Poem: War

By Priyanka 10T

Save the Oceans

Olivia 7L

Our oceans are dying and we need to do something about it!

We are to blame. 

We create pollution in the ocean not just by littering but we also contribute to the ice caps melting and that is destroying the homes of many creatures. Dumping rubbish in our oceans might not seem like a crime but it is affecting the human race more than you know. 

What can we do about it ?

We need to stop pollution in the oceans as quickly as possible. The waste in the ocean is rapidly building and thousands of creatures are dying due to humans’ carelessness. 

Dhriti 7Y said, “I feel like we should let the marine animals live a life as good as humans and stop polluting their home.”

Caroline 7T says “I feel like what we are doing is really unfair and the creatures deserve a good life.” 

Miss Patel says “One of the best ways we can help to save the oceans is by educating young people about how we impact sea life.” 

More than 14,00000 sea creatures die every year due to pollution. We need to use reusable plastics and metals to cut down plastic pollution. We also need to cut down burning fuels so that ice caps don't melt at such a fast rate . 

Why is it so important? 

This is an important subject because it affects humans and marine animals. Small marine animals consume chemicals and bigger animals eat them and are poisoned. This is also very bad news for humans who eat fish and seafood. 

These are just some of the reasons why we need to save our oceans. 

Source:

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/

Are your favourite animals fading away?

Noor 7K

Have you been keeping up to date about the cutest animals? Maybe not, but the news you are about to hear is shocking and depressing.  

There are already 23 endangered mammals in Antarctica alone! The National Geographical says that, “two rare white giraffes were brutally slain by poachers in Kenya.” These unfortunate misdeeds are dreadfully common and we need to speak up for the animals otherwise no one else will. 

So why is this happening? There are many reasons including their polluted habitats, mainly due to the selfish actions of humans which has led to the tiger, sea turtle, Amur leopard and so many more to reach the peak of endangerment. The worst part about this topic is that many people do not understand just how bad the situation is for many animals, and therefore many people are taking actions. 

What are YOU going to do to help this cause? Don’t you believe in animal rights? 

You can read much more about endangered animals from The Independent’s website.

Ice Loss In Antarctica

Nora 7K

The ice caps are melting at a rapid speed in Antarctica due to climate change and this is endangering the environment as well as lives of over thousands of animal species. There was also data from satellites that have attained information that Antarctica and Greenland have lost 6.4 trillion tonnes of ice from 1992 to 2017. 

On the BBC News website, research has shown that ice sheets contribute to about a third of all sea-level rise with ice sheets in West Antarctica having thinned the most.

There is also satellite information from the The World website showing that scientists have discovered that the Thwaites Glacier (a strangely immense Antarctic glacier flowing into Pine Island Bay) has been promptly melting since July 2019. Moreover, the website states, “If the Thwaites Glacier melts, it would change global coastlines forever.”

The ice in Antarctica holds 90% of the world’s fresh water and 80% of that ice comes from the eastern part of the continent. As you can see, Antarctica has a huge impact on humanity and submitting more and more greenhouse gases into our environment will worsen the effect on Antarctica and our lives. 

Ecosia : A Tree Planting Search Engine

Ashwariya 7Y

On 7th December 2009 a search engine called Ecosia was created by a man called Christain Kroll. The premise is that every few searches you make, a tree is planted: simple. In the past few years they have really gained traction. They’re planting trees in places like: Haiti, NIcaragua and Columbia. However, is this too good to be true?

This engine sounds perfectly simple but most have their suspicions as it sounds like there has got to be a catch. Well there is no catch! They post their monthly financial reports and tree planting receipts onto their website. However many still remain suspicious. 

Some believe that they take your information, others believe they don’t actually plant the trees they said they would. Well none of this has been proven true. You can't really prove that they are using and selling your data but they have proved to be planting the trees as they have multiple videos of them planting trees. 

How did Ecosia begin? In 2009, Christian Kroll created the search engine Xabble to generate funds for places like India and Nepal so they could get electricity however he abandoned that project. At first Ecosia's funds went to WWF and raised €250,000. However they then started donating to the billion trees project. In the next few years they did multiple campaigns to stop deforestation. 

In some ways then, money does grow on trees. Plus when it’s for such a good cause, what do you have to lose?

Find out more from Ecosia’s website: Ecosia - the search engine that plants trees

Sources: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosia

https://www.ecosia.org/

Be Brave. Speak Out.

Iqra 7T

What are the impacts of bullying? How can we work together to make sure that this doesn't affect our school community?

Bullying affects lots of different types of people. Bullying doesn’t just take place in schools but also online which can lead to young people feeling that there is no escape and even committing suicide. Bullying is defined as being repeated, unwanted and sometimes aggressive behaviour that is non-stop. Both the victim and the bully may have serious lasting problems as a result.

Bullying is linked to many negative outcomes including impacts on mental health. Those who are bullied can end up suffering from depression, anxiety and a lot of loneliness in their life. 

