Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Hofstra University: The Place to Be Cody Sung Volume 4 Issue 3 March 13, 2024 Image Provided by Hofstra University Many factors play into the search for a perfect college. Some people wish to move far away and try something new; others yearn for comfort and to stay close to home. If you belong in the latter category, Hofstra is one of your many choices. In Hempstead, New York, it is only 15 minutes away from North High School. Hofstra University was created from the estate of businessman William Hofstra. The university started as an extension of New York University under the name Nassau College – Hofstra Memorial of New York University and held its first classes in 1935. It changed its name to Hofstra College in 1937 and according to Wikipedia became independent in 1939. From then on, it steadily grew and became a university in 1963. Today, Hofstra reports it has over 10,000 students, with over 6,000 of them being undergraduates. Hofstra is situated on 244 acres, or 0.38mi2, of land split in two by Hempstead Turnpike. It has 117 buildings, including seven distinctive towers, three stadiums, and an exhibition center. Much of the land is used by other sporting facilities, including tennis courts, a swim center, a rugby field, and a baseball field. In total, they house 21 varsity sports, 10 for men and 11 for women. The buildings on the rest of the campus house fourteen different separate schools of study, with around 175 study areas available at them. Hofstra also has 35 residence halls, including six high-rises – the seventh is a library. It has a vibrant student life, with six theaters, 220 student clubs, and an art museum according to their website. It has its very own radio station – WRHU, 88.7 FM – and a television studio. Of course, these are all factors that make Hofstra a great school, but statistics alone do not tell us the whole story about the school. I know, because I went there. Hofstra has programs such as Saturday gifted and summer classes for elementary and high school students to learn on campus. From there, I was able to do all kinds of activities. I was able to participate in mock trials, learn sign language, play Minecraft, drop eggs with protective contraptions from roofs, launch toy rockets, and even talk on the school radio about the latest sports matches. It was a fantastic series of experiences for me and the many others who participated in them. I was always mesmerized by the seven towers when I approached campus, and I vividly remember sitting on a basketball court waiting for my mom to pick me up. Walking around campus, I always looked at the maps posted in various locations. Even as I am writing this article, I enjoy panning around Google Maps and the satellite images it provides of the university. All of this does not mean that Hofstra will be the right fit for you; translating those special classes into real college life will result in discrepancies. However, to me, Hofstra should be a choice for you to research more if you want to stay local for college. Sources: www.Hofstra.edu/about/glance.html www.google.com/maps BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Pakistan’s Devastating Floods By Sahar Ali Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by Al Jazeera Pakistan. A country located in South Asia with India to the east, Afghanistan and Iran to the west, and China to the north. The Arabian Sea is to Pakistan’s south. In June of 2022, Pakistan’s monsoon season began; however, it caused unprecedented flooding. The country received 190% more rain this summer. The Pakistani government declared a national emergency after more than 33 million people were affected. At least 1.7 million homes were destroyed, and thousands of people were killed as an effect of the floods. Causes of the Floods Prolonged rainfall: This is where rainfall occurs for a long period of time, causing land around a river to become saturated. This type of rainfall hit Pakistan in a series of monsoonal depressions, which are storms with low pressure. During the summer of 2022, the country experienced 8 monsoonal depressions. Heatwaves: During March and April, Pakistan was hit with heat waves. Climate change made these heatwaves 30% more likely to occur. As an effect of the heatwaves, some of Pakistan’s 7,000 glaciers began to melt rapidly into the Indus River. La Niña: This is an event that causes warmer-than-average temperatures in the ocean. La Niña added more moisture and fueled the monsoon depressions. Dam issues: Pakistan needs to work on its engineering priorities. If the country does this, then irrigation and flood control would improve. Dam issues made the rainwater uncontrollable. Overall, the main cause of these floods is climate change. Pakistan is only responsible