Volume 40, Issue II by The North Star Newspaper

North Star

t h e THE AGE OF

OUTRAGE

D E L E C N A C

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF CANCEL CULTURE ON PGS. 14-17 BLUE VALLEY NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS | VOLUME 40 | ISSUE 2

Contents News

Student Life

20,21 No Kings

22,23 The Tricks Up Their Sleeves

Safa Al Ameer

Feature 6,7 8,9

Consumer Craze Tae Tran Reaching for Requirements

Anthony Sutcliffe

24,25 The College Question George Hiestand

Editorial

Hannah Markiewicz

4,5

10,11 Junior Jitters

Likhitha Vunnama

12,13 Creative Control Van Freeman

14-17 The Age of Outrage

The College Board Problem Aahil Hassan The Gift Guide Rameen Asif

Lauren Chonko

Arts & Leisure

Ayla Agayeva

28,29 I Spy

18,19 Politics During the Holidays

Photo Coverage 30

Back in Focus: Digicams Vivian Abar

Photo Collage Paul Struby and Olivia Moore

Paul Struby and Olivia Moore

Crossword Paul Struby and Olivia Moore

Online Pumpkins or Presents: The Nightmare Before Christmas Struggling and Scrolling Ami Aguilera

2 | THE NORTH STAR | DECEMBER 2025

Do Highschoolers Read Enough? Grace Kwak

SOCIALS

WEBSITE

@bvnnews

bvnnews.com

Page 15 Krista Chugg writes on the whiteboard while teaching about the Federalist Papers during one of her classes. Photo by Lauren Chonko.

Dear readers, Much discussion has taken place regarding the definition of cancel culture among those who espouse its benefits and boycott those who have been “canceled” as well as people who believe that it is a dangerous form of censorship that targets the First Amendment. However, the overall impact of cancel culture cannot really be quantified as “positive” or “negative,” and the side effects of it are wide-ranging. One common argument revolves around a sort of statute of limitations. If someone said or posted something 15 years ago and regrets it, should it still be held against them? Despite the constant argument of its benefits and drawbacks, cancel culture is still very much an active part of today’s digital society. Household names like Brad Pitt, Mark Wahlberg, J.K. Rowling, Elon Musk and Johnny Depp have all been canceled in recent years for a variety of reasons, and they all faced different levels of backlash. In a time period where everything one says is documented, these

cancellations have shown that it can happen to anybody— even high school students. Students must always be careful about what they say and who they say it around. One careless moment can potentially keep someone from getting into college or being hired, tanking their chances at a successful future. Accountability is needed, and there should be consequences for hate speech because an absence of punishment can lead to targeted violence. However, the grey area with canceling someone lies in what truly deserves to be labelled a cancelable offense. Maybe it was years ago, maybe it was the only time in their life the person has ever done something like that, or maybe it was completely fabricated or blown out of proportion. The fates of people’s lives are at the mercy of social media users. In this issue of the North Star, a focus is placed on the effect of cancel culture and its repercussions upon North students and staff. Their thoughts, opinions and beliefs are examined as a way to gain

insight into the impact of cancel culture. -The North Star Editors

The North Star Staff EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Paul Struby Olivia Moore STAFF WRITERS Grace Kwak Lauren Chonko Aahil Hassan Ami Aguilera Ayla Agayeva George Hiestand Likhitha Vunnama Rameen Asif Tae Tran Vivian Abar SOCIAL MEDIA EDITORS Hannah Markiewicz Van Freeman DESIGN EDITOR Safa Al Ameer WEB EDITOR Safa Al Ameer COPY EDITORS Van Freeman Anthony Sutcliffe

Website Instagram

DECEMBER 2025 | THE NORTH STAR | 3

OPINION

Back in Focus: Digicams! Through the lens of students’ cameras. By Vivian Abar

n a world where every moment can be instantly captured and edited on our phones, the return of the digital camera—the “digicam”— feels like a refreshing step in the best possible way. What started as a nostalgic nod to the early 2000s aesthetic has evolved into a full-blown movement. Teens, young adults and even professional creators are ditching their iPhones and picking up chunky Canons and Nikons from 2005. And it’s not about the grainy flash or the vintage vibe, it’s about

Photo provided by Hayden Panknin.

rediscovering the fun and imperfection of photography itself. There’s something special about holding a real camera in your hands: the weight of it, the click of the shutter and the anticipation of not knowing exactly how the photo will look. Unlike phone cameras that encourage endless retakes and instant editing, digicams bring a sense of surprise and simplicity. You take the picture because it feels right in the moment, a way to capture a moment in time. The result is a more honest, less curated and far more personal collection of photos. People are drawn to digicams because of the way they capture authentic moments. Digicams embrace imperfection; they remind us that photography isn’t supposed to be perfect. It’s supposed to tell a story in a personal way.

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Digi-cams also shift the vibe of social interactions. When someone pulls out a digicam at a hangout, people react differently than when a phone camera comes out. Phones feel more formal, like something is being documented for the internet; digicams feel casual, almost playful. Everyone wants a picture all of a sudden. The smiles are real, the photos feel like pure memories instead of being for a post on Instagram.

All photos provided by students who attend BVN.

Photo provided by Delaney Stout.

Photo provided by Pheobe Zmijewski.

Photo provided by Delaney Stout.

Photo provided by Allie Braun.

Photo provided by Delaney Stout.

DECEMBER 2025 | THE NORTH STAR | 5

FEATURE

Consumer

CRAZE

How the holidays change the buying habits of people at BVN.

By Tae Tran

ith the upcoming need to pay more attention to the holiday season, effects of consumerism. consumerism is “I think that there are social issues starting to rise. that are definitely more important, According to the U.S Census Bureau, but it impacts so much of society, and the 2024 holiday season had an it’s such a big issue because it impacts increase of consumer spending by 4% literally everyone,” Van Der Laan over 2023, reaching a new record of said. “There’s not one person in the $994.1 billion. Western world who isn’t impacted by The holiday season comes with gift- the amount of things that Americans giving, as staff member Mike Hilbert buy.” said. Sophomore Miles Tarjan agrees “Around the holidays, you have to that there are humanitarian effects of start thinking about other people and consumerism. things that you want to buy for others,” “Online platforms like Amazon Hilbert said. make it really “The thing easy to get There’s not one that changes things that you is the total would normally person in the Western dollar amount spend a lot of world who isn’t that I’m time to get,” impacted by the spending on Tarjan said. other people, “But there are amount of things that things like gifts, workers there Americans buy. cooking and who can’t party hosting.” take breaks –Ruth Senior to go to the Van Der Laan Ruth Van bathroom and Der Laan live paycheck to believes that paycheck.” the holiday season results in increased As referenced by Tarjan, Statista consumerism due to multiple factors. states that 74% of employees at “I think consumerism really goes up Amazon purposely skip bathroom during the holiday season, especially breaks in fear of not being able to because people are trying to buy gifts, achieve their daily goal. whether that’s for Christmas or any There are environmental effects winter holidays,” Van Der Laan said. like pollution and damaged crops that “But then separately from gifts, there’s come from consumerism as well. also a lot of decorations that go on. A “Mass manufacturing has lot of people are buying stuff that they byproducts that can damage the won’t ever use again.” environment if improperly disposed Van Der Laan says that people of,” Tarjan said. “There was a

