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Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Culture Fair: Culturally Diverse Cuisine By Christina Ossa Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 Image provided by Christina Ossa On Friday, March 17th, North High School’s Language Honors Society and Culture Society hosted North’s annual Culture Fair! A night filled with dance, food, and community, the culture fair was a huge hit with families and students alike. And part of the reason was, of course, the wide selection of food available at the fair. We’ll delve into the delicious creations provided by North’s very own students and families as well as local restaurants in the Valley Stream/Long Island community. Greek Corner (281 Franklin Ave, Franklin Square, NY 11010): Located on Franklin Avenue, this restaurant serves primarily Greek food, which is delicious! They provided a delicious Greek salad and Souvlaki skewers. Capo (700 A Franklin Ave Suite A, Franklin Square, NY 11010): Located also on Franklin Avenue, Capo is a restaurant that serves both American and Italian cuisine! Here they provided mac and cheese balls which were a hit at the fair. Il Corso (121 Rockaway Ave, Valley Stream, NY 11580): Located on Rockaway Avenue in Valley Stream, Il Corso serves primarily Italian pastries. Here they provided an assortment of Italian cookies. Kumo (434 Dogwood Ave #3349 , Franklin Square, NY 11010): Located on Dogwood Avenue, Kumo is a Japanese restaurant known for its delicious sushi. Here, they provided an assortment of sushi which everyone at the fair quickly ate! Verdi’s of Westbury (680 Old Country Road, Westbury): Located on Old Country Road in Westbury, Verdi’s is a restaurant that primarily serves Italian food. Here, they served delectable servings of Penne Ala Vodka and Chicken Frances. And thanks to food not featured from Prince Umberto’s (721 Franklin Ave, Franklin Square, NY 11010), Tessa Bakery ( https://www.instagram.com/tessa_bakery/ ), DaQueen Cupcake Cafe ( https://daqueencupcakecafe.com/ ), and The Sweet Life Bake Shop (988 Hempstead Turnpike, Franklin Square, NY 11010)! Also, a huge shoutout to everyone else who brought in food not featured for the culture fair from cultures all around the world. The culture fair could not have been such a success without these contributions from our student body and their families! A night to remember, the Culture Fair ran smoothly and was a huge success again this year. Featuring multiple dishes representing a variety of cultures, you could even try at it to recreate some of your favorite dishes from the event! And of course, a huge shout out to the restaurants that participated in food donations for the event. The event was spectacular, and if you attended or not you should definitely give a visit to the featured restaurants. Support our community by visiting these restaurants, and revel in the cultural diversity that North’s community exults! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections Hispanic Heritage Month By Disha Bhalla Volume 2 Issue 1 October 8, 2021 Image provided by Arkansas Soul Have you been hearing announcements every day on the loudspeaker about something called Hispanic Heritage Month ? Hispanic Heritage Month or el Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana takes place every year from September 15th to October 15th and is a period of time for recognizing the influence and contributions of Hispanic Americans to the culture, achievements, and history of the United States. Since the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15th, North’s very own Culture Society has had its members prepare short introductions of many famous and well-known Hispanic American figures, as well as a bit about Spanish food recently. We even had our members try to incorporate Spanish into their announcements, with our Culture Society officers Disha Bhalla and Lucy Wu speaking their announcements completely in Spanish! We have covered famous and influential Hispanic American figures like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, or AOC, Sonia Sotomayor, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Rita Moreno, and Marco Rubio as well as even covering a Spanish food called Tostones . In the upcoming days, we will be covering individuals like Gloria Estefan, Ted Cruz, Ellen Ochoa, and Spanish foods like Dulce de Leche and Llapingachos . Some ways in which we all can celebrate or participate in Hispanic Heritage Month is by supporting a Hispanic Business, trying out a new Hispanic dish like the ones we have and will talk about, enjoying some Hispanic music and movies, and trying to learn some more Spanish on your own! Also, be on the lookout for the Culture Society’s announcements on Hispanic Heritage month every morning until October 15th to learn more about famous Hispanic American figures and some popular Hispanic foods! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Line Back to Sections Karina McNamara - What is Line By Karina McNamara November 1, 2020 Marker Volume 1 Issue 1