for 1% of the total amount of human-produced emissions; however, it is the 18th most vulnerable country to climate change impacts. Effects of the Floods Damages: Pakistan’s floods have caused more than $30 billion in damage. As a result of the floods, 1.7 million houses were destroyed as well as 18,000 schools. Furthermore, 1,460 health facilities were affected. The floods also caused the death of 800,000 livestock and damaged 2.0 million hectares of crops and orchards. The destruction of food crops resulted in $2.3 billion in damages. Many bridges and many kilometers of roads were also destroyed. Effects on Pakistanis: As the amount of rainfall slowly decreased, millions of people were left stranded in the water without food or shelter, making them susceptible to diseases. In the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan, there have been outbreaks of cholera, malaria, and some skin infections. 6.4 million Pakistanis needed humanitarian aid by early September. What we can do to help Pakistan Due to the floods, people in Pakistan are in dire need of shelter, food, and clean drinking water. You can donate to Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan , which is a nonprofit organization that will provide the people of Pakistan with medical camps, tarpaulins, tents, and food. For overseas donations, you can donate to Aghosh USA and Aghosh UK which are partners of the Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Completion of Winter Sports at Valley Stream North By Joseph Garofalo Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Original photo from VSN Spartans Instagram With winter sports on Long Island ending, Valley Stream North had a strong showing from all teams and athletes. From the track to the mat, the court to the range, our athletes fired on all cylinders to complete the season on a high note. The original sports beginning on January 4th included Winter Track and Field, Rifle, Bowling, Fencing and Gymnastics. Although VSN did not have any athletes participate in Gymnastics, our district team finished with two gymnasts performing at the County championship. In bowling, junior Tiffany Wong completed the year placing 5th Overall out of 21 in the Nassau County Championship. In Rifle, junior Nicholas Cavaliere led his team to another Nassau County Championship win. Our Fencing teams did not participate in County Championship; however, they had a strong senior campaign from Irene Quintero. Finally, Winter Track and Field, led by Coach Frazer and Coach Boyens, concluded their season in their first head-to-head meet against Mineola. Strong efforts were shown from seniors Ahmya McMillan, Malachi Lewis, Jake Cresser and Danielle Phillip as they hope to win another county championship come spring. In the second wave of sports that began on February 1st, Boys and Girls Basketball, Wrestling and Competitive Cheer were permitted to begin their seasons. Though the new normal made the resumption of high-risk sports harder than normal, our teams were able to persevere and finish their shortened seasons. Under Coach Achatz, and the strength of juniors Godwin Eyiuche and Malcolm Harrington, the Varsity Boys’ Basketball team completed their season with a win against Plainedge High School. Our Varsity girls team lead by Coach Karahalios, had a strong outing as well with the help of seniors Justice Gordon and Emmy Saracino. Our Wrestling team completed the season with a match against Mineola and Island Trees. Strong performances were shown by senior Noah Gonzalez, and junior Daniel Amin. Finally, the Competitive cheer team closed the winter season with a performance at Cold Spring High School. Many student-athletes like myself now look to the “relocated” fall season, now being hosted in the spring. Those begin March 1st and include Boys and Girls Soccer, Boys’ and Girls’ Volleyball, Football, Cross County, sideline Cheer, and Girls’ Tennis. Good job by all of our winter athletes, and good luck to all of those participating in our fall season. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections The Trials and Tribulations of Modern Horror By Alain Deen Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by Den of Geek Over time, horror has evolved to be one of the most revered genres of film of all time. From the earliest days of horror classics to the modern, brutal uprise of savage thrillers today, horror as a genre has simultaneously seen some of the worst and best films of all time. There are various sub-genres to horror, as it has branched out into many vessels. For instance, the earliest days of horror include Alfred Hitchcock’s psychological horror films. These films involve mental, emotional, and psychological states to frighten and unsettle audiences. For instance, Psycho and The Birds fit this description