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Back to Articles News Back to Sections The Taliban Takeover of Afghanistan: What Led Up to It and What Is Happening Now By Sahar Ali Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 No Image available at this time AFGHANISTAN- On Saturday, May 1st, 2021, the Taliban started to take over Afghanistan, a country located in Central Asia. On Sunday, August 15th, 2021, the Taliban took over Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. The country was finally taken over by the Taliban after twenty years of war with the United States. What Is the Taliban? The Taliban is a group of predominantly Pashtuns that are an Islamic fundamentalist group. They ruled Afghanistan previously from 1996 to 2001 until the U.S. invaded Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks. In 2021, when the U.S. started to remove its troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban once again started to take over. The Afghani people have been trying to flee their home country ever since the Taliban took control because they do not want to experience the harsh rules the Taliban enforced when they previously had power. What Led Up to The Takeover After the attacks that occurred on 9/11, the United States went to war with Afghanistan to eradicate al-Qaeda, the group responsible for committing the horrendous acts on September 11th, 2001. The U.S. troops stayed in Afghanistan for 20 years (2001-2021) until President Biden announced the full withdrawal of troops. Then slowly, the Taliban started to take over parts of Afghanistan, trying to get closer and closer to the capital, Kabul. The U.S. and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) trained the Afghan security forces for two decades and spent billions of dollars to equip them with weapons. Even then, the Afghan security forces could not prevent the Taliban from taking over. To make it worse, as the U.S. troops were pulling out of Afghanistan, the security forces started to weaken without support. Another factor that led up to the Taliban takeover was the corruption that took place in the Afghani government. The government did not provide the Afghani troops with enough supplies, food, or ammunition. As the Taliban started to take control over cities, there would be small battles between the Afghani forces and Taliban until the security forces surrendered. However, most cities were taken over by the Taliban without a fight. News About the President Ashraf Ghani, the president of Afghanistan, did not appear to take action to stop the Taliban from taking over more parts of Afghanistan. Instead, he released a few public statements regarding the Taliban and then fled the country. According to Ghani, he fled to prevent any further bloodshed. Ashraf Ghani fled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and he is currently there. Afghani Citizens Ever since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, the citizens have been trying to flee the country because they are worried that the Taliban will enforce the same harshly interpreted Islamic laws that they enforced in 1996. Afghanis have been fleeing to nearby countries such as Pakistan and Iran. In addition, some people have fled to Turkey, the U.S., Germany, the UAE, and Qatar. There have also been some evacuations that took place. The women of Afghanistan are also concerned that the Taliban have taken over. When the Taliban was in power from 1996-2001, they enforced strict laws that greatly affected women. Women were not allowed to have jobs and girls were not allowed to go to school and get an education. If women wanted to leave the house, they would have to cover themselves up and go to the outside world. Sometimes we do not realize how lucky we are to be able to do certain things like going to school every day. What Is Happening Now When the Taliban took over Afghanistan, they also created a new government and now are currently ruling the country. Not only that, but the Taliban also went as far as changing the flag of Afghanistan. In addition, the U.S. has agreed to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, however, the new rulers of Afghanistan, the Taliban, will not receive any political recognition from the United States. What Could Happen Next It is not clear what is going to happen next in Afghanistan, but the future does not look very bright. But there are some things that can be done. Currently, Afghanistan is in a very desperate situation, and they require a lot of foreign aid. The European Union (EU), which is a political and economic group that consists of 27 European nations, and the U.S. could give Afghanistan more foreign aid and loans to stabilize the economy of Afghanistan. Without aid, it could also cause more problems of illegal immigration to nearby countries. The United States and the European Union could act to prevent these problems from occurring. Afghanistan was a beautiful country before the fighting started. Let us hope that this conflict ends so that the Afghanistan that people used to know is restored to its original beauty. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Video Games and Quarantine By Augustine Magapan Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Image provided by the Washington Post Hello, and welcome back to another game review! First, we talked about the virtual headset, the Oculus Quest 2 , and the difference between that and the first Oculus Quest . In this issue, we are going to discuss video games I have played during quarantine, and those others have played as well. Video games served as a way to cope with boredom while being stuck at home. There will be no ranking system, but rather an analysis of the game and discussion about why people played it and how it became so popular. The first game I would like to discuss is Animal Crossing New Horizons . The trailer was released in June 2019 and no one was expecting this, but people hoped for Animal Crossing to come out for the Nintendo Switch. Animal Crossing involves you having an island or area of some sort and control what happens. You can plant trees, go fishing, catch bugs, spend time with friends, and talk to villagers. No, they aren’t the villagers like Minecraft ; instead, they are animals. You are the only human in the game. In addition, you can expand your property and do your best to make sure your island has the best rating. This game came out in March 2020 when quarantine quickly become more serious. Another thing is that there is this tanuki named Tom Nook, where he advises you and recommends actions you should take. However, when you do whatever he tells you to, you’ll be in his debt. It is a trend for the past games Nintendo has made, no matter where you go, you’ll always be in the debt of Tom Nook. To get out of debt, you’ll have to sell items and make profit off of them which can be done by selling bugs and fish, fossils, and many other things that can be valuable to his little companions, Timmy and Tommy. They run a shop where you can buy furniture and sell items to them. Going back to Animal Crossing New Horizons , people hoped there would be new creatures, fruits, more inventory space, and many more in-game functions. Once this game came out, millions of people started playing it as time progressed through quarantine. There is no competition between other people, and you’re able to be at peace when you play it. It’s a very simple game to play, and I enjoy playing it myself since you can get creative and enjoy all it has to offer. Another game that became popular during quarantine was Among Us . Yes, the game where you accuse people for being ‘sus’ or suspect for the things they do. This game first came out in 2018, but it hadn’t reached popularity until 2020. If you don’t know what this game is already, I advise you to download it on your phone for free and try it out. It is a game containing tiny space people who look adorable? I guess you can say that they look adorable for the fact they have floating hands that aren’t connected to any part of their bodies, as well as having cute legs. These brightly-colored space people must complete tasks to save their spaceship and win. Here’s the twist though: one, two, or three “imposters”. This means three players who aren’t space people. Rather, they are murderous characters who sabotage others and ultimately win by killing each space person who isn’t an imposter. If you are an imposter rather than a crewmate, knowing you need to kill every other player and making sure they don’t complete their tasks, you can also accuse them when it comes to a meeting. We will get to that later, but once all crewmates are eliminated, you win! Crewmates are the opposite of imposters; they are the ones who fulfill tasks and work together to make sure all the tasks are complete so you can win. When you see a dead body on the floor, you can report it so you can start a meeting. Meetings are when it starts to get serious because it’s like a court room. You must state your alibi and make sure you aren’t found guilty. Whether you are a crewmate or imposter, you should always try to prove yourself innocent while trying to either accuse other people. Well, that goes for me at least since when I’m in a meeting if I’m an imposter, I’d try to get into people’s heads saying that I’m innocent since I do a specific task or saying other things by the deceptive actions I have taken. Crewmates, on the other hand, should figure out who the imposter is but can be deceived by one another. It’s hilarious during some games, and other games you are dead silent and serious. Youtubers make it look fun and it’s also fun when you play with friends. Pewdiepie, Disguised Toast, KSI, and many more youtubers make it seem like the game is fun when you start getting into it: especially Corpse, a youtuber with an interesting tone of voice. Viewers love him and so do I. You should Among Us a try since it’s still common to see others playing. It’s still pretty popular. Our final game we can discuss for this issue is Minecraft . You heard me well, the blocky Lego-looking... oops! That’s Roblox . I meant to say the blocky cube game where you are in a world of blocks and you yourself are a block. Surely you must have heard the game since it came out almost ten years ago and has been a rollercoaster ride ever since. Some years the game was popular, other years people lost interest. If you still don’t know the blocky