Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Creative Writing Review By Noah Gonzalez Volume 1 Issue 5 February 12, 2021 Image provided by Alphaspirit ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Out of five, Creative Writing sits strong at a five out of five stars. When taking into account the refreshing change from a typical English course in terms of class work, the exploration of (perhaps) new and unfamiliar styles of literature, as well as the almost limitless number of ways to express one's creative capabilities, one cannot deny the overall benefits acquired from taking this course. First Star : A Fresh New Take - In almost every other course offered in this school, teachers and students must follow a set guideline of learning in order to prepare for either a Regents, AP, or final exam. This can result in students either losing their creative spark within the class or dreadfully following the same old course style they've been following since they entered 1st grade. Creative Writing, however, does not follow this same path. Unlike other courses like AP Human Geography, Regents Physics, or SAT Prep., Creative Writing does not focus on preparing its students for a crucial exam that will either make or break their future. Instead, the course opens up a new world of literature to its students that are generally unexplored in the students' regular English classes. Subjects such as short story writing, graphic novel creation, poetry analysis, and even screenplay writing open up the students' minds to new ways of expressing their creativity in a productive and beneficial manner. Second Star : Lack of Pressure - Similar to an art class, Creative Writing grades its students based on their effort and completion of their work as opposed to a strict point-based system. The pressure of hitting as many points as possible completely vanishes in this course as the most important factor to passing this class is your creativity, imagination, and your diligence to compete what's assigned. Third Star : Easier Grade - As stated previously, this course does not follow a strict point-based system. This means that unless you neglect to complete what's asked of you, you should receive a good grade for the semester you take Creative Writing. The teacher will look that you generally followed the daily lesson; however, other than that, your grade depends on your desire to express your creativity. In my opinion, that's a pretty easy good grade. Fourth Star : Utility Outside Class - Although Creative Writing might not directly influence your grades in other classes, the skills and content acquired within said course can potentially enhance your capabilities within other courses. For example, Creative Writing topics such as poetry creation and analysis provide students with the ability to interpret and create poetry in various forms such as haikus or concrete poems. During such process, students learned to notice figurative language in use, hidden meanings, and the purposes different poetical structures serve. While this allows for students taking Creative Writing to prepare better works of poetry for their class-specific assignment, it also allows for comprehending and completing work in other classes in an easier manner. In classes like AP English Language or Literature, students complete class work and test questions related to poetry analysis. Student who do not/have not taken Creative Writing only have access to their English teacher's lessons that may or may not have the greatest detail or advice because of the teacher's limit on what they can teach due to the need to follow course guidelines. However, if a student has/is taking Creative Writing, they will have a greater knowledge of poetical and literature devices than other students who are limited to their teacher's restricted curriculum capabilities. Fifth Star : Creative Cooperation - One of the greatest aspects of the Creative Writing class is the general freedom to choose how you go about completing the assigned work. Most of the time, if a student puts in the necessary amount of time and effort, they will have little trouble completing their work. While this holds true most of the time, there always exists the possibility where you'll hit a roadblock and cannot produce a creative idea. In most other classes, this problem translates to you either asking the teacher for help, attending extra help, or looking up extra material online. While you can do this in Creative Writing as well, it should be noted that students have an extra liberty in this class that students in other classes do not: the free and near unrestricted assistance from other students. If you're struggling in class like geometry, asking a student for assistance may be perceived by others as cheating. This issue does not transfer over to creative blocks in Creative Writing. In this class, both teachers and student start their classes by discussing ideas in the collaboration space in OneNote. This time allows for the best ideas to come about and for students to pick and choose what best suits their styles of writing. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Contemplation Back to Sections Self Portrait By Noorish Atif June 8, 2021 Graphite Volume 1 Issue 8

