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Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections COPPA Compliance and the Importance of Internet Safety By Rachel Ezeadichie Volume 3 Issue 2 December 23, 2022 Image provided by Termly Have you ever wondered how safe you were on the internet? How much information were websites taking and why? How safe is your information on the internet? Certain rules have been put in place to ensure the safety of you and your information. In particular, children’s information has been the focus of government officials and lawmakers. COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rules) is a set of rules and regulations in place for online companies that market towards children under 13 years of age. COPPA was originally written out and suggested in 1998 due to a growth in companies that targeted children. COPPA was only enacted in 2000 and has seen multiple reviews and updates since then from 2001-2022 by the FTC (Federal Trade Commission). COPPA applies certain rules to websites and companies that are directed towards or collect the information of children under 13 years of age. If COPPA applies to a company, certain information needs to be included in the company’s privacy policy. Namely, the type of information taken and its reason for use. Additionally, parental consent is required in terms of seeking a child’s information. Personal information cannot be taken for longer than it is being used and data collected must be under careful supervision when in use and when it is discarded. Websites can only share the information with third-party operators’ who can ensure its safety and confidentiality. Parental consent and confidentiality of information are very important and are top priorities of the FTC when it comes to COPPA and the internet in general. So, you can rest easy knowing that your information is federally protected. Safety is one of the first components to be considered while surfing the web. While the internet is a fun place, it is also a dangerous one. Therefore, it is crucial to be aware of your interactions on the internet. Going to dangerous websites jeopardizes your safety, your computer’s safety, and the safety of people around you. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Prism Back to Sections The Compliments to Shape and Color By Nehilah Grand-Pierre November 24, 2020 Volume 1 Issue 2

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Breaking Down the Oxford High School Shooting By Sahar Ali Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Image provided by Fox 2 Detroit MICHIGAN- On November 30th, 2021, a 15-year-old student identified as Ethan Crumbley opened fire at Oxford High School, killing four students and leaving several others critically injured. Prosecutors started filing involuntary manslaughter charges against James and Jennifer, Ethan Crumbley’s parents, on December 3rd, 2021. The event that occurred on November 30th was a tragedy. Events That Occurred at the School At 12:51 p.m., authorities received one of the first of over a hundred 911 calls regarding the shooting. After viewing the security footage from November 30th, the authorities stated that the suspect, Ethan Crumbley, came out of a bathroom and opened fire at students present in the hallway. As the first gunshots were heard by the students at Oxford High School, they immediately rushed for cover and barricaded themselves behind classroom doors using chairs. Authorities stated that within the first five minutes, eleven people had been shot. With the handgun, Crumbley fired about thirty shots before he was detained by the police in the school’s hallway. For many hours, investigators looked over the school’s security cameras to track the suspect’s actions. From this security footage, Crumbley’s targets seemed random and the motive to open fire at the school has not yet been determined. The Victims Ethan Crumbley’s actions took the lives of four students: Hana St. Juliana (14), Madisyn Baldwin (17), Tate Myre (16), and Justin Shilling (17). Hana, Madisyn, and Tate all died in a sheriff’s car while being transported to a hospital; Justin died in a hospital the next day. Hana St. Juliana played on Oxford High School’s volleyball and basketball teams. Madisyn Baldwin was a “beautiful, smart, sweet loving girl,” as described by her grandmother. She was also considered a talented artist. Tate Myre was a linebacker and a tight end of Oxford High School’s football team. He had also received an All-Region award recently. Justin Shilling was on Oxford High School’s boys bowling team. Officials also state that six students (ranging from ages 14-17) were injured and a bullet grazed a 47-year-old teacher. The Suspect The suspect, Ethan Crumbley, a sophomore at Oxford, lives in Oxford Village, a suburb with fewer than 3,500 residents. On the morning of November 30th, the day of the shooting, Crumbley’s parents were called into the high school after one of his teachers discovered a note drawn by him which caused the teacher alarm. The note contained images of a gun with a person who had been shot and a laughing emoji. The note also said the words, “Blood everywhere” and “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me.” A