Anita Pezzimenti, Director of Studies (Humanities) and Anna Robertson of the Dean of Students’ office, helped initiate the sale of Lifestraws.  Lifestraws are portable water filters which, when used to sip water, will cleanse that water, making safe drinking water available to the people of South Africa.  Each costs only $7 (including shipping). Those interested in making a donation, should contact Ms. Pezzimenti at apezzimenti@ursulinedallas.org. Group members have also begun selling blue bracelets with the Zulu phrase Amanzi aka Africa, meaning Water for Africa, written on them in white. Proceeds from these $5 bracelets, available for purchase at both lunches will also go toward purchasing Lifestraws.

Additionally, science teacher Christine Miller’s freshman biology class is completing a project that will reveal the various substances found in dirty water. The class plans to post its findings around the school to draw community attention to the negative effects of ingesting polluted water. Members of the South African Water project hope to work with Ms. Miller’s class to raise awareness of the dangers of dirty water, eventually bringing help to those exposed to disease because of the unclean water which they must drink every day.

Rachel and Anna also reported that on April 24^th, six girls from the Water Project participated in a video conference through the Center for Global Education’s Alberta Virtual Classroom with environmental engineer Muhammad el Daly. He gave a presentation about the water situation in his homeland of Cairo, Egypt, as well as in North East Africa, regarding the distribution of water from the Nile River. He provided students with a new perspective of the need for and use of water around the globe, and the girls were able to discuss the topics he’d introduced with students from two Canadian high schools while also comparing our own local water issues, Rachel said. 

“We participated in a debate about whether or not water was a basic human right for all humans, and if its distribution should be mandated by the government. All three schools eventually came to the consensus that while clean water is a basic human right, sharing the resource should involve not necessarily the exchange of money, but a system of trading goods to fairly provide accessible water for all people on earth,” she said.

In summary, the group, who has already accomplished a great deal, will continue to sell bracelets for the purchase of Lifestraws.  They also hope to continue video conferences on the water topic, especially involving students from the two Canadian schools with whom they recently talked.

“We’ll also be putting up the freshmen’s posters while continuing our own campaign,” Anna said, instructing students to keep an eye out for them around the school.

     This program in Ursuline was initiated by former retired art teacher Ms. Linda McCall in 2009. The Memory Project as a whole was started in 2004 by Ben Schumaker, who realized that orphans in other countries had no photographs of their childhood.

     He started this program to give those orphans paintings of themselves painted by American students so as to “contribute to their sense of identity and self-worth.” This program has been adopted by several schools in the US.

     One such student who painted a portrait for this project is Lily F., 13’, who was assigned a 3 or 4 year old orphan in Ecuador named Lulu. Painting the portrait took Lily around a month.

     After studying her face for so long, Lily said, “It feels like you kind of know her.” Also connecting Lily to Lulu is the fact that Lily’s nickname as a child was Lulu, which made painting this portrait particularly special for her.

      The most gratifying part of the whole experience for Lily was seeing a photograph of Lulu holding Lily’s portrait of her, saying “It was weird but rewarding.”

     A picture of the orphan holding his or her received portrait is sent by Schumaker to the painter of that portrait. Schumaker, though this program has thousands of painters, stores each painting in his garage until distribution.

     In total, over the eight years this project has been in the works, over 30,000 portraits have been created and delivered to children worldwide.

     Every year, each school sends a portrait to an orphan in a different country. Last year, Ursuline students sent portraits to Goa, India, whereas this year they sent portraits to Ecuador.

     Learn more about Ben Schumaker and his project at www.memoryproject.org/Eduador2012.mp4.

     Led by Anita Pezzimenti, director of humanities’ studies and Anne Robertson, assistant to the dean of students and a native South African herself, a group of 12 students are working together in conjunction with Brescia House, an Ursuline school in Johannesburg, South Africa to spread awareness of water usage.

    “These efforts,” said Ms. Pezzimenti, “are part of the 20/20 challenge the National Association of Independent School (NAIS) issued which invites schools from one part of the world to work with another on a global issue that affects them both.  Water is certainly one of these,” she said. 

     Rachel E. ’13, one of the students in the group, explained that students in both schools will be looking at their own water use efficiency.  The South African school, however, is also focusing on taming polluted ocean gyres which bring litter and waste to their neighboring waters.  

     “It is amazing for students to learn how much water it takes to produce something we all take for granted such as jeans or a hamburger,” Ms. Pezzimenti said.  “We are becoming increasingly aware of the water we waste,” she added.

     Awareness of the lack or total absence of unpolluted water is another outcome of the study. Unclean water is a danger in many places, including Africa, since its ingestion can lead to diarrheal diseases which, according to UNICEF and WHO, “kill more young children than AIDS, malaria and measles combined.”

