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Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections NBA 2023-2024 Season Leah Ally Volume 5 Issue 1 September 20, 2024 Image Provided by Dreamstime.com The 78th National Basketball Association (NBA) season kicked off on October 23rd,2023 and thirty of the best teams in the nation each played a total of 82 games in hopes of securing a spot in the playoffs. This season was held at high expectations with star players such as Nikola Jokic, Anthony Edwards, and Luka Doncic hoping to grow their legacies. Additionally, unlike previous seasons, there was a “play-in tournament” implemented that brought even more excitement to gameplay. Before discussing the 2023-2024 season in-depth, it is crucial to understand how it is formatted and based on what criteria. To begin with, the teams are separated between an Eastern conference and a Western conference with fifteen teams in each. To qualify for a playoff spot, a team must be in the top six of their conference based on their number of wins and losses. However, with the new play-in tournament, teams in the 7th-10th seed of their conference have a chance to fight for a playoff spot. The 7th seed plays the 8th seed, and the winner secures the 7th seed in the playoffs. Yet, the loser gets another chance. The 9th seed then plays the 10th seed, where the loser is eliminated. The loser of the 7th vs 8th game then plays the winner of the 9th vs 10th seed game for the final playoff spot (Merrell, 2024). Overall, this new aspect of the NBA adds excitement and competitiveness to the end of the regular season. Not to mention the annual All-Star weekend where the dunk contest, a three-point contest, skills challenge, and All-star exhibition games take place. This year was the first time a WNBA player was included as part of a charity event. The matchup was between NBA star Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu, a WNBA star, both competing in a three-point contest and Curry won. Nevertheless, because of this unique matchup viewership skyrocketed to 5.4 million, the most it has ever been within the last 4 years. With a season full of high expectations and the most skilled players in the country, there were bound to be teams that stood out based on their performances and predictions. Some of the most notable teams this year included the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, and the Indiana Pacers. These teams ended their regular season within the top five of their conference proving themselves to have some of the best rosters in the league. Some of these players include Luka Doncic, Ja Morant, Donovan Mitchell, and Devin Booker. However, there were also teams who had historically terrible records. For instance, the Washington Wizards achieved only 15 wins and had 67 losses, while similarly the Detroit Pistons had 14 wins and 68 losses (ESPN statistics). During the season, the Pistons went on the longest losing streak in NBA history with 28 games in a row. As for viewership of the regular season this year it remained at a steady average of 1.6 million people who tuned in for each game. As usual, betting on NBA games has stayed popular, allowing fans to engage in several types of bets depending on a specific player or a team’s performance. All in all, this season proved to be interesting and full of excitement for fans, players, and coaches. However, it is not over yet as the Celtics who are 3-1 in the series, and Mavericks who are 1-3 are currently waiting to play Game 5 to determine the outcome of the finals. Update: The Boston Celtics won the Championships. Sources: Basketball - 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament Explained: Teams, schedule, how it works ( olympics.com ) 2024 NBA Finals: Win or go home for the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 as Boston Celtics look to wrap up 18th championship | CNN BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Behind the Meme – Drake is the Type of Guy to__ By Augustine Magapan Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Image provided by Reddit “Drake is the type of guy to say, ‘You silly goose,’ when someone makes a joke,” says one of my friends. “Drake is the type of guy to get a lightbulb over his head when he has an idea,” says another friend.” “Drake is the type of guy to say, ‘mimimimi,’ when he sleeps,” a teacher says. Walking through the school halls, talking to my friends, and looking through my phone, I hear these phrases a lot of the time; a number of these jokes trend on social media apps such as Tiktok and Reddit. But how did this meme come to life in the first place? We dove into the meme and found what’s behind it. The first part of this “Drake is the Type of Guy” meme originated from his new album. On September 3rd, 2021, Drake, a famous rapper, released a new album called, “Certified Lover Boy,” containing 21 songs. To promote and refer to the song, Drake shaves his hair into a heart which he captured and then posted on Instagram. Once the audience saw the picture, they started gossiping increasingly about the look and couldn’t believe what they saw. Many people described him as a soft person who is overly sensitive and emotional. A simple tweet on Twitter let out a joke of Drake on what type of person he is. The joke goes viral leading to more jokes about the rapper. In short, the implications of this meme are impeccable; it highlights the evolution of meme humor. Over the years, meme culture has become less obvious, and increasingly subtle. For example, the earliest memes consisted of simple pictures, with rather obvious tones. Memes now are more illogical, which sometimes makes them more laughable. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections Ingenuity: An Engineering Marvel By Elyas Layachi Volume 1 Issue 7 April 22, 2021 Image provided by NASA On Thursday, February 18th, 2021, the Perseverance rover touched down on the Martian surface. Its primary goal includes studying the Martian soil and hunting for signs of ancient or current life (see article in ARCHIVES: Issue 6 for more information). However, Perseverance has another job. It was the primary transport vehicle for Ingenuity, a Martian helicopter experiment. The results from this experiment, if successful, will significantly impact future exploration of the Martian surface. Ingenuity is equipped to deal with a host of hostile conditions on Mars. For starters, the Martian atmosphere is only 1% as dense as Earth’s atmosphere at the surface, meaning it will take more power and lighter weight for an aircraft to lift off in the Martian atmosphere. Secondly, during the Martian daytime, the planet’s surface receives only half the amount of solar energy that Earth receives during its day, which means that Ingenuity’s solar panels and battery must be as efficient as possible. Third, the nighttime temperatures on Mars can drop as low as minus 120 degrees Fahrenheit, freezing and cracking unprotected electrical components. This means that Ingenuity must also have proper protection for its parts, or else it will malfunction. As stated previously, Ingenuity is a Martian helicopter/drone. It was carefully sterilized on Earth to avoid contaminating Mars with microbes, and it dropped its protective debris shield on Mars on March 21st, preparing for its first flight. It is, according to NASA, the “first attempt at powered, controlled flight of an aircraft on another planet.” Its flight will be the first time an aircraft will attempt to fly through another world’s atmosphere. After deploying its protective shield, it will take the helicopter another six days to prepare for its deployment. For its first test flight, Ingenuity will power up, run its rotors at 2,537 rotations per minute, lift-off, climb at a rate of 3 feet per second, and hover at 10 feet above the surface for up to 30 seconds. Images, video, and possibly audio footage will be taken off the flight by Perseverance’s cameras and microphones, and they will be relayed to Earth soon after. If the mission proves successful, it will hail a potential new generation of Martian explorers that can scout ahead of rovers and even humans in the decades to come to make surface exploration easier. Additionally, if successful, drones or helicopters could explore even more distant worlds, such as the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Now, it is safe to say that the Earth’s sky is no longer the limit. 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

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 Artwork Art Guild Back to Sections Symbiosis By Keren Dial November 24, 2020 Colored Pencil Volume 1 Issue 2

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Holidays Near and Far By Ismela Andre Volume 3 Issue 2 December 23, 2022 Image provided by Wikipedia All around the world, there are multiple traditions and religions; however, have you ever thought about how each age group celebrates the holiday? There are many different age ranges worldwide, and each age level celebrates a holiday in separate ways. For example, in elementary school, children love to draw pictures or create gingerbread houses for Christmas. They develop multiple crafts and write beautiful letters. Meanwhile, high school students do other things. High school students love to host concerts, and friend “get-togethers” and give gifts to their friends and family. Since their maturity level is higher, many tend to distance themselves from their family. However, according to statistics, college students are the opposite. They tend to eagerly want to come home to their families, especially the students that study far from home. All students may have different ways of celebrating, but the holidays are meant for coming together and having fun! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Movies to Watch this Halloween Hydrangea, Staff Writer Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 Image provided by Depositphotos Halloween is upon us once again, and with it comes the desire to watch horror films—or just something a little creepy! If you are looking for something to watch this Halloween, this article contains eight movies; whether you’re looking for something a little more fun, or you’re a horror fanatic, I hope I’ll be able to give you something new to watch or reintroduce you to an old favorite! (DISCLAIMER: Not every film on here is suitable for all students, especially younger ones. Even those with PG or PG-13 ratings may contain content that can be inappropriate for some.) Wendell and Wild (2022, dir. Henry Selick; PG-13) When Kat Elliot, an orphaned teenager with mysterious powers attending a Catholic school, summons demon brothers Wendell and Wild after they promise they will resurrect her parents. Kat, her classmate, a teacher with similar powers, and a demon-hunting janitor are pulled into an adventure full of zombies, cover-ups, punk rock, and criticism of the American prison system. While not quite scary, Henry Selick’s latest film, featuring the ever-hilarious Key and Peele duo, is a fun one to watch this month. Beetlejuice (1988, dir. Tim Burton; PG leaning PG-13) After a car accident, a young couple finds themselves stuck as ghosts haunting their own house. When unbearable new tenants and their