Month: October 2024

Celebrating the Life of….

Here, at the Princess Margaret School, we consider ourselves a family.  From administration to the faculty, staff and student body we laugh together and cry together, we remember the good times and the bad times even the in-between times, and we would like to take this opportunity to remember.

We’d like to remember the times we heard your laughter because you were running the halls screaming at the top of your lungs or walking briskly in the rain to get to the next period in mischievous chaos. We want to remember your smile as it conveyed a lot, especially when it morphed into a cheeky grin. We want to remember the disorder that at the moment was a disruption of harmony but then at the end of the day was just your way of being noticed, your way of saying, “look at me, I matter”. We will remember the way you were with your friends, the teachers and staff. Considerate at times, helpful even more so and loving to all, we will remember. In quiet moments we will think about you and reminisce on every detail. Your beautiful features, the gorgeous ebony of your skin, the skip in your step and the flare of your walk. We will remember your intelligence, the way you used it to give advice to anyone who would listen. We will remember your love for school spirit, your involvement and dedication to and for any team that needed it. We remember YOU!

As we remember, let us continue to heal from the heartache that your absence has created. We will come together to support each other and be a listening friend whenever there is a need. We will talk about the memories keeping your song loud and strong. We will remember to sometimes do your favorite activity, invite your actual family and keep close. We will remember it TAKES TIME! Because it is common to have a rollercoaster of emotions for a while. And as we remember, we will hear your voice and see your face and know that you are not gone once your memory remains.

Do not stand at my desk and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.
I am the laughter filling these halls,
My spirit lingers in these walls.
I am the bell that rings each day,
My memory, a reminder that we still play.
I am the knowledge learned and gained,
A soul continuing each day, unchained.
When you enter school in the morning rush,
I am in the moment; a teacher says, “hush.”
Do not loathe these days,
I am never very far away.

                                                                        Michele Meleen

Achazia James

daughter | sister | student | classmate | friend

The Power is Yours

International Day of the Girl Child: What’s Your Vision for the Future?

Hey girls, guess what? Today is your day! Yep, October 11th marks International Day of the Girl Child—and it’s all about celebrating YOU and girls just like you from every corner of the world. The United Nations kicked off this day in 2012 with one big goal: to make sure every girl has the right to grow up safe, smart, and strong.

Why Does This Day Exist?

Let’s rewind a bit. Back in 2011, the United Nations (UN) realized something important: girls weren’t always getting the same chances as boys. Whether it was in school, at home, or in society, girls faced obstacles that could make it harder for them to achieve their dreams. So, the UN created International Day of the Girl Child to highlight girls’ rights and promote the powerful role YOU play in shaping the world.

This year’s theme? “Vision for the Future”—and it’s all about YOU dreaming big and stepping boldly into tomorrow.

Rights Every Girl Deserves

We know you’ve got big dreams, but it’s hard to chase them when the world isn’t giving you what you need. Did you know that around the world, millions of girls still don’t have access to the basics—things like:

• Education: Every girl should be able to go to school, learn, and grow into whatever she dreams of becoming, whether that’s an astronaut, artist, engineer, or entrepreneur. But for some, getting an education is still a challenge.

• Nutrition: Food is fuel for the body and brain, yet so many girls face hunger or lack access to nutritious meals.

• Healthcare: Whether it’s getting regular check-ups or having access to mental health support, girls deserve to be healthy in every way.

• Freedom from Violence: No girl should ever have to face fear in her own home, school, or community. The right to live free from violence and exploitation is something every girl should be able to count on.

• Happiness and Safety: Every girl deserves to feel loved, supported, and free to enjoy her childhood and teens without worry or harm.

These aren’t just nice-to-haves; they’re rights that belong to every girl, no matter where she lives!!!

What’s Your Vision?

Now, here’s where you come in. The theme of this year’s Day of the Girl Child is all about “Vision for the Future.” But what does that mean? Well, it’s all about you thinking big and being bold. What do you see for yourself in the future? What changes do you want to see in the world?

Here’s a fun exercise—close your eyes for a minute and imagine your future self. Maybe you’re leading a team of scientists, running your own business, or traveling the world. Maybe you see a future where all girls, everywhere, are empowered, educated, and living free from fear.

Your vision matters. Every single idea you have, every hope for what’s next—it’s a part of the bigger story we’re writing together.

Let’s Make It Happen!

The truth is, girls like you are already changing the world. Look at Malala Yousafzai [mah-lah-lah you-chef-zie], who stood up for girls’ education, or Greta Thunberg [greh-tah toonberg], who is a fierce advocate for climate action. These girls had a vision for the future, and so do you.

