Elisa is not the only Ursuline student taking classes through OSG; this year another student is also taking AP Government, and last year, the first year that Ursuline girls took OSG classes, two girls pioneered the program. These girls who participate in an OSG course take their course with other girls all over the country, from Connecticut to Hawaii. “I feel like I’m connected to a more diverse group of people,” said Elisa.

     Why would girls take classes online when they could just take them at school? There are at least two possible reasons: she has scheduling conflicts or she wants to take a class Ursuline does not offer. OSG offers six Advanced Placement courses (Computer Science, Economics, Music Theory, Psychology, Statistics, and Government), but also some different, interesting courses such as Japanese, Genetics, Women’s History in America, Differential Equations, and Page to Stage: Wicked. Last semester, Jennifer C. ’12 took a course in Global Issues.

     The courses are taught by teachers from the participating schools who assign the students homework every week. For her Government class, Elisa reads one chapter a week, watches lectures uploaded by her teacher, and posts her responses to discussion questions for her teacher and fellow students to read. Her teacher posts the week’s assignments on Haiku, which is similar to Blackboard. Each week’s homework is due by midnight on Sunday. After every unit, Elisa takes a timed test online. These tests are multiple choice, free response essays, or data-based question essays (DBQs), all intended to prepare Elisa for the AP test at the end of the course.

     Most assignments and projects for the web-based course are also web-based. Before beginning the class, the students sign up for several social media tools. The girls use Vimeo, which is similar to YouTube, to upload videos; Skype to discuss current events with their fellow students, like the State of the Union address this past January; Voicethread to upload pictures and PowerPoint presentations and comment on them; and a Google account to use Google documents that allow them to work on papers with other students.

     “Had I not taken this class, I do not think I would be as technologically adept as I am,” Elisa commented.

     Online courses are growing more popular; when the online school started in 2009, only four schools worked with OSG; now approximately 65 schools are involved. In the Government class this year, the girls’ first assignment was to post on their blog about their experience with the class. Their posts have been commented on by both educators and graduate students. A professor from St. Joseph’s College in Connecticut recently asked Elisa if she would Skype the professor’s graduate students about the online course.

     “To be able to handle online courses and to know the ins and outs will be a valuable asset for these girls,” said Ms. Bauer.

     Next year, Ursuline will offer online courses to any girl who has applied. The courses are limited to one credit per year, which will be covered by tuition. Girls may also take online courses over the summer, which they will have to pay for separately. The on-line classes available during the year are Computer Programming, AP Computer Science, Multivariable Calculus Honors, Differential Equations Honors, AP Statistics, AP Music Theory, Genetics, AP Psychology, Women’s History in America, AP US Government and Politics and Comparative Government and Politics, Global Issues, Art and Design: Spiderman, Digital Design and Imagery, Japanese I, and Latin I. Summer classes offered include Reviewing Algebra I and College Essay Writing.

     If you are interested in learning more about on-line classes, contact your Personal Counselor or Ms. Bauer. This program presents a great opportunity for girls to become more tech savvy and responsible for their own education.

     “I really hope that Ursuline’s involvement with OSG changes a lot of people’s assumptions about people who choose to take online courses and people who get their degree online. Taking an online class, specifically through OSG, requires active engagement. It’s a lot of work, but also a great experience,” said Elisa.

white hats to the song “I will remember you” at the “Our Time to Shine” 2012 Rangerette Spring

Show.

This show was the last time that this year’s Rangerette team would all perform together.

The annual Rangerette Spring Show was held at the Jesuit Terry Center at 7:30 p.m.,

and the Rangerettes were prepared and eager to show the crowd several of their dances from

competitions.

Although the girls only started practicing for this show in particular at the

beginning of March, they had already learned the  majority of the dances that they would perform.

They performed several routines, which consisted of officer, class, solo, and

combined grade dances. The types of dances performed also varied from pompom and kick to

lyrical and hip hop.

With such a variety of dances, each attendee had at least one that really stood out to him

or her. Katie K. ’14 said, “My favorite part was when Katie G. was performing her single

routine. The music stopped, but she kept performing. She’s such a great dancer!”

