During the waning weeks of April, most students at Rutgers Prep scramble for that evasive tenth hour of community service, heading hastily towards the Special Olympics, Folk Festivals, and the like. Alyssa Coiro ’12 does it a bit differently.

In an effort to complete her fiftieth hour of community service and gain honors status, Coiro organized a book drive in the upper school. In exchange for a dress down day, students and teachers alike were encouraged to donate a minimum of three books. Fund raisers of this sort are always a compelling proposition. The simplicity of reaching those less fortunate than most at Rutgers Prep, paired with a desirable dress down day is a strategy that is rarely ineffectual.

Nonetheless, the results were astounding. In the first two days of the drive, over 400 books were collected. By its conclusion, 1230 books, from Sesame Street to Shakespeare, were donated by 120 different students. On the final day of the drive alone, thirteen large paper bags were needed to transport the day’s donations.

Books of various reading levels and authors, ranging from Peter Benchley to Beverly Cleary, were given by Coiro to the Bridge of Books Foundation. The organization, founded in 2000, states its mission as “bringing the world and all its possibilities to at-risk children through books.” Targeting illiteracy in poverty-stricken locations throughout New Jersey, BoB, as it is fondly nicknamed, has distributed tens of thousands of books to underprivileged children.

The creativity of Coiro’s community service project should reassure students on the impact of service, showing that it need not be a last-ditch event or minimally arduous venture, but rather a school-wide effort in aiding our greater community.

Almost every student in the school has some ideas of what events they want to happen in their time in the Upper School. Some want dances, others free food, others dress down days. One organization, however, does more than think; they plan. This organization is, of course, School Council.
The voting members of School Council include the Executive Council, made up of a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, elected from the Junior, Sophomore, and Freshman classes, respectively. It also includes the class representatives elected by each of the four grades, and the Vice President of each class. The class reps and class Vice Presidents are elected in September, and serve their terms until the next September, while the council President, VP, Secretary, and Treasurer are elected in March and serve a full year term until the next election.
In March 2009, Georges Richa was elected President of Class Council, with Obi Nkwonta as his Vice President. Georges led council to a successful year by bringing back Fright Night, a trip to Six Flags on October 30th, which was a huge hit. Obi Nkwonta, by writing Prepaganda, brought it from a simple collection of facts and news to an eagerly awaited weekly riddle-and-news delivery vehicle. Secretary Niki Kakarla’s brilliant Winter Ball bulletin board brought the dance to the front of everyone’s mind, and Treasurer Sarah Batbold headed a committee to raise money to buy holiday gifts for children in the care of the Orphaned Starfish foundation. The Orphaned Starfish foundation helps orphans in Central and South America, and thanks to Sarah’s efforts RPS was able to send several hundred dollars for the orphanage to buy gifts for the children. Between the four of them, they led Council to a great year, which hopefully will be repeated next year.
All good things, however, must come to an end, and the political powerhouse of Richa, Nkwonta, Kakarla, and Batbold is no different. In March 2010, elections were held for the new council seats. Niki Kakarla returned to the executive council, this time as President. Jaquie Vesce made her Executive Council debut as Vice President, though she’s been involved in School Council for several years. I, after haveing served as her class representative for freshman and sophomore years, was elected as Secretary, and freshman Sarah Wisniewski rounded out the all-girls council as Treasurer. Ms. Wisniewski also served as her class’s representative until being elected.

Their first major task will be preparing spring Burger Blast, a Prep tradition that combines a dress down day with free hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and veggie burgers. Students enjoy their delicious free food, provided by council, while signing yearbooks and celebrating the end of another school year. The all-girls council has high hopes of providing great leadership for another incredible year at Prep.