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pharmaceutical company that dumped a bunch of chemical byproducts into water in a small town, and that not only caused damage to the environment of the river that they were dumping into, but also the crops nearby that relied on the river’s water.” According to NBC News, DuPont was the company that dumped PFAS (forever chemicals) into the drinking water of the town of Pedricktown, New Jersey. PFAS are chemicals used to make common products like cosmetics, food packaging and nonstick cookware, to name a few. There are cleaner, greener types of cleaner production processes, but many companies do not want to deal with the hassle of switching. “Companies won’t change over to cleaner processes because it makes them money,” Tarjan said. “Coal makes more money because it’s cheaper, and they already have the factories and buildings to process items. It might be expensive in the short term, but in the long term, it’s much cheaper. Along with that, it’s much better for the environment, while also much cheaper to continue using as they go on in the future.” Despite these impacts from consumerism, Hilbert believes that it’s not the consumer’s fault. He says they are pulled in by the marketing that the companies put out. “Technically, the reason you go into business is to either sell your product or sell your service as much as possible and make as much profit,” Hilbert said. “I think truly, around the holidays, they play on people’s

Shelf in the holiday section in a grocery store left empty from customers. Photo by Tae Tran emotions. That’s the art of marketing and advertising to people— to feel connected to buy your product or your service.” Tarjan pointed out that companies increase advertising around the holiday season. “You’ll see all the ads to ‘come to our store’ for Christmas, and also the ‘hot Christmas deals.’ There are a lot of holidays that companies will use to sell more,” Tarjan said. Companies will also produce items that are cheaper or trendy, in an effort to get consumers to buy more. There is often peer pressure when it comes to buying the items that are popular. “It’s a little strange if you don’t want to buy that one thing so you can all be matching with your friends,” Van Der Laan said. “I think it should be more normalized for people to not want to buy something, whether that’s because they don’t want to spend the money or because they just don’t think it’s that interesting.” As consumerism rises during the holiday season, another effect is the increase in credit card debt. “More people have larger credit card balances than they’ve had in the past. For a while, inflation has really gotten out of control compared to people’s wages, so now it’s harder to get to the end of the month and still have money left,” Hilbert said. Change does not appear to be in

the near future because companies want to continue increasing their profits. “It would be nice if people could stop worrying about their profit margins to help with the environment, but as long as we have those who don’t take the word of scientists, then there will always be a problem,” Tarjan said. Van Der Laan also sees how companies are profit-oriented and driving consumerism in America. “They [companies] love to have the consumerism that’s present in the current American society,” Van Der Laan said. “I think companies will continue to push for it. So unless we have a real shift in our public opinion or in governmental regulations, neither of which I see coming very soon, I just don’t think anything’s going to change.”

Number of students who reported they spent more over the Holidays. 67%

33%

YES

Out of 163 people polled on @bvnnews on Instagram

DECEMBER 2025 | THE NORTH STAR | 7

FEATURE

Reaching For Requirements BVN students describe their experiences with the graduation requirements. By Hannah Markiewicz

tudents in Kansas must achieve a minimum of 21 credits in order to graduate from high school. Six of these must be chosen electives by the student, and the rest are strictly laid out by the state as well as the individual districts. Do these requirements hinder a student’s capacity to express their personal interests, or do they encourage a well-rounded education? Sophomore Ethan Kucherovsky explained his opinions on these graduation requirements. “If [students could take classes they were personally interested in], it would be for sure more engaging for them ‘cause if you have a passion, it’s gonna be a lot easier for you to focus and do your work,” Kucherovsky said. The Kansas State Department of Education requires students to take four ELA units, three history and government units, three science units, three units of math, one unit of P.E., one unit of fine arts and six elective units. However, these are not all of the credits that Blue Valley requires for graduation. BVN Assistant Principal Cory Cox described Blue Valley’s graduation requirements. “Since each school district can determine what it means to get a high school diploma from that specific

school district, Blue Valley has a set of 24 graduation credits,” Cox said. Last school year, Blue Valley changed the graduation credit requirements for the class of 2028 and beyond. Kucherovsky described how these requirements were explained to him. “For credit requirements, I think they were well established. Explained? Not really. You kind of have to look at the schedule yourself, but I think everybody can get it pretty easily,”

“I don’t feel like there’s a need to do it especially if it’s not required by the state or anything like that.” While Hali does not find the Xello requirement beneficial overall, she thinks the Blue Valley requirements are good for students. “I honestly don’t think that there are any classes that should be removed, everything is good the way it is,” Hali said. Kucherovsky had a similar opinion, stating that the graduation requirements are If I could choose helpful for students. “I think exactly what I wanted [requiring classes] to do for classes, I has a positive would [impact] overall, because not –Ethan Kucherovsky everybody figured out what they want Kucherovsky to do,” Kucherovsky said. said. Freshman Although Sia Hali also Kucherovsky finds described her these requirements experience with the new graduation beneficial, he sees space for change as requirements, including the newly well. required Xello lessons. “Maybe senior year, ELA classes “Xello [is less important], what’s or core classes could be removed the point of doing it if you know what for something more personalized,” career you want to do and you know Kucherovsky said. how to do certain things?” Hali said. Within these new requirements is a

