December 2015
Eagl e Ey e
ACADEMY PERSON OF THE YEAR
Jay Rao
Gr eg
Raj ul
Ar iana
Sur ya
Kr ut i
Bar t osz
MayA
Apar na
Al i
Sahar
ABhishek
Dav id
SwapNaNil
Tabl e of CoNt ent s
Adv isor
Edit or - in- chief
Assist ant Edit or s
Pavitthra Pandurangan
Rajul Bothra
Meghna Mehta
Mrs. Vanwart
ARTICLES
We managed to put this issue together - from
conception, to writing, to editing - within a week's time. The Eagle Eye offers a heartfelt thank you to everyone involved in creating this issue.
And to all academy students and faculty, happy holidays and have a great break!
A SPECIAL THANK YOU,
Per son of t he Year : Jay Rao
Runner - Ups:
JAY C (12)
Vr aj Pat el (11)
Kev in Tang (9)
an Inf l uent ial Book
Fir st Soccer Season
Immigr ant Par ent s
ESL Teacher
Inf l uent ial Music
Cel ebr it ies ar e Inf l uences, Not Rol e Model s
4t h Gr ade Teacher
The Ar t of Communicat ion
Al umni Int er v iew: Sayant an Deb
Inf l uent ial Mov ies
The Gir l in The Hij aB
buys
bot hr a
nov o
v enkat r am
r achapudi
skiba
pandur angan
nat ar aj an
mohamad
sami
har ihar an
schil dkr aut
Deb
Sometimes the wisest things in this world are said by thirteen year olds. It was in 8th grade that she started to wear her hijab, and it was then that I first took notice of her.There?s a few distinct things I remember about the girl in the hijab. She was loud, talkative and had the neatest handwriting every time we wrote on posters. She was smart, athletic and ran all 75 laps on fitness days.There was always a large group of people surrounding her,laughing in the shadows of her charisma, but she wasn?t close to anyone.
Despite those defining qualities, she was alone. It never occurred to me in 8th grade that she was ostracized by the rest of us for being different. People called her ?Fresh off the boat ? and linked her hijab to acts of terrorism. Her muslim identity wasn?t embraced by the entirety of our school, and she was looked down upon by many of the girls, who called the hijab unflattering. But these things never seemed to bother her - the negative comments were like eggs thrown at a stone wall. It was tragic that even 8th graders set up religious barriers and were unable to accept the differences of their classmates. To me, though, she was something different. She was almost like a passport into the other side of the world. She lived in Peshawar, Pakistan until she was five years old, with her two brothers. There were stories about how she ran away from preschool on the 3rd day and got rapped on the knuckles. She told me the story of how her parents left for America when she was three and that her grandparents made the tastiest kofta. Slowly like that, our science period became a time where she recited her unique experiences. We became quick
friends, and becoming her lab partner opened up a part of her life for me. Her captivating life fueled my curiosity and eventually led me to ask her why she wore the hijab.
?Do your parents force you to?? ?No, not really.?
?Why do you wear it then??
?Just because. It ?s a part of my religion. I like it anyways, it ?s fun like wearing Indian clothes. To me, it ?s kind of a style, it ?s part of me.?
It took me a while to understand that answer, and I later realized she was a strong faithful girl. To me that was simply elegant and beautiful. Her ability to stick to one belief and one faith while everyone else attacked her was amazing to me. There was an exotic tinge to her blood and the way she embraced it impressed me. The girl in the hijab makes me proud to be who I am today. I wholeheartedly embrace my heritage, my religion, and my story. Stereotypes and barriers set by the rest of our society are nothing, and the opinions of others about you are worthless. It ?s who you are and what you choose to feel that influences your future.
THE GIRL IN
THE HIJAB
Anony mous
Despit e t hose
def ining
qual it ies, she
Communication and socialization are just two of the many unique qualities that humans have. Interacting with fellow people is an action that comes easily to most. However, this wasn?t such an easy task for me. Being introverted and somewhat shy throughout middle school, I found it increasingly difficult to talk with my friends and put forth my thoughts, comments, and ideas. I knew that this inability couldn?t last longer and things had to change.
Enter the Academy Model United Nations Club. Even before I actually walked into the Academy as a freshman, I knew that I wanted to join this club. Geopolitics has been interesting to me since elementary school (when I used to surf through Wikipedia articles on countries for fun), and I expected MUN to be a nice simulation of current political issues. However, after my first conference, I realized how different it really is. In a conference, one needs to make short 30-second to 1-minute speeches and advance their
country?s goals while working with other countries to create a resolution addressing a particular issue. While the goal is to pass your group?s resolution in the committee, awards are given out based on individual skill.
In my first conference, I gave some nice speeches, but everyone in the committee had similar substantive speeches as well. However, when it came time to form groups to make resolutions, I couldn?t put forth my own ideas and I got shut down. I got similar experiences in some subsequent conferences. I really wanted to do well, so I changed strategies over and over again.
The dynamic of Model UN changed how I present myself. I began to speak better in committee and actually interact with my fellow representatives. I became more confident in my individual abilities to succeed. Yeah, it may sound too good to be true, but this was a genuine transformation. Yes, being a natural introvert can make it hard to be heard. But MUN has helped me become a more charismatic, social person. Not only does it help with public speaking, but it can help with interpersonal skills. If you want to improve such skills I highly recommend joining the Academy Model United Nations Club or related clubs, such as JSA and Ethics Bowl. The experience will definitely make a difference and is worth it.