as they are two of the most well-known psychological horror films of our time. It is worth noting that psychological horror often overlaps with psychological thrillers, which are often more associated with mystery. What made Hitchcock’s films so unique was his elements of suspense, placing him into a category of his own in terms of horror. Hitchcock’s influence is reflected in the darker themes of modern horror, which have had mixed reviews amongst audiences. Since then, horror films have become increasingly gory, savage, and gruesome. For instance, slasher films rose to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, including cult classics Halloween (1978) and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). These films took a less psychological approach and involved abhorrent visuals and cheesy murder sequences to frighten audiences. Modern horror films often involve both aspects, like 2007’s breakout Paranormal Activity . More recently, however, the line between horror as an art form and horror as a money grab has grown exceedingly thin. It is widely argued that modern horror movies pale in contrast to their predecessors for a variety of factors. Primarily, however, is the desire for profit. Most modern horror films seek to profit from merchandising, Halloween costumes, and other vessels of fan buzz. Additionally, it is worth noting that films produced today tend to boast the latest technological advancements to bolster the theatrical elements in a more realistic fashion, which does not resonate well with viewers. In other words, most horror lovers prefer gut-wrenching horror produced by practical effects as it is perceived as the most authentic. In terms of modern horror, innovative technology presents exceedingly realistic gore, monsters, and supernatural figures by way of special effects. As mentioned earlier, modern horror is widely contested amongst audiences and film critics alike. This highlights the fickle nature of the horror genre, as it seems to be a case of nostalgia overriding rationality. For example, the setting of 70s and 80s horror films alone contributes to their acclamation. Middle-aged adults exhibit exceeding levels of nostalgia when watching the fashion within these films, along with the funky scores of the late 20th century. However, it must be noted that the 2000s have seen some intriguing, suspense-filled horror films such as Us (2019) and Get Out (2017) These films reflect a more subtle form of horror. In contrast to 20th classics, modern horror films feature diverse films with complex and nuanced plots. This sharpens the edge between horror and reality, leaving viewers at the edge of their seats. In regards of modern horror tribulations, reboots tend to tarnish the reputation of once revered classics, namely the Halloween franchise. For instance, 2021’s Halloween Kills received lackluster reviews, with most critics naming it a sloppy money grab with no real passion, depth, or insight into the being that it is Michael Myers. The same concept applies to 2022’s Scream reboot. However, unlike Halloween Kills , Scream utilized a combination of brilliant performances, blood-curdling gore, and a slightly nuanced plot. Overall, the future of horror is looking bright, with more nuanced plots, fewer reboots, and more innovative screenplays, horror is on the rise. Who is to say this new era of horror will not haunt us more than Hitchcock’s rampant birds? BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Eternal Love Nathaly Zavala Volume 6 Issue 3 June 8, 2026 Image Provided by Unsplash In the realm of love’s cruel game That love that actually makes us insane Is an impossible love, a cruel twist of fate This love that in this time, came late As they were dancing in the storm During the moon’s soft glow This love that was supposed to grow Actually just got destroyed instead of reformed A haunting presence, that does not hide But can’t shake the feeling deep inside That ghost that fights back In the shadows, there resides Here yearning for a love that cannot be Here we are trapped in this eternity that just gave us insanity I hold unto the echoes of your laugh A love that got complicated In the shadows of my mind I still hear your name My soul just told me that you’re still present in this day I remember this crazy night that just whispers by my side Telling me that our love is still alive So I carry this pain-love that does not load Missing you, loving you in this lonely road We all know loving you is a lost trend, a dead end But my heart refuses to let you go, knowing This is our eternal love BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Leaps and Bouts: Adaobi Okammelu's Fencing Feats Rehmat Kaur Volume 5 Issue 4 April 8, 2025 Image Provided by Adaobi Okammelu Adaobi Okammelu started fencing