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Back to Artwork Art Guild Back to Sections Elucidate By Alena Moreira November 24, 2020 Colored Pencil Volume 1 Issue 2

Back to Artwork Spotlight Back to Sections Avoiding the Unknown By Elaine Ching March 28, 2022 Watercolor Volume 2 Issue 5

Back to Artwork Black American Artists Back to Sections Sir Charles, Alias Willie Harris By Barkley Hendricks February 12, 2021 Volume 1 Issue 5 Medium: Oil on Canvas, Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Back to Articles News Back to Sections World Language Week By Everton Prospere Volume 2 Issue 5 March 28, 2022 Image provided by Bilingua From March 28th to April 1st, Valley Stream North’s annual World Language Week will occur. The school-wide event, spearheaded by the Language Honor Society and Culture Society, seeks to spread awareness of the cultural diversity within North and heighten school spirits as pandemic restrictions ease. World Language Week, hosted nationally by many schools and organizations, celebrates cultures and languages from around the globe. Primarily because of North’s unique environment, World Language Week brings important information to students and staff on the variety of our students’ cultures in the building. It highlights the importance of an inclusive school environment. According to the nonprofit organization GreatSchools, a reputable informative source on education around the United States, North’s student population has a wide range of races: 33% of students are White, 26% are Hispanic, 19% are Asian, or Pacific Islander, and 19% are Black. These statistics stress the significance of hosting a culturally celebration week to inform about and highlight the backgrounds of our students and staff. The Language Honor Society and Culture Society have planned several activities for World Language Week in order to promote the event throughout the entire school: 1. Daily Trivia - Every day on the North Microsoft Teams page, a set of trivia questions based on a selected country will be posted through a Microsoft form. The unique questions will not only introduce a competitive environment to World Language Week but also inform students and staff of interesting facts about countries around the world. 2. Culture Day Event - Language class levels four, five, and Advanced Placement will be invited during their class periods to a fun event in the library that promotes World Language Week. The event will include several activities including dancing, arts and crafts, language lessons, and cultural games.  3. Culture Night - On April 1st, the biggest event during World Language Week will occur - the annual Culture Night. This event invites North families to learn more about the cultures in the school and attend a wide range of activities. The event will include live performances, a fashion show, and food tasting. In addition to these events, countries worldwide will be represented with decorations throughout the school and daily informative announcements. The Language Honor Society and Culture Society hope that the North community comes together for this World Language Week, so mark your calendars for March 28th to April 1st! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections Israel-Hamas War: Choose Peace, Not Sides Editorial Staff Volume 4 Issue 2 January 16, 2024 Image provided by OnOurSleeves.org As of early October, the conflict referred to as the “Israeli-Palestinian War” has shaken the Middle East and devasted Muslim and Jewish communities globally. Arguably, the conflict would most appropriately be referred to as the “Israel-Hamas War,” as it is not a war between the two countries; it is a war between Israel and a terrorist group based in Palestine. Although October 7th, 2023, marked the start of the recent Israel-Hamas War, the root of this conflict can be traced back decades. According to the Center for Preventive Action, in 1947, the United Nations implemented the Partition Plan, dividing Palestine into Arab and Jewish states. The plan heightened tensions between Arab groups that opposed the plan and Jewish groups. When Israel declared independence in 1948, it resulted in the Arab Israeli war which ended in Israel’s victory. As a result, the region was divided into the State of Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced from their homes. According to U.S. News, following Israel’s attacks on Egyptian and Syrian forces in 1967 was a Six-Day war that resulted in Israel gaining control over Gaza, the West Bank, and the Sinai Peninsula. Between 1987 and 2000, there were two Palestinian uprisings against the Israeli government, referred to as Intifadas according to U.S. News. In 2006, Hamas rose to power after an electoral victory against Fatah, the previous political party. So, the question is: what is Hamas, and how did it rise to power? Hamas was founded in 1987 and is considered a terrorist organization because of its persistent violence against Israel. The organization was founded as an Islamic resistance organization to conquer Israel and establish an Islamic homeland in its place. According to the Center of Preventive Action, this organization has been governing Gaza after winning elections against Fatah and