J?allais finir cet article quelques semaines avant la date limite, mais au lieu de cela, j?ai préféré aller jeter un oeil sur Facebook et faire une sieste. La bonne nouvelle, c?est que j?ai bien fait car ce type de choix peut se révéler positif!

Bon, je vous accorde malgré tout que ce n?est pas une méthode parfaite pour devenir le meilleur élève du monde, obtenir 20 sur 20 à tous ses DS et recevoir les félicitations du conseil du conseil de classe à

chaque trimestre. Mais c?est un bon début...

La procrastination développe en effet la créativité. Une expérience menée par Jihae Shin à l?Université du W isconsin a montré qu?on est plus original et inventif lorsqu?on a pris le temps de jouer avant de travailler. Dans cette expérience, les chercheurs ont demandé à deux groupes de soumettre des projets de business plan, lesquels ont ensuite été évalués par une association indépendante. Le groupe qui a eu 5 minutes pour jouer à un jeu vidéo, comme Minesweeper, avant de commencer à réfléchir a produit des idées environ 28% plus originales. Mais cette stratégie marche uniquement si on joue alors que l?on connait la tâche qu?on aura ensuite à accomplir: un autre groupe, qui jouait avant de savoir ce qu?il aurait ensuite à faire, n?a pas montré une augmentation de créativité remarquable.

La procrastination peut aussi être positive si on travaille sur autre chose que ce que l?on devrait faire. Par exemple, commencez par faire vos maths si c?est ce que vous préférez avant d?attaquer vos devoirs en histoire.

Mais la procrastination peut aussi aller trop loin. Quand on attend trop longtemps pour accomplir une tâche, le stress commence à dominer et il devient difficile de penser à de nouvelles idées. Il est donc nécessaire de trouver un équilibre entre commencer ses devoirs à la seconde, dès qu?ils sont donnés, et les repousser jusqu?à les faire à la dernière minute. Ceux qui procrastinent chroniquement ont aussi du mal à rechercher l?aide dont ils ont éventuellement besoin.

Donc prenez votre temps, détendez-vous. Allez prendre un goûter, regardez un épisode de votre programme de télé préféré sur Netflix. Mais ensuite, au boulot!

Les bienfaits de la procrastination

NOVEMBER 2016VOLUME X IV ISSUE III

IN T HIS ISSUE

Source: voicesofyouth.org

T HE BATTLE OVER GMOS

BY ALEXA JAKOB '18

Page 3: Science Page 4: Harry Potter

T W O ARTICLES ABOUT HARRY POTTER'S NEXT

GENERATION

Page 2: En Español

T W O ARTICLES IN SPANISH, A FIRST FOR

THE MESSENGER

Newspaper Team Attends Columbia Journalism ConferenceBY AUGUSTE LAPOMME '21

Have you ever wished you could miss school for a club? Now you can with Newspaper. All jokes aside, on Monday, November 7th, twelve students from The Messenger went to Columbia University for a journalism conference. Columbia is one of the best journalism schools in the country, so as you can well imagine, it was amazing! W e got to choose multiple classes to take.

W e had five different time slots and got to select a class between 15 or so for each slot. I chose a speech class, two investigative reporting classes, and two writing classes. In the speech class, we worked on improving our interviews and choice of words. The investigative reporting classes focused on investigative journalism techniques and included a discussion of the risks journalists take. A very important concept is the one of journalists? rights. For example, we considered how far reporters can go in an investigation. W e also discussed ways to determine which websites are good to find important facts. Finally, in the writing classes ,we learned how to write as a specific persona, write fiction, and put yourself in someone else's shoes.

I really liked the conference. I feel as if it enriched my writing and was worth the time. I am really happy I was selected to go, and I loved having my writing improved.

