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Back to Artwork Heckscher Back to Sections Aura of David Entry 4 April 14, 2022 Mixed Media Volume 2 Issue 6

Back to Artwork Prism Back to Sections The Compliment of Green - 1 By Olivia Muscatelli November 24, 2020 Volume 1 Issue 2

Back to Artwork Pop Art Back to Sections Marcus Nicolas - Pop Art By Marcus Nicolas January 14, 2022 Acrylic Volume 2 Issue 3

Back to Artwork Portfolio Back to Sections Portfolio - Argelina Jeune - 2 By Argelina Jeune June 13, 2022 Watercolor Volume 2 Issue 7 This piece is the depiction of what it is like to lose someone you loved. Their remains and belongings are still with you but slowly you forget until you can’t picture their face anymore.

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Badminton Season Rehmat Kaur Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by Coach Croce The badminton season started, and the team has new players and captains this year. With tryouts from March 18th to March 19th, Coach Croce has chosen the 19 best players who will positively impact the team and its performance. I had the lovely opportunity of interviewing some of my teammates and asking them about their hopes and aspirations for the badminton season. COACH CROCE: “My hope for this badminton season is not only just to win our matches, but continuing to build relationships with the team, while helping them become even more successful scholar-athletes, always improving their skills. This is a special group that I have this season, and I believe, whether we win or lose, we will have an impactful, positive, and memorable season.” Captains: MELANIE CEVADA: “I hope that this year, now that we are more educated in badminton, we can grow as a team and get better. We have a lot of girls who have great potential and show great sportsmanship that I have a lot of faith this year. I believe that our entire team can achieve the best of their skills and prosper with our abilities.” REHMAT KAUR: “My hopes for the team are that we discover our potential and get a lot of wins. Last year was a tough one, but I am very hopeful for this year. We have many new talented players that have a lot to offer to the team. For me as a player I have gotten better with both my strokes and movement since last year, still a lot to work on but I’m welcoming this season with a ton of positivity!” ALISSON ALAS: “I hope that this year we become a stronger team not only physically but mentally. I hope we get more wins than last year and to just grow together as a team. As for me after 11 years of playing badminton as this is my last year playing, I want to make this year count and to be as successful as possible with the team. I hope to become a better player and fulfill my role as one of the captains to my best ability.” RICHMIA ERISNOR: “My goals for this badminton season are to not only get better as a player but get better as a person. I hope that with the experience that I'm getting from the team and all the different aspects of this season, my performance skyrockets. I also hope that I can receive more smashes and drop shots. I hope that the girls and I continue to stay friends, even after the badminton season ends. I hope that I can be a good role model for the upcoming girls as their captain.” Players: SAHAR ALI: “This badminton season, I hope to make a contribution to the team and myself as well. We have a strong team with strong players, who have each other's back; even if we lose, we learn from those mistakes to improve. I look forward to what the rest of the season has to bring!” IMAN ALI: “My hopes for the season are to have at least three or more wins as a team and beat teams. We lost to last year. I also hope that we can improve on our weaknesses and perfect our techniques.” JESELYS VAZQUEZ: “My hopes for me are to become a better player than last year and learn new techniques and master them. So far, I have been seeing well progress with my teammates' support and kindness, making it feel less embarrassing. As a team, my hopes for the badminton family are to grow, stay supportive, maintain a safe place for all the practices, become a better version of ourselves and be top 3 of the school’s team and win a lot of games with our hard-working players and new members.” NAVROSEDIP KUNDLAS: “My hope for the season is to improve from last season. I feel we have a really strong team this year, and by learning and improvising, we can achieve all our goals. Personally, I would like to move up on the lineup with my doubles partner and win as many games as possible. By working on my drop shots and smashes, I hope to improve my own skills. I can't wait to see what comes next!” AVA HINSON: “My hope for this season is to become a stronger player and to be more involved. I hope that our team wins a lot of matches and that we become a tight knit group.” HIBA KISHORE: “My hopes for this badminton season are improving as a person, as a player and helping my teammates get better. We are not just a sports team but a small family that helps get better as a community practice after practice and game after game. Hopefully someday the VSN Badminton Team will win a conference, but step by step we’ll get there.” These are the goals and aspirations of the badminton players and the coach for this season. Hopefully, we can achieve them and make the year memorable! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Lights On for Education Back to Sections Sarah Wilder - Lights On for Education By Sarah Wilder April 22, 2021 Marker Volume 1 Issue 7

