NEWSLETTER
9th May 2007

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School Watch

· 30th April, Monday- Vasant Valley played a friendly soccer match against G.D. Goenka and won 2-0.
· 2nd May, Wednesday- Amba Kak, Shaman Marya, Raghuvir Dass and Siddhant Rao came second in the Bishop Cotton School Debate. Shaman Marya was awarded the most promising speaker.
· 3rd May, Thursday – Six-a-side Hockey Match between VVS and DPS RKP Sr. Boys and Girls Agamjiv Singh, Unnati Pawar were awarded best players of the tournament.
· 4th May, Friday-choir and dance performance conducted by Mrs. Gabriella Rechner and Mr. Kapil Sharma

The Mark D’Souza Memorial Inter-House Western Music Competition
... the true spirit behind the music

Every year, Vasant Valley students rehearse extravagantly for this one defining event- The Mark D’Souza Memorial Inter House Western Music Competition. There is scurried and squeezed-in preparation that results in a reasonably well put-together show that is, at the very least, entertaining. The Mark D’Souza Memorial Inter-House Western Music Competition is exceptional not only because it is the only Western Music event in our school year, but because of its namesake, Mr. Mark D’Souza. He was a man whom the present class 12 batch is lucky to have known. We are the last batch to have been taught by him. Songs like “Five hundred miles” will forever hold him in our memory and are unforgettable because he brought them to us.
Though we plan and rehearse for this event with such gusto, many students don’t know much about Mr. Mark D’Souza. To them, he is just a name… and this is something unfortunate. He is what makes the competition so extraordinary. And though to some of us, winning this competition may be the ultimate and solitary goal, it is the spirit behind the music that encompasses its meaning. Mr. Mark D’Souza was a man who chose to teach music as his profession. So in the wake of his passing and this year’s competition, let us recognize what this is really about. Music.
Music is a language, an art, even a science some might say. This event is about understanding what music means to you. It is about appreciating the power of music and the gift of musical talent. It is also about exploring that talent and putting it out there for others to take in and for yourself to take pride in. Music is something that helps people express themselves in a way that is abstract enough to be tangible. This competition is Vasant Valley’s own showcase of diverse expression, of diverse talent and of our love for music. As yet another Mark D’Souza Memorial Inter-House Western Music Competition draws upon us, let us not forget the man who personifies its spirit. And let us not forget the spirit itself. The untamed spirit of music. And yet again this year, may the best house win.
-Ujwalla Bhandari, 12

An Ode, A tribute, A Standing Ovation

We all have those few people in our lives, who have subtly yet surely impacted us powerfully. For me Mr. Mark D’ Souza is one of them. Being the last batch in Vasant Valley to be taught by the man who carries the name of our western music competition (which is so eagerly awaited every year) I felt I should spread the message of a man whose cheerful spectacled face still lightens my heart.


So here is to you Sir:

I remember that sunny day in the small field, when you assembled the sweaty kids of Nursery B to teach us your all time favorite Country Roads and Five Hundred Miles. With your guitar perched on your knee, you told me it was ‘cool’ to have a grass blade stickin’ out my mouth like the old country singers. I kept it there all day and told my friends that you told me to do so, setting a trend, an example. You were the god of music, who taught us to love music rather than savour sounds. Your laugh still resounds at times in that quiet corner near the tree in the small field. When I stand just envisioning that day that you so rightfully defined ‘Cool’ my heart is tugged because you left your definition incomplete.
I remember a hazy morning, not sure what time of the year, my mother woke me up and told me you had left us forever. I didn’t cry because I didn’t understand what that meant, I just felt bad that I wouldn’t meet you again. We came to St. Thomas’ church in Delhi, where all my seniors assembled and lost, I looked around. They all cried but I still didn’t shed a tear. Then every year I heard your name as a prefix to our Western Music Competition, and kept remembering your smiling spectacled face sitting in the small field. Your songs immediately rushed back to me with your smooth way of talking that made a little boy of 5 remember you all his life. I grew more and came to understand you, and your love for teaching and music. All of a sudden your mirth filled laughter made so much sense, you were so happy with who you were, so content. As a batch we feel honoured to have been taught by one as charismatic as you. I miss you to this day Sir, and I would want to tell you, you still define ‘Cool’. Before I end I would like to quote a line from a song you taught me. ‘Life is older, older than the trees, younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze.’
Shaman Marya, 12
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ILLUSIONS

