As we navigated the bumpy road home from PetSmart, I cradled a plastic cup between my knees. Inside, a blue dragonscale betta swam circles in the sloshing water. Since I was eight years old, I’ve kept bettas in my bedroom aquarium. One afternoon this past August, Dad and I pulled into the driveway with a pack of frozen bloodworms, a canister of freeze-dried pellets, and Loki Laufinson (pun very much intended).

Dr. Brooke Helling has been teaching for 24 years. She is a teaching and learning specialist as well as the dean of students at NSA. Her role as a Teaching and Learning Specialist involves writing and revising courses, coaching teachers, planning professional development, and more. As dean of students, she is responsible for student safety and discipline.

Here at NorthStar there are many clubs for lots of diverse people who have different interests. We have clubs for all grades, from elementary to high school level.

At most schools, business classes often mean endless textbooks, notes, and maybe even a couple case studies. At NorthStar, the Entrepreneurship class takes a completely different route. Instead of just learning about business, students actually work to build one themselves.

The food was another insane adjustment. Meals usually consisted of rice, dal, naan, chicken, or goat. They ate with their hands and had very little variety because of cows, clean water, food, shelter, and freedom.

If you are ready for a new puzzle, check out the Navigator Search-A-Word below created by a member of the Navigator staff. Below the Search-A-Word is the list of words you can find in the puzzle, good luck Navigators!

It must be the sentinel. Navi’s eyes scoured the room in search of shelter. He knew from experience that his legs would be no match. Shaking uncontrollably, he crawled to the other side of the Zero’s dashboard and slid into a cavity underneath. He then switched his suit to refractive mode,  a light reflection inhibitor that would make him practically invisible to the naked eye—at least in the dark.

“Why am I learning this? It’s not like I’ll be using this in the real world!” This is a question I imagine that almost every student has asked at one point or another. Whether you’re solving quadratic equations or writing an essay on the food chains of the animals where you are living, it’s universal for a student to ask themselves, “What’s the point?”

NSA has shown me more than I ever anticipated. It has developed me in ways I never expected.  NorthStar Academy's classes are taught through a biblical worldview. I am not sure what I expected that term to mean– probably something like “Here’s a Bible verse to go with your assignment.” I was not expecting to be challenged and confronted. 

Mrs. April Meyer is the Navigator’s amazing teacher advisor. For most years of the Navigator’s existence, she has been guiding staff after staff towards being the best student newspaper possible. This trend continued this year as she provided amazing feedback on articles, led our semi-weekly calls, helped each staff member in a unique way, and taught the NAVI280 Live course.

Dear high school, I've put off writing this letter until the last possible moment (it’s due in an hour) because it means saying goodbye to you. 

As the teacher advisor for the Navigator, I have been blessed to have many strong and accomplished editors-in-chief over the past twelve years, and Alex M. is no exception. He has been our leader for the 2026 school year, and his direction has made the Navigator a superior newspaper. When I first met Alex, he was a freshman, and I have had the privilege of seeing him grow over the years. I’m excited for where God will take Alex in the future!

Dear readers. When I was twelve years old, I wanted to be a Catholic nun–not because I was Catholic (I wasn’t), or because I had any idea what life in the convent required (I didn’t). Actually, my new career aspirations stemmed from watching The Sound of Music and reading about Christian saints.

Life is filled with unknowns from the day we are born until the day we die.  It is a simple truth of life.  However, you can have one of two perspectives on these unknowns, and the perspective you choose makes a huge difference in your life.  The question every person must answer is, do you run into the unknown or stay back and wait for it to come to you?

It’s time to move on, and it is hard for me to believe. The past four to five years have been a whirlwind with many highs but also many lows. Time works strangely: a moment can feel like an eternity, but a lifetime in the blink of an eye. It doesn’t make sense to me, and maybe it shouldn’t. I think if anything, it is simply a good reminder to make the most of the seasons that God has placed us in.

Students come to school for education, but they also come for many other reasons. Whether it be the community, the opportunities in a certain program, or the morals of a school, students and their parents are drawn to them for what they can provide. NorthStar Academy students are no different. NorthStar has students located all over the world, and every student comes to NSA for a reason.

As the clock ticks closer and closer to graduation, a mix of emotions swirls through my head. I’m excited for the new adventures to come in college, but I’m also nervous to leave because NSA has been the most supportive community I know.

I never knew I would join NorthStar Academy, and 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 the whole earth shut down, I was presented with the opportunity of learning in this new format. Six years later, and I have had one of the roughest senior years I’ve ever heard of. 

I’m often asked the question, “Where are you from?” Well, the short answer is this: I was born in Texas. My mom is from Tennessee and my dad is from Mississippi. Not so crazy, right? Plot twist. My citizenship is American, although I would not say I am fully from there.

One thing about me is that I have always loved writing. From a young age, I have loved telling stories through writing. It has always been my favorite school activity! Needless to say, this class caught my eye during freshman year, and I took the course for the first time in tenth grade. I instantly fell in love with all aspects of the NAV.

As this school year draws to a close for the Navigator, the completion feels different, very, very different. Out of my ten staff members, eight of them are graduating seniors: Zoe, Brooklyn, Keziah, Jared, Alex, Avery, Jonah, and Onyi. Truthfully, I don’t know how to say goodbye to this many seniors.

Everyone needs to eat to live and to gain energy for the day. So a very practical part of the NSAer’s school life is the food that they enjoy, either while doing school or while taking a break from it. In this article, we will explore NorthStar students’ favorite snacks, from the sweet to the savory to the incredibly odd. Bon appétit!

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

NorthStar Academy has seven ESOs or Expected Student Outcomes. The sixth of these ESOs is Biblically Literate. According to Mrs. Peterman, “ESOs are the overarching goals of NorthStar Academy. With our ESOs in mind, we make decisions about curriculum and instruction that help us shape students into graduates who have these crucial skills. The ESOs help us keep the end goal in mind.”