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Back to Artwork Who am I Back to Sections Who am I?-Madisen Dubose Madisen Dubose November 6, 2023 Colored Pencil Volume 4 Issue 1

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Joe Biden Leads in Major Polls By Everton Prospere Volume 1 Issue 1 November 1, 2020 Image provided by NBC News As of October 28th, former Vice President Joe Biden maintains a lead in major polls nationwide over incumbent, Donald Trump. Polls conducted by NBC, CNN, and Fox currently show that the Democratic nominee holds a seven to ten point lead nationwide as well as in key swing states. In the battleground state of Florida, NBC news shows Biden holds the lead in seven polls, while the incumbent only holds the lead in one. Biden also holds the lead in all eight polls reported by NBC news in Pennsylvania, a state that historically is won by Democrats. However, in the 2016 election Pennsylvania was won by the Republican party. CNN reports that Joe Biden holds the lead in over 80 polls nationwide by an average of ten points, a historical lead in which only Bill Clinton held a higher poll lead in elections since 1968. (In comparison, Donald Trump holds the lead in no polls according to CNN, or none outside the poll’s margin of error). Fox news reports that the Democratic nominee holds a seven and a half point lead nationwide over the incumbent. In Georgia and Texas, states considered to be new to the battleground name that have historically voted Republican, Fox reports Joe Biden is catching up to Trump. In a recent Georgia poll Biden is tied with Trump, while in Texas, Trump maintains a four point lead. It should be noted that Georgia is historically known to go to the Republican Party. While many voters question the accuracy of polls, David Wasserman of NBC news stated that “Trump would probably need a larger polling miss than in 2016 to win re-election, and there’s no guarantee a systemic polling error this year would run in his favor”. Therefore, the polls are unlikely to err in the incumbent’s favor. In addition, Biden’s lead is steady in comparison to Clinton’s lead in 2016, proving that there is a more likely chance that these polls will reflect an accurate outcome. However, news sites such as The Hill report that the polls are wrong for multiple reasons. Authors at The Hill state that the tone of the questions, the sample of respondents, and the distrust of polls among Trump supporters should be taken into account because they are factors that may cause a lack of understanding and the President could be re-elected. Although there may be conflict regarding whether the polls are accurate, it is clear that Joe Biden currently has the lead by a large number. With that being said, all registered voters can exercise their voice in democracy, and only time will tell the actual outcome of the 2020 Presidential Election. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Heckscher Back to Sections Lake Harmony Entry 9 April 14, 2022 Photography Volume 2 Issue 6

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Squid Games By Augustine Magapan Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Original artwork by Elaine Ching Everyone enjoys spending time with each other. No matter who you are with, whether it’s family, friends, relatives, or even your pet, it would be reasonable to watch a show or movie for everyone’s amusement. Netflix is the platform to go to. There are about 207 million subscribers to Netflix. Although you are watching Netflix with other people, what if you were alone? An action-packed, gory, horror, puzzle-solving thriller series may be a suitable genre for you. On September 17th, 2021, Netflix released an original series called Squid Games . Squid Games is an action-packed, gory, horror, puzzle-solving, thriller series that revolves around people competing for money. As viewers start the show, they investigate the life of a protagonist named Gi-hun who is divorced and in debt to some Korean mafia. On the verge of being killed by the Korean mafia and losing his daughter to her stepdad, he finally wins the jackpot on a bet with horseback riding; however, he is robbed of the money and does not have anything left. Walking in tears, he encounters a man in a suit who asks him if he would like to play ddakji , which is a childhood game. He told Gi-hun that if he wins, he gets 100,000 won, but if he loses, Gi-hun must pay 100,000 won. Unfortunately, Gi-hun does not win the game and must give the man the money. Luckily for him, the man in the suit was nice enough to tell Gi-hun that he must use his body; therefore, Gi-hun gets slapped in the face. Since that was the only consequence of losing, Gi-hun keeps playing until he wins. Finally, Gi-hun was able to win, and he earned 100,000 dollars. The businessman tells him that there are a lot more games like that if he competes in the organization called the “Squid Games.” Gi-hun takes time to think about the offer and decides to go. When he arrives at