|KNIGHTWATCH|

Top Six Fall Activities to do When You’re Bored in Ottawa

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By: Maya Sano

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School has just started back up, the temperatures dropping, the leaves are turning yellow, and summer is coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean the fun stops. Fall is on its way, and instead of lying in bed at home and wishing it was still summer, here are some fun and exciting activities you can do to cherish the beauty of this season. 

 

    1. Get spooky at Saunders farm

Go in the day and enjoy their fun corn mazes and bouncing pillows. Then go at night time where you can experience saunders fright fest and go through their six haunts. 

 

    2. Go Apple Picking 

Go apple picking with your friends and family at Mountain Orchards where you can not only select apples of several variety but also venture on a forest trail and take a walk through a corn maze. 

 

    3. Hike in the Gatineau 

Hike up into the Gatineau hills where you are surrounded by autumn colours and you can truly see the beauty that is fall. 

 

     4. Go to starbucks and try their limited time fall drinks

Head down to Starbucks on your way to school and try their new fall menu... Hint: pumpkin spice is back again.

 

     5. Haunted walk

 Go on a guided walking tour of ottawa where the scary past of the city is unveiled.

 

     6. Celebrate the Day of the dead 

Celebrate the Day of the Dead at Festival Latino on November 2nd at Lansdowne Park, where you can try traditional Mexican dishes and learn about what the Day of the Dead is about. 

 

De-Stress for School

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By: Ellis C. Bissonnette

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While it would be great if students could just stop going to school altogether to avoid the mounting stress it can cause, that unfortunately isn’t the best route of action. So here are four things you can do to make your school year less stressful and save you from all those late nights filled with procrastination and bad coffee:

 

Make a schedule for what you’re going to do after school. Spending just under five minutes deciding on the amount of time to spend on each assignment and in what order lets you see that you will be able to get all your work done. It also helps you put limits on how much time you spend on each project and avoid getting stuck on one subject your whole night.

 

If you catch a cold, stay home. There’s a lot of pressure to not miss any class, but one of the best things you can do for yourself is to stay home, get some rest, and not push yourself. Doing this will help you refresh for the next day and even give you free time to finish extra work.

 

Don’t consider sleeping time “homework time”. When planning out when you’re going to start your homework, it’s important to avoid getting into the habit of thinking the deadline is the next day at 09:00. Instead, you have to tell yourself you need it done half an hour before you plan to go to bed, so that you are well rested and don’t stay up all night stressed about your work.

Avoid getting to school at the last minute. Almost all students end up showing to school last-minute at some point, however, this is something that you should avoid forming this habit because it induces unnecessary stress on you every morning. Getting to school early makes your morning less rushed and under control and starts your day off with a good start.

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How To Take Full Advantage Of University Open Houses

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By: Patrick Pearson

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It’s university open house season. An open house is an excellent opportunity to take initiative and get a good look at the campuses and programs you might be interested in. These can be extremely beneficial, and you can get an inside look at your program and decide if it’s the one for you. Open houses will help you make a plan for your university years, and might help you realize a certain school is not a good fit.

 

1. Make a plan

Look at what events are available, such as presentations and tours, and make a schedule. You will have a limited amount of time during the open house and scheduling can help you maximize your time. Leave space to look at booths or anything else you might be interested in.

 

2. Be prepared

Bring paper and a writing utensil to take notes, a folder to carry any flyers or handouts you might receive, and a bag to carry it all around.

 

3. Think ahead about any questions you might have

Take some time to consider what you aren’t so sure about regarding post-secondary. Prepare a set of questions and write them down. Do some research to find out who can answer them and where they’ll be when. Think about your financial situation or any learning restrictions you have.

 

4. Organize transportation

The biggest obstacle in attending an open house is getting there, but that can be worked around. Ask around and see if you can carpool with any friends interested in attending the open house if it’s out of town. Universities will sometimes even provide a shuttle bus from nearby cities, so investigate to see if one is available.

 

5. Map it out

University campuses can be confusing. Bring a map of the campuses and mark down what buildings you need to be in and what is in those buildings, especially if you are in a city or town that you don’t know very well. You don’t want to get lost!

 

6. Keep an eye out

Look around for things outside of why you are there. You might find out about opportunities you wouldn’t otherwise know about. 

 

7. Research

If you use the university website and other resources, such as your guidance counselor, you can answer some of your questions ahead of time, saving your precious time on the day of. Doing research might even help you realize you might have more questions.

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Nepean Improv Team

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By: Anna Berglas

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Sounds of laughter, excited commentary, and occasional gibberish is heard from the upstairs drama room, chances are Improv is on. Improv is a difficult activity to describe, and many students at club fair expressed interest as well as slight confusion. 

