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Back to Artwork Beauty in Nature Back to Sections Chris Cooper By Anonymous February 10, 2022 Photography Volume 2 Issue 4

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections UDA College Nationals Giavanna Quagliata Volume 4 Issue 3 March 13, 2024 Image Provided by Varsity TV UDA College Nationals UDA College Nationals is an event that has been all over social media; however, some may have watched it live on Varsity TV. Varsity TV is a website dedicated to exclusive live videos of cheer and dance competitions. UDA happened from January 12th to January 14th. Small fragments of each dance genre were posted to popular social media apps such as TikTok and Instagram. This increased publicity emphasized how hard each dancer and team worked to perfect the impeccable choreography they performed. What are the UDA College Nationals? UDA stands for Universal Dance Association. Most refer to this competition as, “The Super Bowl for Dancers,” which occurs every January at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex despite this year's “Dance Super Bowl” taking place in Orlando, Florida. The UDA was split into divisions. These divisions consist of the different genres of dance, including Hip Hop, Jazz, and Pom. For example, division 1 would be Hip Hop, and it continues. Each college had to choreograph for each genre and perform in front of judges, and thousands of spectators. The colleges that performed are from all over the world! Worldwide, people watched UDA, and many people had their opinions on who should have won. My two favorite colleges that competed were Ohio State and Minnesota! These two colleges excelled and didn’t miss a beat. They both had emotion and confidence. See for yourself on YouTube! To find the two videos just search up, “UDA nationals Ohio State,” or “UDA nations Minnesota.” If you don’t want spoilers don’t read! So, are you ready? Let’s see the results! Division IA - Hip Hop Results Louisiana State University, 97.2222 University of Nevada- Las Vegas, 96.4921 University of Memphis, 95.9365 San Diego State University, 95.0635 University of Central Florida, 90.6349 University of Cincinnati, 89.9206 Florida State University, 89.127 University of Michigan, 87.254 Washington State University, 85.9524 Division IA - Jazz Results Ohio State University, 98.9206 University of Minnesota Spirit Squad, 98.4286 Louisiana State University, 96.7778 University of Tennessee, 95.5556 University of Michigan, 94.6349 Texas Tech University, 94.1111 Florida State University, 93.9683 University of Alabama, 93.2857 University of Central Florida, 92.4444 Rutgers University, 91.5714 Washington State University, 91.2857 Division IA - Pom Results University of Minnesota Spirit Squad, 98.4762 Ohio State University, 97.7143 Pennsylvania State-University Park, 96.4762 Texas Tech University. 96.1429 University of Tennessee, 96.0317 University of Cincinnati, 94.9048 University of Memphis, 94.2222 University of Iowa, 93.127 Division I - Hip Hop Results University of Delaware, 90.6825 Utah Valley University, 89.9683 St John's University, 87.5714 Grand Canyon University, 86.0794 University of Saint Thomas, 85.1587 Saint Joseph's University, 84.9365 College of Charleston, 83.7302 Lindenwood University, 83.2381 Northern Arizona University, 81.2857 Division I - Jazz Results Cal State University Fullerton, 95.2063 Hofstra University, 94.2381 Utah Valley University, 93.8413 University of Saint Thomas, 93.0952 University of Delaware, 92.4921 Grand Canyon University,92.4444 UC Santa Barbara, 91.1111 University of Nebraska Omaha, 88.9683 Southeastern Louisiana University, 87.6825 College of Charleston, 87.6349 Division I - Pom Results Hofstra University, 96.0317 UC Santa Barbara, 94.6508 Cal State University Fullerton, 93.6508 Quinnipiac University, 93.0317 Saint Joseph's University, 92.746 South Dakota State University, 92.746 University of Northern Iowa, 90.381 North Dakota State University, 90.1429 Cornell University, 90 University of Nebraska Omaha, 90 Central Connecticut State Univ, 88.4127 Open - Hip Hop Results Northwest Community College, 88.2381 West Chester University, 85 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 81.0159 Stockton University, 80.9206 Rowan University, 80.1429 Univ of Puerto Rico RÃo Piedras, 79.6508 Worcester State University, 77.9683 University of Scranton, 77.4603 Open - Jazz Results Minnesota State University, Mankato, 94.2381 University of Minnesota-Duluth, 91.8889 Orange Coast College, 89.6667 St Cloud State University, 89.5397 Stockton University, 89.4762 Endicott College, 88.0952 College of St Benedict, 87.2222 Northwest Missouri State University, 87.1429 Adelphi University, 86.7619 The College of New Jersey, 86.381 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 85.0476 Univ of Puerto Rico RÃo Piedras, 84.746 St. Joseph's University New York, 83.9683 Rowan University, 82.4762 Open - Pom Results Minnesota State University, Mankato, 95.4921 Endicott College, 94.3651 University of Minnesota-Duluth, 92.1746 Orange Coast College, 90.5079 St Cloud State University, 90.3968 Northwest Missouri State University, 89.2698 College of St Benedict, 88.5556 The College of New Jersey, 86.6032 St. Joseph's University New York, 86.5238 University of Central Missouri, 86.1111 Adelphi University, 84.873 BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections James Webb – A Technological Precedent By Elyas Layachi Volume 1 Issue 3 December 16, 2020 Image provided by NASA Introduction Space telescopes exist in many