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections College Advice from a Senior By Shubhdip Kundlas Volume 1 Issue 3 December 16, 2020 Original photo by Shubhdip Kundlas Hello all rising freshman, sophomores, and juniors! My name is Shubhdip Kundlas and I am currently a senior here at North. I would like to give all of you advice on the college application process and to make sure you are prepared to the fullest extent. Applying to college can be extremely stressful, but remember one thing: it is only stressful if you allow it to be. If you make the necessary preparations and start on time, there will be a minimal amount of stress involved. That brings me to my first piece of advice: Sign up for SAT/ACT exams as soon as possible. With many test centers closing due to COVID-19 restrictions, many seniors, including me, had very limited opportunities to take these tests as many testing centers repeatedly closed and hindered our chances to achieve the score we wanted. Although we don’t know how the situation will be by the end of the year, don’t wait to find out. If you haven’t started to study for the test yet, don’t worry: it’s not too late! There’s still time to study and fully prepare for the next set of examinations that will start in March 2021. Many colleges have gone “test-optional” this year, but some of them have made it clear it would only be for current seniors. Will schools be test-optional next year as well? I don’t know if they will or not, but again - take it anyway because if you get a good test score, it will only help you. If you haven’t taken an SAT or ACT yet, there is no need to worry; instead, begin preparing as soon as you can. My second piece of advice: stay motivated! Freshman and sophomores, join as many extracurriculars that work for you, and for Juniors that are not in any club or sport and have not been a part of any in the past, I advise you sign up for some clubs that you are interested in as many of them still accept new members. Remember, you are competing against other students, so you want to build a strong application that is unique to you and participating in extracurriculars is an essential to that. Also, apply to honor societies. If you meet their criteria, and you are accepted, they can also boost your application. To all freshman and sophomores: grades are very important for gaining admission to your dream school, but it isn’t just about your GPA. There are an array of factors like extracurriculars, essays, and teacher recommendations. Taking AP courses makes you stand out to colleges who will know your motivation to complete rigorous coursework. Juniors, we are almost at the halfway mark of this year, and although it won’t be easy to make a drastic change in your GPA, it can still be done. Considering that we have 3 marking periods left, by working hard and putting in your best effort, you can definitely improve your GPA. Again, there is still time for you to drastically improve your application! Join extracurriculars and work hard on your grades. Although it may seem that you can’t make a difference at this point, you 100% can. Just start from today. Join extracurriculars, work harder, and just be confident. Confidence and motivation are key to help your success in the college application process, and it all starts from this point on. My third piece of advice: start early! Whether you are a freshman or junior, it is never too early to start preparing for college. Make a checklist consisting of tasks helping you prepare for college season including but not limited to: extracurriculars, grades, recommendation requests, scholarships and essays. Also, research your colleges! Make a list of colleges divided into three sections: reach schools (schools that will be difficult to get into but may have a chance), target schools (schools where you fall well within the range of their requirements and have a decent chance), and safe schools (schools that you have a high chance of getting into). Juniors, around May or June, think of teachers that you know might write you a stellar letter of recommendation and politely request it from them either face to face or by email (whichever option you are comfortable with) as it will give them an early notice and more time to write your letter. Research the schools you will be applying to and make a list of their requirements. I advise you to get a head start on your personal statement essay over the summer and make rough drafts so you can go over it with your English teacher in September. Working on your essay over the summer will allow you to pace yourself in a way that you are not rushed to complete it by the deadline and have a lot of time to think. By researching your colleges, you will get to know what supplemental essays they require, as some will require none, and some can require more than five. It’s all about planning, and the earlier you plan, the better the result will be. Please do not stress out! You will get through with this. It may seem as if it’s the most stressful time of your high school career, but trust me, it’s not. As long as you prepare yourself beforehand and have the confidence to tackle any setback, you won’t need to worry. Remember, plan out your goals for the rest of the year and make a list of tasks to complete by September. The sooner you begin, the more gratifying and successful the experience will be. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Battle of Saragarhi – 21 Sikh Soldiers vs 10,000 Men Rehmat Kaur Volume 5 Issue 3 January 14, 2025 Image Provided by Rehmat Kaur Background In the late 19th century, the British centered a number of stations along the Hindu Kush range. These fortifications were initially built by the great Sikh emperor Maharaja Ranjit Singh during his Western expedition, in which the Sikhs and Afghans battled in the Battle of Jamrud in 1837, establishing the Sikh Empire's western frontier. Following the decline of the Sikh empire, the British took over these positions for the same reason. The British Indian Army attempted to manage the volatile northwest boundary. Despite their attempts, tribal Pashtuns frequently attacked British soldiers, resulting in skirmishes and confrontations with the tribes. Nonetheless, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, also known as the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), was a key place for the Indian Army to hone its tactics and expertise. Afghans started a revolt through the NWFP to channel tribal rage against the British. The 36th Sikh Regiment was charged with guarding the defensive structures of Forts Gulistan and Lockhart, which were near one another. The Orakzai and Afridi tribes had launched attacks on Fort Gulistan during the last two weeks, but both had been repulsed. Saragarhi was established as a communication station utilizing heliographic signaling, a communication technology that involves reflecting sunlight using a mirror and transferring it through hidden signals. Because Fort Lockhart and Fort Gulistan were not in a visual line of sight due to topographical constraints, Saragarhi was critical to preserving the survival of the forts and the safety of the area. A Khanda, a symbol of righteousness, divine knowledge and charity in the Sikh faith The Battle On September 12, 1987, the 21 Sikh troops awoke and began their day by tying their turbans, doing daily meditation and prayers, and carrying out their daily responsibilities. However, another revolt began to lay siege to Fort Lockhart and Saragarhi, seeking to gain possession of the post. One of the lookouts yelled as the large bulk approached the horizon. 19-year-old Gurmukh Singh hurried to the signaling tower to operate the heliograph, which transmitted signals about the situation to Fort Lockhart. He requested that aid be provided as around 10,000 tribesmen marched towards them. The response he received was bleak, stating that if they dispatched relief, it would reach the post too late, and they could not leave their fort undefended. The defenders, operated by NWFP veteran Havildar Ishar Singh, opted to hold their base, which consisted of a tiny block house with loop-holed walls and a signaling tower. Ishar Singh instructed his soldiers to remain and fight. Despite the tense atmosphere created by the awareness that death is likely and being outnumbered by thousands of tribesmen, the Sikh soldiers refused to surrender. Gurmukh Singh returned to his signaling tower and remained there, documenting every occurrence that took place to Lieutenant Colonel Haughton, the commanding the 36th Sikh Regiment, who ordered that the events be recorded. The Sikhs began unloading ammunition at the dense multitude, which was coming down on them and storming the outer wall. A bullet from one of the guns struck Sepoy Bhagwan Singh, who died on the scene. Naik Lal Singh, although severely hurt, managed to move Bhagwan's body to the inner wall with the assistance of another sepoy. However, Lal Singh would eventually fall due to his injuries. The tribal chiefs had been arguing with the surviving Sikhs to surrender, promising them protection, and presenting rewards of riches and rank if they simply vacated their positions. But no man acknowledged the proposal because they were determined to continue fighting until the end. As the afternoon progressed, the tribesmen devised another strategy: they set fire to the area surrounding the post, allowing them to breach the wall. Havildar Ishar Singh, who had been gravely injured, shouts a piercing battle cry and surges forward with sword and pistol in hand, heroically combating the attacker before being overtaken by his severe injuries. Knowing the end is close, the few remaining Sikhs rush to confront the charging attackers. One by one, the tribesmen kill the Sikh soldiers in return for more of their dead. There remained only one Sikh defender: Sepoy Gurmukh Singh in his signaling tower. He sent