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Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Obbession By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 3 Issue 1 November 7, 2022 Image provided by Green Robe Girl just tell me why It feels like you're obsessed with me Cuz you've been spreading rumors Like its butter on bread, please   Obsession ain't a good thing honey You need to drop it, please Cuz you've been painting pictures Like I'm someone that you know   We used to be best buddies, now look at us, oh Sitting on opposite sides of the room We used to gossip all day Now I can't stand the sight of you   You’re the one that wants to fight but you’re the victim too? Playing both sides of the story doesn't look too good for you After all you can't be the villain and the hero too Every story there's one main character, and that sure ain't darn you   Laughing at each other's jokes, now I just want to choke All those pictures in my room, need to burn them down Accusing me of hurting you when I actually sewed you back Wished I saw your true colors, before it was too late   Girl just tell me why It feels like you're obsessed with me Cuz you've been spreading rumors Like its butter on bread, please   Obsession ain't a good thing honey You need to drop it, please Cuz you've been painting pictures Like I'm someone that you know   Every class we had together, we were inseparable, oh Now I make sure we're as separate as can be Paring up for every class, now I run across the room Only god knows why I trusted you   Spilled all my secrets to your so called "friends" Hope they're treating you like you've treated me, facts All that staring you've been doing, isn't getting you anywhere So I suggest you drop the act, ‘cuz it looks like you're obsessed   All my friends been telling me, how you always darn ask If I've gotten another best friend or did I replace you I'm used to pain honey, so don't worry, that's right I moved on right after I blocked all your socials, oh   Stop following me around, it’s getting creepy I know you want to come back, but I'll never let you Hurt me once shame on you, hurt me twice shame on me There's no three times the charm, in friendships, sweetheart   Girl just tell me why It feels like you're obsessed with me Cuz you've been spreading rumors Like it’s butter on bread, please   Obsession ain't a good thing honey You need to drop it, please Cuz you've been painting pictures Like I'm someone that you know   It's so sad how this turned out, it could have been forever Every time I walk the halls, I think of you honey We used to be the best of friends, isn’t that right? It’s such a shame, you let jealousy, come in the darn way BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections The History of Valentine's Day By Sahar Ali Volume 3 Issue 3 February 24, 2023 Image provided by National Geographic Kids Celebrated every year on February 14th, Valentine’s Day is when loved ones show their affection and receive flowers, candies, and gifts. Valentine’s Day is also known as Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine. Thousands of people worldwide celebrate Valentine’s Day, but have you ever wondered about the history behind this Day full of love? Valentine’s Day is assumed to have originated from the Roman festival of Lupercalia (which is celebrated during mid-February) due to the similarities of both celebrations. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I had forbidden Lupercalia and is thought to have replaced it with St. Valentine’s Day. However, until the 14th century, Valentine’s Day was not celebrated as a day of romance. In the past, there have been many Christian martyrs named Valentine, but Valentine’s Day has most likely gotten its name from a priest who had been martyred by emperor Claudius II Gothicus around 270 CE. There are many legends about who Saint Valentine actually was and his backstory, which is why people cannot pinpoint the holiday’s true history. In the 1500s, formal messages known as valentines started to appear. Commercially printed cards then started to show up by the late 1700s. During the mid-1800s, the first commercial valentines were printed in the United States. These valentines mostly portray the Roman god of love, known as Cupid. Additionally, hearts are depicted in valentines since they show emotion. Birds are also a huge symbol of Valentine’s Day because their mating season starts mid-February. On Valentine’s Day, people will gift the people they love candy and flowers to show their affection. The most traditional Valentine’s Day gift are red roses since the y symbolize beauty and love. Refrences: Valentine’s Day | Definition, History, & Traditions | Britannica BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Portrait Back to Sections Fairy Light Circles By Sienna Munro January 20, 2021 Photography Volume 1 Issue 4