during her freshman year, inspired by her Aunt from Arkansas. After years of trying to convince her mom to let her play a sport, Okammelu decided to give it a try after finding it listed as one of her district’s winter sport offerings. During tryouts, the gym was packed, but only 22 girls were allowed on the team. Then Okammelu realized that she would be “stabbing” people and getting “stabbed.” At that moment, she described herself as “the worst fencer on the team;” however, she had spirit and drive, so she appreciated the opportunity to fence in exhibitions rather than beating herself up for not fencing in official bouts. Fencing is an individual combat that contributes to the overall team score. During a meet, there are three rounds consisting of nine bouts. A bout is a three-minute individual match where the fencer who reaches five points first wins. Each round has three bouts, one for each of the three fencing weapons: foil, sabre, and epee. Sabre is fast paced, with slashes to the opponent's upper body and head. Foil, the most technical, targets only the upper body and excludes the head. The referee is more critical of attacks and movements with foil, as it is the lightest sword. Epee has fewer restrictions, allowing you to hit anywhere on the body without right of way. Foil starts the round, while epee concludes it, leading into the next round. You win the meet by reaching 14 total bouts first. The team that wins the meet by achieving 14 total bouts first wins. Okammelu won about 2-3 bouts out of the entire season which is approximately 60 potential bouts. To prepare for meets, Okammelu finishes long assignments the night before, eats a filling dinner, packs her gym bag with fencing gear, shoes, and medical supplies, and ensures that she gets a good night's rest. After school, Okammelu prepares for fencing by stretching, practicing drills with a teammate, and coaching epee fencers. She leads a prayer before each round to reassure teammates and offer encouragement. Have you faced any challenges in fencing? How did you deal with them? Okammelu: “I’ve faced many challenges, which I can break down into three categories: mental, physical, and social.” When facing an opponent on a 14-meter-long strip, “I experienced anxiety and thoughts about losing, tripping, or stepping into the warning line.” Most of the time, Okammelu felt she was an opponent to herself. She shares “I would beat myself up over losing a bout or letting my opponent get close to scoring when I could have easily prevented it by changing my movements.” Okammelu talks about her experiences in fencing, highlighting what her coach said about the importance of giving oneself grace and not constantly criticizing oneself. Okammelu has experienced physical injuries, but the worst was when she collapsed during the finalist round of the Manhasset tournament, “at that point, I’d been fencing for almost five hours straight.” Despite the pain, she decided to continue with the tournament after receiving a hug from her coach: she placed 4th out of 40 girls! “I’ve never been prouder of myself. Fencing is about pushing yourself, just like any other sport, and I’m glad I was able to continue even when pushed past my limits,” Okammelu remarks. Okammelu elaborates on a social challenge she faces and states, “A social challenge that many of my teammates and I face as well is racism. Our district’s fencing team is one of the few, if not the only, team in the county with more than three black fencers. Over half of our team is black. Due to this, there have been microaggressions from other coaches or opponents, in subtle ways that don’t warrant a yellow or red card for discrimination.” Okammelu recalled an incident where the coach of an opposing team tried to get their teammate carded for the “inappropriate” length of her faux locs, which concerned the team. “I’ve overheard opponents openly pointing out or discussing when my teammates and I wear bonnets or scarves to protect our natural hair. I’ve even heard coaches and parents say to their children, “Don’t lose to someone like her.” Okammelu keep her head held high and expresses, “this challenge is something we all face, in different ways, throughout our fencing—simply because we’re in a sport dominated by people who don’t look like us. The best way we address it is by making sure we win our bouts. There’s nothing we can say to change their mindset, so we prove we’re here to do one thing and one thing only: fence.” Okammelu finds the team to be more like a found family. “Like many siblings, we sometimes get into silly arguments, eat each other’s food as if we bought it ourselves, or decorate each other’s hair with pink bows for our Wednesday meets, when we all wear pink. Our coach is the glue that keeps us together, even if that means rubbing his