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Back to Artwork The Memory Project Back to Sections Mansir By Arunima Roy March 28, 2022 Mixed Media Volume 2 Issue 5

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections The Great Conjunction: A Historic Phenomenon By Elyas Layachi Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Image provided by The Scottish Astrologer Introduction In 1610, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei discovered the four moons of Jupiter, as well as the rings of Saturn. These discoveries were historic in the sense that they changed our outlook on the solar system. First off, seeing that Jupiter also had moons, astronomers realized that the Earth wasn’t at the center of the universe, and that planets and celestial bodies orbited the sun. Just 13 years later, the first observable Great Conjunction ocurred. On December 21st, 2020, the winter solstice and shortest day of the year, this event occurred once again. However, the details make it far more historic than any conjunction within recent history. A Historic Moment According to scientists at NASA, the orbits of the planets around the sun is like a race. Here on Earth, we are like the viewers of the race from the side of the track. Jupiter and Saturn are like the runners of the race, and with an average distance of 456 million miles respectively, they can be looked at as racers in different lanes. When the Great Conjunction of December 21st occurred, to us it appeared as if the two runners were overlapping, Jupiter being in the innermost lane and Saturn being in the outermost lane. While a “great conjunction” usually occurs every twenty years, the great conjunction that occurred on the winter solstice was different in the sense that Jupiter and Saturn were not only lining up in the night sky, but they were also the closest they’ve ever been to each other in over 400 years, less than 0.2 degrees. The next time they will be this close in the observable sky is March 15th, 2080. Many people were interested and observed from various locations at which the Great Conjunction could be seen, from New York to Guatemala and even Australia. Other Phenomena in 2021 The great conjunction was a great astronomical way to end 2020 and set ourselves up for 2021, another year of major astronomical events. One of these includes a total lunar eclipse. At the end of May, when the sun, Earth, and moon align perfectly, a total lunar eclipse will occur, and it will be the first total lunar eclipse visible for most of the U.S. since 2019, so prepare to watch it this spring! On January 2nd and 3rd, the Quadrantids meteor shower occurred, with many more meteor showers occurring this year (check the following website for a calendar of astronomical events: Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events 2021 - Sea and Sky (seasky.org) ) In addition to astronomical events occurring, NASA will begin its efforts to send humans to the Moon, with the official beginning of its Artemis program (to be covered in a later article). BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Ms. Santomauro Interview By Rachel Ezeadichie Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Image provided by Wikimedia Ms. Santomauro was a leave replacement English teacher here at North for the first marking period, filling in for Ms. O’Donohue. On her last day, I had the amazing opportunity to interview her about her experience at North High School. How has your time at North been? “My time at North has been absolutely wonderful. I’ve had amazing students and classes. All of my colleagues helped me every step of the way.” If you had a chance, would you continue to work at North High School? “Absolutely, I loved my time here.” What was your favorite thing to teach? “Each of the classes does something different. For the 8A’s I loved The Outsiders . I loved discussing “Stay gold,” because it thinks it’s relevant to your (8A’s) lives. 11AP: I loved doing argument because we debated all the time, and everyone got to share their ideas on controversial or just funny topics. Seniors: I loved doing college essays with the seniors because I got to know them really well.” Why did you become a teacher? “I became a teacher because I think the best gift you can give someone is knowledge and because as a student, my teachers made school a very good experience, and I wanted to give that to the future generation.” What about North High School made you want to teach here? “I really love the community aspect of North. Every teacher and every student is involved in something within the school and the community, which I really love. When I went to high school, I was very involved with the community and the high school, so that was something that I really liked about North. The opportunities for the staff to get involved in activities with the students is something that really drew me in.” As of your departure from North High School, what is something you learned while teaching here? “ I learned to always follow my gut no matter what it is...that I was trained to do this, and I know what I’m doing and to follow my gut. To always have the hard conversations; even though they may be hard, they are important. I learned to always make sure to value my students as people rather than just students because they are people outside of the classroom, and we need to acknowledge that and understand that in order to give them a well-rounded education.” What is something that you’re going to miss about North High School? “I am definitely going to miss my students and my coworkers. Every day was great because of the people I was surrounded with. Teaching is nothing without the people around you, and that’s what makes it such a great job especially if you’re a people person, so I will miss all the people I have worked with.” What advice would you give other teachers who come to or work at North? “My advice would be to get as involved as possible. We have very long days, and we do a lot of work, but taking that extra time to build relationships within the school and the community and with the students is really important. Showing people that you care about the people you work with, the students you work with, and the place you work in really helps build relationships and gets you more involved to make you a better teacher and a better colleague.” What advice would you give to students at North High School? “My advice to students would be to always keep up with the reading because when you fall behind, it gets really hard. And to be honest and open with your teachers. If you are struggling with something, you should be honest. If you could not complete homework because you had work or you had a personal issue going on, honesty is the best policy. Your teachers are very understanding. We are also people, and we understand that we all have personal lives, so it's always best to be as honest as possible and as honest as you are comfortable with being, so that we can help you in any way that you need.” Ms. Santomauro’s final goodbye to her students : “I am so very lucky to have had all of you in our classes and as a first-year teacher, you were a true blessing. You made me feel very comfortable and very at home in the classroom and I will always cherish all of the memories and relationships we built together as a class. Remember to always do your work!” Ms. Santomauro was a beloved teacher and member of North High School. She made students feel safe and comfortable with learning in the new class environment. We are glad and thankful that we were able to experience her first year of teaching with her. We hope that she excels in her teaching career far past North. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Stressful Minds Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by Annie Diep in the labyrinth of the mind, stress creeps, a shadowed figure that never sleeps it twists and turns, a tangled vine, entwining thoughts in a complex design a silent storm, it rages within, a whirlwind of chaos, where to begin? each thought a puzzle, each feeling a knot, in this maze of stress, we find ourselves caught yet amidst the turmoil, there lies a key, to unlock the door, to set us free for within the chaos, there's a hidden calm, a sanctuary where we find our balm so let us navigate this maze of stress, with courage and grace, we'll find success for in the depths of chaos, we'll uncover, the strength within us, to rise and discover BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork The Memory Project Back to Sections Katherine Cevada - Memory Project By Katherine Cevada March 18, 2021 Volume 1 Issue 6

