Back to Articles Art Back to Sections Cherry Blossom Trees By Carolina Grace Figueroa Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 Image provided by Country living Magazine Cherry blossom trees flower in the US between mid-March and mid-April and last for less than two weeks. These special blossoms symbolize that spring is in the air, represent signs of rebirth and renewal, and bring about love, hope, and joy. There are over 200 diverse varieties of cherry blossom trees, with billowy flowers ranging in color from white to ivory to rose pink to dark pink. These trees are special because they have many flowers and little to no fruit. Not all cherry blossom trees actually bear edible fruit; only some variations do. Cherries do grow on some of the trees, but they remain smaller in size than store bought cherries and are much too sour to eat (they are used largely for ornamental purposes). There were no cherry blossom trees in the US in the late 1800’s, so Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore, an American world travel writer, was determined to change that. For 24 years, she tried to convince the US government to plant these special trees in Washington, DC. In 1909, First Lady Helen Herron Taft, the wife of President William H. Taft, agreed to accept 2,000 cherry blossom trees as a gift from Japan. The first shipment that arrived to the US in 1910 was infested with insects and diseases, so they were burned and destroyed. However, 3,020 healthy trees of twelve different varieties arrived in 1912 and were planted in the nation’s capital. To reciprocate, the US gifted dogwood trees to Japan in 1915. The cherry blossom trees became a symbol of the blooming relationship, growing friendship, and strong bond between the nations of Japan and the US heartland. This year signifies the 110th anniversary of the first cherry blossom trees arriving in America from Japan. Cherry blossom trees grow all across Japan, where they are called sakura , and have carried a very special meaning for hundreds of years. When they flower, they represent the arrival of spring, the start of something new, a revival, and an appreciation of life. It reminds us about new life, new beginnings, and to never lose hope in life. In an over 1,000-year-old Japanese tradition called hanami , people throw “flower watching” or “flower viewing” parties, where they gather under canopies of cherry blossoms to celebrate this wonderful time of year. The cherry blossom season depends on geographical location, climate, and weather conditions (temperature, winds, rain, daylight). The warmer the temperature, the earlier the trees bloom. They have been flowering earlier than ever in the past few years and scientists attribute this to climate change and global warming. Whenever they bloom, they don’t last very long. A few days after peak or full bloom, the delicate petals begin to fall off and float gently in the air to the ground. Millions of people across the US flock to see this naturally beautiful spectacle, especially at The National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC, (with over 3,800 cherry trees within the park) and the colorful display at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in NYC (at the Sakura Matsuri Festival). In Traverse City, Michigan, along Highway M-37, drivers delight in a floral spring show of about 2 million cherry blossom trees that line the roadway. It is important to remember “Don’t pluck or break off a cherry blossom in Washington, DC, or climb a cherry blossom tree, as you could get fined or arrested” (It is viewed as vandalism of federal property). As the buds burst open in parks and streets across the country, people throw picnics and outdoor hanami (“watching blossoms”) parties with friends and family “to appreciate the fleeting beauty of the flowers and to welcome in the warmth of the weather”. Hanami picnics are even more spectacular at late-night, when Japanese hang paper lanterns in cherry blossom trees to illuminate them to give off an ethereal glow. There are many seasonal cherry blossom treats and snacks all across the world that one can enjoy during a picnic, hanami , or cherry blossom festival celebrating the change of seasons: Baskin-Robbins has a frozen treat cherry blossom flavored ice cream in Japan, getting its taste and pink color from sakura extract (from edible cherry blossom leaves), while Haagen-Dazs in the UK included cherry blossom flowers in their favorite ice cream jubilee. Georgetown Cupcakes, a bakeshop in Washington, DC, offers this designer baked beauty cupcake every spring. Their vanilla cupcake has fresh cherries inside, cherry-infused cream cheese frosting, and a decorative cherry blossom flower on top. Japan’s largest doughnut chain, Mister Donut, offers a selection of cherry blossom doughnuts. Here they use dough with the special flowers baked right in, as well as sakura-flavored icing and whipped cream. In different regions of Japan, there are individual variations of the iconic mochi dessert, which consists of sweet chewy rice balls filled with red bean paste ( anko ) and wrapped in aromatic pickled cherry blossom leaves. The leaf (and flower petal blossoms) is edible and adds a slightly salty taste. Cherry blossom flavored French macarons are offered at Olivia Macaron in Washington, DC. These