However, bullies sometimes have lots of difficulties too which are mostly not realised. Sometimes they could also be being bullied themselves and then end up taking it out on someone else. So many people can be impacted with harmful and threatening actions from bullies. 

You might be wondering why I am telling you this, have a think for yourself, see how you can help us to stop this happening.

Some of my own experiences:

It all started when I moved primary schools in year 5. It was a terrible and heart-breaking moment. It was dreadful having to leave all my classmates and friends but I thought that I could manage. Once I was at my new school I thought I was going to make friends easily. It was harder than I thought. 

Throughout the horrible days I got bullied and taunted for my voice because I was known as the ‘squeaker’ because everyone thought that I had a high-pitched voice. Just because of that I felt I had no value in the school. I tried telling the teachers but I never had the courage to stand up for myself. I was a very lonely person with no friends. They were happy and busy in their own lives. Now here I am in secondary school and there are times when people still make fun of me, but luckily I now have a lot more friends and they all stand up for me. 

Be Brave. Speak Out.

Something that I would say to you is that you should never give up on life no matter how many problems you face. There is always someone out there who cares about you and needs you in their life, even if you do not know it.

Remember that if you are ever worried, upset or concerned then do not hesitate to speak to the staff at school - from the pastoral team, form tutors, teaching assistants, safe-guarding lead team or any teacher you feel comfortable talking to. They are ready to help you in whatever way they can. Don’t suffer in silence.

Inspirational quotes:  

“Kindness in words creates confidence.

Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.

Kindness in living creates love.”

By Lao Tzu

“Throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad.

Let God deal with the things they do because hate in your heart will consume you too.”

By Will Smith

COVID-19 Changes Schooling

Dhriti 7Y

Due to the Coronavirus, schools all over the country have closed while the UK is in lockdown. It is possible that schools won’t be fully opening again for quite some time. There are some exceptions though; the children of key workers and vulnerable children will still be able to attend and students that have free meals may go to collect their lunches. 

What about everyone else? Some schools, especially secondary schools and colleges, were already using digital technology to teach students and will be able to continue with this while they are at home doing the set tasks. But this relies on all students having access to devices. 

The closure of Alperton Community School happened at the end of the day on Friday 20th March 2020. Schools were being closed to help stop the spread of COVID-19 since the virus is causing many in the UK illness and even death. 

Since students at Alperton Community School can't physically go to school, they are required to use a device to access Google Classroom and their Gmail. Students have been using the Google Suite for a while so most students are familiar with it. Google Classroom is a platform in which you can connect with your class and teachers, view and submit your assignments. The teachers can also see every edit you do on a piece of work, give you feedback and answer questions if you need help. They can also find out if you have copied and pasted any information!

Although it seems really good that we are prepared and that not too much education will be delayed, there are actually a few negatives. Firstly, spending hours on end on devices and too much screen time can be bad for you. In addition, some students describe staying at home as being “trapped” and “feeling lonely.” During this period of time we can’t really talk to people in person and later on people may have problems socialising and may be too anxious to go out in public and interact with other human beings which is worrying since at Alperton Community School, we are a community. 

Furthermore, it is hard to recreate a learning atmosphere at home similar to school so it can be tempting to snack on food lots or go on social media. Not managing the workload can cause sleep deprivation which can lead to health problems and a bad mood. Also, since the teacher isn’t teaching you in person, you have to be really resilient and self-teach some of the content and sometimes the information can be hard to understand. Although teachers can support us using Google Classroom, it’s just not the same.

Some students still can’t get over the fact that only one week has passed and that they have much more time to go and others think that there is too much pressure being put on them. Another student said, “Learning at school is more active and fun. Online work is kind of restrictive, especially how our teachers can see everything we type!” Another student even said being quarantined can make you lose your mind! I am personally finding it hard to concentrate on my learning and can get distracted very easily. 

One of our teachers advised, “It's really important to also make the time to do the little things that make you smile.” It’s about finding a good balance between school work and free time and adjusting to this new way of learning. Following your school timetable the best you can will help to manage the workload better. 

We must all take care of our mental health and make sure we do not get too carried away with work if it is interfering with our wellbeing. Remember to keep connected with friends and family and to also do things that make you happy and stay healthy.

With this virus, it is important that we know the right facts and not spread any rumours. For reliable information on the coronavirus, visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) - NHS. Remember not to leave your house unless you have to and use the social distancing advice.

Why celebrate World Book Day?

Tasia 7X

This year World Book Day took place on 5th March. It is a day dedicated to the enjoyment of books, celebrating authors and reading. In recent times, sadly lots of people have become more interested in devices than books. However, there are still many young people who have found a passion for reading and writing and this should be celebrated. 

Miss Parkin, the school librarian, is passionate about young people finding enjoyment in reading. “I think World Book Day is good because it’s not just about reading by yourself, it's about sharing your interests with others.” Avid reader Harshali (7X) feels that books “allow people to use their imaginations without the need for any electronics. It doesn't cost anything to have an imagination!”

