Back to Articles News Back to Sections Breaking Down the Oxford High School Shooting By Sahar Ali Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Image provided by Fox 2 Detroit MICHIGAN- On November 30th, 2021, a 15-year-old student identified as Ethan Crumbley opened fire at Oxford High School, killing four students and leaving several others critically injured. Prosecutors started filing involuntary manslaughter charges against James and Jennifer, Ethan Crumbley’s parents, on December 3rd, 2021. The event that occurred on November 30th was a tragedy. Events That Occurred at the School At 12:51 p.m., authorities received one of the first of over a hundred 911 calls regarding the shooting. After viewing the security footage from November 30th, the authorities stated that the suspect, Ethan Crumbley, came out of a bathroom and opened fire at students present in the hallway. As the first gunshots were heard by the students at Oxford High School, they immediately rushed for cover and barricaded themselves behind classroom doors using chairs. Authorities stated that within the first five minutes, eleven people had been shot. With the handgun, Crumbley fired about thirty shots before he was detained by the police in the school’s hallway. For many hours, investigators looked over the school’s security cameras to track the suspect’s actions. From this security footage, Crumbley’s targets seemed random and the motive to open fire at the school has not yet been determined. The Victims Ethan Crumbley’s actions took the lives of four students: Hana St. Juliana (14), Madisyn Baldwin (17), Tate Myre (16), and Justin Shilling (17). Hana, Madisyn, and Tate all died in a sheriff’s car while being transported to a hospital; Justin died in a hospital the next day. Hana St. Juliana played on Oxford High School’s volleyball and basketball teams. Madisyn Baldwin was a “beautiful, smart, sweet loving girl,” as described by her grandmother. She was also considered a talented artist. Tate Myre was a linebacker and a tight end of Oxford High School’s football team. He had also received an All-Region award recently. Justin Shilling was on Oxford High School’s boys bowling team. Officials also state that six students (ranging from ages 14-17) were injured and a bullet grazed a 47-year-old teacher. The Suspect The suspect, Ethan Crumbley, a sophomore at Oxford, lives in Oxford Village, a suburb with fewer than 3,500 residents. On the morning of November 30th, the day of the shooting, Crumbley’s parents were called into the high school after one of his teachers discovered a note drawn by him which caused the teacher alarm. The note contained images of a gun with a person who had been shot and a laughing emoji. The note also said the words, “Blood everywhere” and “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me.” A meeting was also held a day before the shooting took place as a teacher saw Crumbley searching online for gun ammunition during class. Furthermore, investigators found two videos from Crumbley’s cellphone that were made the night before the shooting. In these videos, Ethan Crumbley talked about shooting and killing the students at his high school the next day. Authorities also state that a journal in Crumbley’s backpack was found where he wrote about his desire to “shoot up the school.” Ethan Crumbley’s lawyer has entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf. The authorities are still investigating this case and have stated that they believe Ethan Crumbley had planned the shooting alone. Charges Against the Suspect Ethan Crumbley was charged as an adult with one count of terrorism causing death. He was also charged with four counts of first-degree murder. If convicted, he will receive a life sentence. Prosecutors state that Crumbley’s plan was premeditated, and his parents were also charged. Why the Parents Were Charged The handgun that was used by Ethan Crumbley during the shooting (a 9-millimeter Sig Sauer) was bought by his father, James Crumbley, four days before the shooting. Jennifer, Ethan Crumbley’s mother, stated on social media that the weapon was her son’s “Christmas present.” The prosecutor, Karen D. McDonald, charged James and Jennifer Crumbley with involuntary manslaughter; Ms. McDonald believes that the parents could have prevented the shooting from occurring. When the school informed Mrs. Crumbley that her son had been searching for ammunition, she texted, “LOL, I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught” to Ethan. Ms. McDonald states that school officials told Crumbley’s parents that they were required to find counseling for their son, but his parents did not want their son to be taken out of school. The school also did not ask if he had the gun nor searched through his backpack that he had brought to the office. After Crumbley’s parents did not show up for their arraignment, they became the subject of a major fugitive hunt. After being found in Detroit, both parents were taken into custody and are being held in the same jail facility with their son in Oakland County, Michigan. Each of the three family members is being kept in isolation. Consequences the School is Facing Oxford High School’s response to Ethan Crumbley’s behavior is being studied closely - especially the decision of the guidance counselors who sent Crumbley back to class after a teacher discovered his alarming drawings. His personal belongings were not searched either. On December 9th, the parents of two sisters who survived the shooting filed a lawsuit in a federal court against the school and its officials, which included the superintendent, principal, dean, two guidance counselors, and two teachers. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Holiday Baking By Carolina Figueroa Volume 1 Issue 3 December 16, 2020 Image provided by American Heritage Cooking It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The smells, tastes, and the merriment of holiday baking always adds to the joyous festivities of the season. Baking festive cookies, spiced fruitcakes, decorated bars, gingerbread loaves, meringue swirls and themed iced cupcakes are just some of the delicious flavors that make the holidays even sweeter! Baking with family and friends creates wonderful lifelong memories that will last throughout the years. While baking, you can also make the event extra special by playing holiday music, wearing festive aprons, drinking eggnog or hot chocolate, singing, and spending quality time with your family and friends. My favorite holiday baking standout is making Linzer cookies with my Grandma. Here is the recipe we use for these delicious buttery, confectioners’ sugar-dusted, jam-packed cookies that are a big hit every year. You won’t be disappointed, as you and your family should celebrate the holidays while having some annual traditional baking fun! Linzer Cookie Ingredients : 9 oz. sifted flour (250g) 4 ½ oz. sugar (125g) 6 ½ oz. butter (185g) – cut into small pieces 4 egg yolks 1 tsp vanilla extract Directions: Knead all ingredients quickly onto a wooden board to make a firm cookie dough. Put dough into a plastic bag and chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour. Take out of refrigerator. Roll dough out with a rolling pin onto lightly floured wooden board. Use a large round cookie cutter to make 24 whole round cookies and also 24 large round cookies with a small thimble circle cut out in the center. Bake in the oven on center rack for 11-12 minutes at a temperature of 350 F (180 C). Cool on wire rack. Once completely cooled, spread seedless red raspberry jam (we use Smucker’s brand) onto the whole round cookies. Use confectioner’s sugar to dust round cookies with thimble circle cut out in the center. Place dusted round cookie on top of whole round cookie with the jam to finish. Store cookies in a tin box. Enjoy! We naturally find comfort in indulgent baked goods that allow us to relive and recreate fond memories with our family and friends in the form of certain flavors and ingredients. It’s these holiday baking aromas and tastes that always bring us back home again! Happy Baking! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Ms. Santomauro Interview By Rachel Ezeadichie Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Image provided by Wikimedia Ms. Santomauro was a leave replacement English teacher here at North for the first marking period, filling in for Ms. O’Donohue. On her last day, I had the amazing opportunity to interview her about her experience at North High School. How has your time at North been? “My time at North has been absolutely wonderful. I’ve had amazing students and classes. All of my colleagues helped me every step of the way.” If you had a chance, would you continue to work at North High School? “Absolutely, I loved my time here.” What was your favorite thing to teach? “Each of the classes does something different. For the 8A’s I loved The Outsiders . I loved discussing “Stay gold,” because it thinks it’s relevant to your (8A’s) lives. 11AP: I loved doing argument because we debated all the time, and everyone got to share their ideas on controversial or just funny topics. Seniors: I loved doing college essays with the seniors because I got to know them really well.” Why did you become a teacher? “I became a teacher because I think the best gift you can give someone is knowledge and because as a student, my teachers made school a very good experience, and I wanted to give that to the future generation.” What about North High School made you want to teach here? “I really love the community aspect of North. Every teacher and every student is involved in something within the school and the community, which I really love. When I went to high school, I was very involved with the community and the high school, so that was something that I really liked about North. The opportunities for the staff to get involved in activities with the students is something that really drew me in.” As of your departure from North High School, what is something you learned while teaching here? “ I learned to always follow my gut no matter what it is...that I was trained to do this, and I know what I’m doing and to follow my gut. To always have the hard conversations; even though they may be hard, they are important. I learned to always make sure to value my students as people rather than just students because they are people outside of the classroom, and we need to acknowledge that and understand that in order to give them a well-rounded education.” What is something that you’re going to miss about North High School? “I am definitely going to miss my students and my coworkers. Every day was great because of the people I was surrounded with. Teaching is nothing without the people around you, and that’s what makes it such a great job especially if you’re a people person, so I will miss all the people I have worked with.” What advice would you give other teachers who come to or work at North? “My advice would be to get as involved as possible. We have very long days, and we do a lot of work, but taking that extra time to build relationships within the school and the community and with the students is really important. Showing people that you care about