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Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Meatless Monday! By Samantha Altieri Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Image provided by The Monday Campaigns Join the Ecology Club and participate in Meatless Monday, an international effort with a goal to encourage people to eat meat-free meals on Mondays to improve both their personal health and the Earth’s health. Eating just one meatless meal a week can even reduce your chances of developing diseases such as Type-2 Diabetes or obesity, which often go hand in hand. The idea of Meatless Monday was first introduced during World War I in an effort to reduce meat consumption which would help the war effort in terms of rationing food. The Ecology Club’s goal is to promote environmental awareness, as well as highlight ways we can create a healthier environment here at VSN. It is thought that global mass consumption of animal foods is hurting our ecosystems and climate. Raising livestock, or meat products, for human consumption requires more land, water, and energy compared to growing plants. It takes the same amount of energy to produce one hamburger as it does to take 36 showers! Raising animals for food also requires massive amounts of plant crops to feed these animals. Beyond the resources required to raise animals for food, livestock such as cows emit large amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas that greatly contributes to climate change. Skipping one serving of meat for 52 meals a year (only 1 meal a week!) saves the equivalent emissions of CO2 to driving 348 miles in a car ! The Ecology Club members, along with advisor and science teacher Mrs. Restuccio, have been participating in Meatless Mondays for weeks now. There are many delicious meal ideas for a Meatless Monday such as: Veggie burgers Pasta and sauce Smoothies Grilled Cheese Vegetable soup Salads Cereal Pizza Avocado toast Chickpea meatloaf Meat alternative sausage (like Beyond Meat) & peppers We hope you will consider joining the Ecology Club in participating in Meatless Monday! Every small action by individuals, even if they don’t seem like they are doing very much, can lead to helping the environment in big ways if we do it together! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Spring Festivals Celebrated Around the World By Sahar Ali Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 Image provided by Yue Su Spring is finally here, which means countries worldwide are preparing for celebrations to welcome one of the most beloved seasons. From South America, all the way to Scandinavia and beyond, countries have beautiful, vibrant festivals. Here are some spring celebrations that take place around the world. Semana Santa Semana Santa, which translates to “Holy Week,” is an important holiday celebrated in Catholic countries, such as Mexico and Spain. This holiday was established in the 16th century by the Catholic Church to explain the story of the Passion of Christ to non-religious individuals. Semana Santa lasts one week, including vibrant parades, fireworks, masses, and ceremonies. In 2022, Semana Santa will begin on Sunday, April 10th, and end on Saturday, April 16th. Holi Holi is a celebration that occurs in India that is celebrated by Hindus for the arrival of the spring season and the many colors that come along with it. It is also said that Holi is the reenactment of Lord Krishna, a Hindu god, played with Radha, his consort. It is a day that celebrates happiness, love, good harvest, and events that occurred in Hindu mythology. Holi also symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. This Hindu celebration occurred on Friday, March 18th, 2022. Nowruz Nowruz, which translates to “New Day,” is also known as the Persian New Year. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical northward equinox and marks the beginning of spring. In Iran, Nowruz marks the first day of the year (the solar calendar for Iranians begins with the vernal equinox). The Persian New Year has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years in Iran, Persia, and Central Asia. Nowruz occurred on Sunday, March 20th, 2022. Walpurgis Night Walpurgis Night, named after Saint Walpurga, an English missionary, is celebrated throughout Scandinavia and Northern Europe. Precisely six months after All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween), Walpurgis Night is celebrated with bonfires, dancing, and singing traditional spring folk songs. In German folklore, Walpurgis Night is particularly associated with witches. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Should sports go on? By Ismaela Andre Volume 1 Issue 3 December 16, 2020 Original image provided by Valley Stream North Covid-19 is still around. Many schools and jobs began to open, but should we do the same with sports? In August of 2020, the Governor of New York announced that all school sports could start practices and minor meets starting September 21st, 2020. That changed soon after as Governor Cuomo decided to cancel all scholastic sports. Currently many New York City high schoolers are in full remote until 2021. This is because the COVID-19 cases are beginning to increase in New York. Also, in New Jersey, all high school sports were just cancelled due to the new Covid cases. Do you think our school should do the same? On December 7th, 2020, our school announced Winter Sports sign ups. North will begin low risk sports like track, bowling, and gymnastics. The high-risk sports are on a pause due