Back to Articles News, Feature Back to Sections Snowball Dance Max Ching Volume 4 Issue 3 March 13, 2024 Image Provided by Christmas for the City The second-ever Snowball Dance took place at North High School on January 19th, and many students ranging from 7-9 graders arrived at this event. This dance had the theme of, “A Night in Paris,” and the cafetorium was decorated with Paris-themed decorations that made it feel like you really were in France. So, because this event was incredibly magical, I’ve decided to go over this event, such as the music, food and refreshments, decorations, along with student opinions, and what they thought about this event. One particularly important detail for dances is music, right? Well, what songs were played you ask? Well, the DJ made sure that the songs he played were good, and they sure were. Songs like “Flashing Lights,” and “Runaway” by Kanye West were played. Some other songs that played were “Shut Up and Dance,” “Macarena,” “Call Me Maybe,” and many, many more. The DJ made sure that everyone had a fun and wondrous time. Another especially important detail for a dance is food and refreshments, and the district made sure that students had plenty to eat. The Crave Shack provided many delicious foods that students enjoyed. Some of the foods served were burgers, chicken tenders, French fries, and more. Along with the Crave Shack, pizzas were also served in the latter half of the dance. There were also many snacks, like pretzels, and chips, along with many desserts like cookies and brownies near the end of the wonderful event. Foods were all served by staff members and PTA members. Since the theme for this dance was “A Night in Paris,” there were sure a lot of Paris-themed decorations at this event. There were dark-colored Paris-themed decorations on the walls, there were decorations on the stage, decorations on the tables, and there were multiple Paris-themed decorations all over the cafetorium. Another big hit for decorations was the photo booth, right near the stage, where students could take photos, along with accessories that matched the theme of this occasion. Like I previously mentioned at the beginning of this article, I promised that I would state what multiple students thought of this occasion, like what they enjoyed, and what they wanted to be improved, because what is the point of covering something, without people’s opinions? Anyway, the first opinion I have is from a student named Kyle Cooper. Kyle says “It was a crazy but fun experience. I have no complaints.” Another student named Rachael Marto says, “The music was good, the activities were fun, and it was fun, but the downside was that we had to wait a while for the food.” A third student named Anthony Disalvio says, “I wanted more food, and more details like lights.” The fourth student is someone who didn’t want their name in the article. This anonymous person states, “I think the dance was fun; it was very good but also, I think there was a bit of a crowd in my opinion. Overall, it was very fun and had a lot of music, food, and everything in general was well done so the dance in my opinion was good.” So, it appears that while those students enjoyed the dance, they wanted the food to be served a little bit sooner and that they also wanted more details, like lights and decorations, and more food. Overall, that was the Snowball Dance. That was my report on the songs, food, decorations, and student opinions. Overall, the Snowball Dance was a very, very wondrous occasion, and I hope that there are more events like this in the future. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Obbession By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by Green Robe Girl just tell me why It feels like you're obsessed with me Cuz you've been spreading rumors Like its butter on bread, please   Obsession ain't a good thing honey You need to drop it, please Cuz you've been painting pictures Like I'm someone that you know   We used to be best buddies, now look at us, oh Sitting on opposite sides of the room We used to gossip all day Now I can't stand the sight of you   You’re the one that wants to fight but you’re the victim too? Playing both sides of the story doesn't look too good for you After all you can't be the villain and the hero too Every story there's one main character, and that sure ain't darn you   Laughing at each other's jokes, now I just want to choke All those pictures in my room, need to burn them down Accusing me of hurting you when I actually sewed you back Wished I saw your true colors, before it was too late   Girl just tell me why It feels like you're obsessed with me Cuz you've been spreading rumors Like its butter on bread, please   Obsession ain't a good thing honey You need to drop it, please Cuz you've been painting pictures Like I'm someone that you know   Every class we had together, we were inseparable, oh Now I make sure we're as separate as can be Paring up for every class, now I run across the room Only god knows why I trusted you   Spilled all my secrets to your so called "friends" Hope they're treating you like you've treated me, facts All that staring you've been doing, isn't getting you anywhere So I suggest you drop the act, ‘cuz it looks like you're obsessed   All my friends been telling me, how you always darn ask If I've gotten another best friend or did I replace you I'm used to pain honey, so don't worry, that's right I moved on right after I blocked all your socials, oh   Stop following me around, it’s getting creepy I know you want to come back, but I'll never let you Hurt me once shame on you, hurt me twice shame on me There's no three times the charm, in friendships, sweetheart   Girl just tell me why It feels like you're obsessed with me Cuz you've been spreading rumors Like it’s butter on bread, please   Obsession ain't a good thing honey You need to drop it, please Cuz you've been painting pictures Like I'm someone that you know   It's so sad how this turned out, it could have been forever Every time I walk the halls, I think of you honey We used to be the best of friends, isn’t that right? It’s such a shame, you let jealousy, come in the darn way 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 Polaris Back to Sections Be My Valentine By Huan Evo Alipio Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by National Geographic Kids Another year Another day  Always seeing you just to say “hey” I have been wanting for you to be my valentine But I am quite frightened that we will not combine The day I came up to you to break the question  You shockingly voiced out a confession That night we had fun and a delightful hour  And me, thinking that you are the right person, I would give a bouquet of flowers Mesmerized by your