WOODBRIDGE ACADEMY

Staff

Mrs. Yeye

Editors:

Ruchi Singh

Wamia Siddiqui

Siddharth Marwaha

Megh Shah

Devanshi Patel

Srinanda Gadula

Writers:

Anika Pruthi

Pooja Bhate

*Atul Bhattiprolu

Kavya Thakkar

Dania Mohammad

Hafsah Shaik

Tanvi Banota

*Award Winning Writer

Capstone Partners. Soccer Co-Captains. UNICEF Co-Presidents. Best Friends.

As the 2017 school year is coming to a close, it is time to commemorate a

few of the most accomplished members of the class of 2017, starting with

none other than seniors Vraj Shah and Saifol-IslamAhmed, the valedicto-

rian and salutatorian, respectively. Throughout their four years at the

Academy, they proved themselves, growing both academically and per-

sonally, alongside one another. Whether floored by one of Saifol’s predict-

able jokes, or astounded by Vraj’s mathematical acumen, you’ll definitely

be captivated by their charm and intelligence. To read more about the

best that the Academy has to offer, go to pages 2 –5.

June 2017

Vraj Shah

By: Wamia Siddiqui

Whether in the classrooms, on the soccer fields, or sitting at the back of the cafeteria tirelessly explaining Precalculus con-cepts on Tuesday mornings, chances are, you’ve encountered senior Vraj Shah. While his academic astuteness is undeniable, considering how he’s placed first in the schoolwide Math League competition since freshman year and been on Science League for three, it’s just as likely you recognize him as the Captain of the Varsity Soccer team, a local Eagle Scout, or President of UNICEF. Recently declared valedictorian of the Class of 2017, he is known almost ubiquitously throughout the Academy. But for many, the true Vraj is still somewhat shrouded in mystery, an elusive some-what enigmatic presence. Here is a behind the scenes look at the school’s very own, self proclaimed “Sneaky Snake”, also known as “Viper”.

It all started when a newly hatched “Viper,” made the de-cision to come to the Academy after graduating from John Adams Middle School in Edison, or JAMS. His parents told him to go to the Engineering Academy, so he came here instead. But really, it was the long and formal school name that appealed to him, though after four years, it has become an arduous task when writing out its full name. He also came here knowing he’d have a chance to start on varsity soccer, something he couldn’t do as a freshman in his home district school.

Soccer has been almost an escape from the labors of the classroom and worries of life for Vraj since he was four years old. Though he initially started off as a goalie here at the Acad-emy, Vraj soon became one of the most versatile Varsity players, his #2 jersey seen streaking across virtually any part of the playing field during any given game. Whenever he was on the pitch, everything else in life would disappear. It was also on the playing field that he earned his reputation of being a “snake,” for the ingenious tactics he employed to bring his team glory. One of his favorite, and most notable, methods is “flopping”, which earned him the most fouls called in his favor every season. His experiences as a Boy Scout were also a way for him to for-get about his worries and learn to live in the moment, all while avoiding being eaten by bears.

Both of these activities outside of the classroom con-tributed to his stress-free life as well as his perpetual-ly calm and collected demeanor. Reflecting on his time here at the Academy, while he definitely always strived to learn and put effort into all he did, (as leader of several active clubs like UNICEF or the National Honor Society) his best times were the ones he spent with his friends. From playing Assassin in the hallways to incessantly con-quering territories in Warlight, together they made it through these four years.

One particular memory he described was from junior year calculus class in Mr. Rivera’s room, when a bunch of guys were clowning around, and for some reason decided to mess around by sticking a banana and some string cheese in a corner of Mr.Rivera’s room, to get moldy over spring break. They almost went through with the plan, but ultimately chose not to do that to his favorite teacher, something Vraj describes as his biggest regret for considering such a thing. Re-cently, Vraj also singlehandedly saved the school from a potential lawsuit when he prevented his friends’ massive green ball (a collective prize won at Dave & Busters) from striking a random woman standing on an escalator during the sen-ior trip to New York City. To all the underclassmen out there, he left a few key pieces of advice. Obviously, focus on grades

and extracurricular activities, but also take the time to enjoy your life. Go out and pursue your passions. Remember, nothing in life matters if you are always stressing out. Don’t just be another fish in the ocean, be a snake swimming through the water. And to the juniors about to embark on the college application process, he warns not to mess around with col-lege apps, and put everything you’ve got into them because all your efforts thus far should not go to waste. On a more important note, contrary to popular belief, it’s okay to have a lit-tle bit of senioritis. Have some fun and make some great memories. Find your clique of friends who you will stay with for the rest of your life. Also, “do not be insubordinate at all” (speaking from experience). Overall, focus on your future but don’t forget to live in the moment.

