Spring weather still isn’t showing itself, but the indoor activities at MSS are not slowing down. The badminton team travelled to Elliot Lake Secondary School for pre-NSSSA last Wednesday to get a taste of the tournament set up and scope out the competition. This was a good opportunity for first time players to get used to being in a tournament. The midget and junior singles players took a small hike from ELSS to École Secondaire Villa Française Des Jeunes (VFG) to use the facilities there. The junior doubles and senior players stayed at ELSS. After a long day of badminton, the group stopped for dinner then enjoyed a long ride home. Today, April 13, the actual NSSSA competition is being held in Elliot Lake.
The gymnastics team travelled to Sudbury for NSSSA on Monday, March 4. The team competed against teams from 8 schools in six levels of experience. Levels 2-4 competed in the afternoon after the aerobics competition, and levels 1, 5 and 6 competed in the morning. Donnshai Bruleigh says, “Manitoulin didn’t win a lot but Victoria Tardif placed 8th in Vault and I placed 8th for uneven bars. The aerobics team got first, and we are going to OFSAA in April.” The aerobics team is going to be competing in Windsor for OFSAA on April 26. The team will be practicing as much as possible to prepare for their province-wide competition.
On Monday, March 4, To Be Determined Theatre Company performed a 50-minute long show about acceptance of others. In this play two best friends go camping, and after arguing over countless details including how much hair gel Stevie uses, or what kind of clothes Adam wears, the boys encounter a bear near their campsite. In the midst of the panic, Adam admits to Stevie that he is gay. Stevie becomes completely irrational and leaves Adam outside the tent to deal with the bear. Adam comes back a few minutes later saying he punched the bear in the face. The audience laughed as he scared his friend, pretending the bear came back. The rest of the play is based around Stevie not accepting his best friend for who he is. At the end of the play Brooklyn Raynes got to perform an alternate ending with Stevie. She chose how she thought the play should end and the two performed it. This play taught an important lesson: Everyone should have the right to express themselves without being judged.
On Friday, April 8, Evolutionary came to MSS and did a 75-minute concert for the student body. The musical group from Confederation Secondary School consists of 27 pieces: three vocalists, 10 rhythm instruments, four trumpets, four saxophones, two trombones, and a 16 member stage crew. The group arrived in the morning and spent the morning setting up for their performance. At 1:20 the students of MSS filled the bleachers and the upstairs balcony. Evolutionary spoke about drinking and driving and how it can be prevented. They also spoke about bullying, and what student peers can do to support each other. Students left the gymnasium commenting on their favourite songs, hoping Evolutionary comes back soon.
Even though winter is sticking around, that isn’t stopping students at MSS from participating in school activities. ‘Til next time, stay golden, Mustangs.
