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THE STS STAR

Winter Edition

STS STUDENT NEWSPAPER 2023-2024

PHOTO PRODUCED BY KAMRAN S., USING AI

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Articles: Pg. 12-13
Grade 9 Backpacking Trip
Pg. 3-5 By: Dina E.
Remembering Muhammad Ali, 7
Years Later Pg. 14-15
By: Kamran S. and Sarah C. SPARK Survey Responses
By: SPARK G9 Student
Pg. 6
University Applications Are Fun & Fiction:
Open Everywhere!
By: Alec R. Pg. 16
A Sense of Self
STS Community: By: Ezinne N.

Pg. 7-8 Pg. 17

Landslide Victory by Senior Which Dungeons & Dragons
Debate Teams Class Are You?
By: STS Debate By: Dylan C.

Pg. 9 Sudoku, Comic, & Joke:

Student Council Report Pg. 18
By: Student Council Oversight Sudoku - Ezinne N.
Committee and Communications Comic - Kamsi O.
Committee Joke - 14 Authors

Pg. 10-11 Pg. 19

Spanish Club Newspaper Nook
By: STS Spanish Club Exclusive: By Executive Editors

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REMEMBERING MUHAMMAD
ALI, 7 YEARS LATER
THIS WEEK’S COMMEMORATION REMEMBERS MUHAMMAD
ALI, KNOWN AS “THE GREATEST”
BY KAMRAN S. AND SARAH C.

Famously known as “The Greatest”, Muhammad Ali represents the pinnacle of boxing
through his undertaking or life-altering risks and and his perseverance in the face of
various challenging times. Born as Cassius Clay Jr. in 1942, in Louisville (USA), Ali's
journey was marked by countless challenges and triumphs. From his early days as an
aspiring, young boxer to his heroic stance against racial inequality, Ali's life was a
revolution of hard work and unmatched energy.

Ali's boxing career began at a young age when his bicycle was, one day, mysteriously
stolen. Ali realized, at that moment, that ordinary life wasn’t for him, having
previously experienced loss with his family and now his bike. Ali swore revenge
against whoever had stolen his bike, and henceforth took up a passion for boxing.

With the guidance of his trainer, Angelo

Dundee, he rapidly rose through the ranks of
boxing and made the sport his primary
commitment in his life. Ali won countless
amateur titles, and later in 1960, at the age of
18, he won the Olympic gold medal in the light
heavyweight division.

Four years later, in 1964, Ali continued to

shock the world when he defeated Sonny
Liston to claim the world heavyweight title.
However, right after his success, Ali
announced his historic conversion to Islam
and changed his name to Muhammad Ali,
reflecting his newfound faith and his desire to
distance himself from his birth name, which
he considered to be a relic of historic African-
American slavery.

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Ali's boxing prowess was matched by his outspoken nature in taking a stand for his
beliefs. In 1967, he confidently refused to be drafted into the U.S. military during the
Vietnam War, citing his religious and political conviction for peace. Unfortunately
for Ali, his decision led to his suspension from boxing and the stripping of his world
title. Despite facing numerous instances of public backlash and numerous legal
battles, Ali remained strong in his opposition and became an influential figure in
the anti-war movement.

After three years, Ali returned to the ring in 1970 and reclaimed the world
heavyweight title, fighting against George Foreman in 1974. Ali was named the
greatest boxer in history for deploying his famous "rope-a-dope" strategy, allowing
Foreman to exhaust himself before delivering a knockout punch in the eighth
round.

His refusal to fight in the

Vietnam War, his conversion
to Islam, and his changing of
name from what he thought
was a relic of African
American Slavery, he was
prominent in the world of
civil rights activism. He once
famously said "I am the
greatest. I said that even
before I knew I was".

In the early 2000’s, Ali

battled Parkinson's disease
as a result of the thousands
of punches he took
throughout his boxing
career. Muhammad Ali
passed away on June 3, 2016,
at the age of 74.

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His charisma, energy, and ability to captivate audiences made him a global icon,
transcending the realm of sports. Today, Muhammad Ali is remembered as a symbol
the true human spirit. Muhammad Ali strongly believed in standing up for what is
right, regardless of consequences. As he once said,

"Service to others is the rent you pay for

your room here on Earth."

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University Applications
Are Open Everywhere!
BY: ALEC R.