to Covid. Do you think this is ok? During my interview with an 11th grader, she stated that ALL sports should not go on. She stated “There is close contact within every sport. This can cause COVID to spread.” She also stated “Winter sports especially should not go on because it is cold, so many students might catch a cold. This cold could pass on and turn into Covid.” This student is correct, but I interview a 9th grader who said “Sports should go on because many kids want to interact with other people. Also, during summer many kids had to stay at home and did not get a chance to interact with family and friends.” Both students have a point, but with whom do you mostly agree? BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork The Memory Project Back to Sections Rejoice- Amna Faisal Amna Faisal February 24, 2023 Volume 3 Issue 3

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections The Valley Stream Challenge By Manal Layachi Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 Image provided by Elyas lLayachi The 17th annual Valley Stream Challenge, an invitational track meet, took place at our school, Valley Stream North High School, on April 2nd, 2022. The following thirty schools came to our school to compete: Bayside High School Chaminade High School Elmont Memorial High School Friends Academy (Long Island) George H. Hewlett High School Harlem Children’s Zone-Promise Academy Holy Cross High School Kellenberg Memorial High School Kings Park High School Long Beach High School Malverne Senior High School Massapequa High School Midwood High School Mineola High School Monsignor Farrell High School New Hyde Park Memorial High School North Shore High School Notre Dame School of Manhattan Oceanside High School Our Lady of Mercy Academy (Catholic High School Athletic Association) Poly Prep Country Day School Roslyn High School Sanford H. Calhoun High School South Side High School Spring Creek Community School St. Francis Preparatory School Valley Stream South High School W. Tresper Clarke High School Wellington C. Mepham High School Xavier High School There were 2,000 people at the meet. Some events that took place include the steeplechase, running events, hurdles, relay races, the long jump, the triple jump, the pole vault, the shot put, and the discus throw. A lot of preparation had to take place for this event, and it took the whole track team to do it. We all worked together and had a lot of fun. The challenge was eight hours long. You can find the results using this link: https://elitefeats.com/t-Results?ID=22494 Below are what two track stars said about the meet: Elyas Layachi: “The meet was a very great experience. Although I wasn’t able to race this time, it was nice to see so many schools, their student-athletes, and their spectators all in one place. It brought about a greater sense of community and school pride. Plus, the races were fun to watch!” Sienna Munro: “My favorite part of the invitational was getting to see so many teams in one spot, which brought more competition. When I first saw how many schools were there, it made me nervous. I competed in the 400 and 800-meter races. I think that the meet went very well.” I also interviewed the coordinators of the challenge, also known as the amazing coaches of the North’s Track team, Science Teachers Mike Frazer and Tim Boyens: Mr. Frazer: “I love hosting the Valley Stream Challenge Invitational Track & Field Meet. This is the 17th year we have hosted it. I like hosting it because it's a chance to show off North High School. It's a great school, and now with the brand-new track and turf field, we should all have Spartan Pride and host other schools whenever we can. I also like how the members of the Track & Field team worked together to put on an excellent event. Plus, it's super fun! This meet is normally very big. This year we had 1,734 registered athletes compete. 24 boys’ teams and 21 girls’ teams! It's fun to see lots of people here, especially since the past two years we couldn't host the meet due to COVID. Big meets do not shock me, as I have been on the state committee in the past and helped put on the New York State Championships! I think the Challenge was fantastic! It ran very smoothly, and all of the results were immediately posted online with the athletes’ pictures. Results and pictures can be found here:  Race Timers New York Long Island elitefeats Results . Also, Ryan John set a new meet record for the Spartans in the Triple Jump with the #1 jump in New York State so far this year! Coach Boyens and I look forward to hosting this meet for many years to come!” Mr. Boyens: “My favorite part of the challenge is when the gun goes off for the first race! Everyone is excited and the excitement is palpable. It was great to see so many schools come to VSN and be a part of the Challenge. We are very proud of our track and track team and the challenge is a great chance to ‘show off’ both. We got tons of positive feedback about the day from coaches, athletes, and parents. It was a great day for VSN.” P.S. - NORTH STAR readers, don’t forget to cheer the boys’ and girls’ teams at track meets hosted at North. Go Spartans! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Montgomery Ricky by Ricky Montgomery By Eva Grace Martinez Volume 1 Issue 3 December 16, 2020 Original image by Ricky Montgomery Ricky Montgomery, a 27-year-old born in Los Angeles, California, was best described prior to 2020 as a little eclectic but full of good sound and creative merit. Prior to his fame on TikTok, he was also successful on Vine, leading to online support for his 2014 debut EP Caught On The Moon. However, the EP failed to draw mainstream attention leaving him relatively underground until years later. His 2016 full length release Montgomery Ricky made waves amongst his own fanbase and drew in a few more to ride the Ricky Montgomery wave, yet he would not reach anything close to his current level of notoriety until the massive success of some of his songs as TikTok sounds. These will be track-by-track reviews, with each track scoring points for factors such as musicality, lyrical content, continuity (how well each track fits into the rest of the album), and theme. Each track will receive a score out of 10, and then be added up to create the final score for the album. Let’s begin with Track One: “ I’m alright if you’re alright, I’m okay if you’re okay” takes us into the hook of this deceptively cheerful song about finding yourself and accepting that you’re lost. Lyrically it tells the story of someone struggling to find happiness in darker times, and, through a loved one, is finding more happiness than they had ever thought possible. As an opening track, it is supposed to establish several themes, either musical or lyrical, of the overall album. However, many of them are hidden behind the bright combination of electric guitar, bass guitar, drums and keyboard that allows the audience to get lost in its soundscape; it was only on repeated listens that I finally began to see the overall themes of this album fully displayed in the track. Score: 7/10 - A cheerful opener with a fun instrumental; however, it fails to successfully introduce the rest of the album. Line Without a Hook Have you ever known someone completely and totally out of your league? Yeah, this song does, too. Here our singer watches as a crush falls into the lake of their own self-doubt, but not before comparing his own doubt to theirs, with “you’re a pond and I’m an ocean.” To the singer, his crush removes all negativity from the world around them. Yet their love interest is doubting themself, forcing our singer to feel that they are even worse in comparison. This track is an emotional standout on the album. It starts the process of “losing yourself” as described in This December, and beautifully pulls together motifs of drowning and feeling incomplete with the end of the bridge and the final chorus by quite literally leaving the last line of the bridge incomplete, and exclaiming that he would pull his lover from the tide of their own emotions if he knew how. Musically this track adds another layer to the usual drums, bass guitar, guitar, and piano ensemble with the addition of a violin, a motif which will show up in later tracks surrounding love. Score: 8.5/10 - Beautiful story and lyrics, fits well into the album as a whole and performance is emotional; however, the emotional buildup pales in comparison to others on this album. Cabo  Returning to the cheerful sounds of the opening track, Cabo tells us the story of two people just falling for each other but can’t tell the world yet. Secret garden meetups and dancing on beaches when no one’s looking fill the bright tone of the lyrics supported by the bright instrumentation. The bouncy rhythm lends itself to nervous heartbeats, and the up-tempo guitar and synth add life, making this song utterly danceable and incredibly fun to listen to. It also might be the catchiest song on the whole album, so once you play it once, prepare to be humming along to it all day. This track does feel a little disjointed from the past songs musically; however, lyrically, it may be the singer’s attempt to love again after the failed relationship in the previous song. Score: 7.5/10 - A blast to dance to and utterly enjoyable, but if it fit better into the album it would most likely have scored higher. Don't Know How  Montgomery faces a large amount of insecurity throughout this album - he doesn’t know who he is or where he is going - much less if he deserves to be loved. However, his track takes these insecurities and changes them into something new. Instead of not knowing if he can love, he now worries about how he loves. Is what he’s doing good enough? He doesn’t know how to make the other love him more and that thought leaves him fraught with insecurity. The almost club-like mix sound really sells the fact that his insecurities here are masked by a cool persona of outward confidence. Instead of hiding in his home, he’s gone out to dance, but sadly, he can’t seem to take his mask off. The thrumming bass and casual guitar riffs combined with small amounts of synth would make this the perfect song to dance to: if not for the fact that the mixing leaves it sounding very removed as if our singer is in the bathroom trying to hype himself up. Score: 6/10 - Fun to listen to with an interesting meaning however is easily one of the more skippable songs in terms of the overall album. Last Night  Last night opens with a guitar intro reminiscent of Paramore, then immediately slams you with lyrics about learning who you are and exactly where you come from. Montgomery gets to show off his vocal ability here, not through challenging high notes, but through the sheer amount of emotion he is able to place into this track. Each “woah” sounds perfect for an anthemic call and response, and the heavy guitar and drums add to the overall experience. This song is not the most lyrically impactful, but that’s why it works so well. It shines here for the performability, and just how well it works its way into the shuffle. Unlike other