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section called “Post-Secondary Assets” in which students are required to have at least two credits from. These PSAs are meant to help students succeed after high school in addition to the traditional class credits, according to Blue Valley Schools. Hail hopes that he can explore his career interests in classes at BVN in the future. “There is a business class, I just didn’t get the chance to sign up for it, and then there’s also debate that I do want to do some time in the near future for law,” Hali said. Blue Valley students are required to complete six and a half credits of electives of any subject they choose, allowing them to completely personalize about 27% of their classes over their four years. “I think we have enough diversity within our curriculum and the course offerings that certain classes check graduation requirements,” Cox said. “It gives kids the opportunity to

explore things and then pursue their passions at the same time.” Kucherovsky believes that while these opportunities exist, students must seek them out themselves. “ I think you have to take some initiative, but overall, I really think that it’s good for helping explore all the options,” Kucherovsky said. While graduation requirements push students to take classes outside of their comfort zones, they could also make students take subjects that they don’t find interesting. “If I could choose exactly what I wanted to do for classes, I would, If there was no grade requirement,‘cause then I’d be able to have my schedule centered around my future,” Kucherovsky said. Although Kucherovsky personally would like a more personalized class schedule, he explains that this may not be the best option for every student. “Some benefits of having a more well-rounded [education] is you get

to explore more. So, you don’t have to immediately go down one straight path, and if you have an interest, you can pursue it; or if you want to pull out of that, you can just go down multiple different paths,” Kucherovsky said. Additionally, Cox explained the importance of basic skills that students attain through a diverse education. “I think it all plays a part in making a well-rounded student and giving them the tools to go to college, think critically and find their ultimate career paths,” Cox said.

Society and Humanities 4.0

The graphic below shows the Blue Valley graduation requirements for the class of 2028 and on.

ELA 4.5 2 Post-Secondary Assets

Employability and life Skills 8.5

STEM 7.0

DECEMBER 2025 | THE NORTH STAR | 9

JUNIOR JITTERS FEATURE

Does the year live up to its stereotype? By Likhitha Vunnama

Is Junior year bad?

69%

31%

Yes

Of 191 people polled on @bvnnews on Instagram.

here is a stereotype of dread that comes with junior year, along with misery and anxiety. As students near the end of second quarter, does junior year actually seem to live up to its stereotype? The stereotype surrounding junior year causes students to panic about it as a whole, but in some cases, the year doesn’t live up to its dreadful expectations. Junior Cole Keller shared what he was not looking forward to at the beginning of the year. “I was really worried about my class load when I started, even though I picked it,” Keller said. “However, it wasn’t as bad as I was thinking. You can definitely handle it.” On the other hand, Julieta Vera, another junior, believes that the stereotype is actually an understatement of how stressful the year is. “I was worried about all the standardized tests and the workload, and, [junior year] is worse than what people warned me it would be,” Vera said. The year comes with heavy class loads and extracurricular activities that lead students to experience changes in their mental health. Students had times when they felt burnt out as they lost motivation, and times when

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they felt anxious. “I have felt burnt out. It really comes and goes most of the time,” Keller said Matthew Chen, a current senior, disagrees

“

positive to it,” Chen said. Despite disagreeing about their feelings regarding junior year, students agree that extracurriculars make the year more

To be honest, I got closer with all my friends that year and I branched out more from all the clubs that I had to participate in, which was a pro of the year. –Matthew Chen

about how burnout “comes and goes.” “I was anxious and burned out pretty much the entire year,” Chen said. However, Chen says that the mental stress that comes with being a junior helped him stay more productive, which he felt was an advantage “That year, actually, I became less of a procrastinator because I couldn’t afford to, so it made me lock in, and that’s a

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strenuous. Students at BVN participate in many clubs, sports and competitions, along with having to study for tests and complete homework. “Having to handle being captain of all these clubs

and having to hold that responsibility just piled a lot on my plate,” Chen said. Keller agrees with Chen and shares what it was like balancing academics with crosscountry meets and practices. cons. “It is rough when you have practice This every single day after school. We didn’t have rest days,” Keller said. “It was not year made me think that enough time to do homework.” freshman and Vera claims that other students feel sophomore years are similarly to her about junior year and really easy. It made me want its rigors. to go back to those days,” Chen “A lot of people around me feel said the same way about how it’s really Students stay on the same page stressful. That’s what many people of wanting to go back to enjoy their continue to tell me to take it easier,” underclassman years of high school. Vera said. “This year made me appreciate Similar to Vera, Chen expresses my underclassmen years a lot more that people around him felt the same because I am realizing how much about junior year, too. Moreover, some more free time I had back then of his friends felt even more stressed compared to now,” Vera said. during the year. “A lot of people felt definitely the same as me, and sometimes more strongly, because a lot of people pile a ton onto their plates in terms of class load,” Chen said. “I know someone who took seven APs. People definitely think junior year is the worst.” However, there are some benefits to junior year. “It comes with many new opportunities that are really exciting, so it’s good that we can have that,” Keller said. Along with that, Chen also adds that junior year comes with more free will in classes, unlike freshman and sophomore years. “You are able to join all the NHSs, and you’re an upperclassman for the first year. People see you as more of a role model, and people Junior Maira Parsons studies for her math test during AST. Photo by Likhitha respect you more,” Chen said. Vunnama “In your classes, you are given more freedom because you’re older, you’re more mature, you can handle it now.” Regardless of being given more opportunities, Chen says that junior year is still the worst. “The pros don’t at all outweigh the

DECEMBER 2025| THE NORTH STAR | 11

FEATURE

O N T R O L

reative

Does school allow students to express creativity?

n elementary school, children are taught to express their creativity, from arts and crafts to music and more. In high school, however, that sense of creativity seems to vanish, with classes getting more difficult and the necessity of preparing for college looming overhead. How do students feel their creative spirit is treated at Blue Valley North? Junior Milton Winter shared his opinions about whether BVN did a good job at inspiring creativity in students. “School really allows kids to do whatever they’re passionate about, no matter what the subject is,” Winter said. “[It] allows them to go all-out in that one aspect, if they really want to.” Senior Chloe Clark shared similar thoughts, using the art department as

By Van Freeman an example. “I think we have a really good art program, and a lot of the teachers really do push you to do what you want with guided assignments, but it’s not restricting,” Clark said. When asked about the rest of the school, Clark was still positive, albeit a little less enthusiastic. “I think it [does not go] as far as I would personally want it, but I do think we do a good job,” Clark said. English teacher Molly Dugan believes that the encouragement of creativity changes throughout school as students get older. “I think in elementary school, when kids are just kids, anything creative is, ‘oh my gosh, fun, paint,’ and in high school, we have to be a lot more intentional with those choices to make sure it’s relevant to the students and something that they would actually enjoy and care about,” Dugan said.

12 | THE NORTH STAR | DECEMBER 2025 Design by Van Freeman

Dugan also spoke about how age affects students’ personal opinions on creativity.