Quietly, they elude us
A clever mist over ugliness
Such artists of deception
Telling more, yet telling less
Compelling, they convince us
Spin gossamer wings of bliss
So delicate, such fragile joy
Born from untruth’s kiss
Melodious, they sing to us
Till precariously, we dance on air
We hear only their pretty song
Till fair is foul and foul is fair
Artfully, they paint for us
Oases in choking drought
Attracting, relieving, teasing, disappearing
Leaving us to drown in an ocean of doubt.
Softly, they caress us
In dark and endless night
They mend our broken, hurting hearts
Bringing us the kindness of light.
Illusions – a shelter from the tempest world
False blue skies on a rainy day
Illusions temporarily comfort us
Till at last they fade away…
Ujwalla Bhandari, XII

The Two Doyens

Last Saturday, we had the privilege of being in the presence of two “doyens” (what does that mean, anyway?) of world cricket, Sir Richard Hadlee and Kapil Dev. After their grueling practice session with our own cricket team, the two legends sat down with the NL Board Members to answer a few questions.
NL: If there was any one match you would like to play again, which one would it be?
KD: Playing in any World Cup Final.
NL: You played an amazing knock of 175 vs. Zimbabwe in 1983. But it wasn’t televised as the BBC was on strike. What did you feel when you found out that your greatest innings can never be shown again?
KD: Players were way too focused on the game. While playing they never thought about Television.
NL: Back in 1976, you said you would never come back to India, even though you did return. What made you make such a remark?
SRH: I made a mistake. I got very sick and was in the hospital last time I came. I was 25 coming to India for the first time. Foreign conditions didn’t suit me. But I learnt a lesson and have been back 5 times since. We players sometimes say silly things.
NL: Last time you visited our school, it was for the Nike Golf Clinic, and now you are here for cricket. Do you think your passion for cricket has gone down, and golf has taken over?
KD: My passion for cricket has gone down. Playing today, Golf means the most to me. But back when I was playing cricket, I forgot the world as my passion was so great.
NL: Every time you come to India, you have probably noticed kids playing everywhere, in parks, on roads, and especially in gullies. Do you feel that this type of passion should be emulated in all countries with a passion for cricket?
SRH: It’s good to see active kids and real interest in the game.
Mrs Hadlee: Street Cricket is common in NZ too.
KD: WE have gullies and New Zealand has lovely parks to play in every Sunday. We don’t have such good opportunities. Because of the rough surfaces in India, our Indian players find it hard to dive and therefore can’t develop the habit.
NL: Do you think playing sports gives a student the mentality to do better everywhere?
KD: Yes. Actually I have seen that in exams given by people who had just played a sport, their results are better.
NL: Do you feel that Indian cricket is being taken over or being controlled by politics these days?
KD: I don’t know whether this is justified. There should not be 99% politics. I am of a non political background. I can’t say that for all cricketers but it should be that way. Most come from a modest background.