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Cross Country By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 Image provided by NBC News Close your eyes Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth Call out your goodbyes And then head out south That's how we run in Cross Country. 2.5 miles or 3.5 miles? Locals or perimeters? None of those bring out smiles Each step feels like 5 kilometers But what can I say? That's what we do in Cross Country. Core every day Doesn't matter what you say Boyens always on your back But I trust him when it comes to Track, Living Environment, or Cross Country? What he'd choose is a guess too easy. In our team, there are no walkers After all, we do have energy from all those crackers Motivation flows through our veins It doesn't matter how much it pains After all, if there is no pain, what did we gain? Close your eyes Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth Call out your goodbyes And then head out south That's how we run in Cross Country. We have the best coach If I had problems, he’d be the one I approach Runs with us every day It doesn't matter if the destination is far away We're all as tough as rock It'll take a lot to get us in shock. We've got the hardest sport It doesn’t matter that we don’t have a court Football, volleyball, soccer, tennis and more All got nothing to damage our score Some days I really want to cry But I never did, since Boyens wouldn’t even let me try. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections A Comparison of Mean Girls (2004) and Mean Girls (2024) Mya Hans Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by Elaine Ching Mean Girls is a 2000s classic that has been turned into a modern musical movie. The original is loved by many; there’s an entire fandom behind it. But regarding the new version, people have had some positive and negative opinions. As someone who has seen both more than once, I picked up on a few things that distinguish the productions from each other. One major change I noticed was the fashion. The fashion in the newer Mean Girls isn’t true to the characters’ personalities or even to what they would normally wear. Especially near the end of the movie, the girls started to wear blue which is something that is extremely out of character because they always wear pink. In fact, one of the movie’s most popular lines is, “On Wednesdays we wear pink.” Also, the outfits were very ordinary in the new movie, similar to outfits people would wear today. But the whole idea of the movie is that the “mean girls”—Regina, Gretchen, and Karen are “better” than everyone else. Therefore, I think that the girls should stand out fashion-wise and wear more expensive and luxury brands. I personally prefer the vintage, girly 2000s fashion from the original, but some may appreciate that the newer version encapsulates today’s fashion trends. Another obvious difference between the 2004 and 2024 versions is the musical aspect. The original Mean Girls movie is not a musical while the other one is; this is a key element to the story. The new version of Mean Girls tells the story through the songs, so there are a lot of songs in the movie, specifically 14 tracks in only 1 hour and 52 minutes. I personally thought the music was an interesting addition to the movie, but when I was in the theaters and a song came on, everyone seemed annoyed. If you aren’t someone who enjoys movie musicals like Grease , Mamma Mia , or La La Land , you may not like this version of Mean Girls . Overall, the plot was pretty much the same. The actors playing the characters in the new version are also obviously very different (although some from the original made appearances in the new movie). The actors in the original version at the time were well-known compared to the actors in the new version. In the original, the most popular actors in that movie during the time were Tina Fey, Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried, and Rachel McAdams. But in the new movie, the only actors with familiar faces would probably be Reneé Rapp for her music, and Christopher Briney from The Summer I Turned Pretty . Besides them, all the actors are not too well known which might cause hesitation amongst people to see the movie. I think both movies are worth seeing. One is a classic, and the other is a newer and modified take on the characters, fashion, and more. I think the new movie is proof that nothing is better than the original. Despite this, I still like the new movie, but the original takes the cake in my opinion. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Drug Abuse During the Pandemic By Everton Prospere Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Image provided by The Economist While the threat of COVID-19 continues, a hidden issue grows. Drug abuse has skyrocketed in the United States overall and right here in New York, both for adults and adolescents. The factors contributing to this crisis include the disruption of everyday life and stress. In New York City, overdose deaths have dramatically escalated in the past year. According to The City newsroom and a report from the City University of New York, 22% of injection drug users reported reusing needles, a fourfold increase from the previous year. Furthermore, the Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine detailed that the opioid crisis has also increased, largely due to the pandemic. The magazine interviewed Charlotte Bismuth, a former New York County’s assistant district attorney, who stated, “[people] are living in tents because they lost their spot in sober homes because they lost their job...it’s so much worse than it was when Covid began [in regard to the opioid epidemic]”. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] has reported the overdose deaths during 2020 to understand a more numerical value. As per the CDC, over 81,000 United States citizens died of drug overdose deaths, the largest number reported by the CDC. The agency supports the claim that the pandemic contributed to the increased number of substance abusers and, in turn, deaths due to “the disruption to daily life.” In addition to the considerable increase in drug abuse, the profound impact of drugs on teenagers during the pandemic must not be ignored. Time magazine reports a study conducted by the organization FAIR health, in which a sharp spike in drug abuse was discovered in comparison to the year before the pandemic. In addition, the University of Minnesota reports an increase of 94.9% regarding overdoses in 13-year olds and a 119.3% increase in 18-year olds. While the factor of everyday life disruption is included as a cause of this statistic, stress levels must also be accounted for. Schoolwork especially has resulted in over half of students stressing more in the 2020 school year than the 2019 school year, as per a survey conducted by the NBC News and Challenge Success non-profit. The pandemic has caused increased levels of drug abuse due to a disruption in daily life and stress. While teenagers especially may feel these struggles, we are reminded once more during the celebration of Red Ribbon Week at North, which takes place between March 15th and March 19th , to live a drug-free life. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections The Evolution of Growing Up By Craig Papajohn-Shaw Volume 1 Issue 7 April 22, 2021 Image provided by Aly Buyer I can’t wait to grow up. I can’t wait to go to high school. I can’t wait to drive. I can’t wait to live my life to its fullest. I wish I was like them. I wish I wasn't afraid of failure. I wish I could go back. I wish I wasn’t my own worst enemy. I wanted to live my life. “Life will only get harder from here,” we were told at a young age. We ignored the warning. But now that we are older, We understand that our dreams may not always become reality. And we just have to focus on the little joys of life. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Geocaching By Carolina Figueroa Volume 2 Issue 5 March 28, 2022 Image provided by Winchester-Frederick Country Convention & Visitors Bureau Do you love to be outdoors, solve riddles, and search for interesting things? If so, you may want to try searching for geocaches! Geocaching is a popular “fun outdoor recreational activity and hobby that feels like real-world treasure-hunting”! People participate in geocaching from all over the world by using navigational techniques to “hide and seek” compact containers at specific locations marked by coordinates worldwide. They hide small containers, called geocaches or caches, with small prizes inside, and then other people try to find them using maps and clues on their Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers or GPS-enabled mobile devices. Currently, there are more than 3 million geocaches hidden around the world for people to find. A typical geocache is created when a player hides a small-scale waterproof container somewhere in the world and then logs its exact location on the Geocaching app. Inside the container, the hider will put a logbook (or a notebook that players can sign) with a pen or pencil and sometimes small prizes, pins, trinkets, or little toys for trading. These mini toys and trinkets are usually of more sentimental worth than financial. Some geocachers may choose to use large plastic storage containers (similar to Tupperware). Next, other players try to find what has been hidden using the navigation system on the Geocaching app. Sometimes finding a geocache will be easy and straightforward, but other times they are very well hidden in their spots and you really have to look and search hard for them! To get started, you first have to download the Geocaching app on a smartphone. When you click on the app, it shows you a map of nearby or local geocaches. You can also search for geocaches in different locations. For instance, if you plan on being away, you can search to see if and where there are geocaches in that location as well. Once you click on a geocache, you are able to see a description of it and other information about it, such as how much time it may take for you to find it. Next, click “navigate” to open up the directions to guide and navigate you to the spot. You will have to ask an adult to drive you to a park that you walk around together. Some geocaches may be hidden in other public spots, like a walking path in town. Other geocaches are hidden in parks, urban areas, forest, deserts, underwater, on top of mountains – pretty much anywhere you can imagine! The rule for a hiding place is “the geocache should not be easily visible to a passerby who is not looking for the cache. It should be a camouflaged hiding spot and the cache should blend perfectly into their environment”. People use their creativity to find hard and challenging hiding places, like in a tree hollow or stump, underneath bushes, wedged securely in-between rocks, using a fake rock or small fake squirrel container, or even road signs (a magnetic geocache, nestled between the sign itself and the pole). Another rule is “ do not ever bury geocaches (do not create a hole in the ground to find or place a geocache)”. Once you navigate to the location, you will have to look at the recent activity and description in the app for any hints or signs for clues that might help you find the cache. Have fun on your search! Geocaches come in all shapes and sizes and most often they are a small tube or a medium-sized box that looks like a heavy-duty plastic container. The container could also be innovatively stored inside an object. People from around the world cleverly and creatively store