Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Cody's Trivia Corner By Cody Sung Volume 3 Issue 2 December 23, 2022 Image provided by Getty Images How did the days of the week get their names? It’s not as complicated as you might think. Many of the names come from Roman gods, transported into Nordic culture. Let’s review each one. Sunday – day of the Sun. “Sunna” or “Sól” is a goddess in Norse mythology, which came from the Roman god “Sol”. Monday – day of the moon. The Nordic “Mani” for moon caused Mánadagr to become Monday. Interestingly enough, the Latin name for the moon is “Luna”, which is reflected in the name for Monday in other languages such as French, “Lundí”. Tuesday – named after Tiw, also known as “Tyr” the Norse god of war. Comparable to Mars, the Roman god of war. Wednesday – named after Odin, similar to the Roman god Mercury. Both are responsible for a variety of things such as luck. Thursday – named after Thor, the lightning god and most powerful of all gods. Comparable to Roman god Jupiter. Friday – named after Freya, alternatively called “Frigg”, the goddess of love, Venus being the Roman equivalent. Saturday – named after Saturn, the god of wealth, in Latin (Saturni), still recognizable in English today since the Norse didn’t change it. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections Inspiration 4: A New Precedent for Space Exploration By Elyas Layachi Volume 2 Issue 1 October 8, 2021 Image provided by PC Mag Introduction After the termination of the shuttle program in 2011, NASA needed a new, more efficient way to transport cargo (and eventually astronauts) to the International Space Station. As a result, they started the Commercial Resupplies Services (CRS) contract in which NASA partnered with private companies and nominated their ships to send cargo to the station. Numerous companies applied, but SpaceX and their Dragon spacecraft caught NASA’s attention, and they were selected for CRS-1, the first CRS mission. On October 8th, 2012, SpaceX launched their Dragon spacecraft, and it successfully docked with the ISS, transporting valuable scientific cargo. Since CRS-1, SpaceX has partnered with NASA in over 20 CRS missions, transporting billions of dollars in NASA and scientific cargo to the space station and back. The same year CRS was created, the Commercial Crew Program was created. This program gave private industries the opportunity to use their technologies to send NASA astronauts to the ISS and back as part of astronaut missions. Just a few years later, in November of 2016, four astronauts launched from Florida to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft. This mission proved that private industries could facilitate manned missions, and that their technology is viable. SpaceX continued to innovate, and on Wednesday, September 15th, SpaceX launched four civilians into space. This is the first space mission in which a civilian crew with no prior spaceflight experience was launched into space, and they safely made it to and from space. As you read, you’ll learn about the mission, its purpose, and the astronauts themselves. Inspiration4 – Leadership, Hope, Generosity, and Prosperity Inspiration4 was the world’s first all-civilian mission to orbit. Aboard SpaceX’s flagship spacecraft, Inspiration4 left Earth from Kennedy Space Center’s Complex 39A (where Apollo and space shuttle missions were launched). The astronauts stayed in space for several days, taking in the sights of Mother Earth. The crew conducted experiments designed to expand knowledge of the universe. The Crew Dragon spacecraft carried 365 pounds of cargo, both of crew essentials and scientific equipment. Experiments included micro-gravity research and experimentation. According to SpaceX, the mission represents the four core values of any space venture: leadership, hope, generosity, and prosperity (hence the name Inspiration 4 ). The civilian crew launched aboard SpaceX’s Dragon Spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket. According to SpaceX, the Dragon Spacecraft, capable of carrying up to 7 passengers, is the only spacecraft currently flying that can return significant amounts of cargo