Word Association for KD
Sunil Gavaskar: Discipline, Greg Chappell: Great Batsman (is that all?), Ian Botham: Entertainer, Sir Richard: Commitment-to-Work

Word Association for SRH
Martin Crowe: Classy, Stephen Fleming: Calm, Devon Malcolm: Wicket (his 431st to be exact), Kapil Dev: All Rounder

 
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HARRY POTTER: CONSPIRACY NO.2 - R.A.B

R.A.B are the initials of a character who wrote a letter to Voldemort towards the end of book 6. Now, the first name that came to my mind was Regulus Black. But then again, if it were him, it would be too predictable for J.K.Rowling’s work. And knowing her, and her stuff, you’ve GOT to know she is as unpredictable as it gets. [As I have stated earlier, if you have not read the “Harry Potter” books- LEAVE NOW.] The initials are found in a message which is in a locket which is, initially at least, thought to be a Horcrux. The message reads:
To the Dark Lord
I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more.
-R.A.B.
Now, I know that I am not the only one who thought of Regulus Black at first, but even though I really doubt that he is the writer of this letter, there are some really strong arguments supporting the probability of it being the case. The letter refers to the ‘Dark Lord’ rather than Voldemort, or ‘He who must not be named’. Only Death Eaters call Voldemort the Dark Lord - so this is our first clue that the person is Regulus, since he is a Death Eater who ran away.
In book 5 a ‘heavy locket that none of them could open’ is mentioned which is found in 12 Grimmauld Place. It couldn’t be opened and was thrown away, but we later learn that Kreacher, the house elf, has stolen it. Could this be the Horcrux that was replaced by the locket that Dumbledore and Harry found?
But, even though these arguments are convincing, and I may not have any evidence to why it IS NOT Regulus Black, I still remain unconvinced. J.K.R puts a lot of thought into her work, and she always makes sure to stick with a story line that we would least suspect. She likes to surprise us with her work, each and every time, and it is this special touch to her writing that leaves us craving for more.
Maybe this is just another one of her clever ruses to make us focus on the aspects that are really unimportant to her, because what we should be focusing on are the “important” issues of main story. Instead, we get hung up on the silly details which may just be red herrings and not overly important. The identity of R.A.B will continue being a mystery untill the 7th of July 2007 when the “Deathly Hallows” is released. I know I’ll be looking forward to that. And if you have even an ounce of sanity in you, then you’d be, too.
-Devika Agrawal, Class 9

Make a change. Now

Do you ever ask yourself, is this all there is to life? Why did I get out of bed today? And where the heck did I leave my math homework?
Don’t despair; it’s not too late to turn your life around! It never is, really. Or, well, we’d like to think so, anyway.
I gathered some great tips that without a doubt will change your life in such a deep and profound way, you won’t even notice! (And that, precisely, is the best part. Or the only good one, in any case).
So with all that said and done, now it’s time to sit down, lean back, open your mind, cluck like a chicken and read these pearls of wisdom (and then see if we’re actually dorky enough to follow them):
1. Always put your smile on.
(Yes, either people will fall in love with you, or run in the diametrically opposite direction every time they see you. And for good reason, really. In any case, you’re mending your life entirely. For good, bad, or ugly, well, we don’t care.)
2. Time is the best teacher.
(Or so they say, anyway. You live and learn. At any rate, you live).
3. Live every day like it is your last.
[Crawl into a corner and cry.]
4. Change is inevitable.
[Except from a vending machine.]
5. Better to give, than to receive.
[True, but only in the case of infections.]
6. Clothes don’t make a man.
[But being naked will get you arrested. Nevertheless, it’s quite the way to be. You heard it here first.]
7. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
(Put all of then in the fridge, they will last longer. We can reassure you.)
8. Life is the most precious thing we have.
[Yet it has no market value. Sigh. Life. Honestly.]
9. Always remember you are unique.
[And yes, much as you’d hate to believe, it doesn’t matter, because so is everyone else.)
10. Time is money. (So why are you reading this, again??!?)
-Sanjana Malhotra and Akanksha Chawla

