Grammy Awards[P.5]

Apple Watch: A Failure[P.7]

History of St. Patrick’s[P.3]

(Photo credits (left to right): Realestateagentinmetuchen.com, Billboard, NJ.com)

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MARCH/APRIL 2015Vol. 10 Issue 6

$0.00 the overachieverinternational academy central student newspaper

MoRe InSIde

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Contestants display Talent, Beauty at Mr. IAThis year’s annual Mr. IA show, featuring 15 of the most aesthetically blessed and technically talented senior boys, drew over 350 audience members to the ISC on a Friday night and resulted in $4,900 in profits for the Class of 2015.

by Sophia Kapur (‘18)

An overwhelming sensation of excitement and anticipation filled the ISC on the evening of March 13, 2015 at 7PM. All of those morning announcements, flyers in the hallways, and months of planning led up to this one event: Mr. IA.

Defining the Mr. IA competition is complicated. It is not simply a male beauty pageant, but also not just a talent show. And it is certainly more than only a male beauty pageant and talent show put together. It is the night when boys become men. A night with only one winner (and don’t forget the one and only person that’s first-to-lose).

The night was kicked off with two entertaining MC’s. Seniors Eleanor Khirallah and Kai Mason delivered an incredible show! The duo definitely did not fail to captivate the audience. The program was so entertaining, some people even forgot the fact that they were sitting on the floor of the lunch room!

After all the contestants put on a wonderful dance choreographed by Zach Jordan (‘16) to “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars (and a few other songs), the spirit of working as a team drew to an end. From then on out it was each man, or duo, for

himself. All of Mr. IA’s candidates had extremely

impressive talent acts. They ranged from Luke Peterson’s juggling to heartfelt songs, some remarkable dancing, and even Kyler Plackowski solving a rubik’s cube while simultaneously playing “Centuries” by Fall Out Boy on a trumpet.

The judges were clearly faced with a tough decision when it came to elimination. Somehow, the selection was narrowed down. And this was only round one of saying goodbye to some talented contestants.

Mr. IA couldn’t be part beauty pageant without some competitive modeling. In the next round of elimination, the remaining young men and their guest of choice strutted their stuff across the stage. Hoots and hollers couldn’t be contained from the enthusiastic audience.

However the judges sat quietly, observing. They were aware of the decision they would be making in minutes. In the end, only Will Erickson, Jeremy Marcelo, and Luke Peterson went on to compete for the title of Mr. IA.

Now here was the true defining moment. Who

Jeremy Marcelo (‘15), gives an acceptance speech as he is crowned the 2015 winner of Mr. IA (Photo credit: Reza Yovan)

PTC Prepares Spring one ActsWhile normally there are are only three one acts each spring, this year sponsors Frau Schultz and Mrs. Dittus chose four courageous student directors to put four shows.

by Taylor Stark (‘15)

Just as there is a fall show every year, Phoenix Theater Company always puts on a collection of student- directed one act shows in the spring. These one acts are usually 15 to 40 minutes in length and can have casts of as few as 2 people and up to as many as the play calls for. This year’s one acts were all directed by upperclassmen and featured themes that varied greatly. Featured were 44 Plays for 44 Presidents directed by Sam Meade (‘16), Roshambo directed by Philip Meyer (‘15), Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon directed by Zoha Bharwani (‘16), and 10 Ways to

The Great dress debate White and gold? Black and blue? The dress that captured the world’s attention and raised the question… what color do you see?

by Finnley MacKillop (‘17)

We’ve all seen it. It’s a picture that will go down in history for throwing the entire Internet into utter chaos. A picture that generated arguments and debate unlike any other, one that triggered articles from just about every news outlet in the country, whether national or local, and that has left our country with an all-consuming, burning question that will be answered today: Is the dress white and gold? Or is the dress blue and black? The answer to that question--and why science supports it--will be investigated and revealed today. In case you don’t already know, last February the Internet was obsessed by a seemingly simple photo. It all started

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German Aircraft Crashes in French AlpsThe co-pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525 crash-landed in the French Appalachian mountains, killing all passengers on board.

by Aakash Beesabathuni (‘16)

In the past year, many devastating events have occurred in the commercial aviation industry, from the notorious Malaysian Airlines flight 370 missing to Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 vanishing. The latest amongst these crashes is flight 9525 of Germanwings Airlines. However, unlike Malaysia Airlines flight 370 Germanwings flight 9525 was no tragic accident or innocent mistake.

On March 24, 2015 Germanwings flight 9525 departed from the Barcelona-El Prat Airport to the Düsseldorf Airport in Germany. The plane contained 144 passengers; these 144 passengers contained citizens

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staffPRInCIPAL Ms. Lynne GibsonASSoCIATe PRInCIPAL Mr. Christopher SmithFACULTY FACILITAToR Ms. Sarah ClancyedIToR-In-CHIeFJenna WangSCHooL neWS edIToREleanor KhirallahWoRLd neWS edIToR Rana-Armaghan K. AhmadFeATUReS edIToRSSydney RosenAlayna WongenTeRTAInMenT edIToRSMonali DesaiAlaina Valente oPInIonS edIToRAbrar QuaziSPoRTS edIToRMax TotskyBACK PAGe edIToRAnna HoppeConTRIBUToRSAakash BeesabathuniSabrina ButcherSara Farooqui Sophia KapurFinnley MacKillopSahil SethiRicha ShahKenan SinanTaylor StarkMazen Zamzam

from well over 18 countries, including three citizens of the United States.