sweet and subtle fragrant treats are the perfect springtime bite. Cherry blossom madeleine cookies are delightfully buttery, slightly sweet and salty, with a hint of cherry blossom fragrance. As for beverages, sakura infused versions of Coke and Pepsi have a light, delicate cherry and flowery taste. You can pair up a sweet treat with brewed sakura blossom tea or a cocktail, or enjoy one of Starbucks seasonal sakura-themed lattes. Cherry blossom trees grow all over the world, from Australia to Brazil to France to Turkey to Japan to the US. Cherry blossoms are the national flower of Japan and help us to appreciate the beauty of nature all around us. They are used in Japanese art, film, poetry, literature, dishware, stationary, and musical performances. In the US, “Japanese Cherry Blossom is a top-selling fragrance from Bath and Body Works, with 30 million units of the mixture of cherry blossoms, crisp pears, mimosa petals, and sweet sandalwood sold each year”. Besides being charmingly pretty and sweetly scented, these notable flowering trees have years of heritage and rich history, as well as many festivals hosted in their honor each year! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Dolphins Vs. Chiefs: One of the Coldest Games in NFL History Mya Hans Volume 4 Issue 3 March 13, 2024 Image Provided by Arrowhead Pride Imagine being in an outdoor football stadium that’s filled with over 70,000 people when it is –4 degrees Fahrenheit. Would you go there? Well, that’s what these devoted fans did at the Chiefs vs. Dolphins game on January 13th. They were cheering on their teams in the tremendously freezing weather. This game went down in history as one of the coldest games ever in the NFL. The game ended with the Chiefs winning by a score of 26-7. Although this made many fans in the stadium excited, the frigid weather was just unbearable. It led to many problems; people from the stadium were calling saying there were cases of hypothermia and frostbite. According to the Bleacher Report, journalist Mackenzie Koch stated that, "A Kansas City Fire Department spokesperson said the agency handled 69 calls at Arrowhead Stadium as the Chiefs took on the Miami Dolphins amid subzero temperatures. KCFD said approximately half of those calls were hypothermia related. Of the nearly 70 calls KC first responders received at Arrowhead, 15 people were transported to a local hospital. Seven of those transported were for hypothermia, and three were for frostbite." This is clearly an awful thing to happen, just because of a football game, and a reasonable question to ask is, why was the game not postponed? According to ESPN’s  Marcel Louis-Jacques,  “A league official stated the Chiefs game [was] still being played Saturday night because there [were] no public safety travel concerns for getting to the stadium for fans, the clubs, stadium personnel or public authorities.” I think that this game definitely should have been postponed, but maybe it is the fans’ fault for attending the game in the first place, when they could’ve just watched it from the comfort of their own homes or gone to a game in the future with better weather. Of course, it is fun to see a football game and cheer on your favorite team, but at what cost? BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Letter from the Editor Back to Sections Volume 4- Letter from the Editor Noa Cordova Volume 4 Issue 2 January 16, 2024 Image provided by Noa Cordova and edited by Elaine Ching Welcome to Volume 4 For the 2023-2024 school year, we are pleased to introduce Volume 4 to our readers. I am sure that on par with the previous North Star volumes, this edition will demonstrate the hard work and creativity my peers and I have to offer. Although I am a recent addition to North Star ’s leadership team, I have genuinely enjoyed working with the talented writers and artists who make having a publications club here at North possible. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside our advisor, Mrs. Mansfield, who dedicates her time to guiding us all in our writing endeavors. Without her leadership and the cooperation of our writers, we would miss the valuable experience of running a publications club. As a publications club, we strive to uphold the standards of modern-day journalism and ensure our readers a diverse selection of articles. From the poetry of POLARIS to the reporting of student news, there is something for everyone. As I see it, journalism holds significance in a school community as it allows us all to share our ideas, passions, and opinions in our ever-changing world. As the Editor-in-Chief, I get to read about numerous events, cultures, people, history, visual arts, and various perspectives; I hope our readers enjoy the reading and learning experience as much as I do. I find that I have become increasingly open-minded as I learn about others' experiences through writing, and I think that is the power of journalism; we get to see a little bit of everyone. We are incredibly fortunate to have the freedom to express ourselves through writing, whether through poetry, film reviews, or a lengthy article. I believe I write on behalf of all our members when I say that part of the reason, we write for North Star is to foster an appreciation for journalism here at Valley Stream North in both