North Star News, September 19, 2019

​North Star News September 19, 2019

North Star News​

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Journalism Class

Niles North has recently been informed that D219 is required by the Illinois School Code to offer students/staff the opportunity to recite the Pledge of Allegiance during the school day. The student journalists from North Star News w ​ anted to know your reactions. Thank you for your feedback.

We asked: Should we say the Pledge of Allegiance in school? You answered…

YES NO We live in a great country that deserves to be celebrated daily. Saying the Pledge of Allegiance only makes sense to recite if you live in this country. It is a simple act of respect and reverence to the place we live in. Others wish they could live in a place that upholds the Constitution daily. Reciting the pledge will only remind us how valuable our rights are.

It will take too much time out of homeroom. What if it’s a late start and we don’t even have homeroom? Would we take time out of another class period to do it? A lot of people have homeroom lunch, so it will take time from them too.

It is up to the students to declare their allegiance to our country. Some may have issues with our current situation, some even to the point of not wanting to be here, so they obviously do not feel an allegiance to our country. Others may wish to recite this pledge for declaring and renewing their belief in this country.

Regardless, it is a wonderful idea to have the pledge as an option, for each student is then given a complete list of choices on what they wish to participate in.

I’ve noticed in the past that kids just mumble the pledge of allegiance when it is a class requirement. It seems as if it is something that not many want to do, and most would go through the motions of saying it, but without any interest. I do think that students should not be forced to say the pledge of allegiance, but only say it if they want to. Students should also be given the opportunity to sit or stand as desired. There are a lot of strong feelings going around about our country right now. The pledge seems like another territory that is fraught with mixed messages from past events, and people don’t care about it anymore.

It is the law and however unjust many may believe it is, until the law is changed it is illegal to violate that law which we have been doing for many years.

Those who want to say the pledge can, but not everyone should be required to because this country has wronged so many minorities, that it simply would not make sense to pledge allegiance to a country that treated you or your ancestors so poorly.

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___________________________________ Quiroz competes in an international WKF competition

By Nicole Nantz September 19, 2019

A fellow student of Niles North is going to Portugal from September 15-29 to compete in the World Karate Federation competition. Senior Sean Quiroz has been training since he was 8 years old, and has opened up about his inspirations, training, and his everyday life. ¨I'm trying for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo,” Quiroz said. “I have Olympic qualifications in May in Paris. Then, we'll see from there.¨ He really wants to get into the 2020 Olympics because the next Olympics in Paris will not have karate as a sport since they chose breakdancing instead for the 2024 Olympics. He plans on participating in the January Team Trials for Karate at the Olympic Training in Paris, France.

This is not the first time Quiroz has participated in the WKF competition, he competed in 2014-2015 and got 5th place. Not only at the WKF, but Quiroz has participated in many tournaments around the USA and internationally. When he is not competing, Quiroz is training and getting school work done.

Nearly every athlete in every sport has something that motivates and influences them to continue their sport. Quiroz mentioned his many inspirations to do karate. ¨My grandpa did karate when he was younger, so of course my grandpa,̈ Quiroz said. ¨But, also my friends.̈ When Quiroz was young, his friend's sister would babysit him, and bring his friend too. Quiroz's friend did karate in front of him, and Quiroz got inspired to start learning karate.

​Photo Courtesy from WKF

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Quiroz also talks about the WKF, the organization hosting the competition. Quiroz explained that the competition has changed over the years. That the competition now is more televised, and that they change the rules a lot. But, at the end of the day, Quiroz was very thankful for the WKF for the opportunities they give him.

When asked about his motivation, Quiroz responded with, ¨My mom has always been there, she always sacrificed so much for me. So now it is time for me to return the favor.̈ Quiroz even plans on continuing competing in karate as an adult.

Even though Quiroz is competing in karate internationally, he is still a student who has to go to school. He described how he manages his schedule, ¨I don't get a lot of sleep. I do lots of trainings. I do homework right away. I usually do my homework in studyhalls and lunch.¨ He admits that time management was one of his weaknesses, and that he doesn't get a lot of sleep due to his schedule.

Quiroz's way of dealing with stress is to workout and training. He explained that even though he loved competing, Quiroz sometimes wished he could have more time to himself or hang out with friends.

