Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Why Was This Song Nicknamed the Anthem of 2020 By Isabella Menjivar Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Image provided by Powell Robinson The song “If the world was ending” by Julia Michaels and JP Saxe instantly rose to #5 on the BILLBOARD Top 100 chart on March 21st, 2020. Suddenly it was everywhere: on the radio while driving home after school closed, in stores, commercials, and during pandemic relief fundraiser performances. So why would a song released in October of 2019 suddenly go viral? There’s only one answer: a meaningful reason to play it. Julia Michaels has said in an interview that the song was meant to make people “picture the scenario that such a significant occurrence may actually have the power to bring them together”. In the song we all heard the lyric “I didn’t feel it when the earthquake happened”. But what you may’ve not known is that this lyric isn’t a metaphor, it specifically relates to the Los Angeles earthquakes during the summer of 2019. Once we all saw the title of the song the day lockdowns began back in March, we instantly related and gave it an entirely new meaning. We all felt separated from the rest of the world but brought together with everyone we live with. The song made some think about who they’d want to be by, where they’d want to be, and what they’d do if the world were ending. With a significant meaning to the pandemic, “If the world was ending” was performed for a frontline worker support charity called “Doctors Without Borders”. Julia Michaels and JP Saxe teamed up with singers like Sam Smith and Niall Horan for this special event. Another lyric in the song that’s relevant to our situation is “All our fears would be irrelevant”. We all wish that the fears brought by the pandemic like losing our loved ones, being quarantined, and losing the chance to have activities would go away. Therefore, at the “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” celebration this song earned its title by being presented as “The Anthem of 2020”. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections The Rise of Pickleball By Cody Sung Volume 3 Issue 2 December 23, 2022 Image provided by News12 We are approaching the close of 2022, and during this year you have surely learned of new things you never knew before. Many of us, including myself, have learned of a booming sport: pickleball. Described as “America’s fastest-growing sport” by NPR and other sources, it has a long tail of history behind it. Let’s not forget it. Let’s explore it. Bainbridge Island is not a household name in America. But it is for America’s pickleball. After all, it’s where it started. On a summer like any other in 1965, the Pritchards, McCallums, and Bells all were together in the same rented log cabin. The kids in the family were bored and wanted something to do. So they went to the badminton court and started playing. The adults, noticing the deficiencies in the equipment meant for ping-pong and not for pickleball, crafted new paddles and new balls. According to “History of Pickleball: More Than 50 Years of Fun!”, it rapidly spread across Bainbridge Island during the summer and into Seattle. The game continued to be developed further, with rule changes and further improvements. However, pickleball’s ability to develop further was limited since there was no organization to handle it – yet. That is, until Barney McCallum, Joel Pritchard, and Bill Bell, three key players in the founding of pickleball, put $500 into a novel company: “Pickle Ball Inc.”, founded on February 13, 1968. It would be the company responsible for marketing the pickleball sport to a wider audience. Pickleball experienced further growth, expanding to Hawaii in the 1960s (where it was called pukaball), prevalent in Maui, Florida in the 1970s with a debut in The Villages, a sprawling retirement community, Arizona in the 2000s centered around Surprise, and recently nationwide and internationally, mostly Canada. The growth required a national organization to be created, the United States of America Pickleball Association, USAPA for short. Founded in 2004, it is in charge of rule regulation for pickleball and is the organization to turn to for pickleball. This brings us to today. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, the number of pickleball players has nearly doubled to 4.8 million and is rapidly entering the mainstream, with some estimates predicting over 40 million players by the decade’s end. Why? A combination of tennis, table tennis, and badminton, it is advertised by the USAPA as fun, fast-paced, simple, addictive, and has a strong community perfect for a pandemic boom. The gameplay, as mentioned above, is simple. Designed to have all as equals, not just the strong, emphasizing strategy and error reduction while giving benefits to speed and power. Usually, pickleball is played with doubles; two players on each side. To start, an underhand serve is made diagonally and alternating from the right-hand side of the court to the left-hand. Each server is only allowed one serve attempt. If both servers fault (the ball goes in the net or outside the designated area), the other team gets to serve. Only the serving team has the chance to win points. Games are played to eleven points, however, a team must lead by two to win. While in pickleball it is possible to volley (not letting the ball touch the ground before hitting it, with the exception of the first two shots of the game), there is a no-volley zone, commonly called the kitchen, within seven feet of the net on both sides. It is illegal to volley there. Apart from a few other basic rules, this is it when it comes to pickleball. While pickleball’s simple gameplay and welcoming environment for beginners have allowed it to gain rapid popularity, it has also caused tensions in communities across the United States. Its easy setup, costing only around a few hundred dollars, can transform any hard surface into a pickleball court, including tennis courts, which can be converted into as many as four pickleball courts. Combined with its explosive popularity, it has led to intense turf wars that have divided communities and caused friction with the tennis world. Even in towns that have managed to adapt to pickleball, there is another issue: the noise. Vox has demonstrated the paddles made for pickleball combined with hollow balls cause about twice as much noise on contact as a tennis ball and racket. While not bad on its own, with many pickleball matches going on the noise adds up, and it has caused complaints from residents and bans from parks. Luckily, there is a fix: designated clubs for pickleball, which reduces the strain on public spaces and isolates the noise issue. Developers nationwide are already starting to do so. And for pickleball, it means it is finally on top. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections The Fashion Industry By Ava Sloane Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Image provided by Kristin Glenn History of Fashion Fashion started with the birth of civilization. Originally, clothes were made from plants, animal skins, and bone. Clothing was usually patterned, sewn, and made within the household. However, during the last three decades, fashion has evolved a great deal. As culture changes, fashion changes with it, looking at clothes as recently as 20 years ago to the tremendous change of fashion during our daily lives. In the beginning era of fashion, it was simple since it was more about practical function than the way it looked. In the 15th and 16th centuries, fashion was influenced by high class society and the European kings and queens (Wikipedia). The new industry focuses on businesses or fashion houses owned by independent designers. The first man to have a mark sewn into his clothes was Charles Frederick Worth in the 19th century (Wikipedia) . Today, social media has had a substantial impact on fashion and how we view it. It provides a platform for fashion-related businesses to create an image for themselves and connect better with their consumers. As social media evolves, so does fashion and the industry. The Advantages and Disadvantages There are many advantages and disadvantages to fashion. For example, some of the disadvantages of fashion and the industry are that many people develop poor body image and bad self-esteem, believing they should dress or look a certain way. More disadvantages of fashion include the environmental perspective. In other words, the fashion industry is one of the major polluting industries in the world. Many landfills all over the world are overflooded with supplies the designers did not use. A few ways fashion is an advantage is that it has the potential to bring different people together to celebrate their own individuality. The best way to enjoy fashion is to wear what you love and be yourself. Fashion, a way to express yourself through clothing, was created a long time ago. Fashion enhances human life because not only does it allow you to dress fashionably, but it also gives an opportunity to be independent in your thinking. These are just a few examples of how fashion has many advantages and disadvantages. How to Learn More The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City hosts an annual fashion show. This year's show is entitled About Time: Fashion and Duration, presenting a timeline of different fashion styles, the exhibit highlights the past, present, and future of the fashion industry. Displaying designers such as Alexander McQueen, Gabrielle Chanel, and Christian Dior, the exhibit truly emphasizes the comparison of fashion styles over the last centuries. However, the exhibition closes on February 7th, 2021, and one does need timed tickets for entry due to social distancing guidelines. