Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections February 14th has a Playlist Shea Flanelly Volume 6 Issue 3 Image Provided by Whether you are having a blast slow-dancing with your romantic partner, or you are screaming heartbreak songs in the car with the windows rolled up, music has a way of speaking to our hearts - especially on a holiday like Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is a notorious holiday for big feelings on both sides of the spectrum - some feel pure love and joy, while others may feel loneliness and sadness. In moments like these, many teens turn to music not just for entertainment, but for comfort and validation. Hearing lyrics that resonate with your situation can fuel a sense of understanding within yourself. For some people, this means choosing songs that match their joy and energy! Upbeat and fun love tracks are the perfect way to amplify excitement about a relationship or crush. Sharing headphones, posting a photo of you together on Instagram with a cute song in the background, or sending them your defining relationship song can all become ways of saying “This is how I truly feel about you,” without having to find all of the correct words. For others, Valentine’s Day means more… complicated emotions. Sad or reflective songs can create space to process difficult feelings of grief, jealousy, or disappointment. Instead of pushing these emotions away, music allows listeners to sit with them in a safe, non-destructive way. Hearing an artist to describe similar struggles can make one feel understood, and it can set a reminder that they are not the only ones navigating tough struggles. Be careful of over-indulging into this type of music, though – songs with negative emotions involved can trap teens into a negative headspace, reinforcing negative emotions instead of reassuring them. Even outside of love and heartbreak, music can be a confidence booster! Songs about self-love can help students reclaim Valentine’s Day and view it more as a day to treat themselves. Instead of wallowing on what they do not have, teens can shift the focus on what they DO have – what they value about themselves and their relationships. So, why does music carry so much weight on a holiday about love? Part of music’s power comes from its ability to put language to the indescribable. Emotions are often messy and hard to define, especially in adolescence. A song can organize that havoc, giving a metaphor, line, or melody that makes everything make sense. A three-minute song can say what would otherwise take pages and pages. What someone cannot text or say face-to-face might feel possible through a pair of earbuds. By the time February 14 th arrives, students will walk the hallways, each person experiencing a different version of the day. Some will be listening to love songs, others to Mitski , others to songs about self-love and acceptance. In any of these emotions, each student has the same instinct – press the ‘play’ button. Music meets students where they are – and while Valentine’s Day may mean many things, there is always a song ready to tell the story! Sources: How teenagers use music to deal with emotions  – BOLD Love, Heartbreak, and Hits: Why Valentine’s Day Is Music’s Favorite Holiday - Artist Uncut BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports, Feature Back to Sections TOPSoccer: Valley Stream Soccer Club Looking for Volunteers Manal Layachi Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 Image provided by Valley Stream Topsoccer/Valley Stream Soccer Club BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections History of Badminton Sahar Ali Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by Navrosedip Kundlas Have you ever wondered about the history of your favorite sport(s)? Growing up, I always played badminton; I recall waiting for the weather to get warmer to go outside, pull out my racket and hit shuttlecocks with my father or sister. After playing the sport for so long, and daily during the spring season for North’s Girls Varsity Badminton team, I sat at my desk pondering about how the sport came to be: Where did badminton originate? Who created the sport? What types of people played it? Let’s get into the basics of the sport. Badminton is typically played either on a court or lawn with a racket along with the shuttlecock, often called a “birdie”. Historically, the first rackets made for the sport were composed of a piece of wood and strings made of animal guts. To make a player comfortable while holding a badminton racket, a piece of cloth was wrapped around the handle. The racket was modified and made lighter with the use of aluminum or steel until the 1950s when carbon fiber completely changed the production of rackets. The shuttlecock is better known as a “bird” or a “birdie.” When the game first came to be, the shuttlecock was composed of unrefined bird feathers, weighing only around 5 grams. Now, many shuttlecocks are made out of synthetic materials, but many players continue to use goose feather shuttlecocks. The sport can be traced back 2000 years; however, the most modern version of badminton is traced back to 1873, England. The Duke of Beaufort is said to have brought the sport to England from India. Britain had many colonies including India, which resulted in the mixture of cultures and ideas. The sport is said to have roots in ancient Greece, China, and India and is similar to battledore and shuttlecock , an old children’s game. During Britain’s rule in India, English army officers began to play Poona while stationed throughout the colony in the 1860s; this is where badminton was derived from. As the sport diffused from South Asia to Europe, badminton