Back to Artwork Portrait Back to Sections Cianna Nadal - Portrait By Cianna Nadal January 20, 2021 Photography Volume 1 Issue 4

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Here Comes the Street By Nora Chery Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by Adobe Here comes the street The street that never lies Beneath the simmering crimson sun. Beyond the street The street turns to grass Beneath the time where words and paper never Shackle us. Then comes the grass The grass that never dies Under our tired feet. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 By Manal Layachi Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Image provided by Dneg Peeta: My name got picked for the Hunger Games? I’m toast! This is the last movie of The Hunger Games series, adapted from the books by Suzanne Collins. This movie takes place in Noisy-le-Grand, Paris, in 2014. The main characters are Haymitch, Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, Gale Hawthorne, President Snow, Primrose Everdeen, Effie Trinket, and Caesar Flickerman. The Quarter Quell has ended, and Katniss Everdeen and other citizens live in District 13. District 12 has been destroyed. There is a rebellion taking place between the districts and the Capitol. Peeta got captured by the Capitol, and Katniss must become the Mockingjay and assassinate President Snow. Katniss Everdeen is the Mockingjay, and she must lead everyone to victory in overthrowing President Snow. The Capitol is attacking District 13 and Katniss is trying to persuade everyone to her side. Her symbol is the Mockingjay, and people who wear her symbol support her. Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen) did great job portraying her character because she acted like a very good leader. Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark) excelled at portraying emotion in the movie. Donald Sutherland (President Snow) portrays an evil and bitter character. He acted like he was the master of everyone and that’s what I like about his acting. Liam Hemsworth (Gale Hawthorne) expertly acted like a hunter and brother to Katniss in the movie. My favorite scene was when Katniss and her crew met Tigris, the cousin of the President who betrayed her. I recommend reading President Snow’s prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes . Another one of my favorite scenes was when Katniss and Peeta were playing and taking care of their children. They finally got to have a peaceful life after all the chaos and fighting they have been through. My least favorite scene was when some of my favorite characters died off, one by one. The last few minutes and scenes of the movie were very emotional. A lesson I learned from this movie was, you should stand up for what you believe in no matter what is happening or what people say. Others will learn that they should have the courage to do anything they think is right and never give up on what they are trying to do. People who like action, adventure, romance, violence, and a lot of emotions will like this movie. I would recommend this to people who like leaders and inspiring people. I would not recommend this to people who don’t like violence. The film rating is PG-13. My final word on the film was: GOOD. I give this movie 4.5 stars. Manal Layachi is a 13-year-old girl who loves to sing, make art, play soccer, tennis, and karate. She loves reading and she read all of The Hunger Games books and especially The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Women Who Have Dominated the Grammys By Isabella Menjivar Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Original artwork by Isabella Menjivar Alison Krauss - She currently holds the record for female artist with the most Grammy awards. Her astounding number of awards comes from her work in Country music. In 2019, she was awarded a National Medal of Arts. Some of her well-known songs include “When You Say Nothing at All”, “Gone Gone Gone”, and “Paper Airplane”. Beyonce - After becoming a solo artist, she’s gone on to win 22 Grammy awards. Her 2017 Grammy performance sent an inspiring message of honoring women was a showstopper. Aside from the breathtaking visuals, at the performance she balanced on a floating chair while pregnant. Beyonce also holds the Grammy record for most nominations. Whitney Houston - With 6 Grammy awards and 25 nominations, the legendary singer’s most famous win was her song “I Will Always Love You” being awarded record of the year. Whitney’s powerhouse voice is unforgettable, and her performance at the 36th Grammy Awards featured fireworks, and her vocals were astounding. Taylor Swift - Her Grammy performances that feature incredible music, scenery, and background dancers are what makes her on the list to perform at the 2021 Grammys. Taylor’s 10 Grammy awards and 41 nominations are all products of her relatable music. Many different people make up her fan base because she has written country, pop, and indie music. Taylor is currently re-recording old music to officially hold rights to her records, all written by herself. BACK TO TOP

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1 November 1, 2020 "PROTOSTAR" ARTICLES 2020 Election Credibility… Should You Be Worried? By Craig Papajohn-Shaw News Read More Joe Biden Leads in Major Polls By Everton Prospere News Read More Meaning of Lines from Different Perspectives By Nehilah Grand-Pierre Art Read More Team Integrity Experience By Carolina Grace Figueroa Feature Read More The Importance of Lines in Art By Isabella Somma Art Read More The Team Kindness Experience By Rachel Ezeadichie Feature Read More Finding Himself By Alain Deen Fiction Read More Kobe Bryant’s Lasting Legacy By Alain Deen Sports Read More Stress Relief By Samantha Alteri Feature Read More Team Respect: Life Not Only at North By Leandra Mina and Jasmine Munoz Feature Read More The Long Island Arts Alliance Scholar Artist: Alena Moreira By Sophia Rhall Art Read More What is Line? By Luiginna Frederique Art Read More WHAT IS LINE? LOAD MORE