the students and the staff. The names “ North Star, ” and “POLARIS,” and the star names we give each issue, all enhance our prominent astronomy-themed student newspaper. It is a perfectly suitable theme in my opinion. Much like space, the world around us is so vast and impossible to discover entirely; however, sharing our ideas through written works may be our best shot at understanding our dynamic world. For our readers who may be interested in journalism, I encourage you to share your ideas because, like all our current writers, you also have something to contribute. With the right amount of dedication, willingness, and support, we can all find a way to make our voices shine. This year, I hope to work effectively with the other editors and writers to provide plenty of content for our readers, and much like the actual North Star, or Polaris, our student newspaper can always be found in the same place, at any time. Thank you to all our readers and staff for the support they have demonstrated this school year, and I look forward to seeing all this year’s thoughtfully crafted art and editing the thoughtfully written pieces. Stellar regards, Noa Cordova Editor-in-Chief BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections North Spring Sports Recap By John McCarthy Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Original photo by Michael Frazer It has been an exciting spring season for North athletics as we wind down to the end of the school year. All sports have been successful and some teams have done exceptionally well to find themselves in the playoff picture. Wrapping up the year in this final issue, we look back to the teams and their moments who made this shortened spring season a great summer send-off. Baseball The Varsity team has found a spot in the postseason with a key win over Plainedge on Monday June 7th after pre-game festivities honoring the late Spartan Club President Paul Kay and the team’s seniors. After starting off slow this season, the boys kept their spirits high, earning tight wins against Lynbrook, Floral Park, and Mineola. Moreover, varsity baseball swept their cross-town rivals from Valley Stream South with scores of 10-1 and 15-4. The boys look for more clutch moments as we arrive closer to the Conference 4 playoffs. Jack Lang has been the ace pitcher for the squad, being helped by clutch hitting and defense all season from Ryan Restivo, Andrew Lusterino, and freshman sensation Jimmy Strohlein. Michael Capolino and Luke Sibblies have also pitched very well overall, and the whole roster plays a role in making baseball at North memorable. Looking forward to playoffs, baseball wants to continue the legacy past teams have set by adding more playoff wins this season. Softball “North’s Girls Varsity Softball team, under the guidance of Dan Tronolone, continues their hard work as they head into their second playoff game against Mepham High School, after a 14-1 win against Manhasset High School. Starting pitcher, #8 Christina Ravo, Sophomore, has 58 strikeouts and 9 RBIs at the plate. Catcher, #15 Kayla Santo, Sophomore, batted .472 with 12 RBIs, 3 home runs, and 15 runs scored. She threw out 63% of runners who attempted to steal and picked off 5 base runners. Second basemen, #8 Emmy Saracino, Senior, has 9 RBIs. Starting shortstop, #10 Jillian Cosme, Senior, scored 9 runs and will be continuing her softball career at Queens College.” - Jillian Strojan, Class of 2021 Track and Field Track and Field has a great reputation at North for both boys and girls with banners covered with conference championships over the past two decades. With many athletes qualifying for All-County races and competitions which took place at North on Monday, Valley Stream North is about to wrap up another very successful year. While the boys finished league play with an astonishing record of 12-1, the girls had to outdo the boys finishing a perfect 13-0. Phenomenal athletes such as Ryan John and Thomas Siatsis won many events like the long jump, triple jump, and high jump for Ryan and long distance races for Thomas. As for the girls, Senior Danielle Phillip has not lost a race the entire season in events such as the 100m, 4X100m, and 200m! Accompanying Danielle, exceptional field athletes such as Sasha Smalls, And Oluwatobi Adebowale finished league play with amazing throws in the discus. Here, we have a statement from the aforementioned Sasha Smalls, part of North’s talented Senior Class, describing her reflection on her final North sports season. “The 2021 spring track and field season was bittersweet. I have to say of all the other sports I did this year (winter track and volleyball), the spring season was the most normal. We were fortunate to have spring track run during its normal months which was relieving; I can’t say I enjoyed wearing volleyball spandex in the middle of March. I enjoyed the usual warm weather and longer days that I associate with spring track but as a result of the pandemic, we were not allowed any invitational meets this year. Invitationals are by far my favorite part of competing for the track and field team. It’s an opportunity for a vast number of high schools to gather to improve their times, jumps, and throws without the competitiveness of a normal league meet. There’s a chance to win medals and buy a thrifty shirt