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Welcoming Mr. Bracco! Mikayla Aziz Volume 6 Issue 2 December 22, 2025 Image Provided by Christy Mansfield You may have seen a new face around the halls during passing periods or dismissal. With a big personality, upbeat energy, and lovable demeanor, he is hard to miss. This school year, we welcomed Mr. Bracco to North High School. His official position at North as our interim principal means that he is temporarily filling in for Dr. Small as principal. Do not worry, we are in great hands for the meanwhile. Mr. Bracco is no stranger to administrative positions. In fact, he has 30 years of experience in this area and many more with teaching Science. And though he is not here permanently, he is certainly worth trying to get to know and accept, nonetheless. Mr. Bracco is not a Long Island native; he grew up in Astoria where he began teaching at St. John’s Preparatory School. He is a science guy who taught a variety of classes including regents, general, and AP chemistry, microbiology, and seventh and eighth grade science. He then moved to John Adams High School where he continued teaching science for a year before eventually landing at Elmont Memorial High School where his administrative journey began. Bracco started off teaching science at Elmont and later became a science chairperson there until being asked to apply for assistant principal. He holds fond and humble memories of this time, saying “I was truly fortunate to have some good mentors when I was over at Elmont, so people took interest in me. They saw that I had leadership potential, so they encouraged me to go for my administrative degree.” With his leadership skills and years of prior experience under his belt, Mr. Bracco felt that this type of position was the next logical step in his career. He got his administrative degree at “CW Post”, now known as Long Island University Post, and was an assistant principal at Elmont for 7 years. However, he did not stop there. After moving further on Long Island, he was a principal in Suffolk County for 20 years before eventually retiring from Kings Park School District. But even after working in administration for 27 years, Mr. Bracco could never forget his teaching experience. “If you want to be a good administrator, you need to be a teacher at heart, you cannot forget the days you spent in a classroom. That is critical,” he claims. Now, following 8 years of retirement, Mr. Bracco is temporarily back in action. You may be wondering why he would want to leave such an easygoing and laidback lifestyle of relaxation, traveling, and family time; however, according to him, retirement is not all it is cracked up to be. “After 4 or 5 years [of retirement], when you have done something for 40 years and you just find yourself sitting at home on your couch, you say to yourself, ‘Is this all that is left in life? For me to watch Netflix all day long?’” he remarks. Sitting around all day is especially hard for someone as passionate as Bracco, as he recalls, “I felt an urge to come back because I still feel like I have something to give.” Now, as he fills in for Dr. Small for the time being, he promises to work to the best of his ability to ensure that when she does come back, North is the place that she left, and “she doesn’t feel like she’s missed a beat.” But what exactly does a principal even do? According to Mr. Bracco, a high school building principal such as himself oversees hiring, safety, and even working with colleges such as Adelphi University or SUNY Albany to implement AP classes and programs in our schools. Overall, he describes his job as doing “whatever needs to be done to ensure that the kids entrusted in our care are leaving here with the best possible education that they can muster for the 21st century.” Principals who are engaged and show such clear care for their schools are beyond impactful and important for a high school community. So far, Mr. Bracco has been loving his time at North High School. When asked about his experience thus far, he states, “the kids are fantastic, the staff is excellent, and the community, I mean talk about community and support!” going on to say “I like the fact that it is a diverse community. We can all learn from each other: diverse cultures, different languages, I mean that is the best scenario because that is what the world is. It is a mosaic.” With his determination, experience, and charisma, I am positive that we at North can benefit and learn from having Mr. Bracco here as well. During his retirement, Bracco has been able to focus more on his hobbies and interests. Outside of work, one of his main hobbies is reading. He challenges himself to read 15 books per year as he considers himself an “avid reader” who particularly enjoys fiction and historical fiction. Though unpaid, he loves sharing his thoughts and making book reviews on Good Reads, and he is a part of the Barnes and Noble review staff as well. He has recently finished The View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani, a