RAW RBooks & Babies

Georgia Jackson

Samantha Loveridge

Joanne Nicholls

Ffion Pithers

Kirstie Collinson

Charmaine Jakeways

Jade Noble

Kelsey Hurley

Keeley Davies

Danielle Brown

Natasha Short

Amy George

St John The BaptistHigh School

Charles Taylor

Chloe Shaw

Lauren Lake

Naomi Price

Rhobet Bell

Ryan Nash

Tom Jones

Victoria Furlong

Katie-Mae Scorey

Sophie Edmonds

Bryn Celynnog

Communication Disorder

Unit (HQ)

Aled Llewellyn

Ewan Gill

Harri Pritchard

Holly Williams

Rebecca Carney

Jack Feist

Tomos Fackrell

Jonathan Kidby

Lloyd Jarman

Joseph Alford

Marcus Bluett

Jac Davies

Hawthorn High School

McKenzy Renval

Chloe Bezant

Emma Mitchell

Martyn David

Amiee Morgan

Morgan Davies

Kelsie Neak

Hannah Welling

Jordan-Rhys Crawford

Harry Nurton

Lauren Davies

Gabriella Rees

Cana Centre

William Heal

William James

Jack Hall

Liam Morton

Treorchy Comprehensive

Toby Stephenson

Cai Evans

CONTRIBUTORS

It was a pleasant day in Glover Village. The two

suns were shining and the keens (birds) were

chirping. But little Rio Skiers was the only thing

that was sad in the village that day. “This is

really frustrating! My brothers get to join the

Guild, but they think I’m way too young! I’m

only a year younger. Sometimes I wish I could

throttle them!” Rio ranted.

Though he was young, it didn’t show. His

tanned skin and maroon hair gave him good

status in high school, though he didn’t really

care now. He walked down the rocky path that

led to Glover beach.

When he got to the beach

he sat down in the warm, dry

sand and admired the view

– a luscious redsunset that even

the most negative

people would find comfort in. Rio

sniffed and smelled something

similar to rotting rubbish

and his dad’s old hiking

boots. Then two men jumped out of the forest

behind him. They were both covered from head

to toe in rubbish, mud and something brown

and runny.

“Give us that charm, Rio!” rasped the tallest

one, who had white eyes and bat ears.

“Yeah, give it,” grunted the shorter one, who

had what looked like pimples and a skull tattoo.

“No way!” screamed Rio. But before he could

run the two freaks smothered him and stole a

ring-shaped object from around his neck.

“No…” whispered Rio as he passed out.

“Hey! Hey, wake up shorty!” Rio woke to see a

girl on top of him.

“What!” Rio pushed her off him and saw it was

the daughter of the Guild’s master. She had

albino hair and pink-tinged skin. By her voice

Rio could tell she was an adventurer.

“I saw those men take your charm thingy, good

thing I’m a good pick-pocket!” the girl

exclaimed. She took Rio’s charm out of her

backpack and handed it back to him. “My name

is Pyrus.”

“Oi, girly!” shouted a rasping voice. Pyrus

turned around to see the two men who had

stolen the charm running towards her.

“Hey, I thought I’d dealt with you two dimwits!”

It seemed to Rio that her body went aflame. A

fireball appeared in her hands. She threw it,

hitting the leader slap bang in the middle of his

chest. The leader screamed, jumped back and

ran into the ocean. The other just fainted in

shock.

“Wow, you’re a Mao!” Rio blurted out. Mao’s

are Britzians that possess the power to control

certain elements – in Pyrus’s case, fire.

“Duh! Of course I am! Hey, I’ve got an idea.

How about you and me join the Guild?” asked

Pyrus with a cheeky wink.

“Uhhhh…” But before Rio could even reply,

Pyrus had grabbed his arm and pulled him

towards the Guild, chattering away about how

much fun they were going to have.

Pyrus & Rio by Cai

Here are two short stories by pupils of Treorchy Comprehensive

RAWRAW RRAW R All the work in the magazine has been produced bysix groups of young people from various learningenvironments, who have been participating in a seriesof Creative Writing workshops which allowed them todevelop and explore their creative skills, pursue theirinterests and raise literacy levels.

On the following pages you’ll read poetry, short stories,inspiring interviews, film reviews and more – we hopeyou enjoy reading them as much as we enjoyed writingthem!

My thanks, and those of all the young contributors, goto RCT’s Services For Young People which hassupported this fantastic educational project. The skillsthe young people have learned by being part of RAWRare essential tools for their continuing education.

Encouraging young people to read and write more inthis technological age is so important, and theparticipants of this project have realised that it can alsobe lots of fun – so read on and find out for yourselves!

Gail GriffithsManaging Editor

WELCOME to the first issue of RAWR(dinosaur for “hello”), the excitingnew magazine that highlights thecreative writing talents of youngpeople in Rhondda Cynon Taff.

