Back to Articles News Back to Sections SADD’s contribution to bringing awareness to P.S. I Love You Week! By Jeselys Vazquez Volume 3 Issue 3 February 24, 2023 Original artwork by Jeselys Vazquez From February 6th to the 10th, the SADD club has made another active and fun week to spread more kindness in our school community and to love all our chapters. The theme color for 2023 of the P.S. I Love You organization was purple, to support mental health awareness and its importance. The SADD club members, as well as other honor society members, helped decorate the entire school. Meaningful messages were placed on each student’s locker. The SADD Club members decorated our main office hallway and the glass display box by the cafeteria entrance; in addition, they were in charge of our daily acts of kindness and plans for the week. As Valentine’s Day approached shortly after the end of the campaign, adolescents tend to lean on the idea that it is mostly for lovers. However, if we do not have a significant other, we tend to focus on our insecurity and lack of appreciation for ourselves. With the daily plans for each day, the SADD club was hoping to be more kind to our peers, enlighten someone’s day, and know that we are in this together. Therefore, we should love the chapters we have gone through in our lives because they make us who we are. Even though not all are the best, those moments teach us to grow from them. We mature by understanding the right and wrong of a situation, what should be done, and what to avoid next time. With the P.S. I Love You organization, we are here to support the mental health awareness of students to make it an easier academic environment and understanding for one another. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections The Culture Fair’s Magnificence By Jeselys Naylana Vazques Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 Image provided by Ariadne Yurem Palacios Martinez On April 1st, 2022, the first VSN Culture Night since the start of the pandemic was held to celebrate the end of World Language Week and everyone's unique and special nationalities from all around the world in school. It was my first time going, and I was excited to see all the different tastes of foods from all parts of the world and the entertaining performances. When you entered that evening, you saw a hallway with various options of food you could try—each one looking tastier than the next. I tried a Mexican dessert; it was amazing and could make anyone happy with just one bite. People wore their traditional clothes, looking spectacular, representing their ethnic backgrounds. Decorations all over the first floor and posters on each table to represent what part of the world the food was from and its significance. There was also a henna booth, and a competition to vote on posters! You thought that was all? As some time passed, it was already time for the fashion show of who wore the best outfit from their culture. It was a hard decision, but the two best dressed won an Amazon gift card! After all this, there were dance performances; participants choreographed and sometimes sang a song. I can't even put into words how spectacular Culture Night was. If I were to, though, I would say it was magnificent, and I wish to not only attend again next year, but to also participate in it all. If you couldn't participate in or make it this year, never forget there is always next year! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Traditions By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 1 Issue 7 April 22, 2021 Image provided by Grateful My family’s full of traditions Big and small More are added like new additions What if I don’t answer the call? 10th Birthday Should I follow or not? Take a turn, enter a new hallway? Or should I follow what I was taught? A few months later It’s time for another Should I be the traitor? Or follow my mother? So many questions To be answered Can you offer any suggestions? Or will they be left unanswered? 3 years later Time to cross a boundary Tradition as big as an alligator I can’t break the rules voluntarily Traditions are the building stones For my family’s foundation Valued like my ancestor’s bones Break them you’ll end up in probation There are flaws in some traditions Bridges too old to cross I know my ancestors’ ambitions But I can’t afford the loss I want to explore Not be trapped in a house I want a dog to adore I don’t need a spouse I want to write As well go into the sciences I know it’s hard but why not take a new bite Just like we change appliances A little change wouldn’t hurt We can keep our ancestor’s legacies Change ourselves for the better spirt And in our heart keep their memories BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Valley Stream Central High School District’s Health Department Violations Cody Sung Volume 5 Issue 1 September 20, 2024 Image Provided by Nassau County Health Department via Newsday According to the New York State Association of County Health Officials, local health departments coordinate with the New York State Department of Health to prevent health hazards, fight diseases, educate people about healthy lifestyles, protect communities from injuries and violence, and provide health-related services to people. Apart from these tasks, health departments inspect food service establishments, including those in schools. According to Newsday , under the federal free or reduced lunch program, schools that accept federal money for this program are required to have the county health department conduct biannual health inspections; only 6% of schools on Long Island in the program have met the requirement, as compared to 54% in New York State. In Nassau County, 46% of schools were not inspected during the 2022-23 school year, compared to 15% in the state and a mere 8% in New York City. The Newsday article stated that health officials told a nutrition director at a school district that “unless there