Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Fun Winter Snow Activities By Carolina Figueroa Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Image provided by The Know - Denver Post The core of the winter season is upon us, and what better way to have fun than to play in the snow? We recently enjoyed our first snow day off from school and had 4-6 inches of snowfall in our community. Many students were outside enjoying the excitement of winter activities. Even with the Covid-19 pandemic, we were able to find ways to revel in some outdoor fun while still staying safe. Children and adults raced down hills sleigh riding, participated in snowball fights, made snow angels, created snowmen, went ice skating, played ice hockey, caught snowflakes on their tongues and took long, peaceful walks in the snow. After a long day in the fresh air, many people enjoyed creating their own snow cones using freshly fallen white snow with flavored juices and syrups or drinking some hot chocolate. Some fun winter sports and activities that many people often partake in are skiing, snow tubing, snowboarding, snow shoeing, dog sledding or mushing (with Siberian Huskies or Alaskan Malamutes), building igloos (snow huts) and making ice sculptures (ice carvings). Even the thought of riding in a horse-drawn carriage or horseback riding in dusty, newly fallen snow sounds appealing to me! One magical winter attraction that interests me is seeing the frozen “Ice Castles” which are created and built using hundreds of thousands of icicles that are carefully hand-placed by professionally skilled ice artists to create fairy tale castles. These “Ice Castles” include frozen thrones, ice-carved tunnels, slides, fountains, caves, icicle-adorned archways and beautiful LED-lit sculptures. It certainly sounds like a winter wonderland to me! Additional outdoor winter sports and activities that are interesting include ice fishing, riding a snow mobile, cross country skiing and bobsleighing. Snow-kiting, or kite skiing, is an activity in which people “use kite power to glide on snow or ice”. The skier uses a large kite to travel across snow and give them power over large jumps in the air. This sport is quite similar to water-based kiteboarding, but with the footwear used in skiing or snowboarding since the terrain is different. Many kiteboarders nowadays use foil or inflatable kites. Another winter sport that captivates me is “curling”, where players “slide stones, or rocks, on a sheet of ice toward a target area which is segmented into four concentric circles”. It is related to shuffleboard and is often called “chess on ice”. One would require precision and accuracy and need four members per team to play this sport. In the winter months, families and friends enjoy getting away at snow-filled mountain villages, staying in rustic log cabins, peaceful resorts, or tranquil ranches. To top it off, if these places are equipped with roaring fireplaces or bonfires, families can enjoy reciting stories as they roast marshmallows or make s’mores, creating many unforgettable memories together. Winter is definitely a great season to have “snow-much-fun”! BACK TO TOP

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

Back to Artwork Heckscher Back to Sections St. Basil's Cathedral Entry 10 April 14, 2022 Mixed Media Volume 2 Issue 6

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections My Experience Singing With MYO At Carnegie Hall Manal Layachi Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 Image provided by Facebook On May 7th, I performed with my MYO group, the Nassau Senior Treble Choir, at Carnegie Hall. Carnegie Hall was first created in 1891, located on the corner of 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, it is a national historic landmark. All the MYO groups including mine got to perform on this prestigious stage. MYO stands for Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York and was created to foster a community of talented musicians from Long Island by providing them with an opportunity to perform choral and orchestral masterworks at a high level. I have been singing with MYO since 6th grade and it has been an amazing experience. My teacher this year was Mrs. O’Hanlon, a music teacher at Herricks High School, and she is an awesome conductor and mentor. Every Monday, we have rehearsal from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. We performed four songs at the concert at Carnegie Hall: “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by John Rosamond Johnson The first piece that we performed was “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” We did not sing the original version as a previous student of Mrs. O’Hanlon, James Floyd, arranged the song for us. At first, Mrs. O’Hanlon thought is was way too hard! With hard work and a lot of practice, we got the song down and even memorized it. This poem is referred to as “The Black National Anthem” and it was written by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1990. This song has beautiful harmonies and melodies. I loved it! “J’entends Le Moulin”: Composed by Traditional French Canadian. Arranged by: Donald Patriquin. Our second piece was “J’entends Le Moulin” composed by the Traditional French Canadian and arranged