By Vidya and Naren Pradhan

The rich Hindu mythic pantheon of rajas, rakshasas, and apsaras lends itself well to quest-style video games, so it is a bit surprising that no one has seriously attempted one till now. Kids weaned on Amar Chitra Kathas will be interested in “The Legend of Vraz,” a computer game that is inspired by the panoply of heroic characters that Indian mythology provides.

The story of the game, very reminiscent of Indian fairy tales, revolves around prince Vraz who wishes to marry his beloved princess Avi and win her hand in marriage. He has to perform 5 tasks set by her father. This takes Vraz on an epic quest where he must make his way through 15 exotic locations, avoid the tribal warlord Mani and battle with the evil lovelorn Vizier and his shrewd accomplices. He will also have to collect gold and keys, skillfully navigate dangerous traps, operate objects and find his way out of near impossible terrain.

Says developer Abhinav Chokavatia, “The game’s look and style is derived from Indian Miniature paintings. I had always been fascinated by miniature paintings ever since I was young. While visiting the temple of Nathdwara I came across detailed miniature paintings and thought it would be a great idea if we can somehow take this art form forward. That’s how the game style and game idea was born.”

The game is targeted at the teen male audience, though the developers believe adults play it too. “We’ve had players tell us that it reminds them of the earlier Mario games,” says Abhinav. “You might say that Prince of Persia + Mario * India – Violence = Legend of Vraz!”

The game launches in India via retail in a month or so and is already available for online purchase. Buyers can try out the demo on the website of Zatun Games, the developers of “Legend.”

I had Naren, who, at 14, falls bang in the middle of the target segment, try out the game. Here is his review –

So far, there have been many good ideas for video games based on mythologies from around the world that have ended up as excellent gaming experiences. Players can hack their way through monsters from Greek mythology, carve a path through hell, or use magic and martial arts to fight hordes of Chinese soldiers. However, so far, nobody has thought about a game based on Indian mythology. Well, the wait is over, thanks to a pay-to-download game called The Legend of Vraz.

The Legend of Vraz is a side-scrolling platformer based on Hindu mythology, especially The Ramayana. Indians around the world would be excited at such a thing. One would say, “Finally, game developers are taking notice of the lore of India!” Of course, I immediately took notice of it, being an avid gamer myself. So I downloaded the game demo, and this is what I found.

The story has no audible dialogue, and is presented through comic panels and missions. It involves prince Vraz, who resembles an Indian hero, doing five difficult tasks in order to win the hand of the lovely Princess Avi. The game play takes many of its elements from classic platforms such as The Prince of Persia, Super Mario Bros, and Sonic the Hedgehog. In each level, you are given a certain mission, either to get an amount of gold, defeat a number of enemies, or simply get to the end. On the way you can jump, fight enemies, collect gold, and discover secret areas, all vital to the overall platform game experience.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the game is the bow and arrow. Just like Rama, Vraz’s signature weapon is the famed projectile weapon of the ancient times. There are five types of arrows you can shoot including normal, particle and fire arrows. However, the enemies move quite fast, and the limited directions you can shoot in make the bow hard to use. Also, there is little variety in the types of enemies. There are bugs, fish, more bugs, more fish, a boar here and there, soldiers, and annoying little cheeky monkeys that make you lose health after you destroy them, which is annoying since you have to destroy them in certain levels.

Overall I didn’t really enjoy this game. However, I can tell it was meant for small children, who will enjoy it when they get the hang of it. The difficulty will provide a good challenge for them and the platform action a thrilling experience. I would call this game average. But if Indian mythology is your thing and quest-style games are fun for you, then do give The Legend of Vraz a try.

End review.

To seasoned gamers like Naren, who has played real time strategy games like Starcraft and Warcraft 3, the game may seem a little retro and inadequate but kids newer to the world of online gaming may enjoy the game. Also, parents can be reassured that there is nothing bloody or gory in this game. According to Abhinav, the initial response has been tremendous.

Here is a video teaser of the game -

Naren’s blog is here.

