Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections The Season of Summer By Carolina Grace Figueroa Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Image provided by SpiritGroups My favorite season of the year is summer! I love the warm weather, school vacation, and endless fun attached to summer months. The warmer weather is the perfect atmosphere for social and outdoor activities like camping, roller skating, bike riding, and beach days. One of my favorite parts about summer is the fact that school is closed for two months. This means you are free to do whatever you want and don’t have to worry about curfews or waking up early for school. The summer break calls for staying up late and waking up whenever you want to. Everyone works hard during the school year, so they deserve this free time. There is no worrying about homework, projects, or studying for a test. Hot and humid summer weather is stress free and the perfect time to relax and unwind with family, hang out with friends, soak up the sun at the beach, dive into a fresh cold swimming pool, try your luck at surfing or water skiing, go boating or fishing, and play tennis or beach volleyball. Summertime is also the perfect season for concerts, carnivals and festivals. Many concerts take place at outdoor beach stadiums. Lots of local celebrations and festivals take place, like the Strawberry Festival, the Jazz Music Festival, the Nassau County Fair, and the Jones Beach Air Show (featuring the Thunderbirds). You can never get bored on a nice summer day or night. There are fun daytime activities, like picnics, parks, barbeques, sports, swimming and playing cornhole. Friends and family love to spend time together with lots of good food, drinks, music, and sing-a-longs. Everyone is laughing and having a great time together! Summer nights are full of outdoor movies, parties, gazing at the sparkly stars and bright moon, playing fun games, and enjoying stories while making s’mores around campfires. I look forward to staying up late and watching a good movie while eating junk food! I like wearing more comfortable and lighter clothing, putting on a bathing suit, sporting snazzy sunglasses, and slipping into flip-flops to feel cool under the hot sun. I also enjoy hearing the iconic jingle of my favorite neighborhood ice cream truck, as I always look forward to it approaching my house. Ice cream is cold and refreshing on a hot summer day! One of the best events of the year happens during the summer: the Fourth of July. Celebrating Independence Day is very extravagant, especially when people gather around to watch the spectacular display of fireworks. The vibrant colors and loud sounds of the fireworks are amazing. To me, Memorial Day is the official start of Summer and Labor Day concludes the summertime. Many friends and families take off from work for well-needed exploration, summer vacations, and travel to exotic or tropical destinations. Summer is a low point in television viewing (other than younger children’s shows) because there is so much to keep one busy outdoors. There are also many summer jobs to explore, like lifeguards and industries that cater to recreation. Typically, animated movies are popular to be released theatrically in movie theaters during the summer months. Many children attend fun-filled summer camps, either daily or overnight, and develop a sense of independence and self-confidence as they learn new skills and try new adventures away from home. Certain fruits, like mangoes, watermelon and pineapples, become ripe during the summer, so this season presents the opportunity for people to enjoy them. Summertime makes me so happy! It allows for bright and longer days (therefore, shorter nights), exposes the beauty of nature, flowers are in bloom, grasses are greener, and many birds and animals return to blossoming fields. I look forward to visiting the sunflower farms and lavender fields out on Eastern Long Island during the summer, as well as picking my own strawberries and blueberries to delight in. The summer gives life, birth, and rebirth to life all around us, as plants blossom, animals happily resume activity, and nature feels “alive” again. I love carefree summer days and can’t wait for them to arrive! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Heckscher Back to Sections Heckscher - Anonymous - 2 Entry 8 April 14, 2022 Watercolor Volume 2 Issue 6

Back to Artwork Portrait Back to Sections Karina McNamara - Portrait By Karina McNamara January 20, 2021 Graphite Volume 1 Issue 4

