Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Spiral of Ants by Lemon Demon By Stephy Varughese Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Image provided by Onedio Spiral of Ants - YouTube Over and over The pheromones, the overwhelming harmony Consuming the colony The Circle rules your life Chop, chop! Don't want to be late Lift up and carry your weight You've got no choice but to dance in a spiral of ants True bugs might laugh in your face Don't fret, you're leading the race Don't let the bastards step on your hands in a spiral of ants You can't remember where you came from (In a spiral of ants) You can't remember where you're going (In a spiral of ants) You can't remember knowing You are one ant Over, it's over The pheromones, the self-avoiding odyssey Consuming the colony The Circle rules your life Now, now! Don't run out of breath Don't feel surrounded by death, no Take the wheel, this could be your chance, in a spiral of ants False bugs, you'll soon be alone See how they drop like a stone You're free now forever to dance in a spiral of ants. Now you remember where you came from (From a spiral of ants) Now you remember where you're going (To a spiral of ants) You've got to keep it flowing. You are one ant (Over, over, over) Over and over The pheromones, the overwhelming harmony Consuming the colony Creating its own gravity Before we knew it, we became a hurricane. And the bugs who laughed got blown away. As we proclaimed: The Circle rules your life _______________________________________ Lemon Demon is a band made by internet star Neil Cicirega. Cicirega had been on the internet making funny videos like “The Harry Potter Puppet Pals,” Ultimate Showdown, random skits, and of course, Lemon Demon, since the late 2000’s and as a teenager. The song “Spiral of Ants” comes from one of his more recent albums, Spirit Phone , which focuses on strange phenomena in history, mixed with a story. I highly recommend listening to his music if you like weird indie songs and overall randomness with upbeat tunes. Spirit Phone is a great starter album if you are interested. The title “Spiral Ants” is a natural phenomenon that happens in real life to a certain species of ant. There are ants called Army Ants who, unlike other species of ant, are completely blind. This is because of their compound eyes that are used to sense light activity instead of sight. However, because of this, these army ants have a tough time sensing each other out. The solution to this problem is releasing specific pheromones so that the ant before them can sense their pheromone and vice versa. When the scent of the last ant gets lost, the ant before that ant gets confused and get cut off from the main pack. The ants then look over and over, following the wrong trail which makes them walk in a never-ending spiral. Because they aren’t aware that they are walking this spiral, they keep walking thinking that they are reaching their destination. This leads to them walking till they eventually die. This is called the Death Spiral or, in this case, the Spiral of Ants. The speaker is never mentioned in the song, but we can assume that the speaker is a high being or just a disembodied figure. This is proven by the speaker speaking directly about you especially in line 20 “Now, now! Don't run out of breath” and the constant use of “you’re” in the chorus. Repeatedly in the song, the speaker tells “you” which is to assume is the listener. Also, in the song, they refer to the listener as “one ant”. This would mean that we are considered “ants.” The tone of the song sounds repetitive, mysterious, and collected in the beginning then goes into a very upbeat tune while still keeping the same unsettling vibe. “Before we knew it, we became a hurricane” is a metaphor that compares ants to a hurricane. This whole song in itself however is a metaphor in itself because it's comparing us people the spiral of ants. The song’s theme or the message is that despite living in and endless death loop, you’ll always be part of society. What I mean by this is that the “spiral” represents society, and the ant, you. The song starts you off with an omen-type tone as if you were not there at all, yet everything is still in shape. In lines five though eleven, the song hurries you up as if to say, “Come on, it's time to start your life!” Everything in the tone feels like you are new, unfazed by death or harm. This is supported in the lines when “you can’t remember where you are going” or “you don’t know where you came from.” This proves that at this stage, you simply are naïve about how the “spiral” is. Like how they, “you are one ant” like, you are only just a person existing. Then when it says “true bugs might laugh in your face”, they are referring to people outside of your life or people who try to weigh you down. This is confirmed later in the song where it says, “And the bugs who laughed got blown away.” This shows that despite people weighing you down and making fun of status, they aren’t in a worse situation as you. This also shows the change you felt before about the outside bugs changed when you got more engulfed into the spiral for in the beginning, these bugs were called “true bugs” while later in the song, these true bugs were now called “fake bugs.” By the second verse, the sudden realization that you are being controlled by society kicks in. Especially when the speaker says, “don’t feel surrounded by death.” You are now realizing the reality of it all, yet