Imagine being a young explorer, sailing across the high seas to a new uncharted territory. This is what the Pilgrims probably felt like when crossing the ocean to America. Their ship, the Mayflower, landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts on November 11, 1620. The first year was long and arduous. However, in 1621 the Pilgrims had their first successful harvest. This is where the story starts.

A long time ago, I, the author of this short story, wrote a brief tale known as “Ancient Machines” for an English class at NorthStar. I enjoyed writing it, and received a good grade for my efforts but did not expect it to go anywhere. However, a few weeks later, I was on a call with a few friends. The conversation somehow turned to writing, and I offhandedly mentioned that I’d written a short story called “Ancient Machines” a while prior. My friends eagerly requested I share it with them, which I did, and encouraged me to write a sequel. Therefore, I am here today to do just that. However, had it not been for NorthStar, the entire concept of the story would not have happened. Thus, I must give my wholehearted thanks to the school and its community for its huge hand in the creation of “Ancient Machines”.

What foods are most commonly associated with Thanksgiving? Perhaps turkey? Mashed potatoes? Or maybe even pie? If you are a NorthStar Academy student, you might associate fried rice with Thanksgiving. NSA students come from all around the world. This means that when it comes to the holidays, in many ways a lot of their celebrations look very similar, but in some ways they may look different. 

If you are ready for some puzzling fun, check out the Navigator Crossword Puzzle below, which was created by a member of the Navigator staff.

If you are ready for some puzzling fun, check out the Navigator Search-A-Word here, which was created by a member of the Navigator staff.

Here at the Navigator, staff members can hold many student positions in addition to being a writer.  One set of these positions is the publication team consisting of the editor-in-chief, the assistant editor-in-chief, and the PR representative.  These positions are not really known to anyone outside the Navigator, so this article is here to change that.  Come aboard today and learn about each of the publication team’s positions.

Fall is the season of thankfulness, and with the abundant blessings God gives us throughout the year, it is an excellent time to take a moment and recognize what we are thankful for and how He has worked in our lives.

Artificial Intelligence, commonly known as AI, is continually being integrated more and more into society, including schools. NorthStar is one of the few schools that actually has an AI policy. This policy is brand-new, and students might have been surprised this year to see the AI acceptable use scale explained in an orientation video. Like all things, Artificial Intelligence can be accepted, rejected, or redeemed. The faculty at NSA “witnessed the rapid development and adoption of AI technologies” (Shafer) and decided not to ban AI, but redeem it.

A long time ago, I, the author of this short story, wrote a brief tale known as “Ancient Machines” for an English class at NorthStar. I enjoyed writing it, and received a good grade for my efforts but did not expect it to go anywhere. However, a few weeks later, I was on a call with a few friends. The conversation somehow turned to writing, and I offhandedly mentioned that I’d written a short story called “Ancient Machines” a while prior. My friends eagerly requested I share it with them, which I did, and encouraged me to write a sequel. Therefore, I am here today to do just that. However, had it not been for NorthStar, the entire concept of the story would not have happened. Thus, I must give my wholehearted thanks to the school and its community for its huge hand in the creation of “Ancient Machines”. 

 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (New International Version, John 1:1-5).

Here at NorthStar Academy, there are quite a few different kinds of courses for students to choose from, such as normal, Honors, Advanced Placement®, and Dual Credit (College Board).  So let us dive into them together!  (This article will only be addressing the difficulties and types of high school NSA Flex courses rather than their NSA Live counterparts.)

NorthStar Academy is constantly adding, revising, and improving their courses. There are already an incredible number of courses offered at the school; however, this year, several new classes have been added to the options that high school students can choose from. 

Fall is upon us. With the change of the weather comes changes in society. Yes, this may seem extreme, but a lot of things change with the coming of fall. For example, new activities begin and new drinks are consumed. This is just a part of our ever-changing world. However, fall seems to be a controversial time for some. If you were to ask our staff about their thoughts on fall, half would say they loved it, and the other half would probably scoff at you. After being asked to fill out a form, the Navigator staff is here to give their opinions on all things fall!

The 2024 Paris Olympics began on July 26 and ended on August 11. In those sixteen days, thousands of athletes competed in different disciplines such as swimming, wrestling, and archery. More than 30 million people watched these events (Reilly). Among these viewers were many NorthStar students, and this fall, they were surveyed on what they liked best about the Paris Olympics. 

Imagine showing up to a club meeting week after week… except you were the only member. The chairs are empty, the books are unread, and the game pieces are yet to be moved. That doesn’t sound much like a club, does it? According to the Oxford Dictionary, a club is, “An organization for people who share an interest or do a sport or activity together” (Oxford University Press). There is a purpose for meeting, and it is not about the activity. It’s about the people.

Disclaimer: Please check with your parent or legal guardian for approval to watch any of the content listed in this article. Thank you.

“I just wanna be adopted by anyone and everyone willing to adopt me. I wanna see how many NSA parents I can have.” Yes, you have read that sentence right. No, it is not talking about actual adoptions. Confused yet? Do not worry, we all are. Join me in my quest of trying to explain NSA families in a way that makes sense - and based on the fact that even the main participants are confused, it will not be an easy one.

NSA offers many excellent and unique ways to engage with the community and become more involved in student leadership. One of these opportunities is to become a club leader. Students in this position coordinate, oversee, and are regularly active in the club they lead. But what exactly are these leaders required to do, and what are some benefits of becoming a club leader?

“Oh no,” I groaned, staring at my computer in disbelief.  It was my first year at NorthStar Academy, and I felt overwhelmed by all the new skills I needed to learn.  As the 2024 school year kicks off and courses begin, new students stream into our school.  A major problem they face is plugging into NSA’s online community.  Being part of NSA’s international student body provides opportunities to connect with students worldwide.  However, the academy cannot provide a physical school building for students to meet in.  This means the school must provide alternate ways to socialize.

I grinned widely as I sat by the campfire, soaking wet in drizzling rain, and looked up at the gray sky. Despite the cold and wet, I felt anything but miserable. Instead, a deep sense of peace and contentment washed over me, proving that nature's embrace can be a balm for the soul even in less-than-ideal conditions. I knew it would rain most of the weekend, yet I decided to go camping anyway.

The world is an immense place: miles of oceans, mountains that touch the clouds, and beauty that expands across the globe. Over the past few hundred years, humans have continued investigating and discovering more of this beautiful world. That is what the Navigator staff was able to do for this article. For many students, receiving a high-quality education is difficult. However, NorthStar remedies this issue by utilizing technology to connect students and teachers via an online landscape. Additionally, NSA provides many opportunities to build and strengthen relationships in an online environment. The Navigator staff had the opportunity to learn more about the students at NorthStar and how NSA’s unique campus experience accommodates them in their home countries.

I never knew I was going to join NorthStar Academy. In fact, I never knew online school was an option. I never knew that this event in life would lead me to one of the sweetest communities I have ever seen. In the grand year of 2020, when all earth shut down, I was presented with the opportunity of learning this new format. Four years later, I remain in NorthStar Academy and do not plan on leaving anytime soon. However, the question remains: why is this such a good school?

Over the summer, the Navigator dealt with some copyright issues over an image. The Navigator took special precautions to make sure this never happened again. Jared L. and I were given responsibility for this job, but what does that mean?

This is a creative writing piece written by a member of the Navigator staff. It is set in the same universe as parts one and two of the creative writing piece known as “The Faceless” and is set a few days after the events of “The Faceless.” As the title suggests, this is the third installment in “A Mysterious End.” Reading parts one and two first is strongly recommended.