Stopped music was not the only mishap that occurred on stage. Stephanie W. ’14

said, “There were so many girls on one stage that sometimes people accidentally hit each other.

I knocked a girl’s hat back.”

Despite these accidents, the Rangerettes recovered well when something unexpected occurred.

As in previous years, the last performance was the whole squad kick routine, which

ended with the notorious jump split.

Meredith B. ’14 said, “I think my favorite dance was the final dance because of how all the classes performed together.”

At the end of the show, the Rangerette officers continued through with the tradition of

hanging up their hats to symbolize their moving on from the Rangerette team and their passing

down the responsibility to the next year’s officers.

Stephanie W. said, “It was really emotional. About half of the team cried.” This

year’s “Our Time to Shine” show marked a great ending to a great year for the 2011-2012

Rangerette squad.

This saint was born in Scotland and was not particularly devote until he was kidnapped and enslaved in Ireland when he was 14.

Ironically, he wasn’t kidnapped for ransom but was taken all the way to Ireland where he worked as a slave. Although he learned the ways of the pagan people, his experience brought God into his life.

“The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul [rose], so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same.” “I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain.”

 Six years later, God told him how to escape in a dream. At 20 years old, he reached the Irish coast and was taken home by some helpful sailors he met there.

When he was home with his family, he had a second dream in which the Irish begged him to return to them. This motivated him to enter the seminary, and he was ordained by St. Germanus himself. Later, he became a bishop and fulfilled his dream when he was sent back to Ireland.

There, he converted the whole country in 40 years by preaching with his trademark shamrock and by working miracles. One of his more famous miracles was driving out snakes from Ireland, but experts are unsure if this is an allegory (because old writings often equate snakes with sin). Four of his many disciples followed his example and became canonized saints.

Jocelin, a Cistercian monk of the 12^th century, wrote,

“For the blind and the lame, the deaf and the dumb, the palsied, the lunatic, the leprous, the epileptic, all who labored under any disease, did {St. Patrick] in the Name of the Holy Trinity restore unto the power of their limbs and unto entire health; and in these good deeds was he daily practiced.  Thirty and three dead men, some of whom had been many years buried, did this great reviver raise from the dead, as above we have more fully recorded.”

St. Patrick died on March 17^th, 461. His story has spread throughout the world, and it has fascinated the secular world so that Christians, Muslims, and atheists alike celebrate the 17^th with green.

The question is, do you celebrate him and your faith, or your Irish heritage and the color green, on St. Patrick’s Day?

This article is written based off information from www.catholic .org, and olrl.org/lives/patrick

Monday, Feb. 27 marked the beginning of the second annual Arabic week, organized by Arabic teacher Mrs. Benhayda and her 22 Arabic students.

                The week’s program will display several elements of Arabic culture while also tying in the role of women in the Arabic world.

                Each day, a prayer will be said in Arabic along with a small biography of a prominent Arabic woman working for women’s rights in the Arab world.

On Monday, stickers celebrating Arabic week will be distributed to the Ursuline community. Wednesday will pick up with Arabic food made by Arabic students at both A and B lunches.

                Thursday is when Arabic students will write out names in Arabic during lunch. On Friday, Arabic students from Arabic 1, 2, and 3 will perform a popular Arabic song by Fairouz, a prominent Arabic singer. This performance will be followed by a short presentation from senior Arabic students describing how learning Arabic has affected their lives.

                Arabic projects and calligraphy completed by all members of the Arabic classes are currently being displayed in the hallway outside of Haggar.

                The Arabic program, started three years ago when Mrs. Yousfi-Roy was the sole teacher and had only 11 students the first year, consisting mostly of seniors. The Arabic 1 class this year has 14 students, with a variety of grades enrolled in the class.  Other classes, at higher levels,  also exist. 

                Arabic week is an exciting prospect for many students unfamiliar with Arabic traditions. Says Karoline S. ’13, “I’m excited for Arabic week because I don’t know much about Arabic culture, and I am interested to know more.”