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections NFL 2021-2022 Season By Leah Ally Volume 2 Issue 5 March 28, 2022 Image provided by Sports Illustrated The 102nd NFL season, the first to hold a full 17-game schedule, has officially ended. This football season was an unusual year, which would be an understatement, as the league worked through the coronavirus pandemic for the second consecutive year. COVID-19 outbreaks hit several teams, affecting more than hundreds of players throughout the season. With a new season comes new regulations, including COVID-19 protocols regarding the health and safety of every team. The league began by encouraging vaccination among each player, coach, and staff member. On July 22nd, 2021, the NFL later issued a warning to teams that if Covid-19 outbreaks developed between unvaccinated players and a game cannot be rescheduled within the 18-week regular-season schedule, the team responsible for the epidemic will be charged with a forfeited loss, as well fine the players $14,650 that violates protocols. The 2021-2022 NFL playoff tournament began with a late start, as it was pushed back until January 15th, 2022. Rather than 12 teams, the NFL playoffs are now made up of 14 teams- with seven teams from each conference, AFC, and NFC, making the postseason longer than usual. This was the first postseason since 2010-2011. Neither the top-seeded teams advanced to their respective championship games; it was also the first playoffs in which neither Aaron Rodgers nor Tom Brady reached a conference Championship game since 2009-2010. The postseason was later concluded with Super Bowl LVI (56) on February 13th at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. The game ended with the Rams defeating the Bengals, 23-20. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Life By Joshua Lopez Volume 1 Issue 7 April 22, 2021 Image provided by Getty Images I try to make sense of what's going on in this thing we call life But false misconceptions lead me to a road of pain I try to understand what happens But could never find the answer Maybe pain is just a lack of understanding? But quite frankly, I find joy in the pursuit of happiness But I know I’ll never find it It's like a dream Life asked death Why do some many people love me, but hate you? And death responded with "Because you’re a beautiful lie and I'm the ugly truth". I try to make sense of what's going on in this thing we call life The pain and adversity I face Just to fall up short again I look to the left nothing is right I look to my right and nothing is left So, tell me what do I do? How am I supposed to live, Knowing this cycle of uncertainty will continue And mankind will forever suffer? Unfortunately, this is called life and we live just to die curious and never truly satisfied. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections Voting: Your Right, Your Power Noa Cordova Volume 5 Issue 2 November 25, 2024 Image Provided by Max Ching In the words of Former President Obama, “There’s no such thing as a vote that doesn’t matter.” Obama’s words reflect an insufficiently acknowledged truth among young American voters. Election season is among us, and while the majority of high school students won’t be 18 by election day, we should remind ourselves of our constitutional right to vote. The upcoming generation of voters should concern themselves with the fact that the age group from 18 to 24 tends to vote less than others (OurWorldInData). As the next voting generation, it's crucial we understand these patterns and work to break them. Every vote counts. Hectic schedules, intimidation in casting a ballot, and lack of interest in voting significantly contribute to the voting trend among the 18-24 age group (Holbein). College students make up the majority of the 18-24 age group and deal with the busy, hectic reality of college life. With assignments, projects, extracurriculars, studying, and other college-age responsibilities, making it to a poll may not make it on the priority list. Fortunately, states provide an alternative to in-person voting on election day: mail-in voting. Mail-in voting allows voters to cast their vote remotely and includes Early Mail Ballots and Absentee Ballots. For college students caught up in hectic schedules and overwhelmed by the prospect of voting, Early Mail ballots serve as a suitable option. Registered voters can apply for an Early Mail Ballot online and exercise their right to vote remotely. College students residing outside of their state may apply for an Absentee Ballot as another form of mail-in voting. Voting remotely may help voting stress and anxiety for inexperienced voters; the mail-in alternative aims to increase voter turnout, so take advantage of its convenience. The lack of interest in voting presents an additional reason for lower voting numbers among 18-24-year-olds and an issue attributed to the underestimation of the importance of voting. Our democratic government grants us the fundamental right to vote; we shouldn’t overlook this right. Making up 12% of the population, young voters can significantly influence the results of elections, including presidential elections (U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division). Education, news channels, articles, and social media provide valuable information on candidates and their political policies. Especially when you reach voting age, educating yourself ensures ignorance does not hinder your interest in voting and that you’re more motivated to vote. Voting as an 18-year-old citizen is your 26th Amendment right; don’t wait until you’re 26 to use it. Efforts to augment interest in younger voters have grown in popularity in the U.S. Social media campaigns target younger audiences, in hopes of appealing to them to secure their vote. Social media serves as a useful tool for encouraging others to vote as a citizen as well. Sharing information about your voting experience or method may inspire others to take political action themselves. Postcards to Voters, an organization seeking writers to mobilize citizens to vote and inform them about Vote By Mail, serves as an example of efforts others can make to encourage others to vote. “I voted” should be more than words on a red and blue pin, we should announce them proudly as members of a democracy. As high school students, educating ourselves and learning about different policies will help in future voting whether it’s local or presidential. 