bald head like a magic ball to give us ‘good luck’ before we go on the strip to fence. When I joined fencing, I didn’t just gain armor and a weapon—I got a family.” Okammelu aims to improve her parries and flushing techniques, which are hand movements used to set up or prevent an opponent's attack. They use parry 6, which involves tightly circling the blade against the opponent's, parry 4, which beats and presses against the opponent's sword while leaning in to land the attack, and parry 8, which involves tightly circling over the opponent's blade, aiming for their thighs. Okammelu also wants to improve her blade work when performing these parries so she can reduce her reliance on performing the same parry over and over. Flushing is a quick move meant to surprise the opponent, and she has only successfully hit her opponents a few times with this technique and would love to master it.” Full Interview with Adaobi Okammelu How have your challenges impacted your motivation to play sports? Okammelu: “The challenges I face only reinforce my goals to be better. Any microaggression or injury I encounter motivates me to show others that I’m good at this sport for a reason—and I want to show them why.” What do you want to see our school team accomplish? Okammelu: “I want to see over half of our team make it to individuals [County Fencing Championships].” What role do you want to play on our district’s team? Okammelu: “While I am currently captain, if there’s a chance to return after graduation as either a referee or coach, I’d love to!” Coach Ferrante, who has been Okammelu’s coach since her freshman year, and according to her, “one of the funniest, nerdiest, and most teddy-bear-like coaches you could ever meet,” constantly pushes her to improve and reach her full potential. He has taught her to be strong and fence aggressively, constantly defends the team during their meets, and ensures they are treated fairly by both referees and opposing coaches. “He’s a great coach, and I’ll be sad to leave him after our last season together.” One major highlight for Okammelu was their meet against Garden City, where they had been ahead by 6 but tied at 13. Okammelu was originally supposed to fence in two rounds but was subbed in for the final round, knowing she would be the last fencer to fight in the final round. In the final bout, she faced a very skilled opponent. With 20 seconds left, the score was tied at 4. “My teammates were yelling from the sidelines, and my anxiety was through the roof.” As the referee began the bout again, her opponent rushed towards her, “surprisingly, I extended my arm and scored the final point. It was one of the most stressful moments of my fencing career, but also one of the best.” What do you want our readers to know about fencing? Okammelu: “Fencing is just as technical and intense as it seems. It requires time and dedication, just like any sport, so don’t be fooled by its elegance thinking it’s soft. Getting hit with a sword isn’t as bad as it seems. Most of the time, depending on the weapon, you’re getting hit in the same areas, and eventually, you get used to it. While bruises do happen, it’s rarely serious. However, epee fencers often find bruises in the weirdest places! Also, we don’t have a boys’ fencing team at the moment, but hopefully, with time, our district will open up fencing to boys as well!” What do you hope for this season, both for yourself and the team? Okammelu: “As this is my final [senior] year, I hope to perform my best one last time for our district’s team. I just want to go out strong with some of my favorite teammates. While I do worry for the team’s success each year as the seniors leave, I can proudly say we’ll be alright—and even better—after this season.” BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Sweet Treats for Cold and Cozy Nights By Christina Ossa Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Original photo by Christina Ossa During the wintertime, I’m always cold, and I'd usually find myself snuggled up by the heater under a blanket. I would watch TV and try to keep warm, but it always feels like something is missing. I feel hungry, craving sweets, but I’m either too lazy or don’t want to put in much effort to prepare something. If you happen to be like me, a lazy person who often craves sweets, take a look at the recipes below because they don’t take much effort! “Elevated” Boxed-Brownies You’re probably wondering, why not just make brownies by what the instructions say on the back? Well, even if brands like Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker have been in the boxed baking business for a very long time, boxed brownies aren’t always the best. They never compare to a brownie from scratch and sometimes leave you still craving something sweeter or more chocolatey. I’ve