An Ode to Class Ten

Class ten…. the Year that was,
With mortal peril of the scary boards,
If it hadn’t been for Mrs. Kamra to chase us,
I’m sure we wouldn’t have been as meticulous,
And surely would have been much more frivolous.
Coming to Mrs. Johri, it was almost fun doing Math,
But after all, with her 100% attendance it got pretty bad!
I’m sure without the then seeming terrible reviews,
Our math grades would have been very bad news!
So circles and trigonometry along with her,
Have become nearly crystal clear…..
The English classes with ‘Mizz’ Char Rekha,
Couldn’t have been any better,
Ith the comical poetry sessions,
And our lessons on expressions,
It was indeed something to look forward to,
Even though we had in a month, only two!
Mrs. Shashi Prabha and her hindi kaksha,
Was like a party and bahut achcha,
Though the syllabus was rather vast,
With her help we’ve completed it at last!
Except the disturbance that was persistent,
O keeping us out made her insistent!
Sanskrit - the ancient language,
To learn from Mr. Trivedi was a privilege!
Mrs. Kamra had admirable skill,
And to learn from her, was indeed a thrill!
Their able guidance was much required,
Else not a word we would have deciphered!
The best of the Sciences – The Physics class,
With Mr. Sharma we inevitably had a laugh!
With more of ‘kyun bhai’ and less oh Ohm’s Law,
We sometimes even sneaked in through the door!
But at the end of the year we all know,
Proves that it was not all play but work too!
Mrs. Johar and Chemistry were always,
A perfect equilibrium of lucidity and a daze!
With numerous reactions we tried to memorize,
Of course ‘revising up’
Was always nice!
Sometimes noisy, sometimes in control,
It was indeed, a strange rigmarole!
Biology & Mrs. Vohra - a wonderful combination,
With her amazing teaching skill and infinite patience,
It was almost always fun learning weird new things,
Except mind you, the gross findings!
Question bank and assignment deadlines we perpetually pushed,
But only to learn more, we always wished!
Mrs. Apte, ever willing to teach Economics,
Had a little trouble with the class comics!
With infinite energy to just write and write,
Given the chance even we’d have to till night!
Though new to us all, we managed well,
With ma’ams ability to reduce it to a nutshell!
The class of the titans – Mrs. Mitra and History,
How we survived them is quite a mystery!
The answer I think was her amazing handouts,
That told us of times, people and their whereabouts!
Else we wouldn’t have been able to survive,
But eventually for history we all began to strive!
Geography with Mrs. Mukherjee was real good fun,
She did what no other could have done.
Teach, but at a leisurely pace,
Not like life is a mind-numbing!
Mps, assignments and classworks galore,
As long as you submitted your work, it was a four on four!
That was the credit list for this year,
And each of the teachers are indeed very dear!
We’ll cherish and miss the year that flew past,
The mismatched section that once left us aghast,
Has fallen so wonderfully into place,
That we wish that time wouldn’t move at this pace!
Class ten…the year that was,
We’ll miss it, complete with its ‘perfect flaws’!
 
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Feel Good Inc.

Had a fight with your best friend? Broke up with your significant other? Did dismally in the tests? Upset because Sanjaya’s not in American Idol anymore? Or just feeling generally low?
Never fear! The newsletter’s here!
We know being unhappy isn’t the bestest feeling in the world, so we compiled, along with some trusted (or not so trusted) people, a list to shake you out of your blues, get you out of bed and into the sun-shiny day with a big, often annoying, smile on your faces!
When asked what makes them happy, here is what our ‘correspondents’ said:
“Ah! Oreos! Ice cream! Nishka!” ~ Amanat Anand.
Food does have a way of doing it.
“Passing in Physics. Painting bananas green. Sleep. Praying to God to let me grow a tail.”-Akanksha Chawla
Um… yes. We’d rather not comment on that one.
“Seeing Datta running, because he looks really funny. Especially his hair. It makes you happy.”-Brea Mohini Dutt
Geez.
“Cheese!” ~ Ashish Bakshi.
Water on the brain, Ashish? No, methinks it’s more like FOOD on the brain…
“I’m happy when my solitude is broken by some friends…” ~ Pallavi Saini
Somebody’s in a pensive mood… or maybe just dazed by the scent of honeysuckle that’s overpowering her brain and is actually an alien mind-control device…
“Driving over a puddle and wetting someone completely!” ~ Sanjana Malhotra
I spy with my little eye, something like a mean little child! But yes, the sheer joy that you get from seeing the shocked, disgusted look on that person’s face is… priceless!
“Partying!!!!!!” ~ Sumer Kandhari
No kidding.
“Food… no, no, music… no wait, food, UHHHHH!!!” ~ Nihal ‘Turty’ Kanwar
Expressive much?
Well. ‘Nuff said there.
Happiness is something everybody has a right to, and whichever way you choose to get it, everything boils down to what Anne Frank says - “We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same.” So whether it’s food, friends, music or something you’re too embarrassed to tell anyone, don’t disregard the things that make you happy as trivial, because it is usually the most trivial things that make you the happiest – the first drop of rain falling on your nose, the feeling of warmth when with your friends, seeing somebody’s face shine with sheer joy – joy that you caused or sharing a moment across a crowd with a complete stranger, whatever. And, of course, there’s always chocolate. Aah.
-Ayesha Malik (and a little help here and there from Akanksha Chawla)

