It wasn’t all bad
■ Cheetahs were once prevalent in India—the word “cheetah” traces its origins to Sanskrit—but in 1952, they were officially declared because of habitat loss and hunting. Now, after two years of negotiations, eight cheetahs will be brought to the South Asian country’s Kuno-Palpur National Park. They’ll be followed by 42 more, all hailing from Namibia, over the next five years. Conservationists hope the cheetahs can adapt to the transition from Africa, where the great cats, which can run at 70 mph, hunted on open grasslands.
■ Alena Analeigh Wicker is working toward two separate undergraduate degrees—a monumental task for anyone. But even more impressive is the fact that Alena, who was recently accepted into medical school at the University of Alabama, is only 13 years old. “What is age?” asked Alena. She’s more than 10 years younger than the average incoming medical student. Throughout school, Alena was bullied for her smarts, but she’s recently transformed those experiences into something positive—by creating an organization that offers science and math opportunities for girls of color. “We’re showing the world that there are other girls out there that are just like me,” Alena said. “And they deserve an opportunity and a chance.”
■ Vincent Fraser was recently flying a propeller plane 5,500 feet above the Great Smoky Mountains with his father-in-law sitting beside him when suddenly the engine shut off. Fraser, despite having just received his pilot’s license in October, stayed calm. As the plane descended, he spotted a highway through the trees, and, threading around power lines and traffic, he safely landed his plane on the pavement. Although Fraser was initially hesitant to fly again, he’s now reconsidering: “Everybody that supported me this far has motivated me to keep going and regain that passion.”