Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Thank You! Cody Sung Volume 5 Issue 1 September 20, 2024 Image Provided by Elaine Ching It has been an amazing five years at my fantastic school. I truly enjoyed my time here and I will miss North dearly. I would like to thank everyone for their support and made my educational career a success so far. I started at North going into eighth grade at nine years old. I was very confused, but thanks to many people, I am graduating from North a bit less confused. I want to start my appreciation first by thanking Dr. Small, the principal, Mrs. Buonaspina and Mr. Jara, the assistant principals, Mr. Brodsky and Ms. Bloeth, my guidance counselors, and the Valley Stream Central High School District for all their support during my high school years at North. I would also like to thank all my amazing teachers and club advisors who always offered their guidance and support and always made me feel welcome. I could always stop by and discuss any questions or difficulties I had. They helped make my experience at North unbelievably special. Thank you to the security guards, maintenance crew, and other staff for helping me whenever I needed assistance – especially the security guards, they handled a lot of pretzels. Thank you to my wonderful classmates, peers, and friends – those who have graduated before me, those who are graduated with me, and those who are graduating after me – for all your support. Thank you for helping me when I couldn’t open my locker, or when I dropped my books and water bottle down the stairs, or when I didn’t know where my classes were. Thank you to Mom and Dad for supporting me and always pushing me to the next level – and to my brother, I love you. Finally, I would like to thank everyone at Willow Road, where my educational career started, for all their support. Congratulations and good luck to the class of 2024. -Cody Sung BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections The History of Myanmar and Their Coup By Cody Sung Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 No Image available at this time The date is November 8, 2020. The Myanmar elections saw the leading party, National League for Democracy (NLD) win by a landslide. The military said there was widespread fraud as its party was blown away in the landslide. Fast-forward almost three months, and we arrive at February 1st, the day of the coup. The military arrested Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratically-elected leader, and other government officials, and installed the commander-in-chief, Min Aung Hlaing, into power. What led up to this, and what’s in store for the future of Myanmar? Let’s rewind to 1948. Myanmar was a British colony, pushing out any native people before colonization. Then, it gained its independence from the British Empire, which by now was rapidly falling apart. Named Burma at the time, the country elected its leaders under a democracy, though its stability was weak. The military, angry at the weak civilian government, performed a coup in 1962, starting off 49 years of military rule. The military dictatorship was socialist, and like other socialist military dictatorships, brutally suppressed protests and opposition to its regime. The dictator tried to do so during a peaceful revolution in 1988. They ended up succeeding, but Ne Win, the leader at the time, resigned, and elections were held. The NLD swept the election with 80% of the seats awarded to them, but the military refused to give up power, and so the military dictatorship continued, up until 2011. In 2011, the military dictatorship was dissolved, after the dictatorship tried to move toward democracy in 2008, and held elections in 2010, but the election is widely considered to be fraudulent. With the military dictatorship at its end, the country transitioned towards true democracy and a mixed economy. This leaves us to where we are right now. The military has taken control over a country that just became a democracy. The military declared a 1-year state of emergency, but it must now deal with protests against their regime. Even with these protests, civil liberties are being restricted, with curfews being put in place for major cities. Will these protests be successful? Will democracy prevail? Sources: BBC News Myanmar coup: What is happening and why? - BBC News Council on Foreign Relations Myanmar’s Troubled History: Coups, Military Rule, and Ethnic Conflict | Council on Foreign Relations (cfr.org) Wikipedia (to use as a starting point for my research) Myanmar - Wikipedia Myanmar coup: What is happening and why? People across Myanmar are taking to the streets after a military coup that saw its leaders detained. www.bbc.com 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 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