2021-2022 Issue 1: Welcome Back

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1. The North varisty volleyball team meets to center themselves for the game against Hoover. PC: Fernanda Sandoval 2. The North junier varisty football team worked together as a team to take East’s player down. PC: Fernanda Sandoval 3. The swim team dives into their lanes durng a meet this fall. PC: Saata Corneh 4

4. The North marching band plays at half-time during the first football game of the year in August. PC: Fernanda Sandoval 5. Anita Irakoze takes a selfie at the first football game of the season in August. PC: Fernanda Sandoval

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6. Lemuna Gurisho, freshman, smiles as she crosses the finish line during a cross country meet. PC: Fernanda Sandoval Design: K. Tuka

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Saraya Waters, Comic Artist The Oracle is excited to introduce our new comic artist, Saraya Waters.

As a senior, Waters has been practicing her artistry since 5th grade and swears that practice does make perfect.

Q: What made you want to join our magazine as the comic artist?

A: I wanted to join as the comic artist because I thought it was something new and different. It would help me get my art seen by more people.

Q: Where do you get your inspiration for art?

A: My inspiration for art comes from the emotions I see in others and feel for myself. It’s a form of venting, even though it can be stressful.

Q: What type of art do you like to create best?

A: The type of art I create best are those of people. It’s easy for me to express myself in the faces of drawn characters.

Comic

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Design by: Saraya Waters

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Cassie Kendzora

PC: Edith Reyes-Santiesteban Mrs. Cassie Kendzora is from Iowa, and wants to always be part of Iowa. She loves the people here and tries her best to impact each and every one of them she meets.

She always knew she wanted to help the commtunity in some way. She has been a part of the Des Moines school district for a while now at Harding, and she plans to be at North for a while.

Q: What made you want to join the education workforce?

A: “I started teaching because I was an art teacher and when [students] found that spark.”

She believes education is the thing in our society that can make a change in the community.

Q: How is the school year so far?

A: “It’s good; it’s been busy.”

This is Kendzora’s first year being an associate principal.

Q: Do you want to be a principal one day?

A: “Yes, that is a goal, but for now I like being an associate principal.”

Q: Was there a reason you chose North?

A: She has always been a part of North, as she worked alongside Harding Middle School for eight years already and she just wanted to stay in the community. She grew so many connections, so North was the right choice for her.

News

Hsar Tray, Staff Writer

Jamie Zabel

PC: Edith Reyes-Santiesteban Dr. Jamie Zabel, yes, he gained his PhD in June of 2020, is happily married with one kid. He has been an administrator in DMPS for three years. Some people might know him form East High School because he was there for two years and now is a new associate principal at North. He said he is ready to serve.

Q: What made you want to join the education workforce?

A: Dr. Zabel didn’t always start as an administrator, but first became a history teacher. He got influenced by his history teacher/coach back in high school. He taught a variety of classes, from special ed, coaching and history.

He enjoys helping out kids because he wants their future to be bright and successful.

Q: How is the school year so far?

A: “It’s been great so far.” He likes that we’re back to in-person school as online was a huge change. He’s happy to be back to normal.

Q: Do you want to be a principal one day?

A: “Becoming a principle is definitely a goal.”

He does want to become a principal one day as he has enough background knowledge to run a school, but for now, he happy to be working at North and helping out here.

Design: Hsar Tray

Transtioning Back to School After the Break Johnathan Harris, Staff Writer

One of Nguyen’s ideas were that he thought the whole thing was kind of just a big experiment to see how the world would react, as some refused to wear masks and others obeyed the rules.

Ben Nguyen

Ben Nguyen Remember last school year and how we had to be fully virtual or hybrid, or divided due to the coronavirus?

We have been going through many changes with our school because of COVID-19 and it is something that we never experienced before.

So, I thought it would be somewhat interesting to talk about and ask some students how their time was during the pandemic and how coming back to school after so long has either affected them in a positive or negative way.

Ben Nguyen is a senior. When COVID-19 first started Ben said, “COVID was pretty nerve-wrecking as I wasn’t sure what would happen if we went back to school.” But Nguyen soon found out it was going to be all right.

He was able to reconnected with some friends who have changed and other friends who really didn’t change all that much. During this break, Nguyen made a realization that friends are more important than he initially thought.

Ben was more of someone who does things solo, which could be a good thing in certain cases, but he found people that he could really call friends who help him when he felt down or just having someone to talk. Because of that he was able to learn how to ride a bike and enjoy his summer break to the fullest.

