Haileybury Gazette | Hope | Issue 9

NOURISH TO FLOURISH
THE ONE
RESPONSIBLE
FOR YOU
HEALTH
MEDICINE
VOL. 2020
COMPILATION
8 BOOKS TO
READ WHEN
YOU’RE IN NEED
FOR HOPE
ECO
CHANGING
FASHION FROM
THE INSIDE
SDGS IN STORIES
FEATURE
HUMANITY RUNS
ON COFFEE
HUMAN
IMMORTALITY IS
CLOSER THAN YOU
THINK
&
&

LETTER
FROM THE
EDITOR
Ladies, gentlemen, and non-binary folk,
Hardships require strength and determination to overcome them, that in turn need the fuel of
hope. It takes effort to act in a way that builds and sustains life you want to create. This is why I
wish for your choices to reflect your hopes, not your fears.
Hope is a powerful force. There is no magic involved. Unless, of course, you consider the light
hopefulness brings, that gives you the strength to make things happen to be magic.
As said by Barbara Kingsolver, “the very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you
hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live
right in it, under its roof.” Trust in yourself, your dreams and your efforts. Take a leap of faith in
being bold enough to pursue your goals.
And I know that it is tough, especially with everything happening in the world right now. But I
want you to trust me on this one - you have enough strength in you to be full of hope. Because
you deserve the world you hope for. Enjoy the process of becoming a person who embraces the
courage of aspiration.
Love,
Erko
2

TABLE OF CONTENTS
2
3
4-6
6-8
9-10
11-12
13-18
19-21
22-24
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
TABLE OF CONTENTS
NOURISH TO FLOURISH: HOW TO STOP
OVERTHINKING: THE GUIDE
INTERVIEW: FROM THE LEADER OF THE
TUTORING CLUB
HEALTH: SAY YES TO YOGA!
ECO: ACT! THE ECO COMMITTEE
FEATURE: ONLINE MUN EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION: STUDY GUIDE FOR MOCKS
HEALTH: BENEFITS OF GRATITUDE
3

THE ONE
RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU
BY ANUAR K
NOURISH
TO
FLOURISH
One of the main privileges that the 21st century has presented to the modern world is the
ever-effective and accessible world of medicine. Back in the old days, even the richest of
kings lacked the same access to medicine, that an ordinary citizen of the developed world
now has. In the last century, the life expectancy of an average person has risen from 30 to
70 years of age. But the skepticism of modern medicine has caused many physicians and
pharmacists to argue that the number could be even higher if “people just took their damn
pills”.
The mistrust of modern medicine is a
widespread problem caused by a
plethora of different factors. Many
people are simply frightened by the
potential side effects that their
treatment can carry. Others are more
preoccupied with the cost of medicine,
believing that most doctors’ objective is
not the wellbeing of the patient, but
rather the selling of as many products as they possibly could. Whatever the reasoning behind
this mindset, the end result is patients who don’t take their prescription medication properly.
However, the same people accused of neglecting personal health, when found responsible
for their pets’ well being - be it a dog, cat or a capybara - tend to take care of them in a
much more punctilious manner than they take care of themselves.
Despite having just as much rationale to distrust a veterinarian as much as a normal
physician, when it comes to people administering the proper medication to their beloved
pets, they are far more diligent. You may ask yourself, why? Well as stated above, there
aren’t any obvious reasons as to why a standard doctor might have more malicious intentions
than a veterinarian. Furthermore, if you never really cared about your pet to inquire about
the possibility of harmful side-effects or substandard quality of the medication, then you
would have never even taken them to the vet in the first place. Thus, the logical conclusion is
that you simply care for your pet more than yourself. This is the main reason as to why
people are better at administering prescription medication to their pets.
4

