Back to Artwork Nightmare on Main Street Back to Sections Nightmare on Main Street- Madisen Dubose Madisen Dubose November 6, 2023 Digital Art Volume 4 Issue 1

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections A Goodbye to North By Olivia Neuner Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Image provided by the LI Herald Like most people, I did not have a great 7th grade experience. Since about 5th grade, I had basically spent every free second with my best friend, Chloe. When her family decided to send her to Kellenberg, I was left to navigate middle school without her, which was extremely difficult. The few friends I had shared either one or no classes with me, so the only person I really had was my twin brother (which is great and all, but having no close friends felt AWFUL). I tried to branch out to little avail: I didn’t make the volleyball team, didn’t pass the audition for jazz band, and the people I tried talking to didn’t seem interested. I thought heavily about transferring to Memorial but feared it would be the same there. Nevertheless, I dragged through the next year and the next. I eventually did get a spot in the jazz band and made a few friends and reconnected with a few from Dever. As far as school goes, it all went up from there! After six years, I can say the tide changed the second half of my high school experience. In 9th grade, I joined North’s no-cut Badminton team, where I was welcomed with open arms and encouraged to do my best. I also joined the district Performing Arts Program, where I have spent the last four years singing, dancing, and acting with pride in my school. It was in these places that I made some of my best friends and met some of my favorite teachers. I am so thankful that I get to end out my year -somewhat- normally as I have been fully in person since March. I wanted to point out the differences in these years to show any younger North students that having a bad middle school experience is “normal”. It took a while, but I am finally happy with how my high school years turned out. Join everything you can! You’ll find your place, even if it’s not where you thought it would be. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections The Obesity of Squirrels By Manal Layachi Volume 1 Issue 5 February 12, 2021 Original photos by Manal Layachi You might think that all squirrels eat is natural like acorns and berries. Well, think again. One day, I was at the park celebrating my uncle’s birthday. I was playing soccer with my cousins, and a squirrel tried to eat some of the dessert when we weren’t looking. This thing was much bigger than the regular size of a squirrel. I got a bit interested in how squirrels are now interested in what humans eat. Another time, I saw a squirrel eating fries and pizza. The question is: why are squirrels suddenly having an interest in human’s junk food? My prediction is squirrels are craving junk food because they want to get ready hibernation in the winter. In the future, I think squirrels are going to be very big if they keep eating human junk foods. Scientists will study the way the squirrels think during this pandemic and why they are craving these foods. This would be a very interesting thing to study and do research on because squirrels are getting bigger by the year. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Portrait Back to Sections Jacqueline Taylor - Portrait By Jacqueline Taylor January 20, 2021 Graphite Volume 1 Issue 4

Back to Articles News Back to Sections TOPSoccer at the Valley Stream Soccer Club By Manal Layachi Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 Image provided by www.liherald.com TOPSoccer stands for “The Outreach Program for Soccer.” It is a program for young adults and children who have intellectual and/or physical disabilities. My father, Azzedine Layachi, founded this program for the Valley Stream Soccer Club for my brother Zak. He founded it in September of 2014. My other brother, Elyas, and I volunteer and teach the kids the fundamentals of how to play soccer; I’ve been doing it since I was 5 years old. My favorite part is spending time with the kids and helping them. When they smile, it fills me with joy. Here are some questions that my father answered for me: What inspired you to found this program? My own son and kids like him who would miss the opportunity to play sports. What is your favorite part of each session? The parachute. That is the favorite for all players, and it involves teamwork, singing, and turning in circles as a group. Do you like helping others? Yes. That is one of our purposes in life, to be there for others. Why do you like teaching kids how to play soccer? It is my passion and I want the players to acquire that passion too. It is an easy sport to play. Will you continue to do this for the rest of your life? For as long as I can. A lot of new kids sign up and it feels good to make a change. Anyone can volunteer, even if you don’t know how to play soccer. All in all, I love this TOPSoccer program and helping others, and I can’t wait for the season to start! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Portrait Back to Sections Stern By Luiginna Frederique January 20, 2021 Photography Volume 1 Issue 4

