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Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Self Confidence By Manal Layachi Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Original photography by Elyas Layachi You might wonder, what is the meaning of self-confidence? Self-confidence is how someone feels about themselves and their abilities. It involves trusting yourself and your decisions. I play many sports, and they require a lot of self-confidence, especially running. It’s 90% mental and 10% physical. During the cross-country season, I had difficulty keeping up with the more experienced runners. I missed most of the meets because I was scared to compete, and my self-confidence wasn’t there. I kept telling myself, “I can’t do this. It’s impossible and too hard.” I did not perform that well during the races because I wasn’t trying to compete with other people. I ran slower than I wanted to. My self-esteem and confidence were very low. Athletes have a hard time with their self-confidence all the time. There is always a little voice in their head telling them that they can’t do it or it’s too hard. Our thoughts influence our actions. There are many simple ways to boost your self-confidence. First, get away from the people who will tear you down. Another thing you can do is write a list of what makes you unique and different from other people. You should have positive self-affirmations that you can tell yourself every day. My self-affirmation is, “I can do this. I am strong.” A quote by Eleanor Roosevelt says, “We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face … we must do that which we think we cannot.” This statement tells us that we shouldn’t be scared to do things. Instead, we should try to do the things that we think we cannot do even though we may feel like we can’t. That is how you build your self-confidence. Once you face many obstacles, you learn from those experiences and feel more confident about yourself and what you can accomplish. So, the day of my last meet, I wasn’t mentally prepared when we arrived, but I was ready after my coach and brother gave me a pep-talk. Even though the race was hard, I got through it with a positive mindset. My proudest moment was when I crossed that finish line with a smile on my face. I competed and regained my self-confidence. I ended up getting fifth place out of twenty-three people! All in all, people gain self-confidence in their own way, and anyone can do it if they just take a leap and never give up. In order to grow, you must embrace the uncomfortable, and use it to improve. BACK TO TOP

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

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

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Gender and Sex: The Misunderstandings and Differences By Rachel Ezeadichie Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Image provided by Cosmopolitan With Pride Month already here, and more and more people experimenting and discovering their gender identities, we should try to understand the differences between sex and gender. It is a common mistake to mix the two up, or not understand them, which is where their definitions come in and why they are separate. Sex is something you are assigned at birth by a doctor. The assigning of your sex includes many factors like chromosomes, hormones and genitalia. Most people are assigned male or female, which is put on your birth certificate. Some others may be intersex , which means that their anatomy doesn’t fit on the male or female anatomy categories. Some may figure this out when they hit puberty, or they may never figure it out at all. This can happen when chromosomes aren’t XY (male chromosome) or XX (female chromosomes). Gender is normally shown as male and female. This is not the case though, because it is a spectrum. There are male and female, but there is also non-binary. Non-binary is the term used for people who don’t generally agree with the male or female terms as the only two choices. There are other gender terms as well like bigender , which means that they identify with both man and woman at different points or agender which just means they don’t identify with any gender at all. People who don’t identify with the gender they were born with are transgender, while people who do are cis gender. People can use pronouns that help them feel more comfortable with their gender. Pronouns like she/her or he/him are what many people use, but others exist too. The singular pronouns they/them are what most non-binary people like to use. So, for this Pride Month, think about your gender and consider how you or others might feel about identifying terms. Gender is something that can be experimented with like trying different labels and seeing which feel comfortable for you, or asking others to try out different pronouns on you. Everyone can like and feel different things, so see what you are comfortable with. Happy Pride Month! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Advice From a Senior Sahar Ali Volume 5 Issue 5 July 5, 2025 The time has finally come for many to graduate from Valley Stream North. After studying at VSN for the entirety of my middle school and high school career, I’ve picked up a load of information from experiences, both good and bad. Often feeling alone at times without guidance, I wished that I had the perspective of a student who had once been in the same or similar situations as me to gain more practical and helpful advice during middle and high school. Knowing that these 6 years are a critical time in a student’s life, here are some tips to help you get through high school in both academic and social aspects, coming from a senior. #1 : Leave your comfort zone Transitioning from elementary school to a middle school combined with high school can be a difficult adjustment. Yet this change from a smaller school to a bigger school comes with bigger opportunities. VSN offers an array of clubs and sports that allow students to express themselves and investigate their likes and dislikes. The main idea is: LEAVE YOUR COMFORT ZONE! In my own experience, I began writing for VSN’s student newspaper, the North Star , and instantly loved it because I was able to write articles on almost any topic. If I had not left my comfort zone and refrained from even writing an article, I would not have had the opportunity to contribute to the club and even become the News section editor. Additionally, I tried out multiple sports including cross country, winter track & field, and badminton; from those experiences, I learned that I could do wonders with abilities I did not know I possessed. Looking back at my experiences, I urge you