Looking to his own future, Vraj is headed to The College of New Jersey’s seven year BS/MD program with New Jersey Medical School. Afterwards, he plans to embark upon an expedition to Antarctica to treat the penguins. Then, he will visit the Amazon Rain Forest to treat all of his brethren snakes. All kidding aside, he hopes to one day run his own private practice as a cardiologist or gastroenterologist (for snakes and penguins, of course). As it turns out, he already speaks Parseltongue (snake language) so he’s fully prepared to take on this challenge, and any others thrown his way. Overall, whether you know of him as Vraj, Viper, or now, the valedictorian of the class of 2017, he is best defined by the words of Cris-tiano Ronaldo, “Your love makes me strong, your hate makes me unstoppable.”

~Viper Out

“ Your love makes me strong, your hate

makes me unstoppable.”

Saifol-Islam Ahmed

By: Ruchi Singh

Have you ever wanted to sit down to a scintillating philosophical de-

bate? Did you ever need pointers on your soccer skills or needed a

well-informed tutor? Have you ever just needed a good laugh from

someone’s attempts at humor? If you answered yes to any of these

questions, then you need a SIA in your life. No, we aren’t referring to

the wig-wearing singer, we’re talking about none another than Saifol

Islam Ahmed, the class of 2017’s salutatorian. (Sincere apologies for

the pun; there was no better way to pay homage to Saifol’s quirky hu-

mor). In four seemingly short years, Saifol has unquestionably made

his mark on the Academy through his stellar academic record, countless extracurricular activities,

and his cosmopolitan nature. As the first person in Academy history to plaque all three years for

Science league , co- captain of the renowned Varsity soccer team, and co-president of the

school’s dynamic UNICEF club, Saifol truly exemplifies the essence of the Academy.

Surprisingly enough, when asked how he chose to come to the academy, Saifol said he didn’t

have the opportunity to really “choose” per se. Saifol had been waitlisted and claimed to have felt

rather indifferent when he was unforeseeably offered a spot at the academy just a few weeks be-

fore classes started . In fact, he was already eager to attend a private religious school his friends,

but thought, “ Hey, why not, might as well take the opportunity while I have it. And I have to tell

you, I still look back sometimes and just think, wow, what if I had just as casually decided not to

come. How different would things be? Quite different, I would assume lol.”

Saifol amalgamates honesty, integrity, grit, and passion in all his endeavors, which makes

his outstanding resume come as no surprise. As mentioned before, Saifol

not only competed, but plaqued for Biology, Chemistry, and Physics on

the schools Science League Team, making him first in Academy history

to do so. Saifol has also been an active member of the academy commu-

nity, as the center-mid fielder of the school’s soccer team, a vital member

of the debate club, co-President of UNICEF, and treasurer of HOSA. Out-

side of school, he is also committed to several other undertakings, but

says what stands out to him most is his experience with BOLD, a commu-

nity service organization that works to raise awareness and funds for can-

cer. He and his friends organized a 5K walk to raise funds for the cause

and brought their passions to school when they decided to start a local

club for the organization.

When asked about his biggest accomplishment, Saifol’s humble response was, “I mean, I have to say, in several ways these were not an easy four years, and I think just making it through is quite an accomplishment…the way I see it, accom-plishments usually come with some form of character strength-ening and improvement of oneself. And I have to say, the person I am today, compared to the one that walked in the Academy halls freshman year, and all the personal growth in between, is quite significant.” Contrary to belief, Saifol has had his share of lows here at the Academy. He recalls viewing, “… life at the academy like an EKG. Things would go up then down, then back up and down again; and the cycle would continue on and on. I’m not sure, but I think you just have to just accept that part of life. Lol, some of the cherries in the bowl are sweet, and others are sour. That’s just how it is.” One of the highlights at the academy, as Saifol recalls, was when he and his debate team gathered at his house after school. They all went to the basement with every intention to start working, but end-ed up goofing off and having a fun time. Despite the boatload of work, apps, and stressors, he and his fellow teammates were still able to find a little sunshine in the rain.

