School live february 2017 by School LIVE

100 Volume 3 | Issue 04 february 2017

Anxious about

Exams? Bust that Stress! Dr. Prerna Kohli

Right Foods to Eat

with Kavita Devgan

What is Bitcoin?

with Amit Dubey

Dealing with Deferrals

with Urvashi Malik

contributors

S C H O O L

L I V E Board Of Directors Richa Aniruddha Sanjay Dua Hariharan Balagopal EDITOR Mansi Tikoo mansitikoo@gmail.com

Amit Dubey Crime Investigator and expert on ethical hacking.

Kavita Devgan

Nutritionist, weight management specialist and health writer

Associate Editor Tanima Kedar Business Development Stockbay Partners DESIGNER Ashish Kumar For AdvertiSING richa@school-live.com For subscription editor@school-live.com

C o n ta c t Kritika Negi 9810560472

Harun Robert, a.k.a, Rob An arts & crafts wizard, and an award-winning designer.

Urvashi Malik

Founder & Managing Director of CollegeCore with over fifteen years of experience in guiding and aiding students.

School LIVE : Printed and Published by Richa Aniruddha Printed at Rolleract Press Services A-83, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase 1 New Delhi - 110028 Owned by FUTURE READY EDUCATION SERVICES PVT LTD. EDITED BY RICHA ANIRUDDHA

Connect with us at: Twitter: @schoolLIVE_mag Facebook: School LIVE

100 Volume 3 | Issue 04 february 2017

Anxious about

Prerna Kohli

Exams? Bust that Stress! Dr. Prerna Kohli

Clinical Psychologist and Public Speaker Right Foods to Eat

with Kavita Devgan

SCHOOL LIVE

What is Bitcoin?

with Amit Dubey

Dealing with Deferrals

with Urvashi Malik

Volume 3 | Issue 04 | February 2017 | 3

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S C H O O L

L I V E

Hi! Ready for exams? Good! Stressed? Bad! We have specially dedicated this issue of School LIVE to exam stress. Hope it helps you all. I am no expert, therefore, we have got the experts to help you through this period of stress and anxiety. Soon we will do a Facebook chat with a psychologist, who can help you deal with the same. All I can say at this point to all of you is that stress and anxiety has never helped any student perform better. You have worked hard as per your individual capacities. Even if you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work as hard, there is not much that you can do at the last minute. What you can surely do is: keep your spirits high, be confident, keep your cool and study in a planned manner without getting nervous. Eat healthy, stay positive, focus on your strengths, forget the weaknesses and make a simple timetable for last minute revision. We at School LIVE are praying for EACH ONE of you. Go out and give your best! Lots of Love!

Lovingly yours

Richa Aniruddha tweet to me @richaanirudh

SCHOOL LIVE

Volume 3 | Issue 04 | February 2017 | 5

What is the sequel to the popular animated film, “Finding Nemo”? a) Finding Neverland b) Finding Nemo c) Jaws

What is the process through which plants make their own food? a) Photosynthesis b) Evaporation c) Mitosis Which is the closest star to the Sun? a) Vega b) Sun c) Polaris

Saurav Ganguly Photosynthesis Ratan Tata Sun Kolkata

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6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

6 | | Volume 3 | Issue 3 | January 2017

How many States are there in the United States of America? a) 45 b) 40 c) 50

Which Indian cricket captain is fondly called ‘Dada’? ___________ a) Sachin Tendulkar b) Sunil Gavaskar c) Sourav Ganguly

The ‘Nano’ car is the brainchild of which Indian industrialist? a) Ratan Tata b) Honda c) Maruti In which city was the first metro rail inaugurated? a) Kolkata b) Delhi c) Chennai

Answers

Which country was called Burma? a) Bhutan b) China c) Myanmar

In which Indian city is the Golden Temple, the holy place for Sikhs, situated? a) Amritsar b) Bhatinda c) Meerut

Mark Twain Amritsar Myanmar 50 Finding Nemo

2 4 6 8 10

Name the author of the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. a) J.K. Rowling b) Mark Twain c) Lord Byron

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

1 3 5 7 9

Know for Sure Quiz

S C H O O L

contents

L I V E 5 6 8

Editor’s Note Encyclopædia Britannica School in Spotlight

COVER

12 17 18 20 22 23 24 26 28 30 32 37 40 42 44 52

Exclusive: Exams and Stress Not! Positively Positive Slam Poetry Teen Travels Fit for Life Blog SL@ NBT Book Fair Art Attack CyberSafe Fun Side: Crosswords, Cartoons! DIY: Light Box Storytelling View-on-the-News Study Guide: Dealing with Deferrals Rap Up Watch this Space

Quick Edit

hardly remember the time I was a student giving exams in school. But I do remember solving math problems hidden under my physics book. Because balance is rarely a thing students feel can be mustered. The whole endeavor for the issue has been to find ways for students to feel the burden less, an outlet for them to pour out. Mahika Khanduri did so through her poem, and Ishita Saxena did so by her art. While exam is one part of it, Ishani Khemka writes a beautiful story of how education itself can be a life changing experience. This issue is also filled with all the fun children had at our stall at the NBT Book Fair: the book reviews they wrote and the pictures they clicked! Thank you for a very heartwarming response. We, at School Live, wish you a very good luck for the exams.

“Happy Reading!” Mansi Tikoo

Juniors

56 Junior DIY 58 Junior Rap Up

SCHOOL LIVE

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Tending the

Tender

As one of the premier institutions for primary education, Tender Hearts has made its mark on the city of Nawabs. Team School Live had the opportunity of interacting with Mrs Roopa Khanna, the Founder Principal.

care was taken to give personal attention to children while ensuring their academic excellence, and in a short Q. What was the idea behind the Thus, the school was started in 1 span of time the school created a niche foundation of the school? room with 1 section of pre-nursery in the academic circles of Lucknow A. Around 30 years back, we concep- and only 3 students with the idea of and is now proud to have 4 branches tualised the idea of a kindergarten imparting education beyond the text- in the city. school keeping in mind my daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s books at an affordable price. It was education. Being an educationist with felt that though the same books are Q. Since its inception, what do specialisation in child psychology, I followed in many schools, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the cur- you feel have been some of the noticed a gap between the theory and riculum and the way education is im- major changes in the institution? practices being followed in most of the parted which makes the difference. So A The Mantras to Success: Keeping pre-primary schools and my desire to we started designing the curriculum pace with changing times set up a good pre-school, putting my and modifying our pedagogy keeping THS started with Montessori methlearning into practice, grew stronger. in mind the ease of learning. A lot of od of teaching but over the time pe-

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S c h o o l

Mrs Roopa Khanna

Founder Principal Tender Hearts School, Lucknow

riod it has evolved from Pre- Primary to Primary then Secondary and now going to be Senior Secondary School. In due course it has also adopted varying modern methods of teaching like technology assisted teaching, Cross-curriculum teaching, Project based learning/co-operative learning wherein innovative and enterprising practices are encouraged providing a stimulating environment to ensure holistic development of the students. Q. What would you say are some of the major achievements of the

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teachers and the students. Amassing knowledge on various topics, getting a knowhow of world affair and becoming aware of various views has come on a click. At Tender Hearts School we not only teach about various technological advances around the world but also its uses. But use of technology is double edged. So we try to make our students aware of the pitfalls and help them develop the wisdom and skill to use the technology judiciously. We are also trying to make our administrative work paperless with the use of technology. It’s our bit towards saving our environment. The digital school? class has brought a better understandA In my view the major achieve- ing of the topics. The teaching learning ment of a school can be judged in process has become more joyful and two categories: first, growth of assets interactive with the amalgamation of and second, the success of students. technology along with the traditional With the swelling number of chil- way of teaching. It is said that ‘a picdren seeking admission in Tender ture speaks a thousand words,’ hence, Hearts School in every session and the animation has helped enhance establishment of four branches we students understanding of various have surely proved our mettle and topics. At Tender Hearts School we were able to win the faith of parents aim to develop techno-savvy attitude with quality education imparted to in young THSitians. students over the years. When it comes to the success of our alumni, Q. Do you think social media is we can surely be boisterous of having interfering with the educational many successful professionals and value on the internet? businessmen as our alumni. A. I won’t deny that present generation is exposed to a lot of varied ideas in Q. How has the school integrated social media on the internet. This has technology with education and its own pros and cons. It makes child what do you feel are the chal- aware that of one issue there might be lenges associated with it? various viewpoints and they’ll have A. The use of technology has opened a to learn to respect them all. Some plethora of opportunities for both the of these interface are enriching and

Being an educationist with specialisation in child psychology, I noticed a gap between the theory and practices being followed in most of the pre-primary schools and my desire to set up a good pre-school, putting my learning into practice, grew stronger.

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S p o t l i g h t Q. How accessible is the school for parents? A. THS believes that school and parents are equal stakeholders when it comes to a child’s education. So it’s very important that there are constant interactions between the two. Keeping in mind this philosophy regular parent-teacher interaction is organised and recorded for further follow ups. Beyond these separate interactions are organised to address parent grievances.

help in broadening the horizon. But as we all know that every crowd has its own black sheep and if we are able to imbibe true values in our children and are able to keep them grounded then let’s not be worried about the effect of social media or the internet. I feel that good schooling plays a very important role in this as it can not only keep the child hooked to their own culture, tradition and values but also makes them emotionally strong to overcome any such influences. Q. What is the educational philosophy of the school? A. At THS, we strongly believe that every child can learn and we only need to know the strong intelligences of the child, understand their needs and provide learning opportunities that match their abilities. Common sense tells us that the world not only needs doctors and engineers but also writers, artists and dancers. THS provides opportunities for a child to use his/ her inclinations to promote growth

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Common sense tells us that the world not only needs doctors and engineers but also writers, artists and dancers. THS provides opportunities for a child to use his/her inclinations to promote growth and nurture curious, independent and forward thinking citizens. and nurture curious, independent and forward thinking citizens. Keeping in mind these traits the students are coached in various hobbies and guided in developing various skills that will help them stand tall in a milieu. We do our best for the students to be confident and tension free so as to usher them in a wave of new hope, equip them with the courage to face any challenges they may come across.

SCHOOL LIVE

Q. What is the school’s policy when it comes to dealing with indiscipline? A. We believe that discipline is a state of mind so a sense of discipline is to be inculcated from the childhood. Letting the children know the logical aspects of being disciplined helps us motivate them for self-discipline. Irrespective of all these approaches if there is a case of indiscipline then we first try to understand the root cause then follow it up with child counselling and parent interaction. In repeated cases of indiscipline the school authority issues Disciplinary Card for warning the child against strict disciplinary action followed by rustication. Q. What are some of the future goals of Tender Hearts? A. As Dr A P J Abdul Kalam puts it “A dream is not that which you see while sleeping, it is something that does not let you sleep.” Believing strongly in this philosophy, Tender Hearts School, Lucknow not only tries to motivate the THSitians to dream big but also helps them in their strife to achieve success. We are focusing on imparting education which could evoke a passion for learning and develop the requisite sets of attitude, skills and knowledge that would enable our learner to maximize their potential towards being positive and responsible thus improving their participation in our democratic and rapidly progressing global community.

W o r t h y

O p p o n e n t

Crack in the Board?

