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Back to Artwork Nostalgic Musings Back to Sections Sophia Song - Nostalgic Musings - 2 By Sophia Song February 10, 2022 Photography Volume 2 Issue 4

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Ask Ala: Pride By Ala Paruch Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Image provided by TED Ideas Hello dear readers! With the PRIDE month here, we want to celebrate our LGBTQ+ community and show them how much we care for them. As an ally myself, I encourage everyone to support and listen to your friends, not only during pride month but every day. Here is some advice for the LGBTQ+ community from the Alliance Club: From Grace So, you've decided to come out. First things first, I'm proud of you! Coming out is a big step, and it requires tremendous amounts of effort to reach that level of comfort with yourself. However, coming out can be tricky, and while we have made progress on LGBTQ+ rights and protections, it's important to know that you know your situation best. Your safety is the biggest priority when coming out. If you feel that coming out may create threats to your safety (whether that is physical, mental, financial, or otherwise) ‒ then it is probably not the right time to come out. I know it can be painful to hide such a large part of yourself from people you love, your identity is a big part of you! It's something to be celebrated, not shunned. Nonetheless, until you feel 100% sure that it won't impact your safety, it may be best to lay low. Of course, as I said before, you know your situation best, but remember ‒ safety should be your #1 priority. From Anonymous Coming to terms with your sexuality or gender can be an incredibly difficult process, from acknowledging who you are, trying to figure yourself out and then finally accepting yourself, it can be a process filled with immense inner turmoil. First and foremost, you have to stop making up excuses and start telling yourself it’s okay to question and explore. Trying to repress your feelings only makes the struggle worse, learn to accept the fact that the feelings you have are normal and valid. Then you can try to gain a deeper understanding of those feelings. Go and research, ask others questions and take your time thinking about it! (There’s always someone in The Alliance who’d be willing to talk to you!) However, it is important to remember that you never need to label yourself if you don’t want to. This is all about what you feel, and so you decide what you get to do with those feelings. Lastly, you have to accept yourself. Besides allowing yourself to feel your true feelings, you also have to accept yourself and therefore those feelings too. Find beauty and strength in your experiences and live them out to the fullest! After going through these struggles, you deserve it! I am so proud of you for being here and for trying your best! You will find happiness, and it does get better. From Cairo “Coming out” is usually seen as this huge, one time, make it or break it event; but honestly, it’s really not. As a queer person, you’ll have to come out for the. rest. of. your. entire. life . That was a bit of an exaggeration, but the point still stands. Although you don’t owe anyone an explanation about your identity, you’ll most likely have to “come out” to new people you meet for the rest of your life; not to mention that sometimes your identities change, so you might “re-come out.” Being able to come out in the first place while keeping calm is something that takes time and practice. But if you want to make it easier on yourself, try writing some kind of script and memorizing it. So, when the time comes, it’ll be easier to explain your identity. Also try to keep track of common questions people ask so you’ll be better prepared to address them if someone happens to ask. From Joseph [Excerpt from Being a Good Ally ] First, be calm. Reacting with a surprised tone can come off as negative or demeaning during this experience. Second, be kind. From what I previously said, it's very tough and scary for someone to come out to you, so make sure that they know how much you care about them. An example of this is showing them that you still love and support them, and show them that you will stick up for them. Third, be proud. This will contribute to the aspect of being kind. By fully and openly supporting your friend shows them how proud you are of them, who they are, and the courage it took them. An example of this is how all of my friends took me to the Pride parade in NYC in 2019 to show their support. Finally, be understanding. Someone who is doing all of this is going through a lot of trauma, and they might be frustrated with other people's reactions or just the stress of coming out. So if they might be struggling at being a good friend or whatever it is, understand that they are going through something that not many people experience, and they are just struggling. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections White Flowers By Nora Chery Volume 3 Issue 2 December 23, 2022 Image provided by Unsplash.com Do you remember when it rained for two weeks straight? I did and I thought it resulted in a good thing. Sure, the townsfolk, especially my mother, would disagree. "They're just flowers dearie," she'd say to me. "The town nearly washed away out of existence due to that catastrophe, and all god could offer is some flowers!?" "Beautiful flowers," I retorted softly, perching over to see the flowers clearly. My mother snorted and turned her back towards me, she lifted the hem of her dress and marched through the soaked grass, making her way back home, not far where the flowers are. They were beautiful flowers, indeed they were. A beautiful clomp of white lilies, whiter than any lily, whiter that the one’s Mrs. Harper used to sell before her store got destroyed. Whiter than the beautiful dress my mother had to sell in exchange for money and food. Whiter than the clouds that turned to gray ones drenching us with water. They smelled nice with petals soft to the touch, despite the rain. I would spend hours in my garden, tending to them, watching them grow, and dreaming of the day I could finally pick one and bring it inside. But then you came along, and at first, I thought you were the answer to my prayers. You were kind, gentle, and you seemed to genuinely care about me and my garden. You even helped me with the watering and weeding, and I couldn't have been happier. But then, one day, you took my white flowers. You said you wanted to give them to your sister, who was upset due her destroyed house, and you promised to bring them back. But you never did. I waited and waited, but you never returned. And as the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, my garden began to wither and die. Without those white flowers, my garden was nothing but a barren wasteland. And without you, my heart was nothing but a hollow shell. Do you remember when it rained for two weeks straight? I do, and I thought it was a curse. Because that's when my white flowers were taken from me, and the man I thought loved me left me behind. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections America Chavez: The First Openly LGBTQ+ Woman of Color in the MCU By Megan McDermott Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Image provided by Marvel Note: This will contain many Multiverse of Madness Spoilers America Chavez, portrayed by Xochitl Gomez, made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the latest movie, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, on May 6, 2022. Many fans, including myself, had very high hopes for this newfound representation after 2021’s Eternals featuring Phastos, the first openly gay superhero, who even having an onscreen husband and son. Phastos and his husband also kiss onscreen, which is an enormous step in the direction of representation, especially for such a big corporation as Disney and Marvel. Chavez is fourteen years old - the youngest in the movie and one of the youngest in the MCU. I attempted not to get my hopes up for full representation upon learning her age, but I was pleasantly surprised upon seeing the movie. Many close-ups of her pride pin on her denim jacket were featured, and this “controversial” scene: Chavez has two moms, and the twelve-second clip of them led to attempted censorship in places such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar. This scene consists of Chavez learning about her ability to jump through the multiverses and depicts her mothers getting lost in the multiverse after Chavez accidentally opens a portal. Due to the bans on gay content in the countries mentioned above, they requested Disney and Marvel cut the scene, but the studios refused because they want inclusion and representation to increase in their films. That news filled me with hope for Marvel to introduce more LGBTQ+ characters into their films. Many of the characters are canonically LGBTQ+ in the comics, such as Loki, Yelena Belova, and Wiccan (who translates into the MCU as Wanda Maximoff’s son, Billy Maximoff). I am very optimistic about her future in the MCU. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections The Art of Table Tennis Manal Layachi Volume 4 Issue 3 March 13, 2024 Image Provided by Mamba Blades What is Table Tennis? Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a fun and recreational sport that can be played at any age. In order to play this game, you need paddles, a rectangular table with a net, table tennis balls, and someone to play with. Table tennis can be played as singles or doubles. I prefer playing singles because I feel as though the court is not big enough to play with a partner. Did you know that table tennis has been an Olympic sport since 1988? I did not know that either and was surprised. Table tennis is like mini tennis and that is what I like about it. If you know how to play tennis, you will know how to play table tennis. The History of Table Tennis Table tennis first appeared in the late 19th century in England. It was inspired by lawn tennis and the first players were mainly members of the middle-class of Victorian society. The first game was played with materials such as champagne corks, cigar boxes, and books. Table tennis was a good distraction for the wealthy classes. David Foster introduced the first game of tennis in 1890. Seven years later, the first national championships took place in Hungary. Furthermore, James Gibb introduced a lightweight ball known as the “celluloid ball” in 1901. E.C. Gould