forms, whether they be from Target or Walmart as a child’s toy, or the over 11-ton Hubble Space Telescope. They have one main goal – to analyze, observe, and admire the sky. The first telescope was constructed in 1608 by spectacle-maker Hans Lippershey. It was made of wood and had several lenses. It was by far one of the simpler telescopes. As the years went on, the telescopes gradually became more complex and powerful, to the point where they took up entire buildings. However, in 1937, a new type of telescope, the radio telescope, was constructed. Its main purpose was to observe the different types of radiation in space. The years went on and astronomers and scientists began to think, “Why don’t we put a telescope in the sky?” So on April 24, 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope, named after Edwin Hubble, was launched, making it the first space-based telescope. However, it only operated within Earth’s orbit. Later, in 2006, the Kepler space telescope was launched. It stretched the limits of telescopes and was one of the first to operate outside of Earth’s orbit in the far reaches of the universe, searching for habitable planets. In October of 2021, NASA plans to launch the James Webb Space Telescope, representing the beginning of a whole new generation of telescope. Brief Overview of James Webb The James Webb Space Telescope, named after a former NASA administrator, James Webb. Sometimes, it’s even referred to as the “Next Generation Space Telescope.” According to NASA, it will be the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide with observations and information. The telescope is made of an 18-mirror array to allow for the reflection of light. It has a five-layer sunshield that “attenuates,” or “reduces the effect of,” the heat of the sun, and according to NASA, it reduces the heat of the sun over a million times. To analyze the stars like never before, the James Webb uses infrared technology: technology used to analyze heat signatures visually, which cannot be seen with the human eye. As we investigate the universe using the James Webb, we are looking back in time. Since light takes time to travel to our eyes, a planet that we see today that is 4,000,000 light years away, for example, will be seen like it were 4,000,000 years ago, rather than as it is today. We won’t see what that planet looks like today for another 4,000,000 years. Furthermore, infrared will allow astronomers to look past obstacles such as dust clouds, as well as allow them to analyze the “red shift,” or whether celestial bodies are moving closer or farther away from the Earth. This is the power of infrared: it enables us to peer into the past of the universe and better understand our origin. We are bound to make many important discoveries with the use of this telescope. A Bright Future Ahead According to NASA, the projected launch date of James Webb is October 31, 2021. It was previously scheduled to launch in March 2021, but due to the coronavirus pandemic as well as technical challenges, it was rescheduled. It is still undergoing launch checks and testing, and a private company, Northrop Grumman, is assisting in this. The launch and use of the James Webb space telescope will define the next generation of space technology. It will be, by far, one of the most powerful infrared telescopes, and it will give humans the ability to see past the dust and rocks that occupy space, allowing us to peer into the past, understand our origin, and discover more about our vast, unknown universe. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Lights On for Education Back to Sections Careful Souls By Willene Exinvil April 22, 2021 Acrylic Volume 1 Issue 7

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Pandemic and Changes By Alisson Andrea Alas Bonilla Volume 2 Issue 5 March 28, 2022 Image provided by The Cougar Courrier I remember the day that turned our lives upside down as if it was yesterday. We all thought it would be two weeks! Some of us were ready to enjoy those weeks… but later the pressure started building up. We couldn't see our friends and were eager to go back to school. We kept waiting to hear when we could go back to school, but we never thought it would have been that long. It is very sad to think that our last full school year was 2018-2019. Our 7th graders' last normal school year was 4th grade! This is life changing. I know some of the students of class of 2020 who were very excited for their senior year… which didn't turn out as they hoped. Even now for the class of 2022, it would be kind of normal as years before, and I have honestly seen a huge change in many of my friends and even myself, educationally and mentally. In my opinion I now actually care about many things I could not have cared less about two years ago. When it came to learning it was not so great… I feel like I learned a bit in the year the pandemic started, but from March to June 2020, it's all a blur. I think that academically and emotionally we all slowed down, some more than others. It was tough to adjust to it, and it definitely shaped us into better students and human beings. My generation hasn't gone through hardships as past generations, and we have mostly everything we need handed to us. I really do believe that the pandemic has changed this. I went around asking students and staff members a few questions to get more insight. Do you think things will ever go back to “normal”? “I think some people will go back to living normally, like before covid but I think some will continue with masks, boosters and