the people you work with, the students you work with, and the place you work in really helps build relationships and gets you more involved to make you a better teacher and a better colleague.” What advice would you give to students at North High School? “My advice to students would be to always keep up with the reading because when you fall behind, it gets really hard. And to be honest and open with your teachers. If you are struggling with something, you should be honest. If you could not complete homework because you had work or you had a personal issue going on, honesty is the best policy. Your teachers are very understanding. We are also people, and we understand that we all have personal lives, so it's always best to be as honest as possible and as honest as you are comfortable with being, so that we can help you in any way that you need.” Ms. Santomauro’s final goodbye to her students : “I am so very lucky to have had all of you in our classes and as a first-year teacher, you were a true blessing. You made me feel very comfortable and very at home in the classroom and I will always cherish all of the memories and relationships we built together as a class. Remember to always do your work!” Ms. Santomauro was a beloved teacher and member of North High School. She made students feel safe and comfortable with learning in the new class environment. We are glad and thankful that we were able to experience her first year of teaching with her. We hope that she excels in her teaching career far past North. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Welcome Back: A Short Guide to the Beginning of the Year at North By Ala Paruch Volume 2 Issue 1 October 8, 2021 Original photography by Alicja Paruch Welcome back North Star Readers! I hope you all had a relaxing summer and a promising beginning of the 2021-2022 school year. With the world, including schools, starting up again, I hope I will help you all accommodate and enjoy it as much as possible! Similar to last year, feel free to send me all of your questions, school or non-school-related, and I will try to help you to the best of my abilities. To kick off a new year, I would like to introduce you to some of the electives and clubs that our school has to offer. Starting with departmental electives, I recommend Drawing and Painting from the Art Department. It can help you get to know yourself better and develop your art skills. Additionally, from the math department, AP Statistics is an excellent choice. Besides changing students’ perspectives on mathematics and the world around them, it teaches valuable skills for adult life. Women’s History , taught by Social Studies Department Chair Ms. Parisi herself, teaches students about the systemic biases towards women in history and the present, making them more self-aware. And lastly, if you have any previous experience in Band , Orchestra, or Chorus , consider joining them again here at VSN. They are great for bringing students closer to the music world and appreciating all types of music. After attending the Club Fair, I can recommend a few of VSN’s clubs as well. Firstly, Senior High Student Council , for grades 10-12, and Junior High Student Council , for grades 7-9, and individual grade councils serve essential roles in moving the school and your grades and leadership skills forward. You can help organize school events and get to know your schoolmates. The Alliance , the school’s club for the LGBTQ+ community and their allies, is also worth joining for diversity, social activism, and fun. Currently, they are preparing for National Coming Out Day, so if you would like to help them, feel free to join! Last but not least, with no bias whatsoever, North Star! North Star , the club in charge of the magazine you are reading right now, brings the North community closer. You can submit an article to us and become a member anytime you would like! Of course, there are many more electives and many more clubs. If you want to find out more about them, contact your guidance counselors or ask your friends who made it to the Club Fair. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Have a great school year, everyone! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections North's Drama Club Rachel Ezeadichie Volume 6 Issue 3 Image Provided by Anya Hixon It was that time of year again! Back in January, Valley Stream North’s Drama Club was preparing to perform their annual spring musical. This year’s performance, Mean Girls , is a popular, preppy musical about life in the satirized high school, North Shore High. Cady Heron (Delaney Dusel), a transfer student from Kenya, learns to navigate her new school and social life with the help of outcasts, Janis and Damien (Rachel Ezeadichie and Justin Levine). When she meets the socialite, popular girl group, “The Plastics,” Cady and her friends plan to infiltrate the group, take down its leader, Regina George (Samantha Salnave), and date Cady’s new Calculus crush, Aaron Samuels (Daniel Mejivar). Spartans prepared to witness the social drama, personal turmoil, and complicated love triangles of North Shore High. This performance was directed by North’s beloved English Chair, Lori Belbol, along with music director Mario Mannarino. The Drama Club was so excited to perform on April 17 th and 18 th . This year’s Fall play, The Suffragette’s Murder , continued the club’s trend of period pieces, taking place in July 1857, although it is a comedy rather than a drama. The Suffragette’s Murder takes place in the Mayhew Boarding House on New York’s Lower East Side. Mr. and Mrs. Mayhew (Daniel Menjivar and Lia Frederique) prepare