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Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Final By Huan Evo Alipio Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Image provided by TN Tech Blogs The heat beaming, the sun scorching, and this glamorous weather Almost to the end of the finish line, all must cross With everyone exhausted, people managed to complete this year's course Though it has been quite an experience It will be missed by some Many will leave and never come back Many will remain to start to unpack So, shocking this is occurring But memories will stay and remain Then, this cycle will repeat itself and happen all over again BACK TO TOP

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Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Interview with Mr. Malizia: Featured New Faculty Member Manal Layachi Volume 4 Issue 3 March 13, 2024 Image Provided by Ms. Ansbacher Mr. Malizia and North Star's Sports Editor Manal Layachi Mr. Malizia is the new junior high (7th and 8th grade) band director at Valley Stream North High School. I had the opportunity to interview him about how he came to North, his personal connection to music, and advice he has for musicians at North and future music teachers. How he came to North: What college did you go to/what degrees did you earn in college? “I went to Hofstra University, and I got my Bachelor of Science in Music Education. When you go to Hofstra you are technically a dual major if you go there for education. You major in education and also major in whatever subject you want to teach.” Did you always want to become a teacher when you were younger ? “Teacher was always something that was in my head because my mom is a teacher, but she just retired recently. When she was a teacher and it was something that I had always seen, was familiar with, and how the teaching life works. I have always been around teachers as my mom’s friends were teachers. I was never set on teaching as a career until high school.” What brought you to teach at North High School? “I met Dr. Erdos playing in a pit with him for a musical and that’s how I heard about the job. I applied, picked up my resume, and had an interview at North. I had to play a little bit on a primary and secondary instrument. I played my trumpet, and the clarinet as well. After that, I did a demo lesson with the current 8th graders to show how I taught. Now that I have the current 8th graders, there are a couple of kids that I had made a brief connection with during my demo lesson, and they are my students now, so I get to really foster that connection which is pretty cool.” How was your first day at North? “Week One was a whirlwind because our first day was on a Friday. Leading up to that, the whole week was like ‘I don’t know any of my students. I don’t know what to expect. What’s going to happen?’ I planned out every second of that first day and even almost scripted myself. I created a little bit about me presentation and I kind of just rolled with it. I did a lot of planning and had a lot of preparation. I was like ‘What do I do? What if they don’t like me?’ It was nice to have Day One over with and have it under my belt. I met them. I got in a room. I did it. Only 179 more to go! Every day is a learning experience.” His Music Life: What is your personal connection to music? “It’s everything. It’s so much of who I am. I really feel like music is a living and breathing art form. Every single emotion that anybody has ever felt can be portrayed in music with sounds. Every idea and concept. Music has always been a big part of my life. I have always taken private lessons and always been involved in the music department. My personal connection to music blossomed in high school. I went to Farmingdale High School, and at Farmingdale we had such an amazing community within the band and in general. The Farmingdale community is an amazing community to be a part of and something that really fostered that love for me was being in music and the music department there. I felt it was so unique that we had what they have currently, and always have had. Everyone is so supportive of each other there and it is a positive environment to be a part of and welcoming. This spans further than where I went to high school and that is something I am also trying to foster here as well.” How do you support your students’ goals and musical endeavors? “I always tell my kids ‘You are always welcome in the band room. I am never going to turn you away.’ I grew up with the concept of we are creating something greater than ourselves. We are doing something so much bigger than one person can do. Everybody is important and makes a difference. Being involved in music is more than just making sounds and playing together. It’s this whole concept of doing something bigger than yourself and accomplishing things that you never thought could be accomplished. Developing your own sense of confidence, responsibility, and time management. Working as a team. Doing your part and also letting others do theirs. I could go on forever…” What do you love most about teaching? “Helping other people realize that you can do something that’s greater than yourself. What we are doing here is mental, physical, and all of the above, whereas Math is mostly mental. I wouldn’t argue that math or science is a physical thing. Putting the mental into the physical. It’s a full body thing. Music is the only subject that caters to every kind of intelligence. Some people are visual, logical, physical, or natural learners. Music is the only subject that really truly caters to all kinds. It’s a very unique subject.” What led you to join the Division 3 NMEA Festival Committee? “In college, I was always involved in volunteering at these festivals. A big part of our job is advocacy. Advocating for our students. Advocating for our programs. Advocating for the reason why music is important in our schools. It can be easy for people to be like ‘scratch the music program’ they do not truly understand what we are doing, so a lot of this advocacy that we are doing is really important. That’s a big part of what NMEA does and that’s a big part of All-County. Having these organizations really helps with advocacy and being able to provide these experiences for the next generation. I was a chairperson for the Division 5 All-County Jazz, and I also helped the Division 3 Chorus chair people.” What instruments are you able to play? “My main instrument would be the trumpet which I studied in college. I also studied the tenor saxophone a lot. I played trumpet in high school in the jazz and concert band ensembles. I also took private lessons in 5th grade for alto saxophone. I switched over to tenor as well. In 6th grade, I started clarinet and in 7th grade, I started flute. I did those four for NYSMMA every year going up levels five and six. In 10th grade, I did Allstate for trumpet and tenor saxophone. I got a 98 on trumpet and I got 100 on the tenor saxophone, but I was an alternate. I auditioned for the alternate all-National concert band and got in for tenor saxophone. I will never forget that day. I jumped up from off the couch and was like ‘I got in!’ It was such a cool experience! The next year I did four All State solos.” Advice/Closing: Do you have any advice for someone who wants to pursue music education in the future? “My suggestion is to get involved. Meet people, get involved, volunteer for things like All-County, the PEAK festival, and other events that NMEA does. Try teaching on your own such as private lessons for fourth and fifth graders. In college, get involved. Take private lessons, give private lessons. Just immerse yourself.” Do you have any advice for musicians at Valley Stream North High School? “Don’t take it for granted. There are not many opportunities that you really get to have. In the music department, we get to have so many different experiences. Being in a performance ensemble is so different than any other class period of the day. It’s worlds apart. It’s more interactive and personal. Being in the senior high groups, you get to know the upperclassmen and be in a class with people in other grades. There are not many classes and experiences like it. Little inside jokes and experiences with you and your friends in the ensemble. You go on different field trips, meet people, and have many different experiences that you would not be able to have if you weren’t involved in that.” Is there anything else you would like to add? “I am so lucky to do what I do. I am so fortunate to be here. You do what you love, and you never work a day in your life. I do love what I do. I try to pass that passion on to my students and try to make it a little contagious. I am really excited to help my students progress, be stronger, get them geared up to go onto the high school level, and be ready for everything that they are going to have thrown at them going forward. I am having a lot of fun and it's great getting to know all of the students. It’s been a lot of fun, and I am really fortunate to do what I do. I am very lucky, and I truly love what I do.” It was a pleasure interviewing Mr. Malizia, and he inspires me to continue on with music for the rest of my high school career and beyond! BACK TO TOP

