C
ongratulations to all seniors for battling senioritis and making it to graduation! We have overcome several trials and tribulations, (such as the AP exams), but we have also enjoyed several events together! Personally, my favorite events from my senior year were Prom and the Senior Trip. When we surveyed the senior class, most felt that their favorite event was the Senior Trip. We thank all the facilitators who put every event together for our enjoyment. To any incoming freshmen, sophomores and juniors reading this, my only advice would be to work hard because every year counts. But also don’t forget to enjoy your high school years. To the incoming seniors, my advice would be to schedule your college meeting with Ms. Aavatsmark as soon as possible! Also, make sure to find time for yourself amidst all the stress you’re about to be put through. However, also remember, that life (hopefully) only gets better from here ! (unless you peak in high school). Good luck !
Yours truly,
Massoki Maka <

​

Meanwhile, some staff members shared words of appreciation for seniors:


“Many seniors are in my friend group like Haley, Rocio, Irene, Massoki, Eleena. They are all great friends. When I first came to the dorm, they stopped by my room, helped me unpack and introduced me to the others. Without them I couldn’t have a wonderful school year like this.” - Nhi Le
“The senior class meant family to me because people like Massoki, Rocio, Irene, Haley and many others have had such a great impact on me. They welcomed me with open arms and we formed an unbreakable bond. I will miss them dearly and will never ever forget them. - Rabia Ferron 
“The senior class was very encouraging. An example of this is how encouraging Kylie Schaefer was to the new freshman on the tennis team. She was always encouraging us to do our best and was a great role model. She helped us connect as a team.” - AB Cullen 
“Quiet at first, Massoki Maka seemed serious and a bit scary. I later realized how wrong I was. She was funny and thoughtful. One of the most down to earth people I have ever met.” - Aadeetri Pandey
“The senior class of 2023 is a very talented class in and out of the classroom. Everyone is always giving 100% no matter what they are doing whether it is homework, classwork, quizzes/tests, practicing a sport, playing a game, or even just doing something to help in the community. An example of someone who exemplifies this hard work is Zach Morgan, who was always training and getting better for his teammates and is always pushing through the pain to reach the goal of winning a state championship. The class of 2023 is very amazing and I can’t wait to see what everyone’s future holds for them. They will all be greatly missed by North Cross.” - Tristan Lange 

Recently, the students of Willis Hall have been forced to attend advisory every other Thursday. Prior to this, advisory only took place on ad hoc occasions, like when students needed to choose their subjects and electives for the next year, for example. When we asked the advisory coordinator, Brett Odom, why this change was brought about, Odom said that the impetus of making advisory more common was to build connections between students and between students and advisors. An additional benefit is also a sense of community and bonding. 
When the students of the Willis Hall Herald came together to discuss advisory, they highlighted the following positive attributess about advisory: “Advisors are really kind, and one can share their thoughts and feelings.” Others said, ”The idea of advisory is good.” and “Advisory is pretty fun.” However, there were also negative comments, such as: “It is held too early in the morning,” or “It is boring, not because of my advisor, but because we have nothing to do,” and, “I just don’t like advisory, period.”
A survey that we conducted between April 26-28 yielded the following results:
When asked if students felt that advisory is a safe place to share their feelings, 37.7% of students agreed whereas 39% of students disagreed. 27% were neutral. When asked if students felt that advisory helps students connect with their advisors 56% agree, 23.8% disagreed and 20% were neutral. Lastly, when asked whether the advisory program helps students make connections with other students, 50% disagreed, 33% were neutral and 16% of people agreed.
Some of the advice given by students include: “to make the information more entertaining and have more time so the advisor can really get the point across for the information;” “To not force attendance and to have fun competitive games to make people want to be there and maybe provide some muffins or something;”  “To make it more like a activity period and please not in the morning and also not for seniors;” and “There needs to be less ‘fun’ hands on activities, and more directed social conversations in the advisory room between the students and the teachers. This will provide a sense of trust between the teachers and the students, and will produce more productive and worthy information for the advisees to gather in civilized discussion.”
Some very interesting comments include: “Advisory doesn’t really have a clear ‘purpose’ to me. It just seems like a group meeting but there’s nothing specific about it that stands out to me. We should only have Advisory to choose classes. Seniors do not need to attend and I don’t see the point of Advisory throughout the year because students would rather catch up on work before school or sleep in longer.”
One of the biggest takeaways from this survey is that many Upper School students do not see the purpose of advisory. North Cross should work to see that their students understand the point of advisory and find it to be a necessary tool.
On April 20, our advisory was centered around drinking and driving. Prom was approaching and many juniors and seniors drive themselves. Schools always worry about drinking and driving and need to inform students for general safety. Many students in Willis Hall cannot drive. We question whether its a school’s job to inform students about the dangers of driving under the influence. Most of the Herald staff felt as though it is not the school’s job to inform students about the dangers of driving, because it happens outside of school premises. We believe that it is common sense and should be reinforced by students’ parents.