THE ART OF
COMMUNICATION
Abhishek Har ihar an
FOURTH GRADE
TEACHER
When I was in fourth grade I had a teacher named Ms. Carotta. I don?t remember much about that school year, but one thing I don?t think I?ll ever forget is our daily game of catch. Every day, fifteen minutes before school ended, my teacher would let all the students in our class sit on top of our desks, and play catch with a huge beach ball that was bigger than our teacher ?s arm span.
The rules were pretty simple. If the person threw the ball out of bounds (the desks on the outside were used as boundaries), or threw
the ball unreasonably high or low, he or she was out. If the catcher missed or dropped the ball, he or she was out. If a person got out, he or she would have to get down from his or her desk and sit down. And lastly, everyone could throw the ball as hard as he or she wanted to. Of course, a few unlucky people fell off of their desks because of this rule. Except for one girl, who had terrible balance and fell from her desk at least once every two weeks, there were no complaints from the rest of us. The last person sitting on top of
their desk was declared the winner and while there were no benefits to winning per se, there was a sense of pride in being the last kid sitting.
Normally, I was the kid who would always catch the ball, and so everyone always tried their best to get me out. But, I never tried to get others out. Instead, I?d gently lob the ball to another student, and be careful not to topple my desk over. It ?s not that I was a pacifist or something, it ?s just that I didn?t care to get anyone out. Being in the game was enough for me, rank didn?t matter. One day, we started playing the game later than usual, so Ms. Carotta changed the rules to our game and said something along the lines of, ?If someone catches the ball you throw, then you?re out.?
To stay in the game, I?d have to throw the ball as hard as I could, with the intent of being the last person standing. When the ball was thrown to me, I braced myself and caught it. There were a few cheers from my class, but now, the hard part came. I took in a deep breath and climbed onto my knees, as the kid
who sat in the desk in front of me would do. I got a good grip on the beach ball before raising my arms high above my head. As I threw with all of the force I could muster, I shouted out ?Battle blade go!?. Well, no. I didn?t. But, I always wish I had.
The ball hit his chest and before he could wrap his arms around it, it bounced right off of him and on top of the head of the student who sat to his left. The whole class cheered and whooped for a good thirty seconds before the game continued. Now, this may not come off as a big deal, but I like to think of this as the awakening to my more competitive nature. I found the fun in competing and realized I preferred actively participating to just existing. From that day onwards, I never held back in catch, and I put my all not only into the game, but into all aspects of my life. Even though it was just a game of catch, that day made me into who I am. I learned that it ?s never bad to give something your all and maybe chuck a beach ball at someone if need be.
HOW MUSIC HAS
INFLUENCED ME
?What is this? Is this a grade you can bring home confidently? What are you doing with your life? How are you going to live when you?re in college? Will you even be able to find a job with that attitude of yours? Do you not have any fear for the future?? are some of the questions I deal with often, not just from my parents, but also from myself. During times like these, I simply bury myself in tears and say: ?Yes, I do fear. I fear every moment of my life because I don?t know what ?s going to happen to me. I want to give up, but that would prove that I?m just a loser.? I don?t have any siblings, and most of my friends live miles away and are always busy. So, I have to deal with my stress through different means than
others. I have found that the lyrics of ?Fear ? by Mino and Taeyang pulled me through these days.
Am I close with my father? You tell me. I sometimes go to him, sayig ?Hey papa. Can you help me solve this physics problem? I don?t know how to do this.? And then he sits down and tells me how to do it. Yet sometimes, it feels like our exchanges are mostly ?Have the PSAT results come out yet?? or ?Do you know how you did on the SATs?? So, in the end, I?m not really sure how close we are. Yes, he buys me the things I want; he attempts to make me happy. Perhaps, the conversations I bring up are irrelevant to my
father, and I get it; we value different things. Mino can easily say to his father: ?Dad, if you?re looking at me, tell me the answer. I?m too young and soft to become an adult.? But I guess I can?t, which brings me to my horribly arrogant attitude. I know that in some ways, I?ve become distant from my parents. However, listening to Mino?s song has made me realize that parents are the most important people; they are next to God on our MVP (most valuable people) list. Those lyrics have influenced me and I am trying to become closer with my parents. This song has convinced me to listen to them, accept their dreams and wishes, and most importantly, care for them as they do for me.
When I start thinking about the students around me, I?m always feel like I?m less accomplished than they are But then I remember as Mino said: ?You?re doing a good job. When I get confused, I tell myself that and just go. Be yourself, know yourself? Being in despair once or twice is child?s play now. Opportunities are always ways to get up from moments of crisis, you know.? I have realized that it is important to believe in myself and convince myself that I can succeed. Instead of looking at events as another time to fail, I should approach it as an opportunity that will help me prove to myself and others that I can do it. I?ve realized that I?m the type of person that dreams but fails to execute the plan for making the dreams into achievable goals. Mino says in his song: ?Don?t stop, there?s still a lot to do. Look at the photo of your parents, providing for you. You?re the mirror to your younger siblings; you?re the star of your family. Only when you cut back on your sleep, can they sleep peacefully? Stop crying and take responsibility once more.? I know that I probably haven?t been the world?s best daughter; perhaps working hard to succeed in my goals will give my parents some happiness. Several times, they have stated that all they want is for me to receive success in my life. They have given birth to me, cherished me throughout my life, and fulfilled my wishes. It is
really too much for them to ask me to study well and establish myself in life? When I really think about, it seems that it isn?t. Is spending a few nights studying a little more than usual too much to ask of me? Is it wrong for them to ask me to devote my attention to achieving a good education? These lyrics have really made me question my actions; they?ve made me realize that I need to become more independent. I need to take responsibility for my actions and fulfill my parents? wish, since this is all they ask for.