mysterious daughter move in, they do everything in their power to try to scare them out—attracting a self-proclaimed “bio-exorcist” named Beetlejuice who causes even more trouble. More funny than scary, this is a great film to watch if you just want to get in the Halloween spirit! Coraline (2009, dir. Henry Selick; PG) Based on the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name, this stop-motion animated movie follows a girl named Coraline and her discovery of another world that seems so much better than her own…that is, until its version of her family tries to keep her there forever! Admittedly, I’ve never finished this film, but I still think it’s an amazing movie that anyone who loves stop-motion animation should check out. Scream (1996, dir. Wes Craven; R) In this classic slasher, a girl named Sidney Prescott and her friends, cross paths with a masked killer terrorizing their town. This movie, full of twists and self-aware humor, is a must-watch for any newcomer to horror. M3GAN (2022, dir. Gerard Johnstone; PG-13) A sci-fi and horror mashup for the ages, this movie tells the story of M3GAN, a life-like robot programmed to be the perfect companion for children. When its inventor unexpectedly gains custody of her young niece, she uses the robot for assistance—but things get violent when it starts attacking anything it deems a threat to the girl. The Conjuring (2013, dir. James Wan; R) Moving is always a stressful event, but at least you’ll probably never be as unlucky as the Perrons, who find themselves haunted by an evil spirit in their new house. This film kickstarted a franchise that is still going strong today—a spin-off, The Nun II , just hit theatres back in September. IT (2017, dir. Andy Muschietti; R) Based on the classic Stephen King novel, a group of kids are terrorized by a demon who feeds off fear and have to overcome their various fears in order to defeat it. This movie follows the first half of the novel, while the second half is adapted into a sequel. Carrie (1976, Dir. Brian De Palma; R) Another Stephen King adaptation, this film follows Carrie White, a shy teenager bullied relentlessly at school and abused by her ultra-religious mother, who discovers that she has psychic powers. Things begin looking up for her when she is asked to prom by a popular boy and is even crowned Prom Queen—but when one final prank is played on her, things go terribly wrong. BACK TO TOP

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR WELCOME TO VOLUME 4 January 3rd, 2024 For the 2023-2024 school year, we are pleased to introduce Volume 4 to our readers. I am sure that on par with the previous North Star volumes, this edition will demonstrate the hard work and creativity my peers and I have to offer. Although I am a recent addition to North Star’s leadership team, I have genuinely enjoyed working with the talented writers and artists who make having a publications club here at North possible. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside our advisor, Mrs. Mansfield, who dedicates her time to guiding us all in our writing endeavors. Without her leadership and the cooperation of our writers, we would miss the valuable experience of running a publications club. As a publications club, we strive to uphold the standards of modern-day journalism and ensure our readers a diverse selection of articles. From the poetry of POLARIS to the reporting of student news, there is something for everyone. As I see it, journalism holds significance in a school community as it allows us all to share our ideas, passions, and opinions in our ever-changing world. As the Editor-in-Chief, I get to read about numerous events, cultures, people, history, visual arts, and various perspectives; I hope our readers enjoy the reading and learning experience as much as I do. I find that I have become increasingly open-minded as I learn about others' experiences through writing, and I think that is the power of journalism; we get to see a little bit of everyone. We are incredibly fortunate to have the freedom to express ourselves through writing, whether through poetry, film reviews, or a lengthy article. I believe I write on behalf of all our members when I say that part of the reason, we write for North Star is to foster an appreciation for journalism here at Valley Stream North in both the students and the staff. The names “North Star,” and “POLARIS,” and the star names we give each issue, all enhance our prominent astronomy-themed student newspaper. It is a perfectly suitable theme in my opinion. Much like space, the world around us is so vast and impossible to discover entirely; however, sharing our ideas through written works may be our best shot at understanding our dynamic world. For our readers who may be interested in journalism, I encourage you to share your ideas because, like all our current writers, you also have something to contribute. With the right amount of dedication, willingness, and support, we can all find a way to make our voices shine. This year, I hope to work effectively with the other editors and writers to provide plenty of content for our readers, and much like the actual North Star, or Polaris, our student newspaper can always be found in the same place, at any time. Thank you to all our readers and staff for the support they have demonstrated this school year, and I look forward to seeing all this year’s thoughtfully crafted art and editing the thoughtfully written pieces. Stellar regards, Noa Cordova Editor-in-Chief

Back to Artwork Contemplation Back to Sections Kimberly Shrestha - Contemplation By Kimberly Shrestha June 8, 2021 Mixed Media Volume 1 Issue 8