you try to get ahold of yourself and be a leader since “it could be your chance in the Spiral of Ants.” Later on, as stated previously, all the true bugs become false bugs as you realize that the true bugs you looked up to aren’t the same bugs anymore. The chorus of the song, however, brings this statement farther up by saying that you know where you are going and doing yet all in all, you are still just an ant. Yet you work and work to keep that spiral going. Then the repetitiveness of “over” really hits hard on this sad outcome of life. Then reaching the last chorus, we see the noticeability of the destruction of life. The overwhelming harmony of society that “consumes” the colony still goes on and on from the moment you were born till now. The remaining lines reflect how chaotic and crazy everything is to you as even society makes “its own gravity.” Everything is swirling around like a hurricane and all scattered in a mess. However, in the last two lines, it shows that despite it all, the circle still rules your life and repeats itself over and over again. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections The 2024 Valley Stream Challenge Manal Layachi Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Junior Manal Layachi, clearing her next steeple barrier during the steeplechase race. Image Provided by Elitefeats. The 19th Annual Valley Stream Challenge took place on Saturday April 13th, 2024, at Valley Stream North High School. This is one of my favorite meets of the Spring Track season. There were over 2,000 athletes at Valley Stream North. Although the weather was not the best, everyone performed really well, and it was a fun meet. I competed in the steeplechase, where runners must jump over steeple barriers, including a water pit. It was very fun, and I got a faster time than I thought I would. Elyas Layachi, a Valley Stream North graduate, was the DJ for this event, and he did an amazing job. 38 schools competed: Bayside High School Blind Brook Chaminade Clara Barton Deer Park Division Avenue Eagle Academy for Young Men III Elmont Memorial Ethical Culture Fieldston School Friends Academy (LI) General Douglas MacArthur George H. Hewlett H. Frank Carey Kellenberg Memorial Long Beach Manhasset Massapequa Medgar Evers College Prep Midwood New Hyde Park New Rochelle Oceanside Oyster Bay Paul D. Schrieber/Port Washington Plainview-Old Bethpage/JFK Roslyn Sanford H. Calhoun Seaford Sewanhaka South Side Spring Creek Campus Tri-Valley Valley Stream Central Valley Stream North Valley Stream South W. Tresper Clarke Wantagh West Hempstead Young Women’s Leadership Jamaica Order of Events: Girls 1500 Meter Race Walk Girls 400 Meter Hurdles Boys 400 Meter Hurdles Girls 2000 Meter Steeplechase Girls 1500 Meter Run open Girls 1500 Meter Run frosh/soph Boys 3000 Meter Steeplechase Boys 1600 Meter Run open Boys 1600 Meter Run frosh/soph Girls 400 Meter Dash Girls 400 Meter Dash frosh/soph Boys 400 Meter Dash Boys 400 Meter Dash frosh/soph Girls 100 Meter Dash Girls 100 Meter Dash Un-Seeded Boys 100 Meter Dash Girls 100 Meter Hurdles Boys 110 Meter Hurdles Girls 1600 Sprint Medley Girls 1600 Sprint Medley frosh/soph Boys 1600 Sprint Medley Boys 1600 Sprint Medley frosh/soph Mixed 4x400 Meter Relay 2 boys/2 gir ls Girls 4x100 Meter Relay Boys 4x100 Meter Relay I had the pleasure of interviewing the coach of Valley Stream North’s track team, Mr. Frazer. VSN Track Coach Mike Frazer What is the history behind the Valley Stream Challenge? “This was the 19th annual Valley Stream Challenge. We held it every year starting in 2004, except 2020 due to Covid. Mr. Boyens and a I have a lot of pride in VSN and like to host meets that highlight our facility and students to the [scholastic] track community.” What do you love most about running this meet? “I love to see our students work together to put on a great event.” What is your favorite thing about being a coach? “My favorite thing is when kids get committed to track and start working hard to get PBs (Personal Bests). It takes training and running on weekends to improve, and when kids understand that they see results.” How long have you been coaching North’s track team? “I’ve been coaching VSN track since ’99.” Do you think the meet was successful? “This year’s meet was a success! There were many great performances, including the top 4 boys steeplechase times in NY this season. Many of the VSN students got PBs and many medals. In addition, the Spartan club was able to raise lots of funds by selling food from their new snack shack!” What is your connection to running? “I ran track in high school and college. I was the NY State champion in the 1600m in 1992 and then ran for Clemson University.” How do you think North performed at the meet? “It was not a team scored meet, but North won many medals!” What advice do you have for North’s girls’ and boys’ team for the rest of the season? “As the weather gets warmer, performances will improve if the athletes lock in and get that practice in! Remember, it’s a team sport, so support your teammates and lift them up.” Below are photos from different events throughout the Challenge. Lastly, I interviewed Elyas Layachi, a Valley Stream North graduate. He was the DJ for the meet. What was your favorite part about DJing for the meet? “My favorite part about DJing for the meet was keeping the crowd entertained. Not only did I love seeing people dance and sing along to the music I was playing, but I loved seeing them smile and have