Upon entering Sahara restaurant on 165 Easton Avenue, the first thing that you will notice is the unfamiliar smell in the air. It feels like being taken out of New Brunswick, New Jersey and suddenly plopped into a beautiful Mediterranean sanctuary with all the exotic spices and flavors of a Middle Eastern bazaar. First opened in 2005, Sahara has been serving the residents of New Brunswick and Somerset delectable dishes that always entice more and more patrons to pay a visit to this Mediterranean masterpiece.
When I first ate at Sahara in June of 2007, I really had no idea what to expect, considering that I had never really experienced Mediterranean cuisine before. Yet the moment I walked in, I could immediately see the hard work that had gone into making Sahara a reality. The restaurant’s walls are not coated in the normal beige color that many restaurants are, but in fact depict many of the architectural marvels of ancient Greece and even have a map of the entire world painted on the ceiling.
Still, the most impressive element of Sahara is the food, starting off with their hearty soups or salads. The tomato lentil soup is absolutely phenomenal, with the medley of spices causing a flavorful explosion on your palate. Sahara’s starters continue the trend of excellence in food, and all of the appetizers are equally delectable. One dish that should absolutely be tried out by first time patrons is the Sigara Boregi, an assortment of toasted, flaky rolls with feta cheese inside. Its menu also boasts a wide variety of entrees, ranging from fresh seafood like Tilapia Sautée or Turkish Spicy Shrimp Kebab to the more renowned Lamb Sautée and Shish Kebab. Its chicken entrées are also scrumptious, with my personal favorite being the Chicken Adana, or chopped chicken flavored with hot and red peppers and grilled on skewers.
For all those customers who have an insatiable desire for sweet treats, Sahara also serves traditional Mediterranean desserts that are certain to make your taste buds exuberant. Some of these desserts include Keskul, a light custard made with crushed almonds and a hint of vanilla and lemon zest finally topped off with pistachios. When I have enough room from my scrumptious dinner to indulge in sweet desserts at Sahara, I almost always go with the Kazandabi, a milk pudding topped with powdered cinnamon. Sahara’s menu is so extensive that they even offer a wide array of exotic beverages, like mango guava juice as well as the famous Turkish coffee. Sahara may be located in a college town, but its elegance and ambiance elevate it to an elite level achieved only by the best of restaurants. If at any point in time you are passing through New Brunswick or Somerset near Easton Avenue and are looking for a great meal, I strongly recommend you take a look at Sahara, a Mediterranean masterpiece located right here in New Jersey.

Whether it’s climbing Mount Everest or sailing around the world, both Jordan Romero and Jessica Watson are unstoppable. At the young ages of 13 and 16, these two adventurous, motivated teenagers accomplished two of the most mind-blowing missions known to man. It takes an incredible amount of ambition and willpower to undertake what they did. Their determination can be reflected upon other teenagers around the world, encouraging them to charge after their desires without letting a single soul stand in their way.
Jessica Watson, a 16-year-old from Australia, has become the youngest person to sail around the world solo, unassisted, and nonstop. With a breathtaking total of 23,000 nautical miles and 7 months of solitude, skeptics feared that she would not be able to achieve her longtime goal, let alone survive the journey. Regardless of the many disapprovals and concerns, her parents felt convinced about their decision in allowing her to undertake the mission. Throughout her journey, Jessica successfully maneuvered her boat through raging storms, 40-foot waves, and seven knockdowns. After 210 days away from home, Jessica proudly cruised into Sydney Harbour in her pink yacht to find a crowd of thousands gathered to welcome her. It was a very emotional day for Watson, who admitted she was overwhelmed by the great amount of attention. She said, “People don’t think you’re capable of these things — they don’t realize what young people, what 16-year-olds and girls are capable of,” Watson told the crowd. “It’s amazing when you take away those expectations what you can do.” When Kevin Rudd, Australia’s Prime Minister called her “Australia’s newest hero,” Jessica disagreed. “I don’t consider myself a hero,” she said. “I’m an ordinary girl who believed in her dream.”
On Saturday May 22, 13-year-old American, Jordan Romero, became the youngest climber to ever reach the summit of Mount Everest, surviving the extreme weather that has claimed the lives of 179 climbers. Jordan and his crew were being tracked every step of the way through GPS coordinates on his blog. Before setting out on his extensive journey, Jordan said he wanted to climb Everest to inspire more teenagers to get outdoors. He also said, “Every step I take is finally toward the biggest goal of my life, to stand on top of the world.” His accomplishments represent the many voices of teenagers around the world, proving that they are capable of achieving anything. Mount Everest was not the only peak Jordan has tackled – up to this day, he has climbed six out of the Seven Summits: Africa – Kilimanjaro (2006), Australia – Kosciuszko (2007), Europe/Russia – Elbrus (2007), South America – Aconcagua (2007), North America – Denali (2008), and Oceania – Carstensz Pyramid (2009), Jordan informs us that this is only the beginning for him; he plans on taking on the Vinson Massif in Antarctica next December.