forming a government. It is important to note that Hamas’s rise to power can be attributed to the political instability of the Palestinian government. Many supporters of the organization felt that Fatah was corrupt, and they needed new leadership; Hamas was promising to the younger population that made up the voting majority. Hamas’s rise to power can be compared to that of other leaders in politically unstable countries; it is ultimately an example of history repeating itself. Moving on to the present, a lack of understanding of the situation has caused many to view the conflict as one in which it is appropriate to “pick a side,” usually resulting in unnecessary tensions between Jewish and Muslim communities, and angry online and social media rhetoric and traffic. Even here in the US, there have been protests at schools and universities, business boycotts, and endless social media posts over people and groups being “Pro-Israel” or “Pro-Palestine.” Ironically, some of these protests have resulted in violence when that’s what people should protest against instead of favoring the individual countries’ plights. Understandably, those siding with Palestine feel that the Palestinians have been the most devasted by the conflict as they have suffered a grossly higher casualty rate than the Israelis. We can all agree that it is heartbreaking to hear about the innocent civilian lives lost in Palestine as a result of the conflict; however, the Israeli forces are not entirely to blame. Hamas has positioned itself behind Palestinian civilians, using them as a shield from Israeli forces. Unlike Hamas, the Israeli forces are not looking to cause harm to civilians, but they unfortunately have encountered them while trying to confront their target. Hospitals serve as an example of this, as Israeli forces have raided them throughout the war because of the belief that Hamas was using them as a war base. Apart from the high casualty rates, the issue of hostages has been prevalent during the conflict. In efforts to rescue Israeli hostages, Israeli forces agreed to release Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages. It is uncertain that they will negotiate another deal as Hamas recently announced that there will be no more hostage releases until the end of the war. To have to bargain for human life is beyond horrific, but it goes to show that the conflict has little to do with Israeli and Palestinian civilians; it is about power, and the devastation Hamas is willing to cause to get it. Not only has the war caused catastrophic conditions for Palestinians and Israelis, but it has also impacted foreigners who unfortunately got caught up in the conflict. The notion that one of these groups was living peacefully before being attacked by the other is simply inaccurate. If we are looking to support a more accurate notion, we can acknowledge that both Israeli and Palestinian civilians had their lives significantly disrupted by brutal Hamas attacks. If you are someone without religious or familial ties to the situation, your perspective of the war may be limited to religious division and geographical conflicts, or what you have read in social media posts. We need to shift our perspective and think about the individuals grouped under the titles we hear repeatedly in the media. There are men, women, and children that make up the Muslim, Jewish, Israeli, and Palestinian communities; they cannot simply be deemed enemies because of a war they did not start. Often overlooked are the attempts at peace and cooperation among the groups. For example, Jewish people living in kibbutzim, have taken in refugees, and provided medical attention for those impacted by the war. The Nova Music Festival held on the Jewish holiday Sukkot this fall, which brought a diverse crowd together to celebrate unity and love in southern Israel, is another example. Tragically, the event intended to bring people together but ended in a massacre of civilians by Hamas. My heart goes out to the families who lost their loved ones and the hostages, including Americans, who have not been able to return home. It would be unrealistic to expect everyone to support the United States’s position on the matter, but it is important to recognize that Israel is a US ally, so it is our country’s duty to aid them in their time of need. Some argue that the United States’s decision to aid Israel implies that they are against the people of Palestine, but it is important to not lose perspective when assessing the situation. The war has devastated both countries, but it is not between the countries. As Americans, we should be in support of both countries and against the terrorist group Hamas. The United States is a part of the United Nations, meaning that our country stands for the values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The UDHR recognizes dignity, freedom, and peace as its core values, so as Americans, we should remember what we stand for as a country when assessing this conflict impacting millions globally. The details of this conflict greatly surpass the content of this article, so I would encourage you to inform yourself. Inform yourself to understand what the Israeli and Palestinian people are facing. We must remember