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Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections Protect Asian Lives: An Ode to Asian Culture By Christina Ossa Volume 1 Issue 7 April 22, 2021 Original photo by Christina Ossa Boba Black Milk Tea: (Up to two servings) Ingredients: ¼-½ cup Boba Pearls (You can buy them on amazon) ⅓-½ cup dark brown sugar ¼ cup milk 1 cup of tea of choice (I used Black Tea) 5-6 ice cubes Directions: Grab a medium-sized saucepan and follow the directions on the back of your package to heat the boba pearls ; I would use about ¼ cup of boba pearls if you want only one serving While your boba pearls are heating, heat the water in a kettle or small pan that you are going to use for your tea (I would use a strong flavored tea since it’s being mixed with milk and sugar if you want to taste the flavor of the tea) After draining your boba pearls, place them back into the saucepan and add the dark brown sugar (you can add as much as you want depending on how sweet you like your bubble tea) Grab a fairly large-sized cup and pour your boba pearls into the cup Pour the milk into the cup, add more depending on your preference Add the ice cubes into the cube then slowly pour the tea to the top of the cup Grab a wide straw for the boba and enjoy~ Recently, Asian Americans have become targets for harassment, discrimination, and racism more so than ever. Racism has persisted as an obstacle for people of color, including me, in our daily lives for as far back as anyone can remember. However, since the start of the pandemic, Anti-Asian hate crimes have increased by nearly 150% with estimates of cases being roughly 3,800 anti-Asian bias incidents, and one of the motivators this year and last year being that many people blame Asians for COVID-19 and the pandemic since the virus spread from Wuhan, China. I feel for Asian Americans as I do for all other people of color, and if we can support their culture, we should also be able to support and respect them as people as well. People of color are unfairly treated many times in this country and throughout the world, ranging from police brutality and hate crimes to just generalized, subtle stereotypes thrown toward us in our day-to-day lives. However, no one deserves to experience hate crimes solely for the color of their skin and the violent opinions people hold against members of certain races, especially not innocent Asian people simply trying to mind their business. This is why I wanted to share a bubble tea recipe that I’ve recently used and become obsessed with. I love bubble tea, I love anime, I love Asian cuisines (Sichuan Chinese food, Japanese cuisine, etc.). I consume Asian culture almost every day, and if I love their culture so much I, along with others who enjoy Asian culture as I do, should be able to spread awareness of this subject. I’m sure in your life you’ve experienced or appreciated Asian food, products, or anything related. If we can experience Asian culture at its highs, we should also be able to support Asians experiencing hate crime and being attacked; we should help them and stand up for them during their lows. Much more recently on March 16th, there was a series of mass shootings targeting spas and massage parlors where 8 women were shot to death, 6 of the victims being Asian. The shooter was named Robert Aaron Long and CNN reports that he stated that he had a “sex addiction” which he claimed was his reason for the shooting. The fact that this man KILLED 8 women is sickening, but what creates even more disgust was that he did it to “eliminate his temptation”. But what causes this shooting to be even more revolting than it is already is that the police reports did not declare this a hate crime nor femicide, and the sheriff of Cherokee County at first stated in an interview that “Yesterday was a really bad day for him [Long] and this is what he did”, which is completely ridiculous as clearly, this was a race/gender-motivated crime that should not be excused in any form. Long targeted solely spas and massage parlors, and NBC News even reported that Long specifically drove from location to location meaning that he had clearly planned this beforehand. NBC reports that survivor Eunji Lee, who was once robbed and held at gunpoint, declared herself that this shooting felt targeted and extremely different from a “traditional” robbery since Long did not give any demands or requests to the women on-duty. He simply shot anyone he could find, and what’s more, he killed all women, and the majority of them were Asian. While the Atlanta shooting in Georgia may have been one of the more extreme incidents, it’s sadly one of many hate crimes against Asians from this year and last year alone. While Asian-Americans continually face brutality, attacks, and harassment simply because of the color of their skin and heritage, we continue to enjoy and immerse ourselves in their culture. While it’s most certainly not a bad thing to enjoy and appreciate Asian culture, we must take into account that if we enjoy their culture, we also must support them as people. We cannot ‘pick and choose’ what we prefer from their overall culture and identities. As I’ve said, I love Asian culture, whether it be their food, art, shows/movies, etc., I will always appreciate what the Asian community has shared with us. This is also why I’ve shared a bubble tea recipe, because this simple milk, tea, sugar concoction is one of the most popular