beauty, personality, and amazing sense of humor  I see myself being with you in the future  As we grow old, we stay together  With you by my side making our every struggle light as a feather  Sadly, I went up to the sky  Even though I did not get a chance to say goodbye There I was again in my new life asking, “Would you be my valentine?” BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Mean Girls (2024) – Pros and Cons Maleah Gossai Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by Elaine Ching Over the last decade, many have pointed out that Hollywood has been doing more reboots and sequels than ever before. These criticisms came out at a time of Disney live-action remakes of classic animated films and sequels upon sequels to movies that either didn’t need it or had several sequels already. These criticisms have only proven truer with this year’s release of Mean Girls , a screen adaptation of the Broadway musical based on the 2004 movie. Mean Girls (2024) hasn’t just been critiqued for being a reboot of a cult classic, however. No, the criticisms go much deeper than that. The film, despite being a musical, was not at all marketed like one, leading many to believe that it was a cheap, cash-grabby remake rather than an adaptation of a Broadway show. This, along with claims of the actors not doing the characters justice and of the film just being bad, left a sour taste in the mouths of many viewers. However, today I’ll delve deep into the pros and cons of the film, at least from my perspective, to evaluate if these complaints are justified or if people were just desperate for a reason to hate the movie. Pro : The movie brings the musical to more people. As any musical fan knows all too well, seeing shows live on Broadway is, unfortunately, expensive . Many who wish to see a show will likely not due to the high price of tickets, which can be at least a hundred dollars a person. So, the release of a film adaptation of Mean Girls the Musical provides many aspiring theater kids with the opportunity to experience the musical for a fraction of the price. While yes, movie tickets have gotten much more expensive in recent years due to inflation, many who can’t afford Broadway tickets can still afford movie tickets, and with the movie recently hitting streaming, this brings the experience of Mean Girls in the comfort of one’s home, providing those who maybe can’t fork over the hundreds of dollars for a trip to Times Square with the chance to watch the Tony-nominated musical. Con : The songs in the movie fall flat. There’s a reason the movie was marketed without any mention of the songs: it’s because they’re not exactly the best. The songs from the new movie lack the same emotion, depth, or even just the composition as the ones from the original Broadway cast recording, and it shows. Take the song “Stupid with Love” as an example. It’s a song by our main protagonist Cady Heron about how she may be intelligent but simply cannot understand love and how it works as she navigates feelings for Aaron Samuels, the movie’s love interest. In the musical, actress Erika Henningsen sings the song with emotion, matching the song’s peppy and bright instrumentals with her vocals. However, in the movie, actress Angourie Rice, while her singing is pleasant, sings with less tone variety, making her iteration of the character seem much less enthusiastic than Henningsen’s. The song “World Burn” has this issue, too. The song, sung by our main antagonist, Regina George, is meant to convey how Regina feels after she realizes she’s been conned by Cady and as she begins framing Cady for having written the infamous Burn Book. In the original cast recording, actress Taylor Louderman sings the song with rage in her voice, exactly conveying how Regina felt in the moment, and the backing vocals reading out the terrible things written in the Burn Book make the song one of the best in the musical. In the movie, actress Renee Rapp does an excellent job as Regina, but the backing vocals and instrumental fall short of doing what made the original so great. Pro : The movie incorporates more diversity through its new cast. The original Mean Girls wasn’t exactly the most diverse movie. Sure, it was the early 2000s and diversity was not as good as it is now, but it still could’ve done better. This issue is somewhat adjusted in the 2024 adaptation, with three of our main characters – Janis, Karen, and Damian – being actors of color. Karen, now Karen Shetty rather than Karen Smith, is played by Indian actress Avantika Vandanapu. Janis, now Janis Sarkisian instead of Janis Ian, is played by Hawaiian actress Auli’I Cravalho. Damian, now Damian Hubbard rather than Damian Leigh, is played by Black actor Jaquel Spivey. While sure, nothing can ever truly “fix” the original film’s diversity issue, and yes, Hollywood should be funding original films with characters of color rather than rebooting films and casting actors of color in them, this more diverse cast is a welcomed change from the original film and gives people of various backgrounds a chance to see themselves in a movie as classic as Mean Girls . Con : It’s far, far too soon to reboot a cult classic. The original Mean Girls is having its 20th anniversary this year in October. However, while 20 years is a long time (especially since this movie is older than I am), it feels way too soon to shove the original to the side in favor of the new movie, especially one as ingrained in pop culture as Mean Girls is. The movie is a classic, there’s no denying it, and while the new movie can stand on its own as an adaptation of the musical, it just feels like a cheap attempt at making money based on existing intellectual property (IP), which, unfortunately, it is. Maybe if it had been worked on for longer, if it had been given a few more years for the original movie to become an “old movie,” it would’ve been more successful as a reboot. The