the meeting spot, a mysterious man in a red suit with a mask with a shape on it picks him up. Gi-hun goes in the van and sees other people passed out. Soon, Gi-hun has also passed out. Once Gi-hun wakes up, he sees a lot of other people there wearing a green tracksuit just like his. He also sees other people having a certain number on their clothes. Gi-hun was considered Player 456. The competitors meet more of these red-suited men and accept the terms and conditions of the games. The superiors of the red-suited people told the players that every time they win, more money is added to their bank accounts; however, if they lose a game, they will be eliminated. Every time a player is eliminated, more money is added to their bank accounts. Once everything is settled, while being unknown to their surroundings, the competitors play their first game. The first game was simple, it was Red Light, Green Light. The goal of the game is to make it to the other side of the field without being caught by the big robot. When it’s a green light, players are supposed to go, when it’s a red light, players are supposed to stop and be frozen. If a person is not frozen at a red light, or doesn’t make it to the end in time, they are eliminated. The game starts and players are already sprinting, trying to make it to the end; however, the first person who messed up because he wasn’t frozen on red light was shot. It took a while for the other players to realize that if people lose in the game, they will die. This led to a lot more people panicking and getting shot leading to more than 100 people dead in the first challenge. The first episode of the series is a gruesome one. Gi-hun luckily makes it across along with a lot of other people. Once the first game was over, the superior guards showed the winning players how much money was banked. Although it was a lot of money, people who won the challenge wanted to go home while some wanted to keep playing. The superior guards then revealed that everyone who is competing in these squid games are in debt with a gigantic financial loss. In order to leave squid games, everyone must vote to see whether or not people are still going to play or leave. Luckily, the voting results came to where everyone is allowed to leave safely. Once Gi-hun was able to go back to his normal life, he encounters other people who were also in the game. It then switches perspectives to the other players with interesting back stories and problems in their lives. This helps create more development for the characters to help viewers have a better understanding of the story. When Gi-hun was walking around, he realizes that his mother is about to go bankrupt due to his brother, who was also in the squid games, selling her shop. This frustrates Gi-hun since not only his mother is suffering from financial loss, but his mother is also feeling very ill alongside with his debt to the mafia and wanting his daughter back. He realizes that he doesn’t have anything else to live for and goes back to the Squid Games once again with the other characters. As viewers continue to watch, they will stumble on new friends and foes for Gi-hun, new challenges to face, and plot twists of other perspectives. The main question for viewers is, what in the world is Squid Games? It is more than just mere games for money, so what is it? Today, Squid Games is one of the most popular series on Netflix. Many people dressed up as them for Halloween, others made TikToks based on the series, and some even made their own version of Squid Games like Mr. Beast, a professional YouTuber who gives millions to people. Squid Games is overall a significant series to watch to solve mysteries and find out the reason why people take certain actions. 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Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections UCA College Nationals Sarah Velez Volume 4 Issue 3 March 13, 2024 Image Provided by Varsity TV When I say “cheerleader,” what do you think of? The majority of people imagine a girl dressed in a skirt shaking her poms at a football game, and although those activities are part of cheerleading, it is significant to note that such a sport consists of so much more. UCA College Nationals The UCA College Nationals is a competitive cheerleading event that has taken social media by storm, often showing off difficult stunts, demonstrating sharp and clean dances, and portraying the unique style of makeup and uniforms cheerleaders wear to perform and dazzle audiences. UCA stands for Universal Cheerleading Association, which has taken place (hand in hand with UDA College Nationals) for over 35 years. Both teams competed at the Walt Disney Resort in January 2024 from the 12th through the 14th. Despite all the controversy about whether or not cheerleading is a sport, it is important to recognize the hardships cheerleaders endure and the athletic abilities cheerleaders develop to perfect each routine that gets performed on the mat. The competition is separated