drinks among the mainstream population and it was shared with us from the Asian community, specifically Taiwan. If you don’t like bubble tea personally, that’s completely fine, but this beverage is just one of many examples of Asian culture that we can enjoy every day. However, as joys from the Asian community are shared with us, so are their misfortunes. It is our job to help spread awareness on these heinous hate crimes that have plagued so many Asian lives, and it’s time for us to stand up for the Asian community and Stop Asian Hate. If you enjoy anime, going out to your favorite Asian restaurant, drinking bubble tea -- if you enjoy Asian culture in any way, shape, or form -- then help the community whose culture you endorse yourself in so much by simply signing a petition for change, donating money to Anti-Asian-Hate foundations, attending a protest against Asian Hate, spreading awareness to these horrible incidents and any other ways to support our fellow Asian-American community. Petition You Can Sign: http://chng.it/mwgBbRHJNG Works Cited: Park, Hanna. "He Shot at 'Everyone He Saw': Atlanta Spa Workers Recount Horrors of Shooting." NBC News , 2 Apr. 2021. NBC News , www.nbcnews.com/news/ asian-america/ he-shot-everyone-he-saw-atlanta-spa-workers-recount-horrors-n1262928. Accessed 9 Apr. 2021. Wagner, Meg, et al. "8 Killed in Shootings at Atlanta-Area Spas." CNN , 18 Mar. 2021. CNN News , www.cnn.com/us/live-news/atlanta-area-shootings-03-17-21/ index.html. Accessed 9 Apr. 2021. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Valley Stream Central High School District’s Health Department Violations Cody Sung Volume 5 Issue 1 September 20, 2024 Image Provided by Nassau County Health Department via Newsday According to the New York State Association of County Health Officials, local health departments coordinate with the New York State Department of Health to prevent health hazards, fight diseases, educate people about healthy lifestyles, protect communities from injuries and violence, and provide health-related services to people. Apart from these tasks, health departments inspect food service establishments, including those in schools. According to Newsday , under the federal free or reduced lunch program, schools that accept federal money for this program are required to have the county health department conduct biannual health inspections; only 6% of schools on Long Island in the program have met the requirement, as compared to 54% in New York State. In Nassau County, 46% of schools were not inspected during the 2022-23 school year, compared to 15% in the state and a mere 8% in New York City. The Newsday article stated that health officials told a nutrition director at a school district that “unless there is a critical violation on the first visit, they will not follow up with a second inspection as they do not have the staffing to do so” and that health officials in both Nassau and Suffolk claimed that inspections once a year were enough. Graphic created by Newsday However, the lack of inspections was not the only problem revealed in the Newsday article, last updated on May 14, 2024. According to Newsday, the most common violations found in cafeterias on the island were inadequate hand-washing facilities or improperly located, dirty, or broken toilets. Other common problems, according to the analysis, included lack of running water or issues with plumbing and sinks. Rarer violations included dead mice, live and dead cockroaches, insufficient food storage refrigeration, and rodent droppings, a violation that a Nassau County health inspector found in Valley Stream Central High School’s cafeteria during a routine inspection on October 11, 2023. The inspector noted rodent droppings “on the shelf directly adjacent to breadcrumbs and on shelves above and below” and inside “[t]wo large carton boxes containing … packaged Trix and [Cocoa Puffs],” along with a “[d]ouble bagged plastic bag of breadcrumbs (approximately 2lbs) found in a dry storage room … with a gnawed small opening.” This was listed as a critical violation on the health inspection report for Central, for food "from an unapproved source, spoiled, adulterated on premises.” The violation, resulting in foodborne illness, must be immediately corrected along with those related to facility maintenance, cleanliness, and an improperly functioning sewage disposal system, according to the publicly available food service establishment inspection results for the county. Valley Stream North High School had two non-critical violations in its inspection on September 28, 2023, for the presence of insects or rodents and dirty or damaged surfaces. In total, according to the Newsday article, 137 violations were reported during inspections across the four high schools in the Valley Stream Central High School District and the two feeder elementary school districts, Valley Stream District 13, and District 30. Image of the critical violation in Valley Stream Central High School’s cafeteria, provided by Newsday Dr. Wayne Loper, the superintendent of the district, responded to the Newsday report in a message sent through the district’s ParentSquare announcement service on May 15, 2024, stating that the infraction count listed by Newsday in its report “occurred over a seven-year period.” Including the elementary districts, there were “an average of approximately two infractions per year per building” with the “huge majority of the citations” being “for