Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections North Wrestling Team Wins District Championships By Andrew Lavoie Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 From bottom left to bottom right: James Fischman, Jonathan Nilsen, Frankie Polizzi, Philip Burmann, Andrew Lavoie, Salvatore Montalbano, Sebastian Madruga, Paul Testa, Giuseppe Scarpa, Luca Dekel Top left to top right: Eddy Turcios, Anshdeep Singh, Adebayo Kayode, Thomas Krsulic, Yonny Turcios, Yusuf Hamid, Alex Balack, Justin Gangi, Francisco Castillo Not pictured: Jordynn Thomas, Dante Melisi, Daniel Pasquaretto Head Junior High Wrestling Coach: Joe Goetz Head Varsity Wrestling Coach: Chris Bottjer JV Wrestling Coach: Jordan Gonzalez Image provided by Joe Goetz North Wrestling Team Wins District Championships “When you aren’t working hard, the other person is getting better.” That is what VSN’s Junior High Coach Joseph Goetz says to his wrestlers every day at practice. Well, that hard work paid off. Two Saturdays ago, the junior high wrestling team won Coach Schiavo’s Spring King of the Ring Royal Rumble. They were competing against South and Memorial for the title of District Champions. This tournament wasn’t just any tournament for Coach Goetz. As a wrestler, he went to state championships once but did not win. He has said that he wants to wrestle “through” his wrestlers and win with them. He worked very hard throughout this season and shaped his wrestlers into champions. Several first-year wrestlers won their weight classes. Eddy Turcios and Frankie Castillo were both first-year wrestlers who won their divisions; Eric Innis, Justin Gangi, Sebastian Madruga, Jonathan Nilsen, and Yonny Turcios were also first-year wrestlers who placed in the top four in their divisions. As to why Coach Goetz believed in this team enough to run a whole tournament, he said that this is one of the hardest working groups of wrestlers he has ever coached, and he has been coaching for ten years. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Valley Stream District Bowling By Ismaela Andre Volume 3 Issue 3 February 24, 2023 Image provided by Ismaela Andre Back row (L to R) Kayla Chinchilla (Central), Sam Diaz (Central), Riley Granda (Memorial), James Bello (North), Adam Norton (Central), Michael Goetz (North), Coach Pandolfi Middle Row (L to R) Melody Chen (North), Augustine Magapan (North), Daniel Casey (South), Tony Wong (Central), Dylan Cittadino (North), Kaylin Hom (Central) Front Row (L to R) Emily Jia (Central), Momina Ali (South), Nadia Inesta (Memorial), Ismaela Andre (North), Ariella Montalban (South) Have you ever gone bowling? Did you find it fun? Well, did you know that our school district has a bowling team? Our team coach is Mr. Pandolfi. For you to get onto the team, you must try out. However, that experience is just as fun. It’s a good way to make friends and connections. I joined this team in 2021, and each year I love it! My favorite part is that it's students not only from North but Memorial, Central, and South too. This allows me to see my friends from the other high schools. There are two teams, the girls and the boys. We played against multiple schools, such as Hewlett High School, Long Beach High School, Lynbrook High School, and Lawrence High School. Girl teams must play against the girls, and boys must play against the boys. There’s a series of matches after school. To be on this team, you must put forth the effort, for it is still a varsity sport. In each match, you must try your best. The main goal is to knock down as many pins as you can. The more pins that we knock down, the more matches we win! Last year, the girls' team made it to the finals. Unfortunately, we didn’t win, but the experience and joy were amazing. Hopefully, you can join our school Varsity Bowling Teams! Screen Shot 2023-02-19 at 8.31.15 PM .png Download PNG • 1.31MB (L to R) Jesleys Vasquez (North), Emily Jia (Central), Ismaela Andre (North), Kaylin Hom (Central), Melody Chen (North), Nadia Inesta (Memorial), Ariella Montalban (South), Momina Ali (South), Aleeza Akhtar (South) BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Don't Fear the Angel Ava Augello Volume 5 Issue 4 April 8, 2025 She’s staring down at me. Or rather it is, I regret coming to the abandoned cemetery. Its stone eyes peer down in hatred, wings outstretched in warning; it’s a drastic difference from its angelic form. Yet it remains still. The moist dead leaves squelch under my rainboots, I attempt to withdraw from the momentous grave. But I slip, falling back, my jaw rattles, my skull making hard contact with the tombstone beneath. My heart pounds as I stare up with unease at the fallen angel. It approaches me. Simultaneously, its sharp scythe presses firmly against my throat. Death has come for me. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections The Story of Wordle By Cody Sung Volume 2 Issue 5 March 28, 2022 Original screenshot by Cody Sung Have you heard of an online game called Wordle? Wordle is a word game, released less than half a year ago, and yet has captivated millions of players. How did it do it? How did it get to this point, and what are the factors in the story of how a simple game became an international hit? Josh Wardle has had a bit of history with making things for the Internet to enjoy. For example, he created The Button in 2015 and Place in 2017. With this experience, he decided to create Wordle just for his girlfriend Palak Shah, who loves word games. Without her, the game wouldn’t be the same. She helped create the word list by sorting through over 12,000 words and determining if she knew them or not. The two played it for months. Seeing success with his girlfriend, Wardle introduced it to his family’s WhatsApp group. The game quickly became an obsession with them. Wardle, after seeing the success with both his girlfriend and his family, released it to the public in October 2021. The climb was swift. On November 1, 90 people played it. Not at all bad for a game originally made for two. However, two months later, over 2 million people played it, over a 22,000% rise. The game grew so big that Wardle was overwhelmed by its success, saying that he feels “a sense of responsibility for the players” and that it is his responsibility to keep the game operational. There are a few reasons why Wordle ended up becoming extremely popular. Firstly, Wordle, unlike many other online games, doesn't want your money. It has no paywall that blocks the game, nor does it have any ads, making it simple and uncluttered. Secondly, there is only one word per day. According to Wardle, this makes players hungry for more, and so a lot of them come back tomorrow. Lastly, and the factor that contributed most to the sudden rise of Wordle, would be the result-sharing feature added in December. Wardle, inspired by players sharing their results using green, yellow, and black emojis, created an automated system to share results without spoiling the answer for anyone else. After the feature was added, the game exploded in popularity. On January 31, 2022, the New York Times bought Wordle for a price in the “low-seven figures”. In its announcement they indicated that the game would remain free. However, concerns arose, as they have a paywall for its games already, and since Wordle was now owned by the New York Times, they may put Wordle behind that paywall. This caused people to download the webpage of Wordle to prevent the paywall from affecting them. While the New York Times has not implemented a paywall (as of the time of writing), it has made some changes to the game. One of the changes made by them was moving the game to a new URL. The old URL did not include nytimes.com, instead using powerlanguage.co.uk, which was a domain that was not designed to go viral. A side effect of that move was that although the New York Times said that data would transfer over, streaks were reset. However, it was more or less resolved a day afterwards. There were other changes made by the New York Times too. The title of the game has been changed from a Helvetica font to the signature font of the New York Times to match their other games. Another change was that there is now a menu to the left of the help symbol, leading to more New York Times products. These changes do not affect gameplay, as they are mostly cosmetics. However, there are changes that affect the gameplay itself. One change affected what words were allowed to be entered into the game, as the New York Times stopped players from using certain words. If someone tries to use them, the message “Not in the word list” shows. The other change affects the list of words used to determine the answers to Wordle, as the New York Times has removed answers that it has called “insensitive”. While that may not seem like an issue at first, this causes the New York Times version of the game to be out of sync with the original, affecting score-sharing with the few people that still can and do play on the original list. Wordle’s success has sparked a rise of games similar to it. Some have a unique twist on the concept. Take Absurdle as an example. Absurdle tries to prevent you from winning, even changing the answer in some cases. Others have tried to copy the game on Apple’s App Store. However, Apple did remove the copycats. Like everything else, Wordle has a story. It rose from obscurity to becoming a hit on the Internet to becoming a product offered by the New York Times. Thanks to its unique features and clean design, it will become more and more popular, unless the New York Times puts it behind a paywall. For now, though, Wordle will be enjoyed by millions for free. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Carnegie Hall North Star Editorial Staff Volume 5 Issue 2 November 25, 2024 Image Provided by Valley Stream Central High School District Photographers Valley Stream Central High School District Music Festival Goes to Carnegie Hall For the first time in Valley Stream Central High School District Music Festival history, ensembles had the chance to perform at the internationally renowned Carnegie Hall. In the past, the festival was typically held in the Bert Keller Auditorium at Central High School; however, through the organization of Adam Erdos and our Music Department teachers, the District was able to acquire a spot at Carnegie Hall. Additionally, the festival is traditionally composed of Orchestra, Band, and Chorus ensembles, but this year Central’s performing arts groups joined the festival. As the opportunity to perform at such an acclaimed concert hall arose, many students took to auditioning for the Orchestra, Band, and Chorus ensembles. As a result, the district had one of its biggest groups in years. After auditions, several rehearsals occurred for each ensemble, intended to truly perfect and sharpen each song and performance. After months of hard work, dedication, preparation, “practice, practice, and practice” the performance finally took place this past spring. Carnegie Hall is one of the most prestigious concert venues in the United States, let alone the world. According to the official Carnegie Hall website, the venue was founded in 1891 by Carnegie Steel businessman, Andrew Carnegie. Additionally, the venue possesses incredible acoustics thanks to architect and cellist, William Burnet Tuthill. While the Hall was a success with musicians, comedians, authors, and many more notable figures, it deteriorated in the late 1950s. Then, it was slated for demotion, but luckily the City of New York bought the Hall after major protests from musicians, most notably, violinist Issac Stern. In the years after, it was honored with a National Historic Landmark and received many renovations throughout the years. Notable musicians who have graced the stages of Carnegie include Tchaikovsky, George Gershwin, Judy Garland, and The Beatles. Now Valley Stream Central students join that unbelievably distinguished list. The orchestra performed four songs. Their first song was Overture to Il Signor Bruschino , originally composed by Gioachino Rossini, and conducted by Tara Zamarano. The Overture was a perfect start to the concert as it begins with a loud start but surprises the audience with quieter notes moments later. After, the orchestra played Mambo from the hit musical, West Side Story. Victoria Alaimo conducted this fast-paced and percussion-heavy piece, a direct contrast to Overture to Il Signor Bruschino. Thirdly, the orchestra played Orion and the Scorpion, composed by Soon Hee Newbold and conducted by North’s very own Mrs. Rebecca Hayden. This is a dramatic and ever-changing piece as it follows the Greek mythology hero, Orion, in his battle with the Scorpion. Finally, the orchestra performed Sing, Sing, Sing, originally performed by Louis Prima and conducted by Elizabeth Klamkin. It may have been the District Orchestra’s first time playing the piece in the halls of Carnegie; however, it was not the first time the piece was played at Carnegie. The song was performed by Benny Goodman at his 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert, so District Orchestra students now share that with the famed jazz musician. Although it was not some students’ first time going to Carnegie Hall, many still had fun performing in the District Orchestra. Plus, the acoustics of the hall are amazing because even after the orchestra stops playing, there is still a beautiful resonance of the sound. Performing in this prestigious music hall increased orchestra students' appreciation for music as it allowed them to truly appreciate the beauty of their instruments. The District Music Festival Band performed selections including, Washington Post March by John Philip Sousa, Salvation by Robert W. Smith, They Solemnly Served by Rossano Galante, Burn by Roland Barrett, and Pop and Rock Legends: Stevie Wonder by Stevie Wonder. Each piece was conducted by band teachers from all four schools. While taking part in the band, the performers were encapsulated by the sounds of many talented musicians surrounding them. Carnegie Hall itself added to the performance, enhancing the group's music, making it sound heavenly to the ear. The band’s performance began with Washington Post March ; as noted in its name, the piece was a march consisting of contrasting dynamics and staccato notes. The tone of the performance transformed as the second piece, Salvation , was performed. Salvation , highlighted with repeated themes and tempo changes, differed from the opening piece of the show, Washington Post March . The third piece, They Solemnly Served , was highlighted with its inspiring, emotional, and powerful tone as it honored the country’s veterans. With its dynamics, solos within the trumpet and flute section, and runs in the high woodwinds, They Solemnly Served created a powerful, yet emotional piece that the audience could experience. Burn , the fourth piece contrasted significantly with the prior pieces performed as it was loud and bold. The piece was composed of runs in the high woodwinds and distinct dynamics such as crescendos and