ARCHIVES VOLUME 3 2022 - 2023 VOLUME 1 2020 - 2021 Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 "PERIASTRON" Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 "SIRIUS'S SCINTILLATION" Volume 1 Issue 7 April 22, 2021 "KUIPER BELT" Volume 1 Issue 3 December 16, 2020 "THE GREAT CONJUNCTION" Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 "COSMODROME" Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 "RED GIANT" Volume 1 Issue 5 February 12, 2021 "FRIENDSHIP 7" Volume 1 Issue 1 November 1, 2020 "PROTOSTAR" VOLUME 2 2021 - 2022 Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 "PERIHELION" Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 "ARCTURUS" Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 "PARALLAX" Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 "PROXIMA B" Volume 2 Issue 5 March 28, 2022 "ANTIKYTHERA" Volume 2 Issue 1 October 8, 2021 "EXOMOON" Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 "MONOCEROS"

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 5 February 12, 2021 "FRIENDSHIP 7" ARTICLES 2022 Midterm Elections Not Far Away: Possibility of a Polar Opposite of 2018 Results By Logan Balsan News Read More Blackened Beige & Bleached Beige By Osaiyekemwen Ogbemudia Polaris Read More Creative Writing Review By Noah Gonzalez Feature Read More Double Standards: State Instruction Allows for High-Risk Sports but Not Performance Groups By Craig Papajohn-Shaw and Lucy Wu Editorial Read More Government, Media, and the Pandemic: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly By Lucy Wu Editorial Read More M'oreal By Nora Chery Polaris Read More North Honor Society Inductees Sworn In By Garrick Neuner and Craig Papajohn-Shaw News Read More REVIEW: John P. McCarthy takes a break from editing the Sports Section to watch (and rank) Disney Movies By John McCarthy Entertainment & Media Read More Social Media By Christiana Fredriks Entertainment & Media Read More The Amazing Kayla Santo By John McCarthy Sports Read More The History of the Iceberg A68A By Cody Sung Science & Technology Read More The Sasquatch: Fact or Fake? By Matteo Somma Science & Technology Read More What is Being Done About Mental Health at VSN? By Craig Papajohn-Shaw Editorial Read More Ask Ala: Valentine's Day By Ala Paruch Advice Read More Claudette Colvin, the Girl Who Made History Before Rosa Parks By Shinedip Kundlas Feature Read More Don't act, just be. By Alain Deen Feature Read More Effects of Videogames By Rachel Ezeadichie Science & Technology Read More Just Dance! By Ismaela Andre Entertainment & Media Read More NASA Artemis: We Are Going By Elyas Layachi Science & Technology Read More Painting Seashells By Carolina Figueroa Art & Culture Read More Reflections on I, Too By Sasha Smalls Art & Culture Read More Story Behind the Shot 03 By Eva Grace Martinez Entertainment & Media Read More The Excitement of Twitch Channel Point Predictions By Garrick Neuner Entertainment & Media Read More The Obesity of Squirrels By Manal Layachi Feature Read More Valentines’ Sweets By Christina Ossa Feature Read More BLACK AMERICAN ARTISTS LOAD MORE

North's Art Honor Society donates 10+ portraits to the children in Syria through their partnership with the Memory project. Scroll below to view some. ARTWORK CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW ARTWORK MEMORY PROJECT LOAD MORE GALLERY LOAD MORE

Back to Artwork Who Am I Back to Sections Anonymous - Who Am I? - 7 By Anonymous November 19, 2021 Volume 2 Issue 2

Back to Artwork Art Guild Back to Sections Fruit Bowl By Isabella Somma November 24, 2020 Sharpie, Pen Volume 1 Issue 2

Back to Artwork Heckscher Back to Sections Broken Entry 11 April 14, 2022 Photography Volume 2 Issue 6