The idea that we take better care of others than ourselves, is not just limited to pets. The
same behavior often extends to the people around you. This is due to the phenomenon that
it is much easier to see others as more virtuous beings than ourselves, thus making it much
easier to care for them. For example, take your dog - you always viewed it as a creature that
will be a loyal and loving companion to you, no matter what. You on the other hand, are a
very complicated being with many flaws and weaknesses. Why on earth would you deserve
better care than your pet? This idea is very common in people with self-esteem issues, who
tend to disregard things, even if they are good for us, because they believe that they don’t
deserve them. This harmful idea plagues many people throughout the world, and one way to
stop it is by adopting the notion of “treating yourself, like someone you are
responsible for helping”.
Well it’s one thing to say it, it's another thing to do.
How exactly do you go about this philosophy? Think of
a parent-child relationship. Parents are faced with
a never-ending barrage of pleas from their children, for
example, to buy more toys, or to skip school. Whilst it
could be incredibly hard to not give in to these constant
demands, parents have to stand their ground. If you do
give in, you may make them temporarily happy, but this
decision will have its set of dire consequences to come.
The toy and candy will eventually bore them and soon
they will want more. By not going to school, you are subduing their potential as an
individual. So in order to truly treat yourself like someone you are responsible for, adopt the
same mindset that a parent would to his child: resist the empty and superficial
desires. Make ambitious goals that truly represent what you want in life.
Discipline yourself carefully, work hard and reward yourself accordingly.
5

There often comes a time in a
person's life when it feels like all of
your ambition and determination has
run its course and been depleted.
You get stuck in this state of
indifference, losing all your previous
zest and motivation. For some, this
can last from a couple of days to
months on end and escaping the
talons of this ‘humdrum existence’ is
not a very easy undertaking. But
when people finally decide to stand up against the tide of life and take the reins of their life,
they often set themselves up for failure. They create ambitious and unrealistic goals. They
make schedules that leave hardly any free time and fill it with non-stop work. What they don't
realize is that this is a trap. How are you supposed to muster the self discipline and a neverbefore-seen
adherence to a work ethic out of nowhere? You don’t, it's impossible. What ends
up happening, of course, is that you don't end up matching the expectations. You give up
after a few days and after you give up you recede back to your old self.
Is this how you would treat a person you’re responsible for? No, you wouldn’t. Take for
example, your pet; in order to instill a new skill or a trick in a dog, you must always reward it
with a treat as affirmation for their work. Act in a similar way. For all your hard work -- give
yourself a treat -- it doesn’t have to be a literal one, but it has to be something you enjoy.
Don’t just pile up work on work on work. It’s unsustainable. Instead, be honest with yourself,
make goals that are realistic and never forget to reward yourself.
“Start with yourself. Take care of yourself. Define who you are.
Choose your destination.” These are the words of Jordan
Peterson, an acclaimed author and a clinical psychologist, who
created the theory of “treating yourself like some you are
responsible for helping”.
Post scriptum: if you find this advice particularly helpful, I would
recommend reading Jordan Peterson’s book “12 Rules For Life”.
It contains much useful advice on how to navigate this world, which
partially inspired this article.
Jordan Peterson
6

CHANGING FASHION
FROM THE INSIDE
ECO
THE FASHION REVOLUTION MOVEMENT
BY ERKO S
Aruzhan Akchanova is a senior studying
Textile Design at Central Saint Martins
University, London. She is a Haileybury
Almaty alumna working in the Fashion
Revolution Kazakhstan team.
“I graduated from Haileybury Almaty in 2017
and had the pleasure of being a Head Girl
and contributing towards such a progressive
school. I was thrilled when I found out that
Haileybury is taking a step towards
incorporating more sustainable practices.
Central Saint Martins University
Fashion and textiles play a vital role in our everyday lives, even in today’s world – we wear
textiles as face coverings every day. Ever since I was a kid, I was into anything that involved
being creative and innovative. This interest soon progressed into fascination with different
materials and the possibilities behind them. Studying textiles and art during my A-Levels at
Haileybury Almaty was the beginning of an exciting journey that led me to getting a place at
one of the top fashion universities in the world. Getting into such a globally renowned
college and being surrounded by so many talented minds made me realize how important it
is to be not only an innovative designer, but also a more conscious one. Implementing
sustainability into my creative practice led to discovering and joining the Fashion Revolution
Kazakhstan team.”
7