gained severe popularity in England. In 1899, the first men’s badminton championship was held, which was further followed by a women’s tournament in 1900. Later during the 20th century, in 1934, the Badminton World Federation (BWF), was formed; it was formerly known as the International Badminton Federation and is the world administration for the sport. Badminton tournaments ranging from regionals to nationals take place in many countries, but the most famous includes the All-England Championships. More international badminton tournaments include the Thomas Cup, the first international badminton tournament for men, which took place 14 years later in 1948 after the creation of the BWF. Following in 1956, the Uber Cup took place, which was the first international badminton tournament for women. Badminton has gained popularity in Asian countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and in European countries such as Denmark. The rules of the sport have evolved. Until 2001, players could score only up to 15 points, however, the scoring system has changed, requiring players to score up to 21 points in a rally in which a lead of two points is needed to win a game. The rules for serving have changed since 2006 as well; players were allowed to serve overhead in 1983, but in 2006, the serve was required to be below the server’s waist. Like all things, badminton too has evolved, all the way from rackets and shuttlecocks to the rules and regulations of the game. SOURCES: Badminton | History, Rules, Equipment, Facts, & Champions | Britannica Badminton, A historical glimpse into the sport’s changing face over the decades ( olympics.com ) BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Pre-season in the New Normal By Joseph Garofalo Volume 1 Issue 3 December 16, 2020 Image provided by Peak Performance With weeks away from the restart date of school sports in Nassau County, many are still pondering the idea of being able to have our sports seasons. With a sudden uptick in cases all over New York State and a rise in the Covid-19 positivity rate on Long Island, new restrictions could be put into place that could jeopardize our chances to return to a sense of normalcy. Nevertheless, coaches and student-athletes are still optimistic and are beginning to prepare for what will be a jubilant return to the fields and courts. With the restart date set for January 4th, 2021, the Monday school returns from our winter recess, Coaches have yet to be authorized to begin pre-season clinics, unlike other years. This ruling can affect a team dramatically as it could result in injuries and produce an outcome that is poorer than that if were able to take part in these efficient training sessions. Though never mandatory, many coaches use this opportunity to begin working on key fundamentals as well as getting their student athletes back into a rhythm. Though we are unable to host our own team clinics, personalized workouts can be created and given to you by coaches then can be done by yourself, on your own time. Athletes are recommended to contact your coach or team captains for information on sport-specific drills you can do to help prepare for the season. Winter Sports sign-ups began on Monday December 7th where kids 7-12 were able to sign up for the sport they desire. Sign-ups are now being administered on a database called Family ID . Parents and students should be mindful of this as changes were made to the original format (in-person, in the gym). If you are in grades 7-8, you must select “NORTH MODIFIED” when selecting your sport; grades 9-12 will need to select JV or Varsity. Other information can be found on the Spartan athletics channel on the Valley Stream North Teams page, or through our very own Athletic Director, Coach Frazer. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Forward By Varshanie Naitram Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Image provided by LorenZemlika 2021 came without warning, Time moves faster than it did before. The year ends and I barely get a thought in. Where will I be in 20 years? What does the future have in store for me? Who will I become? Is it my choice to decide my future? Or could it be my fate or destiny? 18 is the age I turn, But I'm still a child. Growing up happened kind of fast. I wonder how the world will change. Will I have kids? Will I be lonely? Who could I have lost? Should I be thinking about this? I guess I'll just have to wait and see. - Varshanie Naitram BACK TO TOP

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

Back to Artwork Art Guild Back to Sections Art Guild- Madisen Dubose Madisen Dubose November 6, 2023 Digital Art Volume 4 Issue 1

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

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections Political Violence: An Editorial Leah Ally Volume 6 Issue 2 December 22, 2025 Political violence is defined as acts of terrorism by individuals or groups to display public distaste for opposing viewpoints. Typically, those committing such violent acts have an agenda or political goal in doing so. Whether they are world wars or individual conflicts, political violence has unfortunately proved itself to be very prevalent in history and does not show signs of stopping today. The most recent and prominent example of political violence was the Charlie Kirk shooting that occurred on September 10th, 2025. The right-wing political activist was shot while making an on-campus appearance at Utah Valley University. Immediately, social media sparked controversy surrounding the assassination. Some mourned the death of the 31-year-old, while others expressed their widely differing views with Kirk. Differences in