Posts

Editorial: Yes, Climate Change is a Real Thing

Image
Around 78% of the United States’ population believes that climate change is a real life phenomenon, and that it is caused by human activity, according to a research survey conducted in 2016. It is believed that if we continue to contribute to the change in our climate, global warming, rising sea levels, the lack of natural resources and the displacement of our very own people, are issues we will soon be facing. For that other 22% of Americans, climate change is only a figment of our imagination. Climate change is not something we should take lightly, as it is caused by human activity, and in consequence, will cause harm to our home planet.  Driving your car, taking the bus, flying across the ocean and the inadvertent emission of greenhouse gases are all day-today human activities, which contribute to climate change. Believe it or not, a sixteen year old,such as myself, is responsible for these contributions during their daily routine. People like myself, are the reasons why we wil
Post a Comment
Read more

EDITORIAL: Beyond Just Saying No: Rehab For Canada's Drug Laws

Image
The opioid crisis has taken North America by storm, and Canada is no exception; in a recent national report, it was found that, in 2016, over 2,800 Canadians were killed in opioid-related incidents, and that number is only increasing this year. The solution? Decriminalizing all drugs. The existence of addicts is a sad truth in our society, but it's important to remember that they usually pose next to no threat; it is much more common for an alcoholic to commit a violent crime than it is for a drug addict. Most of the time, the only person a drug user is a danger to is himself. They are simply victims to circumstance, and the best way to help them would be to remove the criminality from their actions.  It may seem counter-intuitive at first, but making illicit drug abuse a medical concern instead of a criminal one actually has its benefits. This was proven in 2001, when Portugal decriminalized the use of all drugs. Twenty years ago, Portugal had a crisis of its own. In 1999,
Post a Comment
Read more

Editorial: A Nationwide Dream

Image
Welcome to Canada, the country where the leader stands in front of the United Nations and preaches about human rights when the original people don’t have them. The declaration of human rights states that Education is a fundamental human right. So, why do first Nations children in Canada receive 30% less funding for education than any other Canadian child. Canadians get funding for education from their provincial governments where status First Nations people get education funding from the federal government. So why the huge gap? First Nations children are Canadian citizens and deserve the right to education just as any other Canadian child does. Our communities are in such dire need of these funds that we are literally stuck in this vicious cycle. It’s very sad that after 150 years our children are still being told that they are not good enough and that they are undeserving of an education. These children deserve a future and to acquire said future we need to provide them with educat
Post a Comment
Read more

Editorial: Gun Violence Is Preventable

Image
These days, shootings and massacres have become an immense issue in the United States of America. Seeing such violence on the news has become practically commonplace; so, why is it that America’s gun laws are so rarely talked about? The root of the issue can be attributed to a thought—an ideology—that has progressively integrated itself into American culture. This outlook encompasses “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms”, per the Second Amendment in the United States Constitution. This right assisted the American civilians of 1791 in protecting themselves during such turbulent times. However, this entitlement of theirs to have firearms in today’s American households, clinging on to a document written more than 200 years ago that is incomparable to modern day standards, is simply ludicrous. To make the situation all the more nonsensical, in 1996, the NRA (National Rifle Association) swayed Congress to ban the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) from spending f
Post a Comment
Read more

Do LaurenHill Academy Students Hold the Power to Influence Decisions?

Image
Day-to-day decisions are made at LaurenHill Academy, and the greater student population raises the question; do they have any influential power? The answer is yes. LaurenHill Academy is home to many committees whose purpose is to make decisions, to better the lives of LHA students. Therefore, students should hold the power to influence these decisions. The decisions made within the walls of LaurenHill Academy mainly revolve around our students. Joseph Daugher, a secondary five student, says that in his past experiences, whenever he has raised concerns about something, he has experienced change thanks to his teachers’ understanding of his problems. Proving that students are often times taken into consideration when the time comes for decisions to be made, such as the uniform shoe policy. The staff and teachers are both understanding and easily approachable when it comes to the concerns of their students. According to Ms. Najarian, a teacher on Senior Campus, even though teach
Post a Comment
Read more

SCHOOL STRESS CREATES RISING HEALTH PROBLEMS FOR STUDENTS IN CANADA

Image
Risk of developing mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, increase for students in Canada as stress levels escalate due to pressuring educational systems.              Kids Help Phone National Survey found that “42% of teens [in Canada] are stressed.” The study also showed that getting high grades at school was the biggest stressor for students, at a rate of 49%. In other words, nearly half of all adolescents in Canada find the high school grading system hard to keep up with. Teenagers are finding it more difficult to achieve high marks, while sustaining a healthy mentality.              Many signs suggest that heavy workload for students encourages elevated stress levels, and poor mental health.“I took notes of everything I had to do for the end of that week,” says Kathleen Collins, 17, LaurenHill Academy graduate, “I was so overwhelmed, I literally sat on my bed and cried for an hour and a half.” Studies show that it is rather difficult to balance a
Post a Comment
Read more

2018 Graduates working hard for CEGEP applications

Image
The 2018 graduating class of LaurenHill Academy will be under a lot of pressure for the next few months because they will need to apply for CEGEP and therefore need to bring up their averages to be able to get into the program of their choice. They also need to decide what they want to do for a living. Teachers are trying very hard to help out students in every way possible until applications need to be filled in. Applications are generally filled in between January and March for the first semester. The requirements for most programs are high averages which means that students need to be in top shape. Most people are very stressed and trying to stay on top of all their work before it’s too late. In fact, Lucas Diacoumacos stated, “I stay consistent with my work to ensure that I stay on top of everything so that I’m never behind. My advice to all CEGEP applicants is to do the same to make sure their applications are over the top.” The main concern for a lot of students is not kno
Post a Comment
Read more