WHAT IS THE FASHION REVOLUTION AND HOW
WAS IT BORN?
Eight years ago, the glossy facade of the global fashion
industry was shattered following the collapse of the Rana
Plaza factory in Bangladesh. The eight-storey garment factory
collapsed after the upper four floors were built without
permission, becoming the deadliest garment-factory disaster
to ever occur. In addition to more than 1300 killed, 2515
people were injured. Many of the survivors had been trapped
under tons of rubble and machinery for hours or even days.
Material: Plastic Bags
SDG12: Responsible
Consumption and Production
(reduce single use items)
Workers at the garment factory manufactured items for major
fashion outlets including Benetton, Bonmarché, Mango,
Matalan and Primark. The incident generated an international
outcry about workers’ safety, workplace conditions and
labour rights, resulting in extensive coverage in international
media through the #WhoMadeMyClothes campaign. It
encouraged shoppers to ask more questions and for retailers
to do more to seek out sustainable solutions. The Fashion
Revolution Movement was established two years later. Its
purpose is to encourage conversations about how the fashion
industry can improve ethically and sustainably around the
world.
Today, the goals and efforts of the movement coincide with the global sustainable goals of
the United Nations, which the organization adopted in 2015 with focus on transition to
sustainable consumption and production models.
“We campaign for a clean, safe, fair, transparent and
accountable fashion industry. We do this through research,
education, collaboration, mobilisation and advocacy,” -
We consume too much and too
fast. Over the past 15 years,
clothing sales around the world
have doubled, while the
average life of clothing has
fallen sharply. On average, we wear something for less than a year. And if it requires repair
- even less. Extremely high demand in consumption is due to low prices for consumers, but
the cost to the environment of our extravagance is enormous. The amount of CO2 emissions
from the textile industry annually amounts to more than a billion tons. To top it off, there is
also pollution of the world's oceans with microplastics from textile fibers and the use of toxic
chemicals. All in all -- we have too many clothes that we do not use for long enough. The
price tag does not reflect the true cost of making them. Many garment workers do not even
receive living wages!
Fashion Revolution
8

One way
to make the garment industry
more environmentally friendly is the socalled
waste-free economy -- circular
economy.. Ideally, such a scheme would
only employ renewable energy sources.
But to ensure a waste-free economy we
need to stop producing waste in the first
place and reduce how much we consume.
So review your shopping habits and avoid
the temptations of following instant trends
and seeing clothes as momentary
pleasure. Reduce. Reuse. Repurpose.
Recycle.
Material: second hand kimonos
SDG10: Reduce Inequalities
Fashion Revolution Week is a global event that takes place every year in the week coinciding
with 24 April, the anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh. This year, Fashion
th
Revolution Kazakhstan is excited to collaborate with Haileybury Almaty in order to raise
awareness about the importance of sustainable and ethical practices when it comes to our
role as consumers, designers and decision makers because we are the future.
To give clothes and textiles meaning beyond beauty and
functionality. To use them as tools for progressive dialogue
promoting sustainability and mindfulness. We encourage you to
visualize the SDGs and/or the Eco School themes (Energy,
Climate Change, Waste, Health and Wellbeing) in creating
sustainable items, clothes, textiles, displays or illustrations for the
fashion exhibition during the Fashion Revolution week. The
Fashion Revolution Kazakhstan are going to be the judges,
awarding The Most Thoughtful Contribution.
Material: newspaper
SDG13: Climate Action
(raising awareness and knowledge)
9

HOW TO START?
• BRAINSTORM
◦ What SDGs or Eco School themes do you want to tell the world about? What
would your main message be?
• PLAN
◦ What medium do you want to create in? Would you like to make a textile display,
accessory, clothing, illustration or something else?
◦ What materials are available to you? What can you recycle? Is there anything
“unconventional” you might want to use?
◦ Prepare your materials
• ACT
◦ Draw the outline…
◦ … And create!
If you need help, do not hesitate to reach out. Mrs Jacoby, a
professional designer and sustainability coordinator at our school,
is offering online surgeries to guide/help the students with their
designs.
Material: eg. glass, photos, bedcloth
SDG11/5: Sustainable cities and communities
(heritage, generations, pollution)
10

MEDICINE VOL. 2020
HEALTH
BY AIDANA A
HOW DO WE DEFINE THE WORD ‘MEDICINE’?
We perceive the term ‘medicine’ in all societies past and present. Yet, the nature of medicine
varies so significantly from place to place and time to time that it’s difficult to offer a single
answer.
When we think of the word medicine, usually the first idea that strikes our mind is a curative
thesis: to cure the sick. Curing the sick is the core medical competence. However, according
to the historian of medicine Roy Porter, “the position of medicine in society has had and still
has little to do with its ability to make people better/cure”. Moreover, the efficacy of
medicine for improving world health has been broadly questioned by famous historians and
epidemiologists (i.e. people who study or are experts in the branch of medicine which deals
with the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases). So if we believe that the
curative thesis is true, then it suggests that most medication from the beginning of time isn’t
medicine in any way. In the past, much medicine was and is ineffective and inadequate or in
the best-case scenario, somewhat successful. This thesis prompts a dismissive attitude towards
the past endeavours upon which any current medicine is fabricated.
11