AIDS: From bad to worse

The passing of World AIDS Day, almost 6 months ago, is an opportune time to reflect on progress made in certain areas towards fighting the epidemic, and the failures made in others. This article will focus on the failures, simply because I believe that it never does one any good to gloat over amelioration rather than to tear one’s hair out over all that is yet to be done. It will, more than anything else reveal some reasons why AIDS is so “unbeatable”.
Of the 6.8 million people who are HIV positive, only 24% have access to treatment, and only 13% of the 8,00,000 children who require anti-viral treatment are receiving it. What’s even more disturbing is that specialists involved in fighting AIDS have grown almost immune to such shocking facts and figures.
Of course, prevention and education still represent the key solution to the problem of this spreading virus. They are both, however, far from being achieved – being hindered not only by poverty, gender differences, cultural diversity and stigma but also increasingly by the conservative beliefs of many governments as well the fundamental beliefs in many religions which oppose the use of condoms. It would prove to be a big step forward if, for example, the Catholic Church were to welcome the appeal of the humanitarian organisations and drop the ban on the use of condoms.
In India, the Rajasthan government recently banned Sex Education (for students of classes 9 and 10) because it is “inconsistent with our culture”. This seems to be a step backwards after all the advancement that the world had made – because Sex Education is not only an important introduction to puberty and a way to open up about something that should no longer be “unmentionable”, but also a crucial way to provide information to young adults about AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. It would be a pity to let the “we-don’t-talk-about-such-things” mentality become an obstacle to progress.
AIDS shouldn’t be unbeatable. The world has the technological capacity to find a cure. But it’s about time we joined hands and used our resources intelligently.
Sara Chatterjee X-B

Splash
1st prize-poetry writing competition
( Class 6-8)

When I opened the door,
With great shock I saw!
A water balloon coming at me,
And I had no time to flee.
Splash!
On my face;
A really big disgrace,
Splash!
On my hair;
I wouldn’t even dare.
Splash!
On the floor;
Till mom came and saw.
Who was it? She cried,
I don’t know! I lied.
It really was my brother,
But I didn’t dare to tell.
Because if he told ‘my’ secret,
I would be in hell!
The next day I thought,
So what if I go to hell.
At least I’ll get my brother,
To come with me as well,
I told my mom that secret,
That I hid for days.
Instead of making her calm,
I made her anger rise!
She didn’t send us to hell,
Like I said earlier,
Instead she took four water balloons
And burst them on our heads!
Splash!
Ranjit Singh, VI-C

