Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Morning Roast By Erin St. Angelo Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Original artwork by Kimberly Shrestha The sun awakens from its slumber As the sky changes from black to blue. The birds sing and dance, For they are joyous to fetch food. A quiet ranch lay on a sloped hill, Basking in the sun’s glory. The smell of fresh, steaming, hot Coffee fills the man’s nose. The sheets were cold beside him, His wife's whereabouts are unknown. He leaves the warm, cozy King-sized mattress to make breakfast. The bittersweet decadent beans become Fragrant as they brew. The man and woman share their 'Good mornings', cherishing each other's presence. Their first sips of the roast burns down their Throats, a satisfying burn. Their senses becoming more alert. The man sighs in comfort and enjoyment, Now ready to start his day. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections The Kennedys Have Just Lost Their Winning Streak By Logan Balsan Volume 1 Issue 4 January 20, 2021 Image provided by TIME The Kennedy Dynasty has lost its power in government. Recently, Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III, a Democrat from Massachusetts, lost his bid for the United States Senate against incumbent Democratic Senator, Ed Markey. With running for re-election to the House of Representatives impossible, he would be the last Kennedy in Congress, after a record of 59 years in which a Kennedy served in Congress. How did the record begin? Young Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts had beaten Vice President Richard Nixon for the Presidency in the closest election of that time in 1960. Once sworn in, he catapulted his brother, Robert F. Kennedy to the Chief Executive of the Department of Justice as Attorney General. Also, once JFK resigned to be sworn in as President, his Senate seat went to a special election. Do you know who ran for the seat? His youngest brother, Ted Kennedy, who would be the only Kennedy to serve in Congress up to his death in 2010. In 1964, after his brother’s death in 1963, RFK ran for the United States Senate from our own state, New York, beating Republican incumbent Kenneth Keating. Unfortunately, he would also be assassinated on the 1968 Presidential Campaign trail. Many of the brothers’ children and other family members would later serve in government. JFK’s daughter, Caroline, was an Ambassador to Japan during the Obama Administration. Sargent Shriver, husband of Eunice Kennedy, was the 1972 Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee. Amy Kennedy, wife of former Representative Patrick Kennedy, the son of Ted Kennedy, ran against incumbent Republican Representative Jeff Van Drew for the House in 2020. They are a very popular family still to this date. After Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III lost in a tense primary to Ed Markey in 2020, he would be the first incumbent Kennedy to ever lose an election to a congressional position. Will there be another Kennedy in Congress ever again? Only time will tell. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Single Sally Aamna Raja Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by Elaine Ching “I'm scared that I'll be alone for the rest of my life. No one has ever been romantically interested in me. I think I'm going to die single... What should I do?” -Single Sally Hi Single Sally! First of all, it's completely normal to have concerns about your future, especially in high school where social dynamics can feel overwhelming. Everyone wants to be appreciated and loved, and you are! Maybe not romantically, but I’m sure your friends and family love you and care about you as well. Remember, your worth isn't defined by whether someone is romantically interested in you. You have so much to offer beyond romantic relationships. If you want a healthy outlet to express these feelings, I’d recommend focusing on building your self-confidence and focusing on your interests and hobbies. This is great to help you feel better and you may find someone with similar interests this way! Friendships often develop into romantic relationships, so focus on fostering meaningful connections with others. Remember, don't rush things. High school is only the early stages of your love life, and there's plenty of time for romance to grow in the future. Stay open to new experiences and opportunities! You are worthy of love and companionship, no matter your relationship status. Hang in there, Sally, and every other person reading this. You're not alone, and there's an entire world of possibilities waiting for you beyond high school. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections I Will Always Write Back by Caitlin Alifirenka, Liz Welch, and Martin Ganda By Manal Layachi Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 Image provided by I Will Always Write Back I Will Always Write Back by Caitlin Alifirenka, Liz Welch, and Martin Ganda is an inspiring true story about a girl from the United States who writes to a boy in Zimbabwe, in Africa. Caitlin and Martin are very different. Martin comes from a poor family. He can barely afford basic necessities, let alone school. On the other hand, Caitlin comes from a wealthy family. She can afford basic necessities and go to school. For example, she has plenty of food, clothes, shoes, and clean water. In the book, Caitlin is supporting Martin by sending him money for school and necessities. At first, she sent money to Martin by mail, but that wasn’t a good idea because the money kept getting stolen. Caitlin and her mom made Martin a bank account so that it would be easier to send money to him. There are many themes that are shown in the story. First, we should not judge a book by its cover. We don’t know what people are going through or what their life is like, so we should not judge them very quickly. Second, a little bit of kindness and generosity can go a long way in changing someone’s life forever. Caitlin helped Martin turn his life around and now he is successful. Third, we should not take what we have for granted. When Caitlin found out that Martin was poor, she realized that she was lucky that she had all these things. It is important to be grateful for what we have. Finally, friendship is forever. Caitlin and Martin’s friendship stayed strong for their whole lives. That is a magnificent example of a long-lasting relationship. Caitlin felt like Martin was her “brother”. Martin felt like Caitlin was his “sister”. This book would be interesting and memorable for people who have liked books like Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper. I would recommend this book to people who like non-fiction and reading about true stories. The authors did an amazing job describing what their characters’ lives were like and how writing to each other changed both of their lives forever. I like how they included real pictures because it added a nice touch to the story. As I was reading, I felt happy, upset, concerned, cheerful, nervous, amazed, inspired, hopeful, and motivated. All in all, I loved most everything about this book, and it changed my perspective of life and relationships. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections CHESS By Augustine Magapan Volume 3 Issue 3 February 24, 2023 Image provided by Wikipedia Pieces in white, and pieces in black; they form a social hierarchy to win the game of chess and must surround the opponent's king. Play games with your friends, grandmasters, or even your younger siblings. People of any age can learn to play this game if they put in the effort. Chess, a board game dating back to the sixth century, is regaining popularity. Before delving deeper into the game, for those of you who are unfamiliar with it today, chess has many complexities. The first step in learning chess is understanding the board and the pieces. Place the white square on the bottom right to set up the board. After putting the board in its proper place, pawns should be on the second row from the bottom, protecting the other pieces... hence the name “pawn.” The rooks should go in each corner, followed by the knights, or horses, next to each other. Then there's a bishop next to each knight, followed by a queen and king. If you're playing white, place the queen on the white square and the king on the dark square. We can discuss the pieces after everything is ready. A pawn is a weak, helpful piece of equipment for blocking or attacking the board. Pawns can only move one square forward in their first turn; if they have yet to be moved, they can move up to two squares forward in their first turn. To attack, the pawn should only move diagonally against the opposing-colored piece. Another method of attack, revolves around the opponent's first move with their pawns. You may attack diagonally if your opponent moves their pawn two squares forward, and it stands right next to your pawn. That is known as “ en passant.” The rook, which can move in straight, vertical, and horizontal lines, is typically used as a defense piece to protect the king. Then there's the knight, a horse-like figure who can jump over other parts and move in an L-shaped pattern. The bishop can move in straight diagonal lines, and the queen, the most powerful piece, can act as both a rook and a bishop. On the other hand, the king is similar to a queen but can only move one space at a time. Once you've figured out how to move the pieces correctly, you must checkmate your opponent's king based on the placement of your army. When a piece attacks the king directly, the king is exposed, but it can move away or defend. In this scenario, white's bishop is "checking," or directly attacking, the king in this position. Unfortunately, there is nowhere for the king to flee. As a result, Black can move its knight or queen to counter the attack. In this scenario, using the knight rather than the queen is preferable because the bishop could capture the queen after Black uses it to stop the check. White would have the upper hand because Black would have lost his or her most influential piece! It's a fascinating concept, but it wasn't always like this. Even before the 6th century, people in India created the first version of chess, Chaturanga. The term "four-limbed" or "four-arms" refers to an army's various components, including infantry, cavalry, elephantry, and chariotry. Because the game is so old, it needs proper rules, particularly regarding how the pieces move. Some theories about the game can be related to modern chess. The game board was not checkered, but historians believe it was used for other games because it had markings irrelevant to the game itself. One fascinating aspect of the game was