Back to Artwork Nostalgic Musings Back to Sections Frame within Frame By Shehar Bano February 10, 2022 Photography Volume 2 Issue 4

Back to Articles Fiction Back to Sections Finding Himself By Alain Deen Volume 1 Issue 1 November 1, 2020 Image provided by Buxr The bell's clang shook him. An announcement traveled through the school: "We are on lockdown due to the rapid spread of Covid-19". He heard the news and stormed to his locker. As he rapidly packed, the sight of students running struck him. He realized this virus wasn't something to joke about, but rather a serious matter that wrecked the lives of so many. He began to grasp the baffling concept: he is living through a piece of history. Almost as if the survivors of other tragic occurrences were passing the torch. The other students were either filled with excitement or drowning in misery. As for him…he did not know how to feel. He simply put all his stress and worries behind him, which subsequently lead to even more. It wasn't about being admitted into the school's "Junior Honor Society" anymore, or receiving a 90 or higher on Friday's science exam. It was more about…old fashioned survival. The mysterious virus seemed to strike the most unsuspecting, innocent people. It didn't come with a warning label, as pleasant as that would have been. Its freshness sparked the most issues, since there were (and still are) no methods to combat the illness. He felt unsure and afraid of whatever came next. Hundreds of questions pounded his brain at the same time. Is this the end? Do we have to wear masks for the rest of our lives? What did we do to deserve this? The unnecessary guilt began to weigh on him. Why did it attack others? That question only fate could decide. His mother felt more worried than he did. She didn’t allow him out of the house for nearly two months. He expressed great understanding, but his patience slowly weakened. He started getting into his own head, a feeling most people hate with a burning passion. He began questioning his purpose. He pitied himself for not knowing his career path, whereas everyone else he knew seemed to have their entire lives planned out. The only idea he had crossed his mind every month or so. He enjoyed the process of cutting up and putting together footage, which resulted in a medley of contrasting sound and visual elements. An "editing sandwich". He seemed to have a knack at this…uncommon interest. His eyes moved across the screen as swift as lightning, cutting the clips together seamlessly. However, editing didn't fulfill that pit he felt. With quarantine and the feeling of being overshadowed by his peers, he felt stuck. His shame got the best of him, and he couldn’t help but scour the internet for new hobbies and interests. After days of searching, his eyebags weighed more than his mother's purse. His mind as jumbled as a tedious crossword. Despite days of hopelessness, an unusual but surprising occurrence took place. He came full circle. He stumbled upon filmmaking classes that taught the basics of editing, acting, and visual media. His eyes bulged. He began to notice this reoccurrence. Almost as if this was his destiny, accompanied with a few more mediums. Subsequently, he begged his mother to let him take these classes. The pit inside of him remained but took on a new form. The pit suffused with excitement. He literally could not wait and started writing a short film before any instruction. His preparation took days, and when the first day of class arrived, it was almost if he knew the exact direction she was headed. Over the three weeks, he hastily storyboarded and shot the film using whatever materials he could find. These items seemed to have fell of the face of the Earth. He vigorously checked every corner of his house and still could not recover anything. However, a vague memory bounced around in his mind. He received a tri-pod and microphone for his past birthday. A wave of relief soared through his body. After finding this equipment, there was no looking back. He sent the script to two of his closest friends to participate in the film, over Zoom, of course. Weeks of constant shooting, editing, and acting resulted in the same process he's always excelled in: creating a medley of contrasting sound and visual elements. His film served as a public service announcement for teens to stay home during the lockdown. Due to its theme, message, and visual elements, he received an A++. The highest grade in the class. His heart pumped faster than the speed of light. His eyes enlarged to the size of a hot air balloon. He felt not a wave, but a tsunami of excitement. After this experience, he started taking his skills in acting an editing to the popular social media platform "TikTok". There, he struck the eye of a bigger creator, and started writing scripts for her. He began mentorship under this popular creator and took multiple classes with her. The birth of an interesting yet exciting friendship took place. He continued perfecting this craft, and now stands at almost 10,000 TikTok followers. He rebuilt himself from a lost, meek boy to a confident, influential young man. He is me. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Goodbye Covid, the End is Near By Manal Layachi Volume 1 Issue 7 April 22, 2021 Original photo by Manal Layachi Masks and social distancing. Loss of loved ones, others are convalescing. Days full of sorrow and sadness. Loss of real interaction left me with virtual madness. Boredom is eating me up, as everything is on zoom. It fills me up with gloom. While quarantine can be dark, I found light in it. More free time for a hermit. More family time and freedom. Hello happiness, goodbye darkness, and boredom. Spring brings hope and cheerful faces. Soon there will be no masks in all places. Families and friends will be closer together as in the past. The sun and rainbow will take over the gloomy sky at last. Everyone will live in peace and harmony. Everyone will get through this as one of many. We will come out stronger than before. We will overcome this nightmare and live our dream even more. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Prism Back to Sections Kaitlin Barry - Prism By Kaitlin Barry November 24, 2020 Volume 1 Issue 2

