Back to Articles News Back to Sections Signs for Wellness By Aleeza Dhillon Volume 2 Issue 1 October 8, 2021 Original photography by Eva Grace Martinez To kick off Wellness Week, North’s AP Biology and Science Research students made eye-catching signs. Mr. DiSclafani’s students put their creative skills to use by designing signs that promote the importance of mental health. They held their signs high while participating in the “Wellness Walk” on North’s new track. Here’s what Adaobi Okammelu had to say about her experience: “I had so much fun creating the signs to be a representative for 9th grade Science Research for Wellness Day. It was so great seeing others come together for such a nice event!” By combining physical science with mental health, these signs turned out awesome. The opening of the wellness center will allow students of all disciplines to visit and either meet one-on-one with a counselor or participate in group activities, including mindfulness practices. BACK TO TOP

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Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections The Neuroscience of Summer Vacation By Alyssa Garufi and Hannah Lee Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Image provided by Manual Red Eye As the school year comes to an end, most students begin to experience improved moods and excitement for summer. Summer is a time of year in which students do not have to worry about school or tests; it is a break from the constant cycle of work during the school year, whether through a prolonged trip to another country or even just an escape to the local beach. Vacations lead to a change in a student’s life from the usual rhythms of school during the summer. This change in routine can limit an individual’s stress and anxiety and cause them to feel happier and more adventurous. There is no doubt that summer vacation imbues significant improvements in an individual's health; however, some research shows that it is not only the lack of school that causes these improvements, but the very science behind the summer season has shown to limit mental fatigue.  The neuroscience of summer vacation starts with the increased prevalence of vitamin D. Vitamin D is an essential component of the human body that comes from the sun. It is good for the absorption of iron, proper function of the immune system, wound healing, and maintenance of cartilage, helping an individual sustain a healthy life. However, during the winter months, there is less sun exposure, resulting in a widespread vitamin D deficiency among individuals. There is a great correlation between vitamin D deficiency and mental illness, usually resulting in depression, chronic stress, and anxiety. It is the very vitamins themselves that come from the sun that makes summer as appealing as it is. Not only does the sun give you excess vitamin D, but so does exercise. The more physical activity you partake in, the more vitamin D your body produces, thus decreasing levels of stress and anxiety. The summer climate also plays an important role in this production of vitamin D, since increased temperatures mean there is a greater chance of an individual running around and partaking in physical activity outdoors, like swimming. The summer season has a strong correlation between increased levels of vitamin D in the body, and thus greater well-being.   In addition to an increase in vitamin D during the summer days, there is also more time for physical activity. While many of us may instinctually want to rest and relax, it is incredibly important to ensure that we take some time for physical activity during the summer break as well, due to the numerous benefits it yields to our mental health. A recent meta-analysis of studies found that aerobic exercise prevents age-related deterioration in the hippocampus, which is the region of the brain that controls memory and learning. As we age, our hippocampus shrinks, thus decreasing our ability to remember and learn information. People who make time for aerobic exercises, such as running, hiking, or swimming, demonstrate a much slower rate of deterioration. This allows the hippocampus, and our memory and learning skills, to remain intact much longer than those who did not exercise. Making time for this sort of exercise is incredibly important in maintaining our brain health, and during the summer we have plenty of time to do so. The exercise required doesn’t have to be extreme, it could be anything from a bike ride to the store or a morning walk around your neighborhood. By increasing your physical activity during the summer break, you can easily improve your brain health and decrease the rate at which your hippocampus shrinks. Summer vacation also gives us the time to relax and take a break. As many scientists have already concluded, cell phone addictions are a prevalent problem in many people. We use our cell phones for nearly everything, and it is rare that we are found without our phones. Most of our population has a cell phone by the age of 12, and an even greater percentage has a phone by the age of 14. A 2015 study found that 63% of American university students had an evident cell phone addiction (Scheyer). Addictive behavior dysregulates the reward system of the brain. It leaves a lasting impact on both behavioral and