 

Improv, or Improvisation, is a form of live theatre. In this case, a team consisting of 8 or 6 people make up a plot, characters, dialogue and comedy, all on the spot. Improv is unique in that a performance will never be repeated, and watching team members work together to create a narrative based off a prompt is incredibly amusing. 

 

However, the club doesn’t jump right into this. Instead, Mr. Wright will lead drama games that improve confidence, creativity, and impulse. 

 

Nepean has been extremely successful with its team in the past. Last year at preliminaries, the Nepean team won in their night of play against Lisgar, Rockland District, Sacred Heart, and St. Matthew, moving onto provincials the following day, where they received 3rd place. 

 

Ms. Coltman, the previous coach of Improv, has since retired, and now Mr. Wright is leading the 2019/20 team. Improv meets Mondays and Wednesdays after school in the upstairs drama room, room 3308.

 

 After a few weeks of fun games and activities,those hoping to be on the team are asked to express their interest, and a team of 8 people and 2 alternates is determined by Mr. Wright.  

 

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                                                                The 2018/19 Improv team performing at a competition

 

Anyone wondering whether Improv is for them is encouraged to attend meetings. Everyone is welcome, and the environment in Improv can easily be described as exhilarating, freeing, and inspiring. The bonds made between team members parallels that of a family, since it’s imperative that a team work on the same wavelength. 

 

If fast-paced performance isn’t your forte, attending Improv competitions is a rewarding and enticing spectacle. Schools compete in an amicable setting in order to create stories that are creative, dynamic, and above all, hilarious.

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THE SCHOOL SPIRIT IS ALIVE THANKS TO THE SPEED

PAINTING COMPETITION

 

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By: Blanca Royo Camacho

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On December 11th lunch break our High School held a dynamic and engaging contest, which was surely exciting to attend. During this art contest, each participant was equipped with a canvas, a few brushes and array of colours in order to paint a breathtaking piece in the blink of an eye. Apart from the exceptional skills of learning shown by the artists, the nature of this event involved not only contestants but also spectators’ participation to bring the whole ambience to life. 

Four weeks of learning from the Art Club with Ms. Amenta as coordinator and the helpful aid of the two time Canada Speed Painting Champion, Allan André, were necessary to provide us with this performance. During this time, all components of the club were trained to develop the ability of fast painting. For its part, Youth Ottawa, an organization with which Allan André works to support young art, supplied all the material necessary  to make this event happen.

 

When the day of the anticipated event came, all tables were moved aside to create a circle of canvases in the middle of the cafeteria. Music was played simultaneously to set the creative mood and cheer the audience. The artists would be allowed to paint for only 22 minutes with the challenge of no frame of reference. Allan André was then the presenter, who engaged the people during the entire time including both exciting countdowns.

 

Finally, the participation of 86 voters proclaimed Khanh Nguyen as the winner of this competition with a landscape composition.

Overall, the Speed Painting Competition was a rewarding event in many ways. As Ms. Amenta cited, art is often made in isolation. However, events like this contest are one way to bring artists outside of the studio and closer to the people. As a result, spectators are now aware of the creative process and the artists build new confidence towards their art. I believe we all were amazed at the approach to art that this contest had on us as the public.  So, why not establish this competition as an NHS annual event?

 

 

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                                                                                Winning artwork by Khanh Nguyen

 

Allan André is a visual artist born in Canada. In 2014 and 2016 this artist won the Ottawa regional championship for Art Battle Canada’s nationwide speed painting competition.In July 2016, André won the Art Battle National championship establishing himself as Canada's best speed painter.

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This artist has always been interested in art. When he was a 5-6 year old child Allan liked painting cartoons. “At first I used to ask my sister to draw them for me, but with the time I started doing it myself” claimed the artist. 

Allan André sold his first painting while he was in the 5th or 6th grade. It helped him towards building his identity and to start calling himself an artist. Afterwards, he studied Graphic Design at uOttawa and he currently keeps learning new things. That's how art works. You are never done discovering new things.

Allan André started to participate Live Painting competitions. Through this type of art is how he discovered Speed Painting Competitions as well. Enjoying this kind of art is for him a sum of many reasons. Allan believes that as many people he thrives under pressure. Moreover, Allan reckons that through Speed Painting you also get the advantage of getting to know a wider community.  

 

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Contestants: Emily Laforest, Fue Feng Shi, Lianna D’Angelo, Khanh Nguyen, Freya Salewski,Kat Farrel, Merra Thomas, Abi Gasparotto and Charlotte Adler.

Event coordinated by the Art Club with supervision of Ms. Amenta and the Speed Painter Championship Allan André.

Photographers: Maya Sano & Rebecca Plante

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Top 5 Study Tips To Get You Through The Semester!

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By: Julianna Haugen

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    1. Listen to music:

If studying is something that you dread, make it fun! Listening to your favourite music is something that can help brighten your mood and make you enjoy study time. You can even create a playlist made specifically for studying filled with songs that are mellow and calming. 