Home … to you and me, a home means a house, and that’s all it could
mean
A dusty old road, thats all it would be
Well we’re wrong
A dusty old road , is a home, to so many
A dusty old road, is all they ever seen,
And for some..
Its Home Street Home.

NIkita lives with her parents in San Jose, California. She attends fifth grade at Simonds Elementary School.Nikita enjoys writing, sketching, and playing soccer.
When Nikita grows up she wants to become a Sketch Artist and an Author.

There I was, sitting in the front row of the MIT Theatre waiting for my name to be called.  We were at MIT for the National Vocabulary contest sponsored by North South Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises funds for underprivileged children in India (www.northsouth.org). MIT is in Boston, Massachusetts, and is a very famous and prestigious institute of technology.  When I saw how big it was, I thought to myself, “Wow, this is HUGE!”

The verbal round began. “Rahul, please come on stage,” called out the announcer.  I got really nervous.  My legs started staking more and more.  “The word is ‘insulate’,” the judge said.  The noise of my teeth chattering echoed on the microphone.  I heard some people laughing.  I accidentally bit my lower lip.  I thought I screamed but the there was no sound.  Everybody was just starting at me like I had just said the president was a chimpanzee.  There were so many people there that I started to sweat!

I thought the meaning of ‘insulate’ was ‘insult’.  My toes were wiggling a lot.  I was about to say ‘insult’ but then I thought some more.  Then, it popped right into my mind.  The meaning wasn’t ‘insult’, it was ‘segregate’!  “The meaning is ‘segregate’”. I said a little too loud.  “Sorry,” I squeaked.  I don’t think anyone heard me though.  I prayed that I would get the answer right.  “That answer is right,” the pronouncer said.

I felt so proud of myself.  “Whew,” I said right into the microphone.  “Whoa,” I thought to myself, “didn’t see that coming!”

Some people want to experience this kind of excitement and some don’t. I have experienced this kind of energy and excitement and I think all the stress was worth it!

Rahul Joshi, 8 years old, is a 4th grader at Pioneer Elementary, Union City, CA. He is a prodigy of Genius Kids where he started reading at the young age of 2 years 4 months old. He was promoted and skipped 2nd grade, heading right into 3rd grade. He was won and ranked in several local and national competitions, the most recent being 2nd Place in the North South Vocabulary Regional Competition. He is also an avid singer and dancer and recently competed in the Northern California Sony Television Asia Boogie Woogie finals.

Rahul did not place in the competition but this is his second time making it to the Nationals.

What would you do if you saw 11 teenage Mexicans in your neighborhood at midnight? Chances are, it’s not what Mexicans do when they see 11 American boys in their neighborhood at midnight. I traveled to Guaymas, in the mainland of Mexico near San Carlos, on an immersion trip from my high school this February, and if I were asked the same question before and after the trip, I would surely have two different answers. It was truly a life changing trip.

At Nogales, at the US Mexico border in Arizona, it was interesting to see the infusion of Mexican and American culture, like the Burger King orders in both English and Spanish, but there were still stark differences from one side of the border to the other. On the American side, it was a barren wasteland. Although a few bilingual stores littered the town, it was painfully obvious that the large wall, which I will never again call a border “fence,” was the centerpiece of the area, keeping out some foreign entity that was not welcome in the pristine United States. As soon as we crossed the border though, through minimal security and past a gigantic Mexican flag, or a tricolor grande, I realized why there are 1st world countries and 3rd world countries, but not 2nd world countries. Even at noon on a Saturday, when their American counterparts were most likely in their homes, watching TV, or at a party with their friends, hundreds of people walked on dusty roads, talking, singing, laughing, and acting like a community. Buses honked, drivers yelled, and people ran across the road in front of cars. Think Mumbai, with less pollution and less people (neither of which are hard criteria to beat).