He was also given a lot of spare time to himself that a gave him time to build his character and have ideas.

Leslie Navor Leslie Navor is a freshman student. Navor talked about the quarentine positively.

“It wasn’t bad I was able to learn easier in virtual and the fact that I was at home, nice and comfortable; it was great, but when my 8th grade year came to an end, I didn’t feel like a

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high school student, let alone someone who just finished middle school,” she said.

“So, it was weird walking around a high school when it still felt like I was still in middle school, but nonetheless I was able to adjust and really get the hang of it.”

Navor went on to talk about how it was hard looking at people again. She explained that it was odd to see other people outside of her immediate family, with whom she spent the last year and a half.

“Yes, but I’m used to seeing them I haven’t really hangout/talk to anyone else during the break. Sure, I talked to my friend, but that’s about it. I was weirded out coming to school and not knowing how it works at all because I was already used to a whole other system,” she said.

Navor said once she was back, being around people still felt a little weird, but she’s gotten used to it now.

“I can honestly say it wasn’t [the same], but over time everything kind of just works out. I suppose I was able to socialize with other people,” she said.

Design: J. Harris

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Kelsey Howard New School Counselor Agustin Perez, Staf Writer

At least 23 new additions to the Polar Bear staff took place this school year.

These featured are just a few of the new faces in our hallways.

Kelsey Howard smiles to introduce herself to the North community.

She is responsible for last name alpha’s R-Z. PC: Agustin Perez Kelsey Howard, the new school counselor for North High School, is responsible for student last names R-Z this year. She currently goes to Creighton University, and previously went to the University of Iowa.

How she enjoys her time outside of the school is playing Sims and hanging out with her dog.

While she did not go to North High School as a student, she did go to Ottumwa High School. Ms. Howards loves all food and accepts any free food, but one of her favorite meals is biscuits and gravy.

She currently lives with her boyfriend with their pet dog named Lady and a pet cat.

Before this, she substituted for Meridith Middle School and Hoover High School last year.

Features

Q: How is your experience currently at North?

A: It has been wonderful I’ve met a lot of great students and staff. Everyone has been very welcoming.

Q: What led to picking North?

A: I really enjoyed my interview with the counselling team and Mr. Graber, everyone was very welcoming, and I wanted to come to a school that was diverse and would put me outside of my comfort zone so that I can learn from my students.

Q: What made you want to become a counselor?

A: As cliché as it sounds, I really want to make everyone feel like a someone and I wanted to become a counselor so I could help students and let them know that someone is there

for them regardless of their situation.

Q: What advice do you have for students this year.?

A: My advice would be reach out to the adults in the building because we’re all here to support you and help you be successful and if you’re struggling with anything somebody here will be able to point you in the right direction so, please just ask for help.

Marisa Maniglia New Orchestra Teacher

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Marisa Maniglia took over the North orchestra program this year after subbing last year at North full-time. PC: Agustin Perez Ms. Marisa Maniglia, new orchestra teacher for North High School and Harding Middle School, enjoys hiking at some of the state parks around Des Moines.

Eating at various places around Des Moines, she also enjoys eating at different restaurants in downtown Des Moines. Her goal is to try every or at almost every restaurant downtown.

While she did not go to North, she did go to high school in Illinois. Her parents and sister live in west Chicago with her sister who just graduated high school.

Ms. Maniglia is also enrolled at Drake University in Des Moines. With her love of many differnt types of food, one of her favorites is eating ribs. Even trying and eating smelly Tofu and duck brain in Beijing. Let’s get to know her better.

Q: How is your experience currently at North?

A: I love it, I am very excited to permanently join the community that I was part of last year as the building’s sub and I’m excited to form even stronger relationships with the students and staff.

Q: What led you to pick North High school?

A: I was a building sub here last semester and I grew to really love the sense of community the school had and how everyone really wanted to work together to make a better learning environment for the students and just really help each other with everything.

Q: What made you want to become a teacher?

A: For most of my life I actually wanted to be a chemical engineer, it wasn’t until I taught my first cello lesson at the very end of high school that I decided to make the switch and make sure the college that I was going to had a music education program.

Q: What advice do you have for students this year?

A: To try to be involved as humanly possible the past year-and-a-half has been a whirlwind and most people have missed out on a lot of things that they want to do, so for this year just try everything and give everything 100 percent because if there’s one thing, we learned during the pandemic is to not take things for granted.