It was recently reported that Class X boards are likely to return from the year 2018. We asked our reporters if they felt boards are necessary for education in India. For the Better of Students

strongly believe that class X boards deserve a comeback. On the rationale factor, boards are perfect for providing standardisation and uniformity in the education field and ensuring quality of education among schools. Considering the ground realities, the last session witnessed a significant number of government school students failing in class XI, as evaluation system became more demanding at the senior school level. No real learning could take place under CCE system and boards do come with major breakthrough in such circumstances. This standardisation along with ensuring fair play and quality, also helps students. Class X board exams act as a net practice for class XII exams. The entire examination process should be taken as an experience that teaches the 15-16 year old teenagers to handle and tackle stress and most importantly inculcate habits and life skills, like timemanagement, prioritisation, planning, scheduling etc. Of the controversy since the beginning of the decision, it was reported that, “The Maharashtra government ruled that only those CBSE students who took the board exams were eligible to apply to junior colleges through the centralised admission process (CAP).” Those who claim CCE is a better system to assess a child than boards for their holistic development, let me reiterate that the system of CCE requires highly skilled teachers, which aren’t available in public schools. With an already shortage of teachers in India, this makes the execution of this idea impossible at so many levels. Class X boards are actually a mandate for us to see the standards of education of India growing. Good marks scored in exams act as a basis for scholarship. And this will be a major step in pushing students and helping them prepare for a better future. By Simran Sachdeva Class XI New Era Public School , Mayapuri

More Harm than Good

don’t believed that the current CCE pattern is perfect - there’s definitely room for improvement, but I think standardised, compulsory boards have more harms than benefits. The current pattern is more involving. Instead of dusting off my books to study three months before board exams, I am forced to constantly refer to my curriculum, for FAs and school tests. The current pattern is more forgiving: success is not an absolute result. And more importantly, we cannot allow our children to be moulded by a mentality which dictates that percentages are the final evaluation of your success. The current pattern is more accommodating: I wish to pursue higher studies in the United States, where colleges assess you as a holistic individual. They go beyond your transcripts (not that those aren’t important) and take into consideration your contributions to the world. Grades 10 and 11 become the most significant years for students applying abroad, because they’re the best time to explore and hone your skills, as well as give back to society. The system in itself is very ambiguous: From syllabus to checking, every aspect of this standardised testing system is protected from scepticism, and features anomalies every year. That results in students taking on undue pressure, just to ensure they’re able to cover everything. I’ve grown up listening to rumours about the terrors of getting a board paper rechecked, and math papers which can give your class topper nightmares. Boards send out a very clear message. To do well, or be branded incompetent: India is a society which will probably care more about the double digit number printed in your report card than the fact that their sons are growing up as threats to society. The point being, our entire education system, our conception of success, is dependent entirely on marks. We have more substance than numbers. We always will. Then why are we assessed based solely on ONE set of numbers? By Lusha Jetley Class X Sanskriti School, New Delhi

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Exams & Stress Not!

The period of examinations is generally extremely stressful for everyone in the family. The child may want to avoid his or her exams. If there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough pressure on the child from the outside, students often put additional pressure on themselves as well. We have our expert Dr. Prerna Kohli, Family and Child Psychologist, on how to detect and manage exam related stress.

12 2017 CC HH OO OO LL LL IV EE 12| || Volume | Volume3 |3Issue | Issue4 |4February | February 2017S S IV

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s a parent of a school going child, there will be stress during the examination season. Either your child will be stressed or you the parent will be stressed. This article is focused on the stress on the student and how the parents and the school can handle it. The period of examinations is generally extremely stressful for everyone in the family. The child may want to avoid his or her exams. They also may want to avoid studying and revising for approaching exams. They procrastinate by daydreaming, watching TV, or wasting time on social media. As a parent you are worried about their education, as your belief is that if they excel in school and perform well in their education, they will have a larger number of opportunities in life and a choice of best colleges to attend. Your concerns are valid and legitimate. Your concerns about your child’s future are valid about how they perform in their board exams, or other class exams. Yet you need to step back and appreciate how worrisome and intimidating it is for the child. Not only is preparing, and sitting for the exams a difficult task, the post examination period is even more worrisome. The number of children who start to suffer from post examination syndrome is astounding. You as a parent have to be strong, and help your school going child through this trying time. You need to listen to them, and understand their fears and provide sufficient encouragement and distraction for them. Given below are my tips on making the examination time less stressful.

Pre-examination tips:

• • •

A relaxed and comfortable place to study If you don’t have a quiet spot in your house, see if they can study at a neighbor or friend’s house As a parent, understand that some children learn better with background “sound”. If they are listening to music or TV in the background for “white noise” it may be the best thing for them Be flexible with the families schedule, to accommodate the student Connect with the teachers at school, to see if they have any tips to help your child perform better in the upcoming exams This is a time to have a flexible timetable for your

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E x c l u s i v e child, on when to bathe, eat, exercise etc. Remember exercise is very important • Let your child know that it is never too late to start to prepare for the exams or to seek help from teachers, tutors and friends • Don’t bribe your child to study, teach them to study and perform well for their own satisfaction and success • Planning a dinner, a movie or any other small distraction such as visit to a friend’s or relative’s house is a good diversion • As a parent, you need to keep calm and remain positive, your child will pick up your vibes and if you are stressed, this will add to their stress • There is always another chance in life, many times children get so stressed that they take irreversible steps, you don’t want your child to take any steps that they or you may regret A lot of students get confused between examination pressure and examination stress. Both parents need cial; it creates motivation and the deto understand and appreciate the dif- sire to excel. Additionally, pressure ference between stress and pressure. is what makes a lump of coal into a From a Psychologist’s point of view, diamond. Pressure ensures that the pressure can be healthy and benefi- student is motivated to excel, and

A lot of students get confused between examination pressure and examination stress. Both parents need to understand and appreciate the difference between stress and pressure. doesn’t have time to be idle, and enjoys his or her free moments of rest and recreation. Pressure to excel makes a person perform. The term “peer pressure” i.e. when you find that a friend is getting better grades than

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SCHOOL LIVE

E x c l u s i v e pressure for a long period of time, it becomes stressful and exam preparation and study seems impossible. The question that comes to mind is why do students (and their parents) undergo examination stress? While exam stress is expected and normal, in fact if a student is not under stress prior to an exam that should be a matter of concern. The reason for stress can be as simple as memorizing and learning a very large amount of course material, and being unsure of what will be in the examination paper. Students have this fear that if they leave a particular chapter or topic of the course mate-

Stress has connotations of negativity; and leads to a do or die situation. One of the best definitions of examination stress is “an individual’s response to pressure.” A small amount of pressure can be useful to keep you focused during exam time. you pressurize you to perform better. Think of runners standing at the starting line of a race. Each one of them is under pressure to run faster than the others, this pressure makes them excel. Stress on the other hand is negative, and manifests itself as depression, if it continues to prolong itself. Stress can be defined as “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.” Stress has connotations of negativity; and leads to a do or die situation. One of the best definitions of examination stress is “an individual’s response to pressure.” A small amount of pressure can be useful to keep you focused during exam time. However, for some students, when they experience too much

rial, the paper may just cover that. The other reason is that the outcome of the examination will alter the path of their future life. Stress levels and the ability to handle stress vary from individual to individual, no two people are alike and neither is their ability to handle stress. Both parents and the students need to watch out for these symptoms of examinations stress, and if they notice these symptoms of stress they need to engage in stress release activities or if necessary talk to an experienced psychologist or counselor. The symptoms of examination stress are • Difficulty in sleeping • Difficulty in waking up in the morning

•

Low Motivation levels to start a new chapter, new subject etc • Procrastination • Not socializing with friends and family • Being nasty and unpleasant to parents, siblings and others at home • Mind going blank prior or during an exam • Feeling sick, or wanting to vomit, or rapid heartbeat, cold and clammy hands, unsettled stomach While many students will experience these symptoms during the examination season, these are neither healthy nor constructive, and both parents and the students need to work around mitigating these symptoms.

To manage exam stress the student must do the following: •

•

Have a regular exercise regime, (pre-exams in not the time to spend hours and hours in the gym) the regime should be brief and not very strenuous, a good idea is to do 20-30 minutes of stretching exercises, push-ups, sit-ups, planks etc Set aside time to relax, i.e. watch TV, Facebook, etc., give yourself targets, once I have studied Maths for 90 minutes, I will Facebook for 10 minutes. The relaxation should be about 10% of the time. So if you study for 3 hours at a stretch, take 15-20 minutes break. Sleep well, don’t shortchange your body on the sleep you require, during the exam period 6-7 hours of sleep is mandatory Eat, and eat healthy, a pizza is not a bad reward, but your diet should consist of nutritious and healthy food Avoid comparing yourself to your friends, specially the num-

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About Dr. Prerna Kohli

Dr. Kohli believes that “You can talk with a close friend or relative about what’s troubling you; but it’s not the same as professionally-trained experienced psychologist who knows exactly what kind of help you need.” She is a 100 women Achievers Award Winner (2016) from the Honorable President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee. Dr. Prerna Kohli is a Clinical Psychologist, a Public Speaker, a Workshop Facilitator and a Holistic Practitioner. She offers Heart-based workshops and lectures that focus on Life Balance, Self-awareness and Inner Peace. Dedicated to sharing her knowledge and compassion with others, Prerna blends intuitive wisdom with solid understanding, creating a powerful holistic approach, specializing in the areas of Emotional change. Dr. Prerna Kohli is a leading Psychologist in India and provides families, individuals, parents and children counseling on being happy.

So one should not fight the pressure, instead, feed off this pressure and turn the pressure into motivation to do your best. Below are some of my favorite tips on performing better on the upcoming exams.

Exam tips:

•

• ber of hours he/she is studying • Quit habits that come in the way of concentrating on your studies, this is not the time to indulge yourself • Don’t do any exam post-mortem, analyzing how you did on the • exam is not going to fix anything Something that both the parent and student need to remember is that these exams or their results do not define who the student is as a human • being. The exams are only for a brief period and will come and go away soon enough. American Basketball player Kobe Bryant said “Everything negative - pressure, challenges - is all an opportunity for me to rise.” Motivational speaker Ben Caron aptly said, that no matter how good you are at planning (or preparing for examinations), the pressure (to excel in the exams) never goes away.

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Encourage them to ready their exam equipment, such as pencils, pens, notebooks and other stationary If they are going for a board exam, to a different center than their usual school, do a dry run, on how long it takes to reach the exam center at the scheduled time, as parent keep your vehicle prepped up. Prepare a checklist of what they need to carry with them, run through the checklist to make sure that everything is assembled Make sure that your child un-

Something that both the parent and student need to remember is that these exams or their results do not define who the student is as a human being.

SCHOOL LIVE

derstands and believes that you are proud of them, and will love them irrespective of how they fare in the exams. Create an environment of encouragement and positivity around them. In some families it is about eating a special meal (sweet rice and curd) and a quick trip to the neighborhood temple, create a pre-exam routine for your child

Post the exam tips:

The period after the exams is a time to talk about how your children feel, allow them to talk while you listen to them. Ensure that they don’t focus on their mistakes. This is a good time to share your own experiences of examinations when you were growing up. This is a time to provide encouragement and allay their fears, plan on some fun activities with your child. In India board exams (class X, and specifically class XII) and the ensuing results are an important milestone in a child’s life, they have their own fears and apprehensions of the future, you are as parent need to the calming force and energy in this period.

A wise person said: “When thinking of life, no amount of guilt can solve the past, and no amount of anxiety can solve the future.”

