Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Ask Ala: Pride By Ala Paruch Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Image provided by TED Ideas Hello dear readers! With the PRIDE month here, we want to celebrate our LGBTQ+ community and show them how much we care for them. As an ally myself, I encourage everyone to support and listen to your friends, not only during pride month but every day. Here is some advice for the LGBTQ+ community from the Alliance Club: From Grace So, you've decided to come out. First things first, I'm proud of you! Coming out is a big step, and it requires tremendous amounts of effort to reach that level of comfort with yourself. However, coming out can be tricky, and while we have made progress on LGBTQ+ rights and protections, it's important to know that you know your situation best. Your safety is the biggest priority when coming out. If you feel that coming out may create threats to your safety (whether that is physical, mental, financial, or otherwise) ‒ then it is probably not the right time to come out. I know it can be painful to hide such a large part of yourself from people you love, your identity is a big part of you! It's something to be celebrated, not shunned. Nonetheless, until you feel 100% sure that it won't impact your safety, it may be best to lay low. Of course, as I said before, you know your situation best, but remember ‒ safety should be your #1 priority. From Anonymous Coming to terms with your sexuality or gender can be an incredibly difficult process, from acknowledging who you are, trying to figure yourself out and then finally accepting yourself, it can be a process filled with immense inner turmoil. First and foremost, you have to stop making up excuses and start telling yourself it’s okay to question and explore. Trying to repress your feelings only makes the struggle worse, learn to accept the fact that the feelings you have are normal and valid. Then you can try to gain a deeper understanding of those feelings. Go and research, ask others questions and take your time thinking about it! (There’s always someone in The Alliance who’d be willing to talk to you!) However, it is important to remember that you never need to label yourself if you don’t want to. This is all about what you feel, and so you decide what you get to do with those feelings. Lastly, you have to accept yourself. Besides allowing yourself to feel your true feelings, you also have to accept yourself and therefore those feelings too. Find beauty and strength in your experiences and live them out to the fullest! After going through these struggles, you deserve it! I am so proud of you for being here and for trying your best! You will find happiness, and it does get better. From Cairo “Coming out” is usually seen as this huge, one time, make it or break it event; but honestly, it’s really not. As a queer person, you’ll have to come out for the. rest. of. your. entire. life . That was a bit of an exaggeration, but the point still stands. Although you don’t owe anyone an explanation about your identity, you’ll most likely have to “come out” to new people you meet for the rest of your life; not to mention that sometimes your identities change, so you might “re-come out.” Being able to come out in the first place while keeping calm is something that takes time and practice. But if you want to make it easier on yourself, try writing some kind of script and memorizing it. So, when the time comes, it’ll be easier to explain your identity. Also try to keep track of common questions people ask so you’ll be better prepared to address them if someone happens to ask. From Joseph [Excerpt from Being a Good Ally ] First, be calm. Reacting with a surprised tone can come off as negative or demeaning during this experience. Second, be kind. From what I previously said, it's very tough and scary for someone to come out to you, so make sure that they know how much you care about them. An example of this is showing them that you still love and support them, and show them that you will stick up for them. Third, be proud. This will contribute to the aspect of being kind. By fully and openly supporting your friend shows them how proud you are of them, who they are, and the courage it took them. An example of this is how all of my friends took me to the Pride parade in NYC in 2019 to show their support. Finally, be understanding. Someone who is doing all of this is going through a lot of trauma, and they might be frustrated with other people's reactions or just the stress of coming out. So if they might be struggling at being a good friend or whatever it is, understand that they are going through something that not many people experience, and they are just struggling. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections The Valley Stream Challenge By Manal Layachi Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 Image provided by Elyas lLayachi The 17th annual Valley Stream Challenge, an invitational track meet, took place at our school, Valley Stream North High School, on April 2nd, 2022. The following thirty schools came to our school to compete: Bayside High School Chaminade High School Elmont Memorial High School Friends Academy (Long Island) George H. Hewlett High School Harlem Children’s Zone-Promise Academy Holy Cross High School Kellenberg Memorial High School Kings Park High School Long Beach High School Malverne Senior High School Massapequa High School Midwood High School Mineola High School Monsignor Farrell High School New Hyde Park Memorial High School North Shore High School Notre Dame School of Manhattan Oceanside High School Our Lady of Mercy Academy (Catholic High School Athletic Association) Poly Prep Country Day School Roslyn High School Sanford H. Calhoun High School South Side High School Spring Creek Community School St. Francis Preparatory School Valley Stream South High School W. Tresper Clarke High School Wellington C. Mepham High School Xavier High School There were 2,000 people at the meet. Some events that took place include the steeplechase, running events, hurdles, relay races, the long jump, the triple jump, the pole vault, the shot put, and the discus throw. A lot of preparation had to take place for this event, and it took the whole track team to do it. We all worked together and had a lot of fun. The challenge was eight hours long. You can find the results using this link: https://elitefeats.com/t-Results?ID=22494 Below are what two track stars said about the meet: Elyas Layachi: “The meet was a very great experience. Although I wasn’t able to race this time, it was nice to see so many schools, their student-athletes, and their spectators all in one place. It brought about a greater sense of community and school pride. Plus, the races were fun to watch!” Sienna Munro: “My favorite part of the invitational was getting to see so many teams in one spot, which brought more competition. When I first saw how many schools were there, it made me nervous. I competed in the 400 and 800-meter races. I think that the meet went very well.” I also interviewed the coordinators of the challenge, also known as the amazing coaches of the North’s Track team, Science Teachers Mike Frazer and Tim Boyens: Mr. Frazer: “I love hosting the Valley Stream Challenge Invitational Track & Field Meet. This is the 17th year we have hosted it. I like hosting it because it's a chance to show off North High School. It's a great school, and now with the brand-new track and turf field, we should all have Spartan Pride and host other schools whenever we can. I also like how the members of the Track & Field team worked together to put on an excellent event. Plus, it's super fun! This meet is normally very big. This year we had 1,734 registered athletes compete. 24 boys’ teams and 21 girls’ teams! It's fun to see lots of people here, especially since the past two years we couldn't host the meet due to COVID. Big meets do not shock me, as I have been on the state committee in the past and helped put on the New York State Championships! I think the Challenge was fantastic! It ran very smoothly, and all of the results were immediately posted online with the athletes’ pictures. Results and pictures can be found here:  Race Timers New York Long Island elitefeats Results . Also, Ryan John set a new meet record for the Spartans in the Triple Jump with the #1 jump in New York State so far this year! Coach Boyens and I look forward to hosting this meet for many years to come!” Mr. Boyens: “My favorite part of the challenge is when the gun goes off for the first race! Everyone is excited and the excitement is palpable. It was great to see so many schools come to VSN and be a part of the Challenge. We are very proud of our track and track team and the challenge is a great chance to ‘show off’ both. We got tons of positive feedback about the day from coaches, athletes, and parents. It was a great day for VSN.” P.S. - NORTH STAR readers, don’t forget to cheer the boys’ and girls’ teams at track meets hosted at North. Go Spartans! BACK TO TOP

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

Back to Artwork Nostalgic Musings Back to Sections Sophia Song - Nostalgic Musings - 4 By Sophia Song February 10, 2022 Photography Volume 2 Issue 4

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections One Swing By Ryan Restivo Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 Image provided by Victor Decolongon BANG! There it went, straight over the left field fence and onto the batting cages. The parents on the bleachers going nuts, my dad about to lose his voice, and my heart beating so fast it just might explode. Indeed, a fantastic feeling, but it was not easy getting there. Baseball was my life. I watched and played it all the time. I thought I would love the game forever. I was wrong. Everything seemed great until I played travel baseball. I figured I could handle the pressure; however, as the season got closer, I felt myself losing interest. The game I loved felt like a chore. With every Sunday practice, I experienced something rare… nerves. I felt the nerves the second I woke up to the second practice ended. The nerves intensified. My stomach, sick, as if someone was taking a bat, battering my stomach. I did not know how to stop this feeling. I thought it would go away over time. It got worse. Worse to the point where I was throwing up, then walking into practice like nothing happened, pretending to have fun. I could not do this anymore. The immense pressure and extreme nerves were too much. I made a tough decision that felt right at the time. I quit the team just days before the first game. This decision destroyed my confidence, because I was giving up. My confidence