for a suffragist’s meeting under the guise of hosting a séance with the help of Mr. Jennings (Justin Levine), an eccentric, Black inventor, old-fashioned and grumpy Mr. Albright (Isabella Reichbach) and Mrs. Adams (Samantha Salnave) and Miss Adams (Shea Flannelly and Delaney Dusel), two quirky, southern belles who recently moved to New York due to Miss Adams unwed pregnancy. Their hard work is interrupted by a surprise visit from the Constable (Rachel Ezeadichie), who, along with news of the dead Lauralee Hart (Shea Flannelly and Delaney Dusel), is set on uncovering the secret suffragist plot at Mayhew Manor. Hilarious hijinks ensue when, while conducting a séance to trick the Constable, Lauralee Hart appears to come back from the dead! If you missed the chance to watch this amazing show in person, the matinee performance was recorded and posted on YouTube. Directed by Anya Hixson and Chris Toffolo, this play was an absolute riot to watch and perform. Read about the experience of our beloved Ms. Adams below: Interview w/ Shea Flannelly How do you feel about the current state of production (and drama)? “I feel like the current state of productions are going very smoothly, especially with the new leadership of Mr. Toffolo for Suffragette’s . Things are going exceedingly well considering the circumstances. Everyone is doing their part to make this a great production. We have such a great community of people.” What is your favorite thing about playing with Ms. Adams? “My favorite thing is the southern accent! And playing with someone who is a bit ditzy because I get to channel a different side of myself. I was nervous about doing a southern accent at first, but now it has become one of my favorite parts of playing her.” If you were to give one message out to the cast and crew, what would it be? “Stay silly. I think the way that the cast works is that we all know each other, and we would not have as much chemistry on stage without silliness or without rehearsal. That takes a little bit longer because Lia F. is making everybody laugh. Having fun is such an integral part of the experience. If we all felt indifferent about each other, the Drama Club would not be Drama Club.” BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections Snow: The White, Fluffy Killer By Matteo Somma Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Image provided by AccuWeather On December 17th, 2020, here on Long Island we received 5 to 6 inches of snow. Naturally, as children - or even adults, we leaped outside into the snow. Whether to play or shovel, we had some type of interaction with the white fluff. But what many don’t realize is that snow is toxic and might be putting your health at risk. Earth's temperature rises every year rise due to the burning of fossil fuels, car exhaust, nuclear waste, to name just a few. 3.3 million people die from air pollution every year alone. These toxic chemicals seep into the air, polluting our atmosphere where clouds form. The chemicals suck up the water and air in evaporation, creating toxic chemical clouds. As the clouds release rain/snow/sleet/hail, those chemicals come down into Earth's surface, being greeted by the open tongues of children. Tons of little children every year ingest the snow from the ground, and some families even make snow ice cream. While in small doses it causes little to no harm, large consumptions and long-term exposure to snow can be deadly over time due to the numerous chemicals such as methane, gasoline, fossil fuels, and car exhaust. Surprisingly enough, short-term exposure can also cause sickness and infection. Now you might be asking: How does snow cause infection? Well, it's very simple. We live in the suburbs where many of us don’t have much property. Chances are much of the snow on your property has been touched by a snow boot, shovel or snowplow, all of which are non-sanitary and have touched dozens of surfaces, which can lead to infection. All in all, just keep this in mind the next time you’re looking to dine on some fresh snow. I would opt for some water or ice cream instead, which is much safer and much more delicious. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Nightmare on Main Street Back to Sections Nightmare on Main Street- Emily Dahl Emily Dahl November 6, 2023 Graphite Volume 4 Issue 1

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections History of New Year's Leah Ally Volume 5 Issue 3 January 14, 2025 Image Provided by Max Ching With the arrival of the new year of 2025 and the passing of 2024, it is a milestone worth celebrating. Whether it’s by watching the ball drop at Times Square, lighting fireworks, or making New Year’s resolutions, there are countless traditions that billions of people around the world look forward to. After all, a new year is often considered a clean slate and fresh start for many. However, why is January 1st considered the “new year” and how was it decided? While many may not think about it, there is a rich history behind New Year’s, its origins, and previous celebrations. To really understand the origins of New Year’s we must go thousands of years back to Mesopotamia. Roughly around 2000 BCE was their first New Year’s celebration, which also marked the beginning of a harvest. However, this holiday acknowledged as “Akitu” took place during the Vernal or spring equinox, where there are 12 hours of daytime and 12 hours of nighttime. While Mesopotamia is credited with the earliest celebration of New Year’s, ancient Rome is believed to have played an even more important role. This is because a change in the calendar was made. The original