     Inventions called Lifestraws^(tm} can provide people with an efficient and affordable way to obtain healthy, drinkable water as frequently as needed.    When used for sipping water from a vessel, the straws filter out impurities, leaving their residue at the bottom of the container and not in the drinker’s body.

     Ms. Robertson and Ms. Pezzimenti have been in contact with distributors of Lifestraws in the hope of raising enough money from the student body to send hundreds of these life-saving straws to South Africa. We can buy the LifeStraws at the public health price of $5.50, if we order a minimum of 1000, Ms. Robertson said.  “The results which these straws provide are truly amazing,” she added.

     Also at the helm of the Ursuline Roman Union’s “Project Africa” is Sister Lois Castillon, director of mission and heritage, who proudly heralds on morning announcements the existence of the “Joyful Jar” located right outside her office door.

     This jar is quickly collecting bills and coins which will be donated to the South African Water Project .  Sr. Lois is partnering with Sr. Frances Boston of Sefhare, and both are seeking to raise funds to provide clean water and to install water taps in the yards of women in Sefhare, Botswana.

     The Odom’s are currently leasing a 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo at W Victory Hotel & Residences.  At $7,500 a month, Khloe and Lamar’s condo includes slate floors, a large balcony, and floor-to-ceiling windows.

     Since her arrival, Khloe has been no stranger to the Dallas Community.  Before Christmas, Mrs. Odom hosted a toy drive for Children’s Hospital of Dallas which caused so much buzz and excitement, thousands of Dallas residents lined up at City Hall to donate to the cause.

     As a member of such a large and close family, Khloe is sure to expect several family visits to her new Dallas residence – bringing even greater excitement to DFW residents.  Early January, Khloe’s sister, Kim Kardashian, visited Dallas.  During her visit, the sisters did a bit of shopping and visited the Dallas World Aquarium.

     There have been rumors recently of the Kardashians opening one of their stores in Dallas.  TMZ says sources close to the family have said the Kardashian trio wants to open another D-A-S-H store in Dallas and that the sisters have already been out looking for possible location.  At the moment, there is only speculation.

     On January 30, Khloe joined the team at Mix 102.9 with her new show The Mix Up with Khloe Kardashian Odom.  She can be heard weekdays from noon to 1 pm.  She also is on the returning sit-com,  Khloe & Lama, which premiered Feb. 19 on E!.

     Vera Bradley is considered cute and useful by most Ursuline students. Lydia L., ’15, said “Everything I own is Vera Bradley!” Part of the reason it is so well liked is because it has something for everyone. Vera Bradley designs include over 60 patterns and everything from laptop cases to wristlets, both of which are special favorites of the average Ursuline girl.

     Another factor in the popularity of Vera Bradley is the fact that the manufactures are so eager to sell their products. If you tell Vera Bradley when your birthday is, they will give you a $20 coupon on your birthday every year.

     Last fall, representatives at North Park Mall had high school or college students fill out a form, present their school ID, and receive a free customized school spirit Vera Bradley shirt.Other incentive programs also exist.

    While many girls at Ursuline are all over Vera Bradley, an equal amount think it is entirely overdone. As Hannah F.,’15, says, “There’s a lot of it!” According to Hannah, some girls get it not because they like it, but because everyone has it.

     Despite the fact that she thinks it overdone, Hannah lifts her sweatshirt to display a Vera Bradley ID tag holder. “They were giving them away at a women’s soccer game, so I took one,” she said. Apparently even the critics can’t refuse the adorable items in the cute patterns.

     It isn’t just Ursuline girls, either. Vera Bradley is very popular for girls all over Dallas. However, for some time, it was considered an ‘old lady brand’, and few girls would be caught wearing it. Still, despite not being an instant success with teenagers, the story of Vera Bradley’s humble beginnings and instantaneous success is quite surprising.

     Despite the fact that Vera Bradley has only recently become so popular for young women, it has been around for over 20 years. It began in Barbara Bradley Baekgaard’s house, with a $250 loan from her husband. Only five years went by before $3 million in profits were recorded.

     It couldn’t have been difficult for Vera Bradley to find customers, because net revenues have reached the $300 million mark! Customers can purchase products at over 3,000 retailers who carry Vera Bradley’s products, or at one of 29 Vera Bradley stores. It is also available online, at their website or on eBay. Vera Bradley has never been more fun, or popular!

The Stop Online Piracy Act: a Solution or Censorship?

             Although no one can deny that the Protect IP Act/Stop Online Piracy Act has good intentions, it has raised quite a dispute as to how far the government can go to stop copyright infringement.

