Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections Ingenuity: An Engineering Marvel By Elyas Layachi Volume 1 Issue 7 April 22, 2021 Image provided by NASA On Thursday, February 18th, 2021, the Perseverance rover touched down on the Martian surface. Its primary goal includes studying the Martian soil and hunting for signs of ancient or current life (see article in ARCHIVES: Issue 6 for more information). However, Perseverance has another job. It was the primary transport vehicle for Ingenuity, a Martian helicopter experiment. The results from this experiment, if successful, will significantly impact future exploration of the Martian surface. Ingenuity is equipped to deal with a host of hostile conditions on Mars. For starters, the Martian atmosphere is only 1% as dense as Earth’s atmosphere at the surface, meaning it will take more power and lighter weight for an aircraft to lift off in the Martian atmosphere. Secondly, during the Martian daytime, the planet’s surface receives only half the amount of solar energy that Earth receives during its day, which means that Ingenuity’s solar panels and battery must be as efficient as possible. Third, the nighttime temperatures on Mars can drop as low as minus 120 degrees Fahrenheit, freezing and cracking unprotected electrical components. This means that Ingenuity must also have proper protection for its parts, or else it will malfunction. As stated previously, Ingenuity is a Martian helicopter/drone. It was carefully sterilized on Earth to avoid contaminating Mars with microbes, and it dropped its protective debris shield on Mars on March 21st, preparing for its first flight. It is, according to NASA, the “first attempt at powered, controlled flight of an aircraft on another planet.” Its flight will be the first time an aircraft will attempt to fly through another world’s atmosphere. After deploying its protective shield, it will take the helicopter another six days to prepare for its deployment. For its first test flight, Ingenuity will power up, run its rotors at 2,537 rotations per minute, lift-off, climb at a rate of 3 feet per second, and hover at 10 feet above the surface for up to 30 seconds. Images, video, and possibly audio footage will be taken off the flight by Perseverance’s cameras and microphones, and they will be relayed to Earth soon after. If the mission proves successful, it will hail a potential new generation of Martian explorers that can scout ahead of rovers and even humans in the decades to come to make surface exploration easier. Additionally, if successful, drones or helicopters could explore even more distant worlds, such as the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Now, it is safe to say that the Earth’s sky is no longer the limit. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Autumn School Event Recap Giavanna Quagliata Volume 5 Issue 2 November 25, 2024 Image Provided by Elaine Ching Since school has started, everybody has been getting used to their classes, taking tests, and doing homework. However, school is not just about work. Have you heard about North’s autumn events? Well, if not, then this article is for you! North has so many activities to participate in, or just to attend with friends. Football games - Specifically, FNL, which stands for Friday Night Lights. This is the biggest football game at North, and the stands are filled with people. Every year there is a different theme; this year’s for example, was Whiteout. The cheerleaders worked hard to perform perfectly and support our team, while the Varsity Kickline team performed during half-time to a genre that everyone loves: Hip-Hop. If you did not make it to this year’s game, it is definitely recommended to go at least once before you graduate. This next event is known as one of our biggest school events, the Pep Rally. If you haven’t heard of it already, Pep Rally is a big performance to show appreciation for all sports. For Pep Rally, students are taken out of their 8th and 9th period classes and go out to the football field to watch, and this year’s occurred on Friday October 18th. If you are not in any performances, students are seated on the bleachers. Every sport gets announced, and spectators cheer the players on the teams. The cheerleaders performed a special routine with amazing stunting skills, kickline did a surprise genre dance performance, and Step showed their skills with a performance as well (which included many of the World Language Department teachers and Mr. Loiseau, and it was awesome .) This year, Mrs. Goldman helped recruit teachers to join them during their routine. If you feel like dressing fancy, this next event is for you: The Homecoming Dance. Every year, 10-12th graders are invited to attend. Your class saves up money to contribute to a DJ, food, and drinks. Plan to go with your best friends, or maybe even be asked by someone special. When you walk in, a table with teachers awaits you to give them your ticket, and if you would prefer, you can drop off your coat. After, you walk into the cafeteria and see it is decorated and filled with people. Parent volunteers help you grab some food, and you go dance with friends. This year’s theme was Disco. The next day everyone is invited to attend the football game. This year, the Spartans won their game. These are only a few events at North. If you look deeper, you can find all diverse types of activities and events for something you might enjoy. If you are feeling spontaneous, join a club or get involved in an activity. It is better to join than to regret not joining at all. BACK TO TOP

< Back About the Course This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. Your Instructor Brian Chung This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left.

