Back to Artwork The Memory Project Back to Sections Sophia Rhall - Memory Project By Sophia Rhall March 18, 2021 Volume 1 Issue 6

Back to Articles Art Back to Sections The Importance of Lines in Art By Isabella Somma Volume 1 Issue 1 November 1, 2020 Original artwork by Isabella Somma Lines. Most people know what lines are: strokes across a page that connect the space between two points. But what is the importance of line in art? Lines make up the fundamentals of artwork, shape, and basically any object. It is one of the seven basic elements of art. Lines can be straight or curved, bold, or thin, and long or short. Lines can be used to define shape and style in 2D drawings or photographs but can also be used as a way to enhance and draw detail on 3D objects. Typically, in line drawing, artists avoid shading and color, so the attention of the piece is mainly on the lines of the objects in the painting -- how they connect and cross paths, and how their use impacts the rest of the piece. To create depth, dimension, values, and the illusion of a 3D image, lines can be drawn thicker or thinner, bolder or lighter. To achieve this look, you can use different shade pencils with different levels of hardness, or press lighter or harder with the medium you are working with.  Now that we know what line is, why is it important to art? Line, along with shape, form, space, texture, value and color, makes it a fundamental aspect to artwork. Line is used to draw attention to the shapes of objects and allows for more sophisticated composition. Line lets artists map out and frame textures, highlights and shadows. Although important, lines can be tricky to work with because typically when creating line drawings, photographs, or paintings, color and shading is eliminated from the piece. It is up to the artist to experiment and grasp the concept of the objects twists and turns and portray it into a masterpiece. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections National Issues Interconnecting Locally By Cody Sung Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Image provided by Texas Creative All countries change, including the United States. Changes and problems are going on nationally that also are going on locally. Here are three of them: diversifying suburbs, overcrowded hospitals due to the pandemic, and sea level rise. All of these can be seen locally as well as in places across the country. Let’s first start off with something in the present: overcrowded hospitals due to the coronavirus pandemic. This has been a problem affecting the entire country, as hard-hit areas are overfilled, causing a shortage of medical resources and more deaths resulting from it. As I’m writing this, in East Meadow, in this very county, there is a 96% ICU occupancy, similar to some of the rates we saw last year in hard-hit areas in the nation. In fact, in Brooklyn, a hospital has its ICU full . Suburbs with and without hospitals across the nation are getting more diverse while this is going on. In a generation, suburbs are more diverse than ever. My colleagues’ parents lived in an Italian community suburb of NYC. Now, that community/suburb has more diversity than before. More minorities now live in suburbs than in urban centers, not only locally, but nationally. This is changing politics there, as seen in the 2018 midterms and 2020 elections with many more Democratic votes cast. But those suburbs might be underwater soon. Sea level rise: the biggest challenge to coastal areas in the near future. Water levels worldwide may rise by up to 8 feet by 2100. This means that Long Beach would be wiped off the map, along with places such as JFK International Airport. This will affect places from Miami to the Bay Area, as it is a national and worldwide problem. Worse, flooding will be more severe and humans would have to live deeper inland due to this. These are things that we not only can see nationally, but locally too. This is the reason why national politics can affect us locally, as problems nationally will affect Long Island. So next time a national election comes, go vote, as it can truly affect your community, as there is a connection between the local stage and the national stage. Sources: The New York Times How Full Are Hospital I.C.U.s Near You? - The New York Times (nytimes.com) Bloomberg The Changing Demographics of America's Suburbs - Bloomberg www.climate.gov Climate Change: Global Sea Level | NOAA Climate.gov Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts (noaa.gov) How Full Are Hospital I.C.U.s Near You? See how many Covid-19 patients are being treated, and how many I.C.U. beds remain available, at individual U.S. hospitals. www.nytimes.com BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections A Review of the SCOTUS Leak By Everton Prospere Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Image provided by Insider On May 2nd, 2022, POLITICO, a political journalism outlet, released a bombshell report that revealed the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) prematurely voted to overrule the decisions made in the cases Roe vs. Wade ( Roe ) and Planned Parenthood vs. Casey ( Casey ). While the repeal of these cases would be a landmark decision by the court, removing over thirty years of privacy rights, the leak also displayed a rupture in the court’s integrity. The leak of this initial draft majority opinion, written by Associate Justice Samuel Alito, is the first of its kind; in response, Chief Justice John Roberts ordered a federal investigation to apprehend the whistleblower. However, what implications