Originally created in 1995, World Book Day is something to focus on for the day but can easily be celebrated all year round. “World Book Day is a registered charity on a mission to give every child and young person a book of their own.” Schools are able to purchase books from the companies such as Scholastics and the World Book Day website to encourage more people into reading for pleasure. 

Remember to collect your book token from your form tutor. Visit https://www.worldbookday.com/ for more information and for inspiration. 

As someone who loves books, I want to say thanks to the amazing authors who give us a bit of their imagination so we can explore worlds we have never visited before.

Taking Up Space: The Black Girl's Manifesto for Change

By Esther 11X

Book Review

This unputdownable book tackles the issue of racism within the scope of education in an
extremely candid and honest way. What makes Taking Up Space stand out is the
empowering collection of real life experiences of black university students and how they
overcome - and continue to overcome - adversity. 

A vast array of topics are discussed in detail such as mental health, impostor syndrome and representation. Written by Cambridge University graduates, Chelsea Kwakye and Ore Ogunbiyi, this book will definitely pique your interest if you would like to learn about black people excelling in their fields of education.

Taking Up Space was the flagship 2019 release of #Merkybooks which "was set up by publishers Penguin Random House and Stormzy in June 2018 to find and publish the best writers of a new generation and to publish the stories that are not being heard."



Want to see your own review here? Type your response and send it to Ms. S. Patel.

Remember, you can also fill out a book review slip from the library lending desk and return to Ms. King or Ms. Parkin.

Body image

BY NIKITA 10Q

Perfection is overrated and reality is underrated. Why are we putting ourselves in this position? Nine out of ten British teenage girls are unhappy with their body shape and appearance. It is one of the biggest problems in today’s generation.

One of the key findings from The Good Childhood Report (2017) is that happiness in young people is at is lowest since 2010. Does this have a link to the rise of mobile and digital technology that teenagers have access to? There are so many social media apps that allow people to take selfies and put on filters. Most of our photos are fake! Then we look at celebrities’ photos or our friends and wonder why we don’t look like them. They don’t even look like them!

Image from BBC News

But now it is becoming a problem for both genders as boys are also starting to feel insecure. A study by the National Citizen Service found out that “34% of boys surveyed told us they feel pressured to attain a muscular figure while 55% of girls surveyed have said they feel the pressures of being skinny.”

If someone is healthy then it should not matter what he or she look like to anyone else as long as they are happy with themselves. We need to stop feeling the pressure from the media as lots of those images are not real as they have been edited.

Anyway, what is the perfect body? Any thoughts? No answer, right? One way we can change this is by complimenting each other more to make each other feel more confident.

Rachael Bermingham - “Don’t judge me. I was born to be awesome. Not perfect.”

College or sixth form?

BY PAULINA 10N

Year 10 and 11 students are at a point in their lives where they must start to decide what path they want to take for their future.

Colleges have a wider range of subjects to choose from, however they are much larger so you might not always get the support you need because they have a lot more students.

Alperton Community School has a sixth form and many students decide to carry on their education here. Many believe that because of having the support of friends and teachers you have known for a long time, and the comfortable learning environment, it will continue to help us grow. On the other hand, moving to college changes our lives because we are moving to a new environment and meeting new people.

The big news recently is that the sixth form students will have more space at Stanley Avenue from next year because year 10 will also be at the Ealing Road site. This is exciting as we will have more learning spaces and also be able to have a say on how this building should work for us.

Colleges don’t always have a strict dress code and the sixth form has a business casual dress code; isn’t that what we all want ... to get out of these uniforms!

Never be lonely

BY NIKITA 10Q

We often talk and open up on social media because there are a lot of people that are scared to talk in real life. There are 25,736 of counselling sessions with the concerns of bullying, face-to-face or online. You might think that social media allows us to be connected to our loved ones 24/7, but a new study has discovered that it’s actually making us feel lonelier because of less human interaction. In January 2018, Tracey Crouch was appointed as a new minister for loneliness. This is to continue the work started by the late MP Jo Cox.

Before it was thought that it was only old people who are lonely but it is now affecting people of all ages.

Spoken word

At times we feel like we are alone but we aren’t. We may feel it but we always have those true friends and people who have always supported us in our life no matter what we have gone through. They will always love us and help us whenever we need help. People accept the way we are even after what we have been through. They always stand by your side making sure you are never indignant. They always want you to smile and be blissful. Because life doesn’t only give gladness but it also lets us live every day.

We always have people to keep us strong and also to encourage us so that we never give up. Giving up isn’t going to be the correct solution. We all go through ups and downs in our life but those who are strong know how to tackle every problem.

We live in a world where we all will have problems sometime in our life. They can deeply affect us but we need to show the world that we are strong and not weak. Time heals mostly every situation. People that truly know you will know when you are upset and hurt. They will ask you “what’s wrong” no matter how hard you try to hide it. Even by having a fake smile. Only those who know you really well know what you go through. The stronger you are the better it will be for you. Never give up. Always stay strong.