CGS News
CGS NEWs
Back To School Night 2025-2026
By Diya Shihab Kavungathodika (c/o 2026)
CGS held its annual Back to School Night on September 9th, an event that brought together many parents, teachers and staff to begin the 2025-2026 school year. The evening was a great opportunity for parents to connect with the school, learn more about the academic journey their children will experience this year, and meet the dedicated teachers that guide them throughout this year.
The evening began with a presentation led by Ms. Parham and Ms. Spero who shared information about the upcoming programs and opportunities at CGS. The presentation lasted about 20-30 minutes and touched on several key topics, including highlights of the school year, updates and info about the IB Diploma Program and the Middle Years Program (MYP), as well as the details about the study tours and other learning experiences students will take part in. The presentation was both informative and engaging, giving the parents a clear overview of the school’s goals and expectations for this new year.
After the presentation, parents had the chance to rotate through classrooms and meet their student’s subject teachers. The rooms were organized by subject areas such as language, science, math, literature, history etc. allowing families to easily navigate in the building and speak directly with the teachers. These meetings gave parents an inside look at the curricula and the classroom environment while also giving them a chance to ask questions about the assignments, projects and how they can best support their children at home. Many parents had a great time talking to teachers and engaging with the CGS community.
Another exciting part of the evening was the new CGS merchandise was on sale. Parents and students had the opportunity to purchase the latest collection, which included the newly designed T-shirts for $15 and cozy hoodies for $45. Along with the new designs, the school also offered some of the leftover classic T-shirts and hoodies from the past years, giving families even more options for the school spirit.
The night officially ran from 6:00-8:00 PM, but the energy and the laughter lasted well beyond that time. Parents left feeling more informed, connected and ready to support their students throughout the school year. Overall the 2025 CGS Back to School Night was a great success. A huge thanks goes to all the volunteers, ambassadors and student government members who helped make the event run smoothly and ensured that everyone had an easy and enjoyable experience.
CGS NEWs
PSAT Tips: What Students Found Helpful This Year
By Grace Winn (c/o 2028)
On Tuesday, October 1st, and Wednesday, October 2nd, both CGS and Brien McMahon students took their fall PSAT exams. The assessment was divided into two subjects: math and English , and the students followed a half-day schedule to complete their tests. Since it had been just over a month since the start of a new school year, many probably found it challenging to study for the exam in addition to participating in new clubs, sports, and completing homework for their classes. However, following a small survey, students were able to discuss some tips they used to help themselves prepare for this fall's assessment.
As noted in the Bluebook application, several students observed that there was a practice PSAT exam. Although there are textbooks and other apps that provide practice tests, a CGS student, Tazz Boulekhyam, shared that completing the practice exam on the online application helped her become accustomed to the process of taking the assessment , as well as the application's style and format. Although all actual scores are yet to be released, numerous students reported feeling more prepared for the PSAT after completing the Bluebook practice exam.
Another tip that some used to help themselves prepare for the PSAT was utilizing other academic applications, particularly Khan Academy. Students shared that there were similar questions and testing styles on Khan Academy, which helped them feel more comfortable when it was time to take the PSAT. Since Khan Academy offers numerous courses, including practice lessons and tests, it is also an excellent option for studying for the PSAT.
Given that testing season can become stressful for many students, it's important to allocate time to study beforehand to feel more prepared for the exam. Although some students might simply not perform as well on online assessments as others, researching various tips and strategies for studying may still foster a better understanding of PSAT topics and provide a greater chance of achieving a higher score.
CGS NEWs
Mid-Autumn Festival Potluck
By Jacob Legum (c/o 2026)
On September 20th, CGS held the Mid-Autumn Potluck from 6 to 8 PM, celebrated for the harvest and to thank the gods. This tradition started more than 2,000 years ago and follows the story of Hou Yi, who shot down 9 suns out of 10, leaving one for human survival. As a reward, the Queen Mother gave him a potion of immortality, and while he took it, he would not drink it because of his love for his wife. However, Peng Meng, his apprentice, tried to steal the potion for himself, so in an act of desperation, his wife drank the potion and was forced to live an eternal life separated from Hou Yi. This tradition is celebrated by lighting lanterns, baking and eating mooncakes, matchmaking, and playing many games.
CGS celebrated this holiday on September 20th by holding a potluck for many to learn about the culture behind this tradition. They first held a presentation accompanied by a play of the backstory of Hou Yi and why it's celebrated. Then they presented a video about the traditions of the holiday, and afterwards put on a performance that many Chinese learners participated in . After that, the food arrived from different backgrounds. It was truly an event that brought many together, and as a person who is learning Arabic, discovering the festival was fascinating and incredible for learning about another culture. It truly united everyone who attended; I even met a friend I hadn 't seen in a while. So make sure you come to next year's potluck and keep an eye out for future potlucks like this one .
CGS NEWs
Navigating the College Application Process: Challenges, Stress and Support Systems
By Kaitlyn Kennedy (c/o 2025)
After having submitted all of my college applications I began to talk to friends about their experiences. Although the feelings varied, we all could come to the conclusion that there was undeniable stress when it came to “selling the best version of ourselves” to colleges. With this feeling I surveyed high school seniors (21) about their experiences with the college application process. The survey explored factors such as application types, stress levels, time commitment, challenges faced, mental health impact, coping mechanisms, and the adequacy of school support.
My findings are the following:
Types of Colleges Applied To
State/Public Universities: 95.2% of respondents applied to state or public universities, making it the most popular choice.
Private Universities: 85.7% of respondents applied to private institutions.
Ivy League/Highly Selective Institutions: 57.1% of respondents included these schools in their applications.
Community Colleges: Only 4.8% of respondents considered community colleges.