political opinions strongly contributed to the quite strong reactions expressed by individuals online. I strongly believe that this expression of political violence is less about politics and more about ethics. When I discuss ethics, I am referring to morality or behaviors that are typically regarded as good or bad. In this case, I believe that supporting political violence is no better than the act of committing political violence itself. To be clear, this opinion does not only apply to Charlie Kirk’s assassination but also large-scale political violence such as those led by oppressive governments. We are living in a world that wants to censor beliefs and quickly shut down opinions without the opportunity for debate. When I refer to debating, I am not referring to the idea of winning an argument, but rather open-mindedness between and among parties. While this may seem contradictory, the idea behind debates is to express one’s beliefs and support it with evidence in hopes of persuasion. However, effective debate requires the participants and the audience to consider every statement or idea expressed, even if that means not agreeing with the opposing party at all. Either way, the ideas behind debates exemplify the first amendment of the United States Constitution, the freedom of speech. This is significant to the context of political violence, especially when considering the long-lasting impacts such conflicts bestow upon the future of humanity. Political violence not only contributes to censoring politicians or activists, but also to children. This is because political violence becomes more than politics; it unfortunately serves as an example of the cruelty that an individual may be faced with when on the opposing end of a disagreement. Allowing politics to reach this amount of discourse and determine life or death is precisely why people are less likely to share their opinions. Therefore, political violence unfortunately teaches our youth that disagreements are dangerous and should be avoided. However, without differences in opinions and disagreements, there will be no advancement in our country moving forward. We cannot rely on constant agreement and consensus to survive. This not only goes for politics but also science, mathematics, the medical field, creative pursuits, and innovation. As a society that runs on humans, functional stagnation and lack of creativity will not serve the future well. Now that a societal implication of political violence has been identified, let us not forget the human side of political violence. It is a simple concept, yet a struggle for many to grasp when dealing with politics. It is the idea that we are all humans with families and loved ones, regardless of our political opinions. Contrary to widespread belief, empathy is not an on and off button, used whenever it is most convenient. Instead, empathy is a concept that individuals should constantly strive to achieve even in challenging contexts, in this case, politics. Regardless of the political party, group, or organization we adhere to, we are of the same species. We are all human. If this statement appears to imply that humanity is more important than political opinion, then that is the correct interpretation. Humanity is our foundation while politics and social life are merely building blocks that have bolstered themselves off humanity. While, yes, these building blocks are crucial, we cannot disregard the foundation nor sacrifice it. After all, without the foundation, in this case, humanity, our building blocks or politics would also crumble. While this interpretation may appear philosophical, it is currently in effect without many being aware of it. There are solutions. The most effective solution is to lead by example. This solution implies that current politicians, everyday adults, and those in powerful positions hold the responsibility of demonstrating the benefits of differing opinions. Classroom learning may appear to be another effective method; however, it does not compare to education from real life events. We must make it a safe world to ethically argue and debate if our hope is for our country to succeed. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Blackened Beige & Bleached Beige By Osaiyekemwen Ogbemudia Volume 1 Issue 5 February 12, 2021 Image provided by Khoudia Diop Blackened Beige To this world I am blackened-beige , nothing more, nothing less. Too black to have red bones. Too burnt to be bronzed light. Not black enough to speak her native tongue. When I look at magazines, the girls staring back at me, Blackened-beige , they are “Pretty, ” if slathered with oil, sauteed naked, and served for the tasting She’s not regal, never classy , but a trend, a fetish, nothing more, nothing less. I’m supposedly scraped from the bottom of the barrel. Too rough to caress. Too tough to hold. Not sexy, curvy, thick enough to fit the “preference.” I long to be a brown girl In a rainbow of shades and hues, Where all can blend happily too... But our vision is fading duller We keep wasting colors. Fates decided The same people divided. If all’s said and done, if MY melanin’s a curse, My ugly must be the absolute worst. Bleached Beige My America is bleached beige. Her hands are discolored, dark splotches defame face, and fair streaks sully the person that once was. She has claimed to stop bleaching, observing her poached cowhide skin Eventually, some parts of her skin returned to its original color, but many fair spots linger --- only to relapse. She still smears her afflictions with the very substance that cages her from self love my America perceives skin color in microscopic gradients or obvious shades of difference BACK TO TOP