Quiroz is ready and excited for the competition in Portugal, and is ready for the opportunities for his future. If you want to see the results of the competition, go to ​WKF.net​.

College admissions scandal faces sentencing

By Juliana Pena September 19, 2019

The parents involved in the college admissions scandal in February are starting to be sentenced. Felicity Huffman, the first of many, was sentenced 14 days in jail after pleading not guilty on September 13.

Felicity Huffman an actress most known for her part in​ Desperate Housewives,​ was exposed to taken part in an elicit scheme in ensuring her daughters entry into a university.

Michelle Misyutina, a senior at Niles North who is applying to schools right now, said she wasn’t surprised by the scandal, “It’s not right, but it’s understandable.”

Misyutina further goes on to say that the scandal hasn’t discouraged her from applying to college at all, “What happened has happened.”

Felicity Huffman paid $15,000 so her daughter’s SAT would be corrected after she took it. If Huffman paid $75,000, her daughter could have received a perfect score.

Another Hollywood actress Lori Loughlin and her husband fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli stand accused of paying $500,000 to pass off their daughters’ as crew recruits. The parents pleaded not guilty and if found guilty could face up to 40 years in jail.

Huffman apologized to many. At her sentencing, she took the time to apologize “to the students who work hard every day to get into college and to their parents who make tremendous sacrifices supporting their children.” ​Photo courtesy of New York Times

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Skokie celebrates diversity in a colorful way

By Misha Raykhlin September 19, 2019

On September 8, a huge wave of color made its way onto Oakton Park that afternoon as many different cultures from Skokie celebrated the Festival of Colors.

Niles North seniors Britney Le and Olivia Yoshioka performed a free style dance. Later ,several classical and more modern Indian dances were performed as well as Filipino martial arts. With these events, afterwards the performers invited the children at the event to some activities from dancing to martial arts.

During the event there were a lot of things to do like visiting many different cultural shops like asian goods store to India goods and a lot more in between. In addition there were also several smaller booths. From a stand advertising AT&T fiber to a bike mobile from the Skokie Public Library. In addition there were also some food stands and even a food truck at the event so people can eat culturally foods.

America’s vaping epidemic hits close to home

By Danielle Lehrer September 19, 2019

Currently, in the United States, there have been seven deaths and 380 hospitalizations, that have been reported in 36 states, from illness in lungs linked to vaping devices, according to an article published by the Washington Post.

The main victims of this epidemic have been teenagers, though there have been older adult victims as well. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 37% of 12th graders partake in vaping.

Even though many health experts know that these illnesses were caused by vaping products, they do not know what specific chemicals are causing the mysterious illnesses. According to hospital reports, patients who used marijuana vaping products all had vitaminE acetate which is deadly when turned into a vapor. They have not been able to discover which chemical is responsible in the nicotine products but the FDA is investigating further.

Even though there is not concrete proof, officials think that contaminated products may have been bought from fake vendors or even off the black market. Investigations are still underway.

Despite the recent deaths and illnesses, some teenagers are unfazed. When Niles North students were asked why they vaped, one student who is in many AP classes and studying for ACT’s said, “It helps

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me when I am stressed, it relaxes me when I feel a tremendous amount of pressure.” Other vapers remarked, “All my friends were doing it, so I tried it and got hooked” and “At first it was just a fun thing, especially because there is no evidence that it is harmful but now that I’m trying to quit, I see how addicted I really am. Even though it’s bad, I still crave it.”

Many Niles North students feel that the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s statistics of 37% of 12th graders vape is under reported. One anonymous student said, “About 70% of the people I know vape or Juul. No one is going to admit to it, especially because it is a lot of students you would not think - from the druggies to the AP nerds.”

The good news is that a lot of Niles North students are quitting in light of the recent reports of lung illnesses.

When asked what principal Dr. Edwards thought of this crisis, “​The deleterious impact of vaping is very close and personal to me. My oldest son had been vaping for over a year and during that span, he had continual bouts of bronchitis, a return of asthma, and trouble sleeping. The recent deaths of young people his own age prompted him to quit. I always considered myself a vigilant parent, but never would have imagined he would delve into vaping. I am proud of his courage and fortitude in the face of his former addiction. The number of different toxins in vape juice, many from sources unknown, put anyone who vapes in dire straits. In addition , corporate tobacco entities use insidious marketing strategies to hook young folks which in itself is morally reprehensible,” Edwards committed.