The flight crashed nearly one hour after takeoff, approximately 100 kilometers Northwest of Nice, France in the French Alps. Unlike the prior Malaysian Airline flight disappearances, though, officials were able to track Germanwings flight 9525 throughout the course of the disaster.

The flight, unlike most airplane crashes, slowly descended into the French Alps and crashed. Strangely, the cockpit maintained constant communication with air traffic control until one minute prior to the descent that ended up crashing into the French Alps. Officials from air traffic control have also confirmed that the flight was flying at a normal cruising altitude a minute prior to the crash.

Officials have also confirmed that the plane experienced a drop in altitude from over 38,000 feet to 100 feet. The strange and sudden drop in altitude which caused the crash leads officials to doubt the innocence of the pilots and it paints this incident as a potential terrorist attack.

As police have begun investigating the

Recovery workers sort through the debris at the site of the plane crash (CNN)

Interested in writing or reporting for The

overachiever? email us at iaoverachiever@gmail.com with your pitch or idea, and we’ll make it

happen!

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Rebels Clash in northern SyriaOn March 27, Idlib, a small province in northern Syria became the second province to fall to the rebels since the Syrian conflict started in 2011. More than 100,000 people fled the provincial capital and only one third of the city’s inhabitants remained.

by Kenan Sinan (‘16)

Idlib has been one of the main backbones of the Syrian revolution. As the revolution became more violent, rebel groups were able to liberate most of Idlib from Bashar Al Assad and his forces. The citizens of Idlib longed for their liberation and thought they would finally enjoy the freedom they so heavily fought for. The perception was that the rebel groups would be able to cooperate together to rebuild the life long scars the Assad regime has left on the province. However, the rebel groups have not lived up to their promises. Many of the rebel groups, including Jabhat al Nusra (Al Qaeda franchise in Syria) have turned violent against the Syrian people and other rebels. Jabhat al Nusra began its insurgency with its attack on the western backed Syrian Revolutionaries front lead. Shockingly, they have targeted the brigades led by

none other than the revolution icon, Jamal Marouf. Marouf’s brigade, called the Syrian Martyrs’ Brigade, contains about 10,000-15,000 men and has been a legitimate moderate fighting force against the Assad regime since the beginning of the conflict. Despite this moderate group’s prestige, Jabhat al Nusra has carried out assassinations against the Syrian Martyrs’ Brigade. Besides assassinations, Jabhat al Nusra has been accused various war crimes, including robbery, and torture on its prisoners. These crime are creating more turmoil amongst the rebels. Jabhat al Nusra was dissolved and exiled from Syria. This is mainly because of their random assassinations against moderate rebel leaders- a tactic that ISIS also uses. Most of these assassinations

are carried out against the western backed formation of rebellion groups called the Hazm Movement. The Hazm Movement had some of their most important figures in and outside of Idlib executed by “unknown assailants.” The Hazm Movement has responded to these attack by Jabhat al Nusra. They assassinated an important Jabhat al Nusra leader in Aleppo, who had recently fought in Afghanistan

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A Brief History of St. Patrick’s dayFind out why so many rummage through their closets and empty their drawers in the pursuit of all things green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!

by Richa Shah (‘17)

Irrespective of ethnicity, many take part in celebrating St. Patrick’s Day each year on March 17th. On this day, people from all different heritages indulge in Irish culture. Most people make merry of the occasion by wearing green clothes or visiting an Irish pub. The 21st century has brought many to celebrate this day by enjoying a Shamrock Shake from McDonald’s! Of course though, there is more to this widely known occasion than just green clothes and milk shakes. To delve into this holiday’s history let’s start with the basics: Who was St. Patrick and what is the significance of shamrocks? Saint Patrick is the patron figure of Ireland. While there are many myths about his life, there is little verified information about the man. What is known is that he was born in Great Britain to an affluent family in the late 4th century and that he died on March 17th, 460 A.D. - hence, the date of St. Patrick’s Day. When he was sixteen years old, a group of Irish bandits kidnapped him and vandalized his family’s property. He was taken to Ireland as a prisoner and for about six years was forced to work as a lonesome shepherd. His hardships caused him to seek religion for comfort and he became a pious Christian. After six severely lonely years as a shepherd, he managed to escape. With his freedom, he devoted his life to Christianity and to converting the Irish peoples. He incorporated Irish beliefs and traditions into religious rituals so that it was more appealing to the population. St. Patrick’s efforts

