Back to Artwork Who Am I Back to Sections Anonymous - Who Am I? - 8 By Anonymous November 19, 2021 Volume 2 Issue 2

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Don't Fear the Angel Ava Augello Volume 5 Issue 4 April 8, 2025 She’s staring down at me. Or rather it is, I regret coming to the abandoned cemetery. Its stone eyes peer down in hatred, wings outstretched in warning; it’s a drastic difference from its angelic form. Yet it remains still. The moist dead leaves squelch under my rainboots, I attempt to withdraw from the momentous grave. But I slip, falling back, my jaw rattles, my skull making hard contact with the tombstone beneath. My heart pounds as I stare up with unease at the fallen angel. It approaches me. Simultaneously, its sharp scythe presses firmly against my throat. Death has come for me. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Interview with Elyas Manal Layachi Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 Image provided by Elyas Layachi Elyas Layachi (left), in a picture with Otto the Orange, Syracuse’s mascot. Elyas Layachi, a North alumnus class of 2023, currently attends Syracuse University. I interviewed him to see how his college experience is going so far.   Why did you choose to attend Syracuse University? I chose to attend Syracuse University because of its beautiful campus, wide range of educational opportunities in so many majors/areas of interest, its big school feel, and its location in the heart of upstate New York.  What do you miss the most about North? The one thing I miss most about North is definitely the people, including both the students and staff. I made such great relationships with my teachers and peers, and I miss them all very much.  How is the college experience going so far? So far, college is going pretty well! I was able to adjust to it pretty quickly, but it is still definitely overwhelming despite having fewer classes and more free time than in high school. The classes are also a lot more difficult than I expected them to be, but so far, I have adjusted well. How did you transition from high school to college? To be honest, I didn’t really think much about my transition from high school to college. I kept busy over the summer working at one of my favorite places - Mid-Island Day Camp - while also spending time with family and going dorm shopping. The only time I thought about my transition from high school to college was the few days leading up to my move-in. I was originally very stressed at first, since I didn’t know what to expect, and I wasn’t mentally prepared to move into a new home. Once I moved in, however, everything settled into place, and I found that I love Syracuse University very much. It is already starting to feel like my second home! What extracurricular activities are you participating in? I am currently participating in STEM Initiative, a club that takes undergraduate students studying a STEM-related field to the local middle and high schools to educate students about STEM, and I am also a part of the running club here. I also like to watch home soccer and football games. (Go Orange!) Do you participate in the music program at Syracuse? If so, how is it? I do participate in the music program here at Syracuse. I auditioned for the orchestra a week after I moved in, and I made the cut. It is a very enlightening and fun experience, and I love having the opportunity to play beautiful, complex music with such amazing musicians, most of whom are music majors in the Setnor School of Music.  What is your favorite thing about Syracuse? Right now, my favorite thing about Syracuse has to be the community. There are so many nice people on campus and the staff are awesome and always willing to help. I also love the sense of community that arises every Saturday when we have a football game. It gets super fun here on Saturdays and all of the town comes to watch the games. It truly makes me feel a part of something bigger and I love that feeling. What do you look forward to the most when you go home? When I go home, the thing I look forward to the most is seeing my family again. I miss them so much. Even though I’m not too far from Long Island, and I love coming back home to see them every once in a while. What is your favorite thing to do in Syracuse? My favorite thing to do in Syracuse right now is watching the football games with friends and getting immersed in the energetic athletic environment of the university.  How is college different from high school for you? There is definitely a lot more freedom in college. I had a lot of freedom choosing my classes, as well as a lot of free time in between classes (sometimes up to 3 hours) in which I would either study, practice violin, or just relax. How is dorm life for you? Do you miss home? Dorm life is pretty fun. I enjoy living with people I just met, and it is definitely an eye-opening experience living with people from different cultural backgrounds, states, and even countries. Do you have any tips for juniors and seniors that are looking at colleges? I would definitely say do not stress the college application process, and keep in mind that regardless of whether or not you get into your dream school, you will end up where you want to be. Originally, I did not even think of applying to Syracuse until I took Syracuse chemistry with Mrs. Schroeder, and I am so glad I applied here. Even though I got rejected by my dream school MIT, I still love Syracuse University and I am super glad to be here.  What are you majoring in? I am currently in the aerospace engineering program, but I am switching to mathematics education for grades 7-12 next semester. What profession do you hope to have in the future? I hope to one day become a middle or high school math teacher.  