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Inflation Crisis By Everton Prospere Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Image provided by AZ Central The COVID-19 pandemic brought an unforeseen crisis along with the deadly disease, inflation. Inflation, which is the increase in prices with a decrease in the purchasing value of money, has existed as a major problem in the United States (U.S.) since the formation of the country. However, economists have generally controlled the issue, predicting inflating prices and acting appropriately. With the pandemic though, the economy has spiraled out of control, with inflation reaching all-time highs. According to Investopedia , a financial website based in the U.S., inflation primarily occurs from “an increase in production costs or an increase in demand for products and services.” In economic terms, demand-pull inflation is the increase in demand by consumers and, in turn, the price of a specific product. Cost-push inflation is the smaller supply and higher price of a product because of an increase in the price of a key resource. These terms are important, as both demand and resources play a role in the history of inflation in the U.S. For example, in the 1970s, the U.S. experienced heavy inflation due to a limited amount of oil available in the U.S. As per the Federal Reserve, the low supply of oil is attributed to President Nixon’s and the U.S.’s support of Israel in the Fourth Arab-Israeli War. The Middle East supplies a high amount of oil to the world; therefore, these countries - such as Saudi Arabia and Libya - formed a group known as the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) to control and protect the economic oil activities of these nations as a united force. OAPEC then punished the U.S., along with several other supporters of Israel, by creating an oil embargo, which stopped oil exports to the nations targeted. The demand by consumers that followed stimulated high oil prices, as not enough of the resource was available to offer the growing vehicle industry in the U.S. In addition, due to the high oil prices and the other areas of the economy adversely affected, money also lost much of its value, as one could not pay the same amount for oil as paid for before the crisis. Evidently, inflation has shown its impact before in the U.S. While both demand and key resources played a role in the 1970s oil crisis, the current situation is largely attributed to demand. Jeanna Smialek of The New York Times reports that the pandemic has caused many supply chain issues, such as the clogging of shipping routes. However, the cause also lies in consumers; as she states, “consumers, who collectively built-up big savings thanks to months in lockdown and repeated government stimulus checks, are spending robustly and their demand is driving part of the inflation.” According to the Bureau of Labor and the consumer price index, inflation is currently at 6.8%, meaning prices increased by that percentage. This number, almost a 40 year high, is completely off course from the federal target of 2%. While this significant number continues to be monitored, it remains far from the 1970s, when the U.S. experienced inflation rates of over 10%. However, the current 6.8% shows a dangerous upward trend, inching closer and closer to record levels of inflation. Overall, the U.S. has continued to act as a world leader economically. Compared to Turkey - which, according to the BBC, has inflation rates of upwards of 36% - the U.S. has controlled the pandemic and its inflation rates successfully. However, until the pandemic’s negative effects end, Americans will continue to see high inflation rates. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Pop Art Back to Sections Raphael Benavides - Pop Art By Raphael Benavides January 14, 2022 Acrylic Volume 2 Issue 3