ABOUT US Welcome to North Star, Valley Stream North High School's Student News Magazine, and POLARIS, North's Literary Magazine! Whether you want to read about your specific interests or browse the work of talented students, we have something for everyone. Any suggestions are welcome and should be emailed to northstarmag20@gmail.com . Happy reading! AWARDS 3RD PLACE BEST LAYOUT ADELPHI QUILL AWARDS 2021 1ST PLACE BEST VISUAL ADELPHI QUILL AWARDS 2022 2ND PLACE BEST OPINION PIECE ADELPHI QUILL AWARDS 2022 3RD PLACE BEST NEWS ARTICLE ADELPHI QUILL AWARDS 2022 HONORABLE MENTION BEST LAYOUT ADELPHI QUILL AWARDS 2024 3RD PLACE BEST VISUAL ADELPHI QUILL AWARDS 2024 HONORABLE MENTION BEST FEATURE ADELPHI QUILL AWARDS 2025 MEET THE EDITORS Read More Noa Cordova She/Her/Hers EDITOR IN CHIEF cordovan01@vschsd.org Hello North Students! My name is Noa Cordova, and besides writing, I have a passion for languages, traveling, learning, and getting to know others. Apart from North Star, I am an active member of several clubs including STOP, SPO, and SADD. As Editorial section leader, I write articles on current world and school events. If you are interested in keeping up with significant topics in society or our school community, check out the Editorial section! Everyone should have their voice heard, so feel free to share your ideas and write for the Editorial section. Read More Elaine Ching She/Her/Hers LEAD LAYOUT & SOCIAL MEDIA DESIGNER, ART SECTION EDITOR chinge@vschsd.org Hi readers! I'm Elaine Ching, but you can call me Laney. I'm the Social Media Designer, Lead Layout Designer, and Art Section Editor. I make and post flyers and promotions for new articles and issues on the North Star Instagram, @vsnorthstarmag. Along with this I organize the North Star and Polaris website. I also do illustrations, recipes, and some creative writing. Outside of North Star you can find me drawing, painting, doing some variation of music or art, reading, and being in clubs like the Culture Society and Art Club. Read More Isabel Barrett She/Her/Hers FEATURE SECTION EDITOR barreti@vschsd.org Hi! I’m Isabel Barrett, the editor for the Featured section of North Star. If you enjoy human interest stories, then the Featured section is for you! Besides writing, I also enjoy art, playing video games, and making websites, and I’m part of the Tri-M Honor Society and Drama Club. I look forward to sharing fun and interesting stories with our community this year! Read More Sahar Ali She/Her/Hers NEWS SECTION EDITOR alis02@vschsd.org Hey guys! My name is Sahar Ali and I’m editor for the news section. You can see that my articles range from political news to current world events, and you may occasionally find me in the feature section too. Along with writing articles, I do winter track and badminton in the spring. I can’t wait to read all your submissions and if you ever have any questions or concerns, feel free to send me an email anytime! Read More Leah Ally She/Her/Hers MANAGING EDITOR allyl3497@vschsd.org Hi! I‘m Leah Ally, the managing editor of North Star. I enjoy writing about sports and current events. Outside of North Star, I’m apart of various clubs and sports such as, basketball and softball. Feel free to contact me with any questions through my VSN email and I look forward to working with you all! Read More Marco Alvarez He/Him/His LAYOUT TEAM & SPREADSHEET MANAGER alvarezm02@vschsd.org Hello all! I am part of the Layout Team and I manage the spreadsheet for the North Star and Polaris Magazine. My goal is to help publish the works of your fellow students. You may have seen me around in other activities or classes, so know that I keep your interests in mind when I meet with other members and editors. I look forward to sharing your work with our community this year! Read More Rachel Ezeadichie Any ENTERTAINMENT & MEDIA SECTION EDITOR/TREASURER ezeadicr@vschsd.org Hello! My name is Rachel Ezeadichie, and I am the Entertainment and Media Editor for the North Star. I love watching new shows and analyzing all types of media. If you’re interested in the coverage of new or interesting shows, books, or movies, you can find it in my section. I’m also apart of Spartan Update and Drama Club, so you can see me performing or covering many school events. I’m excited to be an editor for North Star and can’t wait to keep writing! Read More Rehmat Kaur She/Her/Hers SPORTS SECTION EDITOR, HISTORY COLUMNIST rkaurr3015@vschsd.org Hello, dear readers! I'm Rehmat Kaur, the North Star's SPORTS Editor and History Columnist. All my Feature History articles will be under the column named "Tales Through Time". I will also be assisting our fellow writers with ideas and see them through to completion. Outside of North Star, I also take part in sports. I'm Girl's Varsity Badminton Team's Captain and play for our school's Tennis team. I'm also a member of SPO which helps the 7th graders have a wonderful first year at North. I'm looking forward to having an exquisite time and helping you in bringing out your creative side. NORTH STAR SENIORS CREDITS FACULTY ADVISOR Mrs. Christy Mansfield EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Noa