P o s i t i v e l y

P o s i t i v e

Leading the Change A class VII student from American School of Bombay decided to do his bit at helping children fight cancer. Arav Hak spoke to School LIVE

ow did the idea of the fundraiser come to you? My mother, Nikita, had worked on fundraising about a year before me in association with the Nargis Dutt Foundation and she would tell me all these stories of how fortunate I am to be healthy, and since then I have felt that no child should have to go through the pain of a disease that could potentially end their life for the want of financial resources. When I got to know that the minimum age was 12 yrs to participate in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, I took the opportunity to raise funds and create awareness about children fighting cancer. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m raising funds for the Nargis Dutt Foundation who have done a lot of work in the field of cancer.

missed it ;)

Who has been your biggest inspiration in the process? My mother has been one of my biggest inspirations. What has been your biggest takeaway from this experience? My biggest takeaway was that I am privileged with health and resources for no reason besides birth and I should try and make this count for people who might not be as fortu- pact on your daily school life? nate. It made it harder for me to complete Did this experience have an im- my homework and sometimes I even

How would you wish to grow this endeavor in times to come? I hope to fundraise in the future as well and maybe interact even more with patients and hope I am able to inspire more kids to take up a cause they are passionate about.Â How can anyone reading this be of help? Child or an adult? You could always be of help by contributing towards my cause by reaching me at 9820156773. For parents, if you take up something like this, your child will follow by example and if most people will do this, the world will no doubt be a better place.

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S l a m

P o e t r y

TRAUMA Blue ink, stays scattered as words, across the sheet. A torn exam paper, with limp ends, covers my school table, as a residue of my knowledge. My shirt is heavy with sweat. My desk retains the time-passed carvings. My pencil box, punctured by the staple pins. My mind carries the trauma. T, not for the terrific scores I received, but for the tragic loss of my mental state, for the terrible lack of understanding shown for my condition, for the triumph of anxiety over stability, for the triumph of insanity over benevolence; over my humanity. R, not for the radiant smiles on my parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; faces, but for the rage that I manifested through continuous sips of strong, bitter coffee at midnight, through the muffled bawling in the cushions, through the crumpled pages, through the excessive use of bandages. A, not for the astounding looks from the teachers, but for the alarming amount of syllabus; from memorising the adverse effects of taxes on production, to evaluating the atrocious methods of the Nazis; from being apathetic about the intricate formulae of 3D figures. to cramming the awful structure of benzene; â&#x20AC;Ś from almost dying, to somehow surviving, to fulfil my feat.

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SCHOOL LIVE

S l a m

P o e t r y

U, not for the upgrade in my grades, but for the unrealistic education standards set by the society, which I met, but at the cost of my health. At the cost of my body, at the cost of my humane self. At the cost… of my sanity. M, not for the mesmerising handwriting highly appreciated by the principal, but for my mindfulness, that went missing; the meliorism, that turned into mistrust; the magic in life, that became mundane; the mercy, that never came. A, we have here, once again. But this time, it won’t be the same. As monotony needs to be broken at times, may it be in this poem, or with the anxiety I experienced on pre-exam nights. Because I am not the only one to have suffered, the pressure, compulsion, duress, of scoring and of competing with one another. And now... Blue ink stays scattered throughout my bed sheet. A torn fabric, with hanging fibres masks my pillows as a residue of my screams. My blanket is heavy with scribbles. My desk retains the screeching nail marks. My pencil box, punctured by the compass holes. My mind… still carrying the trauma.

By Mahika Khanduri Class XI Step By Step School, Noida

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Volume 3 | Issue 04 | February 2017 | 19

T e e n

T r a v e l s

a d d a Dug

s e i r Dia Sahyog’ trip , S B ‘S n a s e is ents rgan Our school or a selected group of stud work each year, fo village for a few days andis time, to travel to a reas of problem there. Thm and towards the af this trip in the Music teaexactly it I was part o nal entries proving why ’. r n here’s my jou OTHING like a ‘vacatio was N

20 20|| | |Volume Volume3 3| Issue | Issue4 4| February | February2017 2017S SCCHHOOOOL LL LI IVVE E

T e e n

12th October 2016

7:02 pm - Just reached our small campsite in a beauti-

ful valley. The weather is pleasant and the tents are cosy. BUT the highlight is the washroom, with a non-existent flush covered in cobwebs. I do not plan on using it for the next three days (even if that sounds right about impossible). 9:27 pm – We just interacted with villagers in Dugadda about the health kits we provided them last time. I made friends with this college-going girl, Savita. She invited me over for dinner also. But we had to return to the campsite. It’s really dark and cold now and I’m shivering on wet grass, having dinner. Paneer is yum! We’re going to play cards inside the tent tonight.

13th October 2016

6:13 am - Woke up half an hour back due to the chill.

Sleeping bags were comfortable though. Brushed in the open, in freezing water! Watching everyone spit was disgusting. There’s a yoga session to freshen up now. 5:43 pm – Right after breakfast we trekked 4 km uphill, to a village school. Not very tiring for me, but few others died several times during the climb. I painted a whole wall in a classroom, for 2 hours. Then we went to a villager’s house for lunch. I, along with my team, made the dough, rolled rotis and heated them on a Choolha. After lunch our whole group of 18 students paraded in the whole village using my Dafli, lovingly called ‘Dalfy the dafli’. Leading the parade felt good as I yelled my lungs out and everyone repeated after me. Back at the school, I started my music session with the kids. They looked pretty excited, and enthusiastic to learn. 7:55 pm – Sitting in the stream right below our campsite. People are jumping around on rocks and I’m having pakodas and tea. It’s so pleasant!

14th October 2016

7:40 am – I’m getting used to the cold. Using the

washroom was a stressful task but it had to be done. I just had Aloo parathas for breakfast and oh god they were so good! 3:30 pm – Prepared my music kids for the cultural

T r a v e l s

evening today at school. All the girls got dressed in their best outfits for the show. Now we’re at the hall where the event is going to begin soon. All the villagers are going to come and watch and my students were slightly nervous, so I gave them a pep talk. This kid, Vipin, is annoying me and snatching my Dafli. 5:20 pm – Cultural evening was a major success! My kids sang Bum Bum Bole, and Bedhu Paako (kumaoni song). Dance and drama performances were great too. Many villagers came to watch us and enjoyed thoroughly. Now we’re back at the campsite, after an exhausting day. But I have a sense of accomplishment after all the work I did today. 10:53 pm – Had an amazing bonfire tonight. We sang songs, did rap battles and danced around the fire like tribals and tried to imitate Drake. I realise how on this journey, I’ve made so many new friends with juniors and seniors in my school I didn’t even know earlier. And three of my closest friends were with me on this trip, so I was very comfortable.

15th October 2016

10:28 am – Currently sitting at a temple in Devalsari.

We trekked to this place through the beautiful woods and felt like we’re in a music video. When the second group was about to reach we all pretended to be dead, lying on the grass! But it was a fail. 4:17 pm – The walk back from Devalsari to the campsite was silent and peaceful. There were moments of insight and deep realisations, but that was temporary till we all got back into our bus. The bus journey was in a nutshell- crazy. We laughed and insulted each other most of the time, and sang till our voices cracked. Now we’ve just reached Dehradun station and are about to board the train to Delhi. 11:13 pm – Just reached Delhi. I sprinted towards mom after getting down from the train and it was a slow motion Bollywood sort of reunion, after an overwhelming and truly, one of a kind trip. By Ayesha Thatte Class XI Step by Step School, Noida

SSCCHHOOOOLLLLI IVVEE Volume Volume3 3| Issue | Issue044 | February 2017 | 21

F i t

f o r

L i f e

Exam Foods

It is important to eat a thinking diet all of February to ensure that you do better in your exams. That’s because learning, your concentration levels and even your memory is definitely affected by what you eat. Our expert Kavita Devgan on eating right during the exam time.

ne big myth is that carbohydrates lead to weight gain or make a person sleepy. It is very important to eat the carbohydrates every day and especially, during exam times, as brain is a carbo-craver. Yet, please also understand that it’s a smart hog and is extremely selective about the type of sugars it craves and how it processes them. So, while it is important to give it a nice steady supply ensure that it chugs along smoothly at a steady pace, it is all important to choose the right kind of sugars and carbohydrates to eat. Some carbohydrates calm behavior (the unrefined kinds), and others excite it. It is best to avoid excess of the highly refined, highly processed “junk sugars” found in candy, icings, syrups, packaged baked goods, and table sugar. These sugars lead to a high and low blood sugar roller-coaster, which affects moods and concentration negatively. It is also important to eat the carbs which rate low on the glycemic index (GI). The rate at which sugar from a particular food enters brain cells and other cells of the body is called the “glycemic index” (GI) of a particular food. Foods with a high glycemic index lead to mood swings. Foods with the best brain sugars include the following: fruits apples, cherries, oranges, and grapes have a low glycemic index. Even banana releases sugar slowly is the body and is a good choice. Fruits have a lower G.I than fruit juices, because the fiber in the fruit slows the absorption of the fruit sugar. Amongst cereals and grains: oatmeal and wheat are the

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best, spaghetti and rice come next. Corn flakes and sugar-coated cereals have higher G.I so need to be avoided. Most vegetables are okay to have. As salads contain mostly foods with a low glycemic index, they are an excellent school lunch, contributing to maximum mental performance. Another important thing to remember is that eating too much at any meal, regardless of the carbohydrate or protein content, seems to diminish mental performance. So stick to small, but filling meals. Huge and high-fat meals divert the blood supply away from the brain to the digestive tract and cause sluggishness and fatigue. Ideally keep all meals low-calorie, high-protein meal that also contains complex carbohy-

SCHOOL LIVE

drates to stay alert and active through the day. Also keep grazing at regular intervals. When there are huge gaps between meals children simply run out of fuel and when blood-sugar levels go down, stress hormones kick in to raise it up again, and concentration gets negatively affected. Banana, roasted channa, carrots, fruits, roasted chivda, yoghurt, boiled egg, nuts and seeds are all good snack options. Avoid fried foods thought as they will make you feel drowsy and lethargic. Finally, it is also important to hydrate your body enough. Besides minimum 8 glasses of water, also eat enough water rich foods like fruits and vegetables, soups and broths, and make sure you sip enough water!

Moving ‘Homes’

B l o g

How does it feel to move away from the place you finally found your comfort at, and move to an alien space, and seek for something which isn’t even there. Aditya Vir Singh on his experience of moving to the US, and leaving life, as we know it, behind.

f there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years of moving from place to place, forgetting places upon places, ceasing friendships upon friendships, is that it’s not easy. In fact, it might be one of the hardest things in the world. And so to have done it once more — just when I felt like I’d truly found my place, just when I was on the final stretch to college, just when I’d found the people worth calling home — is hard to just brush off as if it means nothing. Because in all honesty, it meant everything. It’s painfully easy for people to say that life goes on, and not know how much it hurts that you can’t will it to slow down sometimes. All I can do is sit thousands of miles away from those who I never wanted to leave. And that constant, nagging feeling of injustice, how this should never have happened. How I should never have been made to leave the skies in which I’d seen stars when there were none to see. How I should never have left the streets, which despite their blankets of dust, had swept me to adventures I cherish as sacred memories now. How I should have stayed in that school, because never before had a school felt more like a home, a class more like a family. How I should have

stayed to spend more time with the people who made each and every day better. It’s not fair. I read somewhere that it’s not wrong at all to miss a place after having moved, that the fact that you miss it so much strengthens the fact that it really was home. They also say that after a point you have to begin that arduous journey of moving on, opening your eyes to the new world in front of you, and keep the old one in a small chest in the safest corner of your heart. Still, all these words pass by me as mist, because longing is a feeling I’ve found is the hardest of all to put down. It’s near impossible to not walk down my new school’s hallways and not glance someone’s hair and be transported backwards in time. It’s hard for me to tell a joke to new faces and not crave for the same laughs it had elicited back home. It’s heart-crushing to see huddles of friends chatting the day along and being given the task of trying to include myself in their decade long relationships. It’s difficult to have a small part of you try helplessly to convince you that the wiser thing is to adapt, fast.