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections NS2 By Alisson Andrea Alas Bonilla Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Image provided by Motion Array She wakes up every morning to take her little girl to school. She bathes her and brushes her hair. Exceptionally gentle, she cares. The little girl gets to school, sits on her chair. To pay attention, she swears. Her teacher glances at her. A young Voltaire, she’s aware. School ends. Her mother at work can’t pick her up. So she walks. She walks alone, wanting to get home. Chilly with an evening sky, she notices a man behind her. She hurries up a little. He grabs her from the middle. He puts a wet cloth on her face. The next thing she knows, she is in an unknown place. She screams, “Please let me go; I’m only 8, for all I know.” He doesn’t seem to listen. Screaming in despair, she wishes to see her mother once more. She can feel pain through her veins. So unfair, she thinks. He stops for a while, takes one drink, looks at her, and winks. “Please, my mother is worried. I’m young, and you must be done,” she says with bloodshot eyes. He turns, “You think I mind, little girl? You think I care at all? Chose you of all the young ones in the world, had to hurt your mother one way or another”. She puts her hands to her head. Teardrops on her face. She wonders what her mother has done to deserve such a fate. Why must she receive all this hate? Will I die tonight? Will I have sight of her again? Will I win this fight? Or is he just insane enough to keep hurting me? “Who are you?” she asked with a frightened voice. He turned with a devious smile. She stared for a while. She looked at his hair, his eyebrows, his eyes, and finally, his lips, where a mirror image of her birthmark lay. Exactly where she had hers. Suddenly she knew, and he knew she knew. He smiled and walked towards her. She backed away. There was nowhere to run. No doorway. No way out. “Please, I know who you are!” she screamed with every ounce of her, through the burning agony. “What you did to her, you are doing to me...!” And then everything went black. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections The Danger of a Single Story By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 3 Issue 3 February 24, 2023 Image provided by Shuttershock stories sculpt our very souls they fill in all our empty holes whether it be true or not that’s another story to be told as soon as we get trapped into the plot that’s when stories start to mold fills us up with one perspective failing to address what reality holds sends us to different lives ones we just can’t grasp cushions us with just one story Showing us what they want us to know single stories are just like half-truths both are simply incomplete one perspective can tell a tale but multiple can show us a whole new world stories sculpt our very souls they fill in all our empty holes whether it be true or not that’s another story to be told how can we leave this endless cycle? where the half-truths come out to play stop our children from learning only one side to embrace reality with pride single stories are just as dangerous as half-truths they never tell the entire story we need to educate our youth so that they’ll know everyone has their own moment of glory BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Hyper Pop By Eva Martinez Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 Image provided by Dork When you ask someone how they would define grunge, they may reference bands like Nirvana, or recall fond memories of teen years spent in basements and garages with guitars stolen from their parents. There was joy in simply making music; it was rough, sloppy, and new. As a generation of digital natives comes of age in an era where recording software is free, inexpensive, and easy to access, a new generation’s grunge was born, Hyper pop . Hyper pop Two words that make sense when combined are the genre tag for one of the most undefinable movements in music in the past two decades. Due to its ineffable nature, the best way to explain the genre is through examples. I point you to “money machine” by 100gecs. 100gecs is quintessentially Hyper pop, and while others such as Charlie XCX have been in the game longer, bands like Waterparks, which may dabble with production styles reminiscent of the genre 100gecs, are Hyper pop superstars. So, what makes a song Hyperpop? Let us look at some of the elements in “money machine” and find out. First, the vocals. Recorded on what sounds like a broken toy megaphone, the messy and sped-up vocals are the primary identifier of a Hyper pop song. The second genre-defining elements are the obnoxious number of vocal effects and augmentation packed into this one-minute fifty-four-second song. Reminiscent of the inadequate quality yet laugh-out-loud funny “chipmunk” versions of popular songs spawned by the Alvin and the Chipmunk movies, the heavily edited vocals create a rushed energy that channels even a turtle’s fastest effort. Next up? The beat. Undeniably simple enough for anyone with a decent understanding of Audacity or a similar mixing software to create within an hour, simplicity lends itself to Hyper pop’s “grungy” nature. It is a fast-paced ride across snare and cymbal that ups the intensity towards the end. It is a lightning-fast crash ride, and 100gecs is dragging you along whether you like it or not. Okay, so we have covered vocals and drums; what else is there? Well, besides an ever-increasing number of random production elements, loud and distorted guitars, and general chaos, “money machine” and, by extension, Hyper pop has one larger thread holding it together. The “hyper” in Hyper pop does not necessarily come for the genre’s