Stress Levels
Most respondents rated the college application process as moderately to highly stressful, with 61.9% rating their stress at a level of 7 or 8 out of 10.
A smaller portion (4.8%) rated the experience as extremely stressful (10/10).
Time Commitment
Less than 5 hours/week: 47.6% of respondents.
5–10 hours/week: 42.9%.
10–15 hours/week: 9.5%.
More than 15 hours/week: 4.8%.
Challenges in the Application Process
Top Challenges:
Writing essays (90.5%).
Managing deadlines (66.7%).
Researching schools and programs (47.6%).
Other Challenges:
Financial aid applications (38.1%).
Standardized tests (33.3%).
Emotional barriers such as "Not being smart enough" were reported by one respondent, indicating a need for reassurance and confidence-building.
Impact on Mental Health
Negative Impact: A majority experienced a negative effect on their mental health:
Slightly negative (47.6%).
Moderately negative (23.8%).
Severely negative (9.5%).
No Positive Impact: None of the respondents reported a positive impact on their mental health.
Symptoms Experienced
Increased anxiety or stress: 95.2%.
Feeling overwhelmed or burned out: 71.4%.
Difficulty sleeping: 28.6%.
Decreased academic performance: 23.8%.
Improved organization and time management: 23.8%.
Support Systems
Top Resources Used:
Friends (81%).
Family (76.2%).
Other Resources:
School counselors (42.9%).
Teachers (38.1%).
Online resources (33.3%).
Therapy or mental health professionals (23.8%).
School Support
Perception of School Support:
42.9% felt their school provided adequate resources for mental health.
28.6% did not feel adequately supported.
28.6% were unsure about the adequacy of support.
With this my goal has come to attempt to find ways to deal with the stress that seniors are put under when it comes to the increased workload related to college applications. I believe that schools should provide more accessible mental health resources, such as therapy, stress management workshops, or peer support groups. Along with that essay writing workshops and individual guidance could help ease the workload that comes with all the essays written. The additional help can also help students fight the thought that their essays aren't “good enough”. Similarly resources to aid in deadline management, such as planners, apps, or counseling, could address the time management issues so work doesn't get too piled up. I believe that CGS does a good job at the following, but talking to McMahon peers they cannot say the same. Schools should actively promote the resources available to students, ensuring they are aware of the help they can access. Knowing what students have access too can help them deal with stressors. All the scholarships, financial aid, teachers willing to help, and adult support can't do anything if students don't know about and/ or use these resources.
The survey highlights the significant stress and challenges faced by students during the college application process. While many rely on informal support systems like friends and family, there is a clear need for schools to offer more robust and visible resources to address both logistical and emotional challenges. These interventions could significantly improve the overall experience and outcomes for students navigating this demanding process.
Headline
The Qatari Students Visit to CGS
By Jacob Legum (c/o 2026)
From April 20th to the 25th, kids from Qatar came to visit CGS. When I asked what their school was like in Qatar to see if there were any significant changes between our school systems, I found that there weren’t that many differences between their school systems and ours. However when I asked what life was like in Qatar outside of school, I found there to be a huge difference in certain living styles. There are no taxes in Qatar, and soccer is the most popular sport in the country. They were all very nice and loved their visit here.
The first day they got here, we picked them all up and took them to colony pizza, and for the rest of Saturday and all of Sunday the Qatari students and their hosts went to do whatever they wanted. Then for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday they came to visit our school to see what our school was like. However Monday we went on a few trips. Some of the trips that we took part in were going to the maritime aquarium and the SONO mall, which in my opinion were a lot of fun. Other things that we did was the ice cream social with all of the students, had a thanksgiving like dinner, and more, all which were a lot of fun. Thursday after school we had to say goodbye to the Qatari students. Hosting to me was a very fun experience, and was very fun for a lot of other students as well.
CURRENT EVENTS
EARTH DAY!
By Nicole Jimenez (c/o 2027)
At the 1969 UNESCO conference, peace activist John McConell proposed Earth Day to honor the earth and peace. He suggested that teach ins could be applied all over the US. Earth Day is a globally recognized holiday that is celebrated on April 22 every year. Over 190 countries recognize and celebrate Earth Day. Earth Day will be celebrating its 55th anniversary next year. Earth Day was first celebrated on March 21, the first day of spring. There’s a few reasons as to why that changed, for example, Earth Day wasn’t actually called Earth Day before. It actually didn’t even have an official name. Julien Koenig, the creator of the famous “Think Small” Volkswagen campaign, was approached by one of the advertisers for the Earth Day campaign and asked him for some name ideas. Some options were E Day, Ecology Day, Environment Day, etc. Koenig ultimately decided on Earth Day because Earth Day rhymes with birthday and his birthday was on April 22. Earth Day had gotten moved to April 22 so it could be right around the time where college students were finishing their finals and about to go on break. Now Earth Day is celebrated with 1000s of concerts, rallies, and more.
Now, I got the pleasure to talk to Natalie Andruchow, who runs the CGS environmental club. We discussed what the environmental club does for our community, why she joined, her own opinions on climate change, and what you as a teen can do to help. After talking to Natalie I learned a bit as to how the environmental club works. They meet around once a week, they haven’t been able to do as much because of the early release days but they have had some successful fundraisers and have donated money to organizations that are helping prevent the climate change process. They did an Earth Day event to help clean up trash all around McMahon/CGS. They estimated that around 50 bags of litter were cleaned. I learned a bit about the origins of the environmental club, the club has actually been around for almost 10 years which is actually pretty old when we’re talking about a CGS club. Natalie joined because of her interest in biology and now she’s running it!
