Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Winter Track By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 3 Issue 3 February 24, 2023 Image provided by AAG Sports I stare across the locker room Wondering what I got myself into … I racewalk a couple laps Wondering what I got myself into … I wait outside freezing, praying someone opens the door Wondering what I got myself into … I stand on the starting line Wondering what I got myself into ...  Winter track ain't that bad That's what they all say But they're not the ones running everyday All the other athletes are nice and warm inside But here I am freezing outside   I’d rather be at home, with a cup of hot cocoa But here I am running my two warm up laps While my friends have a blast And as I put on my spikes I wonder, what did I get myself into?   But as the season comes to an end I realize, that maybe this ain't so bad After all I do have a medal to hang So as I grab the baton one last time I run as hard as I can so I end up with a good time So as I stare across the locker room I put a smile on my face … And as I racewalk a couple laps I push as hard as I can … And while I wait outside freezing, as nobody opens the door I let out a laugh at last … And as I finally stand on the starting line I smile, glad that I joined winter track BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections An Ode to my ID Shea Flanelly Volume 5 Issue 5 July 5, 2025 Walking into VSN I see, three machines staring back at me The security guards at the desk wave, knowing who I am Here’s my ID, the machines beckon for me to scan Security and protection it offers, feeling its presence on my neck, Feeling safe and secure, I walk ahead From lunch, to class, and through the halls Your presence grants safety to us all Swinging the shining photo side to side I walk around with my head up high With it on, I begin to shine Because it holds the essence of a student inside. Even with an unfavorable picture, Its assistance helps my school differ Who I am, where I am, and decipher where I belong Teachers say it’s important, and they were right all along The ID is like my key, that gives me access to my home, Like a knight protecting a king and his throne. With every scan, it unlocks us through the doors Where we can find friendship, community, clubs, and more When that part of me is lost, I know where to go On MySchoolBucks, I can order it and know What’s lost can be found, Especially when you find an ID on the ground. So, here’s an ode, to the one people hate For maybe some will understand that it keeps us safe. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Cherry Topped Cream Cheese Cake By Carolina Grace Figueroa Volume 2 Issue 7 June 13, 2022 Image provided by Food 52 Cheesecakes are dessert cakes made of cheese (usually cream cheese or ricotta cheese), eggs, and sugar. They often have a graham cracker crumb crust that is sometimes held together by melted butter. They are rich, decadent treats with a dense, smooth, and creamy consistency. The filling has a hefty, velvety texture. Some people add sour cream to make it easier to shape or fruit flavoring like strawberry, blueberry, or lemon. They reign as a perfect tasty summer dessert, chilled and sweet delicacies that make perfect antidotes to the heat outside. Cheesecake originated in Greece and was served to the Olympians during the first Olympics held in 776 BC to give them energy. Some people claim they are not really “cakes”, but more of a custard pie, torte, or tart because of the consistency of the base. The base can be made of crushed digestive biscuits and butter, graham cracker crumbs, crushed cookies, pastry, or even sponge cake. Italy makes their cheesecake with ricotta cheese, Germany and Poland use a soft cheese called “quark” or cottage cheese, while the US may use cream cheese or sour cream as the main ingredient. Toppings can range from whipped cream, nuts, chopped fresh fruits, syrups, sour cream, fruit compotes, caramel sauce, chocolate (syrups, shavings, melted), candy bars, cookies, spices, or matcha (a Japanese powdered green tea). In Brazil, cheesecake is served with a thin guava jelly or marmalade layer. “National Cheesecake Day” in the US is celebrated on July 30th of every year, an honorary day when you can indulge yourself with this delightful dessert and sample some of the tastiest flavors ever made (for example, key lime cheesecake or kit-kat cheesecake). My grandmother makes the perfect and delicious cherry topped cream cheesecake that I have ever tasted. It is topped with chilled cherry pie filling and can’t be beaten! I would like to share her infamous homemade recipe and challenge you to make it: Crust 2 ½ cups packaged graham cracker crumbs ¼ cup sugar ½ cup butter or regular margarine, softened Filling 5 pkg (8 oz. size) soft cream cheese 1 ¾ cups sugar 3 tablespoons flour 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel or 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract 5 eggs 2 egg yolks ¼ cup heavy cream Topping 2 