“I think students, the older that

they get, the more their priorities start to change, and they get to choose what their priorities are and get to hone in more on, ‘what do I like to be creative about?’” Dugan said. With the common sentiment that creativity could flow from students following their passions, it’s worth questioning how those passions are treated academically. Clark shared their thoughts. “ I do think we have a little bit of favoritism, but not overly so,” Clark said. “We still have a great theater program, but in classes, you know, the math wing is pretty big, which makes sense, because it’s an important thing to have in life, but I think we just need to try to balance it out a little bit.” Dugan shared mixed feelings about the idea of the school’s priorities in regard to education, and how some classes may be more supported than others. “ I think here at Blue Valley North, no one views any class as a second tier class,” Dugan said. “I think we know that every single subject plays a role. I think creativity is just as important in students, in fostering that, than learning those core subjects, because that’s such a big part of humanity.” Despite this value, Dugan also acknowledged how the education system affected the way that schools could allow creativity. “There’s a lot of data work, data and curriculum work that, for example,

in ELA we have to do just because listen to,” Winter said. “Music, movies, it’s those reading skills and those books, I’ve consumed a lot of that, literacy skills that are being tested by and that’s really opened my eyes and the state,” Dugan said. “I do think allowed me to see different things and society sometimes views creative classes different points of view.” as second tier, Winter also and I think that shared that staff educators are at BVN foster I don’t know constantly his sense of working to creativity. everyone, but every change that “Right now, single person I’ve narrative.” my AP Lang talked to has had Clark also teacher, Ms. says that the Buchanan, really that same growth education inspires me to mindset of wanting system can write, and then to engage students influence also last year Ms. students to be Tomboli really more and incorporate less creative. inspired me creativity, even if “I feel and made me a it’s a very structured everyone’s better writer,” so focused Winter said. subject. on their Dugan also –Molly Dugan career being shared how she’s something seen fellow staff where you members try to can get a ton of money,” Clark said. inspire students to be creative. “If you want to do art, you’re not “I don’t know everyone, but gonna get any money from that. You’re every single person I’ve talked to has gonna be a starving artist. I feel like had that same growth mindset of that’s such a big stereotype that’s being wanting to engage students more and pushed in school.” incorporate creativity, even if it’s a very When asked if they would change structured subject,” Dugan said. anything about the way creativity is currently viewed at BVN, Clark shared their thoughts. “I feel like the curriculum has been improving in the sense of we’re doing less writing essays or filling out papers, but I do think that we should maybe lean into that even more in a sense of let’s do projects where we’re not filling out a paper and writing an essay,” Clark said. Winter also talked about the current state of creativity in BVN, sharing his thoughts as well. “[BVN] should do what we have right now, and allow kids to run programs like school newspaper or North Report, those are student run and allow major creative freedom for what they want to include,” Winter said. When asked what inspired his creative spirit, Winter shared his inspirations. “I’d say a lot of media I watch or

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DECEMBER 2025 | THE NORTH STAR | 13

FEATURE

The Age of Outrage How does the toxic spiral of cancel culture influence teens, teachers and Blue Valley North as a whole? By Lauren Chonko

he term “cancel culture” and figureheads first emerged in the early accountable, it has 2010s as a means to since ballooned into a increase accountability sort of blame game. among brands and individuals and Blue Valley North has since skyrocketed in popularity. English teacher By today’s definition, celebrities Genesis Ackermann and influencers are put under the shared her thoughts microscope for both present and past on how cancel culture actions, often receiving harsh scrutiny has evolved over the if a statement or action did not align years. with acceptable societal norms. “It’s definitely become something However, this a lot more phenomenon hate-filled,” doesn’t just Ackermann affect the said. “It’s got I think that we elite; ordinary, this negative generally, as people, everyday undertone to like the feeling of people it ‘to cause have found harm’ instead being on a team, us themselves of ‘to cause versus them. It’s very battling against conversation’. black and white. But self-proclaimed There’s a huge online moralists, difference in a lot of our issues are leading to tone when not as simple as that; tarnished you’re trying they’re multifaceted.” reputations. to emphasize Cancel change, or –Krista Chugg culture in you’re just many ways trying to has become get rid of the new societal norm, transforming somebody, because you don’t agree from a means of assigning blame or with them. I think that’s where we’re at accountability to a form of borderline currently and that’s very dangerous.” censorship. While the idea of cancel The question remains whether culture began as a way to hold brands cancel culture can be used as a tool

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14 | THE NORTH STAR | DECEMBER 2025 Design by Lauren Chonko

for simple accountability once more, or if its manipulative and arguably destructive properties have truly taken hold. Cancel culture lies in a gray area, with most people unable to give it a clear definition. It is used so freely in social media and society today that its meaning has taken on many forms. BVN Social Studies teacher Jason Smadja shed light on the topic with his own explanation. “There’s not a great single definition for [cancel culture], because people define it when they need it,” Smajda said. “I think the actual definition of cancel culture is a sense amongst people that when there’s something that bothers them, they try to exclude it from vernacular, from the story, from popularity.” Krista Chugg, also a social studies teacher at BVN, shared her take on defining the term. “I think cancel culture as a whole is just people’s tendency now, whether it’s based on bad behavior, or their

disagreement with something, to cut it off completely,” Chugg said. “It’s almost this definite end to something, like, you did something or you stand for something that I disagree with, so now we’re done. I think that we generally, as people, like the feeling of being on a team, us versus them. It’s very black and white. But a lot of our issues are not as simple as that; they’re multifaceted.” Teens are not immune to the pressures and fears of being canceled, with constant surveillance from peers and the threat of shared unflattering or harmful videos and media looming. Social media only seems to heighten this issue, with its rapid way of spreading information and massive clickbait culture leading to celebrity downfalls mere minutes after the “cancellable offense” occurs. Senior Andrew Srivastava talked about the impact that the combination of social media and cancel culture has on his life. “Cancel culture definitely makes you more cautious, just with how big social media is,” Srivastava said. “That’s why you’ve got to be careful about what you post. For me, I’m a senior, so with college season coming up, you can’t be liking anything bad, following anything bad and especially posting.” Sophomore Hayden Panknin discussed the negative effects that come from careless social media comments made towards the person at the center of the controversy. “The way people talk about other

people online, I think it can be really vulgar,” Panknin said. “What people say can just be so horrible; they take it to the extreme. You don’t even know this person; you just see a bit of them online and you have no idea what they could be going through.” Additionally, cancel culture is not a “cure-all” for celebrity accountability. Public figures will be cancelled for a post, comment or action and be able to escape relatively unscathed. Srivastava was able to pinpoint a few recent examples of this and his reaction to the public’s response. “For some celebrities, they get canceled and it’s not enough,” Srivastava said. “You look at someone like Chris Brown or Tory Lanez, who are both domestic abusers. And yet,

government and history, cover a wide variety of subject matter, ranging from politics to religion, each coming with its fair share of sensitive topics where controversy can creep in. One of these highly debated topics is the celebration of certain historical figures. Smajda spoke on the importance of sharing all sides of their story; the good and the bad. “I can be absolutely opposed to George Washington owning slaves, but we have to get that into historical context,” Smajda said. “That doesn’t mean we should take him out of the picture in terms of the role that he played in history and it also doesn’t mean we ignore his flaws. That’s where I think it starts to get dangerous; is where we want to forget, throw out and omit things from history where there are important lessons to learn from them.”

