Back to Articles News Back to Sections SPO Club Presentation By Carolina Figueroa and Rachel Ezeadichie Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Image provided by Parents Website The SPO (Student Peer Organization) club, advised by Mrs. Melluso and Mrs. Christiansen, recently presented an educational lesson to the 7th grade. During the event, my classmates and I learned about coping mechanisms and how to control our emotions. As a North student, the balance of school, extra activities (like sports, clubs, etc.), homework and socialization can be stressful, but SPO offered manageable ways to deal with tough emotions. During the lesson, the SPO members taught the 7th grade students how to control and handle our emotions. My favorite activity was modeling the paper. During the lesson, my classmates and I first took a piece of paper and created it into whatever we wanted. I made a paper airplane, but other students created origami, paper snowflakes, folded the paper and so many other ideas. From this first paper activity, I learned that I have control over what the paper comes out as, and it’s the same with feelings. I am in charge of how I act and can only control myself. My emotions reflect on my actions, and if they get out of control, I may say or do things I might regret. Next SPO instructed my class to again design another paper project. After creating our first paper project, we used the same piece of paper and constructed something different. This time I folded my paper and created a bracelet while my classmates though of other ideas like shapes and more. SPO taught me with the second paper experiment that you can adjust the outcome of different situations This shows that with our feelings and emotions, they affect the outcome of a situation, but we can also adjust the issue if it takes an unexpected turn. In the past, I have tried different ways to deal with my emotions. A majority of those methods were good, but they didn’t work for me. SPO gave me a new way to think about the methods I used to work with my emotions. Figuring out and sorting the feelings and situations I can and cannot control made me think about how I used my emotions and how I reacted to them. When I sat down and thought about it, I realized that there are many emotions I can control and some that I can’t. I even did the activities that SPO taught us again, so that I could really reflect. When I was done, I felt a little better about my life because I knew more about myself than I did before. I would recommend that you sit down and think about how you have controlled your emotions in the past. It could help you figure out if you may need to change something in your life that you didn’t realize you had control over. It could also help you realize that you might need to stop trying to change something that you have no control over. Either way, thinking about your emotions and situations can help you better yourself. You can even use the activities specified in the second paragraph to do so! The SPO presentation really helped me progress in dealing with my emotions, and I feel that I learned great ways to help with coping and managing my feelings. I’m really looking forward to writing about SPO’s 2nd lesson! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Homemade Gravy and Cranberry Sauce: Is it Worth the Time? By Christina Ossa Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 Original photography by Christina Ossa Thanksgiving is a time for sharing, reflecting on your gratitude, and enjoying fantastic food. However, the star of Thanksgiving is usually turkey, a delicious, juicy, and flavorful tradition of this time of the year. The sauce that pairs with turkey would usually be a tasty, savory gravy or a more bittersweet cranberry sauce to add to the quality of each slice of turkey. But, with many dishes already having time put into them, there’s usually no time left to make either of these delicious sauces from scratch. As a result, many households opt for store-bought versions of cranberry and gravy sauce. And for many of you, I’m sure this goes for your family as well. While I agree, yes, it is convenient and consumes less time, but it tastes bland and underwhelming. So, is making these sauces from scratch really worth your time? Here, I’ll try my best to convince you that once you switch from store-bought gravy and cranberry sauce, you’ll likely never turn back. Last year, out of pure curiosity from a recipe I saw on YouTube, I was inspired and tried making my own cranberry and gravy from scratch. Did it take more of my time during the holidays? Yes, it did. Was it worth that time? In my opinion, it was. When I made the cranberry sauce, all I needed were these ingredients: sugar, water, an orange, and cranberries; also, it only took 15 minutes. I added my ingredients to a medium saucepan and let it simmer on low for about 15 minutes (you could simmer it for longer if you feel like the cranberries are not reduced enough). On my first taste test, the cranberries were reduced to a beautiful jam-like color and tasted bittersweet and flavorful. The texture tasted like a more bittersweet version of raspberry jam. It did not have that artificial aftertaste that I’ve found store-bought cranberry sauce leaves. Next, I refrigerated my sauce in a glass container overnight and served it the next day. Once you refrigerate the sauce, it turns into a beautiful jello-type texture that melts onto the turkey once you place it onto your plate. This recipe is very low-maintenance, and it produces a mouth-watering result all in 15 minutes - and can be prepared the day before. If you’re not satisfied with the more artificial flavor of store-bought cranberry sauce and have just a mere 15 minutes to spare: I’d recommend you try this recipe. If you don’t bake or cook anything for Thanksgiving, this recipe would be an excellent addition to bring to someone who’s hosting. It also takes less time than almost any Thanksgiving recipe I’ve tried. The gravy sauce was also way better than any store-bought or even restaurant-style gravy I’ve tried before. It was rich, packed with