Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections The Quality of Family Time By Manal Layachi Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Image provided by Godvine.com Spending time with family during this Covid-19 era is crucial. Life is short, so we should spend our time wisely. People might want to indulge in videogames or gaze upon their phones, but family time would be a better way to connect. During COVID, an apparent theme among families is increased bonding and time spent together. With that said, there are a lot of ways to spend time with family. With family, you can play games, eat at the dinner table, watch a movie together, cook and bake, and even have a good conversation. Consistently speaking with family can help in building relationships and aids in expressing the way you and your family might feel. Additionally, there are many benefits in spending time with family. For instance, it improves mental health, boosts self-confidence, reduces stress, lowers risk of behavioral problems, and enhances physical health. All these benefits are important and helpful in leading a healthy and successful lifestyle. Furthermore, parents can teach their kids crucial life skills, such as problem solving and effective communication. In conclusion, spending time with family proves to be pivotal in leading a healthy lifestyle. So, the next time you think about locking yourself in your room, think twice, and explore what’s happening in the rest of the house. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Black American Artists Back to Sections Howardena Pindell - Untitled By Howardena Pindell February 12, 2021 Volume 1 Issue 5 Medium: Collage with Hole-Punched Paper Dots, Pen and Black Ink, Monofilament, and Talcum Powder on Oak Tag Paper, Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections UCA College Nationals Sarah Velez Volume 4 Issue 3 March 13, 2024 Image Provided by Varsity TV When I say “cheerleader,” what do you think of? The majority of people imagine a girl dressed in a skirt shaking her poms at a football game, and although those activities are part of cheerleading, it is significant to note that such a sport consists of so much more. UCA College Nationals The UCA College Nationals is a competitive cheerleading event that has taken social media by storm, often showing off difficult stunts, demonstrating sharp and clean dances, and portraying the unique style of makeup and uniforms cheerleaders wear to perform and dazzle audiences. UCA stands for Universal Cheerleading Association, which has taken place (hand in hand with UDA College Nationals) for over 35 years. Both teams competed at the Walt Disney Resort in January 2024 from the 12th through the 14th. Despite all the controversy about whether or not cheerleading is a sport, it is important to recognize the hardships cheerleaders endure and the athletic abilities cheerleaders develop to perfect each routine that gets performed on the mat. The competition is separated into divisions which include… Division IA Coed Cheer Division IA All Girl Cheer Division IA Small Coed Cheer Division I Coed Cheer Division I All Girl Cheer Division I Small Coed Cheer Open Coed Cheer2 Open All Girl Cheer Open Small Coed Cheer Division IA All Girl Game Day Division IA Game Day Open Coed Game Day. Small Coed Game Day Open All Girl Game Day With over 950 teams, overall consisting of 18,500 athletes, it is important to categorize each age group within different divisions to ensure that each team gets equal treatment against one another. Who were the winners of this impeccable competition? The winners were the University of Central Florida, University of South Florida, and overall winner, University of Memphis. Is Cheerleading a Sport? Cheerleaders often face criticism on whether cheerleading is considered a sport. Most people often fail to realize that as of 2021, the International Olympic Committee designated cheerleading as a sport! Cheerleading combats all the sports regulations and requirements as any other sport (including physical activity, point systems, and competitions) so why would it not be considered a sport? The Factors Within Cheerleading Stunting plays a huge role in cheerleading and is usually what most girls look forward to. Stunting is a four-person activity that includes a main base, a side base, a backspot, and a flyer. A flyer is in the middle, the main base is on the right, the side base is on the left, and the backspot stays behind the flyer. Stunting is no joke, because anybody can get hurt, not just the flyer. That is why it is so important to make sure there are spotters all around, ready to save a stunt if something were to go wrong. Leg strength and arm strength are crucial in providing a strong, stable foundation for the flyer. As a flyer, it is important to stay tight and squeeze your body. Aside from stunting, tumbling plays an important and entertaining role when competing against other teams. The most important skill for cheer when it comes to tumbling is a round-off, which not only comes in handy for cheer, but also gymnastics in general! A round off is known to be the most basic skill that allows you to move from one skill into the next. Conclusions Within Cheerleading Both the UCA and UDA have competed with hypnotizing routines and dances that allow viewers to truly see what cheerleading brings to the mat. If you would like to know more about UDA College Nationals, be sure to check out the NORTH STAR Article written by Giavanna Quagliata for more information. If you are in grades 9-12, be sure to try out for the Valley Stream North’s Cheer team! Follow us on Instagram @vsncheer for the latest updates! Sources: UCA College Nationals | Universal Cheerleaders Association ( varsity.com ) 2024 UCA & UDA COLLEGE CHEERLEADING AND DANCE TEAM NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HONORS TOP TEAMS ( prnewswire.com ) Cheerleading | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica The Most Important Tumbling Skill Used For Cheerleading and Gymnastics — Challenge Athletics Rochester, NY Tumbling ( challengerochester.com ) BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Athlete Spotlight: Kevin Beltran By Navrosedip Kundlas and Matteo Somma Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 Image Provided by Valley Stream North XC/Track Facebook Page Junior distance runner Kevin Beltran has been making waves in the running world with his impressive accomplishments. As a four-time All-County athlete and two-time All-State athlete, Beltran has consistently proven himself an exceptional runner. His talents have not gone unnoticed, as he has been ranked #1 on the Long Island Team in Cross Country by Just In Time Racing . Beltran's achievements are not limited to the team rankings. He also holds several Valley Stream North distance records. As Beltran continues to excel in his running career, we are all looking forward to seeing what he will achieve in the future. Beltran’s Athletic High School Accomplishments (thus far): Four-Time Season All-County Runner for Indoor Track and Field (2021-22), Outdoor Track and Field (2022), Cross Country (2022), and Indoor Track (2022-23) Two-Time All-State Runner in the 5000-meter and the 1000-meter Intersectional Relay #1 Long Island Cross Country Team by Just in Time Racing School Records Held by Kevin Beltran (thus far): Junior and overall, 5000-meter School Record Holder (Cross Country 2022) with a time of 15:47.75 Junior and overall, 4000-meter School Record Holder (Cross-Country 2022) with a time of 12:52.30 Junior and overall, 1000-meter School Record Holder (Indoor Track 2022-23) with a time of 2:33.98 Junior and overall, 1600-meter School Record Holder (Indoor Track 2022-23) with a time of 4:30.33 Junior and overall, one mile (1609-meters) School Record Holder (Indoor Track 2022-23) with a time of 4:24.57 Junior and overall, 3200-meter School Record Holder (Indoor Track 2022-23) with a time of 9:41.39 Sophomore and overall, 1600-meter School Record Holder (Outdoor Track 2022) with a time of 4:20.40 As Kevin Beltran looks towards the future, it's clear he has already made a significant impact on the local world of distance running. His impressive achievements as a junior have earned him widespread recognition and respect from the running community, as well as VSN students, staff and alumni. Beltran's hard work and dedication to his sport, as well as the influence of VSN Track coaches Mr. Frazer and Mr. Boyens, have certainly paid off, and it's likely he will continue to achieve great heights in the years to come. As we have watched Beltran's scholastic running career unfold, he is a rising star in the sport, and we can't wait to see where his talents take him next. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Athlete Spotlight: Naomi Gonzalez (Interview) Rehmat Kaur Volume 4 Issue 3 March 13, 2024 Image Provided by Naomi Gonzalez Naomi Gonzalez, a member of our wrestling team, is one of many exceptional athletes at Valley Stream North. She started wrestling when she was six and is now coming on ten years. I had so much fun interviewing her and getting to know more about her journey. What do you like most about wrestling? “I like the people and the environment because it’s a very nice and relatable area to be in.” Why do you want to wrestle on our school team? “I love the sport of wrestling and I have been doing it for so long and I’m good at it and I love my team!” How have challenges impacted your motivation to play sports? “I don’t stop and if something’s wrong I figure out how to work on it. I’m a perfectionist, but for wrestling.” Describe your major highlights and achievements in sports in the past. “Last year in 9th grade I got second place in Folkstyle Wrestling State for Women. In summer I was qualified for the Fargo Freestyle Nationals for Women, and I would have become All- American, but I lost my fourth match, it was a 10-2 fall. This year I placed 6th in Folkstyle Wrestling State for Women tournament because of a medical forfeit. I have won Queen of the Mat two times in a row and last year I won the County Championship. I placed first in the Bayshore Tournament this year.” What do you see yourself accomplishing in five to 10 years? “I wish to improve and just be even better in this sport both mentally and physically as they both play an enormous part in your performance.” Which strengths do you believe you have that make you a great athlete? “I am determined and motivated to give my best. I take accountability when I’m wrong and try to improve.” Which sport is your favorite to play and why? (Other than wrestling) “Lacrosse because it’s active and fun. It’s a district sport so I can interact with other schools.” Is there a coach or athlete that you look up to as a role model and why? “I met Kylie Welker and I think she plays in 170 pounds criteria on the Ohio Women’s Wrestling Team. She is honestly good and cool. She placed a lot in different tournaments.” What do you look for in a great coach? “Someone who is supportive, the worst thing you can have in a coach is just telling you what to do and who’s not supportive whatsoever. I had to cut 15 pounds in a week, and I had 5 pounds to go in one more day and dropped 4.4 pounds. I didn’t make weight, and I was crying but my coach (Mr. Pingatore) held my hand and ran with me to the stadium trying to cut weight.” What's the best piece of advice