Under The Tree


The Reels Just Keep on Turnin'

By Christopher Quinn, the sitting reporter

I have one thing to say to our student council. “Good on you, fine sirs.” For the excellent presentation of the fine film makers at our educational establishment was truly a fantastic success. On Friday, November 28th, Oakwoodites of all ages shuffled into La Grande Salle du Presentations; the air filled with the sensuous aromas of freshly roasted popped corn. The room bustled with activity but soon all were settled into their seats, prepared for an hour of viewing some of the finest pieces of art to grace the silver screen. The lights were dimmed which made the room, as one student said, in a word, “dark”.
As this day was also the day of movie stars, we saw many of our grade eleven and twelve peers-the McDonald’s servers of tomorrow- were dressed as Seth from the O.C., Tom Cruise from Risky Business, Audrey Hepburns (yes, that was meant to be plural you iranius gastropod) and my personal favourite, Colin Farrell.
We all gazed upon the immense taupe screen which was laid out before us on the grand stage of our auditorium. It was soon illuminated with the imaginings of our peers. First was the thrilling, astounding, stupendous, breathtaking ‘The Proposition’. This is a tale of the eternal struggle between man and his ever growing desire for the truth and the greed which dwells within all mankind. Remarkable cinematography and a surprising ending showed that there is an up swelling of talent among our student body.
Next we viewed a tale of two men, one love, and one urinal. This was brought to us by the always creative team of Vincent and Thomas. Young Thomas was found to be using the lavatory which Vincent had felt was of his ownership. Hilarity ensued but as always, a serious political message emerged. The use of “Random Black Guy” was no doubt a commentary on the oppression of African-American performers in the film industry. It is good to see that political satire is alive and well in our education system.
Mr. Muystra set the cherry atop this flourishing sundae of motion picture extravagance with an entry from students past. This comedic rendition of a James Bond film struck a chord with the students as they no doubt saw the true message: the objectifying of women in action films of today. It is heartening to see that even our faculty are willing to put their jobs on the line to stand up for what they believe in.
Kudos, sir.
A much needed encore of the Thomas and Vince mockumentary capped off the afternoon and everyone left feeling rejoiced and no doubt enlightened by the strong morals each film brought to its audience. Complaints? A few. Many requests for President Colin to put on a pair of pants over his Risky Business costume were heard. Less importantly, the popped corn system turned into a minor disaster when one student spilled a kernel. It is hoped that this small detail will be overlooked.
Merci beaucoup, Monsieur realisateur.

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The Official CAPUT Report

Greetings and Happy New Year from the secretary of CAPUT. :o) We've got tons of stuff going on in this new year, so I'm going to tell you all about them! First, an OFFICAL announcement: our winter semi-formal has been pushed back to become an almost-but-not-quite spring semi-formal. The semi formal will now be on Friday, April 16th. It'll be the perfect party to send everyone off to France and Montreal and wherever else everybody's going for the March break. Make sure you buy your ticket as early as possible to take advantage of our early bird prices!
This year CAPUT is going all out to organize chances for everyone at Oakwood to show off his or her talent. Last year's film festival was only the beginning. A talent show was enjoyed by the school on February 25th. Keep in mind that UNESCO will be holding auditions soon.
Spirit week was a great success, with many of our fellow high-school students dressing up for days such as twin day, formal day, and the day that reminded us all that warm weather is on its way (in a few months): beach day.
CAPUT is always willing to listen to what you have to say. If you have any questions or ideas for us, let us know. If you can't find Colin, Ben, Ivana, Mark, Will or me (Vera) in the halls or the CAPUT office, you can always leave us messages in our mailbox (just drop off a note to someone in the student office and ask them to put it in our box).
Make sure that you come out and support all school activities. You’ll be glad you did!