when Tumblr user, swiked, posted a picture of a dress with a caption asking her followers what colors they saw: blue and black, or white and gold? She claimed that she and her friends had been arguing over it and couldn’t figure it out. Little did they know that it wouldn’t be just their group of friends who were perplexed and confused, but rather the whole country. The resulting controversy consumed the Internet for several days, until it was finally determined, after much debate and discussion, that the dress was black and blue. However, the reason for this controversy provides an exciting opportunity to apply science in real life. As we all know, color is simply a reflection of light. For example, we see blue when light hits an object, and blue wavelengths come back to our eyes, through the lens. With the picture of the dress, the eye chooses to disregard the blue, causing white and gold to appear, or doing the opposite, and disregarding the gold, causing you to see the dress as blue and

black. This change is in part due to the fact that humans evolved to see in daylight. Because colors appear significantly different in night and day, human eyes adapt to see colors differently during the different times of the day. “At first I saw white and gold, but then I saw black and blue,” says Selin Levi (‘16). “The world is crazy.” The color of the dress can change for a person because the brain finds the color of the light bouncing off of the dress by subtracting that color from the true color of the object. So, what color is the dress? It turns out that, despite a Buzzfeed poll with 2.3 million or 68% of readers saying that the dress was white and gold, the dress is actually blue and black. If you initially thought the dress was white and gold, don’t worry, you’re not alone--that was what most people saw. However, this whole trend was a reminder that not everything is how it appears. We must suspend our disbeliefs to recognize that multiple perceptions can be correct.

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included things such as celebrating Easter with bonfires, for the Irish respected their gods with fire. St. Patrick familiarized the Christian cross to the people of Ireland by placing a sun, a prominent Irish symbol, upon it. This cross is now referred to as the Celtic cross. The Irish tendency of verbally passing on tradition contributed to St. Patrick’s stories being told in a “larger-than-life” way, which partly explains the many myths surrounding him. The shamrock must

be more than just a green plant to land itself on

so many t-shirts and to have the classic shake named after it. The word “shamrock” comes from the Gaelic word, “seamrog”, which refers to the plant’s three leaves. Shamrocks are undeniably one of the most recognizable symbols of Ireland. This is somewhat because of the large quantity of clovers in the country, but mainly attributable to their rooted relation to the Christian faith. Legend says that St. Patrick used the shamrock’s three leaves to represent the idea of the Trinity, which is composed of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, when attempting to convert the Irish. The shamrock’s color is fully responsible for the plethora of green on March 17th. St. Patrick’s Day goes far beyond the color green, and uncovering St. Patrick himself and shamrocks is just a small slice of Ireland’s rich culture and history. St. Patrick’s life may remain somewhat of a mystery, but one thing is for sure- you won’t be slurping up any shamrocks in your shake!

People celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Ireland (realestateagentinmetuchen.com)

The infamous dress. (Buzzfeed)

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backgrounds of both pilots, shocking new discoveries have been made. Investigators have reported that Andreas Lubitz, the co-pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525, is suspected of foul play that led to the flight crash.

After investigating medical records it was revealed that the primary physician of Lubitz stated that Lubitz was not fit to fly for the time being. Regardless, Lubitz ignored the physician’s statement and continued to fly. Lubitz’s medical record is not the only cause of his suspicion.

Transponder data revealed that Lubitz was also the only person in the cabin when the descent occurred. Such extreme descent can only be done manually. In addition to this, the

pilot could be heard banging on the door in the cockpit’s cabin recorder. Though there are many reasons to suspect the co-pilot, officials as well as close family of Lubitz, have no understanding as to why Lubitz would ever want to crash the plane.

In order to comfort the victims’ families, families of victims from the Malaysian Airlines flight 370 disappearances are helping those from the Germanwings Flight 9525 crash . These prior victims’ families are encouraging and providing guidance to the families’ of victims in this crash.

Also to assist the victims’ families, Lufthansa--the sole owner of Germanwings--arranged for special flights to the site where the crash

happened. On top of this, Lufthansa is providing financial assistance to the relatives of the victims. Denizens of Seyne-les-Alpes, a village near the crash site, are providing homes to the families of the victims.

CNN has predicted that over two to three hundred people would be staying at Seyne-les-Alpes. Throughout this entire process workers have been attempting to find and identify victims. However, much progress has not occurred in identification as now the only way to identify victims is through DNA matching. Hopefully, these tragic airplane disasters will teach us to be more cautious and improve our technology for the future.

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was really Mr. IA material? Only high pressure questions for Luke, Will, and Jeremy could reveal the winner. The most thought provoking and life changing question on everyone’s mind was definitely regarding the contestant’s favorite Mrs. Miner email. Everyone was just relieved that Mr. Uhelski was called out on his concerned response wondering what could possibly be in that bag.

At the end of a night of singing along to High School Musical songs, uncontrollable fits of laughter, and being wowed by talent, a winner was finally announced. Jeremy Marcelo was chosen by the judges as the worthy winner of Mr. IA 2015!