However, the inquiry thesis covers more aspects of the word. As it acknowledges that the
goal of medicine is a cure but states that its core business is understanding more fully and
engaging the undertaking project to comprehend the nature and causes of health and
disease. This approach is fairer and more appropriate to use. Hence if you searched up the
word medicine on the internet now, the definition will be ‘the science or practice of the
diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease (in technical use often taken to exclude
surgery)’.
AMAZING BREAKTHROUGHS IN MEDICINE
To sum up, 2020 has been a turbulent year. From a medical perspective, it has been turned
upside down with a lethal worldwide pandemic reorienting our daily routine and goals. Yes,
it has been challenging and devastating for many of us, however, the pandemic shouldn’t
obscure a time of great medical innovation. Life-changing developments in oncology, gene
therapies, heart health, and most importantly, the development of COVID-19 vaccines that
are being distributed around the world were discovered last year.
1. ‘THE YEAR OF THE GENETIC CODE’
In October 2020, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A.
Doudna were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for
discovering the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors. The gene
’scissor’ tool is when enzymes ‘snip out pieces of DNA to
restore them to their normal function’. They demonstrated
that the genetic tool could be controlled to cut any kind of
DNA molecule at a designated location. According to the
Nobel Prize’s official announcement, this implies that we can
‘change the code of life’. This development could potentially
change and prevent a wide range of genetic conditions.
2. HEART DISEASE AND STROKE RESEARCH.
Recently, the American Heart Association released its list of innovations
in medical treatments. One of the key developments is that there is a
better way to treat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (when the heart
muscle thickens and can stiffen). Besides, there will be new treatments
to prevent stroke and a new trial that will uncover better treatments for
coronary heart disease.
12

3. ONCOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS
“2020 has been a year that has seen cancer research push forward on multiple fronts”
stated Benjamin Neel, MD, Ph.D., director of Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU. He said that
new technologies for the early detection of cancer via blood tests are being developed. Their
current research is tied in with building up the technology to monitor tumors and conduct
sensitive tests for tumors and recurrence of cancers. As it has been a while that tumors
release DNA into the bloodstream. Researchers have been developing better approaches for
drugging genetic mutations.
4. A BLOOD TEST FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
More than 5 million people are living with Alzheimer’s in the USA only and according to the
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention this number will triple by 2060. This year there
may be a discovery in Alzheimer’s disease research and treatment. The fundamental thought
is to diagnose the progressive form of
dementia in the form of a blood test. Although
the testing is in the trial phase, it is still huge
news for our society. Despite the fact that this
test must be approved, one company has
distributed an Alzheimer's blood test this fall.
5. COVID - 19 VACCINATION
When we first encountered COVID-19 in 2019 we didn’t know much about it. Yet, in one
year, there has been remarkable progress. Several vaccines are showing promise. New
diagnostic tests have emerged. Doctors all over the world are battling against the virus. And
a powerful way to reduce the spread -- wear a mask!
As 2021 comes we are anticipating a promising new year. While many think this year was
loaded with grievous and misfortunes, looking back at these developments demonstrates to
us that there’s continually something to be grateful for. Hopefully, the situation will improve
soon.
13

