Viewpoint: Are You Excited About the Christmas Formal?

 

Viewpoint: Winter? Yay or nay?

 

Viewpoint: How Smart Are You?

 

Viewpoint: Back to School

Viewpoint: Cafeteria Food

ViewPoint: Book Fair

 

Viewpoint: Thanksgiving

 

Viewpoint: Summer Memories

The Blackville Rundown: High School Assessment Week

This week, Reese and Anna talk to students and staff about what assessment week looks like this year at Blackville School. They also give some helpful tips on how to relieve stress while studying.

Blackville Rundown: 2020 Reflection and 2021 Resolutions

Hosts Andrea and Reese discuss the year 2020 and ask some students and staff what New Year's resolutions they made for 2021.

The Blackville Rundown: COVID-19 Impact

In this week's podcast, Anna and Reese get the students input on COVID-19 and explore how it has affected their lives. They also discuss some favourite television shows from around the school. 

A Discussion on a World in Conflict

The Continuing Conflict Between the United States and Iran

The Blackville Buzz crew discuss the continuing conflict between the United States and Iran.

2019 Election Special: The Local Candidates

Another federal election is fast approaching. We reached out to the 7 local candidates of the Miramichi-Grand Lake Riding and invited them all to respond to some questions.  Below are answers we received from candidates: Patty Deitch of the Green Party, Mathew Lawson an Independent, Pat Finnigan of the Liberal Party.

Patty Deitch, Green Party

Why do you think voters should consider voting for you? What do you think makes them worthy of their vote? 

Patty Deitch (Green): First and foremost, I believe the Green platform is one that is very responsive to all Canadians and most effectively addresses the challenges we face environmentally and recognize and responds to the difficulties that many Canadians face in terms of health, shelter, food security and financial security. That is why I have chosen to run for the Green Party and this is one reason that I would hope that voters would consider voting Green. For many years, I have been involved in activities that address environmental concerns, and as well, have worked on issues of poverty, homelessness, food security, and have advocated for individuals who have faced mental health and addiction challenges. In the past twenty years, I have been employed in community mental health work and for ten of the twenty years, I taught for the University of New Brunswick, Faculty of Nursing, and supervised student placements with vulnerable and marginalized populations. I am recognized for both my work ethic and commitment to advocacy.

Mathew Lawson (Independent): Voters should consider voting for me because I am the only candidate that will address and deal with the addictions, violence, and overdoses that we see in the world today.

Pat Finnigan, Liberal Party

Pat Finnigan (Liberal): My name is Pat Finnigan, I have served as the Member of Parliament for Miramichi Grand Lake for the past 4 years and am seeking re-election as your Liberal candidate.  I am asking voters for their support again so we can continue to move forward together and build on our successes of the past four years to support families, seniors, cut taxes for the middle class and to invest in strategic infrastructure projects that both creates jobs and supports the local economy and benefits the many rural communities in our riding.

In New Brunswick today, we see more young people leaving for other opportunities they cannot find here. If you were elected, what would you do in this riding to address this issue?

We Are Hockeyville

The following reflection and photos will appear in the 2019 Blackville School Yearbook. It was written by Yearbook Co-editor and Grade 12 student Maggie Jardine. 

Unity. We know what the definition of this word is, but do we know what it really means? We see it in a crowd erupting into chaos as their team wins on an overtime goal. It's in a class dressed in pink t-shirts with #neverdunn proudly written across their chests as they take their yearbook picture. It's how a community rallies together to try to take the title of "Kraft Hockeyville." But unity can also be seen in the strength of a grieving family at the center of a movement.

In the past year, our community has known what it means to go through hard times as we have dealt with the loss of many people we still saw as children. Instead of crumbling under the weight of it, we have banded together to show support for those struggling in any way we could.

One of those ways was to try to bring "Kraft Hockeyville" to our community and win $250 000 for the Tom Donovan Arena. Fourteen-year-old Thomas Dunn grew up playing hockey on this ice. After his passing, his family believed bringing the spirit of hockey to our rink would be the perfect way to honour his name.

