THE GRAMMYS

The Gramophone or Grammy awards are presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) of the United States. This phenomenal award is presented to an artist in their category to acknowledge an outstanding achievement. This is an annual awards ceremony and a privilege to attend.

Almost anybody can submit a nomination. That includes record companies and individuals. These nominations could be made online and a physical copy of work is sent to the NARAS. There are over one hundred and fifty experts from the recording industry that hold intense reviewing sessions. A result list is run by each member of the NARAS. Each member is allowed to vote or nominate an artist in any general category. (Album of the year, Song of the year, Record of the year and best new artist)Not more than nine out of thirty time in other categories in other categories on their ballots. The top five in each category will become the nominees. In the event of a tie there will be more than five nominees.

The votes are not determined by performance on the charts, influence sales regional preferences, company loyalty or personal relationships.

Malika Maharaj

WE WANT REAL AUTHORS

It seems every time you walk into a book store and head to the young adult section all you find are sappy super natural love stories. You can find everything from “sexy” blood sucking vampires to ridiculously macho werewolves. All I want to know is what is SO attractive about some pale ugly guy who drinks other people’s blood then kisses you with the same mouth after “feeding”? Ugh...when did super-natural become sexy anyway? Whatever happened to real authors for young adult and their readers? Why are we forced to read this rubbish when all we want are good writers, good characters and a good story line? After all aren’t all these super-natural books the same; the love triangle where 2 guys fight over one teenage girl that’s normally as plain and predictable as a rice cake? For those of us who like to read real young adult books it seems all we can do is wait until this dreadful era is over. 

 Kayla-Lyn Searle

Grade 8 orientation week

New grade 8’s ran into the school gates with bright eyes and bushy tails trying to find their friends. All the seniors of the school were thinking “fresh meat” (although I can’t be sure as I am not a mind reader…). This was the start of a new year, the start of a new school, and the start of the grade 8’s orientation week. The very first thing that happened was that all the grade 8’s had to gather in the hall waiting to be told what registration classes we were in. All of us clung to our primary school friends in the crowded, noisy, stuffy hall. As we were sorted into our different classes we had to be separated from our friends, that we loved so much. We all followed the person who was going to be our registration teacher for the rest of our grade 8 school year. Our teachers laid down the law and our two mentors got to know each one of us. Before soon our very first day of high school was over and we were running out the gates to our parents to tell them about our exciting first day of high school.

 I woke up the next morning still not sure whether I was in a dream or whether I was really getting ready for my second day of high school. I once again walked into the school gates a bit more accustomed to where my registration class is. We went to the hall in the first lesson to listen to Mrs Nightingale tell us a few helpful hints (even though various teachers and our mentors already told us all the basic rules of the school over and over again, we all hung in there. I even saw a few friends of my classmates miming the same words Mrs Nightingale was saying). Yet surprisingly this was one of the only ‘helpful hints’ that we hadn’t heard already: the meaning of the school motto - fortiter, fideliter and feliciter meaning with strength, with loyalty and with joy.

We got the low down of co-curricular sports on the third day of school in the hall. We each got a booklet containing all the information about after school activities. We learnt what uniform we should wear for which sports and when and where each sport was happening. We learnt of new, innovative sports that DGHS offer such as sailing, rock climbing, waterpolo and touch rugby.

On day 4 and day 5 all the grade 8 classes made crumpets and did map work on different days. A few girls got lost while exploring the enormous school (including me) but we all found our way in the end. We also learnt a new skill with Mrs Cuthbert… Making crumpets. If ever we are stuck at home alone and we’re hungry…We can just whip up some yummilicious crumpets dripping in syrup.

We were allowed to get some rest after our busy first days of school and we all headed off for the weekend. But on Monday we all arrived back to get more info stuffed into our already crammed brains. In the first lesson of the day we headed to the hall (again) to get more information on                     co-curricular activities, this time on culture extra murals including book club, drama club and  art club (just to name a few). Vocal avenue sang for us and Zama Zikhali in matric performed a poem she wrote herself (titled ‘My mind’) to showcase a bit of what Rhymcite is.