Design: A. Perez

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David Brady New Enviromental Science Teacher

David Brady, environmental science teacher, began his journey at North this past August and is located in the silver hallway. PC: Agustin Perez

Mr. David Brady, environmental science teacher, is a huge book nerd reading fiction and non-fiction like Latinx fiction Jorge Borges, Malcolm X biographies and any other books across the map.

He loves to be outside so hiking, backpacking, camping, fishing, rock climbing, biking and anything that takes him outside.

Mr. Brady also bakes pizza, bread and mole’.

He loves Laotian food, Italian food, and is a huge fan of coffee and tea.

Brady went to Iowa State University for his undergraduate degree, studying ecology, which eventually involved him in the field of ecology. Spending years studying Vivian reptiles, plants and pollinators, eventually going to Drake University and getting his masters, then later a masters in science education at the

Features

secondary level.

Q: What led you to pick North High School?

A: I substitute taught in Des Moines Public Schools, so I have an idea of the school system and the student population and the communities that feed into the Moines Public Schools and I really enjoy the diversity. A different school system is so cool getting to grow up learning from different cultures and different backgrounds and I was excited to see that North is very similar in that sense like a very diverse school, diverse student body with lots of backgrounds and experiences and I just really enjoyed getting to know the students, getting to know their interests ‘,their backgrounds and getting to learn from them. Just as much

as I can teach them. The diversity was a big standing point. Also just talking with other teachers throughout the metro area, this community kept coming up and people just kept mentioning how North has this really strong community.

Q: What made you want to become a teacher?

A: I’ve always enjoyed working with people particularly working with kind of like students teams with younger kids . I worked for summer camps for a number of years getting to do Outdoor Research activities and adventure activities and just I just love working with kids. I love their energy, their optimism and then also doing research in the sciences and slowly over time they merged and I found that I am just as passionate about actually doing science in the field as I am about actually working with students.

Q: Do you have any family members?

A: So, my wife and I just the last week on September 1 had our first child, we had a baby daughter, and her name is Ruth, we absolutely love her. I’m so excited that she’s here; she’s happy, she’s healthy and she is just wonderful, so right now we are a family of three: my wife and my daughter, but we also have two dogs, dachshunds, that love to take on hiking adventures.

Q : What advice do you have for students this year?

A: Climate change, politics, the global pandemic right now. I think there’s a lot of challenging things and I think right now your generation is probably entering our world that’s facing some serious challenges so I think if I could impart one piece of advice: is to look for ways to problem solve and find solutions, so whether it’s science, it’s in the social realm, the financial realm, the political realm whatever it is trying to be a problem solver I think if you can become a problem solver and whatever field your passion and are interested in that’s going to make you the most successful for right now.

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Erika Valerio New SPED Teacher

Ms. Erika Valerio was a part of the English SPED department and continued into this school year. She can mostly be found in the red hallway. PC: Agustin Perez Erika Valerio, new teacher at North, teaches in special education for English IV and learning transitions. She works with students who have IEPs (Individualized Education Plans). For those who don’t know, it maps out what types of support and instructions students need to be successful.

In co-taught classrooms, she is there to help the teacher differentiate class material.

While Mrs. Valerio does not have much time for hobbies, she enjoys taking walks. One thing she likes about Des Moines is having many trails; she uses this to find new routes to go on walks.

Mrs. Valerio also loves food, so she likes to try new local restaurants in the Des Moines area.

She went to the University of Iowa for her undergraduate and then to Simpson College for her masters.

Ms. Valerio, being Mexican, also likes Mexican food, but she also enjoys pasta and potatoes of any form, including mashed potatoes, French fries, casseroles and chopped in all forms.

This summer she got married and will change her last name eventullay, she said. Her parents are living in Illinois and her brother is still in high school, her sister lives in Milwaukee, Wis.

Q: How is your experience currently at North?

A: I really love North, I just started teaching in, let’s say, beginning of April of this year so I’m fairly new to North. I didn’t get to sign-up here last year, so this August was my first backto-school year, which is really fun. I really enjoy being here!

Q: What led you to pick North High School?

A: It’s really the diverse student population.

I just feel like… when I grew up most of my teachers, mostly people that I was around, looked nothing like me. It made me feel alone, it wasn’t a great experience, so when I was looking at finding a place to work and teach at, I wanted to find a school that was diverse that I could call home.

Q: What made you want to become a teacher?