non-critical items, such as signs being improperly placed, minor plumbing issues, or painting that needed to be done.” He said, “In all of these cases, the infractions did not impact the actual quality of the food served to our students or the general cleanliness of the cafeteria space.” Loper further stated that “there were only 4 critical violations over the seven-year period” of the investigation and that all violations were either corrected while the inspector was still on site or immediately after the inspection. Addressing the rodent droppings violation in Central’s cafeteria, he stated that “steps were taken to remedy the situation and put in place protocols that would mitigate this type of situation from happening again.” He ended the message with a commitment to meeting local and state health department requirements and a notice that this year, the school district changed their food service vendor “and will work closely with them and our component elementary school districts, to ensure we are delivering healthy, nourishing meals to our students in clean, healthy cafeteria facilities.” ParentSquare announcement sent by superintendent Dr. Wayne Loper It is unclear whether the actions taken in response to Central’s violation were successful, since as of May 27, 2024, no new inspection has been listed by the health department, despite the presence of a critical food safety violation. Sources “The Function of Local Health Departments in New York State,” New York State Association of County Health Officials , https://www.nysacho.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Function-of-Local-Health-Departments-1.pdf “Only 6% of eligible Long Island school cafeterias inspected twice a year as required by federal law, among fewest in New York,” Newsday , https://www.newsday.com/long-island/investigations/schools-cafeteria-health-inspectors-nqquf97i “Nassau County Health Department Food Service Establishment Inspections,” Nassau County Health Department , https://app.nassaucountyny.gov/doh/fsei/desktop.php “Message from the Superintendent,” Dr. Wayne Loper via ParentSquare , https://www.parentsquare.com/feeds/33145030 BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Celebrating Lin-Manuel Miranda By Alicja Paruch Volume 2 Issue 1 October 8, 2021 No Image available at this time Lin-Manuel Miranda: actor, singer, writer, and composer. Even though he was born in New York, his parents are from Puerto Rico. He is primarily famous for the musicals In the Heights and Hamilton ; however, he has accomplished much more. Born on the 16th of January of 1980, Lin attended school in Manhattan, but he often traveled to Puerto Rico to spend time with his grandparents, which is why he became so close to the Latino culture. In 1998 he started Wesleyan College and majored in theater. After graduating in 2002, he appeared in a few movies, such as “Looking for Maria Sanchez” or “The Polar Bears.” During college, he also started his freestyle hip hop group - Freestyle Love Supreme . In 2005, Lin published his first musical - In the Heights . It’s a story about the Latino community of Washington Heights trying to improve their lives. In contrast, the business owner tries to achieve his sueñito (little dream) and learn about his true dreams. Lin attempted to convey the realities he observed of the Latino community he grew up within New York while sharing themes of love, family, community, and hope. Besides the stage being filled with Spanish words and phrases and Latino flags, the Latino songs bring everyone closer to the character’s thoughts, struggles, victories, culture, and lives. After the success of his first musical, he composed 21 Chump Street , a 14-minute musical about high school students and the responsibility they carry, but his previous achievement kept growing, and he eventually won 3 Drama Desk Awards, 4 Tony Awards, a Grammy Award, and 3 Oliver Laurence Awards and gained immense popularity. He then started composing the revolutionary musical Hamilton , and due to his already existing fame, he got to give a preview of it at the White House for President Obama. After his work with Alex Lacomoire, a pianist and conductor, Paul Tazewell, the costume designer, and Andy Blankenbuehler, the choreographer, in 2015, Lin released the long-awaited musical Hamilton; he was inspired while reading Alexander Hamilton , the biography by Ron Chernow. With a few of his friends from Freestyle Love Supreme and some new cast and crew members, the musical debuted and became an instant hit. Seats were sold out months in advance and cost hundreds of dollars. However, with all of his even increased fame, he didn’t just take the money and give himself a happy and peaceful life away from people. He did the opposite and became an activist. Notably, he raised funds for the victims of Hurricane Maria and helped actors and Broadway performers after the hit of the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, Lin composed the soundtrack for Disney’s Moana and got to work with famous actors such as Dwayne Johnson, also known as The Rock, and Auli'i Cravalho. He is continuing his work with Disney and is now composing music for the upcoming movie Encanto , a story about a supernatural family’s life in Colombia. With his many accomplishments and philanthropic actions, Lin-Manuel Miranda should be seen as an example and strive not to be corrupted by fame but help those in need; providing the help so many children like him desperately needed to succeed. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections Growing Use of Technology in Society Today By Neha Singh Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by GoodCore Are you becoming more dependent on your devices, just like most people in our society today? Do you find technology more helpful? Has artificial intelligence actually made your life easier? Do you use facial recognition instead of remembering your passwords? Are driverless cars the future you want? Although technology is really useful and helps us in our daily lives, is that a positive thing? Using facial recognition instead of remembering passwords is easier and more convenient but it decreases a person’s memory capacity. Before the advent of our advanced technology, we used to be able to memorize most passwords, but now most people can’t even remember their email passwords. Technology has affected mostly everyone but especially teenagers since they typically use new technology faster and more than adults do. However, do you know about the plus sides of technology in society? Artificial intelligence is now being used in medicine and medicinal research. With complex computer algorithms, computer chip implants can be used to advance people’s cognitive skills. With gene editing, we’re able to reduce the serious risks or development of health conditions in babies. Additionally, with robot exoskeletons, we can increase people’s muscular strength for lifting in manual labor jobs with built-in artificial intelligence systems. Is this really best for our society? Many people have different opinions about where technology should be used. Should we depend heavily on technology in the medical field as well? Or should it only remain for our entertainment, communication, and other daily life tasks? According to a Pew Research Center poll, 46% of United States adults think facial recognition technology is good for society, whereas 56% of United States adults think computer chip implants are bad for society. In the same poll, 30% of United States adults think gene editing is good for society and 30% think it is bad for society, whereas 42% of United States adults are unsure whether robotic exoskeleton is good or bad for society. Could this be due to a lack of knowledge regarding technology among the general population? Artificial intelligence is a fairly new concept in society, and we still don’t know everything about it. Although it is controlled by different computer algorithms, there isn’t always someone monitoring the technology, so anything could go wrong at any given moment. Technology is not 100% reliable, and this can be seen in our everyday lives. How many times has your phone died when you needed it? Or did your computer crash? Or do you have no service? Or the program or application you’re using is taking too long to respond? Although artificial intelligence is different and works through computer algorithms, crashes or hacks can still happen, so is technology really that good for our society today? BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections We Were Liars Book Review By Leah Ally Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by Amazon.com Raised in a privileged upbringing with eminent wealth, seventeen-year-old Cadence Sinclair Eastman spends her summers at the privately`-owned Beechwood Island when a tragic accident turns her elegant life into a living nightmare. Desperately attempting to put the pieces of her shattered memories back together from the night of her haunting incident two years before, Cadence struggles to mentally deal with her issues concerning romance, friendship, and her complicated family life. Blinded by deception and lies, Cadence realizes that everything she has ever known is not exactly as it appears within the tall walls of the Sinclair mansions. Author E. Lockhart’s writing style that portrays Cadence, a disillusioned teenager, adds to the notion of the story, giving a realistic narration of her mental health and the challenges she faces. For instance, the apprehensive tone used in both dialogue and her thoughts convey her anxiety throughout the story. As a reader, I enjoyed how the novel was structured, as it was in the past when Cadence was fifteen years old, yet gradually works its way up to the present, two years later, with Cadence at seventeen years old by the end of the story. The steady description of Cadence growing up helps to retrace the steps of her life as if you are following her thought process in attempting to restore her memory. In addition, Lockhart also includes a wealth of details, including the in-depth development of the characters or settings, even though certain aspects can drag out the story instead of progressing the plot. In particular, the descriptions of minor characters such as Cadence’s cousins can be repetitive and insignificant. I would recommend  We Were Liars  to middle school and high school students who enjoy psychological, realistic fiction thrillers. There are numerous themes in the novel that might easily relate to readers, such as family issues and mental health struggles; for instance, thematic notions of anxiety, depression, and lack of self-esteem are presented throughout the novel. Additionally, current social issues are used to convey the plot, for example, the brief demonstration of racism or bigotry towards Cadence’s presumed love interest, Gat Patil. There are also significant lessons from the novel, including how making decisions on impulse or with bold emotion can bring many consequences and risks. Moreover, regardless of how wealthy or how much fame you may have, money does not buy genuine happiness, even though it may appear to be the ideal life. Overall,  We Were Liars  by E. Lockhart was a fascinating read as it explores many themes, has a compelling writing style, and a fast-paced, exciting plot.                            BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections ENGLISH TEACHER Interviews - Grammar Issues Rehmat Kaur Volume 4 Issue 2 January 16, 2024 Image Provided by Picture by PaperTrue Grammar is a set of rules that helps us organize our sentences. It covers a variety of features of the English language. We all make grammatical errors on a regular basis, whether we are writing or speaking. I asked our amazing English teachers about the grammatical problems they see students have all the time. Capitalization A reader can benefit from capital letters. They indicate the beginning of a sentence, highlight essential words in a title, and they indicate proper names and formal titles. In English, the initial word of a phrase and all proper nouns (words that name a specific person, place, organization, or object) are capitalized. “Students forgetting to use basic capitalization really icks me!! That's text speaking crossing over to formal writing (Ms. Belbol). Similar Sounding Words “Older teens and adults mix up terms that can be easily corrected by a quick Google search like "their, there, they're" or "you're" and "your" (Ms. Mclarney). Words that sound the same but have distinct meanings and spellings might be difficult to distinguish. People are frequently perplexed by three extremely common ones: their, there, and they're. The words their, there, and they're all sound the same. The possessive pronoun their implies "belonging to them," as in "their house is new"; there is used to designate a specific area or location, as in "don't go there" and "there is a shop"; and they're is a contraction of "they are," as in "they're winning the game." ‘"there" is written when the writer means "they're" or "their"’ (Ms. Mansfield). Using you're and your wrongly is one of the most prevalent writing mistakes, especially when writing anything fast like an email or text message. You're is an abbreviation of the phrase you are, as in "you're wearing blue", "you're needed in class", and "make sure you're on time". Any of these lines would read the same if you were substituted with you're . Your is a possessive adjective that indicates ownership. There is no contraction here. Your is generally followed by a word, such as "Your seat is close to the window", "check your phone", or "I need your papers". If you’re was substituted for your in these example sentences, it would not make sense. Incorrect Usage of Apostrophes "My biggest grammar ick is the misuse of the apostrophe. Either people don't use it at all, so they have contractions and possessives without an apostrophe, OR they use it anytime there is a word that ends in an "s"" (Ms. Modzelewski). To express possession when the name is singular, add an apostrophe followed by a "s" to the end of the name (e.g., Mike's jacket). If a name is single but ends in a "s," you should always add an apostrophe to emphasize possession, but you can also add another "s" after the apostrophe if you choose (e.g., Lucas' car OR Lucas's car). If the name is plural, just add an apostrophe at the end to indicate ownership (e.g., the Miles' house). Forming a contraction with a name also requires adding an apostrophe with a "s," therefore examine the context of the phrase to ensure that the meaning is obvious. “Since it's holiday time, my BIGGEST ick is when people use an apostrophe with their names. It's wrong to say "Love, The Belbol's" because the Belbols don't own anything here; just put the s: "Love, The Belbols" (Ms. Belbol). “In a piece of student writing? Hm...so many grammar problems, so little time. But we have a virtual epidemic of missing possessive apostrophes in students ' (plural, possessive) writing today (Mrs. Mansfield). ” (Ms. Mansfield). Usage of “wanna” and “gonna” “I really despise when students use: wanna and gonna.... they are NOT words!!! Write want to or going to (Ms. Melluso). Formal English writing should be flawless, which means the writer should have chosen words with precision. When used in writing, "gonna" and "wanna" seem informal. Using "going to" and "want to" will improve the quality of your writing. These are just a few of the numerous grammatical errors that we make, as shared by some of our amazing English teachers. This involves not capitalizing when needed and getting confused between similar sounding words like "there" "their" "they're" and "your" "you're". The incorrect use of apostrophes is a typical error in student writing and using informal words like “gonna” and “wanna”. To improve our writing, we should proofread and check for grammatical errors. Sources Referenced: https://thewritepractice.com/grammar-vs https://omproofreading.com/grammar-vs-punctuation BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections What Happened to DART? By Cody Sung Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by NASA While NASA was busy with many attempts to launch their Moon rocket in their Artemis 1 mission [1], they were also getting ready to crash a $314 million spacecraft into an