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Syria (ConT. P.2)against NATO. The Hazm movement, which was more organized than the previous Syrian Revolutionaries Front, were expected to actually put up a fight against Nusra. However, in early March, the Hazm movement suffered severe casualties from Jabhat al Nusra, forcing them to dissolve. The United Nations and NATO have failed to reach a solution to the Syrian conflict.The growth of radicalism in Syria has caused the rebels to reject both the Assad regime and any support from the West. Beheadings, public floggings, and oppression of women is not just a ISIS trademark now. Jabhat Al-Nusra rules with the same style and based their ruling on the same justifications as ISIS. With the borders of Turkey open, foreign jihadists are allowed to enter and exit freely whenever they wish. With the Gulf States such as Qatar providing money and military aid, Jabhat al-Nusra is able to easily carry out their military operations and stomp over small local rebellion groups, who truly believe in a free Syria. Meanwhile, Western backed coalition forces are their airstrikes on ISIS, leaving Jabhat al-Nusra members free to roam through the cities and rule with tyranny. A truly free Syria is a Syria where different ethnic groups can live together in peace. This will only be possible once the moderate rebels stand out.

Left to right: Alby Thomas (‘15) performs a dance to Beyonce’s “All The Single Ladies” in his iconic star-spangled unitard; Jeremy Marcelo (‘15) poses for the camera after being crowned Mr. IA 2015 (Photo Credit: )

Civilians flee from the explosions and mortars that have assauged Idlib (Guim.co.uk)

IA in VogueSee what’s trending this season on the runways and in the hallways of IA.

by Payge Lindow (‘17) “April showers bring May flowers…” which is why it’s time to pull out those rain coats and rubber boots! Hopefully things will start to heat up in April, but because this is Michigan, you’ve got to be prepared for all kinds of weather. Tall, stylish waterproof boots can be found anywhere to prepare you for the mud and rain, or even the occasional chilly day! Whether bright, bold colors, pastels, polka dots, or florals, any kind of rain boots are in style. Sperrys are another great footwear choice. These comfortable shoes come in all kinds of styles for both men and women, and are boat shoes, so they are meant for water! These shoes can last through almost anything. With their sneaker, flip-flop, heel, loafer, and boat shoe options, there’sa pair for every occasion. As spring approaches, skirts and shorts come back too! Pastel bottoms make for a cheerful addition to an

outfit. Pair it with a neutral colored or patterned shirt, and you’ve got a simple yet seasonal outfit. Spring brings a lot of seasonal sports as well. Dri-fit material clothing comes in lots of bright colors and patterns. Go out of your comfort zone and try a fun pair of pants!

SAhArAh BALDWIN (‘16)Saharah’s outfit is a good transition between winter and spring. Her flowy navy blue dress can be a winter color, or a nautical spring color!

DANIeL KASSAB (’17)daniel’s outfit screams spring! His pink pastel button down and baby blue shorts are preppy and perfect for any occasion. His brown leather Sperrys make for a classic look.

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The 57th Grammy AwardsWith showstopping performances and fashion icons abound, there was something for everyone to enjoy at the 2015 Grammy Awards.

by Sabrina Butcher (‘17)

This year’s award show season has yet again come to an end, closing out with the Academy Awards. However, before this grand finale was a show dedicated to celebrating not the actors and creators, or television stars and writers, but musicians and their work. That’s right, it’s the 57th Grammy Awards. The night began with this year’s host, LL Cool J, introducing the show’s opening act, AC/DC. This band was not the only one from the ‘older generation’ of music to make an appearance. Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), took the stage to perform a couple of their hits from the

seventies including “Evil Woman” and “Mr. Blue Sky”. They also collaborated with special guest, Ed Sheeran, who performed one his hit songs, “Thinking Out Loud”. Other performances mixed the young and the old, the currently popular and the happily remembered from the past, like artists such as Hozier and Annie Lennox, Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett, and Jessie J with Tom Jones. Performances like these were incredibly crowd pleasing as they included a variety of genre of music and musicians. Older musical heroes were not the only ones

diversity at new York Fashion WeekFrom amputees to vitiligo victims. the models of this year’s New York Fashion Week brought about something that is usually a rarity on major fashion catwalks: diversity.

by Sara Farooqui (‘16)

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New York Fashion Week, a semiannual event bringing together world renown designers and supermodels, came to a close last month. Through the eccentric glam and gasp worthy pieces, the typical fashion show algorithm followed by participants and expectably odd clothing displayed were still present. But this year, there was something slightly different. The audience was able to view designers’ latest on a more varied bunch; models of all types were seen on the runway.. On a runway usually graced by thin, white, and seemingly flawless models, the variety there was this year definitely caught the attention of most. Kanye West’s collaboration with Adidas in his sportswear line stood out: women and men of various races, ages, and body types displayed Kanye’s not-too-extraordinary designs in a unique and different way.