As teens we may not know what to do to help stop climate change or how to help. Natalie has some tips for what you can do to help. You can use a reusable water bottle instead of a plastic one. Also, instead of just throwing out stuff like that, you can recycle it. You can also join local trash cleanups around Norwalk or any neighboring communities. If there’s none available you can create your own! You can also conserve energy by turning off all your lights when you leave the house, instead of taking hot, long showers you can take short, lukewarm showers. Instead of taking your car everywhere, walk or ride your bike, or you can even carpool, obviously if it’s within a reasonable distance. You can also participate in the environmental club if you are unsure as to what you should do to help. All these small tasks might sound like nothing but just imagine if everyone did these simple things, a lot would be different. Earth Day is a holiday that allows us to celebrate the Earth as a whole but who’s saying we can’t celebrate Earth Day every day!
WORKS CITED
“Earth Day.” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Day. Accessed 30 April 2024.
“Earth Day 2024: How To Get Involved.” Earth.Org, https://earth.org/earth-day-facts/. Accessed 30 April 2024.
Root, Tik. “How teens can take steps to fight climate change.” The Washington Post, 22 October 2021, https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2021/10/22/teen-youth-fight-change-ideas/. Accessed 30 April 2024.
CGS News
CGS Halloween
By Benjamin Legum (c/o 2026)
On October 31 of every year, a commonly known holiday called Halloween takes place. Many traditions may take place on this day, from carving pumpkins, to trick-or-treating, to watching horror movies like “Halloween” or “The Conjuring.” This year, students and faculty in CGS were allowed to dress up in costumes that fit the rules that Ms. Parham sent out. There was a wide variety of costumes this year. Some students came in dressed in as teachers: Jacob Legum (Grade 10) dressed up as Mr. Banas and Mia Montanari (Grade 12) dressed up as Ms. Parham. Jelson Martinez (Grade 12) came in a Spiderman costume, Bennett Schindelman (Grade 11) as Waldo from the book “Where’s Waldo,” Ms. Parham as Santa Claus, and Ms. Ryan and Ms. O came in as Bad Bunny from the movie “Space Jam.”
Ms. Ryan and Ms. Oberacker
Bennett Schindelman (Grade 11)
Ms. Parham and Mia Montanari (Grade 12)
When and why did halloween start?
Halloween’s origins date back to the Ancient Celts about 2000 years ago, to the festival of Samhain. It marked the end of harvest and the beginning of winter, which was associated with death. The Celts believed that the land of living and dead became blurred together and celebrated this on October 31 to celebrate the “Ghosts return to Earth.” The Celts also believed that the spirits helped Celtic Priests make predictions. Druids would build large bonfires, and Celts would burn crops and animals in costumes. Once the bonfire ceremony was over, the Celts relit the hearth fires from the bonfire to help protect them from the coming winter. This festival eventually evolved into celebrations in America where public events were held to celebrate the harvest and neighbors would tell stories of the dead and fortunes. In the late 1800s America turned the holiday into a community event instead of a religious holiday, which was also the cause of the holiday to lose its religious tone and helped it evolve to how it is today.
Works Cited:
History.com Editors. “Halloween 2018.” History.com, 13 Mar. 2019, www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween.
CGS News
Mid-Autumn Festival Potluck
By Jacob Legum (c/o 2026)
CGS NEWS
Do you know the reason why the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated? The tale begins when the Emperor of Heaven tasks a hunter named Hou Yi to shoot down the 10 sun. He shoots down every sun, except for one. In return his reward was a potion of eternal life. However, he wouldn’t drink the potion because he wanted to stay with his wife, Chang-E. One day he leaves to go hunting, and his apprentice Feng Meng breaks in to steal the potion. To prevent Feng from stealing the potion, Chang-E drank the potion herself. Because of this, she flies to the moon and becomes the smoon goddess. Hou Yi soon realizes that his wife drank the potion when he returns home, and sees his wife fly away. So every night he would lay out her favorite food for her, and because of their love for each other, they are allowed to see each other one time per lunar calendar to reunite. And that is the day we celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Our CGS Mid-Autumn Festival Potluck was originally on September 29th, but due to a horrible rain storm that caused flash floods, it was postponed to October 13th during 4A. Run by Ms. Lovro, Ms. Lok Defino, China Club, and the IB Chinese students, the potluck began with a reenacting of the tale of Hou Yi and Change-E. The IB Chinese kids then explained how the festival was celebrated throughout the world. Afterwards, participants from IB Chinese would sing two songs: ‘Super Idol’ and ‘The Moon Represents My Heart’ all in Chinese. After that, the Japanese kids got on stage and read Haikus. To end things off, everyone did the bunny dance. Though it was sad that not everyone could come to see the celebratory experience (due to classes still meeting), it was still an amazing experience for others. Be sure to make it to our next potluck!
CGS News
Taiwanese Students Visit CGS, Friendships Founded and Memories Made
By Isabella Amso (c/o 2025)
As August was winding down and summer work deadlines approached, I, along with a rather small yet friendly group of CGS’s Chinese students, arrived at the school’s entrance over two weeks early. This was not due to a need for summer school, yet an opportunity to engage with friends from afar. Students from Yinghai International School, located in the city of Tainan, spent their 11 days in Norwalk visiting landmarks, local areas, and learning about global engagement. From the night of August 12th to the morning of the 23rd, it was safe to say that the time spent together would be missed.
The first few days were dedicated to bonding with host families, yet “school” started fresh and early that Monday. As I was unable to host due to personal reasons, I was excited to meet the students my friends were hosting on the first days of activities. We began with interactive icebreakers, sparing the awkwardness and heading outside for some games. The day continued after a few more activities and lunch with a lesson from Mrs. Fortuna, as she and others such as Mr. Banas, Mrs. Lovro, and Ms. Oberacker were generous to conduct lessons with the students in history, art, and humanities throughout the week.