 

    2. Designate time for studying:

It can be hard to find time for studying, especially when you push it off and end up rushing through it the night before the test, and trust me, I know how that works out. The best way to ensure you get your homework and studying done, is to make sure you create time for it. Make a schedule of the days that you want to study, keeping in mind any plans you may have. Also, include what area of the subject/unit you want to study for each day so you know you won’t forget anything. By writing down when you are going to study, it will ease your mind knowing that you have time to get everything done.

 

    3. Create study sheets:

One way I like to study, is by making “study sheets”. These are the pages where you summarize key ideas from the unit, and make bullet points/examples. Try keeping these pages to one sheet, that way it is easier to remember. To make it more fun, you can use coloured pens or markers and draw doodles of key ideas. (Example in picture!)

 

    4. Make a list of things you struggle with:

Throughout the unit as you do your homework, keep a list of anything that you have a hard time with or don’t understand completely. This way when it comes to studying, you can focus on these areas first. Once you understand them, move on to the rest. This ensures you have time for everything, and that you don’t forget something. 

 

    5. Study with friends:

There are two main reasons why studying with a group of friends can be good. The first is for help. If you study with a group of people, this means you have individuals with different strengths. If there is something that you don’t understand, chances are someone else will be able to help you. As well, getting together with friends can make studying more fun. If you worry about not having time for studying and socializing, combine them together. The only catch is to make sure you don’t get too distracted and end up not getting much studying in. 

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Spaghetti Dinner Article

 

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By: Declan McCloskey

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The annual KEY Club Spaghetti Dinner of 2020 kicked off an amazing night for visiting parents and potential new Nepean students attending the Grade Eight Night. With over 150 attendees, it was the most successful dinner in recent years.

 

The dinner and auction, which featured dozens of items generously donated by businesses in the community, raised over $1 000 for Doctors Without Borders, an international charity offering medical support in areas of need we are very proud to support.

 

KEY Club members spent hours preparing the food ahead of time, consisting of a rich meat sauce as well as a vegetarian option, spaghetti (both gluten free and gluten full), garlic bread (only gluten full), a full salad bar, and an array of assorted desserts. 

 

The event’s only shortcoming was its own success, as turnout was even more than expected. But it was not the food that ran out by the end of the event: it was the plates!

 

The success of the night would not have been possible without the generous donation of elbow-grease by the principal Mrs. McNamara, vice principals Mrs. Barber and Mr. Campbell, and teachers Mrs. White and Ms. Samuels.

 

The event was also not without entertainment, with the Nepean High School Improv team performing a routine to open the night. The jazz band performed a set as well, and presentations were wrapped up with a speech from Doctors Without Borders representative Dr. Indu Gambhir.

 

With empty plates, full stomachs and a few prizes to take home, the KEY Club annual spaghetti dinner at Nepean High school was a success, thanks to the parents of next year’s grade nine Nepean students.

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Your Guide to Studying Smarter 

And Getting Better Grades!

 

 

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By: Rebecca McGee Woods

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Are you new to high school and feeling overwhelmed about studying for an upcoming test? Or maybe you are simply looking to find new, effective ways to study instead of cramming for a test the night before? If so, this article may be able to help! 

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Although I am by no means an expert, as a grade 12 student, I have had my fair share of quizzes, exams, and unit tests in almost every subject. Over the years, I have had experience testing out many different study methods and have found what works for me best. Everyone has different learning styles, so it is important to create your own study habits. However, I believe I have found some helpful ones worth sharing: 

 

• Start by writing down everything that will be covered on the upcoming quiz or test. This will help remind you of all the little details you may have forgotten about, and you can check off each topic as you move through your studying.

 

• Complete the unit/test review material which has been assigned! This allows you to see where your areas of weakness lie and get a sense of what the test questions will be like. 

 

• Make a study sheet. While it is time consuming, I tend to type up all of my notes for most classes because this helps me to remember things I have forgotten, but you could just re-write or highlight and over your notes if this works better for you. Additionally, make sure to highlight important words/phrases and annotate your notes with examples. 

 

• For history, english, or other social science classes, write practice paragraphs or plan out possible essay prompts. I have told myself on too many occasions that I could come up with arguments for an in-class essay/assignments on the spot, only to later regret this. It never hurts to plan ahead!

 

• Test your memory by attempting to write out definitions for different concepts. You could also create mind maps and/or phases to help you remember certain ideas. 

 

• Create a study playlist. Listening to music not only helps you focus, but makes studying more enjoyable and relaxing. 

 

• Although it is difficult, try to avoid picking up your phone every few minutes or whenever you get bored. The only thing this will do is prolong the amount of time you need to spend studying.

 

• Remember to allow yourself to have breaks to stretch your legs, eat snacks, and stay hydrated. Even better, help motivate and reward yourself with a snack or drink you enjoy!