one last message, requesting permission to take up his rifle. When Lieutenant Colonel Haughton approved, Gurmukh Singh packed up his heliographic equipment and grabbed his gun as the tribesmen burst through the door. The Colonel looks in astonishment via his telescope as the young detachment signaler kills man after man, a total of 20 tribesmen. The Colonel watched him in awe through his telescope as the young detachment signaler took down 20 tribesmen one after one. Smoke began to rise as instead of confronting Gurmukh Singh, the tribesmen set fire to the tower. Gurmukh Singh sat down, content with his fate, and screamed the Sikh battle cry, “Bole So Nihaal, Sat Sri Akal (Victory belongs to the ones who chant the divine name of God with pure heart).” He was the last to fall in Saragarhi. The signal post had been seized, but the valiancy of the 21 Sikh soldiers allowed forces from neighboring forts to attack the rebellious tribesmen. Finally, the British reclaimed the signaling post near the highland village of Saragarhi. Their Legacy The British Parliament gave the Saragarhi soldiers a standing ovation, and Queen Victoria commended their heroic deeds The Battle of Saragarhi was the first instance in British military history where every soldier who participated in a combat operation received the Gallantry award, the highest military honor. They also received the Indian Order of Merit Class III. Saragarhi Day is commemorated by the Indian Army's Sikh Regiment on September 12th each year. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Joe Biden Leads in Major Polls By Everton Prospere Volume 1 Issue 1 November 1, 2020 Image provided by NBC News As of October 28th, former Vice President Joe Biden maintains a lead in major polls nationwide over incumbent, Donald Trump. Polls conducted by NBC, CNN, and Fox currently show that the Democratic nominee holds a seven to ten point lead nationwide as well as in key swing states. In the battleground state of Florida, NBC news shows Biden holds the lead in seven polls, while the incumbent only holds the lead in one. Biden also holds the lead in all eight polls reported by NBC news in Pennsylvania, a state that historically is won by Democrats. However, in the 2016 election Pennsylvania was won by the Republican party. CNN reports that Joe Biden holds the lead in over 80 polls nationwide by an average of ten points, a historical lead in which only Bill Clinton held a higher poll lead in elections since 1968. (In comparison, Donald Trump holds the lead in no polls according to CNN, or none outside the poll’s margin of error). Fox news reports that the Democratic nominee holds a seven and a half point lead nationwide over the incumbent. In Georgia and Texas, states considered to be new to the battleground name that have historically voted Republican, Fox reports Joe Biden is catching up to Trump. In a recent Georgia poll Biden is tied with Trump, while in Texas, Trump maintains a four point lead. It should be noted that Georgia is historically known to go to the Republican Party. While many voters question the accuracy of polls, David Wasserman of NBC news stated that “Trump would probably need a larger polling miss than in 2016 to win re-election, and there’s no guarantee a systemic polling error this year would run in his favor”. Therefore, the polls are unlikely to err in the incumbent’s favor. In addition, Biden’s lead is steady in comparison to Clinton’s lead in 2016, proving that there is a more likely chance that these polls will reflect an accurate outcome. However, news sites such as The Hill report that the polls are wrong for multiple reasons. Authors at The Hill state that the tone of the questions, the sample of respondents, and the distrust of polls among Trump supporters should be taken into account because they are factors that may cause a lack of understanding and the President could be re-elected. Although there may be conflict regarding whether the polls are accurate, it is clear that Joe Biden currently has the lead by a large number. With that being said, all registered voters can exercise their voice in democracy, and only time will tell the actual outcome of the 2020 Presidential Election. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Fiction, Polaris Back to Sections Precious Gems By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 Image provided by Elaine Ching Amidst the branches Pearl-like blooms with golden cores, Nature's precious gems BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Jensen McRae: An Unsung Lyricist Noa Cordova Volume 5 Issue 4 April 8, 2025 “I read your fortune… I saw the mother-wound.” I happened to scroll to Jensen McRae singing about her third date with someone: my introduction to her profound lyricism and my favorite artist.  