The Kilt Press

The film originally intended to open on December 25th, but after threats of terrorist attacks against any theatre which played it, the film was instead relegated only for purchase and rentals online. At the time, many influential figures in American culture such as actor Rob Lowe and television show host Jimmy Kimmel spoke out in outrage against how Sony and the movie theatre companies were letting the presumed North Korean terrorists ‘win’. There were multiple mentions of violations of freedom of speech, however not many celebrities or media sources acknowledged the broader issue of the matter which is the severe oppression and lack of basic human rights suffered by millions of North Koreans every day.

North Korea, officially known as the Democratic Republic of Korea, is one of the most secluded and ostracized nations of the world. It is known for its repeated nuclear missile threats against the USA, hereditary succession among supreme leaders, and extreme forms of totalitarianism and propaganda. What is less focused on in the news are the sickening crimes against humanity that occur within the country. For example, if a person seemed guilty of any ‘political crime’, which could be something like praising capitalist culture or criticising the government, not only they, but up to three generations of their family, would get sent to a gulag.

Gulags are a form of concentration or internment camp that originated from those in Stalin’s Russia; the level of torture and human rights violations has led the United Nations to compare the political prisons to the death camps of Nazi Germany. Prisoners face extreme malnutrition, lack of proper living space, violence, forced labour and horrific torture meant to produce confessions. Hard labour in unsafe conditions coupled with intense winters, frequent torture and meager food rations lead to an alarmingly high mortality rate. Still, over 100,000 people are currently in these internment camps, many for crimes that their grandparents or parents had committed over 40 years ago. Yet despite Franco and Rogen’s large influence on the public and ability to raise awareness for this issue, they make scarce effort to educate others of these inhumane conditions and instead use and exploit North Korea’s political situation as a running joke for their comedy.

Throughout the film, talk show host Dave Skylark (Franco) doubts claims that the North Korean government is authoritative and oppressive, and views Kim Jong Un as ‘one of the boys’ who too, enjoys partying, drinking, basketball and western music. This portrayal of such a horribly tyrannical leader is problematic, in part because of the film’s target viewers. It would not be untrue to say that Rogen and Franco’s main audience are mostly American or Western males, ranging from preteens to late thirties. Therefore this representation of Un is harmful for our generation’s perception of North Korea’s leader. One may argue that this ‘normalization’ is simply a comedic gesture, but given his political role, the public should not be in any way led to believe that Un’s actions are justified because of his presumed habits and lifestyle. Painting a totalitarian leader in such a light can lead society to dismissing their actions as less severe. At the end of the movie, Skylark realizes that Un’s Pyongyang daydream was actually fashioned by the government to fool visiting foreigners, and that Kim Jong Un may not be such a great person after all. This conclusion is uninspired at best, utilizing the overused Hollywood plot when the good guy turns out to be the villain. It barely scratches the surface behind Kim Jong Un's character, and doesn't give the audience substantial background behind the atrocities he has committed.

Julianne Moore, who plays a woman struggling with Alzheimer’s in Still Alice, and Michael Keaton, who plays a washed-up actor seeking Broadway credibility in Birdman, were both winners. The two are also considered Oscar frontrunners.

When it came to television, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association followed its tradition of singling out new shows, such as the transgender series Transparent and the comedy Jane the Virgin. The latter won for best actor (Gina Rodriguez) in a TV series comedy or musical.

Despite the glitz and awards, winners were sober and not too many jokes were cracked. Hosts Amy Poehler and Tina Fey caused a frisson with their Bill Cosby jokes. Several female winners, such as Arquette and Moore, talked about the importance of female role models. George Clooney ended his acceptance of the Cecil B. DeMille Award with the words “Je suis Charlie”.

Chic outfits provided a lighter counterpoint to the many serious topics raised by hosts and presenters.