One of Saifol’s most admirable qualities is his disregard for social norms. Calling it one of his biggest problems, Saifol has states that he has had conflicts with social conventions and inter-actions. A recent example would be his decision to wear a white tulip on his prom tuxedo, despite not bringing a date, which got him some understandably puzzled looks. “But I mean, the way I see it, did the flower look good on me? Yes. Do I care whether or not I did the “properly social” thing? Not a bit.”

Whether it be his firm belief in conspiracy theories, his cosmopolitan nature, or his dis-

regard for social norms, Saifol will be truly missed. As he prepares to give his farewell speech as 2017’s salutatorian, we wish him all the best in his future endeavors. He will be attending John Hopkins University in the Fall. Saifol does not have any specific career goals in mind, but wishes to do something that combines the social and natural sciences. He plans on exposing himself to differ-ent fields, absorbing all that he can along the way. To all the underclassman, he wishes to leave a piece of advice: Do what you’re passionate about and good at. Doing something that someone else wants for you may not always be the best path to take.

President of the United States, the next Jimmy Fallon, or the person who unveils the cancer conspiracy. No matter where Saifol ends up or who he becomes, we’re sure that his roots at the academy will remain intact.

Q: Any Hidden Talents?

“I’m actually going with a couple friends on a voyage across the pacific this summer. If I find them I’ll let you know. So yeah, maybe poor attempts at trying to make others laugh.”

A Farewell to Our Superintendent

By Atul Bhattiprolu

As the academic year comes to an end, Brian J. Loughlin will be formally retiring from his role as Superintendent of the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools District. Having been involved in the district for nearly forty years, Loughlin announced his retirement after seven years as Su-perintendent. Under Loughlin’s leadership, the MCVTS dis-trict saw many milestones, including, but not limited to, the development of the Woodbridge Academy, the designation of three MCVTS campuses as National Blue Ribbon schools, and the introduction of new vocational career majors, such as logistics and supply chain management.

After his retirement on August 31st, Brian J. Loughlin will be replaced by Diane Veilleux, who currently serves as an As-

sistant Superintendent in the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools District. Similar to Loughlin, Veilleux has been involved with the MCVTS district for quite some time, having served as Substance Abuse Coordinator, Supervisor of Special Education, Assistant Principal for the East Brunswick campus, and Principal for the Woodbridge Academy, prior to her current role as Assistant Superintendent. Diane Veilleux will formally begin her new role as Superintendent of the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools District on Sep-tember 1, 2017, and we wish both her and Brian J. Loughlin the best of luck in their future endeavors.

With summer vacation around the corner, students are feeling a mix of relief and stress. Fresh-man are worrying about sophomore year, sophomores are worrying about SATs, juniors are worrying about college applications, and seniors - well, they have a whole new journey ahead. Summer should be a time for fun and relaxation. However, with a little calculation, you could spend your summer being productive by enhancing your resume, while still enjoying your time. Here are just a few things you could do!

What to Do Over the Summer: How to have Fun, Be

Productive, AND Please Colleges

By: Hafsah T. Shaik

1. Volunteer There are tons of places to volunteer, like a local hospital or an assisted living care facility where you can meet new people and gain enriching experiences. You could read for blind children or even tutor kids and give back to the community while racking up hours.

2. Outdoor Clean Up event

Spend the day outdoors and invite friends!

You can take care of the environment and

hang out with your friends at a park or beach.

Win-win!

4. Internship/Job

An internship over the summer can teach you

a lot. It is a great experience and can help you

prepare for your future career. Getting a job

not only makes money but teaches you man-

agement skills for the future.

5. Summer Camp

At summer camp you can make friends, learn

new skills and even become a camp counse-

lor.

3. Pursue a New Skill

Your new skill doesn’t have to be an aca-demic subject (although catching up on algebra or getting ready for next years

classes are good). Learning another lan-guage or how to play an instrument can

be interesting, augment your resume, and expand your horizons. You could also so-phisticate your skill set through traditional art, or even martial art. Just try something new and interesting, something you enjoy,

and you will definitely benefit.

WOODBRIDGE ACADEMY

Annual 2017 Talent Show

By: Dania Mohammad

The annual Talent show at Woodbridge Academy was a hit yet again. The students of Woodbridge

Academy were given a plethora of performances- from an acapella dance, to an original song, to several hilarious

dance performances. The participants really shined this year!