Back to Artwork Who Am I Back to Sections Anonymous - Who Am I? - 6 By Anonymous November 19, 2021 Volume 2 Issue 2

Back to Artwork Nightmare on Main Street Back to Sections Nightmare on Main Street- Emily Dahl Emily Dahl November 6, 2023 Graphite Volume 4 Issue 1

Back to Articles News Back to Sections The Power of Your Voice Everton Prospere Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 Image Provided by iStock During the midst of the presidential election of 2008, Democratic Party nominee, Barack Obama, said these resonating words: “Your voice can change the world.” President Obama’s pursuit and successful position established in the nation’s highest office was achieved solely through the use of his iconic voice. Just as the President inspired millions, your voice can equally have the same effect on others. To end this school year, the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) hosted a gun violence awareness campaign to educate students about the firearm crisis in this nation and fundraise to make a significant contribution to the appropriate activist organizations. To bring true attention to this issue, student leaders in the SADD Club, including Shinedip Kundlas, Claudia Sanchez, Barnit Kaur, Janine Olivencia, Noa Cordova, Elaine Ching, and myself, led over 300 North students to walk out at noon and protest gun violence on May 22nd. During the event, each of the leaders highlighted a school shooting and memorialized over 126 victims. Students who walked out were also invited to participate in a 126 second moment of silence as well as sign a pledge to fight against gun violence. After leading this event firsthand, I truly was able to taste the beginnings of my career in social activism. I learned through careful planning and hard work to make this a successful event that your voice can make a difference. As I grabbed the megaphone and spoke to the crowd of students that gathered, I realized that everyone present sought one common goal: to end gun violence. My voice in that moment spoke to hundreds of people to not only bring attention to the lives lost, but also establish methods for students to help combat this crisis on a personal level. My voice mattered. The voice of the leaders mattered. And the voice of the students that gathered mattered. Each student who protested was given the opportunity to use their voice. This is the epitome of journalism. To push forward and attest to a topic, even in the face of trials that may prove controversial or dangerous. After seven years, my journey at Valley Stream North High School has come to a close. As my fingers type away at this final article, I can only thank those around me who have guided me to this next chapter of my life. To my family, friends, teachers for molding me into the person I am today. However, one special thank you extends to the entire North Star. To Ms. Swinton, Ms. Hirsch, and Mrs. Mansfield for advising the club. To the current and graduated editors for being dedicated to maintaining the magazine’s prestige. And, of course, to the readers, for supporting the North Star through its years of existence. However, the doors to the next chapter of my life have opened wide. The future articles and news reports await to be made, whether about current or historical events. However, before signing off as the News Editor, I must offer this piece of advice to all those reading this article. Be confident, even as you move into new unknowns. Whether in journalism or simply, your day to day life, keep using your voice to make your newsworthy contribution to our world. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Groundhog Day Wardah Khizer Volume 6 Issue 3 June 8, 2026 Image Provided by Mohammad Arshad The North American tradition of Groundhog Day is celebrated every year on February 2nd. This day dictates that if groundhog Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow at Gobbler's Knob, six more weeks of winter follow. This year, when Phil emerged from his burrow, he saw his shadow. The “President of the Inner Circle [the group responsible for planning events and caring for Phil] and groundhog interpreter Tom Dunkel listened to [Phil] carefully, and the prediction was announced: Six more weeks of winter” (USA Today). The Origins of Groundhog Day Groundhog Day grew out of old European traditions where people looked to animals, such as badgers and bears, to predict how long winter would last. These old traditions blended with the Christian holiday of Candlemas, which used the weather on February 2nd to forecast the coming season, and with the Celtic festival Imbolc, another mid-winter marker tied to seasonal change. When German settlers came to Pennsylvania in the 1700s, they brought these beliefs with them and swapped the European animals for the local groundhog. The