Models included had a wide array of skin colors and body sizes. Kanye’s clothing itself is criticized heavily for being ‘ugly’, but he is being praised for including such a varied assortment of models. Thanks, Mr. West, for breaking the mold and not letting your collection be displayed by a single majority. New York Fashion Week 2015 also gave way to models with different sexual orientations, disabilities, shapes, and sizes. Laverne Cox, transgender actress, beautifully graced the runway in a flowing red gown for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign. Chromat’s display was mainly composed of plus-sized models who elegantly displayed the unusual yet classy pieces by the designer. Desigual featured Winnie Harlow, who has vitiligo (a skin condition where pigment is lost in some areas of the skin leading to discolored,

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Famed musical ground AC/DC took to the stage for the opening act. (Billboard)

Humans of IAInspired by Brandon Stanton’s “humans of New York” photo blog, “humans of IAC” aims to share the stories of students and staff at the International Academy Central.

What’s your story?

by Sophia Kim (‘17)

“Well, I’ve always been a good liar. And [acting] just doesn’t help. Actually though, acting helps

you get close to people really quickly. You become close- really, ungodly uncomfortably

close--but. Agh. I wish I could describe it. It’s the feeling of community that if you need

something… Anyways, come to the PTC One Acts!”

-EMMA IIZUKA (‘17)

“For the most part, IA’s been pretty good…I guess I’m pretty excited for my Personal Project. I’m interested about that. I was thinking about doing an app, but it seems a little hard, so I don’t know…”

“Just don’t procrastinate.”

- MAZeN ZeLDAN (‘18)

“This is my second year doing IASA, so I think it’ll be really nice knowing that I already have some experience doing Bhangra, so I’ll be more hyped up for the dance… I don’t typically dance, but with Bhangra, it’s something you can do without feeling too cowardly.”

- vINAY revANKAr (‘16)

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Fashion (ConT. P.5)white patches) on the catwalk, looking gorgeous in summery patterned dresses and bright colored boots. For FTL Moda, disabled models–including amputees and people in wheelchairs–rocked the shimmering metallics and moern looks of the brand. Even after such a positive breakthrough, people are angry as to why this happened so late. Besides this, some people don’t think there was enough diversity as almost 80% of the models on the runway were still white females. Sophia Theallet’s show was the least diverse at 5.3% diversity (only one black woman out of nineteen). With cases like this one, advocates argue that the minimal diversity is only present in order to tick a box and be done with that aspect. But it obviously isn’t enough; living in a world where each person is different should be enough a reason to include more in a fashion show. Despite all criticism, this year’s fashion week has been the most diverse we’ve seen. With models of all races, builds, orientations, and conditions, New York Fashion Week has

taught us that fashion is for everyone.

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that did well at this year’s Grammy’s. Many of the artists that walked away with more than one trophy in hand were young, fresh and new, such as Sam Smith. 22 year old Smith, with only one popularly recognized album, was called to the stage not once, not twice, but four times to receive

awards. These wins included, record of the year, song of the year, best new artist, and best pop vocal album. Most of these awards owe their success to his melodramatic hit song “Stay With Me”. However, Smith himself claims that he owes his success to finally being himself.

A model in a wheelchair poses on the runway for FTL Moda (Simplyoloni.com)

Survive the Zombie Apocalypse directed by Celeste Bracco (‘15). Just judging from the titles, it is clear that these comedic one acts each bring a different style of hilarity to the show this year. Of course before shows can be performed, they have to be decided upon. These one acts begin in the same way that the fall play begins: interested student directors submit applications with proposals for which one act they would like to direct along with any extra set, costumes, or effects they may need for such a production. This was done in December and over winter break the four directors were selected. Auditions were held in early January. Since there were four directors, actors are chosen by who fits which roles best and not necessarily by which director wants that actor the most. This ensures that the best one acts possible are put up with the maximum amount of talent split between the performances. Since one acts are shorter than a full length production, the chosen actors and directors

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Celebrities strutted a variety of creative looks at the Grammys red carpet, including Rihanna in this poofy pink number (NJ.com)

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Victory near for Golden State WarriorsCan this up-and-coming NBA team capitalize on their great season with a championship?

by Kenan Sinan (‘16)

There is no doubt that the Golden State Warriors are the best team in the NBA right now. They currently own the best record in the league, only a few wins shy of Michael Jordans win per season record with the Bulls. Any true fan saw this coming.

Ever since the departure of Jason Richardson and Baron Davis, the Warriors have been quietly adding essential pieces that helped them with their current success. They made every roster spot count, as any player on the roster could potentially be the leading scorer on any given night. Now, the question is whether they can capitalize on their great season with a championship, which would be the first in history of the franchise. I personally think they will.

How are the Warriors all of a sudden making a splash in West? It all begins with the teams great three-point shooting each and every game, specifically the Splash Bros!

Stephen Curry has been having a stellar year, shooting the best he has throughout his short but great career. Even though he slightly averages fewer points, he is for sure more efficient than the years prior, which is why he is in the MVP race today, with other greats like James Harden and Lebron James.