is a critical violation on the first visit, they will not follow up with a second inspection as they do not have the staffing to do so” and that health officials in both Nassau and Suffolk claimed that inspections once a year were enough. Graphic created by Newsday However, the lack of inspections was not the only problem revealed in the Newsday article, last updated on May 14, 2024. According to Newsday, the most common violations found in cafeterias on the island were inadequate hand-washing facilities or improperly located, dirty, or broken toilets. Other common problems, according to the analysis, included lack of running water or issues with plumbing and sinks. Rarer violations included dead mice, live and dead cockroaches, insufficient food storage refrigeration, and rodent droppings, a violation that a Nassau County health inspector found in Valley Stream Central High School’s cafeteria during a routine inspection on October 11, 2023. The inspector noted rodent droppings “on the shelf directly adjacent to breadcrumbs and on shelves above and below” and inside “[t]wo large carton boxes containing … packaged Trix and [Cocoa Puffs],” along with a “[d]ouble bagged plastic bag of breadcrumbs (approximately 2lbs) found in a dry storage room … with a gnawed small opening.” This was listed as a critical violation on the health inspection report for Central, for food "from an unapproved source, spoiled, adulterated on premises.” The violation, resulting in foodborne illness, must be immediately corrected along with those related to facility maintenance, cleanliness, and an improperly functioning sewage disposal system, according to the publicly available food service establishment inspection results for the county. Valley Stream North High School had two non-critical violations in its inspection on September 28, 2023, for the presence of insects or rodents and dirty or damaged surfaces. In total, according to the Newsday article, 137 violations were reported during inspections across the four high schools in the Valley Stream Central High School District and the two feeder elementary school districts, Valley Stream District 13, and District 30. Image of the critical violation in Valley Stream Central High School’s cafeteria, provided by Newsday Dr. Wayne Loper, the superintendent of the district, responded to the Newsday report in a message sent through the district’s ParentSquare announcement service on May 15, 2024, stating that the infraction count listed by Newsday in its report “occurred over a seven-year period.” Including the elementary districts, there were “an average of approximately two infractions per year per building” with the “huge majority of the citations” being “for non-critical items, such as signs being improperly placed, minor plumbing issues, or painting that needed to be done.” He said, “In all of these cases, the infractions did not impact the actual quality of the food served to our students or the general cleanliness of the cafeteria space.” Loper further stated that “there were only 4 critical violations over the seven-year period” of the investigation and that all violations were either corrected while the inspector was still on site or immediately after the inspection. Addressing the rodent droppings violation in Central’s cafeteria, he stated that “steps were taken to remedy the situation and put in place protocols that would mitigate this type of situation from happening again.” He ended the message with a commitment to meeting local and state health department requirements and a notice that this year, the school district changed their food service vendor “and will work closely with them and our component elementary school districts, to ensure we are delivering healthy, nourishing meals to our students in clean, healthy cafeteria facilities.” ParentSquare announcement sent by superintendent Dr. Wayne Loper It is unclear whether the actions taken in response to Central’s violation were successful, since as of May 27, 2024, no new inspection has been listed by the health department, despite the presence of a critical food safety violation. Sources “The Function of Local Health Departments in New York State,” New York State Association of County Health Officials , https://www.nysacho.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Function-of-Local-Health-Departments-1.pdf “Only 6% of eligible Long Island school cafeterias inspected twice a year as required by federal law, among fewest in New York,” Newsday , https://www.newsday.com/long-island/investigations/schools-cafeteria-health-inspectors-nqquf97i “Nassau County Health Department Food Service Establishment Inspections,” Nassau County Health Department , https://app.nassaucountyny.gov/doh/fsei/desktop.php “Message from the Superintendent,” Dr. Wayne Loper via ParentSquare , https://www.parentsquare.com/feeds/33145030 BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections The End Annie Diep Volume 5 Issue 1 September 20, 2024 Image Provided by Elaine Ching What does a story mean by ‘The End’? How can we know what exactly is ‘The End’? What is ‘The End’? Why do these simple words, ‘The End’ invoke such intense emotions? Why do these simple words, dictate my mind's destination? Is ‘The End’ for a scholar a B in their carefully formed A’s? Is ‘The End’ for a woman when their hair starts to grey? Is ‘The End’ for a mother when they lose what keeps them at bay? Is ‘The End’ for a creative when they’ve lost their way? Is ‘The End’ for a daughter when they disobey? BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork The Memory Project Back to Sections Christabel By Katherine Cevada March 28, 2022 Digital Art Volume 2 Issue 5

