer was given

a specific place to work and time of work.

This gave the volunteers more structure

when the heaviest volume of people funneled

through the Expo doors; the volunteers were

instructed to guide and explain the way for

people who have never been to the Expo be-

fore, and then provide further insight to

those who were veterans.

Leaving the Expo for the third year in a

row, I couldn’t help but feel that this was the

most successful year yet, as seen from the

plethora of shows and interviews taking

place all around the grounds, all the way to

the simple costumes that families would don

to show their love for their favorite heroes

and characters. All this was even further

complemented by the streamlined and sim-

plified organization of the entire Expo, creat-

ing the easiest and most enjoyable experi-

ence that the Expo has ever organized.

DONATING TO CHARITY:

THE UNFORTUNATE TRUTH By Khav Kumar

Every year billions of dollars

are donated to local and global

charities. It could be said that,

the majority of the time, indi-

viduals are donating their hard

-earned money with the inten-

tion of doing some good in this

world. However, these people

are unknowingly being target-

ed for having a good heart by

the CEOs who run these chari-

ty organizations. Who knew

we would ever have to hear the

words ‘thief’ and ‘charity’ used

in the same sentence?

We have all donated our

own valuable money at one

point or another. In fact, many

people in today’s society are

taking extreme efforts to im-

prove the quality of life for

those in other places. This

could mean donating hundreds

upon hundreds of dollars to

charities in hopes of achieving

this dream.

So, just imagine the dis-

appointment of these people if

they knew that charity organi-

zations like The Salvation Ar-

my uses less than 63% of fund-

raising revenue to improve

their program and reach its

goals. The rest of this money

goes to the people in higher

management who fool mem-

bers of the global society into

thinking they are donating to a

100% honest charity.

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN WRITING FOR THE CENTENNIAL CRIER NEXT YEAR? ARE YOU IN GRADE 10 OR 11? WE ALWAYS WELCOME NEW WRITERS TO THE JOURNALISM CLUB. THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF SUBMIS-SIONS WE PUBLISH, FOR EXAMPLE: - Hard news articles covering events at CHS, your community, or the world

- Editorials on contro-versial topics

- Film, book and album reviews

- Short stories

- Poetry

IF YOU ARE INTEREST-ED, THEN BE SURE TO SEE MS. KIM OR MS. FUKAMI, OR DROP IN A JOURNALISM CLUB MEETING NEXT YEAR.

HAVE AN EXCELLENT SUMMER, AND SEE YOU IN THE FALL!

NEW ORTHODONTIC TECHNOLOGY

Recent advancements in orthodontic techniques

have many advantages over the traditional “train

tracks” which you may be options familiar with.

New braces can be smaller, utilize less pressure,

more comfortable, work faster with less discomfort

and can be clear, making an orthodontic experi-

ence enjoyable with minimal impedance to your

lifestyle.

If you have or do suffer from the negative effects

on your health or self esteem due to crooked or

crowded teeth and/or smile imperfections, braces

can transform you smile into a healthy self confi-

dence builder, via a diversity of options.

If you would like to see what can be done to im-

prove your bite and give you that dynamic smile,

book for a free orthodontic evaluation at ACCENT

ORTHODONTICS. (limited time offer).

DR. MICHAEL P. BLEAU B.Sc., D.D.S., McSc., Cert. Ortho

CERTIFIED SPECIALIST IN

ORTHODONTICS

#301, 51 Sunpark Dr. SE, Calgary, AB T2X 3V4

Phone: 403-225-3335 Fax: 403-225-1911

The endless reports detailing charity theft is

quite despicable. The fact that there are

hundreds of charities, such as UNICEF, who

tell people about only the good that they are

doing in

t h e

w o r l d ,

w i t h o u t

admitting

anything

bad that

they have

done, is

astonish-

ing. As

p e o p l e

who are

genuinely

concerned

about the causes to which we provide money,

we should have the right to really see posi-

tive differences being made, not how the

CEOs of these

organizations are

making more

than 1.2 million

dollars a year by

t a k i ng ca sh

meant for other,

more significant

purposes.

So the next

t i m e y o u ’ r e

thinking of do-

nating to a chari-

table organiza-

tion, remember

that some of the-

se companies

may not truly

be achieving

all the goals

they claim

that they are.

O f

course, it can-

not be said

that all chari-

ties are doing

this. Just re-

member that

it could be

better to make a

difference by di-

rectly and actively performing hands-on acts

of charity, rather than handing money to

people who aren’t telling the truth about

what they are going to do with it. Think

twice about how you choose to make a differ-

ence.

For the last several weeks, the

Art students had the opportuni-

ty to meet and interact with well

-known artists from around Cal-

gary including Rick Wolcott, a

local wood carver, Doug Driedi-

ger, a muralist, and Ken Parry

and Knicki Markoff, two local

stone carvers. The purpose of

the presentations was to help

improve students’ skills, as well

as to encourage them to pursue

their dreams.

The Advanced Drawing

class and several grade ten stu-

dents have been working with

Rick Wolcott on creating their

own traditional Haida wolf rat-

tles. Traditionally, the rattles

are used to initiate young boys

into the tribe by having mem-

bers sneak up in the dark and

scare them while covered in wolf

skins on the night of their initia-

tion, as they listened to stories

told by an elder. But for these

Art students, it is a way of

learning a new skill or working

on mastering an old one.

