Issue No. 4, Fall 2022

Rajani LaRocca Author Visit

 by Ava Zarrineh

Recently Dr Larocca visited 7th grade at our school. She answered questions, signed books, signed bookmarks, and explained how she became an author. As a 7th grader I was able to attend and see the presentation, and get to chat with her one on one. From this I was able to learn her story and see how to become an author. 

Rajani Larocca was born in Bangalore India and immigrated to the USA when she was very young. Growing up in Kentucky, Dr Larocca was an active reader when she was younger, in her words she would read cereal boxes, comic books, fortune cookies, magazine articles, and novels. Dr Larcocca believed that reading formed the person she was today and improved her writing. For example she shares how “she read a book about what happens when you get a scab or cut,” this intrigued Dr LaRocca about health care, and lead to her interest in becoming a doctor. Other books that inspired Dr LaRocca are the Indian comic books she read when she went to India. The comic books would focus on ancient Indian history but it was written as a comic book to be more entertaining for kids. Young Rajani Larocca was in love with these books and would read tons of them whenever she went to India. Later on in life Rajani felt divided between two worlds, the Indian one and the American one. On weekdays she would be speaking English, dancing to her favorite songs with her friends, and spending time with her American friends. However on weekends she would speak Hindi with her family, dance in her Sari, and spend time with her family. This created a split identity for Rajani and made her feel different and almost out of place. But when she went to India she didn’t fit in either; it’s like no matter where she went she never belonged fully felt she belonged anywhere.

When Dr. LaRocca graduated college,  she decided to become a doctor and went to Harvard Medical School afterwards. She worked at Mass General Hospital to finish her training, and became a doctor. Once Dr LaRocca became a doctor she still had some interest in becoming a writer. Dr. LaRocca remebered her creative writing teacher from her senior year of high school, who told her she could be both a doctor and an author.  She found a community of fellow writers to bounce ideas off of, and had her book rejected sevral times before a publisher published her first book, Midsummer's Mayhem.

Some questions that we asked Dr. LaRocca were mostly about writing. She believed that drafting was the most important part of the writing process. Dr LaRocca also believed that young writers should read many books to explore different writing styles and to learn more about the structure of writing.

The real takaways though, have to do with the fact that Rajani LaRocca is a great writer and doctor, who learned to accept and embrace every part of who she is. Dr. LaRocca is an Indian American that didn’t just choose one ethnicity, rather chose to just be herself and to have her own culture. Dr. LaRocca felt like an outcast in every part of her life when she was younger. But she learned to create a new sense of community with her friends and family. Dr LaRocca had an identity issue that many kids just like her have when they are young, but realizing we can create and choose to be one community is a gift. So next time you read a book, remember there's a lot more about the author than you realize.                            

Topsfield Fair 

By Eli Wright

The Topsfield Fair is always the highlight of the year. It's one week per year and is enjoyed by thousands of people. The food, games, rides and contests make up this event. People visit from across the states just to have fun with family and friends. These are the things that make this fair the greatest in Massachusetts. 

Food

The food at the fair is to die for. It's full of hundreds of stands serving things from caramel apples to fried ice cream and many people's favorite deep fried candy bars and cookies. Even local restaurants have stands for the fair.

Deep fried candy bar stands can offer things such as deep fried Snicker Bars, Reese's Peanut Butter cups and deep fried Oreo's. Other stands such as ChipStixs can serve things such as curly chains of potato chips.   

Entertainment

Entertainment at the fair is full of things such as music and games except this year was different, the fair had a special event happen for the enjoyment of customers. The band Kansas which is a 1980s rock band played the fair making it their 50th anniversary of the band. Most of the members of Kansas are about 65 to 75 years old and they are still  traveling across the country playing in front of thousands of people for each concert. 

Other types of entertainment are games. You can play games such as Ring Toss, Bust a Balloon and Basketball Free Throw. In Bust a Balloon You can expect to grab a bean bag, throw it at a balloon with the goal of popping it. Other games like Ring Toss you can expect to grab a ring, throw it at a bottle with the goal of landing the ring on the bottle. At the fair you can receive many different prizes if you achieve these goals. You can win things such as stuffed animals and real life goldfish.     

Rides

The rides at the Topsfield Fair are one of the main reasons for visiting the event. There are many rides that tower over the fair such as Freak-out, Zipper and Pharaoh's Fury. On The Zipper you can expect to sit in a too personal cage well the machine swings you up, down and around. Other rides like Freak-out you can expect to sit on a large swing like machine that swings you side to side while spinning. On Pharaoh's Fury you sit in a boat-like machine where it rocks you back and forward. 

Contests 

Another attraction at the fair is the contests. One of the contests is who can grow the biggest pumpkin. This year Jamie Graham took the record for biggest pumpkin ever. He grew this pumpkin to an outstanding weight of 2,480 pounds. Other contests such as the Pole Climbing is a fun contest where the announcers call random people up to try to complete the feat of climbing the mighty pole. 

In Memory of the Lives Lost at Club Q....

the MascoMinute staff is sharing the ACLU statement on the Mass Shooting at LGBTQ+  Club in Colorado Springs

"We are devastated and angered to learn of the five lives lost and the 18 people injured in a mass shooting at Club Q, an LGBTQ+ Club in Colorado Springs.

Our deepest sympathies go out to those whose loved ones were killed, were injured or were otherwise impacted by this tragedy.

We must acknowledge that this horrific act happened on the eve of Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day meant to honor and remember the lives of transgender people who were lost to violence.

We're committed to supporting the victims, survivors and their loved ones.

We have the right to be ourselves without fear — today, tomorrow, and forever."

           -Statement put out by the ACLU of        Colorado, for more from about the ACLU            visit: https://www.aclu.org/about/aclu-history