We asked ChatGPT to wrie an editorial that congratulates the Global Studies Program for all its successes while also encouraging the school to focus more on Africa. The NCS global studies has never sponsored a trip to any country in Africa, despite the numerous Africans who have come to study here. While we appreciate that this may not happen soon, there are several other ways the school can incorporate African culture into our curriculum or daily lives. For example, we can add courses centered around African history. AP is currently developing a course for 2024 called “AP African American Studies.” This would be good to add to our curriculum, as it will make African Americans feel like they shouldn’t only have to wait for Black History month to be celebrated. Another way in which our school can incorporate African culture is through food. It would be greatly appreciated by the few African students present to enjoy food from our homes and see our peers enjoying it as well. Although the following editorial is generic, it draws very good points that NCS should dedicate more effort into understanding Africa and understanding its intricate and interesting culture and history. We edited the formulaic response.


As students of this esteemed high school, we are lucky to be exposed to a world of diverse cultures and ideas through the school's global studies program. From exploring ancient civilizations to learning about contemporary global issues, this program has enriched our understanding of the world and helped us to become more globally aware citizens.
However, as we celebrate the successes of this program, it is important to acknowledge that there is still work to be done in terms of providing equal attention to all regions of the world. One area that could benefit from more focus is Africa.
By increasing the attention given to Africa in our global studies program, we can work towards breaking down these barriers and fostering a greater appreciation for the continent and its people. This could include exploring the history, culture, and current events of various African countries, as well as inviting guest speakers or organizing cultural events.
In addition to benefiting our own education, giving more attention to Africa in our global studies program would also help to promote greater diversity and inclusivity within our school community. By learning about and appreciating the unique perspectives and experiences of African people, we can become more empathetic and compassionate individuals, better equipped to navigate an increasingly interconnected world.
In conclusion, while we applaud the efforts of our school's global studies program, we call for a greater emphasis on Africa in order to promote greater understanding and inclusivity. We believe that by working towards a more comprehensive and balanced global studies program, we can prepare ourselves to be responsible and informed citizens of the world.

Should we only commemorate one day to being thankful? Recently, the North Cross community has been given several things to be thankful for -- an amazing football team that brought home a state championship, an exciting Thanksgiving assembly, a week-long break and all the lovely sports teams that worked very hard this season. 
What about the thespians in the winter play? They rehearse every day to entertain us in January. Next week, the Chorale will perform, and the Band will give its winter concert in two weeks.
We shouldn’t only see this as a time for thankfulness but also a time for reflection. According to a Harvard University study, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. However, we only designate one day to be thankful. Every day we are blessed with the gift of life. Is that not the most important thing we should be thankful for? And yet we choose to only express this before a rotisserie turkey during Thanksgiving dinner. We should be thankful more often -- for the groundskeepers who work tirelessly to make sure the North Cross ground remains picturesque or the cafeteria staff who make breakfast for the dorm kids and provide us with wonderful food -- we owe them a great deal of gratitude.
With finals and college application deadlines approaching, our vision can be clouded by stress, but we cannot forget to thank our teachers who facilitate our academic growth and development. And we should especially thank Ms. Sommers, Mrs. Schlachter and Ms.Taylor; these diligent ladies put a lot of effort into their jobs and make the student experience better. Finally, at a college-prep school, we should all thank our Director of College Counseling Julie Avaatsmark.
Gratitude is not only a feeling but a skill, we should share our appreciation often and cultivate this skill.