Topes. A seemingly innocuous Spanish word that struck fear into our hearts. It would not be accurate to say that topes are speed bumps, just because they have their own unique quality, as in, they are on the highway, they aren’t marked by yellow lines, and they simply aren’t as nice as speed bumps. As we found out, topes had the power to make our heads hit the ceiling of the minivan, make the bottom of the car scrape on the road, and almost throw us out of the back of a pickup truck. However, topes weren’t the only new thing we experienced on the 6 hr drive down from Guaymas. Firstly, the stereotypes of Mexico being crowded and polluted are simply generalizations. The half of Mexico that we drove through was poor, but more in a sense of rural poverty, with cows and dogs roaming the streets. When we entered Guaymas, finally, it was around 9 PM, and we were all exhausted. We went to our house, in the middle of the barrio, or neighborhood, and unpacked our things.

Although it was late, we were pushed together with the locals in a chance of fate, because one of the group was accidentally locked outside and a few of the locals started talking to him. Over the course of the next week, despite having to work closer to the city for much of the day, we always came back to these locals, played fútbol with them, and on occasion, were challenged to a “sumo” match with them. It was interesting to see how they interacted, because there was an obvious hierarchy, with age determining a lot of it, but all the kids, some as young as age 4, were thrown into the same group, which was extremely physical and at times, violent. One image I can recall vividly was when, on the last day, I was playing soccer with a 3 or 4 year old boy, who was about as tall as half my leg, and another kid, possibly 12 or 13, stole the ball from the little kid and pushed him over.

I was left with mixed feelings about this group, because even though they accepted us as their own, they did not know how to show it. For example, when we went inside the house after hours of playing with them, they often shut off our electricity and water, and banged on our doors.

Fortunately, there is still progress in the community, both in the barrio, and outside. One of the people I connected most with on the trip was a 16 year old named Hugo Sanchez, who was the only kid in the barrio that was going to prépa, or the Mexican equivalent of a junior college. He wanted to work on his English so that he could go to the US some day, and we often spent our time together translating different words from Spanish to English, and vice versa, so both of us could learn. He was also the one often breaking up fights, and never started them. Another inspiring person was Jerry, who ran a daycare-ish organization called Jerry’s Club. We played with the kids everyday at his club, from around 4:00 to 6:00, and Jerry explained that he was buying equipment for the kids, with the only criteria for entrance being following the rules. His philosophy was that if the kids had some structure in their life through the rules at the club, they would implement it in their own home lives, and not resort to the physicality of the groups in the barrios. This seems like an idealistic solution, and if I was looking at it from a distance, I would see it in a cynical light as well, but it is hard to express how marked the difference was between the kids in the club and the kids in the barrio.

The trip wasn’t all about kids, though. My school is Catholic, and so we did a lot of service with the Franciscan community in Guaymas, repainting their office, serving food at the soup kitchen, called the meson de Jesus, and going to church and interacting with the Franciscan brothers. To tell the truth, I dreaded this before the trip, as I am not Catholic, and I thought it would be uncomfortable if everyone had some knowledge that I didn’t, or faith was pushed on me. I was proved entirely wrong. For example, I never thought I had the capacity to enjoy church. Yes, I have the patience for it, but having fun in church is a completely different matter. However, after two lines of “if you’re happy and you know it” in Spanish, I realized that Guaymas has the best church ever. I found more depth in the Franciscan community than I would have imagined. I talked to one of the Franciscans novitiates, Adolfo, extensively, and he was far from the uptight, super-evangelical Christian I would have imagined him to be. He had lived in Oakland for a few years by himself on a work visa, and he wanted to bring greater prosperity to his community. He was unsure about the path to take, but despite the restrictions involving the Franciscan order, he thought he would bear it to take part in a movement he believed in. His desire to do work for his community inspired me especially because he was so young, and had the capacity to do so much more for himself.

I may have partially come on the trip for answers, about poverty, Mexico, and even myself, but I think I left with more questions. How, if historically, California and Mexico were owned by the same Spaniards, is Mexico so much poorer? Why do they have such a strong sense of community, as opposed to us? Why are they so accepting of us, the rich gringos, while we desperately try to make the border fence longer and taller? Why did we get to stay in the nicest house in the barrio? Why in the world were the kids in the barrio so obsessed with piggyback rides? Why do I still have the blaring “Tortillas, Tortillas, Tortillas Calientitas” from the tortilla vendor stuck in my head? But most of all, what would I do if I saw 11 teenage Mexicans  in my neighborhood at midnight. I wouldn’t accept them as willingly as the Mexicans accepted us, but I think I can try.

