Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Behind the Rallies: Your 2025 Girls’ Badminton Team Rehmat Kaur Volume 5 Issue 5 July 5, 2025 Image Provided By Coach Croce In this article, through Q&As and team surveys, we’ve uncovered the perfect superlatives for our players, managers, and Coach C. Everyone on this team were incredibly kind, talented, and full of personality—and I felt genuinely lucky to be part of such an amazing group. Meet the Team: Players : Singles: Rehmat Kaur Melanie Cevada Iman Ali Doubles: Richmia Erisnor & Marcia Salinas Melany Orozco & Maura Lavigne Baconaje Navrose Kudlas & Sahar Ali Leigha LaJoie & Angelina Gonzalez Exabition Players: Mariana Gomez, Alianiz Visnay, Destiny McNulty, Garima Rana Magar, Makhila Crosley, Lia Federique, Madison Mohan, and Jasreen Kaur Managers : Afaf Aswad, Ariana Hack, and Thailyn Cruz Coach : Coach Croce Team Superlatives Who’s most likely to be caught dancing during warm-ups? Top Pick : Richmia Erisnor “She’s always dancing to the Badminton playlist” Honorable Mentions: (Rehmat, Marcia) Who would win if badminton matches were based on vibes alone?  Top Pick : Marcia Salinas “She’s so chill and fun to be around with” Honorable Mentions: (Melanie C., Iman) Who has the best game-day energy (in their zone, hyping others, etc.)?  Top Pick : Navrosedip Kundlas “Her energy is amazing!” Honorable Mentions: (Sahar, Destiny) Who’s most likely to make the team laugh when everyone’s tired?  Top Pick : Iman Ali “She is naturally a funny person with her bubbly personality” Honorable Mentions: (Angelina, Richmia) Who gives the best pep talks? Top Pick: Rehmat Kaur “She is always encouraging and plays her captain role very well” Honorable Mentions: (Coach C, Navrose) Who’s the loudest on court? Top Pick: Leigha LaJoie “She’s very energetic on court and is always up to something” Honorable Mentions: (Garima, Lia F) Who’s got the best "game face"—never letting anyone know if they’re nervous? Top Pick: Melanie Cevada “She displays her confidence and always looks super focused” Honorable Mentions: (Rehmat, Maura) Who’s the glue of the team—the one who holds everyone together? Top Pick: Coach Croce “She’s the backbone of the team and promotes unity among team players” “WE LOVE HER!” “The Best Coach” “So supportive” Honorable Mentions: (Rehmat, Navrosedip) Who’s quietly consistent—the one you always know you can count on? Top Pick: Maura Lavigne Baconaje “She is both consistent and encouraging and someone everyone can count on” Honorable Mentions: (Mariana, Sahar) Who’s the most underrated hero on the team? Top Pick: Ariana Hack “She’s always there when we need her and cheers us throughout our matches” Honorable Mentions: (Maura, Iman) Who do you think deserves a surprise award for just being awesome? Top Pick: Coach Croce "No words can describe how awesome she is” Honorable Mentions: (Jasreen, Makhila, Madison) “They are great underclassmen student-athletes. They are all very nice and show great potential.” Manager Spotlights Who’s most likely to say something completely unhinged but somehow still makes sense? Top Pick: Ariana Hack “ Always the one who says things out of pocket but at the end of the day she gets her point across.” “ARIANA WHAT R U DOING HERE???” “Everyone tells me I’m unhinged. And it’s true.” - A.H. Who’s the behind-the-scenes boss—quiet but always has everything under control? Top Pick: Thailyn Cruz “ Quiet queen who slays every day. She’s always at practice as well and is the reason why we slay so much as a team” “She manages to do everything.” “She is very consistent, and you can always have a good chat with her” Who’s the team’s voice of reason—calm, thoughtful, and always there when you need them? Top Pick: Afaf Aswad “THE SWEETEST. Always has some good advice” “She’s so thoughtful and soft spoken which makes it so easy to talk to her or have her cheer you up.” “She's always thoughtful through her actions and towards others.” Coach’s Corner: A quick Q&A and interview with Coach Croce: Intro: “My name is Miss Croce, and I am the Girls' Varsity Badminton Coach here at Valley Stream North. This is my third season coaching badminton and it has been a great experience. Badminton is a great sport for all; anyone can pick up a racket and have fun!” Who’s the most improved player this season (or someone who surprised you)? “ Most improved player is Iman Ali. She moved up to being a singles player this season.” Who makes you laugh during practice? “ Who makes me laugh is my whole team in their own ways.” Who’s the most focused under pressure? “The most focused under pressure is my first singles player Rehmat Kaur” What’s one thing this team does that makes you proud every single time? “ What makes me proud of my team is their kindness, positive attitudes and overall presence they bring to our matches and practices, this is a great group of girls.” If you had to give the team a collective nickname, what would it be? “The collective nickname for the team would be smiles.” I had so much fun every step of the way putting this together. For a lot of us, this was our last year on the team, and it meant even more to be able to grow together and build on everything we accomplished last season. We made history this year — the first-ever Girls' Badminton team at North to win the championship. From the very beginning, everyone showed up and gave it their all. We turned tough losses into wins, pushed through every challenge, and it all paid off in the best possible way. It really was the perfect ending to this chapter — the kind of ending we all hoped for. I’m going to miss this group so much. Everyone brought something different to the team, and somehow, all those different personalities just clicked. We made so many memories together that I’ll never forget. Thank you — for the moments that became memories, for the people who became family, and for being part of something I’ll carry with me, always. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections North Welcomes Mr. Loiseau Noa Cordova Volume 5 Issue 2 November 25, 2024 Image Provided by Noa Cordova On October 10th, I had the pleasure of interviewing our new assistant principal, Mr. Loiseau ( lwa-zo ) to learn about his experiences and professional journey. Mr. Loiseau’s educational background consists of Nassau Community College, Queens College, Touro University, and Saint Rose College. He initially pursued a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, later received his master’s in special education, and finally pursued an administrative license on his way to becoming an assistant principal. Mr. Loiseau shared his diverse occupational background; he worked for QSAC, a non-profit organization helping children with disabilities. Early on, he was a paraprofessional at It Takes A Village Academy in Brooklyn, he taught high school math, worked as a school dean, and served as a Restorative Justice coordinator before accepting the opportunity to work at North. Mr. Loiseau believes his versatile professional background developed a sense of affinity with teachers. He shared, “I feel that I understand teachers because I’ve sat in their classrooms, and when they talk about certain things, it’s not going over my head.” What inspired you to become assistant principal? Mr. Loiseau: “I didn’t have aspirations to become an assistant principal; people saw certain qualities within me and put the idea in my head. Thinking about it, the idea started to grow on me. I also had a passion for helping teachers as well, so those two things pushed me into [administration].” What do you believe your role as Assistant Principal entails? Mr. Loiseau: “One of my main jobs will be managing the master schedule, so pretty much programming the [classes] for teachers and students. I have to do discipline primarily with the 7th graders and observe teachers.” What were you like as a student in high school? Mr. Loiseau: “I hated school, ironically, because I always struggled because I had a learning disability. My parents found out late because they weren’t born here, they were born in Haiti, so they didn’t really know the culture or system here, and my siblings were doing great. Eventually, someone told my mom to have me tested and I was diagnosed with a mild case of dyslexia. I think in high school, things started to get better for me; I started reading the Bible more, and reading more in general helped me. I was on the basketball team for a while in high school…that’s my love… my favorite team is the Knicks. I was a good kid, I never got into any fights, and I was the guy that could fit into any different social circle. I was laidback and liked video games and anime.” Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of school you'd like to share? Mr. Loiseau: “Still to this day I watch anime…I would always talk to my students to find out what the latest anime they could put me on was. I also work with a non-profit organization that’s affiliated with the church, helping young people...it’s called Blessing Source ministries.” What advice would you give to high school students looking to make the most of their high school experience? Mr. Loiseau: “I would say take advantage of every opportunity the school gives you. That's something I regret I didn’t do. For example, I should’ve joined the track team because I was athletic and fast, I should’ve joined tennis because there aren’t many Black American tennis players and could’ve gotten a scholarship doing that. Take advantage of every opportunity because it’s going to go by fast, and you don’t want to have any regrets. Make sure you try different things and make good friends. There’s so much more to high school then just academics because by involving yourself in the school, you’ll get more out of high school.” NORTH STAR would like to officially welcome Mr. Loiseau and thank him for speaking with us. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections An Interview with Ms. Lamberti By Augustine Magapan Volume 3 Issue 2 December 23, 2022 Image provided by Augustine Magapan Augustine: Hi Ms. Lamberti! I hope everything is going well. How are you today? Ms. Lamberti: I’m doing well. How are you? Augustine: I am doing alright… a little bit sick. So, I know that we have met each other before especially that we are in the same club along with Ms. Hixson, whom I wish to interview for the next issue. I will be asking you a series of questions for our lovely newspaper team at North Star. Ms. Lamberti: I would be delighted to answer those questions. Augustine: Firstly, what subjects do you teach? And which courses? Ms. Lamberti: Mainly I teach Living Environment and an early version of it called LE1 or “Foundation of Science”. I also teach electives such as Human Anatomy, and I will be teaching Forensics in the Spring. Augustine: Which subject do you enjoy teaching the most out of all of those? Ms. Lamberti: I may be biased, but Living Environment, since that was my first love. Augustine: What was/is so special about the subject? Ms. Lamberti: I just felt that science always spoke to me at school. I liked Chemistry, and all the other sciences, but Biology and Living Environment I’ve always found interesting. I was always more interested to learn more about it, so I pursued it in college and here I am now! Augustine: What grades do you teach for Living Environment? Ms. Lamberti: Living Environment is mainly 9th grade students and some 10th graders as well. Augustine: What about Human Anatomy? Ms. Lamberti: That class is mainly sophomores to seniors. So, they are a bit older than the kids that I have in Living Environment. There are a lot more of them than my Living Environment class, but I was not as knowledgeable on the subject than I am with Living Environment, but it is still fun to teach. Augustine: And so, when did you move into the district? Ms. Lamberti: This is my first year here, brand new here! Augustine: So why did you choose North and what made you want to teach here? Ms. Lamberti: Well, going through the job searching process is hard. I got offered here and so did a lot of research before coming here, and I thought the school had a really nice mission statement behind it. It seemed like there was a lot of success here when I spoke to other people from the department. They all seemed nice and helpful, making it a good working environment and also a good learning environment for the students as well. So, I wanted to do my best and join and contribute to that environment. Augustine: That’s so awesome! What was the most interesting part of North that stood out to you? Ms. Lamberti: That is a really good question. When I first came here for an interview, I noticed how structured and organized everything was. You guys organized everything around. I saw all the different posters and stuff at the beginning of the year. So, I said to myself that this school loves to promote diversity and all the different activities for the kids, which made me realize how student-centered it is aside from academics. Because yes, school can be rough, and all these sports and clubs can help kids alter their mindset and take a break from academics to those activities to help them get through the day and get busy. Augustine: A very good answer. Why did you choose to teach science? Ms. Lamberti: Like I said from before, I always had this interest in science at high school and college. At first, I did not know I wanted to be a teacher. I was thinking more of a lab researcher at first, then realizing in my later years of college that maybe lab work was not the best for me because there is a lot of time and effort. Obviously teaching is too, but realizing that it wasn’t my favorite thing to do, and I kept being told by a bunch of peers growing up that I was really good tutoring them in science when I was in high school and college. They said I was really good at helping people, that I had a caring attitude, and encouraged me to become a teacher. It was something that I really didn’t consider at first, but when I put more thought into it, I realized that this was something that I see I could be doing and so I started pursuing it in my master’s program and realized during my observations from teaching that I loved doing it. So, I was able to do something that I was loving to do in a subject that I loved, so it came naturally to me at that point. Augustine: That’s pretty cool. A follow up question: Do you plan on teaching on anything else in the Science section besides Living Environment? Ms. Lamberti: I may go back and pursue another- right now I am only licensed to teach Living Environment, but possibly I might go back for Chemistry. I also like Chemistry, but I like Living Environment more; however, if I were to teach another science, preferably Chemistry… or Earth Science. Augustine: And so, how do you like North so far? Ms. Lamberti: I love it! I really do, I’ve had very good experiences here so far. Augustine: What were some good experiences that you had? Ms. Lamberti: My department here, everyone is very friendly. We all seem to get along well. The students are great, kind, and respectful, but sometimes you guys don’t finish your work. Overall, you guys are wonderful students in this great environment, and I do value the student’s education and their overall success. Augustine: I agree. Sometimes, even I struggle to hand in some assignments. We all appreciate it! What is your favorite thing so far about North…any specific CLUB or Living Environment classes? Ms. Lamberti: You knew what I was thinking. Not just because it is you interviewing me, but my experience directing the Drama Club was my favorite thing so far. It was new. It was scary because that was something neither Ms. Hixson nor I did before. We were part of shows, but we never directed one, so it was brand new to us we did not know what we were doing. We took one experience we did have, hoped to push it forward working with you guys to make sure that we met whatever you guys wanted us to do and that we were meeting what you