Confessions of A
Broken Heart
1st prize-poetry writing competition
(Class 9-10)

to devote their life to cricket and are doing their best. Chappel experimented and though we didn’t make it to the super 8’s, he’s given us a completely new outlook to cricket.”
B: “His plans were great and would have been for any country but you have to take into account the administrative obstacles and facilities available. He could have been more realistic and we may have done better.”
A: “But at the end of the day its still a game which is being played by lovers of the game, we need to support our team because they have great potential and if the fans are with the team… no one can touch them, if we rebuild the team it will take ages and we may just end up like what Pakistan is today as they tried rebuilding after the 2003 world cup.”
B: “Maybe you’re right but at the end of the day they are paid to perform and they represent our country in the sport which is loved by all. We want players who don’t concentrate on advertisements and show complete devotion.”
The conversation is never ending but the fact remains that our team can’t always win. We as fans need to support them as long as we know that they are doing their best and they have so many expectations to live up to that it’s not easy. Instead of stoning their houses we need to reassure them that we are there with our team when we win AND WHEN WE LOSE. It’s never about winning or losing, but just giving 100%.
-Arjun Bajaj and Dhritiman Murti, 12
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Who decides, anyway?

Who decided to call a tree a tree? Who decided that we need to give examinations to prove that we are good enough? Who decided what IS good enough? Who decided that we need to BE good enough?
From the day we were born, and probably to the day that we pass from this world to whatever is beyond, everybody follows norms set by others. Who are these others? Nobody knows. We get up in the mornings, sleep at night. Who told us to do that? Hasn’t anyone ever wondered how the things that we take for granted, the things we do not even have to think about to do or to think or to say, actually came about? Doesn’t anyone ever feel the sense of exhilaration at doing something to the point of perfection? Yet, what is perfection? And who decides it? And is my idea of perfection the same as the person’s next to me? Who decides who is right and who is not?
Doesn’t anyone wonder what it would be like if none of these things were pre-decided? If everyone had the right to decide things for themselves? To explore, to feel your way through and make your minds up for yourselves?
Who is anybody to tell me to call a stone that, and not, say, an elf? Maybe the way I see it, it is an elf to me. Not the way it looks, no, I mean the real thing. That it IS an elf. Are we to follow the beliefs of some stuffy old man who said everything we believed in as toddlers is rubbish? An old man who was probably high on opium when he said it? Why is everyone forced to grow up just because some distant ‘he’, dead more than a hundred light years ago, said we had to? Nobody knows this man, nobody ever did. Yet we follow his ‘teachings.’ Who took away the right from us to behave like children? Who decided we were too old to play in a sandpit?
Who decided that everything we see or hear isn’t an illusion? That God is not a trickster in whose begging hands are we but puppets? Who decided that anything we say is worth listening to? Yet who decided it isn’t?
Who decided?
Not me. Not you.
Maybe these are the ravings of a lunatic, maybe they aren’t. All I want to ask is: who decided that I am a lunatic and you aren’t?
-Ayesha Malik,9

Analyze This

· Mr. Clinton was inspired, after meeting President John F Kennedy and hearing Martin Luther King’s speech, ‘I Have A Dream’. He attended Oxford University to study governance. · Mr. Bush was a ‘C’ scoring, average student who achieved a Bachelor of Arts degree. He joined the Air Force, but deserted when he was called upon to serve. He avoided training sessions as well.
· Clinton organized and participated in Vietnam War protests and processions.
· Bush’s ‘daddy’ was later busy in Operation Desert Storm, blowing up Baghdad.
· Clinton served as the Governor of Arkansas for 12 years, prior to running for the Presidential Elections of 1992, winning by a landslide against former President George Bush Sr. Clinton was welcomed with open arms, as this was the first time the Democrats had complete control over both the House of Representatives and the Senate. · Bush served 5 years as the Governor of Texas, before running for the Presidential Elections of 2000, winning by a close and controversial contest against Al Gore. President Bush’s Inauguration Ceremony was cancelled for the first time in American history due to violent protests. The President was rushed to his limo, and escorted rapidly to the White House.
· Clinton spent his first few months in office passing bills, laws and regulations.
· Bush spent his first few months in office on vacation on his ranch in Texas.
· Clinton overturned the American economy from an economy that carried a huge deficit to that of an economy with an excess saving fund.
· After 9/11, Bush declared a Global War on Terrorism in 2000 and ordered the invasion of Afghanistan to overthrow Al Qaeda and to capture Osama Bin Laden. But, 2 days after, while every plane was grounded in America, President Bush authorized the departure of approximately 50 members of Osama’s family to the Middle East.
· Clinton was impeached after it was discovered that he was having a type of an affair with a White House intern, (the Lewinsky scandal)but even after his impeachment, he retained his 65% approval rating and moved on to fight for the prevention of HIV/AIDS and Global Warming
· Bush’s still running the country… and probably doesn’t know what Global Warming is…
After all this, I’m surprised that one man was impeached for messing around with a woman, whereas another was supported after doing quite the same, only with a COUNTRY.
Don’t mind me while I eat my hat.
-Ashish Bakshi, 9

