Iroquois Ridge Makes it to the Toronto Sun

It's official. Iroquois Ridge is in the news. Our school has made it in the Toronto Sun, being praised in an article for its strategies for academic success and being recognized for its excellence for the all of the Greater Toronto Area to read. Way to go Ridge!

To read what the media is saying about our school, click the following link.

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/01/personal-touch-gives-edge-to-iroquois-ridge-hs

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Nature vs. Mankind: Weather Shuts Down Government Again

The U.S federal government isn't exactly going through the best of times. A lot of economic struggles have led to the recent government shutdown last year. Eventually, the government got back on its feet and started running again, only for Mother Nature herself to attack now. The weather has been a loose cannon all winter, with temperatures reaching low depths that hasn't been seen for a long time. With many snowstorms and frequent snowfalls, the weather reports have been spiked with news on the latest city to be hit with extreme weather conditions. However, the repetition is broken as the latest weather related news features shocking political implications for the U.S: the government has shut down again. The weather conditions are so harsh in Washington, the government has called the day off and is going through another temporary shutdown, until the weather lightens up enough for workers to make it to the offices. Many American citizens will no longer regard the weather as a major inconvenience, but now a fully fledged problem. They will now have to hope more than ever that winter subsides, but that hope is still not too bright. Spring is officially less than 20 days away, but the snow is melting not fast enough. The temperature is so cold, 90% of the Great Lakes is frozen. All Americans can do now is hope...

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86th Academy Awards

The Oscars have been running for 86 years, since the dawn of movies first hit the world. Nowadays, movies are a major staple of life in first world countries. And since movies first received popularity, the Oscars have been awarding them for their success. It is now the dream of movie studios to get an Oscar award, which symbolizes excellence and recognizes its work as one of the best films of the year. In recent years, the Oscars' choice of films may not match the taste of the general audience, but it is undeniable how many watch the Oscars anyway, even if their favorite movie is not nominated. The year is not over in the the movie world until the Oscars cap off the season and only then is the next year of movies truly here. Last night, another such event concluded the year of 2013 movies and ushered viewers into 2014. In case you missed the Oscars, here is the list of winners to catch you up.

Best picture- 12 Years a Slave

Best Actor in Leading Role- Matthew McConaughey

Best Actress in Leading Role- Cate Blanchett

Best Actor in Supporting Role- Jared Leto

Best Actress in Supporting Role- Lupita Nyong'o

Best Animated Feature- Frozen

Best Cinematography- Gravity

Best Costume Design- The Great Gatsby

Best Directing- Gravity

Best Documentary Feature-20 Feet from Stardom

Best Documentary Short- The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life

Best Film Editing- Gravity

Best Foreign Language Film- The Great Beauty

Best Make up and Hair styling- Dallas Buyers Club                                                                                       Best Original Score- Gravity

Best Original Song- Let it Go from Frozen

Best Production Design- The Great Gatsby

Best Animated Short Film- Mr. Hublot

Best Live Action Short Film- Helium

Best Sound Editing- Gravity

Best Sound Mixing- Gravity

Best Visual Effects- Gravity

Best Adapted Screenplay- 12 Years a Slave

Best Original Screenplay- Her

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We are the World Conference

Last Wednesday, February 26, Iroquois Ridge proudly hosted the We are the World Conference, also known as the Student Engagement Conference, and in our school, the Grade 9 Conference.

Wednesday was a busy, but successful day, where schools all over Halton came to over to the the Ridge to see the conference, filling our school with a few hundred extra kids. The chaos paid off though. Renowned Canadian speakers such as Ian Tyson and Blake Fly gave keynote speeches and student leaders from our own school led workshops, all designed to build leadership in the Grade 9's and 8's, whom this entire day was made for. It was a very successful event and was a great way to develop leadership and initiative in the younger portion of not only our school, but schools all over. If you were a Grade 9 attending the conference, be sure to spread what you learned that day, so that everybody can rise up and help make our school a better place. 