they’ve got so much fame and are still allowed to have a platform.” Cancel culture, however, goes beyond social media. High school classes, like

DECEMBER 2025 | THE NORTH STAR | 15

and omit things from history where there are important lessons to learn from them.” Smajda also commented on the importance of allowing differing opinions in his classes, while still keeping a safe and respectful environment. He does this by making sure each student’s viewpoint is Krista Chugg, pictured above, writes on the whiteboard while teaching about the validated and able to be backed by Federalist Papers during one of her classes. Photo by Lauren Chonko evidence. “My job is to be objective and to alienate them from their put theory into fact,” Smajda said. friends,” Chugg said. “People “We talk about this a lot in my election might be like, ‘I can’t believe you said class: you can have two opinions that really that,’ which just raises the stakes in the are 180-degree differences from each important classroom.” other, but they can both be valid that we realize that our words can with the right be weaponized against us in any Moreover, information.” situation.” as a society, Chugg Above all, that is the problem with cancel agreed, sharing That’s where I think it cancel culture; it is an instantaneous culture that varying response that has only been amplified starts to get dangerous; can lead opinions are through the accessibility of social to people is where we want common in her media. When asked if cancel culture is forgetting coursework, to forget, throw out repairable, Smajda again stressed the the power but do not importance of learning history. and omit things from their words come without “The more we’re willing to dive hold. history where there the unspoken into the whole story rather than just Cancel threat of peer are important lessons react to part of it the better,” Smajda culture aids pushback and said. “The more we’re able to take to learn from them.” in holding can sometimes something that’s maybe disgusting to people -Jason Smajda demotivate you in 2025 but understand why it liable for students from happened in 1954, the better. It lives in what they expressing their own history.” say, but opinions for fear of judgment and can also be manipulated through a criticism. lack of context and prior knowledge. “As a teacher, I see it sometimes Ackermann shared her thoughts on with students where they’re a lot less this phenomenon. likely to raise their hands and discuss “We all need to be more conscious things, because they feel like if they of what we say, when we say it and in say the wrong thing, it’s going to what sphere,” Ackermann said. “It’s

“

16 | THE NORTH STAR | DECEMBER 2025

d e l le

Reason: Relations with Underaged Girls

Pablo Picasso

Reason: Mysogynist Comments

Walt Disney

Reason: Antisemetic and Sexist Views

i r ts o

i F ac l

u o l d C H o h a v W e s B e r ee n u g

Canc

Elvis Presley

Roald Dhal

Reason: Antisemetic Comments DECEMBER 2025 | THE NORTH STAR | 17

FEATURE

Politics During The Holidays

( ( (

How Blue Valley North families are affected by political discussion during the holidays.

(

By Ayla Agayeva

ccording to the American However, on certain occasions, Physiological Association, her family’s festivities can get “after a divisive election, interrupted by political discussion. most U.S adults are ready “Even when they begin to to avoid politics this holiday.” The discuss politics, usually people holidays are meant to be a time spent know when to stop,” Woods said. with family and friends; however, the Similar to Woods’ family, question of whether political discussion freshman Nabeela Syed also feels will tamper with holiday festivities the impact of politics during lingers every year. her family’s celebrations. Syed According to the American celebrates mainly Eid and Ramadan so Psychiatric Association, “While having fewer holidays during the year most Americans align with close makes each one even more significant family members on controversial political issues, If you are not enjoying one in five report family time with family, and you’re estrangement just focusing on politics, you based on these aren’t celebrating, I think topics.” This could prompt definitely spending time people to with family is the main part wonder: Do of holidays, and just being politics really affect Blue with each other Valley North families during the holidays? –Caroline One Blue Woods Valley North student in particular, sophomore Caroline Woods, has a clear definition for her family. of what the holidays mean for her. “We usually celebrate by having “For me, the point of celebrating feasts and going to the local mosque,” holidays is to spend time with family,” Syed said. Woods said. While she enjoys celebrating

“

18| THE NORTH STAR | DECEMBER 2025 Design by Ayla Agayeva

Ramadan and Eid, it can be difficult to do so as most of her extended family lives in Pakistan or Saudi Arabia. “Because most of my relatives live in other parts of the world, like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, we usually celebrate with our family friends,” Syed said. Although Woods and Syed do not celebrate the same occasions, they both feel the effect of current events on their celebrations. Instead of utilizing the holidays as a chance to disconnect from the outside world and connect with those around us, the human population lets their opinions get the best of them. As if the division caused by the two political parties within the nation was not enough, that same division can be seen between the two sides of a student’s family. “My dad’s side definitely has different political opinions than my mom’s side,” Woods said. Because of differences in political opinions within a family, holiday celebrations can become tense, and this not only happens within Woods’ family, but Syeds’ family’s friendships too. “It is kind of hard to feel

comfortable with having different opinions from our family friends,” Syed said. That is why in order to avoid any disruptions, Syed prefers to celebrate with just her immediate family. “We can talk about [politics] with our close family,” Syed said. While having family living internationally could hinder Syed’s political discussions more towards the international scale, in reality, United States politics seem to be the main topic of discussion. “I feel like especially now, with everything going on, it is a really big deal if we have to discuss politics with them,” Syed said. Nonetheless, both students feel that they would prefer to get rid of political discussions at gatherings altogether, so celebrating with family and friends could be the main focus during holidays. “If you are not enjoying time with family, and you’re just focusing on politics, you aren’t celebrating. I think definitely spending time with family is the main part of holidays, and just being with each other,” Woods said. For Syed, the overall environment that celebrations present is what is most important to her, especially since she celebrates fewer holidays. Therefore, when she does celebrate something like Eid or Ramadaan, she prefers everything to be optimal. “It definitely ruins the vibe and the environment of holidays when politics are brought into everything,” Syed said. According to polls conducted by BVN News on Instagram, a majority of students who were asked whether politics played a role in their holiday celebrations voted yes. Although some students may feel alone in this issue, it is a school-wide issue that affects

many families. Politics hold a significant role in our world today, especially in the United States, so as we approach various holidays, students beleve it is vital to keep in mind the true meaning of celebrating what is important, whether that is religion or simply catching up with old friends or family members.