Au Revoir Grace Church!

Our minds were racing! We had seen so much in the past few days that it was hard to switch to a regular routine of school. As our bus turned the last street, our eagerness speckled with nervousness, we bravely tried to face the situation. A week of fun and frolic led us to our actual exchange in Grace Church School, Manhattan.
The week before was unforgettable. With short excursions to pristine valleys of London, the classic landscape of Oxford, the mysticism of Stratford Upon Avon, the sheer beauty of Washington, decked in Cherry Blossoms and Boston’s duck tour, fifteen of us accompanied by two teachers suddenly found ourselves facing our Exchange Buddies.
The initial meeting at school was like a conventional one! We were instructed to behave like angels (and we did live up to this!).
What intrigued me most was that Grace Church School was so very different from ours. The tall building dating almost a century had in it all the amenities that a student requires in his school life, and, well, others. Besides, all through the day we received ample free time to walk into Grace’s gorgeous library, sit and play on their innumerable computers and play all sorts of sports within the school! The day, unlike in VVS did not begin with assembly but began with an informal interaction with our peers and teachers. Another striking difference was in the style of teaching. We at VVS follow a more formal sort of study pattern but at Grace, informal interactions are enough to get the dedicated students to work!
From the dramatic History lessons, to riveting grindings in Music, from the thrill of playing in Graces state of the art gym to studying serious Ethics and Drama, Grace Church School proved that it believed in the holistic development of its students.
The lessons thus struck an immaculate balance between fun and serious study. Also, the American pattern of including projects in almost every subject possible helped to understand them better. Adapting practical demonstrations rather than tedious theory gave Grace Church School students a head start in their early years.
But all good things end fast. And so did this week at Grace. We had gone, a little reluctant but believe me, on the last day, there was not one of us who didn’t bear tears in their eyes. Such is the power of human relationships!
Nikhil Pandhi, IX-A