could this leak and the early decision have on the United States and its citizens? To understand this premature decision by the current court, one must dive back to the 1970s, when SCOTUS undertook the case Roe. At the time, the court was led by Chief Justice Warren Burger, who was nominated under President Richard Nixon. Although appointed by a Republican president, the Burger Court established many liberal precedents, the most notable being Roe vs. Wade . According to PBS News Hour, Roe vs. Wade set in place “a constitutional right to an abortion in the United States.” However, most Americans often overlook that Roe vs. Wade was fought under the grounds of privacy rights, meaning the decision protects not only medical confidentiality, but also digital privacy through data collection. The case specifically reviewed the Due Process Clause in the Fourteenth Amendment, which describes that the state governments cannot deprive “life, liberty, or property, without due process of law,” with “due process of law” primarily meaning fair procedures through legislation. Therefore, the repeal of Roe will result in the loss of abortion rights and privacy rights through the internet. In addition, the case Casey must be reviewed. In 1992, SCOTUS, led at the time by Chief Justice William Rehnquist, upheld the decision made by the Burger Court. According to National Public Radio, while the court continued the precedent established in Roe , the ruling in Casey also permitted states to mandate restrictions to abortions, as long as the laws avoided “undue burdens.” In Roe , the Burger Court created a plan to permit abortions through the first trimester of a pregnancy, with limitations in the second and third trimesters with exceptions to the pregnant person’s health. Casey reformed this plan, allowing states to implement restrictions at any time of the pregnancy; however, significant obstacles, also known as the “undue burdens,” cannot be mandated to prevent abortions. It must be noted that the principle of an “undue burden” leaves a very loose interpretation for states to implement legislation. This demonstrates that while Roe established abortion rights, Casey permits more extensive limitations to abortions. Although Casey slightly reversed the progress made to create universal abortion rights, the case still upheld the ruling of Roe to permit abortions in the U.S. However, the premature case, formerly known as Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ( Dobbs ), forms a greater issue in the fight for abortion rights. A majority of the nine SCOTUS justices apparently ruled in favor of overruling Roe and Casey , meaning privacy rights and, mainly, abortions, will be decided by state legislators. As per the New York Times , thirteen states currently have trigger laws that will take effect immediately if federal abortion protection is revoked. Several of these state laws do not account for rape or incest. The Washington Post reports that an additional thirteen states would also certainly ban abortions or mandate substantial restrictions. Both media outlets outline that 26 states, a majority of the Union, would significantly limit the right to an abortion. While the decision in Dobbs could potentially lead to detrimental effects for women’s rights and a regression in American society to before the 1970s, one must also take into account the leak itself. POLITICO describes that a breach of this magnitude, through a published full draft, has not occurred in the history of SCOTUS. For example, in 1973, a whistleblower also leaked certain deliberations in Roe , but not the full scale official draft. Due to the leak, a complete rift has taken place inside SCOTUS. As Associate Justice Clarence Thomas explains in regard to the situation, “What happened at the court is tremendously bad…I wonder how long we’re going to have these institutions at the rate we’re undermining them. And then I wonder when they’re gone or destabilized, what we will have as a country? And I don’t think the prospects are good if we continue to lose them.” On May 3rd, Roberts ordered the SCOTUS Marshall, Gail Curley, to investigate and apprehend the leaker, which could be a justice, clerk, or any court employee with access to this confidential draft. At the moment, no gains on the whistleblower’s identity have been made. As this is a sensitive and relevant topic, students at Valley Stream North High School were asked to respond to two questions regarding the matter. Below are two responses to the questions. First Interview - Samantha Altieri, junior: 1. What is your opinion on the cases Roe vs. Wade and Planned Parenthood vs. Casey ? Do you agree, disagree, or have a neutral stance with the policy established by the Supreme Court of the United States at the time? “ Roe is an established precedent and the law of the land. Regardless of your opinion on abortion, the right for individuals to seek safe and secure healthcare is enshrined in their 14th amendment rights. Messing around with established SCOTUS precedent will create a whole slew of messes that most people aren’t ready to deal with. Roe was a precedent for 50 years. What’s next? Brown? Loving? The constitution was written 200+ years ago. It’s a living, breathing document that should continue to grow and adapt to the ever changing needs of current American citizens. Technology continues to adapt to fit the needs of individuals, and the constitution should be interpreted in a way that does the same.” 2. What is your stance on the actions committed by the whistleblower who leaked the draft opinion