Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Damar Hamlin’s Astounding Recovery By Aleeza Dhillon Volume 3 Issue 3 February 24, 2023 Image provided by CNN Damar Hamlin, a professional American football player, suffered an injury during a game in the 2022 season. The injury was a major setback for both Hamlin and his team because it prevented him from playing for multiple weeks. Hamlin is a talented safety who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2022 NFL Draft. He quickly established himself as a key player for the team making a significant impact on the field with his speed and agility. However, during a game in October 2022, Hamlin suffered a knee injury that forced him to leave the field. The extent of Hamlin's injury was initially unclear, and there was concern that it could be a season-ending injury. However, after undergoing tests and evaluations, it was determined that he had suffered a sprained knee and would be out for several weeks. The loss of Hamlin was a major blow to the Steelers. Despite the setback, Hamlin remained positive and focused on his recovery. He was determined to get back on the field as soon as possible and help his team in any way he could. With the support of his coaches, trainers, and teammates, Hamlin worked tirelessly to regain his strength and get back in playing shape. In his first game back, Hamlin made an immediate impact, recording several tackles and interceptions and helping the team secure a much-needed win. From that point on, he was a key contributor for the rest of the season, helping the Steelers reach the playoffs and make a deep run into the post-season. Damar Hamlin's injury was a challenging experience for both the player and his team. However, it also demonstrated the resilience, and strength of the player, as well as the support he received from those around him. Hamlin's return to the field was a testament to his hard work and dedication, and he remains an important player for the Steelers as they look to build on their success in the coming years. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Adelphi Press Day By Elaine Ching Volume 3 Issue 3 February 24, 2023 Image provided by North Student On February 17th, the staff of North High School’s School News and Literary Magazine, North Star and POLARIS, went to Adelphi University in Garden City to participate in Adelphi’s Press Day, an event in which school newspapers from all over Long Island and beyond gather to work with college professors, collaborate in workshops, and learn how to better their journalistic skills. North students got to dive into the topic of newspapers moving from print to online, the theme of this year’s Adelphi Press Day. Starting off the event, students were sat in the Ruth S. Harley University center. They listened to guest speaker, Chris Corry, a renowned and experienced journalist. Along with other speakers were the Editor In Chief and faculty advisor from Lynbrook High School’s award-winning newspaper, The Horizon . Speakers shared their experiences with the press to further inspire student journalists. After a Q&A with the panel of speakers, students were sent off to participate in two workshops of their choice. For their first workshop, North students participated in #AUPressDay Photo Challenge with Chris Corry , in which students got to learn some fundamentals of photography such as the rule of thirds. In addition, they were taught how to take the best photos, just by using cameras available to them, their cellphone cameras. Students went around campus taking photos and then later reviewed them with other students. For their second workshop, the North Star staff split into two groups. One group going to Finding Ideas: From the News Pages to the Book workshop with Paul Thaler, a professor at Adelphi, where they were discussed how to best use their journalistic skills in order to write for the newspaper and to further improve their writing skills. The other group went to the Share Your Online Successes/ Missteps , where they collaborated with other students in order to discuss their newspaper’s online presence. Due to North Star being an online-only publication , North Star staff took the opportunity to display their website for the other schools. After both workshops, students were provided with lunch by Adelphi and got to watch the Quill Awards, an Awards ceremony where Adelphi chooses school newspaper schools to be honored with wins in categories such as “Best Layout”, a prize North Star has taken home in the past. News Editor, Everton Prospere, shows the North Star website to other students along with Shinedip Kundlas, Editor in Chief, Kimberly Shrestha, Art Editor, and Christina Ossa, Feature Editor. (Names listed from right to left). Entertainment and Media Editor, Alain Deen, takes a photo of Elyas Layachi, Managing Editor, taking a photo of Everton Prospere, News Editor, during the # AUPressDay Photo Challenge workshop. Photo taken by Augustine Magapan, North Star staff. Manal Layachi, North Star staff, Elaine Ching, Social Media Manager, Navrosedip Kundlas, POLARIS Editor, and Kimberly Shrestha, Art Editor in the Ruth S. Harley University center. (Names listed from left to right) Photo taken by Shinedip Kundlas, Editor in Chief. North Star staff members, Nora Chery, Rachel Ezeadichie, and Manal Layachi in the Ruth S. Harley University center waiting for the event to start. (Names listed from left to right). BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Portrait Back to Sections Family Photo By Luiginna Frederique January 20, 2021 Photography Volume 1 Issue 4