flavor, and kept the integrity of the turkey. It only added to the taste of the turkey, and when paired with the bittersweet flavor of the cranberry sauce, created an impressive depth of flavor. This recipe does take a bit more work but is so worth the time it takes, in my opinion. This recipe also includes parts of the turkey many people aren’t sure how to use or cook, including the bones and other parts of a turkey not commonly included in a Thanksgiving meal. For this recipe, I used the neck/spine of the turkey to create my own turkey stock, along with a roughly chopped onion, roughly chopped celery, and some chopped carrots. Next, I used a medium-sized saucepan. I added my ingredients and the water I put on the stove on medium-high heat until it came to a boil. After this, I let it simmer on low for about three hours, then strained it through a sift to separate the liquid and ingredients I added for flavor-sake. Now, three hours may be a long time compared to the time it took for the cranberry sauce, but compared to the amount of time the turkey would bake in the oven, it isn’t much time at all. Also, don’t be scared of how this was only the first step for the gravy because I promise making the stock is the hardest part. Once you have your stock, take either the same or a different saucepan and add/melt your butter in it. After the butter has completely melted, put in the flour and stir generously. This part of the gravy process is probably the most crucial. You’re creating what’s called a roux in the culinary world: the base to making almost any thick, more creamy-based sauce. After you have a roux, which should look almost like light-colored caramel, add your turkey stock and whisk until it thickens to the point where it should lightly drizzle off a spoon. If you’d like to be fancier, you could also season it with salt and pepper and add herbs like thyme for extra flavor. While the process of creating gravy is a lot more time-consuming than cranberry sauce, it most definitely is worth it. In the end, it may be cheaper than buying store-bought gravy, and it tastes so much better than store-bought. The sauce is creamy, flavor-packed with that delicious broth created straight from the turkey. It’s almost like the turkey’s partner in crime since they were both made from the same source. Paired with the cranberry sauce, it’s a bittersweet-savory wonderland of flavor. So, in the end, was it worth the time to create these two sauces for scratch? In my opinion, it was. It usually is either way since store-bought sauces. And store-bought items, in general, are packed with artificial flavors and preservatives that muddy the overall flavors each item is attempting to achieve. Also, when making this recipe last year for Thanksgiving, it was more rewarding than anything. The feeling of showing your gratitude through adding to the family Thanksgiving meal was gratifying to me when my family tried my food last Thanksgiving. So you should try making one of these sauces for Thanksgiving if you’d like to add something to your family dinner. They’re both very straightforward and delicious recipes. No matter your skill level in cooking, your family would likely appreciate this small yet delightful addition to the Thanksgiving meal. Recipes: Gravy : Turkey Stock: -Replace for pre-made turkey stock OR -Turkey Spine -Turkey Neck -1 Onion, roughly chopped -1 Carrot, roughly chopped -1 Rib of Celery, roughly chopped -6 Cups of Water (enough to cover ingredients) Actual Gravy: -3 ½ tbsp Unsalted butter -3 ½ tbsp All-Purpose Flour -2 ½ cups Turkey Stock (either from premade or original) -Salt (to taste) -Pepper (to taste) -Fresh Chopped herbs (to taste) Directions: -Ask for the spine/neck of the turkey from whoever is cooking the turkey, or if you are yourself, remove the spine/neck (also, you could use both or either one, both would lead to more flavor) -Place the spine/neck into a medium saucepan along with your vegetables, then add your water -Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and check on it until it comes to a boil (roughly 10-15 minutes) -After it comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 3 hours -Strain with a sifter or strainer, separating the liquid from the other ingredients (you could either dispose of the rest or find another purpose for the vegetables, the spine/neck is usually inedible, but there may be methods to use it that I’m unaware of) -Set aside broth to make gravy -Take a different or the same saucepan (make sure it’s empty, of course) and melt the butter over medium-low heat -Once the butter has melted, add the flour and whisk thoroughly until it forms a roux /a combined state (it should be a bit thick and gravy-grey colored once it reaches the right consistency) -To the roux, add your turkey stock and stir it occasionally until it reaches a thick consistency (should drizzle lightly off a spoon) -Optional: add your seasonings, whisking lightly for about 2 minutes just to ensure it has combined -Serve and Enjoy! Cranberry Sauce: Ingredients: -12 oz cranberries -1 Cup Granulated Sugar -Zest and Juice of 1 Orange/Lemon (orange would give a sweeter flavor) -½ Cup Water Directions: -Grab a medium saucepan and add your cranberries, sugar, and water -Zest 1 orange over the pan -Once zested, slice it in half and juice it into the rest of your ingredients -Allow your sauce to simmer over low or medium-low (depending on the size of your stoves, I’d recommend using one that will reach the entire length of the bottom of the pan) for 12-15 minutes -Once reduced and the juices are seemingly seeping and forming a jelly-like texture, remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the sauce to a glass container (or plastic but first wait for it to cool if you use plastic) -Store in your refrigerator overnight (I’d recommend making this recipe the night before thanksgiving or a couple hours before you’re going to eat) -Serve and Enjoy! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Pop Art Back to Sections Jeysi Henriquez-Ventura - Pop Art By Jeysi Henriquez-Ventura January 14, 2022 Acrylic Volume 2 Issue 3