by Donald Patriquin. This is a fun French folk song that is like a “game of rhymes”. We had originally sung this song at our last concert at Adelphi, but Mrs. O’Hanlon wanted to give us another try to make it better and try it again at Carnegie. Although this song was tricky, we had a lot of fun singing it and learning the French. “What Happens When a Woman”: Composed by Alexandra Olsavsky Our final piece as a group was “What Happens When a Woman” composed by Alexandra Olsavsky. This song is about the empowerment of woman it was very cool to sing at Carnegie. The sound resonated so beautifully when we performed, it literally gave you goosebumps. We got to do moves with this song which was fun and interactive and there were six amazing soloists. This strong and empowering piece was a great way to end the MYO year. “Walk in Jerusalem” Arranged by Rollo A. Dilworth All the MYO choirs got to sing “Walk in Jerusalem”, and African American Spiritual arranged by Rollo A. Dilworth, as their final piece at Carnegie. Mr. Norris, a director of Choral Music at Glen Cove High School, conducted us. It was a fun and interactive choir church song. It was a cool experience singing with the other choirs. At the end of the concert, we got a standing ovation, and I was filled with pride and joy. Although this was my last MYO concert and I had mixed feelings, I cannot wait to sing at Carnegie Hall with MYO next year. Sources: www.myo.org About Carnegie Hall | Carnegie Hall Lift Every Voice and Sing | NAACP J'entends le moulin | Elektra Women's Choir BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Lemonade Stand in the Rain Shea Flanelly Volume 6 Issue 3 Image Provided by Pinterest Lemonade Stand in the Rain So… It rained. Not a dramatic downpour. Just enough to soak the cardboard sign and blur the marker right through the word Forever . I had set up my little stand on our special corner, pitcher glistening in the sun, cups lined up like promises. Freshly squeezed. Extra sweet. Two straws. And then the clouds decided they had other plans. There was no lightning strike. No evil villain plotting this downpour. Just weather doing what weather does, showing up uninvited and staying longer than anyone hoped. Now I’m standing here with damp boots and diluted lemonade, watching the sugar settle stubbornly at the bottom. I’m not okay! Let’s not exaggerate. I keep glancing down the street like maybe you’ll drive back, asking if we can do this all over again with an umbrella this time. But the forecast is the forecast. And you’re somewhere learning how to build better shelter. So here’s what I’ll do: I’ll wring out the sign. I’ll redraw the letters. Maybe not Forever this time… Maybe just Today . I’ll taste the lemonade even if it’s a little watered down. I’ll add more sugar if I have to. Because the thing about me is that I like making things sweet. I like setting up stands. I like believing the sun will show up eventually. And maybe tomorrow I’ll be ready with my pitcher in hand! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections Recycled Percussion Project By Quinn O’Connor Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 Original creations by (from left to right, top to bottom) Harleen Kaur, Alicia Pichardo, Marcia Salinas, Giuliana Basile, Gianna Acevedo In lieu of our usual concert, teachers used their general music class lesson plans for the choral concert grade: a recycled percussion project! For this project, students put together an eight-measure composition with four beats per measure to play on a home-made instrument. These instruments ranged from Tupperware drums to water bottle maracas; one student went as far as making a xylophone from a wooden frame and metal pipes! Students observed how different pitches and tones could be created by using different materials and experimented accordingly. For example, coffee beans have a deeper sound than rice. It was also interesting to hear how distinctive each instrument sounded with the use of different materials as students played their instruments on each Teams meeting. Although it wasn’t the same as an actual concert, it stood in for one as a fun, creative alternative. From a hybrid student’s point of view, this project filled its purpose in a fun and educational way! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections The Traitors Game Book Review By Leah Ally Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 Image provided by Scholastic After years of estrangement abroad and away from the public eye, teenage Kestra Dallisor is yet again roped into her father's menacing web of government affairs, as she is ordered to appear for an arranged marriage. The infamous Sir Henry Dallisor is a subordinate to Antora’s high-handed and immortal ruler, Lord Endrick. Aware of Kestra’s royalty status, a group of threatening rebels scheme to utilize it to their advantage. They impose a quest designed for her to retrieve an ancient blade; the only object known to be capable of destruction to the everlasting lord. Things quickly became complicated, as Kestra must choose between loyalty, or her strenuous desire to do the right thing. As two familiar faces cross paths, secrets emerge and intents shift; only one can win the traitor's game. After reading Book 1 of