Besides showing the students around Norwalk, we spent a few days outside of the city. At night, the students would often meet at Mrs. Lovro’s beautiful home for movie nights and wind down time. On Wednesday, we took a trip to Yale University to take a tour and try the famous Pepe’s Pizza. The weekend was pretty packed as well, as
Saturday was spent on long bus rides to enjoy the thrills of Six Flags New England. Sunday, our last venture, was cherished by exploring Manhattan, in all its chaos and beauty. From the touristy areas of Midtown and Times Square to the artsy neighborhood of Chelseaa and ending in Bryant Park, we walked and took subways through the greatest city in the world. Between minor transportation issues and getting lost in Macy’s, the daytrip was a hit as we ate lunch at Chelsea Market, walked Lower Manhattan’s Highline, visited local art markets, and stumbled upon a street food festival where the students tried common dishes from Latino vultures.
Their trip ended with a signature CGS potluck, where the Taiwanese students presented their culture projects and we shared one last party together. It was bittersweet saying goodbye to friends we had made so many quickly, yet our friendships were made to last. I am glad to say that I am one of many that are still in contact with some of the students, and that hopefully one day we can meet again.
CGS NEWS
CGS and BMHS’ Day of Silence
By Tallulah Lintern, Grade 11
Have you ever heard of the Day of Silence? If you have, great! You can skip this paragraph. If you haven’t, I’ll be quick. The Day of Silence is a student-led demonstration where LGBTQ+ students and allies take a vow of silence to protest the harassment and discrimination of LGBTQ+ people in schools. The first Day of Silence was in the mid-1990s, and has expanded to include thousands of students every April.
BMHS and CGS began allowing students and staff to formally observe the Day of Silence in 2022. 72 people participated. This year, the official Day of Silence was April 14. Since that was in the middle of our spring break, BMHS and CGS couldn’t observe it in school. So the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) will be holding its Day of Silence on Friday, May 12, at the close of Spirit Week. The Spirit Days are below, feel free to participate in however many or few days you want.
If you’d like to sign up for the Day of Silence, do so through this form. The form will be open until the end of the school day on Wednesday, May 10. Before first period on Friday, stop by room 1021, Ms. O’s room, to pick up your Day of Silence “excused” card, which you can use to show teachers and friends to explain why you’re not talking. For Block 4, anyone officially participating in the Day of Silence (there will be a list) will meet in the CGS Community Room to break the silence and celebrate. There might be snacks. Remember that, to participate in the celebration, you must sign up through the form above by Wednesday, May 10 in order to be on the official list.
CGS News
TedX at CGS
By Tallulah Lintern (C/o 2024)
Have you ever watched a TEDtalk in a class? I have, and clearly so have many others, because CGS will be hosting its own TEDx on Saturday, June 3. TEDx is an initiative from TED to involve more communities and share more ideas through community organizers. The aim is to publicize more research and information than TED can do by itself. TEDx events follow the TEDtalk format and can take advantage of guidelines from the TED organization on curation, organizing, speaker coaching, and more. One of CGS’s seniors, Camilo Ham, learned about it and decided to do a TEDx event for his Capstone project. A group of dedicated students have worked for the past year to develop a TEDx event with nine speakers.
There are six teams working on the event. Administration is led by Camilo and Ms. Kambanis, Marketing is run by junior Dinyar Unvala, and finances is run by senior Patrick Feagan. The design team is led by the Chronicle’s own Ella Dino, a junior, translation is run by senior Jasper Recinos-Moya, and events is led by sophomore Kyle Nashe. Assisting on all teams is senior Jujiang Metcalf, in her position as Ms. Kambanis’s intern. Other students work with these leaders on their respective projects.
The TEDx event itself will take place on Saturday, June 3, 2023, in the CGS Community Room. Ticket reservations are open at this link, now totally free for a half day, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm or 1:00 pm to 4:45 pm. Nine incredible speakers will perform in English or Spanish, with subtitles for both languages available. Speakers will include Martha Parizot on conversation, food, and culture, Leia Lowery on relationships, climate change, and youth, and Jessica Rosario on ethics, gardening, and poverty. Rose Reyes will speak about education, democracy, and inclusion, Cadence Patheny about gender, parenting, and social change, and Anka Badurina will speak about poverty, identity, and immigration. From the CGS student community, junior Cat Colonnello and sophomore Krisayde Arevalo will give a singing performance about storytelling and friendship, and senior Myles Henneghan will play the drums in relation to the topics music and love. Visit the TEDx instagram, @tedxcgsyouth, for speaker bios and more information.
These speakers are traveling to CGS to talk about something they love to people like you. They’re coming from as far away as Maine and as close as the Triangle Community Center in downtown Norwalk, giving up their Saturday to speak to you about what’s important to them and today’s world. There will be food stands and other performances as well, all for just $5.00! TEDx is also looking for volunteers to help keep the event and recordings running smoothly, who can be students, parents, and staff. Contact Ms. Kambanis or any of the student leaders listed above for more information.
The community is one of CGS’s greatest assets, and this could expand the community in a big way and put CGS on the map. You’re a valued member of that community. Buy a ticket, volunteer, tell your friends and family. You won’t regret it.
History
History of Earth Day
By Natalie Andruchow
On Friday, April 21, Center for Global Studies’s environmental club hosted an all-day Earth day event! The event consisted of various activities, ranging from planting seeds in the CGS garden and picking up trash, to poster competitions (Click here to see the posters that were made!) and presentations about multiple topics such as sustainable fashion, and myths about climate change. So why did the environmental club host this event? What is the significance of Earth day? To answer this question, we need to look at Earth day’s history and what it is.