need for speed. It refers to the pure oversaturation of sound that one experiences whenever a Hyper pop song plays. This incessant need to overload the mixing and production of a song has an interesting connection to the people creating it. Just as grunge was a rebellion against what came before it, Hyper pop is too. The maturation of so many young people when the internet handed them the world and told them everything was in reach has led to a shift in genre. Pushing back against simpler production styles and bland radio hits, Hyper pop is neon graffiti on the black and white walls of the music industry. It is fast, loud, and undeniably too much. If you are still doubtful of Hyper pop’s connection to the online world, look at the song titles across the genre. Titles are all written in a grammatical style that intend to strike fear into the hearts of most English teachers yet are easily readable to this online generation. The lyrical style of Hyper pop additionally lends to this online feeling. Upbeat and messy backgrounds crash through your ears as various artists depict deep feelings of hopelessness. Still, surely monster energy and some neon paint will make those issues irrelevant, right? At least, that is what Hyper pop attempts to convince you of. When the world is at your fingertips, it can be beautiful. One can learn about diverse cultures and gain a deeper understanding of humanity. Conversely, it can cause feelings of depression and isolation. To me, this duality is represented best by Hyper pop. It can be overwhelming; it can give you a migraine and force you to wonder why anyone would ever make such music. Yet, it can also be the background to a high-octane workout, and its overwhelming nature corresponds to an overwhelming world, but here being overwhelmed means something. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections North’s Student Art Scene: About the Heckscher Entries By Kimberly Shrestha Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 Image provided by WILW Recently, many of North’s artists took part in an annual art exhibition hosted by the Heckscher Museum of Art, titled Long Island’s Best . In this gallery, participating students had to create artwork inspired by art showcased in the Heckscher Museum during the ongoing school year. While receiving hundreds of artworks throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties’ schools, only about 80 total artworks usually get chosen for display within the museum. All entries require a written artist’s statement explaining the correlation between student pieces and featured museum artworks. Fourteen of North’s student artists participated in Long Island’s Best this year , creating artwork currently visible in the library hallway display case. While only allowing six entries, each student participating created a beautiful artwork worthy of display in any gallery! Let’s recap the submissions: Entry 1: Inspired by Robert Carter’s Mama Taught Me Piano and Much More” This piece titled My Dream Closeted took inspiration from the idea of collage within art. This artist involves blue and purple elements as a source of comfort within her artwork, illustrating “What [she] imagines [her] future closet to look like” (artist’s statement). Entry 2: Based off of Howard Pindell’s artwork, this piece titled Reflection took inspiration from the depiction of one’s life and the impact words have on others. The artist “conveys love that is felt from the effects of war” and “wanted people to stop and stare and take in the impact of the words [she has] heard”. (artist’s statement) Entry 3: Inspired by Arthur B. Carle’s Nude with Red Hair, this piece titled An Artistic Escape took inspiration from the use of color, shading, and space. The artist mimics “the theme of a human form against a white background” and applies similar concepts of layering, shadow, and light reflection. (artist’s statement) Entry 4: Based off of Emma Stebbins’s Industry and Commerce, this piece titled Aura of David took inspiration from Renaissance art, and the artist’s application of color. The artist mimics “the marble statues made during [the Renaissance period],” incorporating “graphite and a watercolor background to bring life in the aura”. (artist’s statement) Entry 5: Based off of Winslow Homer’s Resting Shepherdess , this piece titled Memory Tree took inspiration from the calmness found within one’s environment. The artist “include[s] items which brought [her] the comfort… the original painting symbolized”. (artist’s statement) Entry 6: Inspired by Risaburo Kimura, this piece titled “Time” took inspiration from the formation and repetition of shape within art. This artist used shapes to create “repetition in Time, with there being multiple clocks, in different shapes and sizes”. (artist’s statement) Entry 7: Based off of Ralph Albert Blakelock’s The Poetry of Moonlight, this piece took inspiration from the feeling of calm at night. The artist creates “a clear night sky with a breeze, the black swirls depicting the wind, the bright yellow spots depicting the stars”. (artist’s statement) Entry 8: Inspired by Robert