to try something new. You never know what you can do until you try. Although I know pushing yourself can be difficult at times, it opens up many opportunities. #2 : Learn how to manage your time As a student progresses through high school, the workload typically increases. With that, it becomes hard to manage sports, clubs, and academics. But knowing how important it is to make time for all aspects of school, whether it be extracurricular activities or homework, can significantly increase productivity as well as decrease stress. Based on what activities you have going on at home or at school, plan your day in the morning to know how to manage your time. One key method I used to help me manage my time was to make a list of when assignments were due and when I had certain activities. Then, whichever assignment(s) were due the earliest were the ones completed first. This method helped me manage my time in the best way possible. Additionally, any free time I had at school, whether it be a study hall, lunch, or free period, was used to complete assignments to decrease the workload when I came home after practice or a club. However, it is still always possible to face an overwhelming amount of work. Similarly, in this situation, prioritize the most important task and complete it first. Everyone is different, therefore try different techniques to manage your time! #3 : Stay on top of everything Many times, it is possible to miss out on key information regarding your schedule, courses, and grades. It is extremely important you understand what courses you need to take and what you should be doing, academically and extracurricular-wise. Do not solely rely on guidance counselors to consistently provide you with information since they have more students to assist, but they are always there if you need advice. Do not expect to be handed information easily on a platter; instead, be ready to ask for information as soon as possible! In my own experience, I realized that I had no clue as to what I was doing, mainly because I never asked anyone what steps I should be taking, especially once freshman year of high school started, and did not ask for a long period of time. Please be prepared and do not hesitate at all to talk to your guidance counselors and even teachers to have a feel about what you should be doing as each student is different and has their own paths. If I could go back and change one thing from my high school experience, I would try to gain more information about what steps I should be taking in school and outside of school to ensure I was on the right path towards my goals and to stand out as much as possible when the time came for college applications. #4 : Take challenging courses Another aspect I would change from my high school experience would be the number of AP classes I took. Not only do they help boost your overall average, but AP classes also open up a student to more information that a regents-level class does not always offer. Although AP classes aren’t for all students, there is no harm in trying a class out; you could end up liking the class! Additionally, AP classes help save students money when it comes to college. Depending on the college you choose to continue your studies at, certain AP classes and AP scores can get you credit. Most colleges take a score of 4 or 5 on an AP exam and give you credit for that class without you ever having to take it in college. Even though you pay almost $100 or more for an AP exam now, you end up saving thousands of dollars later if you score high on the exam and if your school takes the credit. Choose an AP class that interests you and do research about what credit the colleges you plan to apply to take. #5 : Surround yourself with the right people Throughout middle and high school, you will meet different people all with different personalities and make several friends. It is important that you choose to surround yourself with people who support you, make you a better person, and inspire you. There may be times when some people may hurt you, and this is an inevitable part of high school. There will be trial and error with certain friends, but all these experiences will help you understand what you value in a friend and help you with your development. #6 : Take care of yourself High school and middle school can get stressful many times. The pressure of work and eventually, when a student becomes a senior, college applications can affect a student’s mental health and often cause a load of stress and pressure. It’s okay to give yourself a break when there is a lot of pressure. Keep in mind that you’re working hard and you need to give yourself a break. Don’t let schoolwork and tests consume your mind; although they are important, remember to keep a balance between everything. Too much studying or too much work is not good; too much relaxation is also not good. When I was extremely stressed, I turned to music as it helped me calm down. Try to find something that eases your nerves as it is important to build these habits and methods to prevent stress from building up. These stress-reducing methods will help you so much in the future in college when your workload increases significantly and in life in general. Each student’s experience is different, and you will all make your own mistakes and learn from them. Remember while you work hard to also enjoy high school; it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Always work hard but give yourself a break too. Since this is one of my last articles ever, my last and biggest piece of advice is to cherish the time you have had in high school. Time goes by quickly so don’t forget to make the most out of everything! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections How Accurate is Wikipedia? By Cody Sung Volume 1 Issue 3 December 16, 2020 Image provided by Giulia Forsythe Wikipedia...the website that is turned to for information about everything from train stations to musicians. According to the website, Wikipedia has over 6 million (and counting) pages describing an object, event, or place (content pages), and has over 52 million pages in total. But not everything on the Internet is accurate. So, how accurate is Wikipedia? According to The New Yorker , Wikipedia is neoliberalism, or “economic liberalism and free-market capitalism” (Wikipedia), applied to knowledge. People with only partial knowledge exchange knowledge and get the missing part of their knowledge, meaning that through many exchanges with many people, Wikipedia would become more and more accurate with time. In fact, according to a study published in Nature in 2005, Wikipedia averaged 4 errors in 42 science articles. The Encyclopedia Britannica