Back to Artwork Art Guild Back to Sections Art Guild- Gabriella Perlaza Gabriella Perlaza November 6, 2023 Colored Pencil Volume 4 Issue 1

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections The Artist Perspective By Nehilah Grand-Pierre Volume 1 Issue 3 December 16, 2020 Left: Great Wave off Kanagawa by Hokusai, Right: Original artwork “I am Greater” by Nehilah Grand-Pierre Perspective is what sets aside the artist from the other people of the world. An artist looks at the bigger picture, while attending to the fine details. The artist looks at the struggles and hardships of life, and rather than pointing out the flaws, they highlight the beauty of it. An artist has an outlook that turns misfortunes into masterpieces. I drew inspiration from Hokusai’s Great Wave off Kanagawa. The work depicts a giant ocean wave, which I perceive to symbolize the waves that we face while swimming through the ocean of life. The wave is not only great in size, but also great in beauty. Though seemingly terrifying, the wave is beautiful from the viewpoint portrayed in the painting, though the people painted on the boat may not think the same. My piece highlights these concepts as I drew a hand holding the wave, thus suggesting that with the right perspective, we can take hold of our hardships and realize that struggles are our personal opportunities to overcome our fears, worries, and the great ocean of life. As the loveable animated fish Dory once said, “Just keep swimming!” BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections Hispanic Heritage Month By Disha Bhalla Volume 2 Issue 1 October 8, 2021 Image provided by Arkansas Soul Have you been hearing announcements every day on the loudspeaker about something called Hispanic Heritage Month ? Hispanic Heritage Month or el Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana takes place every year from September 15th to October 15th and is a period of time for recognizing the influence and contributions of Hispanic Americans to the culture, achievements, and history of the United States. Since the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15th, North’s very own Culture Society has had its members prepare short introductions of many famous and well-known Hispanic American figures, as well as a bit about Spanish food recently. We even had our members try to incorporate Spanish into their announcements, with our Culture Society officers Disha Bhalla and Lucy Wu speaking their announcements completely in Spanish! We have covered famous and influential Hispanic American figures like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, or AOC, Sonia Sotomayor, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Rita Moreno, and Marco Rubio as well as even covering a Spanish food called Tostones . In the upcoming days, we will be covering individuals like Gloria Estefan, Ted Cruz, Ellen Ochoa, and Spanish foods like Dulce de Leche and Llapingachos . Some ways in which we all can celebrate or participate in Hispanic Heritage Month is by supporting a Hispanic Business, trying out a new Hispanic dish like the ones we have and will talk about, enjoying some Hispanic music and movies, and trying to learn some more Spanish on your own! Also, be on the lookout for the Culture Society’s announcements on Hispanic Heritage month every morning until October 15th to learn more about famous Hispanic American figures and some popular Hispanic foods! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Dear Society By Morgan Buly Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by The Inclusion Solution Dear Society, Why do you tell us to love ourselves, but bring us down? You tell us to be ourselves, as long as we’re doing it the right way. You tell us we can love anyone, any shape or size. Yet you still choose the love of our life. You tell us to love our skin, but kill our kind. You say we’re in a safe place. Yet teenagers are depressed, students are stressed, and laws forbid you from being yourself. Telling us no matter how hard we try, we’re never enough. You're more concerned in gender identity and race than poverty and shooting. You provide people with an internet-based way to harass each other. You teach us to not like our size, ethnicity, hair, clothes and home. You teach us to kill and hate. You took our youth away, You make kids afraid to go to the deli, knowing that there is a chance they could die. You tell us that because of the body they were born in, we must work harder. Sincerely, Me BACK TO TOP

Jasmine Roberts EDITORIAL EDITOR If you want to know about me, you’d have to learn alchemy as well, so let’s begin with the basics, or what I like to call Jasmine 101. Firstly, my name is Jasmine Roberts, and I fulfill the ever-giving job of being editor for the editorial section of the North Star. Reasonable, as if you ask anyone about me, they’d confirm that I have an opinion on quite about everything, including that becoming editor is one of the many accomplishments that I am proud of. On my own you can find me writing fantasy stories inspired by some of my favorite works of fiction, such as ASOIAF, gardening with my black cat familiar Siouxsie by my side, listening to Bjork whilst knitting, reading the classics, trying to channel spirits, and exploring the wonderful history of your local graveyard. When I grow up, I want to be as cool as Patricia Morrison, but as I am now, I’d say I am one of the coolest people I know. I don’t bite, and Id love to hear about your opinion, so don’t forget to send in an article on your way out! Follow my Letterboxd Jasmine Roberts Feature Read More For what is fear, if fear cannot kill? Jasmine Roberts Polaris Read More I Want to Knit Jasmine Roberts Polaris Read More Party School | Jon Hart Jasmine Roberts Entertainment & Media Read More It’s Okay to Have Friends Jasmine Roberts Editorial Read More Your Local Film Nerd Reviews - The Wizard of Oz (1939) Jasmine Roberts Entertainment & Media Read More Graveyard Blues Jasmine Roberts Feature Read More Enjoy the Silence Jasmine Roberts Feature Read More The War of the Pens: George R.R. Martin Versus Brandon Jasmine Roberts Entertainment & Media Read More A James Bond Review: A Journey Jasmine Roberts Entertainment & Media Read More Choice and Voting Jasmine Roberts Editorial Read More The Ghost and Mrs. Muir – A Very Rad Review Jasmine Roberts Entertainment & Media Read More