Carter’s Mama Taught Me Piano and Much More,” this piece took inspiration from the illustration of the feeling of love and security within a homely environment. The artist creates “a homely and intimate ambiance” and uses “space and layering… to create the same effect [produced within the inspiration piece]” (artist’s statement) Entry 9: Based off of Roy Lichtenstein’s Seascape , this photo titled Lake Harmony took inspiration from the depiction of the sea, trying to capture the perfect photographic representation of it. The artist captures “the rugged look that Lichtenstein did with the… blue dots” and implements her own artistic inclinations throughout the carefully taken photo. (artist’s statement) Entry 10: Inspired by Risaburo Kimura, this piece titled St. Basil’s Cathedral took inspiration from the bold and bright colors featured within the artwork. The artist chose to depict “cityscapes, particularly architecture” and focused on the beauty of religious architecture. (artist’s statement) Entry 11: Based off of Rosalia Rosato’s Loneliness, this piece titled Broken took inspiration from the visualization of sadness and emptiness. The artist “attempted to convey [feelings of] stress and anxiety… symbolizing how fragile and weak a person can feel during these moments” (artist’s statement) Entry 12: Inspired by George Grosz’s I was Always Present , this piece took inspiration from the portrayal of chaos through bold application of color. The artist creates a “skeleton figure [that] appears to be surrounded by wealth … and power but remains unhappy” to portray the idea that greed continues to limit and hold back people”. (artist’s statement) Entry 13: Based off of Robert Carter’s Mama Taught Me Piano and Much More,” this piece titled Him took inspiration from the depiction of meaningful people and moments in life. The artist creates “textured strokes of digital paint” to emulate “the applications of medium and illusion of space from Carter’s artwork”. (artist’s statement) Entry 14: Inspired by Joseph Hirch’s Moon Dreamers , this piece titled Breakfast at Kimberly’s took inspiration from the depiction of intimacy within art. The artist “used stylistic choices… to connect to the illusion and idea of landscape” and combines two pieces of paper “to develop the overall artwork”. (artist’s statement) BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Perspective Back to Sections Victoria Scarpa - Perspective - 2 By Victoria Scarpa December 16, 2020 Digital Art Volume 1 Issue 3

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Fall By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Image provided by DK Findout Look around The world's changing all around Colors flying Babies crying Out of all seasons This one's my favorite for many reasons Number one And then I'll be done   Trees swaying Children playing Bouncing up and down I can see the whole town Breeze is chilly, kissing my cheek Shivering, I run to the creek Strands of hair come lose from my bun And that's when it gets fun   Red, orange, yellow That's when things start to get mellow Shhhhhhhhhh Crack! I turn around and see a pack It seems like I'm flying And then I start crying Blood's dripping everywhere Looks like the creek doesn't want visitors here   Is it me or am I hallucinating Ghosts are emerging Zombies are popping from the ground I fall, waiting to be found Excitement races through my body Even though the blood is flowing Laughter rings throughout my yard My siblings' plan worked after all Anger shoots up to my head All I can see is red   Jumping up I face them Humor isn't in my mind A rock goes sailing in the air I can't tell who began the war But I all I know, is to get revenge Ahhhhhhhhhhh My body looks like a bloody mess I knew I should have played chess Instead I went outside Not knowing I might not come back inside   Red, blue, white Lights are flashing My mother's screaming Cut! Oh, how much I love fall Making movies and all 5 stars That's what we got My father loved the movie after all Maybe we'll make another one next fall BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Slumdog Millionaire – A Cinematic Masterpiece By Alain Deen Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by IMBd “Slumdog Millionaire” is a film that I hold dear to my heart. Over the years, I have heard a lot about this film, primarily because I live in a brown household. However, it was not until this year that I feasted my eyes upon this cinematic masterpiece. I took Intro to Film, an English Department elective here at North, and it introduced me to a whole host of amazing films that are not commonly discussed among students. For instance, we watched “12 Years a Slave”, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, “Silence of the Lambs”, “Moulin Rouge”, and so many more. We watched “Slumdog Millionaire”, and it was quick to become one of my favorite films of all time. This may be partly due to my love for Dev Patel, but that is a story for another day. Watching this film was nothing short of a captivating, breathtaking, and enthralling experience. This might just be my favorite out of all the