emotional domains such as reward anticipation, judgements, and rational decision-making skills by altering the dopamine levels in the brain. An addiction to cell phones is correlated with loneliness, poor sleep, and chronic stress, which all lead to chronic inflammation in the brain. This increases the rate of neurodegeneration, decreases cognitive function, and causes issues such as chronic anxiety and depression. Vacation can allow us to disconnect from our cell phones, thus allowing us to recuperate from the stress induced by our always-connected lifestyle. Taking a break from our cell phones is incredibly important, as it will relieve the anxiety and stress that comes from always being on them. Breaking our constant connection to our cell phones during our summer vacation will allow us to relieve some of the depression and loneliness that results from our phones. This also helps us break our addiction to cell phones as well, allowing the effect on our behavioral and emotional domains to be lessened. Overall, summer break can help us in many ways. Increasing our levels of vitamin D intake, raising our levels of physical activity, and decreasing the amount of time spent on our cell phones will allow us to relax and limit our mental fatigue. This allows us to increase our brain health by decreasing the prevalence of mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety. Scientific studies have found that taking a break such as summer results in decreases in the psychological measures of stress and depression, as well as improved brain health. However, while it is important for us to focus on improving our brain health, it is also important for us to focus on ourselves during this break. Ensure that you enjoy your time off so you can be refreshed and re-energized for the upcoming school year! Source: The Neuroscience of Summer Vacation - Maze Engineers (conductscience.com) BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Aaron Judge Makes History By Leah Ally Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by Fox News Aaron Judge has made baseball history. The New York Yankees’ star outfielder, age 30, smashed his 62nd home run of the year, setting a new American League record for most home runs hit in a single season. On October 4th, 2022, against Texas Rangers pitcher Jesus Tinoco, Roger Maris’s 61 home-run record was surpassed after 61 years of holding the profound title. Coming into the league in 2016 at 24 years old, Yankee fans had high hopes for the young star, as he was the 32nd pick in the first round of the MLB 2013 draft. Judge would go on to have a record-breaking rookie season while winning numerous Player of the Month awards and being named American League (AL) rookie of the year, finishing as runner-up for the most valuable player in the AL. He was selected as an All-Star, becoming the first-ever debut player to win the Home Run Derby. Relating to his current achievement of 62 home runs within a season, Judge stood for two years as having the most home runs (52) for a rookie in MLB history. Unfortunately, after this extraordinary year, Judge would suffer from several injuries, including a wrist fracture and a rib fracture. Although Judge faced numerous setbacks, including the Covid-19 pandemic, he continued to succeed in maintaining high batting averages, getting league awards, and standing out on the team. He is responsible for leading the Yankees to the playoffs for nearly 5 years straight (2017-2022). Before the 2022 season, Judge had not yet successfully negotiated a long-term contract with the Yankees after turning down a seven-year, $213.5 million contract extension, creating tensions with Yankees’ management and uncertainty about Judge’s future with the Yankees. Shortly after, a $19 million deal for one year was made official with the manager, Brian Cashman. As the season began, Judge started off strong, picking up home runs nearly every game and making an even bigger name for himself. As it got deeper into the year, it was clear Aaron Judge had his sights set on making history, as every at-bat without a home run was followed by disappointment by both him and his fans. After hitting his 62nd home run, “Judge spoke about how he felt about being named the AL home run king, which he admitted was a “big relief” getting that done with the amount of pressure hovering over him each at-bat. When asked about the most memorable part of this season he was quoted stating “The fans at home, the fans on the road. The constant support. Seeing Yankee Stadium on their feet for every single at-bat. They’re booing pitchers for throwing balls, which I’ve never seen before. I think I got a base hit the other night and I think I was getting booed for hitting a single.” Although Aaron Judge’s next step in the MLB is unknown, for his 2022 season, he proved his value as a player, and it is safe to say there is more to come for the young star. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections An Interview With Ms. Sarmiento By Elyas Layachi Volume 3 Issue 2 December 23, 2022 Image provided by Elyas Layachi *Message Elyas for text * BACK TO TOP

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Back to Artwork Art Guild Back to Sections Art Guild- Chamille Malcolm Chamille Malcolm November 6, 2023 Mixed Media Volume 4 Issue 1