asteroid [2]. The mission is named the Double Redirection Asteroid Test, or as it is commonly known, DART. NASA is conducting this mission to test whether spacecraft have the capability to change the orbit of an asteroid that could crash into Earth. According to NASA; however, the asteroid that DART crashed into, Dimorphos , doesn’t pose a threat to Earth [3]. Despite this, the mission would still provide useful information for scientists. By hurling DART at Dimorphos , NASA estimated that it would shorten its orbit time by around 1%, or 10 minutes [4]. Luckily, we likely won’t need to test this out soon, since according to NASA, there are no known asteroid threats to Earth for the next century [5]. Work beyond the initial conceptual phases for DART began in June 2017, and the final design and assembly phase began in August 2018. The spacecraft weighed 1,340 pounds, and its cargo includes devices needed for the mission such as sensors for navigation, a camera, an onboard computer for crash trajectory calculations, solar arrays, an antenna, and an ion thruster [6]. During the journey to Dimorphos , it had to carry an Italian spacecraft, LICIACube, which would be used to study the effects of DART’s impact. Despite all that the DART team had to accomplish, the spacecraft was completed in time for its launch on November 24, 2021, from Vandenburg Space Force Base in California in a SpaceX Falcon 9 [7]. It would be a long journey ahead. Even going at about 4 miles a second, it would take the craft 9 months to reach Dimorphos. In preparation for its impact, there were many equipment tests to make sure the craft functioned properly. Everything worked properly, and two months before the impact, DART detected the Didymos system from 20 million miles away [6]. LICIACube was released one and a half months later, 15 days before the impact. Finally, on September 26, 2022, DART crashed into Dimorphos . The mission was a success. To astronomers worldwide, it was well worth the total $330 million cost of the mission [8]. LICIACube started to send images back to Earth a few minutes after the impact, showing the debris from DART’s impact [9]. In the following weeks, images from more sources started to stream in. It became quite clear that the impact shortened the orbital period of Dimorphos by around 32 minutes [10]. Thanks to this mission, we now know that if there is ever an asteroid that could hit Earth, we have a way to prevent its impact, although NASA scientists caution that we would have to do so years in advance for such a maneuver to be a success [4]. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections 2023 Oscar Predictions By Alain Deen Volume 3 Issue 3 February 24, 2023 Image provided by US Weekly The Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, evaluate and reward the creative prowess of films through an artistic and technical lens. The ceremony is largely regarded as one of the most prestigious nights within the industry, underscoring the talent, grit, and passion placed into the filmmaking process. As an aspiring filmmaker, writer, and actor myself, The Oscars are more than just an awards ceremony. The event proves to be pinnacle of creative, artistic, and introspective thought in terms of the past year. This year’s ceremony is taking place on March 12th, and there are various predictions regarding this year’s nominees. I will be covering the more popular categories, just as I did in my 2022 prediction article. Here are my takes. Best Picture: Top Gun: Maverick Women Talking Everything Everywhere All at Once The Banshees of Inisherin Triangle of Sadness The Fabelmans All Quiet on the Western Front Avatar: The Way of Water Elvis Tar In my opinion, Baz Luhrmann’s star-studded Elvis biopic takes the cake for this category. The unique editing, aesthetic, cinematography, and performances brand the film in an elegant, award-winning fashion. Compared to all of the other titles listed above, Elvis has generated the most fan fare by a landslide. However, it is worth noting that I personally believe Everything Everywhere All at Once is the better film in terms of pacing, writing and plot. Even so, I predict Elvis to win however due to its large cultural impact in the last eight months or so. Best Actor Brendan Fraser, The Whale Austin Butler, Elvis Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin Bill Nighty, Living Paul Mescal, Aftersun Austin Butler has emerged as one of the prominent faces of Hollywood this past year with the success of Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis. It is safe to say that Butler committed to the role in ways we cannot comprehend. For instance, Butler nailed his accent to the tea, to the point where it has remained almost a year after filming culminated. Therefore, I predict his performance to win in the best actor category. In contrast to the other actors nominated, Butler has displayed an exceeding level of commitment. Any actor willing to devote his time, grit, and fortitude in a role is deserving of winning this award, and Butler did just that. Best Actress Andrea Riseborough, To Leslie Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans Cate Blanchett, Tar Ana De Armas, Blonde Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once For me, Michelle Yeoh’s performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once has to be one of the greatest I have seen in my 18 years of life. Yeoh’s multifaceted performance underscores the