As winter approaches, many local, national and

international post-secondary institutions have
already opened their admissions doors for next
year’s applicants. With the Out of Province
University Fair on Friday, October 27th
reintroduced to the senior school, many
students have been asking themselves the
difficult question:
What’s next?
Some students have meticulously mapped out
their entire post-secondary journey, whether
opting for university, technical institutions,
volunteering, or Gap Years, and have already
taken the necessary steps to pursue these
chosen paths.

Many of us, however, are still in the process of finalizing our plans, determining which
programs to apply for, where to apply, and juggling the demands of school and
extracurricular activities simultaneously. It is important to bear in mind that you don't need
to be in the graduating class of 2024 to start thinking about post-secondary options. The
sooner you commence pondering what lies ahead, the more likely you are to choose an
option that suits you best.

As Alberta applications, accessible through the ApplyAlberta portal, and the early application
windows for many other Canadian institutions remain open until primarily early spring, the
upcoming months present an ideal opportunity to delve into institutions, their programs,
environments, and unique qualities. Most institutions offer virtual tours or meetings with
admissions and academic advisors to address any inquiries you may have.

For additional questions about your post-secondary path, please contact the Post-Secondary
Guidance Councillors Ms. Scott or Ms, Law. You can do so both in person, or through the STS
Student Services booking QR code found outside their offices, adjacent to room 51.

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Landslide Victory For STS Debate at

Annual Churchill Cup Debate
Tournament
BY: STS SPEECH AND DEBATE

In a spirited display of strategic thinking, two debate teams left an indelible mark at
the annual Churchill Cup Debate Tournament held on Saturday, November 19th.
Amidst the intellectual battleground, both the open senior team, Kamran Shukoor and
Ibrahim Tariq, winning third best senior open team, as well as the promising beginner
team, Chloe Liu and Arnaaz Sandhu winning best beginner team, showcased their
award-winning skills in debating on prominent global issues.

The central theme of this year's

tournament revolved around
the question of whether NATO
should prioritize diplomacy
over deterrence. It provided a
platform for engaging
discussions and intellectual
sparring, reflecting the
tournament's reputation as one
of the most prestigious in the
debate community.

Under debate coach Scott

McKay’s leadership, both teams
won awards in spite of tough
competition. Both teams
secured team awards, while
Arnaaz Sandhu also earned the
distinction of being the
second-best speaker overall.

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As competition intensified, and teams grappled with the prepared topic for two
rounds, the final impromptu round was a challenge of true speech and debate
skill. With the impromptu debate being on the implications of the Compassionate
Care Act in Ontario, introduced during the pandemic.

STS has long been recognized for its excellence in the realm of Speech and
Debate, and this tournament was no exception. Despite the tough competition,
the school's debate teams maintained their high standing, adding to their
impressive record. As the debate season progresses, STS debaters continue to
sharpen their skills after the winter break at regionals.

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Student Council
Seasonal Report
BY: OVERSIGHT AND COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

We are so proud to
announce the Student
Council 2023-2024
team is in Session!
Over the past few
months, we’ve been
adamantly working
on various initiatives
and improving our
presence online. This
report serves to give a
detailed account to
the public on our
work.

Right, Student Council

Team 2023

President: Kamran Shukoor Additional Councillors: Accomplishments So Far: What We Hope to Accomplish:
Speaker: Rain Liao Ariana Wong
Shamil Khan QR Code posters for STS Talent show logistics to be
Oversight Committee: Diya Giri feedback distributed in planned soon
Chloe Liu over 15 unique locations Project Pin (custom lapel pins)
Yole Udolu-Joshua
Ibrahim Tariq Project Pin (Custom lapel to ship orders if accepted
Hudson Adolphe pins) In Progress
Gaspard Savariau Mini Market Logistics to be
Brooke Conway Register STS for Calgary planned soon
Daniel Coulton
Pratap Kahlon Youth Science Fair (CYSF) More Frequent Instagram and
Benjamin Greene
Mes Udolu-Joshua STS Talent Show Proposal Online Presence
Rain Liao
Hanna Klassen in Progress Engage in Dialogue with
Collaboration with Administration Regarding the
Constitutional Review Committee: Roundsquare for Re- Uniform Guidelines Handbook
Chair: Chloe Liu introduction of Mini Market Science Fair participants to be
Sabina Siddiqui Instagram Post with over 50 recognized in their work in
Jaiden Acharya likes multiple ways
Rain Liao Website to be Developed
Soon
Communications Committee: Re-introduction of Monthly
Chair: Ray Shajani Wellness Tips
Director of External Affairs: Gaspard Savariau Significant Constitutional
Director of Internal Affairs: Chloe Liu Changes
Director of Social Media: Janiya Mahal
Director of Multimedia: Sofia Doherty Malla