There comes a time when every child needs to grow up and realize that her parents are not going to be around forever; she needs to mature and become a woman so that her parents can sit back and relax. That ?s exactly what I feel now. You might ask: ?Isn?t it scary to think you are going to be all alone?? Then, I would say: ?Yes, I keep getting scared.? But I?ll always remember what Mino said as he concluded his song: ?When I turned around, I saw that I came farther than I thought. I was alone, and I suddenly got afraid. When I saw myself, I didn?t know I was exhausted. I was lonely, and I suddenly got afraid. When I didn?t want to see anything, the reason I forced my eyes to open wide is because I was just scared. It ?s because I was suddenly scared. When I didn?t want to say anything, the reason I raised my voice? there is no other reason except I?m afraid, I?m afraid.? I hope that this fear will propel me to do better in life, run that extra mile to get to the post I see far ahead, and allow me to say in the end: ?Thank goodness I feared. I got here because I was afraid of what would happen next.?
I want t o
giv e up, but
t hat woul d
pr ov e t hat
I?m j ust a
l oser .
The following list of movies is comprised of the ten that have influenced my life the most. This is in no particular order. I hope this can help you think about how your favorite movies can teach you some life lessons.
1. Apollo 13 (1995)- Both historical and intense, this is an epic movie about the failed moon mission Apollo 13. It made me realize just how creativity and some engineering knowledge can go a long way towards solving problems.
2. The Sound of M usic (1965)- This is just another of my favorite things! The Sound of Music is based on the inspiring story of the Von Trapp family and how they handle the rise of Naziism in Austria . The many messages and takeaways are all-around helpful in life. One of my favorite messages is that we should always have hope even when everything seems lost. 3. Saving M r. Banks (2013)- Very often, we take much of what we have for granted. Take a moment to think about how we got to where we are. I did when watching Saving Mr. Banks, which tells the story of how a conflicted author has to make a decision about whether or not to have her book made into a Disney movie. You also get to see how the many different influences in our lives can come together into something amazing. Speaking of which?
4. M ary Poppins (1964)- Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (yes, I spelled this correctly). You can put away your brimstone and treacle and enjoy life to its fullest, even in adversity. Unfortunately, there?s no awesome nanny flying in on a parasol or dancing penguins (dang). You do get to have fun with your family though! College will be here before you know it, so take every opportunity you get to spend time with your family and friends.
5. The W izard of Oz (1939)- Much like Dorothy,
this movie whisked me away in a twister of adventure and excitement. It made me realize that life and our problems are not always black and white; many are quite colorful and complex. I also saw that we already have the solutions to many of our problems.
6. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)- There are many reasons that this was very influential for me. But what really gives it a place on this list is one of the core messages: no matter how insignificant you seem, you can make a massive difference to many people. Don?t believe me? Ask Luke Skywalker.
7. The W ind Rises (2013)- Did you have a big dream as a child? Are you trying to achieve that dream now? If not, don?t worry; you aren?t alone. I was the same way, until I watched The Wind Rises, a movie about how Jiro grows from a young boy fascinated with planes to a brilliant engineer who develops a new warplane. It made me remember my love of planes and spaceships. Now, I?m going to study Mechanical/ Aerospace engineering. Embrace your childhood dreams and passions and allow them to soar!
8. M onty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)- To read past here, you must give me a shrubbery! And then another shrubbery embodying the meaning of knighthood and ?change vs. continuity.? Oh, and you must chop down my mightiest joke with a herring-related pun.
9. Princess M ononoke (1997)- We all have conflicting interests, but that doesn?t mean that we should completely disregard the ideas and beliefs of others. We often don?t realize that we need to work together until there are unwanted consequences. No, you probably won?t have to face a demonized Spirit of the Forest, but if you work to bring people together to protect their interests, the world will be a better place.
10. Peter Pan (1953)- Just all-around fun and motivational. While we all must grow up, it doesn?t mean that we can?t stop having fun. Life is an adventure that we all must share, so let ?s go and embrace it. This is only the beginning of a long, exciting journey!
MOVIES THAT
INFLUENCED ME
People often misunderstand the difference between a role model and an influence. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a role model is defined as ?someone who another person admires and tries to be like?. An influence is defined as ?a person or thing that affects someone or something in an important way.? As you can see, these definitions are vastly different but are equally important.
For example, we, as a society, dismiss Miley Cyrus due to her displays of nudity and raunchiness. However, we fail to acknowledge
her contributions to PETA and the overall acceptance of the queer community by coming out as pansexual and genderqueer. She brought exposure to members of the queer community.That may not make her a role model, but you can?t deny that Miley Cyrus? coming out helped thousands of pansexual and genderqueer people feel more comfortable with their sexuality.