Amal Clooney made her red carpet debut in a stunning black Dior gown and elegant white gloves, alongside husband George Clooney. Emma Stone opted for black trousers with a strapless top, while Julianna Margulies, Helen Mirren, Lena Dunham, and Allison Janney all matched wearing scarlet. Muted colours were also a popular choice among attendees. Nominee Amy Adams wore a pale blue Versace gown while Maggie Gyllenhaal sported a pink Miu Miu dress. The Theory of Everything nominee Felicity Jones received mixed reviews from critics for her teal Dior gown. Jana Fonda combined many of this year’s fashion trends with her red Versace gown and customized jeweled sleeves, looking age-appropriate.

While the ladies pulled on beautiful gowns, the gentlemen arrived well-groomed. George Clooney looked dashing in his Armani tuxedo – the same one he wore to his wedding.

The newly discovered Tomb of Osiris is about 3200 years old. Based on a comparison to similar tombs that contain Osirian elements, it was estimated to have been built in either the 25th dynasty (760 - 656 BC) or the 26th dynasty (672 - 525 BC). Philippe Virey found part of the tomb back in 1887, but it was never described or published. This attracted the Spanish-Italian archaeological team in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities to visit the site, and therefore finally unveiled the long hidden secret.

According to EFE, the Spanish news agency, the tomb looks exactly like the tomb of Osiris, as described in ancient Egyptian legends.  It is a reproduction of the larger tomb Osireion, which was constructed by pharaoh Seti I, in the city of Abydos, Luxor. Inside the tomb, there is a carving of Osiris and a wall painted with an illustration of a demon holding knives.

According to the ancient Egyptian myth, Osiris was once the King of Egypt. He introduced the concepts agriculture and law to the land, and was loved by his people. However, his evil brother Set envied him and wanted to take his place as ruler. He therefore murdered Osiris by locking him inside a coffin and throwing it in the Nile. After his death, Osiris went to the Underworld and became the God of the Dead. Osiris was depicted as a green-skinned man due to the fact that he was dead.

Ancient mythology is rich and fascinating – the idea that people who lived over 5000 years ago could invent so many creative ideas to explain natural phenomenon and all other things that happened around them is astounding. For example, it is interesting how the Egyptians explained the way that the moon changed phase with the myth that Thoth played senet with Khonsu, the moon god, and won hours of light from him.

Myths are not only a source of entertainment. They reflect human nature as well as cultural beliefs. Part of human nature is an attempt to explain things we cannot understand. In the past, there was no advanced technology to support complicated experiments and to detail observation. Since people could not use logic to explain certain phenomenon, they develop supernatural stories to account for what they observe. As time passes, these stories become myths. Although myths may not be factual knowledge, they do show human creativity and traces of history.

Myths also give us an idea of how things were in the past, reminding us of what the world was like before it became so technologically advanced. Myths illustrate what people used to do in ancient times, and show us how these people thought. Myths allow us to not only learn more about the past, but also to appreciate how the world has changed over time. Different cultures have entirely different myths. By reading myths from different parts of the world, we can understand the traditions, values and beliefs in different cultures. Although they may not be applicable in modern world, certain morals introduced in myths are still relevant to our lives.

What is your dream travel destination and why?

I know I should say something profound like Machu Picchu in Peru, but I’d have to say New York City. I’ve lived most of my life on the west coast, so I’ve never had a chance to go. NYC contains all of my favourite things: theatre, art, food, and shopping.

Why did you want to become a teacher?

Up until three years ago, I never thought I’d be a teacher. My parents wanted me to be a doctor, but I hated hospitals. I tried being a scientist and studied spiders, and thought about becoming an editor or journalist. While attending university and trying out different jobs, I volunteered with youth and tutored in my spare time. I realized that the things I was doing for fun could actually be a career – teaching! I’m a huge nerd and love to share my passion for knowledge and learning with others.

If you could have any job you choose other than a teacher, what would it be and why?