PAR ALEXA JAKOB '18

The Trump EffectOPINION

BY SEBASTIEN LAMY '17

Before Trump was elected, I remember coming home from school one day and slumping in front of my TV, idly watching a political discussion on the upcoming election. One of the speakers gave his opinion regarding Trump?s possible election: for him, a Trump presidency would be disastrous, not only as a U.S. citizen but as a

father. Parents educate their children to behave a certain way. Mostly, they want their children to be polite, well-mannered and inclusive, not rude, mean, bigoted or a bully. A typical parent would impart these lessons by explaining that a negative attitude would bring you nowhere in life, as opposed to a positive one. How, the man asked, was he supposed to continue with these lessons when a man who embodied every quality he warned his children against might become the leader of the free world?

       This, of course, raises an excellent question: will T rump, dubbed a ?bully? by many, have any negative consequences on Americans, especially youth? Even though Trump has yet to be inaugurated, the climate has become more hostile towards many minorities whom Trump criticized, as evidenced by the many videos and posts circulating on social media sites. Dubbed the ?Trump effect?, the increase in bullying, hate crimes, and discriminatory behavior is especially present in schools all over the USA, much to the concern of educators. In a Michigan middle school, students screamed ?build a wall? to their Latino classmates. Others, in different schools, drew swastikas and screamed ?white power?. Are they influenced by Trump?s rhetoric? Does it give them greater license to more clearly express their views? In any case, I find this behavior extremely worrying. Some American citizens openly espouse hateful attitudes: we are experiencing a social climate the likes of which we?ve never seen before. I also find it puzzling that T rump himself, who serves as an inspiration for several alt- right and neo-Nazi groups, called for unity in his recent Thanksgiving address. Here?s to hoping that all citizens will listen to him on this point.

Source: AP

2 T HE MESSENGER EN ESPAÑOLThis is the first time that The Messenger has published articles in Spanish. This third language is a testament to FASNY's multilingualism. These were written by Grade 10 Native Spanish students under the tutelage of Sra. Fernandez. Many thanks to her for providing them to us.

¿Valores Deportivos o Ganancia Económica?

El 13 de septiembre, durante el transcurso de un triatlón, los hermanos Brownlee, Jonny y Alistair, cruzaron la meta simultáneamente, agarrándose por el hombro. Jonny, a 400 metros de la meta, se había derrumbado, quedando tendido en el suelo, sin fuerzas para seguir. Por detrás le seguía Alistair, quien le ayudó a incorporarse, lo agarró por el hombro y completó la carrera en familia. Esta llegada solidaria ha causado un cisma entre los organizadores de la carrera y la Federación Española de Triatlón (FET) que ha decidido descalificarles.

El objetivo de esta descalificación, desde un punto de vista más amplio, es que la federación desea favorecer al toledano Fernando Alarza haciéndole subir su posición dentro de la clasificación general. Esto representaría un incremento drástico en las ganancias pecuniarias del triatleta español que pasaría del noveno al séptimo puesto. En la clasificación general del Mundial de Triatlón, la diferencia de remuneración entre el tercer y el segundo puesto es de 15,000 euros.     

Aunque la FET ofrezca una solución bastante radical para resolver esta situación, Su razonamiento se basa en el reglamento de la ?International T riathlon Union? que explica lo siguiente: ?La asistencia por parte de personal de la organización y oficiales técnicos está permitida pero limitada a una asistencia de bebidas, nutricional, mecánica o médica, sujeta a la aprobación por parte de un delegado técnico o un juez de carrera?. Los Brownlee violaron las normas, tras haber invertido tanto esfuerzo para completar el triatlón, se arriesgaron a perder su puesto a la llegada a meta por ayudarse mutuamente.

En mi opinión, los dos atletas, aunque técnicamente violaron la normativa de la federación y deberían ser penalizados por su acción, realizaron un acto de amor fraternal que se apoya en los valores profundos de la solidaridad deportiva. Actos como este son un gran ejemplo para los jóvenes atletas.

La decisión a tomar no es fácil: ¿apoyamos a un atleta para que gane un premio mayor o reconocemos la generosidad de carácter que se realizó a la llegada a meta de los dos jóvenes? La polémica está servida.