you've gained from your coaches? “If you take a shot run them into the stance, don’t care about the circle.” BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections To Mask or Not To Mask By Craig Papajohn-Shaw Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by Deseret News Update 03/01/2022: On Sunday, February 27th, Governor Hochul announced she would lift the mandatory mask mandate across schools in New York State; school districts can decide whether to continue the mandate. On Tuesday, March 1st, the Valley Stream Central High School District Board of Education voted unanimously to opt for a mask optional plan. Acting Superintendent Loper has amended the masking policy within his " District Reopening Plan ." Starting Wednesday, March 2nd, masks will no longer be mandated for students or staff within the district; Dr. Loper noted that the decision will now rest with each family and student. -------- In his first few weeks in office, newly elected Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R-NY) already found himself embroiled in a dispute with Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY). One of Blakeman's pledges during his campaign is that he would manage the pandemic with "economic, social and mental health consequences in mind." As promised, he signed an executive order removing the mask mandate in Nassau County schools and giving local school boards discretion to decide how to proceed with regard to mandating masking. Hochul threatened to remove county board members who voted to toss the mask requirement and cut funds to those districts; the Governor claims state law supersedes local county orders. Even with the threats made by the Governor, on January 20th, the Massapequa Union Free School District Board of Education voted to end the student and staff mask mandate; districts such as Island Trees followed suit. This is not the first time the Massapequa School District attempted to drop the mask mandate; back in October, the district filed a lawsuit challenging the mandate's legality. Massapequa's Board of Education Trustee Cher Lepre emphasizes, "it can't always just be Massapequa willing to take a stand." Hochul's current executive order on the New York schools mask mandate is in effect until February 1st, and then renewed it once again until February 28th; the order can continue to be renewed at the Governor's discretion as long as the courts don’t rule it to be unconstitutional. The Governor has implied that she would decide whether to renew the order close to the deadline of the current mandate, as she will have to evaluate the severity of the pandemic at that time. The Governor is up for election in 2022, and her decision to renew may be influenced by the fact that she will first have to survive the Democratic primary prior to the general election. As New York State (NYS) sees a drop in daily cases with projections showing positive cases will be even lower in NYS by mid-February, as well as an increase in people receiving their booster shot, there is even further doubt about whether the Governor will renew the order. The issue sparked further controversy when the Nassau County Supreme Court ruled Hochul's mask mandate unconstitutional. Prior to Former Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) leaving office, the New York Legislature terminated his "emergency powers," which gave the authority to the Governor's office to institute a mask mandate. When Governor Hochul took office, she renewed the order of a mask mandate without having those powers granted by the legislature. At least 25 districts opted for a mask-optional policy on January 25th; this was until the Department of Health filed an appeal, at which point Appellate Judge Robert Miller issued a "stay" until he can review the matter of the case at the appellate level. In Valley Stream North's Advanced Placement (AP) Government and Politics classes, an anonymous poll was conducted questioning students: "Do you agree with Massapequa school district's decision to NOT require masks anymore for all students?" The AP Government class consists of 12th graders; 77 students responded to the polls, where 27 of the students "approved" of Massapequa's decision, with 50 "against" the district's decision. The poll results implied 65% of students across the three sections of the course feel wearing masks should be mandated in schools. While the 77 students may not be a holistic view of how all students (or staff members) feel in the building, it indicates Massapequa's decision does concern the students at North. In response to the poll results, a senior in one of the sections of the class voiced, "Personally, I agree with the majority of students on this issue. Our school has a large number of students, and while some of my classes have approximately 15 students, some have approximately 30. Continued mask-wearing allows me to feel safe interacting with so many different people on a daily basis." At the time of publication, The Valley Stream Central High School District had not indicated the desire to lift the mask mandate. In the event that the Governor does not renew the state mandate during the current school year, the Board of Education will have to vote on the matter, at which time they will have to consider many factors, including the safety of staff and students. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Creative Writing Review By Noah Gonzalez Volume 1 Issue 5 February 12, 2021 Image provided by Alphaspirit ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Out of five, Creative Writing sits strong at a five out of five stars. When taking into account the refreshing change from a typical English course in terms of class work, the exploration of (perhaps) new and unfamiliar styles of literature, as well as the almost limitless number of ways to express one's creative capabilities, one cannot deny the overall benefits acquired from taking this course. First Star : A Fresh New Take - In almost every other course offered in this school, teachers and students must follow a set guideline of learning in order to prepare for either a Regents, AP, or final exam. This can result in students either losing their creative spark within the class or dreadfully following the same old course style they've been following since they entered 1st grade. Creative Writing, however, does not follow this same path. Unlike other courses like AP Human Geography, Regents Physics, or SAT Prep., Creative Writing does not focus on preparing its students for a crucial exam that will either make or break their future. Instead, the course opens up a new world of literature to its students that are generally unexplored in the students' regular English classes. Subjects such as short story writing, graphic novel creation, poetry analysis, and even screenplay writing open up the students' minds to new ways of expressing their creativity in a productive and beneficial manner. Second Star : Lack of Pressure - Similar to an art class, Creative Writing grades its students based on their effort and completion of their work as opposed to a strict point-based system. The pressure of hitting as many points as possible completely vanishes in this course as the most important factor to passing this class is your creativity, imagination, and your diligence to compete what's assigned. Third Star : Easier Grade - As stated previously, this course does not follow a strict point-based system. This means that unless you neglect to complete what's asked of you, you should receive a good grade for the semester you take Creative Writing. The teacher will look that you generally followed the daily lesson; however, other than that, your grade depends on your desire to express your creativity. In my opinion, that's a pretty easy good grade. Fourth Star : Utility Outside Class - Although Creative Writing might not directly influence your grades in other classes, the skills and content acquired within said course can potentially enhance your capabilities within other courses. For example, Creative Writing topics such as poetry creation and analysis provide students with the ability to interpret and create poetry in various forms such as haikus or concrete poems. During such process, students learned to notice figurative language in use, hidden meanings, and the purposes different poetical structures serve. While this allows for students taking Creative Writing to prepare better works of poetry for their class-specific assignment, it also allows for comprehending and completing work in other classes in an easier manner. In classes like AP English Language or Literature, students complete class work and test questions related to poetry analysis. Student who do not/have not taken Creative Writing only have access to their English teacher's lessons that may or may not have the greatest detail or advice because of the teacher's limit on what they can teach due to the need to follow course guidelines. However, if a student has/is taking Creative Writing, they will have a greater knowledge of poetical and literature devices than other students who are limited to their teacher's restricted curriculum capabilities. Fifth Star : Creative Cooperation - One of the greatest aspects of the Creative Writing class is the general freedom to choose how you go about completing the assigned work. Most of the time, if a student puts in the necessary amount of time and effort, they will have little trouble completing their work. While this holds true most of the time, there always exists the possibility where you'll hit a roadblock and cannot produce a creative idea. In most other classes, this problem translates to you either asking the teacher for help, attending extra help, or looking up extra material online. While you can do this in Creative Writing as well, it should be noted that students have an extra liberty in this class that students in other classes do not: the free and near unrestricted assistance from other students. If you're struggling in class like geometry, asking a student for assistance may be perceived by others as cheating. This issue does not transfer over to creative blocks in Creative Writing. In this class, both teachers and student start their classes by discussing ideas in the collaboration space in OneNote. This time allows for the best ideas to come about and for students to pick and choose what best suits their styles of writing. BACK TO TOP

< 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 Kelly Parker 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 Artwork Black American Artists Back to Sections Still Life with Fruit and Nuts By Robert Seldon Duncanson February 12, 2021 Volume 1 Issue 5 Medium: Oil on Board, Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Family Problems By Ala Paruch Volume 1 Issue 3 December 16, 2020 Image provided by BigStockPhoto Q. Dear Ala, I need your help. I want more privacy. My parents don't seem to think that’s important. I also want to tell them that I have bad anxiety, but they don't think it’s real. I am twelve years old and I feel like I am still treated like my 8 year old brother. I was asking for my bedtime to be at 10:00. In my mind that’s reasonable because I still sleep at 9:30 at the same time as my brother. Thanks. Sincerely, Hello:) A. Hi! Thanks for asking! I agree, 10:00 pm would be a reasonable time. I would advise you to have a