sforzando pianos. The fifth and final piece, Pop, and Rock Legends: Stevie Wonder , was the hit of the night as it consisted of Stevie Wonder’s biggest hits; this included parts of Sir Duke , Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing , Superstition , and Isn’t She Lovely . As the District Music Festival band performed their final piece, players could hear the audience clapping along to the songs and enjoying the piece’s entirety. Valley Stream Central High School’s Performing Arts Program staged a series of performances incorporating acting, musical theater, and dance into the program. The first group was Ms. Kristin Martine’s Day 2 Dance Concentration performing a dance to the song Pie Jesu, a piece originally composed by famed Broadway Composer Andrew Lloyd Weber. After, the Musical Theater Concentration performed Show People from Curtains. Then, Ms. Kristin Martine’s Day 1 Dance Concentration danced to Waves by Dean Lewis. Additionally, the Musical Theater Concentration performed Why We Tell the Story from the musical, Once On This Island . Afterward, the Acting Concentration executed Seven Ages of Men based on William Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Following the Acting Concentration, Kristin Martine’s Day 1 Dance Concentration danced to No Roots. Subsequently, the Musical Theater Concentration performed A New World from Songs for a New World. Lastly, the Performing Arts Program closed its performance with Ms. Kristin’s Martine’s Day 2 Dance Concentration’s Walking on Sunshine. The variety of Central’s Performing Arts Program gave a different feeling at the festival compared to previous years; however, it was very much welcomed. The District Music Festival Chorus performed six separate pieces for their portion of the program. They opened with Debra Schneider conducting Hallelujah from Christ on the Mount of Olives , a classical piece originally composed by Ludwig Van Beethoven. This was an excellent opening piece as Hallelujah allowed for all vocal parts to demonstrate their vocal and dynamic range. For their second piece, the chorus performed The Ground , originally composed by Ola Gjeilo, and conducted by South’s Mr. Kyle Hayden. In this piece, the chorus demonstrated their ability to be soft and sensitive whilst building suspense through strategic crescendos. Following The Ground, Central’s Mrs. Amy Neuner conducted The Storm is Passing Over, originally by Charles Albert Tindley, with Matthew Podd on piano. This piece engaged the audience as they clapped along with the chorus. Afterward, the chorus took a different approach to their fourth song as Earth Song , originally composed by Frank Ticheli and conducted by North’s own Mr. Adam Thorn, was their sole acapella piece. This was due to Thorn being the piano accompanist for every song besides The Storm is Passing Over and Earth Song . The acapella nature of the song allowed for solely the sound of the chorus’ voices to reverberate in the auditorium, creating a heavenly feel. Succeeding Earth Song was Route 66 , a piece originally composed by Bobby Troup and conducted by Helen Kontoleon. Route 66 allowed for the chorus to get jazzy as the swing melody facilitated a relaxed mood. Finally, the chorus performed Defying Gravity from the famed Broadway Musical, Wicked. Rita DiFano conducted the chorus in their final piece. The exciting and hopeful nature of the showtune left the audience feeling content and amazed. In addition to the several ensemble and performing arts performances, an annual activity at the District Music Festival is the presentation of scholarships to three selected student musicians from each high school. This year, scholarship recipients were Layla Rutledge, from North High School, Tinatin Narimanidze, from Central High School, and Christian Crawford, from South High School. North Star congratulates these accomplished musicians on these tremendous achievements! North High School music teachers were asked to comment on the Carnegie Hall Experience. “It was an amazing experience for me. Certainly, one of the highest points of my entire career as a teacher and a musician. You can't match the feeling of playing piano and conducting at one of the most prestigious and historically significant concert venues in the world. We shared the same stage as Leonard Bernstein, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and the Beatles. When you're there, that's history that you can almost feel surrounding you. I'm so proud to have performed there with our talented students.” – Mr. Thorn “All of the students involved in the Carnegie Hall concert put on an outstanding and memorable performance. From their hard work learning the audition excerpts to spending extra time at rehearsals, to using their musical talents on a world-renowned stage, they have much to be proud of. Our Valley Stream students are masters of their art and acted as true professionals both off and on the stage. I am very proud of all our musicians and hope that this is an experience they will