Roman calendar only contained 10 months with March 1st considered New Year’s Day. However, this calendar was based on the lunar cycle and had become misaligned with the seasons. Therefore, a more accurate system that aligned with the solar year had to be created. Julius Caesar would go on two more months, January and February to have a 12-month calendar known as the Julian calendar. The length of the months was also adjusted during this time to better reflect the Earth’s orbit around the sun, ensuring a more consistent and predictable year. January held a lot of importance as well because it was known to honor a Roman God known as Janus, who represented the past and the future. As a result, January 1st was determined to be New Year’s Day. Nonetheless, even more reforms would be made to the calendar to form what is known as the Gregorian Calendar. This was created by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. It was based off of the 46 B.C Julian Calendar, only with minor changes made with days. This is when December 31st was officially coined as “New Year’s Eve”. To this day, the Gregorian Calendar is what is globally followed and accepted, with exceptions of Afghanistan, Iran, Ethiopia, and Nepal. The Gregorian Calendar holds significant importance as it is what determines the dates of holidays, days of the week, and months. Now that the origins of New ear’s have been established and could be better understood, it is significant to discuss some popular traditions that people did to celebrate during ancient times. It is crucial to keep in mind that New Year’s was originally often celebrated in a way that incorporated religion, and mythology yet may have similarities to current traditions. For instance, in Mesopotamia festivals and parades were very common, however these celebrations were very focused on the gods and honoring them. This symbolized the gods rising above all to enter the new year. Another interesting ritual is that the current king at the time would have to kneel to a statue of the god Marduk and confirm that he was leading the city and its civilians correctly. While this appears to be humbling for the king, it represents a sense of loyalty to his people and a reminder of his purpose as not only a ruler, but a leader. In terms of denoting religious significance to their celebrations, Rome proved to be very similar. As previously mentioned, January was significant because it served as representation of Janus the god of the future and transition. Therefore, it was common for Romans to make offerings to Janus. Additionally, they prided themselves on generosity and contributing to their society. As a result, people often gave treats and gifts to the people around them and would even work for part of the day. It is clear both Mesopotamia and Rome considered New Year’s Day to be special particularly in terms of spirituality, but they also had their own individualistic perspectives about it. People have always believed the new year to be a chance to restart or be a new beginning for themselves. This belief encourages many people to seek improvement and look forward to their future with hope. In modern times it is referred to as New Year’s resolutions, but the same ideology has been around for ages. New Year’s has a rich history in a variety of contexts that connect to how we celebrate today. From creations of new calendars to rituals, New Year’s has been through a constantly evolving process. It is no doubt that ancient times differ from our modern society, but it is interesting to learn about what has led to our current perspectives and traditions to ring in the new year. So as we celebrate the beginning of 2025, remember that the past continues to shape our future. Sources: Happy New Year 2025: Happy New Year 2025: Why the world celebrates New Year’s day on January 1st and what are some of its traditions? - The Economic Times The New Year’s Holiday, Explained: From Mesopotamia to Temecula, How We Celebrate the New Year The History of New Year’s Eve | How NYE Celebrations Started 5 Ancient New Year’s Celebrations | HISTORY BACK TO TOP

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

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections Fitness in a Global Pandemic By Alain Deen Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Image provided by ProRedhadb PC Exercise. Mankind’s social construct to maintain both physical health and even mental wellness. Although you might not exercise daily, it is certain that you have before. With that said, after the pandemic first hit, many of our fitness tracks came to a halt. Whether we found pleasure in it or not, it’s safe to say that many left fitness behind at one point. Along with this, the importance of fitness during a time of COVID-19 shines through our extra belly fat and random spikes of unwanted laziness. However, it should be noted that there are various ways to keep fit during these strange times. Whether through a one-minute “Flipgrid” video or a daily routine, it definitely could be done. The Benefits of Exercise during the COVID-19 Pandemic Although we may not want to exercise, it sure is necessary, especially while we’re at home binge-watching our favorite cheesy Netflix originals that happen to be very captivating. Anyway, studies show that levels of anxiety have greatly increased in the past year. Surprisingly enough, a few minutes of exercise a day can aid in preventing an anxious mindset. According to Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigan’s department of health and wellness, strength training has indicated a reduction in symptoms