Each year on April 22, there is a worldwide celebration known as Earth Day. It highlights methods for preserving the planet and honors the diversity of the globe's environments. It might be challenging to concentrate on the little steps that people and communities can take to address the climate catastrophe when phrases like "code red for humanity" and "climate change" are mentioned. However, Earth Day aims to emphasize how everyone can contribute to the change.
According to the official Earth Day website EARTHDAY.ORG, Earth Day began in 1970 when 20 million Americans, 10% of the country's population at the time, gathered to highlight the significance of increasing protection for our planet.
According to the official Earth Day website, it now involves 1 billion people and more than 150,000 partners in 192 countries. On Earth Day, we honor our planet and raise awareness of the need to hold various groups responsible for their part in the environmental disaster.
"Everyone accounted for, and everyone accountable" EARTHDAY.ORG states.
Environmental organizations and scientists agree that it is now more important than ever to take action against climate change because environmental issues are so serious and broad. Scientists like Jane Goodall, who has been studying chimpanzees for the past 60 years, are advocating for a whole-systems approach to figuring out how to maintain our climate.
"None of us can do it alone. It's quite ridiculous. The problems are huge," Goodall said at the 2021 Nature Conservancy in California Summit.
"We need every single organization that cares about the future of the planet to get together and to work out ways that we can share these small pools of money available, and find ways of lobbying those billionaires who have so much money to help us so that we don't have to fight and squabble over funding," Goodall stated.
So why should we celebrate Earth day?
Our planet is vulnerable as a result of the choice to clear more forests and the rise in pollution. Humans' lack of knowledge about the environment is spreading quickly. Therefore, Earth Day must be observed on April 22 in order to raise public awareness and teach people about their harmful behavior that can harm the ecosystem in the following years.
Works Cited:
Earth Day. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/earth-day. Accessed 22 Apr. 2023.
“Earth Day Facts and History.” Celebrations, 27 Jan. 2017, https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/celebrations/article/earth-day.
Fountain, Henry. “How The Times Covered the First Earth Day, 50 Years Ago.” The New York Times, 21 Apr. 2020. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/21/climate/NYT-first-earth-day.html.
Gruenberg, Mark. “Earth Day 2022: Campaigners Hit Streets to Combat Climate Change.” People’s World, 22 Apr. 2022, https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/earth-day-2022-campaigners-hit-streets-to-combat-climate-change/.
Hauck, Grace. “From New Zealand to Italy, Hundreds of Thousands Are Protesting Again for Earth Strike.” USA TODAY, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/09/27/climate-protest-earth-strike-planned-after-un-action-summit/3776985002/. Accessed 22 Apr. 2023.
“The History of Earth Day.” Earth Day, https://www.earthday.org/history/. Accessed 22 Apr. 2023.
Troyer, Susan. “The First Earth Day Was a Shot Heard Around the World.” A Beautiful Voice, 22 Apr. 2020, https://abeautifulvoice.org/2020/04/22/the-first-earth-day-was-a-shot-heard-around-the-world/.
Yeo, Sophie. How the Largest Environmental Movement in History Was Born. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200420-earth-day-2020-how-an-environmental-movement-was-born. Accessed 22 Apr. 2023.
CGS NEWs
My Experience as a Host Family
By Ella Dino, Grade 11
From March 14th to March 23rd, twenty students from Kojo High School in Isehara, Japan participated in homestays with CGS families - myself being one of them. After staying with a host family in Japan as well as hosting a student myself, I can say for sure that the friendship and cultural exchange that comes with the experience is truly incredible.
Before my host student, Yuna, even arrived in America, we connected on Instagram and started to get to know each other. It can be very intimidating to realize that you’re going to live with a stranger for a week, so breaking the ice and talking to one another is a great way to feel more comfortable! One of the biggest challenges that host families tend to face is the communication barrier due to language. In my experience, it isn’t as scary as it may seem at first. I tried my best to speak Japanese throughout the homestay, and my amazing host student used English whenever she could (even to reply to me when I spoke to her in Japanese). I also picked up on a couple of new words, and so did Yuna, because we would ask each other how to say things in each other’s languages. Making friends with people who speak another language definitely motivated me to study harder at Japanese, because I found myself wishing I could take our conversations further. Overall, I think that having a homestay is a great way to get more comfortable with speaking your target language, since a lot of in-school language instruction tends to be written rather than spoken.
In addition to the language aspect, I really wanted to give my host student a complete view of what the life of an American high school student is like. I tried to plan a variety of activities that are things I would normally do with my American friends, such as shopping, going to the beach, and getting ice cream. Every time we went somewhere
new, it was always interesting to compare different aspects of our lifestyles to one another’s. It allowed me to consider what my life was like from the perspective of a foreigner: even the most mundane aspects of my daily life could end up being drastically different from how my host student would go about doing them in Japan. In between school, after school activities, and going out to different places, we also spent a lot of time hanging out together at home. One thing that I really enjoyed was playing different games with my host student - I taught her a couple of American card games and board games, and she taught me her favorite ones from Japan. We also showed each other our favorite movies, TV shows, and music, which was a lot of fun. On the weekend, we decided to go to the New York Botanical Gardens, since Yuna is in the photography club at Kojo. We had a great time exploring the gardens together, and she took some beautiful photos while we were there. Another one of my favorite things we did together was cooking. Yuna showed me how to make okonomiyaki and sushi rolls, both of which were delicious. Food is such a significant part of people’s lives, so I think that it’s a great way to explore each other’s cultures. We took our sushi rolls to the CGS Kojo potluck, which was such a memorable and fun night. The entire hosting experience was so much fun and truly unforgettable; I feel so lucky to have been able to make friendships from the other side of the world. If you’re thinking about hosting an exchange student next year, I would highly recommend it if you get the opportunity!