to Earth. Furthermore, it is the first private spacecraft to take humans to the Space Station (see Crew-1 mission mentioned above). The spacecraft was carried to space aboard the Falcon 9 rocket, which is a reusable, two-stage rocket. Designed and manufactured by SpaceX, it was made for the reliable and safe transportation of people and cargo to low-Earth orbit and beyond. It is the world’s first “orbital class reusable rocket,” which allows SpaceX to spend less on the rocket per mission. The “4” of Inspiration4 Below are short biographies of the four civilian crewmembers that launched into space aboard Inspiration4, often referred to as the “4” of Inspiration4. Each crew member represents one of the core values of any space mission. Leadership – Jared Isaacman Jared Isaacman is the founder and CEO of Shift4 payments, a company responsible for integrated payment processing solutions. He started his company in 1999 from the basement of his family’s house at only 16 years old, and since has built it into a large technology company with over 1,200 employees. Isaacman is also an accomplished jet pilot and is rated to fly commercial and military aircraft. He currently holds several world records, including two Speed-Around-The-World flights in 2008 and 2009. He’s also flown in over 100 airshows as part of the Black Diamond Jet Team. Born: Feb 11, 1983 Occupation: Founder/CEO of Draken International, Harbortouch, & Shift4 Payments Spouse: Monica Isaacman Hope – Hayley Arceneaux Hayley Arceneaux is a pediatric cancer survivor from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. At only 10 years old, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. She sought treatment at St. Jude, which included surgery and chemotherapy. She has been in remission ever since, and she continues to inspire. In 2014, she earned her undergraduate degree in Spanish, and in 2016, she obtained her Physician Assistant degree. She now works at St. Jude, the place that saved her life, with cancer patients. Born: Dec 4, 1991 Education: Southeastern Louisiana University Occupation: Physician Assistant Parents: Howard Arceneaux, Colleen Arceneaux Siblings: Hayden Arceneaux Generosity – Christopher Sembroski Christopher Sembroski was always curious about outer space, always stargazing late at night. He’s a U.S. Space Camp counselor, and he conducted simulated space shittle missions and supported STEM-based education to inspire young minds to explore these areas and find their passions. After serving in the U.S. Air Force and maintaining a fleet of Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles, he earned a B.S. in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He now works in the aerospace industry. Born: Aug 28, 1979 Prosperity – Sian Proctor Dr. Sian Proctor is a geoscientist, explorer, and science communication specialist with a lifelong passion for space exploration. She is an analog astronaut – meaning she conducts activities in simulated space conditions – and she completed four analog missions. She encourages people to use their unique passions and strengths to inspire others using her slogan, Space2inspire. She has a pilot license, is SCUBA certified, and loves exploring Earth. She has a B.S. in Environmental Science, an M.S. in Geology, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction in science education. Born: Mar 28, 1970 Education: Edinboro University of Pennsylvania & Arizona State University. Occupation: American Geology Professor, Science Communicator The Future of Manned Space Missions The Inspiration4 mission demonstrated to the world that not just astronauts, but also citizens can be launched into space and experience microgravity. This expands the space sector significantly, opening space travel up to the non-astronaut portion of the world population. As more civilian missions take place and technology continues to improve, they will decrease in cost, and more citizens will be able to fly to space. Who knows, someday you and your children might fly to space. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Prism Back to Sections The Compliment of Red By Elizabeth Andre November 24, 2020 Volume 1 Issue 2