into divisions which include… Division IA Coed Cheer Division IA All Girl Cheer Division IA Small Coed Cheer Division I Coed Cheer Division I All Girl Cheer Division I Small Coed Cheer Open Coed Cheer2 Open All Girl Cheer Open Small Coed Cheer Division IA All Girl Game Day Division IA Game Day Open Coed Game Day. Small Coed Game Day Open All Girl Game Day With over 950 teams, overall consisting of 18,500 athletes, it is important to categorize each age group within different divisions to ensure that each team gets equal treatment against one another. Who were the winners of this impeccable competition? The winners were the University of Central Florida, University of South Florida, and overall winner, University of Memphis. Is Cheerleading a Sport? Cheerleaders often face criticism on whether cheerleading is considered a sport. Most people often fail to realize that as of 2021, the International Olympic Committee designated cheerleading as a sport! Cheerleading combats all the sports regulations and requirements as any other sport (including physical activity, point systems, and competitions) so why would it not be considered a sport? The Factors Within Cheerleading Stunting plays a huge role in cheerleading and is usually what most girls look forward to. Stunting is a four-person activity that includes a main base, a side base, a backspot, and a flyer. A flyer is in the middle, the main base is on the right, the side base is on the left, and the backspot stays behind the flyer. Stunting is no joke, because anybody can get hurt, not just the flyer. That is why it is so important to make sure there are spotters all around, ready to save a stunt if something were to go wrong. Leg strength and arm strength are crucial in providing a strong, stable foundation for the flyer. As a flyer, it is important to stay tight and squeeze your body. Aside from stunting, tumbling plays an important and entertaining role when competing against other teams. The most important skill for cheer when it comes to tumbling is a round-off, which not only comes in handy for cheer, but also gymnastics in general! A round off is known to be the most basic skill that allows you to move from one skill into the next. Conclusions Within Cheerleading Both the UCA and UDA have competed with hypnotizing routines and dances that allow viewers to truly see what cheerleading brings to the mat. If you would like to know more about UDA College Nationals, be sure to check out the NORTH STAR Article written by Giavanna Quagliata for more information. If you are in grades 9-12, be sure to try out for the Valley Stream North’s Cheer team! Follow us on Instagram @vsncheer for the latest updates! Sources: UCA College Nationals | Universal Cheerleaders Association ( varsity.com ) 2024 UCA & UDA COLLEGE CHEERLEADING AND DANCE TEAM NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HONORS TOP TEAMS ( prnewswire.com ) Cheerleading | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica The Most Important Tumbling Skill Used For Cheerleading and Gymnastics — Challenge Athletics Rochester, NY Tumbling ( challengerochester.com ) BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections The Excitement of Twitch Channel Point Predictions By Garrick Neuner Volume 1 Issue 5 February 12, 2021 Image provided by Twitch.tv Twitch.tv’s hottest new feature brings more fun and more intensity to the Twitch viewing experience. For those not in the know, Twitch.tv is a popular live streaming platform designed for gaming content. Over the years, Twitch’s scope has expanded from its gaming origins, hosting “Just Chatting” streams and countless other in-real-life genres. On the service, you’ll encounter a wide variety of streams and personalities (from the standard loud, angry gamer-types to compassionate educators and inventive content-creators) so many users successfully find their favorite pocket of closely related games and streamers. One of Twitch’s most prominent features is its live chat, where viewers can interact with each other and their streamer. Through a wide range of emotes and chat features, users are encouraged to engage and actively participate in the streaming experience. One of these features, called channel points, rewards viewers with an in-app currency for watching streams. These points could then be redeemed to unlock certain emotes and trigger other events, depending on the streamer’s setup. Accruing such points, though, was not quite interesting at launch. All one could do was click on a bright blue pop-up to prove “active watching” and gain bonus points. This boring, formulaic accumulation all changed in late 2020 with the introduction of channel point betting - an exhilarating way to rapidly gain (or lose!) your hard-earned points. If you want to partake, click on the “prediction started!” popup soon after it appears. On this tab you’ll see the options to bet on, the total points invested on each option, the payout rate, the number of bettors on each side, and the highest bet placed