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections The Great Political Divide Breeana Bernabe Volume 5 Issue 2 November 25, 2024 Image Provided by Unsplash With the upcoming election approaching, tensions were rising between the two political parties, causing a great divide amongst the people in what is supposed to unite the population together under the country’s best interests. With each candidate, Harris and Trump, continuously trying to win over voters in swing states and close the poll gap, the odds were constantly changing, which resulted in an unpredictable election. Although this event brought much anticipation for the results, it also created uncertainty for the future of the United States.  The American political system is characterized by two main parties, Democrats and Republicans. Republicans are known for their more conservative policies, often appealing to the older generation. Policies include restricting illegal immigration and protecting the right to own firearms. Whereas Democrats are characterized as progressive thinkers who challenge past precedents, as seen in advocating for LGBTQ and abortion rights. These key differences have prompted heated debates, ranging from essential rights such as access to healthcare, and what is deemed acceptable in today’s society which include the freedom to express one’s identity. Across numerous social media platforms, the discussion of politics has become a hot topic for members of the younger and older generations alike. However, these discussions usually fail to occur in a civil manner but rather aim to degrade the opposing party. Instead of encouraging healthy debates regarding the future wellbeing of the country, these social media platforms fuel attacking others of differing opinions, further worsening the political divide. This creates the mindset that it is acceptable to hate and ostracize others solely based on their political viewpoints. In a study on social media’s effects on democracy, it was found that “64% [of adults] say it has a bad impact…and more than four-in-ten say it has made people less civil in how they talk about politics” (Pew 2022). In order to bridge the divide, it is especially important for media outlets to equally represent both political parties. Nowadays, media outlets themselves have become biased and filtered, so that their news regarding politics has become unreliable. Furthermore, it was discovered that “a median of 84% across the 19 countries surveyed believe access to the internet and social media have made people easier to manipulate with false information and rumors” (Pew 2022). Thus, with a lack of reliable sources, misinformation becomes increasingly common with one goal; to attack and degrade the opposing party. Additionally, it is important to consider that each person has their own needs which may not apply to the general population. Referring back to the general policies of each party, it is clear that the two main parties, Democrat and Republican, appeal to different populations; yet why is this often dismissed? The answer is that society continuously fails to engage in healthy discourse to expand upon their knowledge. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the people themselves to bridge the political divide. This can be achieved through keeping an open mind and considering various viewpoints even if they may not align with personal beliefs. Keeping an open mind does not mean conforming to others’ beliefs, its purpose is to give other people the opportunity to express their thoughts. Essentially, there is no correct candidate that satisfies the needs and beliefs of the entire population; therefore, to wholly dismiss an individual’s political belief only to justify one’s perspective is to claim that there is a ‘right option.’ To go against this concept is to deny the basis of democracy itself, which gives people the choice to elect their leader.  Especially with the two-party system, it is difficult to nominate a candidate who is free of faults. A person’s choice in the election does not necessarily mean they agree with everything being said by a particular political entity, but rather the general basis of their campaign. Furthermore, people tend to vote based on different criteria, whether it is a candidate’s character or what they promise to deliver. To determine a person’s worth solely based on who they choose to elect is not an accurate measure of their character. Overall, politics should not be a dividing factor among the people, but an opportunity to freely vote and express one’s beliefs. After all, the voice of people cannot profit from divide, although separated by choice, we are united by needs.  Sources: Wike, Richard. “Social Media Seen as Mostly Good for Democracy across Many Nations, but U.S. Is a Major Outlier.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 6 Dec. 2022, www.pewresearch.org/global/2022/12/06/social-media-seen-as-mostly-good-for-democracy-across-many-nations-but-u-s-is-a-major-outlier/ . BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Nostalgic Musings Back to Sections Shehar Bano - Nostalgic Musings - 1 By Shehar Bano February 10, 2022 Photography Volume 2 Issue 4

Back to Artwork Who Am I Back to Sections Anonymous - Who Am I? - 1 By Anonymous November 19, 2021 Volume 2 Issue 2