The show began with Woodbridge Academy’s very own Patel squad, Kush, Aman and Shivam. With matching

‘fits, and winning smiles’, the hosts for the show had won over the audience with well delivered one-liners-“I mean, have you ever looked at your x and wondered y?”. There was no other group of hosts better than the Pa-

tels, and they set the scene perfectly for the rest of the show. There were a lot of mind-blowing performances in

the two-hour show that deserve recognition and praise. As always, Megh and Ivan killed it with their performance

in Act I, singing When I was your Man By Bruno Mars. In addition to simply singing the song, they became im-

mersed in the lyrics, and the audience- as always- loved it. Junior Awab had delivered a free verse poetry of his

own creation. It was emotional, daring, and very well written. We can only wonder- who is he “doomed to love

from afar”?

At the end of Act 1 we had the energetic, high-intensity performance by the AAS productions, also known as,

Amaar, Ajay and Saket, with a special appearance by Señor Nava himself. There was a lot of dabbing, nae-naeing

and hitting the folks; the audience was truly mesmerized. We applaud you Señor, and the rest of the AAS squad.

During the intermission, we had a very cute promposal between Rebecca Novo and former student Nivrit Kohli.

It was truly adorable as Rebecca asked Nivrit to prom with several other seniors, a poster and a teddy bear.

In Act II we had quite a few singers and a beautiful piano performance by Freshman Anika Pruthi. We also had

Cailin Bubb with a traditional Irish dance to an acapella piece. All that can be said is that her performance was

short and sweet; maybe a bit too short for the audience’s liking. At the end, as per senior tradition, we had the

senior boys, Arvin, Kush, Shivam, Aman, and Vraj, dance to the Bollywood song Desi Girl. It was amusing as

always, very desi-like, and their moves were very well executed. An 11/10 for sure! The tradition is still going, so

juniors will have to pull through even stronger next year. Good luck. :)

The evening continued with yet another promposal. Host and dancer Aman Patel, asked Wamia Sid-

diqui and got all of their friends to dance to the desi song Pretty Woman. The floors were shaking, and it can be

certain that everyone was on their feet cheering and clapping for them. Of course, Wamia said yes. The winners

of the 2017 talent show were well deserving; in third place we had freshman Liana who danced to two songs; the

Pentatonix version of La La Latch and Get Ugly by Jason Derulo. In second place we had sophomores Nawal

and Mona who sang and played the piano, respectively, to Fallin’ and If I Ain’t got You by Alicia Keys. The vo-

cals were beautiful and both performers were really in sync together. In first place was junior Ria Arora, who sang

and played an original piece. Congratulations to all the winners, and great job to all the participants!

Also, thank you to the judges, Ms. Alston, Señora Castillo and Mrs. Wilhelmy for judging this year’s talent show.

Also, a huge thank you to Mrs. Veilleux who put the entire show together, and who, if you were watching closely,

vigorously shook her head in frustration when the base was too loud, and gave proud thumbs up when everything

was going exactly as planned.

Student Athletes Outside of School

Sejal Lakhani Playing a sport and managing daily stressors in high school is a heavy combina-tion that becomes nearly impossible to balance as coursework gets harder. Sejal

Lakhani, a senior at our school, Woodbridge Academy, manages to do both. Sejal plays Girls Ten-nis at her home district, Edison, for JP High School, and has ranked #1 in the 2013 GMC, #2 in the 2014 GMC, and #1 in singles in 18 and under the USTA tennis competition within Central Jer-sey.

Sejal’s love for the sport started from the young age of five, when she first moved to Chica-go. Her father would play tapes of games of famous German tennis player Steffi Graf, who ranked #1 in the world, and won 22 Grand Slam singles titles. Sejal looked up to her as inspiration, and ended up growing closer to her father, who incidentally played the sport as a child as well. She re-flects on her desire to “make new friends, and a lot of the girls from school used to practice [tennis] at the nearby court, so one day [she] joined them”, and has been playing the sport ever since.

Playing a sport outside of school is no easy feat, since schoolwork only seems to pile up, and responsibilities within the team increase with each coming year. With the help from Principal Mr. Fanelli, Vice Principal Mr. Heffers along with the faculty staff, Sejal and her coaches were able to create a schedule that worked well to help her balance her athletic and academic life. She reflects her ability to always get work done on time, but at the cost of early mornings and all night-ers. With playing a sport comes time management skills and Sejal only got stronger as the time went on. The JP Stevens tennis coaches were very understanding of Sejal’s special situation, as she came from a different school, and both coaches, as well as teammates, understood the type of workload that was typical here at the Academy and made the needed accommodations. With the support of both schools and her parents, Sejal was able to balance out her work and games. She reflects that her achievements within both the sport and school would not be possible without her friends, since they were always helpful in that they let her know what work she had missed due to her involvement in tennis.

