2024-2025

NorthStar has given me a variety of ways to grow my creative writing skills.  Working as a journalist for the Navigator has given me many opportunities to write fiction and nonfiction alike.  I wrote this story because of my love for storytelling and humor, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to share it with you.

Ciphers have been around for hundreds of years. If you want a prime example of a cipher, try learning a new language. You will be stuck on that cipher for years until you finally can crack the code. Ciphers have been used as a way of secret communication as well as purely just for fun! Our minds love deciphering and finding the answers to seemingly impossible equations and puzzles.

The Navigator staff brings you memes about life at NSA and here at the Navigator. (Mrs. Meyer has not created a meme as she does not really understand them, even though people try to explain them to her, but that doesn’t help.) We thought it would be fun to do something new and have memes in this publication. Enjoy!

“Letters to Juliet” is back! This Valentine’s Day, Juliet will be answering some of your questions about relationships and love. Below is the fourth edition of the Navigator’s top advice!

Did you know laughter is a great form of stress relief (Mayo Clinic Staff)? Laughing can have biological effects on our bodies that help reduce the physical symptoms of stress. In an environment like school, where students and teachers are surrounded by stress, humor is important. It makes lessons more engaging, brings students together, and provides outlets for students to have fun.

If you are ready for a new puzzling challenge, check out the Navigator Crossword Puzzle below, which was created by a member of the Navigator staff. Below the Crossword Puzzle is the set of questions you are trying to answer using the articles in our February 2025 Publication.

Have you ever wanted to share your artwork with others? Have you sought inspiration for your next project? You may wish just to browse various artworks from different students. Then look no further than the Visual Arts Club, a student-led club that brings many art forms to life!

In fourteenth century Italy, wealth was expanding, literature was blooming, and art was reforming. During the Renaissance, art changed and amplified as new artists appeared everywhere. Even though the Renaissance was a pivotal period in the world's history, it is not the only time famous artists were produced. When talking about artists, it could mean anyone, from Da Vinci to local artists. Due to the wide variety, the Navigator took to NorthStar students to get their opinion on who is their favorite artist. 

Greetings everyone! I am proud to introduce the first in a series of stories starring NorthStar’s very own Navi! This will be a continuous story that will be handed off to a different person on the Navigator each publication. We hope that everyone will tune in for each new chapter in this epic new adventure!

In an English assignment I completed recently, my teacher asked me to write about a plot twist in my life. Immediately, I knew just what to say.

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!

NorthStar Academy offers a multitude of student programs. From classes, to clubs, to events and more, NSA is anything but short on student offerings. One of the programs offered is the tutoring program. Sometimes students need extra help with their classes. This is where NSA’s tutors come in.  

Congratulations, you are less than six hundred words away from achieving your moment of glory as NSA’s current comedian! Welcome fellow NSAers, here is your step-by-step guide to living the life you always knew you wanted. 

Rayman Legends is a 2-Dimensional platformer made by Ubisoft. It was released on August 29, 2013, as the most recent installment in the Rayman franchise to come to consoles. However, compared to many of Ubisoft’s other third and first person titles, such as hits like Assassin’s Creed, Splinter Cell, or Far Cry, it is relatively unknown.

What do you like to do in your free time?  Perhaps you enjoy playing sports, reading at your local library, making bracelets, or hanging out with your friends.  One of the blessings of online school is that it allows you to chat with students on the other side of the globe from the convenience of your bedroom.  However, online school does have a significant downside.  Your parents might not be able to afford the plane tickets you need to meet some of your classmates in person.  Not to worry, though–-there are ways for you to meet with international NorthStar students minus the high cost of traveling. 

Back in 2020, two YouTubers I often watched released a video where they talked about their spiritual deconstruction journey. These two men were former missionaries in eastern Europe and had been leaders in their church. I was only twelve years old when they released this video, so I did not want to watch it. Thinking my faith was not strong enough at the time to handle hearing a critique of Christianity, I completely stopped watching their YouTube channel.

As Part 1 of this article explored, there are a few specific policies and issues that NSA students care about the most - namely abortion, illegal immigration, foreign wars, the economy, and the LGBTQ+ community. Now that these views are clear, the question arises: how exactly does the media they consume affect their views?

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!

“Each generation goes further than the generation preceding it because it stands on the shoulders of that generation. You will have opportunities beyond anything we've ever known” (Reagan). This is a famous quote by the fortieth president of the United States, Ronald Reagan. America has been built off the backs of forty-six different leaders and many citizens. With the recently ended election, questions arise about how America came to be and how the nation got to where it is today. Leaders have both made the country great and have harmed the nation. But overall, the United States has profited off the accomplishments of American Presidents.