Doug Driediger, a local

Calgary muralist, known for his

murals across Canada including

the mural painted outside of our

school and the hands catching

the dove on the Cups building

downtown, recently came in to

visit with the Art students and

to share his experienc-

es and expertise in the

art world. He encour-

aged them to follow

their dreams no matter

what they may be,

even if becoming an

artist may not pay a

lot when they first

start. His speech was

inspiring to all, and

students were able to

flip through his travel

sketch books and see

his beautiful sketches of places

around the world.

Finally, Ken Parry and

Knicki Markoff, two local stone

carvers, shared with the stu-

dents their beautiful, handcraft-

ed stone work. They showed the

students their handmade tools

they use to carve. They also

demonstrated how each stone is

different, which means that

each time you have to learn how

to work with that individual

piece. They explained that as

an artist you have to go with the

flow, especially if something like

the nose falls off your piece; you

have to learn to be free with you

artwork and let new experiences

teach you something new. In

fact, the finished product may turn

out to be even better than before.

Honing Art Skills and Sharing Stories: Students Inspired By Visiting Artists

By Laura McLean

Some days I look at the glass half full,

other days, half empty.

Life always has something different to offer me,

and it’s up to me to realize what that may be.

When it’s half empty,

I feel empty.

My entire body turns into an abyss,

and I find myself drowning in my venomous,

overflowing thoughts.

Continuing to hold onto a past that

no longer defines me,

refusing to let go.

When it’s half full,

I feel fulfilled.

Like I have something

meaningful

to contribute.

I have a desire to succeed,

a future to look forward to.

Smiles to share,

dreams to follow.

It’s all about perception.

Perception By Chelsea Skelly

Many special

thanks go out

to Ms. Fukami,

Mr. Freeborn,

and Ms.

George for

their reliable

and meticu-

lous editing

and proofread-

ing skills in

this issue, and

all previous

issues, of The

Centennial

Crier.

— Ms. Kim

In April, second semester English and Drama

students were given the opportunity to attend

the Spoken Word Festival where they listened to

various spoken word poets perform.

Later in the week, several students were

given the opportunity to participate in a work-

shop at Centennial High School with Regie Cabi-

co, a known spoken word poet.

The downtown adventure lasted through

the morning where students saw the different

techniques or styles of poetry. One poet sarcas-

tically sang his verses; another poet rapped what

he had to say. We learned that there wasn’t real-

ly a certain style you had to use. If you could

imagine it, then you could do it.

While spoken word is simply recited poetry,

slam poetry is an entirely different art form.

With slam poetry, you have to squeeze in as

many words as you can into three to five

minutes.

The poems can be about anything;

whether it is about your cat waking you up

in the morning or the bombing in Boston,

there is an endless variety of subject matter

from which to choose.

After the field trip, two students start-

ed a Poetry Club with the support of Ms.

McIntyre. The club meets every Tuesday in

the Green Room at lunch. Students meet

and rehearse and receive feedback before

their presentations on Wednesdays at the

Lunch Box Theater, which is also held in the

Drama room.

How Many Words Can You Slam in 3-5 Minutes? Centennial Students Experience it Firsthand at Calgary Spoken Word Festival

By Melissa Cadick

Before and after school hours, the Centennial

parking lot could be easily compared to a zoo. Par-

ents and students have been complaining about

the lack of respect and regulations in the parking

lot this year.

Walking through the parking lot almost

seems like a life-or-death experience, especially

with the weather getting warmer and driving con-

ditions improving. This could make people

believe that it is fine to ignore the basic rules

to be followed in order to avoid incidents

when driving. Many students, and even some

parents, do not follow the basic rules of driv-

ing. This could soon result in an accident.

One parent shared her thoughts on the

issues she experiences when driving through

the parking lot to pick her child up from

school. “More supervision is needed, or some-

thing needs to be done to control the chaos

that goes on there after school. I shouldn’t

have to fear having my car hit from all sides

when I’m just going to go pick my kid up

from school,” she explained.

After school, students can be found

speeding through and crowding the parking

lot in various areas, making it difficult for

parents and other students to enter and exit

safely. Shouldn’t people have the right to

attend and leave school without having to

worry about their safety?

There are many ways to fix the issues

in the parking lot. One of them is to drive

cautiously. The second is that students must

realize that the parking lot is not a social

hangout zone. Socializing simply needs to be

moved off school grounds.

It is up to all people who use the Centennial

parking lot to create a less harmful zone for oth-

ers. All it takes is one bad choice to cause a major

accident.

Being in a rush is not worth injuring your-

self or someone else, so remember to drive safely

and be respectful!

Centennial Parking Lot Creates Chaotic Atmosphere for Students and Parents

Flowers bud,

before they die.

Clouds darken,

before they cry.

The soul is no different

from the sorrows,

the despair,

the emotions that overtake us,

until it’s more than we can bear.

The next time you find yourself

alone and defeated,

know it’s your heart

that has truly retreated.

Get back up on your feet,

and find reasons to smile,

reasons to laugh,

make it all the worthwhile.

Your smile alone,

can heal so much pain,

until the sun starts shining,

and overtakes the pouring rain.

POURING

RAIN By Chelsea Skelly

The famous *prancing unicorns*

and majestic fairy bell,

chimes happily,

signaling our class changes.

* * *

Some people think the sound is ‘childish,’

‘uncool,’ and ‘unnecessary.’

But I find it enlightening.

It makes me feel

like I’m living in a

storybook.

* * *

For each time it chimes,

It’s as if I’m about to live

a new chapter,

in my final year of

high school.

Prancing Unicorns

By Chelsea Skelly