America is long overdue for a minority leader. For being a well-developed world power, we are notoriously single-minded when it comes to electing our presidents – no women, no minorities, no Jews, and no Muslims (indeed, even JKF’s Roman Catholicism kept the public talking for years). It is no question that America is quickly approaching a time for minority leaders. However, the conflict surrounding that issue comes from two sides. Not only is the question one of the American people’s willingness to elect a minority president, but it is also one of finding the right minority candidate to lead America.

The philosophy of the American people – the “American Dream” – is one that emphasizes equal opportunity for all individuals in all aspects of life. When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence demanding freedom, justice, and the rights outlined in the first ten amendments to the constitution, he defined the United States to be a nation of choice – of free-will and independence. However, today, with the public’s increasing aversion to immigration and a pronounced distrust of those from the Middle East after the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the American Dream is becoming just that – an American dream. When 5th or 6th generation “Americans” (whose families were incidentally immigrants themselves) begin persecuting other, newer, immigrants for pursuing the same dreams and ideals – the same freedoms – as their own families did once upon a time, then there is something inherently wrong with our Dream. The first obstacle America as a nation must overcome before entertaining hopes of electing a minority president is thus preserving the American Dream not only as a relic of the past, but also as a model for the future.

Conversely, it is also up to the candidates themselves to prove themselves worthy of leading our nation. Not only must America do its part to ensure that all candidates are given an equal opportunity to success, but the candidates must do their part to ensure that America will be led by the best people possible. Overcoming prejudice is one thing, but America shouldn’t feel pressured to elect a minority leader “just because.” Ability must come first and foremost. Whether or not the candidate is a minority should be almost an after thought – although, admittedly, their ethnic background would undeniably play a large role in areas of the presidency such as foreign policy. Indeed, we can’t simply say “minority president” and expect one to show up on our doorsteps.

Each president of the past was elected primarily on ability, and any presidential candidate, regardless of their racial status, must show that they have the ability to lead our nation.Ultimately, the election of a minority president will depend on both America’s willingness and the candidates’ competency . It is not only a question of whether the American public is ready to elect a minority president, but also if minority candidates are ready to step up to the plate. America is not yet quite ready for a minority president – the American Dream must be preserved in its entirety before we can truly be deemed ready – but conversely, we have yet to have a minority candidate who has really shown outstanding competency. In the future, America may be ready for a minority president, but will a suitable minority candidate be ready to lead America?

Judge's comments: Excellent point about older immigrants persecuting newer immigrants. Well structured and well thought out essay. Good postulation about whether the country would be able to throw up a minority candidate ready to lead. Good use of word limit. 

Joy He is a 10th grade student at Parkway Central High School in Chesterfield, Mo. Essay published as submitted.

Prizes sponsored by Desi Knowledge, a great place to get books, CDs and DVDs pertaining to Indian culture. Products ship from within the Bay Area, California

Asking whether or not the county is "ready" gives undue credence to racist perspectives. By posing the question as a two-sided quandary, we tactically accept the answer "no"- and doing so has consequences. If we decide that the country is not ready for a minority president, we condone discrimination against political candidates based on their ethnicity. After all, if the country is not ready for a minority president, why bother supporting a minority candidate, regardless of his or her skill sets? This legitimizes bigotry in the political sphere. Because we deem a minority candidate unelectable, it becomes socially acceptable to discriminate against such candidates. This, then, makes it even more difficult for a minority candidate to be elected president. We spiral downward and it becomes even more difficult for us to overcome our racist past.