introduced rubber bats or paddles that improved the playing of table tennis in 1902. During the same year, table tennis tournaments began, such as the first World Championship. In addition, table tennis organizations were founded; for example, the Table Tennis Association in 1921, and the International Federation in 1926. Some champions in table tennis include Austro-Briton Richard Bergmann, Aloizy Ehrilich, and Angelica Rozeanu. That is how the sport of table tennis came to be. Interesting history, right? The Rules of Table Tennis Games are played to 11 points and must be won by two points. A match is won based on whoever wins the most games: the best three out of five games. Every two points, the person who serves the ball alternates with their opponent. If there is a tie which is a score of 10-10 also known as deuce, the serves are alternated every point. When serving a ping pong ball, hold it in your palm behind the end of your side of the table. You must toss it at least six inches in the air for it to count; however, the ball must hit your side of the table first before going to the other side. If you miss the serve, your opponent gets the point. The serve can land anywhere when you are playing singles; however, the ball cannot bounce more than once on your side. A serve that touches the net on the way over is a “let.” If the ball is served and hits the net on the way over, that is known as a “let” and the serve must be repeated. When playing doubles, partners must alternate hitting the ball. Volleys are not allowed. You can touch the ball with your paddle hand. Touching the table with your non-paddle hand is illegal. An “edge ball” bouncing off the horizontal tabletop surface is valid and counts as a point. The vertical sides of the table are not part of the playing surface. The Honor system applies to disagreements if no referee is present during the match. Table Tennis is a Lifetime Sport: Anyone can play table tennis, no matter the age. It is considered a lifetime sport because it can be played anywhere and even when people get older. According to Danine Fruge, racket sports such as tennis and badminton have “proven to be one of the top categories of sport for increasing lifespan.” However, not everyone has access to tennis courts and others may have injuries. Table tennis is perfect for those who have injuries as it requires “no training or particular level of fitness to start playing.” Table tennis boosts longevity as it works out your brain, improves your agility, and gets your heart rate going. Overall, table tennis is an awesome sport to be a part of and I love playing this fun game with my cousins and friends! North’s Table Tennis Club: Fellow North students, have you ever heard of North’s Table Tennis Club? I joined the club this year and I am having a lot of fun. Mr. Fischer, our club advisor, has been running this club for 50 years! I decided to join the club as I wanted to have fun and stay active. I now know a lot more about table tennis than I did when I first joined. This sport has taught me to be patient and have confidence in myself. It also helps me clear my mind and distracts me from the stress of school and junior year. I also enjoy playing as I get to spend time with my cousin and make new friends. If you are interested in joining, we meet every Tuesday at 3:30 in the cafeteria unless the time has changed. Sources: The history of table tennis - Cornilleau Official Rules of Table Tennis — PongFit Why Table Tennis Is Great for Longevity and Health | Well+Good (wella BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections Who Needs Romance When You Can Have Platonic Solids? By Lucy Wu Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by the Sacred Geometry Shop Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching; you can taste the sickly sweetness of candy hearts and smell the over fragranced red roses (not to mention the skyrocketing hallway PDA is pretty ick ). But let’s face the music: you’re not seeing someone at the moment, and your friends already made plans (read: you’ll be alone this Valentine’s Day). I get it: love is hard. But because I completely sympathize with your dilemma, I’ll be playing matchmaker to help you find some company. Thus, I’d like to introduce you to some of my favorite mathematical figures, the platonic solids. Of my many talents, I can also read minds, so I know precisely what you’re thinking: how will these random shapes save me from eating ice cream while binge-watching Love Island alone this Valentine’s Day? Be patient. I assure you that you too will be transfixed by the magical attributes of platonic solids in just a moment. History First of all, background is important (don’t worry, I wouldn’t set you up with someone I didn’t trust wholeheartedly). Fortunately for us, the platonic solids have a pretty, dare I say, solid track record (I promise the puns get better as the article progresses). They’ve been constructed throughout history, such as for games in ancient Italy, or by ancient Roman and Egyptian civilizations. Moreover, they’ve captured the attention (and hearts) of infamous mathematicians, including their Pythagoras, their namesake Plato, and even Kepler. Plato also correlated each solid with a natural element (more on this later), while