reflect on throughout their lives. Bravo! Brava!” -Mrs. Schneider “Although there are many words to describe the feeling of being on stage at Carnegie Hall, the one I keep coming back to is: electric. The students, the hall, the audience, the music - all of it contributed to such a high-energy performance.” – Ms. Ansbacher We also reached out to North High musicians to comment on their experiences playing at Carnegie Hall. “I found the concert hall we were playing in to not only sound good but to look great as well! I know it's a minor detail in the grand scheme of things, but I liked how the engravings in the hall looked from the stage. It was also fun watching the rest of the night’s performances from so high up, but I have a fear of heights, so it was a bit nerve-wracking at times!” – Cody Sung, VSN Class of ‘24 “I still can’t believe we played at Carnegie Hall. It’s something that many people wish for, so knowing we got to play there still feels surreal. I mean, I love playing in the North Cafetorium, but the acoustics inside Carnegie Hall are completely different from what I’m used to. It gave me goosebumps just to be on that stage. Oh, actually, the auditorium is beautiful. Like acoustics aside, if you told me to just stand there and look at the design of the auditorium, I could probably stay there for a few hours. Anyways, thank you so much to the North Music Department, they were so dedicated to this experience.” - Elaine Ching, VSN Class of ‘25 “Although this was not my first time going to Carnegie Hall, as I performed in the hall with the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York, I had a lot of fun performing in the orchestra. The acoustics of the hall are amazing because when you stop playing, you can hear the beautiful echo and resonation of the sound. Performing at prestigious music halls increases my appreciation for music and being a part of an ensemble. It was an honor performing at Carnegie as many famous individuals such as Dvořák  and Tchaikovsky performed in the exact space that we did. I will never forget this incredible experience and I cannot wait for District next year!” - Manal Layachi, VSN Class of ‘25 Of course, this amazing event would not have been possible without the extremely talented and supportive teachers who contributed countless hours of hard work and dedication that led to an unforgettable performance. While all teachers and administrators involved were essential to the success of the event, the North Star editors would like to acknowledge the efforts of the North High School Music Department. Firstly, thank you all for the long hours of practice, preparation, organization, and pedagogy that went into this performance. Secondly, thank you for assuring students’ safety regarding traveling between Carnegie Hall and North High School as well as their safety inside the building. This event would not have been successful without your constant guidance and diligence. Sources: https://www.carnegiehall.org/About/Press/A-Short-History https://www.swingcityradio.com/2020/07/history-of-song-sing-sing-sing.html BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections The Pig: A New Organ Donor By Cody Sung Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by Feedback Central There are currently over 106,000 people waiting for an organ transplant in the United States alone with seventeen people dying every day waiting for one. Unfortunately, an organ donor shortage exists, resulting in people not getting the organs they urgently need in time. However, recently, science has found a solution to the problem that does not involve human donors. Instead, pigs are being used. On January 11, 2022, David Bennett received the first heart transplant from another organism: a genetically modified pig. How did scientists accomplish this, and what does this revolutionary breakthrough mean for the future? Until recently, only a human’s heart could be transplanted to another human. However, over the five decades since the first human heart transplant, there have been many technological innovations that have refined organ transplanting, including hearts, that have allowed patients to live many years without organ rejection or complications. These innovations paved the way for developments in xenotransplantation, a process by which an animal organ gets transplanted into a human. This is not the first time xenotransplantation has been attempted, however. For example, in 1984, to save a baby born with a severe heart disease, they received the heart of a baboon but died three weeks later due to the body rejecting the organ. However, since then, using pig heart valves has been common for transplants, and in October 2021, surgeons in New York successfully transplanted a pig’s kidney into a human. However, the patient was brain dead without any chance of recovery. This operation would be the first time a genetically modified pig’s heart would be transplanted into a human. The pig used was raised in a medical-grade facility to prevent them