Instead of focusing on the ethnicity of presidential candidates, we should examine their opinions on the issues at hand. Media coverage of the elections directed in such a way would send a message to the population that deciding who to vote for based on skin color is socially unacceptable- and societal pressure can be a powerful thing. Only by moving beyond our insecurity as to the readiness of our country to elect a minority president can we actually have a chance at getting a minority candidate in that position. The color of one's skin does not hamper one's political abilities; the country of one's ancestors does not limit one's capacity as a presidential hopeful. Once we stop making race an issue, we will have only the abilities of the candidates to look to- and this is in no way constrained by color.

Skeptics remain as to America's ability to reason in such a manner. However, we have empirical evidence to the contrary. The frontrunner in the Democratic primaries, leading in both states and delegates, is the minority candidate Barack Obama. The unprecedented success of his campaign, even against well-connected Clinton machine, flies in the faces of the political pundits who dismissed him at the beginning of the race. The thousands upon thousands of Americans who flocked to the caucuses to support Obama must think the country is ready for a man like him. The fact that he is African-American does not seem to discourage Americans in any way from voting for him. And as a serious contender for the Democratic nomination, that party must surely believe the country would vote for him. America's readiness is determined by the people, and as of yet, American citizens are looking favorably on Obama, a minority candidate.

They think that America is ready, so it is. America is its people, and its people have spoken. We are indeed created equal.

Judge's comments: By questioning the very premise of the topic, Colette elevates the discussion to a higher plane. Even though the essay is short, it argues its point well. A discussion of the realities of race in America would have improved it further. 

Colette Jaycox is a 10th grade student at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont, California. Essay published as submitted.

Prizes sponsored by Desi Knowledge, a great place to get books, CDs and DVDs pertaining to Indian culture. Products ship from within the Bay Area, California

“My fellow Americans, you know how much I love this country. You know what I will sacrifice for America, the land of opportunity, which is why I stand here now,” I start my inauguration address smoothly. As I continue discussing my policies with certainty, everyone lets out a sigh of relief, realizing they have elected a great president.

“The economy, on top of my list of priorities, will be taken care of. If everyone panics and gets rid of all their stocks, the government can not be expected to fix the market. We need everyone's cooperation,” I convincingly explain. Proceeding on into the Iraq War, I confidently promise to pull the troops out, after consulting with General Petraeus. And so my speech carries on, dealing with many problems.

“Thank you, citizens of America, for electing your first female President into office. I guarantee you, you will not regret it!” Thus, I conclude my first speech as President of the United States. The thundering ovation congratulates me on my victory.

The next week, I sit in the Oval Office, contemplating my first move as President. Seated in front of me is Mr. Bernanke, the man who saved the economy by cutting interest rates.“Well, ma'am,” the Secretary of Finance begins, “we should start a relief rally to make the stock buyers comfortable. If the people remain content with the stock market, they will keep their present shares. Otherwise, stocks will be haphazardly traded away. In order to fuel our economy, interest rates may have to be lowered even further. More people need to buy products made in America to support the economy.” After taking a deep breath, he comments, “Constantly, more and more houses are being claimed by banks for foreclosure. This tremendously drives the prices down. We also have to do something about this.”

After considering several plans to boost the stock and house markets, my conference with Ben Bernanke ends. Just thinking of how to keep my promise to the American public gives me a headache. To lift my spirits, my meeting with General Petraeus produces a strategy. The soldiers have to be slowly removed to maintain stability in Iraq. In one month, about one twelfth of the troops will be brought home. If we keep withdrawing soldiers at this rate, only one twelfth of our forces in Iraq will remain. Before pulling them out too, the Sunni Peace Group must show us they can handle the government. Thus, the veterans will be brought home and security will be restored.

As this plan is being carried out, the situation in Kenya stares me in the face. In a meeting with Congress, it becomes apparent that we can not afford to send troops to help. The majority vote decided to conduct a United Nations meeting about sending soldiers and supplies to Kenya. During this conference with Congress, the threat of Iran' s nuclear program comes up. To truly find out what they intend to do, we have to confront President Ahmadinejad. If they refuse to cooperate or will try to accomplish a horrible deed, we may have to destroy the power plant. Also, the elections in Pakistan are discussed.