fictional romance novel following a woman dealing with divorce, loss, and self-discovery. Another enjoyable read he highly recommends is The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy. This book is a historical fiction thriller about siblings Bobby and Alicia Western coping with the legacy of their parents’ work on the Manhattan Project. Aside from literature, Mr. Bracco is a huge family guy. He loves spending time with his wife of 42 years and his four grandchildren who live nearby. He also considers fishing to be his biggest hobby. Mr. Bracco has always been extremely passionate about his career. As a student, you can usually tell when a teacher is there for money versus when they love their job and care about their students, and Mr. Bracco falls into the latter group. Teaching was more than just a form of employment for him. He believes that “the teacher profession in general is a profession, but it is also a vocation. Not everybody can be a teacher. It takes a tremendous amount of demanding work, understanding, patience, and perseverance to be a teacher.” From the way he reminisces on his teaching days and how he was just itching to get back to work, you can tell he really practices what he preaches. “Ponce de León tried to find the fountain of youth, and I always say the fountain of youth is working in a building with students,” Bracco also added. Just being able to give back to younger generations and the impact he has is enough to keep him young too. And when you meet someone as bubbly and genuine as Mr. Bracco, it is impossible to doubt that he genuinely loves what he does. So, the next time you see Mr. Bracco in the hallways or happen to be passing through the cafeteria hall, stop, and say hi to welcome him to our little community at North. We have been lucky to have him here! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Homecoming is Back! By Everton Prospere Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 Image provided by Hudl On October 30th, Valley Stream North High School hosted its annual football homecoming game. After a year where the usual festivities were canceled due to the pandemic, VSN students and staff alike were excited to return to a sense of normalcy with the festival and game. Homecoming is typically an event and game that invites school alumni to boost school spirit. With the Homecoming Dance canceled, the administration put in place an alternative: the Homecoming Festival. With a large gathering, many activities, and an exciting football game, this year’s festival was a great success! In preparation for the game, clubs and extracurricular activities were asked to prepare a sale to raise funds while also increasing excitement for the event. The custodial staff and administrative teams arrived early in the morning in preparation for the fun of the day. In front of the overhang of the main entrance by the gym lobby, multiple tables were set up in a market-like arrangement. Volunteers from clubs began to appear on site at 10:00 am, with two hours to put together their booth’s items. At 12:00 noon, the festivities began, with parents, teachers, current and former students, and residents attending. Some activities included a potato sack race from the Students Against Destructive Decisions, in which Mrs. Rieger, Mrs. Italiano, and Ms. Parisi participated. There were also sales for fundraisers: a tumbler — an insulated beverage container — by the Class of 2023 Grade Council, and an air pod case sale by the National Junior Honor Society. At 2:00 pm, the pregame festival concluded, and the football game began. Throughout the game, fans were encouraged to purchase food at Grover’s Grub food truck. A portion of the proceedings made at the truck funded the Class of 2022 and The Spartan Club. The Valley Stream North and Lynbrook High School varsity football teams versed each other in a thrilling battle. Although the Lynbrook Owls quickly took the lead, the Spartans turned the match around with outstanding defense and superb offense. The final score was 28-21, with Valley Stream North victorious at the end. The football team attributed their victory largely due to support from the full crowd of enthusiastic fans and the comical announcing by North’s beloved AP Psychology teacher, Mr. Daddino. This festival could not have been hosted nor so successful without the support and organization from the administrative team, custodial staff, security, the Student Activities Director, Mrs. Italiano, all the club and grade advisors, and North’s Athletic Director. Despite the pandemic, Valley Stream North rallied to host an amazing homecoming, and the bad weather forecast adjusted itself for the festivities. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Fire Prevention Week 2023 Max Ching Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 Image provided by WETM The Chicago Fire of 1871 is known as one of the most brutal and tragic fires in history. As a result, in 1920, President Woodrow Wilson issued the very first National Fire Prevention Day Proclamation. Starting in 1922, Fire Prevention Week was celebrated to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire and inform the public about the importance of fire prevention. Fire Prevention Week is celebrated every year on Sunday through Saturday, the week of October 9th. Every year has a different theme, and this year the theme is, “Cooking safety starts with YOU! Pay attention to fire prevention.” So, something you are probably asking is, “What’s so important about cooking safety?” Well, this is no laughing matter since cooking has been the leading cause of home fires and fire-related injuries, and has resulted in more fire deaths in 2014-2018, than in 1980-1984. So, I am going to be telling you some ways to keep yourself safe in the kitchen. But first, I believe that we must identify hazards in the kitchen in order to know how to prevent them. Something you should not do at all is to leave your food unattended, as this is the leading cause of cooking-related fires. Multiple objects in the kitchen that are flammable and incredibly dangerous - this includes oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels, and curtains. Other dangerous objects in the kitchen are pot handles, mainly because some people may bump into them, and either cause a grease fire, burn themselves, or spill something that is boiling. Something dangerous about microwaves is that some people use extension cords to plug them in, although you should always plug them in directly into the kitchen wall. A final piece of information you should know before I move on is that frying-related fires dominate most cooking fires. So, now that we have identified some hazards in the kitchen, let us get onto how you can keep yourself safe. Since you are probably thinking about frying because of what I just told you, I will first talk about how you can safely fry. You should stay in the kitchen whenever you are frying, and you must also keep an eye out for what you are cooking in the first place. You should heat the oil slowly to the temperature you desire. Something else you should do is keep a lid beside your pan. If a fire breaks out, you should slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner. Do not remove the cover, let the pan cool, and do not throw water over it. Also, if you see smoke, turn off the burner and remove the pan, as smoke is a sign that the oil is too hot. If the fire does not go out or if you do not feel comfortable, get everyone out of your house, and call the fire department. Now, with frying out of the way, there are a few more things I should tell you. Referring back to what I stated about flammable objects, clear the area of those objects before cooking. You should also turn the pot handles away from yourself, and towards the back of the stove to prevent something from falling. Also, for quick meals in the microwave, you should make sure the microwave is at a safe height that is comfortable for all users. You should also open the food slowly, away from your face to prevent burns. To conclude, I should tell you some facts about cooking fires, to make sure you know why fire prevention is important. To start, two-thirds of home cooking fires start with the ignition of food or other materials that are used in the kitchen. Clothing is also the first item ignited in less than 1% of these types of fires. However, this has caused 8% of home cooking fire deaths. A third and final fact you should know is that ranges, or cooktops account for three-fifths of home cooking fire incidents. Hopefully, the information and tips provided will help you be safer when cooking, and when in the kitchen in general. SOURCES: NFPA Applied Research Public education - NFPA Fire Prevention Week (FPW) ( nfpa.org ) BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections The Last Time Elaine Ching Volume 5 Issue 1 September 20, 2024 Image Provided by Elaine Ching It’s that time of year again.  When you’re ready to throw out every single textbook, test, and temporary ID and to delete the Microsoft Teams app from your phone  and hang up your backpack until next fall.  But still  anticipation  excitement  anxiety  all hang in the air.  After all cries of  “what are you doing for summer?” “what classes are you taking next year?” “when are you going to start the summer assignment?” “which senior will you miss the most?” Fill the hallways and walk home from that final final.  And for most, this isn’t the last time they’ll do this. This isn’t their last time talking about their schedules for “next school year.” This won’t be the final time they shut their locker, knowing they’ll be back in September just to reopen it.  There will be a meeting with their guidance counselors to talk about “next year’s schedule” next year.  