POLL How many students feel that political disuccsion impacts their holiday festivities? Results from 71 students.

48% of students said no

52% of students said yes

DECEMBER 2025 | THE NORTH STAR | 19

NO NEWS

How protesting makes a difference in the BVN community.

Kings

By Safa Al Ameer

n June 14, 2025, America had its first “No Kings” protest. People filled the streets to challenge President Donald Trump’s administration. According to Time Magazine, an estimated five million people participated throughout the 50 states. According to the No Kings website, the movement was started to show that this country belongs to the people “who care, who show up, and who fight for dignity, a life we can afford, and real opportunity.” Following the first protest, there was a second “No Kings” protest on Oct. 18th, which was said to have involved seven million people, according to Time Magazine. Senior Sophia Naronov recently attended a protest held at the Jewish Community Center. She believes this protest is about more than just how the government is run.

ff o s d n Ha

our

cy a r c o Dem

“A lot of politics these days has extended to more than just the way our government is run, and it’s extended to issues of human rights and morals,” Naronov said. “I think a lot of what people are upset about, including myself, has to do with the terrible treatment of others.” Naronov also sees the protests as a way to exercise the First Amendment and help show others that they are not alone. “[The protest] embodies our democratic process in the United States,” Naronov said. “It’s the First Amendment—right to assemble. It helps people realize that a lot of the time, they are not alone in their opinions, and that there are other people out there who share the same values that they do when it comes to governing.” Seeing her community protest with her brings Naronov a sense of “hope and positivity.” She was shocked to see

No Kings since 1776

20 | THE NORTH STAR | DECEMBER 2025 Design by Safa Al Ameer

all different ages at the protest. “I actually saw a lot of older generations there,” Naranov said. “I saw a lot of grandmas and grandpas, which was really pleasantly surprising, because normally you think people, most of the people advocating for change, are the younger generation, but I definitely saw older generations.” Senior Jorja Roberts has taken matters into her own hands to start a walkout during school, calling it “For the Future”. She said that social media inspired her to start protesting. Roberts had enough of what she saw in the media about what was happening in the United States and decided she wanted to make a change. “I feel like one of the biggest things I could do is do something throughout the school,” Roberts said. Roberts hopes the walkout will get people to educate themselves on matters that might not seem important to them at the moment but will

The only monarch we want

nly rch nt

No Kings protest at the Mill Creek Park on June 14th. Photo provided by Hannah Markiewicz

No Kings protest at the Jewish Community Center on not Oct. 18. Photo provided by Sophia Naronov. just messy in general and I get that,” eventually affect them. Roberts said. “But, you’re going to stopping her from continuing the “I feel like we go to to a school be living this life until you die, so you protest. To her, the main goal is to full of a bunch of people who say, might as well understand what’s going educate people. ‘Oh, I don’t really like to get into that on while you can before you wake “I want people to make signs, [politics]’, but then they aren’t aware up as a 40 year old, and then all of a I want people to speak the truth,” of really what’s going on and how sudden all these things are taken away Roberts said. “When people see it affects the people they love, some from you because you decided not the sign, or when people hear what of their friends or even how it might to vote, because you thought it was you’re saying, they’re like, ‘Is that affect themselves going to be messy and your vote could when they have counted for something, and now go out into everything is taken away.” You’re going to be living adulthood,” Senior Cale Fulcher, a participant Roberts said. this life until you die, so you of Roberts’ walkout, believes that Roberts if people are affected by a certain might as well understand has had people political action, then they should be whats going on while you question why allowed to do something about it. she wants can before you wake up as “This in itself is a peaceful protest,” to have the Fulcher said. “It is students exercising a 40 year old, and then all walkout their rights to organize for the political of sudden all these things and what its issues that they believe in. I very much purpose is. To are taken away from you do think that if people are affected by answer these a certain political action, they most because you decided questions, she definitely should be able to show not to vote. takes a look at the themselves.” past. Fulcher believes this protest has had –Jorja Roberts “I haven’t an impact on the school. gotten backlash, “The fact that we’re here talking but people have about the peaceful protests that Jorja most definitely is planning, I think it proves that it has really what’s happening?’ And then been like, ‘Why?’ Like, ‘What’s the definitely resonated with a lot of the they’re intrigued enough to go look it point?’ ‘What is it gonna change?’ And population at the school,” Fulcher said. up, which develops education, which honestly, what I say to that is like, what “I think the student body as a whole develops more awareness of what’s if black people said that back in the does a great job at exercising our own actually going on.” Civil Rights Movement? What if they rights under the Constitution without Roberts believes that the best thing said, ‘What is this gonna do?’ But it’s infringing on others. I’m glad we have to do in your life is to understand done so much,” Roberts said. a safe space to be able to peacefully what’s going on in the world. Roberts has had some setbacks to protest about this issue that has united “Maybe, like, 40% of my friends these plans, but that’s us.” claim to not be political, because it’s

“

Liberty and Justice for ALL

We the p eople will not be silenced

DECEMBER 2025 | THE NORTH STAR | 21

The Tricks Up

STUDENT LIFE

BVN students discuss the talents that are left unkown. By Anthony Sutcliffe

Senior Lauren Humphrey singing at the Mustang Showtime Choir Concert on May 15, 2023. Photo provided by Lauren Humphrey. Blue Valley North is a school recognized for its academic prowess. For example, it is ranked as the fifth best high school in Kansas via usnews. com. However, one thing that can be overlooked is how talented the students are. In fact, 52% of the students who participated in the poll via BVN News

on Instagram said that they have a talent that most people might not know about. One of these students is senior Lauren Humphrey. Humphrey displays her gifts both in color guard and in choir at North. “I can do cool tosses with a sixfoot flag and I also sing a bit too,” Humphrey said. Humphrey discovered her gift for singing at a young age. “As a kid, I used to sing a lot, so it came naturally,” Humphrey said. “And then I got into a kids’ choir and now I’m in a youth choir at my church.” As for color guard, Humphrey had been seeing posters around the school. She became curious about the program and decided to ask a friend. “There was a band kid in my theater class, and they told me about

22 | THE NORTH STAR | DECEMBER 2025 Design By Anthony Sutcliffe

[color guard] cause I asked about it,” Humphrey said. “They were like, ‘You should try out,’ and now, here I am.” Junior Brock Johnson is another student at BVN who has a talent that others might not know about. He taught himself how to do a backflip. “In fourth grade, I used to watch five-minute tutorials on how to do a backflip, and I saw YouTubers doing them and I thought it was cool, so I wanted to learn how,” Johnson said. Kayley Morgan is a sophomore who participates in dance outside of school. She has been dancing for almost the entirety of her life, as she began at a very young age. “My parents put me in it when I was three years old,” Morgan said. Despite dancing for as long as she can remember, Morgan’s friends often don’t realize that she has this talent.

p Their Sleeves their talents might remain unknown or unthought of because there simply isn’t a place to bring them up in a normal conversation. “People don’t really know that I can do a backflip cause it’s kind of random,” Johnson said.