was shot, and it affected my life. Waking up nervous on Sundays for baseball was one thing, but waking up nervous every day for school, or just life in general was another. I realized this had nothing to do with baseball. This was a confidence issue within me. It affected me in the most unlikely places, like school recess. The highlight of every kid’s day was the opposite for me. I refused to join all the kids having a blast outside. Why? Because of the paranoia of everyone staring, the fear of embarrassment in front of all to witness. Instead, I would stay inside. Alone. Every day. Sometimes I would even hide in the bathroom until recess was over. Even with therapy and a school psychologist, I still felt like a spider tangled in its own web. I wondered if anything could ever get me back to normal. The decision to quit baseball a year ago still haunted me. I missed it tremendously. Although I was not playing baseball anymore, I still watched baseball all the time. After all, it remained my favorite sport. Watching the stars of the game like Mike Trout and Dee Gordon thrive on the field really made me second guess my decision. I never want to look back in life with regrets, and I feared that not playing would be something I would regret. My mom always told me that the day I quit would be a day I regret. I belonged on a baseball field. I needed to get myself back out there and play. Through some words of wisdom from my family, and unintentional inspiration from MLB stars, I found myself back on a baseball diamond, where it all slowly started to come together. BANG! There it went… My first home run. It’s every baseball player’s dream to hit a home run during a big game, so the player in me was thrilled! However, the average everyday human in me felt different. This change in confidence I had on the field transferred to my everyday life. Just like my nerves had, but in reverse this time. I was no longer tentative to live my life. I was my own worst enemy; nothing held me back besides myself. I found it within me to play again, and one swing had finally changed everything. One swing I will never forget. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Precious Memories Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 High school life, what a ride, As a junior, with dreams so wide. Books and tests, and late-night cram, Sometimes, it feels like a big exam.   Lockers jammed with secrets and chatter, Every day, something new to matter. Prom on the horizon, we're almost there, Hoping for a date, and the perfect hair.   Teachers, some strict, some really cool, In this high school world, we're no fool. Homework piling up, stress on the rise, But with friends by our side, we'll reach the skies.   Lunchtime gossip, and cafeteria food, Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's crude. Navigating cliques, and teenage drama, As a junior, life's like a never-ending saga.   But as we grow, we learn and find our way, With each passing moment, we seize the day. Junior year, it's a journey we'll survive, For in these high school memories, we'll thrive. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork The Memory Project Back to Sections Abraham- Matteo Somma Matteo Somma February 24, 2023 Volume 3 Issue 3

Back to Articles Polaris, Fiction Back to Sections Petals By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 Image provided by Elaine Ching Glistening raindrops fall, On purple petals they rest, Nature's beauty shines BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Stress Relief By Samantha Alteri Volume 1 Issue 1 November 1, 2020 Image provided by MotivationGrid Stress is a normal emotion that humans feel throughout their lives. Examples of current stressors in our lives include the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the upcoming presidential election. The list below includes 4 stress management techniques that may help alleviate stress or anxiety in your life! Listen to music: Listening to music relaxes and calms the body. Classical music, for example, lowers blood pressure, heart rate, and stress hormones. Exercise: Even a simple exercise, such as yoga, reduces stress levels and improves sleep quality. Exercising also releases endorphins, natural hormones in your body that improve your mood. Spend time with friends or family: Spending time with those who love and care for you may reduce your stress levels. Spending time with friends and family releases oxytocin, a natural stress-relieving hormone in our bodies. Laugh! Watch a funny movie or TV show! Laughing releases tension in our bodies because it relaxes our muscles. Laughter may also improve your mood, as you may feel happier and less stressed after laughing. “Push” your shoulders down: Most of the time, we don’t realize our shoulders are trying to meet our ears. Lower them, then smile (even if you don’t feel like smiling). This will trick your body into feeling happier and more relaxed. In short, stress presents itself throughout our lives, but there are simple techniques, including those listed above, to alleviate the anxiety you feel daily. So, the next time you’re having an unfavorable day, make sure to kick back, relax, and think positive! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Purpose Back to Sections Isabella Somma - Purple Yellow Study By Isabella Somma November 24, 2020 Volume 1 Issue 2