HUMANITY RUNS ON
COFFEE
FEATURE
BY ALIKSENIIA M
"I stop drinking coffee, I stop doing the standing and
walking and the words-putting-into-sentence-doing."
— Lorelai Gilmore
COFFEE DEFINITION:
noun /ˈkɒfi/
a magical substance that turns "Leave me alone or die" into "Good morning!"
HOW DOES COFFEE AFFECT CULTURES?
HISTORY AND ADAPTATION
According to the National Coffee Association, coffee is
the most consumed beverage aside from water. For most
people, coffee marks the start of and then continues to get
us through the day. How did the beverage grow into the
cultural phenomenon it is today?
Legend has it, coffee was discovered centuries ago by an
Ethiopian farmer, Kaldi, who observed his goats eating the
coffee cherries and exhibiting strange, exuberant and excessively active behavior. After the
stimulating effect was discovered, coffee cherries and their beans began being passed across
the globe. The beverage spread, gaining popularity. Different regions around the world
began growing and cultivating coffee. In the 1600s, coffee took over as the favored
breakfast beverage, replacing wine and beer.
As consumption patterns changed over the years, so did consumer expectations.
By the 1970s, the term “specialty” coffee came in, and an interest in knowing
and distinguishing between different coffee-growing regions began to take hold.
Coffees with a single-origin profile became popular, such as our Private Reserve
Brazil Santos Bourbon, which features the rare yellow Bourbon variety of Arabica
beans which is known for its smooth, mellow flavor. Other coffees blended a
variety of regions to create skillfully crafted flavors, like the Private Reserve
Founder’s Blend.
14

MODERN DAY CONSUMPTION
Today, coffee has become an important
part of societal norms. The “coffee
break” during working hours helps
sustain energy throughout the day. It is
also a focal point for entertaining and it
creates a social ambiance. Let’s be
honest, what is the most reminiscent
place in the “Friends'' series? That’s
right, the Central Perk.
Coffee drinkers love to socialize over their favorite drinks of choice,
which expanded beyond simply brewed coffee, to also include
specially-crafted espresso drinks. Coffee houses have been around for
more than 500 years, but the explosion of coffee house locations since
the 1990s is undeniable. Culture is inherently infused in coffee,
and coffee houses help create the coffee culture experience.
The beverage is easily adapted in any cultural context. It brings
together communities. That’s why Cap Saurage, founder of Community
Coffee Company, named the brand out of appreciation for his
community of friends and customers. He wanted to celebrate those he
served. Coffee connects us all.
HOW DOES COFFEE AFFECT OUR BODY?
1.CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
Caffeine acts as a stimulant. When it reaches your brain, the most
noticeable effect is alertness. You’ll feel more awake and less tired,
so it’s a common ingredient in medications to manage ongoing
fatigue, headaches, and migraines.
Studies have also found that people who drink coffee regularly have
a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia, and
decrease suicide risk by 45%. These benefits are limited to
people who drink high-octane (strong) coffee, not decaf. Some
people consider coffee to be a health drink, but like most foods,
overconsumption may lead to various side effects.
15

For example, too much caffeine can give you headaches. This is primarily linked to caffeine
withdrawal. The blood vessels in your brain become used to caffeine’s effects so if you
suddenly stop consuming caffeine, it can cause a headache. Other symptoms of caffeine
withdrawal include:
• anxiety
• irritability
• sleepiness
• tremors (rhythmic shaking movement
in one or more parts of your body)
• achy muscles
Although it’s extremely rare, it’s also possible to overdose on caffeine. Symptoms of an
overdose include:
• confusion • hallucinations • vomiting
An overdose of caffeine may cause rapid or irregular heartbeat and breathing trouble. In
rare cases, caffeine overdose can result in death due to convulsions (an episode in which you
experience rigidity and uncontrolled muscle spasms along with altered consciousness) or
irregular heartbeat. Overdosing happens by consuming large amounts of caffeine, most
often in energy drinks or diet pills, not coffee, so don’t worry, you will live. Up to 400
milligrams of caffeine is considered to be safe, according to the Mayo Clinic. This equals
about 4 cups of coffee.
2. DIGESTIVE AND EXCRETORY SYSTEMS
Caffeine increases the amount of acid in your stomach and may cause
heartburn or upset stomach. Extra caffeine doesn’t get stored in
your body either. It’s processed in the liver and exits through your urine.
This is why you might have an increase in urination shortly after having
caffeine.
16

