In winter, the aroma of simmering soup always filled Grandmother Stephany’s house, while spring brought the comforting scent of baking macaroni. For Gisela, her granddaughter, that place was not only where she felt right at home, it was where she escaped to. Her grandmother’s warm hug served as her daily haven during her parents’ acrimonious divorce.
Every afternoon, after school, Gisela would run to Stephany’s house. There, she was always met with open arms and a plate of food that soothed both her stomach and her heart. On cold days, a steaming bowl of soup would warm her up; in spring, the scent of macaroni filled the air. After eating, they would sit together on the small couch in the living room, where her grandmother would tell stories of her youth or knit colorful scarves while gently stroking Gisela’s hair. These were simple moments, but they were filled with love. However, Gisela grew up with time. Sports, homework, and friends made it harder and harder for her to visit her grandmother’s house. Stephany kept waiting, her table set for two, hoping to see her little girl running toward her like before. The house, once a refuge full of laughter and familiar
aromas, began to feel emptier. One afternoon, after months without visiting, Gisela stopped by her grandmother’s house. She knocked on the door, and when it opened, she found the same warmth as always, though Stephany was now a little more fragile, a little more tired. Her hands trembled more, but her smile had not changed. “I saved some macaroni for you, my dear,” her grandmother whispered softly. At that moment, a lump formed in Gisela’s throat. She realized how much she had missed this place, this unconditional love. From then on, Gisela vowed never to let time tear them apart. She began visiting more frequently, taking back those afternoons, listening intently to each story, each bit of guidance. But those years are merciless, and slowly, bit by bit, Stephany became weaker. Until one winter, the house was quiet. Gisela came over one afternoon, but this time, her grandmother wasn’t there to greet her at the door. The chair was empty, the soup was still warm, but the loving soul that had once filled that home was gone. Even though Stephany was greatly missed, Gisela was certain that her affection was still there. It was present in every scarf she knitted, in the smell of macaroni, and in the stories she treasured. In order to ensure that her grand-
mother’s legacy of love persisted, Gisela prepared meals in her honor each winter and spring. After all, though time may pass, love’s flavors never truly fade.

This image reveals how the dorm supports theirs even if it is many kilometers from home. On November 7th, Thursday, North Cross had the merit of playing in the semifinals against Seton High School. During dinner, the international students wanted to watch the exciting game. Victor Latz '27, a Junior Varsity Soccer player, the one who raises his arm pointing to something that catches his attention, reveals his emotions about the game that his teammates lived in: “The game was very good. The best thing about it was the intensity that my Varsity teammates had in the first minutes, which made them score at the very beginning. They tried to win and didn’t give up until the final second of the game. It was a really tough team and they played really well. I enjoyed the game although we lost.” As Victor comments, NCS lost by such a fought score of 2-4. In addition to Victor, in the dorm there can be found other great soccer players who lived the game in their own flesh, these are Mario Jimenez ‘25, Cesar Suarez ‘25, Kamen Petkov ‘25, Jason Bach ‘25, and Alejandro Almenas ‘25. Specifically, the latter thanked the other students of the building and the staff for the support given: "I feel quite proud and very happy that the dorm can support us because it was a very difficult match. Knowing that they were supporting us from the outside gave us a little more motivation and energy to win the game."

Maria Albishah '27 dresses like a teenager from the ‘70s during spirit week. The ‘70s
was a glorious era marked by the birth of new styles of music, such as disco. Also, this era is
known as a decade of fashion freedom. Maria combined both elements very well in the photo. She explained why she wanted to be part of this., ‘’ ‘I dress up because I want to participate, and also, to win,’’ she said. ‘’I like how I look blond, maybe I should dye.” Something that is unknown just by looking at the picture is the outfit in its entirety. She wore bell bottoms, widely used at the time. [After not winning one of the three prizes, the Herald polled students about who looked best on Decades Day, and Maria won the poll (and homemade cookies)].