They are more familiar with her involvement in tennis and track. “Most of the time, they’re surprised because this is the one sport that I do not talk about,” Morgan said. Sometimes, students receive memorable If anyone asks me reactions from people when about it, I’d be willing sharing their to tell them anything talents with them and everything about for the first time. “When I first it. I’m not going to be did a flip in front closed off about my of my mom in gifts. about fifth grade, she was really –Lauren However, surprised that I Humphrey sometimes was able to pull gifts and it off,” Johnson talents can said. find their Humphrey way into also has a memory that stuck with her simple conversation. Whether talking from a time when someone learned with someone about a shared interest about her gift for singing. In one of or simply getting to know a person, the choir concerts from the 2024-2025 talents can act as great conversation school year, Humphrey had a solo. A starters. group of family friends of hers was “I don’t shut up about [my in the audience and they shared some talents],” Humphrey said. “Anytime praises to Humphrey’s parents. someone asks me, I just go on for a “I practiced really hard,” bit until people are like, ‘okay, that’s Humphrey said. “After I sing my solo, enough, Lauren.” my parents talk to me and they’re like, Humphrey finds joy in ‘Oh, this person’s parents just talked sharing information and teaching to us, and they said they didn’t realize others about her talents. you could do that. It was really funny “It’s a really cool thing. I enjoy it. If because I didn’t realize I could do it anyone asks me about it, I’d be willing either, to be honest.” to tell them anything and everything For many students, about it,” Humphrey said. “I’m not going to be closed off about my gifts.”

“

DO YOU HAVE A TALENT THAT MOST PEOPLE MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT? 52%

YES

48%

Results from 107 people polled.

DECEMBER 2025 | THE NORTH STAR | 23

THE STUDENT LIFE

COLLEGE

QUESTION ?

When should students start preparing for college?

ere at Blue Valley North, academics are a focus. For many students, the end goal is to get into a college, study something of interest and find a job that suits them. College, however, isn’t as simple as showing up and choosing a class. To get into a desired college, preparation is required. The underlying question for choosing a college for most students is subjective, and it begs the question: When should one start preparing for college? The first key aspect of the process of preparing to apply for a college is that there is no specific deadline or set period of time in which a student must have thought of a school, considering their cost, opportunities and the many other factors that go into the final decision. This makes the question of when to start preparing for college much harder to answer; however, it can still be found through considering a student’s specific situation and what matters to them When asked about if there was a right time to begin preparation, Blue Valley North Counselor Amanda Levin shared her perspective. “I think everyone starts on time. I mean, we've got a wide range of students here, so I think it depends on the kid,” Levin said. Levin’s point is that college preparation is fluid, and that the specific timeline is broad.

By George Hiestand

The process isn’t just one linear to go to with some mattering more path. Students start different aspects of than others depending on the person, their process at different points in time. which is why many students begin One may begin preparing or taking their journey to find a college that suits standardized tests such as the SAT or them by simply creating a broad list of ACT much earlier than when they universities that excel in their interests. decide to begin going on visits, and Sophomore Hayden Mackey shared perhaps somewhere in between those her experience of when she created her two points in list of interests: time they have “I would say taken multiple second semester, advanced freshman year, there What I tell students placement were a lot of projects all the time is you're exams, which is that we started doing gonna end up where another factor in some classes that gets weighed that were geared you're supposed to, into the college towards making us and it's not about decision as doing think about college where you go to well on an AP and our futures in exam can prove general,” Mackey school, but it's about as a very useful said. the opportunities tool to earn Though Levin that you take. college class added that the credits earlier in preparation process –Amanda Levin time, allowing could start as early for an earlier as freshman year, graduation or she stated that the perhaps an easier class workload. main work begins junior year for most Even those aspects of college must students, as they have their list created be chosen and considered carefully. and are now going on visits and Several colleges are now test optional, preparing for standardized tests. take Kansas State University and the “As far as the application piece University of Kansas for example. The of it, the heavy lifting typically starts University of Kansas is entirely test junior year when students kind of start optional now, while Kansas State still looking at colleges they're interested in requires an ACT in order to determine applying to. They're going on college factors like scholarships. visits, they're taking the ACT, they're There are several factors that come taking the SAT, but I would say that into play when deciding on a university stuff can also happen freshman year

24 | THE NORTH STAR | DECEMBER 2025 Design by George Hiestand

“

ACT preparation guides, SAT and ACT textbooks can be found in the school library. Photo By George Hiestand

HAVE YOU STARTED COLLEGE PREP?

69%

too,” Levin said. In the end, though there is not one specific answer for when to begin college preparation. When choosing a college, there are many factors to take into consideration, such as what tests or AP exams are accepted, the cost to attend and the proximity to home. These things will lead to eventually making that final decision and finding where that destination is that will suit future desires and career goals the best.

60% 40%

31%

NO YES

UNDERCLASSMEN

NO YES

UPPERCLASSMEN

Out of 208 students polled on @bvnnews on Instagram. Photo By George Hiestand

DECEMBER 2025 | THE NORTH STAR | 25

EDITORIAL

The College Board

problem

$ $

A look into the testing monopoly.

