Vidya Achar, a freshman at UPA, joined journalism this year to keep up with current events and dive deeper into law and politics. She looks forward to the National High School Journalism Convention and hopes to cover heavy topics in Aquila’s newsmagazine this year. Her love for politics and the government drives her goal of becoming a lawyer; she is considering both Harvard and Stanford law programs. Achar enjoys challenging other people’s ideas and believes it is important to be able to back up one’s argument with valid reasoning. Her interest in politics blossomed during the 2016 presidential election when she was old enough to understand the system, and she strongly believes a more diverse selection of people running for president is what the United States needs. Other interests of Achar’s include dancing, singing, oil painting and Disney. She has been performing musical theater and singing since she was three and a half years old. Both her singing and dancing are rooted in her Indian culture. Achar prides herself on being Indian and her extensive knowledge of Indian history. Disney is also a big part of Achar’s life. “Moana” and “Maleficent” hold the top spots on her long list of favorite Disney works. From the music to the characters to the plot, she is a fan of it all. Achar’s favorite quote is from “Moana,” when Maui says, “Muscle up, buttercup.” This advice can be applied to many different situations and has stayed with Achar for many years.

Vidya Achar, Editor

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