3. CIRCULATORY AND RESPIRATORY SYSTEMS
Caffeine is absorbed from your stomach. It reaches its highest
levels in your bloodstream within an hour or two. Caffeine can
make your blood pressure go up for a short time. This effect is
thought to be attributed to either an increase in adrenaline
or a temporary block on the hormones that naturally
widen your arteries. In most people, there is no long-term effect
on blood pressure.
4.SKELETAL AND MUSCULAR SYSTEMS
Caffeine in large amounts may interfere with absorption and
metabolism of calcium. This can contribute to bone thinning
(osteoporosis). If you consume too much, caffeine may also cause your
muscles to twitch.
THE QUESTION STILL REMAINS - IS COFFEE BAD FOR YOU?
Coffee isn't bad for you, as long as you drink it in moderation. Coffee can have many health
benefits, such as boosting energy, providing essential nutrients, and reducing your risk for
long-term health problems like heart disease or type 2 diabetes. However, coffee can be
unhealthy if you drink too much or add too much sugar. Thus, all good things in moderation!
17

8 BOOKS TO READ WHEN
YOU’RE IN NEED OF HOPE
BY ALIMA G
COMPILATION
As you successfully lived through year 2020, chances are you’ve experienced feelings of
hopelessness and a sense of lack of any kind of purpose at some point. We’ve all been
there, the feeling of incapability, an absence of motivation for the simplest tasks and the
dreadful presentiment that things will never change for the better that follows. Sometimes it
can be incredibly hard to maintain a positive mindset, and understandably so, but it is
important to try your best at it. Keeping a positive mindset is a form of self care and is vital to
a healthy, productive and most of all happy living. We have carefully picked out a
compilation of uplifting books that will help you see the better side of things, inspire you and
perhaps even shift your perspective.
THE COLOR PURPLE BY ALICE WALKER
The praised feminist work focuses on the lives of two African American
women in early twentieth-century rural Georgia. Separated as girls,
sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to each other across time,
distance, and silence. Through a series of letters spanning twenty years,
the novel draws readers into its rich and memorable portrayals of
characters and their experiences. It explores and raises the important
topics of the silence around domestic abuse, narrating the lives of
women through their pain and struggle, companionship and growth, and
resilience and bravery.
DRAW YOUR WEAPONS BY SARAH SENTILES
The book tells the true stories of Howard, a conscientious objector
during World War II, and Miles, a former prison guard at Abu Ghraib
and the ways they have dealt with their experiences through art. The
spotlight shone on art and war through personal narrative, memoir,
visual culture and theology in this book will challenge the way you
view the world as a whole. This book effectively works like a narrative
photograph, drawing the eye to many places, a good number of
which we'd perhaps rather not see.
18

FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO SEE:
DISPATCHES FROM THE WORLD OF THE BLIND
BY ROSEMARY MAHONEY
The book tells the inspiring story of Braille Without Borders, the first
school for the blind in Tibet, and of Sabriye Tenberken, the
remarkable blind woman who founded the school.
The institution
offers its students age-appropriate riot of color and noise, augmented
by the clack of canes and Braille typewriters. Almost all the pupils
there come from remote villages, where they are generally
considered shameful burdens by their families.
The author investigates the cultural, multilayered history of blindness and explores her own
deep fear of sightlessness. As part of her research, she spent three months teaching at
Tenberken's international training center for blind adults in Kerala, India. She grounds her
story in straightforward accounts of life at the schools, showing an utterly gripping account of
life among the developing world’s large blind population.
THE KITE RUNNER BY KHALED HOSSEINI
The unforgettable, heartbreaking story takes place in Afghanistan during
difficult times of change and terror, telling the story of an unlikely
friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant. A
father-son relationship story, it emphasizes the familial aspects of the
narrative and demonstrates the power of reading, the price of betrayal
and the possibility of redemption. Themes of guilt and redemption feature
prominently in the novel, with the vivid story reminding us of the
consequences that follow violence.
BLOOD WATER PAINT BY JOY MCCULLOUGH
This historical fiction novel written in verse follows Artemisia
Gentileschi’s journey to becoming a world-renowned Renaissance
painter. Filled with raw emotion, it shows the harsh trial the resilient
artist had to induce after being raped, as a woman in a time of
heavy repressions. This is a very powerful and intense read, but not
for everyone.
19