It’s difficult to think of a job as dynamic as teaching, but I once did some conservation work in New Zealand, helping to re-introduce native species to damaged habitats. It was very rewarding, and I had a lot of fun working outdoors and roughing it.

What is your Starbucks/coffee order?

In previous years, Global Ideas has tackled challenging topics such as solutions to child malnutrition and the reinvention of the toilet, among many others. This year's topic is "Financial Inclusion in the Global South," which refers to the provision of accessible and affordable financial services to vulnerable groups, specifically in India. Numerous challenges stand in the way of simply building more banks to combat this issue; for example, a lack of financial literacy and access to necessary resources in rural areas and a distrust for banks in general stands in the way of building successful and accessible financial institutions that are able to cater to the needs and wants of the community. Financial institutions are imperative for economic growth and development, as they provide necessary means with which to safeguard one's future, whether that means helping to start up small businesses, providing funds for secondary education about current market situations, or simply offering a place to keep one's life savings other than under a mattress. More financial inclusion also directly provides a systematic structure for a country's economic growth; in fact, this lack of financial market growth is one of the major factors that limits India's ability to be counted as an economic superpower. With the introduction of financial institutions into rural areas, the entire community can benefit. Considering that the modern world is interconnected, largely due to technological advancements, it is important to note that an issue even in remote, rural India has the potential to impact the entire world.   

ISIS is an acronym for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, however, they have since shortened their name to simply the Islamic State. They are a radical Sunni group whose main goal is to create an Islamic ‘Caliphate’. This essentially means that ISIS wants to accomplish the goal of their namesake: create an Islamic state beyond the borders that we currently know in our world. There are a variety of reasons given the state of unrest in the Middle East and particularly Syria, this that group has been able to gain power.

The civil war that has raged in Syria for the past few years created a power vacuum. This civil war is no longer composed of a rebel army that wants a democracy against the authoritarian dictator Bashar Al-Assad. ISIS originally started to gain a foothold in Syria and amidst this turmoil and has only grown stronger during this time.

In order to understand how ISIS was able to translate its success into Iraq, it is necessary to understand the political situation and the history of this country and Islam. There are two main factions of Islam: Shias and Sunnis. The original prophet of this religion was named Mohammed, but when he passed in the year 632 there was a disagreement amongst the people as to who should succeed him. The group that would become the Sunnis believed that the people should vote on the successor, but the Shias believed that Mohammed’s son-in-law should become the next prophet. Since this point, as a generalization of the radicals on either side, there has been great animosity between the two opposing groups. Violent conflicts have broken out throughout history and have led to the senseless loss of countless lives and continue to do so throughout the Middle East. Currently, the majority of Muslims in the world are Sunnis with a minority of Shias.

In the context of Iraq, we can begin to look at the events of the late 20th century. Saddam Hussein was a Sunni dictator who ruled Iraq for over 20 years, starting in 1979. Initially, the United States and the West supported Hussein’s rule and considered him an ally. When Hussein began to use violence on a greater scale and chemical weapons against his people, the West turned against him and eventually overthrew him from power in 2003, marking the beginning of the Iraq War. A weak democratic Shia dominated government was instituted with the sectarian Nouri Al-Maliki as Prime Minister. Al-Maliki excluded the Sunnis in Iraq from participation in government and oppressed their rights, leading to their resentment against the new regime. This situation for the past decade in conjunction with the civil war in Syria created a situation in which ISIS was able to persuade Sunnis that they could provide a brighter future.

Although we have seen the horrific videos in which ISIS has beheaded multiple journalists and citizens of Western nations and heard the stories of unspeakable abuses against the people, evidently ISIS’s message has unfortunately resonated with many. Citizens of the U.S., the UK and many other Western nations have joined ISIS in their fight.

The U.S. government was able to eventually persuade Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Maliki to step down in order to allow a more inclusive government to take hold in Iraq, but the future of the country still remains uncertain. The Iraqi military and Kurdish Armed Forces, an autonomous minority group in Iraq, are fighting against ISIS with the aid of air strikes from Western countries including the U.S. These air strikes started in September, but it remains unclear how effective they have been in holding back ISIS’ advance.