duality of livelihood. Her subtle motions, gestures, accompanied with her character’s (Evelyn Quan Wang’s) buoyant personality makes the performance award-winning for me. It takes a different skillset to play Evelyn, which Michelle mastered impressively. What makes her performance even more impressive is that this is Yeoh’s first leading role in a Hollywood film. Best Supporting Actor Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin Brian Tyree Henry, Causeway Judd Hirsch, The Fabelmans Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once The casting in Everything Everywhere All at Once, was seemingly written in the stars. Ke Huy Quan delivers a stunning performance as Waymond Wang, as Quan felt the screenplay was written specifically for him. Specifically, Quan portrayed three versions of the same character, whom he believes are all different representations of himself. Quan felt a deeper connection to Wang’s different personas, underscoring his natural connection to the role. Unlike Austin Butler (whom I predict to win in the best actor category), Quan did not put as much grit and sweat into the role. However, I am not implying he is undeserving, but rather emphasizing Quan’s raw talent and natural ability, to which he is greatly deserving of the award in this category. Best Director Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin Todd Field, Tar Ruben Ostlund, Triangle of Sadness Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once Daniel Kwan, Everything Everywhere All at Once Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, was nothing short of a captivating, compelling, and engrossing watch. Spielberg’s direction proves to be nuanced, complex, and brilliant in terms of his transition into modern storytelling. The film finds Speilberg nodding at his familial roots which bolstered his passion for film. Spielberg seemingly synthesizes the concepts of life and art, culminating in a beautiful ode to the craft of film and the genius surrounding the filmmaking process. Just from watching the film, viewers embody the passion and grit provided by Spielberg, making his direction extraordinarily memorable and quite deserving of this award. Best Supporting Actress Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All at Once Hong Chau, The Wale Kerry Condon delivers a stunning performance in The Banshees of Inisherin. Playing Siobhán, Condon performed while channeling grief from her beloved dog’s death. This is an interesting way to approach a role, which surprisingly paid off for the Irish actress. While I was not exceedingly impressed with this category’s nominees, I believe Condon is deserving of the role, as she successfully examined the intricacies of a woman’s dignity, intelligence, and nuances. Best Animated Feature Turning Red Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio Marcel the Shell with Shoes On The Sea Beast Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Along with the other categories, one must not forget the importance and cultural impact of animation. I believe Pixar’s Turning Red , is greatly deserving of this category’s award due to its coming-of-age plotlines, risk, and minority representation. Pixar took a risk when developing this film, conjuring dialogue which deals with puberty along with a critique on traditionality. This very concept brands the film in an award-winning fashion. It is worth noting that Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio was an underrated masterpiece and deserves the credit where it is due. BACK TO TOP

ABOUT US Welcome to North Star, Valley Stream North High School's Student News Magazine, and POLARIS, North's Literary Magazine! Whether you want to read about your specific interests or browse the work of talented students, we have something for everyone. Any suggestions are welcome and should be emailed to northstarmag20@gmail.com . Happy reading! AWARDS 3RD PLACE BEST LAYOUT ADELPHI QUILL AWARDS 2021 1ST PLACE BEST VISUAL ADELPHI QUILL AWARDS 2022 2ND PLACE BEST OPINION PIECE ADELPHI QUILL AWARDS 2022 3RD PLACE BEST NEWS ARTICLE ADELPHI QUILL AWARDS 2022 HONORABLE MENTION BEST LAYOUT ADELPHI QUILL AWARDS 2024 3RD PLACE BEST VISUAL ADELPHI QUILL AWARDS 2024 HONORABLE MENTION BEST FEATURE ADELPHI QUILL AWARDS 2025 MEET THE EDITORS Read More Noa Cordova She/Her/Hers EDITOR IN CHIEF cordovan01@vschsd.org Hello North Students! My name is Noa Cordova, and besides writing, I have a passion for languages, traveling, learning, and getting to know others. Apart from North Star, I am an active member of several clubs including STOP, SPO, and SADD. As Editorial section leader, I write articles on current world and school events. If you are interested in keeping up with significant topics in society or our school community, check out the Editorial section! Everyone should have their voice heard, so feel free to share your ideas and write for the Editorial section. Read More Elaine Ching She/Her/Hers LEAD LAYOUT & SOCIAL MEDIA DESIGNER, ART SECTION EDITOR chinge@vschsd.org Hi readers! I'm Elaine Ching, but you can call me Laney. I'm the Social Media Designer, Lead Layout Designer, and Art Section Editor. I make and post flyers and promotions for new articles and issues on the North Star Instagram, @vsnorthstarmag. Along with this I organize the North Star and Polaris website. I also do illustrations, recipes, and some creative writing. Outside of North Star you can find me drawing, painting, doing some