Middle School

The Concours d’Art Oratoire
By Nicholas Loughton

On May 7, 2010, 12 students from SMUS traveled to Vancouver to participate in the annual provincial French public speaking competition, the Concours d’Art Oratoire. On the ferry, we enjoyed a delicious selection of food from the Pacific Buffet. Once we reached Vancouver, we went to our hotel, the Compass Inn, where we hung out before getting some quick shut-eye before the next day’s competition. The next day before we headed to the university, we stopped by Tim Horton’s, where I had an English muffin and a lot of chocolate milk. After we headed to the Surrey Campus of Simon Fraser University, we went to the opening ceremonies for the morning competition. The competition was right after that, so some had to run quickly to their rooms. I competed and tried my best, and I hope everyone else did too, and even though I didn’t win, I still had fun and learned a lot. I think the Concours d’Art Oratoire was a very good experience.

A number of stories about the Middle School have been featured on the SMUS Review:
Spring Break Stories: French Culture Trip
Melodies From the Middle School
Middle School Students Master Math Challange
Grade 8 Students Sell Muffins for Haiti
The Borealis String Quartet at SMUS
Facing Challenges in Film
Grade 6 Classes Join the Six String Nation
Grade 8 Students See How the Eye Works
Middle School Delivers Christmas Hampers
Middle School Christmas Service Reflections
Grade 7/8 Strings Shine in Schaffter Hall

Gaming Exploratory at the Middle School

 Written by Shinai Sorensen, Grade 8

Out of all the exploratories at St. Michaels University School (SMUS) there was one that helped students relax, have fun and teach senior citizens how to use and play the Wii. This was the “Gaming in the Library” exploratory that, once a month, attended gaming program sessions at the Nellie McClung Branch (NMB) of the Greater Victoria Public Library (GVPL).

In this exploratory, we, the gaming fanatics, played games galore, researched for new games to buy and brainstormed new ideas for gaming programs here at SMUS. On gaming day, we came into the Middle School library for our exploratory and everyone immediately helped set up the library, (because it’s small it’s not that hard of a job), by moving the tables and setting up the Wii, the games and the projector. We signed up to play the Wii, chose which game to play and we waited our turn to play. Before the bell rang to end the day, everybody pitched in and helped put everything away. Everybody who participated in the “Gaming in the Library” was very respectful of the opinions and decisions of others.

On the days where we helped out with the GVPL Gaming for Seniors programming, we put smiles onto the faces of seniors who got the chance to play the Wii at the Nellie McClung Library Branch. We were each assigned a senior buddy who we showed how to use the Wii remotes and play the games. We not only challenged them to play “Bowling” on the Wii and “Guitar Hero” on the Playstation, but we also learned things about their past and helped answer some of their questions about electronics and technology. It was sad to leave them each session as we would gather our things to go home and head back to school by taxi.

When we weren’t researching for new games and ideas to improve the library’s gaming program, or visiting the seniors over at the NMB, we were playing games. We loved Mario Kart on the Wii and the steering wheels that came with it because it gave us a sweet adrenaline rush for the race to the finish. However, of all the games we tried, Super Smash Bros. Brawl was a big favourite. Note: it was a game that really helped us a lot to forget about any problems inside and outside of school (and because nobody really likes homework, it helped us forget about those problems too!)

In conclusion, the Gaming in the Library exploratory was educational, was involved with community service and was very fun to be a part of.

Written by: Grade 6 Science Students, Olivia Donald & Aveen Glen

On Wednesday, February 24, the Grade 6 Science classes went on a field trip to the “Center of the Universe”. The bus ride was exciting when we were winding up the mountain on tight roads. We reached the top of the mountain and it was foggy and cold and that’s when our adventure started. 

We were unloaded off the bus and separated into two groups. One group headed to the left where the big observatory was, and the other group headed to the right to see the museum.

The museum was fun and entertaining with many things to do, like learning games on the computer, posters about space and more. One of our favourite activities was trying to lift the meteorite which was extremely heavy!

Next, our journey took us to the big telescope. That’s where the staff showed us the control room and pictures of galaxies.

The last place we went was to the presentation on Mars, where we learned that we may be able to live there some day. Overall, our trip was fun and educational.

Written by Jake Wilmot and Owen Sudul, House Council Members

On Thursday, in light of the 2010 Olympics, SMUS MIddle School held its own Winter Olympics. Organized by members of the House Council, the event was composed of four main activities. First, as part of the Opening Ceremonies, each House sang anthems written by students. This event was filled funny rhymes and written to well known tunes such as “I’m a Little Tea Pot”. The second event was “Human Curling” which involved students being slid down the gym floor on wheel boards in an attempt to land on a target. The event showed that persistence pays off and after having a few tries, the houses finally got the hang of it. The third event was cross country skiing in which four students had to make their way down the gym floor, sliding on carpet covered 2×4′s. This event showed teamwork pays of and without all the competitors’ co-operation it would not go smoothly. There was a brief intermission where we were lucky enough to be graced by the presence of the famous Bulgarian Ice Dancer, Mikail Rossikova (Grade 8 student Michael Rossi on roller blades). He put on an amazing performance. The fourth and final event, which was obviously the most popular event, was the house snowball fight. It was a four-way dodgeball activity and students really got into the swing of it.

 Overall the SMUS MIddle School Winter Olympics went well and was enjoyed by all the competitors.

By Leanne Wilkins, Middle School Art Teacher

Grade 6 and 7 students at SMUS Middle School spent some time last fall creating “original, colourful and bold designs.” The theme was “Dream, Discover and Celebrate YOUR British Columbia,” and the idea was for student art to be made into greeting cards for the Olympic athletes.

