Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections World Cup 2022 By Leah Ally Volume 3 Issue 2 December 23, 2022 Image produced by Leah Ally ince 1930, the World Cup has been the most popular and most watched sporting event as 32 qualifying teams go head-to-head in a series of games to determine which nation will hold the FIFA World Cup Trophy. Every four years, the World Cup has become a worldwide event beloved by soccer fans and even those who may not be too familiar with the sport. Undoubtedly, the World Cup will continue its long-lasting legacy for years to come. The 2022 World Cup was held in Qatar, starting November 20th and ending December 18th. This would be the first time the World Cup would be held in the winter, as it was determined that Qatar’s hot climate would not be suitable to be played in during the summer. With 64 matches to be played in eight locations across five cities, the contest took place over 29 days (about four weeks). Thirty-one teams were chosen from each of FIFA’s six regional soccer confederations based on their performances over the last four years, while the national football team of Qatar automatically qualified for the event, their first World Cup. Due to its treatment of women and migrant laborers, as well as its climate, lack of vibrant football culture, scheduling adjustments, and claims of bribery for hosting rights, the decision to host the World Cup in Qatar has been controversial. The event was estimated to be the most expensive World Cup ever hosted, with $220 billion worth of expenses, which would result in a 40% increase in ticket prices since the 2018 tournament. Over the event, the World Cup was expected to draw 5 billion viewers, over half of the world’s population. This year’s event was bound to be emotional for fans and players as numerous stars announced retirement. These players include Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Thiago Silva, and Guillermo Ochoa. As of now, Qatar 2022 will mark the last World Cup for these stars as they will continue their legacy off the field while hoping for their final victory. It is safe to say the World Cup of 2022 would be exciting for both fans and teams, with high hopes and anticipation as history would be made. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Two Birds on a Wire Shea Flanelly Volume 6 Issue 3 June 8, 2026 Image Provided by Jeanne Sammons The sun was just barely over the horizon, painting the sky in gold and rose. As if to give the sky company, a blue jay and a cardinal perched side by side on the old telephone wire. “You’ve been quiet,” said the cardinal, fluffing her feathers. “Something on your mind?” The blue jay ruffled his wings nervously, feathers drooping a little. “I… I think I need to fly alone for a while.” The cardinal’s head tilted, her scarlet feathers catching the light. “Alone?” “Yes,” he said, looking at the horizon. “Lately… I’ve been feeling… tangled up. My thoughts are a mess , and my chest feels heavy. I need to find new skies and clear my head. I can’t do that if I stay here.” The cardinal’s beak quivered a little. “I get that. I do. But I thought… maybe we could stick together, at least a little longer.” The blue jay let out a soft noise, almost like a sigh. “I don’t want to leave you. But I’d be holding you back if I stayed. You have your own flights to take too, and I need to find myself before I can really be here with anyone.” They sat in silence, listening to the gentle breeze of morning, the wire swaying beneath their feet. The cardinal finally whispered, “Remember the winter storms? How I held you under my wing until the wind stopped?” “I remember,” the blue jay said, a hint of a smile in his voice. “And you reminded me to sing when everything felt bad.” For a moment, they just shared the quiet comfort of the morning, the air around them soft and still. “Promise me something?” the cardinal asked. “Anything.” “Promise that wherever we go, we’ll remember this… the wire, the sun, the way we helped each other.” “I promise,” said the blue jay. With a final glance, they stretched their wings. One flew east, carrying the weight of his worries into the open sky, the other west, carrying hope and warmth in her heart. Though they flew apart, the memory of the morning stayed with them wherever they went, and their promise was unwavering. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections prejudice tastes like apple pie By Lucy Wu Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Image provided by Pinterest i why are our apples not the same? i concede our exteriors may not match you arrive pristine untouched from neighboring orchards while i may still be bruised manhandled from my journey but if i wield a knife slicing through translucent veins and thin skin wouldn’t you agree we are the same? ii seventeen years ago my mother sowed her seeds passed down from her family a figment of her mother in a fertile promised land she spread her roots meticulously and eventually without fear my belonging a trellis pale petals wrapped around her backbone after sunset i built palisades shielding her fragile sapling from unforgiving wind the piercing stares so she could assimilate and flourish each year come gentle spring her tree bloomed borne from sacrifice watered with tears and we reaped her ripened fruit cherishing its sweetness yet in one day you intruded on our garden ravaging her tree drowning her roots breaking her branches in insult and scorn what’s more you claim her lovely apples my apples as your own a product of your generosity fallen from the tree that once was small and shriveled pale jade and longing there’s nothing left to promise me her daughter how dare you cut down my mother’s tree you take a bite but i hope you choke iii i walk to the market looking for apples scouring the aisles peering at the mountains it’s easy to spot the bruised with their browned skin sunken in i avoid those and you do too i handpick just a few with crisp sides taut and overflowing with their juices almost permitting myself to believe they’ll be perfect but i’m no fool i show you how i drag my blade piercing the core and examine for rotting interiors and disposing rinse and repeat you follow my lead however some elude me the most deceiving are the ones that appear perfect both inside and out they make it all the way into the oven seeping their spoiled rancid juices into my crust my foundation at the table only i notice the fragrance wafting in the air is wrong it’s faint but brimming with malice spiced with hate that’s the thing they don’t tell you about prejudice and pie the apples seem fine so naively you taste them and then they reveal their true flavors only in the critical moments in solitude after the pie whisked away you’ll realize in your throat the aftertaste souring bitterness lingers forever it’s a shock when my tongue deludes my eyes nothing similar in the slightest i should warn you it’s an acquired taste one you develop after years of picking them letting them ruin your pies it’s subtle yet their acridness so potent to me i hope maybe someday you’ll taste it too and possess the wherewithal to say something but until then i do not betray truth i cut a generous slice feigning a smile through my salty tears swallowing whispering it’s delicious BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Small Ensembles 2024 Elaine Ching and Lauren Orsano Volume 5 Issue 2 November 25, 2024 Image Provided by Lauren Orsano On June 4th, 2024, at Elmont Public Library, all five of North’s musical small ensemble groups gathered to have one last performance. In the past, the annual Valley Stream North High School Small Ensembles Concert mainly featured high school small ensembles such as Mrs. Hayden’s Breakfast Club and Ms. Ansbacher’s Senior High Jazz Band; however, this year, the end-of-year musical event grew to include both Senior High and Junior High Jazz Bands, Treble Choir, Junior High Select Chorus, and the Breakfast Club. The concert was spectacular and showcased the musical talents of North High School students and teachers. Firstly, the Junior High Jazz Band started the evening off with four fantastic pieces. Their first piece was C Jam Blues , a relaxing jazz melody featuring several solos. In contrast, their next song, Blue Bossa had a catchy and quick tune, demonstrating the ensemble’s ability to balance different tempos. Additionally, the style of the piece was very jazzy due to the strong saxophone presence, much like their first piece. Their third song, Birdland , was a true testament to the jazz genre as it was named after the first jazz club in New York City. Lastly, they closed their performance with a song featuring harmonies from the famed Pixar movie, The Incredibles. The Junior High Jazz Band’s performance served as evidence of the hard work they have put in this year. The second small ensemble to perform was the Junior High Select Chorus. Their first song was Do Wah Diddy Diddy, made famous by Manfred Mann in the 1960s. The younger group was very energetic as there were a few giggles at the beginning of their performance; however, they managed to pull it together by the end and made for a sophisticated presentation. Other pieces included Stand Together and The Lion Sleeps Tonight , demonstrating the chorus’ ability to blend their vocal parts. After the Junior High Select Chorus, the Swingin’ Spartans’ Jazz Ensemble entered the stage. The group exemplified the talents of the entire group while highlighting the skills of select dedicated players. Additionally, the group demonstrated their range of capabilities as they shifted tempos from fast in the songs “Conga,” “Route 66”, and “Nothing from Nothing”, to