established by the current Supreme Court of the United States regarding Roe vs. Wade and Planned Parenthood vs. Casey? Do you think this action was appropriate, inappropriate, or irrelevant? “I was honestly more angered at what was leaked rather than the leak itself. I do think there are legitimate concerns over who leaked the draft opinion and what this means for the future of the court. Although I’d love to say I have a thoughtful opinion on that, I don’t. Right now I’m primarily concerned with ensuring all individuals have access to lifesaving healthcare. Abolishing Roe and Casey won’t stop abortions, it only stops safe abortions.” Interview two - Anonymous: 3. What is your opinion on the cases Roe vs. Wade and Planned Parenthood vs. Casey ? Do you agree, disagree, or have a neutral stance with the policy established by the Supreme Court of the United States at the time? “I strongly disagree with the decision proposed by Justice Alito. It is a direct attack on the rights of women.” 4. What is your stance on the actions committed by the whistleblower who leaked the draft opinion established by the current Supreme Court of the United States regarding Roe vs. Wade and Planned Parenthood vs. Casey ? Do you think this action was appropriate, inappropriate, or irrelevant? “While I think leaking it may have not been the right choice, what’s done is done, nothing to do now.” Evidently, much controversy revolves around this early majority draft. However, while many Americans consider the significance of the leak, most attention is received by the actual decision itself. Dobbs can potentially change the dynamic of women’s rights and prevent more substantial change from occurring at the federal level. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Lights On for Education Back to Sections Rushana Jailova - Lights On for Education By Rushana Jailova April 22, 2021 Acrylic Volume 1 Issue 7

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Interview with Alliance Club Officers By Elaine Ching and Melody Chen Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Original photography by VSN North High School has a multitude of clubs, but one of the most welcoming is The Alliance. I took some time to interview the oldest and the youngest officers of the Alliance, Grace Martinez, the president who is a senior, and Sophia Reese, the vice president who is a freshman. “What is it like being an Alliance officer?” “Very fun, meeting new people, having new experiences, great officer and club experience as only a freshman, becoming higher up ranks in other clubs in future years”- Sophia “It is really fun. The Alliance is a club full of people dedicated to the Alliance’s success and that very much shows. Additionally, I’ve been a part of the Alliance for many years and being able to lead it at this capacity, is incredibly enjoyable.” - Grace “What is the Alliance?” “Alliance was originally the GSA, the Gay-Straight Alliance, but we changed it to the Alliance, so we’re more inclusive to other parts of the community, including the Trans community”- Sophia “The Alliance is North’s LGBT affinity group; we work to help support LGBTQ+ students at North alongside the straight members in North’s community”- Grace “What is your experience with the Alliance and how has it helped your experience with your sexuality?” “I’ve met more people that I’ve become closer with, and they’ve been encouraging to me, and through that supportiveness they’ve helped me be more comfortable, and now I can truly express who I am.”- Sophia “I knew I wasn’t straight from a really young age, but finding a sense of community was difficult as I didn’t know any non-straight people. When I started here, The Alliance was very small, but I felt like even in that small number of people there was some sense of community and because of that I was able to be more open with myself and open to the people around me because I knew that I wasn’t going to be the only one. I was never going to feel alone in who I was.” - Grace “What would you say to incoming seventh graders who are thinking about joining the Alliance?” “Please join, it’s great for club credit. We don’t meet as much as other clubs, so it’s more of a flexible club and we have many opportunities to help decorate and to help spread awareness.”- Sophia “Never be afraid to try. The Alliance is a place where you may find comfort or you may not, but never be afraid to show up on that first day. You’re always welcome to show up and leave, and you’re always welcome to come and try it out. Just keep trying. The Alliance has a space to accept you no matter who you are, but only when you’re ready to be accepted.”- Grace “What would you say to your former pre-alliance self?” “Put yourself out there more, meet new people, join more clubs, and make connections with people that aren’t just from your grade.”- Sophia “It’s okay. Things get better. You’ll find a place where there are people like you, and you’ll stop feeling like the worst person ever for having feelings like you do. Learn to laugh a little bit, it’s okay to have fun.”- Grace “Do you have any messages for graduating alliance members?” “I am going to miss the seniors, so much. Thank you for giving me rides after school, so I don’t have to walk home! Grace’s legacy of The Alliance will live on because Grace made it what it is today.”- Sophia “Outside of myself, thank you for always being here. It’s difficult to be the only person your age in the room, and I really appreciate you guys showing up, I wish you all the best.”