films we have watched in class this year. In short, the film is a romance drama, and it takes place from the years 1992 to 2006. The film centers around Jamal, a child growing up in the slums of India (specifically Mumbai). However, the film really takes place in 2006 as Jamal answers questions on the Indian version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” The film flashes back to multiple points of his life, which helps him answer the questions. In 1992, we saw Jamal’s mother die due to a religious raid, leaving him and his brother Salim orphans. A corrupt orphan agency discovers the pair. In other words, they purposely injure the orphans and use them to beg for profit. Jamal and Salim quickly escape, while their friend Latika is held back. Jamal utilizes his experiences as a child to answer various questions, as he was exposed to various stimuli over the years. However, he is questioned and tortured as some are suspicious of his ability to answer the questions. After finding their way out of the raid, Salim and Jamal stumble upon Latika, an orphan girl. Over the years, Jamal has lost Latika, stumbles upon her again, and subsequently loses her over and over again. They hold a strong affinity for each other, but their relationship did not get the chance to flourish until 2006. As they grow up, Salim enters a life of crime, while Jamal seeks a simpler solution to his orphanage, finding jobs all over the place. His experiences helped Jamal win the game show, allowing him to become a millionaire. The film concludes with Salim’s death, and Jamal and Latika finally enjoying the opportunity to be with each other. This film is timeless. It provided me with the brown representation I have always desired in mainstream media. The story of a boy from the slums of India succeeding was both heartwarming and fulfilling to watch. The story itself did not consist of stereotypical representations, cliché themes, or out-of-touch dialogue. The plot provided us with a raw, emotional story about a boy from Mumbai. Dev Patel provided us with an outstanding performance. This film was simply a medley of beautiful cinematography, stellar performances, and an introspective look at Indian life. I loved the Indian representation in this award-winning film. It was amazing to see an Indian-centered film in the mainstream media, instead of Bollywood. I am from Guyana, a former British colony with Indian roots. It was beautiful to see brown representation, and I appreciated that the most. Additionally, Dev Patel is one of my favorite actors. I have never seen this film before, and he delivers a stunning performance as Jamal. His emotion is raw, which is what one should look for in an actor. His character portrays a sense of cool headedness while answering the questions, highlighting the complexity of Patel’s performance. His character should not have been shocked, as Jamal simply recalled past experiences to answer the questions. Patel developed the character around the concept of exposure in contrast to knowledge, which I loved. The cinematography, editing, and dialogue were superb. This film deserves a solid 5 out of 5 stars—no doubt in my mind. The film still holds up to this day for a variety of reasons. For one, the film taught me a valuable lesson on being grateful. Yes, I know it is basic, but the film really makes the audience aware of how little some children are left with. For instance, the polluted state of India was heartbreaking to see. Additionally, the tight living spaces and troubled education system also taught me to value both of those aspects of my life. For example, when Jamal and Salim ran through the streets, the living quarters were so tightly packed, which made me thankful for my spacious living conditions. Not only that, but it even served as a reminder to value my parents. Jamal and Salim lost their mother in one of the worst ways possible, sending them down a spiral of poverty and street living. Yet another reason to be grateful for my education, house, and most importantly, my parents. The film also taught me a minor lesson on street smarts in contrast to book smarts. While trivial knowledge comes in significant use, knowledge gathered from exposure to various situations definitely wins. Living in the slums helped Jamal become a better person, gain knowledge, and develop an introspective outlook on life. In my opinion, that is really important to recognize. As a high school student, I tend to get caught up in numbers, statistics, and data. However, it is worth noting that my experiences now are more definitive for my future than anything else. Lastly, the film taught me that when one stumbles upon the right person, they are really meant for each other. Latika and Jamal met from childhood, constantly lost each other, but managed to find each other time and time again. Overall, if you are looking for a compelling, raw story about the lows of modern Indian life, this is the film for you. The film contains valuable lessons, which is also why I recommend it. Who knows? It might even help if you ever have the opportunity to win a million dollars... BACK TO TOP