“We need to get a better person elected. Musharraf obviously killed Benazir Bhutto, his main political rival. By doing this, he makes it clear that he will rule as a dictator,” I explain. “How should we deal with this?”

A Congressman suggests using our army to overthrow him and then put a more suitable person on office. Unanimously, everyone agrees not to use the military in fear of a war in Pakistan. Finally, we decide to hold elections where Americans take the polls and count the votes. By doing so, somebody whom the Pakistani public likes will be elected, and the American idea of democracy will be spread throughout the world.

After all these matters are decided on, I think about the child health care programs. An agreement to fund them passes through the Senate and Congress and is sitting on my desk. The children of America need such organizations to help them. Most importantly, they need to stay healthy and have the chance to live. These kids will become the future of this country. Realizing its importance, I also agree to pay for more health care organizations without a second thought.

After completing this, I move onto the issue of women getting lower salaries in spite of doing the same jobs as men. Since men and women are already considered equal, I find no need in passing another law. Delivering a speech and visiting companies accused of this would be done for sure. The next week, I will stand in front of thousands of people and speak about women's lower salaries.“Wasn't America built on equality? How much have we suffered to make sure men and women are equal? To make sure people of all religions and nationalities are equal? And yet, today, some women are being paid lower salaries compared to men in the same company.

That's not equal!” I scream to the crowd. Passionately, I continue this speech. At the end, I conclude, “And do not worry, fellow citizens, the country is in good hands.”Everybody stands up and cheers, happy to have such a president. As I smile and wave to the audience, I realize that no matter how much stress it brings, I will not give up this position for the world.

Judges' comments:

Scott Herhold:Well-written, may have slightly imperial idea of the presidency.  Nice candor in this:""Just thinking of how to keep my promise to the American public gives me a headache.''

Shana Dhillon: WOW! This essay is amazing! I love the narration and the way that this person obviously knows what they are talking about. They really address some different issues than the previous essays: finance, war, Kenya, Pakistan, child health care, and women’s equality. Far different from the cliché ideas about what needs to be changed in the U.S. Very well written and well researched! Very creative and original!

Vidya Pradhan: Creative approach to the topic..breezy conversational style makes it look a little flippant, but excellent coverage of issues. Also commended for actually imagining the life of the presidency as opposed to making it a campaign speech. 

Sanjana Prasad is a 7th grade student at Challenger School in Newark, California. Essay published as submitted.

Prizes sponsored by Desi Knowledge, a great place to get books, CDs and DVDs pertaining to Indian culture. Products ship from within the Bay Area, California

Signing bills to make them laws. Directing billions of dollars of budget. Representing the entire country in the world. Commanding the United States army. Bossing over employees who address you as “sir”.
-Whose job does this sound like to you?
This is the not-so-glamorous, yet most powerful position in the world–the President of the USA. Tiresome perhaps, but there is never a dull moment in the job of the President.
I want to be the next President of the United States of America.

A president needs to have the qualities of perseverance and boldness, which I firmly believe I have. This country needs a change in leadership to regain its numuro-uno superpower position in the world pecking order. As a collective nation, it needs to re-establish its priorities and return the American dream to the common man. The American dr eam to be economically stable and free; the dream to own a roof under one’s head; the one to innovate and lead in the technology and business sectors. My plan is to turn the American dream into reality for the masses so that everyone can enjoy freedom, dignity of life and live fearlessly in the world. These are my plans for the future of America, that is, if I get your support to be elected into the White house as the first female president:

Once I am in the Oval office, the first thing that I will do is get the troops out of Iraq. This “foreign” war is really killing the American dream and snatching the happiness of so many families, as hundreds of soldiers is killed every month. This war has killed more US soldiers than any other war in history and we are no more secure than we were when this war was started. There are also many war veterans who have returned from the battle zone either critically wounded, or with permanent physical damage to their bodies and now depend on others to help them perform simple day-to-day tasks. The psychological impacts of this war are even greater. The suicide rate amongst returning US soldiers is up 20% year over year. The financial situation of soldiers and war veterans is even more pathetic. Also, we just can’t keep spending money on firearms- this war is costing us more than $1 billion every day. This same money can be used on something more worth it, such as the education of children, improving the crumbling infrastructure or generating more jobs in America.