Everyone in grade 8 had a great time during the grade 8 gala. The pool was crystal clear and very inviting. All the girls enjoyed taking a dip in the pool (including Mrs. Sturgess). Later on in the term the grade 8 girls will get to know each other a lot better when we go to Seula Zimbili. That pretty much sums up all the things us grade8’s did in our orientation week, here at DGHS!

By JESSICA wEAKLEY 

Book facts

Title: Confessions of a Murder Suspect

Author: James Patterson

Genre: Crime

James Patterson has once again done an amazing job with his latest crime book, Confessions of a Murder Suspect.  The story is centered on the life of Tandy Angel and her siblings after a horrible incident occurs. One morning they all awake to find two detectives at their door, and their parents are dead.

Tandy takes on the full responsibility of finding her parents’ killer.

The Angels are an affluent family from Manhattan, New York City. Their father, Malcolm Angel, co-owned Angel Pharmaceuticals with his brother, Peter. Their mother, Maud Angel, was an investor. They had four children, Matthew “Matty”Angel, twins Tandoori “Tandy” Angel and Harrison “Harry” Angel and Hugo Angel.

The surname “Angel” indicates that the family are perfect – in almost every way. Matty is a fantastic football player. Harry has exceptional creative skills, with music and art. Tandy has impressive analytical and deduction skills. Hugo is stronger than the twins and he is only ten years old.

The doors of their apartment were locked and have the highest security. The only individuals inside were Harry, Tandy, Hugo, Samantha (Maud’s personal assistant), and of course, their parents.

The police see all of them as suspects.

So Tandy comes to a conclusion. A shocking one. Her parents’ killer was in the apartment. She was the last person to see them alive. She knows that she can’t trust anyone – not even herself.

There is also the mystery of Katherine, the Angel’s eldest daughter, who died in an accident in South Africa. Tandy misses her a lot. Her parents didn’t think that Katherine was perfect, but in Tandy’s eyes, she is – was- the perfect sister.

It’s a tough case since the Angels weren’t particularly liked by most people, especially their own children.  Maud and Malcolm were perfectionists. They expected their children to be the same. They were powerful, overbearing, and tough. It’s putting it lightly to say that all five children had big expectations to live up to.

Malcolm and Maud had and had made many enemies during their lives. They also had numerous dark secrets that are yet to be revealed.

Tandy knows that she has to find her parents’ killer and clear the Angel name – fast.

Old and new fans of James Patterson will enjoy his latest teenage-detective novel.

By Carmel Brijlal

Breaking Dawn Part 2

As dusk turns into dawn, as today turns into tomorrow, everything has a beginning and everything has an end, no matter how sad it is to let go, sometimes you have to because even something that you thought would last forever eventually fades into nothing...

Breaking Dawn Part 2 was an epic movie to end of the Twilight saga. The drama that unfolded was truly breathtaking to watch and kept you biting your nails and almost jumping off your seat. Kristen Stewart, who played the character of Bella, was starting out her life as a new-born vampire and was surprisingly stronger that all the other vampires. This is a complete contrast from being the weak mortal link of the chain. Renesmee portrayed by Mackenzie Foy, is Bella’s daughter. She is half human and half vampire and has a ‘special touch’. The Volturi (a group of original vampires) was infuriated when they found out about the new member of the Cullen family as they were misled by an unreliable source that described the girl as a full bred vampire! Vampire children were a rare species and thought to be a great threat therefore the Volturie took matters into their own hands, which meant blood was going to be shed, but the question was, whose blood?

Alice, who was portrayed by Ashley Greene, had a vision about a battle between the Cullens and the Volturi. The Cullens took immediate action and sought help from vampires all around the world who were hungry for revenge against the Volturi. They put all their blood and sweat into what was going to be the ultimate battle!

Who would fall, who would rise, who would die and what lengths would one go through for the ones they love, runaway forever or risk dying and face the fate of never seeing them again?

 Shalini Naidoo