The Last Sari - A Story
By Smriti Krishnan
High School Junior, Birmingham, AL
Lakshmi drew the end of her sari around her shoulders and shivered slightly. The Hyderabad Express had barely left the station, and already she was cold. She remembered, with a wry smile, that her daughter emphasized the importance of staying cool at the height of summer, so she had reserved Lakshmi a seat in the AC compartment. In the seat across sat a young family of three. Lakshmi inspected them casually, and came to the conclusion that they were a family from the U.S. It was mid-June after all; the child looked old enough to go to at least first standard. It was summer vacation there; she knew, from her previous visits.
Posted by ks on 07/01/10 at 04:20 AM
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Should a foreign language be taught in kindergarten?
By Vijeth Mudalegundi
Grade 9, Alabama School of Fine Arts, Birmingham, AL
Countries around the world are advancing as a whole due to diversity. This diversity comes from both population and variety of spoken languages. One country still refuses to let students take a foreign language in elementary school. This country is the U.S.A.
Research shows that many educational advocates in the US are now pushing to let students take a foreign language earlier in school. Foreign language should be taught in elementary school because a young brain has a greater capacity to absorb information. Learning a foreign language will also allow U.S. students to be competitive in the global job market.
Posted by ks on 05/01/10 at 12:02 AM
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My prayers this Spring
By Atreya V.
7th grade, Birmingham, AL
On the occasion of so many religious festivities like Vasant Panchami, Mahashivratri, Holi, Saraswati pooja, in early spring, here are few of my favorite couplets (Dohe) from Kabir.
Posted by ks on 03/01/10 at 12:20 AM
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Rahul’s Rave Reviews - “The Hunger Games”
By: Rahul G.
| “Hey, my name is Rahul. I am currently an eighth grader and reading is one of my favorite pastimes, as well as sports and video games. I want to help other readers choose books by writing book reviews. I know how hard it can be to find a book if someone doesn’t recommend one to you. I hope you enjoy my book reviews!” |
When reading this book, THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins, I felt like I was in a state of repose in the real world, and I literally felt like I was the main character, Katniss Everdeen. This book grabs you by the throat and pulls you in. It contains action, love, survival, and a bloody fight to the finish.
Posted by ks on 03/01/10 at 12:19 AM
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Hamara Bharat (Our India)
August 4, 2009
By Smriti Krishnan
Grade 10, Spain Park High School, Birmingham, AL
| August 14, 1947. The clock’s minute hand ticked closer to twelve. Finally, after more than two centuries of the British Raj, India was free! The date was August 15, 1947. |
Jawaharlal Nehru, later to be India’s first prime minister, had predicted the moment in his famous speech entitled “Tryst with Destiny”. Nehru spoke, “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance….. We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again.”
Along with Nehru, Mohandas K. Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore also spearheaded the Indian Independence movement.
Posted by ks on 08/31/09 at 05:20 AM
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Don’t Let Economy Get You Down
Submitted By Deepa Mishra
Rising Freshman, Hoover High School, Birmingham, AL
Published in Birmingham News on March 24, 2009
Posted by ks on 06/08/09 at 09:48 PM
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Kavya Shivashankar is the national spelling bee champ
May 26, 2009. WASHINGTON - Cool and collected, Kavya Shivashankar wrote out every word on her palm and always ended with a smile. The 13-year-old Kansas girl saved the biggest smile for last, when she rattled off the letters to “Laodicean” to become the nation’s spelling champion.
The budding neurosurgeon from Olathe, Kan., outlasted 11 finalists May 26 to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee, taking home more than $40,000 in cash and prizes and, of course, the huge champion’s trophy.
Posted by ks on 05/30/09 at 06:18 AM
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MahaShivratri
By Atreya V.
MahaShivratri or just Shivratri is the day of the year that is dedicated to worshiping Lord Shiva day and night.
This special festival occurs on the fourteenth night of the new moon during the dark half of the month of Phalguna (February / March). MahaShivratri is universally observed by all pious Hindus with fasting, singing of bhajans, recital of Sanskrit shlokas, offering of wonderful prayers, beautiful flowers, sweet fruits and tasty food dishes that are specially prepared in honor of the deity and his divine consort, goddess Parvati.
Posted by ks on 02/23/09 at 06:49 PM
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