how their soldiers could promote it. The idea of promotion is still being determined where. In modern chess, some thought the soldiers could be upgraded to minister or queen, and some speculated that the soldiers would transform into whatever was originally on the board. Furthermore, there were various theories about how to end the game, with people believing that checkmating was not the way to win, which meant that even the King had to be captured. Chess.com has created a chart of the different pieces and a description. Like a pawn in modern chess, the foot-soldier moves only one square forward. As a result, the foot-first soldier's move must be at least two squares ahead. The elephant was similar to a bishop because it could move two squares diagonally. In modern terms, it is still unknown whether the piece can jump over details such as the horse or the knight. A chariot moves like a rook, and the minister can only move one square diagonally. Finally, the king... the most crucial piece in chess, moves like any other king today. The game influenced various nations in Asia and Europe before evolving into the game we knew today in the 16th century. Many people have theorized multiple ways to start their games or create strategic positions to gain an advantage since the 16th century. These are known as openings. The chess theory is a fantastic concept in which millions of people demonstrate their creative abilities and logical reasoning to gain an advantage by creating a solid opening. The player can win the endgame when the opening has done its job, and the player has achieved an advantage. An endgame occurs when the two players have few pieces remaining and must perform a checkmate as soon as possible. Chess does not have to be played on a board, and many people can play it online at lichess.org and chess.com . Students are becoming interested in the game due to the popularity of social media and the use of laptop computers in school. Tournaments and competitive chess play continue to grow as people strive for a specific ranking to demonstrate their skill. You can improve your cognitive thinking skills of logistic reasoning on real-life problems by studying or thinking about chess. Remember that "having the next move is the most powerful weapon in chess." BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections The Culture Fair’s Magnificence By Jeselys Naylana Vazques Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 Image provided by Ariadne Yurem Palacios Martinez On April 1st, 2022, the first VSN Culture Night since the start of the pandemic was held to celebrate the end of World Language Week and everyone's unique and special nationalities from all around the world in school. It was my first time going, and I was excited to see all the different tastes of foods from all parts of the world and the entertaining performances. When you entered that evening, you saw a hallway with various options of food you could try—each one looking tastier than the next. I tried a Mexican dessert; it was amazing and could make anyone happy with just one bite. People wore their traditional clothes, looking spectacular, representing their ethnic backgrounds. Decorations all over the first floor and posters on each table to represent what part of the world the food was from and its significance. There was also a henna booth, and a competition to vote on posters! You thought that was all? As some time passed, it was already time for the fashion show of who wore the best outfit from their culture. It was a hard decision, but the two best dressed won an Amazon gift card! After all this, there were dance performances; participants choreographed and sometimes sang a song. I can't even put into words how spectacular Culture Night was. If I were to, though, I would say it was magnificent, and I wish to not only attend again next year, but to also participate in it all. If you couldn't participate in or make it this year, never forget there is always next year! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Portfolio Back to Sections Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque By Marisa Mohan June 13, 2022 Photography Volume 2 Issue 7 This was taken in Dubai at one of the world's largest mosques, Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque.

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Leaps and Bouts: Adaobi Okammelu's Fencing Feats Rehmat Kaur Volume 5 Issue 4 April 8, 2025 Image Provided by Adaobi Okammelu Adaobi Okammelu started fencing during her freshman year, inspired by her Aunt from Arkansas. After years of trying to convince her mom to let her play a sport, Okammelu decided to give it a try after finding it listed as one of her district’s winter sport offerings. During tryouts, the gym was packed, but only 22 girls were allowed on the team. Then Okammelu realized that she would be “stabbing” people and getting “stabbed.” At that moment, she described herself as “the worst fencer on the team;” however, she had spirit and drive, so she appreciated the opportunity to fence in exhibitions rather than beating herself up for not fencing in official bouts. Fencing is an individual combat that contributes to the overall team score. During a meet, there are three rounds consisting of nine bouts. A bout is a three-minute individual match where the fencer who reaches five