game, it started off with a man named Steve. That is the main character of the game followed along with Alex. Of course, you can have your own skins, but it should be noted that Steve and Alex were the first two characters to be in the game. You are also known as the ‘player’. After having your character, you spawn in the world and simply mine, otherwise known as breaking blocks. You break blocks to gather resources and materials and then craft them to make more materials and structures. You continue to repeat this process as if you were in the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods creating stone and iron tools. Sooner or later, you can find DIAMONDS. Diamonds are ores as well, like coal and iron. While adventuring and mining, you are going to encounter mobs like animals, zombies, and creepers. You must butcher the animals to eat so your hunger bar doesn’t go down, and dangerous mobs might kill you. Now that you know the overworld, there was an update that made Minecraft popular again during quarantine. It was the new “nether update” which is a new version of the nether. The nether is the opposite of the overworld; it’s the underworld where zombie pigmen, ghosts, wither skeletons, and other dangerous mobs are your obstacles. You can acquire more material in there as well, and that is only found in the underworld. However, there are new creatures lurking and biomes in the underworld. This contains piglins who will kill you if you don’t wear gold armor and will trade with you. The overall goal of Minecraft is to kill the Ender Dragon and go to the end. But it is not really the end since there will be a new beginning. Other than that, you should have fun and enjoy the game as a whole. You can get creative with what you build, and play with friends. After all, it’s cross-platforming. That concludes all the game review I have for this issue. I enjoyed writing this article and discussing something that I like. If you have any other recommendations on what I should review, please reach out to me, and we can have a fun time writing and reading about it here. I probably will write another article on video games during quarantine. These were only a few, and there are many more to come in the future to discuss. Thank you for reading, and see you guys soon! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Farmingdale Bus Accident Sahar Ali, Javier Cael, and Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 Image provided by ABC7 New York WAWAYANDA, NEW YORK - On September 21st, one of six buses from Farmingdale High School, located in Long Island, was involved in a deadly accident. The bus, carrying teachers and students including the color guard, dancers, and members of the Farmingdale marching band, went through a guard rail and toppled into a ravine in Wawayanda, New York, killing two and leaving many injured. The accident took place after 1 p.m. on Interstate 84. Six buses from Farmingdale High School embarked on their journey to the Pine Forest Camp, located in Greeley, Pennsylvania, for a band camping event. However, one of the coach buses ended up losing control, causing a catastrophic accident. According to Gov. Kathy Hochul, the bus landed on its side 50 feet in some trees and bushes. The crash took the lives of two teachers: Gina Pellettiere, 43, and Beatrice Ferrari, 77. Pellettiere was Farmingdale High School’s band director and Ferrari was a retired teacher. The crash also left 18 people, including 2 adults and 16 students, hospitalized. THE LAWSUIT The parents of a student who was injured in the crash filed a lawsuit against Lisa Schaffer, the driver of the bus involved in the crash, and Regency Transportation Ltd., the bus company. The lawsuit accuses Schaffer of negligence; it also claims that she did not control the vehicle and drove at speeds that could have possibly led her to veer off the road. Additionally, the lawsuit asserts that Regency Transportation did not maintain, repair, and inspect their buses in a proper manner, leaving them in an “unsafe, defective and/or hazardous condition.” The New York State Department of Transportation also found that Regency Transportation had failed 5 out of 10 safety inspections during the 2023 fiscal year. Andrew Finkelstein, the attorney of the family that filed the lawsuit says, “This lawsuit is the first step in holding the bus company and their driver accountable for a crash that never should’ve happened and resulted in significant and serious injuries not just to my client, but to every passenger on that bus.” SUPPORT FOR FARMINDALE HIGH SCHOOL In order to provide support for the Farmingdale High School community, North High School’s music department started a fundraiser selling “music notes,” which were paper cut outs of a quarter note. Students could purchase these music notes for one dollar, write a heartfelt message for the Farmingdale community along with their name, and tape their notes on a wall in the cafeteria. The fundraiser ended up raising 700 dollars. North High School’s marching band also dedicated their first performance on the field to the Farmingdale High School community. CONNECTIONS WITH THE BAND DIRECTOR Gina Pellettiere, often described as an “inspiring figure,” was known