p8 What Your Favourite Subject Says About You? Ephraima.N
p10 Comic Corner: Barney Goodright
p11 H₂O: The Thirst Quencher Ondine Sondhi
p12 International Womens’ Day 2025 Petra Coleman
p13 Trilece Recipe Maja Luca
p14 Dear World Leaders :Raphaëlle + Maya V
p18 Riddles of the month Ephraima.N
p19 Contributors to this edition
EDITORIAL
Welcome to the first edition of Peak Perspectives in 2025! ��
New year, new vibes, and of course, a fresh dose of fun.
This issue is packed with everything from riddles to a deep dive into what your favourite subject says about you (because let’s be honest, Math lovers and Art lovers are not the same breed).
So, grab a snack, get comfy, and enjoy the mix of creativity, humour, and school spirit.
Here’s to a year full of good grades, great memories, and maybe even fewer last-minute assignments!
By Ephraima Nzeyimana (Editor-in-chief)
Students’ Artwork
NATALIA GRADE 10
NATALIA GRADE 10
JORGE GRADE 10
CAROLA GRADE 10
SOPHIA GRADE 10
ELINA IB1
ELENA GRADE 9
MIA IB1
ANONYMOUS
ANONYMOUS
DESDINA AYDIN
DESDINA AYDIN
My Teacher Said WHAT!!!
DID YOU KNOW?
Sharks existed before trees!
Sharks have been around for over 400 million years, while the first trees appeared around 350 million years ago.
Lobsters never stop growing!
They do not age like humans and can theoretically keep growing bigger and stronger some live over 100 years.
Bananas are berries, but strawberries aren’t!
A berry has seeds and pulp from a single ovarybananas fit this description, but strawberries don’t.
You technically age faster on the top floor of a building than on the ground floor!
Thanks to Einstein’s theory of relativity, time moves slightly faster at higher altitudes due to weaker gravity.
There’s a species of fungus that can take over ants’ brains! The zombie-ant fungus (Ophiocordyceps) infects ants, controls their movements, then makes them climb to a perfect height before releasing spores to infect more ants.
Octopuses have three hearts!
Two pump blood to the gills, and one pumps it to the rest of the body
When they swim, the heart that pumps blood to the body actually stops!
What Your Favorite Subject Says About You
MATHS – THE LOGICAL MASTERMIND
Analytical, detail-oriented ��
Loves solving problems ��
Thrives on structure ��
Future: Engineer, finance expert, or secret spy
HISTORY – THE TIME TRAVELER
Loves uncovering the past ⏳
Great at debates ⚖
Watches documentaries ��
Future: Lawyer, politician, or historian ��
ENGLISH – THE STORYTELLER
Loves words & deep meanings ��
Probably corrects grammar in texts ✍
Wins arguments with perfect comebacks ��
Future: Writer, journalist, or debate champion ��
ART – THE CREATIVE VISIONARY
Sees the world differently ��
Hates strict rules ��
Expresses emotions through design ��
Future: Graphic designer, animator, or next Picasso �� 8
MUSIC – THE SOULFUL GENIUS
Music = life ��
Feels emotions deeply ❤
Always has a fire playlist ��
Future: Musician, producer, or playlist curator ��
P.E. – THE ENERGETIC GO-GETTER
Hates sitting still
Loves competition ��
Natural leader & team player ⚽
Future: Athlete, coach, or fitness influencer ��
COMPUTER SCIENCE – THE TECH GURU
Loves coding & gaming ��
Logical & persistent ��
Probably the group’s IT support ��
Future: Software developer, hacker (the legal kind), or next Elon Musk ��
PSYCHOLOGY –
THE MIND READER
Obsessed with human behavior �� Lowkey psychoanalyzes friends ��
Go-to therapist of the group ��
Future: Psychologist, counselor, or detective ��
Water, I need it… without it, I’m on death’s doorstep,
My lips are so dry, they could crack like a floor step.
My tongue’s turning dusty, my throat is a desert, If I don’t sip soon, I’ll end up inert!
Oh water, you magic, you clear liquid gold, You make noodles delicious and ice cubes so cold.
You dance in my cup, in my sink, in the sea, Without you, my dear, there’s no me left of me!
International Women’s Day by Petra Coleman
This year, International Women's Day is on March 8th. But how did this historical day for women come to be, and why is it significant?
On the streets of New York in 1908, more than 15,000 women from all over the United States of America marched to advocate for better pay and voting rights. By the following year, a National Women's Day had been established on the last Sunday of February.
In 1910, German Socialist advocate Clara Zetkin proposed an International Women's Day It would be celebrated for the first time in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland Over one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, hold public office, and end discrimination.
The day was first recognized by the United Nations in 1975. The theme for each year is "Celebrating the past, Planning for the Future" and "Women at the Peace table."
However, Women did not gain recognition from governments around the world solely through conferences and peaceful protests. The Triangle Fire in New York killed over 140 working women, drawing attention to their working conditions and labour legislation The Bread and Roses strike in Russia aligned women in solidarity with the 2 million russian soldiers killed in WWI Opposed by political leaders, the women continued to strike until four days later, when the czar was forced to abdicate, and the provisional government granted women the right to vote. And some governments were openly against women's suffrage. In London, there was a march from Bow to Trafalgar Square in support of women's suffrage on March 8, 1914. Sylvia Pankhurst was arrested in front of Charing Cross station on her way to speak in Trafalgar Square.