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections Delete, Delete, Delete… Ban? By Shinedip Kundlas Volume 3 Issue 3 February 24, 2023 Images provided by Tech Crunch For the past several years, the social media app, TikTok has taken over the globe with its popularity. For many, TikTok seems like a harmless app, where one can create content about music, makeup, books, college, and much more. However, TikTok is viewed by many policymakers as a symbol of totalitarianism and illegal surveillance. Gen Z's favorite social media service is in danger because of its parent company Byte Dance’s relationships with the Chinese government - and what happens next could have even broader effects. One solution is to completely ban the app, or to delete it off your phones. My question is, what good would that do? If a ban on the social media app could be enacted, some may argue that it would solve our national security concerns. This ban, however, could ultimately put our national security at risk and would also sidestep a broader issue — the fact that our nation has not addressed the massive amount of data we collect about ourselves digitally, especially when that information could be misused by external adversaries. There are some valid concerns that TikTok may collect personal information from U.S. citizens. There was a recent report by Forbes about a plan to target journalists who have reported critically on the Chinese regime's ties with the company. In an internal investigation, TikTok corroborated all allegations and terminated all involved. Congress was right to ban the installation of TikTok on federally issued devices because the app could target users with special power, knowledge, or both. TikTok collects a lot of information about its users, such as their political inclinations, their locations, and likes and dislikes; however, it’s important to understand that anyone can buy such information on the public marketplace for consumer data or get it from elsewhere. Biographical data is consistently scoured from social media by intelligence agencies without owning TikTok and other social media platforms. While TikTok presents online privacy risks to Americans, it is not the first or most excessive one – and it’s improbable that outlawing or banning TikTok will solve the issue. Other nations won't see TikTok's banning as notably different from what China has done to its citizens by banning it under the same grounds. All Google products, Twitter accounts, and other apps are prohibited in China for its own citizens. It is more important to recognize the symbolic value of this irregularity than consider it unfair: The US triumphs when it demonstrates to the globe that it is a free and democratic nation. It is unclear whether the federal government can even impose a ban on the use of significant communications platforms or control online content to prevent disinformation under the First Amendment. I think the issue with banning TikTok ties back to the fact that many Americans would feel like banning the app infringes upon their rights. I believe that TikTok has its advantages and disadvantages. Our generation is growing up in the world of social media and is being influenced by these apps. However, I also think it is crucial to understand that at the end of the day, it is an individual’s choice to decide if they would like to delete TikTok. From a very young age we are taught that we have the right to certain freedoms: speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. The U.S government does not have the ability to ban speech, and posting on TikTok is protected by the First Amendment since it’s a form of speech. This makes banning TikTok not an easy option. Letting the individual decide whether they would like to keep or delete the app would be the appropriate action. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections North Star Club and Mrs. Byrne By Jeselys Vazquez Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Original photography by Christy Mansfield Hello, my name is Jeselys Naylana Vazquez and I’m in 10th grade! I’ve recently joined North Star. It is club where you write new articles about different topics of the month or your choice of what you decide to write about. I’ve always wanted to join a club but never made the time to manage my schedule to make time for it. I feel like a lot of people have the same issue or just forget about it, until at the worst times it comes to mind. My 8th period teacher Mrs. Byrne, the lovely, sweet lady in room 113, assigns her students a quick assignment on watching a video or reading an article and explain our personal thoughts or ideas about it. Sometimes in class on Fridays, she tells her students to check out the North Star page, choose an article we’d like to read, and tell her what we learned or what we got from it. I enjoyed the times we read the articles from our smart and inspiring writers. It really helps and educates readers in a variety of subject areas. Every time she read my response or called on me to tell her what I learned about the article I read because she was pleased with my answers. She asked me why don’t I join the Poetry Club or the North Star ? I said, I’ll think about it”. I asked the leader of the club if I could still join, and she said, “Yes!” Here, I am writing my first article for the North Star and starting to pursue more of what I love, which is writing. Thank you, Mrs. Byrne! And thank you North Star. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Your Local Film Nerd Reviews - The Wizard of Oz (1939) Jasmine Roberts Volume 4 Issue 2 January 16, 2024 Image provided by Pinterest The 1939 musical film, The Wizard of Oz , is complete and utter craftsmanship at work, creating a lovely movie that has transcended time and still finds space within our hearts. Through whimsy and spectacle, this film was able to tastefully use Technicolor, beautiful costuming, and intelligent, yet playful original songs, to create a deeply magical film that details some of the most heartfelt truths, innate to all of us, while continuing to breathe life into the absurd. Starring the late Judy Garland and directed by Victor Flemming of Gone with the Wind , this movie wonderfully crafts a childlike glee that continues to thrive, even through the hardest of conflicts. Flemming uses the book and his imagination to curate a film worthy of all its accolades. As this was my first time watching T he Wizard Of Oz, (In fact the only reason I was going to review this movie, was because of the behest of my mother, which I am greatly thankful for... Thanks, Mom! ) this was my first impression of the film that I hope will promote your own playful, colorful whimsy and help you realize the true magic within. Dorothy, a farm girl from Kansas, and her Cairn Terrier, Toto, find themselves transported to a new land, with the help of an ever-foreboding tornado. After killing the sister of the Wicked Witch of the West, Dorothy is tasked by the Good Witch of the North, Glinda (my favorite character), to journey across the land in search of the Wizard of Oz, who will take her back home to Kansas, and keep her from certain death due to her possession of the magical ruby shoes coveted by the Wicked Witch. On her way, she meets three eccentrics, The Scarecrow, The Tin Man, and The Cowardly Lion. Together, they leave for The Emerald City, wanting to find not only the wizard but also happiness for themselves. From the beginning, this film grants us the pleasure of viewing such a beautiful piece of art. Each color is fully saturated and vibrant, and care is expressed in each stroke of paint brushed upon a canvas for the scenery, in ways modern-day CGI can never fully emulate. From the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City fortress, this film used great creativity to portray such a fantasy without the help of modern technologies. The costumes of characters, such as Glinda, were such a divine presence in the movie. I was beginning to wonder if replicas could be bought for my own closet. It was obvious that every button and stitch of the Munchkins’ or Eccentrics’ costumes were scrutinized meticulously, which is shown in the way the backdrops and dressings promote a sort of escapism, similar to that of Dorothy. I have a great affinity for actors. From the beginners who struggle to express strong emotion without punching a wall, to thespians who have dominated the Hollywood scene even post-mortem, I have always believed that a bad script, does not inherently ruin a film, but instead, it can be elevated with the help of talented actors. I am happy to say that the actors in this movie are wonderful in all the best ways. I have seen, time and time again, how some actors can be when playing whimsical roles. Unnatural and frigid are the usual descriptors I use, but this movie shows how the fantastical can be masterfully played, with the right actors. Judy Garland was sixteen when filming this film, and you can feel it. She is so free and careless, yet stubborn, confident, and courageous, it is not hard to understand why she is so apt to follow the rules of the land. Billie Burke, who played Glinda, allowed herself to freely connect to a character who I believe is hilariously detached from the environment around her, as she is completely unfazed by the Wicked Witch threatening Dorothy. This woman is utterly done with everyone’s madness and finds contentment in sending little girls off to harrowing quests, a psychopath indeed. These two are not the only ones that have attracted my attention, either. The three eccentrics were also gleeful in their performances and greatly contributed to this fantastical epic. The ideas in this film are very complex once one has peeked through the mystical veil and has found themselves genuinely inspecting each frame. I have watched many dissections of this film, as anti-capitalist, and as an honest criticism of the government, and to that I agree, but this is not the brick road we will be departing on today, instead I found the concept of the hero’s journey and the great escape, to be prominent themes. As humans, we find ourselves living like rats in our society, forced to follow a race where nobody hears us and nobody cares, so we are stuck with the voice in our head of self-hatred and doubt. To live such a boring life leaves you to be consumed by pain and anguish, but to have the ability to escape into a world of magic and mystery, so those terrifying hurdles meant to faced in the real world are filtered into a reality where everything makes little to no sense, with a few gumdrops on the side, is refreshing. A universe like the one in the film allows struggles to be faced head-on and rebirth to arise from those ashes. The opening song of this musical, “Over the Rainbow”, fully encapsulates the meaning, as Dorothy imagines a world away from her black and white origins in Kansas. This film was based on a child’s book, and in that vein, I realized how remarkably it illustrates how children process trauma. As Dorothy finds herself in a dilemma, in which her cruel neighbor wants to take Toto away, the adults around her seem too to care little about the situation, a tornado comes into her town and destroys all she knows. The girl full of life has consumed and processed these strong feelings into a separate world, one where all the people of her reality are turned into characters, embodying what they mean to her in the real world. Such delicate minds, like those of children, need time and patience to comprehend such pain and agony, and thus the brain turns to a concept that is a bit comprehensible, like good and evil, and dancing people, a place where there is more gratification than pain. Even adults do this. Running away from home for Dorothy is like running away from the gruesome realities of adulthood for adults. It’s the only way we stay sane in such an insane civilization. As Dorothy travels closer and closer toward the Emerald City, we join her in meeting three of the eccentrics and comrades on her journey, depicted as, the Scarecrow without a brain, the Tin Man without a heart, and the adorable, opera-singing Lion, who