points first wins. Each round has three bouts, one for each of the three fencing weapons: foil, sabre, and epee. Sabre is fast paced, with slashes to the opponent's upper body and head. Foil, the most technical, targets only the upper body and excludes the head. The referee is more critical of attacks and movements with foil, as it is the lightest sword. Epee has fewer restrictions, allowing you to hit anywhere on the body without right of way. Foil starts the round, while epee concludes it, leading into the next round. You win the meet by reaching 14 total bouts first. The team that wins the meet by achieving 14 total bouts first wins. Okammelu won about 2-3 bouts out of the entire season which is approximately 60 potential bouts. To prepare for meets, Okammelu finishes long assignments the night before, eats a filling dinner, packs her gym bag with fencing gear, shoes, and medical supplies, and ensures that she gets a good night's rest. After school, Okammelu prepares for fencing by stretching, practicing drills with a teammate, and coaching epee fencers. She leads a prayer before each round to reassure teammates and offer encouragement. Have you faced any challenges in fencing? How did you deal with them? Okammelu: “I’ve faced many challenges, which I can break down into three categories: mental, physical, and social.” When facing an opponent on a 14-meter-long strip, “I experienced anxiety and thoughts about losing, tripping, or stepping into the warning line.” Most of the time, Okammelu felt she was an opponent to herself. She shares “I would beat myself up over losing a bout or letting my opponent get close to scoring when I could have easily prevented it by changing my movements.” Okammelu talks about her experiences in fencing, highlighting what her coach said about the importance of giving oneself grace and not constantly criticizing oneself. Okammelu has experienced physical injuries, but the worst was when she collapsed during the finalist round of the Manhasset tournament, “at that point, I’d been fencing for almost five hours straight.” Despite the pain, she decided to continue with the tournament after receiving a hug from her coach: she placed 4th out of 40 girls! “I’ve never been prouder of myself. Fencing is about pushing yourself, just like any other sport, and I’m glad I was able to continue even when pushed past my limits,” Okammelu remarks. Okammelu elaborates on a social challenge she faces and states, “A social challenge that many of my teammates and I face as well is racism. Our district’s fencing team is one of the few, if not the only, team in the county with more than three black fencers. Over half of our team is black. Due to this, there have been microaggressions from other coaches or opponents, in subtle ways that don’t warrant a yellow or red card for discrimination.” Okammelu recalled an incident where the coach of an opposing team tried to get their teammate carded for the “inappropriate” length of her faux locs, which concerned the team. “I’ve overheard opponents openly pointing out or discussing when my teammates and I wear bonnets or scarves to protect our natural hair. I’ve even heard coaches and parents say to their children, “Don’t lose to someone like her.” Okammelu keep her head held high and expresses, “this challenge is something we all face, in different ways, throughout our fencing—simply because we’re in a sport dominated by people who don’t look like us. The best way we address it is by making sure we win our bouts. There’s nothing we can say to change their mindset, so we prove we’re here to do one thing and one thing only: fence.” Okammelu finds the team to be more like a found family. “Like many siblings, we sometimes get into silly arguments, eat each other’s food as if we bought it ourselves, or decorate each other’s hair with pink bows for our Wednesday meets, when we all wear pink. Our coach is the glue that keeps us together, even if that means rubbing his bald head like a magic ball to give us ‘good luck’ before we go on the strip to fence. When I joined fencing, I didn’t just gain armor and a weapon—I got a family.” Okammelu aims to improve her parries and flushing techniques, which are hand movements used to set up or prevent an opponent's attack. They use parry 6, which involves tightly circling the blade against the opponent's, parry 4, which beats and presses against the opponent's sword while leaning in to land the attack, and parry 8, which involves tightly circling over the opponent's blade, aiming for their thighs. Okammelu also wants to improve her blade work when performing these parries so she can reduce her reliance on performing the same parry over and over. Flushing is a quick move meant to surprise the opponent, and she has only successfully hit her opponents a few times with this technique and would love to master it.” Full Interview with Adaobi Okammelu How have your challenges impacted your motivation to play sports? Okammelu: “The challenges I face only reinforce my goals to be better. Any microaggression or injury I encounter motivates me to show others that I’m good at this sport for a reason—and I want to show them why.” What do you want to see our school team accomplish? Okammelu: “I want to see over half of our team make it to individuals [County Fencing Championships].” What role do you want to play on our