POR IVÁN CARRERA D ÍAZ '19

El discurso lleno de tolerancia de Obama a la ONUPOR FRANÇOIS KLEINHANS '19

El 20 de septiembre 2016, Barack Obama dió su último discurso como presidente ante la ONU. En esos 45 minutos,Obama trató de varios temas cruciales. Por ejemplo mencionó los avances de la ONU en sus 71 años de vida y habló de los problemas a los que se enfrenta la cooperación internacional. Problemas políticos en algunos países occidentales y el radicalismo religioso en el Medio Oriente.

En un alegato impregnado de inteligencia y tolerancia, el presidente de la primera potencia mundial habló de la importancia de unir en un mismo objetivo la economía y la ecología para crear una dinámica global de respeto de nuestro planeta y de las generaciones futuras. Para ello, Obama propuso una ayuda financiera a los países más pobres para que puedan desarrollar proyectos de protección de la naturaleza: ¨De esa forma podremos seguir sacando a los más pobres de la pobreza sin condenar a nuestros hijos a un planeta que ya no van a poder reparar¨ dijo el presidente.

Asimismo cubrió avances realizados por la Organización de las Naciones Unidas en áreas como la supresión de guerras mundiales, este esfuerzo ha mantenido una paz relativa y también una cierta libertad de expresión en la mayor parte de los países del mundo. Resumió sus ocho años gobernando los Estados Unidos, habló de la resolución de los problemas nucleares con Irán, de las relaciones con Cuba, del fin de la guerra de colombia etc? Pero admitió que existían fallos en en el orden mundial: crisis financieras y de migración, conflictos bélicos brutales y el peligro de desestabilización de la zona del Medio Oriente.

El tema principal del último discurso ante la asamblea fue la colaboración. Barack Obama habló de colaboración económica y de su importancia, diciendo que la economía es la que define si un país es un fracaso o un éxito y puso como ejemplo Corea del Norte y  Corea del Sur.

La parte más políticamente comprometida fue su afirmación acerca de la indispensabilidad de la colaboración internacional y la tolerancia para asegurar los derechos humanos básicos y el desarrollo de la humanidad. Criticó todos los movimientos de extrema derecha que crean tensión en los países y que dividen a las poblaciones. Criticó ¨los populistas que construyen muros̈ . Criticó la discriminación, las sectas y los países que no respetan los derechos humanos. Criticó básicamente lo más execrable que existe en nuestro mundo.

Como conclusión de su discurso, el futuro ex-presidente de los Estados Unidos optó por una descripción del mundo y de la humanidad según su punto de vista. Aseveró que los humanos cometemos errores pero los corregimos,  que el humanismo debería de ser el propio de cada persona  para no repetir los fallos pasados. Definió la necesidad de estudiar nuestra historia. Habló de sentimientos humanos, de responsabilidad, de la visión del mundo por el lado bueno y no tan solo de una forma cínica. Con su carisma y diatriba, captó la atención del público, todo el mundo le escuchaba, bebiendo cada una de sus palabras. Acabó diciendo que el trabajo de cada humano era hacer lo mejor por su familia, por su país y por los otros seres humanos, sin preocuparse de la religión o de la nacionalidad, y que, así, el mundo se portará mejor.

Fuente: T IME (time.com)

COMMUNITY

Middle Schoolers Attend Leadership ConferenceBY MATHIEU GRECO '22

On Tuesday, November 1st 2016, I went, along with five other middle school students and three high school students, to the Riverfront Library in Yonkers to participate in the second annual Human Rights Institute for Middle School Student Leaders organized by the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center. W e met with students from 11 other W estchester schools and were combined into groups with kids from different schools to discuss several topics.

The beginning of our day was really busy. The co-director of education at HHREC, Julie Scallero, welcomed us and explained what we were going to do during the day. Then, we had the pleasure of watching Sheila Arnold, lead performer of H istory?s Alive and interpreter of historical characters, play the part of a female slave who was separated from all her family and whose last child had been given away by her master in order to pay a gambling debt.