With every sport comes a challenge, whether it is time management, organization, or inju-ry. Sejal tore a muscle during the end of the last season, and had to undergo physical therapy to get back onto the court with her partner. She unfortunately had to sit out the last season due to her torn ligament. This inju-ry presented a physical challenge that she could only over-come with time and therapy. Sejal believes that tennis is a challenging sport, due to the “coordination and mental strength that you need for it. It is fast paced and it’s some-thing you need to focus on not only placing the ball with speed and precision, but making sure you can plan out points before they even happen, and be willing to adjust even if it doesn’t go as planned, to make a new set of goals that will still end up as a product of your best possible work and hope-fully a win.”

A high school sports career that had started from a simple hobby at the young age of five is now a lifestyle for Sejal Lakhani. She plans to play tennis in college. “Tennis and being on the court feels like home, and the satisfaction of hearing the ball hit the strings and just bounce in or on the line exactly where you want it is something you just can’t re-place, so hopefully I can continue it”.

By: Pooja Bhate

Vahid Drazanin By Pooja Bhate

Another outside of school tennis player who attends the Woodbridge Academy is none other than senior Vahid Draza-nin,who plays tennis for his home district team, South Amboy High School. Vahid started playing tennis at the youthful age of 8, when first saw Roger Federer play at the 2008 US open, and was fasci-nated by him. Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player who has been called the “greatest tennis player of all time” since he has continuously ranked in the top 10 from October 2002 to November 2016, and has won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, the most in histo-ry for a male tennis player, and has held the #1 spot in the ATP rankings for a total of 302 weeks, along with 7 Wimbledon titles, 5 Australian Open titles, 5 US Open titles, and one French Open ti-tle. It is clear to see why Vahid was fascinated by Federer and why Federer became his inspiration for playing tennis. Starting at age 10, Vahid began tennis classes, and played everyday, gaining skills and experience in his sport. He registered

himself on the USTA, the United States Tennis Association, in order to begin playing in tourna-ments, and participated in Boy’s 12. By September of 2012, Vahid was ranked as Number One in New Jersey for Boy’s 12 USTA.

Upon the beginning of 9th grade, when Vahid entered high school, he remembers stopping the sport almost completely. He played on the high school tennis team for South Amboy High School where he has two losses in his division throughout his entire high school career. Tennis is a sport that requires much skill, balance, and experience, and Vahid has developed all three of these since he started at the young age of 8.

Vahid says, “Challenges within the actual sport are that you have to overcome mental and physical obstacles in the sport.” He recollects having to improve certain specific things in his game, since there was no real way to attain perfection. Finding time for tennis was also important for him because maintaining the skillset necessary for playing a sport as challenging as tennis requires fre-quent practice.

When asked about advice for how other students at the academy could balance playing a sport outside of school and attending school at the same time, Vahid says, “you have to have good time management for playing a sport outside of school and school work. That is all it really is.” Alt-hough Vahid is uncertain whether he will play tennis in college, since the idea of playing while go-ing to college might be challenging, he knows that his love and passion for the sport will be a life-

long hobby.

Eagle Scouts By: Siddharth Marwaha

There are 2.5 million boy scouts across the United States. The organization has numerous chapters and troops, spreading the message of public service, honesty, and integrity. While this may seem like a large number of boy scouts, only six percent ever reach the highest rank: Eagle Scout. In other words, of every 25 boy scouts to enlist, only one will ascend to the status of Eagle scout. Being an Eagle Scout is a great honor, not only for its exclusivity but also for the work and dedication required to achieve this status. The eagle scout patch is actually the only civilian patch that one is allowed to be worn on a military uniform, which is just one testament to the respect given to those who have managed to reach this level.

In order to achieve this status, a boy scout must demonstrate proficiency in twenty-one different skills, and earn a merit badge for each. Of these 21 merit badges, there is a set of 13 which each eagle scout must complete. The remaining badges, however, may vary between eagle scouts. In addition, the Eagle Scout must show that they are an active and honest citizens by submitting letters of recommendation from family, employers, reli-gious leaders, and others in their daily lives. Finally, they must complete an Eagle scout project, which is a project which benefits the community in some way. In doing so, they must arrange for the funding and manpower required to complete this project.

Since the start of the school year, two of our very own Woodbridge Academy Hor-nets have achieved the distinction of Eagle Scout: Seniors Megh Shah and Vraj Shah. Both have worked incredibly hard over the years, and have risen through the many ranks of boy scouts to finally achieve this high honor.