conversation with your parents and explain to them why you believe your bedtime should change. You can prepare a list of reasons for your statement and prepare for how you think they could answer your proposition. In your list you can include all the rationales you put in this letter to me, since they are pretty strong arguments, as well as more if you can think of those. Your parents will most likely think something is important if it is important enough for you to prepare in this way. So, if you put effort into this and show them this would help you, they might change their minds. Also, maybe you could ask them to “make it a rule” that anyone who wants to come in your room must knock first. Hope this helps! Q. Dear Ala, I share a room with my dog and I haven't been able to get much sleep because she snores to loud. I need some advice on how to help me get some better sleep or to try to get her to stop snoring. If you are able to help me that would be greatly appreciated Sincerely, Cat A. Hi Cat! Thank you for asking! Hmmm, sleep is important, so solving this problem is important as well. Firstly, I would advise to take your dog to the vet to see if this isn’t happening because of an infection or anything more serious. The vet will definitely try to help you out. You can also try to see if it’s possible if your pet can sleep in the hallway or any other room that is not occupied at night. Hope that helps! Q. Dear Ala,  I was wondering if you can help me with a problem. My sister, who is 19 and away at college, doesn't call me anymore. I want to talk to her, but truly, I don't know what to say or what she would respond back to me. She might not even want her little sister to be texting her. She still treats me like I'm five, but I'm really 14. Please give me some advice. Thank you, Ala! You really will be a big help to me. - Little sister issues! A. Hi! Thank you for the question! I think that the best option for this would be to simply reach out and tell her you want to keep in contact. Ask her how she’s been doing and how the workload is. Be supportive of her decision to go to college. Put together a nice message for her telling her you wouldn’t want the fact that she’s college drift you two apart. Hope this helps and good luck! ~Ala Q. Dear Ala, My parents won't let me bake in the house anymore because they think that I leave a big mess, but I do clean it up! Do you have any advice on what you think I should do for them to let them let me bake again? Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Furious Baker A. Hi and thank you for the question! Baking is such a great passion, keep it up! Ask your parents what part of the kitchen you specifically didn’t clean up to their liking and to give you one more chance to prove yourself. Then, make sure to clean up as you go, and to clean up at the end. Glad I could be of help! Good luck! Q. Dear Ala, I am in need of some help. I play on the same game console as my brother and we can never come up with a game to play together. Do you have any idea what we should do because it is getting really annoying. Hope you can help. Have a nice day. Sincerely, Me A. Hi! Thanks for the question! I don’t really know much about video games, but I asked my friend, and he recommended two games that you might like and are on most current major consoles. The first one is “Rocket League”. It is a multiplayer game that combines racing with soccer. The second one is called “Overcooked!” which is a game designed to play regardless of your skill level. In this game, you and your friends run around a kitchen and try to prepare a meal while being faced with obstacles. I hope this helps! Q. Dear Ala, I have a younger brother, and he won't leave me alone. He finds ways to bother me and when I tell him to stop, he doesn't listen. He always comes into my room and doesn't leave when I tell him to. I hope you can help me find a way to get him to listen when I tell him to stop. Thank you! -Bothersome Brother A. Hello and thank you for the question! Your younger brother is not someone you can just tell what to do and expect him to listen to everything you say. He is still his own person. A good way to approach this would be to talk it out with him. Tell him it is bothersome and ask him if he has a specific reason for coming into your room. There is a possibility he simply wants to be able to spend more time with you but doesn’t know how to express it well. Then come up with a system like he has to knock and ask you if it’s okay to come in. If you say no, he should not enter. Hope that helps and good luck! Q. Dear ALA,  Hello! I have an older sister who is 16 years old. We don't share a room, but her room is right next to mine. When it is 12 midnight, she is on a call with her friends. She makes so much noise, I cannot sleep. When I try to tell my parents, they think I am lying. Can you help me find a way for my parents to believe me? Or can you help me find a way for her to listen and stop? Bye. Have a great day. From, Younger Sister A. Hello and thanks for your question! Communication is key, and talking to her about it first would be a great idea. Confront her and tell her why you it is bothering you so much. She might try to brush it off saying that she’s older, but be confident and explain your argument. Calmly explain that how old a person is does not influence this argument. Regarding your parents, you can explain to them the effects the lack of sleep is causing you to show them that what you are saying is true. Be sure to tell them and express your troubles. Maybe if you say it will affect your schoolwork, they will pay more attention to your problem. Thank you, have a nice day as well and good luck! BACK TO TOP