Kepler used them to explain the enigma of planetary movement (read the Mysterium Cosmographicum if you’re interested). And the best part is, the meaning is built right into their names. In our English vernacular, platonic means a friendly and inseparable bond, never to be distanced by fading feelings or waning passion. Thus, if you choose platonic solids, you’ll never be alone, because just like a good friend, they will always be there for you. While there are multiple platonic solids, I would advise you to take your pick before they’re taken by someone else, since there are just five unique figures. The Basics So what makes a platonic solid a platonic solid anyway? Glad you asked. Dimension: Must be a 3 dimensional figure (So it must possess length, width, and height, which are all important attributes. Like I’d image it wouldn’t be as fun to hang out with a 2D figure, since their personalities are flat because they literally lack dimension.) Faces: If you’re familiar with rectangular prisms, you might know they have sides made of squares and rectangles. Or pyramids have a square base and triangular sides. But platonic solids are special in that their faces are ALL composed of congruent, regular polygons. Meaning, the sides must all be squares, or triangles, or even pentagons for instance. (You might say this makes them boring, but I promise that you’d prefer their constancy and predictability over the chaos that is fractals.) These aren’t requirements, but I’d recommend you take notes before you get lost. Prefixes: Each has a special name composed of the prefix and suffix. The Greek suffix - hedron denotes that it has a specific number of faces. Meanwhile, the prefix changes for each solid to signify the number of faces. For example, tetra- means four in Greek. Edges: The lines composing the sides of the figure, or where each side meets the other side Vertices: The points where lines join up for multiple sides of the figure (they look like spikes) Now that you understand their history and terminology, let me introduce you to each of our lovely platonic solids. Tetrahedron (Credits: Bijan Davvaz) Vertices: 4 Edges: 6 Faces: 4 Element: Fire – Since it has the smallest volume in relation to its surface area, it actually becomes the most “flexible” of the solids. It’s ready at a moment’s notice and will certainly fight for you. Planet: Jupiter Hexahedron (a.k.a Cube) (Credits: Bijan Davvaz) Vertices: 8 Edges: 12 Faces: 6 Element: Earth – This is the most stable of all the solids because of its solid base and naturally will keep you grounded. Planet: Saturn Octahedron (Credits: Bijan Davvaz) Vertices: 6 Edges: 12 Faces: 8 Element: Air – Interestingly, you can spin an Octahedron on its axis, making it a moveable object. This is a match made in heaven if your head is in the clouds and you enjoy daydreaming. Planet: Mercury Dodecahedron (Credits: Bijan Davvaz) Vertices: 20 Edges: 30 Faces: 12 Element: Universe – The Greeks are great mathematicians but even better astrologers: 12 faces correspond to each of the 12 zodiac signs. If you’re high maintenance, choose Dodecahedron because you can quite literally have the entire world at the palm of your hand. Planet: Mars Icosahedron (Credits: Bijan Davvaz) Vertices: 12 Edges: 30 Faces: 20 Element: Water – This is the opposite of firey Tetrahedron since it has the largest volume in relation to its surface area, making it the least “flexible.” But fear not, as its many sides will protect you through thick and thin. Planet: Venus But wait... there’s more! Dual Polyhedron Now, you may have noticed that some of the solids have the same number of vertices as the number of faces of another solid, and vice versa (if you didn’t, look back and see if you can find the corresponding pairs). Another fantastic trait of the platonic solids is their duality, that is, their corresponding half, or partner in crime. (This doesn’t mean they’re two-faced, by the way. It simply demonstrates they have the flexibility to change and collaborate which each other, or another facet of their personality if you will.) To construct their hidden counterparts, imagine drawing a point at the center of each face. Then, connect these points with internal line segments, making new sides. Shave off the rest of the shape that doesn’t fall within these sides. If you did it correctly, you should end up with another one of the platonic solids (or Tetrahedron again, if you started with Tetrahedron)! If you’re having trouble visualizing, here’s a diagram. Hexahedron and Octahedron are each other’s duals, while Dodecahedron and Icosahedron match each other as well. Tetrahedron is the most self-aware of them all, since its geometric dual is itself. 