songs off this album, its reliance on instrumentation is a strength and not a weakness that is glaringly obvious when played back-to-back. Score: 8/10 - This song is a cheerful romp through all Montgomery’s artistic talents. Although it is not the most important in terms of story, its ability to draw a crowd in makes up for its overall simplicity. California  Craving success and allowing your ego to grow just to maybe make a name for yourself? Sounds like every starving artist’s dream to me. This song is all about wanting to be known, but also knowing that you don’t know how much of yourself you’d have to give up to get that chance. Here Montgomery asserts that art is dead, and the artists have blood on their hands. Is it worth selling your soul for a chance at a glitzy lifestyle? Neither I nor the singer have the answer. However, I think that the instrumentation on this one is worth dying for, the energetic guitar parts mirrored with a lively piano part and drums ready to pull you to the middle of a dancefloor are what sell me on this song. Score: 9/10 - Maybe my love for this song is all smoke and mirrors, but according to Montgomery, so is everything else. My Heart is Buried in Venice  Breaking the established theme of the album, My Heart is Buried in Venice is a slow, stripped-down song about growing old and loving someone even when they make mistakes. Only containing an acoustic guitar and drums, the instrumentation allows this song to feel wistful and winding, as if the singer is walking through old streets and has nowhere better to be. At first the song seems like this happy tone is all the song contains, but as the lyrics progress, the story sours ever so slightly; again our singer feels insecure about how much his partner loves him. He is fully prepared to take the blame for his lover’s mistakes, yet it seems that he is too busy drowning in his own thoughts despite the beautiful people and places around him. Although it is much slower than the previous track, it almost feels this is the result of California, a love that was in the spotlight becomes calm and quiet when the lights go off, making you wonder if it was ever really real at all. Score: 8.5/10 - Peaceful and calm, following the bright and cheery California it is a change of pace, but not an unwelcome one. Mr. Loverman Okay everyone: this is the song you have been waiting for. This is the Tiktok sound that has taken over the minds of singers and instrumentalists alike. The chorus is well known: “Cause I’m Mr. Loverman, and I miss my Lover man.” However, the intricacies and buildup in this song are truly what make it a masterpiece, not just a popular 15-second soundbite. A broken lover, dry and tired eyes, and shaky hands are our intro to the world of Mr. Loverman, and by the time you exit, you’ll be wishing your eyes were dry. Lyrically we’re fed the story of a man who doesn’t seem to know how to go on in the wake of a heartbreak. Lost between worlds of inebriated apathy and tearful reminiscing, our singer painfully recounts just how much he misses the person he once loved. Although lyrically poignant, what really sells me on this song is the musical build up. Its slow rising crashes like a wave over Montgomery’s calm vocals creating emotional dissonance to tug at your heart strings. The only real detractor from this lovely song is the instrumentation; I would have loved to see a new addition to the competitively simpler instrumentals on this song. Score 9.5/10 - Well-deserving of the praise, amazing vocals and lyrical patterns; however, I’m left craving an addition to the soundscape. Get Used to It  Honestly, this is the most forgettable song on this album. Although its lyrics are not generic, they fail to garner attention. Its opening feels clumsy and its self-referential nature fails to allow the song to stand out, which would have given it some redeeming value. The lack of changes in the vocal and instrumental style feel repetitive at this point. If Mr. Loverman is the album’s high, Get Used to It is by far the lowest of the lows. Anything this song does well is displayed elsewhere on the album, and it really has no witty lyrics or great emotional story to make it stand out. If you crave a guitar part that makes you want to air guitar like the best of them, listen to California. If you want a cheerful melody, try Cabo on for size, and if youre craving some sad lyrics to go along with that up-beat feeling, go give Last Night a try. I love this album and a lot of the work Ricky Montgomery has done, but this is one song I won’t even give the time of day. Score: 2/10 - Really, they can’t all be winners. Snow This album begins in December and ends in a snowy winter, presumably a year after the opening track. This is a homecoming for our lead singer: he has finally moved on from pining over a lost love, and now he can see with a bit of clarity. The relationships detailed throughout were all unhealthy in their own ways; Cabo and California detail saccharine sweet relationships, burning bright and fading fast, never really meant to last. Last Night is begging for someone to notice, and Line Without a Hook wonders if the singer was even worth noticing. Don’t Know How and Get Used to It are chock full of insecurity and doubt in the singer’s own stability. This December places too much of the lead’s emotional wellness on another, My Heart is Buried in Venice easily is wishful thinking at the start of a relationship. Mr. Loverman is the downfall of one or many of these relationships. Snow , however, is a moment’s clarity