Another thing that I stand committed to is education. Kids are our future and education standards in America are abysmally low. I will empower the federal and state education boards to improve the quality of education for kids and make our children prepared for challenges of the next century.

I have noticed that many teenagers have graduated from high school without knowing basics. This would be stopped. I would like to make sure that the students at least score a passing grade, on the final exams before receiving a diploma. These uneducated children are the generation of tomorrow, who must make decisions. If we let them slack off now, who will be there to keep America going?

Another thing that I have noticed is that some schools are providing the students with old, tattered textbooks that do not provide children with the latest discoveries made by scientists. As the president, I will mandate that the textbooks in every school in the United States be upgraded and replaced every five years. I want to use some money on both educational and recreational purposes in a balanced manner. With what we pay to our teachers, I am ashamed. I would also want to increase the teachers’ salaries to help increase their devotion to teaching their students. I will push for greater technology adoption in the classroom curriculum through the use of laptops and software for each student of all public mi ddle, junior, and high schools.

I want to focus the attention of the country on environmental consciousness. Due to heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels, not only is the economy suffering, our environment is adversely getting impacted due to global warming. Each of us on this earth has a role in it and we can help minimize the situation by popularizing the 3 R’s: Recycle, Reuse and Reduce. I would launch incentive programs for these as well as severe penalties for pollutants and illegal litter bugs throughout the country. Additionally, we have to regain and retain our lead in innovations and inventions by staying ahead of all. I will fund programs that will reduce use of oil or other fossil fuels and encourage the development of green technologies – for the home, office or the road. How great would it feel to drive a car running with nothing but water!! The world would be at our feet and I, as your president, would lead the way into the next century ahead.

Another factor that I will focus on right away is the economic condition of our country. The infamous Sub prime crisis, unprecedented foreclosures of homes, millions of people becoming homeless or facing bankruptcy is not something that I will sit idle with. Companies in vital industries facing risks of shutdown are not a sign of pride for a super power of USA’s stature. I will work with you all – my constituents and together we will revive this great nation’s sagging economy. We have to make a habit of reducing the trade gap, especially the imports with China, basically lower our debt and ultimately learn to spend less and be financially disciplined.

I will lead the nation’s way in practicing what I preach, ultimately getting us closer to the American dream.I realize that my plans for this country will remain only on paper or in these words unless someone acts on it. Yes-you. Unless you vote for me, the betterment of this country can not be guaranteed. Do vote for me, Shreya Malik as your next president!

Judges' comments:

Scott Herhold: Eloquent on the Iraq war, essay has a few grammatical errors. But fundamentally sound ideas,and much evidence of solid thinking.

Shana Dhillon: This essay was VERY well written! I like the way that it was formatted, as a speech or an ad of sorts, convincing the people to vote. The four ideas that were brought up, the war, education, environment and economy are the most important issues at hand with the US today and I like that this writer addressed all of these and gave sufficient evidence about why they are so important and need to be addressed by the next president.
Very good use of word limit.
Great statistics and warrants for your claims.

Vidya Pradhan: Well thought out essay touching on all the hot-button issues of the day in a clear and cogent manner. Well organized and good use of word limit. Needs to work on proof-reading essay.

Shreya Malik is a 7th grade student at Challenger School in Newark, California. Essay printed as is.

Prizes sponsored by Desi Knowledge, a great place to get books, CDs and DVDs pertaining to Indian culture. Products ship from within the Bay Area, California. 

The swarm of news reporters stormed into the Oval Office, eager to extract any piece of information they possibly could.
The magnificence of the room brought a special sense of national pride to one of the reporters. His eyes beamed as he perceived the stability and peace in the world that had been achieved under the reign of the new president. The eagle had truly spread its wings under this new administration and had taken flight, soaring into new and unexplored heights.
"Excuse me," he spoke, politely introducing himself to the kind secretary in the corner. "I would like to have a word with Ms. President."
"One moment please," the soft-spoken secretary announced as she walked over to the miraculously carved desk. She tapped the large leather chair and murmured, "Ms. President. We have some reporters who would like to talk to you."

