THE DRAGON'S PEN
/AWARDS, EARTHQUAKES, & GRAD NEWS
Suggested Sub-Head
by Henry MacDougall
(click images to enlarge)
November has arrived at King George, signalling the arrival of midterms, school photo retakes, and the slow crawl towards winter break. This Fall issue of The Dragon’s Pen will cover all of that, plus a King George student recognized by Mayor Ken Sim, as well as some disappointing news for grads.
KG STUDENT RECOGNIZED BY CITY OF VANCOUVER
Gabriel Dalton, a 12th grade King George student, was recently recognized by the City of Vancouver with an award for Excellence in Impact and Innovation. This came as part of the 2025 Awards of Excellence ceremony, a yearly tradition that highlights those who make Vancouver a better place. Gabriel Dalton received this award for work on his non-profit, Oasis of Change. Gabriel was previously interviewed in The Dragon’s Pen in June, spotlighting his entrepreneurial work at his not-for-profit.
Gabriel Dalton (centre) receiving the City of Vancouver Impact and Innovation award on stage at the 2025 Awards of Excellence ceremony, With City Councillor Lisa Dominato and Mayor Ken Sim. (City of Vancouver Photo)
Oasis of Change works to spread the idea of sustainable internet infrastructure, which translates to websites that are efficient and consume minimal resources. This concept of digital sustainability has become more of a concern in recent years, with the rise of AI, which has become notorious for its high energy and water consumption. On top of this, the steady rise of internet usage worldwide prompts developers and consumers alike to question the energy consequences of their online use.
When I asked Gabriel for his opinion on AI from a sustainability perspective, he explained that beyond the high energy cost of AI, there could be an aspect that helps improve sustainability in our world.
“I see AI’s climate impact as a double-edged sword - the training energy is decently huge, but it can also optimize systems that reduce emissions at scale (like predicting deforestation, improving energy grids, or designing low-carbon materials). It depends on how responsibly it’s developed and used.”
In October, Mayor Ken Sim signed a proclamation naming October 20th to 27th “Sustainable Technology Week”. This comes as a further emphasis on the city’s efforts to push digital sustainability as a priority.
It’s great to see a student from King George take on an issue like this and be recognized for their work with an award.
Gabriel Dalton (centre) receiving the City of Vancouver Impact and Innovation award on stage at the 2025 Awards of Excellence ceremony. Gabriel Dalton photo.
GRADUATION VENUE CHANGED
Earlier in the year a vote was held with the current Grade 12 students, deciding the venue for this year’s grad dinner and dance. The options were either the Stanley Park Pavilion, which is located near the Rose Garden in Stanley Park, or the Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront on West Hastings Street.
The Stanley Park Pavilion, which often hosts weddings and other events on the front lawn. (Henry MacDougall photo)
The grads ultimately decided on the Pavilion being the spot for the dinner and dance. However, KG Principal Mr. Evans later announced via a post on Microsoft Teams that the plan had fallen through and that the Pavilion “did not follow our agreement and failed to reserve the date for us.”
Although this is disappointing news to many students, the Pinnacle Hotel has been KG’s venue of choice for the dinner and dance for many years, always with a positive experience.
EARTHQUAKE DRILL
Getting Ready For The Big One
KG students experienced an unusually scheduled earthquake drill during second period on Thursday, the 16th of October. This was the annual “Big One” drill, where students meet with their class outside, before assembling on the school field, arranged alphabetically by their names. This drill is in preparation for the insightfully named “Big One” earthquake that is said to be overdue and is expected to cause major damage as well as displace a portion of Vancouver’s population.
Usually, this drill occurs later in the school year, when the weather is quite a bit warmer and its easier to stay out in the field for an extended period of time.
Vancouver experienced a somewhat mild earthquake back in April, and at KG there were varying degrees of preparedness. Some classes near the bottom floor didn’t feel any shaking and were only aware of the earthquake once an announcement had been made, after the fact. However, classes on higher floors experienced a more intense shaking, and began the earthquake protocol, sitting under desks and counting to 60.
King George is one of the few Vancouver School Board facilities that is yet to receive crucial seismic upgrades, and it seems unlikely that any upgrade will happen in the next few years. Any upgrade will likely come when the entire city block is redeveloped, including the community centre, high school, and a new firehall. However, this redevelopment plan looms years in the future, and a major earthquake may come before any improvements are made at KG.
The school board’s change in schedule for the big earthquake drill seems to reflect some concern about earthquake preparedness. Overall, it’s best to stay prepared for an earthquake, since after all, you can’t postpone or even predict it.
SCHOOL PHOTOS & REPORT CARDS
School photos were taken on Monday, October 6, and student ID cards containing these photos were handed out shortly after. For students who missed this date or don’t like their photo, retakes are happening on Wednesday, November 5.
Semester One interim report cards were published on October 10 and are accessible on MyEducation BC. Interim reports do not include any actual grades, but instead include a personalized message from each teacher, often with advice for improvement.
This is a great time to adjust your work habits to reach your academic goals, with helpful suggestions from teachers. Midterm report cards will be published on Friday, November 21.
Thanks for reading, and have a great November at KG!