Daniel Henson is 10 years old, he has brown hair, browneyes and freckles. Daniel is tall and skinny, he is quite,shy, contented and clever. He has one sister and lives withhis mum and dad. His house is in a London borough, hestill goes to primary school and has just started year six.Daniel hopes one day to be a games programmer andmake new games that children will like. In his spare timehe loves playing on computer games as well as his X-Box.It was a bright and sunny Tuesday morning, Daniel wasplaying with his friends. He was having a great time untilthe school bell rang – he absolutely hated school and justwanted to be at home playing his computer games. On topof that it was assembly with Miss Nortess the strictestteacher in the school. She had a witch-like face andpersonality. Assembly was starting now.“Quiet! Come in quickly!” shouted Miss Nortess. “Wehave a special guest today called Tony,” continued MissNortess.“Hello children, as you know my name is Tony,” a mantold us all. “I am here to talk about a competition, it iscalled Design A Game. This will get the winner a job in 15years’ time. All you need to do is sign your name on thissheet,” said Tony.

As soon as he got home Daniel started designinghis game. “Hmm, how can the game start?” hethought. “I really don’t know.” Then he had a brainwave. “Iknow, it will have a police chase level. No, wait…levelsfrom different games into one!” It took him about three weeks to get all the levels into onegame. When he had finished, he gave in his entry andwaited to hear who had won. A week later it wasassembly again, but this time with a lovely teacher Danielliked. Tony was back too, he called out the winner. “DanielHenson!”

“Yes! I won!” shouted Daniel.As time went by he got his job as a games programmer,working for Tony. He loved his new job. As he progressedinto life he had a flashy new car, which attracted lots ofgirls, and got to meet lots of professional gamers. After 26years, Tony retired from being manager of the gamingcompany and left his seat to Daniel. Soon after retiring,Tony passed away and left all his belongings to DanielHenson – the little boy from school. Daniel rememberedright back to year six when he won the best job ever!

Dani

el b

y To

by

Emma and McKenzy fromHawthorn High School askedBBoy Slammo some coolquestions about his passionfor breakdancing

E&M: How long have you been into breakdancing?Slammo: I started in 1983 when I was six. I guess watching television and seeing the Eighties hype ofbreakdancing and the associated social scene is what got me interested. It’s been a constant conveyor beltever since, I’ve done loads of good things like representing the UK in competitions, TV appearances andtravelling to great places. In 2003 I became associated with a Cardiff crew and then started my ownorganisation called Elemental Force in 2007. Since then the focus has changed and though I am still activelydancing, I now also teach quite a lot.

E&M: What inspired you to become a breakdancer?Slammo: Back in the Eighties the breakdancing scene was huge, music was very important and so was theimage. I just wanted to be like the cool Americans I saw on TV. Now having been in the BBoy movement forso long I understand that it’s not just about the dancing, it’s also about how the art form can influence manyaspects of your life. Understanding the foundations and truly what it means is also important to me – it’s notjust about the image, it’s about the way you are. So wanting to look cool is what inspired me to be a BBoy,but understanding the impact it has on life is what keeps me with the scene.

E&M: Is the Welsh BBoy scene big?Slammo: There’s been quite a scene in Wales from around the mid-Nineties with street dance and club nightsbeing put on in Cardiff. By early 2000s there became more of a buzz in Cardiff around the movement as MCsgot signed as artists and graffiti writers became well established and travelled more. So the dancing got morefollowers too, with hip-hop and everything else being quite cool. In 2005 the BBoy Champs was set up andfrom humble beginnings we now have people flying in from all over the world to take part. The attention onWales has grown and the BBoy scene is really recognised because of the traffic we’ve had here. The Welshscene is huge!

E&M: Why did you set up Elemental Force?Slammo: I was part of the BBoy scene, travelling to events to compete, perform or teach and was alsoworking as you have to pay the bills somehow! But the more I was travelling the harder it was to balance thetwo, so I had to make a decision. I really liked teaching the workshops and wanted to do more youth work soI had to take a leap of faith and leave my job as I felt so strongly about what I was doing – and I set upElemental Force.

E&M: How did you get involved in the Ya Don’t Stop competition held last year in Pontypridd?Slammo: Ya Don’t Stop is an international competition, with people coming from China, America, Holland andelsewhere to take part. We encourage everyone to take part in BBoy and BGirl demonstrations andcompetitions, where kids can do their best on the dance floor. Because of what Wales has to offer in terms ofthe overall scene UK Zulu Nation has officially recognised us for what we’re doing. They came to the event tohonour us and now from the world side of things BBoy Wales is an interesting place, there’s a lot going on.

E&M: Can you tell us about some other projects you’re involved with, like the Get Fresh Crew?Slammo: I work a lot with schools and community centres teaching kids to dance. I really enjoy it and loveseeing them progress. The Get Fresh Crew is a group made up from all the kids in those schools and centresthat show promise and want to take things further, like going into competitions. Get Fresh is a crew name forthe kids we’re showcasing together, it’s a cool name for a concept – come with us and get fresh! I’d take amini bus of kids to events throughout the UK and it was a strain on expenses, so we started putting on majorevents locally – like Ya Don’t Stop, which is internationally recognised.

