A&E

by Samantha Beattie

Staff Writer

English Teacher Matthew Kay started SLA Poetry Club because of his passion for spoken word and wanting to share it with students. His efforts have paid off.

Starting with just a few students six years ago, this year SLA has become a part of the SLAM League, in association with Philadelphia Young Poetry Movement (PYPM).

The SLAM League arranges poetry competitions for high schools around the area. Previously consisting of just six teams, the League increased  to 18 schools and continues to grow. Because of this, the league now has two divisions, and expects to grow more next year.

For active SLAM member and Senior Douglas Wallace, the league means a lot.

“It’s a competition… but it’s not really a competition. It’s a way for kids to meet each other and have fun. It’s expression, it’s a confidence builder, it’s more than just poetry.”

Wallace has been in and out of Poetry Club, this being his first real year as a member.

“Back in the ninth grade there was no SLAM; we just did things,” he said. “Now there are new members and a league of people. There is a lot of new things, but it’s the same base reason for us to be together.”

“It had affected me in more ways than one. It’s building my skills as a person. Life lessons are being taught to us in poetry club.” Wallace also said.

Being apart of SLAM is fun for him. He keeps up with the regional events, including Dream Big, which was an event held at SLA earlier in March.

Senior Michael Dea is another student who has been in poetry club for one full year. He cites his own lack of confidence for his irregular attendance earlier.

“I also started going back in sophomore year, but i was spotty. That’s really when i was just getting into poetry, i wasn’t comfortable sharing.”

One change, he says, is an additional practice that occurs on Thursday. “It’s great. I really enjoy it,” he said smiling.

Presenting is something Dea is getting used to. “When you stand up and recite… you need to know how to stand still. Once you’re up there, your nerves kick in.”

He feels as though presenting as a group for his first SLAM event, will be easier. “Mostly I’ve only presented solo but when it comes to group piece, i think we’re doing something a little different so it might not be difficult… With a little bit of practice, I’ll be alright.”

Dea has not participated in SLAM just yet, but he plans on doing a group piece with Douglas Wallace and Joshua Melendez.

One thing that comes along with writing and poetry, is the critiquing. “There are a few times where people have nit picked at my work’, said Dea.

One thing Dea has heard is, “Oh, this is kinda cheesy”. But Dea has been teaching himself to not take it to heart. “I’ve been my biggest critic.”

However, poetry club is more supportive than critical — a big part of why the club is still growing.

“Nothing is off limits when it comes to writing,” said Da. “We’ll try to help one another come with different ideas. there are some things that aren’t approved… If one stumbles, we all help.”

By Alex Ringgold

Staff Writer

Upon entering the SLA library, you may hear a slamming drum beat over a heavy bass line all on top of the vocals to Justin Bieber being playing on the piano.

That is the music room during lunch and after school hours, and it does not follow the traditional rules of being a music room (then again what traditional rules do we follow?).

With its lack of soundproofing, surprisingly small space, and being in the center of a library, it brings the same amount of inspiration and enjoyment as any other music room.

Back when SLA was first established, the music room was just a room full of instruments, but luckily the first librarian of SLA was also a music teacher.

Former Librarian Mr. Scaer is the one responsible for starting the music program for SLA, and without him the music room might not be the lively place it is today.

The music room took off strong, with people using it on a daily basis playing all types of genres: rock, gospel, hip hop, classical, and even the “whomp whomp” of dubstep.

Juniors Abe Musselman and Tucker Bartholomew are avid users and semi-managers of the room, ever since Former Librarian Mr. Newman really created the backbone of the music room.

The two came together in Sophomore year, and ever since Mr. Newman had to depart SLA in 2011, the two help maintain the cleanliness of the room and care for the guitars.

Abe expresses how the music room provided him and Tucker with a place to play: “We use to jam with Mr. Newman and Brandon Williams.”

Tucker agrees. “Yeah, even though it’s not soundproof it still has a sense of privacy.”

The two did wish, however, there were some changes.

Abe would like some small tweaks to the room. “The only problem I have is that the room is small, it gets hot, and stinky. Some ventilation would be nice.”

Tucker simply wants to play with other people. “But ever since Mr. Newman left, and Brandon graduated, people have kind of begin to do their own thing. My main problem is there are no more jam sessions.”

Music Teacher Ben Diamond is new to SLA, but not new to the concept of a school music room. “The other public schools I’ve worked at have all had much larger, more “institutionalized” music programs,” he said.

Since SLA’s music program is so small the students are exposed to genres of music by choice of music they prefer to listen and learn. “The musical life of other schools comes from the institution, and students choose which of several categories they fit into–band, orchestra, choir, maybe jazz band.”

The Lit Lab, however, had its friction with the public space, due to the lack of soundproofing.

English Teacher Larissa Pahomov spent time in the original Lit Lab space during lunch hours, when the music room would be in use most. “It was the old space where the Lit Lab use to be,” she explained. “We were directly above the music room.”

With the music pouring in from below, one would assume writing and editing an essay became a chore with such a distraction. “It was an annoyance but understandable, we’re all trying to coexist with the building is only so big.”

