Jayla Wright

Review: The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

November 15, 2018 by Jayla Wright Leave a Comment

Jayla Wright

Copy Editor

In the past, I would spend my weekend mornings slipping out of my warm covers to search for my coveted remote that would turn my TV on an episode of Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Now, I’m still spending my mornings watching the Spellman family but instead, as a reincarnation of the original.

Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is the latest reboot of the 90’s classic.

I first heard of the Netflix reboot in September where I learned one major fact about the show, it was going to be darker than its whimsical counterpart. This was not what I expected when I saw the show was coming back. Instead, I assumed it would keep the same cheery mood as the original.

That aspect of the reboot concerned me, as I wasn’t much of a fan of horror… or dark themes… or more like to watch my movies without being scared, essentially. However, when I started the show there were plenty of bloody scenes that made me flinch, but after a few episodes, I have gotten used to it.

As for the plot, it takes a while before it really kicks off.

The first few episodes of the show are held back by its fast pacing, which makes the episodes’ events feel overwhelming and occasionally meaningless. Oftentimes, early episodes would reveal something about Sabrina — such as her character being trained for a greater purpose. and follow it with a scene exposing a plot twist involving her friends. This combination would make any revelations about side characters feel unnecessary to the overall plot.

Only about halfway through the season does the show start to be great.

Sabrina’s character growth is what really drives the show. Sabrina makes decisions that would have me yelling at my TV, like when she refused to listen to her aunts. I would only get more frustrated when she somehow couldn’t hear me through the screen and ended up doing something I heavily disagreed with.

As the show goes on, she really pushes the limits of who she is and what can she do. One of the main themes of the show is power versus freedom. Sabrina is constantly told she can only have freedom and no power and vice versa. This theme truly sets Sabrina’s development in motion.

The idea of freedom and power connects to its other theme of feminism and the idea that women can only have freedom or power in society, never both. Just like in the original show, Sabrina has to learn to balance both her girl and witch-hood. This duality in the reboot is a metaphor of the idea of women balancing their freedom and power.

The reboot goes deeper than the original in that it tackles social issues through the metaphor of witches.

Although it had a rough start, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina turned into a show deeper than its original.

Column: Fanny Packs and Mullets- Ew

October 28, 2018 by Jayla Wright Leave a Comment

Zoe Kwasnicki

Staff Writer

An icon of the 1980s, the mullet was worn with a short, crew-like cut in the front and tumbling hairspray-covered waves in the back.

First an act of rebellion and then a more mainstream trend, the mullet was first introduced as a hairstyle by the one and only David Bowie. Bowie’s androgynous style pulled on the mullet as a gender-line blurring accessory – the shorter hair representing more masculine hairstyles and the longer hair, a more feminine side.

But despite my love for David Bowie- I simply cannot love the mullet.

Sure there are a few dreamboats of the 80s who rocked the hairstyle, but there are so many more who just….didn’t.

And with such an arbitrary hairstyle, capable of either highlighting someone’s best features or hiding them under a fringe of feathered bangs, I prefer to just avoid it all together- and I believe you should too.

But fanny packs are a different beast altogether. What first began as a mocked accessory only appearing on the waists of the suburban elderly has now turned into an object of utility and fashion.

I was both mortified and humored when I saw the sequined fanny packs hanging from mannequin’s waists, brushing it off as one more store’s attempt to be “trendy” – but then I saw it again and again and again. Skaters with fanny packs slung over their shoulders, hipsters modeling fanny packs to look “edgy”, and even punks using fanny packs to carry around cassette tapes and emergency studs – all while the elderly continue to use fanny packs as a way to carry around their pills.

What is essentially a miniature backpack sewed onto a belt has transcended age, gender, and sanity… with me abandoned as the last person to reject the trend

Teacher Profile: Ms. Alvarez

October 27, 2018 by Jayla Wright Leave a Comment

Zoe Kwasnicki

Staff Writer

Have you heard of the teacher who flew planes when she was 13?

Likely not, as the teacher in question is Ms. Lorena Alvarez, the new art teacher and technology coordinator at SLA.

Ms. Alvarez previously worked as an art teacher at Samuel Fels High School. She has been teaching since 2006 and has taught art, architecture, and design at a variety of institutions and levels.