figured out a way to elevate any brand of brownies, however, to make them taste almost as good as a brownie from scratch; you’ll only need a couple of extra ingredients, and I promise: if you put in just a little more effort than what the box says to do, you won’t regret it. Ingredients: *Prep according to box, except for water ½ stick butter (melted) ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup cocoa powder 1 tsp vanilla extract *optional* ¼ tsp coffee extract/instant coffee *optional* ½ cup chocolate chips Directions: Prep according to the box you’re using, except don’t put in the water Substitute the butter for the water Add the other listed ingredients Stir until fully combined *optional* Add chocolate chips Follow pan and baking instructions based on the box you’re using Enjoy! Hot Cocoa Bombs: While making hot cocoa bombs isn’t the easiest or most low-maintenance recipe, pre-made ones throughout a school/work week always come as a treat after a hard day! I would recommend taking some time out of your day over a weekend to make these and trust me, you won’t regret it once you use them. They make delicious hot chocolate and if you add a dash of heavy cream to your milk, it’ll taste even richer than with just the milk. Also, keep in mind this recipe accounts for each hot cocoa bomb, so when you’re filling them, add all of these ingredients in each one. Peppermint is also another amazing addition to hot cocoa that amps the already sweet flavor of the chocolate by adding a minty flavor, so if you’re a fan of peppermint like me, then you should add this ingredient! Ingredients/Tools: 6-cavity semi-sphere mold 8 oz melting chocolate (melted) 1 tbsp cocoa powder ½ tbsp sugar *optional* ¼ tsp coffee extract ½ handful of marshmallows ½ candy cane/1 full small candy cane Directions: Do the regular process of filling your mold with the melted chocolate Spoon in the chocolate until you have one layer and once that one dries take a clean paintbrush or cooking brush to brush on another layer of chocolate Put the chocolate in the freezer to solidify for 10 mins Carefully take out the chocolate molds by pushing around the sides and once the sides come loose by peeling them off gently Add the ingredients to 3 of your chocolate semi-circles Put the top halves of the semi-circles onto a warmed plate to glue your semi-circles together Once melted SLIGHTLY place the top semi-circle onto the bottom one carefully Add decorations like chocolate drizzles, sprinkles, etc. onto the top Place in a mug with warmed milk and enjoy! Mug Chocolate Lava Cake: Another low maintenance recipe to try out on a lazy, cozy day would be a mug cake. It takes only a couple of minutes for a gooey chocolate cake. Whenever I’m too lazy to bake but want something sweet, I’d usually grab a mug and make this recipe. It’s great for a quick snack or an after-dinner treat while you’re watching TV, doing homework, catching up on work, or gaming. You’ll also get a sweet surprise in the middle since it’s filled with melted chocolate just like a real lava cake. Ingredients/Tools: 1 large mug, microwave-safe 1 tbsp butter (melted) 2 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp cocoa powder 2 tbsp milk (add ½ of tbsp later if too thick) 2 tbsp flour 1 chocolate truffle/2 pieces of a chocolate bar/6 chocolate chips ¼ tsp baking powder Directions: Grab your mug and put in the melted butter Add the sugar to the butter and stir until combined with a spoon Add the cocoa powder and stir Add the milk, gradually, then continue to stir Add your flour and baking powder If your mixture is too thick, add about ½ tbsp of milk or enough to loosen the batter Place your chocolate into the middle of your mixture and make sure it stays in the middle for the “lava-cake” result Microwave the mug for 1 minute to 1 minute and 15 seconds Carefully take out the mug and enjoy! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections What is happening to Colombus Day? Macai Augustine Volume 5 Issue 2 November 25, 2024 Image Provided by Max Ching Did you know that Columbus Day is false? I mean, Columbus didn’t really discover America, so who did, and what's going to happen to Columbus Day? Columbus Day celebrates Christopher Columbus discovering North America on October 12, 1492. That day been celebrated since 1932 and marks the year when it became an official United States holiday. So, what’s the pushback on this holiday, and why has it become so controversial? Christopher Colombus was an Italian navigator and explorer born between August 26 and October 31, 1451, in Genoa, Italy. He later lived in Portugal, Porto Santo Island. As Columbus grew older and became a teenager, he obtained a job on a merchant ship until 1476 when a group of pirates overthrew his ship while it was sailing north