The same goes for dozens of other celebrities who provoke society with risque images and words. First and foremost, they will always be artists. By branding these celebrities as ?role models?, we are limiting their creativity and self expression. We?ve seen this with countless Disney stars, who are cast as family-friendly pop artists that tweens can look up to. We?ve also seen it backfire, like Amanda Bynes, who is one of the most glaring examples. Those in the public eye will always influence us, but our role models should be more personal. We should choose our role models, not have society choose them for us.
CELEBRITIES:
INFLUENCES OR ROLE
MODELS?
Apar na Nat ar aj aN
MY FATHER'S
JOURNEY
Many of our parents weren?t born in the U.S. For those of us with immigrant parents, it ?s safe to say that fact has greatly impacted our lives. My father ?s story is one that amazes me every time I hear it, and I always think about it when I?m in between a rock and a hard place.
My dad led a simple life; it was modest and straightforward. Growing up in India, he received his undergraduate degree in civil engineering there. He continued on to receive a master 's degree in process engineering. He was working as a lecturer at an engineering college nearby. He originally did want to pursue a higher level of education in the United States, but the cost was just too much. Disheartened, he continued to work in India.
My dad, like many others in our family, has poor eyesight. He decided to pay a visit to his brother-in-law?s eye clinic. In the waiting room outside, he sat down next to a gentleman slightly
older than him. They started talking, and my dad started to tell him his dreams of coming to the U.S. Touched, that gentleman changed my dad?s life forever. He financed my dad?s trip to the U.S. and his first semester of college. My father would eventually pay him back, and keep in touch with him for years to come.
Every time I think of this story, I can?t believe my ears. It ?s amazing to think that someone can make someone else believe in them with just five minutes. To think that my dad had already given up on his dream, and was just telling a stranger his thoughts got him where he was today. The impact this story has had on my life is huge. I probably wouldn?t have befriended some of the best people I know if it wasn?t for this story. My dad has done the impossible, in my point of view. If you had five minutes to convince someone to make your life dreams come true, what would you say?
Yes, many of us can admit that indeed a person or experienced influenced our lives to a point where we changed considerably. However, not many of us can say that a person totally changed their lives to a point where the unimaginable was achieved. That being said, my life took a whole new direction after meeting one of the most influential people in my short life. When I was seven years old, I moved from Europe to the United States. Although my mother was fluent in English, I was still only six and never learned the language from her back home in the EU. When I came to school in the states, everything that I was accustomed to was turned upside down. Even if I was sick, if I was hurt, if I was scared, I wouldn't be able to communicate with anyone. This really changed after I met Mrs. Barbara Perska. Mrs. Perska is an English as a Second Language teacher at Washington Elementary in Union, NJ. Under her instruction, I began to work on my English and eventually began to catch up to American students. Despite her Polish nationality, we rarely would speak in Polish unless the situation was necessary. Back then it was strange but today I see why she tried to only speak English with
me. Her classes were small, pretty much one to one and with her I was able to explore the English language at my own comfortable pace. Within two years I was official able to leave her program, however her lessons never left me. Looking back, Mrs. Perska was more than a instructor. She was my friend, my mentor, and my guide. I came to the United States as a shy little kid with little aspirations. Within two years, I was a boy with goals, dreams, and newly developed passions that I would have never even dared to think of. With her help I began to become more engaged in my school and I loved it. I helped tutor a polish student who was younger than me, as well as helped with a
culture day event. Once again these are things that I would have never imagined upon arrival in the states.
Ten years later here I am, a student at the Middlesex County Academy. A student with goals, and visions as high as skyscrapers and I owe all of this to one person. Mrs. Perska helped me not only discover the english language but also my potential as a student. She showed me that with hard work anything is possible. Above all, she showed me how to dream and that is a skill that I will treasure till the end of my days.
Sayantan Deb graduated from the Academy in 2010 as valedictorian. He went to Harvard University for his undergraduate studies and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor of arts. He then went on to join Stanford Medical School where he is now a second year medical student who will soon be starting hospital rotations to become a neurosurgeon. I sat down with him and asked him some questions
about his experience at the academy and here are his responses.
Q: What is your f avorit e memory or experience f rom your t ime at t he Academy?
A: Just hanging out with my friends before and after school. I formed some of my closest friendships in the Academy and I can say that I am in touch with most of my classmates even
ESL TEACHER
Bar t osz Skiba
She was my
f r iend, my
ment or , and
my guide.
ALUMNI INTERVIEW:
now and we will always share a relationship where if we ever need anything or if we want to check back on each other, we can just send an email or text and pick up where we left off 8 years ago. I think that sort of bond came from just spending a lot of time outside of the classroom just forming those friendships and those were definitely my favorite times.
Q: Wel l it ?s great t hat you t al ked about your f riends because my next quest ion is how easy was it t o maint ain cont act wit h your high school f riends? Af t er spending 7 hours a day wit h t he same 160 peopl e, was it hard t o keep in t ouch wit h t hem af t er moving t o Bost on f or col l ege?
A: Well I mean I think some of my other classmates definitely had an easier time
maintaining friendships because they were all in the same geographic are at least. It was harder for me because I was in Boston, like you said, but I think it really is everyone?s prerogative. I remember the summer after my junior in college just spending hours with a bunch of my old Academy friends just watching the world cup and things like that so I feel like even if I didn?t have regular contact with them, the friendships we formed were strong enough that we could continue that and reach out to each other. Whenever I was in town I wouldn?t feel uncomfortable because of all the people around who I knew I could meet with at a moment?s notice.