variation of music or art, reading, and being in clubs like the Culture Society and Art Club. Read More Isabel Barrett She/Her/Hers FEATURE SECTION EDITOR barreti@vschsd.org Hi! I’m Isabel Barrett, the editor for the Featured section of North Star. If you enjoy human interest stories, then the Featured section is for you! Besides writing, I also enjoy art, playing video games, and making websites, and I’m part of the Tri-M Honor Society and Drama Club. I look forward to sharing fun and interesting stories with our community this year! Read More Sahar Ali She/Her/Hers NEWS SECTION EDITOR alis02@vschsd.org Hey guys! My name is Sahar Ali and I’m editor for the news section. You can see that my articles range from political news to current world events, and you may occasionally find me in the feature section too. Along with writing articles, I do winter track and badminton in the spring. I can’t wait to read all your submissions and if you ever have any questions or concerns, feel free to send me an email anytime! Read More Leah Ally She/Her/Hers MANAGING EDITOR allyl3497@vschsd.org Hi! I‘m Leah Ally, the managing editor of North Star. I enjoy writing about sports and current events. Outside of North Star, I’m apart of various clubs and sports such as, basketball and softball. Feel free to contact me with any questions through my VSN email and I look forward to working with you all! Read More Marco Alvarez He/Him/His LAYOUT TEAM & SPREADSHEET MANAGER alvarezm02@vschsd.org Hello all! I am part of the Layout Team and I manage the spreadsheet for the North Star and Polaris Magazine. My goal is to help publish the works of your fellow students. You may have seen me around in other activities or classes, so know that I keep your interests in mind when I meet with other members and editors. I look forward to sharing your work with our community this year! Read More Rachel Ezeadichie Any ENTERTAINMENT & MEDIA SECTION EDITOR/TREASURER ezeadicr@vschsd.org Hello! My name is Rachel Ezeadichie, and I am the Entertainment and Media Editor for the North Star. I love watching new shows and analyzing all types of media. If you’re interested in the coverage of new or interesting shows, books, or movies, you can find it in my section. I’m also apart of Spartan Update and Drama Club, so you can see me performing or covering many school events. I’m excited to be an editor for North Star and can’t wait to keep writing! Read More Rehmat Kaur She/Her/Hers SPORTS SECTION EDITOR, HISTORY COLUMNIST rkaurr3015@vschsd.org Hello, dear readers! I'm Rehmat Kaur, the North Star's SPORTS Editor and History Columnist. All my Feature History articles will be under the column named "Tales Through Time". I will also be assisting our fellow writers with ideas and see them through to completion. Outside of North Star, I also take part in sports. I'm Girl's Varsity Badminton Team's Captain and play for our school's Tennis team. I'm also a member of SPO which helps the 7th graders have a wonderful first year at North. I'm looking forward to having an exquisite time and helping you in bringing out your creative side. NORTH STAR SENIORS CREDITS FACULTY ADVISOR Mrs. Christy Mansfield EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Noa Cordova MANAGING EDITOR Leah Ally NEWS SECTION EDITOR Sahar Ali FEATURE SECTION EDITOR Isabel Barret SPORTS EDITOR, HISTORY COLUMNIST Rehmat Kaur ENTERTAINMENT & MEDIA SECTION EDITOR Rachel Ezeadichie POLARIS EDITOR ... ARTWORK SECTION EDITOR Elaine Ching SENIOR LAYOUT EDITOR Elaine Ching SPREADSHEET MANAGER/ASSISTANT LAYOUT EDITOR Marco Alvarez ASSISTANT LAYOUT EDITOR Max Ching SENIOR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Elaine Ching TREASURER Leah Ally STUDENT ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR Mrs. Amy Italiano PRINCIPAL Dr. Robin Small ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Mrs. Jennifer Buonaspina ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Mr. Fabian Jara ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Mr. Charles Loiseau LOUD AMERICAN Garrick Neuner

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Being a Good Ally By Joseph Evola Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Image provided by Your Queer Story My name is Joseph Evola, the President of North’s Gay-Straight Alliance, and I am going to help you out when or if someone comes out to you as LGBTQIA+. Coming out as a member of the community is something traumatic for almost everyone. The fear of not knowing what someone is going to say or how they will react, the anxiety of not knowing how your parents are going to take it, or even if friends are going to remain after coming out. Knowing this is crucial because a majority of people do not fully understand how traumatic coming out is and how much goes into someone coming out. Some things that lead into this anxiety for coming out are, people using slurs as if it's a normal word, or openly supporting Anti-LGBT groups, but the most important part is what you do after the person comes out to you. Now that you are versed in how traumatic it can be for someone to come out or why they are scared, you can fully understand why your reaction, and what you do or say in those moments, is very important. 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. I hope that after you have read this, you understand why coming out is such a big deal and why it is so important that you respond kindly and with respect for them. BACK TO TOP