But for some, this is the last time. No more “Oh I’ll take that class when I’m a senior”  Or  “I think I’ll keep Chorus and Orchestra in my schedule”  Or  “I’ll come and visit you sometime next year, enjoy your summer!”  After all,  Seniors may be the ones graduating But for the junior class This is their final time saying “Have a good summer and see you next year!” BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections The Team Kindness Experience By Rachel Ezeadichie Volume 1 Issue 1 November 1, 2020 Image provided by LoveSVG My name is Rachel Ezeadichie. I am in 7th grade, and I am on Team Kindness. My short time at North has been full of amazing people, opportunities, and experiences. Team Kindness has been, and still is, a wonderful team, with extraordinary people and teachers. Team Kindness, like the other 7th grade teams, hopes to make this school a better place each day. We show kindness to others in every way we can and aim to be better people as we go through our academic studies and lives. The faculty members on this team work as hard as the students to make this school a comfortable and kind place. Mrs. Modzelewski, Ms. Kennedy, Mrs. O’Donoghue and Ms. Steiner and many other teachers are all a part of a faculty that allows for such an amazing Team. Some of the teachers on team Kindness were kind enough to share their overall experiences with us. Mrs. Modzelewski said, “Team Kindness is great team! I feel lucky to have such wonderful colleagues and amazing students!” Ms. Kennedy said, “I love being a part of Team Kindness! I’m very fortunate to be a part of such a wonderful team and work with such truly amazing students and teachers.” Mrs. Steiner said, “I love being a part of team kindness. I have developed a great working relationship with my fellow Team Kindness teachers. It is so nice to have the same students, so we can discuss their progress and strengths across curriculums. I also enjoy being able to get to know the students through team activities (for example our team gathering on October 30th) and outside of the academic classroom!” Ms. O’Donoghue said, “I really enjoy being on team Kindness. We have such a great crew. I missed teaching 7th grade, and I am lucky that I was chosen to be on Team Kindness this year with such amazing students and coworkers.” The Team Kindness faculty has worked hard to make time for fun activities. For example, some of the Team Kindness teachers set aside the second, third, and fourth periods for our classes to get to know each other better with fun Halloween activities. I got to learn a lot more than I thought I would get to know this year about some other students. It is obvious that Team Kindness is doing its job in providing the best experience for all its team members at Valley Stream North. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Without Her Face 3 By Nora Chery Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Original artwork by Aleeza Dhillon Far East, in the outskirts of Snow Valley Square, resided a lovely opening. Spring had already arrived in the region and swept through the town. It made its fame justified, as the plants grew rich and rapidly. They bloomed with vivid colors dotted around. A breeze gently swayed the grass. The sun shone bright, reflecting its rays all throughout. Birds sang as they fluttered under the warm sheet of heat. The place was popular amongst the townsfolk, many visited for the flowers and scenery alone. The area had an appeal, anyone can swim through the green seas of grass looking to find a flower to gift to their partner and find the perfect fit. In the midst of it sat a modest white cottage. The windows were small and left open, letting the wind made the beige curtains dance. The paint on the cottage's walls was faded but still presentable, and most importantly, the roof didn't leak. It wasn't as fancy as some other houses in the town. Infact, the only things that stood out about it was the flowers growing around the house, mainly in front if the porch. Many of the flowers were pink, yellow and orange blossoms. There was also a porch that creaked quietly, due the footsteps of a woman swiftly making her way to her rocking chair. Her hair, which was normally tied in a neat bun, was worn down to an untidy ponytail. Quick and edgy, she straightens her long summer dress, protecting her skin from the wood of the chair and plopped down. Her breathing, even with all of the sweet warm air surrounding her, was quivering as she stared down that the letter. A red envelope was discarded, left alone on the threshold of the door. The flush-colored letter had a somewhat fancy feminine theme to it. Along the margins were lipstick marks, in an almost mocking way. The letters were, of course, cursive, a darker shader for contrast. Anita scanned through the cursive letters over and over like a malfunctioned factory machine. The gripe of the edges of the paper tightens, as she hoped she must’ve misinterpreted something, a word or a sentence, after all it’s been at least a week since