to commemorate the experience. Although it wasn’t the most ideal senior season I can’t say I didn’t enjoy time spent with my team and especially all the underclassmen. I'm super sad to be leaving behind this year.” -Sasha Smalls, Class of 2021 Tennis Boys’ Tennis had an extremely successful season this year progressing into Nassau County’s playoffs and featuring two incredible juniors primed for an even better senior year. The boys finished 6-2 in league matches this season and Craig Papajohn-Shaw finished the season undefeated. He and fellow junior Daniel Ellis qualified and will compete in the individual Nassau County Championship at Eisenhower Park. Finally, the third athlete in the tennis Big Three, Everton Prospere, played great sets all throughout the year contributing to the great record the boys earned. Overall, the record for the team was good enough to place 2nd in Conference 3B, an impressive feat on its own. Badminton Coach Schiavo’s Badminton team has had an amazing season and the girls have fun while playing great badminton! Senior Victoria Ling and Junior Ayla Iqbal have placed well in singles matches all season to help rack up team wins for the North Badminton squad. Also, Seniors Erin St. Angelo and Caitlyn Coogan have contributed to the team’s success with doubles wins this season. This season of spring sports could not have been more fun for me, a part of the playoff bound Varsity Baseball team. I’m sure many other athletes feel the same. North has a great tradition of excellence in athletics and the students who make the school proud have fun doing it. High school sports bring out the best in an athlete and brings great moments, full of excitement and oy to the forefront. And don’t forget about racking up those W’s. Go Spartans! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections 2020 Election Credibility… Should You Be Worried? By Craig Papajohn-Shaw Volume 1 Issue 1 November 1, 2020 Image provided by Wix With the 2020 Presidential election upon us, there have been rising concerns regarding the integrity of the election and whether the final results will be accepted. Joe Biden has expressly stated he would accept whatever the result was of a “free and fair election.” While on the other hand, President Trump made concerning remarks stating, “I will look at it at the time. I'm not looking at anything now. I'll look at it at the time,” with reference to the final result of the election. The uncertainty of the 2020 election process has caused some to question if their vote will be counted. The options of mail-in, absentee, early, and in-person voting has made an already tenuous voting season more stressful. Record highs of early voting has led to controversy on both political sides of the aisle regarding the credibility of this election. Over 63 million Americans had already cast their ballot at the time this article was written, compared to the 58 million pre-election ballots cast by election night in 2016. Americans are eager to have their voice heard in our democracy. The death of over 220,000 people in the United States has led to disputes concerning the handling of the pandemic causing some to question the leadership of President Trump and his administration. Misleading claims made by President Trump has also led to many Americans losing faith in the electoral process. From August to October, President Trump threatened to withhold funding from the United States Postal Service and claimed election interference from foreign nations will occur. Furthermore, he stated in the first presidential debate that, “this is going to be a fraud like you’ve never seen,” referring to the upcoming election cycle. Frighteningly, both parties have insinuated to some extent that they may not concede the election if the opposing party wins or if foul play is suspected. Amid the concerns about election security, there have also been problems within the mail-in voting process. In late September, states such as Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania had issues, where over 200,000 voters combined were sent new ballots due to incorrectly labeled envelopes. Additionally, more states were altering their laws to encourage the use of mail-in ballots. Reports of an increased number of rejected ballots have led to the realization that directions for ballots are confusing for new voters to understand. Voters need to make certain that they follow the guidelines if voting by mail. If a voter’s ballot is not received by the deadline, the signature is missing, or if the signature is not a match, a mail-in ballot can be rejected. However, processes have been implemented to try and ensure a fair election. Each state has its process in collecting and counting ballots. Certain states such as Arizona, Florida, and California are allowed to start counting pre-election ballots two weeks before Election Day; other states such as Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have mandates that prevent them from counting prior to Election Day. This suggests that a definite winner may not be announced on election night, causing problems to arise. However, with just four confirmed cases of voter fraud in 2016, and states implementing signature verification for mail-in ballots, voters should have confidence that their vote will be counted. The principle idea to remember is that only those who are registered can exercise their right to vote. In 2016, only 59 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot. However, officials predict that the 2020 election will have a record turnout rate. Americans should be confident that their voice in democracy will be heard by utilizing their right to vote. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections Favorite Fonts from a Font Fanatic By Lucy Wu Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 Image provided by The Trendy Timber Usually, I try not to develop strong feelings on any topic, but this time I’ll allow myself to unapologetically voice my opinions. No one asked for this article, but here I am revealing my innermost thoughts on a seemingly minute detail of life: fonts. But typeface permeates (nearly) everything. Personally, I believe how you choose to present these letters matters as much, and dare I say even more, as what you choose to say in those words. Each font tells a story, evoking a subconscious emotion in the reader from infusing each phrase with its personality. Like metaphors, onomatopoeia, and imagery, typography should be deemed a literary device, or a visual one at least. With all that said, some certainly function better than others to accomplish your goals. Note: Serifs refer to the little annexed feet at the ends of each letter stroke. (If you look closely, this font has serifs for example.) Sans-serif is the opposite: it lacks any extraneous tips. The Good Ones Times New Roman – The Classic Even if you’re not a font connoisseur (a.k.a. someone with a mildly unhealthy obsession with the way letters look on a page who is totally not me), chances are you can easily identify this font, because it’s so universal. That book from English you’re (not) reading? Probably Times New Roman. It strikes the balance of classy and sophisticated perfectly, without being overbearing and gaudy. Arguably, this is the best serif font because of its steadfastness over time and trustworthiness as sworn by from professionals of all kinds. Not to mention, it’s incredibly versatile for any application in life: long research papers, an essay you drafted at 11:26 PM due at 11:59 PM, or even an email to the dean explaining how you definitely did not cut class 8th period and that the sub just neglected to take attendance that day even though you were clearly alive and present (just a hypothetical situation, of course). Times New Roman doesn’t imply anything you don’t want it to: it’s neutral and unassuming. Plus, if your favorite hobby is procrastination from indecisiveness (which is totally not me), it gives you the peace of mind of choosing because it’s unobtrusive and understated in its simplicity, but still elegant enough to show you care (at least a little). And let’s be honest, even the name sounds cool too. While Times New Roman can be perceived as boring or old fashioned, everyone knows it’s the safe choice. When in doubt, use Times New Roman. Century Gothic – The Beauty When I’m not writing academically, I love using Century Gothic for headings to accent my work. But I didn’t always know this font existed. In 8th grade, our social studies teacher Mrs. Kovalsky, used a certain font with Times New Roman body text to accentuate her titles. She used it so much so, that it became part of her personal brand and we accordingly dubbed it the “Kovalsky font.” While some loathed her vocabulary lists or never-ending packets, I developed a deep veneration for this woman because she understood typography and knew how to use it well, employing it to keep the class organized and stable. After much speculation and a subsequent deep investigation, I uncovered her signature font was none other than Century Gothic. For me, looking at this font gives me internal tranquility and constancy. Oddly enough, it’s nostalgic, reminding me of a time when life could be reduced to a few vocabulary lists and the chaos of high school did not exist yet. Even if you didn’t have the experience I did, just look at the perfect circles of ‘o’ and the precision of lines in ‘x.’ Nothing is wasted with this font, and I can appreciate the geometric design and succinct aesthetic as much as the orderliness it evokes for me. The Less Good Ones Arial – The Default Ack. All I can say. Something about it just irritates me on a sub-dermal level. The way the letters are shaped is just so banal. To the untrained eye, it looks like any other sans serif font, but I can assure you it is not nearly as deserving of the praise it receives. If I told you that you live in a world where the dot of the ‘i’ is not a circle, but a square , can you still have faith in humanity? Exactly. I can’t quite pinpoint overarchingly what it is about Arial that annoys me, but maybe that in of itself is enough to say “no thanks.” Please, do yourself a favor and change your default font on Google Docs from Arial to something much more respectable and reputable, like Times New Roman. Comic Sans – The First Grader To preface this discussion, it’s easy to lose friends over the strong emotions that Comic Sans elicits, so read on with your own caution (don’t say I didn’t warn you). If you’re in first grade or younger, I’ll give you a pass. This the only age range where font typography should that closely