wanted to do. And we made it happen and put on a great show. It was very fulfilling and a very fun time. Augustine: We appreciate all the things you guys have done for us so far! A few more questions, some fun ones for some Ms. Lamberti Trivia. What is your favorite food and why? Ms. Lamberti: My favorite food…I always bop back and forth between my favorite food. I am definitely not a healthy eater, so I don’t like healthy food. But my favorite food in general either has to be pizza because I love pizza so much, or I guess it is more than a dessert than a food but ice cream. Augustine: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Ms. Lamberti: Cookies n' cream HANDS DOWN! Augustine; Very good choice in flavor of ice cream. Also, what is a hobby that you enjoy doing? Ms. Lamberti: Two main hobbies, when I am not busy with work and absent from the science stuff, I do are either playing video games or also, as you know, I did theater in the past and I keep up with it and so I continue to perform theater. Augustine: Interesting hobbies! I love playing video games myself. What is your favorite video game? Ms. Lamberti: I guess maybe because it was a nostalgia place holder from way back in the day, my brother used to play this game called Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney on the Gameboy: a Nintendo console, specifically an old Capcom. Augustine: Oh! The lawyer game! Ms. Lamberti: It has a big place holder in my heart. They just released a remastered version and even has its own animated show. It reminded me of all the good times I had with my brother! Augustine: Ace Attorney is one of my favorite games as well. Regarding theater though, what was your favorite production that you were part of or watched that was impactful to you. Ms. Lamberti: Favorite one I was a part of was not in high school but in college, in an outside theater company. It was called Les Miserables, which has been on Broadway for a very long time. It takes place in France, during the 1700s, where there was this guy who has been thrown into prison for stealing. The prison guard watching him was being released, which allowed the prisoner to escape. The prisoner would then start to make a better life for himself such as adopting a daughter; however, the prison guard is still chasing after the prisoner. It is a very sad play, obviously since Les Miserables translated is the Miserables, but it is a very good play overall. Augustine: Oh dear! I may have to check that out later! Well, that is a wrap for interview. Thank you, Ms. Lamberti, for this moment, it was very fun interviewing you, and I hope we are able to see each other again very soon! Ms. Lamberti: It was pleasure being here Augie, see you soon! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Who Am I Back to Sections Anonymous - Who Am I? - 5 By Anonymous November 19, 2021 Volume 2 Issue 2

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections Editorial: To Fear or Not  By Shinedip Kundlas Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 Image provided by iStock The human psyche is made up of complex structures of thoughts, actions, and emotions which make up the human conscious and unconscious. As the human psyche influences a thought, an action, and certain behavior, the emotion of fear also similarly influences the human psyche. Humans and nonhumans alike experience fear, one of our strongest and most primal emotions. Whether it be arachnophobia or pogonophobia, fear causes everyone to act a certain way when dealing with situations. Fear affects the human psyche for it influences abnormal behavior and responses from an individual. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on humans not only financially but mentally as well. Amid the outbreak, people started to panic buy and loaded up on supplies. As Americans faced the possibility of a lengthy stay at home, toilet paper demand increased dramatically and so did their fear of a supply shortage. In the face of fear, individuals turn to different behavioral patterns than normal such as panic buying. This fear influences abnormal behavior such as the unnecessary buying and overloading of toilet paper. This abnormal behavior caused by fear can also be seen in other situations such as natural disasters or storms. When the news channel broadcasts that there is going to be a superstorm or hurricane hitting a person’s town, that person and along with many will run to the nearest grocery store to load on water, bread, canned goods, etc. News channels will often show empty grocery store shelves and aisles with a single person with 3 carts full of supplies. These situations demonstrate how fear, can drive a person to do abnormal things such as load up on abnormal numbers of food and supplies. The process of fear starts with a frightening stimulus and ends with the body preparing for its own protection. There's nothing more frightening than hearing a door slam in an empty apartment, sensing a knife pressing against your neck, or for some, seeing a spider. For some people, a fear of a spider may trigger abnormal responses. For instance, a person who has arachnophobia jumps in fear as they see a spider skittering across their bedroom floor. Now, that same fear response will trigger every time the person comes into their room, fearful of that spider. The person