      Last year’s graduating class was unanimous in telling the seniors to not hold back in school involvement when they reach college.

      “Don’t be afraid to branch out and try new things,” said Courtney B.

       The girls also gave current seniors advice for the academic side of college. They assured the seniors that college academics are quite different from those in high school, but that the adjustment is definitely doable.

       ”Really get to know your professors,” said Rachel H.

       When several girls asked about classes, jobs, and majors, the 2011 graduates told the seniors to choose their undergrad major because they enjoy it, not because of the possibility of a lucrative career.

       ”You will be successful at something you are happy doing, rather than something that just might make you money,” said Kelly C.

       Seniors also asked for advice on how to stay healthy and fit during college, especially freshman year. This is a concern for many, especially for those who are not planning to play a sport in college.

       “Take as many PE classes as you can, it’s a great way to stay fit and make friends,” said Courtney.

       Other girls asked about the possibility of homesickness, and how to deal with it. The 2011 panel were very responsive about this, saying that missing one’s family and one’s home is inevitable, and it can be hard to get used to the change.

       “I was still really caught up in high school, but you can’t be afraid of change; it’s inevitable,” said Mackenzie M.

       Things got better for last year’s graduates once they embraced the change.

       “You realize that that’s where you life is now and that’s where your home is now,” said Rachel N.

      But while looking forward to college is surely exciting as well as nerve-wracking, the graduates reminded this year’s seniors to make sure to have fun for the rest of their time at Ursuline.

     Musical houses have been spotted already since 2005 and are an upgrade to the usual decked out Christmas house. It’s a little extra for the holiday-ers who want a little more Christmas spirit and carolers.

    These eye stunning houses can be made from over 40 000 LED holiday lights and controlled with over five computerized lighting controllers. One person acts as an orchestrator, commanding the lights when to go on or off, fade or twinkle. Inside the house, the orchestrator has an MP3 player inside the controllers, playing the music.

     However, they’re not for everyone, when asked if she would ever try this on her own house, Marcelle C. ’13, brings up an important point, “I feel that it costs too much electricity.” These houses probably don’t light up all night, but the bill for the time they run their musical lights must make this an annual event.

Though many of us may never attempt to so extravagantly decorate our houses, we can still watch from the streets, or is there isn’t a musical house in your neighborhood, watch from youtube.com.

They can be easily found on youtube.com, but here are a few favorites from the staff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmgf60CI_ks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8AUsmse15o&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hjtd__eEmA&feature=related

      The Descendents, a mix of comedy and drama, is about a man from Hawaii whose life is about to majorly change. The wife of Matt King, played by the famous and talented George Clooney, is not only in the hospital in a coma, but she was also having an affair with another man with almost everyone knowing about it, except Matt. His daughter, Alexandra, portrayed by Secret Life of an American Teenager star Shailene Woodley, is the one who tells him about the affair, explaining why she hadn’t been getting along with her mother before the accident. Oscar buzz has been given to both Clooney and Woodley for their heartwarming and expressive performances in Descendents, so it’s not surprise why this movie’s ratings have been A+.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1033575/

      After wonderful reviews from this year’s film festivals at Sundance and Toronto, Like Crazy caught many people’s attention and was put into theaters later in the year. When Felicity Jones’ character Anna falls in love with Jacob, played by Star Trek and Charlie Bartlett star, Anton Yelchin, they begin an epic romance with no turning back. But there’s a problem: Anna is only welcome to stay in America until her student visa is set to expire after graduation and instead she overstays, which only continues to cause more problems for the rest of the film. With comparisons to movies like last year’s Blue Valentine and Jane Eyre and the combination of Yelchin and Jones’s chemistry and likeableness, it is a sure Oscar contender.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1758692/

      Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, based off the novel by John le Carré, is expected to have a solidified spot in the running for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars—and that’s based purely on the trailer and the amazing cast involved. Batman Begins and Harry Potter’s Gary Oldman plays George Smiley, a retired British Intelligence espionage expert is asked to return in the hopes of finding a suspected mole working for the Russians within the operation. Set during the Cold War in the 1970s, Smiley must find the difference between lies and truth in this impressive spy film with other leading actors such as Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Tom Hardy.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1340800/