Piracy is a serious and growing problem. Never before have songs, movies, and television shows been easier to illegally download. The problem is clear: when material is illegally downloaded, the rightful owners are swindled out of their earned money. Illegal streaming and downloading seriously threaten the entertainment industry, but SOPA could possibly reduce such stealing with methods such as making illegal streaming of copyrighted material a felony. The act would allow copyright holders to get a court order based on a “statement of good faith” that their copyright has been infringed. Links to sites containing illegal material could be removed from search engines, and the websites could not be reached by typing the url into the address bar (websites could still be accessed by entering the IP address). SOPA is supported by Motion Pictures Association of America, Recording Industry Association of America, and Netflicks, among others.

Despite its good intentions SOPA is receiving active opposition from “Web-freedom advocates” who believe the act will do more harm than good. Websites such as Youtube, an online video sharing community, could potentially be shut down by the act. While Youtube does contain copyrighted material, it is also the home to the annual Project for Awesome, in which Youtube users make videos about their favorite charities and last year raised $100,000 for those charities, and a major component in the It Gets Better Project, which offers hope to LGBT young people facing bullying and harassment. The act would go so far as to stop people from singing covers of popular songs. On November 16, many websites participated in the “American Censorship Day” to protest the act. The petition against the SOPA easily surpassed the required number of signatures for consideration. Companies such as Google, Yahoo, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, AOL, Wikipedia, and Human Rights Watch oppose SOPA as an infringement on the first amendment.

            Perhaps unfortunate, it remains a far likelier chance that students will be on social media websites on their emails in the hopes of communicating. “Usually I have my laptop out already so If I have a homework question or a group project, I just ask someone of Facebook chat,” says Bailey V. ’13. “The bad part is, I tend to get off track and lose so much time once I’m on!”

            Truth told, many times I have learned of a change or mistake in an assignment due to checking the Twitter updates. I can even say that without some of my relapses of procrastination on the internet I would not have learned about upcoming quizzes and homework. In a similar situation, junior Natalie M. admits that Facebook has helped her remember events at school that would have regretfully been forgotten. “Countless times I get reminders online about upcoming dress down days and bake sales that I would have never remembered and wanted to participate in.”

            A paramount worry exists that students are becoming over reliant on social media to communicate and are losing the ability to manage time and work through personal responsibility. Perhaps a New Year’s resolution can be to focus more on one’s own schedule and manage without the insurance of online aid.

            Though some feel dismay about society’s colossal overreliance on technology and lack of communication through the basic usages of speaking and writing, developing generations are dependent on the Internet for various responsibilities and as a vital source of instant contact. Perhaps this Christmas Holiday we should focus on pausing the online relationships and focusing on the family that is right in front of us.

 Anecia R. ’12, this year’s queen, plays varsity basketball and throws shot-put for the varsity track and field team. Anecia will be wearing a red gown with silver beading and will be taking Elwood Stewart of James Madison High School as her date.

 ”I’m really excited about being snowball queen, it was a big surprise but I like it. I’m excited for Snowball, I love dances! I think it is going to b e really fun and I’m looking forward to having a great time,” said Anecia.

 The first member of Anecia’s snowball court, Jeanette M. ’12, is looking forward to snowball. She is not yet sure what she will be wearing, and is bringing as her date one of her best friends: Durgan K.’12. The most exciting part of her senior year thus far was her first art show.

 ”At the beginning of this year, I had my first art show. It was thrilling to display my work in a public place. More recently, I’ve been fulfilling many commissions, primarily tattoo designs,” said Jeanette.

 Zuzanna M. ’12 will also be attending Snowball as a member of the court. She’s involved in Color Guard and Nach, Ursuline’s Indian Dance Club. Though she has mixed feelings about her spot on court, she’s excited for snowball as a chance to dress up. Her date is Aaron W. ’12, and Zuzanna is in the process of making her own dress.

 ”It’s a 1950’s style evening gown that is mostly a rosy-taupe color with a forest green accent part at the top. That is of course if I get it done in time, otherwise I’ve got a back-up dress,” said Zuzanna.

 Megan M. ’12, the third court member, is a highly involved senior who participates in track, cross country, musical, Ambassadors, NHS, the mobilizers club, and also plays piano. She’s taking John Paul S.’12 of Cistercian to the dance, and is wearing an elegant slate gray dress.

 ”I’m really excited for snowball because getting to go means we’re finally, really seniors! And it’s something that we’ve heard about since freshman year so it’s awesome to finally get to go. I’m a little nervous about having to dance on the court, and I’m not sure how happy my date feels about that either,” said Megan.

 The final member of the court is Katie C. ’12. Katie plays varsity lacrosse, is the co-president of SRO, and is a member of both NHS and the Latin club.  Katie will be wearing a purple, one-shouldered dress with pockets. Her date, Cistercian’s Connor F. ’12, is excited for snowball, but has mixed feelings about being on court.