After this stirring performance, we broke into our groups and talked about two main topics: Respecting the Individual and How to be an Upstander. To begin the Respecting the Individual session, the teachers showed us a video of a woman and a man. The man guessed the woman was Korean because of her looks and made other insensitive assumptions about her based on the way she looked. W e talked about things we would like to change in this video and in our schools, and we also discussed how people are judged because of their looks or popularity. Then, we all drew a snowflake and we realized that they were all different, symbolizing the fact that each one of us is unique and special.

The other session, How to be an Upstander, motivated us to not be a bystander, someone who watches things occur, but rather an upstander, someone who speaks out for what is right. W e were given two situations: Imagine you have two best friends, but these friends don?t like each other. One of them invites you and the entire school over for a huge party, and you find out that your other friend isn?t invited. W hat do you do? W hose side do you take? The second situation was a real event, during the Civil Rights movement in the United States. In an effort to desegregate, President Eisenhower orders the governor of Arkansas to allow nine Black students to attend the all-white Little Rock Central H igh School. Hundreds of people in front of the school protest and menace a young African-American girl who is heading towards her new school. You are with your friends, who are part of the angry mob. You hesitate between insulting the poor girl with your friends or defending her. W hat do you do? These questions encouraged us to do what is right even when it?s difficult.

Between these two sessions, we ate lunch with our schools. A representative of Rob Astorino, W estchester County Executive, officially declared November 1st Middle School Leader Day. This day was an awesome experience, and I would recommend it to all middle school students.

3SCIENCE/FOOD

Les gaufres belgesPAR AUGUSTE LAPOMME '21

Les Gaufres Belges, comme leur nom l?indique, sont belges ! Mais il existe différents types de gaufres. Il y a les gaufres américaines, les gaufres de Liège et celles de Bruxelles.          

Beaucoup de personnes connaissent les gaufres américaines. Ce sont celles qu?on sert dans les « dîners » avec du sirop d'érable. Elles sont peut-être les plus connues mais elles sont loin d?être les meilleures et plus loin encore d?être les plus belges !

Les gaufres de Liège (à mon avis délicieuses) sont faites avec une pâte du type de celle de la brioche et de sucre perlé et elles sont caramélisées. Elles ont été créées au 18ème siècle par le chef cuisinier d?un restaurant dont on ne connaît pas le nom.

Les gaufres de Bruxelles sont quant à elles carrées et on les déguste dans les cafés.

En tant que spécialiste de la gaufre, j?affirme que la meilleure est celle de Liège. Avec son caramel, quand la gaufre fond dans votre bouche, vous êtes au paradis. En deuxième position, je donnerais la gaufre de Bruxelles, puis finalement la gaufre américaine.

Mais que dis- je ?! Ah non ! Attendez ! Les meilleurs gaufres? ce sont celles de ma mère!

Source: internalvoices.org

GMOs: Frankenfood or Savior?BY ALEXA JAKOB '18

Endangered Species: not just a gimmickBY RAN X IAO '23

W hat is an endangered species? It?s a almost extinct species.

Can you imagine, more than 50 species of animals that are endangered?

The endangered species are separated into five categories:

- Critically endangered, which includes the South China tiger, the orangutan, and the saola (19)

- Endangered, such as Sel W hales, snow leopards, and red panda (28)

- Vulnerable animals are likely to become endangered, for example the giant tortoise (20)

- Near threatened means almost vulnerable. The monarch butterfly and the narwhal are part of this category. (10)

- Least concern is when only a small part of the species is gone, like the monarch butterfly.(11)

There are about 88 endangered species in total.

How did these species become endangered?

Actually, these species weren?t endangered at first. W hen we, humans, began hunting these beasts, they became threatened. This is why we say that the humans are the biggest enemies of animals. But it wasn?t all because of hunting. Pollution, loss of habitat, or not enough food can all cause a species to become

Source: zooborns.com

For some people, the label ?GMO? inspires fear and anxiety. For others, it?s a great way to ensure food security for millions of people across the globe. Neither of these conceptions are really true, however.