will make sure they don’t enter that room until they are sure the spider is gone or every time, they look at their bedroom floor, they will confuse other things for the spider. Some individuals who suffer from extreme arachnophobia are so afraid of spiders that they cannot even go into their basements or garages for fear of finding one there. In order to avoid dealing with spiders, they will actually leave the house when they encounter one. This may seem abnormal to some, however, the person who suffers from this fear, has this fear not only affecting their behavior but other aspects of their psych emotions as well. Fear is an aspect of life where the human psyche can either be positively or negatively affected. The constant fear causes abnormal thoughts and behavior which can lead to negative impacts on the human mind. The psyche of an individual is very sensitive and complex and the simplest thing as fear, can affect it to major extents. 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 Camilla Jones 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 Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Depop: How I Made over $200 by Cleaning my Room By Olivia Neuner Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Image provided by Alixe Wiley from the Philadelphia Magazine Have you ever stumbled across a YouTube video or Tiktok listing easy ways for teens to earn some extra cash? If so, you have probably heard the vague suggestion to “sell your old junk online!” Although this may seem like an outlandish task, selling your preowned (or as the thrift community says, “preloved”) items can be a fun and useful way to spend your free time. A few years ago, a good friend of mine told me about how she sold a bunch of her old clothes on a new app called Depop, which is like a trendy Ebay for teens. I was fascinated because I didn’t think people wanted stuff from a teen’s closet, let alone wanted to pay for it. Hesitant, I downloaded the app and checked out her page; I was shocked to see that she had sold over 20 items! Impressed, yet very busy with my million after school clubs, her success sat in my mind for about 1 ½ years. Then quarantine hit. I was longing for a purpose (other than sitting on the couch, chocolate in hand, and binge-watching Parks and Rec ). That’s when I decided to redo by room, and subsequently find a new home for some of my old items. The first few weeks of running my account was intimidating. I spent hours sorting through my closet and drawers for inventory, creating listings, and designing my store. Weeks went by and I was disappointed to see only a few measly likes; I felt like giving up but figured it didn’t hurt to keep trying for a final week. A few days later, I was shocked to see that I had sold one of my extra Broadway Playbills! One of my friends surprised me, and I was so thankful she was my first customer, especially since I didn’t think my Playbills would sell. The next day, I sold another Playbill, and the next day 2 more! From there, I’ve averaged about 1-2 sales per week, leaving me with 30 total sales and over $250 in earnings. If you are interested, I would love to share a few tips that helped me reach this success. Update your listings - In the height of this venture, I was updating every listing 1-2 times a day. This was around the same time I was averaging 3 sales a week. The more often you update, the more likely you are to have your items recommended to potential buyers. Learn how to use hashtags - This is outlined on the Depop help section, but it can be confusing if you don’t know where to start. Just like on Instagram, hashtags put you in specific section pertaining to your item. Using a mix of specific and basic hashtags can get you the most exposure, since the basics will give you a range (but you will be flooded by other listings) and the specifics will fit a niche (but will have fewer hashtag followers). List EVERYTHING (Even if you think it’s weird!) - You would be surprised by the amount of seemingly stupid junk I have sold - like the Playbills I mentioned earlier. As a musical nerd, I always grab the extra playbills left on chairs when I go to shows; sometimes I give them to friends, and sometimes I put them in a drawer. The majority of my sales have been from these! I also sold a rock/gem kit that I got as a kid for $50! I’m no geologist so I don’t know if I undersold, but at the same time I don’t care since I needed the closet space. Take good pictures- This one is self-explanatory- have good lighting, make a nice background, etc. BE YOU!