for her fun-loving and community-oriented spirit, leaving an indelible mark on the world of music and bands. For those fortunate enough to know her, the band felt like a family, fostering a supportive and positive atmosphere that created a safe space for everyone involved. Her impact as an energetic and passionate musician and teacher was truly inspiring. Mr. Malizia, a former student, and North’s newest band teacher, recalls his happiest memory with Pellettiere involving playing in the pit orchestra, where she played the trumpet with enthusiasm. They shared laughter over McDonald’s nuggets, indulging in a nugget fight and discovering a lone, rock-solid chicken nugget. Band camp was filled with memorable moments, from belting out bridge solos to Christmas karaoke duets. What inspired Mr. Malizia most about Pellettiere was the profound relationship she had with her students and her unwavering passion for their success. Her dedication to music and the vibrant community she built served as a beacon for Mr. Malizia’s own journey to become a music teacher. In the realm of music and band, Pellettiere’s work was marked by a blend of professionalism and humor. She occasionally delayed practice with questions like whether to eat a muffin with a hand or fork, and she’d provide weather updates, adding her unique charm to every rehearsal. SOURCES Farmingdale school bus crash: NTSB investigation underway – NBC New York   Farmingdale bus crash: Lawsuit filed against bus company, driver in fatal New York crash | CNN   BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections VSCHSD"s Newest Position Sahar Ali Volume 5 Issue 2 November 25, 2024 Image Provided by Lori Rappa-Rodriguez VSCHSD’s Newest Position Valley Stream Central High School District recently welcomed Ms. Lori Rappa-Rodriguez, the district’s first ever Work-Based Coordinator. Like her title, Ms. Rappa’s position is entirely unique and consists of a unique experience for students as she guides them through the professional world all students must experience after high school no matter the path and occupation they choose. Ms. Rappa has been kind to provide the NORTH STAR with a Q&A about her position, and herself. Could you provide us with a description of your position ? Rappa-Rodriguez: “My job is to seek out opportunities for students to explore career options and have hands on experience that will help them make informed choices about their post-high school plans. To do this, I network with businesses, organizations, alumni, and other community members in search of partnerships that will benefit students.” How do you like working in the Valley Stream Central High School District? Rappa-Rodriguez: “It’s only been a few months but so far, I am really enjoying it. Everyone is very welcoming and excited about the services and support that I will be able to offer to students.” Do you work with students specifically at one of the schools in the district? Rappa-Rodriguez: “Because the Career & Technical Education classes: Culinary, Cosmetology, Auto Tech, Medical Assisting and Certified Nurse Assisting are located at Central High School, I spend more time there. However, I am getting more referrals from guidance counselors in the other buildings to work with students interested in finding career exploration internships or part-time jobs that will give them exposure to the world of work.” What inclined you to get this position? Rappa-Rodriguez: “This is my dream job! I went back to school five years ago to get my teaching certification with the goal of becoming a Work-Based Learning Coordinator. I really enjoy helping people identify their strengths and talents and have experiences that will help them advance their career goals. When I first got certified to teach, there were no Work Based Learning (WBL) positions available, so I taught Accounting, Career & Financial Management and Computer Technology at Baldwin High School, then Hewlett-Woodmere High School. Then a position became available with Nassau BOCES, and I got it. Valley Stream was one of the schools I was assigned to at BOCES, and I just loved being here. Now I get to be here ALL the time. I also love that my commute from home is 10 minutes!” Are there any major differences for students who work with you instead of being in a traditional classroom? Rappa-Rodriguez: “The big difference is that our work is one-to-one, so I really get to know the students and can offer guidance on what they need to do to be successful, whether it’s an informational interview, a job shadow, internship, or paid work experience. I expect students to interact with me the way they would a prospective employer, and I coach them on professionalism and work readiness.” What is your favorite part of being a work-based coordinator? Rappa-Rodriguez: “I love the fact I get to do a variety of things each day. I get to meet with students one on one, I get to collaborate with colleagues on how best to support students and I get to be out in the community networking for opportunities to collaborate. Although my office is located in District Office, I travel from building to building, and every day is different.” Is there anything you dislike about your position? Would you change any aspects