meeting was also held a day before the shooting took place as a teacher saw Crumbley searching online for gun ammunition during class. Furthermore, investigators found two videos from Crumbley’s cellphone that were made the night before the shooting. In these videos, Ethan Crumbley talked about shooting and killing the students at his high school the next day. Authorities also state that a journal in Crumbley’s backpack was found where he wrote about his desire to “shoot up the school.” Ethan Crumbley’s lawyer has entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf. The authorities are still investigating this case and have stated that they believe Ethan Crumbley had planned the shooting alone. Charges Against the Suspect Ethan Crumbley was charged as an adult with one count of terrorism causing death. He was also charged with four counts of first-degree murder. If convicted, he will receive a life sentence. Prosecutors state that Crumbley’s plan was premeditated, and his parents were also charged. Why the Parents Were Charged The handgun that was used by Ethan Crumbley during the shooting (a 9-millimeter Sig Sauer) was bought by his father, James Crumbley, four days before the shooting. Jennifer, Ethan Crumbley’s mother, stated on social media that the weapon was her son’s “Christmas present.” The prosecutor, Karen D. McDonald, charged James and Jennifer Crumbley with involuntary manslaughter; Ms. McDonald believes that the parents could have prevented the shooting from occurring. When the school informed Mrs. Crumbley that her son had been searching for ammunition, she texted, “LOL, I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught” to Ethan. Ms. McDonald states that school officials told Crumbley’s parents that they were required to find counseling for their son, but his parents did not want their son to be taken out of school. The school also did not ask if he had the gun nor searched through his backpack that he had brought to the office. After Crumbley’s parents did not show up for their arraignment, they became the subject of a major fugitive hunt. After being found in Detroit, both parents were taken into custody and are being held in the same jail facility with their son in Oakland County, Michigan. Each of the three family members is being kept in isolation. Consequences the School is Facing Oxford High School’s response to Ethan Crumbley’s behavior is being studied closely - especially the decision of the guidance counselors who sent Crumbley back to class after a teacher discovered his alarming drawings. His personal belongings were not searched either. On December 9th, the parents of two sisters who survived the shooting filed a lawsuit in a federal court against the school and its officials, which included the superintendent, principal, dean, two guidance counselors, and two teachers. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Hyper Pop By Eva Martinez Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 Image provided by Dork When you ask someone how they would define grunge, they may reference bands like Nirvana, or recall fond memories of teen years spent in basements and garages with guitars stolen from their parents. There was joy in simply making music; it was rough, sloppy, and new. As a generation of digital natives comes of age in an era where recording software is free, inexpensive, and easy to access, a new generation’s grunge was born, Hyper pop . Hyper pop Two words that make sense when combined are the genre tag for one of the most undefinable movements in music in the past two decades. Due to its ineffable nature, the best way to explain the genre is through examples. I point you to “money machine” by 100gecs. 100gecs is quintessentially Hyper pop, and while others such as Charlie XCX have been in the game longer, bands like Waterparks, which may dabble with production styles reminiscent of the genre 100gecs, are Hyper pop superstars. So, what makes a song Hyperpop? Let us look at some of the elements in “money machine” and find out. First, the vocals. Recorded on what sounds like a broken toy megaphone, the messy and sped-up vocals are the primary identifier of a Hyper pop song. The second genre-defining elements are the obnoxious number of vocal effects and augmentation packed into this one-minute fifty-four-second song. Reminiscent of the inadequate quality yet laugh-out-loud funny “chipmunk” versions of popular songs spawned by the Alvin and the Chipmunk movies, the heavily edited vocals create a rushed energy that channels even a turtle’s fastest effort. Next up? The beat. Undeniably simple enough for anyone with a decent understanding of Audacity or a similar mixing software to create within an hour, simplicity lends itself to Hyper pop’s “grungy” nature. It is a fast-paced ride across snare and cymbal that ups the intensity towards the end. It is a lightning-fast crash ride, and 100gecs is dragging you along whether you like it or not. Okay, so we have covered vocals and drums; what else is there? Well, besides an ever-increasing number of random production elements, loud and distorted guitars, and general chaos, “money machine” and, by extension, Hyper pop has one larger thread holding it together. The “hyper” in