Today, women continue to fight for their rights. In Afghanistan, women are unable to speak to each other in public and, in some cases, are not permitted to leave their homes On Wall Street, equal pay is perpetually a goal for women because many organizations use the excuse of “qualifications.” Furthermore, with companies all over the globe scrapping their DEI programs, it brings insecurity for the future of women's roles in the workforce and whether they will even have a place in it.
How to make Trilece at home
Ingredients
1l milk
500 ml heavy cream (cream of 10 eggs
10 tablespoons sugar
10 tablespoons flour
350 ml condensed milk (panda
300 ml caramel (found in supermarkets)
Preparing the sponge cake
In a bowl, put only the egg whites and leave the yolks in another bowl aside.
1. Put the sugar in the bowl where we have the egg whites and beat them until the mixture becomes smooth and thick. 2
Then, beat the egg yolks and add them to the mixture prepared with the egg whites and sugar 3. Mix until smooth. 4. Then, gradually add the flour and at the same time stir the mixture without interruption so that the volume of the mixture is the same 5. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. 6.
Using a kitchen brush, grease the pan with a little oil and pour the prepared mixture into it and let it bake at this temperature for 5 minutes, then lower the heat to 150 7. Let it bake for another 10 minutes. 8. Preparing the Milk
Put the condensed milk in a container with the liquid milk
Mix until the condensed milk is completely dissolved.
Then add the milk cream (pana). Mix well to form a mass.
Remove the cake or sponge cake from the oven. Once it has cooled, cut it into squares and pour the milk mixture over it.
Leave it until the sponge cake absorbs the milk completely.
Finally, pour the liquid caramel on top.
D E A R W O R L D L E A D E R S
Raphaëlle Le Quéré
Dear World Leaders,
As you might have noticed, our world is currently facing many wars, many challenges and most of all many injustices The whole world has been paralysed by the war currently happening in Russia and Ukraine, our world has been divided in two. Our opinions most of the time determine who we are friends with, who we accept to be with but why do we even have to make those kinds of decisions in the first place? Why does our world always have to be divided because of our political views? I’ll tell you. It is because of you, world leaders, we fight with each other and it is a good thing that we get to vote and make decisions, don’t get me wrong , but what is wrong is the fact that you leaders build us citizens of different countries against each other.
Why should we citizens have to fight and hate each other just because two leaders of two different nations disagree with each other? Why should we citizens have to kill each other just because one day a man woke up and decided to invade a neighbouring country? If that man happens to be the president of a country then we all have to face the consequences that come with the decisions of one singular man among thousands of others. Do you find this logic right? Do you think it is right to send innocent people to battle to kill each other when you leaders enjoy the luxury of your palaces? Do you find it right to take all the credits for all the ways you won, when you have done nothing but murder innocent people?
Truth is, we are all your puppets. We can choose to vote for a good president or we can be deceived by a bad president but no matter what happens in some way or another we always end up being controlled by you. Some countries may be under the rule of a dictatorship where you cannot vote for a leader, or make decisions about your country, but what is the difference between a dictatorship and a democracy? I was always told by my family that one was right and the other was not, I was always told by my family that I was lucky to always have lived in a democratic country and I agree I am lucky, I have never had to live in silence and in fear I am lucky, I have always had the opportunity to go to school, to speak freely about my views. My family has always encouraged me to speak and learn the politics of the world and sure I’m just a kid who might not be very experienced about everything you, leaders of the world, do wrong But that much I know, a dictatorship is much worse than democracy but somehow in both , us citizens always end up listening to you and having no choice but to serve you and your ideologies.
So tell me after trusting you, our leaders, why do we still have to suffer from so much misery? Why do 70 countries out of 195 ban same sex relationships and transgender people?
I don’t find it normal that humans in some countries are treated like criminals and are even sometimes executed for loving, for being in love so much with someone that you want to show it to the entire world. Did you know that 10.6% of the world population identifies as LGBTQ+? That percentage is only what we know about. There are so many people in the world that feel uncomfortable in their skin that might want to change their gender but are incapable of doing so and incapable of speaking up because of the country they live in. You, the leaders, might think that the only thing that matters is the economy of your country or the amount of people that come and visit your countries every year but it’s not what it’s about Your duty as leaders is to make sure the population is heard and accepted but those 70 countries that are against the LGBTQ+ cause are ignoring the fact 10.6% of the population is living in sadness and is incapable of speaking because they fear you, the leaders, that are incapable of seeing past there own beliefs and to look and see that the population is craving for some change.
You're not only responsible for what happens in your country, if the word goes down, you will for a fact go down with it. It is your duty as leaders of the world to make sure that people like the Talibans are no longer in charge and are no longer persecuting millions of women and forcing them into horrible lifestyles where they are not even allowed to stand in front of a window anymore. Why have you done nothing to help this country? It is your responsibility after all.