Sophomore Jamekea Lee would agree to some extent. “I sometimes find the music room a distraction when I’m trying to do work in the library, but I wouldn’t take it away, people like it too much and I’m just one person.”

Soundproofing is not the only problem with the music room. Because the program is so small there is no supervision on the instruments and the room.”Something really awesome about SLA’s music room–it’s open to everyone.” Mr. Diamond comments.

“The instruments are there for the students, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re in a music class or not.”

But you give an inch and they break musical instruments.

“One problem is that things get abused and broken and it’s hard to tell who is responsible.” Mr. Diamond doesn’t stress how to care for musical instruments in his music class, but he can’t teach everyone in the school.

“Our musical community is generally respectful, but because of the large number of students who use the gear, it takes a beating, and not everyone has been taught how to take care of the equipment.”

At the rate the music room’s equipment gets broken or discombobulates there should not still be functional instruments, and SLA certainly doesn’t have the ability to give every student their own personal guitar to borrow for the year, like traditional schools do with their orchestra instruments.

That’s where the donors come in.

When Mr. Newman embarked from SLA he donated two guitar amps to the school, Mr. Diamond has had friends come and donate instruments, and when a keyboard was accidentally dropped by a student, it was replaced by the same student.

In terms of equipment, there is hope for the music room, as people bring their own amplifier cords and drum sticks, giving a sense of responsibility to those who want to enjoy the public space.

And never is anyone playing alone in the music room, often students joining in to each other songs no matter what they’re playing, adding that SLA touch of collaboration to even their music life.

The music room, as small as it be, as loud as it is during lunch hours, and as under staff as it seems, it is a place of enlightenment and fun, a place to escape the stress of school and life, a place where every kid has a say in what happens as long as they put work into their notes.

Mr. Diamond loves the new space where he works. “I absolutely think every school should have a music room.”

 

By Kristi Bezhani

Staff Writer

For their senior capstone project, seniors Ashley Etheredge and Sekai Harris, are coordinating of a Black History Month event at SLA, which was originally scheduled for February and is now tentatively scheduled for  March 21st.

The show will be the first official African American History Month event hosted at SLA, after several previous years of students planning events but not quite pulling it off.

The show is the senior capstone project for Etheredge and Harris. They have big plans.

“In this event I wanted to show a lot of different types of artistry by creating a show- showcasing talent and great African American artists,” said Etheredge.

“So you will see dances being performed, listen to some renditions of songs being sung and a collaborative step routine.”

Their planning is being influenced by the fact that last month, artists Whitney Houston, Don Cornelius, and Etta James all passed away.

After their deaths, these famous artists taught fans at SLA exactly how short life can be.

“I had a big appreciation for Whitney Houston’s voice, in my brain she was the best, like i thought her voice was the best in the game,” said both English and Drama Teacher Matthew Kay.

“What I really couldn’t stand was how, with Whitney Huston’s and Etta James’ deaths, people talked about their deaths more because of drugs, and I always thought it was weird that people get appreciated for drugs when they die.. and how if it makes a part of them, like If you do something wrong it will become your legacy,” he said.

“I think someone who can sing is more valuable instead of a singer who had a drug problem because that’s just sad. People that struggle with drugs and are promoted for it, I just think it’s not fair to such artist’s great legacies,” he said with a sigh.

Many students at SLA have also been moved by these deaths.

Sophomore Jordan Hairston was affected greatly by the timing of Whitney Houston’s death.

“I cried when Whitney Houston died, it was the day after my birthday, I was like why?! In honor of her music, I played her songs after everyone sang happy birthday. One of them was I Will Always Love You.”

She also knew Etta James as an artist, which was also heartfelt for her.

“When Etta James died, I screamed and then I downloaded two more songs by her, that I didn’t have. In tribute of three musical legends, I stuttered down the Soul Train line with musical harmonies in my mind.”

Senior Sade Skelton felt more towards her past with the artists.

“When Whitney Houston died, I mean that’s the songs you grew up on, like your mom and grandmother listen to her and it becomes a part of you. So it was sad when she died.”

For the organizers of the African American History Month show, the recent deaths mean a change in their program. They plan on a finale to honor the lives of the artists that lost their lives prior to February.

By Isabela Supovitz-Aznar

Staff Writer

For Senior Julia Boyer, her capstone project choice was simple:

“I wrote and directed a play.”

It all started sophomore year, when Mr. Block and Mr. Miles assigned the students to write scenes with the help of the organization Young Philly Playwrights, which comes and works with SLA to help them write monologues, scenes, or plays to submit to the program.

Julia wrote a one-act play as a part of that program, which is one of two pieces that will be performed as a part of her theater festival on Friday, March 16th.

Most of the people involved in the play have been student volunteers. many are seniors but there is also a junior and a freshman. The have been rehearsing every Wednesday and Thursday after school in the drama studio for months in preparation of the big show.

At first, Julia found the live production of her work to be “weird,” but that changed as the rehearsals continued.

“I liked seeing something that I created on paper come to life,” she said.

She also said that if she could have changed anything, she would have paced herself more, taken the time to edit her plays more, met with her mentor and her actors more. But it seems like she learned a lot from her experience.

There are three performances, all on Friday, March 16th: One each during X and Y bands, and 4:30 after school. All performances are free.