Introducing…

Marissa Acosta

This cheerleader has found “life lessons” as well as the ability to be “inspiring, confident, [and] passionate” through her sport.  Acosta is going on her fourth year of cheering at Niles North as well as on her third year on Varsity. “I love it so much,” Acosta says, “I’ve never dedicated so much of my time to a sport in my life.”

Through her high school experience,  she has been shaped into”an organized, well behaved person” and “learned how to choose the best people to surround yourself with.” Among these people, Simon Gebremedhin, friend since freshman year, has emerged  to be her running partner for Homecoming Queen and King.

Taha Anwar

An easy-going and fun loving guy, Anwar has found himself shaped into a caring, fun, and responsible person through his extracurriculars, great friends, and influential teachers.

As a Dance Marathon Executive, Impact mentor, and National Spanish Honors Society member, Anwar was able to make a positive impact on the world and the experience influenced him to be informed and sensitive to the unfortunate.

For his senior year, Anwar intends to do as he did through out his high school career: working hard and making memories with friends he loves. Christiana Mkrdichian, one of his best friends, is running for Homecoming King and Queen with him, and, if the odds are in their favor, will be with him when just another memorable high school moment comes.

However, overall his high school career has been most impacted by his teachers. “Each teacher has different values and are wise in different ways. Listening and learning the advice of my teachers really has taught me a lot, not only about school, but about life,” Anwar divulges.

Troy D’Souza

As North Star’s very own Sports Editor, a High School Cube broadcaster, a Video Tech leader, a WHO club member, a Dance Marathon Executive, a DECA member, and a trumpet player for marching, symphonic, jazz, and pep band, this exuberant joiner has been defined by the various clubs and organizations he joined throughout high school.

Overall, Dance Marathon and DECA were the most influential. “With Dance Marathon, I work with amazing people and teachers, and it’s incredible to see all the work we put in together towards a cause. The feeling of seeing that final number go up on the night of DM, along with being surrounded by other dedicated, hard working students like myself is indescribable” D’Souza relates.

“DECA has helped me improve communication, networking, teamwork and so many more valuable skills. […] last year’s national competition in Atlanta was the best week of my life. […] I may pursue a career in business and I definitely have DECA to thank for that” D’Souza continues.

Teresa Franks, good friend for the past eleven years since attending a small Catholic elementary together, will be his running partner for this year’s Homecoming King and Queen.

Teresa Franks

A future star on the rise, Franks has found herself, and her future career, through joining Theatre and Choir.

“I always loved music and theatre. I came to see a few musicals at North when I was in junior high. I saw Rent and 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. I was BLOWN AWAY by the students’ talent. It was amazing. I knew I had to be a part of it when I came to high school,” Franks relates.

Since joining these activities, she has had unforgettable experiences, made great friends, became convinced, under the instruction of Mr. Ortmann and Mr. Gregerman, that the arts was the career path for her.

She is also our Viking Voice with Simon Gebremedhin. Although her running partner is Troy D’Souza, good friend since the 2nd grade.

Simon Gebremedhin

A man of many talents and spheres, Gebremedhin has found himself shaped by the vastly different friends he has made throughout his high school career.

“Some of the groups [of friends] would never dare talk to one another because they’re completely different […] that’s how far down the spectrum it goes, and being a part of that many groups of people really gave me a great view and perspective of myself. I found myself through other people” Gebremedhin explains.

Similarly, his extracurriculars range from CEC Basketball, where he coaches basketball to passionate and eager-to-learn kids to  Niles North’s Viking Voice, a role he happened to get offered by Ms. Benjamin, and Theatre, with which he unexpectedly fell in love. “Theatre changed me in ways I can’t even describe. I’m more accepting because of it. I’m more of a leader because of it, I’m more of a hardworker!” Gebremedhin’s hard work seems to have paid as he is now the Vice President for the Theatre Department.

Now for his last year of high school, Gebremedhin plans to “be an inspiration to the school. I want to make a change, truly, and carve my name into the school (not literally, metaphorically. Mr Mctague wouldn’t be too happy about school vandalism)” as well as run for Homecoming King and Queen with the “cool, charismatic” Marissa Acosta.

Kienya Jones

Captain on the basketball team and Varsity track runner, this energetic athlete has found her high school experience mostly affected by the  dearly loved, Niles North staff, who “make school worth it all.”

“Senior year is great so far: I’m alive, healthy, and making memories with my friends every chance I can,” Jones says.

Jones plans to make her year memorable by winning Homecoming Queen and King with best friend since 6th grade Mo Ali and by advancing in her two beloved sports, through which she “became mature and found people that love and enjoy me.”

Hiral Parikh

From great friends and inspiring teachers to extracurricular activities and challenging classes, Parkh’s high school career has pushed her to become the driven and outgoing person that many love and adore today.

She is the Vice President of Student Government and of National Honors Society. She is a dancer for DM, an Impact member, a National Honors Society member, a Skokie NorthShore volunteer, and in the past she was a cheerleader as well as a member of DECA.

These activities have “really helped me claim my position in this world and figure out what type of person I want to be for the rest of my life. […] Now I always jump at the opportunity to voice my opinion and the opinion others” says Parkh.

Although Parkh plans to keep up her involvement and unwavering work ethic to make the most of every last moment, she also plans to devote time to her friends for her last year of high school. “I’ve learned that it’s not the tests that you aced that you will remember. It’s the relationships you build.”

Keeping up that attitude of paying special attention to her friends this year, she will be running for Homecoming Queen and King with her guy best friend Nick Pitchan.

Luci Valenzuela

High school has shaped Valenzuela through helping her learn from her mistakes.

For her last year of high school she plans to have fun with friends and family, maintain good grades to get into her dream college, and hopefully win Homecoming King and Queen with the “funniest, smart, and kind-hearted” Daniel Kim, who has been her best friend for about eight years now.

Christiana Mkrdichian, Daniel Kim, Nick Pitchan, and Mohammad Mohammad Ali provided no comment.