The Paw Print

    The South AsianYouth Action community center is really a worthwhile place to spend time at. I recommend joining SAYA to anyone who has yet to sign up for it’s extracurricular activities. Located at 54-05 Seabury Street, SAYA offers West Indian dance, SAT test prep, a leadership program, basketball, Bollywood film club, volleyball, hip-hop literacy 101, a college prep program, piano lessons, a book club, and cricket club. I joined the cricket club because it prepares members for the upcoming varsity cricket season. 
    The first day of Cricket Club, I was nervous because I had no idea how to play cricket. My ignorance of this sport is largely due to the fact that cricket is in its infancy stage in the United States, despite being played in nearly every former British colony. Luckily,the instructors were high school students and were tolerant of our novice mistakes. They realized that we were new to the sport and started with the complete basics: catching and throwing the ball. After about an hour of this rudimentary exercise, we finally got the chance to bat. Hitting the ball itself is pretty easy, but holding the bat right in preparation for hitting is a hassle. 
    First, you have to stand parallel to the wicket with bent knees. Then, you have to grip the handle of the bat with the non-dominant hand (keeping the elbow completely straight) on top of the dominant hand (bent slightly). The bat must then touch the ground slightly with the flat side facing the bowler (somewhat like a pitcher). Lastly, one must visually follow the ball and then slightly push the bat with the dominant hand as soon as the ball makes contact. If hit with the right amount of force, the ball can go out of the park, and could result into 6 runs (the greatest number of points that can be scored from a single hit).  

    I had no idea that I would enjoy Broadway shows until the age of 12, when my mentor took me to see” Hairspray.” Not only was Hairspray my  first Broadway show, but it was also my first musical. I could not contain the happiness I felt after I got a close view of the performance.The stage, the actors, and  the Broadway story  is such a magnificent thing to see. The one thing that runs through my mind after I see a Broadway show is wondering how can the actors do this two or three times a day, everyday, throughout the year so flawlessly?  I’m amazed at how each actor is able to portray the same character every time, and memorize lines.
    I have a sweet spot for theater. I think it’s a great way to express yourself. I think Broadway is a great example of this. So many stories are told, and so many songs are sang. There are so many shows to chose from in New York, and being in the center of it all is amazing. I think that  there is a Broadway show for everyone. 
    Out of all the Broadway shows that I have seen, my favorite has to be “War Horse.” I seen “War Horse” on a school trip with my English honors class a few months ago, and it was amazing. It was a wonderful experience. I am so grateful that I have seen “War Horse”, because it has been recognizde by so many people, including the Tony Awards ,and now it’s very  hard to see. 
    I always love going to Broadway shows, and everytime I have the chance to see one is a great experience. Hopefully, if I’m lucky, I can finally see “The Lion King” or “Wicked.” These are two of the Broadway shows I’m dying to see.

    I am reading Tim Tebow’s new book “Through My Eyes”, which is about good and frustrating moments that happen while growing up in the Tebow household. Tim is the quarterback for the Denver Broncos, and grew up in a Christan household. Since his father is a minister, he grew up with many lessons from God. Tebow reveals his favorite lessons in his book. The one that stood out to me the most was Proverbs 27:2, “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” This stood out to me, because lately I have been praising myself for getting work done. I feel like everyone, including myself, should praise themselves. We have all worked very hard to reach a certain goal, so why not show off? I like praising myself because it feels good knowing that I have gave it my all and the outcome was great. Whenever I praise myself, people always join in, so I think it is fine. What if another person doesn’t praise you? Then it should be fine to give the person a little hint so you can get a little praising. Also, for me, it makes me feel more confident about the choices I had made. 

Others may agree with proverbs 27:2, because they may love it when people come up to them without saying a word, and telling them how proud they are of them. Tim Tebow likes this saying, “It was a great lesson for us toward living our lives with a humble spirit, a lesson we needed to learn and continue to work on. Our parents certainly have always lived their lives with humility” (Tebow 14). I like to believe that I have a humble spirit and one of these days it might actually come true.

Taylor Woods is a 17-year-old rising senior from Rosedale,Queens. She attends American Sign Language High School, where she learned to sign during her freshman year. Although Taylor holds a passion for writing, she aspires to become a professional photographer. Her favorite hobbies include shopping, social networking, traveling and partying. Her most prized possession in her closet is her Gucci bag, which is something she cannot live without. This free-spirited teen says her most embarrassing moment occurred when she was in the train station, and pennies fell out of her shoe in front of a large group of boys. Taylor says that her reason behind writing is to relieve stress and get out all of her feelings. Although she does not know if the career of journalism is for her, she knows it is something that will always be a part of her life.

Ethan Barnes, is a 17-year old from the Upper East Side. He attends the IInstitute for Collaborative Education where he is a rising senior. He has won ten medals in high school  policy debate and has played baseball for nine years. He has a passion for hip-hop music and dubstep is his guilty pleasure. He has a love for mafia movies, especially Godfather 2.

   Alexus Cayetano, 17, lives in the Bronx. She is currently a student at Laguardia High School and enjoys her English class. Alexus enjoys the literature explored in her English class, and is also passionate about her dance major. Alexus also enjoys shopping on a daily basis; particularly in a store called Topshop. Alexus is obsessed with actor Hayden Christensen, and believes she would attack him if she met him. Alexus Cayetano is a adventurous and outgoing young adult. Alexus never holds personal grudges and hopes for world peace.  

Kevin Bakry is a 17-year-old who lives in Manhattan’s Lower East Side and an incoming senior of New York City Lab School. He has visited Egypt many times to visit relatives. When he’s not traveling, Kevin can be found running cross-country, listening to Joy Division or being part of his school drama team, the Lab Theater Company. He has performed in in William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible.”

I thought that I had my entire summer all figured out. My plan was to make a summer bucket list that would be completely checked off before I was forced to return to school, and than write about it. I did not have any responsibilities, nothing waking me up at five in the morning, and this felt delightful.