Back to Artwork Nightmare on Main Street Back to Sections Psychedelic Nightmare By Arunima Roy October 8, 2021 Volume 2 Issue 1

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Holiday Films: A Bleak De-Evolution By Alain Deen Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Image provided by Minnetonka Breezes Ah…the holiday season. A time for extravagantly decorated trees, gingerbread scented candles, family gatherings, and most importantly, holiday films. Watching a holiday film while drinking a warm cup of hot cocoa might be my favorite holiday activity of all time. Doesn’t everyone love watching Kevin defeat the burglars, Walter Hobbs discovering the true meaning of Christmas, and Kris Kringle winning the court case? I sure do. The first known on-screen holiday film was 1898’s “Santa Claus.” The film was approximately two minutes long, created in the UK. A film that long deserves a very in-depth synopsis, right? Just kidding. The film depicts the traditional aura of Santa Claus. He goes down the chimney, and leaves toys for the sleeping children. It is safe to say that the film industry has come a long way since then, especially in the holiday department. The mid to late 20th century presented itself with some of the best holiday films to date. However, after the 2010, in the holiday film department, it is a known fact that the holiday season saw a rapid decline in ratings and viewership. Elf, Home Alone, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Carol, and It’s a Wonderful Life are just some of the most influential holiday films of our time. Each film has a unique characteristic that you really could not find in any other holiday film at the time of each release. However, it is worth noting that each film has a similar message; Christmas spirit always wins. While it is a common theme, it takes great execution to pull it off. Some films hold the very same theme but have awful execution, making the five films mentioned above classics. Let us take a look at 1947’s Miracle on 34th Street. The film centers around divorced mother, Doris Walker and her daughter, Susan. Doris works at Macy’s and is in charge of organizing the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade. When the man hired to play Santa Claus is found stone-cold drunk minutes before the parade, Doris hires a sweet old man to take his spot. However, she is startled by his claim that he’s the genuine article. The old man’s legal name is Kris Kringle, which immediately throws the other characters off. On top of that, Kris persuades Doris’ headstrong daughter, Susan, to develop a less rigid imagination, which she does. After about a month of confusion, Macy’s marketing tactics, and people attempting to prove that Kris was indeed not Santa Claus, an official court case was held. Doris’ love interest, Fred Gailey, serves as Kris’ lawyer. Against all odds, he uses his knowledge of the law and postal letters to Santa Claus to prove that Kris is truthfully Santa Claus, allowing the Christmas spirit to flourish. In my opinion, this film had near-perfect execution in its theme delivery. The writing, pacing, and performances were very convincing, allowing for a great film. It was a unique idea at the time, making the film an instant classic. As years have gone by, similar themes have been used in holiday films. For instance, 1994’s The Santa Clause employs a very similar underlying plotline. However, it isn’t as charming as Miracle on 34th Street due to the recycled theme. Recycled themes often foster the failure of modern holiday films. For instance, after Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, 3 new installments were produced. The ratings for each were significantly lower than the first two, starring Macaulay Culkin and Joe Pesci. For instance, Home Alone 3 has a 3.6/10 rating on IMDb. Most of the reviews complain about the film’s recycled plot line, bad acting, and lack of charm. Even worse, Home Alone 4 has a 2.6/10 rating on IMDb. Critics tore this film to pieces due to its lack of authenticity. Even the franchise’s latest installment, Home Sweet Home Alone has a 3.6/10 rating on IMDb. Critics emphasize the film’s lack of charm as well. Overall, it is safe to say that modern holiday films flop due to a lack of authenticity, charm, and ever-recycled plotlines. It is crucial for filmmakers to develop new themes for holiday films. If not, future generations would not have their own set of classics, as we do. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Line Back to Sections Lillian Dolan - What is Line - 6 By Lillian Dolan November 1, 2020 Photography Volume 1 Issue 1