Cordova MANAGING EDITOR Leah Ally NEWS SECTION EDITOR Sahar Ali FEATURE SECTION EDITOR Isabel Barret SPORTS EDITOR, HISTORY COLUMNIST Rehmat Kaur ENTERTAINMENT & MEDIA SECTION EDITOR Rachel Ezeadichie POLARIS EDITOR ... ARTWORK SECTION EDITOR Elaine Ching SENIOR LAYOUT EDITOR Elaine Ching SPREADSHEET MANAGER/ASSISTANT LAYOUT EDITOR Marco Alvarez ASSISTANT LAYOUT EDITOR Max Ching SENIOR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Elaine Ching TREASURER Leah Ally STUDENT ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR Mrs. Amy Italiano PRINCIPAL Dr. Robin Small ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Mrs. Jennifer Buonaspina ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Mr. Fabian Jara ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Mr. Charles Loiseau LOUD AMERICAN Garrick Neuner

Back to Articles News Back to Sections 7th Grade Band's Winter Concert By Cael Javier Volume 3 Issue 2 December 23, 2022 Image provided by VSCHSD Fine and Preforming Arts I am a 7th grader in Band, and just recently, we had a concert. This is the 2022 7th and 8th Grade Concert as told by a band kid. The 7th and 8th grade Band is directed by Mr. Michael Morris. The concert took place on 13 December 2022. To decide where we would be in Band, we had to do a playing test at the beginning of the year. Basically, we would play sheet music and depending on how we played those pieces, we would be assigned our parts in the songs. For dress code, we had to wear white or a light color on top and black or a dark color on the bottom. That was straightforward, but there were more details to the dress code, including how gentlemen had to wear a tie and ladies could only wear leggings under a skirt. There were also a few more adjustments like, no white socks, no sneakers, and no jeans if they weren’t a dark color. Before each piece, a student gave a speech about what we were about to play. The speakers were Cael Javier (me), Amiya Mohan, Christian Leon, and Andre Llubit. The pieces we performed on stage were: “Caribbean Christmas”, an Afro-Cuban arrangement of the carol “Angels We Have Heard on High”, “The Chipmunk Song”, a novelty song written by Ross Bagdasarian which is also the last Christmas/Holiday song to reach No. 1 on any U.S. singles records chart, “Chanukah: The Festival of Lights Overture”, which is an arrangement of traditional Hanukkah songs which are often sung during the Festival of Lights, “Fireball”, a piece by Brian Beck to challenge the musicians rhythmically, stylistically, and musically. Before we went on stage, we thought they forgot about us because Orchestra and Chorus took at least an hour. Apparently, we were just impatient. We had to wait in different classrooms while the other two ensembles performed. The classroom I was in was wild. It was just kids running around, blasting music from their phones, dancing, and somebody apparently got sick. None of the people in Band looked nervous when we got on stage, so that was a good sign. When we played the music, we sounded good, with few to no mistakes. It was exciting because it was our first concert at North for some of us. That was my point of view of the 2022 7th and 8th Grade Concert. An orchestra or chorus student might have told you a different story, which is why I think it was special to me. I also enjoyed it because performing on stage in front of many people is an opportunity that not many people get. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Girl’s Badminton Celebrates the Senior Class By Garrick Neuner and Olivia Neuner Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Original photo by Garrick Neuner North’s Girls Badminton team closed out their season with their Senior Game early last week. The team’s underclassmen paid homage to the graduating class with personalized posters for each senior, awarded in a pre-game ceremony wherein Coach Schiavo congratulated the team on their best performing season in recent years. In his parting messages, he gave flowers to the graduates, thanked them for their mentorship, and lauded the accomplishments and character of the seniors, reminding them that “the biggest room in the world is the room for improvement.” The entire team got involved in the day’s competition, with all seniors in scoring matches, and underclassmen assisting with scorekeeping or playing exhibition matches. Additionally, the players wore customized t-shirts designed by Olivia Neuner, a keepsake to remind the team of their high school athleticism. Congratulations to the team! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork The Memory Project Back to Sections Usman- Anonymous Artist Anonymous Artist February 24, 2023 Volume 3 Issue 3

Back to Artwork Nightmare on Main Street Back to Sections Nightmare on Main Street- Chamille Malcolm Chamille Malcolm November 6, 2023 Mixed Media Volume 4 Issue 1

