It’s that time of year again, saying goodbye to the long days in the sun and sand, and hello to the cool crisp air of autumn. Though the weather may be changing, one thing is staying the same, L.V. Rogers secondary school’s commitment to creating a place where the students feel welcomed. I feel this environment is created through the school’s anti-bullying policies; wonderful academic and sports opportunities; and, generally, a passion for all students to succeed from teachers and staff.
Recently there was a courtyard barbecue, welcoming all the new students to the school, coming from a nearby town or part of an international exchange program. And two years ago when I transferred to the school, the same barbecue welcomed me.
Students are beginning to settle into school again after a fun and relaxing summer. In the past weeks, students have been frantically knocking at counselors Mr. Machado and Mr. Francis’s doors, changing their schedules to fit the credits they need for the year and the classes they enjoy. Now that everyone’s timetables are sorted, we can begin to settle into our classes.
It’s been a great start to sports here. All of the coaches are excited for another wonderful athletics year. There are five teams running currently: cross-country running, which has an outstanding 60-plus members, girls field hockey, boys soccer, boys and girls volleyball, and swimming. This year’s graduating class has also been getting ahead on some of the Grad Council activities, such as running to be a member of the executive group, nominating who we think will best represent our interests on a whole, and who will work hard to give us an amazing last year.
The annual Terry Fox Run has come around again, sponsored and organized by Mrs. Morrison’s Rec Leadership class. The event took place on September 26 with the theme Call of the Wild, where all students had their school spirit and ran to show their support for a wonderful cause. Last year we raised $1,400 for the Terry Fox Foundation, which resulted in a bright blue mohawk on our principal, Mr. Huttemann. This year, with a goal of $2,000, Mr. Huttemann will shave his head for the cause.
In other recent events, the Northern Exchange documentary premiered on September 18 at the Capitol Theatre. The group has been planning the film since last fall, and filmed from February to April both here and Fort McPherson. After a couple of months of editing, the film had a wonderful premiere to an audience of around 200 people. The students at L.V. Rogers have now worked on two films, The Change Agents and this one. What amazing experiences.
Coming up in October is the second 24-hour writing contest, where students will go to the school library at noon on Friday the 19th and take part in a creative writing competition, until noon the next day. Also in October, the same clowns in the 2 for Tea performance at the Capitol on October 16 will be coming to the school’s junior and senior drama classes. An exciting adventure for the students, including myself! The year is off to a promising start!
L.V. Rogers Grade 12 student Zolena Weeks will write once a month for the Star