Should we only commemorate one day to being thankful? Recently, the North Cross community has been given several things to be thankful for -- an amazing football team that brought home a state championship, an exciting Thanksgiving assembly, a week-long break and all the lovely sports teams that worked very hard this season. 
What about the thespians in the winter play? They rehearse every day to entertain us in January. Next week, the Chorale will perform, and the Band will give its winter concert in two weeks.
We shouldn’t only see this as a time for thankfulness but also a time for reflection. According to a Harvard University study, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. However, we only designate one day to be thankful. Every day we are blessed with the gift of life. Is that not the most important thing we should be thankful for? And yet we choose to only express this before a rotisserie turkey during Thanksgiving dinner. We should be thankful more often -- for the groundskeepers who work tirelessly to make sure the North Cross ground remains picturesque or the cafeteria staff who make breakfast for the dorm kids and provide us with wonderful food -- we owe them a great deal of gratitude.
With finals and college application deadlines approaching, our vision can be clouded by stress, but we cannot forget to thank our teachers who facilitate our academic growth and development. And we should especially thank Ms. Sommers, Mrs. Schlachter and Ms.Taylor; these diligent ladies put a lot of effort into their jobs and make the student experience better. Finally, at a college-prep school, we should all thank our Director of College Counseling Julie Avaatsmark.
Gratitude is not only a feeling but a skill, we should share our appreciation often and cultivate this skill. 

The most intriguing part of the ban on cellphones in the upper school is that the claims on which it is based perpetuate the idea that every negative thing in a teenager’s life is caused by the presence of cellphones in their lives.
I’m sure we as students have all heard something along the lines of ‘it’s because of that darn phone,’ or ‘Well maybe if you weren’t on your phone so much, x wouldn’t happen.’ This is said because it is so much easier to blame some feelings or instances on the tiny piece of technology in your hand, than to unpack why something is actually happening.
It’s redundant to complain about the new policy, I know. However it’s not the ban of phones that troubles me the most, I am able to understand that technology as a whole is not good for the development of adolescent brains. It’s the fact that every possible explanation for why the ban on phones is in place was because it was a ‘it’s because of that darn phone’ claim.
An ‘it’s because of that darn phone’ claim (as defined by me) is a claim in which one makes in order to imply that something going on is because of ‘that darn phone’ and does not consider that the retreat to a phone could be caused by something completely different. 
For example, the school’s most popular reason for banning cellphones is because they want the student body to talk to each other, and not to be antisocial and consumed in their phones. 
Putting phones aside, let’s consider why a student may not be interacting with another student on any given day.
Maybe that student just flunked a quiz, and doesn’t want to talk to anyone for a couple of minutes. Maybe that student has been having a really hard time recently, and doesn’t have the energy to put on a smile for their peers. Maybe that student is under-stimulated, and needs a minute to play a silly game on their phone. Or maybe, that student just doesn’t want to talk to the people around them.
Yes, there are some students who pull out their phones to scroll through Instagram when they could be talking to their friends who are right in front of them, but that one student who is needlessly using their phone does not represent the entire student body. 
I would also argue that our student body is incredibly interactive with each other. We chat with each other during sports, we have an incredible amount of interest clubs that students actively participate in, and there is no lack of cross talking between class changes or in the classes themselves. 
Another very common idea that has been brought up is the link between social media and teenage mental health. However a 2020 report called “Tweens, Teens, Tech & Mental Health” by Common Sense and Candice Ogders, a professor of psychological science, says that any identified associations between social media and mental health are too small, and therefore it is difficult to distinguish between cause and effect.
UCI School of Ecology summarized Ogders’ point. “The claim that screen time and social media use is a cause of mental health outcomes is uncertain, and identified associations are small, accounting for less than 1% of the differences between adolescents, and offer no way to separate cause from effect,” the articled surmised. “This is because mental health disorders emerge from a complex set of social, genetic, and experiential factors, which have varying influence across development and situations.” 
To offer concrete scientific evidence on why phones and social media are damaging teens (and society as a whole) would have sufficed. The school could have left us with a study by a credible scientist or a quote from a health organization. Instead chosen claims are ones that perpetuate the idea that every feeling or situation that teenagers experience is a reflection of how phone obsessed they are. 
To have a community that talks to each other, it is not necessary to simply bring the hammer down, but to have productive conversations with each other, that do not just indulge the point of view of adults. Teenagers have thoughts and feelings, sometimes phones are simply a mirror of what an individual is feeling, and that’s what we should be talking about.
- Helen Hertz