And it’s even worse when the rest of you realizes that the voice is right, that it’s time to set emotions aside for a while, and focus on the road ahead. So each each day I wake up twice: once from my sleep, and then again from this daydream. I go to school. Do my work. Give my share of hellos, funny things, advice, and helping hands. I chat with the people who smile at me, I try and open up to them. And slowly, piece by piece, I understand that these strange faces might soon become friendly ones, that my moving on is not in vain. But each day when I have no work, when I’m sitting alone, I think back to yesterday. The yesterday that remains a persistent companion for me. The yesterday where I’d left my heart behind. The yesterday whose voice calls out to me when my thoughts are askew. For me, yesterday was four months ago.

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By Aditya Vir Singh Grade XI John Hardin High School, Elizabethtown, KY

Volume 3 | Issue 04 | February 2017 | 23

S L @ N B T

B o o k

F a i r

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S L @ N B T

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F a i r

Volume 3 | Issue 4 | February 2017 | 25

A r t

A t t a c k

Black & White Hues By Ishita Saxena Class XI Ahlcon International School, Mayur Vihar

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A r t

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A t t a c k

Volume 3 | Issue 4 | February 2017 | 27

C y b e r S a f e

Decoding Bitcoin

Do you know that last week a group of hackers managed to infect the computer network of Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) in USA with a ransomware and demanded US$28,000 payment in Bitcoins to get it back online? Our cyber expert Amit Dubey explains

ansomware is a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid, it has turned on to a noxious game for Hackers to get paid effortlessly. Ransomware attacks are typically carried out using a Trojan that has a payload disguised as a legitimate file. In this case, the attack occurred over winter break and caused widespread disruption to online, financial, email and voicemail systems, including locking out 1,800 students and staff from their computers. As

28 | | Volume 3 | Issue 4 | February 2017

the situation went out of control, the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) agreed to pay the ransom demand of $28,000 in Bitcoin to criminals and got the decryption keys. Now other than the ransomware, the thing which attracted me more is the word bitcoin and why the criminals had asked the payment in bitcoins. Today, if I ask the average person what word comes to their mind when they think of a bitcoin, three of the most common responses will likely be “anonymous”, “untraceable”

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and “a currency for criminals.” Before we dig into these details, let’s try to simplify the word bitcoin. Let’s understand the financial transaction world from the beginning. Suppose, I have a 10 rupee note and I want to give that to you. When I handover the note physically to you, you have a 10 rupee note and I have nothing. Simple Transaction, Right? As you physically possessed the note and you know the transaction happened, you could touch and feel it.

C y b e r S a f e We didn’t need the verification from any third person. Two of us are sufficient enough to do such a transfer of money. Because you physically hold the money, you don’t need to maintain the records, you can give that money to someone else easily and I don’t need to be in that picture at all. Now suppose, I have ten digital rupees and here, I’ll give you my digital ten rupees. Now it gets interesting! How would you know that my ten digital rupees which were mine, is now yours, and only yours? How do you know that I haven’t given that ten digital rupees to someone else too or to many people? I could have made hundreds of copies of my digital money on my

server (make him ledger-in-charge) and somebody hacks that system and modifies the entries. This will create lots of problem and it doesn’t seem secure. What if we gave this ledger to everybody? Instead of the ledger living on a computer server, it’ll reside in everybody’s computers. All the transactions that have ever happened, in digital money, will be recorded in it. Nobody can cheat. I can’t add or remove anything from ledgers because then it wouldn’t sync up with

large-scale transactional crime. Bitcoins essentially allow criminals to make peer-to-peer cash transactions at enormous scale. But in my view, this happens with any new technology, any such disruption is first used by criminals and then it evolves with time and eventually law enforcement guidelines are put in place. The similar thing, one heard when internet was growing fast as it gave open communication channel to criminals, they would have made internet as an effective tool of committing their crime but

everybody else in the system. If the distribution of ledger nodes is in millions, it would become a very secure system and almost impossible to beat. This system which I explained just now is called the Blockchain. And those digital money is called bitcoins within the system. But why criminals are so attracted to Bitcoins? Because block chain stores data anonymously, it assigns the user crypto private key and that is the only identification for that transaction, Anonymous online currencies helping criminals to launder massive amounts of money, cross-border transactions and most importantly anonymity, to execute

today internet seems much secure. It’s an integral part of our lives and an important source of information in our day to day activities. Of course, innovators are coming up with new ways to increase privacy, on the bitcoin, blockchain and for other types of cryptocurrencies, so law enforcement will continue to evolve and adapt to meet the challenges of new technology. Once this Unique Identification Number gets linked to your address or to your passport, many such problems should be solved, ensuring safe and secure financial world. Let’s welcome this new financial world open heartedly.

If I ask the average person what word comes to their mind when they think of a bitcoin, three of the most common responses will likely be “anonymous”, “untraceable” and “a currency for criminals.” computer. As you see, this digital exchange is a bit of a problem. Sending digital money doesn’t look like exchanging physical money. Maybe these digital ten rupees transaction need to be tracked in a ledger. It’s basically a book where you track all transactions – an accounting book. This ledger, since it’s digital, needs to live in its own world and needs to have someone in charge of it. But, how many ledgers will you create, and what if the person who is in charge of the ledger changes his mind and starts cheating people. Or we keep these records on a

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Volume 3 | Issue 04 | February 2017 | 29

CROSSWORD NO. 4 1

OSSWORD NO. 4 1

ACROSS: 6. Improvement (10) 7. Small burrowing mammal (4) 11 tube for drawing body 8.10 Slender fluids13(8) 9.16 Past tense of 'to be' (3) 10. Swindle (3) 12. Eye-sore (4) 18 13. Not here (4) 14. Faucet (3) 16. Battle (3) 17. Made great effort (8) 18. Archaic for ' you' (4) 19. Sea change (10)

12 10

11 14

12 14

ACROSS: A. They a Trait 6. Share Improvement (10) SS: DOWN: 7. Small burrowing mammal provement (10) 1. Display (13)(4) 8.mammal Slender drawing(4) body mall burrowing (4)tube2.for Capable ender tube for drawing body 3. Adheres (6) fluids (8) ds (8) (6) 9. Past tense of4.'toTidier be' (3) st tense of 'to (3) 10.be' Swindle (3) 5. Global (13) B. The Sleeping Genius windle (3) 12. Eye-sore (4) 9. Moist (3) e-sore (4) 13. Not here (4) 11. Prohibit (3) t here (4) 14. Faucet (3) 15. Larder (6) ucet (3) 16. Start doing 16. Battle (3) ttle (3) something 17. Made great effort (8) ade great effort (8) forcefully (4, 2) 18. Archaic for ' you' (4) chaic for ' you' (4) C. The Body Machine 18. Wee (4) 19. Sea change (10) a change (10) The cat, the giraffe and the camel have one trait that sets them apar t from other mammals. What’s this trait?

The physicist and Nobel laureate, Niels Bohr was once giving a speech at a function at which the famous Indian scientist, Professor ___ ___ ___ was also present and sharing the dais with him. While explaining a point, Bohr wrote a question on a blackboard and started working it out but got stuck halfway. He turned to ____ and said, “Could Professor ___ help me?” The audience was amused because the professor was sitting with his eyes closed and looked as if he were asleep. ___ got up, took the chalk from the other man and solved the problem. Then he sat down and closed his eyes again, and one could imagine him pondering over the mysteries of sub-atomic particles one of which is named after him. Can you fill in the name of the scientist?

DOW 1. D 2. C 3. A 4. T 5. G 9. M 11. P 15. L 16. S s fo 18. W

DOWN: 1. Display (13) Compiled by : Kamala Chand 2. Capable (4) 3. Adheres ©(6) Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya V 4. Tidier (6) 5. Global (13) 9. Moist (3) ANSWERS: 11. Prohibit (3) 15. Larder (6) ACROSS: 16. Start doing 6. something Betterment 7. Mole 8. Catheter 9. 12.forcefully Stye 13.(4, Away 2) 14. Tap 16. War 17 18.Wee Thou(4) 19. Conversion 18.

One of the statements below is false. Which one?

Answers DOWN: 1. Demonstration 2. Able 3. Sticks 4. 5. International 9. Wet 11. Bar 15. P Compiled by : Kamala Chandrakant Compiled by : Kamala Chandrakant 16. Wade in 18. Tiny 04/ © Amrita Bharati, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2017

DOWN: 1. Demonstration 2. Able 3. Sticks 4. Neater 5. International 9. Wet 11. Bar 15. Pantry 16. Wade in 18. Tiny

a. Women’s hearts beat faster than men’s to make up for their smaller size. b. The big toes help us maintain balance and propel ourselves forward while walking. c. It’s impossible to sneeze with your eyes open. d. Like fingerprints, tongue prints too are unique to each person. e. The stomach is not a vital organ; one can live without it. f. Having 20/20 vision means you have perfect vision.

Answers: A. 1.Cats, camels and giraffes walk with both left feet moving, then both right feet moving; when other animals take a step, the foot that goes forward is the front right with the back left or the front left with the back right. 2.Satyendra Nath Bose. The boson is named after him. 3. Having 20/20 vision means you have average or normal vision — you can see at 20 feet what an average person can see at 20 feet. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have perfect vision because you may have problems with peripheral vision or you may have problems in perception of depth or colour.

ACROSS: 6. Betterment 7. Mole 8. Catheter 9. Was 10. Rob 12. Stye 13. Away 14. Tap 16. War 17. Strained 18. Thou 19. Conversion

ANSWERS:

OSS: 30 | | Volume 3 | Issue 4 | February 2017 S C H O O L L I V E ACROSS: etterment 7. Mole 8. Catheter 9. Was 10. Rob Stye 13. Away6.14. Tap 16. War Strained Betterment 7.17. Mole 8. Catheter 9. Was 10. Rob

Compiled by : Kamala Chandrakant

CAN’T SEE ANY OF THEM (PUFF)… (GASP)… I THINK WE CAN REST FOR A WHILE!!

AND GUESS WHAT! YOU’VE TURNED INTO A FISH!!

???? GOOD HEAVENS, BANGLE! YOU’VE TURNED INTO A… A CRAB!

WOOF!

I CAN SEE YOU’RE NOT THIRSTY EITHER, BANGLE. BUT WE HAD BETTER DRINK WHILE WE HAVE THE CHANCE. WHO KNOWS WHEN WE’LL FIND WATER AGAIN!

WOW! WATER! CLEAR , SPARKLING WATER. SURPRISINGLY, I’M NOT THIRSTY DESPITE RUNNING SO MUCH.

YEOWW! I’D BETTER GET INTO THE WATER!

DRINKING THAT WATER WAS A MISTAKE! NOW I WONDER WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO US. WILL WE REMAIN LIKE THIS THE REST OF OUR LIVES?

WHAT’S HAPPENING, BANGLE? I FEEL AS IF I’M DISINTEGRATING!

GLOOP...

SH! SPLA

????

IF WE’RE NOT CAREFUL WE MIGHT GET EATEN UP BY THAT FELLOW!

SLURP...

13 HE HAS BEEN WATCHING YOU VERY INTENTLY!

AND I THINK HE HAS DECIDED TO MAKE A MEAL OF ME! HE’S COMING HERE!

FASTER, FASTER! HE’S GAINING!!!

I’M OFF!