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Homemade Gravy and Cranberry Sauce: Is it Worth the Time? By Christina Ossa Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 Original photography by Christina Ossa Thanksgiving is a time for sharing, reflecting on your gratitude, and enjoying fantastic food. However, the star of Thanksgiving is usually turkey, a delicious, juicy, and flavorful tradition of this time of the year. The sauce that pairs with turkey would usually be a tasty, savory gravy or a more bittersweet cranberry sauce to add to the quality of each slice of turkey. But, with many dishes already having time put into them, there’s usually no time left to make either of these delicious sauces from scratch. As a result, many households opt for store-bought versions of cranberry and gravy sauce. And for many of you, I’m sure this goes for your family as well. While I agree, yes, it is convenient and consumes less time, but it tastes bland and underwhelming. So, is making these sauces from scratch really worth your time? Here, I’ll try my best to convince you that once you switch from store-bought gravy and cranberry sauce, you’ll likely never turn back. Last year, out of pure curiosity from a recipe I saw on YouTube, I was inspired and tried making my own cranberry and gravy from scratch. Did it take more of my time during the holidays? Yes, it did. Was it worth that time? In my opinion, it was. When I made the cranberry sauce, all I needed were these ingredients: sugar, water, an orange, and cranberries; also, it only took 15 minutes. I added my ingredients to a medium saucepan and let it simmer on low for about 15 minutes (you could simmer it for longer if you feel like the cranberries are not reduced enough). On my first taste test, the cranberries were reduced to a beautiful jam-like color and tasted bittersweet and flavorful. The texture tasted like a more bittersweet version of raspberry jam. It did not have that artificial aftertaste that I’ve found store-bought cranberry sauce leaves. Next, I refrigerated my sauce in a glass container overnight and served it the next day. Once you refrigerate the sauce, it turns into a beautiful jello-type texture that melts onto the turkey once you place it onto your plate. This recipe is very low-maintenance, and it produces a mouth-watering result all in 15 minutes - and can be prepared the day before. If you’re not satisfied with the more artificial flavor of store-bought cranberry sauce and have just a mere 15 minutes to spare: I’d recommend you try this recipe. If you don’t bake or cook anything for Thanksgiving, this recipe would be an excellent addition to bring to someone who’s hosting. It also takes less time than almost any Thanksgiving recipe I’ve tried. The gravy sauce was also way better than any store-bought or even restaurant-style gravy I’ve tried before. It was rich, packed with flavor, and kept the integrity of the turkey. It only added to the taste of the turkey, and when paired with the bittersweet flavor of the cranberry sauce, created an impressive depth of flavor. This recipe does take a bit more work but is so worth the time it takes, in my opinion. This recipe also includes parts of the turkey many people aren’t sure how to use or cook, including the bones and other parts of a turkey not commonly included in a Thanksgiving meal. For this recipe, I used the neck/spine of the turkey to create my own turkey stock, along with a roughly chopped onion, roughly chopped celery, and some chopped carrots. Next, I used a medium-sized saucepan. I added my ingredients and the water I put on the stove on medium-high heat until it came to a boil. After this, I let it simmer on low for about three hours, then strained it through a sift to separate the liquid and ingredients I added for flavor-sake. Now, three hours may be a long time compared to the time it took for the cranberry sauce, but compared to the amount of time the turkey would bake in the oven, it isn’t much time at all. Also, don’t be scared of how this was only the first step for the gravy because I promise making the stock is the hardest part. Once you have your stock, take either the same or a different saucepan and add/melt your butter in it. After the butter has completely melted, put in the flour and stir generously. This part of the gravy process is probably the most crucial. You’re creating what’s called a roux in the culinary world: the base to making almost any thick, more creamy-based sauce. After you have a roux, which should look almost like light-colored caramel, add your turkey stock and whisk until it thickens to the point where it should lightly drizzle off a spoon. If you’d like to be fancier, you could also season it with salt and pepper and add herbs like thyme for extra flavor. While the process of creating gravy is a lot more time-consuming than cranberry sauce, it most definitely is worth it. In the end, it may be cheaper than buying store-bought gravy, and it tastes so much better than store-bought. The sauce is creamy, flavor-packed with that delicious broth created straight from the turkey. It’s almost like the turkey’s partner in crime since they were both made from the same source. Paired with the cranberry sauce, it’s a bittersweet-savory wonderland of flavor. So, in the end, was it worth the time to create these two sauces for scratch? In my opinion, it was. It usually is either way since store-bought sauces. And store-bought items, in general, are packed with artificial flavors and preservatives that muddy the overall flavors each item is attempting to achieve. Also, when making this recipe last year for Thanksgiving, it was more rewarding than anything. The feeling of showing your gratitude through adding to the family Thanksgiving meal was gratifying to me when my family tried my food last Thanksgiving. So you should try making one of these sauces for Thanksgiving if you’d like to add something to your family dinner. They’re both very straightforward and delicious recipes. No matter your skill level in cooking, your family would likely appreciate this small yet delightful addition to the Thanksgiving meal. Recipes: Gravy : Turkey Stock: -Replace for pre-made turkey stock OR -Turkey Spine -Turkey Neck -1 Onion, roughly chopped -1 Carrot, roughly chopped -1 Rib of Celery, roughly chopped -6 Cups of Water (enough to cover ingredients) Actual Gravy: -3 ½ tbsp Unsalted butter -3 ½ tbsp All-Purpose Flour -2 ½ cups Turkey Stock (either from premade or original) -Salt (to taste) -Pepper (to taste) -Fresh Chopped herbs (to taste) Directions: -Ask for the spine/neck of the turkey from whoever is cooking the turkey, or if you are yourself, remove the spine/neck (also, you could use both or either one, both would lead to more flavor) -Place the spine/neck into a medium saucepan along with your vegetables, then add your water -Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and check on it until it comes to a boil (roughly 10-15 minutes) -After it comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 3 hours -Strain with a sifter or strainer, separating the liquid from the other ingredients (you could either dispose of the rest or find another purpose for the vegetables, the spine/neck is usually inedible, but there may be methods to use it that I’m unaware of) -Set aside broth to make gravy -Take a different or the same saucepan (make sure it’s empty, of course) and melt the butter over medium-low heat -Once the butter has melted, add the flour and whisk thoroughly until it forms a roux /a combined state (it should be a bit thick and gravy-grey colored once it reaches the right consistency) -To the roux, add your turkey stock and stir it occasionally until it reaches a thick consistency (should drizzle lightly off a spoon) -Optional: add your seasonings, whisking lightly for about 2 minutes just to ensure it has combined -Serve and Enjoy! Cranberry Sauce: Ingredients: -12 oz cranberries -1 Cup Granulated Sugar -Zest and Juice of 1 Orange/Lemon (orange would give a sweeter flavor) -½ Cup Water Directions: -Grab a medium saucepan and add your cranberries, sugar, and water -Zest 1 orange over the pan -Once zested, slice it in half and juice it into the rest of your ingredients -Allow your sauce to simmer over low or medium-low (depending on the size of your stoves, I’d recommend using one that will reach the entire length of the bottom of the pan) for 12-15 minutes -Once reduced and the juices are seemingly seeping and forming a jelly-like texture, remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the sauce to a glass container (or plastic but first wait for it to cool if you use plastic) -Store in your refrigerator overnight (I’d recommend making this recipe the night before thanksgiving or a couple hours before you’re going to eat) -Serve and Enjoy! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Spotlight Back to Sections Avoiding the Unknown By Elaine Ching March 28, 2022 Watercolor Volume 2 Issue 5