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Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Badminton Season Rehmat Kaur Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by Coach Croce The badminton season started, and the team has new players and captains this year. With tryouts from March 18th to March 19th, Coach Croce has chosen the 19 best players who will positively impact the team and its performance. I had the lovely opportunity of interviewing some of my teammates and asking them about their hopes and aspirations for the badminton season. COACH CROCE: “My hope for this badminton season is not only just to win our matches, but continuing to build relationships with the team, while helping them become even more successful scholar-athletes, always improving their skills. This is a special group that I have this season, and I believe, whether we win or lose, we will have an impactful, positive, and memorable season.” Captains: MELANIE CEVADA: “I hope that this year, now that we are more educated in badminton, we can grow as a team and get better. We have a lot of girls who have great potential and show great sportsmanship that I have a lot of faith this year. I believe that our entire team can achieve the best of their skills and prosper with our abilities.” REHMAT KAUR: “My hopes for the team are that we discover our potential and get a lot of wins. Last year was a tough one, but I am very hopeful for this year. We have many new talented players that have a lot to offer to the team. For me as a player I have gotten better with both my strokes and movement since last year, still a lot to work on but I’m welcoming this season with a ton of positivity!” ALISSON ALAS: “I hope that this year we become a stronger team not only physically but mentally. I hope we get more wins than last year and to just grow together as a team. As for me after 11 years of playing badminton as this is my last year playing, I want to make this year count and to be as successful as possible with the team. I hope to become a better player and fulfill my role as one of the captains to my best ability.” RICHMIA ERISNOR: “My goals for this badminton season are to not only get better as a player but get better as a person. I hope that with the experience that I'm getting from the team and all the different aspects of this season, my performance skyrockets. I also hope that I can receive more smashes and drop shots. I hope that the girls and I continue to stay friends, even after the badminton season ends. I hope that I can be a good role model for the upcoming girls as their captain.” Players: SAHAR ALI: “This badminton season, I hope to make a contribution to the team and myself as well. We have a strong team with strong players, who have each other's back; even if we lose, we learn from those mistakes to improve. I look forward to what the rest of the season has to bring!” IMAN ALI: “My hopes for the season are to have at least three or more wins as a team and beat teams. We lost to last year. I also hope that we can improve on our weaknesses and perfect our techniques.” JESELYS VAZQUEZ: “My hopes for me are to become a better player than last year and learn new techniques and master them. So far, I have been seeing well progress with my teammates' support and kindness, making it feel less embarrassing. As a team, my hopes for the badminton family are to grow, stay supportive, maintain a safe place for all the practices, become a better version of ourselves and be top 3 of the school’s team and win a lot of games with our hard-working players and new members.” NAVROSEDIP KUNDLAS: “My hope for the season is to improve from last season. I feel we have a really strong team this year, and by learning and improvising, we can achieve all our goals. Personally, I would like to move up on the lineup with my doubles partner and win as many games as possible. By working on my drop shots and smashes, I hope to improve my own skills. I can't wait to see what comes next!” AVA HINSON: “My hope for this season is to become a stronger player and to be more involved. I hope that our team wins a lot of matches and that we become a tight knit group.” HIBA KISHORE: “My hopes for this badminton season are improving as a person, as a player and helping my teammates get better. We are not just a sports team but a small family that helps get better as a community practice after practice and game after game. Hopefully someday the VSN Badminton Team will win a conference, but step by step we’ll get there.” These are the goals and aspirations of the badminton players and the coach for this season. Hopefully, we can achieve them and make the year memorable! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Cross Country By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 Image provided by NBC News Close your eyes Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth Call out your goodbyes And then head out south That's how we run in Cross Country. 2.5 miles or 3.5 miles? Locals or perimeters? None of those bring out smiles Each step feels like 5 kilometers But what can I say? That's what we do in Cross Country. Core every day Doesn't matter what you say Boyens always on your back But I trust him when it comes to Track, Living Environment, or Cross Country? What he'd choose is a guess too easy. In our team, there are no walkers After all, we do have energy from all those crackers Motivation flows through our veins It doesn't matter how much it pains After all, if there is no pain, what did we gain? Close your eyes Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth Call out your goodbyes And then head out south That's how we run in Cross Country. We have the best coach If I had problems, he’d be the one I approach Runs with us every day It doesn't matter if the destination is far away We're all as tough as rock It'll take a lot to get us in shock. We've got the hardest sport It doesn’t matter that we don’t have a court Football, volleyball, soccer, tennis and more All got nothing to damage our score Some days I really want to cry But I never did, since Boyens wouldn’t even let me try. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections My Predictions For The New York Knicks 2024-2025 NBA Season Yusuf Hamid Volume 5 Issue 2 November 25, 2024 Image Provided by Elaine Ching Predictions for The New York Knicks 2024-2025 NBA Season As the 2024-2025 NBA season starts, I wanted to share my prediction for the Knicks’ upcoming season. The Knicks made huge moves this current off-season by trading two superstars, Mikal Bridges and Karl Anthony Towns, and Jalen Brunson’s selfless move to take a $113 million pay cut (Brener, 2024). Their expectations, not just for Knicks fans, but for all NBA fans, are tremendous. It is vital to talk about the Knicks’ last season. The Knicks finished their regular season with a record of 50-32 and the second-best team in the east. While this is upstanding news, there was a “bitter pill” the Knicks had to swallow along the way. The Knicks’ starting power forward, Julius Randle, injured his shoulder on January 27th against the Miami Heat (Sam, 2023). Randle was not able to play for the rest of both the regular season and post season. This was devastating news to hear as a Knicks fan because Randle plays a key role on the team. Randle averaged 24 points, 5 assists, and 9.2 rebounds per game. To lose such a player like Randle felt like blowing out a tire while racing the Daytona 500. Luckily, the Knicks had a spare, Josh Hart. When Josh Hart was pushed to the starting role for the Knicks, he averaged 11.4 points, 5.5 assists, and 10.3 rebounds (Stat Muse). This statistic clearly showed the proverb, when one door closes, another door opens. Some Knicks fans even talked about trading Randle overall because Josh Hart was doing a better job at power forward and the uncertainty of Randle’s shoulder injury and how it would affect his ability to play basketball. When the Knicks entered the post season, they had to verse the 2023 MVP, Joel Embiid, and a menacing 76er team in the first round. It was a “dog fight” between these two teams, but overall, the Knicks beat the 76ers in 6 games. Beating the 76ers was a magnificent accomplishment for the Knicks, but they suffered injuries to Mitchell Robinson, Bojan Bogdanovic, and OG Anunoby. This hindered the possibility of the Knicks' chances of winning the NBA Finale. The Knicks then had to beat the Pacers in the second round. During this series, even more Knicks players got injured like Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart. Even after facing these difficulties, the Knicks were able to take the Pacers to seven games, where they eventually lost and were eliminated from the playoffs. This was devastating news as a Knicks fan, knowing that the Knicks were expected to, at the bare minimum, make it to the Easter Conference Finals, but were affected immensely by how many key players were injured on their team. The Knicks were simply dealt a bad hand. This current off-season, the Knicks made two huge trades for two huge superstars. The Knicks first traded away Bojan Bogdanovic, Mamadi Diakite, Shake Milton, and an astonishing five first round picks to the Nets for Mikal Bridges, Keita Bates-Diop, and a second-round pick (NBA News Service). Mikal Bridges is a 6’6 small forward who is averaging almost 20 points per game. The Knicks then traded away Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, other small role players and a second-round pick for Karl Anthony Towns. According to USA Today Sports basketball section, HOOPSHYPE, Karl Anthony Towns is the fifth best power forward this upcoming NBA season. And the “cherry on top” was Jalen Brunson’s selfless act of taking a $113 million pay cut so the Knicks could afford all their players. With their star-studded line up, the Knicks were one of the four teams that were predicted to win this season’s NBA championship (Cluff, 2024). Overall, this could be the Knicks’ year as they went through immeasurable mishaps last season. The combination of Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony Towns will be one of the best all-star duos in the league. Plus, the chemistry of this team overall is significant. Nerveless, there is always the chance of the unpredictable, but as for right now…expect in June to see Jalen Brunson holding the NBA Finals championship. Sources: - https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiJ-9fSxJuJAxUqFlkFHVfiAEIQFnoECBMQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.statmuse.com%2Fnba%2Fask%2Fjosh-hart-stats-without-randle-on-knicks&usg=AOvVaw2blqFcryiwYoo-g4RGatoX&opi=89978449 - https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjHnPu_v5uJAxVoEFkFHYWxLcgQFnoECBMQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F10136150-knicks-rumors-julius-randle-expected-to-return-from-injury-for-start-of-nba-season%23%3A~%3Atext%3DRandle%2520injured%2520his%2520shoulder%2520during%2Cseason%252Dending%2520procedure%2520in%2520April.&usg=AOvVaw0XxY3bmVwBcOBJryWn-LFd&opi=89978449 - New York Knicks Legend Carmelo Anthony Addresses Jalen Brunson Contract ( si.com ) - 2023-24 New York Knicks Roster and Stats | Basketball-Reference.com - Knicks acquire Mikal Bridges from Nets for haul of picks, Bojan Bogdanovic | NBA.com - Knicks acquire Karl-Anthony Towns in 3-team trade | NBA.com - NBA ranking: The Top 24 power forwards for the 2023-24 season ( hoopshype.com ) - https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjg9oyD55uJAxVKKlkFHcHVNDcQvOMEKAB6BAgOEAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.azcentral.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fnba%2F2024%2F10%2F18%2Fnba-championship-odds-celtics-thunder-knicks-76ers-2024-25-season%2F75737066007%2F&usg=AOvVaw1e6tWZjGXP6dUmO9ja7T6r&opi=89978449 BACK TO TOP

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

< Back About the Course This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. Your Instructor Camilla Jones This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left.