Through their astounding triumphs, these two teenagers demonstrated the fact that teens are capable of accomplishing anything through hard work. Many young people today need examples like Jessica and Jordan to help them realize that they too can fulfill their dreams. Although they were faced with many harsh critics saying that they were too young or too inexperienced to take on such treacherous journeys, they didn’t let them act as an obstacle, and in the end, proved them wrong.

The two teens shared their accomplishments through their blogs: google their blogs for more information.

With the summer approaching quickly, I wanted to be sure that there was an article in the section directly related to it. Although everyone loves summer for different reasons, I think it is fair to say that one common element of summer that everyone loves is food.
The standard hot dog or hamburger is certainly recognized as a food of summer, yet so many people overlook vegetables. Everyone thinks of vegetables as these disgustingly-overcooked, boiled things but really, that’s just one way of making them. (I can’t say I advise preparing them that way either!)
During summer, there are several ways I love to prepare vegetables. The first way is probably the easiest. Grilling is a fantastic way to bring out a vegetable’s natural flavor, without having to add much of anything. Great vegetables for grilling include corn, asparagus, peppers, big slices of onion, and big mushrooms. All you really have to do is put a small amount of olive oil on the grill, (you can apply this with a paper towel) put the vegetables down. Turn them occasionally, and after 15 minutes, you’ll have some of the best tasting vegetables you have ever tasted. If, however, grilling is not your thing, never fear! There are other ways of making vegetables taste great.

Zucchini is a great vegetable to work with, particularly in the summertime, because it is very versatile. For people who are leaning away from the ‘grilling’ approach for cooking vegetables, sautéing is an equally delicious path. One of my favorite vegetable dishes is zucchini with Parmesan. It’s something that I love to eat, and due to its simplicity, is something that I love to make.

Start off with a big pan, with a little bit of olive oil. Put the pan on medium low heat, and add in thinly sliced onions. After adding salt and pepper, cook the onions for a few minutes, until you can see through them. Then add in a few sliced zucchini. Cook these vegetables together for fifteen minutes. When the time is up, douse the vegetables with lots of grated Parmesan cheese. What you are left with is a side dish that will be gone before you know it.
Both of these methods of cooking are fast and easy ways to prepare vegetables. Really, at least in the summer, no one wants to spend two hours in the kitchen. What we want a way to make something in 20 minutes, so we can bring it outdoors. While vegetables are not the only things that can be prepared quickly during summer, they are something everyone should. You will be amazed at how delicious these new methods will make your vegetables.

To say that living with diabetes is a monumental task is an understatement. Many people sufferifrom this health problem, not knowing how to deal with it. But in fact, there are many techniques that can help reduce the effects of this illness. To find out the secrets behind recovering from diabetes, I consulted a doctor, and expert on health of diabetic patients, my dad, Dr. Ganti. My father has a lot of common knowledge on the subject because the health problem runs in his very own family.
Many patients often try to control their sugar levels with prescribed medicines. However, these medicines only temporarily control sugars – once you stop taking them, bodily sugars will begin to fluctuate again. These medicines also have an abundance of side effects that might actually make a diabetic patient feel worse than if he didn’t take them. What much of the general public doesn’t realize is that a proper diet can control diabetes with no side effects, also helping to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The glycemic index indicates the level at which certain foods release sugar into the bloodstream. Low glycemic foods (foods with a low rate at which they increase blood sugar) are good for health. Foods with a GI (glycemic index) below fifty-five are generally good for diabetic patients. These are usually almost all fruits, vegetables, and lentils. There are a few fruits like watermelon and pineapple, however, that are not recommended to diabetic patients, as their GI is over 55.
A vegan diet is strongly suggested for diabetic patients. Meat and dairy cause more fat to accumulate in cells, making the insulin even less sensitive to the diffusion of glucose from the bloodstream to the cells. Generally, those following a strict vegan diet have cells with considerably less intracellular fat than people on a regular diet. Also, foods with less fat are generally of a lower GI. Fruits, although they may seem as if they’d have a high GI because of high levels of sugar, contain mostly natural sugars. The levels of sugar in fruits will not cause a rapid increase in overall blood sugar level. The key is to eat foods that raise your sugars at a steady rate.
Some popular foods with low GI are sweet potatoes, leafy vegetables, pasta, pumpernickel, rye, oatmeal, beans, soy, and most fat-free products. Foods with high GI that should be avoided by diabetic patients are potatoes, any meat or dairy products, white rice, corn-based foods, carrots, bagels, and bran. A balanced diet for a given diabetic patient is strongly suggested for people suffering from obesity as well; it is likely that these people will develop diabetes in the future. Exercise, as always, is a big part of maintaining a good weight, which helps the body function well.