She is a Philly native. However she has also lived in New York and Miami while pursuing her education at the University of Pennsylvania, Florida International University, and Temple University where she is currently pursuing her Master’s in education at the Tyler School of Art.

Ms. Alvarez’s interest in art and design has been with her for her whole life.

“I’ve just always made stuff and I guess as time went on it became the most fun thing to do – was to put stuff together and take it apart.”

However, the first time she settled on art as a pursuable interest was during her first ceramics class, in which “the class ended earlier than I expected and I stayed later than I needed to” with the malleable ability of clay being the most interesting part of the practice for her,

In her art class Ms. Alvarez says she likes to “start off with the elements and principles of art and make sure that everybody has a strong foundation” and has also hinted that, due to her architectural background, her students will also have a chance to work with more third-dimensional materials and designs.

One of her students is sophomore Christiana Jemiri. Jemiri has never been part of an art program before but enjoys the class stating, “She’s pretty good, I like the assignments she gives out. We focus on a lot of art styles, like so far we did a lot of light and dark elements, now we’re focusing more so on like graffiti art and street art so I like that a lot.”

Ms. Alvarez has only been part of the SLA community for a few months but already seems to enjoy it stating, “Oh I love it I’m having such a good time – everyone is so sweet. I think it’s a dynamic community with a lot of engaged people which makes learning possible and fun.”

Ms. Hernandez, Alvarez’s co-adviser, agrees with that sentiment saying that Ms. Alvarez’s ability to “roll with the punches” is extremely helpful – especially when dealing with a freshman advisory. The two “tag-team” assignments, working together to come up with fun and interesting projects for their advisees.

Excited for the year ahead Ms. Alvarez also sends an encouraging message to any aspiring artists at SLA: “Trust your instincts. A lot of people assume that they know less than they actually know, but we’ve all been inhabiting the world made of objects, designed by people, and so I think every person that comes to the table to make something brings their entire lifetime of experience with them. And so, yeah, trust your instincts.”

App Review: My Tamagotchi Forever

October 25, 2018 by Jayla Wright Leave a Comment

Taylor Green

A&E Editor

My Tamagotchi Forever is a smartphone adaptation of the popular 90’s digital pet game. The app was released earlier this year on March 15th and has been making a wave in the Science Leadership Academy community ever since.

In the game, you are the caretaker of a creature starting from when it’s a baby to its adulthood. You have to feed them, clean up after them, and keep them entertained.

Senior Ayala Silverman had a lot to say about Tamagotchis. As someone who owns two of the original egg-shaped devices, she is an avid player.

Silverman remembers her first Tamagotchi. “When I had my first Tamagotchi, I dropped it in the toilet.” Silverman admits.

Silverman has had partial success in trying to raise two new Tamagotchis. “Recently I got two new ones. One of them matured to an adult already. I forgot to feed my other one so it died.”

That is a common criticism that people tend to have about the original handheld game. If you forget about your Tamagotchi, you will see an 8-bit tombstone and ghost floating ominously in the background.

Silverman then talks about how the app can be more efficient. “I think that there are a lot of benefits to the app. It’s easier to just carry it on your phone than to carry the original handheld egg.” She shares. “It’s simpler to take care of them too.”

Silverman also has feelings about the smartphone adaptation of the game. “It’s very nostalgic. I feel as though whenever a game gets revamped and put on a more modern device, it loses its charm compared to when you would just play it on the original console.”

Recently, Senior Eric Valenti has been playing the smartphone version of the game. He enjoys it now, however, he was a bit apprehensive at first.

“I first heard about it from one of my friend’s Instagram pages,” Valenti shares. “At first I thought it was weird, but I decided to download it and give it a shot.”

Valenti also has experience with the game. “I played the original Tamagotchi when I was younger because my brother had one and he passed it down to me.”

Valenti enjoys the new features on the app, saying that it gives the player more options. “On the original pocket game,

the graphics are very limited, which is annoying. There also weren’t that many activities to do. For the app, you can actually play games with your Tamagotchi.” Valenti shares. “They can even graduate and get a career once they mature.”

Valenti also shares that he had the Nintendo DS game. “For the DS game, you could decorate the town and still take care of Tamagotchis. It was very similar to The Sims.”