Aside from three-pointers, Stephen Curry also leads the league with his free throw percentage of .916. His consistency is what will lead him in the playoffs, and is what hurts certain players like Russell Westbrook, who can be moody with his game at times.

Every star player has his own sidekick, but the thing is Stephen Curry has more than a sidekick: he has Klay Thompson. Thompson, who is also a three-point specialist is more of a partner for Curry. He currently averages a few points less than Curry, and also shared a spot with him on the All-Star squad in February.

Klay has also come up big in important games, just recently he scored 36 points in one single quarter. That is a franchise record and for sure one of the most points scored in a quarter in NBA history. Also, while Curry and Thompson have easily carried this Warrior team on their backs at times, this Golden State Warriors team is probably one of the most complete teams in the NBA.

The Golden State Warriors are undoubtedly the best defensive team in the NBA, If they continue this pace for the final stretch of the season, it would be the lowest opponents field-goal percentage they’ve ever allowed in an 82-game season. There is no doubt the Warriors are the best team in the NBA. Be on the look out for a parade in the Bay Area soon!

A Grade AboveAre you an underclassman looking for a little peer-to-peer guidance on school, life, and everything in-between? Welcome to The Overachiever’s new advice column, where you will find helpful tips and encouragement from a grade (or two) above.

by Zoe Hunter (‘16)

Hello IAers!

We’re almost finished with the school year. Isn’t it weird how the time can fly by so fast? Even though the school year is coming to a close, now isn’t the time to slack off. There are still deadlines to meet (juniors and seniors know a lot about this), homework to turn in, and unfortunately tests to still take.

The end of the year finals are imminent, so it’s important to pay attention if you want to succeed this semester. So when you find yourself thinking about putting off studying or doing your homework, instead snap out of it by:

LISTeNINg TO MuSIC (BuT NOT FOr A LONg TIMe)

If you don’t know what Spotify is, you’re missing out. It’s like Pandora but better because Spotify has numerous playlists that are targeted for your mood and/or activity, and the best part is it’s free (if you can tolerate advertisements)

ChANgINg YOur LOCATION -

Recently I’ve noticed that I get my homework done faster when I don’t do my homework in my bed, but someplace where I know I won’t fall asleep. If you start to find yourself starting to get off track or dozing off, maybe it’s time for a change of scenery.

ChANgINg YOur perSpeCTIve

You don’t want to be that one kid in class who doesn’t have their homework because you “just didn’t feel like doing it” now do you?

NAppINg Or exerCISINg-

Sometimes our laziness is the result of the lack of sleep we get. If this is the case, give your body and mind some rest.

(Photo credit: imgkid.com)

Picture credit: (bouncyorangeball.com)

NAMe: Owen MillergrADe: 11th SpOrT(S): SoccerNAMe OF hIgh SChOOL/OTher TeAMS: groves high School, SOCS ForceYeArS pLAYeD: 12 years

If you would like to nominate the next Student Athlete of the Month (it could be yourself!), contact Adrienne Joe at joe.adrienne45@bloomfield.org!

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SPoRTS Student Athlete of the Monthevery month, an exceptional student athlete is chosen to be recognized in this column. Meet March/April’s student athlete, Owen Miller, a junior who plays soccer for groves hS and SOCS Force!

by Adrienne Joe (‘16)

Describe how you started soccer and your journey through the sport thus far.I started at age four, with a small town team. It was the most popular sport in the neighborhood, so I think that’s why I played it. After starting, I promptly fell in love with it. I kept on trying harder and harder to improve myself in the sport and that’s where I am now.

What’s the most difficult part about soccer for you?Technique is pretty difficult, you really have to practice a lot to get it just right, and its also a challenge to get it right consistently.

Do you have a role model you look up to?I think Morgan Freeman is probably my role model, because he seems to have a lot of composure, and that composure can be used in sports.

What’s your soccer schedule like, and does it conflict with the school workload?During the high school season, we practice every weekday after school for an hour and a half to 2 hours, and I feel like I do have enough time to do homework after that, but on game days, I’m at Groves from 4-9pm and that’s when it becomes difficult to get my homework done.

has soccer helped you become a better person?I think it’s definitely honed my leadership skills, and its taught me how to work hard to achieve a goal.

What would your life be like without soccer?I think if I didn’t choose soccer, I think I would definitely have chosen another sport to spend my time with, and develop skills in.

What’s one memory that sticks out to you?I’ll always remember the first goal I scored.

Does soccer have a place in your future?I don’t think so. I’ll probably just continue with education, or possibly club soccer .

