SEARCH RESULTS

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Farmingdale Bus Accident Sahar Ali, Javier Cael, and Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 Image provided by ABC7 New York WAWAYANDA, NEW YORK - On September 21st, one of six buses from Farmingdale High School, located in Long Island, was involved in a deadly accident. The bus, carrying teachers and students including the color guard, dancers, and members of the Farmingdale marching band, went through a guard rail and toppled into a ravine in Wawayanda, New York, killing two and leaving many injured. The accident took place after 1 p.m. on Interstate 84. Six buses from Farmingdale High School embarked on their journey to the Pine Forest Camp, located in Greeley, Pennsylvania, for a band camping event. However, one of the coach buses ended up losing control, causing a catastrophic accident. According to Gov. Kathy Hochul, the bus landed on its side 50 feet in some trees and bushes. The crash took the lives of two teachers: Gina Pellettiere, 43, and Beatrice Ferrari, 77. Pellettiere was Farmingdale High School’s band director and Ferrari was a retired teacher. The crash also left 18 people, including 2 adults and 16 students, hospitalized. THE LAWSUIT The parents of a student who was injured in the crash filed a lawsuit against Lisa Schaffer, the driver of the bus involved in the crash, and Regency Transportation Ltd., the bus company. The lawsuit accuses Schaffer of negligence; it also claims that she did not control the vehicle and drove at speeds that could have possibly led her to veer off the road. Additionally, the lawsuit asserts that Regency Transportation did not maintain, repair, and inspect their buses in a proper manner, leaving them in an “unsafe, defective and/or hazardous condition.” The New York State Department of Transportation also found that Regency Transportation had failed 5 out of 10 safety inspections during the 2023 fiscal year. Andrew Finkelstein, the attorney of the family that filed the lawsuit says, “This lawsuit is the first step in holding the bus company and their driver accountable for a crash that never should’ve happened and resulted in significant and serious injuries not just to my client, but to every passenger on that bus.” SUPPORT FOR FARMINDALE HIGH SCHOOL In order to provide support for the Farmingdale High School community, North High School’s music department started a fundraiser selling “music notes,” which were paper cut outs of a quarter note. Students could purchase these music notes for one dollar, write a heartfelt message for the Farmingdale community along with their name, and tape their notes on a wall in the cafeteria. The fundraiser ended up raising 700 dollars. North High School’s marching band also dedicated their first performance on the field to the Farmingdale High School community. CONNECTIONS WITH THE BAND DIRECTOR Gina Pellettiere, often described as an “inspiring figure,” was known for her fun-loving and community-oriented spirit, leaving an indelible mark on the world of music and bands. For those fortunate enough to know her, the band felt like a family, fostering a supportive and positive atmosphere that created a safe space for everyone involved. Her impact as an energetic and passionate musician and teacher was truly inspiring. Mr. Malizia, a former student, and North’s newest band teacher, recalls his happiest memory with Pellettiere involving playing in the pit orchestra, where she played the trumpet with enthusiasm. They shared laughter over McDonald’s nuggets, indulging in a nugget fight and discovering a lone, rock-solid chicken nugget. Band camp was filled with memorable moments, from belting out bridge solos to Christmas karaoke duets. What inspired Mr. Malizia most about Pellettiere was the profound relationship she had with her students and her unwavering passion for their success. Her dedication to music and the vibrant community she built served as a beacon for Mr. Malizia’s own journey to become a music teacher. In the realm of music and band, Pellettiere’s work was marked by a blend of professionalism and humor. She occasionally delayed practice with questions like whether to eat a muffin with a hand or fork, and she’d provide weather updates, adding her unique charm to every rehearsal. SOURCES Farmingdale school bus crash: NTSB investigation underway – NBC New York   Farmingdale bus crash: Lawsuit filed against bus company, driver in fatal New York crash | CNN   BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections VSN Drama’s Production of The Addams Family By Lia Frederique Volume 3 Issue 3 February 24, 2023 Image provided by Vanity Fair With the second semester underway, Valley Stream North’s Drama Club has begun preparing their production of The Addams Family musical. The release of Netflix’s Wednesday brought attention to the Drama Club and influenced the decision of the VSN Spring musical. The new directors, Kyra Lamberti and Anya Hixon, are looking forward to their first musical in a unique fashion. Specifically, the directors are implementing dynamic choreography, engaging dialogue, and nuanced crowd-interaction to create an ambient environment for the seniors’ last show. Additionally, new props will be employ, underscoring a captivating production. While casting, the directors carefully chose the correct actors for roles which best suited their vocal range and acting ability. In terms of leads, Alain Deen and Marco Alvarez are dually cast as Gomez. Gianna Perlaza will play Morticia, with supporting roles such as Quinn O’Connor as Wednesday, Augustine Magapan as Lucas Beineke, and Rachel Ezeadichie and Isabella Mascetti dually cast as Uncle Fester. The Addams Family is the first musical since Once On This Island held here at North. In contrast to the last musical , The Addams Family presents a more macabre, ghastly vibe. Buy tickets for the show being performed here at North on March 31st and April 1st. The tickets are available on MySchoolBucks from opening night to the final performance. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections The Strange Relationship of Drake and Kendrick Lamar Max Ching Volume 5 Issue 1 September 20, 2024 Image Provided by Max Ching You’ve probably heard of Drake and Kendrick Lamar, who is also known as K. Dot. If you haven’t, then they are known for being some of the biggest rap artists of all time and have won multiple Grammys, Brit Awards, American Music Awards, and many more. They’ve even worked together in the past, and their piece, Poetic Justice, became the 26th highest song on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2012 . However, their relationship has sparked a giant feud over the past few months, becoming one of the biggest rap beefs of all time. So, how did this start? Well, let’s go to the beginning of their relationship, and see what went wrong. So, like I’ve said before, Drake and Lamar haven’t always had a bad relationship. During Drake’s early days, according to Billboard, Kendrick featured on Drake’s Take Care album. He also appeared with A$AP Rocky during Drake’s Club Paradise Tour. Later, Drake even rapped about fighting for Rocky and Lamar to appear during his tours. Also, like I’ve said before, their song, Poetic Justice, even became the 26th highest song on the Billboard Hot 100 during 2012 . However, this is the last time these artists ever friendly collaborated. During August of 2013, Lamar took shots at Drake and the rap game during his feature on Big Sean’s, Control. According to Billboard, Kendrick took shots at J. Cole, Drake, Meek Mill, Pusha T, A$AP Rocky, Tyler the Creator, Mac Miller, Big Sean, Wale, Big K.R.I.T., and Jay Electronica. He said that, although he loves and respects them, he is going to try and wipe away their reputation, and make sure that their core fans even forget who they are. Drake eventually responded to this diss by stating, “I didn’t really have anything to say about it. It just sounded like an ambitious thought to me. That’s all it was. I know good and well that Lamar’s not murdering me, at all, on any platform. So, when that day presents itself, I guess we can revisit the topic.” Over the next few years, although the two artists threw a few jabs at each other over the years, nothing groundbreaking happened until October of 2023, when Drake and J. Cole made history. According to Billboard, the two made their first ever Hot 100 No. 1 song, First Person Shooter. Drake and Cole share the spotlight as they boast about being stadium status MCs. “Love when they argue the hardest MC/is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me? / We the big three like we started a league/ but right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali.”. This one quote by Cole sparked Lamar’s inspiration to start one of the biggest forms of beef in rap history. During March of 2024, Kendrick went full attack mode on Drake and Cole, during his feature on Future and Metro Boomin’s, Like That. He threw shots at Cole and Drake, denouncing their big three claim by saying, “It’s just big me.”. He also punctuated his verse by rapping about Drake’s album, For All the Dogs. “For your dog’s getting buried/ That’s a K with all these nines, he gon’ see Pet Sematary.” Drake later responded by releasing his diss-track on Lamar named Push Ups. He made fun of Kendrick’s foot size, along with the cover art being a small shoe size. Drake also pointed shots at Kendrick’s deal with Top Dawg Entertainment. He also dissed Rick Ross, The Weeknd, Metro Boomin, Future, and many more on this piece. A little bit later, Drake even released a second diss track named, Taylor Made Freestyle. However, according to Billboard, Drake used A.I., to simulate the voices of Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur. Tupac’s estate threatened to sue him, if the piece wasn’t removed from all of Drake’s social media accounts. He later obliged and scrubbed away the track from his history. Six days later, Lamar released his new bloodthirsty piece, Euphoria, where he calls Drake out by admitting to being his biggest hater and hating the way he walks, talks, and dresses. Also, not even seventy-two hours later, Kendrick created a new piece, named 6:16 in LA. According to Billboard , Lamar claims that Drake’s team is even working against him and that they have a mole that’s finding dirt on him. However, the next day, Drake made his third diss track, Family Matters, public. He also accompanied this with a music video. In this track, Drake snipes at Lamar and his alleged ruined relationship with his fiancée, Whitney Alford, which Drake claimed was filled with infidelity. Drake also made fun of A$AP Rocky, The Weeknd, Metro Boomin, Future, and Rick Ross. However, Kendrick made sure that the public wouldn’t switch over to