The Halloween costumes have been put away for another year and all that remains are the bags full of candy.
The school was full Friday with superheroes, Elsas from Frozen, bananas and several other creative costumes. Many students toured the haunted house and attended the elementary dance during the last class of the day.
The Grade 12 class participated in the visit by author Yann Martel to Hafford Oct. 30, arranged by Mrs. Cardin. Martel is best known for his book The Life of Pi. The Grade 12 class studies this book as a part of their ELA 30 course.
Martel spoke and answered questions for about an hour. He was engaging and brilliantly interesting. He began by an appeal to give up on some of our 鈥渞easonableness鈥� 鈥� to be human is to give up some of our reasonableness, he said. We are not computers. Love and imagination are not 鈥渞easonable.鈥� He was living in and travelling in India when he wrote The Life of Pi. He feels India helped him understand that we must give up some 鈥渞easonableness.鈥�
Martel also discussed what it is like to sell a book to Hollywood and have it made into a movie. He noted that, once Hollywood buys your book, it is no longer yours. They can change the story in any way they choose. Your story becomes the director鈥檚 story. He noted it took $120 million to make the movie with 500 people in Taiwan working on the movie every day. They used four live tigers as well as computer-generated tigers to create the movie.
Martel compared reading a book and watching a movie. Movies are visually appealing 鈥� imagery is their medium. Books however take more time and more imagination and involve the reader more. He said 鈥淎s an author, I wrote the book, you read it, it is coming together (the author and the reader) that create the experience. A movie kidnaps you where a book captures thoughts and broader emotions that a movie cannot.
聽鈥淭he movie is very visually appealing, however I felt the story was a little limp. Read the book for a better story.鈥�
The junior boys鈥� volleyball team finished their season at the pre-district playoffs in Leoville. The boys did not make the playoff round, but played hard and they have improved their skills all season. Thanks to Michelle Nelson for coaching the junior boys this year.
The junior girls鈥� volleyball team attended pre-districts in Spiritwood Saturday. They kept getting stronger as the day progressed. They played 14 sets and in the end finished in third place. They earned a spot in the district playoffs in Macklin Nov. 5.
The senior girls鈥� volleyball team finished third at the tournament in Borden Saturday. They will host conference finals at the school Nov. 7.
The school鈥檚 Remembrance Day Service will be held Tuesday, Nov. 10, beginning at 10:45 a.m., in the gym. Chili and a bun will be for sale following the service. Everyone is invited to attend.