For his Eagle Scout project, Megh helped to restore a large garden in his communi-ty. When he first arrived, he found little more than a long, rectangular patch of dirt. How-ever, by using plants that require little water and landscaping stones, he created a garden that would require little upkeep and would still create a beautiful environment and help im-prove his town’s appearance. Meanwhile, Vraj elected to improve a flagpole outside of Roosevelt Care Center. He gathered donations and supplies, and planted perennial plants around the flagpole. In addition, he created a stone walkway to the flagpole. Vraj’s inspiration was the residents at Roosevelt Care Center, and he wishes that they can look outside of their window and take some joy in the new flagpole foundation now present.

Both of these students have put in a tremendous amount of work into improving their communities, even beyond their eagle projects. They have proved, time and again, to be upstanding, active citizens worthy of recognition. We here at the academy wish them both the best of luck as they both venture on to the next stage of their life, attending the TCNJ/NJMS seven year medical program together, and know that even greater things are en-tailed for the both of them.

- Megh Shah - Vraj Shah

Pharmaceuticals have been mar-keted at exorbitant prices that people can-not afford them anymore! The Wall Street Journal compared 40 top branded drugs in Norway, England, and Ontario with the prices for the same drugs covered in the U.S. by Medicare Part B and the results turn patients speechless. It was found that the prices in the U.S. were greater than the prices in Norway for 93% of the surveyed drugs, prices were higher in the U.S. than in England for all but one drug, and On-

tario had lower prices when compared to the U.S. for 28 drugs surveyed. Knowing that Norway is an expensive place to live, it truly is surprising to find such an area to have a strict system that re-fuses medications that fail the threshold of cost effectiveness. Why is America allowed to set such high prices? The reason is quite simple: because they can! In this capitalistic society, patients are unfairly burdened by the skyrocketing cost of medications adumbrated in six reasons by Business Insider: there are no price controls, lasting patents, limited competition, small markets, expenses of research, and the decreasing amount of new generics. The variation in prices is due to the fact that the U.S. government does not negotiate prices for pharmaceuticals, but allows companies to set up their own prices. The patent acquired for pharmaceuticals, such as Mylan’s EpiPen, gives Mylan a monopoly for about 20 years from when the patent is issued. Since there is not enough competition to keep the prices decreasing, the price can freely shoot up, which is typically seen around the ex-piration of the patent. The EpiPen, which expires annually, is an auto-injecting device that inserts a dose of epinephrine when thrusted in the thigh for people with allergies. An explanation for the escalating prices typically is due to the research and development costs, but isn’t the reason why Mylan took the heat for steadily increasing the price of the EpiPen from $50 in 2007 to $600 in 2017 which has generated $1 billion a year for Mylan to accommodate for a lavish lifestyle. Mylan has received widespread pressure from consumers as the prices have gotten up more than 500% in less than a decade and families are unable to even look at the price of an EpiPen let alone to have two packs of EpiPens for the allergy sufferer. The fury of parents and politicians alike has allowed Mylan to reevaluate the price for the two-pack EpiPen to around $300 after seeing Europe’s more affordable prices and Mylan NV’s chief executive officer, Heather Bresch’s, hearing. The shift in the time when Mylan used to give out free EpiPens to schools to this recent event has pushed schools to stock the shot and has allowed oversight panels to become more involves in Medicaid fraud cases and cases in which executives dramatically jack up prices. Senator McCain, seeing such cases, has proposed the FAIR Drug Pricing Act, which requires companies to justify such increases in prices while revealing their budgets on research, development, and adver-tising.

By: Anika Pruthi

7 Earth-Sized Exoplanets

Orbiting the only 39 light-years-away star, TRAPPIST-1, seven

(!!!!) exoplanets may be capable of supporting life as we know it.

These planets circle around a dim star about the size of Jupiter,

have virtually the same dimensions as Earth, and are in the

orbital range that makes them conducive to the presence of

liquid water. These might be our best hope of life yet.

What’s lighter than plastic but stronger than steel? This weird

sponge like thing. Researchers at MIT have developed an ultra-

strong material by aligning flecks of graphene together in a

specific geometric alignment. Graphene is already the strongest

2D material, but this discovery could mean incredibly stronger

buildings and infrastructure.