A new aspect of the app is that money is incorporated through the coin and gems system. You can earn coins by playing games or completing challenges with your Tamagotchi. However, you have to buy gems.

Valenti admits that he finds some of the aspects annoying at times. “Sometimes your Tamagotchi will want to do an activity that has gems and you can’t afford it.” Valenti shares. “Also, there are adds on the game that you have to watch if you want to receive a gift.”

However, the game has the ability to create new friendships. “It’s still a fun game. People in my friend group really enjoy it and gives us something to bond over and talk about.” Valenti shares.

Overall, My Tamagotchi Forever has some pros and cons. Bringing back a classic inevitably evokes a sense of nostalgia among most people. However, some would say that the game loses its appeal due to its modernization. Yet, it still has the ability to bring people from different generations together.

Column: Why I (Don’t) Love Gritty

October 25, 2018 by Jayla Wright Leave a Comment

Avi Cantor & Jayla Wright

Editor in Chief & Copy Editor

On September 24th, 2018 the Philadelphia Flyers formally unveiled their new mascot, Gritty. In a normal news article, the writer would bullet the facts about the new mascot and possibly interview Flyers fans about their opinions. This isn’t that kind of article.

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Avi’s Story:

I awoke to the mellow hum of the final 20 or 30 seconds of SZA’s hit song Broken Clocks on my nearly antique wooden alarm clock. Despite the oppressively humid rain that I was to encounter on my way out the door to school, my room was filled with thin cool air that made me cherish my blankets. Just the way I like it.

I rolled out of bed, slid my legs into ripped black jeans, tugged on a black ScHoolBoy Q shirt, and stuffed my computer into my backpack. I glided down the steps.

“Plenty of time to eat breakfast,” I said to myself. “Maybe I’ll have time to watch TV!”

In the middle of the narrow staircase on the way to my living room, my mom beckoned me to her, eyes wide with a mischievous smile creeping up her face.

“Look at this,” she almost taunted me.

I slid next to her on the brown fabric couch.

In the middle of her computer stood a giant, putrid, orange mess.

“It’s the new Flyers mascot! What do you think?”

It was horrifying. Its Voldemort-esque nose, Chucky-esque sinister grin, and piercing, flame-colored eyes made it look like a play toy suitable for a horror movie. How could this thing be deemed appropriate for a nationally broadcasted event?

My mom then scrolled to the right in her tabs and pulled up a compilation of parents showing their young children pictures of the new mascot. One child after the other shrieked in unnatural, almost primal fear. I didn’t blame them.

As a 17-year-old who’d consider himself a stoic individual, I felt almost betrayed in my fear of this behemoth. How could they do this to people? What about this mascot would want fans to go to a game? How does this even relate to hockey?

Jayla’s perspective:

It was a stressful morning. I woke up with bleary eyes and heavy limbs as if I hadn’t slept at all. My morning routine ended up being rushed, resulting in me skipping breakfast and making the chasm in my stomach grow angrier.

To top this off, my commute became less of a simple ride and more of a dragged out journey. I found myself in a sea of cars that flowed like a lazy river. One thing became clear to me; I was going to be late.

Oh, but late to what? You might ask. Oh, nothing really, except a bus for a school field trip that was leaving for New York at 7AM sharp. A bus that would most likely not wait for one very late student.

I was screwed, to say the least.

Luckily, I did catch the bus, but I still felt pretty stressed from the whole ordeal. Nothing could lift my spirits… or so I thought. From the seat in front of me’s conversation came giggles, then a voice.

“Have you seen the new Flyers mascot?” There was a groan that implied that the mascot was indeed seen. A phone was then being passed around that elicited similar responses of dismay. Unable to stop myself I looked up the man in question.

What I found was a creature with unforgiving eyes, a wide, never-ending cavern for a mouth, and dramatic orange fur… essentially a reject Sesame Street character.

I loved him immediately.

I understand the negativity towards Gritty. He is unsettling. But I adore him anyway. Being disturbing is part of his charm. Gritty’s character fits in perfectly with Philly. He makes you want to run away, but deep down you still love him.

And is that not the best representation of Philly? Something that is a little eerie but still makes you want to come back for more?

I rest my case.