NorthStar Academy, a unique organization that spans the globe, is based in the United States but offers schooling worldwide. With this comes some challenges that in-person schools don’t have. However, things such as the abundance of different cultures and languages present at NSA can also serve as incredible opportunities for connection and interaction.
Read MoreMy oldest son loves studying about the solar system. He continually shares facts and figures about space. Did you know that Saturn has 82 moons? I now know that thanks to my son Gabe. God has used Gabe to open my eyes to see His creation. And… if I’m ever on Jeopardy, I am going to crush any category connected to space!
Read MoreThe NorthStar Navigator is only the newspaper it is today because of Mrs. Meyer - our hilarious, generous, huge-hearted teacher advisor! As a staff, we want to make sure she knows how loved she is, and that you all know how hard she works! So without further ado, here is why we love Mrs. Meyer!
Read MoreMrs. Velasquez, or Mrs. V as most call her, is a curriculum writer for NorthStar and the Student Council advisor for this year. That means she’s not only a leader for the school, but she’s in charge of leading the student leaders! And, if teaching young, tender, and sometimes timid students how to rise up and become leaders isn’t hard enough, she has to do it completely online, across many countries around the globe.
Read MoreWould you believe me if I told you that NorthStar has a secret code name? Well, believe me or not, it’s true! NorthStar has in fact been cleverly disguised in the 2021 book Of Mages, Kings, and Polaris Academy. The book was written by a high school student and former writer on the Navigator: Tirzah!
Read MoreDear Fish,
I’ve never been a very sentimental person, but as I near the end of my senior year, I’m finding it harder and harder not to reminisce and look back over the last four years. Everyone tells you, ‘Time flies, so don’t wish it away,’ but you never realize how fast it all happens until it’s in the rear view.
Read MoreLeadership is comprised of a variety of different qualities that make a good leader, the tools that leaders use, and the roles leaders fulfill. All of these aspects work together to make up leadership. You can’t have leadership without the qualities of a leader nor can you be a leader without the essential tools needed to command.
Read MoreWhen it comes to matters of the heart, anything and everything can easily become difficult. Within a moment, you could either feel like fainting or running into someone’s arms… that is if you’re an 18th century romantic. Nonetheless, with whatever love-struck dilemma you may have encountered, there is always advice to be had. Below is some advice for people who submitted the situations where Cupid’s bow and arrow may wrought some havoc in their lives.
Read MoreWhat is a recreational activity? It's basically a hobby, something you enjoy doing to get your mind off other things. For some it's dirt biking, other it's spying on people. Some people enjoy sports, others make potatoing a hobby. This is a new year, 2022, to be exact, and if you’re looking for things to do, there is always something. In my eyes, there is no excuse to be bored all the time.
Read MoreThe best stories come from a need. When you back that need with passion, diligence, and personal experience, you just might find something worth sharing. We all could find a story about our personal experience that we could talk about, but not many have the diligence to write, illustrate, and publish such a story into a book. Regan had such a story to share. Using her talents in writing and drawing to publish a children’s book about China—a place she calls home—Regan used her unique experiences to shed new light on a misunderstood country.
Read MoreArt. It is interpretation, passion, and creativity uniquely expressed by different individuals. A multitude of art forms exist going back thousands of years, and painting is one of them.
Read MoreWe all know that feeling—the feeling of one semester finally wrapped up only to be met by another semester—and a fresh 18 weeks of work staring back at us from behind our screens. The novelty of our new classes has waned away, and the excitement of a new school year is all but depleted. We are left with what most of us would call a “new semester slump.” The holidays are gone, and spring break is still so far. If this sounds like something that is running through your mind, fear not, for we are about to find a silver lining in our new set of clouds.
Read MoreThere have been various articles written by the Navigator staff about middle school and high school kids who attend NorthStar Academy. However, there seemed to be a lack of information about the elementary students at NSA. There may be fewer elementary students active on Microsoft Teams than students in other grades, I do believe that these fourth, fifth, and sixth graders need a bit of representation in the Navigator too. So, without further ado, let us take a little peek into the lives of Elijah, Sarah, Haesol, and Allen!
Read MoreWhat would it be like as president of StuCo? How would one run a body of students like StuCo? What does one do as president? As every question has an answer, these have a multitude of answers. As of the 2021-22 school year, we here at NSA have a great StuCo leader, or, is it Stucco? StuCo is short for Student Council, which is the body of students here at NSA who not only put out a newsletter monthly, lead youth groups, and such, but also create, plan, and host many of the events you see around NSA. But back to the question, and as every good question has an answer, Caleb, the president of StuCo, said: “Well… Stucco is wall texturing, isn’t it? So I’m gonna have to go with StuCo on this one.” StuCo it is then.
Read MoreChristmas is my favorite time of year! Everyday seems to become more exciting in the midst of the holiday season. This year, a particular part of the nativity story interested me: the gifts that were given to Jesus, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. It’s fascinating to think about the significance these items would have had in the past since they each have so much significance in Middle Eastern culture today. So, as we think about what gifts we might give and receive this year, let’s take a closer look at the gifts Jesus was given as well.
Read MoreKnown to most as “Stuco,” the Student Council is responsible for most of the meetings and events you see around Teams and NSA in general. Outside of NSA Connects, which are run by teachers and admin staff, you may have seen other events related to the start of a new school year. These events, for example, the Back to School Bash, are purely student-organized and run. Stuco’s setup is simple; students here on NSA take on various roles and responsibilities, and among the ranks, each member has a specific job while also helping out whenever it is needed. Dorshea, the Stuco Vice President said, “We're all like a big family and we all have our specific roles and jobs to do. “ The Stuco has most areas of NSA life covered, from special projects to ads and working with the admin staff.
Read MoreWhether or not you are a new or returning student, the start of a new school year always brings mixed emotions. It might be nerve-racking, exciting, or challenging! Even though I became a student at NorthStar Academy three years ago, each year brings new obstacles and circumstances to adapt to along with things to look forward to. I would say that a student at NorthStar, Ruthie, summed it up well. “School years is [sic] like a great adventure and you have to defeat monsters, giants, etc to reach the destination which is summertime.”
Read MoreFrom using dial-up internet to having a meeting with teachers across the world in an instant, NSA’s rich past is worth a review. The history of submitting school work and talking to fellow students at NorthStar is quite extensive and something many people are unfamiliar with. How did NSA begin as a school? What was the FirstClass system? Where will we be in the near future? A look back at the ancient memoirs of students and teachers answers these questions. The Navigator staff invites you on a journey through time (or the ages) showcasing NorthStar’s spectacular history.
Read MoreAs a middle schooler, I know how difficult it can be to feel disconnected, especially as a new student at NSA. It can be hard to find people who share your same interests and sense of humor. There are a few tips and tricks that will help you.
Read MoreIt’s been a year full of good, bad, and… well… just 2020 in general. Watching the world experience fires, murder hornets, riots, and a world pandemic wasn’t exactly on my bucket list! However, good has come out of this year as well, whether we choose to see it or not. So, just for a moment, let’s not be afraid of our past. Before the ink has dried on our newly written New Year’s resolutions, and before we wave goodbye to this strange year once and for all, let’s take a look at what this year has told us about ourselves. Let’s see what wonderful things God can make out of our poor, sinful, and pandemic-ridden world.
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