Back to Artwork The Memory Project Back to Sections Macayla McCaffery - Memory Project By Macayla McCaffery March 18, 2021 Volume 1 Issue 6

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Bullying Impacts By Rachel Ezeadichie Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 Image provided by Parents.com Bullying. No matter where it happens, whether in school, at home, or online, bullying can make a great day one of your worst days ever. Bullying occurs when someone tries to hurt, intimidate, or embarrass someone else. Bullying can happen anywhere to anybody, and its effects not only hurt the victim but also the people around them. About 20% of students nationwide from ages 12-18 are victims of bullying. This can be in the form of name-calling, taunting, spreading rumors about someone, hurting someone, or threatening to hurt them, and much more. This can cause someone to be embarrassed, ashamed of themselves, and depressed. 5.4 million students skip school at some point in the year because of bullying. Many bullying victims become disconnected from friends and family. They could have trouble sleeping and change their eating habits, which are lighter effects. Some suffer from substance abuse, PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), and self-harm. Some see no other way to end the pain than to take their own life. If you ever feel this way, try talking to a trusted adult or counselor. Speaking to someone will be hard, but it's one of the first steps to betterment. Even the bystanders involved in the bullying are more likely to start using alcohol, skip school, and have mental health problems. Bullying also has adverse effects on the bully. Bullies are more likely to skip school, drop out of school, start using drugs and alcohol, and fight. 60% of boys who bullied others in middle school had at least one criminal conviction at age 24. They are more likely to abuse their spouse or child. Some also get arrested because of their bullying because they forget that bullying is illegal no matter where it happens. This article doesn't even fully cover every effect that bullying may have; so, think about the next time you decide to bully someone. Remember the impact it can have on you, your victim, and others around you. If you are being bullied, try to talk to an adult. You can report bullying incidents verbally or through the district website here: Valley Stream Central High School District Parents/Students | Student Resources (vschsd.org) . Try to keep your head up! We're here to help and support you! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections The Removal of the Minute Bell By Cody Sung Volume 2 Issue 1 October 8, 2021 Original photography by Eva Grace Martinez If you have been to Valley Stream North High School before the pandemic, you likely have heard a bell that rings one minute before the next period starts. That was the minute bell, or “warning bell.” Its purpose was to notify students of the limited time before class, and that they should immediately head to their next class. However, on the first day of school this year, there was a change besides the new lobby, the new hand sanitizer dispensers, and the signs saying, “Stop the spread of germs.” There was no bell in between the “end of the period” bell and the late bell. The one-minute bell was gone. I thought it was just a mistake, but no: there was simply no more minute bell. I interviewed our new principal, Dr. Small, on why she made the decision to remove the minute bell. She said “I believe that the warning bell was a hindrance...students did not go straight to class until they heard the warning bell.” She also added the removal “[kept] the hallways moving...[before], people waited to hear the warning bell…students gathered by the lockers. With the removal of the warning bell, students go straight to class.” Furthermore, the minute bell was removed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by limiting crowds and clearing the hallways faster. Students, though, are almost universally in favor of bringing back the minute bell. While a few students were not very affected, most shared their concerns over being unable to keep track of time while at their locker or in the bathroom. As per a student at North, “[the minute bell is] a good reminder if you are in the restroom or in your locker to when you should get going to class. If the [minute bell] was to come back, I think lateness would be incredibly less common,” he added. Another student at North says “it helps keep track of time and gives a sense of urgency if you’re going to be late for class.” A third student says, “I know some of my friends put alarms on their phones as one-minute bells so they aren’t late either.” These quotes support the importance of the minute bell to our students. When I informed Dr. Small about why students prefer the minute bell, she explained why she disagreed. “We allow students to walk around with their backpacks [now;] all they have is a device, they should go straight to class.” There is no need to return to your locker and carry heavy books around. As with the new school policy, backpacks are allowed, so trips to lockers should be minimal. As for the bathrooms, Dr. Small states “If you have multiple people in the bathroom, it’s a health hazard in my opinion.” The new school policy to allow the use of the bathroom during class time helps alleviate the health hazard by discouraging students from using the bathrooms all at once in between classes. While students miss the minute bell, I have seen the results of its removal. Students are less likely to gather around and more likely to walk towards their next class. The removal of the minute bell is working as Dr. Small intended. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Prism Back to Sections Isabella Feldman - Prism By Isabella Feldman November 24, 2020 Volume 1 Issue 2