Hopefully, the CDC will be able to solve this mystery. For now the New York Health Commissioner warned residents to “stop using vape products until the CDC could determine the cause of the vaping-related illnesses nationwide.” The ​North Star News​ will be following this story as it develops.

Photo by Gabby Jones/ Bloomberg via Getty Images

DM invites everyone to pop up and then run

By Darlene Sese September 19, 2019 Photo courtesy of Shopify Blog

Dance Marathon will be hosting their first pop-up thrift store later this month and are getting ready for their annual Halloween 5K. Dance Marathon along with other clubs are hosting a pop-up thrift shop where students can donate used clothes as well as buy them for a discounted price. The pop-up thrift shop is from September 23 to 25 during all lunch periods in the New Commons.

Donation for clothes began on September 9 and if you donate clothes you can get $1 coupon to use at the thrift store. Goals of the store are to provide ways for students and staff to purchase used clothing for a reasonable price, to raise money for the School Chest, and to make individuals more aware of the environmental impact of buying new clothes.

“I’m excited about the DM pop up thrift shop because it’s the first time we’re doing something like this and it’s a fun way to collaborate with other clubs in school, such as fashion club, fem club, and recycling club. I think it’s important because clothes sold at the shop is helping fundraise for a great cause (Apna Ghar, this year’s organization!),” DM Executive senior Diana Buda said.

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All of the proceeds will go to helping the School Chest which is Apna Ghar (an organization that helps immigrant communities end gender violence) and the D219 Education Foundation (helps D219 students obtain costly things for their education). All the unsold items left at the thrift store will be donated to Goodwill.  On October 27, Dance Marathon and Cross Country are hosting the annual Dance Marathon Halloween 5K at Niles West. All the money raised will be going to support the School Chest, Apna Ghar and the D219 Education Foundation. Online registration is available where groups are able to register as a team (four or more) at $15 per student and $20 per adult or you can register as an individual where students are $20 each and adults are $25 each but day-of registrations have a price increase of $5. Day-of registration begins at 8am and the run starts at 9am, whereas after there will be music, snacks, and prizes. Everyone is welcome to join!Â

 Digital Storytelling: What you need to knowÂ

By Lisett Becerra September 19th, 2019Â

đ&#x;”źComputer area available to students in Digital StorytellingÂ

Photo by Lisett BecerraÂ

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There are new curriculums brewing in the Niles North community and Digital Storytelling is one of them. Only created this year, this class has made an impact on our school. Digital Storytelling is a “one semester course which gives students a foundation for creating digital media and using the medium to tell a story,â€? according to the course description. If a student is interested in technology or broadcast media packages this course is a good start. “This course is for any student, especially those who want to express themselves and create their own stories using audio and video,â€?Digital Storytelling teacher Jessica Ralfs said. “This course is especially useful to people who want to go into broadcasting or even anyone who likes to post on Instagram.â€?  “The course offers students expression and technological advances,â€? another Digital Storytelling teacher Jason Mormolstein said. “As well as telling new kinds of stories.â€? This course is a public speaking credit, which one must meet in order to graduate. “It’s a great way for students to meet their public speaking requirement,â€? school counselor Lee Milano said. “Students will enjoy it because it’s very hands on.â€?  Talk to the school counselors to find out how this course fits in ones schedule.Â

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Fem Club welcomes absolutely everyone

By Lauren Sonnier September 19th, 2019

Fem Club. We’ve all seen the posters, heard the announcements, walked by the fundraisers; but what ​is​ it?

The short answer is, it’s not a bunch of angry teenage girls spewing buzzwords left and right, ranting about their hatred of men on a Friday.

Here’s the long answer.

Fem (a shorthand term for feminism) Club, existing for just over a decade, is a dedicated group of student activists of all ages and levels of familiarity with feminism. Though the group is currently comprised of mostly young women and gender non-conforming individuals, they’re set on recruiting more young men to join.

“Everyone is welcome here!” Fem Club sponsor and Women and Gender Studies teacher Barbara Hoff said.