resemble bad handwriting. From that point forward, it would be a disservice to impressionable young children to use a font that has zero structure. Just look at each character. Not one of them has a spine, and if anything, it adds little wobbles and bends to each letter. It doesn’t even commit fully to those imperfections, which otherwise could have made it an interesting font. The fact that I live in a world where this font exists makes me shudder to even think about it. The reaction to this abomination of a font is visceral for me. I can’t remember when I started hating this font (yes, I know hate is a strong word, but this is justified), but I can’t remember a time when I remotely liked this font either. On a brighter note, a friend had mentioned dyslexics particularly benefit from using this font, because of its unorthodox lettering pattern. If you’re dyslexic, you get a pass, too. Everyone else? We may have to reevaluate our friendship if you feel otherwise. Jazz Font – The Nightmare This one is not explicitly used as a conventional writing font, but if you play a non-string instrument or experienced the misfortune of encountering this writing style, you know exactly what I’m talking about. (For those of you who don’t, here it is: https://www.mozart.co.uk/about-mozart/fonts/mozartjazzfont.htm .) It’s like taking Times New Roman, a perfectly readable and elegant font, and unnecessarily italicizing and bolding it so already complex chords bleed into each other. It’s sacrilegious. Seriously, why is all jazz or syncopated music written with this font?? I’m certain the creators must think it helps me “feel the swing,” and I can’t fault them for that sentiment. But this is one of the rare times writing in a style is not conducive to producing the desired effect because of the poor execution. From my perspective, if I’m reading a chart for the first time and my part is the integral baseline, I can’t be squinting at my notes, trying to decipher them (plus I’m nearsighted, so this really helps no one). If anything, now I’m confused if my E flat minor augmented chord has an extraneous double flat on the D, or if it’s meant for the B. And merged with the other chords in the measure, I might as well throw away any hope of trying to read what’s happening. Don’t even get me started on trying to interpret if there are now six or seven sharps among the five thousand key changes because I guess half the time. Yeah. If the goal was to hinder my ability to read the music so much so that I resort to inventing new chord progressions to enhance the jazz-icantplaythecorrectnotesanywaysbutitsjazzsoitdoesntmatter, then I guess they succeeded on that end. North Star Fonts Lastly, because you’ve read this far, I’ll let you in on the intentional but subtle secrets of North Star’s typography. Getting the intricate and minute details right was an unexpectedly important part of the process for designing this website since I wanted to emphasize a fresh modern take, but still remain professional for our publication. Futura – The Sans Serif I’ve always liked this font a lot. I like the thin lines and its uncomplicated design. It’s clean and modern, everything you can want in a sans serif font. It’s Century Gothic’s younger sister, if you will. What more can I say? When I had the option to pick a font, this font saturated the thoughts in the back of my mind. Eventually, I realized I would need a thinner font anyways to accommodate for the sizing constraints of the website, so the decision was fate. (Sidenote: how do you pronounce the name of this font? Future – ah or foo-tur-ah? It makes sense the first way but intuitively I’ve just pronounced it the latter way. Please help because I’ve never figured it out to this day.) Museo – The Schrödinger However, I still wanted a statement font, something to make us truly unique. I was in the midst of debating serif or sans-serif for the main North Star font, a looming choice which caused me much stress, to be completely honest. I felt serif would be playing it safe, but I didn’t want to be safe, I wanted to be unapologetically bold. At the same time, a sans serif font with Futura, which is already a strong sans serif, felt unnecessary and didn’t provide enough contrast. Plus, it would all be a little too modern, taking away from the literary experience. Not to mention, this would be the first font seen by those who visited the website, and thus the one to make a first impression: an invaluable experience. Thus, it needed to be perfect . So when I stumbled across this font, I immediately knew it was a top contender because it is neither serif or sans-serif but the perfectly unique mix of both all at once. What finally sold it for me though, was not the font itself. ‘Museo’ is a Spanish cognate for ‘museum’ in English, which functions perfectly if you view the body of work on North Star as a collection of student masterpieces set out for display. Additionally, the word can also be interpreted to mean ‘muse,’ or someone who inspires artistic thought, which is exactly what our publication strives to function as. And because we all know I love a word with multiple meanings, the stars aligned for a brief moment, and thus it was settled. The rest is history. With that, I conclude my list of good and less good fonts, alongside my reasoning for each. Alas, you exclaim “ how dare you bash Comic Sans, my favorite font!” Firstly, that’s a hot take, but if you want to contest my unabashedly intense opinions, I gladly challenge you to a (friendly) duel in the next North Star article. Until then, I implore you to choose common sense over Comic Sans. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Purpose Back to Sections Gilana Etame - Purple Yellow Study By Gilana Etame November 24, 2020 Volume 1 Issue 2