Drake’s side, as he released two new pieces, mere minutes after Drake published Family Matters. His new pieces, Meet the Grahams, and Not Like Us, where Kendrick goes all out. According to Billboard, Kendrick accuses Drake of being a bad father, having a second hidden child, and an alcohol and gambling addiction. Although Drake tried to make a rebuttal with his latest diss track, The Heart Pt.6, it was too late, as Kendrick’s pieces have created a huge spark in the public, gaining lots of attention around the world, and even has his latest piece, Not Like Us, on the No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Even Euphoria reached the No. 3 spot during its second week. So, as you can see, this bad relationship has turned two of the biggest artists of the generation into two of the biggest celebrities of our time, creating a huge world-wide spark, and while we don’t know when this will end, we do know that this has become one of the biggest events of hatred and music of all time. SOURCES: https://www.billboard.com/lists/drake-kendrick-lamar-beef-timeline/may-5-2024-drake-addresses-allegations-on-the-heart-pt-6/ BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Don’t Drink and Drive: The Simulator Cody Sung Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by Elaine Ching Ever wanted to know what it’s like to drive drunk without the risk? Ever wonder why it’s important to not drive after drinking? The juniors and seniors at North got the answers to these questions at the Save a Life Tour event in the gymnasium on Thursday, March 28, 2024. The Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) club helped organize this event along with the company behind the Save a Life Tour, Educational Support Systems Inc. The Save a Life Tour comes to North every year thanks to this partnership, with this year’s event being the latest installment, with both seniors and juniors being able to sign up for it. Once they entered the gym, the students had a chance to wear a headset that simulated vision while drunk and attempt to put shapes into a container while wearing the headset. They then were able to sit down at two simulators – one for drinking and driving and one for distracted driving. Both simulators had a large screen, a chair, a brake, and a gas pedal in front of it, and a repurposed Xbox controller as a steering wheel. The screen showed a car interior that reacted to input from the steering wheel and the pedals and a city with various vehicles and pedestrians. The drunk driving simulator had a VR headset that showed the view inside the car and delayed reactions to simulate the participant being drunk, while the distracted driving simulator involved the participant using a phone to simulate texting while driving. I got to help with the event and tried both simulators myself. I do not know how to drive, so it made both simulators even more difficult. I began with the drunk driving simulator – I pushed the gas pedal to start, began to drive...then fell off a cliff into the water. I tried it again and got stuck on a curb before crashing – again. I had a bit more luck with the distracted driving simulator and managed to avoid cars and drive quite a bit before crashing into a small pole. I tried again and got stuck on a curb, got off the curb, got onto the highway, and crashed into a car after driving 60 miles an hour, mostly on the median to avoid other cars. In the end, we all had fun and got an experience to help us learn about the dangers of drunk and distracted driving. Afterward, the participants had the opportunity to fill out questionnaires about their experiences with the simulators, sign a pledge not to drive distracted or drunk, and get a rubber wristband. I had a lot of fun helping with the event and am glad it showed people the dangers of drunk and distracted driving. I hope everyone reading this will learn to protect themselves and others by not drinking alcohol before driving and not being distracted by anything while on the road. For more information, go to home - Save A Life Tour BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Portrait Back to Sections Unknown - Portrait By Unknown January 20, 2021 Photography Volume 1 Issue 4

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections The Art of Karate By Manal Layachi Volume 2 Issue 5 March 28, 2022 Images provided by The Random Vibez and The Karate Blog I’ve been doing karate for five years now. Most people think that karate is just fighting, but it is much more than that. There are many styles of martial arts such as Taekwondo, Jiu-Jitsu, kickboxing, Judo, and Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA. I do martial arts. During class, we do kumite (fighting/sparring), kata (movement of techniques), kihon (basics), and self-defense. Karate is not only about defending yourself, but having discipline, being patient, respecting your family and friends, and showing gratitude towards others. At my dojo, on the wall, there is quote by Gichin Funakoshi that says, “Seek perfection of character. Be faithful. Endeavor. Respect others. Refrain from violent behaviour.” Before we begin class, we always recite it. Many students just focus on their belt color, but it’s about how many skills, katas, and techniques you know. My brother Zak and I are 3rd kyu brown belts. Zak says, “Karate isn’t supposed to be easy during the first day, it is hard. However, if you practice karate every day it will become easier.” During kumite , we learn new techniques and tricks that will help us when we are fighting. Over the years, my kumite skills have improved. Kata is all about focus and precision. In order to have good kata , you need to have the following elements: Speed. Power. Spirit. Stances. Balance. Breathing. You also need to memorize the katas and be able to perform them at the best of your ability. Kihon is all about the basics: for example, kicks, punches, blocks, and techniques. Lastly, during self-defense, we learn techniques that can help us if we are in danger. All in all, karate positively affected my life and has made me a better person over the years. BACK TO TOP