- Grace “Future plans for the Alliance?” “I’m going to run for president next year, after Grace graduates. I have the most seniority of the most officers, not including Grace. Because I got a position in eighth grade, I have a lot of experience.”-Sophia “I’ve done a lot of work to make The Alliance as a club functional, and I hope the Alliance moves past being functional and becomes something well beyond. The Alliance is a celebration of North’s community and North’s unity. I hope after I’m gone, The Alliance continues to be a celebration of all of us together, we will be more than we were. My only real hope is that we continue because that’s what matters. That people are here, and visible and present, so that the day comes when someone new walks into the room, that they have a room to walk into. I hope The Alliance grows bigger than me and that by the time I go back that I am so far gone in Alliance history, my work is borderline irrelevant for someone has done something so cool.”- Grace Congratulations to Grace on graduation, and good luck to Sophia on their future work in the Alliance! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Is War Coming? By Raj Singh Volume 2 Issue 5 March 28, 2022 Image provided by BBC As you might have heard, Russia is preparing to invade Ukraine. There have been estimates of 100,000 soldiers at the Russo-Ukrainian border amassed for a potential invasion. Western powers have since acted with no more than warnings to stop this. What is happening, and why is it happening? Context: Ukraine is a nation in Eastern Europe that has historically been either an independent nation fighting for survival or under Russian control. In 2013, the current situation began; Ukraine had considered joining the European Union (EU) and made landmark political and trade deals. Though they had a Pro-Russia president who suspended talks to keep Ukraine away from the West, the citizens in Kiev, the capital city, started protesting this action in the streets. This began hostilities between Pro-Russians against Anti-Russians in Ukraine. Russia then invaded Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, a strategic port next to the Black Sea. Russia, a primarily cold country, has many ports that freeze over the winter; due to this issue, Russia wanted this territory as the peninsula is much warmer. In addition to the favorable Mediterranean climate, millions of Russians reside in Crimea. Russia's casus belli - a reason a nation claims it goes to war, often a lie to war without seeming like an aggressor - was to protect the rights of the millions of Russians living in Crimea. In response to Russia's declaration, Eastern regions in Ukraine then promptly rebelled, causing a brief war which a ceasefire halted. Now the ceasefire is being threatened by Russia invading Ukraine again. INFORMATION – Russia's troops comprise of self-propelled guns, tanks, and infantry fighting vehicles. With this buildup, Russia could launch an invasion in early 2022. The troops are located 186 miles from the Ukrainian-Russian border in a training facility and could attack at any moment. Russia said the troops were there for military drills only, but there is doubt amongst the West. Russian Opinion: The Kremlin states the military buildup and training are being done to curb Western aggression against them. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), an alliance of primarily Western countries created decades ago to stop Soviet expansion in Europe, has sold weapons and stationed NATO troops in Ukraine since the ceasefire. Due to this expansion by the West, which is viewed as an aggressive encroachment on Russian security, the Kremlin claims they are the victim and believe they can act on their own security risks. Ukrainian Opinion: Ukraine states that Russia cannot control whether Ukraine gets closer with NATO. The government says that Russia is trying to maintain Ukrainian independence and its future. Citizens of Ukraine fear that a coup d’état, the seizure of a government and its power by an independent group, could happen as a precursor to invasion. In addition, Ukraine is currently going through an energy crisis and believes that its cause is Russia, which is attempting to destabilize the country. NATO Opinion: NATO says if Russia were to invade Ukraine, a NATO partner, they could start economic sanctions and political restrictions on Russia. NATO has prepared the members of the alliance who reside in the Baltic region and the Black Sea for the worst. NATO cannot protect Ukraine with a military force since Ukraine is not a member of the organization. However, NATO will allow Ukraine to become a member, should it choose to, and encourages the country to defy Russia. On January 12th, 2022, a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, occurred to discuss a solution. The situation remains tense, and as I write this, world peace is at stake. American Opinion: America is reviewing multiple options. American officials like President Biden met in Geneva to discuss peace. However, simultaneously, America was armed and continued to supply military assistance to Eastern Europe in preparation for the worst. Fiscally, America delivered 450 million dollars in assistance to Ukraine in 2021 and considered the possibility of launching economic sanctions on Russia. Other factors: Separate from this situation, another former Soviet state has had trouble. Kazakhstan had massive unrest in its capital and in other locations, leading to a Russian-led coalition of troops sent into the state to stop the unrest. There is plenty of doubt that Russian forces will leave Kazakhstan