it will go back to normal for people who want to. For some yes for some no and for some of us it's already almost normal.” Would you rather be at home doing virtual classes or being in the building but with a lot of restrictions? “Being in the building without restrictions. I don't enjoy the virtual. Would like to be in the building with restrictions and the biggest preference would be to be in without restrictions.” Do you think students actually learned online? “I think some did the majority learn significantly less. There was a huge learning gap.” If this had happened in your time back in high school, how would you have felt? “We would have had to push through it, and things would have been close to normal, would have been frustrated about it.” We are the generation that has lots of new and improved technology. How do you think this impacted us? “As a whole this generation is behind socially and we use technology a lot, and being distanced and to be behind a bit more than others affected this more.” How do you think this is impacting students hence things are getting back to normal? “For students I think that it's taken some time to readjust to daily school life.” Do you think COVID affected politics in any way? If so, how? “Yes, covid has probably divided our country. The virus has been another thing for people to argue about.” How do you feel about the fact that we are becoming more lenient with masks? “I think that if they are going to have people wear masks there has to be a certain statistic the states hit, that masks will be able to come off, like if a percentage of covid level is hit. Let everyone choose if to wear masks once a statistic is hit. There needs to be stated at what point they will come off.” Do you think things will ever go back to normal? “Yes, I think that eventually enough people will get sick that somehow people will have an immunity that eventually the virus will be another respiratory virus and people will still get sick and will recover and there will be very different ways to treat it.” Do you think students actually learned online? “I think that some did but that it was difficult for many to concentrate given all the distractions.” Being online we were obviously behind a screen even more time than we usually were, so how do you think the pandemic impacted this? “I think that it is another hurdle for your generation because you were dependent on your phones, and had to use more technology and we were better off interacting with people in person than technology, and some tech is good but we need to be face to face.” If a student started doing badly online due to covid reasons, what's something that you did as a teacher to help them succeed? “Well I would try to give them alternatives that could help them be more successful with the project or assignment” Online with grading, it has to be much easier this year, but how do you think it has impacted you? “I think I've learned that there are many different ways to organize and present information and I think struggling to learn some of the new technology has made me realize that not everything is easy for students as well. It's easier to grade online because the work is online and I can access it whenever I want to and it's organized for me. It’s easier because there's a record of everything and students can't say they did hand in something when they didn't.” I honestly don't think that I learned as much as I could have during online school in 2020-2021. It was difficult to wake up every morning and I would sign into class while laying in my bed and I would get distracted easily. I honestly got used to the habit of waking up at 7:55 and I would oversleep and miss the first two periods. I'm truly glad that now we are in person and we are able to see each other's faces again. It feels odd, at least to me, to not wear my mask anymore. It was normal to me and even though I feel empty without one, it is definitely better and hopefully we can keep going like this. With the pandemic I can honestly say I have done a lot growing up and so have many others around me and it's kind of amazing how something can change the whole world, even if it was for a bad reason, but most of us got together and made it through. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Power Of Sunsets By Rehmat Kaur Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 Image Provided by Rehmat Kaur Exotic locations are not needed to appreciate a sunset's peaceful, gorgeous, and life-changing moments. The sun rises and sets every day, so, there's no reason you can't take a few moments to appreciate it. Health Benefits Viewing sunsets have a transcending spiritual component that is beneficial, therapeutic, creative, and restorative. It's a meditation that helps you cleanse your thoughts of anything happening outside of that moment. One of the best ways to decompress is to watch the sunset. According to research, being around nature and particularly natural light can help people feel less stressed and anxious. You can slow down, unwind, and enjoy the beauty of nature by watching the sun slowly sink behind the horizon. Sunsets may make us feel insignificant (but in a positive way), and in these moments, sublime; you feel a connection that reminds us of the infinite potential within each of us. They remind us of the beauty that exists in the world. According to 2012 research, participants who experienced the beauty and power of the sunset reported feeling like they had more time available and were less impatient. You can enjoy sunsets in several