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Mad Icon Disease

The headlines screamed murder… what with the report on another dowry death. I reflected on what, this world that we consider to be an untouchable haven, has come to…..
So there is the news…confined to a large rectangular square bunch of sheets, dotted with myriad squiggles interspersed with searing images. One glances casually at the headlines, sympathises with the ill-fated occurrence and experiences a rush of sympathy, for a fraction of a second, and flips right to the entertainment section to see what Lindsay Lohan has been up to. Well, I hate to admit that I was one to overlook world events in a flash, and furiously rustle the pages, in a frantic attempt to find out what the scoop on Dan Radcliffe was, and if his equestrian-related tales were true. Really…this obsession with celebs is like an incurable bug. It intrigues me to no end, as to how much we are fixated by them. It’s the way their glitzy, ritzy and racy lives enamour us, so much so that we just have to know the latest gossip regarding the stars on The OC. We can’t rest until we find out about the newest addition to the Jolie/Pitt/Jolie-Pitt family is!!! So there are pieces of news that are hard-hitting, in terms of the sheer gravity of the situations that they discuss…and then there are the truly frivolous tidbits, that we relish and look forward to, everyday of our mundane and lackluster lives. But is finding out about the sudden fetish with Abhi-Ash more important, as compared to, say, the lost lives of innocent students? Moreover, the hype surrounding the recent lot of celebs tying the knot has been insane. A perfect example is the life-size Liz-Arun shaadi that left everyone gossip-deficient and wanting more. I am rather stunned to say, that our very own motherland, now has its own paparazzi (which Mike Tyson is desperately evading)! Of course, this development is somewhat late, but they succeeded in hounding the poor Jolie-Pitts when they chanced to be in town…The rumour mills don’t stop churning, and the most up-to-date hearsay is always juicier than the last tad. Sample this, Cameron Diaz broke her nose while partying in Hawaii, Victoria Beckham is turning to Scientology, things have soured between the everlasting golden couple Tom-Kat, Kate Moss married her long time love, Babyshambles-front man Pete Doherty….the list is endless and the scandles instantly keep cropping up. The authenticity is evidently to be doubted, and the prying never ends. The sheer desire, to hit upon how celebs lead ‘normal’ lives, armed with their Pradas and Limos is truly engaging and at the same time amusing, as in the case of how many times the ‘Man with the Worst Mane’ has gone completely bust (i.e.: Trump)!
Having completely come across as a hypocrite, I would like to clear the record by saying, I am setting about by mending my ways and resolving to overcome Celebrity Worship Syndrome (it’s a real condition-look it up on Wikipedia)! In the meanstwhile, if you find yourself straying and giving in to the irresistible urge to dig beneath the surface and find out the latest goss, think about what really matters and you’ll bin the frivolous tale heralding the end of Prince William and Kate Middleton in a split second.
Ria Sen, 12

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Busted

Bhavik Singh : Do you think my iPod will work in the high altitude?
Arushi Kumar : Yes, Bhavik. Battery maybe?!
Bhavik Singh : Oh I thought something would interfere with the signal.
Yeah…signal…right…it’s obviously an iRadio
Megha Rawla : My stomach hurts like a dog
You better show it to a vet.
Abhishek Munjal : Why were you sat on me?
I don’t what know who you are saying with.
Abhishek Munjal : My hand is available for all of you.
You can keep it!!
Pallavi Saini : If you can’t see then you’re deaf.
No comment
Ketan Sharma: PS3 Games are expensive!
Shivam Raheja: Why don’t you just photocopy the old ones?!
Yeah, why not!
Akash Chopra: Why is the time so early?
Are you friends with Abhishek Munjal?
Mallika Sikand: I think I died in my previous life.
Are you related to Rishi Sikand?

Spidey-3

Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco
All you arachnophiles finally have a reason to celebrate. Spidey is back. And he’s back with a bang. In this new installment, he’s battling three enemies – Sandman, Venom and the most interesting one – himself. Sam Raimi has made a film better and grander than anything he’s made, including the last two installments of this very profitable franchise. Spiderman 3 has in it a web of complex emotions, confusing relationships and a whole lot of action (as is expected from a Spiderman movie). The action is extremely well directed, but that is but to be expected from a movie with a budget of $250 million. Worth mentioning is James Franco’s acting, and the others are, well, the same as ever, in any case. This is the biggest movie of the season, and it’s one which figures on everyone’s list. For the sake of rating it, I give it 4/5 (that’s mainly because of ªJames Francoª -you've got to love the guy). If you haven’t yet seen the movie, get ready for some serious ostracism.
-Akanksha Chawla, 12

EDITORIAL BOARD
Ayesha Malik, Devika Agrawal, Nikhil Pandhi, Sanjana Malhotra, Arushi Kumar, Meghna Mann, Sara Chatterjee, Rhea Sadh, Bhavik Singh,
Kunal Datta, Vanshika Wadhwa, Akbar Iqbal, Avanti Gupta, Soumya Dasgupta, Jahan Adil Nargolwala, Diva Gujral, Tarunima Prabhakar, Mahi Titus, Amba Kak, Arjun Bajaj, Dhritiman Murti, Praavita Kashyap, Ujwalla Bhandari, Shaman Marya, Ria Sen

Editor: Akanksha Chawla