______________ VALLEY STREAM _____________
HERALD lIRR welcomes temporary chief Page 9 Vol. 34 No. 45
Time to fall back
V.S. schools host Homecoming
Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday
Remember to set your clocks back, and change your smoke and CO detector batteries
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NoVEMBER 2 - 8, 2023
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South sends questions to space station By ANGElINA ZINGARIEllo azingariello@liherald.com
Keith Rossein/Herald
A fairy princess and her pumpkin Taylor Onyejose, 3, painting her pumpkin at the Valley Stream Halloween Family Fun Day, at Arthur J. Hendrickson Park, last Saturday.
Three students top the test-taking heap scholarship opportunities and catch the attention of college recruiters. Two seniors in Valley Stream National Merit Scholar is a title South High School, Emily Noththat lends its recipients instant durft and Ethan Fazal, joined the name reco gnition among the rarified rank of Commended nation’s top colleges and universiScholars this year. One student ties. To even be in the running for from Central High School, Saajed the title, a student must test in the Yaseen, advanced further as a top one percent of test-takers for Semi-finalist where he joined the PSAT/ National Merit Scholar16,000 high achievers nationwide ship Qualifying Test. and will have a shot at becoming a That’s only the beginning: stuNational Merit Scholar. dents must also be academically The judging criteria assign a accomplished, write persuasively score to each contestant based on about themselves, and demonstrate SAAJEd YASEEN the student’s application which involvement and leadership in National Merit Scholarship Semi-finalist includes the applicant’s stellar extracurricular activities. grades and SAT scores, which It is an extremely competitive should reflect the same high marks and rigorous competition. Yet, even those who do not make it past the initial rounds receive letters as the PSAT, with softer metrics like extracurricof commendation as “Commended Students.” A ular participation and a personal essay. designation that, by itself, can open the doors to Continued on page 5
By JUAN lASSo
jlasso@liherald.com
T
aking the test was calming for me because I forgot about everything else around me and was there to prove myself.
Valley Stream South High students launched their questions from Earth and heard the answers from astronauts on the International Space Station. Last month, Valley Stream South High School teamed up with Amateur Radio on the space station, NASA, and the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club for a live conversation between its students and astronaut Andreas Mogensen, who is currently aboard the space station. This rare opportunity was awarded to 12 students, who won the “Ask an Astronaut a Question” contest held last spring, allowing them the chance to directly engage and pose questions to Mogensen, g aining insights into life beyond our planet. “The stories of astronauts like Andreas Mogensen, and the images of distant planets inspire us all to dream big and aim for the stars more motivating the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers,” Principal Matthew Swinson said opening the event. “How about environmental awareness? Studying space
helps us understand Earth’s delicate ecosystem, highlighting the need to bring nations together for a common purpose.” The contest winners were Meerab Suhail, 12th grade, Ethan Fazal, 12th grade, Dori Chau, 12th grade, Alexa Joy Kosinski, 10th grade, Bethany Kosinski, 12th grade, Kevin Tritschler, 11th grade, Samona Zafar, 12th grade, Noel Corrao, 12th grade, Juan Perez Marte, 8th grade, Andy Huang, 11th g rade, Samira Comb, 11th grade and Arielle Ismael, 8th grade. The high school incorporated an Earth Science ARISS Lesson Plan diving into astronomy, rocket physics, satellite studies, and the use of amateur radio for ISS communication. The school’s Falcon Report Club joined forces with the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club to prepare for the event. As students anticipated the connection with Mogensen aboard the ISS, the faculty took a moment to express their gratitude to the Science Honor Society for transforming this vision into a reality. In New Hampshire, Fred Continued on page 16