Jennifer Nielson’s trilogy, “The Traitor’s Game,” it turned out to be a fascinating and enjoyable read. However, as I reached the midpoint of the story, I found it to be lackluster. The story was dragged out and even at certain points predictable due to dull dialogue and action. At the same time, it was interesting to watch how the story played out through Nielson’s impressive writing style. Every character in the story is given novel depth and authenticity, solely based on their actions and why they chose to fight for a particular cause. As readers witness alternating perspectives between Kestra and her captor, the expression of character development is consistent from each point of view. As you venture alongside Kestra Dallisor, she faces her distinctive battles and comes face to face with who she truly is. She portrays herself to the reader as an effortlessly relatable character, particularly to teenage girls. Ideally, I would recommend this series to readers who enjoy action-packed, science fiction fantasies. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Without Her Face By Nora Chery Volume 1 Issue 7 April 22, 2021 Image provided by Getty Images Chapter one In the town of Snow Valley Square the chilly streets were warm because of the love that flew all around. It was Valentine’s Day, a fortunate time for couples to embody the ceaseless love they’ve shared with each other. The small town bustled with conversations that were laced with sweet words of couples. They were chattering about what they’re going to do, giggling about where they’re going to go, and signing about the memories they’ve shared. This was especially clear to see on E. Rosemary St., no one seemed to be alone, everyone was budding shoulders and crossing arms with someone. No one seemed to be alone except for Mr. Owl, who only had his golden watch and a thin duffle coat to keep him company. On the edge of the dark gray sidewalk, he perched down on a bench and peered at his watch. It was 6 pm on a Saturday afternoon, but Belle Maya Owl, his wife of six months and partner of four years, was late once again. She had said with her soft cheery voice: “Let’s meet… around twelve! Ok, darling? I-l won’t be tardy this time." She said that six hours ago. Mr. Owl’s thick eyebrows pulled together with mild annoyance, though the annoyance grew. Every sweet word the couples exchanged around him with each other flew by him like a gust of wind. “Where is she…?” he muttered. “Geez... how long does that woman expect me to wait here?” Mr. Owl was a patient man, but even a patient man has his limits. Two pairs of shoes scratch against the pavement in a hold, “Why hey there Owl!” called out a man. Mr. Owl turned to meet the playfully mocking smirks of Mr. and Mrs. Blue, who stood next to each other, their hands intertwined. “Whatcha doin’ over there? Waitin’ for that wife of yours?” Mr. Blue asked. Mrs. Blue leaned her head on her husband’s shoulder, looking at him at, “She’s probably still putting on makeup. You know how women are with their makeup — we view it as an art form — because it is” she jested lightly, her head adding more weight onto the shoulder. “That Belle though... she takes it more seriously than other women I’ve met. She spends so much time on it—yet the result ends up being...” she glances at Mr. Owl, “above average. Isn’t that right, darling?” She shifted her glance to Mr. Blue. “I’m still surprised Owl made it this far in a relationship, and he’s a dedicated one — fella waited ten hours for wife” Mr. Blue scoffed, smiling. “But hey, Belle’s a nice woman, so I can’t blame him-” The smaller hand surrounding his own had tightened. Mrs. Owl had narrowed her green eyes while her mouth formed a pout, “She’s not nicer than me, is she? I hope you mean nice in personality, Mike. “ “Geez, Sophia, calm down, will ya?” “Although, she’s also above average in terms of that too.” Mr. Owl’s face clenched his jaw with a tint a flush, “Now, the both you, shush up.” He sprang from his seat to glare at the couple. “Can’t a gentleman, wait for his wife in peace? Peace, as in a couple goin’ along their lovey way and not stopping on their tracks to sneer at me!? And no, Mike, I have not been waiting for ten hours, I’ve been waiting for…” Owl paused, then turned away from the couple, scowling down at the ground. “Never mind” he hissed as Mr. and Mrs. Blue blinked at him; Mrs. Blue turned to Mr. Blue. “Suddenly, I’m beginning to doubt she’s coming.” “Don’t say such things, Sophia.” “What? I’m only saying what I think--” A delicate hand gently rested on Owl's shoulder. The touch surprised him enough that all the red-hot emotion he contained popped right out of him. A slivery sweet voice that had belonged to the lovely hand replied. “There you are, sweetheart, I’m sorry—I’m late, aren’t I?” With every word the voice grew sympathetic. “You’ve must’ve been waiting all day for me.” Mr. Owl slowly turned to meet the alluring dark eyes of Belle, Mrs. Owl, and her pastel pink colored lips perked into a soft smile. “I’m sorry I don’t mean to… Oh! I know just the place that’ll be perfect for us.” Belle pushed a piece of her long flowing black hair behind her ears. She looked at Mrs. Blue and shared the smile she gave to Owl. “Well, how are you, Sophia? Enjoying his holiday?” Mrs. Blue’s eyebrows snapped together. She turned her gaze away from her. “Fine,” she replied. Sophia turned her gaze to Mr. Blue, but her smile had fainted, Mike stared at her. There was a pause for a moment, until Sophia gave a polite smile, “You too—Mike?” Mr. Blue blinked, as if she snapped him out of a trance. “Uh yeah, of course” he replied, feeling the burning eyes of his wife. “Wonderful. Now, come along, honey, there’s a load of hours I’ve got to make up” she said to Mr. Owl. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Self Confidence By Manal Layachi Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Original photography by Elyas Layachi You might wonder, what is the meaning of self-confidence? Self-confidence is how someone feels about themselves and their abilities. It involves trusting yourself and your decisions. I play many sports, and they require a lot of self-confidence, especially running. It’s 90% mental and 10% physical. During the cross-country season, I had difficulty keeping up with the more experienced runners. I missed most of the meets because I was scared to compete, and my self-confidence wasn’t there. I kept telling myself, “I can’t do this. It’s impossible and too hard.” I did not perform that well during the races because I wasn’t trying to compete with other people. I ran slower than I wanted to. My self-esteem and confidence were very low. Athletes have a hard time with their self-confidence all the time. There is always a little voice in their head telling them that they can’t do it or it’s too hard. Our thoughts influence our actions. There are many simple ways to boost your self-confidence. First, get away from the people who will tear you down. Another thing you can do is write a list of what makes you unique and different from other people. You should have positive self-affirmations that you can tell yourself every day. My self-affirmation is, “I can do this. I am strong.” A quote by Eleanor Roosevelt says, “We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face … we must do that which we think we cannot.” This statement tells us that we shouldn’t be scared to do things. Instead, we should try to do the things that we think we cannot do even though we may feel like we can’t. That is how you build your self-confidence. Once you face many obstacles, you learn from those experiences and feel more confident about yourself and what you can accomplish. So, the day of my last meet, I wasn’t mentally prepared when we arrived, but I was ready after my coach and brother gave me a pep-talk. Even though the race was hard, I got through it with a positive mindset. My proudest moment was when I crossed that finish line with a smile on my face. I competed and regained my self-confidence. I ended up getting fifth place out of twenty-three people! All in all, people gain self-confidence in their own way, and anyone can do it if they just take a leap and never give up. In order to grow, you must embrace the uncomfortable, and use it to improve. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Teacher Appreciation Week Ava Augello Volume 5 Issue 5 July 5, 2025 Image Provided by Christy Mansfield Teacher Appreciation Week is all about celebrating educators who have made a positive impact on students and honoring their hard work and dedication. While there are many different teachers at North High School who exhibit these refined traits, one teacher who sticks out among the crowd is Michelle Puleo. Ms. Puleo is a Special Education teacher who always looks out for her students, having their best interests in mind. She has become a prominent safe space for students who feel that they can share anything with her. Teachers and students alike look to her for guidance and support. One student that has been impacted by Puleo is Junior Jaanvi Chauhan. She says, “Puleo doesn’t judge when you ask for help, she has a gentle heart, she always knows when something’s up with her students and sees the best in them. When I was having a bad day, she asked me what was wrong and listened to me, giving me good advice I will hold onto forever.” When asked about her favorite thing about teaching, Puleo said, “Watching students gain self-confidence and improve their self-esteem as the year progresses. Watching students be kind to one another gives you a sense of faith in humanity and the future. Students come from all sorts of backgrounds, as teachers we learn from them as well. It’s important to me to make sure that I give attention to all my students because nobody should feel left out or lonely.” Puleo has been teaching for 25 years, allowing her to meet hundreds of different students throughout her career. When asked about something she has seen often, she said, “One common thing I’ve seen throughout teaching is that students want to be heard and noticed, it has never changed.” When Puleo was asked to share something about teaching that she wasn’t told during college, she responded with, “The strong friendships you will make with other teachers. It's crazy when I think about how we’ve all seen each other through different stages in our lives.” Having Puleo among the many amazing teachers here at North High School emphasizes just how extraordinary the staff is. BACK TO TOP