Q: That ?s awesome t hat your cl ass st il l maint ained t hat st rong bond. Now moving on t o a more educat ional quest ion, what cl ass do you t hink real l y prepared you f or t he col l ege experience, eit her t hrough t he mat erial you l earned or any personal reason?
A: I think that most things that you learn in the high school classroom aren?t really applicable to whatever you do in the future but what the Academy did teach me was a strong work ethic. Nothing was easy and there was nothing that was spoon fed to us so it was a lot of self-directed learning and I think, overall, that?s the big takeaway from the Academy, the way to teach yourself material. I will say that the class that taught me to critically think was Mr. Price?s class. I remember getting into heated arguments with him over several historically subjective topics and our constant intelligent challenging of one another really developed my critical thinking skills. Since I never took history later on, the material I learned in the class did not teach me as much as my conversations with him did.
conversat ions wit h Mr. Price t aught you so much and I want t o t ake t hat and ask you about t he best piece of advice t hat you got in high school . Who gave you t his advice and what did t hey t el l you t hat changed t he way you t hought about t hings f rom t hat point f orward?
A: I don?t think there is a specific moment in which I got advice but I do think that sometimes things don?t go our way and it?s good to learn how to deal with failure. I think the one person that taught me that, and I can?t remember for the life of me in what context, was Ms. McNulty. I definitely feel that I took that with me moving forward and I wish I could tell you how she gave that advice to me but I just can?t seem to remember.
Q: Wel l t hat ?s f ine but it ?s int erest ing t hat you t al k about f ail ure in high school since you ended up being so accompl ished. Is t here any one t hing t hat you t hink you coul d have done dif f erent l y l ooking back?
A: No. I think I did high school right. I made some great friends, I spent time with them when I could, I focused on academics and I don?t regret that. All of that work positioned me to get into my dream school and then helped me do ok there. Also I think if I hadn?t done what I had done in high school, I don?t think I would?ve ended up where I am today. That?s why I think I?m pretty content with how high school went and overall wouldn?t change a thing.
Q: I underst and t hat you f ocused on your academics a l ot and worked very hard t o get where you are but I know, f rom personal experience, t hat it can be very hard t o f ind t he mot ivat ion t o cont inue working. I speak f or t he rest of my school when I ask, what drove you t o t ry so hard and maint ain t he work et hic t hat you had t hroughout high school ?
A: Honestly I liked studying. I think the key is to have work-life balance. You have to make time for yourself, even if it is at 1 AM after
you?ve finished all your homework, to watch a TV show for half an hour. Making time for yourself is extremely important but I also think that if you find things that you enjoy in classes that don?t align with your academic interests, it?s not difficult to stay motivated.
Q: I guess I?ll have t o make more t ime f or mysel f t hen t o st op st udying. Now f or my f inal quest ion, I want t o t al k about t his issue?s t heme, inf l uences. We t al ked about how your f riends, t eachers and school inf l uenced you but which ext racurricul ar act ivit ies do you t hink shaped you int o being t he person you are t oday?
A: Well it?s two-fold. I was involved in debate club as well as newspaper club from my freshman year to my senior year. In senior year, I became the president of debate club and introduced our school to JSA while in newspaper club, by the time I was a senior, I was editor in chief. I think debate taught me how to think on my feet. It also taught me leadership and how to stand up for something that you believe in. Newspaper was always my creative outlet. I continued on to work in a newspaper in Harvard and I eventually became managing editor for that as well. I think that newspaper is a good way to exercise creativity and to exercise creativity within parameters and I think that?s what newspaper taught me. Overall though, I was in several clubs and they all definitely made me a well-rounded person.
Thank you so much f or t aking t he t ime out t o answer my quest ions and I am sure t hat everyone wil l be happy t o hear what I got af t er f inal l y ?asking my brot her.? i
One of the most influential books I have ever read was The Outsiders. In just under two hundred pages, S.E. Hilton reached out to me and many others too. This book was about two gangs, the Socs and the Greasers. The latter was considered the lesser of the two and anyone in that category would automatically be considered a ?bad kid?. The story follows two boys, Ponyboy and Johnny, and how they too could be heroes. In general, The Outsiders really teaches people not to categorize individuals of a group. Everyone has something that ?s unique about themselves that they should be proud of and while your ethnicity, gender, or social class might be a part of you, it doesn?t define you.
Personally, this book has empowered me to think better of myself. There have been times where I?ve felt put down because someone has incorrectly labeled me as part of an ethnic group I don?t belong to as if my heritage wasn?t important.
Even today, I sometimes feel like an outsider myself; if I don?t have the same clothes, traditions, or experiences that a lot of others do. It can be really difficult to be on the sidelines because of something you can?t even change. Books like these have helped me realize that no matter how different I am or how much of an outsider I feel like, there?s always a reminder that I can be a hero in my own way.
?It ?s okay? We aren?t in the same class. Just don?t forget that some of us watch the sunset too.? This is probably my favorite quote in the whole book because it reminds me that deep down, we?re all human. I can even think about this in another perspective. Someone who
seems like they have everything put together might actually be falling apart. Every day I remember this and it helps me be more kind and considerate to others because ?what you see is what you get ? is not always the case. The Outsiders really impacted my attitude towards others. I try to put myself in someone else?s shoes before judging.