Fem Club is founded upon intersectional feminism. Fancy word alert! Don’t worry, Fem Club is all about reaching understandings.

Intersectionality is defined as​ a branch of feminism asserting how different aspects of social and political identity overlap--for example, race with gender. The group emphasizes empathy and respect as a means of understanding each other's perspectives, and working toward creating an atmosphere in which all bodies feel comfortable expressing themselves. ​In the spirit of exchanging empathy, each week a member of the club presents on a topic of their choice as the rest of the group listens and engages in discussion at the designated point to do so. Topics range from the objectification of women in the media, to sex worker’s rights, to consent and healthy relationships. Though discussion is encouraged, it is ​completely​ acceptable to just listen, as Fem Club understands that new environments can be intimidating and talking isn’t everyone’s thing.

However, Fem Club is not wholly discussion based.

This year, Fem Club has taken the lead on the Pop-up Thrift raising money for Apna Ghar, an organization dedicated to providing holistic services and conducting advocacy across immigrant communities of Chicago to end gender violence. In coordination with WHO Club, Fashion Club, and Climate Change Club, Fem Club has been receiving and organizing clothing donations; the store opens up in the Student Commons on the 24th of September, and donations will be accepted until the 23rd.

“We discuss and raise money for causes we care about, but we also do laid back things like collaging,” fourth year member and senior Udoka Nwansi said. “The club really is student led and directed, meaning that if we want to have a craft day, or watch a movie pertaining to feminism, that’s just what happens. It’s all incredibly collaborative.”

Need another reason to stop by?

“The snacks,” senior Kieran Mcari-Lawless said. “Oh the snacks. Hoff hooks us up every week, and we bring stuff too, whenever we can.”

Fem Club meets in room 2120 every Friday. Come on by! They promise not to yell at you.

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Water vapor found on exoplanet K2-18 b sparks debate

By Olivia Frey September 19, 2019

Photo Courtesy of Google Images

Scientists from ​Nature Astronomy​ claim K2-18 b is a “super Earth”, because it is larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune. Moreover, more scientists are starting to believe this exoplanet is more of a mini Neptune, because of its gas surface.

Nature​ correspondent Alexandria Witze is one scientist that believes K2-18 b is a mini-Neptune.

Witze says that because “it's got a thick hydrogen atmosphere and if you want to find the water you'd have to go ballooning. But, the work is pushing the limits of understanding these alien worlds and how like (or unlike) Earth they may be.”

Exoplanet scientist Erin May also disagrees with K2-18 b being a super Earth as well. May explains that “Many studies show that it’s extremely difficult to make a planet > than 2 Earth-radii without a large atmosphere. Mass & radius (density) alone are actually not very useful here. I’d also like to point out that from mass and radius alone, this planet should have never been considered a super-Earth. I think there’s a tendency to throw this term around because it’s more “exciting”, but we as astronomers need to keep our terminology straight.”

As groundbreaking as it may seem, water on planets doesn’t always necessarily mean life. There are many other factors for life to be sustainable, like size and the amount of oxygen. But with new technology advancements like the James Webb space telescope, finding life won’t be as hard as it once was.

Finding water vapor outside of our solar system is surely exciting, but what is actually happening on these exoplanets?

The report on the discovery of water vapor was found in two places: one published on the aiXiv website on September 10, while the other was published on ​Nature Astronomy​ on September 11. But once it hit social media, other scientists and astronomers had something to say on whether or not the exoplanet was suitable for life.

K2-18 b was originally found in 2015 by NASA’s Kepler spacecraft. The planet is eight times the mass of the Earth, and orbits a red “dwarf star”. But that’s not the only interesting fact about this exoplanet. It was also found to hold water vapor, an essential ingredient for life.

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Girls’ badminton team gains ground at Niles North

By Sabha Fatima September 19, 2019

The girls badminton team is rapidly gaining popularity here at Niles North, just 3 years into the program.

When it first started out, in the 2017-18 spring season, there were only 2 levels: Freshmen and JV. This year, though, the Girls’ Badminton team of 2019-20 will consist of 3 levels: Freshmen, Junior Varsity and Varsity and the team are officially recognized by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). The Varsity level was just added last year, spring 2019, for the more experienced players that had started off the school’s first team. The spring of 2018 was the inaugural season and was made up of about 30 student-athletes, most of them promising to come back next year, and all looking to improve their skills constantly and make new friends along the way.