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Valentines’ Sweets By Christina Ossa Volume 1 Issue 5 February 12, 2021 Original photo by Christina Ossa With Valentine's Day creeping closer and closer, why not take initiative and bake something sweet for you and your special someone? If you have a valentine, whether it be a significant other or a friend, and you’re wondering what you could give them or do for them to show some love, it could be a good idea to put in some effort to bake them something. Valentine's Day is the day of the lovers or even just special connections with others, so I’ve compiled two recipes for that special someone that you can bake. While it may not be the easiest task, baking can be an amazing way to show someone that you care. Even if you don’t have a valentine, why not treat yourself and bake these sweets for yourself! “Sweetheart” Vanilla Cookies: Similar to its sister cookie, sugar cookies, this cookie is a buttery-delight that would easily please that special someone. These vanilla cookies are a treat for anyone who eats them, as they’re crisp and crunchy on the outside but have a buttery and soft texture when you bite into them. Also for an extra “touch” if you want to add some decoration to your cookies, I added a drizzle of melted white chocolate dyed red. If you want to wow your valentine or even just treat yourself, these cookies will leave you more than satisfied even if it seems like quite a bit of work at first. But, once you have your finished product of a beautiful vanilla cookie, you won’t be unsatisfied with the amount of work you put into them, and neither will your valentine! Ingredients: 3 ⅓ sticks butter 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar 1-2 large eggs 3 ¼ cups flour 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract A pinch of salt 3 oz white chocolate melts 3-4 drops of red food coloring Directions: Either wait until your eggs and butter are room temperature and the butter is softened, or put each stick of butter in the microwave for 10-15 seconds Add your butter to a large bowl and slowly add your powdered sugar and mix with a hand mixer, whisk, or kitchen aid if you have one Add in the eggs one by one, mixing each time you add an egg Just as you mixed in the powdered sugar, pour in the flour little by little and mix it together until fully incorporated (batter should be sticky but not so much that it fully sticks to hands) Add in the salt and vanilla extract then transfer to either a piping bag to pipe the cookies or take about a golf ball size of batter and roll it in your hands into a ball Place or pipe the cookies onto a baking sheet and bake at 340°F for 10-15 minutes *OPTIONAL* Once the cookies are done and cooled down, melt 3 oz of melting white chocolate in a medium-sized bowl and dye it red with red food coloring once melted *OPTIONAL* drizzle the chocolate onto the cookies with a spoon and enjoy! “Cupid’s” Red Velvet Cake Pops Cake-pops are similar to cake since it’s the same as baking a cake only without the more complex icing aspect of it. These valentine red velvet cake-pops are especially delicious, as they’re covered by a hardened-layer of delicious white chocolate or candy and clumped together with decadent buttercream. If you’re deciding whether you want to bake a special treat for your valentine or just to treat yourself, then baking these cake-pops could be an amazing idea. The cake is airy and soft to bite, and the hint of chocolate from the red velvet flavor may be subtle, but is always an amazing touch. If the cake is a bit too much work for you, just substitute it for a boxed cake mix and follow the instructions on the back. If you’re looking for another recipe to bake for that special someone, feel free to