Back to Articles Letter from the Editor Back to Sections Letter from the Editor: End of Year Report By Craig Papajohn-Shaw Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Original photo by Christy Mansfield What a year! Relaunching North Star, North’s Student News and Literary Magazine was no easy task. However, with the assistance of our administration, teachers, and of course our writers and editors, we were able to bring you 8 issues of original articles and artwork that reflected the creativity of the students at North. We have accomplished a lot in the short 7-month period since the magazine relaunched, so let’s review: ~ Live Inauguration Coverage With the controversial events surrounding politics this year, North Star made its goal to provide both unbiased stories to keep you in the know, while also featuring our writer’s own views regarding the circumstances of this year’s election cycle. On January 20th, the magazine was able to publish live updates on the Inauguration of President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. With the help of our Chief Editor, News Editor, Managing Editor, and Website Designer, we were able to post minute-by-minute updates of all the notable events that took place throughout the historic day. ~ Adelphi University Press Day On February 26th, 15 of our club members attended the Virtual 2021 LI High School Press Day hosted by Adelphi University. The magazine submitted work from six categories to be considered for a Quill Award. This was the first competition the magazine entered into since its relaunch. Lucy Wu, our website designer, placed 3rd for the best layout to represent us in the competition against other school newspapers across Long Island! We look forward to preparing for future contest entries in Volume 2, coming in Fall 2021. ~ Mental Health Corner North Star wanted to address significant issues affecting our students due to the events surrounding the pandemic: mental health. Back in late February, the magazine published an editorial addressing mental health concerns within the Valley Stream Central High School District. Proposing multiple solutions to rectify the contents discussed, we decided to launch a mental health corner on our website. From quick links from the Guidance Newsletter to curated tips and tricks from our own writers, we were able to create a comprehensive guide with the intention of helping the student body. You can find and click on our Mental Health Corner button in every issue. ~ Social Justice Awareness North Star expressed its solidarity with monthly features to celebrate awareness months. In February we featured articles and artworks in accordance with Black History Month. We coordinated with Valley Stream North’s Black Student Union (BSU) to publish additional articles with the intention of further educating our audience on the racial prejudice. In March, we continued with the course of celebrating awareness months by highlighting Women’s History. Once again featuring original artwork and articles, the magazine was able to publish over 10 pieces to highlight appreciate the strides made by women. Lastly, in this issue, we are featuring works that show our support for the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month. Collaborating with North’s Gay-Straight Alliance (no known as The Alliance club), our front page is brimming with new content to display and promote inclusivity of all communities. ~ We are thrilled to increase our readership in our next Volume by releasing new components to our magazine, such as renaming the Fiction and Creative section Polaris, the name of our former Literary Magazine here at North. We want to thank our senior editors and writers for the contributions they made and wish them well in their future endeavors. North Star is looking forward to welcoming new editors and writers across all grade levels. It has personally been a pleasure to work with this staff of editors and to watch the magazine grow. Keep an eye out for our release of Volume 2 coming early next Fall. Happy reading! ~ Craig Papajohn-Shaw Managing Editor BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Interview with Volleyball Star Alessandra Llubit By Argelina Jeune Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Original photography by Alessandra Llubit Alessandra (Ally) Llubit is a senior and has played volleyball for all four years of high school. It has taught her how to be a teammate and friend. Not only has it helped her grow physically but mentally as well. North Star interviewed Ally to understand her perspective on her experience over the past four years. What do you like about your sport? Volleyball has always sparked an interest in me. This is a sport that involves teamwork and I have a lot of love for my team. Compared to the other sports I play, volleyball comes more naturally to me. Since I have also played volleyball for around seven years, I have gained a lot of confidence and experience. In my opinion volleyball is satisfying to watch and play and will always be my favorite sport. What has your sport helped you learn about yourself? Playing volleyball has helped me realize that I love being a part of a team. This year's season in particular was so special, and I believe it had to do with the bond that my teammates and I created. I have learned how to pick my teammates up and to never give up on them through playing this sport. If even one player is down and