WAIT! I’VE AN IDEA!!

YES, BUT I’VE TO GET BACK INTO THE WATER BEFORE I DRY OUT! THAT WAS CLOSE!

P!! SNA

WHAT ARE YOU DOING!

WE TURNED INTO SEA CREATURES WHEN WE DRANK WATER, WE MIGHT TURN INTO LAND CREATURES IF WE EAT MUD!

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TO be Continued...

Volume 3 | Issue 04 | February 2017 | 31

Light Box

At the start of every year, we make New Year resolutions, but as the months roll by, we tend to slack and forget all about our them. Well here is a DIY that will not only amp up your room, but will also serve as a new year resolution reminder!

32 | | Volume 3 | Issue 4 | February 2017

SCHOOL LIVE

You will require: • • • • • • • • • • •

Glue gun Paper Cutter Paint Brush Scissors Acrylic Colour Sunboard Stickers Acrylic Sheet OHP sheet Super Glue Fairy Lights

Now follow these steps:

1. From the sunboard, cut out two strips of 15x3 inches, and two strips of 9x3 inches.

2. Now stick these strips with the help of a glue gun, to form a rectangular frame. 3. Cut a 15x9 inch piece of acrylic sheet, and stick it on top of the frame. 4. Cut out a 1/2 inch frame from the sunboard, colour it black and stick it on top of the acrylic sheet. 5. Now divide the space on the acrylic sheet, inside the frame, into three panels of the same size. Mark the panels with thin strips of sunboard. 6. Choose a quote, representing your new year resolution. 7. Next, cut out 2.5x2.5 inches

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Volume 3 | Issue 04 | February 2017 | 33

squares out of OHP sheet and paste the alphabets of your quote on it. Arrange the letters on the acrylic sheet and once you are happy, stick them in place using glue. 8. To from the back panel of your light box, cut out a 15x9 inch piece out of sunboard. Stick fairy lights in a neat rectangular onto the sunboard and glue it to the light box, with the fairy lights on the inside. 9. Plug in the lights and you light box is ready!

Keep in mind:

You can use OHP sheet along with butter paper, or a piece of glass in place of the acrylic sheet. You can also replace single colour fairy lights with multi coloured ones.

Watch the DIY video here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ES9cWAX6a-g&t=15s

Follow Rob and share your DIYs with him @: Facebook.com/MadStuffWithRob Twitter.com/MadStuffWithRob Instagram.com//MadStuffWithRob

34 | | Volume 3 | Issue 4 | February 2017

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Olympics Special

100

11 2 | ISSUE VOLUME 2016 SEPTEMBER

100 12 2 | ISSUE VOLUME 2016 OCTOBER ERSARY 2ND ANNIV SPECIAL

The Man in all his

Glory

ation with Students in ConversShri, Minister I&B Olympian, Padma Singh Rathore Col. Rajyavardhan Lost Your Phone? Laser Cane

Ray of Light for

Decoding the

Mahatma The Man & His

DIY? We Love

It!

Mad Stuff with

ons

Hunger Resoluti

Rob

dhigiri Discovering Gan Story behind

Ideas

Jai

Jan and Bani Kohli

The

na Bhai Lage Raho Mun Secure your WiFi

with Amit Dubey

the Elderly

Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pride

No Worries!

CyberSafe with

Amit Dubey

Women Ruling

the Rings

Expert Expression

with Pankaj Agarwal

S t o r y t e l l i n g

The Hijab Class A

fra looked around the small clay hut with her vibrant green eyes. She straightened her hijab and walked outside. The salmon pink sky outside was melting, mixing and merging with the villainous blue. She saw her brother, Aaqil walking down the thin, rocky road. School books in hand he ran down and rushed into his sister’s’ arms. How Afra envied him. How she yearned to learn. She played with Aaqil the rest of the day and as the day came to an end her parents came. Her mother, Aabida had green eyes just like hers, except they were no longer vibrant, but dull from the pain and exhaustion. Her father, Omar; his face wrinkled and scarred from his usual squabbles at the bar.

THE NEXT DAY

Afra quickly slipped on her hijab, and sneaked out of the empty house. The dry brown leaves were lying dead on the sandy ground. She took a right and saw the small creek descending down the slope. The water that day was a cerulean blue, shimmering and glistening, mirroring her spirit. Why would she not be radiant? After all today was her first class. She crossed the bridge and there he was, Irfaan waiting under the bare tree. She made sure her hijab was in place and walked faster towards him, her heart pounding loudly. “I don’t know why you’re so keen on learning all this anyway. Most of us would die to be in your place.” Irfaan was in twelfth grade, and he was the kindest boy she had ever known. He was her only friend. But if her father ever found out that she was talking to another boy, the consequences would be disastrous. After hearing his com-

ment on her decision to learn how to read and write she almost laughed at him. How foolish these educated boys were, not realizing the gift that they were given. The gift of freedom. The freedom to do whatever he wished to. He had winds beneath his wings. But she knew better than most that it was better to be humble than to mock. She shrugged her shoulders

and with a dazzling smile said “You are making me sound silly and the class hasn’t even started yet!” Irfaan grinned, “Only you can make people smile like this Afra, Alright let’s start.” Afra knew how to speak well although her vocabulary needed improvement, but she couldn’t read and write at all, so Irfaan’s first task, to tech her “the alphabet”. Afra learnt

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Volume 3 | Issue 04 | February 2017 | 37

S t o r y t e l l i n g this with great ease; like a snowflake was gliding through the air. After an hour Irfaan was exhausted but Afra wouldn’t stop. She kept asking him for five more minutes and after half an hour he practically ran away. “Same time tomorrow Irfaan, don’t be late.” She said. “Normally the teacher says this to the student but alright”. Afra giggled and ran home.

her. He knew she could do nothing else. She knew that he had made up his mind. Afra went to the only house she knew of, the only friend she had. Irfaan opened the door, “Afra?” “Please can I come in?”

AFTER AN HOUR

Irfaan’s face mirrored confusion,

AT DINNER

Afra couldn’t stop smiling all through dinner. Omar asked “What happened Afra some dust got into your head after cleaning the house or what? Smiling like a fool you are.” These words barely made a dent on her happiness and she couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

TWO WEEKS LATER

The past two weeks were like a dream to Afra. Her classes were going extremely well. Irfaan even sneaked in some exam sheets to test her progress and to her surprise she passed with flying colors. But it was going all too well. Afra waited once more for everyone to leave the house and sneaked out. When she reached the creek she had this strange feeling that someone was following her. She turned around and to her horror she saw, her father. His eyes looked like black dark pools and for a moment she wished she could drown in them. It would be better than what was to happen next. He grabbed her by her hijab and dragged her back to the hut. He slapped her face with immense force and succumbing to his strength and superiority she fell to the floor. “I hear that you’ve been studying, educating yourself. Your un- womanly demeanor shames me; it is shameful to our family. How dare you! Leave the house at this instant you ungrateful wretch and never come back.” “Abba please, I’m sorry. Don’t do this.” She whimpered. “Go. I wish to never see your face again.” In the corner she saw a plastic bag stuffed with all her belongings. He had packed for

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hurt and pity. It had been quite long since she had narrated the story. And then he spoke, “Stay with me and my family, they will understand.” Afra stood outside the room Irfaan had just entered, She waited while he explained to them her plight and desperation. Afra was worried as if she wasn’t granted asylum here, she would have to live on the streets. Just

S t o r y t e l l i n g a hug .For a moment she was speechless and then she cried. She cried and thanked him again and again. “Shhhh Afra, I did nothing, it was all you.”

FIVE YEARS LATER

then the door opened and his mother stepped out and embraced Afra. No words were exchanged. Afra returned the embrace, thankful that she was given another chance at life.

ONE YEAR LATER

Today was Afra’s seventeenth birthday.Irfaan’s family had taken her in and treated her like their own. Irfaan continued to teach her how to read and write and now she could even answer essay questions! Today was a big day as Irfaan was going to get her the present test paper and the take her answer sheet to the master. It was daunting but nothing compared to what she had experienced throughout her life. His school had just finished and he put the paper in front of her, the timer started and her pen touched the paper and the words flowed out.

THE NEXT DAY

Afra waited patiently as Irfaan came home , she was wearing her green hijab which was a gift from Irfaan’s parents, her parents. She wore it for luck as she needed it desperately for today. It was like déjà vu, she was reminded of that day one year ago when she anxiously waited outside that room waiting to hear whether

Afra returned home, and saw Irfaan sitting next to his wife, Uzma. She lay down on the sofa and closed her eyes. She remembered that day when she met the master at Irfaan’s school, who unlike most who had mocked and ridiculed her, praised her and asked her to study the twelfth grade at the all boys school. She would always sit at the back of the class, while all the boys talked about her and her ways. But once she topped the class they stopped and began to look at her, some with disdain and others with secret admiration. After the twelfth grade she never went to college but instead with the help of her new parents, rented a room, where she taught a group of girls. When Irfaan came back from college, he helped her transform the small room into a class by pooling in some money. They divided the teaching slots; Irfaan would teach art, poetry and history for three hours in the morning and then Afra would teach English and Math for three hours in the afternoon. The brother and sister ran this small class successfully along with some help from Uzma who would cater to the needs of the school. They decided to name this class “The Hijab Class”, thus changing the meaning of this symbol of oppression into something to she would rot on the street or live a be proud of. At the time Afra didn’t life in the hands of people who cared. care, she didn’t care about what the Then Irfaan entered with a sullen people said and how they judged her. face. “I didn’t pass did I?” She said She was giving those girls a chance, a as she almost choked on her tears. chance to change the world, one hi“Well either that or my master wants jab at a time. to meet you tomorrow at school.” “What?” “You passed Afra! You did it, with your stubbornness and pasBy sion you did it! You and your strength Ishani Khemka proved everyone wrong! I am proud Class VIII of you Afra. So very proud.” Tears Sanskriti School, New Delhi filled his eyes and he pulled Afra into

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Volume 3 | Issue 04 | February 2017 | 39

V i e w s - o n - t h e - N e w s

Sugar and Shame

With the absolute preposterous New Year’s night of 2017, and subsequent irresponsible remarks by our politicians, our young reporter Disha Kashyap has a very important thing to say.

Incidence 1: Several girls are

mass molested in full public view on a busy street of Bengaluru on New Year’s eve.

Incidence 2: Politicos defend the doers of incidence 1 .

oys are ants. Girls are sugar grains. Correction - Girls in short clothes are sugar grains. Therefore, ants will molest the sugar grains. Girls ‘ask’ for it. A narrative lent out by one of our politicians on the shameful inci-

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We need to realise that drawing this sugarant analogy for massmolestation by men is not just disrespect for girls and women, these words are dis-service to boys across the country who think a girl is as important an individual as he is.