CGS NEWS
Chicago
By Tallulah Lintern, Grade 11
Move over Trina Vega, there’s a new Chicago singer ready to “paint the town!” For all you Nickelodeon kids, Trina’s iconic “Chicago” song on Victorious isn’t actually from the musical Chicago. The real songs are way cooler! (Don’t worry, I didn’t know either!) This year’s BMHS/CGS Spring Musical is Chicago, which is about the fictional murder case of Roxie Hart, from the murder of her adulterous lover to her acquittal, orchestrated by the brilliant Billy Flynn. Set to a phenomenal soundtrack, a group of incredible characters dance and write their way through the dark side of 1920s Chicago.
Unfortunately, by the time this article is published, closing night will have already happened. But you were there, of course. Right? The fabulous Roxies, Emily Lupinacci and CGS’s own Isabella Cuartas, and equally amazing Velmas, Skai Harmon and Aliana Aspesi, will have raked in their last chips and taken their last stand. But for six amazing performances, they glittered under the lights, transporting us to the Roaring 20s for a couple of hours.
Asked to describe their characters in one word, the Roxies responded quickly, with “ambitious” (Lupinacci) and “mischievous” (Cuartas). Characteristically, both Velmas hesitated, then presented several options, rapid fire, before finally deciding on “captivating” (Harmon) and “confident” (Aspesi). All four adjectives could apply to either character, but Velma is certainly more captivating than she is mischievous, and I do think Roxie is more ambitious than confident, though her confidence increases as the show progresses.They know their characters.
Back in November, I wrote about PUFFS, the BMHS fall play. I said in that article that, “as stage manager, I have had a front row seat for how hard everyone is working on this show.” Well, I was stage manager for Chicago, too, and I can tell you that everyone worked doubly hard for this. We worked hard on PUFFS, but McMahon and CGS have a reputation for incredible spring musicals that must be fulfilled. For Chicago, on top of lines and cues and expressions, people also had to learn music. Have you ever tried sight reading music? Or matching your voice to a piano note? It’s extremely difficult. And yet, over 90 people did it for Chicago, just because they wanted to put on a good show. A 16-piece pit band rehearsed over and over to play those notes just right, because they wanted to put on a good show. 30 crew members, from the dressing room to backstage to the tech booth, sewed, pulled, and programmed for weeks. Why? To put on a good show, of course!
All of that for just six performances. But those six nights were glorious. They were sparkly and jazzy and glamorous. But most importantly, they were the culmination of everything we worked for, everything we cried for, everything we pushed back homework assignments for. For four nights, live on stage, a group of talented high schoolers jumped back into a time when their grandparents weren’t even alive yet, immersing themselves into the underbelly of one of the most famous cities in America. Under those lights, Isabella and Emily weren’t Isabella and Emily. They were Roxie. Aliana and Skai weren’t Aliana and Skai. They were Velma. And, you know, for four nights the Brien McMahon Auditorium wasn’t the Brien McMahon Auditorium. It was Chicago, circa 1925.
And.
All.
That.
JAZZ!
CGS NEWS
THE PERFECT STUDY TOUR
By Tallulah Lintern, Grade 11
Raise your hand if traveling to another country was a reason you came to CGS. My hand is definitely raised, and though that certainly isn't the only reason, it is a huge draw for many CGS students. There are pictures all around the CGS hallway and classrooms from previous study tours, and practically every teacher could tell you a story of the time they were chaperones on a trip to Japan, China, Egypt, or another amazing place. Current students may even have older siblings or friends who got to go. Unfortunately, COVID-19 shut all of that down.
But, in mid-September, out of the blue, Ms. Parham announced that we could travel internationally again! Roughly 100 lucky students got to travel, including yours truly. I was one of the 33 Arabic and IB History students going to Morocco and Spain, flying out on January 30. We crisscrossed northern Morocco and Southern Spain for two weeks, and returned on Valentine’s Day, just in time to rest over February break.
This study tour was lucky for me from the start, since we left on January 30, my seventeenth birthday! It was already shaping up to be my best birthday ever. We flew seven hours from JFK to Madrid, and then had a five hour layover before our next flight. Layovers aren’t great anyway, but at 5:00 am in a Spanish-
speaking airport when we had all been practicing Arabic? It was tough. Even so, after a two hour flight to Casablanca, we were in Morocco, it was 65 degrees, and there was a fat cat hanging out at customs! That may sound silly, but we saw hundreds of animals throughout our trip, and that particular cat will always be one of my favorites, solely because it made everyone smile when we felt the opposite.
In Rabat, we spent three days attending Arabic classes at Bridges, a language center, ending with a party where we ate, danced, and hung out with awesome Moroccan students. Half the CGS group got henna, including me, and we sang a song about the Moroccan football team in Arabic! ‘Football’, of course, refers to what we call ‘soccer’. Deema Maghreb! Though it's unlikely we’ll see our Moroccan friends again, our memories remain, and many of them feature in our Instagram feeds as a reminder of our trip.
After Rabat, Atlas Workshops picked up organizing our trip. With some marathon bus rides, and thousands of Moroccan dirham spent along the way, we made it to Fés. We stayed in a traditional hotel called a riad, where we spent two days living like royals, right down to elaborate sit-down breakfasts and lunches. But the major draw of Fés was the souks, or the markets. We worked on bargaining, and it was not uncommon to see unusual sights like Mr. Carter gesturing wildly with ornate dishes and paisley scarves in hand. We took a cooking class one day, made an entire meal, and then got to eat it!