As portrayed by Disney, Pocahontas is a full-grown woman and daughter of the Powhatan Chief. As well, she is to be married to Kocoum, a man who she does not love, until she meets Captain John Smith! Although he was initially misled by his own goals, he sees the error of his ways when is exposed to the “down to earth, tree-talking Pocahontas.” While Ratcliffe and the other settlers dig up gold, John Smith and Pocahontas sneak out to see each other (apparently they can magically speak the same language!). When Kocoum follows the two lovebirds, he is shot and killed by Bale. The next morning the chief is angered by the relationship between Pocahontas and John Smith, whom he attempts to kill. However, Ratcliffe is hiding out and tries to shoot the Chief, but John Smith takes the bullet for him. Heroism is alive and well as the settlers leave (with full cargos) to attend to John Smith injuries.

As touching as this is, Disney has not even begin to surface what really happen. Firstly, Pocahontas was not her real name. Pocahontas was a nickname meaning “the naughty one” or “spoiled child.” Her real name was Matoaka. Colonists settled in Jamestown in 1607 when Matoaka was 12 at the eldest. According to the myth, in 1607, she also saved John Smith. However, in reality, John Smith was in his early 30s. This was the third time John Smith had reported being saved by women from near death experiences and this was only reported 17 years after it happened. In the account he wrote after the winter he spent with the Powhatan people, he never mentioned this incident but instead said he was treated very well. Disney got some things right—there was a Pocahontas, there was a John Smith, there was a Kocoum, and there even was a fatal gunshot! However, the fact remains that Disney created a fake name and age to make the story seem more appealing. In fact, Pocahontas was a child who did not save John Smith out of love. She even went on to marry Kocoum in 1910. John Smith was also not a saviour in the true story, as he didn’t launch himself in front of the Chief to save him; in fact, he shot him. In reality, a spark from his own gun landed in his powder keg.

What really happened to Pocahontas? In 1612, at age 17, Matoaka was taken prisoner by the English while she was on a social visit and was held hostage in Jamestown for over a year. As a condition of her release, she married 28-year-old John Rolfe and was christened “Rebecca Rolfe.” Rolfe moved Rebecca and their new son Thomas to England in 1616, where she was used by the Virginia Company of London as propaganda to support the colony. Rolfe and his family set off for Jamestown, but she had to be taken off the ship and she died on March 21 at the age of 21. She was buried at Gravesend, but her grave was destroyed in a reconstruction of the church.

According to the BBC, Operation Xenios Zeus is a Greek government program started in 2012 that allows the brutal detention of migrants who lack proper documentation. According to Amnesty International, interned migrants are frequently deprived of basic human needs such as clean drinking water, medical care, proper sanitation and access to toilets. In some cases, due to the lack of adequate medical care migrants have died from entirely preventable illnesses such as chest infections. Overcrowding in these centers is common according to the US State Department, with the current immigrant prison population three times the maximum capacity. It is not unheard of to have as many as 30 immigrants crammed into one cell designed to fit only a few people. Unaccompanied children are often separated from their parents and forced into close quarters with adults they do not know. While sovereign nations reserve the right to control their own borders, it is clear that the deplorable conditions of these internment camps are a human rights travesty and a violation of international law.

 These internment camps have also yielded arbitrary arrests of immigrants. The police have been given license by the government to round up any undocumented immigrants they see while on patrol. Since there is no reliable way of determining who is an undocumented immigrant simply by watching someone walk down the street, the police have started conducting mass arrests of individuals based solely on race. According to Human Rights Watch, in one year alone, the police rounded up 85,000 people and forcibly took them to immigration centers. It later came to light that only 6% of those arrested were actually undocumented immigrants. Because of this practice, immigrants, undocumented or not, live in terror of harassment on a daily basis.