from obtaining diseases that could be spread to a human. During this time, the pig had 10 genes altered. Some were disabled to prevent rejection, and another gene was changed to stop the pig’s heart from enlarging too much after transplantation. Human genes were given to the pig as well to prevent clotting abnormalities in the new heart. After all this, the pig’s heart was ready to be put into David Bennett. He is 57 and has terminal heart disease. Doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Center, the location of the operation, believed that without the transplant, he would die. He could not be given a human transplant due to a history of noncompliance with doctors and could not be given a mechanical heart because of an irregular heartbeat, meaning that an animal heart was his only option. During the seven-hour operation, he had to be given powerful anti-rejection drugs so the body would not reject the pig heart. The heart was successfully transplanted, and Mr. Bennett survived the procedure. He is alive and well at the time of writing. This is a big development for science and medicine, and it comes with benefits. This operation proved that xenotransplantation can be done more often with animal organs, as doing so will not damage human lives and only involves genetically modifying animal organs. This breakthrough may also help with the organ donor shortage, as no humans are needed if xenotransplantation becomes more widespread. However, there are some ethical issues, such as how pigs in medical-grade facilities do not enjoy the same quality of life as pigs out in a field, and the procedures needed for a pig to be able to become a proper donor. However, as science continues to improve, we might finally solve the donor shortage by using pigs. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections The Truth By Huan Evo Alipio Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 Image provided by Vincent Van Gogh In search for love, may he find the right one She walked, she strolls, she arrived quarter to two One foolish man running till three But yet she’ll never budge with great power for four Almost to the middle, with not intentions of meeting The time hit six, with the sun gleaming He or she never crossed the seventh path Which the eight can be revealed with a tremendous wrath He imagines to catch her and take her for a ride Though she assured him she will be her bride The time is twelve, what a shocking sound Then he got up, there he was in bed and bound BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Famous Women in History By Cael Javier Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 Image provided by Cael Javier Many women have made a difference in the world. In this article, I will go over women who have made a change in different categories. Women have made a difference in many different places. The people I will be going over have made a change in entertainment, science, and politics. Jane Austen Jane Austen was an English novelist. Her earliest known writings are mainly imitations, especially of dramas. In her six full-length novels, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Persuasion, and Northanger Abbey, she created the comedy of style of middle-class English life in her time. Her writing is well-known for its wit, realism, and brilliant prose style. Through her behavior toward ordinary people in everyday life, she was the first to give the novel its distinctly modern feel. She published her novels anonymously. They usually cover plots about marriage, status, and social sensibility with a distinctive irony. Her works have been used many times in entertainment. “It isn’t what we say or think that defines us, but what we do.” Jane Austen Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II was the queen of the United Kingdom from 1952 to 2022. She became heir, most likely when her uncle, Edward VIII, stepped down and her father became king, as George VI. In 1947 she married her distant cousin Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, with whom she had four children. She became queen after her father died in 1952. She believed court life to be simpler and took an informed interest in government business. In the 1990s, the monarchy was troubled by the well-known combative difficulties of two of the queen’s sons and the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. In 2002, her mother and sister died within two months of each other. Elizabeth became the longest-reigning monarch in British history in 2015, and she celebrated 70 years as a queen with a “Platinum Jubilee” in 2022. “We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return.” Queen Elizabeth II Betty White Betty White was an actress, author, animal rights activist, and comedian. She also served as a producer and is one of the pioneers of American television who played an important role during the early days of American television history. She received the title of ‘Mayor of Hollywood’ for being the first female to produce a