3D Printing Human Skin

Granted, this is still only a prototype, but this 3D printer design in fully capable of creating human skin. It does this using Bioinks (like fibroblasts and stratum epithelial cells) and prints each layer of the skin in a way to promote strength and elasticity. This skin can be used in transplants, grafts, or for research in cosmetics or drugs.

Pulling Water Out of Thin Air

Back at it again, solving the world’s

water crisis. This time, scientists at

MIT and Berkeley have created a

solar powered device that is able to

pull gallons and gallons of pure

water from the water vapor in the

atmosphere in just a day. It uses a

porous layer to capture air, a solar

collector to heat it, and a condenser

to push it back into liquid form. This

porous layer, constructed with metal

-organic framework is made to easily absorb and release water from the

atmosphere. This machine could hypothetically create water in places

where there just simply isn’t, and unlike a magic trick, there are no smoke

and mirrors involved. Just science.

Biggest Scientific Breakthroughs of 2017 By Tanvi Banota

What is Lucid Dreaming? By: Devanshi Patel

Lucid dreaming is defined as the ability to consciously observe and/or control your dreams. Your inner dream world gets transformed into a living alternate reality. In this alternate reality you can see, hear, feel, taste, and even smell everything and it will seem as authentic as real life.

Lucid dreaming occurs during altered states of consciousness when you realize you are dreaming. Your brain switches into waking mode inside your dream. However, in normal dreams, your self awareness is shut down. This is particularly why these dreams feel fuzzy and distant.

Many people may think lucid dreaming is creepy and has some spooky or paranormal com-ponent to it. Sorry to burst your bubble but lucid dreaming is a safe and natural state to be in.

It begins when you are half asleep in bed. You may feel paralyzed because you are aware of lying in bed. Slowly, your mind will shut off the awareness. As long as you are awake, and your body falls asleep, you will naturally transfer your awareness to a more flexible replica body, which is your dream body.

Now let us get to the good stuff. How does one have an lucid dream? Here is a method that may help to achieve a lucid dreaming state.

Step 1: For the whole day, read and think about lucid dreaming.

Step 2: Do lots of reality checks. About 10 times and if you are planning on doing it tonight then do at least 25 times - reality checks. An example of a reality check is trying to push your finger through the palm. Hold out your hand and with your other finger from your other hand, try to push a finger through your palm. You should REALLY expect it to go through, and ONLY when it doesn’t go through, say to yourself ‘Oh, I must be awake’. When it happens in your dream, the finger will go through your palm, and you’ll say to yourself ‘I MUST BE DREAMING!’ and then you will be lu-cid!

Step 3: Do not look at any screens an hour before bed. This will allow your body to produce enough hormones that make you sleepy.

Step 4: Set an alarm. Set it about two hours earlier than you would usually wake up.

Step 5: This may be the hard part. Wake up to the alarm with your eyes shut. This basically means wake up with your mind, but keep your eyes shut.

Bonus Tip: Do not try too hard!

All in all, lucid dreaming is easier said than done. Try to keep yourself calm and relaxed. Let things unfold naturally but still focus on your intent and tell yourself, “You will be able to control your dreams tonight.”

Think you’re far too rational for superstitions? When was the last time you opened an umbrella indoors? Have you ever avoided stepping on a crack to “break your mother’s back”? Remember the chills you felt the last time you crossed paths with a black cat.

Whether or not you adhere to them, we’ve all heard a fair share of superstitions. Some may be amusing while others are just ridiculous, but strangely, are almost ubiquitously known and followed to this day. Now while we may know to avoid ladders and cross our

fingers, superstitions in other countries are not so simple, and are phenomena that actu-ally differ across the world. The next time you travel to any of these places, make sure

you avoid getting bad luck!

DENMARK: Broken Dishes In Denmark, broken dishes are col-lected and saved over the year ra-ther than being disposed of in the trash. Each New Year’s Eve, these broken dishes are then thrown at the houses of friends and fami-ly. It is said that the bigger the pile, the more fortune your friends and family will have in the upcoming year.

TURKEY: Chewing Gum Maybe you should reconsider chewing gum at night the next time you’re in Turkey. It is be-lieved that when you chew gum at night, you’re actually chew-ing the flesh of a dead person.

RUSSIA: Bird Poop Usually, when bird poop lands on you or your car, people curse their luck. However, in Rus-sia, it is considered a good omen and a sign of future prosperity and the riches to come if a bird defe-cates on you, your car, or your property.