So what are GMOs, exactly? GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are constantly misunderstood by the public because of negative concepts and false facts propagated by the media. Therefore, it is important to understand what they are and aren?t. A GMO is any organism whose genome (genetic characteristics) has been genetically engineered, or changed. These modifications are often made to give the organism new, or increased, characteristics: more fertility, better pest- resistance, or a better nutritional value, to name a few.

It?s worth noting that some of the most widespread and popular foods are genetically modified. Humans have always selected the most fertile, aesthetically appealing, and/or delicious varieties of a crop and cultivated those more extensively than the rest. Take the example of corn: about 10,000 years ago in Mexico, farmers began domesticating teosinte by choosing which seeds to plant based on desirable characteristics. Eventually, it grew into the corn we know today, gaining in size and sweetness. Teosinte and corn are only separated by five genes, which is a miniscule number considering the vast genetic pool we can find in the natural world. Although the label GMO conjures images of a laboratory and test tubes, the DNA of teosinte was modified by repetitive farming of a select variety to produce a different plant altogether: corn. This, which is one of many examples, shows that genetic modification is not a uniquely modern phenomenon.

Lots of people are rooting for GMOs. The scientific community overwhelmingly supports the safety of genetically modified crops for humans, animals, and the environment. A study spanning over 10 years that included over 1,700 scientific papers found that GMOs do not reduce biodiversity, do not harm native animal species, are entirely safe for human and animal consumption, and do not modify in any way the DNA of that organism.

GMOs are often modified in ways that make them stronger and more resistant to the environment in which they are cultivated. This allows crops to be planted all over the globe with fewer restrictions on climate conditions, which is especially important with the advent of climate change that forces us to adapt to our circumstances. Varieties that are resistant to diseases and/or pests, and fortified in vitamins can help feed people in times of need, as well as prevent malnourishment. Just imagine what would have happened if genetically modified potatoes capable of resisting mildew had existed in Ireland during the Potato Famine of the 1840s. More recently, famines in sub-saharan Africa caused by viruses might have been avoided with GMOs.

And yet, despite the benefits GMOs could bring, the opposition against them is strong.

Part of the argument against them resides in issues involving the company Monsanto. Once a plastics and chemicals company, Monsanto now deals in GMOs. Because of its associations with Agent Orange during the Vietnam W ar and other involvements, some find the company unethical, and are therefore wary of it?s monopoly on GMOs. This same monopoly negatively impacts small farmers, as they do not have access genetically modified seeds at reasonable prices, and are therefore denied the benefits of these crops.

Proponents of GMOs claim that their use is a surefire way to augment agricultural productivity and ensure food security for a growing population, but reports by the New York T imes prove this to be only partially true. United Nations data shows that crop yield is about the same for non-GM and GM plants, but that GM crops require more pesticides and herbicides, which can be harmful for the environment and to humans.

The benefits of GMOs can sometimes be a double-edged sword. Although they are built to withstand pests, this resistance could wear off over time when pests become accustomed to the plants. This fuels a never-ending cycle of research into new varieties. Also, the sturdiness of GM crops could turn them into parasites: they could compete with and eliminate natural varieties. It?s also more difficult for bees and other pollinators to pollinate GMOs, since genetically modified pollen may have an adverse affect on these species. These pollinators are essential for the production of nearly all human food, and the world bee population is already in decline.

For some, the moral issue of manipulating genetic material or ?playing God? means they will not eat genetically modified crops. This ethical issue about whether such ?frankenfood? should be allowed to enter the market rages on, and the idea of ?just because you can, doesn?t mean that you should? is very much present. Much of Europe banned the cultivation of GM crops in October 2015 for similar reasons.

On the other hand, some of the opponents? claims are far- fetched and not founded in science. Some claim that the genetically modified plants, when consumed by humans, change human DNA, creating genetically modified humans. Although scientists are divided, the large majority agree that there is no evidence for this claim and that GMOs would not modify human DNA any more than another non-GMO plant. The explanation is that the DNA from food does not meld with the consumer?s.