that before countries and religious differences, we should support humanity. Let us choose peace, not sides. Sources: Why does Israel target Palestinian hospitals? Psyops, say analysts | Israel-Palestine conflict | Al Jazeera A Timeline of the Israel-Palestinian Conflict | Best Countries | U.S. News ( usnews.com ) December 20, 2023, Israel-Hamas war ( cnn.com ) What Is Hamas? | Council on Foreign Relations ( cfr.org ) Israeli-Palestinian Conflict | Global Conflict Tracker ( cfr.org ) U.S. Ready to Back U.N. Resolution to Allow More Aid Into Gaza - The New York Times ( nytimes.com ) Israel Gaza: Hamas says no more hostage releases until war ends ( bbc.com ) Universal Declaration of Human Rights | United Nations BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Dolphins Vs. Chiefs: One of the Coldest Games in NFL History Mya Hans Volume 4 Issue 3 March 13, 2024 Image Provided by Arrowhead Pride Imagine being in an outdoor football stadium that’s filled with over 70,000 people when it is –4 degrees Fahrenheit. Would you go there? Well, that’s what these devoted fans did at the Chiefs vs. Dolphins game on January 13th. They were cheering on their teams in the tremendously freezing weather. This game went down in history as one of the coldest games ever in the NFL. The game ended with the Chiefs winning by a score of 26-7. Although this made many fans in the stadium excited, the frigid weather was just unbearable. It led to many problems; people from the stadium were calling saying there were cases of hypothermia and frostbite. According to the Bleacher Report, journalist Mackenzie Koch stated that, "A Kansas City Fire Department spokesperson said the agency handled 69 calls at Arrowhead Stadium as the Chiefs took on the Miami Dolphins amid subzero temperatures. KCFD said approximately half of those calls were hypothermia related. Of the nearly 70 calls KC first responders received at Arrowhead, 15 people were transported to a local hospital. Seven of those transported were for hypothermia, and three were for frostbite." This is clearly an awful thing to happen, just because of a football game, and a reasonable question to ask is, why was the game not postponed? According to ESPN’s  Marcel Louis-Jacques,  “A league official stated the Chiefs game [was] still being played Saturday night because there [were] no public safety travel concerns for getting to the stadium for fans, the clubs, stadium personnel or public authorities.” I think that this game definitely should have been postponed, but maybe it is the fans’ fault for attending the game in the first place, when they could’ve just watched it from the comfort of their own homes or gone to a game in the future with better weather. Of course, it is fun to see a football game and cheer on your favorite team, but at what cost? BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Pop Art Back to Sections Jeysi Henriquez-Ventura - Pop Art By Jeysi Henriquez-Ventura January 14, 2022 Acrylic Volume 2 Issue 3

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections Culture Society Celebrates Chinese New Year By Barnit Kaur Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Original photos from the Culture Society On January 21st and February 11th, the Culture Society at North High School hosted an event in celebration of Chinese New Year. In the event, we had two members of the Culture Society who celebrate Chinese New Year, Lucy Wu and Elaine Ching teach us about the various traditions and characteristics about Chinese New Year. From the presentations they prepared, we learned about what Chinese New Year was, festive decorations, traditional dishes, Chinese sayings, and the Chinese Zodiac. Along with learning about the traditions of Chinese New Year, we also had two fun little arts and crafts activities. Lucy taught us how to make Chinese New Year lanterns, and Elaine taught us how to make Origami Oxen, since 2021 is the year of the Ox. Some of the festive decorations that used in Chinese New Year are lanterns, firecrackers, and red envelopes, which children receive money in. The red envelopes are meant as a blessing and sign of good luck. Chinese New Year is also celebrated in many Asian countries besides China and is based upon the Lunar Calendar and cycle of the moon. Unlike western zodiacs, Chinese zodiacs are based upon the year rather than the month. When you celebrate Chinese New Year, you get together with your family and eat a big meal together. Also, it is a tradition to wear red to scare away bad luck. One of our fellow members of the Culture Society, Cody Sung, shared his thoughts and opinion about the event. “I think the event was very fun and educational! Especially the origami ox. I made a pretty good ox. All the information is on par, at least to my knowledge. I think everyone had a great time and I hope to do more events like this!” Personally, I agree with Cody! The event was very entertaining and educational, and the arts and crafts part of the event was my favorite. I had a great time, and I also hope for more events like this. If you want to participate in events like this, join the Culture Society on Teams by clicking the link. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections In Honor of Gina Pellettiere Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 Image provided by Massapequa Funeral Home In the world of music, a teacher's grace, Gina Pellettiere, a shining face. Dude, was her call, all fun through and through, In her community, bonds forever grew.   In the band that felt like a family's embrace, She built a supportive, positive space. A safe haven where her students could be, Impacting their lives, a legacy to see.   Energetic and full of life's zest, She inspired her students, always their best. Happiest memories, nugget fights and more, Creating bonds that our hearts still adore.   As she played the trumpet, her passion did show, In band camp and karaoke, a vibrant flow. Her love for her students, an unwavering flame, Inspiring a music teacher, in her name.   In her work, music's rhythm, and band's charm, She led with devotion, with warmth and calm. She'd ask about muffins, the weather, and more, Creating moments worth cherishing for sure.   Gina Pellettiere, a teacher so dear, In the world of music, she's always near. Her impact, her energy, her legacy, so grand, In the hearts of her students, forever to stand. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections The Four-Leaf Clover: Leprechaun Luck or Genetics? By Alyssa Garufi and Hannah Lee Volume 2 Issue 5 March 28, 2022 Image provided by Smithsonian Magazine Sir John Melton once said, “If a man walking in the fields finds any four-leaved grass, he shall, in a small while after, find some good thing.” With St. Patrick's Day, millions of people around the world are going to be looking for their own lucky four-leaf clover. But what makes the four-leaf clover so lucky and rare to find? The answer lies in genetics! Most clovers have three leaves, with their scientific name being the genus Trifolium – that's Latin for three leaves. However, people have discovered that some clovers have four leaves, rather than three. While these four-leaf clovers do exist, they are extremely unique and difficult to discover. Why is this the case? Traditionally, the original three-leaf clover has symbolized faith, hope, and love. In the Christian faith, the three-leaf clover also symbolizes the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is because according to Christian beliefs, Saint Patrick used a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to a group of Irish people looking to convert to Christianity. However, the significance of the four-leaf clover is much different. Four-leaf clovers were Celtic charms thought to allow people to see fairies and to offer magical protection. In addition, they were also thought to ward off bad luck. As time passed, the four-leaf clover eventually came to symbolize good luck, rather than warding off bad luck. The legends say that the rare four-leafed clover is where we get our luck from. Don’t thank the leprechaun for this luck, however - thank genetic mutation . The four-leaf clover originates from a genetic mutation in the original three-leaf clover that caused it to have an extra leaf. According to Wayne Parrott, a professor of crop sciences in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in Athens, the clover’s lucky fourth leaf sprouts from a mutation in the DNA of the genus Trifolium . The type of clover most associated with the four-leaf clover is the white clover. Parrott researched the DNA of this white clover and discovered which genes influence the shape and color of the leaves of the clover. He discovered that the white clover was an allotetraploid - which can be broken down into ploid , meaning chromosome, and tetra which means four. This discovery showed researchers that the white clover chromosomes each come from a different species, making this white clover the perfect breed of clover to study in order to understand the science behind the legend. In Parrott’s study, he grew 178 white clover plants and recorded any plant that had at least one four-leafed stem. The results of the study showed that four-leafed stems tended to favor warmer conditions - proving to Parrott and his team of researchers that the original three-leaved genome was likely an adaptation of the four-leaf clover for colder climates. The clover plant originates from the bean plant which has a lot of leaves, thus further validating the results of his study. Since the three-leaf clover made the clover more likely to survive, it is today the most prominent type of clover in the world. However, as DNA replicates, mutations occur, and every once in a while, there is a mutation that weakens the plant's ability to mask the four-leaf gene, allowing for us to find an occasional four-leaf clover. However, this mutation does not often occur, explaining why it is so rare and lucky.  Now you know the significance of the four-leaf clover, and how it differs from the three-leaf clover. You also know about the fascinating genetics behind its odd occurrences in nature. So exactly how likely are you to find one of these lucky plants? Scientists say that for every 10,000 clovers, one of them will have four leaves. That’s about a .01% chance of finding a four-leafed clover. So, next time you find a four-leaf clover, thank genetics for the luck it brings!  BACK TO TOP