I believe that there is tremendous value in the phone policy. Phones should not be used in a classroom setting (unless for an activity) because it distracts from the lesson. 
However, I question the ban on phones outside of the classroom. While I recognized the the use of phones between classes could muddle the learning mindset and render future lessons less effective, the use of phones outside of class can have some merit.   
The principle argument offered by the administration as to why they banned phones is that this ban will result in the development of communication skills. If this is such a high priority, then why haven’t we banned all forms of solitary activity? I would argue that reading a novel during break would have the same impact as phones on communication. Through the lens of communication development, isn’t scrolling through tiktok just as isolating as reading a book?  
Instead I would argue that using phones during breaks can be beneficial. While the act of using phones can be solitary, it can also be communal as well. Imagine a scenario where a student finds a funny tiktok, then decides to share it with their friends. Although the initial act of finding the tiktok was solitary, the sharing of it can be communal. While a lack of sharing could be a potential problem, I have not observed this during break or lunch as of yet.  
Regardless, our school should be carful in how it chooses to exert its power. While the school could take a hands-off towards students and say that high schoolers are responsible for themselves and whatever poor decision they make is their own concern, that would likely result in a highly unproductive atmosphere. On the flip side, high schoolers can’t have zero freedom. They need to develop their own discipline and responsibly for latter in life.   
The point I’m trying to make here is that while the school could regulate phones during breaks, phone use during class is far more of an issue. Letting students use their phones during breaks but not class would provide a balance between letting students experiment with maturity and structure.  -Konur Onufer

The phone policy does not make sense on a practical or theoretical level. Supposedly, the idea is that they want us to be talking to each other when we are not in class, however, generally when we are not talking to each other outside of class it is because we are working on homework. Also, a lot of the time when we would have been on our phones before, we were not supposed to be talking to each other anyways. Finally, the rule where we cannot even get our phones out to just plug them in is totally illogical. We are not using them to plug them in, and it is important that they are charged after school when we do need them.
-- Jamey Davis
I feel like the phone policy makes kids more sneaky & everyone just uses their phones without teachers knowing. I also feel that a lot of students use their phones to do school work so taking them away is hard. The goal of the school is to get students to interact more which has worked in some regard, but most of the things students talk about they find on their phones so we just sit there in silence. In my opinion nothing has changed with this new policy. I do agree with the fact of if you are on your phone in class it should be taken, but during break and lunch I feel like it is pointless. - Ava Dalaski
I think its worked very well. Less phones has allowed us to become a better community through more interactions with each other. 
- Peter Krzeminski​

The no cell phone rule is necessary since it goes without saying that using a phone while you should be paying attention in class can be disruptive and distracting. Due to the importance of this rule, it must be effectively enforced. For example, removing cell phones entirely from the school day may cause students to feel as though they are giving up a lot of freedom, which encourages sneaky behavior. Additionally, the immediate consequences of having your phone taken away without the opportunity for a second chance may lead students and teachers to mistrust each other. 
-Anne-Marie Sloan