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Spanish Club’s
Navidad Market
BY: SPANISH CLUB

The STS Spanish Club is composed

of like-minded individuals who
hope to promote learning and
understanding of Latin American
countries and cultures. The primary
goal of the Spanish Club is to
provide small but important
services which are often neglected
to groups who need it in Latin
American countries. Last year, we
created and organized events that
fundraised for a specific school in
rural Colombia to provide missing
resources for their game room. The
school, named ‘El paraíso De
Manuela Beltran Sede B’, is located
in Bogota, Colombia, and provides
education to students living in rural
Colombia where funding for schools
is lower than in the urban locations.

We did this through events such as our Navidad Market, in which we sold Colombian
coffee, chocolate, and candy. In addition to this, we also collaborated with design
students in STS and created homemade bags with messages in Spanish that we sold as
Christmas gifts. This allowed us to both share Latin culture and fundraise for our
cause. We have also organized free events, such as our Latin American Festival Games
Event, in which we prepared approximately 20 games traditionally played by children
on the streets of various South American countries, including Argentina, Colombia, &
Peru. This was held during a lunch period and was open to all students to enjoy.
Stations were set up in the school gym with a Spanish Club member ready to explain
and demonstrate the game.

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During the 2023-24 school year, the STS Spanish club will be switching its focus
from fundraising for a rural school in Colombia to fundraising for a foundation
called “New Generation Kids” (Fundación Nueva Generación Kids). This foundation
is focused on improving the quality of life for children who are vulnerable and/or
have disabilities. This foundation organizes sessions that provide psychological
services and education.

Our plan for this year is to fundraise money and resources for the New Generation
Kids Foundation by hosting the Navidad Market once again, and hosting other
events that bring awareness to the Foundation and Latin America in general. We
believe that any small action can make a big difference in the lives of children in
many other parts of the world.

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STS Grade Nine Camping

Trip
BY: SPARK GRADE 9 STUDENT

Many of you look forward to the Grade

Nine backpacking trip. The trip is your
last one as a middle school student.
What's not to feel excited about? On
this trip you get to see nature at its
very best!

What you get to do:

Cook your own food
Explore nature at nature’s very best
and hike
Campfires every night

Ever wanted to show off your cooking

skills? Here's your chance! You get to
cook one or two meals depending on
how big your group is. Looking at the
setting sky you get the perfect feeling
of peace and calm. When you are
cooking, it’s a lot harder to cook if you
need water because you have to boil
the water. The trip makes you really
appreciate the little things like clean
drinking water.When you are at home
you just fill up your water bottle and
drink you can't do that for the grade
nine backpacking trip you have to boil
your water or put in a purifying tablet.

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Under the canopy of trees

the sun is shining down
on you. Then under the
starry sky the moon is
shining through the trees.
The hikes were
magnificent and pretty.
The hikes and trails
include seeing Tails Lake.
Seeing the mountains is a
magical experience that
sadly many people don't
ever get to see in their
life. The trip is really fun
and the best part about it
is that you get to
experience everything
right outside with your
friends and that just
makes it so much better.

Campfire adventures under the starry sky, the moon shimmering in the sky, and the
crackle of the fire make this trip incredible. The fire is like nothing else, there were
even games. Another reason I liked it was there was a lot of time to talk to your friends
or classmates and get to know them better. But the best part is that you get to see
what nature is like at night, which you hardly ever do. Or if you do there would be so
much human impact that it might not even be what would be happening in the wild
that you are seeing. It really is a wild experience.

The grade nine backpacking trip had so many great memories and fun times. Some of
my favourites were exploring nature and the campfire. It really made me want to take
outdoor education in high school. It was fun getting to see what nature is like with
little human impact and hardly any light pollution. You could see millions of stars. The
trip was super cool. The trip is really an experience that I will never forget. I hope it
will be as fun as it was for me for future generations!

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SPARK Student Surveys

BY: DINA E.
During the SPARK activity days, my peers and I decided to build a survey and record the results to
learn what STS middle school students and teachers were thinking. We asked three questions and
the results were interesting and varied. The results for each of the questions are below and we also
included some of the most unique responses.