1: Platonic Solids 2: Corresponding Duals 3: Superimposed on each other (Credits: Wolfram MathWorld) What’s more is that you can even go back and forth. It’s like taking the reciprocal of a fraction, you just flip. To go back to the original fraction, just flip again. In a similar fashion, by taking the dual of a Hexahedron, you create an Octahedron, and taking a dual of that brings you back home to a Hexahedron once more. Higher Dimensions Let’s also touch upon the fact that these lovely platonic solids manifest their true selves in higher dimensions. For instance, our trusty cube becomes a hypercube (or tesseract, if you’re into that) once you approach it in the 4th dimension. In addition to our height, length, and width, we add the last variable of blurring the constraints of time. For you, this means that just as a cube has a square on each face, the hypercube has a cube on each face instead. (The technicalities can be explained in a future article, but you have to admit this is pretty cool.) I’d advise staring straight at the middle to see the effect (Credits: Joel Grayson) Needless to say, it’s clear why this Valentine’s Day, you should forget your sorrows (and definitely skip the ice cream and Love Island ). My job as Cupid (or Eros if we’re trying to be Greek) is done for now. Instead, I urge you to indulge in the limitless possibilities of a platonic solid that will constantly transcend both space and time for you; just not in a romantic way, only platonically of course. Sources https://www.sacredgeometryshop.com/sacred-geometry/the-secrets-of-the-platonic-solids/ https://mathworld.wolfram.com/DualPolyhedron.html https://brilliant.org/wiki/tesseract/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platonic_solid BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections Memory Project Artists Creating a Kinder World through Art By Luiginna Frederique Volume 2 Issue 5 March 28, 2022 Original photography by Gilana Etame North’s Art Honor Society’s tradition of creating portraits for the Memory Project organization has continued with this year’s assignment being children in Nigeria. The Memory Project is an organization founded back in 2004 to create portraits for children in orphanages to create special memories crafted with love and kindness. Now it has grown into a worldwide project where artists from around the world come together to create portraits for children worldwide who are facing or have faced various challenges. As per tradition, the Art Honor Society has participated once more and created both portraits and inspiration artwork for children in Nigeria who have been displaced from their homes and left scared and scarred by the terrorism and violence they’ve faced due to a series of issues in Nigeria. All Art Honor Society members and some members of the art club and Language Honor Society have created portraits and inspiration artwork inspired by 11 children in Nigeria. Christabel by Katherine Cevada Yusuf by Elizabeth Andre Jaba by Luiginna Frederique Esther by Isabella Somma Yahaya by Ava Strojan Godwin by Kimberly Shrestha Mansir by Arunima Roy Mustapha by Gilana Etame Suwaira by Isabella Somma Happiness by Elaine Ching Art Honor Society members holding their respective portraits. (Kimberly Shrestha & Isabella Somma not included) BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections North Spring Sports Recap By John McCarthy Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Original photo by Michael Frazer It has been an exciting spring season for North athletics as we wind down to the end of the school year. All sports have been successful and some teams have done exceptionally well to find themselves in the playoff picture. Wrapping up the year in this final issue, we look back to the teams and their moments who made this shortened spring season a great summer send-off. Baseball The Varsity team has found a spot in the postseason with a key win over Plainedge on Monday June 7th after pre-game festivities honoring the late Spartan Club President Paul Kay and the team’s seniors. After starting off slow this season, the boys kept their spirits high, earning tight wins against Lynbrook, Floral Park, and Mineola. Moreover, varsity baseball swept their cross-town rivals from Valley Stream South with scores of 10-1 and 15-4. The boys look for more clutch moments as we arrive closer to the Conference 4 playoffs. Jack Lang has been the ace pitcher for the squad, being helped by clutch hitting and defense all season from Ryan Restivo, Andrew Lusterino, and freshman sensation Jimmy Strohlein. Michael Capolino and Luke Sibblies have also pitched very well overall, and the whole roster plays a role in making baseball at North memorable. Looking forward to playoffs, baseball wants to continue the legacy past teams have set by adding more playoff wins this season. Softball “North’s Girls Varsity Softball team, under the guidance of Dan Tronolone, continues their hard work as they head into their second playoff game against Mepham High School, after a 14-1 win against Manhasset High School. Starting pitcher, #8 Christina Ravo, Sophomore, has 58 strikeouts and 9 RBIs at the plate. Catcher, #15 Kayla Santo, Sophomore, batted .472 with 12 RBIs, 3 home runs, and 15 runs scored. She threw out 63% of runners who attempted to steal and picked off 5 base runners. Second basemen, #8 Emmy Saracino, Senior, has 9 RBIs. Starting shortstop, #10 Jillian Cosme, Senior, scored 9 runs and will be continuing her softball career at Queens College.” - Jillian Strojan, Class of 2021 Track and Field Track and Field has a great reputation at North for both boys and girls with banners covered with conference championships over the past two decades. With many athletes qualifying for All-County races and competitions which took place at North on Monday, Valley Stream North is about to wrap