ENGLAND:Lettuce We’ve learned about different birth control methods, but one we’ve missed is eating lettuce. Throughout the 19th century, English men believed that eat-ing lettuce prevented them from beget-ting children,, as it was a “sterile” plant. Therefore, English men avoided eating salads if they wanted to start a family.

SYRIA: Yo-Yo’s In Syria, it is be-lieved that playing with yo-yos can in-duce a drought in that area. This was so widely believed that in 1933, yo-yo’s were banned from the country and any found were confis-cated by the police.

SPAIN: Grapes Instead of the typical kiss when the clock hits midnight each New Year’s Eve, in Spain, people eat twelve grapes in rapid succession. It is said that this ensures a person will be lucky in the upcoming year (perhaps because it gives you delicious grape breath in case you do de-cide to kiss someone after all).

World

Superstitions By: Srinanda

Gadula

Midnight

I lie awake daydreaming

My miniscule fists are clenched

To refrain from screaming

I stare at the reflection

The glass gazes back

Shattering in my direction

Sharp slivers perturb the tranquil

The onychophagia creeping

Where is the séduire of nyquil

A velvet blanket of radiance

Swallowing the hue of ebony

All within a minute radius

Twilight, dawn, daylight

The hand is still and stagnant

It is now midnight.

By: Kavya Thakkar

Is most likely to…

Saifol Joke around while in a super important meeting with top Pentagon officials

Allison Become an anime character

Hanin Start a Middle-Eastern fashion line

Atul Get so anxious he makes everyone else anxious

Hirra Spread feminism with a coffee cup in her hand and a smile on her face

Michaela Become a well renowned painter and martial artist

Amanda Fight someone for her friend

Willian Lead a revolution

Ritika Have a baking show (cake pop line)

Vahid Have only daughters, not sons

Sukhnoor Be a makeup artist

Sarah Collect keychains

Michelle Become international taekwondo champion

Ashley Befriend the whole world

Gosia Adopt 20 dogs/squat to success (tie)

Nivedita Be straight up savage/teach driving lessons (tie)

Mehul Buy a continent and donate it

Simran Become a neonatologist

Mahwish Become a YouTube star and computer programmer

Kopal Inspire the invention of multicolored contacts

Teenu Paint the next Mona Lisa

Hitesh Make KILT an actual word in the dictionary

Pavithra Watch every K-drama

Sonali Be the mom of the friend group

Gabe Become famous (@gabekulik)

Sejal Consume her body weight in caffeine

Kiana Roast people

Sid L. Win a Rubix cube thingy

Kerowyn Read all of the books in the Library of Congress

Nick Become Trump’s Bodyguard

Alisha Write a vegan cookbook and become an international reporter

Shikhar Have a red nose

Sid M. Make Patriot references during surgery

Mary Intimidate you

Yash Talk his way out of being kidnapped

Arvin Run a marathon in under 26.2 minutes

IS MOST LIKELY TO….

HELEN

Laugh with Gosia

PRIYA Drive her own pysch patients crazy

MIKE Sleep through a college semester

REBECCA Organize our reunion (she better)

AMAN Get punched at a congressional debate

DEVANSHI Break a leg

JANVI Eat cheesecake and make tv show references during her neonatology residency

KAJOL Become a stand up comedian

KUSH Say “Oh dang”

SHIVAM Scream “YIEEEEET” at the birth of his child

ANUSHA Be snapchat famous

NEHA Be a secret genius

AKSHAYA Make the winning game shot

KIARA Touch everyone’s butts

HASSAN Destroy the world with a pun

AKSHITA Eat nuts

MEGH Uses singing to anesthetize his patients

VRAJ Slither

WAMIA Debate without knowing the topic

ARMAN Hold the world record for loudest sneeze that can deafen the world

RUCHI Freeze from being so chill

ROBIN Abandon Batman and change his name to Nightwing

AISHWARYA Boycott gym

RAJBIR Make her presence known in every room

SERIN Get a perfect score on the MCATs

DIVYA Have a million different pets

TALIA Be a professional dancer on Broadway

IVAN Hold the door for you

Q 1: Why did the farmer bury all his money?

1. To make his soil rich 2. Spring Time 3. Tulips 4. Bugs Bunny 5. Lily! 6. Smiles ( there is a mile between the 2 S’s)

Q5: What do you call a girl with a frog on her head?

Q3: What do you get when you plant kisses?

Q6: What is the longest word in the dictionary

Q4: What do you call a rabbit with fleas?

Q2 : When do people start using their trampoline?

Jokes and Riddles

By: Devanshi Patel