The real issues facing GMOs aren?t genetically modified humans, ?frankenfood?, or danger to human health. As long as the FDA and other regulatory agencies provide the necessary oversight, they will be safe to consume. Some advocate for mandatory labeling, However, in order to ensure that we reap all the benefits of GMOs (haha), we will need to address the issues of accessibility to farmers, their effect on bee populations, public misinformation, and declining pest resistance over time.

This image of corn cobs uncovered by archaeologists shows the evolution of the crop over thousands of years of selective breeding. (Genetic Science Learning Center, University of Utah)

4 D IVERS

Editors- In-Chief: Alexa Jakob, Mathieu RizkSenior Editor: Sebastien Lamy

Copy Editor: Jean-Baptiste RobertDesign/Layout: Daniel McDavid

Middle School Editor: Auguste Lapomme

Staff: Louise Billault, Thomas Bourges, Alexandre Carpetier, Julien Castaybert, Aidan Clark, Naia Corbanese, Adrien Gordon, Tessa Lagaüzière, Arnaud Lamy, Emma Le Breton, Louise Matthews de Beaulieu, Benjamin Remler-Nougayrède, Ran X iao

French American School of New YorkLycée Franco-Américain de New York

145 New Street, Mamaroneck, NY 10543(914) 250-0000 www.fasny.org

M ESSEN GER

T H E FREN CH AM ERI CAN SCH OOL OF N EW YORK

Volume XIV Issue III

Pottermore: le monde virtuel de Harry PotterPAR EMMA LEBRETON '23

La sortie imminente du film Les Animaux Fantastiques et celle du livre Harry Potter et l?Enfant Maudit le mois dernier m'ont donné envie de revisiter le monde magique de Harry Potter. Je suis donc allée sur ?Pottermore?, un site internet dédié aux fans et aux admirateurs de la série Harry Potter de J. K. Rowling. Si vous aimez ces livres et les films qui en ont été tirés, je vous conseille vraiment de créer un compte. En plus, c?est gratuit! Quand vous arrivez sur le site, vous remplissez un petit questionnaire qui détermine la maison à laquelle vous appartiendrez: Gryffondor,où vont les sorciers les plus courageux; Serdaigle, pour les plus intelligents; Serpentard, où vont ceux qui sont les plus ambitieux et les plus malins; et Poufsouffle, qui accueille tous ceux qui restent. Une fois qu?une maison vous est désignée (Serpentard dans mon cas), vous recevez votre propre baguette magique! Vous découvrez aussi votre patronus, un spectre ange-gardien qui chasse les détraqueurs et qui apparaît dès vous prononcez l?incantation expecto patronum. Les détraqueurs sont des créatures des ténèbres qui gardent Azkaban, la prison des sorciers. Ils se nourrissent de la joie humaine. Mon patronus est un lièvre.

J. K. Rowling, l?auteure de la série Harry Potter, publie environ un ou deux articles tous les mois sur le site ?Pottermore?. Ainsi par exemple, on peut lire ?Les sorts et les charmes?, ?Des objets magiques?, ?Les enseignants de Poudlard dans les mots de J. K. Rowling? et beaucoup, beaucoup d?autres encore. Chacun de ces articles raconte une histoire qui revisite les personnages des livres et nous permet de découvrir leur enfances ou leurs aventures. Vous pouvez aussi tester vos connaissances avec des petits quiz.

Rendez-vous sur https://www.pottermore.com !La page d'accueil de Pottermore

GAMES CROSSW ORD PUZZLE BY EMMA LEBRETON '23

H ints:

Across: 2. the theory of teaching or being taught 4. an electronic device for storing and processing data 6. electronic used to print paper 8. book used to take notes or draw 12. a person who teaches 13. books used for learning in class 15. schoolwork that a student has to do at home 16. a mechanical device for measuring time

Down: 1. an instrument used to write or draw 3. big book used for looking up the definitions of some words 5. symbols in the alphabet 7. an institution for education 9. a procedure assessing one's knowledge 10. exhaust with too much work 11. a ringing sound that people hear at the end of a class 14. piece of furniture where one writes

ANSW ERS W ILL BE REVEALED IN THE NEXT ISSUE.