and hide geocaches in fun containers. For example, hidden in the woods in Germany, one geocache is housed in a tricky wooden birdhouse covered in puzzles for finders to solve. In Spain, a plastic super-sized strawberry geocache container looks like a big piece of fruit. In Massachusetts, a geocache has its logbook hidden within a classic calling telephone. In California, a tiny tube is screwed into the back of a plastic pigeon to hold a geocache’s logbook. And in Holland, a container features a hen with plastic eggs, one of which contains the logbook! There should always be a logbook so you can write down that you found the geocache with the date. The geocacher signs the log with their established code name and dates it, in order to prove that they found the cache. Many times, “you will find small prizes called tradeables, like small toys, pins, keychains, or crafts. You can take one of them as long as you replace it with an item of similar value”. When you are done signing the log, you must place the geocache back exactly where you found it so that other people can find it! Geocaching is a fun and exciting way to spend time outdoors, explore the beauty of nature, exercise your mind and body, solve puzzles and riddles, appreciate quality time with family and friends, and enjoy treasure-hunting! It is a hobby and interest that delights and appeals to all ages. It provides fun and happiness for the whole family. You may experience new places and meet new people, and you will stay active and healthy while creating lasting new memories. You will realize that discovery, exploration, beauty, and adventure still exist in the real world. Good luck searching for cool and interesting geocaches, wherever you may be in the world! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections The Evolution of Super Mario Rachel Ezeadichie Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 Image provided by MarioStar Super Mario Bros. is one of the most popular game franchises in the world. Since 1985, Nintendo has released games that influenced the world and captivated its players. Those games remain timeless as more and more additions are added to the collection of movies and soundtracks. With the New Super Mario Bros. movie in theatres, Mario has gained an extra boost in popularity that has reopened itself and its wonders to many an audience. The franchise is centered around an Italian plumber, Mario, who with his brother, Luigi, works to save Princess Peach who is frequently kidnapped by Bowser. Mario is often helped by Toad, a mushroom-like partner/ assistant in his journey. This has been the focus of many of the games in the Super Mario franchise, but Nintendo has also added more characters and spin-off games into their collection such as Luigi’s Mansion or any of the many Mario Kart games. Although Super Mario has been refurbished many times, it is still popular with multiple generations. Games since the late 1900s have captivated many and are fun to play when bored or during any free time. The First Super Mario game was released in 1985. Directed and produced by Shigeru Miyamoto, Super Mario Bros. was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System on September 13, 1986, and in arcades in January of the next year. Super Mario Bros 2 and 3 were released in 1988 followed by Super Mario Land and World the next two years. Both games got their own sequels in 1992 and 1995. No more major Mario games were published until the New Super Mario Bros game came to the Nintendo DS in early 2006. This was followed by Super Mario Galaxy in 2007. Super Mario Galaxy 2 came out in 2010 with Super Mario 3D Land coming out the next year. Super Mario Maker came out in 2015 followed by Super Mario Run and Odyssey the next two years. Super Mario Maker 2 came out in 2019 and Super Mario 3D World and Bowser’s Fury came out in 2021, being the latest games in the franchise. Super Mario Bros. is one of the most recognizable games of all time. With reworks and spin-offs, keeping the games fresh and popular, Nintendo has been able to keep its best series afloat. Different additions to the franchise are in the works and if Nintendo continues to grow the series at its current rate, it is guaranteed to thrive for many years to come. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections Famous Women in History By Cael Javier Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 Image provided by Cael Javier Many women have made a difference in the world. In this article, I will go over women who have made a change in different categories. Women have made a difference in many different places. The people I will be going over have made a change in entertainment, science, and politics. Jane Austen Jane Austen was an English novelist. Her earliest known writings are mainly imitations, especially of dramas. In her six full-length novels, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Persuasion, and Northanger Abbey, she created the comedy of style of middle-class English life in her time. Her writing is well-known for its wit, realism, and brilliant prose style. Through her behavior toward ordinary people in everyday life, she was the first to give the novel its distinctly modern feel. She published her novels anonymously. They usually cover plots about marriage, status, and social sensibility with a distinctive irony. Her works have been used many times in entertainment. “It isn’t what we say or think that defines us, but what we do.” Jane