sitcom. She received many awards for her performances on television. She became famous for her role in game shows and was nicknamed the “First Lady of Game Shows.” She was a singer, actor, host, and producer for 80 years, making her the longest-serving female in entertainment. Her interest in acting started during her school days, except she became a writer. She went on to become a very important entertainment personality in the U.S. “Doing drama is, in a sense, easier. If you don’t get that laugh in comedy, there’s something wrong.” Betty White Marie Curie Marie Curie was a Polish-born French physical chemist. Since 1891, she has studied at the Sorbonne. She found radioactivity in the thorium. In 1895 she married physicist, Pierre Curie. They discovered the elements polonium and radium. They are known for discovering alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. For their work on radioactivity, they shared the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics with Becquerel. This leans, Marie became the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize. After Pierre died, Marie was asked for his professorship and became the first woman to teach at the Sorbonne. In 1911 she won a Nobel Prize for Chemistry for finding polonium and isolating pure radium, becoming the first person to win two Nobel Prizes. She passed away due to prolonged exposure to radioactivity. She became the first woman whose achievements earned her the honor of having her ashes laid out in the Pantheon in Paris. “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” Marie Curie Oprah Winfrey Oprah Winfrey was an American television talk-show host and actress. After a rough childhood, she became a news anchor for a local C.B.S. T.V. station in Tennessee when she was 19. After graduating from Tennessee State University, she was a television reporter in Baltimore, where she cohosted her first talk show. In 1984 she moved to Chicago to host A.M. Chicago, which became that city’s highest-rated morning show. The name was changed to The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1985. Oprah Winfrey became the first African American woman to host a successful national daytime talk show. The top-rated show was well-known for its uplifting tone. In 1986 she also formed her own television production company, Harpo Productions, and in 2000 she released O, the Oprah Magazine. In 2011 the Oprah Winfrey Network was out on cable television, and later that year, the finale of The Oprah Winfrey Show aired. She acted in The Color Purple and Beloved. “You look at yourself, and you accept yourself for who you are, and once you accept yourself for who you are, you become a better person.” Oprah Winfrey Ruth Bader Ginsburg Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a U.S. jurist. She graduated at the top of her class at Columbia Law School, but she was turned down for multiple jobs because she was a woman. She taught at Columbia from 1972 to 1980, where she became the first tenured female professor. She was the director of the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union. She argued six landmark cases on gender equality before the United States Supreme Court. She was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals, and in 1993 she was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the Supreme Court as its second female justice. She then became a feminist folk hero. Her followers called her “Notorious R.B.G.,” a play on “Notorious B.I.G.,” an American rapper. “Fight for the things you care about but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” Ruth Bader Ginsburg These are just a few of the many ways women have changed the world. As you can see, they come from a variety of backgrounds. They are all passionate and talented women. A role model inspired many to do what they did. Sources: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Betty-White https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-II https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jane-Austen https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marie-Curie https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ruth-Bader-Ginsburg BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Portrait Back to Sections Ruth Bader Ginsburg By Various Artists January 20, 2021 Graphite Volume 1 Issue 4