slow in “The Way We Were”. Additionally, the amazing staccato abilities featured in “Nothing from Nothing” made the notes sound very crisp. This contrasts with the ensemble’s legato notes in “The Way We Were.” The Senior High Jazz Band’s performance illustrated their ability to play a vast range of music while maintaining the same musicality and sensitivity for each piece. The fifth small ensemble group to perform was the Treble Choir, led by Mr. Thorn. The group accomplished a wide musical range while only including sopranos and altos. Also, the song selection allowed the group to show their ability to perform various tempos and showcase their acapella abilities. The singers demonstrated excellent vocal blending while still highlighting each distinct voice. The group’s last song was a medley of several Aretha Franklin pieces including, Natural Women , I Say a Little Prayer, and Respect . The medley included two beautiful solos by Kayla Duvert and Samantha Salnave. For the night's final event, the Breakfast Club, led by Mrs. Hayden, beautifully showed their hours of dedication through their performance. Their first song was a piece that included the classic fiddle tunes, Folk Tune Air, and Fiddler’s Fury. It featured solos by Lillian Dolan and Arshdeep Singh, both senior violinists of the Breakfast Club. Later, once the other string instruments joined in, they blended their sound very well, and the rhythms were truly clear. Throughout all the pieces, the different instruments of the group had a very balanced sound. Afterward, they performed a slower and more mellow song, Don’t Know Why, an instrumental take on the classic Norah Jones tune, featuring Jake Heiss on the drum set and Rebecca Hayden on piano. Finally, for their last piece, they performed Fantasia Espanol, a dramatic and bold piece composed by Soon Hee Newbold. The Small Ensembles Concert is traditionally the last concert of the Valley Stream North school year, effectively wrapping up the musical activities of the 2023-2024 school year in a beautiful bow that exhibits the talents of musicians who attend rehearsals outside of their music education classes. This year was certainly no exception! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Lights On for Education Back to Sections Line Study By Kimberly Shrestha April 22, 2021 Study Volume 1 Issue 7

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Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Summer Festivals Celebrated Throughout the World Sahar Ali Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 Image provided by Aesthetics Wiki - Fandom When summer was just around the corner, various countries started to welcome the most beloved season. Here are some places where the summer season has a grand entrance! KRAKOW, POLAND – WIANKI FESTIVAL This Polish festival began with an ancient pagan fertility festival. Wianki Festival originated in Krakow but is celebrated all over Poland. Wianki translates to the wreath and represents the future, good fortune, being in love, and fertility. Along the Vistula River, the Poles have special wreath-floating events, festivals, concerts, bonfires, traditional food, firework displays, and vodka drinking. Polish women also wear, and deposit garlands weaved with symbolic herbs in a river. Hiding in boats lined up along a river, boys try to catch their girlfriend’s wreaths. BARCELONA, SPAIN – THE NIGHT OF FIRE FESTIVAL OF SANT JOAN This Spanish festival celebrates the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer. On the night of Sant Joan, celebrations commence when the sun is at its highest in the sky, symbolizing fertility. Representing wealth and strength, bonfires and fireworks take place all over Barcelona. Sant Joan has three symbols: water, herbs, and fire. Water symbolizes the cleansing of sins. As a result, locals often dive into the Mediterranean Sea for a late-night swim. Herbs symbolize remedy and healing. Since it is believed that thyme, rosemary, and verbena contain aphrodisiac properties, many eat these herbs on the night of Sant Joan. Fire represents abundance, purity, and fertility. On the night of Sant Joan, Barcelona lights up with bonfires and fireworks to eradicate bad- luck. JAPAN – AOMORI NEBUTA MATSURI FESTIVAL One of Japan’s largest festivals, the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri Festival (August 2 - 7), takes place in the Aomori, a prefecture on Japan’s island of Honshu. The Aomori prefecture is notable for its natural landscapes, like volcanic mountain ranges. It is also Japan’s largest apple producer. This festival originated amongst the Aomori people to eradicate the drowsiness that came over them on warm summer days. During the Japanese festival, large floats made from wood and paper are decorated and lit up from the inside. Complemented by taiko drums, flutes, and hand cymbals, these large floats parade throughout the Aomori prefecture. There is no fee to attend the festival as attendees take part in dancing as they wear the traditional Haneto dancing costume. ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA – WHITE NIGHTS OF SUMMER May through July, the “White Nights” are celebrated when the sun does not fully set, leading to sun-filled days. Russians refer to this festival as Beliye Nochi. During the White Nights, people come out on the streets and visit special concerts, festivals, ballet, opera, and certain restaurants/bars that stay open all night. Additional celebrations include bridges being raised over the River Neva, best seen from an evening cruise, swimming in Lake Ladoga, and walking through the “Summer Gardens” or Letnii Sad . On June 22nd, millions of Russians gather for the Scarlet Sails as a tall ship sails to recreate a well-known children’s story with a fake pirate battle, all taking place on the River Neva. Sources: Great Summer Traditions around the World: Festivals & Celebrations ( internationalteflacademy.com )   BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Hakeem Makes History By Samantha Alteri Volume 3 Issue 2 December 23, 2022 Image provided by NBC News Congressman Hakeem Jefferies, the Representative of New York’s 8th Congressional District since 2013, was recently selected to serve as the minority leader for House Democrats in the 118th Congress. Representative Jefferies, who currently serves as the Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, is no stranger to leadership positions in the lower house. The former whip of the Congressional Black Caucus and prior co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, Jefferies will be the first Black American to lead a major political party in Congress. Jefferies will assume the slot in leadership currently held by Nancy Pelosi, the first female to serve as Speaker of the House. Shortly after the 2022 Midterm Elections, Pelosi announced her intention to step down from House leadership, signaling a change in Democratic politics. Not only did Pelosi step down, but the other top two Democratic leaders in the House did as well. Representative Steny Hoyer, the former majority leader representing Maryland’s 5th Congressional District, and James Clyburn, the whip from South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District, stepped down as well. Representative Katherine Clark, who serves as the Congresswoman of Massachusetts’s 5th District, will assume Clyburn’s former role, while Pete Aguilar, the Representative for California’s 31st District, and current Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus, will assume the role of Democratic Caucus Chair. The transition to new Democratic leadership in the House represents a generation change for Congress. Current House Democratic leadership members are three decades older than Jefferies. This key move by Democrats was made just a few weeks after a midterm election in which Generation Z voters represented a large portion of the voting block for Democrats. These young, politically active voters moved to elect Democrats on a large scale, with a CNN House exit poll showing 63% of Generation Z voters cast ballots for the left. The move by House Democrats to place younger politicians in key leadership roles may resemble a desire to maintain large numbers of voter participation from this group of young constituents. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections How Accurate is Wikipedia? By Cody Sung Volume 1 Issue 3 December 16, 2020 Image provided by Giulia Forsythe Wikipedia...the website that is turned to for information about everything from train stations to musicians. According to the website, Wikipedia has over 6 million (and counting) pages describing an object, event, or place (content pages), and has over 52 million pages in total. But not everything on the Internet is accurate. So, how accurate is Wikipedia? According to The New Yorker , Wikipedia is neoliberalism, or “economic liberalism and free-market capitalism” (Wikipedia), applied to knowledge. People with only partial knowledge exchange knowledge and get the missing part of their knowledge, meaning that through many exchanges with many people, Wikipedia would become more and more accurate with time. In fact, according to a study published in Nature in 2005, Wikipedia averaged 4 errors in 42 science articles. The Encyclopedia Britannica averaged 3 errors. It can be concluded that Wikipedia is almost as accurate as Britannica in scientific entries. Wikipedia doesn’t need to self-correct. The invisible hand does its thing. This was intended by the creators of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger. In fact, Wales doesn’t care about editors being revealed as impostors, because the outliers