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections College Essay Noa Cordova Volume 5 Issue 5 July 5, 2025 Image Provided by Noa Cordova In 1300 Words or Less, Advise Incoming Seniors on College Essay Writing “Some colleges require submission of the personal essay with your Common App. ” It’s the final tab on the Common App, prompting you to summarize your whole life story in 650 words or less, except, it’s not. College essays provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate an integral part of yourself that the academic achievements on your transcript and extracurricular activities on your resume cannot reveal. College admissions officers should meet you through your writing. While it could, your essay does not have to cover monumental life experiences, it could cover something seemingly insignificant, but of great value to you. Choosing a topic challenges you to pinpoint significant experiences or details to develop an essay. Ideally, you should brainstorm essay topic ideas during your senior summer so you can start drafting over the summer or early fall with guidance from your English teachers. While the Common App essay prompts open early August, you’re not required to answer a specific prompt, and the prompts do not vary much year to year, so if you have an idea, feel free to start developing it before the Common App releases prompts. One of the best pieces of advice I received was to approach your essay as a creative writing piece, according to Mrs. Mansfield, an AP Literature teacher and college essay advisor to her senior students. Typically, we associate essays with research and arguments, but in this case, it’s a personal narrative, and you have the creative freedom to make it a distinctive, enthralling writing piece. According to The Ivy Institute, a college advice blog, admissions officers spend about 90 seconds reviewing personal essays. With this in mind, it's crucial to capture admissions officers’ attention. To do this effectively, begin with a strong hook and “show, don’t tell”, as Mrs. Mansfield stresses to her seniors. Get Them Hooked A hook, an attention-grabbing opening statement, serves to keep a reader interested in a piece of writing. A few generous Class of 2025 seniors shared their hooks as examples. Some hooks introduce the topic directly, putting readers in the writer's shoes, eager to want to hear their story. For example: “‘Why do you try so hard at school?’” “‘People are happy when I get good grades.’” Using dialogue as a hook creates a fly-on-the-wall moment for readers, including them in an explanatory conversation in the writer’s life. “If you look in the mirror and don’t like what you see, you can find out firsthand what it’s like to be me.” To an angsty twelve-year-old listening to My Chemical Romance’s song, “The End.” From the album The Black Parade for the first time, these lyrics perfectly described what it felt like to “be me.” Song lyrics, or quotes, are other effective ways to hook readers. Additionally, their sources naturally reveal the writer’s interests along with their essay topic. In this case, readers learn about the students’ love for alternative rock music and how the lyrics resonated with their self-image journey. Other functional hooks leave the essay’s topic mysterious, which may intrigue admissions officers because they can’t anticipate the essay’s direction. For example: “I hate talking about my dad. Not my dad as a person, but rather what’s inside of him. The thing that has weighed over my family for twelve years.” This essay’s strategically vague hook introduces a mysterious “thing” that significantly impacted this student’s life and leaves readers in suspense, only anticipating a compelling, touching narrative. “I was the last to find out.” This short, cryptic hook’s ambiguity sets up an essay that could take almost any direction. The writer shared the essay discussed their heritage and experiences as the youngest siblings where they were the last to find out about their family’s past, deaths in the family or the realities of their refugee family; the writer takes a simple idea in their life and takes their essay in a complex direction, which the hook leaves unpredictable. Lastly, I’ll share mine. “I was an Egyptian mummy once.” A seemingly contradictory hook can add a unique flair to your essay, much like the mysterious hooks; not only do you leave the topic a mystery, but it prompts readers to keep reading to figure out how an implausible statement makes sense by the end of your essay. Show Don’t Tell The idea that you should show who you are rather than tell enhances your essay and makes it flow like a narrative rather than a factual essay you’d write in an academic setting. You can show certain attributes through techniques, including, but not limited to, dialogue (internal or external), metaphors, or describing an experience in detail. Rather than tell an admissions officer, “I am proud of my culture,” describe a cultural event or influences of your culture in your daily life. Instead of writing, “I am always thinking about others,” add dialogue outlining an interaction that highlights your thoughtfulness. Use italics , bold words , underlined words , or write in CAPITAL LETTERS to visually grab your reader’s attention and distinguish internal thoughts or yelling from regular writing. By the end, as Mrs. Mansfield tells her students, a phrase like “this made me who I am today” should be unnecessary and omitted altogether from your final draft because your essay should demonstrate that your topic impacted you and “made you who you are” without explicitly stating it. Supplementary Essays, Supplementary Advice Although your college essay gets sent to each college as your main essay, most colleges require one or more supplemental essays, which are shorter than your college essay. When choosing a topic, consider writing about something the rest of your application doesn’t reflect; avoid repeating yourself and aim to show as many sides of yourself as possible. A common supplementary essay is the “why this college” essay. In my experience, it’s best to treat this prompt like a mini-research task. You might love the college but find yourself with a limited ability to describe why, or you may not be that interested in the college, so answering the “why” prompt is especially challenging. You should consult the college’s website to learn about course offerings, student life, and most importantly, the school’s culture. If you know what you want to major in, check the program for that college and pick distinct aspects of the program unique to the college, not something most colleges have, like a study abroad opportunity. You can also discuss a club or activity you did throughout high school that you’d like to continue throughout your college years. For example, for my “why” essays, I found the names of each school newspaper and expressed my interest in joining. University social media pages on Instagram and TikTok can give you helpful insight into what university life is like at a particular school. The most important thing about a “why” essay is specificity, demonstrating your interest by naming opportunities to show you’ve looked into the school and prove to the college that you can fit within their community. Final Advice (200 words or less) You’ve likely heard it before, but I’ll reiterate it: write about what you want to write about, not what you think admissions officers want to read. Writing what you think admissions officers want to read risks originality and authenticity, arguably the most important components of a successful essay. If your essay is causing you immense stress, remember, the admissions officer reviews your application holistically, so it’s just one small aspect of a bigger picture they’re considering. Test out different topics, write rough drafts, experiment with words and perspectives, and while looking at others’ examples can be inspiring, be careful not to compare your writing harshly. Don’t hesitate to ask trusted people for assistance, without diminishing your voice. Best of luck, incoming seniors, with telling your story in 650 words or less. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Chalk Pastel Peppers Back to Sections Chalk Pastel Peppers- Wali Ahmad Wali Ahmad November 6, 2023 Chalk Pastel Volume 4 Issue 1