Why are such horrific human rights abuses happening in a democratic European country? There are two main causes, the first of which is the economic crisis in Greece. After years of government overspending, the current unemployment rate is a debilitating 27.6% according to Greek government statistics. Political parties such as the extremist Golden Dawn party capitalized on the Greek public’s current frustrations by scapegoating immigrants for complicated economic circumstances. In a BBC interview, one Golden Dawn member explicitly declared: “we are at war with undocumented immigrants.”

 The second cause is the extremely high number of undocumented immigrants entering Greece. According to The Guardian, Greece receives 95% of all undocumented immigrants who come to Europe annually. It is the closest country for immigrants from countries such as Turkey, Armenia, and Syria who want European Union residency, which would allow them to move anywhere in the EU. However, due to the underdeveloped and overwhelmed immigration system, the vast majority of applications are not seen, let alone considered, leaving immigrants vulnerable to being sent to internment camps.

       What can be done to tackle this complicated issue? First, the Greek government must recognize the problem of abusive detention camps and commit to improving conditions. Despite condemnation from the European Court of Human Rights and the UN Committee against Torture, Greek officials refuse to acknowledge or improve poor conditions at internment camps. The first step to improving conditions in the camps is for the Greek government to acknowledge the issue.

Through interactive games and other activities at lunch and after school such as a dance-off, ice-skating in Nathan Phillips Square, cookie decorating, and yoga, we made so many memories, forged special bonds, and shared a lot of laughs. During class time, we studied the issue of public space in Toronto, and how we might incorporate health and wellness into these spaces. We broke down the “problem” and analyzed it in depth in order to be able to identify two separate models, or ways of approaching the problem. From these models, each group of students created their own prototype out of recyclable materials. Three of these prototypes were selected to present to CivicAction, a Toronto based organization that tackles civil issues including public space.

Throughout Armstrong’s childhood and adult life, he has always looked to his father for wisdom and support. When Mr. Armstrong had no place to play basketball outside of school during his adolescence, his father created a basketball league in Markham that is still popular today. His father was also a teacher, administrator and athletic director at Seneca College, which is a college of applied arts and technology. “I don’t know how he managed to coach, work as an administrator and still be a family man.” Mr. Armstrong said. “I have a lot of respect for teachers because of their abilities to balance teaching and running extracurricular activities.” Mr. Armstrong said he’s learned valuable lessons based on his father’s example. “My dad is very mellow,” he remarked,” “A lesson that always stuck with me was ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ because it’s easy to pull things out of proportion…”

 In high school, Mr. Armstrong played soccer, basketball and rugby. Coincidentally, he and fitness guru Garfield Watson were teammates on their high school Basketball team. Though he was involved in a variety of sports, Mr. Armstrong says his biggest regret was closing doors to subjects early on, such as Art and French. “If I could do it again,” he said, "I would have enjoyed the opportunity to be able to hone into my creative side that I now realize is so impactful in every area of my life.”  After attending Western University, Mr. Armstrong worked at Seneca College in Toronto where he looked after the athletic and recreational facilities and had many memorable experiences.

 Mr. Armstrong admires Branksome Hall and its wellness initiatives and believes in the importance of balance, especially with the rigorous IB Program. “The energy here is amazing." he said, in reference to the Branksome community. His biggest challenge thus far has been ensuring that student activities are not interrupted by the remaining and necessary construction of the building. “I’m a little messy, which is a little concerning, considering I’m in a fishbowl here,” he joked about his new office, “but it gives me a line of site to important parts of the facility.” Mr. Armstrong hopes to help every student embrace the opportunities that the AWC has to offer.