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Rabbit Proof Fence By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 3 Issue 3 February 24, 2023 Image provided by Wikipedia there are so many stories to be told some are sad and some are bold others fill us up with pride while others make us cry Rabbit Proof Fence combines them all even though the characters are small it paints a picture that must be shared a story about survival no matter what fared three little girls in a big wide world persevering through whatever fate hurled this tale runs deep inside my veins my heart plummets when I see their pains alone those three, fighting on their own without a mother to feed them, all skin and bone standing up agaisnt the wrong who knew it would take so long? as their long walk to freedom comes to an end it feels as if this story was my friend’s as my soul connects, a bond is formed a mother and her children reunite, my heart is warmed a story like this is meant to be told it’s message worth more than gold beautiful is the only word to describe a story so meaningful it makes me rhyme a story like this is meant to be told it’s message worth more than gold a story like this is meant to be told it’s message worth more than gold beautiful is the only word to describe a story so meaningful it makes me rhyme beautiful is the only word to describe a story so meaningful it makes me rhyme BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Pride Advice By Alicja Paruch Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Image provided by CommonPRObiz Hello my dear readers,  Since June is Pride month, to celebrate it, I would like to answer a few questions related to the LGBTQ+ community.  "What do you do when your family doesn't support your transition?” Firstly, congratulations on getting to know yourself this well; that was tough and worth celebrating on its own. To answer your question, this would depend on how strict your family is. If they do not want to help you with your transition, try to take small steps, with the help of people who do support you, your friends and other family members. It is all about the small victories. It also may take some time for your family to process the fact that you are transitioning, so try to be patient, but not passive. If starting this process poses a danger to you, you will unfortunately have to wait until you can do so safely. “What do you do when someone in the gay community disrespects your identity?” I would address it directly. Since they are in the community, they are more likely to have the knowledge to understand their mistakes. Talk to them, explain which of their actions and opinions you find disrespectful and stand up for yourself. The fact that they are a part of the gay community does not excuse them and is not a protective shield from mistakes. Nobody is perfect, so do not be scared to point out their wrongdoings and speak up! “Where/how can I find local gay communities?” First, consider joining The Alliance club at North. This by itself will open many doors for you. Try to explore where other members are active and see if those places are of interest to you. Besides The Alliance, you can ask your other friends and see where that will lead you. You can also try to find a friendly community online, but that might be less local than you would like.  “What would you do if someone else was being cyber bullied for their sexuality/identity?” If it poses no harm to you, stand up for them! It is hard to be assertive while being the victim of cyberbullying and if you can help them, try your best to! Show the victim they are not alone, reassure them that they are valid in their identity and make your voice heard.  “How do you let a friend know you’re there for them when you suspect they want to come out?” Make sure they know you are their friend and that you will listen to their problems, in a general way. Just being there as a friend who supports them will give them the cushion of security they will need. If they decide to come out, they will come to you. They need to build enough confidence and they need to feel safe enough themselves, you cannot help them more than just ensuring you will listen. Don’t push them, they will come out when it is the right time. “What’s your opinion on Heartstopper ?” This isn’t really advice, but I will gladly chime in. I personally did not watch the Netflix series, but I have read Alice Oseman’s original comic. The warm story, the character development, and the representation drew me in, and I believe it could act as a tool for others to explore and to discover themselves further. Oseman created an inspiring depiction of the realities of being part of the LGBTQ+ community, and the struggles that come with mental illness. Even if I can’t recommend watching the show, since I haven’t watched it myself, the comic is definitely worth reading. I hope this helps, and enjoy Pride Month!! BACK TO TOP