Join the Get Fresh Crew, the official breakdancing crew for Rhondda Cynon Taff.

Slammo of Elemental Force, runs weekly breakdancing classes at

The Muni Arts Centre in Pontypridd on Wednesdays, from 5.30-7.30pm

and at the Soar Centre in Penygraig on Mondays, from 7-9pm.

Contact The Muni Arts Centre on 01443 485934

for further details or visit www.elementalforce.co.uk

E&M: What music influences your breakdancing style?Slammo: There are so many. I’m a really big fan of earlyMichael Jackson, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Latin soul,Afro funk, Nigerian funk. I like all types of music, and myinfluences now are world music, but I listen to everything– Run DMC, Panterra, thrash metal mashed up with hip-hop. I can dance to anything.

E&M: Can anyone learn to breakdance?Slammo: Yes, anyone can learn – even if you’re not able-bodied, there is in fact a crew with some members whohave missing limbs. You use a lot of your upper body soif you don’t have two legs it doesn’t matter.

E&M: How do you think your breakdancingworkshops can help young people?Slammo: I work with many different groups of youngpeople, some of them have a certain set of issues, andlots of them are able to interact better after taking part inmy workshops. When the young people learn a skill theycan be proud of they will open up about other things thatyouth workers can then help them with as they feelyou’re approachable and will try to help them if theyhave a problem

E&M: What is your advice to budding dancersacross Wales?Slammo: Just do it! I guarantee there’s a load of peopleout there that dance fabulously in their bedrooms, butthey don’t have the confidence to dance in public. But allI can say is just get up and do it, and you’ll feel so goodabout yourself. Confidence is a big thing, but you justhave to get over it.

Darren by Amiee

Darren usually sits at the back of the classroom in the corner. He

has black hair that covers his left eye. His eyes are hazel brown

and he has a small-ish nose and red lips. He is quite tall but not

the tallest in the class. His uniform is usually untidy, with a

creased shirt and scuffed shoes. His coat is a bit small as well.

Darren likes to hang around with his friends. He is quite

smart. Darren is at the doctor’s because his mam thinks he is

becoming seriously ill, but he looked fine yesterday –

laughing and being happy like everyone else. He once broke

his leg and his mam worried about him for weeks, not

letting him go to school or over his Dad’s house. Darren

had two weeks off school, then the doctor recommended he

come back and he was way behind in his lessons when

he got back. He caught up though, after Mrs Johnson

gave him a mountain of homework. Darren has an

older brother and younger sister who he plays with

when he’s at his mam’s house at the weekends.

Because his parents are divorced, Darren also has

step twin sisters who are both six and a step sister

who is the same age as him – 13. He is at his dad’s house

on weekdays because he lives nearest Darren’s school, and he

is at his mam’s house on weekends. Darren has scruffy school

uniform because his dad doesn’t make a lot of money. As soon

as we talk about families in school Darren goes all quiet or

pretends he can’t hear us when we talk to him. The only

reason that we know a bit about his family is because

his mam wrote a letter to the head teacher about it.

The head then told us what the letter said and

asked us to try to be kinder to him. Darren wasn’t

in the room at the time because Mrs Johnson sent

him on an errand to give a message to another

teacher on the other side of the school. We think

she did it on purpose so that the head could tell us

about the letter. Sometimes we think his parents

have been arguing on the phone because Darren

sometimes comes in red eyed and has his head

down. Sometimes he just doesn’t come to school

at all. Nobody knows what Darren’s life is like

at home.

Pupils in Hawthorn HighSchool have been working oncreative character profiles.Here’s a selection...

Jessica by GabrielleIn a big American city, New York, where there

are lights and parties, lives an 18 year old

teenager, Jessica Dalton – mouthy, sweet, kind,

dizzy, clumsy, happy, honest, generous and tall.

Jess is eight and a half months pregnant with a

baby boy she is going to call Jacob, but still looks

gorgeous with her curly red hair flowing behind

her. Even though she has been living in a cramped

apartment for six months, she is still trying to

find her feet. After the death of her boyfriend

five months ago, Jess has found herself in a

locked up world of depression. But thanks to her

best friend Charlie Brooks, a first class tart and

an expert in boys, make-up and parties, Jess is

starting to come alive again. Charlie wants more

than anything for her friend Jess to have fun

before going into a life of full-time motherhood.

It’s been a hard life for Jessica Dalton.

Shandy by Hannah

Shandy writes romantic poetry. She is very tall with long black hair

that sways down her back, and has big blue eyes that sparkle in the

sunlight. Shandy is twenty four and she is a very famous writer. She

loves making up poems on the wall of the beach. She especially likes

going to the beach just as the sun sets in the sky. Shandy has just

recently broken up with her husband, so she is writing down how she

feels and turning it into romance. She has a little girl called Ellie who

is five years old with curly black hair that is tied up in cute bunches

secured with flower clips. Ellie gives Shandy a lot of information and

likes to help her mum write love poems. Shandy’s dream is to inspire

Ellie to become a writer just like her. Shandy and Ellie live in a little

brown house with a red door and blue windows, overlooking the

gorgeous view of the sea.

