ABC Student News: Spring Formal

You’re Cordially Invited to the Spring Formal

Date: Saturday 19th March, 2011

Place: ABC - PAC

Cost per person: $10

Get your tickets from Student Government Executives and Class Presidents.

Don't miss this unique event

ABC Student News: People who laugh a lot are much healthier than those who don't

Dr. Lee Berk at the Loma Linda School of Public Health in California found that laughing lowers levels of stress hormones, and strengthens the immune system.

Laughter increases levels of a hormone called beta-endorphines (which elevates mood state) by 27% and increases human growth hormone by 87%. Human growth hormone (HGH) is used to treat patients with hormone deficiencies and has been shown to improve the immune system, bone and muscle mass, and reduces body fat. This is the same hormone that athletes use to improve their athletic performance in their sports.

Laughter also has been shown to reduce levels of three stress hormones: cortisol, dopac, and epinephrine. Epinephrine is also known as adrenaline, the hormone that triggers the "fight-or-flight" response when we are afraid. At chronic levels, these three hormones can harm the immune system's function as well as contribute to other detrimental health effects.

Berk also found that mirthful laughter raised good cholesterol and lowered inflammation during a test of the effects of laughter on diabetic patients.

ABC Student News: Effort DOES Lead to Success

The debate team of our school won the first place in the “Tercer Certamen de Debate Intercolegial” organized by la Esen last Saturday 12 of March 2011. The group was formed by students from 12th grade: Marcela García, Fabiola Wollants and Carlos Villalobos.

The IB is a very demanding program but these students proved that with determination and hard work you can achieve what you want. They are a great example that effort does leads to success as they worked hard for weeks competing against other schools.
Congratulations to these students

ABC Student News: Recycling Campaign

IGCA Team is promoting Recycling at school this month. Next monday (Monday 22nd) we will be celebrating Recycling day at school and everyone who has bought the Water Bottle, will be able to wear a green t-shirt to celebrate this day.

If you want to help with this Recycling Campaign, buy the water bottle and wear a green t-shirt on monday. Also, bring Recycling materials this friday because the class with more Recycling materials will have a Pizza Party next friday.

Little by Little we will make a difference

Posted by: Ingrid Orellana

ABC Student News: Curious Facts

Blue M&M's might be able to treat spinal injuries, scientists say

Researchers have been testing the effects of a compound called "Brilliant Blue G" on lab rats. The compound is a blue dye found in blue M&M's that gives them their distinctive color.

The researchers injected rats with spinal injuries with Brilliant Blue G. The compound improved recovery and reduced the lesions that came along with the injury. The way it worked is that the compound blocks another chemical that causes more cell damage during an injury, thus reducing the "secondary spinal cord damage" that the chemical causes. The result? The rats with spinal injuries that received treatment with Brilliant Blue G were able to walk again, while the control group rats that weren't treated were not. 

Now, before you start picking out blue M&M's to put into your first aid kit, it's important to note that the dye was only effective 15 minutes after sustaining the injury, it has to be absorbed intravenously, and one of the side effects is that the rats' skin turned blue.

Written by: Camila Vega 

ABC Student News: Book Review

Erin Dionne - Models Don’t Eat Chocolate Cookies

Rating: 5 stars!!!

Although I would recommend this for some younger female readers, I do admit it’s a fun read for the rest of the school girl population. If I didn’t make it clear before, there is absolutely no doubt that this book is aimed for girls – starting with the fact that the book’s central character is a 12 year old girl struggling through the infinite drama that is “pre-pubescence”; and the fact that this 12 year old girl is also trying to get out of a beauty pageant by losing weight. [I think we just lost some of the boys!] But, if you’re a boy - you’ve made it this far, what’s a couple of more lines? So… as said before, the book is basically about a slightly overweight 12 year old girl who is basically entered into a beauty pageant for “Husky Peaches”, against her will. So, as her last desperate attempt to get out of the pageant, she decides to lose weight in order to be disqualified from the pageant. The book transcends from her decision to lose weight to her actual procedure to do so - as many other things go on in her life throughout the book.

The Critic’s Corner: Bravo Erin Dionne, Bravo… Maybe it’s a biased opinion, but if I was Dali I’d artistically twirl my mustache at both its ends in admiration of the ART! Just saying… Not that it’s a perfect book but the way in which its unique plot harmoniously intertwines with its witty style deserves my round of applause. The fact that you can actually relate to Celeste [the central character of the story] – no matter who you are - and the fact that it’s Celeste that narrates the story throughout the whole book, immediately connects you to her world and makes you part of the book. In other words, Dionne’s attempt to connect the reader to the novel gives the reader a solid perspective of the story and also leaves the reader with no doubt on her mind on what the writer meant. So, next time you’re looking for a fun read, I’d recommend this book! Remember me when I say that after you finish this book: your review won’t vary much from mine.

Written by: Celina Milla

ABC Student News: International News

If Napoleon Bonaparte was alive, how would he react to these news?

 France and England have recently agreed to join their armies to cut costs down.

London, UK - During the past 2^nd of November, new treaties on defence and nuclear joint were signed by two of Europe’s nuclear powers, England and France, despite the fact of being enemies in historical battles such as the one in Agincourt and Waterloo.

After having signed the agreements along with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, current prime minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, stated: “ Today we open a new chapter in a long history of co-operation on defence and security between Britain and France.”

On one of the two treaties, both heads of state committed their armies to work “more closely than ever before”, by setting up a “combined expeditionary force” of 5, 000 soldiers from both sides, as well as agreeing to share at least one aircraft carrier at sea between them. On the other treaty, both countries agreed to increase co-operation on “nuclear safety” during the next 50 years. This nuclear treaty will involve the establishment of a centre in the UK for the development of testing technology and another one in France to carry out the actual nuclear testing.

The ultimate goal of such treaties, Sarkozy and Cameron said, was “to save millions of pounds without undermining national sovereignty”.

Will these old rivals actually be able to work together in an attempt to prevent future nuclear wars and cut costs, or will this strategic move lead to yet more tension? Let’s hope for the best.

By: Gerardo Blandón