A: I really value education, I think it’s really important for everyone to have an opportunity to get a good quality education, but also, like I told you before, all of my teachers were mostly white and it was hard for me to relate to any of them, or when they would do examples that aren’t familiar with me. I really like working with students. I’ve realized that I did not like working in the elementary level. We had to paradigm during my like teaching education,

and I was at a preschool, it was terrifying.

Q: What advice do you have for students this year?

A: I would say to be present. I know in the world that we live in it’s so easy to get distracted by so many things such as cellphones. Like I have email on my phone, I have Facebook, Instagram and as soon as I see a notification, I immediately want to check. So, one thing that I’ve been really trying to focus on myself is when I’m with people. Especially since my work is time consuming to really be present and focus on them. And just kind of put everything else, whether it’s work or anything else that’s going on my life, on the side and just focus on what I’m doing. I think that would be my advice to students. It’s like if you’re in school: focus on your schoolwork and hanging out with friends like focusing on them. If you’re at work focus on work. Don’t let distractions get in the way.

Design: A. Perez

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Roshrenah Lovan, Staff Writer Sometimes you need to take a break or have a healthy coping mechanism that could calm you down.

Here are some tips from hopeforhealingfoundation.org:

Tatianna Lo is an aspiring doctor who attends North High School and Central Campus. She helps her family by running errands and has quite the busy schedule.

Q: What from school overwhelms you?

A: Yeah, you know, just going back is just overwhelming already with being anxious, and also like with my nursing aid class, there’s a lot you have to get done.

Q: Has school interfered with your home life?

A: Yes, just with scheduling because I do help my parents run errands and stuff.

Amelia Leff is a student who also attends North High School and Central Campus.

They have a seasonal job as a lifeguard.

Q: What from school overwhelms you?

A: The amount of people from switching from virtual to in person.

Q: Has school interfered with your home life?

A: Sometimes it has, normally with scheduling. Not a lot though.

Q: How do you feel about school?

A: Exhausted because of it, haha.

Q: How do you feel about school?

A: It’s okay, just wish that some people would respect bounderies.

Opinions

Design: R. Lovan

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Edith Reyes-Santiesteban, Staff Writer

Fernanda Sandoval, Staff Writer

During the past two years, there have been major changes done to the schools because of COVID-19, a virus that has continuously impacted us.

During the pandemic, everything was shut down. Many schools went online for a whole year, including North High School. This year North High School got the ‘okay’ to come back to normal and have everyone back in the building. On Feb. 7, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds lifted the mask requirement Iowa had for public spaces, declaring it up to the business owner and citizens to “do the right thing.”

During the first few weeks of this school year, it was optional to wear a mask or not, but it continued to be highly encouraged for people to wear a mask.

On September 15, Principal Benjamin Graeber announced in an email to the North staff, “The mask mandate is just that: an official order. We all must comply with this, and it is not up for debate. We, the adults, will be masked in all areas of North High School.” This remains the norm and expectation at North, along with the mask mandate going district wide.

According to the CDC, masking helps lower the spread of COVID-19 and the different varients that are emerging, like the Delta varient.

“Wearing masks can help communities slow the spread of COVID-19 when worn consistently and correctly by a majority of people in public settings and when masks are used along with other preventive measures, including social distancing, frequent handwashing, and cleaning and disinfecting.”

So, the scientists and experts say to wear a mask to keep everyone safe- in and out of school, so we should all mask up and wear them properly - over your mouth and nose.

Due to the pandemic, many new regulations have been implemented, with the most controversial being the mask regulation.

Mask regulations feel like it is taking a right away from us, being forced to do something we don’t want. The people should decide whether to wear or not wear mask.

Instead of enforcing it on everyone, even kids who we all know won’t be forced to wear one, instead trust that each family will make the right call for them.

Another con of wearing a mask is that it can make breathing more difficult and when allergy season comes, it will become more uncomfortable, having to sneeze and cough.

Another problem with masks is that it can be painful, having the masks straps on your ear for hours can hurt. Besides that, it has also brought trouble to those who have stood their ground, many businesses have closed their doors to them or aren’t even allowing entry unless a mask is worn.

The people should decide for themselves how they are going to deal with it. And not have some other strangers decide what you should do.