By Aahil Hasan

“A

mission-driven, not-forprofit organization that connects students to college success.” This is the mission statement of College Board, the organization that’s behind your AP programs and yearly 100-plus dollar fees if you take their exams. Many students at Blue Valley North have become acquainted with the Advanced Placement programs and grown accustomed to the workload, last-minute cramming and a variety of hefty fees. The organization has become a topic of controversy and has been under consistent scrutiny due to its practices. These issues include monopolizing national testing, financial barriers to students and absurd amounts of revenue generated. The monopolization of an industry can have strong impacts on the business model of an organization. College Board reigns supreme in the testing department. The Advanced Placement program is one of the most popular and widely administered testing programs in the nation, across all 50 states, with over 4,300,000 exams ordered and over 1,200,000 students participating. The program is quite useful as it allows for college credit, and 90% of colleges in the nation have policies granting credit for it. College Board is the only organization administering these exams, with little to no competition or alternative options for programs that grant sufficient college credit. Ideally,

this shouldn’t be a major issue, but this allows for College Board to freely price exams. AP exams are priced at $94 each, with an additional $40 late fee. Study guides can cost from $20 to $40, and full test prep books can cost up to $100. College Board also administers the SAT, which costs $68 to register. That can feel like a bombardment of fees to many students and a financial burden that can hinder one’s opportunity to take advantage of these programs to further their education. Along with these fees, College Board is a non-profit organization; however, it rakes in an interesting amount of profit yearly. The organization earned over $1.1 billion in revenue, with CEO David Coleman earning $1.8 million and other executives earning $1 million in pay. Non-profit organizations are still supposed to sustain revenue in order to operate in many aspects, but the absurd amount of money being sent into the organization through a variety of fees at the cost of students and families, along with the more than comfortable salaries of their executives is not a good look at all. This connects to a wider issue of education in the U.S. being locked behind financial burdens with fees upon fees and a high amount of spending all to earn an education. College Board is a part of that problem, with its monopoly structure in nationwide testing that allows it to charge these fees. Education should not be something

26 | THE NORTH STAR | DECEMBER 2025 Design by Aahil Hasan

$ $

locked behind large financial paywalls that put a burden on students and families, and the programs that are built to make the process easier shouldn’t become a similar burden.

Do you support College Board? (Answered by 91 people)

55%

45%

Yes

Poll provided by @bvnnews

EDITORIAL

The Gift Guide Finding the best gifts for this holiday season. By Rameen Asif

s the holiday season nears, I have begun scavenging the aisles for gifts for loved ones. The pressure of getting each person that “perfect gift” weighs on my mind and leaves me wandering the same store for hours, contemplating whether my efforts will truly be appreciated. So, I made a list of the best types of items to give your loved ones this season to hopefully make every gift meaningful. Comfort is essential for the holiday season. Consider gifting loved ones blankets, slippers and scarves — in short, anything warm and fluffy. These types of gifts can be great for bringing joy to the recipient during the bleak winter days ahead. These items can be found in a variety of stores such as Macy’s, TJ Maxx and Target. For an added touch, get the items tailored to the recipient’s favorite colors or get it monogrammed with their initials. Room decor can also be a great gift. Consider accessories such as a framed picture of a precious memory, embroidered pillows, pencil holders,

phone holders, posters, stuffed animals and more. The recipient will appreciate the extra flair of aesthetic with room decor items. Some potential places for discovering some of the best room decor are HomeGoods and World Market, as they often offer a wide variety of colorful and fun pieces. Both stores also include a plethora of other items that can be gifted, such as a collection of mugs, tote bags and journals. You can also opt to give a variety of smaller gifts this season with an Advent calendar. Advent calendars can make the holiday season exciting for the recipient, allowing them to discover various small trinkets day by day. You can find many types of Advent calendars, ranging from beauty and perfume products to chocolates, to crafts supplies. Creating an Advent calendar yourself can also be a great way to personalize the gift. Michael’s and Office Depot offer small empty boxes that you can fill up with smaller items. Inside of these Advent calendars, you can include items such as make-up products, chocolates, themed keychains, jewelry, stationary, small puzzles and more. In contrast, if you’d prefer to get a completed Advent calendar, there are a variety of options available at Barnes and Noble, Target, Amazon and World Market. An alternative to an Advent calendar is a pre-made basket of luxe chocolates, beauty products, crochet materials, just to name a few ideas.

These baskets are time-saving for the gift giver and are greatly appreciated by the recipient. You can also choose to make your own gift basket, in which you can include several smaller items —ranging from sweet treats to more “usable” items, like a pair of headphones, fluffy socks, a riveting novel or a water bottle. You can find these premade gift baskets on Etsy, Costco and Sam’s Club. Alternatively, you can find empty baskets at Target or Michael’s and fill them with your own items. However, sometimes you might not know enough about the recipient, or perhaps you don’t have the time to browse for certain gifts. A foolproof plan that works every time is to give gift cards, as they can allow the recipient to choose their gift. Regardless of the gift you choose to give your loved ones, remember that the memories you make with the recipient this season are more important than any gift.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

DECEMBER 2025 | THE NORTH STAR | 27 Design by Rameen Asif

ARTS & LEISURE

28 | THE NORTH STAR | DECEMBER 2025 Design by Olivia Moore

I SPY By Olivia Moore and Paul Struby

DECEMBER 2025 | THE NORTH STAR | 29

PHOTO COVERAGE

PHOTO COLLAGE Photos taken by staff photographers at recent BVN events. By Olivia Moore and Paul Struby

Gabe Baethke, Aahil Hassan and Harshil Sunkara in a performance of “Tartuffe”. The show ran Oct. 17-18. Laya Kotihal performs with the marching band. The theme this year was “Smell the Roses”.

Joe Turk reigns as Homecoming King at the annual HOCO Parade, alongside Queen Ellie Vukas.

30 | THE NORTH STAR | DECEMBER 2025

Design by Olivia Moore

MalloryNelson sells Golden Scoop ice cream during AST, as part of a partnership called Golden Connections.

Beau Chiaverini dribbles the ball at a varsity soccer game. They ended the season 9-8-1.

Patrick Smith jumps for a header against Garden City. The Mustangs lost 1-2 in overtime.

CROSSWORD

ENTERTAINMENT

Relax and enjoy the North Star Crossword, with questions taken from our stories. By Paul Struby and Olivia Moore

ACROSS

2. Six of these credits are required for graduation. 3. The Amendment referenced by No Kings Protestors. 4. Brock Johnson’s secret talent. 7. A type of personalized gift. 8. Matthew Chen’s role in multiple clubs.

DOWN

1. The topic affecting many students’ holidays. 4. The AP Lang teacher mentioned in “Creative Control.” 5. The town in New Jersey mentioned in “Consumer Craze.” 6. College Board CEO David ___.

DECEMBER 2025 | THE NORTH STAR | 31

@BVNNEWS CONTACT ABOUT US

“The North Star” is the official high school news publication of Blue Valley North High School, an open forum distributed to all the students six times a year. This is the December issue of volume 40. This issue of “The North Star” is published digitally through ISSUU and in print by “Record News.” This is a student publication and may contain controversial matter. Blue Valley School District No. 229 and its board members, officers and employees disclaim any responsibility for the content of this student publication; it is not an expression of School District Policy. Students and editors are solely responsible for the content of this student publication.

bvnnewspaper@gmail.com for letters to the editors, questions & guest writing opportunities

@bvnnews on instagram @bvnnews on twitter BVN News on facebook bvnnews.com online