Hyper pop does not necessarily come for the genre’s need for speed. It refers to the pure oversaturation of sound that one experiences whenever a Hyper pop song plays. This incessant need to overload the mixing and production of a song has an interesting connection to the people creating it. Just as grunge was a rebellion against what came before it, Hyper pop is too. The maturation of so many young people when the internet handed them the world and told them everything was in reach has led to a shift in genre. Pushing back against simpler production styles and bland radio hits, Hyper pop is neon graffiti on the black and white walls of the music industry. It is fast, loud, and undeniably too much. If you are still doubtful of Hyper pop’s connection to the online world, look at the song titles across the genre. Titles are all written in a grammatical style that intend to strike fear into the hearts of most English teachers yet are easily readable to this online generation. The lyrical style of Hyper pop additionally lends to this online feeling. Upbeat and messy backgrounds crash through your ears as various artists depict deep feelings of hopelessness. Still, surely monster energy and some neon paint will make those issues irrelevant, right? At least, that is what Hyper pop attempts to convince you of. When the world is at your fingertips, it can be beautiful. One can learn about diverse cultures and gain a deeper understanding of humanity. Conversely, it can cause feelings of depression and isolation. To me, this duality is represented best by Hyper pop. It can be overwhelming; it can give you a migraine and force you to wonder why anyone would ever make such music. Yet, it can also be the background to a high-octane workout, and its overwhelming nature corresponds to an overwhelming world, but here being overwhelmed means something. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections The Ghost and Mrs. Muir – A Very Rad Review Jasmine Roberts Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 Image Provided by Unsplash+ The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is a classic supernatural romance, film noir of 1947. Starring Gene Tierney, as the titular Lucy Muir and esteemed actor Rex Harrison, as the Ghost. Directed by well accomplished filmmaker Joseph Mankiewicz, it bases itself on the book written by R.A. Dick, or more truthfully, Josephine Leslie. This movie could perfectly be summed up as a blend of the classic noir characteristics of idealistic romance, a stunning contrast of black and white, and the charming transatlantic accents with the supernatural and the melancholic sadness of lost love. The film creates not only an artistically beautiful film, which emphasizes the beauty of intimacy, but also a nuanced and heartfelt perspective on two of the most natural parts of human existence, time and love. The viewer’s heart has no choice but to flutter and yearn for the passion each protagonist shares for one another, even after years have passed. If it was not apparent enough, I will gladly say that The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is one of my most beloved films, and inherently one of the loveliest Romance films to date. The story takes place in 1900s Britain, following Mrs. Muir after the death of her husband, leaving her a widow in a period of patriarchal dependency. The now widowed Muir decides to move to an abode near the seaside, in the small village of Whitecliff, to the dismay of her family and the dismay of the realtor who sells her the home, as Gull Cottage is rumored to be haunted by its previous host, a man who had committed an unfortunate act of suicide; however, Muir decides to rent the home, allowing the widow’s life to change in ways that no mere skeptic could rightfully explain… We open to a scene of Lucy discussing her future with her family-in-law. Her sister and mother are distraught at her departure and are actively begging the widow to stay. Her mother in-law is crying into a handkerchief from losing the only remembrance of her late son, while Lucy’s sister in-law is questioning her ability to raise her daughter, Anna, on her own. Lucy, however, is calm and collected, she is blunt in her answers and makes sure to correctly point out, that she is merely an in-law, who does not have connections to her husband’s family other than by law. She freely states that after her husband's death, she now has her own life to live. When I first watched this movie, I was very young, around 6 or 7. I couldn’t appreciate the tasteful depiction of Lucy as an intelligent woman who understands what she wants, but after my fifth viewing of this movie, it has now greatly surprised me how independent Lucy is, in a time period of the late Edwardian era to early Victorian era. Women of this time were frequently considered more desirable, the less opiniated and assertive they were. If a women allowed herself the independence Lucy has decided to uphold, she would have been considered mentally ill and even branded with the misogynistic illness named female hysteria. Though we could blame this more feminist take on the fact that the author of the book is movie is based on is a woman, and also the time this movie was created, 