Whether we actually bring Hockeyville to our rink or not, in a sense, our community has already won. We have shown what it means to be stronger together and make the best of our hardest times.

Set Aside Technology and Make Time for Reading

Source: Flickr

It is no secret that most kids hate reading as it is often associated with school. Many kids don’t like school and therefore dislike everything to do with it, and when they walk out that front door and throw their book bags onto the floor, books are out-of-sight, out-of-mind. Does this affect them negatively?

It is no secret that for as long as words were written, and possibly even before then, knowledge was shared through text. The most text that some of today’s youth see is an instant message. It is my personal opinion, along with many others, that social media lowers intelligence, and this is where most spend their time in recent years. Society has abandoned books and knowledge for on screen opinions. What does that mean for the direction in which society is heading?

Reflection on Student Leadership Conference

  Cassidy Coughlan (Spirit Leader), Chloe Donovan (President)
and Emma Sturgeon (Secretary) in Jasper, Alberta on the crest of
the Whistler Mountains after riding 2270 meters up on the Skytram.
The three students attended the Canadian Leadership Conference
in Edmonton, Alberta in September. 

I've had the fortunate honour of getting the chance to attend the Canadian Student Leadership Conference in Edmonton, Alberta this September, and let me tell you it was truly an eye opening and life changing experience.

I met so many new people and I saw some of the most miraculous sights I have ever seen, such as the rocky mountains 2270 meters in the air and also the township of Jasper, one of the most comforting and welcoming places I have been. 

These are only two of the amazing things I got the chance to see in Alberta, but there were so many more that I hope you get to see yourself because only seeing the sight for yourself would do the justice.

Creating Ripple Effects at Blackville School

Environmental Science Students
Patrick Donovan and Cody Maillet

Many students are likely familiar with the excessively large water bottles that used to stand in our hallways. These were used to collect bottles and other recyclable deposits. This is similar to the project the students in Mr. Hallihan’s Environmental Science class is undertaking.

Students must collect a certain sum of "eco-points" in the class. These are awarded for contributing something meaningful to the environment. To collect their class points, some students have decided to help clean up the community of Blackville.

This is meaningful for many reasons, as it is not only a way to ensure lots of "eco-points," but also improve the appearance of our community and clean up the environment. The money earned from the bottles and cans found in the ditches will also contribute to other Environmental Science class projects.

Tackling Childhood Obesity Requires a Comprehensive Approach

Returning from summer break always requires adjustments being made. Waking up earlier in the mornings, having to think about complex word problems rather than basking in the sun, these are changes associated with the first week of school. What is not expected is major dietary changes.

A new policy was developed over the summer that deals with the types of foods schools are allowed to serve. This ranges from cafeteria lunch lines, all the way to school-based fundraisers.

This policy states that all foods must have nutritional value, banning all unhealthy snacks and beverages. Along with this, foods like breaded chicken burgers and fries will also be removed from the menu. What has students most upset, however, is the outlaw of chocolate milk.

New Brunswick Students Gather to Celebrate Canada's 150th Anniversary

Students from all over New Brunswick gathered at Harbour Station in Saint John to celebrate Canada's 150th  birthday at the "My 150" event.  Twelve students from Blackville School got the opportunity to attend this event.

As one of the students who attended, I thought that it was a great way to celebrate our country and province.  Students from one end of  New Brunswick to the other gathered together to share their ideas on how to make our province a better place. 

There were guest speakers, students and the band Radio Radio, who all got up on stage to share their knowledge, ideas and talents with us.  

New Brunswick is often put down a lot, especially by New Brunswickers themselves, but after attending this conference and hearing all the great things New Brunswick has to offer, my perspective really changed.  

At this event, I learned that New Brunswick is one of the best places to live, and although people see it as a place with no opportunities, that isn't true.  You have to create your own opportunities.  Like guest speaker, Candy Palmater, said "sometimes you have to go get what you need and bring it back home."

By Olivia Buggie