along Portugal’s coast. The boat ended up sinking, but luckily, Columbus survived and floated back to shore. This was only the beginning because Columbus started to study cartography, navigation, mathematics, and astronomy. At the time a new issue arrived in that Columbus strived to solve. At the end of the 15th century, it started to become nearly impossible to get from Europe to Asia. The Silk Road started to become extremely dangerous, and unsafe for travel, and the Ottoman Empire started to tax travelers to pass through. To solve this issue, Portuguese explorers sailed along West Africa’s coast. This method worked, but Columbus believes that it was unnecessary and knew that there had to be an easier way to get to Asia instead of sailing along the big continent of Africa. He had the idea that the size of the Earth was much smaller than believed and getting to Asia by sailing northwest could be easier. In 1492, he introduced his plan to officials in Portugal and England, and the Spanish monarchs were interested in Columbus’s idea. Columbus, Ferdinand and Isabella, the Spanish monarchs, also wanted to be famous and rich, so Columbus promised that he would split 10% of the treasure he found. So, on August 3, 1492, he finally set sail. While at sea, he kept a diary to write down all his findings and ideas. When he finally reached, he was able to talk and trade with natives in North America. In Columbus’s diary, he also mentioned the idea of enslaving the people of the land. He knew that these people did not have all the riches and technology that the Europeans had. He wrote, “They have no iron…They would make fine servants…With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.” The problem with Christopher Columbus is that he isn’t a very good man to celebrate, and we should be celebrating differently. Columbus may have helped colonize America, but his actual, often untold story is filled with fear and violence. This is why many cities and states are changing Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day. Sources: https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/christopher-columbus https://www.britannica.com/summary/Christopher-Columbus https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2023-10-09/indigenous-peoples-day-why-its-replacing-columbus-day\ https://allthatsinteresting.com/who-discovered-america BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections The History of Rosa Parks By Manal Layachi Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Image provided by Her Agenda Rosa Parks was born on February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her parents split up and she lived on her grandparent’s farm. Living in Montgomery made Parks tougher and stronger. Parks was very smart, and she started laboratory school for her secondary education, but she was forced to drop out because her grandmother was ill. During this time, there was a lot of segregation. Blacks and whites used separate things like public bathrooms. Whites got better things than Blacks. This was only because of their skin color. One day, Parks met Raymond Parks. This was the first activist she encountered. In 1933, Parks returned to school and got her high school diploma. This was a great accomplishment because very few Black people in Alabama got this degree. In December of 1943, Rosa Parks joined the NAACP. She helped establish the Committee for Equal Justice. In 1948, Parks became the Alabama state secretary of the NAACP. Everything was going very well, but on December 1, 1955 something huge happened. Parks was on a bus when the driver told her to give up her seat to a white man. She refused to give up her seat and got arrested. The news spread, and the Black community began a boycott of Montgomery buses. They refused to go on buses, and they walked to work or any place they needed to go to. Parks got arrested again for boycotting and was quickly released. She decided to flee with her family to Detroit. She fought for voting rights. On August 6, 1965 President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act. Parks won a lot of awards. In August of 1979, the NAACP presented her with the Spingarn Medal. On January 14, 1980 Martin Luther King Jr. awarded Parks with the Nonviolent Peace Prize. On September 15, 1996 Bill Clinton awarded Parks with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. On June 15, 1999 she received the Congressional Gold Medal. Sadly, on October 5, 2005 Parks died at the age of 92. Rosa Parks changed the world for the better. One of her best quotes is "You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.” Source: rosaparksfacts.com BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Welcome to BSU! By Sasha Smalls and Ahmya McMillan Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 