There is so much to learn by studying the lives of other people, including the lives of NSA’s alumni. Meet Mrs. Clark! From graduating in 2013, to attending Mount Holyoke college, and then making her way back to NSA to teach, she certainly has a story worth listening to. Annalise, an NSA alumnus since 2023, chose to attend community college after graduating. Keep reading to get to know them a little better!

If you are ready for a new puzzling challenge, check out the Navigator Crossword Puzzle below, which was created by a member of the Navigator staff. Below the Crossword Puzzle is the set of questions you are trying to answer using the articles in our January 2025 Publication.

Everyone has a favorite season, and, for me, fall and spring are at the top of my list. I love camping in the fall and cooking chili or a cobbler in the dutch oven over an open fire. I love watching the leaves change colors and begin to cover the ground. It also means sweater weather has arrived! My favorite season is probably spring, though, because it represents new life and I love all of the green and everything beginning to bloom. My husband and I love to go hiking in the spring in the Sipsey Wilderness. It is known as the “land of 100 waterfalls” and they flow so well after the spring rains.

A requiem Mass is a prayer for the dead used in Roman Catholic services (McConnell). From the Latin for “rest,” the requiem meditates on the final judgment and the Christian’s hope of salvation (“English Translation”). There have been many musical settings to this prayer, but among them, the Requiem of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart stands out as one of the greatest of all time.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for DragonFire by Donita K. Paul, the fourth installment in the five-book DragonKeeper Chronicles.  

At NSA, everyone has unique skills and abilities, and no one person is exactly the same. So, when the Student Council proposed NSA’s Got Talent to take place from October 7 to October 19, it was well-received, though people were not quite as excited as the Student Council team had hoped. There were varying responses within buildings, with the High Schoolers and Middle Schoolers being the most active in NSA’s Got Talent, and the Elementary School Building having much fewer responses. However, everyone seemed willing to participate.

While some would assume that being a part of a school newspaper only involves writing, the reality is very different.  From editors working on perfecting the articles of others to the publication team managing the website, the Navigator has multiple unique positions that have not been shown to the public eye.

A small boy was talking to his friend in Singapore when he heard the beckoning call from downstairs. He said his salutations and finished the call then rushed to the living room. The staircase was lined with colorful garland and resting in front of the door sat a cozy snowman doormat. He turned and entered the large living room, a large Christmas tree sat in the far corner. The mother waved her hand, calling the boy to her. She had a large smile on her face, brimming from ear to ear.

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

If you are ready for another round of some puzzling fun, check out the Navigator Crossword Puzzle below, which was created by a member of the Navigator staff. Below the Crossword Puzzle is the set of questions you are trying to answer using the articles in our December 2024 Publication.

Imagination, or the ability to think beyond reality to come up with new ideas, is a vital skill in life, though different from academic skills that are normally taught in school. However, it is often difficult to think creatively, especially for those who have not had practice. Enter the world of roleplays.

The Creative Writing Club recently held a competition for the best short story. Writers used a fantasy prompt to create engaging and exciting tales. Afterward, members of the Book Club served as judges, voting on their favorite story.  The winning submission for the Fall 2024 Fiction Contest is “Storyteller” by Gracie C. Here is the story:

...Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. (NIV Bible, 1 Kings 19.11-19.12)

Imagine being a full-time student at NSA, but schoolwork is not all you do. Apart from studying at least five hours per day, you also spend between one to three hours per day training for your sport. This is the reality of a few select NSA students, to whom their sport is just as important as their studies. Student-athletes are a unique group of students who demonstrate how useful NSA can be, and who show a level of dedication that is hard to come across. Let us dive into the most popular sport practiced by this group of people: football, better known in the US as soccer. 

About a week ago I met up with a friend over coffee. While she was working on her laptop across from me, I drafted the outline of my recent English essay. My friend said something that caught my attention: “Wow, it’s like you’re living as a college student already.” Surprisingly, it seemed true. Within the past twenty minutes I had booked a taxi, paid the driver, ordered my drink, and begun to work off my phone’s Wi-Fi, all on my own. It got me thinking, what similarities are there between online high school and college students’ day-to-day? What freedoms and responsibilities come from online schools that are carried into college? How can attending an online school prepare students for college life outside academics?

The year 2024 is an election year, which means that politics is something almost all US citizens are aware of. Whether one wants to hear about what is going on in the political realm or not, it is relatively unavoidable. This means that this is not something only adults care about, but many teenagers and NSA students are involved in politics and keep up with it too. After all, the youth are the generation responsible for shaping the future of the US – so why not explore the policies that matter most to NSA students?

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.