2.      Visit the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)!

The ROM is a great place to learn about the rich history and culture of our world all in one place

Royal Ontario Museum

100 Queens Park

Cost: $13 - $16 per person

 3.      Visit the Ice Fest!

Bloor-Yorkville’s annual ice sculpture festival is taking place this year on Saturday, February 21 and Sunday, February 22 from 12pm – 5 pm. The theme for this year's creations is “Frozen in Time”. There is so much to do at this festival if you want to participate, watch the contest or just walk around.

Village of Yorkville Park

Cumberland Street and Bellair Street

Cost: Free!

 4.      Watch a Movie!

Since there are theatres all over Toronto, they are easily accessible and a great way to catch up on your pop culture.

Yonge-Dundas Square

10 Dundas Street East, Suite 402

Cost: $6 - $15 per person

 Rainbow Cinema Market Square

80    ront Street East

Cost: $6 - $15 per person

 5.      Go Tobogganing!

One of the great things about Toronto is its many green spaces. For example, High Park and Christie Pits both have large hills that are great for tobogganing. Kids of all ages can use these spaces for tobogganing or just to engage more with their environment.

High Park

1873 Bloor Street West

Cost: Free!

 Christie Pits

779 Crawford Street

Cost: Free!

 Riverdale Park

550 Broadview Avenue

Cost: Free!

 Cedarvale Park

443 Arlington Avenue

Cost: Free!

 6.      Stop by a coffee shop!

If you don’t have time for hanging around museums or watching shows, then try stopping by a coffee shop for a quick snack with friends. Coffee shops are ideal for relaxing and enjoying a warm drink during the cold winter months.

We also bonded in other unique ways, like “broom ball,” which resulted in massive bruises and a performance of a version of Uptown Funk. Cross country skiing was also a major learning experience for everyone. We showed our team spirit and inclusivity when we all trekked in a line with snowshoes on (see the photo below). It was much harder than it looks!

This story has resonated with me because this is a single event that should have been easy to cover without such discrepancies as when it occurred, how many were rescued, and who could be credited for preventing the eradication of this minority group. The coverage of the Yazidis stuck on the mountaintop was consistent across these sources so why was the coverage of the rescue any different? Each of the aforementioned news sources would be considered reputable within the Western world, yet it is evident that their coverage is often largely incomplete. I read multiple news sources daily, including The Globe and Mail, The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Economist, The Guardian and Al Jazeera in an attempt to find factual consistency across the sources to gain the most accurate version of the truth.

I feel that one of the most important global issues facing our world today is the irresponsible reporting in our media sources. In the story of the Yazidis’ rescue, I could easily spot inaccuracies, but in the more complex and ongoing issues of our world it has become increasingly difficult to infer the truth. We are not all journalists and we cannot all travel to each of the regions where these events occur. We rely on our news sources to fulfil that role and report the truth. While there is certainly a place for interpretations of the news in opinion pieces, these opinions are not appropriate to be expressed as fact in articles. When people read about an event, it not only shapes their perception of the world but their role in the events. In the Yazidis’ scenario, people’s opinions about the United States’ involvement in the ISIS conflict can either be strengthened or weakened depending on the version of events they read. The inconsistencies in reporting and the omission of information mean that individuals cannot make informed decisions about important issues such as the politicians they vote for, the policies they support and where they may safely travel.

Founded in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, Band Aid is a charity organization featuring musicians and recording artists from the U.K. It was originally created to raise money for Ethiopians who had suffered from the famine that occurred from 1983–1985. The organization gathered iconic artists, including Bono, Paul McCartney, Boy George, and many more. Together, they produced and released a single called “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” recorded on December 25, 1984, which was released in the U.K. four days later. The song was an international success and raised more than $24 million (U.S.) worldwide for the cause. In the chorus of the song, the artists sing in unison, “do they know it’s Christmas time at all?” Evidently, this is done to create a sense of pity, thereby encouraging people to buy the song and provide aid for Africans in poverty. Fun fact: according to an article published by Al-Jazeer,a written by Barry Malone, and titled, “We got this, Bob Geldof, so back off,” the Christian population in Nigeria is approximately three times the number of Christians in England and Wales, so “how couldn’t they know it’s Christmas?”