1947, which was two years after the second world war, a time when women worked in the factories and the iconic illustration Rosie the Riveter was created. It still should be noted that the 40’s were not kind to women and strongly harbored objective views on how women should live their lives, so it was refreshing to see a take that showed not only a bold woman of the early 20th century, but also depicts this in the late 20th century. This movie also wonderfully illustrates Lucy’s personality as soon as she is on screen. As any film hobbyist will explain to you, it is imperative to establish your characters once they are first introduced. This allows the viewer to immerse themselves into the movie, but also makes the select characters' behavior and choices more sensible to the characterization as the story progresses. When we meet Lucy, she is shown to understand what she wants and even though she is a woman in the 19th century, she is blunt and does not sugar-coat her words, so it makes sense that she would want to live independently on her own, away from those who seem to enforce such traditional behaviors. Lucy’s choices make sense and allow me to forget my troubles and completely follow the story of Mrs. Muir and the ghost. I believe that some directors now, seem to not understand how jarring it can be to suspend your disbelief with every scene and decision a character makes, this movie understands that hassle and makes sure not to make those same mistakes. The movie continues to masterfully use Lucy’s early characterization to both make her decisions make sense and also build on her character. After, we are shown a quite short montage of Mrs. Muir moving to Whitecliff, we settle on a scene of Lucy trying to rent a home, from a realtor, Mr. Coombe. He guides Mrs. Muir to a seat next to him and begins to show her different listings, which all seem to be too expensive, except one. Gull Cottage. Mr. Coombe puts the paper aside again in anxious haste, explaining to Lucy that she would be wasting her time; however, Lucy picks up the paper once again, and holds her ground. She, adamant that she wants Gull Cottage and is not afraid to disagree with the man who speaks down to her, even threatening to leave him without business. The first major first scene and the second major scene wove together into a knit of splendid story telling. These scenes need one another to make Lucy. The first scene shows why she would not be scared to double down with her want of Gull Cottage, while the second scene shows how a characterization like this would apply to the real world . Some would say that scenes like this have little to do with the overall review of this movie, but I disagree with such an opinion. This is a romance movie, and romance movies need relationship dynamics for viewers to apply to our own realities. Lucy’s personality, as we will see, makes her and the ghost’s romance lovely to watch, especially in a movie of supernatural and paranormal idealism. Lucy is driven to the Cottage and on the outside, the home is decrepit and wild, in the inside it is plain and blanketed with dust. But this isn’t the most fundamental part of the film. No. It is when Lucy opens an inconspicuous door of the Cottage and is intrigued by an illuminated painting of a man with dark, brooding eyes, wearing the hat of a captain. This is our first introduction to The Ghost. It is a wonderful way to introduce a character and illustrate how the viewer should see this man. The image of a hyper realistic painting in a pitch black room, with the only light source being directly upon this mysterious man's face, not only tells us that we should remember his presence, but also creates an air of suspense, as we want to know more about this man and why a painting of him is so important to be directly emphasized upon. The light on this painting is also eerie. It illuminates upon an uncanny valley depiction of this gentleman, bringing a life to him, that should not be there, it feels as though he knows you are in his home, he sees you, and he knows what you are doing. The black and white contrast of the movie also creates this aura of mystery of both fear and intrigue. Even something as simple as the hat upon his head is a great way to tell us who this painted man is without directly stating so. In context, Gull Cottage is near a beach, so when the captain hat is shown, it tells the viewer right away that this man has worked at sea, and most likely appreciates it, as to then live right near it. The usage of the bright light is a stylistic, somewhat impressionist way of shooting this scene, because realistically in an all dark room, that does not have any obvious source, light does not appear in one area, but the light works so well because it feels supernatural, as if a ghost is haunting this portrait, and could even express how Lucy sees this man. A handsome gentleman, that draws attention with his aesthetic powerfulness, a man that the heart leads towards, to find some sanctity in his love. When they learn that the home was owned by the late Captain Gregg, we aren’t told anything after that, leaving the viewer with more questions that shall not be answered. The lovely Lucy seems to already adore this home and has already