I myself spent less than $150 throughout the Moroccan portion of our trip, $20 of which went to a small suitcase purchased to hold everything else I bought! I would almost consider myself good at bargaining, as I certainly got some stellar deals, though my status as a student and an American may have helped as well. If you happen to whisper “student price” or “a special deal just for you” to just about any student who was on the trip, just wait for the laughs!
On the way to Chefchaouen, we stopped at Volubilis, the ruins of a Roman city from over a thousand years ago. Though we took a guided tour, the ruins themselves were largely unprotected, at least to the American eye, with very few guide ropes, protective cases, or even human guards. We even took a group picture sitting all over the ancient steps of the Roman forum! It was mind-boggling, both in age, since the USA has nothing that old, and in preservation. There were colored tile mosaics from the 4th century BCE, which were still colorful and distinguishable from their surroundings!
In Chefchaouen, the Blue City, we wandered the blue-painted streets in the early morning and bought more souvenirs. Did you know that the blue of Chefchaouen comes from its Jewish citizens centuries ago, who considered it a lucky color and therefore tried to use it everywhere? Hundreds of buildings were painted bright blue without the aid of modern conveniences like scaffolding and safety nets, and the largely non-Jewish population today maintains the tradition. Our Chefchaouen hotel had a beautiful roof deck, from which we could look out over the whole city, and see straight up the mountain to the mosque many of us hiked to for the sunset one day. Though we saw no sunset, we got sweeping views of an approaching thunderstorm, which reached us just as we got to the medina, as we raced for dinner. Our final activity in Chefchaouen was Secret صدية, pronounced sadiqa, which means friend, in which we all drew another student’s name out of a hat and were given 50 dirham (about $5), to buy them a present in the market. Since it was randomized, some of the pairings, and the resulting gifts, were really funny. I myself gifted a cat snowglobe and received a turquoise purse, but the gifts ranged from jewelry boxes to talking monkey stuffed animals.
After a long bus ride, we took a ferry from Tangier (Morocco) to Algeciras (Spain). It was a bit over two hours, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar. We went through customs for the third time in a week and got on a new bus that took us to Granada. It was quite late, so we had dinner at a tapas restaurant and didn’t try to do anything else. The hotel was modern and comfortable, but not anything special aside from its location. We took a walking tour of the Alhambra, including a maze of tiny stone rooms with ornate ceilings and several formal gardens that must be stunning in the spring and summer. The Alhambra was the first place we could really see Iberian Muslim influences on Spain. That day was our first introduction to Spanish lunch customs, in which we split into small groups and were given euros to find our own meals in a given area. We then had a flamenco workshop, where we were taught basic steps of flamenco dancing, and had dinner at a flamenco show. The next day, after a tour of the old city, we split into groups for more workshops on the history of flamenco or Arabic poetry. I was in the second workshop, and it was interesting to read a beautiful Arabic poem and then hear what it was really about.
In Córdoba, we took another guided tour, this time of the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, which was really beautiful, with red and white arches and mixed Christian and Muslim architecture. It is still an active Catholic cathedral, and the modern tools needed to hold services were mixed ingeniously in with the ancient elements. The last leg of the tour was through Córdoba’s Jewish Quarter, which was interesting because there are actually very few Jewish people in Córdoba, as few families have returned since the Spanish Inquisition evicted them. Despite this, the name continues. We were in Córdoba for just 24 hours, but it made an impression.
We were introduced to our final destination, Madrid, with a park and empanadas. We ate them picnic-style, and then headed for the Prado Museum, which is world-famous for its collection of medieval art. One notable work was a draft of the Mona Lisa! It was larger than the one in Paris, and technically existed first. The museum was full of beautiful European art, drawing inspiration from everything from Greek mythology to Christianity. That night, or rather morning, we had a Super Bowl party in the hotel restaurant, and they pulled the game up on a huge screen, while we ate snacks and cheered on our teams. We
didn’t make it to the halftime show, since the game started at 12:30am, putting the halftime show past 2 in the morning, but the experience was fun and we watched Rihanna the next day! We wandered downtown in the direction of the Royal Palace, which we took a tour of after lunch. One room was dedicated to a full string quartet’s worth of Stradivarius instruments from the early 1700s, which were beautifully preserved. I still wonder if they’re ever played. For our final dinner, we had paella! It was an amazing last meal, especially followed by pastries and ice cream. The flight home was eight and a half hours, but quite a few lucky students ended up with empty rows, including me! I got literally the last row of the plane, so space was tight, but having no one beside me was amazing. I had a great time, and I can’t wait to see what happens next year!
CGS NEWS
CHINESE NEW YEAR: TIMELESS TRADITIONS
祝你新年快乐！
Sabrina Arastu, Grade 10
Image from NPR
Going to an Asian language school, a lot of us probably know about Lunar New Year. We know that the holiday takes place in either January or February, depending on the Lunar Calendar. We know that Chinese New Year specifically is an incredibly large celebration around the world. We know that we are supposed to wear red for luck, and we know that this year is the year of the rabbit (兔年), which symbolizes longevity, peace, and prosperity! But what if we looked past the basics?
Chinese New Year is a 15 day celebration that begins with a new moon, and continues until with the next full moon. It is also called the Spring Festival (春节), since Chinese New Year is often considered the beginning of the Spring Season. It is celebrated to usher away the old year, and bring in the new one, with all of its luck and happiness.
