2019-2020

I’m not good at saying goodbye. Is anyone really?

Most students, teachers, or parents who have roamed the virtual halls of NSA have come across the “awkward elbow picture.” For those who are new to the fun nature of NSA the awkward elbow picture can be quite confusing. What is so special about a picture of two NSA students at a meet up where their elbows are touching? Why are their elbows touching? Why is this a trend and why, oh why, is it so awkward?

What I consider to be the most important decision of my young life was made during a rather uneventful day.

My name is Tirzah Hopkins.

Before I came to NSA, I had been homeschooled and I had gone to a public school.

Online school is rather unconventional and I believe that everyone has a unique story about why they came to NSA. Even those that believe their story is bland may be surprised by hearing others’, which is why everyone should share their story. Here is my experience coming to an online school for the first time.

This school year’s NSA Photo Contest kicked off on November 26 and ended at midnight central time on December 22, encouraging students to get creative with their photography. The popular contest was open to students of all grade levels at NSA. Here are the details about the contest, as well as the announced winners.

Greetings from the Director’s desk. As I sit here this morning, there are now more than 100 confirmed cases of Coronavirus in the US across multiple states, along with many thousands world-wide. While there is certainly no need for panic, it is great to know that here at NorthStar, our student’s education can continue uninterrupted throughout this current situation.

Have you ever needed to study, but don’t know the best way? Or maybe you’ve never needed to study, but now you do! Well here’s a how-to article on studying.

We all know that balancing school and family can be hard. It can be especially hard for those of us with many siblings, and for those of us who are used to being a part of the family for most of their day, especially when the siblings are also used to you being a part of their life, all the time.

Do you ever find yourself running out of time or not having enough? Mrs. G might just have the answers to help. In late January, Mrs. Gebreegzabeher or Mrs. G, hosted a NED Talk entitled “Tips to Becoming More Productive with your Time.” She talks about keys to doing more with your time, activities that add value to life, and prioritizing.

I moved overseas when I was nine years old. My family and I first lived in Oman. We stayed there for six months, but then we moved to the United Arab Emirates. We have lived here for the past six and a half years.

Northstar Academy is an online school. It goes without saying that it would be different than a brick and mortar school. Many students don’t know what to expect when they are going to take classes online for the first time; I know I had no idea what to expect. There are two different types of courses that are made available for students at NSA. There are EVP courses which stands for enriched virtual program, and then there are VRP courses. They are both great and each have their own benefits for students in different situations.

In the NorthStar Navigator’s first publication in November, Kay Lane wrote an article about the NSA talent showcase. The staff at the NorthStar Navigator felt it was only fitting the follow up her article with information on the winners from December and February. Congratulations to the winners and all those who had the courage to submit their talents.

All NSA students have stories where knowledge was hard learned. Being an online student, whether a veteran or a novice, can be difficult and there is always room for growth. All NSA students like to hand out knowledge for free with a giant neon sign that says, “Take my advice, I beg you.”

There are many different types of martial arts. One of the most common forms of martial arts done among children and teenagers in America is tae kwan do, a Korean martial art. Other very common martial arts practiced are MMA, Brazilian jiu jitsu, krav maga, American Kenpo, Japanese karate, aikido, judo, hapkido, muay thai, and kung fu. Some very uncommon martial arts practiced in America are bokator, bakom, lerdrit, dambe, systema, and silat.

Mr. Daniel Cooley has been the director of NorthStar Academy for the past six years. During that whole time, he has lived in Southaven, Mississippi. NorthStar is a part of the Network of International Christian Schools, also known as NICS. This organization has its campus in Southaven as well. However, Mr. Cooley will be moving across the world to Nairobi, Kenya, to become the principal of a middle school.

 Jacob Nadalini is an eighteen-year-old student here at NorthStar Academy. He lives in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He is not your average high schooler.

I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas as you celebrated the birth of our savior!  I hope that amidst the presents and the food, you were able to see the light of Christ clearly shining.  As the new year starts, we have the opportunity to reflect on the past year and look forward to how the Lord will work in our hearts and lives in 2020.  It is hard to believe that 2020 is here.

Did you know that NSA has its own National Honor Society? On top of that, did you know that they have a tutoring team that offers tutoring to any student for free!  They have their own team on every students dashboard on Teams. It was created by NHS members to allow for authorized and organized peer tutoring at NSA.

Let’s take some time to learn about the history of the Navigator and its transitions to where it is today.

NorthStar Academy is a school known for its boundless reach. With students all over the world, NorthStar breeds a unique culture, perspective, and atmosphere…At NorthStar, the opportunity to connect is there, but it can be hard to make that first step. NorthStar’s NSA Connections Team was created for this very reason. 

Announcements for NorthStar’s annual Christmas celebration first went out on December 19. The celebration began December 23 and lasted through January 5. The social gathering was buzzing with many chats from all grade levels, celebrating Christmas all around the world. 

Biblical principles and a Christian worldview are integrated into and expressed in all of NorthStar’s classes. Teachers challenge students to think critically about their faith and worldview. However, teachers do their own challenges as well. This past December, most of the teachers at NorthStar read through the book of Luke together.

NorthStar Academy is an online school. This means that NorthStar can offer some very unique classes. One of these classes is Law and Order: Intro to Legal Studies, taught by Mrs. Rachel Knipe.

Have you ever eaten fried ants? Everett Segner, eighth grader at North Star, said it was the weirdest food he has eaten in Uganda.

Christmas is a time of rejoicing in the birth of our Savior, celebrating with family, eating many different kinds of food, and, for dancers participating in The Nutcracker, lots and lots of practicing. NSA helps many students, like dancer Leahnees Miller, focus on what they love, while getting a Christ-centered education.

Masha Lakisova is an eighteen year old senior here at NorthStar Academy. She lives in Vernon Hills, Illinois, which is north of Chicago. She’s a professional violinist and plays at concerts and competitions all over the world.

Have you ever heard of Pickle-Ball? It’s a very interesting sport that is a combination of Badminton, tennis, and ping pong… On top of that did you know that NorthStar’s very own Mr. Noel Horneck is very accomplished in said sport?