fallen in love with it. This scene shows a significant way of how the Ghost and Mrs. Muir will connect. Their taste in furniture can strongly allude to their sensibilities about life, as where furnishing is where you live for the majority of your life. A shared taste in furniture is also a shared belief in how individuals should live. Lucy has fallen in love with the home, and especially the room in which the painting resides, but there is a tree that exists on the outside of a large bay window, which she finds hideous, and tells the realtor she will have chopped down. At that moment, she freezes in place once the words have left her mouth. The instruments which play in the background have risen in intensity, and Mrs. Muir looks surprised, like she has felt a chilling presence, but nothing is there… right? We will discuss this later. A few more occurrences occur, which point to paranormal activity, such as food being left loosely upon a table, as the charwomen who had visited left in a haste, and a telescope located in the main bedroom, being clean when no one has lived in the home for 4 years, leaving the rest of the cottage dusty and old. But most chilling is the disembodied laugh which echoes through the main bedroom, as the realtor runs away in fear. These are good ways to foreshadow the existence of the ghost, as now the viewer knows there is a supernatural being roaming around, and one can piece together who it is, yet the viewer knows very little about the ghost. It both lets us on the secret yet leaves us out the loop. Questions surely need to be answered, so the viewer continues to watch the film, hoping their queries will be resolved in due time. Mrs. Muir still decides to take the home, she is skeptic of a ghost actually haunting the cottage, but the thought does not frighten her. It hints that she wants to understand the ghost, while others run away from terror. So, she moves in and begins living with her maid, Martha. A scene which I deeply appreciated was when Mrs. Muir discusses feelings of inadequacy. It foreshadows later events, ties into her characterization while adding a conflict, and creates agency in a female character when in other films, even modern ones, women are shown to have little. Every scene in a movie should progress the plot in some shape or form and this simple scene, as Mrs. Muir walks up the stairs, does this exact thing creatively. When Lucy is put down for a short nap, the viewer is welcomed to a dynamic shot of a clock, ticking. Showing the passage of time, it’s a loud ding that tells the watcher that something important will be showing soon, the camera shows Lucy’s barking dog, then lingers on the figure of a shadow, as it creeps towards Lucy. The film is amazing at shooting suspense, we know who that this shadow is the ghost, but now we are waiting for Lucy to know, though she continues to stay oblivious and wakes up in a haze, the clock is shown again, and the lighting dims, reminding the viewer that time has passed. Lucy knows very little of the Ghost, she lives her life without the knowledge of the dead, Until one stormy night. Lucy places her daughter to sleep, as lightning strikes, creating a comfy, yet haunting effect when contrasted with the traditional black and white film. Lucy, with one candle in her hand walks throughout the cottage and opens the door to the room which houses the illuminating painting, she glows once again, then vanishes with the dark. The ghost will appear soon. Mrs. Muir then lends herself in the kitchen, she tries to create light, but is disturbed by the hectic wind which blows the light. Mrs. Muir realizes it is the ghost and confronts him, she isn’t shy nor meek, instead she yells at him for being such a coward as to terrorize a poor lady. In response the ghost speaks. His domineering voice tells Lucy to allow light. Which she does and begins to show around the kitchen only to stop once she sees the Ghost in person. She is frightened, but I would say scared. More like surprised at such a sight, that should defy the laws of nature. The Ghost, however, seems to be more agitated than anything. Rex Harrison played the Ghost like a melodious flute. Everything present around the Ghost alludes to who he is as a person, from his informal, and scratchy tone to his rough beard. It helps the viewer draw correct conclusions on this sea torn man. He is ill-tempered and badly mannered, which contrast Mrs. Muir respectable, kind personality. As soon as these two meets, we are shown a sweet dynamic, where opposites attract to create the most wonderous of love. The two begin on shaky grounds. The Ghost is crude and misogynistic, finding solace in insulting others, especially women. He wants Mrs. Muir ousted from his past home, while Mrs. Muir refuses to leave. This causes a certain tension amongst the two, they argue and bicker, for Lucy is not a woman who is ordered around, while the ghost has his own wants, which Lucy refuses to allow him. But the ghost seems to have developed a soft spot for Lucy, due to her refusal to run away, and allows her to stay on a trial. The two continue to quarrel and argue, frequently clashing with one another's personalities, for instance when Lucy cuts down the tree, she deemed ugly when she