are cancelled out by other outliers and information close to the truth. But teachers don’t favor the website because anybody can edit it. Britannica doesn’t allow that. It only allows experts to edit the encyclopedia, although the public can give feedback on articles. Personally, my elementary school librarian would prevent us from using Wikipedia. Instead, we would have to use “PebbleGo” or Britannica. And yet Wikipedia is starting to become less taboo among teachers as they start using it as well. However, Wikipedia is still distrusted by many, mostly since Wikipedia can be edited by the general public. According to a survey I conducted, 58% of people use Wikipedia, 84% don’t use Wikipedia often, and 60% think Wikipedia is not accurate. This means that a plurality of people use Wikipedia but don’t rely on it often due to the skepticism. Comments stated that the most uses of the website consist of facts, creating a growing concern over its reliability. In fact, a Business Insider article states that Wikipedia is a great place to start for information but should not be used for research or other academic use. This attitude is also shared by our very own, Mr. Toffolo. In my interview with him, he revealed that he is using Wikipedia, and has been since 2005 or earlier, stating that most information is accurate on Wikipedia because people monitor the pages, so it was good to use to start finding information on a topic (such as an article from Business Insider, as mentioned earlier). However, he also wouldn’t recommend Wikipedia as a research tool for students unless it’s for quick use, matching the opinions of so many. In conclusion, Wikipedia can shine with accuracy due to its neoliberalist approach to knowledge, but is inaccurate in some case as well, due to public editing. Lots of people don’t rely on Wikipedia heavily due to the “anyone can edit” policy. Wikipedia is used by lots of people for trivial facts or quick definitions, though, and is considered a great place to start for information. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections An Ode to Normalcy By Eva Grace Martinez Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by Kendall McLeod To find love in simple things isn't easy, so over the past month, I have challenged myself to write dramatic descriptions of simple objects as an exercise in reminding myself about all the beautiful things around us. The following are 5 selections from this challenge:  The orange bowl I eat from each morning:  Smooth, cold, yet entirely perfect. A shade too dark to be tangerine, yet too light to be anything close to amber. Far from the neon shades of paint seen in stores, it is an orange that is perfectly acceptable, not too much of anything, just a simple, and maybe perfect for it, bowl.  The aqua blue glasses, the only glasses I will drink from: Slightly too heavy for a cup, almost as weighty as a mug, yet not nearly light enough to hand to anyone under the age of 6. These made-in Bulgaria IKEA glasses stand as a testament to the awe-inspiring power of light. No matter how dark or bright, the shifting shades of blue paint an ocean in my cup, and for a moment, all is well.  The out of tune acoustic guitar next to my window: The strings are too tense; each note plucked resonates sharp and unforgiving. This is the price of progress, as the electric hangs beautifully in tune away from any potential threats to its static perfection. Rarely now will I find my fingers wrapped around the wooden neck of an instrument that has taught me to love sound in all its forms, and even when reaching out for it, it knows me now as an unloving parent, doomed to place it by the wayside.  The polka dot lunchbox I’ve kept since 4th grade:  Obnoxiously bright, I hide the flinch at its migraine-inducing coloration each time I pack myself a simple sandwich or salad. The yellow has dulled to a mustard grey as the years have passed, and the pinks have blended into their red neighbors. I have always hated this lunchbox, never marked with the trademarked characters which inspired lunchroom seat hierarchies; I loathed ever to let my 4th-grade enemies catch a glimpse of this glaring weakness. Yet, as I place it into my bag, I am reminded of an easier time, where a polka dot lunch box can hold and is the biggest of my worries.  The vejigante which sits on my dresser:  Are you indeed a demon? The eight-year-old who placed you so gently in her room nearly ten years ago would like to know. If so, are you not indebted to me? The bright yellow triangle carved into a coconut painted in a deep black, or what would be your face, has been well-loved since you have been brought here. Though your left horn is no longer as tight as it once was, I hope you are still comfortable here, in this house, or maybe as that eight-year-old futilely hoped—your home.  BACK TO TOP