not performing at their best, I was able to comfort them while giving them a pep talk and get their head back in the game. How has this sport shaped your life and you as a person? I believe throughout the years of playing volleyball I have gained a lot of leadership skills and I have become more vocal. I feel that playing sports in general can help you communicate better with others, especially with team sports such as volleyball. As I have played more games, I have become stronger mentally, allowing me to focus and relax during nerve-racking moments, such as playing this year's playoff game. What will you miss about playing at North? What I will miss the most about playing at North is definitely the team aspect. I have gained many long-lasting friendships playing volleyball. Especially this year's team, there are many sophomores and juniors and I never expected myself to become so close with them. Because of the bond we all had between us, we gained plenty of trust while learning from one another, and it all showed in the fact that we won conference champions. In addition, I will miss the guidance and encouragement that Coach Parisi provided all these years and Ms. Parisi plays a big part in my success as a volleyball player. What do you look forward to in college? College has caused me to experience a variety of emotions, such as excitement and stress. Throughout the application process, I have felt the most pressure and stress I have ever experienced in a while. However, wondering what my future may hold is still very exciting and anticipatory. In addition to being more independent and being able to make new friends, I am looking forward to having more freedom. The college experience overall is quite thrilling, and I cannot wait. Do you plan on continuing to play this sport? Although I have thought about playing volleyball in college, I decided not to play division volleyball, but instead to play club volleyball. Volleyball is not something I plan to play seriously, but only for fun, since I know I will still be drawn to the sport. In general, I enjoy playing the sport, so I don't plan to completely give it up. North Star would like to thank Ally for the time she spent answering the questions for this interview; we wish her luck in her future endeavors. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork The Memory Project Back to Sections Yusuf By Elizabeth Andre March 28, 2022 Mixed Media Volume 2 Issue 5

Back to Artwork Lights On for Education Back to Sections Gilana Etame - Lights On for Education - 2 By Gilana Etame April 22, 2021 Digital Art Volume 1 Issue 7

Back to Artwork Heckscher Back to Sections Heckscher - Anonymous - 1 Entry 7 April 14, 2022 Mixed Media Volume 2 Issue 6

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Chemtrails Over the Country Club: Album Review By Lucy Wu Volume 1 Issue 7 April 22, 2021 Original album by Lana del Rey On March 19, 2021, Lana del Rey released her long-anticipated seventh studio album, Chemtrails Over the Country Club. After a Californian escapade of late-night musings and love rock ballads in her previous album, Norman F*cking Rockwell, we return to an appreciation of the simple things in life through traversing the American Midwest in this album. Co-producers Jack Antonoff and Rick Nowels bring this vision to life with acoustic instruments to envelop her soft vocals, creating an atmospheric album dedicated to the nostalgic charm of folk Americana. 1. “White Dress” Through her lyrics, Lana takes us back to her roots when she worked as a waitress playing her guitar before her fame as a songwriter and artist. Her raspy vocals, contrasted by her sweet tone throughout the song, make it engaging even beyond her lyrical storytelling. If you listen to any song on this album, listen to this one because it represents the takeaway of the entire album: nostalgia for a past life. Best Lyric: When she whisper-yells “down at the men in music business conference” in the middle of the chorus, I feel that my life is complete. Rating: 9.3/10 2. “Chemtrails Over the Country Club” In our “little red sports car,” we take a trip through 1950’s suburbia and reminisce about summers spent under the “white picket chemtrails.” At this stage in her life, Lana deeply longs for the stability and normalcy of living in a Levittown, presenting this through her soft “feminine” vocals, layered harmonies, and descriptive lyricism. We experience her dreams of domesticity through “doing the laundry” and lavish in the simplicity of wearing “jewels in the swimming pool.” However, her little riffs present in her music video are missing in the actual track, leaving a little more desired sonically. Still, her dreamy performance is alluring and makes the title track one of the best on the album. Best Lyric : “My moon’s in leo my cancer is sun” references her contrasting zodiacs and her unpredictable personality. Rating: 8.2/10 3. “Tulsa Jesus Freak” And now we try to find our way back to the ranch in Tulsa, Oklahoma, through a sultry yet divine song. Unlike the rest of the tracks in the album, this is much less folk and much more pop, closer in style to her previous works. Her purposeful use of autotune in the verse adds an interesting twist to an already memorable song before she seduces us and says to “stay close to Jesus.” Did I mention the beat, lyrics, and everything about this song is just catchy? She even nails the subtle Southern accent and adds an audio snippet of her laughing, which I find endearing. This track introduces the line “no more candle in the wind,” to show that she isn’t fragile, but stable instead. Best Lyric : “White hot forever and ever and ever, amen” is a catchy yet evocative line in the chorus. The original album was supposed to be named White Hot Forever before it was changed, but this lyric in the song is still a great tribute. Rating: 8.7/10 4. “Let Me Love You Like a Woman” While some of her tracks are enhanced by the minimalism in the lyrics, this one suffers from being overly simplistic. Rather than be enchanted by her voice and pleas for us to “talk about the good ol’ days,” I was distracted by the monotony of lyrics and the underwhelming instrumental production. Still, her tone quality and control in her voice perfectly complement the soft country vibe she exudes. Knowing what she is capable of, I expected more from her quality of songwriting, which is why this track proved to be particularly lackluster compared to the others. Best Lyric : “We could get high on some pink champagne” has such an excellent visual quality to it and stands out among the rest of the lyrics. Rating: 5.3/10 5. “Wild at Heart” Leaving Calabasas, California, we escape to the Midwest to abandon the “coffee pots and Insta’ thots” in search of limitless freedom instead. The backing track is the same as How to Disappear, a beloved song from her previous album, Norman F*cking Rockwell, making this song a continuation. In conjunction with the lyrics, this contributes to her growth from the last album to this one. The unexpected tempo and style change from the verse to the chorus is ambitious but welcome as it aids to advance the song. Similarly, her layered vocals in the chorus are resoundingly confident. Best Lyric : “The cameras have flashes, they cause the car crashes” alludes to Princess Diana’s tragic death as her car crashed because of the paparazzi flashes; it explains why she wants to get away from the fame. Throughout the track, we also see Diana’s influence in the line “no more candle in the wind.” Rating: 7.8/10 6. “Dark but Just a Game” To continue the theme of rejecting stardom, we venture into a darker side of the music industry. “The faces aren’t the same, but their stories all end tragically” references the media icons throughout history, including Amy Winehouse and Whitney Houston, who suffered from drug abuse and depression. While the lyrics preach of denouncing fame and glory for constancy in life, the production with heavy bass and drums doesn’t match the innocent folk aura of the album in the slightest. Quite literally the black sheep of the album, though, it provides a taste of her old alternative rock style of music and is a refreshing change of tone, making it an edgy hit. Best Lyric : Her melancholic attitude makes a welcome comeback when she sings, “nothing came for either one but pain, but ____ it” Rating: 8.5/10 7. “Not All Who Wander are Lost” We journey back to Lincoln, Nebraska, where the skies are blue, and the sun is bright. Her voice is impossibly ethereal and gentle, like the warm breeze that brushes your arm as you walk through the countryside. Paired with the acoustic guitar in the background, her harmonies in the bridge are glorious to listen to. Like the girl next door, this song is simple, sweet, charming, and understated but naturally fades into the background and is slightly forgettable. Best Lyric: Circling back to the underlying theme of religion, “you talk to God like I do” pays homage to her past and current work, understanding her relationship with God. Rating: 6.7/10 8. “Yosemite” Again, we find ourselves in California, but this time we’re Yosemite on what I picture a misty and rainy evening. Her breathless and fragile falsetto serves as the backbone for this emotional piece. But just how she sings, “isn’t it cool how nothing here changes at all,” the song itself barely changes at all. The production is the same, and the chorus is frankly too repetitive. The guitar plucking keeps the song moving, but it still drags on and on and on. And while the bridge somewhat salvages the subpar performance, it leaves the aftertaste of untapped potential for this song to be breathtaking. Best Lyric: “Honey, you made me feel I’m invincible” is gratifying to hear since the whole album reflects on not becoming the “candle in the wind” that burns out. Rating: 3.8/10 9. “Breaking Up Slowly ft. Nikki Lane” After finding the joy in freedom and stability within ourselves, we’re left with a dilemma: breaking up slowly. While the emotional persuasion is there from their vocals, it doesn’t hide the overly simplistic lyrics or instrumentals. Personally, when other artists are featured on a track, the track inadvertently is not my favorite to listen to. Still, this track strikes a nice balance between Lana and Nikki as they lament about “breaking up slowly.” Best Lyric: “George got arrested out on the lawn, we might be breaking up right after this song” is actually quite funny to visualize, although I’m not certain if its intent was to be woeful. Rating: 5.5/10 10. “Dance till we Die” Before we finish the journey through Midwest America, we make a quick detour for a bar “that stays open just for us” to go “Afro-Caribbean two-step” dancing. While I feared this song would be lackluster like some of the other slower tracks, it has an optimistic sentiment and manages to build on itself. The production is minimal throughout the verse, but the subtle saxophone in the background makes it jazzy and weird in the best way possible. Ultimately, the upbeat bridge provides a