On Tuesday, January 12, a natural disaster shocked the world yet again. An estimated 200,000 lives were claimed in the strongest earthquake to occur in Haiti in almost two centuries. Just before 5:00 P.M., the 7.0 magnitude earthquake originated 16 miles west of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, leaving it and surrounding areas in ruin. In addition to the staggering destruction and numerous fatalities left by the earthquake, millions of people were left injured, hungry, and homeless.
Haiti, which occupies the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, has been linked with the United States throughout history. Haiti declared its independence from European rule in 1804, second in the western hemisphere only to the United States. Haiti is only 700 miles to the southeast of Florida. Unfortunately, Haiti is also the poorest country in the western hemisphere.
Lacking proper infrastructure, supplies, food, and water, Haiti is in a dire situation following the earthquake. Constantly the victim of deadly hurricanes, the country is often subject to political turmoil, crippling its ability to handle issues of this magnitude. Through text messages to 90999, a two-hour Hope for Haiti telethon, and countless other means, donations to the effort to assist the survivors of this disaster have topped $200 million from individual and corporate donors located in the United States alone.

The Rutgers Prep community has taken its usual stance on things of this nature, organizing a simple yet effective way to assist Haiti. A campus-wide effort called Hands for Haiti allows students and teachers to purchase a paper hand for $1 with all proceeds going to the nonprofit organization, Hands Together. These hands will ultimately be linked throughout the buildings of Rutgers Prep, a visual representation of the school’s commitment to community service.

Helping to coordinate the effort in the Upper School are seniors Hannah Carlisle and Georges Richa. With the survivors of this disaster still in need of food, water, shelter, and medical assistance, Hannah urges students and teachers to contribute, be it through the Hands for Haiti program or another form. Through donations, as well as increased awareness and volunteer work, we as a community can take an important role in assisting our neighboring country in their recovery from this destructive earthquake.

On the first day of school back in September, the Rutgers Prep class of 2012 began writing letters and baking cookies to send with our first care package to a platoon of soldiers in Afghanistan. Through the “Adopt a Platoon.org” program, we’ve sent six care packages to the S-4 platoon, stationed outside of Kandahar. From our communications with soldiers like Kayla Bailey, Robert Johnson, and James Throneberry, we’ve gotten to know them better, and become more aware of the war in Afghanistan as a result.
So, what prompted this project? When the advisors to the class of 2012 were discussing community service projects, Ms. Angelos brought up the idea of helping soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. This concept was especially dear to Grade Dean Ms. Corrigan’s heart, since she herself has two cousins who served in the war. After looking at several organizations, the advisors settled on Adopt a Platoon, and Ms. Corrigan reached out to find out how our class could help. The organization replied within only a few days, and the project was on.
On the first day of school, sections of the class discussed what they thought should be included in the care package. We read recommendations from soldiers who had been overseas regarding what they had needed, which allowed us to build a package based on what soldiers stationed in Afghanistan would want.

Our first care package contained prepackaged and freshly baked cookies, as well as frosting, granola bars, and cereal. Only after we’d baked and sent the cookies did we discover the flaw in our plan: the soldiers couldn’t eat the cookies. For security reasons, the soldiers aren’t allowed to accept homemade goods from sources they aren’t familiar with. Corporal Robert Johnson, a member of the platoon, assured us that the rest of the package had been enjoyed, and that the store bought cookies and cereal had been delicious. The next few boxes, sent in October, November, and December, were big hits with the platoon, who enjoyed the ramen noodles, Twizzlers, candy, and magazines that the class shipped to them.