CHINESE NEW YEAR VS. LUNAR NEW YEAR:
Before going deeper into Chinese New Year, specifically, it’s important to clear up the difference between Chinese and Lunar New Year. It is common for people to confuse these two events, however, though they are not the same, they are, in fact, closely related. Lunar New Year refers to all of the celebrations that occur (mostly in Asia) to celebrate the New Year based on the Lunar Calendar. This separates into different cultures/customs in countries like Vietnam, Japan, Korea, and, of course, China. Chinese New Year is just one branch of Lunar New Year celebrations, though it does happen to be the biggest out of the various cultures.
ORIGINS OF CHINESE NEW YEAR
Chinese New Year is based on the legend of the monster, “Nian” (年). The legend is as follows: thousands of years ago, the monster Nian lived in the mountains, and would come down to terrorize villagers at the end of every year. They would destroy crops, animals, and even could kill people.
The villagers were terrified of the beast, but over time, they began to notice that Nian was afraid of very specific things: loud noises, bright lights, and the color red.
One year, the villagers decided that they were going to try to scare Nian away, with all the things that the monster feared the most. Some legends say that the villagers made a model of Nian out of bamboo, paper, and cloth, with two men used to make the model appear alive (this points to the origins of the lion dance). The people also covered the village in red, and set off firecrackers and fireworks, while beating drums. With all of this, the villagers were able to scare Nian away.
Today, the colors red and gold are commonly worn and decorated around the time of Chinese New Year, and traditions centered around this legend have only grown.
Chinese New Year Traditions
There are countless Chinese New Year traditions, their numbers have only grown as time has gone on. Here are some of the most popular traditions:
1. The Lion Dance - The lion that is part of the lion dance is supposedly supposed to represent the appearance of the monster, Nian. Unlike the dragon dance, however, the Lion dance only requires two people to be dancing in the costume. Often, these two people perform stunts in the costume, portraying a majestic dancing lion. It is said that the lion brings good fortune and peace of mind to all of those who cross its path.
2. Dragon Dance - The dragon in the dragon dance is highly significant in Chinese culture, as, many say, a representation of China as a whole. The dragon must be operated by multiple people, but the number is typically odd, since those numbers are more auspicious. The longer the dragon, the more lucky it is! In a typical dragon dance, there are 7+ people operating the actual dragon, in addition to one person holding a rod with the “Pearl of Wisdom” (a big ball) at the top.
South China Morning Post
The Pearl leads the dance, as the dragon chases the pearl to represent a constant pursuit of wisdom. Today, dragon dances are performed during festivities such as Chinese New Year to chase away evil and to encourage prosperity, as a symbol of wisdom and power. At CGS, we have our very own dragon, which we bring out almost every Chinese New Year potluck. This year, it was operated by the Chinese Year 3/IB Year 1. See below for the video!
3. Red Decoration and Cleaning - a timeless tradition before the spring festival is to clean your houses, sweeping away the bad luck, and readying homes to receive good fortune. Decorations are primarily red, going back to the legend of Nian, and decorations extend from lanterns to couplets on the wall.
4. Red Envelopes - Red envelopes are often given to children and the elderly during Chinese New Year. The money is packed in red, as again, the color is associated with luck, happiness, and warding off evil. Though they may be given on other occasions, Chinese New Year is where they are primarily given as tokes of good faith. In addition, red envelopes are often given by relatives, since Chinese New Year Eve is always a time for family gatherings.
5. Eating Foods for Luck - There are some specific lucky foods that are often eaten during Chinese New Year. These associations go back to the character structure of all the foods, and also the symbolism of the food’s physical structure. For example, dumplings and spring rolls promote wealth, Fish increase prosperity, and longevity noodles promote longevity and happiness.
6. The Lantern Festival - This festival occurs on the last day of Chinese New Year (the first full moon of the lunar new year), and is meant to honor deceased ancestors. Letting go of the lanterns symbolizes letting go of the last year, and welcoming in the new one. Often, the traditional dances are performed on the day of the Lantern Festival, and on the night of the festival, streets are decorated with the colorful lanterns, with riddles written on them. It is common to eat sweet rice balls (tangyuan), which symbolize togetherness. This celebration also marks the official beginning of the Spring Season!
Yorkshire Post
Chinese New Year Vocabulary
Here is some common Chinese New Year related Vocabulary! On the left will be the characters, the middle is pinyin (English pronunciation with tones), and on the right will be the English meaning. Of course, this is only our top ten most important words, there is plenty more to be learned!
新年快乐 - Xīn nián kuài lè - Happy New Year!
年 - nián - Year
春节 - chūn jié - Spring Festival
饺子 - jiǎo zi - dumplings
红包 - hóng bāo - red envelope
元宵节 - yuán xiāo jié - Lunar Festival
兔子 - tù zǐ - Rabbit
兔年 - tù nián - Year of the Rabbit
舞獅 - wǔ shī - Lion Dance
舞龙 - wǔ lóng - Dragon Dance
CGS Chinese New Year 2023 GALLERY
What a great way to end the semester! Thank you to China Club, CGS Chinese classes, and all other students for contributing!
January 27, 2023
Works Cited:
Cindy. “Chinese Dragon Dance.” China Highlights, 2019, www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/special-report/chinese-new-year/new-year-dragon-dance.htm.
Hinsbergh, Gavin. “Chinese New Year 2019 (Holiday Guide, Celebrations, Traditions).” , 2018, www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/special-report/chinese-new-year/.
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Chinese New Year | Summary, History, Traditions, and Facts.” , 24 Jan. 2023, www.britannica.com/topic/Chinese-New-Year.
Wikipedia contributors. “Lunar New Year.” Wikipedia, 31 Jan. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_New_Year.
11/7-11/11
PAJAMA WEEK!
Pajama week was a great way to relax during the end of Quarter 1!
News Alert
Puffs
By Tallulah Lintern, 11th grade