Original logo by Sasha Smalls Black Student Unions have been a space for advocacy and education operating in schools and universities around the country for decades. But where did this begin? During the Civil Rights Movement, in response to racial injustice, Jerry Varnado and James Garrett created the first Black Student Union at San Francisco State University, a predominately white campus. Vernando and Garret started a campus movement that demanded institutions of higher learning to address the needs of their black students. This has laid the groundwork for reform, advocacy, and change across many student bodies in various U.S. communities. “Welcome to BSU!” The title for our first meeting that announced the revival and revamping of Valley Stream North High School’s very own Black Student Union. The club began last year as an effort by some Class of 2020 seniors to rally school spirit and support for the Black student demographic here at North. Kristina Dormeus, Carlton Paris, Tonei Laroche, Sydney Hunt, Amir Grant, along with our gracious advisors Assistant Principal Mrs. Small and Teacher Member Ms. Coleman, put BSU on the map. The current cabinet is grateful for much of the groundwork established by last year’s cabinet and acknowledge all the contributions they have made to get the ball rolling for this club. When COVID-19 hit Long Island and soon thereafter Valley Stream, the school went full-remote during the month of March. Over quarantine, BSU, like most clubs, found it challenging to make the switch to virtual. Gratefully, in all this chaos, we managed to hold elections for this year’s cabinet: President Sasha Smalls (Class of 2021), Vice President Tobi Adebowale (Class of 2021), Treasurer Chris Devis (Class of 2021), Secretary Mereddith Rony (Class of 2021), Head Event Coordinator (Ahmya McMillan Class of 2021), and Junior Council Member Ariana Paul (Class of 2022). Over the summer of 2020, BSU was remodeled with a new mission and renewed perspective (not to mention a fantastic website and Instagram that you should check out - see below ). Our mission is to enhance North's community. We are an inclusive organization open to students of all backgrounds. We desire to create a welcoming, judgment-free learning environment and safe space. Through a mixture of information and discussion, we serve to educate and inform the community. We want the conversations of our meetings to transfer out and positively affect how North students conduct themselves: respectfully, kindly, with integrity, and with the utmost confidence. With a focus on Black history and culture, BSU delves into perseverance and overcoming adversity. Discussing current events and topics gives our members insight concerning the minority youth of America. Above all, we emphasize embracing the younger students at North. The sooner they feel empowered, the sooner they can outwardly influence the community here at North and around the world. Let’s discuss how we go about achieving all this. This year’s cabinet members sat down soon after our first club meeting and decided it would be best to do bi-weekly meetings. “Quality over quantity,” said Mrs. Small, and we all agreed. The cabinet meets independently twice. Once to solidify a club meeting topic, determine who will be designing the PowerPoint presentation, and discuss agenda items; then we meet again by Sunday to collaborate on the shared PowerPoint and delegate who speaks at what slide. By Tuesday, we have run everything by Mrs. Small, and we are ready to meet with our club. We have found that certain discussions warrant longer discussions, and we want to give everyone who desires, a chance to share. Therefore, we will have a longer discussion/meeting topic such as police brutality or political perspectives followed by a shorter meeting topic such as plans for Black Solidarity Day. We believe this balance is essential, or we fear we may lose the interest of club members who have to divide their time between schoolwork, jobs, and extracurriculars - much like the members of our cabinet. We acknowledge that the club is a Black Student Union, but we are an inclusive organization, as you may read in our mission statement. Our topics correlate with an issue plaguing the Black community members in America, but we also address other communities such as Latinx and Middle Eastern. We also put an emphasis on perspective and fervently exercise “playing the Devil’s advocate” during our meetings to balance the conversations. Now that you have learned about BSU, we would love to hear from you! You can reach out via email, Instagram, our website, or Teams chat. We have listed all our information below. Email : vsnbsu@gmail.com Instagram : vsn_bsu Website : esmalls28.wixsite.com/vsnbsu Microsoft Teams code : zwf3p7w BACK TO TOP