first looked at the place, to then find out the Ghost planted the tree with his own bare hands. The argument is sweet to watch, it is like seeing an old married couple bicker in public. The Ghost nags Lucy about it, while the women hold her cool, demanding roses instead. They also connect in ways that are emotional. The Ghost has realized that Lucy didn’t actually love her husband, but merely liked him, a deeply hidden truth, which causes Lucy to become aghast. But through conversation, it is shown that he is right. Lucy says that her husband could not design the house she had moved into and loved so dearly, and when she asks who designed the home, the Ghost says that he created. This is similar to the furniture, these miniscule details show that they are on the same wavelength and through all their arguing, they still have a founded connection. The connection is shown even more when Lucy in-laws come to visit, bring bad news with them. The investment of her husband is paying dividends no more, forcing in a corner. With no more money to spare, she now has to move back in with the in-laws, which she finds little connection with. But, the Ghost refuses, and pridefully admits that he wants Mrs. Muir to stay with him in his own ornery manner. It is idealistic that in such a short period of time, these two would have a connection so profound, but it works so well because the connection between them was created before they had even met. They knew each other dearly before their words could ever clash. To remedy Mrs. Muir’s financial issue, the Ghost proposes that she write a book. He allows Lucy to write about his life as a captain, even though they haven’t known each other long, the captain seems to trust Mrs. Muir with his story. He evens tells her his name, Daniel, and nicknames Lucy, Lucia, explaining that the latter name, is strong and does not get forced upon. During their writing sessions, they begin to fall in love, as they fill in each other's gaps. Their bickering comes off as squabbles to hide their romantic tension, and even sometimes genuine flirts, for example when the Ghost begins to mock Lucy as a well-behaved young girl to then end with the compliments of her freckles. However, as their love grows the more unfortunate it becomes. Lucy is alive, while Daniel is dead. A love that is hindered by space and time, so Daniel must give Lucy up and direct her to fall in love with a living man. Their romance isn’t reconciled either, when Lucy meets another author named Miles Fairley and begin their own blossoming love. Daniel becomes jealous of their love at first, but ultimately decides to vanish in the night, leaving Lucy with merely a dream and idea of his existence, for he told Lucy to move on, so now the Ghost must move on too. But, not without his own sorrowful regrets. Lucy, however, doesn’t obtain the mortal love, The Ghost so desired her to get. Instead, she is left heartbroken, once she discovers that Miles, in an unfaithful man with two kids and a morose wife, who explains that Fairley makes it a habit to practice adultery with other women. Lucy withdraws into herself and forgoes the search for love, instead she grows lonely and tired, as her daughter leaves her to attend college and falls in love with her own future spouse. But her daughter leaves her with a few words relating to her secret crush as a child Daniel, who she has seen since the little girl had been living in Gull Cottage. As time grows and life begins to wane, Lucy’s health begins to diminish, she denies a cup of milk Martha offered to her and begins to grow tired. Time is merely a circle which documents our life throughout our years, and like any circle, there is a cycle to be maintained. Lucy dies in the same seat, in which she was first visited by the ghost. Daniel has come back to guide her to the heavens, and hand-in-hand the couple are delivered to the song of the angels. This movie cannot be explained, just in words. No. One must actively see how beautiful and loving this film is, by watching it on a cold, gloomy afternoon, with little to no natural nor artificial light. I couldn’t recommend it more! The symbolism of the clock, and of time, reminds those who view the movie, that nothing lasts forever, and we must cherish what we have now. This film has engraved itself into the edges of my heartstrings, and with every romantic memory I dare think, the water of my eyes begins to overflow, and the waterfall of my soul drowns me in sorrow and a hopeful yearning for the love so similar to that of the Ghost and Mrs. Muir, and for that I rate this movie: 10/10 Crying Jasmines BACK TO TOP

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

Back to Artwork Black American Artists Back to Sections Howardena Pindell - Untitled By Howardena Pindell February 12, 2021 Volume 1 Issue 5 Medium: Collage with Hole-Punched Paper Dots, Pen and Black Ink, Monofilament, and Talcum Powder on Oak Tag Paper, Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

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