is without courage. These faults of the characters are universal. We all feel these ideas about ourselves, whether truthful or not. We put so much blame on ourselves that it is hard to see humanity inside ourselves. We find it hard to understand that perfection has long been eaten out of existence. We can only change from within and not from how we want to portray ourselves to those who might shame us for existing. The Scarecrow considers himself without a mind yet is clever enough to find a way to get apples from the angry talking trees. The Tin Man says he has no heart, yet frequently cries when a situation becomes distressing, and the Lion had the courage to come on such a dangerous way-worn trip in the first place. These characters say they don’t have certain traits, but their eyes have been so blinded by the fog of society, that they have ignored these attributes within themselves. This is amplified even more at the end of the film, but for anyone who desires to watch the film due to my review, I will leave it be and hope the themes are discovered personally, especially those I have not thought of myself. Overall, this movie was brilliant, and I am deeply grateful to my mom for requesting I watch it and review it! This one is for you. 10/10 Horribly Singing Jasmines BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Martin Luther King Jr. Day Leah Ally Volume 5 Issue 4 April 8, 2025 Every year on the third Monday of January we celebrate a special holiday, commemorating Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. This federal holiday allows for MLK’s life and contributions to be recognized and honored by the country. While he is considered a well-known name, not many understand the significance of his work, particularly in the Civil Rights Movement and in the fight against racial discrimination. His inspiring leadership has shaped our society for the better as signs of his impact have remained present in our communities, schools, and workplaces. To fully understand the impact of Martin Luther King Jr.’s work, it is important to learn about the Civil Rights Movement. It was a movement prominent during the 1950s and 60s that fought back against the commonplace mistreatment of African Americans in the United States. African Americans were often systematically excluded from society had to endure segregation that negatively impacted the quality of the education they received, job opportunities, and access to public services. This was especially prevalent in the South, where laws known as Jim Crow laws explicitly permitted the segregation of public services and private businesses. Beyond systematic oppression, Black Americans also faced physical violence and other hate crimes such as harassment and arson. The Civil Rights Movement was born from a desire to bring these issues to the forefront and end the legal protection of these inequalities. This movement was marked by significant events and efforts to challenge and overturn systemic racism and inequality. One of the earliest milestones was the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision in 1954, which declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional. This was followed by the Montgomery Bus Boycott from 1955 to 1956, sparked by Rosa Parks’s refusal to give up her seat to a white person, which symbolized resistance and led to the desegregation of many bus systems. The movement gained further momentum with the formation of organizations like the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). These organizations used protests, sit-ins, and freedom rides in order to bring awareness and make a statement about the unequal treatment they faced. These milestones, among many others achieved during this time, are proof of the significant power that this movement had and the sweeping changes that it brought. Martin Luther King Jr was a prominent figure in the movement, proving himself to be a pivotal figure as his leadership and vision for a better world were instrumental in the struggle for racial equality and justice. His importance lay not only in his ability to inspire but also his commitment to nonviolent protests and civil disobedience to achieve social change. In 1957, he was elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, quicky expressing his worthiness of the position. He achieved this through hundreds of speeches around the country as he traveled extensively to make his voice heard. At the same time, he would go on to publish a variety of articles and books documenting the injustice faced by African Americans. Perhaps his most iconic action was during the March on Washington in 1963, where he would deliver his iconic address known as the “I Have a Dream” speech to the 250,000 people participating in the march and the thousands more who watched or listened to it as it was broadcasted. In it, he envisioned a future where people would be judged by the content of their character instead of their appearance, especially the color of their skin. This speech changed the Civil Rights Movement as it drew millions of people to fully understand the impacts of racial discrimination and inequality. Eventually, his hard work in improving the lives of Black Americans would pay off as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 would be created. These laws were significant victories as equal employment, less voting restrictions, and unsegregated public facilities for African Americans were established. All in all, with Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 20th, it is a time for reflection and commemoration. After all, his work in resolving racial issues has allowed us to enjoy the same rights and access to the same luxuries which will continually improve lives for the future. Sources: Civil Rights Movement: Timeline, Key Events & Leaders | HISTORY Civil Rights Timeline - Truman Library Institute Martin Luther King Jr. – Biography - NobelPrize.org BACK TO TOP