ways, including exercising, strolling, bicycling, or just sitting and looking. Exercise has been shown to reduce the signs and symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. However, merely sitting and watching the sunset can also improve your health by allowing you to engage in mindfulness exercises. According to a study published in Perspectives on Psychological Science , mindfulness is "the nonjudgmental awareness of experiences in the present moment". It has been shown to have numerous advantages, including lowered levels of stress and enhanced cognitive function. Watching the literal passage of time as the sun descends below the horizon is a perfect way to practice being present. Many more gorgeous sunsets will inspire, raise us, and help us rise beyond the trivial to live a full life. Sources https://studyfinds.org/sunrises-sunsets-well-being/ https://www.ambong-ambong.com/blog/health-benefits-of-watching-sunsets/#:~:text=Watching%20the%20sunset%20can%20be,help%20reduce%20your%20stress%20levels . https://www.agoldlining.com/post/reasons-why-you-should-make-time-for-the-sunset#:~:text=Research%20shows%20that%20sunsets%20have,a%20reason%20to%20go%20outside . https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/minding-the-body/201407/how-admiring-the-sunset-changes-you-the-better https://communikait.com/2018/06/5-reasons-why-sunsets-are-good-for-your-health/ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/make-time-for-sunset_n_5066629 BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections He is waiting for us By Nora Chery Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 Image provided by Amazon I could still recall the memory like it was merely a few days ago. It was a Tuesday-or Friday evening; the sunlight bathed me with its warmth as I was stepping along a path that leads to my home. It had sandwiched me with fences of flowers in contrasting hues, flowing past me with their scents passively entering my snout. The trail riddled with silence; only the whoosh of the petals and the noise of grass being stepped kept it from being deafening. I felt like I could breathe with ease. I felt small fingers squeeze around my much broader ones; I looked down to see my Alex’s round brown eyes staring up at me with his tiny mouth moving up to a smile. “It’s time to go home!” he said bouncing up and down. I beamed at him. “Uh-huh, Daddy’s waiting for us,” I replied, glancing straight at the flowery path which seemed a lot deeper than I expected. Still, it didn’t trouble me. “The toads are humming, that means it’s time to fly home” A tune spring up from my three-year-old' s mouth, his head swaying from side to side. “Where did you hear that song?” I asked, my view still on the path. “From—” He replied then stood still. I looked down to find his face staring at something, his round face framed with awe. I peered in his direction to meet a brown-colored puppy laying under a shrub layered with dark crimson roses, only a few steps away. I would’ve called it cute if its behind wasn’t facing in my direction. I suddenly felt my child’s puny hand slip out of mine; I saw him run towards the dog with his back towards me. He crouched down, laying his small hand down on its stomach. “Hey, don’t touch if you don’t know where it’s been!” I scolded, jogging up to catch up to him. I froze. The puppy was dead, obviously. There was a large gash across its tiny throat, with blood taking its time to seep out making a red puddle on the concrete. It was a nerve-wracking sight to see, and a three-year-old shouldn’t witness such a thing. I slowly reached my hand out, aiming it towards his small back. “It’s dead,” a much deeper voice came from my son’s mouth; I sprang my forearm back in dismay. I marveled to myself. Did that really come out of my son? It sounded exactly like a grown man, almost like my husband. I tried to keep my cool but being taken aback had made it quite difficult. “Now...now honey I—” Then Alex stood up, but I wasn’t looking down at him, I was staring up at him. He turned to me, I looked at the face of my husband who smiled at me. “Don’t worry about it, it’s just a dog” he whispered softly as he wrapped his large fingers around my much smaller fingers, “It’s time to go home,” he said. “...Uh-huh...Alex’s waiting for us,” I replied softly, dazed with bewilderment, as we walked alongside the flowery path, leaving the puppy behind. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections ENGLISH TEACHER Interviews - Grammar Issues Rehmat Kaur Volume 4 Issue 2 January 16, 2024 Image Provided by Picture by PaperTrue Grammar is a set of rules that helps us organize our sentences. It covers a variety of features of the English language. We all make grammatical errors on a regular basis, whether we are writing or speaking. I asked our amazing English teachers about the grammatical problems they see students have all the time. Capitalization A reader can benefit from capital letters. They indicate the beginning of a sentence, highlight essential words in a title, and they indicate proper names and formal titles. In English, the initial word of a phrase and all proper nouns (words that name a specific person, place, organization, or object) are capitalized. “Students forgetting to use basic capitalization really icks me!! That's text speaking crossing over to formal writing (Ms. Belbol). Similar Sounding Words “Older teens and adults mix up terms that can be easily corrected by a quick Google search like "their, there, they're" or "you're" and "your" (Ms. Mclarney). Words that sound