meaningful contrast to the lull to the verse and chorus. We grow nostalgic for musical idols like Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez, who are now Lana’s friends. Best Lyric : “Clementine’s not just a fruit, it’s my daughter’s chosen name” catches us off guard since it’s an oddly personal declaration in the middle of a song about dancing, but I find it endearing that she included it. Rating: 7.2/10 11. “For Free ft. Zella Day and Weyes Blood” To end the experience, we reflect on the entire voyage through a gentle cover of Joni Mitchell’s folk classic, For Free. The subtleties in the song are conveyed through the meaning of the lyrics, which initially seem unassuming and quite literal. However, the fact that she sings only one of the three verses, not to mention that the original song is not even her own, bothers me as this song ends the album. But perhaps, she wants us to understand her growth as a person was made possible by other artists, so she pays tribute to that idea through her inclusion of other musicians to end the album. Best Lyric : “Now me I play for fortunes, and those velvet curtain calls” perfectly encapsulates everything Lana wishes to express through the album: she makes music for money and fame. Still, she longs for the time when she played for nothing. Rating: 4.6/10 Reflections: The album can be summarized as “no more candle in the wind.” She doesn’t want to be fragile and vulnerable as she was in her previous hit album, and we can clearly hear this in her choice of lyrics. Sonically, she celebrates newfound freedom and independence with minimal acoustic instrumentals and a nostalgic folk production in this album, which is distinctly different than anything else she has produced. We dream of past lives and simpler times, and she captures the feeling of longing for rural America perfectly. While some lyrics were undoubtedly less memorable than others, and some quite profane, her voice has matured, and her confidence as an artist is even more prominent than before. With each listen, the album only continues to grow on me as I, too, find myself daydreaming about chemtrails over the country club. Final Ranking: White Dress 9.3 Tulsa Jesus Freak 8.7 Dark but Just a Game 8.5 Chemtrails over the Country Club 8.2 Wild at Heart 7.8 Dance Till We Die 7.2 Not All Who Wander Are Lost 6.7 Breaking Up Slowly ft. Nikki Lane 5.5 Let Me Love You Like A Woman 5.3 For Free ft. Zella Day and Weyes Blood 4.6 Yosemite 3.8 BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections The Project By Kayla Duvert Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 Image provided by Glenda Cohen Remote learning. No matter how long we do it, it seems as if it’s a choice. A choice between you and yourself only. Whether or not you turn on your camera, raise your hand to answer a question or click Join when the meeting starts. It all seems easier to not do once you’ve already stopped doing it. It becomes a cycle of impulse. A cycle that seems never ending, until it does. A cycle that continues until a change occurs in your cycle. Change During my cycle of impulse, I heard my chorus teacher Mrs. Schneider say the word “project”. Sitting at home in my room - that’s now become my classroom - I hear the words, project… project… project project ! A Recycled Percussion Instrument Project .Then it struck me. We were actually learning from our computers. It actually counts. It seems so easy to avoid it, but it counts. So I start to do it. Pay Attention A Recycled Percussion Instrument. It seems easy to not do it, but it’s easy to do it also. Then the words reoccur in my head. An endless thought, it counts. My ears are sharp. I pay close attention to what my teacher says: “You will use ordinary materials from home to create a musical instrument”. I can do this. It’s easy to do. It counts. Do It I need to make an instrument. Drums, maracas, guitars, xylophones; they’re all instruments. So many, yet I don’t know what to choose. I don’t have a plan. So, I do what I know how to do: act on impulse. I grab things. I don’t have a full thought, but I grab things. I grab a plastic container from the cabinet, colored pencils from my sister’s pencil case, tape from the desk, rubber bands from the bathroom, push pins that have already been pushed into my wall and a drawstring that was once used for my pants. Still no plan, only impulse. I start the taping things, decorating things and tying things. Still no plan, only impulse. I’ve now created an instrument with no plan, no name, no idea of what it even is. So, confused by my acts of impulse. Confusion that I wouldn’t suffer if I hadn’t done it at all. Then I remember, it counts . I can play the instrument, it’s still an instrument, so it counts. ShowTime Weeks later my teacher utters the same words that initiated all of this. Project. A Recycled Percussion Project. She says, “You guys will present your percussion projects today if you have them”. I have my instrument, I’m ready, I’m here. While others play, I tune them out and practice in the meantime. Only hearing sounds from my instrument: my impulse enacted instrument. A voice breaks my train of thought, “Kayla do you have your instrument?” Of course, I do. I’m ready. It’s my turn. After all of that grabbing, taping, tying and decorating, it’s my turn. I play. Welcoming each note, I played and making it my only focus. Nothing except this project seemed to matter. My never-ending cycle of procrastination has been put to rest. I did something that counts. BACK TO TOP