Instantly impressed, I turned to Spotify to find her only official album, Are You Happy Now? released in 2022. Naturally, I deemed it my favorite album. I would consider the album a sung story about maturing and personal discovery through her perspective as a woman of color. One House Down From the Girl Next Door Following her across media platforms, I’ve learned about her journey as a musician and as a person as she openly shares her experiences through social media and most notably, her music. Born in Los Angeles, she cherishes her Californian roots and currently uses her platform to bring awareness to the wildfires through song. She shared that although accepted to Harvard University, she chose to pursue music at the University of Southern California’s Thorton School of Music. The twenty-seven-year-old songwriter nicknames herself the girl one house down from the girl next door, highlighting her disconnection to the American female archetype. This Love Letter Begins: Are You Happy Now? Top 5 Tracks Are You Happy Now? rightfully earns the title of a “no-skip” album, with each track telling a compelling story independently of the others. Her two debut singles included in the album, “Wolves” and “White Boy” powerfully showcase her experiences as a woman of color. “Wolves” metaphorically describes losing your innocent worldview and keeping your guard up as a woman after threatening experiences with seemingly friendly men. “Wolves” precisely details an experience that women too frequently face and can fully appreciate through her song without McRae explicitly stating it. “White Boy” encapsulates her self-given nickname and her tacit competition with “white” girls in romantic relationships as a woman of color as she writes, “white girl arrives, I turn invisible.”   With a strong identity crisis theme, “My Ego Dies At The End” remains her top song on Spotify. Singing about a dream, she illustrates the surreal feeling of losing soul-searching and desperately trying to define yourself; we can all relate to thinking we’ve lost ourselves, explaining the nineteen million Spotify streams. “Machines” flows like a poem with a simple but pivotal moment in each stanza working together to tell a coming-of-age narrative. Her lyricism sticks with you as she opens her poetic mind and shares that she outgrew superpowers, met God, drank for the first time, and learned the cost of growing up. Lastly, inspiring the subheading, I consider “Adam’s Ribs” a masterpiece. Written as a biblical allusion, “Adam’s Ribs” McRae sings from Eve’s perspective, “to Adam, from your ribs.” While it speaks keenly to Christians as a novel, religious take on a love song, anyone familiar with Genesis can appreciate her artistic approach to highlighting her experience as a female in relationships. Beyond the Album: Are You Happy Now? While McRae only released one album in 2022, she continues posting her songwriting across social media platforms for her followers and recently announced her sophomore album I Don’t Know How but They Found Me coming out in April. Unsurprisingly, her unreleased songs astound me as much as her released album tracks. I would consider Jensen McRae a growing, but critically underrated artist worthy of recognition. Her masterful songwriting, pure voice, and fitting background instrumentals make her songs wise additions to a playlist. I encourage you to listen to the tracks I nominated top five, but know you have another ten album tracks to add to the ranking or you could pick from her entire discography. I hope you’re happy now. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections First Day of School Traditions Around the World By Carolina Grace Figueroa Volume 2 Issue 1 October 8, 2021 Image provided by Little Passports Schools around the globe have different start dates, calendars, and traditions. The first day of a new term at school is an exciting time filled with prospects of gaining more knowledge, making new friends, and building community. I enjoy learning about different cultures and found some fascinating traditions to mark the start of the school year in other countries. Children from other countries celebrate back to school in fun, different, and exciting ways. First-day back-to-school traditions from around the world include: In Japan, parents traditionally send their kids a lunch of rice, seaweed sauce, and quail eggs on the first day of school. This symbolizes good luck for the new school year. Children also receive a stiff, hard-sided backpack (called randoseru ) as a present on their first day of elementary school to carry all their school supplies. The randoseru helps form a kind of cultural unity and bond that brings the kids together. In Indonesia, the focus of the first day of school is to help children get acquainted and make new friends rather than getting right into academic lessons. Schools use this first day to organize kids into social peer groups for fun activities and as an orientation for students to get to know each other. This creates a sense of community environment for them. In India, the first day of school (called praveshanolsavam , or “Admissions Day”) also coincides with the beginning of the rainy, monsoon season. Parents often give their children unique gifts, including a brand-new umbrella, along with other fun goodies. In