soon. The pipe that leads to Germany, Nord Stream 2, allegedly threatens Ukraine. It uses pipes through the Baltic Sea to pass around Eastern Europe instead of an overland route. Traditionally, the pipes would go through Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, which was a bargaining tool for the country and a source of money through tariffs. These pipes are vital to the Russian gas industry, so if Russia were ever to step out of line, Eastern Europe could cut the lines to damage the industry. However, with the new Baltic pipes, Ukraine loses, in addition to the extra income, its bargaining chip, and leverage over Russia. The U.S. used to have sanctions on the company that built the Baltic pipes but waved them to fix its relationship with Germany depending on those lines. However, in November, America added new sanctions to the company, with growing support from U.S. senators and politicians in Ukraine. Both sides are somewhat to blame; NATO has been encroaching closer to Russia, an aggressive action, but Russia should not have backed the separatists nor have invaded. PRIMARY SOURCE: https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/03/europe/ukraine-russia-2021-tensions-explainer-cmd-intl/index.html BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections Border Crisis: The Reasons Behind the Surge By Everton Prospere Volume 2 Issue 1 October 8, 2021 Image provided by BBC News In recent months, a series of migrant waves have swept the United States southern border, particularly affecting the state of Texas. Most recently, a large number of immigrants have come to Del Rio, a town located in southwestern corner of the state. As per CNN, over 14,000 migrants arrived at Del Rio, forming a temporary encampment under a bridge. The arrival of such a significant number of migrants marked an added border crisis which the government scrambles to control. However, while the Biden administration attempts to tackle this crisis, The Washington Post describes it as the biggest surge in over twenty years. In order to comprehend this rush of immigrants, several social, economic, and political reasons require evaluation. The country of origin must first be taken into account when assessing migrant surges. These immigrants have mostly come from the country of Haiti. Haiti, officially known as the Republic of Haiti, is a small country sharing the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. In modern times, Haiti is known for its political and environmental issues. The country’s president, Jovenel Moïse, was recently assassinated in his own residence by an armed group of mercenaries. This threw the already fragile and impoverished country into more political unrest, with the government unable to control most of the country. Following this political instability, the country was hit by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake, killing over 2,200 people and crippling the already-poor infrastructure, according to The Guardian. These two examples show the type of instability Haiti suffers, in turn explaining the recent migrant surge. However, most immigrants did not come directly from Haiti; rather, the majority already resided in Latin America and South America. The Associated Press reports many Haitians fled to the United States because of an extension granted during the spring to the protections of Haitian migrants already residing in the United States; despite this, online posts communicating the extension often left out the portion of the policy that announced only migrants in the United States were eligible. This misinformation created an effect in which thousands of migrants crossed the Mexican border to Del Rio, seeking refuge. A final cause to this crisis is the stability and opportunity in the United States. One Haitian migrant, interviewed by CNN, specifically stated that “[he] wanted a better life,” which continues to demonstrate the assets the United States has to offer. To immigrants, the United States is primarily a land of freedom - a privilege that many countries do not offer their citizens. With the Biden administration attempting to handle the border crisis through court cases and deportations, the rest of the country continues to follow the headlines. With recent reports of border patrol agents whipping migrants on horseback, as well as widespread disease affecting the migrants (according to the Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, about twenty percent of migrants at the border are ill), the country watches the unstable scenes occurring at the border. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Beauty in Nature Back to Sections Matthew Scatturo - Beauty in Nature By Matthew Scatturo February 10, 2022 Photography Volume 2 Issue 4

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Disney Characters Ariana Hack Volume 5 Issue 3 January 14, 2025 Image Provided by Elaine Ching From a Blonde princess who was forced to clean and cook To mysterious mustache pirates such as Captain Hook From a mermaid curious as can be Who spent most of her time trapped under the sea From a space astronaut “To Infinity and Beyond” To “Best friends forever” that will never break their bond To a little clownfish that almost ends up as bait Up to his father to decide his fate To a one-eyed monster aspiring to be scary To a jealous attitude filled pixie dust fairy What do these characters all have in common you see? Well, my dear they are friends of Walt Disney. Please dream whether you are near or far Because magic happens when you wish upon a star. BACK TO TOP