fun despite the weather conditions.” Do you miss running for North’s track team? “I do miss running for the team! It was like a family for me, and I miss my teammates and coaches equally. Having the opportunity to help out at this meet made me feel connected to the team once again, and it was almost as if I never left, other than the fact that I wasn’t running the steeplechase.” What was your favorite memory when you were on the track team? “My favorite memory when I was on the track team was running the 2-mile at the Divisional Championship in 2022 with one shoe. It was a defining moment in my high school running career and an exhibition of the strong mindset distance running instilled in me. It was also nice to score for the team at a championship meet, and we won the meet!” What was your favorite event to run and why? “My favorite event to run was the 3000m Steeplechase. I love that event because of how dynamic and strategic it is, as well as how important form is when jumping off the barriers. I’m glad it was the last race I ran as a high schooler at the 2023 State Qualifier meet.” Will you DJ for the meet next year? “If Frazer will have me, I would be more than happy to DJ again at the meet, this time with more experience and practice beforehand.” Do you run for Syracuse or just on your own? Why? “I currently run and work out on my own as I am currently too busy to run with the running club there, but I am planning on making the running club a priority next fall so I can get back into some racing.” What advice do you have for runners who are not confident in themselves? “If you go to practice every day and work your hardest, you have nothing to worry about at meets and competitions except to run your hardest.” This year’s Valley Stream Challenge meet was a success. I cannot not wait for next year’s. Both the boys’ and girls’ track team have championship meets coming up, so be sure to come out and support them. GO SPARTANS! The results for the Valley Stream Challenge meet are available on Elitefeats: https://ny.milesplit.com/meets/591495-valley-stream-challenge-2024/teams BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Black American Artists Back to Sections Into Bondage By Aaron Douglas February 12, 2021 Volume 1 Issue 5 Medium: Oil on Canvas, Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Back to Artwork The Memory Project Back to Sections Kimberly Shresta - Memory Project - 2 By Kimberly Shresta March 18, 2021 Volume 1 Issue 6

Back to Artwork Art Guild Back to Sections Art Guild- Madisen Dubose Madisen Dubose November 6, 2023 Digital Art Volume 4 Issue 1

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections About Me! By Chloe O'Connell Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by Marketing Sage Hi, my name is Chloe O’Connell! I’m in 7th grade, and this is my section called “Ask Chloe”. Here’s a little about me. I am the oldest and I have two siblings. I have a dog named Bandit. Fun fact: I was born with plagiocephaly, which means I was born with a flat head, so I had to wear a helmet when I was a baby. When I grow up, I want to help kids and become a pediatrician. My family is Puerto Rican and Italian, and we are also a bit Irish. I hope this helps you get to know me! Please send in your questions for our new “ Ask Chloe” advice column to oconnelc3990@vschsd.org, and Chloe will try to help you navigate the wonders of middle school. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections Choice and Voting Jasmine Roberts Volume 4 Issue 3 March 13, 2024 Image Provided by Harvard Law School When one thinks of voting, we usually settle on the idea of large showings of national support for a specific candidate especially with the upcoming U.S. Presidential Election occurring this year. However, with most of us being barely old enough to step into a ballot box, I would like to support the idea of voting and voice an opinion in general: to be important no matter your age. I believe that one of the most universal feelings every teenager feels no matter their age or grade, is the hinderance to their autonomy. In such a chaotic world of growing up, parents, and school, it can feel as if the world is pulling you from one side to another without your word or consent on the matter. In truth, this isn’t your fault. Even though we are the ones maturing in a world that seems to reject large groups of us, we don’t have to suffer in silence. In this technologically advanced world, it is both immature and folly to believe that minors do not have a grasp on mature ideas. Ironically, some adults barely even have a grasp on these ideas themselves. We cannot blindly follow the leader. We minors deserve our own voices. People who desire to oppress the voices of youth are the same that train a future of compliance and the status quo, even when that norm might be despicable and detestable. We need bold, intelligent kids who desire change for the better, and we need courageous, articulate adults who will not comply with the evils of the rich and powerful. Even in the classroom and in homes, there needs to be a precedent of allowing minors to have opinions and convey their feelings, respectfully of course, because we are humans too! One silent voice is always one step away from democracy. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Attacks on Women Sahar Ali Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by Elaine Ching Imagine walking down a street in New York City. You are minding your own business when out of the blue, someone attacks you, more specifically, punches you. This was the reality for some women in New York City. Recently, there have been multiple reports of young women claiming to have been punched by a man while walking in New York City in broad daylight. This issue has gained attention through social media platforms such as TikTok, in which the women involved revealed the details of their attacks. The news of the attacks started to surface on March 17th, 2024. Women in their 20s and 30s took to social media to share their experiences. Some of the women stated that they had been on their phones as they were walking when the attack took place. One woman claimed that she was attacked while walking home. Another claimed she was attacked while on her way to work and another asserted that she was attacked while walking her dog. Two of the women who were punched described their attacker to be very similar; it is possible that the aggressor was the same in both cases. Since March 17th, a dozen women have shared that they were attacked and two of the women went as far as to file police reports. One of the women involved in the attacks, Halley Kate Mcgookin, posted to TikTok on March 25th, stating, “You guys, I was literally just walking, and a man came up and punched me in the face.” Mcgookin went on to file a police report the same day. The video Mcgookin posted on TikTok had 49 million views and consisted of comments that tagged other women who experienced similar attacks. This included Olivia Brand. On March 17th, Brand posted a video stating she was also punched in the face. She goes on to say that the man said “sorry” and further went on to punch her in the head while on the sidewalk. A third victim, Mikayla Toninato, also commented on Mcgookin’s TikTok post; she too had been walking when a man approached her and hit her in the face while she was looking down at her phone. Following Toninato’s attack, Sarah Harvard was also attacked on March 19th while in the Lower East Side. Harvard did not post information regarding her attack on social media unlike the other victims; however, once she witnessed a buildup of posts about the same attacks, she explained her similar situation on Instagram and Twitter, following with a police report filed on March 27th. Selena Pikanab and Karina Dunford, two additional victims, also released posts on social media describing comparable incidents. So far, the New York Police Department has arrested a suspect: 40-year-old Skiboky Stora from Brooklyn. Stora has been charged with misdemeanor assault in Mcgookin’s attack. During his arraignment, Stora pleaded not guilty but was still in custody. Skiboky Stora has an interesting past as well. In the last three years, Stora launched long-shot bids for government positions such as governor, mayor, and city council member. On social media, it has been documented that Stora’s posts consists of pictures of him posing shirtless while appearing in front of a Donald Trump flag. On the darker side, many of Stora’s posts include videos of him harassing women as they are going about their day on the subway or street. In many areas of New York City, there has been an increase in misdemeanor assaults. Especially now, women are the main target. It is important for women of all ages in New York City to be aware of their surroundings, especially since men have assaulted many women this past month. Women should not have to worry about having to deal with such circumstances, however, everyone in New York City should take precaution in order to prevent these circumstances. SOURCES: Multiple women online say they were punched while walking around New York City ( nbcnews.com ) What we know about viral TikToks saying women are being punched in NYC streets ( msn.com ) BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections NASA Artemis: We Are Going By Elyas Layachi Volume 1 Issue 5 February 12, 2021 Image provided by NASA The Beginnings of Artemis In 2017, the hearings to appoint a new NASA administrator took place. Jim Bridenstine, the candidate for this position, was confirmed by the full Senate on a party-line vote in 2018. He had two goals for his term: to win over his former critics, and to successfully start Project Artemis, the project to create a permanent human presence on the moon and beyond. The Trump Administration specifically wanted humans on the moon by 2024, and this deadline sadly will not be met. Since 2018, NASA has come a long way in Project Artemis. Many spacecrafts have been developed and tested, and a plan is officially underway, with launches beginning in 2021 through 2028. This article will discuss Artemis, its goals, costs, and main components, and the future of human space exploration. Artemis: Meaning and Overview The Artemis program is named after Artemis, the sister of Apollo in Greek mythology. This makes sense, since Apollo was the name of the primary lunar landings, and Artemis is following her brother’s footsteps. The main goal of Artemis is to “use innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before,” according to NASA. The program began in 2017, when President Donald Trump signed the Space Policy Directive 1, which authorized Artemis and provided it funding. Sadly, it has not received enough funding to occur before 2024, but NASA hopes to land the astronauts and carry out the program no later than 2028. The mission consists of many lunar launches and deliveries to