Every year, student journalists of the Northern Star line up at the front doors of Northern Valley Demarest the day before winter break to hand out the December newspaper. Unbeknownst to most at NVD, the tradition of passing out newspapers has always been around. From the 50’s, all the way to the present day, our journalists have always had something to say. 

As December comes to an end, college is on many students’ minds– early decision, early action, regular decision, rolling admission, and committing? With so many to choose from now, it is hard to imagine a life without these many options. However, in the December print of 1959, six NVD seniors were trying out early admission- a new and unfamiliar system that had just been put in place. While to the students of the 50’s this was a major addition to the application process, to modern students, it is just another tool available to use. 

Ten years later, in December of 1967, construction plans had just been approved to begin the expansion of our school. 

These plans included our auxiliary gym, more lockers, the cafeteria near the courtyard, six new science laboratories, a typing room, a distributive education room, a student store, and our beloved auditorium–areas we fail to look twice at nowadays. While changes were being made to the school’s size, outraged journalists determined to make a change. called out the administration to demand clarification on the dress code.

The student handbook of 1967 stated, “Short skirts, boots, long hair and dungarees have aroused clashes between student and administration,” to which our witty journalists replied: “No suggestions to our suggestion of a clear definition of proper dress has been made… again we ask, IS THIS ENOUGH?” 

The last of the major changes made in the winter of the 60’s was the introduction of the “Distributive Education Program” to NVD. Through this program, students would take classes for the first half of the day, then head to Old Tappan for a class on business, and finish off their afternoon with real work experience. Sound familiar? This is what we now know as Work Based Learning (WBL), an exciting experience we have had available for nearly sixty years. 

In 1976, the “Arion-Star” (now known as the Northern Star) slogan was, “to put what is important to the students before the students,” and they did exactly that. Forty-eight years ago, our school was facing a serious vandalism problem, with $1,459 being spent on repairs (equivalent to $8,262.37 in 2025). Our brilliant team of journalists joined together to dedicate five out of seven pages of the December print to a call to action. In this, they assessed the work the school had been doing to prevent it, offered their own solutions, alternatives, and critiques to ending the issue. This student-led action showed the unity and power of our journalists that has remained for over seventy years.

Less than a decade later, in 1982, our seasonal papers took a darker (but realistic) turn. As the holidays approached, three students: Mark Brockway, John Ferrentino, and Rich Giannone decided the people of Northern Valley needed a reality check. In this series of reports, these students visited lower-income areas around New Jersey to speak with people who– because of their financial situations– would not be celebrating the holidays. 

Their final sentences stated, “On Saturday, December 25, Rico, Melvin, Clarence, and Lucius will have no food to carve. Their lives will not be changed. There will be no turkey. No presents. No happy family. Who is going to sing Nat ‘King’ Cole’s song to Rico, Melvin, Clarence, and Lucius?” This powerful front page opened the eyes of many students, with its message standing true even over forty years later- be grateful for what you have this holiday season, because many people would give their all to be in your position.

To end the 20th century, our journalists from the 90s were embodying their holiday spirit. One opinion piece debated whether going out for New Year’s was really necessary. Along with the new year coming up, the Northern Star staff gathered up students and teachers to answer the question on everyone’s minds at the time, when landing under that famous hanging plant, “who would you most like to kiss under the mistletoe this year?” Students answered with sweet replies such as crushes or even significant others, while other teachers responded with celebrity crushes, and in one case, even a student! 

With nearly eighty years having passed since the beginning of our newspaper, the Northern Star has never lost its spirit. Despite any natural changes with time, our journalists continue to fight for what’s right, cover important topics, and speak their minds- all while having some fun.