A BURGLAR’S GUIDE TO THE CITY BY GEOFF
MANAUGH
This nonfiction book imparts — if not quite hope — certainly an
expanded sense of possibility. Its tales of heists and getaways, of the
use and misuse of city infrastructure, are both good fun and a
significant departure from the typical way we think about cities. The
book is also full of mischievous advice, which could be useful in the
parallel universe where you make a living robbing banks.
PROJECT SEMICOLON BY AMY BLEUEL
The creator of Project Semicolon started it in 2013 to spread an important
message of hope: No one struggling with a mental illness is alone; you, too,
can survive and live a life filled with joy and love. The semicolon represents
this message, raising awareness, with thousands of people all over the world
getting it tattooed and sharing photos, often alongside their personal stories of
hardship, growth, and rebirth. The book reveals dozens of new portraits and
stories from people of all ages talking about what they have endured and
what they want for their futures. An honest, hopeful collection of stories serves
as a reminder that better days are ahead and every day you choose to live,
you let your beautiful story continue on.
THE KILLING OF BUTTERFLY JOE BY
RHIDIAN BROOK
Part travelogue, part mystery, part fact and part fantasy, the book is a
unique adventure story set on the roads of 1980’s America, where 2
men set out on a road trip to sell butterflies in cases to the masses. In
pursuit of inspiration, riches and the Great American Dream ‘the one
that leads from rags to riches via pitches’ – whatever the
consequences - they set out on a journey. Filled with humour and rich
in imagination, this is an epic story of hope, friendship, desire and
adventure.
We hope that these books will ignite your spark of hope! The
mentioned authors skillfully shine a light on the issues we sometimes hide behind or don’t talk
about, showing us that there is indeed a light in the darkness, that we are not the first ones to
experience such feelings, and that there is a community out there we can join, that knows
exactly what we’re going through. Bad times are not eternal and together we’ll get through
them.
20

SDGS IN STORIES
ECO
BY ASTRID JACOBY
SDG11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
. ’The owl and the birds’
The owl and the birds is one of Aesop’s fables. Aesop is said to have been an African man
enslaved to a rich lord in ancient Greece. He told stories to entertain his masters at dinner –
and perhaps also for his fellow slaves serving the meal. We don’t know how many of these
stories are originally from Greece: more and more stories have been added to the collection
over the centuries, and perhaps there are still some new ones to discover.
21