district’s team? Okammelu: “While I am currently captain, if there’s a chance to return after graduation as either a referee or coach, I’d love to!” Coach Ferrante, who has been Okammelu’s coach since her freshman year, and according to her, “one of the funniest, nerdiest, and most teddy-bear-like coaches you could ever meet,” constantly pushes her to improve and reach her full potential. He has taught her to be strong and fence aggressively, constantly defends the team during their meets, and ensures they are treated fairly by both referees and opposing coaches. “He’s a great coach, and I’ll be sad to leave him after our last season together.” One major highlight for Okammelu was their meet against Garden City, where they had been ahead by 6 but tied at 13. Okammelu was originally supposed to fence in two rounds but was subbed in for the final round, knowing she would be the last fencer to fight in the final round. In the final bout, she faced a very skilled opponent. With 20 seconds left, the score was tied at 4. “My teammates were yelling from the sidelines, and my anxiety was through the roof.” As the referee began the bout again, her opponent rushed towards her, “surprisingly, I extended my arm and scored the final point. It was one of the most stressful moments of my fencing career, but also one of the best.” What do you want our readers to know about fencing? Okammelu: “Fencing is just as technical and intense as it seems. It requires time and dedication, just like any sport, so don’t be fooled by its elegance thinking it’s soft. Getting hit with a sword isn’t as bad as it seems. Most of the time, depending on the weapon, you’re getting hit in the same areas, and eventually, you get used to it. While bruises do happen, it’s rarely serious. However, epee fencers often find bruises in the weirdest places! Also, we don’t have a boys’ fencing team at the moment, but hopefully, with time, our district will open up fencing to boys as well!” What do you hope for this season, both for yourself and the team? Okammelu: “As this is my final [senior] year, I hope to perform my best one last time for our district’s team. I just want to go out strong with some of my favorite teammates. While I do worry for the team’s success each year as the seniors leave, I can proudly say we’ll be alright—and even better—after this season.” BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections NS2 By Alisson Andrea Alas Bonilla Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Image provided by Motion Array She wakes up every morning to take her little girl to school. She bathes her and brushes her hair. Exceptionally gentle, she cares. The little girl gets to school, sits on her chair. To pay attention, she swears. Her teacher glances at her. A young Voltaire, she’s aware. School ends. Her mother at work can’t pick her up. So she walks. She walks alone, wanting to get home. Chilly with an evening sky, she notices a man behind her. She hurries up a little. He grabs her from the middle. He puts a wet cloth on her face. The next thing she knows, she is in an unknown place. She screams, “Please let me go; I’m only 8, for all I know.” He doesn’t seem to listen. Screaming in despair, she wishes to see her mother once more. She can feel pain through her veins. So unfair, she thinks. He stops for a while, takes one drink, looks at her, and winks. “Please, my mother is worried. I’m young, and you must be done,” she says with bloodshot eyes. He turns, “You think I mind, little girl? You think I care at all? Chose you of all the young ones in the world, had to hurt your mother one way or another”. She puts her hands to her head. Teardrops on her face. She wonders what her mother has done to deserve such a fate. Why must she receive all this hate? Will I die tonight? Will I have sight of her again? Will I win this fight? Or is he just insane enough to keep hurting me? “Who are you?” she asked with a frightened voice. He turned with a devious smile. She stared for a while. She looked at his hair, his eyebrows, his eyes, and finally, his lips, where a mirror image of her birthmark lay. Exactly where she had hers. Suddenly she knew, and he knew she knew. He smiled and walked towards her. She backed away. There was nowhere to run. No doorway. No way out. “Please, I know who you are!” she screamed with every ounce of her, through the burning agony. “What you did to her, you are doing to me...!” And then everything went black. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Be My Valentine By Huan Evo Alipio Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by National Geographic Kids Another year Another day  Always seeing you just to say “hey” I have been wanting for you to be my valentine But I am quite frightened that we will not combine The day I came up to you to break the question  You shockingly voiced out a confession That night we had fun and a delightful hour  And me, thinking that you are the right person, I would give a bouquet of flowers Mesmerized by your beauty, personality, and amazing sense of humor  I see myself being with you in the future  As we grow old, we stay together  With you by my side making our every struggle light as a feather  Sadly, I went up to the sky  Even though I did not get a chance to say goodbye There I was again in my new life asking, “Would you be my valentine?” BACK TO TOP