Back to Artwork Lights On for Education Back to Sections Robert Moses Bridge By Olivia Muscatelli April 22, 2021 Photography Volume 1 Issue 7

Back to Articles News Back to Sections MSA's Annual Eid Festival Wardah Khizer Volume 5 Issue 5 July 5, 2025 Image Provided by Afaf Aswad Valley Stream North’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) became an official club during the 2024–2025 school year, although it first began forming the previous year. During last year, the MSA hosted their first Eid Festival, with hopes of making it an annual tradition. This event was made possible thanks to generous donations from members, who contributed decorations, ideas, and other resources. The festival received strong support and appreciation from both Valley Stream North staff and the broader Valley Stream Central High School District staff. During the school year of 2024-2025, several changes were made to the MSA. Now recognized as an official club, they have gained the ability to raise funds. With that support, they were able to upgrade their Eid Festival by purchasing better decorations, catering food from local halal restaurants (while still accepting donations), buying prizes for games, and offering henna designs. The turnout was larger than expected, with around 60 to 70 people in attendance. Thanks to the combination of catering and contributions from members, a wide variety of food was offered, and it was clear that everyone was eager to try it and have fun. Co-Presidents Afaf Aswad and Anum Zafar, along with Vice President Mariam Balde, worked hard, alongside the other dedicated officers and club advisor, Mr. Disclafani, to make the festival a success. This event was of great personal importance to them, as they wanted it to have a positive impact on the school community. Balde stated, “ I hope that the Eid party encourages the other organizations at our school to be even more outspoken about their mission to provide community for us students and to host similar events to bring students, faculty, and parents together.” Aswad stated that celebrations such as the Eid Festival are necessary, explaining that “[r]ecognizing holidays fosters inclusion, respect, and a sense of belonging among students from various backgrounds, which affirms students' identities and promotes cultural understanding.” Events like these provide students with the opportunity to share parts of their culture and religion that may not always be represented in mainstream school activities. By highlighting important traditions like Eid, the MSA creates a welcoming environment where students feel seen and valued for who they are. Balde agreed and added that schools that haven’t hosted cultural events like this should consider doing so because, “It is so incredibly important for students of similar [and different] backgrounds...to be exposed to events like this, as it encourages the celebration of diversity and educates them about different customs.” She emphasizes that cultural events not only support students who identify with a particular tradition but also create learning opportunities for those unfamiliar with it. By engaging in these celebrations, students and staff alike are given a chance to grow in empathy, understanding, and appreciation for the diverse community around them. Full Interview with President Afaf Aswad and Vice President Mariam Balde: Why is it important for schools to acknowledge and celebrate diverse religious and cultural holidays like Eid? Aswad: “Schools must acknowledge and celebrate diverse religious and cultural holidays, such as Eid. Recognizing holidays fosters inclusion, respect, and a sense of belonging among students from various backgrounds, which affirms students' identities and promotes cultural understanding. Schools that celebrate a variety of holidays demonstrate the importance of diversity and respect, which are essential to education.” How do you hope the Eid party influences future events or programs around diversity at school? Balde: “Our school is already so diverse. We have multiple clubs and student-oriented activities, including the BSU, Alliance, and Culture Society, that all demonstrate the importance of community and visibility. I hope that the Eid party encourages the other organizations at our school to be even more outspoken about their mission to provide community for us students and to host similar events to bring students, faculty, and parents together.” What would you say to schools that have not yet hosted cultural or religious events like this? Balde: “To schools that have yet to host cultural or religious events like this, I would encourage them to start. It is so incredibly important for students of similar backgrounds to be able to gather outside of school and equally important for students other cultural or religious backgrounds to be exposed to events like this as to encourage the celebration of diversity and educate them about different customs.” BACK TO TOP