Izzy by MorganThere it was in the middle desk, an empty seat where Izzy

sat. Around the class pupils were getting interviewed by

police officers. One police officer asked Tom, “What does

Izzy look like? Please describe her in as much detail as

you can.” Tom told him, “Well, Izzy is very pretty. She is

five foot six with long blonde hair which is always curly

and sways from side to side. She has bright blue eyes that

glisten in the sunlight. Her lips are as red as cherries. Her

face is thin but she always has a rosy glow.” The police

officer thanked him, then another officer nodded at the

class and asked. “Please could you tell me where you

think Izzy could be today.” Well Izzy could be at her

dad’s house, someone said, and then that she had been

seen out last night. Someone else told the police officer

that she had been saying things like, “I hate my life, I just

want it to stop.” The police officers thanked us all.

Hopefully she’ll turn up soon. All we can do is pray that

sweet Izzy can be found.

Roman by Kelsie

A small cottage in the countryside, where all is quiet and still.

The paint is peeling, but it still looks beautiful. Outside the

cottage, leaning against the wall, is a rusty old bike left out

in the rain for years. Inside the cottage is a man sitting in the

study, working frantically. His name is Roman and he lives

on his own for peace to write. Roman loves writing romantic

poetry and is famous for it, everyone has heard his name –

Roman Field. However, what Roman wants more than

anything is to write one piece of poetry that becomes so

well known he can relax for a bit, spend time with his family,

not pressured to write. One day, even, move house with Alix his

girlfriend, and live by the sea writing poetry as a hobby rather

than a hard job, a living. Romans jet black hair rests on the tip

of his shoulder as he writes and his deep blue eyes move from

side to side as his black pen moves. He is using his lucky pen,

black with a red rim, the one he used to write a piece of poetry

that he once threw aside with all the other beautiful poetry piled

high that he doesn’t think is good enough. But the next day

when he was trying again, he accidentally knocked over a pile

of papers with his pen. As he bent down to pick them all up his

eye fell upon an old poem. Roman read through the piece and

decided it was good and it became his best selling poetry yet.

He’s used the same pen ever since. Today he wears a light blue

shirt, black trousers, black shoes and a pair of square black

glasses – he only wears them for writing, resting on his nose.

Roman works day or night by an overhead silver lamp that

shines directly on his paper. As he works the mobile phone

by the side of him starts to ring. It’s Alix, it always is!

She’s interrupted his writing but he doesn’t mind. He

loves talking to her, she inspires him. He chats for a while

before hurriedly saying goodbye. Roman picks up his

lucky pen and sits at the cluttered desk, He starts writing

frantically, ideas zooming around his head. He throws his

pen aside and starts reading through it quickly – a poem

he is truly proud of.

Mackie by Lauren

Mackie Dyall is the type of guy who sits at the back of

his class behind his graffitied wooden desk, laid back

and flirting with one of the cheerleading girls. He is the

captain of the soccer team and is in fact the cool dude of

the cool dudes. He has floppy blond hair that is always

neat and perfect, His eyes are glacier blue and seem to

change colour when the light shines on them. He has a

strong build and his upper body goes in a muscular

V-shape from the chest to the groin. He is fifteen and his

mother is a single parent – his dad walked out on them

when Mackie was six years old. Driven by depression his

mother turned to drink to solve her problems and is now

an alcoholic. Mackie would normally be found hanging

around on the soccer field or at the gym working out. He

would most likely be doing this with his best friends

Chad and Buck who are also in the soccer team.

Josh & Jim by Jordan-RhysJosh is 19, he is tall, dark-haired and thin. He has a

friend called Jim who is short, fair haired and

chubby. Josh and Jim hang out together every night.

They are always getting into trouble with the police.

Josh is an adventurous type and Jim is an uptight

boy. They commit petty crimes like stealing from

shops, and taking people’s house and car keys. Josh

sometimes breaks into a house and takes something,

but Jim won’t do that. When Josh steals someone’s

car Jim goes along for the ride, they always dump

the car somewhere like near the river. They are so

bad that if they carry on they know they will be

put in jail because of all the crimesthey’ve committed.

Kenneth by Harry

Kenneth is a 14-year-old computer geek who lives with his

mum in No 2 Upstreet, with his two sisters Gertrude and

Mildred. His hobbies are surfing the web and watching

movies, and he loves his hamster called Winford. Kenneth

goes to a private school for gifted children, his favourite subject

in school is maths. Kenneth has a spot on his chin which he

enjoys picking in his spare time. When Kenneth grows up he

wants to be like his older brother Jeremy who owns a car

showroom and drives a Mini which he likes to race in the back

streets. Kenneth’s favourite game is chess which he plays with

his best friends Kevin, Bob and Nicholas. He tells his three

best friends everything and he knows everything about them.

He knows Kevin wants to be an accountant and Nicholas

wants to be a criminologist. Bob wants to be a superhero and

thinks he can mop up crime in a blink of an eye, but Bob says

if that doesn’t work out he’ll be an astronaut instead.