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dence of Bengaluru where girls were gang-molested outside a pub. I do not know if anything I say, absolutely anything, can actually express the deep sense of anger I have within me. I feel so shaken inside. How can anyone mock an incidence where some men just decide that girls partying late night are ‘asking’ for ‘IT.’ I am outraged. When the powerful in the country come out to defend sexually predatory behaviour, they defend crime. The crime that made us all clench our fists everytime we saw the visuals of Bengaluru molestation

V i e w s - o n - t h e - N e w s on TV, was business as usual for politicos. My outrage made me question how can a politician so blatantly be allowed to talk like this. Is there no law against such shamelessness, such people who openly defend such acts? And so I question, how can grabbing, groping, attacking, molesting young girls on the street be a juicy ‘you asked for it’ for a neta. This is just refusing to leave my head. Many would say, why am I so stuck on a comment by a small time neta. No, my outrage is not an overreaction. It is a crime to dismiss such remarks. To me this is an offence. An offence against me. Against every woman. Short clothes/ burqa? No. It is not the clothes, it is you. Your thoughts and your viewpoint is no less than those boys who actually did the molestation. 4 FIRs have been registered against the molesters by Bengaluru Police based on eyewitness accounts. MG Road and Brigade Road in Bengaluru witnessed a ‘night of shame’. The newspaper photographers of ‘Bangalore Mirror’ who were at the city’s Central Business District provided eyewitness account of the crowd frenzy at midnight. They narrated how women were being pawed and groped and were struggling to reach the cops standing there. Girls were screaming for help surrounded by molesters on all sides. Yes, they were molesters, not men. An entire city had become a monster for those woman, devouring their dignity and their freedom that night. Now a netaji wants us to believe it is the fault of those girls. Answer me. Skirt. Jeans. Dress. Gown. Salwar Kurta. Saree? What makes us girls the sugar grains. Partying? Talking to men? Make up your mind. One? or all of the above? Can the powerful be allowed to bully us into accepting or even remotely thinking that these are the reasons. They are not. The reason is our meek acceptance of such remarks. The reason is that we just feel not

When the powerful in the country come out to defend sexually predatory behaviour, they defend crime. The crime that made us all clench our fists everytime we saw the visuals of Bengaluru molestation on TV, was business as usual for politicos. reacting to such remarks will silence them. This particular leader can be anyone. His words are not the first and neither the last attempt at diverting the guilt. This has been done across times and societies. We talk about it and then overlook it as the personal fights of the women who have survived molestation or rape. This is the reason that they are emboldened. They offend with greater vigour. Keep uttering the atrocious so that one day their words will become like the Chinese whispers. They will be believed. To me their crime is no less than the actual offenders and I say that with conviction. Point is what will this conviction lead to? We need to realise that drawing this sugar-ant analogy for massmolestation by men is not just disrespect for girls and women, these words are dis-service to boys across the country who think a girl is as im-

portant an individual as he is. It is unfair on those boys who neither see the girls as sugar grains and nor do they behave as ants. It is because of such remarks that till today not a single girl from that crowd has come out to lodge a complaint with the Police in Bengaluru. This is unfortunate. It is one of the biggest tragedies of our time! Those girls who are sitting quiet over such an incidence, are doing a humongous dis-service to all the women and themselves. They survived the molestation but fell prey to the bullying. Sigh! Then why do we let such incidents be brushed under the carpet or let them just pass by as individual fights? Can we find a way to punish the powerful who defend mass molestation? We have to. Create a buzz. Talk. Participate. Argue. Everytime someone around us says something to this effect. Stand up. Say it. Do some soul-searching India!

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By Disha Kashyap Class XI Sanskriti School, New Delhi

Volume 3 | Issue 04 | February 2017 | 41

S t u d y G u i d e

Final Deadlines, Deferrals and the

Dreaded Boards!

With the deadlines just around the corner, our expert Urvashi Malik helps you with the application strategies.

EADLINES: UK Applications Countdown is here and the last of the Canada and US applications are going in by the middle of the month. With all this in mind, I think it’s the perfect time to take a step back and look at our application strategy. At this stage more so than ever we have students wanting to sneak in another application to a dream school (“ma’am he applied to Harvard and he only got 70% in school!”) but this is the stage when we recommend adding that safety school to your list. Life is unpredictable at best, let’s

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start 2017 on a strong note! DEFERRALS: For our US applicants, when applying to colleges in the early round – Early Decision or Early Action, there are three possible outcomes:

So let’s explain what is going on.

Deferral means that you are neither in nor out, but the university will review your application along with the pool of regular applicants. So don’t lose hope just as yet, this is not a rejection! However, it is important to – Accepted – Yay! take some constructive action to tilt – Rejected – the balance in your favor the next – Deferred – ? time around your application file is reviewed. I think a deferral notification can Even though the university does feel mildly traumatic – “This must not consider you their top choice mean I won’t get accepted any- they are reasonably impressed with where!” your applicant credentials to review

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S t u d y G u i d e

Deferral isn’t just a “polite rejection.” Being deferred means you’re going to get another fair shot. It’s not a denial. your application with the larger pool of applicants in the regular round. If they were certain of not admitting you, they would have denied you outright!

•

What are my chances in Regular Decision? Once you are deferred you are automatically reconsidered in the next round. There is NO ADVANTAGE or • DISADVANTAGE for being deferred. And so, believe it when I say that a deferral isn’t just a “polite rejection.” Being deferred means you’re going to get another fair shot. It’s not a denial. I promise. Should I ask them what went wrong? No. Decisions are made as a collec- • tive process in a group where students are compared to each other and discussed by a number of people. • No one person can give you an answer, in fact, legally, they probably can’t. What should I do? • Read the deferral letter carefully,

please send any additional material requested like the Mid-Year Grades, additional standardized test scores, anything else. Please ensure your Mid-Year grades show an upward trend over the last scores reported on your High School Transcript. Colleges do value better academic grades the most! Send an update to the University of any achievements, academic or extracurricular since the submission of your early application. E.g. an Excellence Award received on Founder’s Day, House Colors, a research paper published etc. This information can be sent in one well drafted letter rather than as weekly updates! Reach out to your interviewer to inform them of your deferral and seek their advice. Perhaps, an additional recommendation from someone like your Debate Coach, your Tutor in school, a research mentor can be sent only if the college is receptive of receiving additional material. You should

check with the college before sending additional recommendations. What should I NOT do? …cry hysterically. The world has not come to an end. …pester your parents to plan a visit to the college to show your interest. …inundate the admissions office with multiple emails just to show you are interested. It is good to establish contact with your admissions officer but not at the cost of being labeled a stalker! …lose hope. But do re-look at your university list. Ensure you have some Safeties on your list, otherwise add some NOW!! DREADED BOARDS: I know I might sound like your parents but it’s now time to put aside those applications and focus on your boards. PreBoards Round 2 might be here for a few of you, Round 1 for others, but the fact remains, the boards are here and it’s important to shift focus. Whether its offers from the UK that are conditional on your success in the exams or the US that still needs you to perform and perform well, these exams are crucial and not just because mom and dad want bragging rights (“My daughter did better than Sharma Ji’s son!”) so double down and hit the books. End the year well! For more information, log on to http://www.collegecore.in/

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La La Land

Director: Damien Chazelle Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone

a La Land’, the Oscar nominated director, Damien Chazelle’s second film is a beautiful, artistic musical that will sweep you off your dancing feet. The movie starts with a classical musical piece, a highway filled with traffic and suddenly everyone breaks into song and it’s happy and energetic and all taken in one shot, this slowly

transitions into our two main characters, as these two keep bumping into each other, when in rather annoying situations, they slowly start falling for each other. Our main characters, Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a passionate jazz pianist, in rather dignified clothes, very specific about being a traditionalist about what he listens to or plays;

he 1975’s highly anticipated sophomore album, “I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It” took the world by storm on a Friday evening. The rules of the music world did not deter them from selecting such a lengthy title for this album, an uncommon and risky move for any band or artist. This act in itself proves that the band isn’t afraid to stay true to their artistic vision. The 75 minutes long album possesses intense character and life, the band has bled out its heart into their lyrics, creating a path for us to look into their souls. Drawing inspiration from their personal lives, Matty Healy, the band’s front man isn’t afraid to

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Artist: 1975 Album: I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It

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and Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress and playwright who, works as a barista and cuts work to go to every audition she possibly can. Both Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone give gratifying performances and melt your heart out. These two fall in love, after multiple song and dance sessions all beautifully composed by Justin Hurwitz. Even though I loved it, there are still flaws in this film, the story is too classic and sometimes doesn’t follow any logic. The main characters aren’t given enough of a background story and in my opinion all characters, except the 2 lovebirds, weren’t developed at all. The movie is shot in cinemascope, in 35mm and obviously, is very proud of its LA-ness, but the most amazing moment of this film is when at the end, Chazelle gives you a peek into what could’ve been. All in all, if it setting a record for winning the most golden globes ever doesn’t convince you to see it, take my word, you need to watch this movie: it’s great, it has great music, it has great cinematography, it has great actors and it’s unapologetically clichéd. By Siddhant Talwar Class XI Sanskriti School, New Delhi

put the darkest parts of him on displaythrough his songs- for the entire world to witness. In the second album, Healy is trying to find himself, while learning how to deal with his newfound stardom. His lyrics are full of forlorn yearning and loneliness. The lengthy 17-track album is rebellious in a manner that it defies to stick to one single genre. “The Sound” is full of heavy pop influences, “A Change of Heart” is a ballad written for the romantics by a romantic, “Love Me” is funk based, while “Someone Else” and “Paris” take us back to the 1975’s freshman style, full of smooth crooning and indie rock. The lyrics are deep and the

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Dangal

Director: Nitesh Tiwari Starring: Aamir Khan, Sakshi Tanwar, Fatima Sana Shaikh

angal, based on the life of Ma- medal for India and vows that his havir Singh Phogat and his two son would; but gets disappointed daughters, Geeta and Babita when his wife gives birth to four Phogat, is an extraordinary film. The daughters. His disapp ointment film traces the inspirational journey turns to elation when he notices the of a father who trains his daughters natural instinct of his daught ers to to become world class wrestlers. fight-when they beat up two boys Mahavir Singh Phogat is an who had insulted them. amateur wrestler who is forced to An idea germinates; he starts leave wrestling due to financial dif- coaching his elder daughters, Geeta ficulties. He is unable to win a gold and Babita in wrestling. His meth-

tunes addictive, making this album a fun journey to embark upon. Hey kids, what a shame, we are all the same/ We have just come to represent a decline in the standards of what we except/ You look famous, let’s be friends, and pretend we possess something important/ It’s not about reciprocation it’s just all about me...The chemicals that make her laugh don’t seem to be working anymore/ I’m the Greek economy of cashing intellectual cheques. With lyrics like these, it is safe to say that Matty Healy represents our generation with a self-aware clarity that all

the music greats possessed. He is a poet in essence who doesn’t shy away from mocking the self-proclaimed world of fame and his own personal shortcomings. You may hate the 1975, or worship them (like I do), but what no one can deny is that this band is a true work of art. They are heavily involved in the entire process of creating an album, from the lyrics and album art to the design of their shows. They are unapologetically loud, poster heroes for misfits everywhere, and don’t hold back from showing their freak. This album silenced the critics, and

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ods of coaching are quite harsh. The girls at first resent their father for such treatment, but soon realise that their father wants them to have a future and not grow up to be stereotypical housewives. That he is sticking his neck out to challenge a very patriarchal society. The girls now go to watch wrestling matches, wrestle with boys and even beat them, much to everyone’s dismay. All the characters are drawn realistically. The mother is given a role where she is mostly in the background, and only puts her foot down on the issue of cooking non-vegetarian food in her kitchen! What holds the interest is the catchy dialogue and the typical Haryanvi accent. No one misses the lack of catchy music and item numbers at all. The chain of events keeps the attention of the audience riveted. Aamir Khan, once more, has thrown his heart into the role and was exceptional; however, all four unknown young actors who enacted the roles of the girls were not very far behind. I rate this film with 4.5 stars and it’s a must watch. By Shivanshi Gupta Class VIII Pragyan School, Greater Noida

proved to the world that the 1975 is here to stay. The album could be a lot to take in for some people, but the mark it leaves is unquestionable. It is a fun piece of art that hits you with a kind of intensity and rawness that digs its claws into you deep, and leaves behind a long lasting impact.