she picked up a book. But no. The more she repeated her reading cycle, the more her reassuring self disappeared. “Mama.” The edges of the card were jagged and disjointed, slick with sweat. “Mama.” She massaged her left temple with her left hand, relying on the small comfort as her headache began to straggle her. “Mama!” Her brown eyes weakly shifted her focus on the horizon to the voice of her 5-year-old son. His hair of which she spent 30 minutes combing was tussled, his clothes of which she spent one hour washing were stained with dirt and grass. With his equally brown eyes, he looked at her with a pale pedal on his chubby cheek, daisy on his left hand and action figure on the right. “What is it, sweetheart?” she asked weakly. Her son responded to her question by turning his head behind him, presumably staring at the distance. In the distance, bestows a dark brown path along the hills. It had been beaten hard by the tires of cars that belonged to people who would much rather drive than walk to gawk at the tree and pluck the flowers. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion; she followed the child’s gaze standing up to get a better look. The wind suddenly grew strong, enough to snatch the empty envelope from the threshold and fly it to the very same direction, the two-person family were looking at. Then, the letter soon joined alongside it, as the hand that was holding it felt numb. From the inside of her mind, everything was mute and tight. The sound of an engine growling, faint due to the distance. A hot pink spot was seen in the heather grew into a roadster car as it traveled near its destination. Managing to climb out of her state, she tramped down the stairs, racing towards her son. With grass slamming against the hem of her dress, too preoccupied to pick up it up like a lady, she extended her sweaty hands to him and plucked him up. The small boy grip on the things he was holding had loosened, abandoning them near the lilies. The boy frowned and fought with whines as he extended his small hand over his mother’s tense shoulder. The woman only responded by caressing his head making her grip on him firm as she ran to the entrance of their tiny house. The brown door that was slightly ajar was struck by the woman’s hip, swinging open, the knob jabbed the wall. She plopped her son on the oak floorboards inside, outside she stands over him still on the porch. “Go to your room.” she whispered with urgency. The boy tried to step outside, he pointed at the direction on his toy lost within the grass but his mother grabbed his small paw. “Go to your room and don’t make a sound.” She grabbed the other paw, cupping them like they were one fragile baby bird and placed her lips on their knuckles. She closed her eyes, long eyelashes joined together quickly and tightly as she lingered for a bit. She prayed and lifted her eyelids. The boy pouted in frustration. The wheels of the vehicle rolling against the ground could be heard like a whisper. The woman pushed the boy inside and closed the door. Her knuckles were white when she held onto the knob. The pink vehicle rolled in it a gentle hold. The click and squeaky sound of the car door opening could be heard like a whisper in her ear. She released a short breath through her barley unlatched lips against the door. She turned finally, brown eyes meeting blue piercing eyes. The car was there in front of the cottage, next to the mailbox. The driver was already out and was leaning against one of the front doors, her red lipstick curled into a small smile. Her designer rose heels crossed over the other, titling her head. Black-coloured silk-gloved nails rhythmically tapped against the side view mirror. Anita stood straight and polite with her hands tightly woven together, her left thumb gentle rubbing the other. She opened her mouth to inhale, her shoulders lifted with the action, and then exhaled along with her greeting. “Good evening, Catherine.” Catherine straightened her head with a snort along with a bright beam. She took her hand from the mirror and used it to wave her hand, “A fine evening to you to, it’s a pleasure to see you, Anita dear, it’s been a while.” She adjusted her tilted hat than paused, eyebrows lifted “...Has it been awhile?” she asked affably Anita gazed down at her pumps, they didn’t seem as pretty anymore, “Yes.” she answered. Catherine shrugged and playful patted her purse at the side of her hip as she giggled “Well - you know we’re living in a busy world, and I’m a busy girl, so time seems to fly fast, I tend to lose track.” Her patting stopped “...I know you wouldn’t.” “I suppose I wouldn’t.” “I hope you weren’t expecting me to drive by, say ‘hello’, give you a hug and a kiss, and drive away soon after.” Anita whipped her head up, “Of course—of course not!” “Well, I'm accepting that you would invite me inside your home and we could may have a discussion like fine women, talking is what women do best, Anita.” Anita