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What’s next for the Lions?This offseason has not been come without its damages, but how can the Lions keep a stiff upper lip and continue in the realm of last season?

by Sahil Sethi (‘16)

The NFL free agency period started earlier this month and the Lions have already lost two of their best defensive tackles: Ndamukong Suh (now on the Dolphins) and Nick Fairley (now on the Rams). They left for good reason--Suh’s record breaking salary was too much for the Lions to handle and Fairley’s locker room issues outweighed his value as a player - but their departures left Detroit’s defense stripped of some of its depth. However, the Lions were quick to adapt seeing as they immediately made a trade with the Ravens to fill the hole, giving up two draft picks for a 7th round pick and Haloti Ngata, a very experienced DT. Ngata can compensate for the loss of Suh for only a fraction of Suh’s salary. In addition, the Lions signed DT Tyrunn Walker, a former Saint. With Teryl Austin returning as Defensive Coordinator, the Lions’ defense can still be dominant in the NFL. Although they lost Suh and Fairley, the core of their defense, including LB DeAndre Levy, CB Rashean Mathis, CB Darius Slay, and SS Glover Quin, still remain. Therefore, even though the Lions’ defense might not be 1st or 2nd in the NFL next season, they can easily land in the top 7 with a strong secondary, powerful defensive line, and an extraordinary defensive coordinator. On the other side of the roster, the 2015 offense seems just as promising as it did last season. As of now, the only change in the offense is the release of Reggie Bush. However, Bush was injured for most of last season, only playing in 11 games, five of which he was at full health. Because of this, Joique Bell stepped up last season and helped the Lions win some big matchups. The Lions can expect similar, perhaps even better, results from Joique for the 2015 season, especially without Reggie Bush watering down his minutes. Plus, let us not forget about Theo Riddick, who made that unbelievable one-handed catch during the comeback drive against the Falcons and the game winning touchdown against the Dolphins.With these 2 RBs in the backfield, the Lions should not worry too much about their rushing game. What the Lions should worry about is their offensive line. The Lions’ offensive line ranked 19th in protection index with a rating of 59.3 and 22nd in sacks allowed with 45. This explains why the Lions’ offense could not get going much of last season; Stafford could not get the protection that he needed so he was forced to throw the ball away many times. And when Stafford was able to actually pass the ball, he had to do it in on an average of 3.1 seconds since his offensive line kept breaking down. In comparison the the Dallas Cowboys, who gave Tony Romo an average of 8.2 seconds per pass, this performance is dismal! Stafford is arguably as skilled as Romo, but Romo had a significantly better season because his offensive line gave him the opportunity to do so. Thus, during the NFL draft, the Lions need to focus on acquiring new offensive linemen, especially a left tackle since that was the weakest position of their 2014 roster. In 2015, the Lions will go against the Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota, Arizona, San Francisco, Denver, Oakland, and Philadelphia at home and Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota, St. Louis, Seattle, San Diego, New Orleans, and Kansas City (London) away. Since the Lions are dominant at home (7-1 in 2014), it is reasonable to assume that they will maintain this success in 2015. In away games, the Lions may go 4-4 since they probably will lose to the Packers and Seahawks, and may lose to the Chargers and Saints. So, for the 2015 season, assuming that the Lions bring in the same effort they did in 2014, the Lions can go 11-5. However, free agency has not ended and the NFL draft has not even begun, so the momentum could shift either way throughout the offseason.

(The Detroit Lions)

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Pistons: Finishing Up the SeasonAdmittedly, this season has been a disappointment for Pistons fans. However, by refreshing their roster, Detroit should have some momentum going into the next season.

by Kenan Sinan (‘16)

With the playoff window closing, it seems that the Pistons are playing to win, rather than playing for a better chance at the number one lottery pick. With Stan Van Gundy looking to get rolling early next year, the Pistons have been making the most out of their past few games. This can all be accredited to their new and improved starting core, which consists of Pistons favorite Tayshaun Prince and young prodigy Reggie Jackson. The Pistons are clearly looking into the long term, but risk poor short term chemistry due to all the moves the front office has made as of late. Nevertheless, the members of the starting core have been brilliant over the past five games (four of which they won) with Jackson averaging 20.2 points, 12.2 assists and 6.0 rebounds while shooting .454; Caldwell-Pope putting up 21.8 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting .524 overall and .411 from the 3-point arc; and Drummond averaging 15.6 points, 15.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks. Sustaining that m o m e n t u m a n d building a synergy between the teamates is a huge component of the head start Van Gundy hopes to get on 2015-16. “When you’re trying to develop a competitive team, you can only do that in the context of games being important and winning being important,” he said. “If we’re just playing pickup games and we don’t care if we win or not and there’s no pressure on guys to perform and you’re not holding them accountable, then you’re not getting a true indication of who they are. That’s not NBA basketball. So we will keep a very high importance on winning games. That’s the only way you get better.