original Mean Girls has never been an “irrelevant” franchise, as its sheer status as a classic 2000s teen flick has been enough to cement in the minds of adults and teens. If the movie had been pushed back a few years to a 2029 release date for the film’s 25th anniversary, maybe it could have been an excellent, critically acclaimed musical adaptation that pays respect and homage to the original. As it stands, the movie falls into the same category as Disney live-action remakes: a film created in order to capitalize on the success of the preexisting IP of a beloved franchise. That’s not to discredit the movie’s quality in any way, of course, but the film has that air of “Hollywood cash grab” to it that unfortunately can’t be canceled out by its uniqueness as a musical reboot rather than just a remake. Final Verdict: It’s a good movie; it’s just a product of Hollywood’s current state. As someone who checks all the boxes for this movie’s target audience, I can safely say I liked this movie. It’s no cult classic, of course, that status still belongs to the original, and while the music isn’t on the same level as the original musical’s, it’s still a fun, enjoyable watch. Much of the criticism was unfounded, likely caused by the fact that people couldn’t handle that they rebooted Mean Girls at all, but in most cases like this, the internet often blows things out of proportion. Sure, it’s a cash-grabby reboot greenlit by Hollywood execs in order to squeeze a quick buck out of one of the most beloved 2000s movies out there, but it’s a good cash grab that makes for a good time, especially when watched with friends or loved ones. The internet isn’t always to be trusted, and this case is no exception. Mean Girls (2024) is an entertaining movie that will surely entertain fans of original and new fans alike. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Shop: A Pop Opera By Rachel Ezeadichie Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Image provided by Jack Stauber Whether you are his biggest fan or have never heard of his name in your life, you have probably heard some of Jack Stauber’s music somewhere. His song “Oh Klahoma” was used in over 500k videos on TikTok during a recent Halloween trend. Another one of his songs, “Buttercup,” was used in 1.4 million TikTok videos to convey various trends. Jack Stauber has also over 100 songs and multiple albums and shorts with deeper meaning. A prime example of one of these albums is “Shop: A Pop Opera.” Shop: A Pop Opera was a mini-series that was aired on Adult Swim at midnight from March 4th-9th in 2019. The seven-video series follows a man trying to complete his shopping list, but as he continues down his list, he meets a few peculiar people who have issues relating in some way to the item he is trying to buy. It starts off with the man trying to choose between two yogurt samples. He decides to start looking for the items on his shopping list. The first item on the list is milk. While trying to find milk, he encounters an old lady who cannot reach pecan nuts and thus asks him for help. When he retrieves the pecan nuts for her, the lady claims he did not grab the pecan, while he was certain it was. Before he can pick the lady’s desired item, she disappears without a trace. As soon as she leaves, he finds the milk, but realizes it has expired. He begins to wonder what kind of milk it was. Wondering whether it had a family, if it dripped with calcium, or if it had goals and dreams. He then picks up a carton of unexpired milk and pursues the next item. He heads into the next aisle to find his next item, bread. He finds artisanal multi-grain 12 nut vitamin bread, to be exact. While wondering whether to buy the bread or not, he meets a snobby man who desires the same bread. When our main character asks whether the bread was of decent quality, the snobby man laughs and replies that it was for his dog as it was not edible enough for him. After telling our main character that he must go to a walnut auction, the snobby man leaves, and our shopper is left alone to examen the bread. He wonders if he lets his belongings define him and practically questions his sanity. He finds a normal batch of bread and looks for paper towels next. When he enters the next aisle, the man witnesses the shattering of a glass bottle by another customer. An employee comes up and asks whether he broke it, to which he says no. The employee starts to clean the mess but is cut by some of the glass. The man worries for the employee but asks where the paper towels are located but was promptly interrupted by the employee monologuing about how entities can be easily broken but may take much longer to fix. The employee then tells him the towels reside in the next aisle. The employees’ monologue sparks curiosity within the man. He starts thinking to a universal level, noticing that nothing is reversible. Therefore, it is not worth trying to solve the issue or problem. These quirky interactions continue throughout the shorts. For instance, one finds the relationship between coffee and necessity, while another binds cheese and the concept of acceptance together. The underlying themes are up for interpretation, as they are not set in stone. If you look in the comment section of the video, there are various theories which explain the meaning of this series. If interested, I would totally check it out. The next time you head to the supermarket, look at your shopping list at an introspective level. You may produce something to change the world, develop an artistic outlook, or create a better understanding of life. In contrast, you may just figure out what flavor of yogurt you desire. It really depends on the person. Shop: A Pop Opera Link- SHOP: A Pop Opera | adult swim smalls - YouTube BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Prism Back to Sections Kaylan Peters - Prism By Kaylan Peters November 24, 2020 Volume 1 Issue 2