Opinions

- DMPS families + staff get testing priority in line - Location: Hoover High School + Kurtz Opportunity Center - Monday-Friday 6:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

- Saturday 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

- Make an appointment: testing.nomihealth.com/signup/dmschools

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Faces of North High Football Sofia-Ana May Rivero, Editor

How well do you know the football players at North? Often, they’re looked at as a whole and not individuals. We thought the boys deserved a little more recognition. While we wish we could’ve highlighted all the boys, we compiled a short list.

These boys constantly push themselves on and off the field, with practicing six days a week and many working jobs while upholding academics. The boys have a lot on their agendas. This is a closer look at Nick Crispin, Izzy Kelai, and Ty Taylor.

PC: DM North Media

Nick Crispin Nick Crispin is a quarterback on North’s varsity team. Crispin has been playing since he was in the seventh grade. Crispin even gave up playing basketball to have more time to focus on football.

When asked Crispin informed us he looks up to Payton Manning and has for a long time.

As for a close connection he looks up to his grandpa “Bub.” Crispin stated that he’s always been a role model for him. Crispin recalls moments in his childhood where his grandpa would pick him up from school and give him talks on “basics of life.” Crispin likes classes like algebra and plans on studying kinesiology after high school. While Crispin doesn’t have any specific colleges in mind, he’s hoping to potentially get an athletic scholarship.

Crispin is grateful for his team and friends Ty and Kevin because they don’t allow him to settle and constantly push him to achieve more.

Sports

PC: Sofia May Rivero

PC: Sofia May Rivero

Izzy Kelai

Izzy Kelai is a senior at North High who has been playing football for three years, as well as track. From a young age Kelai was taught to focus on self-discipline. Kelai continues to use this in his day-to-day life and gives great thanks to his support team especially his uncle.

Kelai stated in an interview that “he always pushed and encouraged me to do better yet it never seemed forced.” One of the ways kelai continues to better himself is by telling himself “I am enough” and by having reachable standards. His close friends Niya and Training have helped him excel in life as well.

Kelai says “They come to every game telling me to try my hardest and go crazy.” After high school Kelai imagines himself playing college football and starting a clothing brand. Kelai says in the future he wants to get out of Iowa, but could also see himself attending UNI.

If you visit this QR code you can view all of the players, scores and so much more!

Ty Taylor Ty Taylor is a junior at North who has been playing football for four years. Taylor started out playing in the youth league like many of the other players.

Playing opened a whole new world for Taylor. It encouraged him to try harder academically and stop getting into trouble. Taylor says before football he was constantly getting into fights and not making the best choices.

Taylor states, “My family thought it was a good thing for me to try and they were right.”

He gives credit to his dad for helping shape him into the man he is now. Taylor says, “My dad’s been through a lot, he’s done so much for me like passing down all his wisdom.”

One of Taylor’s favorite quotes from his dad is “Never let a win go to your head and never let a loss go to your heart.”

Taylor is a great team player on and off the field. In his free time on the weekend, he works at Papa Johns Pizza. Some nights Taylor will even work after games. He says it tough, but knows it’s just something he must push through.

After high school Taylor hopes to get a scholarship preferably to NC State. Taylor wants to learn a trade like electricity or plumbing and would love to have his own business in the future.

Design: S. May Rivero

So far this year...

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(Top) FOUR! Saw Gee, sophomore, swings at the tee during a golf meet at Grandview Golf Course on Sept. 21.

Photo Credit: Natalie Niemeyer Lorenz

BEARS DEN. On Sept. 10, Polar Bears fans dressed up for a Hawaiian Out theme as they cheered for our varisty boys. Front Row: Kierra Vivanh-Vong, Yasmine Hernandez, Laurene Rivera, and Eh Thaw Paw. Each Friday night is a different theme that Polar Bear Crew decides. Student IDs are requrired for entry. Bags are not allowed inside Grubb Stadium. Photo Credit: Zane Kirsch

DOWN HILL. Freshman, Jeralys Casanova, paces herself around a curve at Ewing Park meet. Photo Credit: Edith Reyes-Santiesteban

JUMP. Nick Crispin, junior, bumps against varsity football coach, Eric Addy, to celebrate scoring a touchdown. Photo: Edith Reyes-Santiestaban

(Bottom) HUGS. Before the start of a Friday night football game, senior Sofia May Rivero and junior Jill Hayes embrace before they cheer on the Polar Bears. Photo Credit: Zane Kirsch

WHACK! Senior, Eh Thaw Paw pops the ball up for a perfect serve against Lincoln High. Photo Credit: Katie Jurado

Design: J. Dryden