“A big part of developing as a player is developing as a competitor. It’s not just the skills. It’s going out and understanding that it’s about getting ready to play and being able to adhere to a game plan and do all the things that go into winning games. So I don’t think there’ll ever

be a day that I’m here when winning’s not the primary goal when we walk on the court”. Clearly, the Pistons don’t want to take too much pride in this recent run. They beat Memphis without Mike Conley, Chicago without Derrick Rose or Jimmy Butler, Boston without Marcus Smart, Toronto with Kyle Lowry and, well, Orlando. And they lost to Philadelphia. Basically, they beat up a bunch of teams with injured or suspended point guards, and went 1-1 against two bad teams in the other games. However, the truth still stands; the Pistons have been playing their best basketball in a long time. Just one month ago, the Pistons were criticized for their recent unexpected moves on the trade deadline, but as we fast forward to today,

we can see that the Pistons have finally gained some chemistry and are playing good, consistent basketball. Even if the Pistons do not make the playoffs this year, fans should be happy that they finally have something to look forward too. Hopefully, the Pistons can make most out of their lottery pick. With a draft class filled with talent, they can make a serious upgrade and add more depth to their already stacked roster. With leftover cap money, the Pistons can also pick up a few essential pieces that can finally boost their performance in the long run.

PTC (ConT. P.8)rehearsed for two to three days a week for eight weeks up until tech rehearsals, which is shorter than the length of a normal production. Then on March 23, all of the one acts met together for the first time in their costumes to run their shows with lights, sound, props, and set. Throughout the rest of the week rehearsals ran similarly as the days progressed and got closer to opening night. By Friday, March 27, everything was ready to put together as a unit and no longer as individual shows. Part of the privilege of being part of One Acts or the fall show are the particular traditions that occur the week of the show. Firstly, the casts all bring in food for each other so no one gets too agitated what with the long hours of rehearsing all week. Also on opening night everyone goes out to dinner together as a sort of bonding experience before their first performance. Another thing that happens is on the Friday of the show, where all the cast and crew members wear pajamas to advertise for the show. As silly as it seems, this is a great way to get people asking The cast of 10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse pose on stage (Photo credit: Fee Christoph)

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about the performances that are coming up and increase ticket sales. Lastly, and most importantly, all the seniors give speeches on the last day of rehearsal discussing how much the show means to them and essentially saying a preliminary farewell. These rituals are important to mention because although the audience does not see them directly, they are essential to the cohesiveness of the performances. Without these bonds being formed formed, actors would not work as well together and being in these shows would

not be nearly as special. The Spring 2015 One Acts were performed on March 27 and 28 at 7pm, as well as at a student passport in the ISC on March 27. At this passport, students discovered how great these plays were, as well as how intense some promposals can be. All of the one acts this year bring something exciting and new to the audience. There is never a dull moment and for the many seniors who are a part of PTC, they will surely miss the experience of being part of such a close knit community within the

International Academy.

PTC (ConT. P.9)

There were several other artists that won Grammys as well. Parnell Williams walked out with three Grammy awards: best music video, best pop solo performance, and best urban contemporary album. Beyoncé also scored three wins: best R&B performance, best R&B song, and best surround sound album. Many fans also felt that she deserved to win album of the year and many took to social media to express their opinion. Kanye West decided to take a different approach and interrupt Beck on stage as he accepted the Grammy for Album of the Year to voice his opinion. This interruption mirrored another incident during the 2009 VMAs, when West interrupted Taylor Swift on stage as she was accepting an award Beyoncé had been nominated for. Beyoncé, once again, was as surprised as everyone else by West’s interjection. Cameras captured her and her husband Jay-Z smiling bemusedly at West from the audience.

Grammys (ConT. P.6) The Grammys’ fashion, as involved in every award show, was no different for this year’s red carpet. There was the worst dressed, the best dressed, and everything in between. The best dressed included Katherine McPhee and Jessie J. McPhee who wore a floor length, light pink dress with cutouts to show off her curves, whereas J sported a partially sheer, black gown featuring many sparkling pieces all over. Another crowd pleaser was Gwen Stefani’s black, sleeveless, strapless jumpsuit that contain nothing more than simple elegance. As for the worst dressed, Rihanna wore a rather large fluffy pink princess gown that many compared to something that would be included in Barbie’s closet. Many were also questioning Kim Kardashian-West’s sparkly robe look that featured a deep V neck and beaded shoulders, cuffs, and pockets. The 57th Grammy’s lived up to the potential and expectations placed upon it. It was a night dedicated to the celebration and love of music that

shapes lives and saves everyone in some way.

The cast of 44 Plays for 44 Presidents pose on stage in patriotic costumes (Photo credit: Fee Christoph)

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by Anna Hoppe (‘15)

“It’s the last month of school for us seniors”!!

-eLISA DITTMeIer (‘15)

“I love Easter, rain instead of snow and when it finally starts to become warm out. It’s a reminder that summer is almost here”

- NICOLe KrYSIAK (‘16)

“April like my stuff is done go take a nap April or shoot I didn’t do my internal!”

-SAM MeADe (‘16)

“April is a time of transition, one that I can especially relate to this year. Just as the flowers prepare to bloom and everything begins to come back to life, our senior class is awaiting so many incredible opportunities as we finish our final days at IA. It’s really exciting!”

-ABBY BASS (‘15)

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BACK PAGeThis Month In Preview

Tweets of the Month Phoenix PollWhat are your thoughts on April?

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