the same but have distinct meanings and spellings might be difficult to distinguish. People are frequently perplexed by three extremely common ones: their, there, and they're. The words their, there, and they're all sound the same. The possessive pronoun their implies "belonging to them," as in "their house is new"; there is used to designate a specific area or location, as in "don't go there" and "there is a shop"; and they're is a contraction of "they are," as in "they're winning the game." ‘"there" is written when the writer means "they're" or "their"’ (Ms. Mansfield). Using you're and your wrongly is one of the most prevalent writing mistakes, especially when writing anything fast like an email or text message. You're is an abbreviation of the phrase you are, as in "you're wearing blue", "you're needed in class", and "make sure you're on time". Any of these lines would read the same if you were substituted with you're . Your is a possessive adjective that indicates ownership. There is no contraction here. Your is generally followed by a word, such as "Your seat is close to the window", "check your phone", or "I need your papers". If you’re was substituted for your in these example sentences, it would not make sense. Incorrect Usage of Apostrophes "My biggest grammar ick is the misuse of the apostrophe. Either people don't use it at all, so they have contractions and possessives without an apostrophe, OR they use it anytime there is a word that ends in an "s"" (Ms. Modzelewski). To express possession when the name is singular, add an apostrophe followed by a "s" to the end of the name (e.g., Mike's jacket). If a name is single but ends in a "s," you should always add an apostrophe to emphasize possession, but you can also add another "s" after the apostrophe if you choose (e.g., Lucas' car OR Lucas's car). If the name is plural, just add an apostrophe at the end to indicate ownership (e.g., the Miles' house). Forming a contraction with a name also requires adding an apostrophe with a "s," therefore examine the context of the phrase to ensure that the meaning is obvious. “Since it's holiday time, my BIGGEST ick is when people use an apostrophe with their names. It's wrong to say "Love, The Belbol's" because the Belbols don't own anything here; just put the s: "Love, The Belbols" (Ms. Belbol). “In a piece of student writing? Hm...so many grammar problems, so little time. But we have a virtual epidemic of missing possessive apostrophes in students ' (plural, possessive) writing today (Mrs. Mansfield). ” (Ms. Mansfield). Usage of “wanna” and “gonna” “I really despise when students use: wanna and gonna.... they are NOT words!!! Write want to or going to (Ms. Melluso). Formal English writing should be flawless, which means the writer should have chosen words with precision. When used in writing, "gonna" and "wanna" seem informal. Using "going to" and "want to" will improve the quality of your writing. These are just a few of the numerous grammatical errors that we make, as shared by some of our amazing English teachers. This involves not capitalizing when needed and getting confused between similar sounding words like "there" "their" "they're" and "your" "you're". The incorrect use of apostrophes is a typical error in student writing and using informal words like “gonna” and “wanna”. To improve our writing, we should proofread and check for grammatical errors. Sources Referenced: https://thewritepractice.com/grammar-vs https://omproofreading.com/grammar-vs-punctuation BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Art Guild Back to Sections Art Guild- Gabriella Perlaza Gabriella Perlaza November 6, 2023 Colored Pencil Volume 4 Issue 1

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Thanksgiving: Not Just About the Turkey Nicholas Zarek Volume 5 Issue 3 January 14, 2025 Image Provided by Max Ching People all over the United States celebrate Thanksgiving. Families gather to enjoy delicious food and each other's company. It is a time when we can appreciate our loved ones and give thanks for everything in our lives. We cannot forget about the origin of Thanksgiving. As the story goes, the English sailed from England on the Mayflower, landed at Plymouth Rock, and had a good harvest in 1621. So, the governor (William Bradford) held a feast to celebrate and invited a group of friendly Native Americans, including the Wampanoag chief Massasoit, and they feasted on venison, wildfowl, bass, cod, possibly passenger pigeons, squash, beans, onions, carrots, and other root vegetables, Plums, grapes, and berries, walnuts, chestnuts, and beechnuts. Over the years, families have developed their own Thanksgiving traditions. In our family, we always watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and all the football games. At our dinner table, we usually have turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, spinach, corn, Hawaiian rolls with butter, and cranberry sauce. There is also one special meal we have on our table: Polish kielbasa. For dessert, we go to the other side of the family. They always have apple pie, pumpkin pie, and pecan pie. The next day, I always go to the mall with my family to get in on Black Friday deals from various stores. Of course, these are just my family’s traditions, and there are many other common ones. Some families travel to other parts of the country to see other relatives and friends, break the turkey’s wishbone for good luck, go around the table and say what they are thankful for, or even wake up early in the morning for a “turkey trot” BACK TO TOP