 ”Both Megan and I felt that if we received cupcakes with walnuts, it would be fine, and if we didn’t, it would also be fine; it didn’t matter either way to us. Now that we’re both on court, it’s actually pretty exciting! It’s sort of strange how everyone congratulates you in the hallways for choosing a cupcake with a walnut in it, but it’s very cool nonetheless. I also didn’t think that I would look to forward to Snowball, but I’m actually pretty excited! It’s a nice way to start off Christmas break and I guess being on court is an added bonus!” Katie said.

 Court members, as well as the rest of the Ursuline seniors, prepare for Snowball on Dec 16. The traditional Ursuline dance will be a night to remember for this year’s senior class.

     Foodandwine.com prepares us for this chilly winter with a Double-Chocolate Hot Chocolate recipe with the aid and contribution of Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito who believe that commercial mix cannot compete with homemade hot chocolate. This recipe is basic, fast and even vegetarian.

Ingredients:

1. 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2. 2 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
3. ½ cup boiling water
4. ¾ cup whole milk
5. ¼ cup heavy cream
6. Marshmallows, for serving

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the bittersweet chocolate with the milk chocolate. Add the boiling water and let stand for 1 minute. Whisk the chocolate mixture until it is smooth.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the milk and heavy cream just to a simmer. Add the chocolate mixture and whisk over moderate heat until hot. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the whiskey. Pour the hot chocolate into demitasse cups or small mugs, garnish with marshmallows and serve.

Merry Christmas!

Pan is a new twist on the classic “Peter Pan” featuring AnnaSophia Robb, Aaron Eckhart, and Sean Bean.  In this new movie, Hook (Eckhart) is a former detective who, with the help of Wendy (Robb), a Pan survivor who escapes a mental asylum, is on the search for a childlike kidnapper, Peter Pan.  It should be interesting to see Hook portrayed as the good guy and Peter Pan as the villain.  The movie is planned to be released in 2012.

Oz: The Great and Powerful is a new movie based on the magical land of Oz before Wendy and Toto arrive.  The movie will be released March 8, 2013 and features James Franco as the Wizard and Mila Kunis as Theodora or the future ‘Wicked Witch of the West.’

Jack the Giant Killer is the retelling of the “Jack and the Beanstalk” fairytale.  The movie features Hoult as Jack, Eleanor Tomlinson as the princess, Ewan McGregor as leader of the king’s guard and Ian McShane (Blackbeard in Pirates of the Caribbean) as King Brahmwell.  Jack (Hoult) is a young farmer who plans an attempt to rescue a princess (Tomlinson) that has been kidnapped by a giant.  Her father, King Brahmwell (McShane) strongly disapproves of Jack’s romance.  The movie will be released June 15, 2012.

Snow White and the Huntsman has been one of the more publicized of the new fairytale retellings.  The movie will be released June 1, 2012 and features Kristen Stewart as Snow White, Charlize Theron as Queen Ravenna, Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman, Ian McShane as Beith, and Sam Claflin as Prince William.  In order to hold on to her youth, Queen Ravenna (Theron) captures and kills young, beautiful girls and literally sucks the beauty out of them.  Snow White (Stewart) is now known as “the fairest of them all” and Ravenna send a huntsman (Hemsworth) to capture her.  In a twist, the Huntsman ends up helping Snow and becoming her protector and mentor in order to take down the evil Queen.

Grimm is a new series this season featuring David Giuntoli as Nick Burkhardt; Russel Hornsby as Hank Griffin; Bitsie Tulloch as Juliette Silverton.  The plot centers around a police detective in modern day Portland, Oregon, who inherits the ability to see supernatural creatures.  With this newfound ability, Nick realizes the fairytales he was told as a child are more than just stories.    The show plays on NBC, Fridays at 8.

Once Upon a Time is another new series this season which features Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan or the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, Ginnifer Goodwin as Mary Margaret Blanchard or Snow White, Lana Parrilla as Regina Mills or the Evil Queen, and Jared Gilmore as Henry Mills.  In the town of Storybrook, Maine, the characters of every classic fairytale are stuck in a state of limbo in which their true identities are a mystery.  Emma Stone (Morrison) is dragged to this town by her biological son, Henry (Gilmore), who has cracked the code and tries to explain to the townspeople their true identities.  The characters struggle to find peace in this new life which just does not feel right.  The story spans back and forth between the original fairytales and current day.  Once Upon A Time can be seen on ABC, Sundays at 7.

In other news, there has been mention of a del Toro film adaption of Beauty and the Beast featuring Emma Watson.  There is little to no more information than that, unfortunately.  If the rumor is true, it would not be released until at least 2013.