The next book I want to write about is The Giver. Overall, it was an entertaining book about Jonas, a boy living in a society where feelings, colors, and choices are extinct, and his mission is to give his society back all those emotions after experiencing them himself. If you look into the novel, it has a meaning similar to that of The Outsiders. Our differences are what makes us great. In ?Sameness,? Jonas?s community, everyone is equal. While I agree that everyone should be equal in rights, I don?t think the same goes for personalities. Having quirks, dislikes, or funny habits is what makes life interesting. This book taught me not to change myself to be like others because it ?s not worth it.
A lot of my friends now go to the same private schools in New Jersey. They see each other every day and share the same experiences. While I still talk to them all the time and we hang out regularly, it can be difficult to sit and listen to new stories and jokes. Although I love being at the Academy, I sometimes miss my old friends who all attend the same schools. While it might not have been this book that taught me that it ?s important to be different, it is still the novel that preached the message most directly to me.
Unfortunately, there have also been times where I?ve hidden things about myself for fear of falling into a stereotype. While it might seem unimportant to someone, it really affected me and the way I acted. For example, before, I used to pretend not to like romantic movies or Starbucks drinks simply
THE OUTSIDERS &
THE GIVER
Ar iana nov o
t her e?s
al ways a
r eminder
t hat I can be a
her o in my
own way.
because I didn?t want to seem like a ?typical white girl.? Today, I don?t really mind any ?white girl? jokes because I know that ?s not me. I?m not merely one of the many Ugg-wearing, Starbucks-drinking, sweater-loving white girl stereotypes. I?m a Spaniard, an artist, a bookworm and I would go on but it would sound too much like the ending of The Breakfast Club (another great
example of individuality in popular culture).Today, I?m more confident in my own skin and I don?t feel like I need to change anymore. The Outsiders and The Giver were really influential to me in that way, but I?m also glad that I have the help of my friends and family to remind me of who I truly am.
THE BEAUTIFUL
GAME
Sports aren?t exactly the strong suit of the Academy. It ?s true. We don?t have many people who want to play, and we have one sport, which is soccer. The soccer program itself is also a bit limited. We?re a gold division team, and aren?t as selective as other high school teams. But that ?s where, I think, our strongest suit lies. We don?t turn anyone down at the junior varsity level, and that ?s where my story begins. Anyone who knows me knows that I?m not too athletic. I don?t fancy myself to be an athlete, I simply am proficient in most sports we play in gym or otherwise, and am an interscholastic tennis player for Edison High School. I was never good at soccer at all nor was I afforded a chance to play in my earlier years. Only after coming here was I given a chance to play, and it was an opportunity that I am greatly thankful that I was given, for it has allowed me to develop both as a player and as a person, and the man I can thank for that is our very own soccer coach and gym teacher, Coach (Wallace) Smith.
Coach Smith has been one of the most encouraging and motivating people that I have ever known, and has been a huge influence on my growth as an athlete. On the very first day of the season itself, he told us without reservation that he had never denied any student the opportunity to play the sport,
because he felt that if aspiring players were turned away and not allowed to mature and develop their skills, that would be more counterproductive than productive in terms of player development, and I can wholeheartedly say that he was absolutely right. When I walked into the very first practice after tryouts, I was nervous as I did not know what my teammates would think about me, and I had a lingering fear that I would be singled out for not being as good as the others. To my surprise and pleasure, I was accepted as part of the team, and from that moment on it became about growing and maturing rather than showing off skills. We all learned together, played together, and got better together. And at the center of it all was Coach Smith, who encouraged us to play nice and made sure that anything we did we did as a team, and as one team. He encouraged us to build team chemistry, and lift each other up rather than put each other down.
His approach was put to the test our very first game, against Woodbridge Academy (or Biomed, as some call it). Some of us were playing for the very first time, and others had played before but still were novices. We did not know how well the other team played, and we were certainly nervous. His pre-game talk was simply that we should play well and try our best, and that alleviated some of our
stress but a lot of us were still tense and waiting for the moment of truth. We got on the pitch and played as hard as we possibly could. Immediately, and somewhat discouragingly, the other team had scored two goals on us, making the first half score two to zero. At halftime, we were all somewhat upset and discouraged, but coach motivated us to play harder. He told us to leave everything on the field, and take every opportunity possible. And standing here now, I?m proud to say we took those chances. We played as best as we possibly could. The second half, we came back into the game. First a goal, then an equalizer. Then, as we battled for the lead, I heard Coach yelling. I had the ball at my feet, and I heard him in the background, urging me to take a chance, and have a shot. Not knowing what else to do, I shot. Looking back, if I had just held on to the ball a little longer, a defender would have probably taken it away from me. I aimed, and I shot slightly indiscriminately, hoping it would find its way in.To my shock, surprise, and incredibly satisfaction, it ended
up in the top left corner of the goal, having gone too fast and too unexpectedly for the keeper to try to save it. I heard the wild cheering of Coach and my teammates as I was in complete and total shock, not having any idea what had just happened. It was one of the happiest moments of my life, and there was only one person I could thank for it.We had a decent season, with five wins and six losses. Some games were absolute blowouts, like when we defeated Perth Amboy VoTech 6-0 twice (six is the number where we stop scoring in a gesture of sportsmanship). Others we lost, slightly always, never by a large amount, like our 2-1 loss to Piscataway Tech or another loss during a golden goal style overtime period where we had been scored on. I was able to individually grow my talents and watch the people around me grow as well. We went from a ragtag team to one who could play and win games, sometimes by a large amount. When I look back at it, every single one of the twenty of us owes it all to the man, the GOAT, the legend, Coach Smith.