averaged 3 errors. It can be concluded that Wikipedia is almost as accurate as Britannica in scientific entries. Wikipedia doesn’t need to self-correct. The invisible hand does its thing. This was intended by the creators of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger. In fact, Wales doesn’t care about editors being revealed as impostors, because the outliers are cancelled out by other outliers and information close to the truth. But teachers don’t favor the website because anybody can edit it. Britannica doesn’t allow that. It only allows experts to edit the encyclopedia, although the public can give feedback on articles. Personally, my elementary school librarian would prevent us from using Wikipedia. Instead, we would have to use “PebbleGo” or Britannica. And yet Wikipedia is starting to become less taboo among teachers as they start using it as well. However, Wikipedia is still distrusted by many, mostly since Wikipedia can be edited by the general public. According to a survey I conducted, 58% of people use Wikipedia, 84% don’t use Wikipedia often, and 60% think Wikipedia is not accurate. This means that a plurality of people use Wikipedia but don’t rely on it often due to the skepticism. Comments stated that the most uses of the website consist of facts, creating a growing concern over its reliability. In fact, a Business Insider article states that Wikipedia is a great place to start for information but should not be used for research or other academic use. This attitude is also shared by our very own, Mr. Toffolo. In my interview with him, he revealed that he is using Wikipedia, and has been since 2005 or earlier, stating that most information is accurate on Wikipedia because people monitor the pages, so it was good to use to start finding information on a topic (such as an article from Business Insider, as mentioned earlier). However, he also wouldn’t recommend Wikipedia as a research tool for students unless it’s for quick use, matching the opinions of so many. In conclusion, Wikipedia can shine with accuracy due to its neoliberalist approach to knowledge, but is inaccurate in some case as well, due to public editing. Lots of people don’t rely on Wikipedia heavily due to the “anyone can edit” policy. Wikipedia is used by lots of people for trivial facts or quick definitions, though, and is considered a great place to start for information. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections First Snow By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Original photography by Navrosedip Kundlas Snow falls gently Blanketing the grass lightly Wind whispers in my ear Adding on to the cheer Every footprint leaves a mark Until it vanishes in the dark Little paws make a trail The snow captures every detail Fur covered in snow My little puppy looks like a marshmallow One deep breath is all it takes So I can smell the snowflakes Falling through the air Snow covers every ounce of my hair It melts on my tongue The evening is young My puppy stands still His heart beating with thrill Closing my eyes I know it’s time for our goodbyes Scooping up my puppy He smiles, completely happy And when his brown eyes fill with sunshine I know there is nothing more divine As the sun sets I’m in covered in blankets Hot cocoa warms my hands As my puppy stands I pick him up Then take a sip from my cup BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections Self-Worth in the Educational System By Alicja Paruch Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Original artwork by Elaine Ching A 73?? How did that happen?  A seemingly mediocre grade, still passing, but most people’s gradebooks have seen better. This grade can influence someone in two ways, and they can either learn from it or fall into a hole of self-criticism. Let’s take the positive approach first. A 73? How did that happen? How can I do better? One, of course, can analyze their style of learning and adjust the way they study. They can watch more videos if they need someone to explain the material to them; they can single out topics they have trouble with, read over their notes, or practice on examples. However, this type of positive criticism is rarely exhibited in the student body because the school system doesn’t teach us about it. When students get a bad grade, they are usually told to study harder or pay attention in class; however, they might already be doing that.  If the student takes the more common approach, it might go like this.  A 73? How did that happen? How did I let it happen? I’m terrible, right? Putting such blame on oneself could bring mental instability. Many students get caught in the spiral of seeing bad grades on tests, freezing up, not knowing how to deal with them other than studying more in ways that don’t usually help. This method may result in receiving an even worse grade and falling further into despair.  The school system conditions students to believe that grades are the only way of validating themselves. They engrave it in the students' brains that they distinguish between the good and the bad, while, in reality, there are many ways one can succeed. The school’s intense focus on academic performance can cause insecurity and the feeling of hopelessness to many students. The school nourishes the mindset that making mistakes is the worst a person can do. It often neglects the value of learning from one’s mistakes which might cause a student to give up hope. School strongly values academic intelligence; while it makes sense for schools to value that intelligence, it should not discourage students from excelling in other areas to feel useful to society. Let’s look at Howard Gardener’s theory on intelligence types such as spatial, intrapersonal, interpersonal, existential, and naturalist. There are intelligences other than those you can see evidence of in a number grade on a test or in a marking period average. I have been stuck in the loop of self-criticism instead of constructive criticism and have watched so many people who embody the types of intelligence not exercised in school fail at realizing their worth. School is not the only path in life, and people can use their skills to develop their passions or help others. In finding out who one is, we can move forward and make the right personal choices in life, based on their previous wrong ones - to truly learn from our own mistakes.  BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Nostalgic Musings Back to Sections Frame within Frame By Shehar Bano February 10, 2022 Photography Volume 2 Issue 4

Back to Artwork Nostalgic Musings Back to Sections Sophia Song - Nostalgic Musings - 4 By Sophia Song February 10, 2022 Photography Volume 2 Issue 4