Is there anything else you would like to add? College is awesome! Also, I miss you VSN! I enjoyed interviewing Elyas about his college experience. Be sure to wish him luck at Syracuse. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Spartan Athletes: Melissa Innocent By Shinedip Kundlas Volume 1 Issue 7 April 22, 2021 Original photo by Michael Frazer In this issue we are featuring yet another stellar North athlete, sophomore Melissa Innocent. Innocent started her journey in 7th grade at VSN. She has been on the Varsity Cross-Country and Varsity Winter/Spring Track teams since 8th grade. Melissa placed 20th out of 85 at the 2019 Cross-Country County’s as a freshman. She has devoted her time and effort into her sports. In this interview, Melissa answers some questions here about her sport. When did you first choose your sport? Why? I chose my sport when I was in elementary school.  I remember running in gym class outside and I wasn’t the fastest kid there, but I didn’t want to be first. I just enjoyed being in the moment and running around my school. In 7th grade I chose Cross Country as my sport. I loved competing and was proud of my achievements.  I gradually got better at running and stuck with it ever since. If you could achieve anything you wished for in your sport, what would it be? Being able to understand that you don’t always have to be first or get a PB meaning “personal best” in track, can be hard at first. This sport isn’t about anybody but your mind and body. I feel like everyone achieves a win in their own way with this sport. You're competing against yourself, so if I was able to achieve anything I wish for in my sport it would be putting my best out there but reaching for better next time. Which strengths do you believe you have that makes you a great athlete? Determination--because I feel like being a student athlete it takes guts and hard work to achieve your goal. It takes effort to continue doing track because it isn’t the easiest sport. Strength, I believe, makes me a great athlete because the workouts are not easy. Willingness to practice long and hard to continue working hard is a strength I have as well. What do you believe is the greatest challenge most high school athletes are facing during the pandemic? The greatest challenge student athletes are facing during the pandemic is not being able to be with your teammates and coaches. The track team really does feel like family and having the chance to compete with them for another season is so tremendous. My team makes me want to strive for better. Not having the whole team to cheer for, and being there when I win, is devastating because it helps me get motivated and want to seek for better. During the pandemic, I missed running and being with my team. I am really grateful to be back in season but there are many student athletes who are not able to play their sports. So, I think that is a big challenge for us during this pandemic. Describe your worst sports performance. What did you learn from this experience? My worst performance was in cross country in 2019 we were competing for the county title, and I was extremely nervous. I was doing wonderfully in the middle of the race all of the sudden I broke down in tears and I started to slow down. I was so upset at myself that I couldn’t finish strong but then there was this girl on the other team.  She saw me break down, and she said to me “It’s going to be okay, just stay with me.” From this experience, I learned to accept my failures because they're going to be successes. After my “worst performance,” I took this lesson in order to accept my “goods and bads.” How does being a student athlete inspire you to do well? Being a student athlete inspires me to do good because this sport brings out the best and worst out of people. The different emotions you feel before and after the races are hard to manage and go through on your own. This sport makes me not want to give up in life when things get hard. When my friends or someone I know goes through something it makes me want to help them out. Being a student athlete, you face a lot of challenges, which makes us stronger. This strength motivates me to be good to others and help others. Whether it be in sports, school, or personal issues, it is always good to keep a positive mindset. What advice do you have for other aspiring track stars? To not give up when it gets tough, or let it ruin your confidence throughout your journey. An example is when my coach always reminds us that you're not going to get better in a week. It takes dedication and training. Being there for practice and putting in the work is one step closer for performing well. ______________________________________ According to the NCAA Student-Athlete COVID-19 Well-Being Survey which was organized in spring 2020, a related survey organized in the fall revealed student-athletes continue to confront intensified mental health anxieties and obstacles to sport participation. We applaud Melissa and her team for their hard work and dedication to their sport during these challenging times. Go Spartans! Update: Melissa wins All-County honors during April 17th weekend! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections North Star Advice Aamna Raja Volume 5 Issue 4 April 8, 2025 “ Hi, Aamna! I wanted to ask your advice on some feelings I’ve been having. Recently, I started having feelings for one of my close friends. I really like everything about them! I have been friends with them for a while now, and I don’t want to ruin the relationship we have now by telling them how I feel. I’m worried that things may become awkward between us if I say something, and I’m scared to lose the friendship we have, but at the same time, I feel like I need to just tell them how I feel. What should I do?” -Lego Fortnite I hope you’re having an amazing day, Lego! First of all, I totally get where you’re coming from; your feelings are valid. The fear of losing a friendship that you value over a confession is common and very justified. But remember, feelings can’t and won’t just disappear because you ignore them. In some situations, ignoring your feelings can even make your inner turmoil worse, and the stress can start to spread to other parts of your life. That doesn’t mean you have to rush into a dramatic confession, but to reduce your stress, you should address them. Consider testing the waters first—see how they respond to compliments and deeper, more personal conversations. Sometimes, you’ll get a sense of whether the feeling is mutual without having to spell it out. If you’re still unsure, think about how your current dynamic works. Are you both good at handling emotional honesty? If you are, that’s a sign you shouldn’t fear an open conversation about your emotions, and a confession won’t hurt your bond. If you choose to tell them, keep it simple and low-pressure. Something like, “Hey, I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and I really value our friendship. I’ve started to like you as more than a friend, but I don’t want this to change anything between us if you don’t feel the same” can communicate your feelings while also letting them know that there’s no pressure to change your current dynamic. And if they don’t feel the same? It might be awkward for a bit, but true friendships bounce back. Just give it time. If they do feel the same—well, then you’ve opened the door to something even better! You’ve got this, Lego. No matter what happens, being honest with yourself is always the right move. Wishing you luck, Aamna BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Pakistan’s Devastating Floods By Sahar Ali Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by Al Jazeera Pakistan. A country located in South Asia with India to the east, Afghanistan and Iran to the west, and China to the north. The Arabian Sea is to Pakistan’s south. In June of 2022, Pakistan’s monsoon season began; however, it caused unprecedented flooding. The country received 190% more rain this summer. The Pakistani government declared a national emergency after more than 33 million people were affected. At least 1.7 million homes were destroyed, and thousands of people were killed as an effect of the floods. Causes of the Floods Prolonged rainfall: This is where rainfall occurs for a long period of time, causing land around a river to become saturated. This type of rainfall hit Pakistan in a series of monsoonal depressions, which are storms with low pressure. During the summer of 2022, the country experienced 8 monsoonal depressions. Heatwaves: During March and April, Pakistan was hit with heat waves. Climate change made these heatwaves 30% more likely to occur. As an effect of the heatwaves, some of Pakistan’s 7,000 glaciers began to melt rapidly into the Indus River. La Niña: This is an event that causes warmer-than-average temperatures in the ocean. La Niña added more moisture and fueled the monsoon depressions. Dam issues: Pakistan needs to work on its engineering priorities. If the country does this, then irrigation and flood control would improve. Dam issues made the rainwater uncontrollable. Overall, the main cause of these floods is climate change. Pakistan is only responsible for 1% of the total amount of human-produced emissions; however, it is the 18th most vulnerable country to climate change impacts. Effects of the Floods Damages: Pakistan’s floods have caused more than $30 billion in damage. As a result of the floods, 1.7 million houses were destroyed as well as 18,000 schools. Furthermore, 1,460 health facilities were affected. The floods also caused the death of 800,000 livestock and damaged 2.0 million hectares of crops and orchards. The destruction of food crops resulted in $2.3 billion in damages. Many bridges and many kilometers of roads were also destroyed. Effects on Pakistanis: As the amount of rainfall slowly decreased, millions of people were left stranded in the water without food or shelter, making them susceptible to diseases. In the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan, there have been outbreaks of cholera, malaria, and some skin infections. 6.4 million Pakistanis needed humanitarian aid by early September. What we can do to help Pakistan Due to the floods, people in Pakistan are in dire need of shelter, food, and clean drinking water. You can donate to Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan , which is a nonprofit organization that will provide the people of Pakistan with medical camps, tarpaulins, tents, and food. For overseas donations, you can donate to Aghosh USA and Aghosh UK which are partners of the Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan. BACK TO TOP

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

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections The Unfortunate Woods By Masooma Zaidi Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 Image provided by Bunty Pundir Edmund!!", yelled Lucy in her British accent. "What are you doing?!" Edmund woke up from his sleep startled from Lucy's yelling. "I fell asleep. I didn’t keep track of time," he explained. In impatient frustration and excitement, Lucy sat down next to him. "Did you get permission? Did you pack your bags? Edmund was extremely tired. He just nodded. Then from the other side of the bus stop came Jane and Jake. Lucy, Edmund, Jane, and Jake were all students at Prep-Valley High School. The school has arranged a perfect two-day camping field trip near the Woods…The Unfortunate Woods. These kids have no idea what they are about to face. All the four kid are around the same age. Lucy is 13, Edmund is 15, Jane is 17, and Jake