for each side (which can go up to 250,000 points). To bet, simply click the 10-point button once for each 10 points you want to wager, or you can type in your own amount in the text boxes below those buttons. The payouts are based on a pot system, with each winning bettor getting their initial bet back as well as a portion of the wagers from the losing side. For example, in a 33% to 67% split, the first option will have a payout of 3:1 while the second will have a 1.5:1 payout. Thus, lopsided bets can provide the quickest boost in points, but usually there’s a reason the whole chat would be against the underdog. Channel point bets are started and called by either a streamer or their team of moderators. At any point during a stream, if a crucial moment is coming, either of those parties can fire a prediction opportunity. In speedrunning, a genre where a streamer completes a game as fast as possible, bets usually regard whether the streamer will succeed at certain game sections, dividing the viewerbase into “believers” and “doubters”. These two factions often proceed to banter with one another, providing a fun and exciting social opportunity in chat. In fighting games and other competitive titles, bets on winning competitors are often run throughout an entire tournament, creating an easily accessible, no risk, and child friendly bracket prediction system. Other bets can be less clear-cut and more silly, for example betting on if the monster in a new horror game will be “funny.” Bets like these can be subjective, so be careful risking your points on opinionated predictions. Twitch predictions are a simple and exciting way to get yourself immersed in the Twitch experience, so if you’ve never heard of the platform or are wondering if you’ll like the energy of a stream, find a couple of streams, throw yourself in, and get betting. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Obbession By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by Green Robe Girl just tell me why It feels like you're obsessed with me Cuz you've been spreading rumors Like its butter on bread, please   Obsession ain't a good thing honey You need to drop it, please Cuz you've been painting pictures Like I'm someone that you know   We used to be best buddies, now look at us, oh Sitting on opposite sides of the room We used to gossip all day Now I can't stand the sight of you   You’re the one that wants to fight but you’re the victim too? Playing both sides of the story doesn't look too good for you After all you can't be the villain and the hero too Every story there's one main character, and that sure ain't darn you   Laughing at each other's jokes, now I just want to choke All those pictures in my room, need to burn them down Accusing me of hurting you when I actually sewed you back Wished I saw your true colors, before it was too late   Girl just tell me why It feels like you're obsessed with me Cuz you've been spreading rumors Like its butter on bread, please   Obsession ain't a good thing honey You need to drop it, please Cuz you've been painting pictures Like I'm someone that you know   Every class we had together, we were inseparable, oh Now I make sure we're as separate as can be Paring up for every class, now I run across the room Only god knows why I trusted you   Spilled all my secrets to your so called "friends" Hope they're treating you like you've treated me, facts All that staring you've been doing, isn't getting you anywhere So I suggest you drop the act, ‘cuz it looks like you're obsessed   All my friends been telling me, how you always darn ask If I've gotten another best friend or did I replace you I'm used to pain honey, so don't worry, that's right I moved on right after I blocked all your socials, oh   Stop following me around, it’s getting creepy I know you want to come back, but I'll never let you Hurt me once shame on you, hurt me twice shame on me There's no three times the charm, in friendships, sweetheart   Girl just tell me why It feels like you're obsessed with me Cuz you've been spreading rumors Like it’s butter on bread, please   Obsession ain't a good thing honey You need to drop it, please Cuz you've been painting pictures Like I'm someone that you know   It's so sad how this turned out, it could have been forever Every time I walk the halls, I think of you honey We used to be the best of friends, isn’t that right? It’s such a shame, you let jealousy, come in the darn way BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Inspirations Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 4 Issue 2 January 16, 2024 Image provided by Elaine Ching In the quiet of dawn, where dreams take flight, Inspiration whispers, a beacon of light. It dances on breezes, a muse in the air, A spark in the heart, a passion to bear.   In the depths of despair, it's a lifeline of hope, A lifter of spirits, a boundless scope. It paints the world with colors anew, Inspiration, a friend, forever true.   