Now tell me, why have you let a man in America ban abortion when studies suggest that hundreds of thousands of minor girls are raped annually? Tell me how a child is supposed to have a baby at such a young age? Tell why you do nothing to save those girls that will probably end up trying to take their life or the life of their babies in such ways that it might also kill them?
Leaders of the world, there are so many more things that I wish you would do better but I would be writing a novel if I told them to you. My generation will live in whatever damaged world yours leaves behind My generation is to live in the pollution you have caused You might not be here to see it but it doesn’t mean you have to contribute to it. Your duty is to protect us but it just seems you might be the end of us. I beg you, prove me wrong.
Kind regards,
Le Quéré
I’m writing to you about something that is inevitable The future The future is coming and there is nothing we can do to stop that Of course, the future isn’t a bad thing but what comes with it is concerning.
Look at the current state of the world. We’re on the brink of WW3 no matter how much we try to deny it Climate change is getting worse so fast and there are so many people who choose to ignore that The EU27 is one of the only groups of countries who have tried to reduce global warming as much as possible.
There are so many large issues in our world and nobody is doing anything about it. Young girls have to cover up their faces and identities in countries like Afghanistan There’s so many wars all over the world There’s poverty, starvation and dying of thirst And what are we doing? Nothing.
Take a look at Project 2025 “Drill, baby, drill!” is one of the most foolish things I have heard a president say Do you, as a leader, think it’s a good idea to create more and more fossil fuels? At least you would have more energy right? Wrong Fossil fuels could be effective in the moment but in the long run, this would create more global warming, less wildlife, less food and a shorter future.
Project 2025 will cause illness all throughout America because of fossil fuels and pollution The lack of laws against pollution will cause illness all throughout America But this is only one of the problems. Think of all the indigenous people whose land will be stolen away from them because of some project. Taking away their land will create craters in the economy. Sacred areas will be destroyed There will be nothing left Donald Trump doesn’t care about his people All he wants is money But this isn’t the first time it’s happened One example is the Dakota Access Pipeline (2017). The Standing Rock Sioux tribe protested against building pipelines. They did this because they feared their water getting contaminated and they were worried it would harm sacred sites. Trump pushed this idea and eventually ended up building it The pipeline is still used today
Of course, leaders from other countries don’t have much effect on what Donald Trump decides to do to his people. Leaders around the world can help their countries. I’m thirteen years old. I’m the one who will have to live in the world you created for us. But did you create it or ruin it? I don’t want to live in a world where people have to fear their lives when stepping out of their homes
I’m thirteen years old. I know how dangerous it is for girls to step onto the streets of a city. I’ve heard stories about young girls getting raped and I always thought those were just make-believe Now I know that raping is more real than ever I’m scared to walk on the streets of London or New York But why? Because of you You leaders don’t care anymore It’s so common now that you couldn’t care less.
Imagine you had a daughter and she goes missing One day she comes home covered in bruises. She cries in your arms, telling you about what happened. You would care then, right? You would do everything in your power to find the person who beat her up, who raped her You would turn your country upside down to find that person
In the U S alone, one in six girls are victims of completed or attempted rape One in ten men are victims. On average, there are about 66 rapes per minute in the entire world. 95,890 people are raped a day 35 million people are raped a year 15 million adolescent girls have experienced rape sometime in their lives. Let that sink in. During one of your cabinet meetings, 3960 to 7920 people are raped. You could help stop this. You could save so many lives if you just tried to do something about this
Raping isn’t the only problems that people have to face Another issue is abuse Of course, there are so many problems in our world but abuse is growing faster and faster. Around the world, 1 in 3 girls are victims of domestic abuse Most girls are abused by their intimate partner. 50-60% of girls who are victims of domestic abuse stay with their partners. Think of how this can affect their children, their parents, themselves. You could dig a little deeper and help so many people who are victims of abuse
Many presidents enforce the stigma “boys don’t cry” They do this by saying phrases like “man up”. So many presidents put so much pressure on young boys to be strong and tough and show no emotion In the U S alone, 9% of men experience emotions of depression or anxiety. Less than half of them seek help.
Although many leaders of our world make life for boys and men tougher, there are a few who try to help. Leaders such as Justin Trudeau and Jacinda Ardern promote vulnerability. They do this by talking about emotions openly This sets an example that every gender can express emotions without embarrassment or suppressing them.
There are also campaigns that try to get rid of stigmas The campaign Heads Together is based in the UK and is funded/supported by Prince William, Prince Harry and Kate Middleton These campaigns express the importance of showing emotions
World leaders have so much power over us and so many of you choose to abuse it in some way or another. Think of the young people in this world who will have to live in your country. Think of all the young children who are taught that they can’t talk about their issues. Think of the future Think of how to fix the future without breaking it first
Kind Regards, Maya Varga
I can be cracked, made, told, and played. What am I?
Easy Medium
What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?
Hard
Two brothers are standing on opposite sides of a river. One shouts to the other, but they cannot cross the river to meet. There is no bridge, no boat, and no tunnel. Yet, they manage to meet. How?