set up the resources and habitation the astronauts will use while exploring the moon. These include exploration ground systems, the space launch system, the Orion capsule spacecraft, and the gateway space station. This article will go into depth regarding each of these components of the mission. Exploration Ground Systems The exploration ground systems program is one of three NASA programs designed to develop and operate the systems and facilities “necessary to process and launch rockets and spacecraft during assembly, transport, and launch,” according to NASA’s overview document. The EGS department of NASA is working on different spacecraft, including SLS and Orion for the first Artemis mission, Artemis 1, with a goal of testing Orion and SLS for a moon launch. The exploration ground systems for Artemis, in other words, include all the structures on the ground to support launch. Space Launch System Dubbed the “most powerful rocket in the world,” SLS is one of the core stages of Artemis. NASA will use it to send humans and cargo to the Moon and beyond, and it was designed to be flexible and evolvable depending on the mission. It is also NASA’s first deep space rocket since the Saturn V, which was used for the Apollo moon landings. NASA defines SLS as a “super-heavy-lift launch vehicle that provides the foundation for human exploration beyond Earth’s orbit.” NASA claims that it is the only rocket that can send Orion, the exploration capsule, astronauts, and cargo to the moon on a single mission . During launch, the SLS will help Orion reach speeds up to 24,500 miles per hour, which is necessary for a trajectory to the moon. Each of the configurations of SLS use RS-25 engines, and the first vehicle, AKA Block 1, can send more than 59,500 pounds to orbit beyond the moon. The first three Artemis missions will use this rocket. The core stages of SLS were built by Boeing in Huntsville, Alabama. Over 1,000 companies from across the US, including Boeing, have contributed to the construction of SLS, and its construction was managed by the Exploration Systems Development Division within the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. SLS can be considered the backbone of the mission. Without its capabilities, sending humans to the Moon seems like a wild aspiration. Orion The Orion Space Capsule, named after one of the largest constellations in the night sky, is designed to “meet the evolving needs of our nation’s deep space exploration for decades to come,” according to NASA’s fact sheet. It will carry the crew to lunar orbit, where it will dock with the Gateway to prepare the crew for lunar descent. After the lunar mission, the crew will return home, and the capsule was engineered to withstand the extreme heat during re-entry. On Artemis 1, its first uncrewed mission, Orion will venture thousands of miles beyond the moon for around three weeks to pave the way for flights with astronauts. Orion is like Apollo in that it is the astronauts’ capsule, but Orion is much larger and technologically advanced. Gateway Built by commercial and international partners, this spacecraft is critical to sustainable lunar exploration and will serve as a model for future Mars missions. It will be an outpost around the moon and will provide vital support for sustainable, long-term human return to the lunar surface, as well as a staging point for deep space exploration. During a lunar mission, Gateway will serve as a relay station between space and the lunar surface. Orion will dock to gateway, and astronauts will spend most of their time on the station. Then, once prepared, they will descend to the lunar surface using the lunar lander and conduct science on the moon. What is the future, after Artemis? NASA hopes to learn much from Artemis, including how astronauts can handle deep-space missions, and whether or not our current technologies are capable of such goals. After Artemis, NASA will use SLS, Orion, and Gateway to pursue many more goals, including human asteroid missions and one day landing on Mars. Exploration of the moon will help us better understand the formation of the universe and will serve as framework for exploring distant worlds. As Jim Bridenstine would say, we are going, and we are going to stay. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris, Fiction Back to Sections The Luck Giver By Catherine Duong Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 Image Provided by Sky: CotL created by the TGC company Author’s note: This short story is fanfiction based on a game called Sky: Children of The Light (Sky: CotL) made by the TGC Company. Hidden Forest (1) - The fourth sky area within the realm. It is described as a place where it oftentimes rains and has vast forests. As spring arose in the sky realm, it was as if life sprung back onto its feet; flowers started to bloom, and everything looked so colorful and vibrant! Around this beautiful season, there was one day in a year that luck would spread about by one person called the Luck Giver. On that day, they would fly across from land to land, swiftly scattering lustrous coins. It is believed that they will bring good fortunes to the sky children! Until one day, the Luck Giver ran out of luck this year. There was no such thing as infinite coins and these coins were expensive to the Giver. Standing at the ledge of the Hidden Forest (1) in front of them, they tightly gripped their staff, pondering alternative ways to keep the tradition going. BACK TO TOP