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By Vitasta Singh Class XII Scottish High International School, Gurgaon

Volume 3 | Issue 04 | February 2017 | 45

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The Mentalist The Mentalist narrates the story of Patrick Jane, a consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI), who has an extraordinary track record for cracking serious crimes by using his sharp skills of observation and a cutthroat attitude.

Dan and Phil March 2006, Wikipedia English reached its one millionth article and ‘Ice Age: The Meltdown’ premiered in Belgium. Somewhere in Manchester, Phil Lester began filming his first YouTube video on a black and white

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profile cases is greatly valued by his fellow agents. However, no-nonsense Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon openly opposes Patrick Jane’s presence in her unit and alternates between reluctantly acknowledging Patrick Jane’s efficacy and lambasting him for his dramatic, narcissistic and careless attitude. Lisbon’s team includes agents Kimball Cho, Wayne Rigsby and Grace Van Pelt, who all think Patrick Jane is a ticking bomb but admire his charisma and knack for solving He also makes frequent use of his cases. mentalist abilities to lead witnesses Apart from my love for or offenders into admitting to the my crime and investigation actual facts of the case, as known based shows and the griponly to them. ping, unconventional plots, Within the Bureau, Patrick Jane one of the main reasons why is infamous for his blatant lack of this series has been my faprotocol and his celebrity past as a vorite so far, is the lead charpsychic medium. Patrick Jane’s role acter of Patrick Jane, played in cracking a series of tough high- by Simon Baker. Patrick Jane is a don’t believe in age, do they? My irrational bias against the YouTube community was pushed aside as Dan and Phil became a strange but reassuring refuge from the disaster of a year that was 2016. It took me a while to understand how two seemingly everyday individuals cultivated such a passionate fan-following. The ‘Phandom’- the creatively termed fandom or fan base of said Youtubers- consists of people of varying ages, cultures and opinions. They started off with camera he received through a cereal individual careers but with two box. jointly written books and an Ten years later, the pioneering extremely successful stage summer breeze of March went unap- show- The Amazing Tour preciated as I sat surrounded by text- Is Not On Fire, they have books and green tea. At that moment, essentially become the I sympathized with Dan’s decision to same person. Rather, a drop out of college. Albeit, I was in concept that epitomizes eighth grade but empathy and stress hope and the sweet fruits

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complicated man. He bends right and wrong to fit his will, even if it is the rules of law. However, he does have a plenty of respect for the same. His arrogance is often mistaken as a negative character trait, but it’s his way to skin his hurt and insecurities. Of course, that doesn’t make him any easier to like but over the course of seven seasons, I grew quite fond of his character. He always had his own code of righteousness that he stuck to no matter what — especially when it came to those dear to him. I loved that his character, for he stands for what he believes in and is prepared to follow through, no matter what the consequences were. It offers certain freshness which other generic crime investigation series ‘Teen Wolf’ is a dark, mysterious, dramatic-comedy which is seemingly lack. perfect. It follows the journey of an awkward teenager Scott McCall and Beacon Hills’ Sheriff’s sarcastic son “Stiles” Stilinski, who just By so happens to be Scott’s best Friend. Currently, on it’s last season Natasha Banga (season 6) ‘Teen Wolf’ has been able to perk up the interest of bilClass XI lions of viewers all around the globe. On a quite eventful night Scott Shri Ram School, get’s converted into a werewolf beta by the bite of an alpha. At first the Moulsari thought of being a werewolf petrifies the daylights out of him, but he soon comes to terms with it, with the help of Stiles and another beta borne by sincerity. werewolf, Derek Hale. The bite proves to be more of a gift than a curse, With approximately 7 million sub- as Derek had previously told Scott. scribers together, Dan and Phil are Being a werewolf gives him many advantages like heightened numerically not the biggest YouTu- senses and super werewolf strength. But as they say with great bers out there. However, the devo- power comes great responsibility. Now, Scott not only has to fight tion of these fans makes up for their for himself, but also for the sake of Beacon Hills . He has to deal numbers. with a very “annoying” Beta Derek Hale, fight an evil Alpha. Also, Their relationship- the status of help a friend who became a lizard, deal with werewolf hunters, help which has received more specula- Stiles fight his dark side and a lot more, all the while keeping his tion than perhaps the outcome of the grade up. Scott and Stiles have a way to attract trouble, but they Trump Presidency- is something so seem to find a way out of it with their everlasting friendship and unique and so genuine, that it draws the weapon of humor and sarcasm, their friendship makes the show you towards it. even more enjoyable. But, what happens when Scott loses his best It is not so much their content but friend, his partner in crime? He isn’t prepared for it, but that doesn’t stop the the simplicity of their delivery that ghost riders from taking stiles and erasing everyone’s memories about him. makes them so endearing. They have ‘Teen Wolf’ makes you rethink all the werewolf stereotypes you have ever begun to represent the purity and believed in, it drives you away from all the werewolves vs vampires clichés the positivity the ever-cynical media and into a brand new world of werewolves with Banshees, Ghost riders, hell lacks and thus, have become the sen- hounds, Kanimas, Kitsunes, Wendigos, Were Coyotes,Werejaguars, Nogitsunes sation that they have. and a lot more. So, if you are looking for a T.V show to get hooked on to; a series that has the ability to make you fall in love with its mysteries; a perfect collection of small screen stories that By By can make you laugh, cry and scare you Chhavi Pathak Aamiya Dhillon to death all at once: then go ahead and Class X Class IX start watching this multi-award winDelhi Public School, Sanskriti School, ning TV series-’Teen Wolf!’ RK Puram New Delhi

Teen Wolf

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Insta Fun

So, 12th graders, how is it going? Touched the sore spot, have I? Don’t get all cranky and defensive now. I am in 12th too, I have the right to taunt us. Remember those days, not so long ago, when we used to attend all birthday parties. The days when we said to ourselves that boards were just another set of exams. That we had 14 years of exam giving practice behind us, how difficult could it get?

et’s be real, we were stupid then. And now, the only four things that can save us are; FOOD, motivation, prayer and a tad bit of studying (Mum, I study more than you think I do). So, today I, a fellow dead student, will recommend top 4 food and quotes Instagram pages for you to visit. Yes, social media, because if you only study you might as well declare yourself ‘dead’.

Let’s begin with the food pages (because food always comes first)

@love_food

With a community of 6.7 million followers, the page claims to be Instagram’s largest food community and posts videos and pictures of sumptuous food items. I will recommend this to you as they post quite regularly, and man do they know their food! From homemade burgers

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(that you can obviously pester your mom to make because you are studying), to chocolate-cookie cakes and simple grilled cheese sandwiches. I could get fat looking at them (and still continue looking at them).

@foodtalkindia

While ‘Love Food’ posts mainly fast food and western items, this page is for those who have ‘desi’ taste buds.

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From chicken tikkas, dal makhni, kebabs to the ultimate should not be failure but succeeding at things in life that classic, RAJMA CHAWAL. They keep it simple yet el- don’t really matter to us.’ egant, leaving their 192k followers satisfied yet longing for more (in real). The plus point is that they are extremely versatile and don’t hesitate from posting nonIndian stuff. Only negative, no videos. But we can trade that for the Rajma Chawal, right?

@humblethepoet

@buzzfeedfood

Do you know what is better than food? Food and Memes. Yes, buzzfeed is always the smartest. They have all kinds of food (variety – tick), videos and pictures (technology – tick), memes (laughter quotient – tick)…do I need to go on!? 2.7 Million People don’t follow them for nothing, come join the fun!

@love_food_extra

And I love this account extra… Do you know what is even better than Food and memes? CHOCOLATE. That’s right, Buzz feed, buck up! This account has food and comprises mostly of chocolate dishes and, They. Are. Gorgeous. I cannot even describe it to you, you have to go and see for yourself and trust me, you won’t regret it.

Now, with a heavy heart I move away from the food towards motivation.

@shettyjay

Since I saw him on Superwoman’s YouTube channel, I have been obsessed with his social media. He is one of the most genuine and rational users that I have found on Instagram. He keeps it real and illustrates all his quotes with personal experiences. Not to forget, he is extremely witty and intelligent and shows great sensitivity to world problems. His captions are one of the longest, yet one of the most enjoyable. I would definitely ask everyone to follow him.

Presently a host and filmmaker, Jay Shetty used to be a monk, which makes him highly qualified to give advice. He isn’t the clichéd ‘only quotes’ guy, he keeps it personal whilst inspiring. To quote him, ‘Our greatest fear These people, as their name suggests are pretty ‘cool’, they give quotes based on our times and in today’s lingo which makes it a pretty fun, motivational session. Their latest is one of my favourites, “Do more things that will make you forget to check your phone.” Amen to that. (Mom staring at you doesn’t count)

@motivationmafia

@_quotespam_

It’s an initiative by a friend (yes, it’s me) and you could check it out :) To end, This torture ends in April, then life will be merry, or so I hope. Just 4 more months, don’t lose hope! By Kunalika Gautam Class XII Sanskriti School, New Delhi

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NBT Book Reviews home. Mangoo was standing alone and (By- Rabindranath Tagore) saw a top lying on the floor, but it was in a bad condition. He picked it up and went back to his home with the top. He had a long untidy thread which he tied on the top, and threw it very hard. It started turning, but it was untidy and it had spots on it. Mangoo thought that he would paint it and erase all the spots on it. Mangoo painted the top with different colors and spun it around in the evening, while playing with his friends. Mangoo finally was very happy. It is a story of a young boy Phatik Chakravorti who is very by Ujjwal Mishra lazy, disobedient, and a complete nuisance, and is very Class VII rude to his brother. The story starts, when Phatik is do- SC. DAV, NOIDA ing some mischief and his brother opposes him and thus, they get into a fight. Then, their maternal uncle comes and takes Phatik to Kolkata, where Phatik is treated very badly by his aunt and cousins and is neglected very much. (By- Sanjeev Jayswal) Soon, he gets fed up and one day, knowing that he has a This is a nice book for malarial fever, he runs away in rain. But soon the police children. This book is bring him back and he is taken to the doctor for a checkup. about the moon, the Now, Phatik wanted his mother, but his uncle told him to sun and the stars. In wait till the holidays. this book, the moon This story by Rabindranath Tagore is written in a very counts the stars daily classical style and is very heart-touching. It shows the imand fails to count them. portance of parents and gives a great message to children One day, the sun diswho thinks their parents restrict them and their likings. It turbs the moon while shows the concern of a mother towards her children, and counting stars and then the responsibilities of a child that should be, towards his the moon gets sad and parents, who are the best people in the world. decides that he will not by Rishita Barnwal count the stars and will Class X not talk to the sun unK.V. Pitampura til he counts them. The sun finally counts the stars and makes the moon happy. I liked the (By- Kamashi Balsubhradyam) story very much. Mangoo was very upset because he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any toy. by Aashi During the evening, he was playing with his friends and Class VI after many hours the children started going back to their St. Xaviers Sr. Sec. School

Holidays Have Come

Chanda Ginti Bhool Gaya

Mangoo Ka Lattoo

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Fun With Metro

(By- Pankaj Chaturvedi, Neera Jain, Ratnakar Singh)

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were working there, among other places. According to me, this book will help children increase their creativity and will help them know about our incredible country- India, as very useful information is shared in this story. It will also help children write about unique topics like an autobiography of a balloon. I would prefer all children to read this story once!! by Bhamini Shrivastava Class VIII The Indian School

Discover India Through Mazes & Games (By- Vicky Arya)