Academian
of t he Year
GET READY...
Who is Jay Rao? A deity to some, an enigma to others, he is the Academy?s most influential Person of the Year. A sophomore from North Brunswick, Jay is interested in ?Life, the Universe, and Everything in General?. His current activity (yes, singular) is searching his ?brainwave patterns for the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything.? He hates all forms of animal cruelty except towards chicken, and his rationale for this is that ?you can?t care about everything,? which is generally a true statement. His classmate, Surya Venkatram, believes that Jay also cares about honey buns, dank memes, Donald Trump, and robotics, which are all worthwhile, respectable interests, but Surya claims that Jay?s activities include ?absolutely nothing, lel?. Several other sophomores commented that Jay was ?born a legend? (Kunal Adhia) and that his influence on the Academy is being ?the deity of the Academy? (Rohan Mehra).
EE: How have you
inf luenced t he
Academ y?
JR: I influenced the Academy by being meme worthy. It inspired all the meme makers out there to start a strangely named Facebook page. The rest, as some say, is history. Or as the Clinton supporters say, "herstory".
EE: What is t he legacy you ar e leaving
behind?
JR: Being in sophomore year I don't have much of a legacy yet. And I'm not going anywhere so I can't leave anything, let alone a legacy, behind.
EE: What is your cur r ent r ole as an
inf luencer at t he academ y? What do you do? (Mem es? Tr ends? Cr eat e slang? Just overall godlike?)
JR: My current role at the academy is that a nonchalant guy whose nonchalant behavior allows people to create memes about him to be displayed. I would love to consider myself generally godlike but I feel that I lack certain qualities of god. Like immortality for instance.
EE: What ar e your plans f or t he f ut ur e?
JR: My plans for the future involve thinking about plans for the future.
EE: What do you do in your f r ee t im e?
JR: In my free time I either contemplate why sperm whales exist or watch anime. I'm watching Psycho Pass right now while I'm writing this.
EE: How has t he Academ y changed you as a per son?
JR: The Academy allowed me to discover my true inner self. My first real shock came when I discovered I had a true inner self. Then I discovered what it actually was. I, needless to say, regretted it.
EE: Who has suppor t ed you on t his jour ney t o academ y per son of t he year ?
JR: It wasn't much of a journey. More like a "let 's all vote for Jay" kind of thing. So I guess the class of 2018 supported me in this "endeavor " if you could call it that.
JAY RAO
Raj ul Bot hr a
1 0
AcademiaN of t he Year
"THe deit y of
t he academy"
- Rohan Mehr a,
Gr ade 10
EE: Anyone you would like t o t hank?
JR: I would like to thank Poojit for the Facebook page and anyone who posted on it. I would also like to thank Narendra Modi for making me see that you could be mind-numbingly imbecilic and still become Prime Minister of a country. It gives me hope that I may yet do something big.
EE: What advice do you have f or your f ellow academ ians?
JR: Don't vote for Ben Carson.
EE: Last wor ds of wisdom ?
JR: Wisdom. Don't think I can help you there.
"Don't vot e
f or ben
car son."
An Anonymous Interview with Jay C. Enriquez Conducted by Greg Buys
What is your nam e?
They call me 007.
What is your grade?
F?s
Tell m e a lit t le about your self .
I?m a dank memer from Bergen; I was bullied by high schoolers during middle school. They threw bottles of rocks at me.
What ar e your int er est s?
PAD, video games, Mountain Dew, and Doritos.
What ar e your act ivit ies?
PAD, League, 4Chan, and ?Anime.? I n what way have you inf luenced t he Academ y? Cancer and PAD.
What legacy ar e you leaving behind?
Ayyy lmao idk.
What is your cur r ent r ole as an inf luencer at t he Academ y? What do you do: m ake m em es, st ar t t r ends, cr eat e slang, or just be overall godlike?
That ?s true.
What ar e your plans f or t he f ut ur e?
Not to be homeless.
What do you do in your f r ee t im e?
Watch questionable anime and look at memes.
How has t he Academ y changed you as a per son?
I?ve become more outgoing.
Who has suppor t ed you on t his jour ney t o Academ y per son of t he year ?
Abrar, I think.
Is t her e anyone you would like t o t hank? Phantomace, for inspiring me to be a better person.
I ?ve not iced you wat ch anim e, a lot ; do you have any r ecom m endat ions?
I would have to say One Punch Man, Code Geass, and Fate/ 0.
I f you could t alk t o your self f r om 4 year s ago, what would you say?
Try harder.
You?r e such a legend, Jay. How do you sur vive?
I eat and drink water.
What advice do you have f or your f ellow Academ ians?
Don?t be afraid to change the norm, and speak your mind.
Any last wor ds of wisdom ?
No.
"They
cal l me
007"
JAY C
ENRIQUEZ
Gr eg buys
1 2
RUnner Up
RUnner Up
I decided to ask a few of our peers some questions about Jay. Here?s what they had to say about the senior class? nominee for the Academy person of the year.
Who is Jay t o you? How has Jay changed your daily lif e at t he Academ y?
Abrar: Jay is my lord and savior. Before I met him, my life was boring; but now, I see it more as a daily adventure.