For their 30-year anniversary, Band Aid is back with big-name British celebrities, including One Direction, Ed Sheeran, and Chris Martin. The lyrics have changed ever so slightly to become marginally less offensive to African people, but the message and title remain the same. Many people are quite offended by the lyrics because, as Malone writes, the lyrics are dripping with the “white man’s burden.” Personally, I’m not impressed with the return of Band Aid’s single for many reasons. Don’t get me wrong, aid is absolutely essential in certain circumstances, such as donating useful resources to develop a potentially prosperous institution or providing short term relief to a region that has suffered from a natural disaster. Given to those in need, aid can be a tremendous gift, however the money raised by Band Aid for aid to Africa has proven to disadvantage African governments and people in the long run, as it is ineffective aid.

Ineffective aid, otherwise referred to as “dead aid” by professionals and experts such as Dambisa Moyo, a Zambian-born author and international economist involved in global affairs, can affect a nation’s economic, political and social standing. In an interview with CBC in 2009, Moyo discusses her book, called Dead Aid, highlighting the reasons why she believes that aid has had a negative impact on African countries. Over the past 60 years, three trillion dollars have been donated to Africa however, “in the 70s, 10% of the population was poor and now over 70% of the population earns a dollar a day.” What has caused such a significant decline in the economies of African countries? When observing the aid model, it is noted that monetary aid from donor countries and organizations such as the World Bank go directly into the pockets of those working in the government. Essentially, for those in the government, aid becomes a source of free money and their priority becomes pleasing donors rather than serving African taxpayers, who in comparison, provide much less. In Ethiopia, “foreign aid makes up 90% of the budget.” If the largest pool of money of capital is within the state itself, then government has a higher probability of becoming corrupt and have absolutely no incentive or motivation to provide innovative solutions to create jobs or wealth locally.

Furthermore, the celebrity culture and influence used to raise funds for Africa hold great power, and can encourage countries such as Canada to increase their donations towards Africa. However, the messages and images portrayed by celebrities in order to raise funds evoke ideas of “poverty, disease, [and] corruption.” Because there are celebrities working to raise money for African countries, “governments are abdicating their roles…we want to hear plans for Africa from the government,” not from celebrities who are halfway across the world.

Africa has been painted with a broad stroke, so it is not likely that the first idea that comes to mind when thinking of African countries is investment, potential, or rate of return. This is where the problem lies. As long as African governments continue to accept foreign aid, and as long as donors benefit from the leadership and power this gives them, the aid model will continue, and innovation within communities initiated by governments will continue to lack.

Like any production, the making of Grease was not always smooth sailing. Six rehearsals a week were long and sometimes difficult to endure, and not even the generous supply of pizza that we were given could make us forget about the homework we should have been doing. Also, seeing as I was cast as Jan, a pink lady described as being a “compulsive eater who is loud and pushy with the girls, shy with the boys,” I spent a lot of time at rehearsal working up the nerve to finally eat a Twinkie. Save your money girls, it’s really not something you need to try. One of my largest challenges was deciphering how to say my lines while chewing large quantities of food, but this was nothing if not worth it. I would eat 100 Twinkies if it meant I could be in another Branksome production… OK, maybe not 100 but at least five.

The memories that I bring with me from this show, as well as those before it, are some of the memories that I will look back upon the most fondly as I reflect on my Branksome career. Whether it’s getting hit in the face by Patty Simcox’s (Kyra Church) ponytail at every rehearsal, watching Danny Zuko (Christian Figuerido) say the line “Sandy!” 800 different ways, stepping on and/or accidentally injuring every single guy I danced with, quoting Legally Blonde in every possible moment, or spending hours trying to understand how Dorothy became Amelia Earhart in The Wizard of Oz, these moments define one of the largest aspects of my Branksome life and I would not trade them for anything.