wow them with some delicious Valentine themed cake-pops! Ingredients: Cake: 1 ½ sticks butter 5 tbsp sugar 4 egg yolks 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract ⅛ cup milk 3-4 drops red food coloring ¾ cake flour 4 tsp cocoa powder 2 tsp baking powder 4 egg whites ¼ cup sugar OR Substitute with boxed cake mix Buttercream Frosting: 3 sticks unsalted butter (softened) 3 cups powdered sugar 1 tbsp vanilla extract 2-3 tbsp milk Chocolate Coating: 12 oz white chocolate/candy melts 1 ½ tsp coconut oil (or substitute any other flavorless oil) Toppings of choice (sprinkles, candies, etc.) Cake-pop sticks *OPTIONAL* styrofoam Directions: Follow instructions on the back of the boxed cake mix OR Make sure the butter and eggs are room temperature and the butter is softened Separate the egg yolks from the whites Add the butter to a large bowl and mix with a hand mixer, whisk, or kitchen aid until it turns a light yellow and seems airy Once the butter is whipped, add the sugar and mix until combined Add the egg yolks one by one, mixing with every yolk you add-in and add in the vanilla extract Pour in the milk and red food coloring then mix Use a sift to sift in the CAKE flour (a type of flour made to make an airy cake), cocoa powder, and baking powder then use a spatula to fold it in or mix it in then set aside once combined In a separate, medium-sized bowl, pour in your egg whites and use a hand mixer, whisk, or KitchenAid and whisk until the egg whites become frothy/bubbly on the top Once the egg whites look frothy, add your sugar in ⅓’s and 30-second intervals into the egg white mixture (meaning once the whites are frothy add in about ⅓ of the ¼ cup sugar every thirty seconds and mix in between the thirty seconds) until the egg whites form a meringue (or when you take out the mixer they’ll form hardened peaks at the tips of the whisk or mixer attachment, if still confused look up “how to make meringue” on YouTube or Google) Once the merengue is complete, add it in thirds with a rubber spatula into the cake mixture until combined Prepare 2 cake tins with butter or PAM spray and bake the cake at 335°F for 30 minutes Combine the ingredients for the buttercream in a medium-sized bowl while the cake is baking, mix the butter and the sugar together for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy then add the rest into the mixture Melt the white chocolate/candy melts with coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds each time you place it into the microwave until smooth and fully-melted then add either red, pink, or white food coloring Once the cake is out of the oven and cooled, take it out of the tin and into a large-sized bowl and mash it until it’s crumbled, and set it aside Add the frosting into the bowl with the cake until combined Form about a golf-ball sized ball of cake for each cake pop and place a cake pop stick into each ball Dip the cake-pop balls with the sticks on them until it’s fully covered then add decorations of your choosing Either place the cake pops on a baking sheet to dry by smushing the top part onto the baking sheet so that it’s flat or stick the cake pop stick into the styrofoam Place the cake pops in the freezer/fridge for 20-40 minutes until dried, and once dried, enjoy! 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Back to Artwork Chalk Pastel Peppers Back to Sections Chalk Pastel Peppers- Maida Redzepovic Maida Redzepovic November 6, 2023 Chalk Pastel Volume 4 Issue 1

Back to Artwork Prism Back to Sections Jodi Viason - Prism By Jodi Viason November 24, 2020 Volume 1 Issue 2

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

Back to Artwork Line Back to Sections Isabella Somma - What is Line By Isabella Somma November 1, 2020 Graphite Volume 1 Issue 1