But it’s not just about the big names. Every action you take—whether you’re helping out a friend, acing your math test, or speaking up when something feels wrong—gets us one step closer to a future where girls can thrive and do well and be more than just “okay”.

So, what’s next? Let’s demand that the world gives us what we need. Let’s dream up the most amazing futures for ourselves and then chase them down. After all, we are tomorrow’s leaders, inventors, and change-makers!

How Can You Get Involved?

• Learn about your rights: The more you know, the stronger you’ll be when it’s time to speak up.

• Stand up for each other: If you see another girl facing challenges, be there for her. Support her dreams just like you’d want someone to support yours.

• Be curious: Ask questions, try new things, and don’t be afraid to fail. Every great success starts with trying.

The Future Belongs to You

Girls, today’s about more than just celebrating—it’s about action. It’s about making sure you have what you need for success and that no one holds you back. So, here’s the big question: What’s your vision for the future?

No matter what it is, know this: You are powerful. Your dreams are valid. And your future? It’s limitless.

Happy International Day of the Girl Child—let’s go build that future together!

Let’s Talk Dirty

“EMOTIONS- Taking me over”

Emotions, they’re messy, complicated and above all sometimes overwhelming. However, we all feel and express them, but are we doing so the correct way? Emotions by definition are strong feelings that derive from circumstances, moods, or relationships we have with others. They’re also instinctive or intuitive feelings distinguished from reasoning or knowledge. In lay-man’s terms emotions are basically our inner feelings towards our situations, and we all have them.

The six basic emotions that are usually accepted for us to express are Happiness, Sadness, Fear, Anger, Surprise and Disgust, but there are so many other emotions that it’s sometimes hard to keep track and explain what we’re feeling when we’re feeling it. When we show these emotions, we do so in different ways and at different times and sometimes two or more together. Here me out! I can start my day off right, all happy, cheerful and optimistic ready for whatever may come my way. I’ve got the right books in my Sprayground for a good day’s work (Yeah right, you know it’s my shoebox with my cleaning supplies for my Suede Clarks), and I’ve even got my lucky pen, you know the one that makes my writing look good maybe a binder-sheet or two. Then, all of a sudden, I’m in a “bad mood” because that one person that always a violate looked at me in assembly when Greene a chat. Now my whole day’s ruined, the teacher asking me for homework she know she didn’t give me, I lost the $50 I had in the back of my phone case and “ma partna” just lub man! All of this happening before 3rd period and on top of that Ms. King don’t want to tell us what school meal have today. Whew! Now that’s A LOT and I don’t even know what I’m feeling at this point.

With all these emotions one has to find a way to ground one’s self, meaning… Jus cool, ya check? So, here’s how:

  1. Ask myself the most important question first.
    1. Do I know what I’m feeling? Knowing and understanding what you’re feeling is the easiest and safest way to know what your options are and what your next move should be. It’s the difference between getting back to your happy place and being in detention with the Principal. Taking a moment to check in with yourself about your mood can help you begin to regain control.
  • Regulate don’t Repress.
    • You can’t control your emotions with a dial (if only it were that easy!). But imagine, for a moment, that you could manage emotions this way. You wouldn’t want to leave them running at maximum all the time. You wouldn’t want to switch them off entirely, either. When you suppress or repress emotions, you’re preventing yourself from experiencing and expressing feelings. When learning to manage your emotions, make sure you aren’t just sweeping them under the rug. Healthy emotional expression involves finding some balance between overwhelming emotions and no emotions at all.
  • Accept your emotions, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
    • Accepting emotions as they come helps you get more comfortable with them. Increasing your comfort around intense emotions allows you to fully feel them without reacting in extreme, unhelpful ways.
  • Take a deep breath!
  • Slowing down and paying attention to your breath won’t make the emotions go away but it can help you ground yourself and take a step back from the first intense flash of emotion and any extreme reaction you want to avoid. So next time you might want to try these steps:
    • Breathe in slowly…Hold it (don’t pass out)
    • Mantra- tell yourself “I am calm, I am relaxed.”
    • Breathe out slowly…Smile. You’re doing fine.
  • Know when to express yourself.
  • There’s a time and place for everything, including intense emotions. “Bawling murda” crying uncontrollably is a pretty common response to losing a loved one, but would you do that if a mosquito bit you? Being mindful of your surroundings and the situation can help you learn when it’s OK to let feelings out and when you might want to sit with them for the moment.

Now, this doesn’t mean that overnight you’ll be perfect at handling emotions. As we see in some of the adults still walking around with “screwface” from childbirth, it takes time. But, if you’re ready to put in the effort to know how to keep your emotions in check, then you’ve already taken the most important step.

Try to keep it clean, try to keep it classy, but Let’s Talk Dirty!