is 19. All four students were good friends. Jake and Jane saw Lucy and Edmund came running to them with their packed bags for the trip. "Wake up Dolly Daydream", joked Jake running toward them. Jane was following Jake behind. "Hey guys, you ready for the trip?" Lucy has a positive and caring personality. "Yes, we are about to have a whole lot of fun", she answered. The bus had just arrived, and all of them got on. Lucy and Jane sat together in one seat. And in the next aisle sat Edmund and Jake. It was an exhausting two-hour trip. After the longest two hours in their lives, the bus arrived at the destination called Wood Camp. The setting was so gloomy and dark. The camp was abandoned. As Jane looked outside, her eyes were sparkling in excitement. However, when Jane saw the depressed feeling of no sunshine, the old wretched camp’s broken, creaking wood steps, and no stranger lurking around, she gave a big sigh in dismay. Then, all the students came out of the bus. "This is greeeaat!" Edmund sarcastically cheered. Lucy tried to be positive, but she was having a hard time to find something positive in this unpleasant area. "Come on let’s eat. I'm so hungry I could eat a horse" Jake said. The teachers lit the campfire, and everyone was roasting marshmallows. Suddenly Frank, the 18-year-old, tall skinny guy, had a great idea. "Does anyone want to have a scare? Because I am about to tell you about a hidden legend about these mysterious Woods. I will tell you why it is named the 'The Unfortunate Woods'. Legend says he that goes beyond the caution sign near the Woods gets lost and is never to come back." There was a silence, everyone looked at each other and started laughing as if Frank said something hilarious. BAM! The lightning struck, and it started to rain rapidly. Everyone ran inside the cabins. After the rain slowed down, Edmund convinced all four kids to check out the place in Frank’s story. They left and reached the sign saying in capital bold words CAUTION — DANGER AHEAD. The kids went left, slowly thinking that Frank’s story was not real. The kids later came across a girl wearing a royal looking blue gown and, over it, she was wearing a dark blue, long hood ending just above her beautiful blue heels. She looked as if she was looking for something. She gently lowered the headpiece of her hood. Her hair was dark brown and tied up neatly. She looked back and saw the four kids and she was surprised. "Sorry. Don't mind me asking, but what are you wearing?" Edmund started laughing and said, "Funny, we should ask you the same thing". She looked serious and was not joking. "Hi, I am Jane, we are students from Pre-Valley High School." Jane goes for a handshake. The girl looked at her hand in a weird but friendly way for a moment, then she gave a curtsy and spoke. "Good day to you Jane from Prep-Valley High School. I am princess Rose from the Kingdom of Rosveld, and I just turned twenty actually." As she bent over, she found her crown that on the floor and said, "Finally! I’ve found it!" Now the kids got panicked and told the princess about what happened and introduced each other. The princess was excited. "Yes, an adventure! But first let’s get you all look a little unsuspicious. Come on!" she cheered. The kids followed the princess and they saw two knights standing in armor. "Princess, how are you?" one said in a sweet but honorable voice. "Happy to serve you my lady" the other one kneeled down and said in a charming and pleasant voice. "Come on guys, stop it!" the princess laughed in a friendly way. Both the knights took off their steel head protectors. One was a girl with dark red hair that almost looked dark brown. Her hair was straight and neatly tied in a low ponytail. The other one was a boy. He had short, wavy brown hair. Both the knights were very happy to see the princess. They handed her a gift. And when they saw the four kids, the knights also looked at them weird. The princess introduced us to them, and then they introduced them to us. "These are some people who came from another side of the world, they are extremely different. Remember the legend…it’s true. They seem like good people, so we need to help them" Princess Rose said; then, when all agreed, she turned to the four kids. "As you know, I am princess Rose. These are my two trustworthy friends. They’re nice, kind, generous, funny, and much more." She pointed to the boy. "This is Peter. He is 19 years old." Then Princess Rose pointed at the girl. “She is Violet. Violet is 20 years old." Both gave a friendly wave to us. Princess Rose and her faithful friends helped the four students to stay blended and not look weird. They wore beautiful suits, ready for riding and even battle. The princess also changed her gown into the same type of adventurous clothing. She did not wear her crown. That way no one would know that she is the princess. They all rode horses, took breaks, ate food, and came into some danger. They had to hide from the bad people. But finally, they reached their destination. The other side of the land, there was a tiny door hidden beside the plants. At this point, they all became great friends. "Wow. I can’t believe the legend was true. The royal librarian, Caspian, he told us all about this door" Violet said. After two days, the friend finally found the hidden door. Lucy, Edmund, Jane, and Jane thanked the three friends. But they had a feeling they did not want to go. They decided they will always come the same way they came. And they will always remember them. When they went to the door, they crossed the tunnel and had entered the closet of a certain cabin. When they came out, right in front of them Frank was walking with some sort of ancient ring. He put it on. Lucy's eye caught the ring, and she called out to Frank. "Now you believe me, right?" Frank looked at them, smiling. "It wasn't as bad as you made it sound" said Jake. "Bad? Are you kidding? I want to go again!" said Lucy. "Until next time" said Jane. The five talked about the secret land and went back to school in a positive mood...hoping to go there and meet their friends again. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Breast Cancer Awareness Month Sarah Velez Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 Image provided by UAB News October represents Breast Cancer Awareness month, which tragically affects about 240,000 women in the United States along with 2,100 men annually. Of those 240,000 women, 42,000 pass away and 500 men pass away each year. It is important to take a month to spread awareness of this cancer and dedicate it to those who have passed. Breast cancer is a disease in which the cells in a breast grow out of control. The type of breast cancer you get is dependent on which cells in the breast turn into cancer. In most cases, breast cancer begins in what is called the “ducts” or “lobules.” The breast is split into three main parts: lobules, ducts, and connective tissue. As the cancer grows, it spreads through blood and lymph vessels. When breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it is said to have “metastasized.” Now, there are two common types of breast cancer. Invasive ductal carcinoma is when the cancer cells start forming inside the ducts and then grow outside the ducts into other parts of the tissue. These invasive cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body. The next most common breast cancer is called Invasive Lobular Carcinoma. This is similar to Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, but it originates within the lobules instead of the ducts. This dangerous cancer can also spread to other parts of the body. Some of the less common types are Paget’s disease, medullary, mucinous, and inflammatory breast cancer. There are many ways to prevent breast cancer, but in some cases, there is nothing you can do to control it. Maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption can be effective in preventing breast cancer. If you are someone who takes hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives, it is best to talk to your doctor and see what may be safer for you. As healthy as you may be, breast cancer is occasionally inherited through family genes or changes in your BRCA1 and BRCA2 can also be inherited. With all of this in mind, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of getting breast cancer. Are there ways to notice breast cancer before it becomes a deadly issue? Screening is a way to check women for breast cancer before symptoms and signs are noticeable. A mammogram is an x-ray taken of the breast. Mammograms provide the benefit of noticing breast cancer early on, making it easier to treat. It is important to regularly get mammograms, to benefit both your health and be able to catch such a deadly cancer early on. It is significant to note though, mammograms do not help cure breast cancer, they only help recognize it to ensure the cancer gets taken care of early on. Thanks to the advancement in technology and the medical field, there are many ways to treat breast cancer. Depending on how far the cancer has spread the type of treatment you will receive can be determined. Surgery is one of the most common options. The doctor will simply cut out the cancer if it has not spread too far. Chemotherapy is a medicine that is used to shrink or kill the cancer cells. The medicine can either be given in shots or pills, although in some cases it may even be both. Hormonal therapy blocks cancer cells from receiving the hormones they need to grow. There are many other medical procedures that help treat breast cancer. It is extremely important to discuss what medical procedure may be best for you. There are many ways to support people struggling with breast cancer. You can donate to breast cancer foundations and even start fundraisers to donate the money. Wearing pink can also help bring awareness to this tragic disease. It is important to spread awareness to help those who need it and partake in actions that can lead people to live and brighter and healthier life. Sources: https://www.cdc.gov https://www.mayoclinic.org BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections The Foundation of My Tree By Arielle St.Amand Volume 1 Issue 7 April 22, 2021 Image provided by the National Tropical Botanical Garden We were planted in the fertile soil adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, Southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. Our roots extend through the fruitful land of Cap Haitien, And in between the cracked crevices of the concrete jungle. As our trunk emerges from the terrain of Port-Au-Prince. We prevailed from the bondage of slavery, without a wince. In awe of the horizontal blue and red stating, “Unity is Strength,” we overcome our obstacles, highlighting our bravery. Our branches lengthen and grow with time, from Doret, St. Cyr, to Dominique. Names of great sublime; we continue to expand our legacy, so eloquent and unique. We were planted in the fertile soil adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, and now produce flowers ready to reproduce. Paired with Painson, Bernard, and St. Amand, I begin to be woven, excited for my journey and ready to be put to use. I carry the pain of discrimination. From the beautiful isles of Haiti and in this “United” nation. I reminisce of the smells of liberation found in the soup joumou, the vigor of my predecessors I relay from me to you. I am thankful for my ancestry, for providing me with insight of my great destiny. My story begins with the seed planted in the depths of the roots, the foundation of my tree. BACK TO TOP