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Ranking Holiday Desserts By Unknown Volume 3 Issue 2 December 23, 2022 Image provided by Unknown In celebration of the holiday season, it’s a perfect time to dwell on some of the classic desserts eaten by those celebrating! Below, I’ve listed a few holiday classics seen at the dining table, and while many of these may not appeal to you, they are some of the favorites I recommend you try if you haven't this holiday season. Linzer Tart Cookies: At the top of my list, I favor Linzer Tart cookies. If you’re unsure what these cookies are, they are jam-filled cookies (usually with raspberry jam) made from almond flour, which sets them apart from other cookies. The almond flour gives the cookie a softer bite than others, yet it also gives it a hint of almond flavor which meshes excellently with the taste of raspberry or any jam equivalents. These are my favorite cookies to make and eat, so for this holiday season, if you’ve never had the chance to try these, I definitely recommend them! Tres Leches: My second favorite holiday dessert has to be Tres Leches, and if you’ve never tried or heard of this one, it’s a classic Spanish dessert. For Christmas, my family and I always share a tres leches cake every year. It’s a sponge-type cake soaked in three different types of milk: regular milk, sweetened, condensed, and evaporated milk. So, if you’re a fan of cake and milky-like desserts, this one is one you should try! The milk seeps into the cake, making it soft-textured and causing it to melt in your mouth. Blueberry Pie: My third favorite dessert is blueberry pie, as it has a rich, sweet flavor that’ll only boost the good feelings you’ll have this holiday season or cater to any sorrow or sadness you may feel. Between the crust, filling, and lattice on top, what is there not to love about blueberry pie? Its flavor is unmatched during the holiday season and melts in your mouth, so if you want something sweet yet crunchy this holiday season, try blueberry pie! Gingerbread Cookies: Fourth, I love gingerbread cookies. They’re one of my favorite types of cookies, as the ginger flavor and snap of the cookie sets it apart from others. While it may not rank over some of the other desserts I listed, it still holds strong in this spot. The fun of decorating gingerbread cookies and houses with royal icing is unmatched, and the rich flavor from the ginger that seeps through these cookies is incredible. If you’ve never baked or tried gingerbread cookies, this is a holiday classic you can’t miss! Sugar Cookies: Last but certainly not least, sugar cookies are the holiday classic on this list. Whether from the supermarket or your grandma’s kitchen, these cookies are a holiday classic that almost everyone has tried and are tried and true. Sugar cookies are delicious, sweet, and simple in the best way, while they may be a hassle to bake and decorate, they’re worth the effort. The sweet but crispy bite of a sugar cookie is an unmatched classic holiday feeling, and the buttery nature of the cookie is incredible. While one of the more simple holiday desserts, sugar cookies are classic for a reason. So, if you’ve never baked them or would like to serve them and share them with your family and friends this year, I’d recommend this holiday classic. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Goodbye Covid, the End is Near By Manal Layachi Volume 1 Issue 7 April 22, 2021 Original photo by Manal Layachi Masks and social distancing. Loss of loved ones, others are convalescing. Days full of sorrow and sadness. Loss of real interaction left me with virtual madness. Boredom is eating me up, as everything is on zoom. It fills me up with gloom. While quarantine can be dark, I found light in it. More free time for a hermit. More family time and freedom. Hello happiness, goodbye darkness, and boredom. Spring brings hope and cheerful faces. Soon there will be no masks in all places. Families and friends will be closer together as in the past. The sun and rainbow will take over the gloomy sky at last. Everyone will live in peace and harmony. Everyone will get through this as one of many. We will come out stronger than before. We will overcome this nightmare and live our dream even more. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Perspective Back to Sections Nayab Raja - Perspective - 1 By Nayab Raja December 16, 2020 Photography Volume 1 Issue 3