in Montgomery’s mind. The skeletons have left the closet and now they hang on his mirror; he is able to recognize the toxicity that has followed him through this year, and he is finally able to return home, not just from galivanting across the world, but from the mountains and valleys of this year’s worth of emotion. Although it may seem like nothing special and is not a standout musically or lyrically in comparison to others, this song does enough to propel the album to the top of my list. Score: 10/10 - Simply astounding in the layers of meaning, made even more significant by the easy-to-follow lyrics and instrumentation. Final Thoughts: This album is a fun way to pass 36 minutes and has a song for almost any event in your life. It is not by any means a perfect album, and there are better (and worse) albums out there. However, this album is still very good! If you enjoy Cavetown or Conan Gray, I would recommend you take a listen. Even if you don’t, I wouldn’t be surprised if one or two of these songs charms their way into your heart. Overall score: 76/100 BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Ask Ala: Sports & Clubs By Ala Paruch Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Image provided by the New York Times Q. Dear Ala, I have some questions about the clubs and sports here at North high school. One of them is when will all of the clubs and sports open up. Another is what are some that you think are interesting. The last one is what are some of the early morning clubs and sports and some late-night clubs and sports. Sincerely, King of clubs Q. Dear Ala, I have a couple questions about the sports. I want to know about when the baseball team starts, how many people do they let on the team? Also, when do we also get the details about the season? Thank you for your help! Q. Dear Ala, I've been waiting for the sports and heard they're coming soon so I wanted to ask when the exact date sports are coming back like track, basketball, and many more. Thank you, 7th grader who's going to bring many championships to North. Q. Dear Ala, I play sports. I feel like sports are never going to come back at North. Do you know when sports are coming back? Thanks. Sincerely , Want Sports, 12 A. Dear Readers! I have received a few emails regarding sports and clubs at North this year, so I decided to answer them collectively right here. 😊 Regarding sports this year, the 7th and 8th grade sport seasons do not have any season dates, so for the younger grades I am sorry to say that as of now, there are no sports. For the 9th-12th graders, winter sports started on January 4th and are set to end on February 26th. The winter sports approved for this upcoming season are winter track and field, boys and girls bowling, rifle, girls’ fencing, and girls’ gymnastics. If you have any more questions about sports, you can check out the articles below to see more information or contact Mr. Frazer. http://www.vschsd.org/Assets/Athletic_Links/092420_Fall_2020_Athletic_Update_2.pdf?t=637365445779900000 Valley Stream Central High School District (vschsd.org) Clubs did start this year, though they have been altered accordingly to the new public health circumstances. An Online Club Fair came out on December 4th on the North High School Team page to showcase and advertise all clubs offered by the VSN. You can check it out and see what clubs interest you. These videos will explain the premises of each club, how they work and when they meet. You could also contact Mrs. Italiano, North’s Student Activities Director, for an updated list of clubs and activities. I hope this helps! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork The Memory Project Back to Sections Netania Muhammad - Memory Project - 1 By Netania Muhammad March 18, 2021 Volume 1 Issue 6

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections K-pop By Ismaela Andre Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by Channel Korea Music is always around us. There are many genres to choose from and many to listen to. Many people listen to rap, pop, and R&B. However, more genres are taking the world by storm. One of them is K-pop. K-pop is Korean music that consists of Korean and English or only Korean. This music genre is taking over the music industry. Most K-pop music is made by groups. Some popular groups are BTS, NCT U, 127 and Dream, Twice, Itzy, Enhypen, Tomorrow x Together, Ateez, Stray Kids, Blackpink, and more. Even some solo artists like IU, Kang Daniel, also fit into this category. This musical genre is very inspirational. Most songs send global messages and inspire their listeners to come together as one. At the beginning of the school year, I talked to two seventh graders. They both told me that they liked K-pop, and ever since then, we always say “Hi” to each other whenever we see each other in the hallways. In that example, I connected with two kids that are three years younger than me because of K-pop. This shows how K-pop can bring many people together. Also, K-pop artists aren’t all Korean. Some are Japanese, Thai, American, or French. Musicians of various races sing K-pop, and all races should feel comfortable listening to it. I recommend K-pop to everyone because it is a unique and diverse music genre. You may be hesitant at first because the lyrics are not sung in English; however, you should go for it because it is a fantastic experience. Have fun listening! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Prism Back to Sections Masooma Zaidi - Prism By Masooma Zaidi November 24, 2020 Volume 1 Issue 2