Back to Articles News Back to Sections A Divided America: Can We Actually “Build Back Better”? By Craig Papajohn-Shaw Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 Image provided by POSO It’s over. At approximately 11:30 AM on Saturday, November 7th, the state of Pennsylvania, with its 20 electoral votes, was declared to 77-year-old, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., putting him over the 270 threshold of electoral votes needed to win the presidency. He would be announced as the future 46th President of the United States with his running mate, Senator Kamala Harris, being declared the future 49th Vice President of the United States. Former Vice President Biden would only be the second practicing Catholic elected as President, and Senator Harris would be the first woman in the position of Vice President. This is not to mention Harris is of Black Caribbean and South Asian descent, which makes another first for an American VP. While this is a monumental win for Democrats, the results of the Senate and House races have made Americans, especially Democrats, question whether the country can actually “Build Back Better,” as well as whether the varying political visions of the Democrats caused the party to lose seats in the House. The infighting of the Democratic Party has been an issue over the last decade, recently exemplified when 29 Democrats, across the large spectrum of the party’s beliefs, ran to become the Presidential nominee for the party. The large spectrum of democrats includes the progressive, liberal, and centrist (or moderate) wings. In this election, the Republicans flipped 11 seats in the house for a net gain of eight, with 8 races yet to be called (As of 11/19/20). Polling suggested Democrats were supposed to gain 10-15 seats, but rather, they lost seats, putting Nancy Pelosi’s position as Speaker of the House in peril. The weakened majority in the House came as a shock to Democrats and Republicans alike. The progressive wing of the party was blamed for these losses based on polling, proving that the Democratic party is not shifting as much left as polls suggested. Many centrist Democrats pointed fingers at Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, saying that her self-described democratic socialist agenda caused voters to turn away from the Democratic ticket in the down-ballot races. Even some members of the progressive caucus such as California Representative Jared Huffman (CA-2) concurred, stating, “I think Republicans did get some traction trying to scare people on this ‘socialist narrative.’” The results of the House races gave implications that Americans do not agree on policies such as Medicare for All (abolishing privatized healthcare), defunding the police, abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and a federal job guarantee. Representative Connor Lamb (PA-17), a centrist Democrat, claimed the progressive policies are “unrealistic” and that the false promises being made, cost Democrats in key races. He further went on to say that the Biden administration should keep the progressives at arm’s length. Additionally, moderate Republican and former Ohio Governor, John Kasich, who supported the Biden-Harris ticket, bluntly stated, “The Democrats have to make it clear to the far-left that they almost cost him this election.” The multiple accusations generated a defensive response from Representative Ocasio-Cortez stating to the Times , “I don't even know if I want to be in politics.” The deflection from the Congresswoman reflected the division within the Democratic party and displayed how the many sides of the party cannot seem to be, let alone act unified. Former Vice President Biden has pledged that he will be a president for all Americans, not just those who voted for him. However, the divide within his own party might make it difficult for him to reunite the heavily divided nation. This becomes especially challenging with a divided Congress. The Democrats have a slim majority in the House, while the Republicans have a 50-48 majority in the Senate (as of 11/19/20), with two runoff races in Georgia taking place in January that will determine which party has the majority in the Senate. With President Trump refusing to concede, a smooth transition of power is unlikely to happen based on Tweets that he has sent. The lame-duck President has retweeted multiple times, “WE WILL WIN,” even though all major media outlets made the call that the former Vice President would be the projected 46th President. The former Vice-President will have adversities to overcome, no matter the circumstances in Congress. In order to “Build Back Better”, Joe Biden will need to reach across the aisle to work with both parties to amend the great divide in our country. The Biden-Harris Administration will be responsible for establishing new precedents for future generations. The former Vice President is known for his ability for working with the Republican Party, which is reassuring in our currently divided nation. BACK TO TOP