about it? Rappa-Rodriguez: “Since I’m the only person with this job title, I don’t necessarily have a peer group or department, and that can be hard sometimes. District administration, my supervisor, Mr. Tagliaferro, the school principals, guidance counselors and the Transition Coordinator, Ms. DeStefano, have all been very helpful in making me feel welcomed and connected.” Do you have any goals you would like to achieve with your new position? Rappa-Rodriguez: “One goal is to establish a Community Advisory Board made up of business owners, alumni, parents and others who will provide guidance on their workforce needs and opportunities for students to explore careers in their fields of work.” Has being a Work-Based Coordinator changed your perspective on anything? Rappa-Rodriguez: “I am so excited that more and more schools are understanding the value of Work-Based Learning for high school students. There are many careers that favor hands-on experience or industry certifications over college. Students should be exposed to these options as well.” Would you like to share any more information about yourself? Rappa-Rodriguez: “I’m not originally from New York. I grew up in a suburb of Boston and moved to New York City after completing two years in the Peace Corps in Honduras after college. So, yes, I speak Spanish, but I’m not a native speaker. I have three grown children who are all working in their respective fields of study: Elementary Education, Actuarial Science, and Child Life. My husband is a Pediatric Pulmonologist. Anyone interested in one of these career fields can contact me at rapparol@vschsd.org or call (516) 872-5646. I’d be happy to put them in touch.” Thank you to Lori Rappa-Rodriguez for all her hard work for our students and for giving us this interview. We appreciate you! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Tales Through Time: Lewis and Clark Expedition Rehmat Kaur Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by the Library of Congress Painting of the Lewis and Clark expedition in a canoe meeting some Native Americans (1905), by Charles Marion Russell Background In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States asked for $2,500 to send an officer and a dozen troops to explore the Missouri River, establish diplomatic relations with Indians, increase the American fur trade, and find the Northwest Passage. The voyage became significant when the United States consented to the Louisiana Purchase, which involved Napoleon selling 828,000 square miles of French land for $27 million. Jefferson nominated Meriwether Lewis as expedition commander, who gathered weaponry, built a keelboat, and obtained smaller boats. William Clark, his military superior, was appointed as co-commander. Congress sponsored the expedition before the discussions with France were finalized. Lewis and Clark shared equal responsibilities and were given the opportunity in 1796 to embark on a historic journey that would help shape the country. The Expedition The expedition, including four dozen men, traveled 10 to 20 miles every day. Lewis discovered 178 new plants and 122 animals, naming them Philadelphus lewisii , Lewisia rediviva , and Clarkia pulchella . The expedition met enormous herds of animals and ate well, despite the Lakota tribe's unwillingness to compete with Americans. Despite suffering from diarrhea, venereal disease, boils, tick bites, and bruises, only one person died. The expedition conducted conferences with Native Americans, offering commerce and food. The Lakota tribe tried to stop the expedition from moving upstream, but Chief Black Buffalo's diplomacy calmed the situation. The expedition landed in Mandan and Hidatsa settlements near Bismarck, North Dakota, and prepared supplies for Jefferson. In June 1805, the expedition group arrived at a river fork and elected to take the south branch, which was thought to be the main route. They named the north fork Maria's River and arrived at the Great Falls. The portage was difficult given the rough terrain, prickly pear cactus, hailstorms, and grizzly bears. The crew landed in Knife River Village in what is now North Dakota. They encountered Sacagawea, a Shoshone Native American woman, and her fur trader husband, Toussaint Charbonneau, who accompanied the expedition as interpreters. Sacagawea assisted the crew in obtaining necessary supplies, identifying edible plants, and avoiding conflict with neighboring tribes. The group moved west at 15 to 20 miles per day and landed near the Pacific Ocean in November 1805. The Return In 1806, the Corps of Discovery departed Fort Clatsop, traversed the Missouri River Basin, and broke up at Lolo Pass. Lewis and Clark's crews investigated the Maria’s River and the Yellowstone River, with Lewis's group building Pompey's Pillar, which was named after Sacagawea's son. The corps landed in St. Louis in September 1806 and departed for the Pacific Ocean in November. Due to heavy storms, they were forced to build Fort Clatsop near Astoria, Oregon. They intended to return via the Columbia and Missouri rivers but encountered neither. They broke into parties to investigate the region and two important Missouri River tributaries. In March, Sacagawea and her husband