From nature's wonders to stories untold, Inspirations are treasures, more precious than gold. They fuel our ambitions, ignite the soul's fire, A force that propels us to reach ever higher.   In the darkest of nights, when shadows surround, Inspiration's a torch, a love that's profound. With words, art, or music, in all that we do, Inspirations create, and dreams they pursue.   So, cherish these moments, these gifts from above, For inspiration is the heartbeat of life, the purest of love. It's the whisper of angels, the courage to soar, Inspirations are timeless, forever, and more.   In every sunrise and each silent star's gleam, Inspiration resides in life's vibrant stream. A wellspring of power, an eternal muse, Inspirations are boundless, in them, we infuse.   They guide our endeavors, through journeys unknown, Inspirations as captains, our hearts they've shown. In the tapestry of life, they weave, and they blend, A source of creativity, with no limit or end.   So, embrace their embrace, let inspirations ignite, Your spirit and dreams in the day's brilliant light. In the dance of existence, through each twist and turn, Inspirations shall guide you, make your soul burn. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Pop Art Back to Sections Julio Turcios - Pop Art By Julio Turcios January 14, 2022 Acrylic Volume 2 Issue 3

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections The Pig: A New Organ Donor By Cody Sung Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by Feedback Central There are currently over 106,000 people waiting for an organ transplant in the United States alone with seventeen people dying every day waiting for one. Unfortunately, an organ donor shortage exists, resulting in people not getting the organs they urgently need in time. However, recently, science has found a solution to the problem that does not involve human donors. Instead, pigs are being used. On January 11, 2022, David Bennett received the first heart transplant from another organism: a genetically modified pig. How did scientists accomplish this, and what does this revolutionary breakthrough mean for the future? Until recently, only a human’s heart could be transplanted to another human. However, over the five decades since the first human heart transplant, there have been many technological innovations that have refined organ transplanting, including hearts, that have allowed patients to live many years without organ rejection or complications. These innovations paved the way for developments in xenotransplantation, a process by which an animal organ gets transplanted into a human. This is not the first time xenotransplantation has been attempted, however. For example, in 1984, to save a baby born with a severe heart disease, they received the heart of a baboon but died three weeks later due to the body rejecting the organ. However, since then, using pig heart valves has been common for transplants, and in October 2021, surgeons in New York successfully transplanted a pig’s kidney into a human. However, the patient was brain dead without any chance of recovery. This operation would be the first time a genetically modified pig’s heart would be transplanted into a human. The pig used was raised in a medical-grade facility to prevent them from obtaining diseases that could be spread to a human. During this time, the pig had 10 genes altered. Some were disabled to prevent rejection, and another gene was changed to stop the pig’s heart from enlarging too much after transplantation. Human genes were given to the pig as well to prevent clotting abnormalities in the new heart. After all this, the pig’s heart was ready to be put into David Bennett. He is 57 and has terminal heart disease. Doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Center, the location of the operation, believed that without the transplant, he would die. He could not be given a human transplant due to a history of noncompliance with doctors and could not be given a mechanical heart because of an irregular heartbeat, meaning that an animal heart was his only option. During the seven-hour operation, he had to be given powerful anti-rejection drugs so the body would not reject the pig heart. The heart was successfully transplanted, and Mr. Bennett survived the procedure. He is alive and well at the time of writing. This is a big development for science and medicine, and it comes with benefits. This operation proved that xenotransplantation can be done more often with animal organs, as doing so will not damage human lives and only involves genetically modifying animal organs. This breakthrough may also help with the organ donor shortage, as no humans are needed if xenotransplantation becomes more widespread. However, there are some ethical issues, such as how pigs in medical-grade facilities do not enjoy the same quality of life as pigs out in a field, and the procedures needed for a pig to be able to become a proper donor. However, as science continues to improve, we might finally solve the donor shortage by using pigs. BACK TO TOP