The chair swiveled and the reporter found himself face to face with me, the President of the United States of America. Graciously, I smiled back to my secretary as I pulled out a pen, signing the most recent bill on children's healthcare. I then professionally stood up, pushed back my hair, and smiled a gleaming grin to the cameras. The crowd of reporters applauded as I reached out to shake hands with the advocate of the Children's Protection Group.
"Ms. President, Ms. President, can we have a quote?" an energized reporter questioned. "What do you feel about providing children with a better future?"
"Children are the future. Providing them with a better future is making the future a better place. Another children's bill passes, another child's future benefited. One day, all of our efforts will pay off. The world will be a better place. Be assured. Trust me to lead the world towards its full potential." As I portrayed my views on helping children, I could not help but think to myself, "Funny how my own childhood dreams seem to come true."

In reality, this event has not occurred yet. I have not become one of the greatest presidents ever, and I have certainly not become the subject of the attention of many reporters. However, I do believe that if I were to run for President of the United States of America, I would bring about such a change that could make a difference in the world.
In childhood, every person wants to be a dancer, a clown, an artist, and astronaut, or the President. Presidency may actually be a childhood dream I would like to realize.
Why do I think that I could make a difference in the way things in this world work? I think that it is mainly because of my capability to start a task and finish it. Dedication is a huge factor in my life that would definitely shine in my presidency. In the future, I would certainly like to become the President to prove the world many things.

My presidency would help to break the invisible barr iers against race and gender, that somehow, in some sense, some people are inferior to others. The President of the United States commands respect wherever the name is mentioned. The position is one of honor, and it certainly is one that represents the majestic American eagle, the king of all birds.

As a lawful and devoted president, one of the most important issues to me would be to help cure poverty in the world. Poverty and disease plague many third-world countries and even many developed countries. Because part of one of my life-long dreams in life is to become a doctor, seeing people suffer is certainly not something I enjoy. During my regime as President, these issues that impact the world on a daily basis would be my primary focus, and I would take it upon myself to try to fix the glitches in the world, taking the problems in the world apart. In an attempt to improve the slumping economy in the United States, I would do whatever it takes to create jobs and boost the morale in my beloved country by reducing budget deficit and improving the economy.

Another issue that I would truly embrace would be the issue of equal treatment in the nation. I would seriously want women, children, blacks, whites, Hindus, and Christians to all be treated the same, and any infractions of this moral code would be seen as something truly wrong in my eyes.

An extra important issue in my eyes would be to improve foreign policies and international relations especially with war-stricken areas such as the Middle East. I would work extremely hard to bring peace to the world and bring our wonderfully brave troops home, safe and sound.

Last, but certainly no least, a primary concern of mine would be to protect the environment by promoting different "Save the Earth" campaigns. I would try to find a system of recycling and conserving fossil fuels while still looking for a save alternative energy source to keep the future of the Earth out of jeopardy.

Through many of my life experiences, I have learned that togetherness is a blessing that we must use properly. I would try to bring the world together and bring about peace in the world, doing all within my power and capability to prove to the world that I would be an extremely competent President. After all, a President cares about his or her own country. To prove my point and endorse my cause, all I can say is that I care about my country, and most of all, I care about the future of the world.

Judges' comments:

Scott Herhold:Very nice introduction, gives a more personal idea of what the job would be like. A little vague in policy ideas, but perfect grammatically.

Shana Dhillon: Great essay! I think the essay started out very smoothly with the imagery provided. It addressed some very important issues but I would have really liked to see more analysis on why each of the issues being solved needed to be solved. I need the “so what?” question to be answered, otherwise I don’t know why these issues need attention.

Very well written though. Good use of word limit.

Vidya Pradhan: A very creative beginning and good structure overall.  

Nicole Dalal is an 8th grade student at Challenger School in Newark, California. Essay printed as is. 

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