How has Jay inf luenced you?
Alvin: He cheers me up and makes me laugh after all my failed math tests and physics quizzes.
Af t er you m et Jay, you st ar t ed playing Puzzles and Dragons. How m uch t im e did you wast e as a r esult of t his?
Kevin: My entire life.
A heart y wel come, Dhruv.
Likewise, Ali.. To be honest, I don?t want to do this.
To be honest wit h you, t here?s not hing t o worry about . The f irst f ew quest ions are pret t y easy, t hough. Let ?s begin.
Anyway Dhruv, where are you f rom?
Been in Piscataway New Jersey for a while now.
Real l y? And what are some of your int erest s? [Grins expect ant l y.]
I hate you so much for this. [Pause] Soccer.
[Look of conf usion] Oh, t hat ?s t rue, you?re on t he soccer t eam. But do you have any ot her int erest s?
Robotics.
[Look of skept icism] And? ?
Chess.
Int erest ing? next quest ion. What are some of your f avorit e act ivit ies? [t riumphant smil e]
Playing basketball.
[Squint s judgment al l y at Dhruv]
I?m not kidding, I have a hoop outside my house! Yes, but do you have any OTHER int erest s, Dhruv. Can we just skip to the next question???
Fine. The next f ew quest ions
are gonna be pret t y heavy. How have you inf l uenced t he Academy?
Honestly i don?t know how i have influenced my peers. I really don?t. However, I feel as though they found something in me that they believe is worthy to be influenced by, which is pretty humbling.
That ?s great . What is t he l egacy you?re l eaving behind?
I definitely think the legacy that i am leaving behind is that I have been a person that has gotten back up from both physical and educational falls and that i never gave up
What do you bel ieve is your current rol e as an inf l uencer at t he Academy? Are you a t rendset t er? a memer? What do you t hink our cl ass admires about you?
I dont set many trends that influence my
DHRUV PATEL
Al i Mohamed
1 1
RUnner Up
peers. As a matter of fact, other people in my grade have influenced me while i have been at the Academy. and honestly i'm not sure what my classmates admire about me. their admiration has not been stressed much
before but i have been an easily approachable person to others. If I had to say something, I would say I think people at the academy sees me as a person they can go to if they need help with school-related and non-school related tasks
That ?s amazing man. What are your pl ans f or t he f ut ure?
Becoming an engineer.
What do you do in your f ree t ime?
I read, play, and do work for extracurricular activities whether its studying for the SAT's or doing hw for an out of school class
How has t he academy changed you as a person?
The academy has helped me to change the way i manage my time. Once i came to the academy the work load increase and the material i learned became more foreign to me. i realised that there is more information in the world than anyone one person can grasp. the academy also helped me become a more open person. due to the amount of groupwork that we do in the academy, we have a chance to get to know the other people in our g rade and gives us a chance to help others with things that they may feel are difficult.
Who has support ed you on t his journey t o academy person of t he year?
My classmates. I?m pretty sure they were more hyped about me winning than I was, haha.
Anyone you woul d l ike t o t hank?
Aaron Kellet, Kush Singh, Rohan Shah, Ali Mohamad, Vraj Patel, Emma Jaques, and
Rohan Agarwal, for helping me when I needed it and boosting my spirits whenever I was upset or under the weather.
What advice do you have f or your f el l ow academians?
Don't give up if you have a goal and dont be afraid to ask people for help if you need it
Last words of wisdom?
You?re not going to get me to say it Ali.
Say what ?
You know what.
Fair enough. But do you have any wisdom?
If you ever make a mistake, dont just forget about it. Try to learn from it so you know what to look out for.
Thanks Dhruv. You t rul y are inf l uent ial and inspirat ional . You're smart . Don't ever pl ay yoursel f . If I was ever given t he opport unit y t o int erview you again, I woul d heart il y respond, "Anot ha one."
VRAJ PATEL
I interviewed Kevin Tang, the freshman nominee for Academy Person of the Year. Kevin lives in Perth Amboy and is one of the legacies among the freshmen class. His older sister, Victoria Tang, graduated from the Academy as part of the Class of 2015. To the Class of 2019, Kevin is pretty much a god. From his amazing academic
achievements to his great and friendly
personality, our grade pretty much worships him (jokingly, not literally!). Whether it ?s helping a fellow student with homework or being part of one of the inside jokes and trends, Kevin has definitely been an influence to the Class of 2019 in our first few months at the Academy.
What do you do in your f r ee t im e?
Usually read or play video games. What ar e your plans f or t he f ut ur e? To get more involved, find opportunities to gain experience through Hackathons and the like, and ultimately get into a decent college.
You?ve been at t his school f or a f ew m ont hs now. How has t he Academ y changed you as a per son?
I've been forced to procrastinate a lot less, as well as study more and spend more time challenging myself.
Who has suppor t ed your jour ney t o an Academ y Per son of t he Year nom inee?
Uhhh I'm not sure, actually. It kinda just happened?
I s t her e anyone you'd like t o t hank f or your accom plishm ent s?
Hmm, I guess my sister and my parents. They've definitely helped me prepare for the Academy and help me get to where I am.
I s t her e any advice you have f or your f ellow Academ ians?
I don't know yet, but I'd be happy to take any advice you have for me.
Finally, do you have any last wor ds of wisdom ?
I really have no idea.