cans of 21 oz. Comstock Cherry Pie Filling Needed One 12-inch Springform pan Make crust: In a medium bowl, with hands or the back of a spoon, mix graham cracker crumbs with sugar and soft butter until they are well combined. Press mixture on bottom and sides of 12-inch Springform pan, building up sides of pan to form a rim all around. Refrigerate until needed. Preheat the oven to 500F. Make filling: In a large bowl of electric mixer, combine cream cheese, sugar, flour, lemon peel (or lemon juice), and vanilla. Beat at high speed just to blend. Beat in eggs and egg yolks, one at a time. Add heavy cream, beating just until well combined. Pour in the crust-lined pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250F and bake one hour longer. Take out of the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate for three hours, or overnight. Before serving, add topping; spread Comstock canned cherry pie filling to the top of the chilled cheesecake (add as much to your liking). To serve: With a spatula, loosen the crust from the sides of the pan. Remove the side of the Springform pan. Cut cheesecake into wedge slices (makes 16 to 20 servings). Enjoy! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Netflix Recommendations for each Genre By Isabella Menjivar Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 Original artwork by Isabella Menjivar Over this year’s quarantine, we all can agree that we’ve found ourselves becoming more reliant on TV shows and movies to stay entertained. So, I’ve picked a TV show or movie from different genres that I believe are worth watching! Crime Unsolved Mysteries This show is 10/10 if you love making theories or seeing detectives piece together clues. As someone who now gets bored easily when watching TV, I can guarantee you this series even kept me entertained and in suspense while watching. What makes it so captivating is that watchers are left with only the clues and strong leads in the case, so how you interpret the unsolved mystery is up to you. The stories are as detailed as they can be, by including family members of the victim talking throughout the episodes. Adventure Enola Holmes Even though it takes place in the 1900’s, this movie switches between thrill and heartwarming scenes that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat. Watching Enola navigate her own life offers some beneficial life skills to the audience too! We also meet Enola’s two brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft. If you’re fascinated with London, you’re in luck because that’s where this movie takes place. Millie Bobby Brown from the hit series “Stranger Things” stars in this relatable movie as Enola Holmes. Comedy Work It This movie will appeal to you if you’re a dancer! It involves an intense competition between two high school teams while one team seeks the help of an expert. Starring Sabrina Carpenter, Jordan Fisher, and Liza Koshy, this movie is filled with comedic moments that high schoolers will definitely enjoy. We also see the main character hilariously struggle to impress her college scout. The movie was super enjoyable, had impressive dance choreography, and characters young viewers can relate to. BACK TO TOP

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

Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Faith in Yourself By Ismaela Andre Volume 2 Issue 3 January 14, 2022 Image provided by Medical News Today Faith is an interesting word that many may know the meaning of. Faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something. The definition states that faith is trust in someone or something but, what about yourself? Recently Covid-19 has been affecting everyone’s daily lives. However, it affects the future of the younger generation. Due to this, many do not have faith in themselves. Young people are becoming depressed or upset because Covid-19 caused many to give up on their dreams. No one deserves to feel this way. You should always have faith and believe in yourself. Personally, I want to be a singer, dancer, and a gynecologist; however, due to Covid-19, I gave up on my dream to sing and dance. Recently, I was listening to music and the lyrics inspired me to “run for [my] dream.” Now I have faith in myself, and I want to continue to strive for my goals. I want all of you to do the same. You should have faith in yourself and do what you want to do. Keep going and doing what you love because you get to choose your future path! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Clark and Charlotte's Lovely Marriage Moment By Nora Chery Volume 3 Issue 3 February 24, 2023 Image provided by Unsplash "Ahh -- Bills. Better do some bills. Let see, Water, electric, loans, mortgage…just bills. Bills bills bills bills bills bills bills bills bills bills, still more bills, bills bills bills bills— bills BILLS BILLS BILLS-Oh, Charlotte! Hello, darling."   *Door creaks*   "Hello. I just thought I'd walk by and bring you something to drink while you're working."   *Cling*   "Thank you…dear."   "You still haven't come down for dinner. Should I bring the food, too?"   "No. That’s fine, I'll come down when I'm finished."   "It'll get cold."   "I'll reheat it, it’s fine.”   "Alright then…"   "…"   "…" *Footsteps*   "Oh, not now Charlotte!"   "What!?! A loving wife can't kiss her loving husband?"   "Not while the working husband is paying for the bills that still have yet to be paid and are due to be paid."   "Well those bills can wait, the taxes can wait. Your stupid job can wait!"   "Charlotte--"   "Clark, if you can't eat the food, I cook for you or even let me kiss you on the cheek, then what am I!?! I’m just a mother, and now that's…practically meaningless. Oh…why do we even keep that damn booster seat--"   “I’m so tired of your complaining , acting like you’re some poor ol’ housewife. Why don’t you just get a job, quit being an annoying crybaby, and quit wasting my time?”   “Oh, that’s just like you Clark, you always treat everything with disdain and resentment. Everything always annoys you, I always annoy you. You never even try to sympathize with me, YOU’VE NEVER BEEN BY MY SIDE.”   “Tell me. Tell me why I would I ever be on the side of a woman who couldn’t even get around to watching our own 2-year-old child because she was too busy messing around with Jim McPherson in our own home.”   “…Y-you-”   “What? I what?”   *CRASH*   “That’s exactly like you Charlotte, like a toddler. You can even throw that broken teacup at me if you’d like.”   “You’re DISGUSTING. I want a divorce. Do you hear me!?! I want a divorce!”   *RING RING*   “I’ll go get it.”   “No, I’ll go get it.”   *RING RING CLICK*   “Hello?…Oh, hello Anne…Yes, everything is fine. Clark is fine, we’re both fine…Yes…. It is difficult but we’re sticking together, through this…Thank you, Anne…Goodbye.”   “…”   “…”   “I’m sorry. I’ll clean this up.”   “No, I’ll clean this up. You go down downstairs, I’ll join you in a bit.”   “I’m sorry-“   “Charlotte, I said I’ll join you in a bit.” BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Science & Technology Back to Sections NASA Artemis: We Are Going By Elyas Layachi Volume 1 Issue 5 February 12, 2021 Image provided by NASA The Beginnings of Artemis In 2017, the hearings to appoint a new NASA administrator took place. Jim Bridenstine, the candidate for this position, was confirmed by the full Senate on a party-line vote in 2018. He had two goals for his term: to win over his former critics, and to successfully start Project Artemis, the project to create a permanent human presence on the moon and beyond. The Trump Administration specifically wanted humans on the moon by 2024, and this deadline sadly will not be met. Since 2018, NASA has come a long way in Project Artemis. Many spacecrafts have been developed and tested, and a plan is officially underway, with launches beginning in 2021 through 2028. This article will discuss Artemis, its goals, costs, and main components, and the future of human space exploration. Artemis: Meaning and Overview The Artemis program is named after Artemis, the sister of Apollo in Greek mythology. This makes sense, since Apollo was the name of the primary lunar landings, and Artemis is following her brother’s footsteps. The main goal of Artemis is to “use innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before,” according to NASA. The program began in 2017, when President Donald Trump signed the Space Policy Directive 1, which authorized Artemis and provided it funding. Sadly, it has not received enough funding to occur before 2024, but NASA hopes to land the astronauts and carry out the program no later than 2028. The mission consists of many lunar launches and deliveries to set up the resources and habitation the astronauts will use while exploring the moon. These include exploration ground systems, the space launch system, the Orion capsule spacecraft, and the gateway space station. This article will go into depth regarding each of these components of the mission. Exploration Ground Systems The exploration ground systems program is one of three NASA programs designed to develop and operate the systems and facilities “necessary to process and launch rockets and spacecraft during assembly, transport, and launch,” according to NASA’s overview document. The EGS department of NASA is working on different spacecraft, including SLS and Orion for the first Artemis mission, Artemis 1, with a goal of testing Orion and SLS for a moon launch. The exploration ground systems for Artemis, in other words, include all the structures on the ground to support launch. Space Launch System Dubbed the “most powerful rocket in the world,” SLS is one of the core stages of Artemis. NASA will use it to send humans and cargo to the Moon and beyond, and it was designed to be flexible and evolvable depending on the mission. It is also NASA’s first deep space rocket since the Saturn V, which was used for the Apollo moon landings. NASA defines SLS as a “super-heavy-lift launch vehicle that provides the foundation for human exploration beyond