The first question we asked was, “If you could add anything on the STS campus, what would it be?”
There were so many cool responses and we hope we see all of these things come to the STS campus,
especially a Starbucks and a swimming pool:

Additional unique responses:

“I would love to see an Indigenous lodge house: built in the woods, connected to nature, circular in
fashion, connected to nature, and reflective of First Nations; ways of knowing and being. The lodge
would be a true connection to our STS values and beliefs and could be a global hub for all people to
gather. The lodge connects our community to the earth, to our beautiful surroundings and to the
people who walked, learned and lived in this space before we did, and to the people who are here now
and in the future. The Lodge would be a central spot for gatherings for everyone” - Ms. O’Neill

“Wall painted with the message ‘Welcome back spartans!’” - Isla, student

“A napping room with beds, bean bags and pillows.” - Layla, student

“Iced coffee in the cafeteria under $3.50.” - anonymous

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The next question we asked was, “If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it
be?” And it seems like we have a lot of sushi and potato fans in this school because sushi was
the most popular response.

The pie chart to the right reflects

the most popular responses.

Answers were varied, but here are

a couple of additional responses.

“Potatoes because you can turn a

potato into anything. Mashed
potatoes, Hash browns, french
fries.” - Isla, student

“ Milk chocolate chips.”

- Naya ( N/A ), student

Our final question was, “What was the best movie that came out this year?” Barbie [film] was the
clear winner. With the winter break coming soon, if you have not seen any of these movies,
you may want to check them out. Hopefully, Ms. Dypolt got a chance to watch at least one
movie.

Additional remarks included the

following:

“Barbenheimer.” - Ayesha, Student

“The creator. It made me cry no joke.”

- Scarlet, Student

“I haven't seen any movies this year…

well maybe I have. Wait, no I haven't.”
- Ms. Dypolt

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FUN & FICTION
A Sense of Self
BY: EZINNE N.
Chapter 4
Sitting in the worn-out booth, I thought
about what Mr. Wimry had told me.
“Mia, I’m worried for you. You’ve changed
over the years. I’m sure Isabella and Scott
noticed it too.” I can’t deny that Mr.
Wimry is right. He has known me since I
was a baby. He would tell me stories of
my laughing and smiling, babbling to all
the customers about the new drawing I
made or the bird I saw out the window.
Now, I’ve fallen so far that Yami has to
encourage me to try and talk to people. I
covered my face with my hand and
sighed. “Where did it all go wrong?” I
questioned, but in my heart, I knew.
Dad.
Ever since he passed, it was hard to
smile. To talk about feelings with others.
I tried to move on, but the cafe was
always knocking at my door. A constant
reminder of the memories I had with my
father.
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I stood up and began walking to the stairs
to my room upstairs. It was getting late.
Sleepy, I rubbed my eyes. When I opened
them, that “being watched” feeling came
rushing back, filling me up to the brink.
Quickly, I spun around and faced the
photo. My father’s eyes bear deep into my
very soul. It was almost as if he was
standing right in front of me. Everyone
has to be somewhere right?, and maybe…
This is where Dad is. If dad was here, I could
ask him…
“What should I do?” I whispered, looking
right into his eyes.
My vision flicked over to the little object
that was in my Dad’s hand. Sitting there
was a little chocolate cupcake with an
elegant swirl of vanilla frosting. It was the
one he made as an experiment, testing to
see what he could add to the menu, but
never finished. At that moment, I smiled.
I turned around and began walking again
with newfound determination. Now,
where did we keep that piping bag?
To be continued… in the next issue :)
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Dungeons and Dragons Quiz

BY: DYLAN C.DINA E.

What is Dungeons and Dragons? For those of you who don't know what Dungeons and Dragons is, it is a tabletop roleplaying
game where you play a character who goes on an adventure. Characters in DND have specialized roles like fighter or wizard.

Take the quiz below to find out what class or classes match you the best.
1. You get stranded in the middle of the forest by yourself what do 8. If you could have magic what type of magic would you
you do? have?
a. Punch a tree in rage a. Just punch things why need magic
b. Start foraging for food and water b. Divination: See the future
c. Befriend the local wildlife c. Nature: speak to animals and make stuff grow
d. Backtrack your steps to see if you can get back by yourself d. Necromancy: Summon the dead, talk to ghosts
e. Play Subway Surfers on your phone till someone stumbles upon you e. Hypnosis: Put people to sleep or bend them to your will

2. You catch a pickpocketer pickpocketing you how do you react? 9. Which well-known dead person is best?
a. Punch his teeth out a. Genghis Khan
b. Call the police b. Einstein
c. Lecture them as to why stealing is bad c. Charles Darwin
d. Join him and pickpocket some more people d. Houdini
e. Alert people that there is a pickpocket e. Michael Jackson