- A lot of buyers value personality when making a purchase. If you don’t seem excited about your items, who will be? Have fun with your descriptions and make sure to include some fun facts or tidbits (ex: I wore this dress to my junior homecoming!) Hope you enjoyed and were able to learn a bit more about online sales! And if you would like to check me out or chat with me for more tips, my Depop account is @oliviaanalee 😊 BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections Tied to Tye Dye: SPO Noa Cordova Volume 5 Issue 1 September 20, 2024 Image Provided by Catherine Modzelewski. As most of us remember, transitioning from elementary school to high school upon graduating 6th grade poses challenges. The transition from 6th grade to 7th grade comes with a significant change in terms of environment, independence, friendships, activities, and academic expectations. Some students are fortunate enough to have the guidance of older siblings or peers, but many incoming 7th-grade students do not; even 7th-grade students who do, may feel they need additional guidance. Upon entering a new stage, in this case starting secondary-level schooling, having an older figure or mentor to look up to can ease the transition process. The Student Peer Organization here at North, SPO, has the unique opportunity of serving as a mentorship program for 7th graders. While North’s clubs consist of students of all grade levels, SPO members are juniors and seniors dedicated to working closely with 7th graders exclusively. Each spring, current SPO members enter sophomore English classrooms to introduce SPO to the upcoming juniors and briefly explain the application process. If you’re an upcoming junior or senior, and considering applying to join SPO, these are some questions to consider. What are the responsibilities of SPO members? SPO members are responsible for attending meetings, planning lessons, and serving as exceptional role models for 7th graders. SPO meets on Fridays immediately after school in room 235. Mrs. Melluso and Ms. Christiansen, the SPO advisors, keep the meetings brief; however, these mandatory meetings are essential to our lesson-planning process. During Friday meetings, members discuss lesson plans with their group and divide the work so that lessons run smoothly. Besides attending meetings, SPO members are responsible for planning engaging lessons for 7th-grade students. At the Friday meetings, the advisors provide a lesson outline that each group can work with or alter to fit the needs of their 7th-grade students. SPO groups decide on interactive components for their lessons like Kahoots, worksheets, coloring activities, physical games, etc. The 7th-grade orientation and 7th-grade Fun Day are two out-of-the-classroom activities that SPO members help lead. Most importantly, SPO members are role models for 7th-grade students, academically and socially; this includes working well with your SPO group and respecting the 7th-grade teachers, and students while running lessons. How are SPO groups made? The SPO advisors, Mrs. Melluso and Ms. Christiansen assign SPO groups at the beginning of the school year. In September, once you know which classes you are taking, the advisors send out chats asking which periods you do not want to be pulled out from. If you are taking several APs, like many SPO members, try narrowing it down to one you’d like to avoid missing. SPO groups are assigned depending on the members’ available periods and 7th-grade English teachers’ schedules. If you speak a second language, you will likely be placed in an ENL classroom. Usually, SPO groups consist of four to five members; the advisors set up Teams chats for each group to communicate with outside of Friday meetings. What’s the process for joining SPO? SPO comprises about 50 members selected through an application and interview process. After current SPO members enter the sophomore classrooms during the spring, the advisors will send out a form to the English teachers for interested students to apply. The forms ask about your interest in SPO, availability for the upcoming year, leadership experience, etc. After filling out the form, Mrs. Melluso will have a sign-up sheet for interviews in room 235. Applicants schedule their interviews based on their availability during the dates provided. The interview questions mimic the application questions and give the advisors a sense of who you are in person, apart from the digital application. Additionally, the advisors typically ask for two teachers to vouge for your character, so keep two teachers in mind who know you well and are willing to serve as a character reference. Be sure to hand in your application on time and show up to your scheduled interview to be considered as a candidate! Why join SPO? The Student Peer Organization provides upperclassmen with the unique opportunity to assume the role of teachers for a period. The club encourages student leadership, facilitates collaboration among peers, and provides a space to work with a diverse group of people. And yes, SPO may stand out on a college application, but it’s about more than how you look on paper. As a SPO member, I’ve gotten to meet and collaborate with new people that I may not have gotten to work with otherwise. You learn and grow in your leadership as you surround yourself with other phenomenal leaders in SPO. The 7th graders, although they can be a handful, teach us a lot about patience and compassion. If you’re considering going into teaching or enjoy working with others and strengthening your leadership skills, SPO could be the organization for you. Additionally, we have, arguably, the best, loudest shirts in the building. Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with one of our wonderful SPO advisors, Mrs. Melluso, about the club and her perspective as an advisor. Additionally, she provides a little insight into how they review candidates. How did SPO start?  “SPO existed for I don’t even know how long before I got here. Ms. Ehrlich, a school social worker, retired in 2021 and Ms. Christensen and I took it over.” Why did you become a SPO advisor? Ms. Melluso shared that she insisted that SPO needed to continue running, but she couldn’t do it on her own, so she recruited Ms. Christiansen, a school psychologist, as her co-advisor. “Because I feel that the lessons that SPO goes in and teaches are important for the 7th graders to receive. We used to do a lot of lessons on bullying, we did lessons on how one's actions have a ripple effect and how it’s not just in that moment, but it can hurt or make someone feel better for days or weeks.” What is SPO’s purpose in the North community? “SPO’s real purpose is to help acclimate the 7th graders into our building. They [SPO members] are here as role models, they are here as guides…they are here to be mentors.” What kind of candidates do you look for during the interview process? What kind of students should apply to SPO? “It’s a big question because the thing is we don’t go in with a set candidate in mind. We want our incoming SPO members to be from across the board. We are not looking for the already popular, already athletic, already in these other activities kind of student; we actually look for the student that is underutilized because it's very difficult when you have a student who is in 10 clubs already, is vice president of this one, president of that one…they become very overextended. We’re not looking for the student who is taking 5-6 Aps; we don’t care if you’re taking APs or not. Sometimes when kids tell us they are not taking APs, we’re shocked because we don’t get those kids very often. We’re looking for anybody who has an interest in making our school a better place and wants to work with 7th graders and mentor them. We’re not looking for “resume-builders” … if you’ve never been in a club before, SPO is not the club for you. Essentially, Mrs. Melluso and Ms. Christiansen look to organize a diverse, dedicated group of student leaders. Whether you are heavily involved or not, SPO could be the club for you. Diversity in terms of extracurricular involvement, academic pathways, and identity are important to SPO. 7th-grade students need to have role models they can relate to; younger boys seeing older boys leading or bilingual students mentoring ENL students can have a profound impact on their school experience and willingness to get involved throughout high school. I would advise against hesitating to apply because you “do not meet certain criteria” because as Mrs. Melluso established, it does not exist. Lastly, congratulations to our newly accepted SPO members for the 2024-2025 school year! Azor, Alissa Balde, Mariam Berrios-Villalobos, Maria Bonilla, Francesca Buonomo, Karen Cabrera, Daniella Cordova, Mia Dekel, Julianna Frederique, Lia Garufi, Sabrina Gonzalez, Naomi Hunt, Matthew Kaur, Itratt Khizer, Wardah Lavoie, Audrey Manrique-Flores, Dulce Mina, Leandra Nunnari, Alessia Quagliata, Giavanna Redezpovic, Maida Romano, James Sherman, Claudia Singh, Reba Sullivan, Savannah Verso, Dominick Visnay, Alianiz BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Advice Season 2 Episode 2 By Ala Paruch Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 Image provided by Getty Images Hello Ala! I’m finding it hard to organize my school papers this year because of the mix of online and on paper work. What should I do? Dear reader, Thank you for asking this question. The 2021/22 school year definitely has some challenges ahead, and you just pointed out one of them. Personally, I relate to this question as well. The mix of mediums can present obstacles, but with a little organization, your papers will start to make sense once again. Paper Of course, we are used to shoving our papers into our binders, which later end up in our lockers and then in our bookbags. Since you mentioned you still get some papers, I would recommend sticking with the old method of am-pm binders or using binder pocket dividers. When everything was on paper, an am-pm binder might have been a great solution to not carry too much throughout the day, but with not all classes using paper, that might not be the most efficient idea. Using binder pocket dividers though presents itself as the more attractive option in today’s times. I recommend buying a 1-1.5-inch binder, depending on how much paper you use, and using it for all paper classes. After getting the binder, make sure to label or assign a specific color to each class. Make sure to carry a few pieces of loose-leaf paper in each divider as well and clean out the divider after finishing every unit. Online This is a presumably new situation, though most students already have a lot of experience with technology. Regarding Teams, make sure to use the Assignments tab; at the end of the day, check whether you have any assignments left to complete. Additionally, check that you can see notifications from all teams to stay on top of your assignments. As for OneNote, you get a bit of a head start since you have a folder for each class and your teachers create folders for you. Don’t be shy to create new folders in your section and make subpages to make units more organized. If you ever need help with getting either OneNote or Teams to work, ask one of your classmates or teachers, they will be more than willing to help you to keep your files in order. Homework Now, there are two options for keeping track of your homework - online or on paper. Personally, I am used