At the beginning of time, all the birds in the world lived in a big forest. The more of them
there were, the happier they were and the more fun they had. They took what they wanted
from the forest, and they never worried about anything.
All except for the owl.
None of the other birds liked the owl, because she was always telling them what to do. It
seemed as if every time the owl saw them having fun, she would say ‘Don’t do that!’ ‘Don’t
sing so loudly!’ ‘Don’t drop your feathers on the ground,’ ‘Don’t make a mess.’
Most of all, she didn’t like the way they ate. Every day, the birds flew off looking for hemp
seed, their favourite food. They’d bring back the seed heads and sit in the branches, pecking
at the seeds and letting half of them fall to the ground, where it sprouted into tall hemp
plants.
‘Don’t do that!’ said the owl. ‘Don’t let the hemp plants grow! If you do, there will be
trouble.’
And when the seeds began to sprout, she said: ‘Pull up the seedlings! Don’t let anything
grow! Or there will be trouble!’
But the birds took no notice. They began to make fun of the owl. ‘Don’t do that! Don’t do
that,’ they would chant when they saw her coming.
The owl got so angry that she flew away. ‘I give up!’ she said. ‘If they won’t listen to my
advice, I won’t have anything more to do with them. She went to live in a hole in a tree, and
only ever came out at night.
Meanwhile, the birds carried on living happily without anybody telling them what to do. The
longer they lived there, the more their numbers increased: the more mess they made and the
taller the hemp plants grew.
But one day, the hunters came. They found the hemp plants and cut them down. They
stripped them and plaited them together to make ropes. They wove the ropes into nets, which
they spread on the ground, and soon many birds were trapped and caught in the nets.
The birds rushed off to look for the owl. ‘You are so clever, owl! You knew exactly what the
hunters would do! Help us now!’
But the owl hid her head under her wing and said nothing at all. And ever since, the hemp
plants have flourished, and little birds still get caught in nets.
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CONVERSATION STARTERS
-In this story, the hunters are the main threat to the birds. What are the main threats to our
growing cities?
-Aesop’s stories were told to teach a lesson. They all have a moral at the end. What do you
think the moral of this story might be? Could there be more than one moral?
-What could the birds have done differently? What could the owl have done differently? Did
you think the owl gave good advice or bad advice?
-In many cultures, there are legends about nets. They are sometimes seen as magical objects,
because they are made out of something as easy to break as grass, and yet they are so
strong. Can you find another story about a net? Or perhaps try to make a net?
-In ancient Mediterranean culture, birds were a staple source of food.
Nowadays, people campaign to stop hunters in Europe trapping and
killing migrating birds. In this story, is Aesop on the side of the hunters
or of the birds?
IDEAS:
Aesop
Try out the ‘game of wool’: stand in a circle with friends and pass the wool criss-cross
between you until you have a net connecting everyone: then try to move - what happens?
Take a map, a tube or bus route map of your city. Create a net bag to replace your plastic
shopping bags by knotting string according to the stations/stops.
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HUMAN IMMORTALITY IS
CLOSER THAN YOU THINK
BY ALIYA B
FEATURE
When we hear the words ‘human immortality’ we often tend to scoff and dismiss it as
fantasy. After all, most of us are still trying to accept death as the inevitable, inescapable
destination. We are told to live life to the fullest, simply owing to the belief that our time on
Earth is limited. Some spend their whole lives trying to be better people, all out of fear of
what might await us after death. But what if the saying ‘death is the only certainty’ could in
itself be utterly false? Science and technology have been progressing at such an immense
rate that what once could have only been imagined in the wildest dreams, could very soon
be turned into reality.
Humanity’s obsession
with immortality is hard
to miss. Dating as far back
as 1st century AD, when
people began following
Christianity, a religion that
promised them the existence
of an ‘afterlife’, of a
continuation of some sort. In
the 16th century, Spanish
explorer Ponce de León set out on an expedition to obtain the “Fountain of Youth”.
Then in the 17th century, French writer Charles Perrault introduced ‘Cinderella’ to the
world - yet another story ending in “they lived happily ever after”. One would think that
after centuries of witnessing death, humans would have given up the dream of eternal life.
Yet well into the 21st century we still indulge in fictional novels and movies. We have created
vampires, werewolves, aliens and witches to distract ourselves from our ultimate fear - the
ending of everything and everyone we know. But does it really have to be that way?
Couldn’t there come a time when innovation breaks the laws of nature? According to British
researcher Aubrey De Grey, immortality is as close as 25 years away.
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De Grey defines aging as “the set of accumulated side
effects from metabolism that eventually kill us”. In other
words, 7 things that he claims can all be prevented by
science. De Grey is testing his belief on mice before
planning on moving on to human testing. While some
scientists disagree with De Grey, some add on to the claim
by proposing different methods of prolonging life and
ultimately, reaching immortality. One thought is through
3D printing organs. Although the bladder is the only
organ to have been bioprinted and successfully
transplanted, many more are sure to follow.
Hypothetically, repeating the process over and over again
for every organ would allow organs to stay young,
healthy, and functional - all of which could permanently
prevent death.
Moreover, some have even proposed the theory that we don’t necessarily need human
bodies to stay alive. Russian tycoon Dmitry Iskov launched the ‘2045 Initiative’ that
seeks to replace human bodies with robotic parts. The initiative even explores the possibility
of constructing a brain with its own stream of consciousness. Elon Musk has also made
significant contributions to the belief, launching his
Neuralink project seeking to develop a braincomputer
interface. If a brain-computer interface
like that were to be created, all of the possible
limitations of physical bodies would simply be
overcome, and death would no longer be a threat
to those seeking eternal life.
The possibility of immortality shouldn’t be confused with the incapacity to die, a distinct and
yet equally plausible fear of many. Whether or not immortality is ethical or not is an entirely
different debate, and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. All we can do right now is either
hope for technological advancement to grant us everlasting life, or hope for it to stagnate
enough to save us from creating our own dystopian hell.
25

THE HAILEYBURY GAZETTE
EDITORIAL TEAM
Yerkezhan ‘Erko’ S (she/her) - Wonder Woman
Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor
Head Girl
Aidana A (she/her) - Bambi
Writer, Reporter
Y12 AKO
Alima G (she/her) - Cupid
Writer, Editor
Y11 JOW
Alikseniia M (she/her) - Olaf
Writer, Feature
Y11 KSST
Anuar K (he/him) - Monke
Writer, Columnist
Y11 KSST
Saduakas O (he/him) - Jewel Thief
Designer
Y11 DSC
Aliya B (she/her) - Judy Hopps
Writer, Profile
Attlee Deputy House Captain
Y12AKO
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