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Apples Never Fall By Anonymous Contributor Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Image provided by Media Store Apples Never Fall, a compelling thriller by Liane Moriarty, is a mystery novel based on a true story. It takes place from 2019-2021, demonstrating its prolonged timeline and modernistic plot points. The novel follows the Delaney siblings after the disappearance of their mother, Joy Delaney. The police soon identify their father, Stan, as a person of interest. As the story progresses, readers eventually discover the circumstances surrounding Joy’s disappearance. I highly recommend this book, as it proves to be a compelling fictional thriller, leaving readers at the edge of their seat during the read. Happy reading! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections The Science of Studying By Alyssa Garufi and Hannah Lee Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 Image provided by IStockPhoto Dear VSN students,  How do you study? With APs, regents, and finals coming up, it is important to master your studying technique to achieve higher grades on your assessments. Reading over notes and class materials repeatedly seems to be the first scenario that comes to mind when you hear the word “study.” However, according to scientific studies, this repetitive action of rereading notes and drilling random information into our brains tends to “go in one ear and out the other." Science shows us that our brains work best when we truly understand the topic rather than simply memorizing information that does not logically make sense to us. The way we can optimize the capabilities of our minds is through - just like learning how to ride a bike - trial and error. The more we challenge and quiz our brains, the better prepared our brains will be.  Chances are you have been taught that studying through repetition works, right? Wrong . One of the biggest misconceptions in students is that repetition is a valuable way of studying. However, scientists have found that repetition is not as effective as we have been led to believe. In fact, Ed DeLosh, an associate professor at Colorado State University, has found that “might be the worst [method] compared to a variety of strategies you might use.” In addition, we have also been taught to stick to our learning style and not stray from what works best. Turns out that is false as well. It may be better for us to deviate from our usual methods and try out new strategies. According to DeLosh, struggling while learning “actually has benefits for long-term learning.” One such strategy that has been scientifically proven effective is quizzing yourself. Typically, we perceive quizzes and tests as methods to evaluate the progress of a student from the beginning of the year. However, DeLosh’s research shows that “quizzing is actually among the best ways to prime the brain to remember material in the future.” In DeLosh’s class, students take quizzes on a weekly basis - but don’t be alarmed. These quizzes aren’t meant to place pressure on students in terms of grades. In fact, every quiz is open-book and students tend to do well on all of them. Each quiz tests a similar concept but has variations of questions. By answering varying questions on the same topic, students learn to master the concepts that DeLosh quizzes them on. Not only does this help his pupils learn the material, but it also gives them good grades and helps them study periodically rather than cramming everything at the end of the year. In the end, his students were very successful in mastering the course. DeLosh’s study shows us that quizzing is, in fact, a highly effective method of studying for tests. So, the next time you are studying for a big exam, gather a couple of your friends and quiz each other on the topics. While quizzing strategies help optimize the capabilities of our brain, without the motivation to take on quizzes, the information present will be of little help to most of us. You must strive to not only take on the best studying strategies, but consider strategies that are best for you ! A “perfect” studying schedule is different for each individual and it is important to try different methods of studying to find which works best and gives you the most motivation. Joshua Robinson, a Wall Street Journal reporter, states that listening to music while studying does aid your memory and improve attention, allowing you to grasp the information more. The next time you are not motivated to sit down and take practice tests, listen to your favorite song, and use it to make studying a bit less intimidating. If music is too distracting to you, try to find a change of scenery instead. Sometimes sitting alone in your room trying to study leads to distractions. Instead, bring your books outside, or to a library, or even just another room in your house. According to Cory Stieg, a Health and Wellness reporter from Make It , changing settings while studying can boost your overall wellbeing and mood, allowing you to do better on exams.  Now you know you can study effectively. You have hopefully learned a handful of new and effective studying strategies for your upcoming test, so go out and try to use some of these methods! With a ton of tests coming up, implementing these studying strategies may help you improve a lot. Remember, do not stress yourself out too much over tests and exams. You’ve got this!  Best of luck,  Hannah and Alyssa BACK TO TOP