quietly shuffled to the side of the door, she lifts her hand toward it, “Please make yourself at home.” Catherine crossed the distance of grass between her and porch with long elegant strides with her hips swaying. She climbed up the stairs and slicked her long blond hair over her ear, revealing a strikingly red earring. She sides eyes Anita before swinging the door open. “How polite of you.” She steps over the threshold; she scans the cottage’s interior “This house is just what I remembered, it looks quite lovely inside, though I've seen better” she remarks as she takes off her leather jacket and hat. Anita nods, taking notice of her empire dress, the material was light with dark floral designs that trailed around her torso and waist. Catherine sets her things aside on the coat rack next to the door. She sighs and turns to give Anita that warm looking smile, it never left her beautiful face, but in the gram scheme of things meant nothing. A mask she didn't have to wear but chose to for the fun of it. Catherine pulled out a humanoid-shaped item, it was wrapped with pink parchment. She displayed the thing up to Anita’s face, “Littering is a no no.” she jested, “Especially if it belongs to your son.” She wrapped the paper and separated the item from it. The item was the boy’s action figure. Anita lifted her hands to take the toy, but hesitated. When Catherine tilted the figure towards her, giving her permission, she slipped the toy out her hold. She stared down at it, the toy once withered by the elements of the world and the abuse from a child, now looked brand new. Shiny with each colour popping with quality. Anita looked up to Catherine swiftly making her way to the dining table, she sat down on one of the chairs to then flip the paper, other side was the letter. “But most especially if it’s one of my letters.” Anita felt her heart against her ribcage, “I didn’t mean to throw it away, I swear I would never throw it away,” she managed to squeeze out, “It just slipped out of my—” “May I please have some wine?” “I beg your pardon?” “Would you be so kind as to get me wine, red would be preferable.” Anita, obliged, she walked to the kitchen to make the drink. She reached over to the wine crate, grabbed a bottle of “Flordames Amiable” and poured a wine glass of the crimson liquid for the woman. Soon she was back with the drink, she walked towards the opposite of the table, reached over and placed the drink in front of Catherine. She sat down at the opposite and watched anxiously as Catherine lifted the glass to her lips. She drained it in one swallow, only leaving a puddle at the bottom. She let out what sounded like a sigh, putting the glass back on the table. She looked over at Anita, her smile deepened. She refocused her gaze to the paper in her hand. “All of my clients, as far as I know, have been loyal to my polices—except for you.” To be continued... BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections Perspective By Isabella Somma Volume 1 Issue 3 December 16, 2020 Original artwork by Isabella Somma Perspective. How you view situations, the world, people around you, and everyday life. It influences your beliefs, personality, and how they you treat the people around you. Your perspective can change as you get older, based on whom you surround yourself with, interests and hobbies, beliefs, and morals. Your perspective has an influence on your artwork and creations too. As an individual, I feel that my perspective on how I view objects, landscapes and colors changed as I began to understand the world around me and its complex aspects of depth, shape, and light. As a young artist, when I looked at a landscape or view, I only saw that the trees were green, the sky blue, the ocean blue, the sunset red, orange, and yellow. However, as I got older, I began to really look at a landscape and dissect the different elements to it. The way the shadows cast on the trees and the way the light from the sun cascades through the holes in the leaves. I noticed the movement of the wind and the water. This opened my eyes as I was able to recognize and pick apart distinct aspects of the images I was trying to recreate. Like impressionist artist Paul Cezanne, who captured the movement of the sky and changing light in landscapes, I began to understand movement of light and how it impacts the final product you see. In a previous assignment I had to complete, I investigated Paul Cezanne and studied how he manipulated paint strokes to create images that give the illusion of movement and free flowing. This inspired me to try working with this view of the world constantly in movement. It changed my perspective on the world and how we see it. Everything is more complex than we initially thought when we were children. Simple things such as trees have so many dimensions, colors, and textures many chose to ignore. Investing my time in art helped me to realize this and change my artistic perspective. BACK TO TOP