      A story of the relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud and their studies of psychology is animatedly portrayed in A Dangerous Method. Lord of the Rings actor Viggo Mortensen and X-Men First Class’s Michael Fassbender, who play Jung and Freud, are expected to show how complex and interesting both their studies and relationships were during their time. Pirates of the Caribbean star Keira Knightley and Black Swan’s Vincent Cassel both also star in Dangerous Method, which has been generating Oscar buzz since the summer and will supposedly have a strong chance at claiming many of the awards this year.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1571222/

Last summer, Sister Benigna was at Colegio Miramar School  in Lima, Peru when Ms. Bourgeois , Ms. Nipp,  Mrs. Frasco and her daughter,  Julia and several Ursuline  girls  visited.    As an Ursuline sister, Sister Benigna has served others all over the world, including in Rome at the Generalate, in Jamaica, and at other international  Ursuline schools.

Her next mission is to help the poor, particularly the elderly, at a Senior Citizen center in Laredo, TX.

Right after graduating from a secondary school in Holland, Sister Benigna trained to become a teacher. These skills became especially useful when she taught young children at Santa Ursula in Lima.

She continued learning throughout the years and now speaks six languages, although she says that she does not speak them perfectly.

Through her many experiences and successes, Sister Beniga has developed a philosophy of life.

“All that you learn, take it seriously and take the possibilities seriously, and then you will have all that you need to do the right thing in the future,” she  said.

            Students in Mrs. Vargas’, Ms. Rico’s, and Mr. Bakos’ Spanish I classes have been chatting with pen pals from our sister school in Chile, Colegio Santa Ursula, since October in a project called Mi Escuela, Tu Escuela. The purpose of the project is to compare and contrast schools, activities, and lifestyles between the UA girls and the CSU girls.

“When we hear about other countries in the news, we know it’s there but it doesn’t seem real,” said Alex B. ’15. “This project allowed us to see that girls in other countries grow up with similar music interests, family life, and friends.”

Through Blackboard’s discussion board, email, Facebook, and Skype, Ursuline girls send messages (written in Spanish, of course!) to their Chilean pen pals, who usually respond in English to practice their skills. Through these messages, pen pals have gotten to know each other, discussing topics ranging from food to boys to favorite subjects and sports.

“I consider my pen pal a friend and I hope to visit her someday,” said Rachel H. ’15.

The project culminates in early December with a MovieMaker presentation, integrating the grammar and vocabulary students have learned through the year, about the pen pal and her family, activities, favorite things, and other topics of discussion.

“Ursuline students learn not only about Chilean student life, but also about the culture and country,” said Mrs. Vargas.

And even more than that, Mi Escuela, Tu Escuela motivates Ursuline girls to use their Spanish skills for fun conversation along with the possibility of traveling with Ursuline to Chile.

     As the delegation moves to Uganda, they will make a visit to Bead for Life, a nonprofit organization that takes colored recycled paper and turns them into beads for jewelry. Bead for Life also features Ugandan women who make cosmetics and soaps from shea nuts. By selling either the jewelry or the cosmetics, profit becomes a source of income for deprived Africans throughout the continent.

     Not only will the delegation take time to visit Bead for Life while in Uganda, they will also spend time at the Empower African Children, offices and school site. For those who don’t know what Empower African Children is and were not here to see them during their Spirit of Uganda Tour to UA a few years ago, EAC is another nonprofit organization that provides an inventive and ground-breaking education for Ugandan children.

     Working with EAC has made positive ties to some of the delegates, especially Samantha F., ’12. “I’m most looking forward to visiting the Empower African Children sites because I remember their performance here when I was a freshman. They are an inspiring group and being able to visit where they work and go to school is very exciting,” says Samantha.

     The delegation to Africa will be one of Ursuline’s most culturally enriching and diverse opportunities to date and will hopefully be a sign of more trips and opportunities for future school visits.