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Riding the Coaster

Life is a roller coaster
A twisty, turning run.
Exciting it is
Full of moments of fun

Though it is not always an enjoyable experience
Sometimes it goes too fast for my taste
The ride is out of control
And everything seems to fall in its haste.

In those moments, I feel that everything has crumbled
The ride is unappealing beyond repair.
These moments are the worst
And they are unfortunately not that rare .

At these times,
I have choice to make
I can either pick up the pieces and try to fix it all
Or I can cut short the ride I hate

But eventually I bounce back
The coaster goes back up
I learn that not everybody wins all the time
But eventually I will leave the failure's dump

The ride will then be enjoyable
It will reach a peak
Where I'm at the top of the world,
I think, "How could this life have ever been so bleak?"

Then the coaster goes back down,
I'm back at the bottom.
Everything repeats,
Again I climb back up the totem.

As this pattern of success and failures continue
I see the truth
Both will come, but both are beneficial.
All in all, life is a hoot

Eventually, I grow weary,
I've lost the flavor of life
I think I see the ride's end
It is my time.

I do have to leave the coaster
And let the next generation enter the ride of life
Let them experience the twists and turns
All the fun in happiness and even strife.

As for us riders,
From the previous generation?
We have gone on to the next ride in the park,
one with just as thrilling sensations.

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Jimmy Fallon's Take on the Tonight Show

The Tonight Show had recently hit a big milestone as host Jay Leno stepped down and handed the reins to a new host Jimmy Fallon (we recently wrote an article on Leno's last episode. Here's the link-http://ridgewordonthestreet.blogspot.ca/2014/02/a-new-era-for-tonight-show.html) The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ended, only to make way for the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. Last Monday, February 17, Jimmy Fallon launched his new series from New York. Did Jimmy Fallon manage to make a strong debut and live up to Jay Leno's tenure, or did he leave Tonight Show fans disappointed?

The new Tonight Show is a very large change of pace from Leno's previous episodes. Jimmy Fallon really shook things up most prominently with a change of setting. He abandoned Jay Leno's old studio in LA and now set up shop in New York. The new studio is very different, with a smaller room and different background, making it feel as if Jimmy Fallon's show truly is different from Leno's. Fans of Jay won't find any nostalgia in Jimmy's run and will find, for better or worse, that this really is something new. While the change in studio is a smart move in underlying the differences between the current and previous show, it also makes the setting feel alien and not as comfortable. Another notable difference between the past and the present is of course, the new host. Jimmy Fallon sets himself up as a guy with wit and fun bouncing inside him, but doesn't let it all out. He first starts off with tributes paid to the previous hosts of the 60 year old show, which while respectful, was maybe a little too polite. It detracts from the entertainment value, and while is not terribly  boring, it is not too engaging. either. He continues the episode with some gratitude on being where he is, recounting how he used to be a fan of Johnny Carson's run on the show, and what an honor it is to be in that same position. While not a bad introduction, it does not provide the amusement so many tune in for to relax themselves. Fallon also is intent on gaining the audience's approval, explaining how the show will run now and speaking too directly on what he is trying to accomplish. Later, however, Fallon does bring out the laughs so many watch the show for, especially with guest star, Will Smith, most notably, an instantly iconic break dance, where Fallon and Smith together bust out many different variations of the dance. Not a bad way to start the show.

Jimmy Fallon has taken the reins from Jay Leno without dropping them , but not very smoothly, as the setting of the show changes a lot. He also shows himself as a capable host, showing he can have the charisma to create an entertaining late night program, but it is too cautious to be truly hysterical. Fallon is instantly recognizable as a genuinely happy and witty man, but we are all waiting for him to match the standard set by Leno's last episode, which he has the potential to do. The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon has brought a solid debut, but not a special one. Maybe with time, Jimmy will build his own fan base, but as it seems right now, time is needed. 

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