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections A Million-Dollar Healthcare Anomaly: The Hidden Costs of Rugby Injuries By Osaiyekemwen Ogbemudia Volume 1 Issue 3 December 16, 2020 Image provided by Getty Images Have you ever wondered why the sports world is so obsessed with injury prevention? In the literal sense, sports injuries limit an athlete’s performance level; if you are injured, you just can’t perform at your best or at all. Imagine scaling a mountain with a chain supporting the entirety of your weight. How would you feel if the first few links holding you up were corroded? What about throwing in some rusty pieces in the middle? That horror usually gnaws at coaches when pondering the off-chance of injury—after all, a team’s strength is only as great as their weakest player. However, it would be naïve to think the cost of injury lies in the glory or medals alone, as the modern world of sport has a lot more money at stake. Rugby’s high-impact nature demands that players exert extreme force to gain and maintain possession of the ball. As such, it seems obvious that injuries would occur more frequently or as much as 90% in a season. However, what doesn’t meet the eye at first glance? As the rate of injuries slowly decreases, the cost of their treatment skyrockets. Age ISN’T Just a Number: A Case Study Meet Bobby, a 16 year old elite baseball pitcher who presented to a sports chiropractor with a busted right (throwing arm) shoulder, right elbow, left hip and lower back pain. Taken all together, the summation of these injuries impaired Bobby’s performance and led to significant time away from playing. Let’s examine his circumstances: growing up in the Dominican Republic, he began his career playing baseball at the tender age of five. Playing baseball year round, at a frequency of 2–3 times per week, he became the top pitcher on the team and assumed a significant role. Keep in mind that this league had no pitch counts or limitations like local little leagues in the U.S. At age 10, he moved to Canada, joined a local city baseball league (AAA) and became a dominant pitcher; his baseball volume dramatically decreased to playing only during the summer months. In turn, Bobby began to notice some intermittent, low-intensity lower back and left hip pain. It did not impair his ability to play, so he just ignored the symptoms. At age 14, an elite travel team within the city recognized his talent as well. While Bobby developed into a teenager, he engaged in several high-intensity, off-season throwing programs to improve his arm strength. At this stage, Bobby participated in baseball training 10+ months a year and played for two teams (local AAA and the travel team; 3–7 games and 2–3 practices per week). During this time, he began to notice a gradual onset of right medial elbow pain--ruled as low priority. Leading into the next baseball season, he reported “not feeling 100%” regarding his right elbow, low back or left hip. Near the end of the season, his pitching volume increased into the playoffs, and the medial elbow pain intensified to the point that he could no longer throw. Too soon? Sports Specialization in Early childhood Bobby fell victim to a concealed pandemic: early sports specialization or ESS in adolescent athletes, especially common in Olympic sports. In 2016, the Olympics included Rugby-7s and, in turn, attracted an estimated 30 million fans globally; of those millions invested, many of them include parents and coaches that hastily push their middle-aged children (6-12) athletes to the edge--but at what cost? In 2018, the cost of rugby-related injuries reached an all-time high with the ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) forking over $110M to help heal players’ aches and pains. Of said players, the 20-40 age bracket cost the ACC the most, but the 10-14 age bracket experienced the majority of injuries. Even Isaac Carlson, head of injury prevention for the ACC agrees that “A lot more young people have significant injuries that are more typical of elite level players. In other words, of the over $7 million that the ACC spent treating ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) related injuries in 2018, they likely allocated a huge chunk to the under 18 population. Unsurprisingly, the ACL injury made headlines as the ACC’s most expensive injury for four years in a row. In this context, Bobby could have easily played rugby from age 5 to 20 with excessive frequency and singled focus; his targeted lifestyle could have simply resulted in recurrent concussion(s) contributing to CTE, and then suicide. In reality, when Bobby's sports physician diagnosed him with a severe UCL or ulnar collateral ligament sprain, he rehabilitated for 3-4 weeks and returned with a limited role. Several weeks after, he presented to his local chiropractor with the list of ailments described above. The cause of these serious injuries may lie in sports specialization in early to middle childhood; as most experts agree that a child needs a certain level of specialization to reach elite heights, some debate as to whether such strenuous practice time must begin during early childhood. As these junior athletes grow, so does the amount of training and competition. The combination of frequent, recurrent, and overuse rugby injuries in adolescence and youth potentially can bleed into adulthood--not to mention a myriad of other issues such as mental health. Overall, these long-term issues generate more and more expense every year, despite rugby injury prevention efforts contributing to somewhat of a decline in injury rate. In truth, the junior athlete population truly pays for their elite aspirations. BACK TO TOP