Grade 7 student, Uma Hallea talked about her image: ”I decided to draw this image because I live near the ocean and me and my friends always go to the beach and play around. I found it really fun to take part because some of these images will be seen by the Olympic Athletes.”

Emma Loughton (grade 7) said, “I enjoyed drawing this image because of the opportunity…I chose the image because it represents a B.C. park.”

We have received our first e-mail response for one of the Olympic teams, Patrick Hassett wrote:

“Emma, Jennifer and Sena,

These cards you made are really nice. If you don’t want to be a famous artist, be a famous engineer for Boeing making jets. These cards were on our beds in the Vancouver Olympic Village when we arrived.

We are the forward team for the Korean Olympic Committee responsible for setting up the operations and sports practice just before the team’s athletes come. We have a few days left before they arrive so my days are 20 hours long for the past week.

Korea has a 4 man bobsled team, biathalon, skiing, short track, speed skating and figure skating athletes. We will bring a total of 98 people. There will be several medals we will earn so be sure and yell REAL loud at your TV cheering us on when you see a Korean team member.

I will be listening for you! Again, thanks for the nice artwork.”

Our students’ art is welcoming people from all over the world into the Olympic villages in Vancouver and Whistler. Overall it was a fun project for students and another way for them to feel that they are part of the Olympic spirit in British Columbia.

“I enjoyed doing the Olympic project because me and my class are proud to be Canadian. Even more proud to be living in BC and also the capital of BC!”

~ Sage Friswell, Grade 7

More “Dream, Discover and Celebrate YOUR British Columbia” images can be found around the school and on the website gallery at:

https://secure.smus.bc.ca/gallery/main.php/0910/ms/arts/Art/Olympic+Images/

Sena’s image

By Grade 6 student Jasper Johnson

This term our grade six class “ate” poetry, after being inspired by the poem, “Reading Poetry” by Mary McIver. Eating poetry means that we read it once to get a “taste” for it, then “chew it up” word by word until we fully understand the meaning of the poem and it “nourishes” us. After practising this several times and writing poems of our own, we set off, creating a “feast” of poetry. We made a collection of our poems along with a poem which we “ate”, all in the theme of feasting. This meant that all our poems were formatted to look like anything from a menu to a picnic basket. Once all of these projects had been finished and brought in, we all feasted! For one whole period we walked around the classroom observing and reading our friends projects, then wrote a reflection on the experience. We also shared what some of our favourite poems were.

The ‘Scholar In Residence’ program is sponsoring another visitor to SMUS who will be spending some of his time with Middle School students as part of his schedule on January 21. Jowi Taylor will be speaking to all our Grade 6 students during period 6 that day in the chapel. Mr. Taylor’s presentation is a good fit for the Grade 6 Humanities program and we are excited that he will be speaking to those students.

Mr. Taylor is a radio broadcaster for CBC Radio. For over 10 years, he was the host of Global Village, which broadcast on CBC Radio One, CBC Radio 2 and Radio Canada International. He was also the host and co-producer of an eight-part series called The Wire, on CBC Radio, NPR and other services, which won a Peabody Award in 2006. One of his most unusual and note-worthy accomplishments was to create a “Six-String Nation Guitar”. Just before the 1995 Quebec referendum on sovereignty, he got the idea of building the guitar as a symbol of national unity. Luthier George Rizsanyi built the guitar in his workshop near Pinehurst, Nova Scotia with Mr. Taylor over a period of 10 years, using 64 pieces of bone, metal and wood. Much of the front piece came from the Golden Spruce, a 300-year-old tree revered by the Haida of the Queen Charlotte Islands. Other parts include gold from Maurice Richard’s Stanley Cup ring and a piece of the oldest rock in the world, found near Great Bear Lake.

On January 25, SMUS will be hosting the Borealis String Quartet. The quartet will be performing for many of our Grade 6-8 students and for the Grade 5 students from the Junior School who have also been invited. This concert takes place from 10:10 am to 11:00 am in the Copeland Lecture Theatre.

Borealis String Quartet:

Patricia Shih – 1^st Violin, Yuel Yawney – 2^nd Violin, Nikita Pogrebnoy – Viola, Shih-Lin Chen – Cello

One of the most dynamic and exciting world-class ensembles of its generation, the Borealis String Quartet has received critical acclaim as an ensemble praised for its fiery performances, passionate style and refined, musical interpretation.

It was founded in Vancouver, British Columbia in the fall of 2000 and rapidly established a stellar reputation.  Devoted to performing a variety of chamber music repertoire, the Borealis has collaborated with many different artists. As well as extensive performing, the quartet is frequently heard on CBC Radio and other radio stations across North America and Asia.

We are indeed very fortunate to welcome the Borealis String Quartet to SMUS.

Instruments Played by Borealis String Quartet were supplied by

From the SMUS E-Team

Thanks to Mr. Floyd, the Middle School now has six new efficient toilets! The replacement of the old toilets, which used 13 or more litres per flush, is expected to save about 350,000 litres of water per year. In the spring of 2009, Mr. Floyd heard about the CRD water efficiency grant available to schools. This year the grant was used to purchase and install the six toilets at the Middle School as well as five toilets at the Junior School. For the math enthusiasts: Conservatively that’s 1 flush per day for each person in the Middle School = 250 flushes/day x 200 days/year x 7 litres currently being wasted/flush (the new ones are 6 litres/flush) =  about 350,000 litres of water! As the CRD grant is available again in 2010 for other water efficiency upgrades we are currently investigating installing a smart irrigation system to control the field and garden irrigation systems at SMUS. The smart irrigation system looks at local weather conditions (rainfall) and reduces the amount of irrigation accordingly.