Back to Artwork Heckscher Back to Sections Memory Tree Entry 5 April 14, 2022 Mixed Media Volume 2 Issue 6

Back to Artwork Nightmare on Main Street Back to Sections Nightmare on Main Street- Chamille Malcolm Chamille Malcolm November 6, 2023 Mixed Media Volume 4 Issue 1

Back to Artwork Pop Art Back to Sections Marcus Nicolas - Pop Art By Marcus Nicolas January 14, 2022 Acrylic Volume 2 Issue 3

Back to Artwork Back to Sections Quinn O'Connor By Quinn O'Connor Volume 3 Issue 1

Back to Articles Letter from the Editor Back to Sections A Final Send-Off By Craig Papajohn-Shaw Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Original photography by Elyas Layachi Volume 2 of North Star has come to a close with this final issue. 7 Issues with over 100 insightful articles and brilliant original artwork. It has been my honor to serve as the Editor-in-Chief of this magazine over the last year and work on the leadership staff since its relaunch in September 2020. We followed a common format to last year’s Volume, where we wrote about monthly themes; however, this year our goal was to write more about topics pertaining to the students at North, this was seen with the addition of our “student news” section on our front page. A couple of noteworthy points of pride I’d like to mention: Most notably was our success at the Adelphi Quill Awards; our magazine came home with three awards! 1st place for Best Visual work (Kimberly Shrestha- Art Section Editor), 2nd Place for Best Opinion Piece (Craig Papajohn-Shaw - Editor-in-Chief and Lucy Wu - Senior Website Designer), and 3rd place for Best News article (Craig Papajohn-Shaw - Editor-in-Chief and Lucy Wu - Senior Website Designer). We are so proud of our award recipients this year, and the leadership staff will be researching additional journalism competitions to attend in the upcoming year. In our artwork section this year, we featured outstanding works from the Memory Project. This year, artists took inspiration from children in Nigeria. In coordination with Art Honor Society President Luiginna Frederique, 11 portraits were featured on our website to portray those Nigerian children who have been displaced from their homes. I would like to congratulate Shinedip Kundlas who will assume the role of Editor-in-Chief for the 2022-2023 school year (Volume 3). The North Star executive board appointed Shinedip to this position in June as a result of her dedication and writing accomplishments for the magazine; she will represent a fresh perspective to the leadership staff starting next school year. I would also like to congratulate Matteo Somma who will assume the role of Senior Website Designer after training for this position for the last year. He, along with Shinedip, will continue to grow on the success of North Star . It has been a pleasure working with this year’s staff and I wish the best of luck to next year’s staff under the leadership of Shinedip. Please welcome me in congratulating the 2022-2023 North Star Leadership Team Editor-in-Chief: Shinedip Kundlas Senior Website Designer: Matteo Somma Managing Editor: Elyas Layachi Entertainment and Media Editor: Alain Deen News Editor: Everton Prospere Feature Editor: Christina Ossa Art Section Editor: Kimberly Shrestha Polaris Editor: Navrosedip Kundlas Sports Editor: Aleeza Dhillon Science & Technology Editor: Elyas Layachi Senior Social Media Designer: Elaine Ching Treasurer: Alain Deen A final thought, you may not feel comfortable writing or telling a story, but you have ideas and principles. Use your knowledge to research those whose voice speaks to you and vote. Before signing off, we must thank Ms. Mansfield for her steadfast advisorship; we couldn’t have done any of this without her guidance, enthusiasm, and experience. Additionally, we thank the staff at North for their continued support. Lastly, thank you to our readers; your concerns, thoughts, and accomplishments are the inspiration behind every issue. I wish you all a great summer and I can't wait to see what you accomplish next year. All the best, Craig Papajohn-Shaw Editor-in-Chief BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Meatless Monday! By Samantha Altieri Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Image provided by The Monday Campaigns Join the Ecology Club and participate in Meatless Monday, an international effort with a goal to encourage people to eat meat-free meals on Mondays to improve both their personal health and the Earth’s health. Eating just one meatless meal a week can even reduce your chances of developing diseases such as Type-2 Diabetes or obesity, which often go hand in hand. The idea of Meatless Monday was first introduced during World War I in an effort to reduce meat consumption which would help the war effort in terms of rationing food. The Ecology Club’s goal is to promote environmental awareness, as well as highlight ways we can create a healthier environment here at VSN. It is thought that global mass consumption of animal foods is hurting our ecosystems and climate. Raising livestock, or meat products, for human consumption requires more land, water, and energy compared to growing plants. It takes the same amount of energy to produce one hamburger as it does to take 36 showers! Raising animals for food also requires massive amounts of plant crops to feed these animals. Beyond the resources required to raise animals for food, livestock such as cows emit large amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas that greatly contributes to climate change. Skipping one serving of meat for 52 meals a year (only 1 meal a week!) saves the equivalent emissions of CO2 to driving 348 miles in a car ! The Ecology Club members, along with advisor and science teacher Mrs. Restuccio, have been participating in Meatless Mondays for weeks now. There are many delicious meal ideas for a Meatless Monday such as: Veggie burgers Pasta and sauce Smoothies Grilled Cheese Vegetable soup Salads Cereal Pizza Avocado toast Chickpea meatloaf Meat alternative sausage (like Beyond Meat) & peppers We hope you will consider joining the Ecology Club in participating in Meatless Monday! Every small action by individuals, even if they don’t seem like they are doing very much, can lead to helping the environment in big ways if we do it together! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Lights On for Education Back to Sections Sarah Wilder - Lights On for Education By Sarah Wilder April 22, 2021 Marker Volume 1 Issue 7