The girls from the Books & Babies projectbased in Aberdare College spoke to Tom Richardsabout singing – before and after his appearanceon the X-Factor

B&B: When did you realise you could sing?I started singing properly when I was 11 – I was in a school show Oliver Twist, gotgiven the lead role and the music to learn and then never looked back.

B&B: What was it like singing on stage for Simon Cowell?I’d never sung in front of more than 100 people, and I went from that to singing on telly in front of a 3,000-crowdaudience and Simon Cowell! The experience was absolutely unbelievable – I can’t put it into words how I felt, it waslike I was in a dream. I’m from Trallwn, a small place in Wales, and I’m a nobody – and there I was singing in front ofthese famous people. Only now I realise what I’ve done, after watching it myself a few times it’s started to sink in.

B&B: When you see the programme on the telly, is any of the filming we see of you before you go on stageset up? No, it was all filmed live, but the panel know more about you at that stage than they let on – they actually have notesin front of them. Before I got to go on the show I had been through three auditions previously. In fact I found thepre auditions harder than the live audition with Simon Cowell, it was very intimidating, there are people everywheresinging, and you’re all in a line heading for a small black box. When you get in there you have to sing to a man just afew inches away from you – it was really scary. There was 22,000 people who auditioned in Cardiff and they had towhittle that down to 80 people to get through to the live show with Simon Cowell. Lucky for me I did it.

B&B: How did you get the confidence to apply to go on the X-Factor?I think you just have to set your mind on the target you want to achieve, and if you’re determined to do it just give it ago. If you’re going to audition for the X-Factor, just think of it as a day out and an experience. When I went to thepre auditions I didn’t know what to expect, I just thought you’ve got one opportunity to give it a go. The threepre auditions and boot camp were the best experiences ever.

B&B: What was it like in Dannii Minogue’s house, and was it really her house?It wasn’t her real house, no, but I don't think anyone would want their home turned into a studio! Every room wasfilled with lighting, cameras and equipment – the only area free from all that was where you saw us perform. But theplace was amazing – it was a bungalow up in the jungle and it was breathtaking, it had an amazing infinity pool on theedge of the cliff and the views were stunning.

B&B: As a result of being on the programme, have there been openings, or are you having to work even harder now you’re known?The industry today is very difficult, but I’ve been grafting since before I went on the X-Factor, playing gigs to getexperience. The first thing people think cos I’ve been on the telly is that I’m doing well for myself, that I’ve got money,but that’s not the case – things don’t just drop at your feet cos you’ve been on telly. I’ve got myself some managementnow and I’m getting a few gigs, but with the credit crunch I’m not getting paid huge amounts. You have a short lifespanafter being on the telly unless you can follow it up quickly – the easiest thing is to get on the X-Factor, the hardest thingis to keep in the public eye. How many people who got into the final 12 are still heard of now, let alone me who was inthe last 32? It’s a hard industry to make it in, but I’m working hard.

B&B: Who do you aspire to be like?Oh, I don’t know! I have a wide taste in music, I listen to anything. My mother was a massive Michael Jackson fan, sheloved George Michael and Elton John, Queen. I like all them. I do love Robbie Williams, though, the man is an absoluteshowman, brilliant.

B&B: Would you consider joining a boy band?I’ve been considering it, I can’t say it hasn’t gone through my mind since appearing on the X-Factor, but with somethingI love doing I like to be in control – I’m so used to doing it my way that to have to consider four other opinions wouldbe hard. But never say never, and if that’s the road I have to go down to make it big, then so be it.

B&B: What are you doing now?At the moment I’m meeting with record labels and playing some gigs. I’ve also started to write my own music and I’mreally enjoying that.

B&B: Will you stay in Wales?As much as I love where I’m from, I went on the X-Factor because the opportunities in Pontypridd are limited. I’llalways come back home, but I need to go away to further my career.

B&B: Would you ever go back on the X-Factor?I don’t know, it depends, I have some things coming up that could change my life forever, so I’m going to chase thedream right now, but if it doesn’t work out I probably would consider it again.

B&B: Does your girlfriend mind all the attention you get?No I don’t think so, she finds it funny. Just after the X-Factor got aired we went to the cinema and when a crowd ofyoung girls asked me for some photos, it was my girlfriend who took them all – she ended up with a handful ofcameras and was snapping away!

The Make IT! music and media project is run by RCT Council’s

SONIG and Youth Arts Programme. If you’re in a band that needs a

music video — or would like to work on or be in a music video —

contact Liz Driscoll on 01443 490208 or email

elizabeth.a.driscoll@rctcbc.gov.uk

A dripping tap can waste over

20,000

litres of water every

year.

Every week about 20

species of plants and

animals become extinct!

A modern glass bottle would

take 4000 years or more to

decompose and even longer if

it's in the landfill.

A laptop is more environmently

friendly than a desktop as it

consumes five times less

electricity.

One-third of the water used in most

homes is flushed down the toilet.

Recycling one glass bottle saves

enough energy to light a 100-

watt bulb for four hours.