16- and 17-year-olds can preregister to vote online and get a head start on contributing to our democratic nation. Every vote counts, so count yours in. The constitution grants us voting first as a right, but secondly and more importantly as our power to influence our government. When you’re eligible, use your voice, share your vision, and cast your vote. Sources: Adult population by age group | KIDS COUNT Data Center Request a Ballot - Early Mail or Absentee Ballot | NYC Board of Elections Most young voters support Kamala Harris − but that doesn’t guarantee they will show up at the polls Young people are less likely to vote than older people — often considerably so - Our World in Data BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections An Interesting Situation By Victoria Niksa Volume 3 Issue 3 February 24, 2023 Image provided by Pexels How could Cirice end up in this situation? Her in the same room with her crush, Jacob. Jacob: “Ugh, why are you here?” Cirice loves him. He hates her. Why? Nobody knows. Not even Jacob knows why he hates her either. Cirice: “Oh, uh- hi! Sorry, I’ll just go-” Jacob: “Stay.” Cirice could feel her face burn up. No way in the name of ghost would he want her in the same room as him. Cirice: “I can go-” Jacob: “I told you stay.” Cirice: “Ok but what if I don’t want to stay?” Jacob: “We both know you want to stay so just stay put.” Cirice: “O-okay…” She did as he told her, and she sat there. A few minutes had passed and not a word left either person’s mouth. The silence was so loud. Cirice: “So, how’ve you been?” Jacob: “Really? Small talk? Fine, I’ve been good, I guess. You?” Cirice: “I’ve been… better.” Jacob: “Why so blue? You’re not as outgoing as you were last year.” Cirice: “I’m alright. I’ve just been going through something with my kind-of-friends.” Jacob: “Well… Do you wanna talk about it? Not like I care or anything, but I’ll listen.” Cirice felt her eyes burn, her throat swell up. Cirice: “You’d actually l-listen to me…?” Her voice started breaking. She’d started praying that she wouldn’t start crying in front of him. She’d rather fail one of her classes than have that happen. Jacob: “Yeah… Are you okay?” Cirice: “No… I’m not okay… I-I’m sorry I d-don’t wanna cry i-in front of you… This i-is so embarrassing-” Jacob: “Do you want a tissue?” Jacob asked as he brought her a box of tissues. Cirice: “This is the nicest thing someone has ever done for me in a while… Why are you being so nice to me? II thought you hated me…” Jacob: “Hard to hate you when you’re clearly in need of a friend.” Jacob had a slight smile on his face. Cirice had quite the opposite expression. Within seconds tears started to form and fall from her eyes. She felt so embarrassed. Crying in front of her crush. She felt so weak. Jacob: “Your… Your eyeliner-” Cirice: “My eyeliner is the least of my problems! C-can’t believe y-you’re seeing me c-cry…” Jacob: “It’s not the first time… All those times in orchestra last year, in the hallways-” Cirice: *hic* “You’re not m-making this a-any b-better…” Jacob: “Sorry- I didn’t mean to-“ Before he could say another word, she began sobbing. Hands covering her face, eyeliner streaming down, her lipstick smearing, this was the most vulnerable Jacob would ever see her. Cirice: “D-don’t look *hic* at m-me…” Jacob: “Do you want a hug…?” She nodded her head slightly. He slowly wrapped his arms around her. She felt warm and fuzzy. Him hugging her wasn’t enough, instead she was crying even more. After hearing her sobs, he knew how he could calm her down. He pulled away from the hug. Jacob: “Hey… Can you look at me for a second?” She slowly began to look up at him. The two having eye contact for a few seconds. Jacob knew what he had to do, and he got it done and over with. He leaned in to kiss her. He knew it would calm her and it did. It did only for a split second. Cirice: “W-what!? Why- What- How did you get this idea-” Jacob didn’t want to deal with her questions, so he did the only thing he felt he should do, and he kissed her again. For a bit longer this time mostly so he could think of an answer for any questions she might have for him. Cirice: “If the point of you kissing me was to calm me down it worked. You’ve taken my mind off my friends.” Jacob: “I say that you ditch them.” Cirice: “You don’t even know them or what happened.” Jacob: “Doesn’t matter. Clearly if they’re making you cry then they did something to hurt you.” Cirice: “They did… one of them has been my friend since we were in kindergarten…” Jacob: “Don’t start crying on me again… I know you most likely don’t want to let her go but you’re going to have too eventually.” Cirice: “My mom told me that we’d be friends forever…” Jacob: “I don’t wanna sound cliché but forever is a long time and your friendship is going to fade away eventually. You’re not even going to notice when it happens.” The two had sat in silence until another question came up. Cirice: “Wait… why are you in here in the first place because Kae told me to meet him here-” Jacob: “Kae told me to meet him here too…” Cirice: “Did he-” Jacob: “I think he did…” Cirice: “That is one bold, bold move… I am so going to yell at him tomorrow morning and I cannot wait for it…” Jacob: “Relax… This was an interesting situation …” BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Portrait Back to Sections Fairy Light Circles By Sienna Munro January 20, 2021 Photography Volume 1 Issue 4