Navrosedip Kundlas POLARIS EDITOR IN CHIEF Hi Everyone! I’m Navrosedip Kundlas and I am the editor of POLARIS. I write poetry, short stories, and am currently writing a book! Besides the North Star, I am a member of various clubs and hold two other officer positions. I play sports all three seasons: XC, Winter Track and Field, and Badminton. I look forward to inspiring others to reach their creative side for the best few years! Echoes of You Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Familial Ties Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Spring Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Shifts Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More A Fresh Start Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Farmingdale Bus Accident Sahar Ali, Javier Cael, and Navrosedip Kundlas News Read More Precious Gems By Navrosedip Kundlas Fiction, Polaris Read More Nature's Elegance By Navrosedip Kundlas Fiction, Polaris Read More Athlete Spotlight: Kevin Beltran By Navrosedip Kundlas and Matteo Somma Sports Read More Rabbit Proof Fence By Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Whispers of the Ocean Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Stressful Minds Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Inspirations Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More In Honor of Gina Pellettiere Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Precious Memories Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Emily Dickson By Navrosedip Kundlas Fiction, Polaris Read More Petals By Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris, Fiction Read More Nature’s Gentle Touch By Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris, Fiction Read More The Danger of a Single Story By Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More Winter Track By Navrosedip Kundlas Polaris Read More

Cody Sung FEATURE SECTION AND SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SECTION EDITOR Hi, I’m Cody! I edit the featured and science sections of North Star. When I’m not editing or writing articles about the latest scientific discoveries or generally interesting stories, you can find me working on my homework, being at clubs after school, or relaxing with my friends and playing video games with them online. If you have any questions, feel free to email us, the North Star team! Thank You! Cody Sung Feature Read More Valley Stream Central High School District’s Health Department Violations Cody Sung Feature Read More Bridges Cody Sung Feature Read More North Drama Club Glows in “Radium Girls” Cody Sung News Read More Valley Stream 2023 District Science Symposium Cody Sung News Read More The Fifth Ocean By Cody Sung Science & Technology Read More The Rise of Pickleball By Cody Sung Sports Read More What Happened to DART? By Cody Sung Science & Technology Read More A New Benefit for Poop By Cody Sung News Read More The Story of Wordle By Cody Sung Feature Read More Cody's Words of Advice Cody Sung News Read More Don’t Drink and Drive: The Simulator Cody Sung Feature Read More Hofstra University: The Place to Be Cody Sung Feature Read More NASA Got Its First Asteroid Sample Cody Sung Feature, Science & Technology Read More Hair Ice Cody Sung Science & Technology Read More Interview with Mr. Moniaci By Cody Sung Feature Read More Cody's Trivia Corner By Cody Sung Feature Read More Halloween Poem By Cody Sung Polaris Read More Two New North Clubs By Cody Sung News Read More The Pig: A New Organ Donor By Cody Sung Science & Technology Read More

ALL ARTICLES NEWS ART & CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT & MEDIA FEATURE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY POLARIS EDITORIAL SPORTS ADVICE Sophomore English Class: 2A, or Not 2A, That is the Question Editorial Noa Cordova March 13, 2024 READ MORE The Art of Table Tennis Sports Manal Layachi March 13, 2024 READ MORE "Flowers" Polaris Elaine Ching March 13, 2024 READ MORE P.S. I Love You Day: “Purple Day” News Noa Cordova March 13, 2024 READ MORE Royal Polaris Annie Diep March 13, 2024 READ MORE Choice and Voting Editorial Jasmine Roberts March 13, 2024 READ MORE Athlete Spotlight: Naomi Gonzalez (Interview) Sports Rehmat Kaur March 13, 2024 READ MORE "Red Light" Polaris Elaine Ching March 13, 2024 READ MORE Snowball Dance News, Feature Max Ching March 13, 2024 READ MORE 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 ... 71

North's Art Honor Society donates 10+ portraits to the children in Syria through their partnership with the Memory project. Scroll below to view some. ARTWORK CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW ARTWORK MEMORY PROJECT LOAD MORE GALLERY LOAD MORE