This story was all about a journey in a metro and how they enjoyed in the metro. They told about the passengersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; exit, and much more. The writer described the metro station as well. They also told about the ticket and the shops that they passed by. It was a fun experience. I enjoyed the story well. by Tanvi Maggo Class 5 ITL Public School, Sec.9, Dwarka

Gas Gubbara

(By- B. Madan Mohan)

This book shares a lot of information about the states of India and all their specialities. It is a fun way of learning as it provides games at the end, after the information. It shares information about Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa and many other states. by Vania Aggarwal Class VI Modern School, Barakhamba Road

The Lion and The Hedgehog

This is a short story written by B. Madan Mohan on the topic- A Balloon. The balloon narrates its adventures while it flew over the country. It tells that it visited Himachal, the different villages where there were fields and farmers

In this book there was a powerful lion. I felt bad when he got hurt on his paws because of the thorns of the hedgehog. The pictures in the book were very nice. by Manriya Kaur Class III Holy Child School, Tagore Garden

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W a t c h

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SYNC 2016 New Era Public School, Mayapuri organized the fifth edition of Annual Inter-School Tech Fest SYNC on 19th Nov, 2016. SYNC was started in 2012 under the guidance and blessings of Ms. Usha Chopra, Founder Principal and Director of New Era Public School, Mayapuri. SYNC provides a platform to a group of talented enthusiasts to express their technical and intellectual skills. This year “Multimedia Presentation” focussed on the simmering topic – “|Life – a Challenge or an Opportunity”. The other events included Anim Zone, Creative Event, Digital Imaging, Draped Chips and Book/Brochure cover.. more than 200+ participants from come ceremony of the participating SYNC 2016 saw the participation class II onwards. schools and the esteemed panel of of 18+ schools of Delhi/NCR and SYNC 2016 started with the wel- judges for multimedia contest that

New Era Public School, Mayapuri

Astra: Annual Function Fortune World School celebrated its 1st annual day celebration on 15th December 2016 with great pomp and splendour. The theme of the annual day was inspired from Bhagwad Gita and it was in accordance with the need of the day. The event was pre-

sided by the presence of Guruji Shri Gyananand Maharaj ji as chief guest of the day. The Guest of honour on the occasion was Shri Prem Chand ji. The luminaries gracing the occasion included Ms. Richa Aniruddh, who was also the star guest of the day.

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Little Fortunites chanting Sanskrit Shloks of Gita punctuated the evening with captivating array of tunes. The melodious performances enthralled the audience by their flair, and set the evening rolling. It was followed by the presentation of Students’ Annual Report and felicitation ceremony. Each and every child was encouraged and awarded. The bedazzling performances and the giving away of the annual awards was graced by the Guruji along with Chairman Sir Mr. Mohan Goel, Director Sir Mr. Untak Goel and Principal Ma’am Ms. P. Chakraborty. The main highlight of the day was ASTRA - Arise Awake Conquer which was a dance drama. The function ended with the singing of national anthem and the parents and children who had come for the function left with beaming faces and pride that they were part of an institution which is a jewel in the crown among the schools at Noida.

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included Ms. Nilam Katara (Social activist) as Chief Guest, Mr. O.P. Chhatwal (Advisor, M/S Authbridge Research Services Pvt. Ltd), Mr.

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Paramin Advertising) and Mr.Mohit Chawla (Tech Expert and graduate from King’s College, London) SYNC saw the teamwork and sportsmanship of all participants. All the winners were felicitated at their respective event venues. St. Thomas School won the first position in Multimedia contest. Founder Principal and Director of New Era Public School, Ms. Usha Chopra and Principal of New Era Public School Ms. Vandana Chawla graced the occasion and motivated children to be part of such events irrespective of the fact whether they win or lose. Their presence was a great source of motivation for all the participants. In the end, Ms. Chopra expressed her Subhash Tandon (Retd. ACP, Delhi gratitude to all the esteemed judges Police), Ms. Nehal Nangia (Mem- who spared their valuable time and ber, Advisor at Bersin by Deloitte), graced the event and made it a grand Ms. Swati Singh (Creative Head, success.

Principal Felicitation on individuals whose contribution to the understanding of effective leadership has resulted in extraordinary impact, transcending all boundaries. In pursuit of the same, the Principal, Ms Alka Awasthi was being conferred with Exemplary Leadership Award for demonstrating phenomenal personal commitment to her organization and thus enabling the group to fulfill its missions and goals. For the students of K.R Mangalam World School, G.K-II, the function was a leap forward to celebrate Human Rights Day with their performance on ‘Saving the Girl Child’ and ‘Ganesh Vandana’ which received an overwhelming response from all. No wonder the motto ‘Together Towards Tomorrow’ brings out the creativity and talent present in evLiberties & Social Justice (AICHLS) ery spirited member of KRM where organized an award ceremony in In- together they can take the world by dia Islamic Centre to bestow honours storm.

K.R Mangalam World School, G.K. II To mark the celebrations of Human Rights Day on 10 December, 2016, the All India Council of Human Rights,

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And Back! A k a s h

With the coming back of the class X boards in a few years, our experts at Aakash Institute present their valuable inputs on the matter.

hen Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister, Shri Prakash Javadekar, announced his intent to return to the conventional board examinations for class X in order to promote homogenization in education, it was met with a mixed response. The no-detention policy

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adopted by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools for Class X students was an attempt to lighten the burden of studies and provide some space for extracurricular activities. Students were motivated to look beyond textbooks, exhibit their talent and skills and indulge in extra-curricular activi-

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ties. The schools provided umpteen possibilities for a child to develop life skills, with continuous evaluationÂ of performance throughout the year. In its overwhelming desire to include many dimensions under its ambit, the existing Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) system created another kind of bur-

A k a s h den, those of performing a variety of tasks and completing a barrage of FAs, cumulative tests, projects, activities etc. Furthermore, the system failed to inculcate a competitive spirit amongst students due to the lack of any clear benchmark that is assured with numbers. Intelligent students also lost motivation to score that perfect 100 as they saw that even those who scored 10 marks lesser ended up with the same grade. However, after feedback from states and representative organizations of parents and teachers, the common consensus was that doing away with the board exams along with the no-detention policy was hampering academic standards. Following this consensus, the government recently announced the reintroduction of the Class X board exam from the academic year 2017-18. With increased stress on allied activities, teachers were also burdened with extra work such as record maintenance, continuous grading, mentoring in every project which kept them away from their core responsibility of teaching. Even after CBSE launched massive training programs for instructors, the pressure was enormous on the teaching staff. Now, with the return of board exams, teachers can breathe a sigh of relief and focus on their teaching wholeheartedly. Under the CCE system, in Class X, 60% weightage was given to the marks obtained in Summative Assessment I and II while the remaining 40% was given to the performance of a student in the four formative assessments. A right or wrong move? The Class X board exams is the first step towards achieving the goal a student has set in his/her life. It is considered as a qualifying examination to decide a suitable academic stream for students and also a good benchmark to assess students’ level of

will help maintain balance and follow a uniform assessment procedure in schools across India.

After feedback from states and representative organizations of parents and teachers, the common consensus was that doing away with the board exams along with the no-detention policy was hampering academic standards learning and knowledge. As such, a good performance in the board exam has motivated students and positively influenced their study strategies. This exam will play a crucial role in ensuring discipline amongst students and ensures that students take their studies seriously. The CCE pattern adopted a lax attitude and concentrated more on activities. Students had no fear of board exams and academics took a back seat. Under CCE, marks were replaced with grades, which were given through a series of curricular and extra-curricular assessments. There was a great scope of manipulation that affected the overall academic standards. The decision to reinstate board exams

Detrimental effect on students? While a majority of schools and teachers are in favour of board exams, students will have to work harder and be mature enough to handle the pressure that comes with an examination. The aim of the government was to raise the academic standards of the country, and CCE provided for tests and grading through the year as a means to reduce pressure on students. However, a large number of government school students performed poorly in Class XI and XII. The evaluations became more demanding at the senior school level and students found it difficult to cope up with the exam pattern. With the boards, however, the pressure to outperform in the examination helps the students plan out their exam strategies in advance. Board exams, the right way to assess the student’s level of learning and knowledge? Even though studies indicated that the number of dropouts has reduced with CCE evaluation, it failed to provide academic acumen to the young generation. The board exam was seen, by those arguing for its retention, as a means of preparing students for the more important exams in the future, such as the XIIth boards. CCE stressed more on class activities, group discussion etc. and even then, the exercises hardly focused on the weaker children. Individual assessment was barely done and marks were given on the basis of group assignments. This was a highly skewed platform. With the reintroduction of board exams, all students will be given an equal chance to perform. It will increase the competitive spirit amongst students and mentally gear them up for bigger challenges ahead.

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Volume 3 | Issue 04 | February 2017 | 55

Piggy Bank

We are all familiar with the sweet clinkering of the coins that we save up in our piggy banks. But it does break our hearts, every time we have to smash them, once they are full. So, to save ourselves the heartbreak, here is an easy tutorial to make an adorable recyclable piggy bank.

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You will require: A plastic jar Pink chart paper Googly eyes Paper cutter Pink acrylic paint Paint brush Glue Black Marker Spare marker caps

Now follow these steps:

1. Make a slot on the jar for the coins to go in, and cut it with the help of a paper cutter. Take the help of an adult to do so. 2. Now place the jar, so that the coin slot is on the top, and attach four

spare marker caps to the bottom of the jar. These caps will serve as the legs of your piggy bank. 3. Now paint the jar with two coats of pink acrylic colour. Let it dry. 4. Cut two triangles, with round edges, out of the pink chart paper. These will be the ears of your piggy. Stick the ears onto the jar, on the curved surface, just behind the lid. Fold the upper corners of the ears, to give it a realistic look. 5. For the tail of your piggy, make concentric circles on the pink chart paper and follow the lines to cut the tail out. Stick it to the bottom of the jar. 6. Now paint the snout of the piggy on the lid of the jar and add

googly eyes, as shown above, to complete your piggy bank.

Keep in mind:

Take the help of an adult while using the paper cutter. You can go crazy with your piggy bank, colour it, bedazzle it, decorate it with feathers, make your piggy bank unique!

Watch the DIY video here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ogOs8cTN3bU Follow Rob and share your DIYs with him @: Facebook.com/MadStuffWithRob Twitter.com/MadStuffWithRob Instagram.com//MadStuffWithRob

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Volume 3 | Issue 04 | February 2017 | 57

Ever eager to discover exciting new things, Kyra recently stumbled upon a colourful spread of fluffy treats at Sugar Threads at the DLF Promenade mall in New Delhi. The following review is in her own words.

Lookout! Giant Candyfloss! M

ummy does not always let me eat candyfloss. At some places it is not clean. But I love to eat soft, soft floss and I was very happy that Mummy allowed me to freak out at Sugar Threads! They have so many different colours and flavours that I kept standing and thinking about what I want for a really long time. Then I decided to just have my favourite colour – Pink! The candyfloss was very tasty and

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more soft (sic) than the candyfloss I have had before. Papa told me that it could be because this shop does not use any chemicals to make the floss, only natural stuff. This time I had the JollyBerry Strawberry flavour but I have decided that the next time we go I will have Mad About Mango…or Silly Nilly Lychee. I have never seen candyfloss in so many different flavours. Even the shape was different, like a giant pyra-

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mid! I want to have more! Kyra, one of India’s youngest Youtubers, does reviews of toys and places that she enjoys. To watch her reviews please visit the Kyrascope channel on Youtube or www.kyrascope.com. By Kyra Kanojia Class I Amity International School, Noida

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