1. CLEARANCE REVOKED

President Donald Trump has revoked the security clearances of several well-known political figures, including President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, and many others who have opposed him in the past. These clearances allow people to access classified government information, but removing them is mostly symbolic. Still, it sends a message. Trump’s memo also bans these individuals from entering secure federal buildings or receiving intelligence briefings. Many of the people named — including former impeachment witnesses, investigators from the Jan. 6 committee, and New York prosecutors — have been critical of Trump or involved in legal actions against him. Critics say this move resembles an “enemies list,” while some of those affected have brushed it off as political theater. This action follows similar memos from Trump since returning to office, targeting both political opponents and former members of his own team. Think about what it means to have access to important or secret information in a government role. Why might security clearances be important — and why might someone lose them? In a short paragraph, explain whether you think it’s okay for a president to take away these clearances from former officials who disagree with them, and why. Then, imagine you are a leader and must decide who gets access to sensitive information. What rules would you create to make sure that decision is fair? Write a second paragraph explaining your answer.

2. DIRECTOR’S CUT

Wes Anderson is a film director known for his distinct visual style—carefully chosen colors, symmetrical scenes, and detailed props that help build imaginary worlds. A new museum exhibit in Paris, later traveling to London, celebrates his 25-year career by displaying more than 500 items from his movies. These include famous costumes, handmade props, miniature sets, notebooks, and even puppets from Fantastic Mr. Fox. Anderson is deeply involved in every creative decision, from font choices on fake magazine covers to how puppet fur should move. His attention to small details helps create the unique feel of his films, and the exhibit shows how thousands of creative choices come together to bring his cinematic vision to life. Think about how your own story could be told through objects and visuals, just like Wes Anderson does in his films. Create a “mini-museum” of your life by choosing six objects that represent who you are, what you care about, or moments that shaped you. For each object, write a short label (3-5 sentences) explaining what it is and why it’s important. If you want, sketch how your museum would be laid out—would it be colorful? Organized by theme? Would there be music or videos playing? Be intentional with the look and meaning, just like Anderson is with his films.

3. ELECTION ISSUE

In New York City’s Bronx borough, some poll workers say they were pressured to pay money or donate to the Republican Party in exchange for getting jobs working elections. These jobs can pay around $2,750 per election, so many people want them. Workers say they were told to pay $150 or more and sometimes help collect signatures for political candidates. Although one elections worker, Nicole Torres, has been charged with bribery and fraud, some workers believe this “pay-to-play” scheme involved others, too. Investigators are still looking into it. This scandal is especially concerning because it affects people’s trust in how elections are run — something that should be fair and honest. Officials say many workers still act with integrity, but this case is raising big questions about corruption and favoritism in the hiring process. You are a journalist for a local news site and have just learned about the “pay-to-play” poll worker scandal in the Bronx. Your assignment is to write five interview questions you would ask to get more information. Choose one person to focus on: a poll worker, a Board of Elections official, or a government investigator. Your questions should aim to uncover what really happened, how it affected people, and what should happen next.

4. N.Y.C.’S SALT PROBLEM

New York City gets most of its drinking water from reservoirs north of the city, and it’s known for being some of the best-tasting water in the country. But now, scientists say that one of the city’s oldest water systems — called the Croton system — is getting too salty. This is mostly because of all the road salt used in the winter to melt snow and ice. Over the years, that salt has made its way into the water. If nothing changes, this water system might not be safe to drink from by the year 2100. Fixing the problem isn’t easy. Removing the salt is expensive, and just mixing the salty water with cleaner water won’t help nearby towns that also use the Croton system. One possible solution is to change how salt is used on roads — using less of it or switching to safer methods. Leaders and scientists are working together to find the best way to protect this important water source. Think about the water you use every day — for drinking, cooking, brushing your teeth, and more. Now imagine your town had to stop using its main water source because it was getting too salty. Write a short proposal to your town’s mayor with three ideas to help protect your local water supply. These can be real solutions (like using less road salt or checking for pollution) or creative ones (like inventing a new kind of snowplow or using technology to clean water). Explain why your ideas would help and how people in your town could get involved.

5. HUGE STRIDES FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH

Scientists are using artificial intelligence (A.I.) to find new ways to treat rare diseases with old medicines, and it’s changing how medical discoveries happen. This process, called drug repurposing, takes medications already approved for one illness and tests whether they could work for a completely different one. Until now, finding treatments for rare diseases has been extremely difficult because there’s not much profit for drug companies, and research is expensive and time-consuming. But A.I. can quickly sort through thousands of drugs and diseases to find possible matches, helping researchers discover new treatment options faster than ever before. Teams around the world are already seeing success. Scientists have used A.I. to match drugs with rare blood disorders, neurological conditions, and aggressive cancers. Even though some treatments suggested by A.I. are risky or untested, doctors are starting to use them when no other options exist. While A.I. in healthcare still needs human oversight, it’s opening doors to breakthroughs that would’ve taken years to find the old-fashioned way. Create an infographic that explains how scientists are using A.I. to find new treatments for diseases. First, take notes on how A.I. looks through thousands of existing medicines to discover new ways to use them. Then, design an infographic that teaches others how this process works. Make sure to include parts like “What is A.I.?,” “What is drug repurposing?,” “Why does it matter?,” and “How can it help people?” You can draw your infographic by hand or use a computer. Think of it as a way to turn a big science idea into something simple and interesting that anyone could understand.