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Alliance By Eva Grace Martinez Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Image provided by the vapride.com Hello everyone! My name is Eva Martinez, and while I am an editor here at NORTH STAR, I am also president of Valley Stream North’s LBGT+ affinity group: The Alliance. The primary goal of The Alliance is to make North a safer space for all students by creating a safe space for its LGBT+ students. We have many events throughout the year, such as the Social Justice Summit and participating in the National Day of Silence. The Alliance meets every other Monday at 3:15, and I can honestly say it is one of the best clubs North has to offer! We discuss all topics pertaining to gender and sexuality, as well as current events we decide are relevant. If you like to discuss how who you are intersects with our school environment, The Alliance is the place for you. Additionally, The Alliance is…well… an alliance. We welcome anybody into our club if they are interested. If you are curious about The Alliance, you are absolutely welcome to join us for a meeting. We have a fairly open attendance policy and promise we won’t be upset if you only show up once! If you need more convincing to show up to a meeting, I can tell you that few other clubs have felt as impactful as The Alliance in my high school career. When I started in The Alliance, the club only had a handful of members, and our biggest event of the year was a trip to an all-Long Island GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) conference. Now, we’ve held two Social Justice Summits where over 100 people tuned in to hear our voices. As the club grows in numbers, I cannot wait to see the wonderful rainbow-colored future our current members create! If you think that helping us paint the town rainbow sounds like the club for you, join the Alliance team, and help us brighten North’s future! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Poetry Out Loud Rachel Ezeadichie Volume 5 Issue 3 January 14, 2025 Image Provided by Sofia Owen Students here at Valley Stream North have many opportunities to display their creativity. Whether through art, literature, community-led works, or performance, it is important to allow students to exhibit their talent and artistry, and this belief is best exemplified with an event like Poetry Out Loud. Poetry Out Loud is a nationwide recitation competition where students from 9th to 12th grade perform poems from the event’s anthology. The competition has 4 levels – schoolwide, regional, state, and national. Sixteen students from our school have been preparing for the schoolwide portion of the competition. Each student has chosen and memorized a poem to perform in front of a panel of judges. Students can earn points in 6 categories: physical presence, voice and articulation, interpretation, evidence of understanding, overall performance, and accuracy. These students competed in the library on Wednesday, December 11th from 3 - 4:30 pm. In preparation for the competition, students went on two in-school field trips on November 26th and December 3rd to fully grasp their poems and the structure of the competition. On November 26th, Dave Johnson, a poet and former Poetry Out Loud emcee, visited our school and gave the competing students tips on how to improve their recitations. This workshop highlighted the importance of connecting with one’s poem and choosing a piece that spoke to them. Students were split into groups and were encouraged to ask the other students in their group about their poems. With everyone’s poem chosen, Johnson worked one-on-one with each student, discussing their piece with them and walking step-by-step through their thought process. An emotional connection with your poem is important to convey not only its meaning but its connection to you as an individual. To conclude the field trip, Johnson instructed each student to write a poem or a blurb based on their poem. After a couple of minutes, students performed their inspired poem for the rest of the group. Everyone who spoke had incredible control over their words and it was an insightful experience to see how each person viewed the world around them through the lens of their poem. On December 3rd, Johnson returned and this time focused on the accuracy of our recitations while still encouraging us to hone the emotional interpretations of our poems. Students split off into groups once again and discussed their poems with each other, reciting them and analyzing each line to better remember and understand their meaning. Volunteers from each group went in front of everyone and recited their poems, receiving encouragement and suggestions from Johnson on how to improve and change their tone. As he concluded his workshop, he gave advice to help everyone on the day of the competition. He advised students to take a breath and “plant” themselves and to visualize the poem as they recite it. Johnson closed with inspiring words to the whole group: “See what you say, and we will see what you say.” This competition allows students to lift poetry off the page and share their creativity through oration and performance. It serves as a wonderful opportunity for not only the students performing but those watching as well to expose themselves to new kinds of literature and creation. We at North Star applaud the confidence and dedication of the students who participated. BACK TO TOP