Germany, on the first day of school, parents often give their children a schultuete (“school cone”), which is a giant paper, plastic, or cone-shaped cardboard package that is decorated and filled to the brim with school supplies, candies, treats and other small gifts. This marks new beginnings and is given to make the children’s new school year a little sweeter! In Italy, children wear a “work smock” or “work coat” (called grembiule ) over their clothes in primary school. In Kindergarten, girls wear pink and red checkers, while boys wear blue and white checkers. After first grade, the smocks are a deep blue color. The children must also wear a specific color of ribbon to indicate what grade they are in. In Kazakhstan, each child brings a single flower to their new teacher on the first day of school. The teacher then gathers all the flowers together to make one large bouquet for the classroom. Parents also give their children a present containing sweets, a pencil, and a candle. Teachers and parents arrange a friend’s ceremony and food-feast so students can get together to make new friends. In Holland, children are transported safely in an eco-friendly cargo bike (called bakfietsen ) on the first day of school. This cargo bike consists of a large box, cart, or basket with wheels attached to the front of an adult bike. What a fun way to be transported to school! In Vietnam, students are dressed and ready to perform for their family, friends, and local officials that have gathered to send them off on the first day of school. After the colorful ceremonies, this nationwide festival holds traditional games and artistic performances for the children to enjoy together. In Russia, the first day of school is known as “Knowledge and Skills Day,” when a traditional ceremony of the “first bell” is held, where one of the younger girls is hoisted up onto the shoulders of an older boy who carries her around the line of students as she rings the first bell to mark the start of school. The children must wear formal attire to school. Children also often bring a fresh flower bouquet for their teacher and receive a balloon in return. In America, children wear a brand new first day of school outfit and pose for a picture, sometimes holding a sign which has the school year or grade they are entering written on it. Taken every year on the first day of school, these photos mark how much the child has grown and progressed from year to year. Parents may also complete the first day of school interview page, like an “All About Me” questionnaire, with their child or leave lunchbox love notes as a surprise! The start of the new school year around the world has, of course, been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic this year. Every school year, the beginning of a new grade gives children an opportunity for a fresh start and to set new goals for themselves, either socially, academically, athletically, or personally. Each first day of school is such a milestone in children’s lives and always a memorable moment. Good luck to every student worldwide on their first day back to school for this new school year! Hopefully, these first days back to school, cultural ceremonies, and traditions will see a more sense of normalcy next year. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections It’s Okay to Have Friends Jasmine Roberts Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by Annie Diep Mental health problems are among the greatest concerns for Gen Z. Maintaining one's mental health is imperative to the mobility of the self; it is the self-care be fore facial soaps and painted lips. Excessive self-diagnosing and negative outlooks on life among Gen Z contribute significantly to mental health concerns. The negative moments of a person’s life are often labeled as “trauma”, even when said “trauma” does not correlate to the scientific studies of how trauma operates. Has mental illness now become trivialized from the point of view of those who are genuinely impacted by it? Is it now “normal” to suffer? Does being happy mean that there is no substance within you, that you aren’t “deep”? Realistically, the world can be bitter and disappointing, and enforcing ideas of loneliness or solitude on social media apps and each other can compound the problem. It’s vital that Gen Z young people engage with each other and find healthy ways to cope with the ever-changing world and learn to perceive the world with more optimism. If subliminal messages say much, it is known that drilling negative ideas into the core of the mind will have detrimental impacts. It's okay to touch grass and breathe fresh air, and it’s okay to be that happy person who smiles at a squirrel eating a nut. It’s okay to live in your own little world as time moves on and the flowers in your tiny garden grow. However, please stay informed about wars and famines, and question the system, but don’t forget to do it with a smile and as open a mind as possible. Entering adulthood has its challenges, so let’s not take for granted the time of gold we have now before that gold becomes iron and rusts away. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections Ramadan and Eid in Islam By Nidha Dar and Mairaab Jahangir Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Image provided by India TV Have you ever seen or heard Eid and Ramadan greetings and wondered what they are all about? Why do Muslims celebrate Eid and Ramadan and when do they do so? What is the Muslim way of celebrating Eid and Ramadan? These are only a few questions out of a plethora that many people typically have about the Islamic month and holidays. In this article, we will be explaining a bit about both Eid and Ramadan. To begin, it is almost necessary to start with Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and occurs when the new crescent moon is first sighted. Because the Islamic calendar is based on the phases of the moon, Ramadan goes back approximately 10-11 days each year. Ramadan mainly holds significance in Islam because it is regarded as the time when the Quran was first revealed to the prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him). Additionally - it is a time of year when Muslims overall truly acknowledge the blessings that they have, and overall thank Allah for them. During Ramadan, it has been taught to Muslims through the actions of the prophet to fast for 30 days from sunrise to sunset, and fasting being one of the five pillars of Islam. Fasting includes abstinence from drinking, eating, immoral activities, and rage. Other acts of worship such as prayer, reading the Quran, and charitable giving are encouraged during this time. During the month, Muslims rise early almost every day to eat suhoor , a pre-dawn meal, and break their fast with iftar , a meal occurring at sunset. Not all Muslims are required to fast though - children, the elderly, those who are pregnant, those who are menstruating and those who have medical related health problems are exempt from fasting. If a person cannot fast, it is recommended that they make up their fast later in time, but if they cannot, they can make charitable payments known as fidya or kaffara . These help to provide to those who are less fortunate with a meal to sustain them for a day, which in turn is equivalent in action to fasting. Eid directly translates from Arabic into English as the festival or feast. In a typical Islamic year, there are two major Eids, Eid al-Fitr earlier in the year (in the Islamic month of Shawwal) and Eid al-Adha later on in the year (in the Islamic month of Dhul-Hijjah). Both are extremely important holidays in the religion of Islam, both with their respective and differing purposes. Eid al-Fitr simply means "the festival of breaking the fast", and is usually a three-day lasting celebration with special morning prayers. People exchange ceremonial embraces and greet one another with the phrase "Eid Mubarak," which translates as "Blessed festival." Meals are prepared at home, and gifts or money are given to younger members of the family and those in need. People will typically dress in their very best clothing, usually of their own cultural background. Muslims are taught to forgive and to seek forgiveness during these days. Practices on the days of Eid-al-Fitr vary from country to country, culture to culture, and even household to household. The other Eid, Eid al-Adha, is known as the "Festival of Sacrifice." It comes at the end of the Hajj, a pilgrimage that millions of Muslims undertake (if they are able to afford it) to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia (Hajj is also one of the five pillars of Islam). Eid al-Adha commemorates Allah's command to Ibrahim (may peace be upon him) to sacrifice his son Ismail (may peace be upon him) as a testament of his faith. The story, as told in the Quran, depicts Shaytaan or Satan’s attempt to tempt Ibrahim (may peace be upon him) into disobeying Allah's command. Ibrahim (may peace be upon him), on the other hand, remains dedicated to his actions and informs Ismail (may peace be upon him), who agrees to be sacrificed. But, just as Ibrahim (may peace be upon him) is about to slaughter his child, Allah intervenes and a sheep is sacrificed in his place. Muslims slaughter an animal during Eid al-Adha to remember Ibrahim’s (may peace be upon him) sacrifice and to remind themselves of the need to submit to Allah's will. Most of the meat from this Eid is donated to those less fortunate, or given to local family friends. A small portion of the meat is kept to the family who paid for the animal, mainly as a token of charity. On this Eid people wear their best clothing as well, and spend time with family. Both Eid and Ramadan prove to be pivotal times in Islam. With the variety of culture in the United States, more and more people are learning about what they are, and further educating themselves about Islam. As of two years ago, the Valley Stream schools close for Eid. May everyone who celebrated Eid and Ramadan have had a pleasant time, and for those who didn’t, we hope you learned a little bit about Eid and Ramadan. BACK TO TOP