October is pumping up the energy at MSS. Crossfit is starting again, and Mr. Balfe is encouraging students and staff to get active and healthy. As a fun way of introducing people to Crossfit there was a rowing competition in the front foyer, the top female and male rowers were Jason Quackenbush and I. The second challenge was the Rolling Thunder Deadlift. The female and male winners were Gabby Corbiere and Will Linder. Mrs. Balfe and Ms. Rose have started up a females only Crossfit. This is to encourage girls to work out and learn some lifting techniques. Tuesdays and Thursdays at lunch, any interested girls can go up to the gym balcony and try it out.
Nicole Boyle, a Grade 9 student, said, “I went on the first day, and I liked everything we did. I think my favourite lifting technique was the deadlift. I would totally recommend it to my friends.”
MSS and Enviroman are really encouraging recycling, so for the first spirit day of the year, the theme was vintage. Wednesday, September 28, students and teachers wore clothes that had been previously used, showing off their “green” outfits. By recycling clothing, students are not wasting the natural resources required to make more clothes, and they are helping stop the disposal of dyes into landfills.
On Thursday, September 29, staff and students wore their bright orange shirts to school to support the First Nations hope for reconciliation. Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission residential school commemoration event held in Williams Lake, BC, Canada. It grew out of a young girl named Phyllis’ story of having her shiny new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at the Mission. Orange Shirt Day has become an opportunity to keep the discussion on all aspects of residential schools happening annually.
The Magazine Drive is well underway, with only a week and a half until the deadline. On the first weekend of the sale, Julia Desbiens sold the most magazines, winning $50. Students who have sold magazines were brought cookies twice, and on September 29, public relations Garret Gauthier treated the cafeteria to a concert. He sang several songs, including ‘Stitches’ by Shawn Mendes and ‘Thinking Out Loud’ by Ed Sheeran to promote the fundraiser and encourage students to increase their efforts and are in the incentives.
Four Mustang x-country runners travelled to Sudbury for the Laurentian Invitational on September 27. The runners representing MSS were Marjorie Scott, Beth Wiwchar, Gabby Corbiere, and James Scott. A team of all Grade 9s represented at the golf tournament that took place on September 26. Although the team played well, they did not qualify for NOSSA. The Senior Girls’ basketball team had a tournament from September 30-October 1. The tournament took place in Parry Sound. The girls practiced as hard as they could for the tournament, and put their newly learned plays into action in preparation for the regular season, which begins this week.
There are many new activities being planned, including SHARE’s We Scare Hunger sign ups to collect non-perishable items, and the Three Fires Confederacy planning the annual powwow. October is bringing sports, new experiences, and awesome fall weather. ‘Til next time, stay golden, Mustangs.