Back to Artwork The Memory Project Back to Sections Hayden LaJoie - Memory Project By Hayden LaJoie March 18, 2021 Volume 1 Issue 6

Back to Artwork Portrait Back to Sections Happy Park By Luiginna Frederique January 20, 2021 Photography Volume 1 Issue 4

Back to Artwork Portfolio Back to Sections Beauty Hidden in Women's Hair By Elizabeth Andre June 13, 2022 Collage Volume 2 Issue 7 I wanted to show the beauty and struggles of being a black woman and having hair. I displayed different hairstyles one can be open to. At the end of the day, no matter what hair texture, color, or style you have, you and your hair are beautiful.

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Valley Stream 2023 District Science Symposium Cody Sung Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 Image provided by Michael Frazer On April 26, 2023, the Valley Stream Central High School District hosted its yearly science symposium. It was held at South High School, with last year’s being held at Central and next year’s at North, following a cycle that goes through all three schools with the Science Research programs. At the symposium, North had the largest number of students participating in the program. How did our Science Research program grow so big, and what happened at the symposium? The science research program was picked up by Mr. Michael Frazer in 1999, after former North science teacher Ed Gruber started it in 1996. Mr. Frazer is the head of the program. Since then, it has grown to be the largest science research program of the Valley Stream Central High School District, with fourteen seniors who completed this challenging program in the 2022 - 2023 school year. A very successful course we have at North! However, it is very challenging, and takes much hard work to succeed, since it involves doing research and writing a full scientific paper in three years. The symposium had all sophomores, juniors, and seniors display their poster board of their research, with guests viewing them and with the students explaining their research to them. Every board was unique and informative, showing the best of our program and the hard work of our students. After the poster board presentation, Mr. Frazer and North Science Department Chair Mr. Pandolfi gave awards to the fourteen seniors who completed this three-year course to recognize all the hard work they have done and their dedication to their research, with a quick speech made by the head of each school’s program about each senior on South’s stage. After the award ceremony concluded, the seniors had an opportunity to present their research process and results in the South Library. All the presentations were interesting and educational and were fantastic to culminate their three years of hard work, research, and dedication. Here are last year’s fourteen seniors and their general topic of focus. Samantha Altieri – Political science Morgan Buly – Audiovisual science Valentina Castillo – Marine biology (with Christina DePippo) Christina DePippo – Marine biology (with Valentina Castillo) Naila Hashimi – Environmental science Sukhpreet Kaur – Urban science Zara Khan – Plant biology (with Jessica Sehjal) Joseph Marrone – Sport science Gabriela Mensah – Sport science Janine Olivencia – Medical science Ariel Reyes – Medical science Jessica Sehjal – Plant biology (with Zara Khan) Kira Sherman – Plant biology Neha Singh – Dietary science Congratulations to all of them for their success in this challenging but rewarding course over the past three years! And the sophomores and juniors should continue to work hard – North can’t wait to see what the program has in store for us this year! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Lord of the Flies by William Golding Book Review By Leah Ally Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by Amazon When a plane crashes on a deserted tropical island, this leaves a group of schoolboys to fend for themselves at the start of a global war. Initially, their new, unsupervised way of life is something to rejoice over, distant from the civilization they once knew. As they attempt to rebuild their society, they begin to face the horror, sense of immortality, and evil the unfamiliar independence brings. As order collapses and night brings its reign of terror, the desire of expedition appears as far as the prospect of rescue. Lord of the Flies is the Nobel Prize-winning British novelist William Golding’s first novel, published in 1954. Initially, Golding began writing his novel to share the evils he witnessed fighting in the Royal Navy in World War II, as well as his experience of teaching rebellious young boys. For good reasons, Lord of the Flies is a timeless classic, as its analogies to society and governance are still relevant and accurate today. The classic work of William Golding portrays the complexity and tendencies of civilization, portrayed through the eyes of a small group of boys. The absence of adult supervision is essential to the plot since it allows Golding to explore the power struggles between the boys’ efforts at government and how well they can get along. The war between order and savagery is a recurring theme throughout the book, most often seen through the conflicts between the two protagonists. Overall, I would recommend this novel to readers who enjoy the mystery and adventure genres. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Line Back to Sections Elizabeth Andre - What is Line - 1 By Elizabeth Andre November 1, 2020 Graphite Volume 1 Issue 1

Back to Artwork Prism Back to Sections Erika Carranza - Prism By Erika Carranza November 24, 2020 Volume 1 Issue 2