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections A James Bond Review: A Journey Jasmine Roberts Volume 5 Issue 2 November 25, 2024 Image Provided by Max Ching James Bond will always have a lasting impact on film culture. With its iconic intro illustrating the silhouette of the titular Bond walking across the screen as a gun barrel tracks his every stride, ready for the kill. Only for the masterful 007 to pull from his person, his very own smooth, black Walther PPK to hinder the perpetrator, nothing but scarlet blood dripping down a fuzzy screen. Most can recognize the phrase “Shaken, not stirred” uttered by the suave debonair that is Sean Connery, or if one is a fan of all that is Bond. Maybe they wished for an exact replica of the silver Aston Martin DB5 driven by Bond in Goldfinger. Some might desire to gallant with 007, as a beautiful, yet savvy, Bond Girl or as a siren to entrap him and kill him for SPECTRE, the terrorist organization after Bond. During the Summer, my mother and I found ourselves driven to obsession by the Daniel Craig Bond movies, the British actor being one out of seven who have played the secret agent. Amongst the quiet hours of night, we could be found in amazement at the quick wit of sardonic British humor and the profound family of MI6 shared by Bond, Moneypenny, Q, M, and even the eclectic villains orbiting the franchise. Or the way the filmography falls deeply in love with the elegant and traditional environment of James Bond’s England, forming a lush and utterly beautiful film to watch. We could also be found crying at the struggles faced by Daniel Craig's Bond. Never have my eyes felt more underwater than when Bond sacrificed himself for who he loved and subsequent lighting a guiding will-o’-the-wisp for a new Bond to emerge, as is tradition. Yet, the exploration of Bond began to tickle a certain curiosity in me. I have always had a love for the unlabored sophistication of Bond, no matter his era. Dreams lingered in my mind of Cuban cigarettes and aged wine, bespoke of suits, and legacy sports cars. When I decided to begin my journey through Bond by beginning at the first of the twenty-five movies, with Dr. No, I knew from there, my ability to turn back was forever gone from me. I finally understood, I would conquer Bond to its pinnacle. I would not consider Dr. No my favorite of the films I have watched. It has a multitude of issues, such as plot progression, unnecessary behaviors, and nullified thrills. Despite this. it was a good start in Jamaica, where the original Ian Fleming novels were written. I understood where the adaptation was planning on taking me, and I certainly liked it. But I must say that Goldfinger , the third of the films, has shown why it is the most beloved and highly rated of the Bond Films, as it is the exact opposite of my problems with Dr. No. This article was not only a review of the Bond Films, but an explanation to understand why I love them so much and my thought process in dissecting further films. Nonetheless, if all I have said entices you in anyway, then I think it would be most prudent to quickly watch the films from Connery to Craig, as James Bond is a busy man on a mission to save the world. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections XC By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by GWSports out of all the four seasons Fall's my favorite one for many different reasons but XC's the main one   the adrenaline keeps me going no matter how hard the race may seem it's all Boyens's doing that i managed to stay on the team   going up and down those hills really gives me chills all that running is tiring but Boyens's speeches are pretty inspiring   i've never met anyone who could be more understanding or anyone more hardworking it doesn't matter how many miles you can always count on him to crack some smiles   out of all the four seasons fall's my favorite one for many different reasons but XC's the main one   playing sports all three seasons makes me love XC for even more reasons other sports cannot compare to be honest, winter track is just a nightmare   winter track might be in the same tribe but it just doesn't give the same vibe badminton might be more relaxing but it takes a lot more adapting   out of all the four seasons fall's my favorite one for many different reasons but XC's the main one   we don't need announcements like other sports Simply for the same reason we don't need darn courts XC teaches you more than running it teaches you how to be cunning -Dedicated to Timothy Boyens, the best XC coach the world has ever seen. Thank you for everything you have done for North’s XC team. I appreciate all the hard work and effort you have put in. BACK TO TOP