An aluminium can that

is thrown away will

still be a can 500

years from now!

Plastic bags and other

plastic items thrown into

the ocean kill as many as

1,000,000 sea creatures

every year.

Energy-saving lightbulbs last around

ten times longer than ordinary

lightbulbs - over 10,000 hours.

Crawling traffic

contributes eight

times as much air

pollution as traffic

moving at regular

highway speed.TURNING OFF THE TAP WHEN

BRUSHING YOUR TEETH AND SOAPING

YOUR HANDS CAN SAVE AROUND 16

LITRES A DAY – THAT'S 11,000 LITRES

OF WATER PER PERSON PER YEAR.

A ton of recycled paper

equals or saves 17 trees

in paper production.

It takes 60,000,000

trees to make one

year's worth of tissues

for the world.

Outdoor Education & Duke of Edinburgh – is a fun andenvironmentally friendly way of learning. You can join in a variety

of adventurous activities, team building and problem solvingprogrammes, learn about the natural environment, go on summercamps and international youth exchanges. For more information

call 01443-744000 or 07786-523915.

Charles: What is the main aim of the Eco Committee?Ryan: To raise awareness of green issues in the school – we areworking towards our Bronze Award. We have a garden and growveg, which we sell and then use the money to buy more seeds andequipment.

Lauren: What would you like to achieve in the Eco Committee?Ryan: To make the school a greener place.Ryan: Do you enjoy what you do, if so why?John: Yes, because I’m doing something active with the gardenand I’m also learning about issues like global warming. I feel likeI’m really doing something positive for the environment.Rhobet: What is the favourite activity you’ve done since joining theEco Committee?

Ryan: Planting seeds and weeding the garden. I really enjoy that.Tom: What other activities do you do in the Eco Club?John: Learn about green issues and promote eco activities.Sophie: What have the Eco Committee done to try and encouragepeople to join?Ryan: We’ve distributed newsletters in assemblies; we’ve arrangedactivities days down in the garden; and we’ve put up postersaround the school.Sophie: What is your favourite thing about the Eco Committee?John: Planning for bigger issues, such as solar panels for theschool.

Chloe: Are you hoping to get more members for the Eco Club?Ryan: Yes, we are always looking to recruit new members.Lauren: What would you do to encourage the community to gogreen?John: We are waiting for good school support, then theCommittee will take the issues raised into the community.Victoria: So, Ryan, what’s your favourite thingabout being an eco-warrior?Ryan: I’m helping the planet, andit’s really reassuring that I’mdoing something

good.

Naomi:How do youplan to encouragemore people to join the EcoCommittee?John: We are planning to go to assemblies to do tasks, and we’realso planning to ask people from outside who are working withgreen issues to come along and give demonstrations.Naomi: What sort of things do you personally do to help theplanet?

Ryan: I recycle at home and encourage my family to do it too, aswell as reminding friends in school to recycle. I feel like I’mcampaigning to save the planet.Katie-Mae: What would you like the eco group's next big projectto be?John: The eco group are currently trying to get solar panels for theschool to try and save money on electricity.Victoria: If you were a superhero what power would youhave and how would you use it to protect theenvironment?John: Mind control because I couldpersuade people to stop burningfossil fuels and userenewable energysources.

St John The Baptist High Schoolhas an Eco Committee, made upof both teachers and students.We asked Committee ChairmanJohn, and fellow member Ryan,a few eco-friendly questions.

Girls use

more aerosols

than boys

Girls spend longer in

the shower than boys

It was close – but in our poll the boys

were just a bit greener than girls. Why

don’t you do a poll among your friends?

Boys spend

more time usi

ng

technology

than girls

On average both boys and

girls charge their mobile

phone every other night

Both boys and girls

are worried about

global warming

and the effect on

the environment

Boys leave the lights

on around the house

more than girls

eco poll Boys v Girls

We did a survey to find out who’s the greenest – boys or girls! Here’s what we found out…

The poetry on this pagewas written by thechildren who attend theCommunicationsDisorder Unit at BrynCelynnog Comprehensive– known by the pupilsand staff as HQ

Hair as dry as burnt leavesEyes as dull as powder

Skin as grey as ashEars as gnarled as toadstoolsLegs as stumpy as tree trunks

Neck as chunky as a hogNails as grimy as old drains

Body as thick as a tankLips as pale as death

Cheeks as rough as brillo padsNose as pointy as a witch

Heart as frozen as a black lake

WeddingsWeddings, Weddings, Weddings

Waiting, Wondering, Wishing, Weddings

White, Wonderful, Wow, Weddings

Weddings, Weddings, Weddings

RecycleRecycle, Recycle, RecycleReduce, Reuse, Rethink, RecycleRotten, Rubbish, Remains, RecycleRecycle, Recycle, Recycle

