With George Orwell's 1984 and Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron" in their pockets, Mrs. Shavelson's English 10A students crafted their own dystopias, replete with backstory, a bill of rights, propaganda, and diary entries of ordinary citizens. What they discovered is that elements of common dystopias -- constant surveillance, curbs on basic freedoms of speech and expression, and an understood incursion into people's privacy -- make their way into the world around them, either in this country or abroad. A frightening reality that makes us cherish the safeguards to democracy we often take for granted.

This past Friday, Ms.Carly Sternberg, AIPAC's Director of High School Engagement, met with our graduating seniors to share with them how they can become involved in Israel advocacy on their college campuses.  In her presentation, Ms. Sternberg emphasized that Israel advocacy is not only about combating anti-Israel sentiment and propaganda, but, more important, about political action that will continue to ensure that our congressmen and senators are well educated about issues pertaining to Israel and thereby to ensure that Congress continues to support Israel in all of the challenges which it confronts. The Israel Advocacy Club then had the special opportunity to meet with Ms. Steinberg in a smaller setting.

On Wednesday, May 23rd the College Guidance Department will hold its  annual Spring College Fair for juniors and their parents.  This year's event will be held at Ma'ayanot (1650 Palisade Avenue, Teaneck), beginning at 7:30 sharp. The program will begin with brief presentations from all colleges in attendance. Following that, there will be round-robin sessions where students will be able to visit and ask questions of individual colleges. We are expecting the following colleges and universities to send representatives to the fair: University of Pennsylvania, Cooper Union, Binghamton, Brandeis, Johns Hopkins, IDC Herzliya, University of Maryland, New York University, CUNY (The Macaulay Honors Program, Queens, Baruch, City College), Rutgers, Landers College for Men (a division of Touro College), Yeshiva University and Bergen Community College.