of anxiety for individuals without any type of anxiety disorder. This research highlights the importance of exercise for not only our physical health, but mental health as well. Michigan Medicine’s research further highlights the psychological benefits of exercise. For instance, it promotes positive feelings; “For children and adolescents, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and exercise during the day are associated with elevations in self-esteem, improved concentration, reductions in depressive symptoms, and improvements in sleep”. With all of that said, there are a plethora of easy-to-perform exercises you can do at home…some you might even recognize from your gym class. How has fitness changed? As I mentioned before, fitness during these times has seen rapid and immense change. This is greatly evident in your very own gym class. I had the privilege of interviewing North High School’s PE instructor, Ms. Abbate, about the benefits of fitness, physical education during the pandemic, and her very own exercise routines. What are some of the exercises you've assigned to you students? “We assigned our students more fitness concepts rather than actual exercises. As a department we felt it helped students to understand WHY certain exercises are done and how they benefit the body rather than just giving them a list of workouts to do. Plus, not being able to supervise them while doing exercises at home is a safety concern. Physical fitness is something that will always be part of your life and understanding how you have to modify based on your current fitness level is important to everyone.” How has your teaching style changed for both Health class and physical education? “UGH. How hasn’t it changed? PE was super limited in the beginning and we were not permitted to use any equipment at first, which is kind of critical in PE. I think just having the break from sitting in front of a screen for students who came in person gave PE that glimmer of light that other classes couldn’t offer. But it’s not the same at all; whether you all realize it or not, PE is more than just getting activity in. You’re meshed with students of other grades, some probably not your tight group of friends, working together and breaking social boundaries that aren’t always offered in other class settings. As Ms. Zovich often says, you learn the history of some of the activities we do that ‘might come in handy if you’re ever on Jeopardy! one day!’ and the light-heartedness of PE now is just overshadowed by restrictions. As far as health, a lot of what we do is based on what is called “skills based learning”, meaning we teach through activity. For example, a lesson I love in the Drug and Alcohol Unit involves making everyone jog in place in the classroom and see how they feel. Then they try again but this time I give them a straw (usually I’m able to snag a bunch from Starbucks in the morning) and have them jog in place only breathing through the straw. The point being that it is more challenging, representing how it would feel to have lungs that were damaged from smoking cigarettes/e-cigarettes. While I could probably do that with my in person students, what about those who are fully remote? That was a big challenge I found with revamping my lessons, I would get it to work but then remembered there would be students that I would never have in the classroom. Which brings me to another point, there are students I’ve genuinely never met; this is only my second year at North so most of my students are new to me regardless. Having only met them through a screen is wild to me. So much of health class deals with that quality in person face-to-face experience that this year is lacking. It is quite a challenge to facilitate that same quality connection to fully remote students. It breaks my heart to see you all going through your days like this. To end on a positive note, I’ve improved with my technology use, which is cool. “ What are some exercises YOU do at home to stay fit? “I love to run the boardwalk in Long Beach where I live. If I put on a good playlist or podcast I really get to escape and just go, the views are great too! [I use a] Peloton login, so I have that app with tons of different workouts, not just cycling. I recently started seeing a personal trainer too who is great; it’s 1 on 1 which makes me feel really good with COVID safety protocols and it’s a workout catered just to me”. Do the exercises you assign have both psychological and physical benefits? “Again, like I said we didn’t assign specific exercises we assigned fitness related concepts, but generally speaking if students were to apply those concepts the benefits both physically and mentally are huge. When you exercise, like even something super simple as taking a 20-30 minute walk, is enough to get your heart working enough to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and decrease body fat. As far as mentally, exercise increases your memory (more blood flow to the brain), helps you sleep more restfully, and over time can make your mood elevated and lower stress levels. You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to get quality exercise in and reap these benefits, start small and consistency is key!” Although it may be hard to find the motivation to exercise, it is definitely worth the try. From psychological benefits to physical outcomes, performing a 20-30 workout everyday proves to have its perks. Whether it’s learning why fitness holds such great importance, or simply the desire to stay fit, exercise and fitness will always be of great importance in our daily lives. BACK TO TOP