A ttractiveN ever seenG entleE legantL ovely

S trangeU nbelievableS oftS uperA mazingT eacher

Hair as golden as sunshineEyes as bright as stars

Skin as pale as rose petalsEars as delicate as sea shells

Legs as long as flamingosNeck as graceful as a swan

Nails as clear as crystalsBody as thin as a pencilLips as red as cherries

Cheeks as soft as peachesNose as cute as a button

Heart as warm as hot chocolate

ROYAL WEDDINGCrowds cheering wildly

Crowns gleaming beautifully

Horses neighing grandly

Guards standing graciously

Soldiers marching strictly

Choir singing outstandingly

Carriage leaving gracefully

King and queen smiling happily

Prince and princess waving delicately

CASTLE Legends unfolding powerfully

Kings ruling fearlessly

Knights fighting bravely

Walls standing strongly

Drawbridge rising slowly

Dungeons guarding securely

Dragons roaring loudly

Princesses walking grandly

RECYCLINGRubbish rotting disgustinglyDumps overflowing horriblyTrash-truck crushing noisily

Bins smelling rottenly

PiratesPirates, Pirates, Pirates

Cold, Cunning, Cut-throat, PiratesScary, Swash-buckling, Sword-fighting, Pirates

Pirates, Pirates, Pirates

*Stars*Stars, Stars, StarsSpectacular, Shooting, Shining, StarsTwinkling, Travelling, Trailing, StarsStars, Stars, Stars

Gail came to Bryn to teach us to write

But we’re not very bright

Though it should be all right

If we stay polite

Don’t bite

Or fight

Or hang out at night

So go to sleep, turn off the light

Say goodnight

Sleep tight

Before the bed bugs bite

Cup cakes for breakfast

Cup cakes for lunch

Cup cakes that are delicious

Cup cakes with a crunch

Cup cakes for dinner

Cup cakes for snacks

Cup cakes in bags

And baskets and sacks

Cup cakes for weeks

And for months and for years

They’re up to my eyeballs

They’re up to my ears

Bustling McDonalds, Im

loving it, Put that down!

Heavenly pasties, Smelling

good, Pick me up!

Scooby Snacks and Bacon,

Food heaven, Put it in your

bag!

Skinny chips, Send them

back, Rid-id-iculous!

HQ

School dinners

PE

E3

Music room

E Block

Vending machine

Friends, Fun, Fantastic

Nice and tasty

Bryn kit

Photography

Solo performance

Organised library

Diet coke

We love it, it’s wicked

Makes you full

Exciting, keeps you fit

Click! Click!

Ensemble, calming

Relaxing, quiet, escape

Delicious

Good morning, how are you?

Bon apetit!

Let’s warm up!

Nice shot!

Bravo! Encore!

Shhhhhh!

Psshhtt!

School

If anyone would like to write a live gig review for possible

inclusion in a future issue of PLUGGED IN magazine, the music

magazine for Wales, simply send an email to

editorial@pluggedinmagazine.co.uk — and visit

www.pluggedinmagazine.co.uk to find out more about this

unique educational project.

The Most Certain Sure (single)

!!!

The beat was good and fun, you need to

hear it a few times to understand it, but

the singer sounded confident and calm. It

has a very techno-funky beat and the

song sounds happy and relaxed. The tune

stuck in my head after listening to it.

Good singer, good lyrics. The song has a

very odd echo, but I liked it.

Milk Teeth (single)

Japanese Voyeurs

This song had a good beat but the singing

was a bit mad – you couldn’t hear it

properly, it didn’t make any sense. It

started off soft, then the singing sounded

more like shouting – it was a little weird.

Heart Is Strange (single)

School Of Seven Bells

There was a good beat to this song, but

you can’t understand the lyrics very well.

Overall it was ok but it would take a

certain type of person to like this one – it

depends what sort of music you like. This

one is calm and ambient, with girls

singing mostly. I liked the guitar solo.

On The Lam (single)

Kele

It had a funky tune, but it surprised me

that it was a girl singer – though she

sounded like she was talking. To me this

sounded like it was coming out of a

broken radio. I didn’t like her voice.

The Answer (single)

Unkle

There was a good beat to this but you

can’t hear the words, the singer’s voice

sounded a bit weak. This was too slow

for me, I couldn’t understand the music

and the vocals seemed sad. The singing

was a bit too cloudy for me.

Shine (single)

Blackgold

This was really good – great voice and

good beat. Perfect balance between

music and singing. Great tune, good

lyrics. Slow…fast…slow – I thought the

build up was very good. Really good beat

and rhythm. I could understand the lyrics,

I thought it was good.

Golden Soul (single)

The Bluetones

This has a country feel to it. There was a

good beat and the singer had a nice

voice. You could understand the words

and it had a soothing tune. It had a catchy

tune, clear vocals and reminded me of

being in the country.

Wide Eyes (single)

Local Natives

This song is very up-beat with a good

tempo and is rather modern. The singers

have good voices and sound confident.

There is a backing singer and I like the

inventive use of instruments to make the

beat. I thought it was a very good song. I

liked the guitar and drum solo. My feet

were tapping to the tune. It has lots of

instruments in it. Fast song, good tune.

Lose My Mind (single)

The Wanted

Third single by this boy band was quite

harmonious, a slow number, with one

voice standing out more than the others

who seemed a bit like the backing

singers. It has a good beat and I liked

how it went from slow to fast for the

chorus. Good singing, got my feet

tapping.