town of Punxsutawney in Pennsylvania eventually became the center of the tradition. In 1886, a local newspaper editor, Clymer H. Freas, helped turn it into the event we know today as “he proclaimed Punxsutawney Phil, the local groundhog, to be the one and only official weather forecasting groundhog” (National Weather Service). Now, the tradition has spread widely, and thousands of people watch Phil make his annual weather prediction. Punxsutawney Phil’s Immortality Groundhogs can live until they are 6 years old, but Phil has been making predictions since 1886, which makes him 140 years old. His secret to longevity is quite unique: Phil drinks a magic elixir on the first Saturday in September, adding seven years to his life for every drink he takes. The President of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club states that “The magic Elixir is something super-secret, it’s been handed down from handler to handler through the years, it’s a concoction of a lot of different herbs and spices and some super-secret formulas that only the handler knows” (WETM). How accurate are Punxsutawney Phil’s predictions? CBS News claims that “Punxsutawney Phil is a groundhog, not a meteorologist. Between 2013 and 2023, he saw his shadow seven times, and of those seven, he was correct only once.” As of 2025, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration claims that Phil is the 17th most accurate weather-predicting groundhog with 35% accuracy. Staten Island Chuck took first place with 85% accuracy. Although Chuck is dependable for weather predictions, “his behavior can be a bit unpredictable. He once bit the hand of the Mayor of New York City” (NOAA). At the end of the day, Punxsutawney Phil does not need to be accurate to hold a special place in people's hearts. Sources: Did the groundhog see his shadow? Results of Phil's 2026 prediction Groundhog Day: Ancient Origins of a Modern Celebration | Folklife Today Ground Hog History How accurate are Punxsutawney Phil's Groundhog Day predictions? Here's how he ranks in 2026. - CBS News At 137 years old, Punxsutawney Phil has a secret to living forever BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Lights On for Education Back to Sections Marissa Nardone - Lights On for Education - 2 By Marissa Nardone April 22, 2021 Photography Volume 1 Issue 7

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Goodbye Leah Ally Volume 5 Issue 5 July 5, 2025 It was a mild night in February when a little girl decided to leave her home. Her parents had gone out that night and wouldn’t be home until an hour later. So, she had decided to use the time to explore her new neighborhood freely. They had just moved there and therefore knew very little about their surroundings. As she made it to the pavement outside her home, she excitedly began skipping along the sidewalk as she had never felt such a sense of independence as she now did. Not only was she out past her 9 pm curfew, but she was by herself. As she curiously looked at all the houses in her neighborhood, it began to dawn on her that she had traveled so far for so long that she had no sense of direction of how to return home. Not only that, but she had no sense of time, either. With tears forming in her eyes and her feet slowly dragging on the cement, she saw a boy seemingly around her age sitting on the opposite side of the sidewalk. Out of desperation, she cautiously crossed over to him and began questioning who he was and why he was out so late. The boy never looked up and merely muttered that he did not have a family. As a soft rain began to fall, he slowly stood up and made eye contact with the girl. Though somber, he made a small gesture with his hand that motioned that he wanted her to walk with him. For what seemed like forever there were no words exchanged between the two of them. Only small glances that said more words than sentences could. After some time, they introduced themselves, still walking in a light rain that thumped on both of their jackets. Even though they did not know each other well, they knew that they were one of the same, children with seemingly no direction. Later that night the police, who were notified by the girl’s parents, eventually found her with the boy. She was ushered into the car to be taken home. A sense of relief rushed through her body. But sadness also loomed over her as her watery eyes glanced over the boy’s face. She knew in her heart she wouldn’t see him again. His eyes were still fixated on hers as his gaze softened just enough to communicate a “goodbye”. With no words she understood him. The entire night she understood him more than anyone else ever had. It mattered in the moment, but not now, not as the car drove off, forever separating the girl and the boy. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections 12 Pieces of Advice for Upcoming 12th Graders Jeselys Vazquez Volume 5 Issue 1 September 20, 2024 Image Provided by Jeselys Vazquez Hi, my name is Jeselys Vazquez. I’m a graduating senior of the Class of 2024 and have been a member of the North Star for 3 years. It has been fun being part of an intelligent and creative group of writers these past few years. Being at North since 7th grade looking back from then until now, I have a different mindset. Especially in 12th grade, there have been many important lessons I learned that I wish someone would have shared with me about senior year. So, I hope to help guide the new upcoming seniors. I wanted to share 12 pieces of advice for the new 12th grade students:     Senior year is an exciting year, but don’t let “senioritis” or your peers’ “senioritis” kick in and affect you. Everyone wants to have many free periods, so they don’t have many classes and make their lives easier. However, it is not the same for everyone because you may still need certain credits to graduate, so it varies for everyone.  Create your schedule based on your needs. Have fun! I know it may sound contradictory to say that when you’re in school, but there will be many school events and games to go to so try to make as many as you can.   For Regents level students in English, the college process will occupy October to December with writing your college essay, college applications, creating your resume, collecting your teacher recommendations, etc. For students taking an AP English level course, you will start to draft your college essay earlier that summer so once you come in you just clean up and get done sooner. Either way, you will be ready by the time you submit your essay for the application deadline. If you ever feel overwhelmed by the college application process, do not be afraid to contact your guidance counselor with any questions or concerns and they will help you. Also, if you have anything on your mind or going on at school or at home, we have wonderful psychologists that are there to help, listen, and give you any advice you need. As it is the last year, a lot of people have made their friend groups and stay in their circle, so don’t feel left out or weird when people seem to be in their corner. It is normal, just always keep in mind to be kind to others, if you don’t feel comfortable then don’t push it.   Remember you’re not obligated to be friends with everyone, as you’re not for everyone. Surround yourself with good people you trust and bring the best out of you, who are there for you through the good and bad.   Don’t be afraid to try out for a sports team, a play, or something new just because others might think or not good enough. Never let fear stop you from doing something you want to do. Even if you don’t make it, it is ok!   When things don’t work out, that doesn’t mean it is over and that you should give up.  It means you should try again later and if it still does not work out, then there may be better something set out for you. In the end, it will work itself out.   Obviously, the excitement for prom comes around and everyone is trying to get a prom date, so people tend to talk to people or tend to get into relationships to guarantee the idea of going with someone, but don’t force it. You don’t need a date to have at the prom, you can go with your friend whether girl or boy, a cousin, even siblings if you wanted to and have fun with all your peers and have a great night before you all graduate.   Relationships or getting into a relationship senior year is not the wisest decision because it is your last year before you head into your next chapter, and you meet new people there. It is best to stay away from them and not to end with a headache. Sometimes on rare occasions some relationships last but it's best to keep things platonic and start off by just talking to get to know each other but never jump the hoops into being a couple already.   Never put yourself down or let someone else make you question your value. Don’t let anyone tell you that you do not deserve good things or deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. Don’t feel that you’re not at the expectation of what social media projects how you should be. Half of what you see on social media, even on the news is not 100% true, so don’t feed into their ideas. Live your life how you want responsibly and happily.   Don’t compare yourself to others, you’re not the same person with the same goals and lifestyle. The only person you should be competing with is the person you were yesterday, do better for yourself and make healthier habits to be a better you for you, not for anyone else. Make yourself a priority because if an aspect of your health triangle unbalanced than the other aspects will be as well, so focus on yourself before others.   BACK TO TOP