-Vera Bieber
secretary of CAPUT 2003/2004

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I Need to Invest in a Hat
(My AIDS Head-shaving Adventure)

By Jeremy Powell

Its seems like a long time, but it was only a few short weeks ago that I had it. It was long, soft, and contrary to popular belief, was NOT a mullet. My hair was one of my most prized possessions. Now as we are hit with this –200 C weather, I am saddened by my loss even more; I mean, I still catch myself twitching my head to get my now non-existent hair out of my eyes.
My hair was a small price to pay for the sense of helplessness and irrelevance that was left on the stage with my now decaying locks. Stephanie Scardellato, Mercedes Marks, Colin Meyer-Macaulay, Gwen Hixson-Vulpe and of course, myself, the impeccable Jeremy Powell shaved our heads to raise money to help in the fight against one of the greatest threats to our species: HIV/AIDS.
We all know from Gr. 9 gym class that HIV is a STD, (sexually transmitted disease, for those of you who failed) that can strike anyone anywhere. That is why the AIDS Relief Club has and will continue to stage awareness campaigns and do things like shaving our heads, to help our brothers and sisters in Africa, where HIV/AIDS is a much larger problem.
In some African nations, over 35% of the population have HIV or AIDS. These people cannot afford the price of drugs shipped in from the western world. These drugs can not only extend the life of those afflicted with AIDS, but also can stop HIV in its tracks, and allow patients to live happy productive lives. These drugs, manufactured by huge multi-billion dollar companies, are not only unnecessarily expensive, but could be accessible to all who need them if governments would commit to helping…
When government fails, it is left to the people to do what they can. Oakwood has taken a bold and proud step in picking up where it was necessary. Six hundred dollars was contributed to AIDS Relief in Africa, thanks to the students and staff of Oakwood.
So far 17 million people have died of HIV/AIDS. At least 25 million may follow. We have taken our first step on a long journey to help. I would like to thank everyone who contributed and helped out.
We will continue to struggle for this cause and welcome new members to any of our meetings; hope to see you there.

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Celebrating Kwanzaa for the First Time

By Sarah Horowitz

Ever since I was a teeny Gr. 9 student at Oakwood, I’ve heard great things about our annual Kwanzaa Banquet, hosted by Afro-Can. As pathetic as it may sound, I never had the nerve to attend the banquet myself, although each year I heard great reviews of it from people in the halls. This year, my final year at Oakwood, I decided I had to forget my awkwardness and get the courage to be a part of a culture I had never before experienced, at least for one evening.
Okay, I wasn’t actually quite brave; I coerced my mother into attending with me. I know, nothing could sound more sad than that, but I knew it was the sort of thing she’d find interesting and educational. And it’s true that I almost chickened out at the last minute and decided to find a restaurant somewhere . . . I am actually quite ashamed that I felt worried about going to this event because of my own culture and skin colour. I won’t make that mistake again; celebration is celebration, right? And celebration is not possible without love and an open mind.
Enough of my moral messages, I will move on to the actual banquet. On the evening of Dec. 4, 2003, my mother and I arrived at Oakwood’s cafeteria-turned-elegantly-decorated reception hall to be warmly greeted at the door and have our hands stamped. Had we decided to go to a restaurant after all, we would have paid much more than the required $10, and would not have had the experience that we did.
The most inspiring part of the event was witnessing the student performances. Each one was strong and heartfelt. Even though pressure was on many of the acts to come up with something at the last minute, some may not have been at their most prepared that night. Strongest in my memory is the beautiful rendition of the Black National Anthem by three talented girls. Also, the powerful spoken word pieces by Dwayne Morgan made my mind race and left me speechless.
I also found interesting the explanation of the Kwanzaa principles by Mrs. Burke, a guest presenter. These simple and yet universally important principles, each represented by a coloured candle and a night of Kwanzaa, are (in Swahili and English): Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujma (collective work and responsibility), Ujamma (co-operative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity), Imani (faith) and Umoja (unity). I can easily see why pride is taken in celebrating a holiday honouring so much cultural wisdom.
The food, as well, was delicious, warm and filling. The one thing I found disappointing was that the Kwanzaa Banquet was not a larger and better-attended event. I like to think that other years have been better supported by the school population, but as you know, I have no other years to compare it to. There is so much talent and culture in our school, and so much stigma around displaying it and supporting it. I truly hope that in the future, the Kwanzaa Banquet and the people who work so hard to make it good will have the chance to expand and celebrate involvement in this holiday in a larger and just as beautiful way. You don’t have to be a dork like me and bring your mother, but check it out. It’s one evening that I’m glad I didn’t chicken out of.

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Contents


Oakwood's First Film Festival

The Official CAPUT Report

Head-Shaving for AIDS

Celebrating Kwanzaa for the First Time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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