Earth’s orbit.” NASA claims that it is the only rocket that can send Orion, the exploration capsule, astronauts, and cargo to the moon on a single mission . During launch, the SLS will help Orion reach speeds up to 24,500 miles per hour, which is necessary for a trajectory to the moon. Each of the configurations of SLS use RS-25 engines, and the first vehicle, AKA Block 1, can send more than 59,500 pounds to orbit beyond the moon. The first three Artemis missions will use this rocket. The core stages of SLS were built by Boeing in Huntsville, Alabama. Over 1,000 companies from across the US, including Boeing, have contributed to the construction of SLS, and its construction was managed by the Exploration Systems Development Division within the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. SLS can be considered the backbone of the mission. Without its capabilities, sending humans to the Moon seems like a wild aspiration. Orion The Orion Space Capsule, named after one of the largest constellations in the night sky, is designed to “meet the evolving needs of our nation’s deep space exploration for decades to come,” according to NASA’s fact sheet. It will carry the crew to lunar orbit, where it will dock with the Gateway to prepare the crew for lunar descent. After the lunar mission, the crew will return home, and the capsule was engineered to withstand the extreme heat during re-entry. On Artemis 1, its first uncrewed mission, Orion will venture thousands of miles beyond the moon for around three weeks to pave the way for flights with astronauts. Orion is like Apollo in that it is the astronauts’ capsule, but Orion is much larger and technologically advanced. Gateway Built by commercial and international partners, this spacecraft is critical to sustainable lunar exploration and will serve as a model for future Mars missions. It will be an outpost around the moon and will provide vital support for sustainable, long-term human return to the lunar surface, as well as a staging point for deep space exploration. During a lunar mission, Gateway will serve as a relay station between space and the lunar surface. Orion will dock to gateway, and astronauts will spend most of their time on the station. Then, once prepared, they will descend to the lunar surface using the lunar lander and conduct science on the moon. What is the future, after Artemis? NASA hopes to learn much from Artemis, including how astronauts can handle deep-space missions, and whether or not our current technologies are capable of such goals. After Artemis, NASA will use SLS, Orion, and Gateway to pursue many more goals, including human asteroid missions and one day landing on Mars. Exploration of the moon will help us better understand the formation of the universe and will serve as framework for exploring distant worlds. As Jim Bridenstine would say, we are going, and we are going to stay. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Break Dancing to Become Olympic Sport for the First Time in 2024 By Carolina Grace Figueroa Volume 1 Issue 7 April 22, 2021 Image provided by ABC News The Olympic Games are international multi-sporting events that feature summer and winter sports competitions during which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a variety of competitions. More than 200 nations take part in this global athletic sports festival, with the ultimate goal of cultivating people and contributing to unity and world peace through sports. The Olympic Games are normally held every four years, alternating between the Summer and Winter Olympics every two years in the four-year period. The Summer Games were scheduled for Tokyo, Japan in July and August 2020, but were delayed for a year due to the Covid pandemic. They will now take place in July and August 2021 and will not allow spectators from overseas. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which oversees the global sporting competition, has chosen three new sports to enter the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Program, which are surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing. In addition, the IOC has announced that break dancing (also known as “breaking”) has been named an official Olympic sport and will first appear at the 2024 Summer Games to be held in Paris, France. Breaking was the only new sport chosen to make its debut in 2024, hoping to attract and appeal to younger audiences. Breaking is an athletic style of street dance that originated in New York in the early 1970’s. It is a full body activity and a high-energy dance, also known as “B-boying” or “B-girling”, that involves moving to hip hop music. It looks like a combination of dance, gymnastics, acrobatics, and martial arts. Break dancers do hand glides, head spins, and back spins using fluid athletic moves and stylized fast footwork. Breaking mainly consists of four kinds of movement, which are toprock, downrock, powermoves, and freezes. There are bursts of flips, spins, kicks, and freezes. Two very famous break dancing