Sign Your Name (single)

Sheryl Crow (feat Justin Timberlake)

A slow, romantic number. She has a nice

soft voice, though her vocals drown out

Timberlake. I would have liked to hear his

voice more, it would have made it better.

A bit slow for us boys, but she has a

good voice.

Rescue Me (single)

You Me At Six (feat Chiddy)

There were good voices singing this, they

sounded calm and relaxed. The rock

parts were good but for me the rap ruined

the song (Jack). I sure liked the rap

(William). I thought the singing was really

good; smooth, cool voice; the lyrics were

good, the beat was good, the rapping

made the song better (Will). I really liked

the song, if there was no rapping it would

be boring. The singer had a good voice

and the beat was good. The tune and the

lyrics were catchy (Liam).

All tracks reviewed by

Jack Hall, William Heal, Liam Morton

& William James

Little Big Planet (PS3)The character in the game is called Sackboy.There are 50+ levels in the PS3 game, with2,000+ levels in the online game. You canchange your appearance; you can play andchat with people all over the world; you cancreate your own levels and worlds; you cancollect points, stickers, costumes, objectsand backdrops. The object of the game is tocollect points and get on the leader boards.

Beware of the monsters!Will Heal

Call Of Duty Black Ops (PS3)This is an army game that lets you do

missions alone or you can go online andplay people all over the world. Some of theonline games you can play are: TeamdeathMatch – where there are six players on eachteam and the first team to reach 75 kills

wins; Free For All – this is an every-man-forhimself game with eight players and the firstto 30 kills wins; Demolition – has six on

each side and there are two bases and youhave to defend one base and attack the

other; Domination – is a two-player gamewhere there are three flags on the map

and six people on each team trying to getthem, this is my favourite of the games.

Prestige is when you complete the game and start again.

Liam Morton

Army Of Two (PS3)You start off in the army and have to pickbetween playing as Rios or Salem. After thefirst mission you join a private militia and domissions for money. After a while you

discover a conspiracy that your company isleaking information about US troops

positions to terrorists so they can pass a billto privatise the military and become rich. Inthe end you have to stop the company fromdoing all the bad things and privatising themilitary by stopping the leader. The gamehas several play options, including Versus,

Private Co-op, Public Co-op and SinglePlayer. In the Versus mode you play againstyour team to complete tasks. In the Private

Co-op mode you do the missions with afriend or family member on the same TV. Inthe Public Co-op mode you play through the

missions with other people around theworld. As a Single Player you are given apartner who adapts to play like you and willlisten to what you tell him to do so you canout-manouvre the enemy. In the Weaponsarea of the game you buy new weaponswith the money you make in the missions sothat you stay ahead in the fights. You canalso make the weapons look good for extrastars. In the Gear part of the game you buynew masks and armour for better protection– the lighter the armour the quicker you

move but you have less protection. To winyou have to save the military and make yourown private army thanks to your old friendsand connections.

Jack Hall

Britt is a careless man whose father isrich, but when his dad dies he has to runhis father’s newspaper business. Kato is

a mechanic who designed the BlackBeauty and other cars with guns comingout of the sides and bonnet. Chudnofsky

is an evil, drug-dealing gangster who triesto kill the green hornet, so kills anyone

who wears green. Lenore is a feistysecretary who works for Britt, and tells

the Green Hornet how to be a goodsuperhero. I liked the film because it was

funny and it had lots of action in it. Liam Morton

Kato designed and made good cars andguns, he is good at karate but can’t swim,

he is brave and he is also good at makingcoffee. Britt can swim, can’t drive very

well, isn’t brave and uses Kato’s gas gun– his superhero name is the Green

Hornet. Chudnofsky is a crime boss andhas a double-barreled pistol, he is very

annoyed that the Green Hornet is trying totake over LA and destroy his evil empire.

Lenore is Britt’s secretary and also acriminologist and he is always asking her

what the Green Hornet will do next. Jack Hall

Kato was cool and he designed and madesome awesome cars and guns. The

funniest part was when Britt and Kato fellin the pool, the goriest part was when the

gangster Chudnofsky used his double-barreled gun to shoot four people. I reallyenjoyed the film – I liked the fight scenesand laughed when Britt chopped the head

off his father’s statue. Will James

Britt was funny and sarcastic, but seemeda bit childish. Kato designed really coolcars and guns, he had some really coolkarate moves. The best part was when

Britt and Kato had a fight in the house andsmashed everything up. Chudnofsky the

gangster was a scary man, dealing indrugs like a mafia boss, but he was killed

when Kato shoved poles into his eyes.Will Heal

The Green Hornet (cert 12A)

This is a superhero act ion-comedy star r ing Seth Rogen as Bri t t Reid a r ich kid whobecomes a cr ime-f ighter, and Jay Chou as Kato his sidekick. They are up against evi l

gangster Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz), but are helped by Lenore (Cameron Diaz)

1Type www.wicid.tv into Google, and click on WICID.tv

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