Back to Articles News Back to Sections P.S. I Love You Day: “Purple Day” Noa Cordova Volume 4 Issue 3 March 13, 2024 Image Provided by Noa Cordova The week of February 12th, the main hallway was decorated in purple; purple streamers adorned the ceiling, a purple paper tree flourished and purple post-its occupied lockers. So, why did the color dominate the hallways? February 9th marks P.S. I Love You Day; it is a day dedicated to removing the stigma around mental health issues and spreading love to others. P.S. I Love You Day was founded by Brooke DiPalma, a fourteen-year-old girl who lost her father in 2010 due to suicide. Her father’s notable last words, “I love you,” inspired the name of the day we recognize every February. In honor of P.S. I Love You Day, North’s Students Against Destructive Decisions Club (SADD) organizes an annual weeklong campaign. As indicated by the main hallway, purple is the color associated with this campaign. Because Brooke decided to make light of a dark situation, many schools and individuals recognize P.S. I Love You across the state. Mental health advocacy serves as one of the S.A.D.D. club’s main initiatives, so P.S. I Love You Day gets carefully planned out and executed. The club’s advisor, Mr. Moniaci, the officers, and the club members work together to ensure the campaign’s success. The main hallway decorations help bring S.A.D.D. campaigns to life and require a great deal of collective effort. Club members divided themselves into committees for posters, the main office window, the display case, and streamers. The main display case was meant to reflect this year’s theme of “love is meant to be given.” To do this, club members created an array of gifts, bows, and hearts to convey the idea that love is meant to be given like a gift. Additionally, members Navrosedip Kundlas and Wesley Pang crafted a tree that served as a symbol of the growth many experience on their mental health journey. As the vice president, I can attest to the great deal of effort the club members contributed to the decorating process. Working around BSU’s artwork, S.A.D.D. members effectively brought honor to P.S. I Love You Day’s ideals. S.A.D.D. members’ duties were not fulfilled on Monday; Thursday afternoon S.A.D.D. resumed its P.S. I Love You Day activities with post-its in hand. One of the most memorable aspects of P.S. I Love You Day for most students is finding special purple notes on their lockers upon their arrival at school. As involved as S.A.D.D. members are, covering every locker in the building is not a one-club job, so S.A.D.D. enlisted other clubs to assist. A total of ten other clubs assisted and were each assigned a hallway. Each club wrote positive messages on the purple post-its and taped them onto each locker in the hallway. The next day, February 16th, was North’s P.S. I Love You Day when purple-clad students were greeted by some written encouragement on purple-post it notes. P.S. The day is much more than “wear purple day;” it is a reminder we should prioritize mental health and spreading love in any way we can. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections En Garde! By John McCarthy Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Original photo by Coach Mary Parisi Winter sports have been back for two weeks now, and one team in action is our district fencing team. North’s own Ms. Parisi and her squad has already competed in three matches, with two wins against Syosset and Cold Spring Harbor. The team looks very promising, according to Ms. Parisi. The smart and passionate coach had this comment about the team: “I am very excited to return as head coach of the girls’ district fencing team. From the first ‘en garde’ to the last touch, these ladies truly give their all in practices and competitions. The team has been vigilant in adhering to the new safety protocols this season, and it is truly a pleasure to work with such a responsible and talented group of young ladies. In actuality, fencing strategy can be applied to everyday life, since an important part of the sport is maintaining a safe distance and keeping your mask on! I’m overjoyed to be coaching again and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the season unfolds!” Here are our own fencers from VS North: Afira Mahmood (epee, 2 wins) Marisa Mohan (epee) Diane Tomax (foil) Filomena Pereira (foil, 1 win) Irene Quintero (foil, 2 wins) Tayler Rochester (sabre, 6 wins) Congratulations to the girls for the success they’ve had so far! Although no spectators are allowed at matches, I’m sure we will hear great things about our sports teams, especially fencing. The Winter Sports season has much more to it, and we can’t wait to see what will come next. Go Spartans! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Health and Wellness at VSN: People Providing Support By Craig Papajohn-Shaw Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 Image provided by NPR Two years have passed since the start of the quarantine period of the COVID-19 pandemic. With in-person learning, optional masking, and a full selection of extracurricular activities back in action, the last two years are starting to feel distant, and Valley Stream North High School students seem to be getting back to what was once known as "normal." However, the interruption of learning over the last couple of years has led many teens to suffer from what experts are calling “ pandemic-related stress ” Trying to learn through a screen, a disparity in the connection with others, and a lack of a consistent routine have generated stress, anxiety, and behavioral issues in the school environment. Valley Stream North, and the district alike, have employed various methods of supporting the complex reactions students have had to the return to school. A new study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on April 1st shows 1 in 3 high school students experienced “poor mental health” during the pandemic, with 44.2% encountering two or more weeks overcoming a period of “sadness and hopelessness.” In an interview with Assistant Principal Mrs. Buonaspina, she acknowledged how involved the Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) department has been in expanding the resources in the wellness division and that the “cohesiveness of the department has contributed to the great work they have done.” She said, “Good communication is key,” adding, “having everyone in the loop benefits the mental health of the students because it allows the proper assistance to be provided.” The PPS department, comprised of our guidance counselors, school psychologists, and school social worker has addressed the mental state of students since the pandemic began:   “We recognize that there have been academic and social-emotional challenges associated with the return to full-time in-person learning. The goal of the PPS department is to provide ongoing support to meet the needs of our scholars through a variety of services including academic interventions, school-based counseling, individual check-ins with PPS staff, and referrals to community mental health resources when needed. The PPS department will continue to provide support to our students and families throughout the school year and help to encourage our students’ success.” Mrs. Buonaspina talked about some of the new resources the school and the district have put in place to support students. For one, there is the Wellness Center, which was established in the Spring Semester of the 2020-2021 school year. She describes how two guidance counselors and the three school psychologists (Ms. Christiansen, Ms. Kehoe, and Dr. Byrne) rotate hosting the center’s sessions. She also explains how the collaborative group activities that the PPS department creates on a weekly basis help overcome the potential stigma of getting guidance. The PPS department specifically explains, “Members of our staff are also available to meet with students during designated extra help times and at the Wellness Center, which offers additional support on Tuesdays from 3:15 pm-6:15 pm. As part of the programming, students can schedule individual appointments and participate in group activities to help promote overall wellness and community. The Wellness Center group activities have included activities which include meditation, art, cooking, yoga, and dance throughout this year.”  The Wellness Center has proven a good outlet for students dealing with mental health issues which sometimes manifest into academic struggles or an increase in disciplinary referrals. Learning at home may have resulted in a lack of structure and returning to school has caused some students to have a difficult time readjusting to routines and rules. Mrs. Buonaspina says the PPS department and the school administration have bi-weekly meetings to identify patterns in students who may need additional support. She has since added the dean and the school nurse to these meetings to see if there are connections between students’ disciplinary infractions and their mental health. To seek out more connections, the school sent out a survey to identify which students may need additional support. Within North, many students were identified, and all counselors will have meetings with those kids. To continue supporting the community, the PPS department states, “Parent forums and monthly newsletters are also made available on a district level to keep the community updated on current events, activities, and information regarding student wellness and available support resources. If students need the contact information for a PPS staff member, it is located on North’s website, as well as the showcase outside of the guidance office.” The mental health of students remains a top priority within the Valley Stream Central High School District; the PPS department, alongside our school administration, will continue to assess what students need in the coming months. Overall, the Wellness Center has been a remarkable success, with students consistently signing up for the creative weekly activities and individual appointments. For additional resources, please check out the North Star’s mental health corner . BACK TO TOP