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Alone v.s. Lonely Annie Diep Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by Annie Diep I find that people often confuse the word alone with lonely, and vice versa, or people tend to think they’re synonyms of one another. And although loneliness can be caused by being alone, these are not the same words. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word alone means to have no one else present. Meanwhile, loneliness is characterized as a negative emotion that causes one to feel lonesome and secluded. This means that you can be at a party surrounded by people and yet still feel lonely and unwanted, or that you can be alone by yourself in your own room and yet still feel content and wanted. Being alone is a cause of loneliness, but not necessarily a synonym of loneliness. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections Space Junk and the Moon By Elyas Layachi Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by MIT Introduction Every year, thousands of spacecraft are launched into Earth orbit, whether they be satellites, telescopes, or rocket tests. These spacecraft have been accumulating since the launch of Sputnik 1 (the first artificial satellite), and many are now either broken or retired. Known as space junk, these dead spacecraft have nowhere to go and remain in Earth orbit until they near the Earth’s atmosphere, posing the threat of collisions with other, active spacecraft. Such collisions produce even more space junk that becomes lethal to both active satellites and astronauts. In some rare scenarios, space junk can exit Earth’s orbit and impact our distant neighbor: the moon. SpaceX and Space Junk One of these rare scenarios is about to occur with a SpaceX rocket. One of SpaceX’s rockets that launched several years ago is on a collision course with the moon and is scheduled to impact it very soon. This rocket, the Falcon 9 booster stage from a SpaceX mission launch in 2015, was supposed to return to Earth, but it did not have enough reserved fuel to do so. As a result, it remained in its orbit, which was chaotically placed between the gravitational forces of the Earth, moon, and Sun. With so many sources of gravity acting on the booster stage, its orbit became chaotic, and the moon’s gravity began pulling it towards the surface. This anticipated collision with the lunar surface could be the first documented rocket collision with the moon. It is expected to hit the far side of the moon on March 4th, 2022, at about 5,771 miles per hour, exploding on impact. Conclusion Despite how interesting and rare this event is, space junk is still a great problem and poses a threat to both spacecraft and astronauts working in Earth orbit. With space junk increasing with every collision and space launch, action must be taken. If we continue to ignore the space junk problem, Earth orbit might become so crowded that leaving it to travel to the Moon and beyond will seem dangerous and impossible. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections M'oreal By Nora Chery Volume 1 Issue 5 February 12, 2021 Image provided by Wikipedia The year is now 2053, and now memories along with consciousness can be saved and transferred They can be transferred to new and improved bodies Memories and conscious Downloaded into chips that’ll be placed in bodies. Ones that are artificial, but well-crafted People can now be clever than they were before People can be better looking than they were before People can be faster and lighter than they were before. Nobody will have to be stuck with bodies they despise, With looks they despise; with skills they despise. Anyone can be who they wish to become. Of course, this costs money. For those with enough money to modify To give the company, L'Oreal. 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 News Back to Sections Culture Night By Everton Prospere Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 Image provided by Eva Martinez On April 1st, 2022, Valley Stream North High School hosted its annual Culture Night. Celebrating the diverse community within North, students, staff, and the local community experienced the cultures of countries from various parts of the world. Events throughout the night ranged from food tasting, showcases on unique countries, and live performances. The night began with a food experience in the mathematics hallway. Although the dismal weather prevented this event from occurring outside in the courtyard, a brilliant display representing many different countries was created inside the school. Throughout the math hallway, booths were set up with foods from around the world and informational tri fold boards. Visitors experienced delicious dishes from countries such as Italy, Poland, Haiti, India, Pakistan, China, Guyana, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and El Salvador.  After experiencing diverse cultures in the school, the attendees shifted to live performances in the cafetorium. Students first competed in a fashion show, representing traditional clothing from India, Bangladesh, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Poland. Two students, Carolina Caraballo and Lucy Wu, won the competition and each received an Amazon gift card. Following the fashion show, the audience watched singing and dancing performances. The String Quintet, the Spartan Steppers, and many more groups and individuals participated to make for an entertaining night. Students seemed to thoroughly enjoy the entire night: “The teamwork between advisors and students helped provide an enjoyable experience for all audience members with strong performances all around.” -Craig Papajohn-Shaw, (MC for Culture Night) “I found the Culture Night to be a very eye opening and diversifying experience from the food to the fashion show and the performance overall. I think it displayed the large variation of North’s culture.” - Daniel Ellis “I loved the food, the food was great, and I really loved the food.” - Ashrita Seelan “I was exposed to so many different cultures and experienced so many different tastes, sounds, and visuals.” - Joshua Hunt “I was appreciative of seeing the diverse community that is not always portrayed in everyday life.” - Anonymous “It was a wonderful day; I had a great time.” - Anonymous  “An even better ‘Class Acts’.” - Anonymous After a hiatus from the event due to the pandemic, Valley Stream North hosted a very successful Culture Night, 2022. A special thanks goes to the custodial staff, Language Honor Society, Culture Society, and the Audio-Visual club for helping put together this amazing event. Be ready for the next Culture Night in 2023! BACK TO TOP