Badminton is a sport played with a racquet and a ‘birdie’, over a low net. Although it may not seem as much, badminton is a very competitive sport that urges a player to stay active and always on the move.

It is usually played as either a ‘singles’ match (1 on 1) or as a ‘doubles’ match (two pairs of players versing each other).

Although they had a lot to learn, the first-year badminton players competed against rival schools with already long-established badminton programs.

The season was short and the practices were tough, and there were some weeks in which there would be several matches in a row...but that didn’t stop them.

The Varsity Badminton team is coached by physical education teacher Karin Wick; Freshman and Junior Varsity players were coached by coaches Carol Herlocker and Bashar Jazrawi. Coach Wick was especially impressed by the way her badminton players put in extra effort for this tiresome but thrilling sport and learned to overcome the potential learning curve that came along with the struggles of forming a new team. “As the season comes to a close, I’ve been blown away by the girls and how much they’ve achieved this year,” Coach Wick admitted in the spring of 2018.

Because of the interlinked nature of the sport, the girls on the team have also learned other valuable lessons such as, respecting one another, practicing good sportsmanship, and of course, having fun every step of the way. Trust plays a crucial role in this competitive game, along with staying focused every step of the way. The best way to improve is, of course, by practice; for those who may be looking to join this year might want to watch for lessons coming up later in this semester, around the end of October. When asked about h​ow a badminton athlete would improve their skills throughout the year, Coach Wick states, “Play and lessons. Honestly, playing is important but lessons are really what help you improve. Lessons need to be year round because the more you learn the better and smarter you play. ” Currently, the prospective badminton athletes for the spring season of 2020 are sharpening their skills and preparing for a great season up ahead, in the months of March and April. Workouts and open gyms are being held regularly, before school on Mondays, and after school on Wednesdays. In addition to these optional conditioning days, team bonding opportunities are scheduled throughout this semester to form close relationships within the group.

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So far, fundraising is a big success, with thousands of dollars already raised (and more to come) with the help of online donations, as well as candy-selling right here in the halls of Niles North. Keep a lookout for those sweet treats, all for $1 each.

Tryouts for the girls’ team will take place early spring and girls that are interested should talk to the coaches and continue going to open gym days during this semester. When asked about expectations for the upcoming season, Coach Wick hopes for the best and looks forward to helping her players improve. “​We are in a top Badminton conference. My major goal is to get my players to do lessons during the winter and summer. This will help to improve play, elevate expectations and shoot for higher goals.​” Photo courtesy of Google Images

NN Girls Varsity Tennis team season starts off in full swing

By Hannah Freireich September 19, 2019

​Successful third place team finish and medalists at the Pat Grant invitational

Photo by Coach Andrew Klamm

After a change of conference the Niles North Girls Tennis team is making their mark in the new conference CSL South.

Girls tennis started off their season with a 5-2 win vs Palatine Highschool and a 5-0, 4-1, 4-1 win vs three schools in the Jacobs 32 team invite in Lockport, IL. Another big accomplishment the Niles North team has made is a 3rd place finish in the Pat Grant Invite at Niles West on August 8.

After a trip to Springfield and a day of long, hard tennis, junior, Zarina Sayed finished with a 2nd place medal. “I feel like I could have done much better and there is always room for improvement, but I have to remember there’s always a next time to do better and aim for first,” junior Zarina Sayed said.

With conference matches starting the week of Sept. 10, the girls are ready to make their stand in this new conference and they have a lot of things to look forward to this season. “We’ve had some good wins and tough losses but overall I think we’re getting better as a team. I’m looking forward to conference games, the game vs. Niles West, and hopefully qualifying our 1st doubles for state,” junior captain Lisa Duan said.

Deerfield was the first conference match but Niles North fell short but bounced back in the next conference game vs Maine West in a shut-out, 7-0.

This week Niles North plays Evanston High School on September 17 at Niles North and Highland Park, also at Niles North on September 19 and compete in a tournament on September 21 at Niles West High School.

Go check out the Niles North Girls Tennis as they put their skills to work in these upcoming conference games.