up another very successful year. While the boys finished league play with an astonishing record of 12-1, the girls had to outdo the boys finishing a perfect 13-0. Phenomenal athletes such as Ryan John and Thomas Siatsis won many events like the long jump, triple jump, and high jump for Ryan and long distance races for Thomas. As for the girls, Senior Danielle Phillip has not lost a race the entire season in events such as the 100m, 4X100m, and 200m! Accompanying Danielle, exceptional field athletes such as Sasha Smalls, And Oluwatobi Adebowale finished league play with amazing throws in the discus. Here, we have a statement from the aforementioned Sasha Smalls, part of North’s talented Senior Class, describing her reflection on her final North sports season. “The 2021 spring track and field season was bittersweet. I have to say of all the other sports I did this year (winter track and volleyball), the spring season was the most normal. We were fortunate to have spring track run during its normal months which was relieving; I can’t say I enjoyed wearing volleyball spandex in the middle of March. I enjoyed the usual warm weather and longer days that I associate with spring track but as a result of the pandemic, we were not allowed any invitational meets this year. Invitationals are by far my favorite part of competing for the track and field team. It’s an opportunity for a vast number of high schools to gather to improve their times, jumps, and throws without the competitiveness of a normal league meet. There’s a chance to win medals and buy a thrifty shirt to commemorate the experience. Although it wasn’t the most ideal senior season I can’t say I didn’t enjoy time spent with my team and especially all the underclassmen. I'm super sad to be leaving behind this year.” -Sasha Smalls, Class of 2021 Tennis Boys’ Tennis had an extremely successful season this year progressing into Nassau County’s playoffs and featuring two incredible juniors primed for an even better senior year. The boys finished 6-2 in league matches this season and Craig Papajohn-Shaw finished the season undefeated. He and fellow junior Daniel Ellis qualified and will compete in the individual Nassau County Championship at Eisenhower Park. Finally, the third athlete in the tennis Big Three, Everton Prospere, played great sets all throughout the year contributing to the great record the boys earned. Overall, the record for the team was good enough to place 2nd in Conference 3B, an impressive feat on its own. Badminton Coach Schiavo’s Badminton team has had an amazing season and the girls have fun while playing great badminton! Senior Victoria Ling and Junior Ayla Iqbal have placed well in singles matches all season to help rack up team wins for the North Badminton squad. Also, Seniors Erin St. Angelo and Caitlyn Coogan have contributed to the team’s success with doubles wins this season. This season of spring sports could not have been more fun for me, a part of the playoff bound Varsity Baseball team. I’m sure many other athletes feel the same. North has a great tradition of excellence in athletics and the students who make the school proud have fun doing it. High school sports bring out the best in an athlete and brings great moments, full of excitement and oy to the forefront. And don’t forget about racking up those W’s. Go Spartans! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Who Am I Back to Sections Anonymous - Who Am I? - 4 By Anonymous November 19, 2021 Volume 2 Issue 2

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Valentines’ Sweets By Christina Ossa Volume 1 Issue 5 February 12, 2021 Original photo by Christina Ossa With Valentine's Day creeping closer and closer, why not take initiative and bake something sweet for you and your special someone? If you have a valentine, whether it be a significant other or a friend, and you’re wondering what you could give them or do for them to show some love, it could be a good idea to put in some effort to bake them something. Valentine's Day is the day of the lovers or even just special connections with others, so I’ve compiled two recipes for that special someone that you can bake. While it may not be the easiest task, baking can be an amazing way to show someone that you care. Even if you don’t have a valentine, why not treat yourself and bake these sweets for yourself! “Sweetheart” Vanilla Cookies: Similar to its sister cookie, sugar cookies, this cookie is a buttery-delight that would easily please that special someone. These vanilla cookies are a treat for anyone who eats them, as they’re crisp and crunchy on the outside but have a buttery and soft texture when you bite into them. Also for an extra “touch” if you want to add some decoration to your cookies, I added a drizzle of melted white chocolate dyed red. If you want to wow your valentine or even just treat yourself, these cookies will leave you more than satisfied even if it seems like quite a bit of work at first. But, once you have your finished product of a beautiful vanilla cookie, you won’t be unsatisfied with the amount of work you put into them, and neither will your valentine! Ingredients: 3 ⅓ sticks butter 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar 1-2 large eggs 3 ¼ cups flour 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract A pinch of salt 3 oz white chocolate melts 3-4 drops of red food coloring Directions: Either wait until your eggs and butter are room temperature and the butter is softened, or put each stick of butter in the microwave for 10-15 seconds Add your butter to a large bowl and slowly add your powdered sugar and mix with a hand mixer, whisk, or kitchen aid if you have one Add in the eggs one by one, mixing each time you add an egg Just as you mixed in the powdered sugar, pour in the flour little by little and mix it together until fully incorporated (batter should be sticky but not so much that it fully sticks to hands) Add in the salt and vanilla extract then transfer to either a piping bag to pipe the cookies or take about a golf ball size of batter and roll it in your hands into a ball Place or pipe the cookies onto a baking sheet and bake at 340°F for 10-15 minutes *OPTIONAL* Once the cookies are done and cooled down, melt 3 oz of melting white chocolate in a medium-sized bowl and dye it red with red food coloring once melted *OPTIONAL* drizzle the chocolate onto the cookies with a spoon and enjoy! “Cupid’s” Red Velvet Cake Pops Cake-pops are similar to cake since it’s the same as baking a cake only without the more complex icing aspect of it. These valentine red velvet cake-pops are especially delicious, as they’re covered by a hardened-layer of delicious white chocolate or candy and clumped together with decadent buttercream. If you’re deciding whether you want to bake a special treat for your valentine or just to treat yourself, then baking these cake-pops could be an amazing idea. The cake is airy and soft to bite, and the hint of chocolate from the red velvet flavor may be subtle, but is always an amazing touch. If the cake is a bit too much work for you, just substitute it for a boxed cake mix and follow the instructions on the back. If you’re looking for another recipe to bake for that special someone, feel free to wow them with some delicious Valentine themed cake-pops! Ingredients: Cake: 1 ½ sticks butter 5 tbsp sugar 4 egg yolks 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract ⅛ cup milk 3-4 drops red food coloring ¾ cake flour 4 tsp cocoa powder 2 tsp baking powder 4 egg whites ¼ cup sugar OR Substitute with boxed cake mix Buttercream Frosting: 3 sticks unsalted butter (softened) 3 cups powdered sugar 1 tbsp vanilla extract 2-3 tbsp milk Chocolate Coating: 12 oz white chocolate/candy melts 1 ½ tsp coconut oil (or substitute any other flavorless oil) Toppings of choice (sprinkles, candies, etc.) Cake-pop sticks *OPTIONAL* styrofoam Directions: Follow instructions on the back of the boxed cake mix OR Make sure the butter and eggs are room temperature and the butter is softened Separate the egg yolks from the whites Add the butter to a large bowl and mix with a hand mixer, whisk, or kitchen aid until it turns a light yellow and seems airy Once the butter is whipped, add the sugar and mix until combined Add the egg yolks one by one, mixing with every yolk you add-in and add in the vanilla extract Pour in the milk and red food coloring then mix Use a sift to sift in the CAKE flour (a type of flour made to make an airy cake), cocoa powder, and baking powder then use a spatula to fold it in or mix it in then set aside once combined In a separate, medium-sized bowl, pour in your egg whites and use a hand mixer, whisk, or KitchenAid and whisk until the egg whites become frothy/bubbly on the top Once the egg whites look frothy, add your sugar in ⅓’s and 30-second intervals into the egg white mixture (meaning once the whites are frothy add in about ⅓ of the ¼ cup sugar every thirty seconds and mix in between the thirty seconds) until the egg whites form a meringue (or when you take out the mixer they’ll form hardened peaks at the tips of the whisk or mixer attachment, if still confused look up “how to make meringue” on YouTube or Google) Once the merengue is complete, add it in thirds with a rubber spatula into the cake mixture until combined Prepare 2 cake tins with butter or PAM spray and bake the cake at 335°F for 30 minutes Combine the ingredients for the buttercream in a medium-sized bowl while the cake is baking, mix the butter and the sugar together for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy then add the rest into the mixture Melt the white chocolate/candy melts with coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds each time you place it into the microwave until smooth and fully-melted then add either red, pink, or white food coloring Once the cake is out of the oven and cooled, take it out of the tin and into a large-sized bowl and mash it until it’s crumbled, and set it aside Add the frosting into the bowl with the cake until combined Form about a golf-ball sized ball of cake for each cake pop and place a cake pop stick into each ball Dip the cake-pop balls with the sticks on them until it’s fully covered then add decorations of your choosing Either place the cake pops on a baking sheet to dry by smushing the top part onto the baking sheet so that it’s flat or stick the cake pop stick into the styrofoam Place the cake pops in the freezer/fridge for 20-40 minutes until dried, and once dried, enjoy! 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