3. While on a school backpacking trip you encounter an angry 10. What's your favourite class?
grizzly bear what do you do? a. Gym
a. Punch the bear b. Math
b. Run c. Social studies
c. Pet the bear. Why would it be so fluffy if you can't pet it? d. English
d. Play dead e. Music/Art/Drama
e. Start reciting your last will and testament
Tally up your answers and keep track of which letter you answered the
4. You find an unlocked door in your friend's house which they told most. Whichever letter was the one you picked the most is what class you
you not to open. What do you do? are.
a. Bust down the door
b. Only peek A = Fighter / Barbarian
c. Don't open the door If you mostly answered A that means you are a very hot headed and sporty
d. Open the door being sure to cover any trace you were there person not afraid of taking action making you a fighter or barbarian. You're
e. Record a tik tok about your situation in the middle of the action and are not afraid of taking on opponents.

5. Would you rather… B = Wizard / Sorcerer / Warlock

a. Be really strong but not very smart If you mostly answered B then that means you are calm, level headed, and
b. Be really smart but not very strong smart meaning the most fitting class for you would be wizard, sorcerer or
c. Be very wise but not very strong warlock. You're able to use magic and bend it to your will.
d. Be super fast but not very strong
e. Be an amazing public speaker but not very smart C = Druid / Cleric
If you mostly answered C that means that you enjoy nature and usually take
6. Which Spiderman is best? the high road in life making druid and cleric the best classes for you. You
a. Andrew Garfield have a connection to nature and are able to use it magically to enact good
b. Tobey Maguire on the world.
c. What's a spiderman?
d. Tom Holland D = Rogue / Ranger
e. All of them If you mostly answered D That means that you are cunning, a little
mischievous and skilled at whatever you do making the best class for you be
7. A dragon is attacking the school. How do you react? rogue or ranger. You're very good at sneaking around and using others to
a. The dragon should be scared of me!! your advantage.
b. Sacrifice the children
c. Gather people and rush them to safety E = Bard
d. Hide in the forest If you mostly answered E that means you're interested in the arts, are a
e. Instagram live what's happening good public speaker and are a very social person making the best class for
you the bard. You enjoy all things around music and dance and are able to
use it to create magic.

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SUDOKU, COMIC, & JOKE

BY: EZINNE N., KAMSI O., & AND OTHERS

Joke of the month:

Where does bad light go?

To prism!
By: Annonymous (constructed by 14
students)

Picture Day by Kamsi O.

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NEWSPAPER NOOK
Newspaper Announcement: Acknowledgement of Staff:
Hello everybody! The newspaper club is
honoured to present you with this year's We could not have put together this
Winter edition! Thank you so much for amazing edition without the assistance of
picking up this edition to read, and we our fantastic team. Thank you to our
teacher supervisors Mr. Petersen, Ms.
hope you enjoyed it!
Anderson and Ms. Morrison. Thank you to
our editors, Uzonna N., Srushti S, Mina S,
If you would like to contribute to the STS Kameron S., Sarah C., and executives
Star, or missed this Edition’s deadline, Ezinne N., Kamran S., and Alec R.
please continue to write, draw, and edit
for our next edition, Volume 4: Issue 2, Incoming Exec - Let’s Welcome Alec!
Spring Edition! We would like to say welcome to Executive
Alec R. as our new executive editor in
A special note to incoming students addition to the current execs: Kamran and
from the Executive Editors: Ezi.
The STS Star is a hub for an explosion of
Lastly, we could not have done this without
creativity, news, advertising, and so
our readers, and we hope to see you in the
much more. We would love to host your
next issue, number 2!
participation! Meetings are bi-weekly on
Mondays during Middle/Senior School Sudoku Solution:
lunch in Mr. Petersen’s room. Did you
know there is also an STS Star Spark
session for middle school? If you would
like to submit anything to the
newspaper, please join the Clipboard
STS School Newspaper Group (STS
STAR).

Published By the Executive Editors Kamran S, Ezinne N, and Alec R.

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 STS STAR NEWSPAPER
A STUDENT LED INITIATIVE

QUESTIONS? COMPLAINTS? INQUIRIES?

CONTACT US AT SHUKOOK@STS.AB.CA, NWACHUE@STS.AB.CA, ROBERGA@STS.AB.CA

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