Austen Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II was the queen of the United Kingdom from 1952 to 2022. She became heir, most likely when her uncle, Edward VIII, stepped down and her father became king, as George VI. In 1947 she married her distant cousin Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, with whom she had four children. She became queen after her father died in 1952. She believed court life to be simpler and took an informed interest in government business. In the 1990s, the monarchy was troubled by the well-known combative difficulties of two of the queen’s sons and the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. In 2002, her mother and sister died within two months of each other. Elizabeth became the longest-reigning monarch in British history in 2015, and she celebrated 70 years as a queen with a “Platinum Jubilee” in 2022. “We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return.” Queen Elizabeth II Betty White Betty White was an actress, author, animal rights activist, and comedian. She also served as a producer and is one of the pioneers of American television who played an important role during the early days of American television history. She received the title of ‘Mayor of Hollywood’ for being the first female to produce a sitcom. She received many awards for her performances on television. She became famous for her role in game shows and was nicknamed the “First Lady of Game Shows.” She was a singer, actor, host, and producer for 80 years, making her the longest-serving female in entertainment. Her interest in acting started during her school days, except she became a writer. She went on to become a very important entertainment personality in the U.S. “Doing drama is, in a sense, easier. If you don’t get that laugh in comedy, there’s something wrong.” Betty White Marie Curie Marie Curie was a Polish-born French physical chemist. Since 1891, she has studied at the Sorbonne. She found radioactivity in the thorium. In 1895 she married physicist, Pierre Curie. They discovered the elements polonium and radium. They are known for discovering alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. For their work on radioactivity, they shared the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics with Becquerel. This leans, Marie became the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize. After Pierre died, Marie was asked for his professorship and became the first woman to teach at the Sorbonne. In 1911 she won a Nobel Prize for Chemistry for finding polonium and isolating pure radium, becoming the first person to win two Nobel Prizes. She passed away due to prolonged exposure to radioactivity. She became the first woman whose achievements earned her the honor of having her ashes laid out in the Pantheon in Paris. “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” Marie Curie Oprah Winfrey Oprah Winfrey was an American television talk-show host and actress. After a rough childhood, she became a news anchor for a local C.B.S. T.V. station in Tennessee when she was 19. After graduating from Tennessee State University, she was a television reporter in Baltimore, where she cohosted her first talk show. In 1984 she moved to Chicago to host A.M. Chicago, which became that city’s highest-rated morning show. The name was changed to The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1985. Oprah Winfrey became the first African American woman to host a successful national daytime talk show. The top-rated show was well-known for its uplifting tone. In 1986 she also formed her own television production company, Harpo Productions, and in 2000 she released O, the Oprah Magazine. In 2011 the Oprah Winfrey Network was out on cable television, and later that year, the finale of The Oprah Winfrey Show aired. She acted in The Color Purple and Beloved. “You look at yourself, and you accept yourself for who you are, and once you accept yourself for who you are, you become a better person.” Oprah Winfrey Ruth Bader Ginsburg Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a U.S. jurist. She graduated at the top of her class at Columbia Law School, but she was turned down for multiple jobs because she was a woman. She taught at Columbia from 1972 to 1980, where she became the first tenured female professor. She was the director of the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union. She argued six landmark cases on gender equality before the United States Supreme Court. She was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals, and in 1993 she was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the Supreme Court as its second female justice. She then became a feminist folk hero. Her followers called her “Notorious R.B.G.,” a play on “Notorious B.I.G.,” an American rapper. “Fight for the things you care about but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” Ruth Bader Ginsburg These are just a few of the many ways women have changed the world. As you can see, they come from a variety of backgrounds. They are all passionate and talented women. A role model inspired many to do what they did. Sources: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Betty-White https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-II https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jane-Austen https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marie-Curie https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ruth-Bader-Ginsburg BACK TO TOP