In December, the class decided to do something special for the platoon: gift cards! The sophomore class began collecting ten-dollar iTunes gift cards, and the response from the community was tremendous. Thanks to donations, we were able to send each soldier an iTunes gift card. Corporal Johnson emailed Ms. Corrigan after they received the package to say how much they had appreciated them, and to respond to her query about what kind of music they liked. He replied that their tastes ranged from country, to hip hop, to rock, but they liked just about all music. He also joked about his personal taste, writing, “My favorite is country, then I can’t let go of 80’s music either. But that shows my age to you all, lol.”
The most recent care package shipped out was the February package, which contained Valentine’s Day themed goodies such as chocolates and other candies. With only two more packages to go until the platoon heads home to Fort Worth, Texas, the class of 2012 has no shortage of ideas for themes of future packages. Some ideas included an American theme and a foot themed package, to reflect their journey home as well as serve a purpose. Ms. Corrigan also said, “We could also do some Rutgers Prep stuff, so that they remember us. We could also do a “Your Home/Our Home” sort of thing, which would include stuff from Jersey and stuff from Texas.”
In April, the platoon will finally return home to Fort Worth. Though we’ll miss our pen pals in Afghanistan, everyone is thrilled that our friends will finally get to go home to their homes and families. Over the course of the year, the class will have sent seven packages, written over a hundred letters, and helped those who are serving our country have a little bit of home with them while they’re overseas.

Want to help out with the program? You can drop off items for the care packages in Ms. Corrigan’s room 109, or go to http://adoptaplatoon.org/site/ to support a platoon, either individually or with a group.

After a Prep B State Championship, the Rutgers Prep Boys’ Varsity Basketball team has responded with a very strong 2009-2010 campaign. Matt Rennie and Victor Angeline are the two returning starters from last year’s team, and Mike Klinger, Malcolm Thomas, and Donald Taylor all had a significant part in last year’s championship. The Argonauts opened up with a hungry Pennington ball club and were defeated 73-37 on December 14^th. However, the boys responded with a couple of wins on the road over Piscataway Vo Tech and New Providence. The team was ready for one of the deepest holiday tournaments down at Ridge for the 2009 Len Sapanak Tournament. In the first round, Prep took on Irvington from Union County, and lost a close battle 60-52. Yet they rebounded two days later with a win over a traditionally strong Colonia team 54-48, but came up short in the fifth place game against the defending Greater Middlesex County Champion Piscataway Chiefs 55-45. Point guard Mike Klinger was selected on the all tournament team averaging 18 points during the tournament.

Beginning in January, Rutgers Prep had still not played in front of the home fans, but on January 5^th, the boys took the floor against Princeton Day School and had a good turnout with a 71-55 win and had a balanced victory led by Matt Rennie’s game-high 19 points and 18 rebounds, along with Mike Klinger, who had 14 points, and Malcolm Thomas and Malcolm McNeil with 14 and 10 points, respectively. The boys followed with a one point victory over county foe North Plainfield at home, which set up a date with Pennington at home on Saturday January 9^th. As the game was approaching the bleachers were filled to capacity to see a rematch of last year’s Prep B Championship. Junior Malcolm McNeil is in his first year at Rutgers Prep didn’t realize how big the rivalry was until tipoff.

“When I saw every seat was full I realized how serious the match up was,” McNeil said,” It felt like there was so much anticipation around one regular season game.”

Although Prep fell to Pennington 60-43, the score wasn’t indicative of how close the game was. The fans really got a sense that this could be another special year for the Argonauts. Losing the game against Pennington actually benefited Prep because it gave them confidence that they played right with their best opponent. As a result, Prep won six straight games over Somerville, Wardlaw-Hartridge, Oratory, Dickinson, Montclair Kimberly, and Nottingham. Senior captain Victor Angeline has been very happy with the team’s chemistry at this point.

“Despite a tough loss at home we were able to come together,” Angeline said, “and collectively grind out one win at a time.”

Unfortunately, Rutgers Prep took their six-game win streak into Prep A powerhouse Hun, and lost another tough battle 45-31. They responded with a win over Princeton Day, but fell to Gill by a score of 62-51.

At this point the Rutgers Prep record stands at 12-6 but it should only get better since the team has had great experience playing one of the toughest schedules the program has ever played. Prep received the 7^th seed for Somerset County and plays town foe and 10^th seed Franklin High School at Rutgers Prep February 8^th, which will set up a potential matchup at 2^nd seed Ridge High School. In addition, the team will be trying to defend their Prep B title when tournament play starts on Valentine’s Day, as Prep earned the 3^rd seed and host Solomon Schechter. The schedule does not get any easier because Prep goes on the road against Peddie and Hillsborough. Even with the season nearing a close, the future looks very bright with only two seniors graduating this year.