By Kenzie Raub '24

Students and teachers are expressing their desire for a creative writing class for the entire school.
“It provides another avenue for creativity,” says Via Dancea, ‘25. “Like, the same way we have art class and graphic design and stuff. Creative writing could help make that even more accessible to people with different passions.”
Creative writing is offered as a class in the middle school, and was going to be a class in the upper school, but was canceled due to not having enough students signing up for it. However, that leaves a large question unanswered: what about the students who did sign up? Their passion for writing hasn’t died just because the class was taken away. A class like this has been anticipated by many, especially since the school was so close to having it once. This feeling is shared not only by students, but by teachers as well, and there are many exceptional candidates to teach this class.
“That’s the beauty of North Cross,” says Josh Kier, the English 10 teacher. “We have so many talented teachers. I think, off the top of my head, Dr. Naginey would be an astounding teacher for a creative writing class.”
A big part of being a good fit for a creative writing teacher is being encouraging to students, being fascinated by the direction their students go, and being passionate to always keep learning. All of these fit the description of why Kier sees Naginey as a good option for teaching the class, along with English teacher and theater director Polly Jones, French teacher Chris Brandon and Spanish teacher Rachell Phillips.
“I think it would help make people think in stories,” says Phoebe Anderson, ‘22. “Which is good because it helps people understand each other because, you know, everybody has a story, and if you’re thinking of making your own stories, you understand what people think and how they think.”
Creative writing opens up an entirely new type of writing compared to the analytical type of writing that is taught in regular English classes. It has a lot more expression in it, and it doesn’t require you to have to write based off of another work. The class could teach students about how to form characters and delve deeper into how the human mind works. It also allows students to find an escape, letting out their inner feelings and thoughts through descriptive writing and turn it into something beautifully relatable for others.
“Creative writing, it’s such a self-discovery process that you can’t control,” says Kier. “If a teacher claims that they can control it, they’re lying, or they’ve fooled themselves. Bearing witness to that in an individual is, like, really intimate and cool and fun.

By Hania Raza '24

Most people do not know much about the month of Ramadan and its significance to Muslims around the world. 
Every year, Ramadan is celebrated and observed by more than two billion people with day-long fasting from sunrise to sunset. In addition to self-control, it also encourages charity by invoking an appreciation for a privileged life and its comforts. 
Because Islam follows the lunar calendar, Ramadan occurs a little bit earlier every year. This year, it started in the Spring, which happens to be the busiest school season of all due to AP and final exams as well as big state games for athletes. 
School life in the United States during Ramadan is somewhat different from many countries with a Muslim majority population. 
Although studies from the Institute of Labor Economics have shown that fasting improves performance in school among students, the school day is modified in some countries for prayer and naps. Friday, a sacred day for Muslims, is a day when school and work are off in many areas during Ramadan. 
Although many people believe that these modifications are not necessary in the United States, Ramadan certainly deserves to be talked about in schools to educate the faculty and staff along with the non-Muslim students. 
With Debbie Taylor in the new position of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director, the school is becoming more and more adaptive to Muslims during Ramadan. Because some students are fasting, the conference room has been reserved for Muslims as a quiet room during lunch. In addition, the faculty and staff are aware of the students who are observing Ramadan and what it means to them. 
Umair Rasul ‘24 explained the significance of Ramadan. “It takes a lot of self-control for someone to fast for the entire month,” said Rasul, “It shows patience, which is a big part of Islam. It’s not that it affects your mood at all. It’s really hard to do, so it helps a lot of your self reservation.” 
As of right now, the student body has been left to educate themselves about what Ramadan is and the importance of the month to Muslim students. 
“I think it maybe deserves a little more attention,” said Rasul, “because a lot of people don’t know that you’re fasting, and they try and offer you food.”
Maida Ahmad ‘27, a Muslim student, said “I agree that Ramadan does not get enough attention at our school, but I understand that the faculty is aware of the students who are fasting. The kids, however, do not know much about this month, so it would be better if they were educated about it.” 
To educate students about Ramadan, schools could provide time for a short presentation about it during morning announcements. This would improve the understanding of culture and religion among the students.