to writing my assignments and important events in my agenda book, so that’s what I would recommend. Ask an English teacher if you need or would like an agenda book. No matter if you have your laptop out or not you can quickly open your agenda and jot down some notes to remember for later. You can also use an online calendar and note everything there, though in my opinion, it can be problematic to use one, since you need to have your device out to make your notes in it. I hope this helps! Ala BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections MSA's Annual Eid Festival Wardah Khizer Volume 5 Issue 5 July 5, 2025 Image Provided by Afaf Aswad Valley Stream North’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) became an official club during the 2024–2025 school year, although it first began forming the previous year. During last year, the MSA hosted their first Eid Festival, with hopes of making it an annual tradition. This event was made possible thanks to generous donations from members, who contributed decorations, ideas, and other resources. The festival received strong support and appreciation from both Valley Stream North staff and the broader Valley Stream Central High School District staff. During the school year of 2024-2025, several changes were made to the MSA. Now recognized as an official club, they have gained the ability to raise funds. With that support, they were able to upgrade their Eid Festival by purchasing better decorations, catering food from local halal restaurants (while still accepting donations), buying prizes for games, and offering henna designs. The turnout was larger than expected, with around 60 to 70 people in attendance. Thanks to the combination of catering and contributions from members, a wide variety of food was offered, and it was clear that everyone was eager to try it and have fun. Co-Presidents Afaf Aswad and Anum Zafar, along with Vice President Mariam Balde, worked hard, alongside the other dedicated officers and club advisor, Mr. Disclafani, to make the festival a success. This event was of great personal importance to them, as they wanted it to have a positive impact on the school community. Balde stated, “ I hope that the Eid party encourages the other organizations at our school to be even more outspoken about their mission to provide community for us students and to host similar events to bring students, faculty, and parents together.” Aswad stated that celebrations such as the Eid Festival are necessary, explaining that “[r]ecognizing holidays fosters inclusion, respect, and a sense of belonging among students from various backgrounds, which affirms students' identities and promotes cultural understanding.” Events like these provide students with the opportunity to share parts of their culture and religion that may not always be represented in mainstream school activities. By highlighting important traditions like Eid, the MSA creates a welcoming environment where students feel seen and valued for who they are. Balde agreed and added that schools that haven’t hosted cultural events like this should consider doing so because, “It is so incredibly important for students of similar [and different] backgrounds...to be exposed to events like this, as it encourages the celebration of diversity and educates them about different customs.” She emphasizes that cultural events not only support students who identify with a particular tradition but also create learning opportunities for those unfamiliar with it. By engaging in these celebrations, students and staff alike are given a chance to grow in empathy, understanding, and appreciation for the diverse community around them. Full Interview with President Afaf Aswad and Vice President Mariam Balde: Why is it important for schools to acknowledge and celebrate diverse religious and cultural holidays like Eid? Aswad: “Schools must acknowledge and celebrate diverse religious and cultural holidays, such as Eid. Recognizing holidays fosters inclusion, respect, and a sense of belonging among students from various backgrounds, which affirms students' identities and promotes cultural understanding. Schools that celebrate a variety of holidays demonstrate the importance of diversity and respect, which are essential to education.” How do you hope the Eid party influences future events or programs around diversity at school? Balde: “Our school is already so diverse. We have multiple clubs and student-oriented activities, including the BSU, Alliance, and Culture Society, that all demonstrate the importance of community and visibility. I hope that the Eid party encourages the other organizations at our school to be even more outspoken about their mission to provide community for us students and to host similar events to bring students, faculty, and parents together.” What would you say to schools that have not yet hosted cultural or religious events like this? Balde: “To schools that have yet to host cultural or religious events like this, I would encourage them to start. It is so incredibly important for students of similar backgrounds to be able to gather outside of school and equally important for students other cultural or religious backgrounds to be exposed to events like this as to encourage the celebration of diversity and educate them about different customs.” BACK TO TOP