were brought home to North Dakota before continuing their journey. Later the groups rejoined and traveled downstream to complete their quest. The Legacy Despite various obstacles, Lewis and Clark completed their goal to explore the Louisiana Territory from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean in 1806. They traveled over 8,000 miles, created informative maps, and established friendly connections with Native American groups. Both earned double salaries and 1,600 acres of land in exchange for their services. Lewis was appointed Governor of the Louisiana Territory, while Clark was named Brigadier General of Militia and federal Indian Agent. Despite Lewis's terrible death in 1809, Lewis's expedition is still one of America's most renowned. The Corps of Discovery Expedition carved out a primitive route to the Pacific and laid the groundwork for the nascent nation's westward expansion. The mission gave major geographic and scientific information about the West, helped to expand the fur trade, and enhanced the United States's claims to the Pacific. Sources: Lewis and Clark: Expedition, Purpose & Facts | HISTORY Lewis and Clark Expedition | Summary, History, Members, Facts, & Map | Britannica Lewis & Clark Expedition | National Archives Lewis and Clark's Expedition ( nationalgeographic.com ) BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections Painting Seashells By Carolina Figueroa Volume 1 Issue 5 February 12, 2021 Original photo by Carolina Figueroa Painting seashells is fun, unmasking my creativity and artistry on a medium other than canvas, paper, rocks, or wood. Each piece that I create is unique, detailed, one-of-a-kind, and an amazing work of art! Painting seashells reminds me of the warmth of summer: vibrant colors of the rainbow, the smells of the salty ocean, tranquil sunrises and sunsets, adventures at the beach, and quality time spent with family and friends! Painting seashells is a visual art that allows people to express themselves. I paint my designs freehand with a variety of paint brushes and paint pens for detail. Each painted shell tells a story. Some imaginative works of art I have created include footprints in the sand for long walks on the beach, sunrises and sunsets, sea life images (fish, crabs, seahorses, turtles), sandcastles, mermaids/mermen, surfboards, beach volleyball, llama walks, foods (fruits, ice cream, donuts), camping, swimming with dolphins, and kayaks/canoes. Each image is a remembrance of whimsical and carefree days spent at sun-swept beaches on Long Island and in Florida. The painted seashells always remind me of the sights, sounds, smells, and memories of summertime fun! I have a painted seashell collection of every place that I visited over past summers (dated with that year) to remind me of the fun times that I enjoyed. Fire Island, Long Beach, Florida beaches, and the Jersey Shore is what I envision when painting my shells. I also love to paint shells with inspirational quotes and words of kindness, hope, love, laughter, and encouragement to boost one’s spirits and foster positive morale. One of my favorites is a pineapple painted seashell with the words “Be a Pineapple - Stand Tall, Wear a Crown, and Be Sweet on the Inside”. The types of seashells I like to paint and decorate include natural scallop seashells and round sand dollars, or sea biscuits (from Florida) and large surf clam shells (the most abundant shells found on our area beaches). I use acrylic paints and paint marker pens for my detailed and precise work. Each work of art represents something very special to me. Taking the ocean’s tiny treasures and creating symbolic masterpieces with a variety of designs makes me happy! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections The Jealous Ghost By Victoria Niksa Volume 3 Issue 2 December 23, 2022 Image provided by Elaine Ching Jennifer had been writing in her diary the past few days and ending every entry with these words. She’d being going through trouble with her friends because they’d been talking and playing around without her. Now, she would’ve been alright with this, as long as it wasn’t happening in their group chat with them and their other friends. E: ‘Hi darling :)’ L: ‘Hello bae!!’ “ Ugh ” Jennifer scoffed. “These two and their shenanigans again?” Not even five seconds later, her friend Angelica texted her. A: ‘Are you seeing this? I swear these two are killing me.’ J: ‘Yes, I am seeing this. Can’t they do this in private messages???’ A: ‘I guess not because they’re still at it.’ *In the group chat* A: ‘Can you guys like stop there’s more than just the two of you guys here and this getting very annoying.’ L: ‘You’re just jealous.’ E: ‘Yeah you’re just jealous of bae and my relationship.’ L: ‘Yeah and Jennifer’s our bae too!’ *Messaging Angelica* J: ‘Are you seeing this!? They don’t include me in their conversations, but they include me in this??’ A: ‘What? Wait let me scroll up and look through the messages.’ at 4:35pm A: ‘Oh my gosh they don’t even respond to you they just continue to talk and ignore you. Aren’t they your friends?’ J: ‘Yes, they are but I don’t know why they’re including me in this. What the hell, they don’t even pay me any mind half the time.’ Lilac and Evie were in the group chat once again talking, ‘singing’ songs. Jennifer was feeling extremely confused and upset. She had no idea why they’d always ostracize her from everything. *a week goes by* Aside from Jennifer crying in Social Studies one period, crying while texting her friend about her issue, crying herself to sleep, and just crying. She had been feeling alright about where she stood with her friends, but she and her friend Donna agreed it’s about time Jennifer confronted Evie and Lilac. J: ‘Guys if I’m going to be like 100% real with you. I’m honestly upset with how I’m being ignored by you both. I feel as if you’re both constantly ignoring me, and I’m just done with it.’ E: ‘I was doing homework what.’ J: ‘No I mean like a week ago, when you guys would talk to each other.’ E: ‘I never purposefully tried to ignore you…’ J: ‘That’s the point.’ L: ‘Eliza and I are doing ‘’The Call of the Wild’’ questions lol these are so difficult.” J: ‘Are you kidding me. Did you seriously just ignore all of this??’ Jennifer had gotten no response. She decided to tell Donna the issue. After an emotion-filled document Jennifer made to send Donna to fill her in so she wouldn’t be clueless. She’d gotten a response about 20 minutes later. D: ‘That was a lot to take in but oh my goodness how come they still haven’t responded? Also, Lilac must be joking. Can she not read the room?’ J: ‘She has to be. This is so stupid. All I wanted was for them to include me in their conversations and now this has happened?’ D: ‘At this point just ghost them. No pun intended.’ J: ‘At this point maybe I should.’ *the next morning* In her Home and Careers class, Jennifer’s class had been learning what to do about anger. What a coincidence. During class, she’d been excluding herself from her group. She didn’t want to associate herself with them. While they were all rambling on about the supernatural and whatever anime it is that Evie and Lilac liked, she sat there and listened. Head down, mind blank. Nobody saw her there. It was like she was a ghost to them. A jealous ghost. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections The Soccer Cup Game By Manal Layachi Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 Image provided by Sergel Karpukhin The sun was shining in my face. I could see the morning dew shining on the grass. I heard many cheers and screams as I walked onto the field. I knew that that day’s game was going to be great. My team and I would succeed, and we would not give up. That day, we were playing in the finals of the Long Island Cup games. We wondered whether we would finally win and take home the trophy. I remember the first time my team, the Tuareg Rebels, and I tried to win the previous year. During the final game, my coach came back from Rome where he was traveling on business just to coach us. My team had won all 19 games of the whole season. I remember the first time my team made it to the Long Island Cup finals. All our hard work didn’t pay off because we lost. We mourned this loss. My teammates and I cried a lot. The other team cheated because they had guest players from upper divisions. It was not fair. There was no need to cheat in order to win. Then we tried again last year. On the day of the finals, I woke up excited to get ready for this huge event. My dad is my smart coach. He was wearing a professional blue jacket, with a blue cap, and black and blue soccer shoes. We got into our 2018 Honda Odyssey and drove for close to two long hours to reach Stony Brook where the championship game was held, but it was worth it. When we arrived, we could see a large variety of age group teams from different places competing for the cup. I felt like I was in a forest because we were surrounded by trees. My dad and I were nervous. We needed to win this game! I met up with my teammates. We are all wearing a yellow jersey, blue shorts, blue socks, and cleats. The team we played against was called the Bulldogs. They were wearing orange jerseys and fancied intimidating eye black. My stomach was filled with butterflies. Before we started the game, the coach gave an inspirational speech and encouraged us to be the best we could be. That day was our day to win and we would not give up. Before the game started, my team lined up behind the referee and the other team did the same. I felt like I was in a professional game. The game started out like a normal game. When someone scores a goal against your team, you get this feeling that it is over, but we shook it off and kept playing. By the end of the first half, we were losing 2-3. Everyone on my team started to become discouraged. We felt like we had lost and were going to give up. Everyone was sweating, and my face was as red as a tomato. Will the Tuareg Rebels come back and finish this game with a victory? Or will they give up? In half-time, my coach gave us another inspirational speech and made us believe in our capacity to turn things around and win. We had to give it our all, he said. We went out in the field and played as if our life depended on winning. We scored a goal! The score was then 3-3. A player in the opposing team touched the ball with her hand in the penalty area. We were awarded a penalty kick. That was our chance to score. My teammate Isabella was going to shoot it in the goal. All the pressure was on her. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. She scored! My teammates and I jumped in the air with happiness. The score was then 4-3 and we needed to have good defense to stop the other team from scoring against us. Toward the end of the game, we felt a burst of energy, which made us play with confidence. The game finally ended, and we had won the game! My team’s parents were cheering loudly, and everyone was happy. My dad was jumping like Mario from Super Mario Brothers 2. We ran around the field with the winning ball that we all signed at the end of the game. I still have the ball and the trophy in my house. After the game and the ceremonies were over, a professional photographer took a picture of us with the trophy. I walked by other people playing and watched some doing penalty kicks because no one won the game, even in the overtime period. They needed to do 5 penalty kicks each to decide who wins. Whoever scored the most goals wins. I am happy that we didn’t have to do that. One of our teammate’s mom, who is a baker, baked cupcakes in the shape of a soccer ball. The cupcakes were vanilla flavored, had an Oreo in the middle, green frosting, and a soccer ball ring. It was soft, moist, and delicious. We got our medals and the Cup Game trophy. I was happy and smiled the whole time. I learned that you can do anything you put mind to. Also, you should never give up easily, just keep trying. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art Back to Sections What is Line? By Luiginna Frederique Volume 1 Issue 1 November 1, 2020 Original artwork by Luiginna Frederique One of the primary elements of artistic creation is line. Defined most simply as points moving in a space, lines aren’t given enough credit for the impact they can have on a piece. The angle, width, and, even texture, of a line transforms a piece entirely based on its use. Not only are lines used to define shapes and figures, but a still image could resemble different motions and emotions based on the use of the line. Light and shadow could also be simulated through effective use of lines. Thick, textured lines can resemble a dark and more grimy part of an object, where as thin, delicate, and neat lines could be used to show how much light is shone on an object. Hatching is a popular technique that uses lines to portray color differences or even shadows in an image. Contour lines are also a great use of line. It’s a technique used to outline the most prominent features of an object or subject. In addition to line techniques that emphasize texture and light, the shape of the line can also add an aesthetic or essence to an image. Organic lines, more “realistic” lines that can be found in nature, can make an image seem smoother, or create a flow within the image. Inorganic lines, straight edges, neat and “perfect” lines, connect to a modern and man-made look. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Gender and Sex: The Misunderstandings and Differences By Rachel Ezeadichie Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Image provided by Cosmopolitan With Pride Month already here, and more and more people experimenting and discovering their gender identities, we should try to understand the differences between sex and gender. It is a common mistake to mix the two up, or not understand them, which is where their definitions come in and why they are separate. Sex is something you are assigned at birth by a doctor. The assigning of your sex includes many factors like chromosomes, hormones and genitalia. Most people are assigned male or female, which is put on your birth certificate. Some others may be intersex , which means that their anatomy doesn’t fit on the male or female anatomy categories. Some may figure this out when they hit puberty, or they may never figure it out at all. This can happen when chromosomes aren’t XY (male chromosome) or XX (female chromosomes). Gender is normally shown as male and female. This is not the case though, because it is a spectrum. There are male and female, but there is also non-binary. Non-binary is the term used for people who don’t generally agree with the male or female terms as the only two choices. There are other gender terms as well like bigender , which means that they identify with both man and woman at different points or agender which just means they don’t identify with any gender at all. People who don’t identify with the gender they were born with are transgender, while people who do are cis gender. People can use pronouns that help them feel more comfortable with their gender. Pronouns like she/her or he/him are what many people use, but others exist too. The singular pronouns they/them are what most non-binary people like to use. So, for this Pride Month, think about your gender and consider how you or others might feel about identifying terms. Gender is something that can be experimented with like trying different labels and seeing which feel comfortable for you, or asking others to try out different pronouns on you. Everyone can like and feel different things, so see what you are comfortable with. Happy Pride Month! BACK TO TOP