moves are known as “the moonwalk” and “the worm”. This cool form of dance was created as part of the early hip hop movement. Break dancing is popular all over the world, highly creative, and has always included a competitive element, with dancers trying to outdo each other in one-on-one dance “battles”. The next step is for break dancers from around the world to start preparing for 2024. Those dancers with dreams of winning an Olympic medal can train, plan, and prepare their break dancing routines, which will be judged in six categories: creativity, technique, variety, performance, musicality, and personality, There is no system in place yet to decide who will be chosen for the Olympics, but many founders of the break dancing movement are expected to help younger competitors prepare and motivate to train those who are gearing up to compete at the Olympic level. Break dancing will attract more youthful athletes and is a more urban dance style sport that will guarantee high levels of entertainment and much competition at the Summer Olympic Games in 2024. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections The Influence of TikTok By Augustine Magapan Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by Google In September 2016, ByteDance, a Chinese technology company, launched an app called TikTok. The well-favored app was initially the famous Musical.ly app until ByteDance bought it and converted it into the social media known today. As time progressed throughout the years, more people used the app every day. Today, in over 150 countries, TikTok has over one billion users. An average user would open the application about 8 times per day; consequently, it is shown that TikTok has a strong influence on people. Why is that? Our brains have a mechanism of releasing dopamine, a type of neurotransmitter that plays a part in how we feel pleasure. Our phone activity would cause the release of dopamine in our brains which make us feel motivated and happy. When your brain starts to understand this release of dopamine based on what you are doing on your phone, your brain will have the urge to crawl back to the phone for more releases of dopamine. This causes phone addictions for most people because of the happiness they get from going on their phones. TikTok is one of the reasons people are addicted to their phones. An average user would open the application about 8 times per day creating an addiction to a person. This is due to the TikTok videos being short and sweet which creates a diversified “for you page” purposely to keep a user’s attention going from one to another. The videos would be relevant to the dopamine excretion that the brain would release since the TikToks are filtered to a person’s interest making the phone user feel good and want more of it. That is just one aspect of TikTok. People are influenced by TikTok so easily that their habits change. Another aspect of TikTok that influences a person is their music taste. Music is used in many ways. It mainly promotes our well-being since we usually use it to tranquilize ourselves and spurt out our emotions freely. It also helps identify and understand who we are and how to impact society. Initially, people would use Musical.ly to express themselves in videos with music they enjoy before TikTok came on. Multiple trends would arise from certain songs. In TikTok, people now express themselves even further with music. People dance to it. Some express certain parts of the song and identify why it is impactful. Music in TikTok can create a whole new playlist because of the new “for you page” algorithm. TikTok knows what music you would like as well, not just the videos that you are interested in. Usually, people tend to look at which “sounds” or music is trending at the moment and start to hop on board with the bandwagon by doing whatever dance or just recording themselves with the song. I enjoyed certain songs I found on my feed and added them to a playlist on Spotify because they were enjoyable and helped me express my emotions better. Finally, even though it is important to realize how many people in this world have an addiction and strong influence on themselves by being on social media, it can also improve someone’s health. Not all the influence and content on TikTok are useless or unhealthy amounts of entertainment. People can learn new things on TikTok that can be implemented in a person’s normal routine, or perhaps a new diet. Cooking and exercising and also advice for family, school, and relationships are posted as well. Another portion of the content can come from schools or businesses trying to promote their products as well which can flourish the economic state of the online world as well. Overall, TikTok has transformed the metaverse immensely and people from all over the world are using it daily for an excessive amount of time. In the end, however, people can continue to reach out and stay connected with family and friends while being overall healthy by making TikToks or sending them. BACK TO TOP