Features

Juliana Long, Avi Cantor & Sanaa Scott-Wheeler

Staff Writers

Ever since Temple’s Mumps outbreak began in March of this year, Philadelphia schools have been forced to confront the issue of parents who choose not to vaccinate their children — and SLA is no exception.

So, what’s the big problem with choosing not to vaccinate your kids? Are there unvaccinated students at SLA? And how does that affect the student body? School Nurse Onnie Kelley explained that having unvaccinated students in the population puts those with autoimmune disorders, who physically can’t get vaccinated, in danger.

“You don’t want those kids to be in jeopardy because of parents who won’t vaccinate their healthy kids,” she said. “It’s just terrible.”

SLA Math teacher Bradford Latimer, who has two elementary school-age children, has experienced this situation on a more personal level. When we asked him if his children were vaccinated, he didn’t hesitate to confirm this. “

They are vaccinated because there are a lot of easily preventable diseases that we’ve eradicated and I feel very very strongly that it’s our responsibility as a society to make sure that those diseases remain eradicated.”

Addressing the “larger community health issue” is another reason why he vaccinates his kids. He doesn’t want these types of diseases reappearing in society when there’s a clear solution to continue their eradication. Mr. Latimer says he worries about kids who physically cannot get vaccinated being in public school because kids around them may not be vaccinated due to their parents’ personal choices.

SLAMedia approached a student we knew to be unvaccinated, but they declined to be interviewed. Seeking answers about  the anti-vax community at SLA – or potentially the lack thereof — we turned to Nurse Kelley for more information

Later we found out from her that there actually is a very strong presence of anti-vaccination parents at SLA.

When asked about experiences with SLA parents who refuse to vaccinate their students, she says that “It’s very, very, very hard because I can’t imagine that people that don’t vaccinate in this community don’t love their children. They do, and they have been persuaded by some literature or some philosophy, and you can’t really dispute that.”

She spoke a little bit about specific but anonymous cases of SLA anti-vaccination parents, “Surprisingly, they’re really educated people. They have taken time to think this out, and they’re convinced that they’re on the right side of thinking.”

We asked her about her efforts to educate SLA parents about vaccinations, about which she feels as though there’s only so much she can do, stating that “It’s very, very hard to confront a parent on strong beliefs about their children and I think it needs to be done way above my level.”

She also mentioned that some parents “look down on me and say, ‘Well, you’re just a nurse. What do you know?’ So I try to point people in the right direction, but it usually doesn’t end well.”

Nurse Kelley is solemn about the potential ramifications of not vaccinating.

“As long as the law allows kids without a medical exemption, for just a philosophical exemption, to come to school unvaccinated, there will be parents who are poorly informed and possibly disenfranchised, who do not understand what they’re doing when they don’t vaccinate their children.”

It was made clear to us through these interviews that refusing to vaccinate children is a generally very controversial and harmful decision for parents to make. The health department claimed that it is doing all that they can do to improve this issue at SLA.

What’s the deal with the school store?

That question has been common among students, and the answer has been different every year. The store has never been consistent with its schedule and students never really knew when the store would be open.

Why the inconsistency? Principal Chris Lehmann explained that it has to do with staffing.

“We need parent volunteers. When we have parent volunteers, the school store is open.” Lehmann stated.

This statement suggests there are a shortage of potential volunteers. However, a student in the Journalism class reported that their parent emailed the school a multitude of times volunteering for the school store and trying to sign up. The student explained that no one had gotten back to her mother, which led them to believe that the school was actually interested in keeping the store open.

So what exactly is the process for staffing the store?

In a recent Home and School Association memo, the Home and School included an open call for volunteers for the school store. The section of the memo explained that the school store could be open every day and lunch period if parents started volunteering. Parents must fill out a clearance application and send this to Principal Ann Leanness. Courtney Chobert, the woman who helps run the school store, then schedules the school store date in which a parent can volunteer.

“We are working to have it open more, but it depends on volunteers time availability, it is open only during the 2 lunch periods,” Chobert stated.

The store has also had its share of problems. In the 2017-18 school year, there was a long closure because of a health code violation in the school store. According to Jeremy Spry, the parent who had been volunteering in had been cooking the fried chicken as well as other foods that violated the health codes of the school. But the Home and School Association President Diana Moro explained that the story is deeper than that.

“Last year, the school store was closed due to both financial issues and staffing issues.  Since the store opened (which I am working at finding the start date) it has been operated by the Home And School Association.  The HSA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that raises and spends about $100,000 each year at SLA – covering everything from team uniforms or buses for games for the sports teams to Jeremy Spry’s salary or the cost of “buying back” teachers from the school district if the district cuts the budget,” she explained.

“The goal is for the school store to make about $8,000 per year.  That is less than 10% of our budget, and we don’t make a lot of money on what it sold.”

But for this long closure, how were kids supposed to get their favorite snacks and treats? Most students relied on the lunch line, but a small group of students found a different way to feed students in SLA — and SLAMedia discovered it in the course of researching this article.

An anonymous student created a store with a small group of friends and found a way to make a small profit but also fund throwing a party when school ended. The closing of the school store was an opportunity for this small group to make money. They used a popular drug reference to refer to their operation — but requested that name not be used in the article, to make it clear that the products they sold were all legal.

“A group and I started [the locker store] because we wanted to host a party that would be happening when school would end. We tried to keep everything relatively cheap under $1 usually, but it varied due to size and item,” The student stated.

Since the school store reopened, the locker store has closed down operations.

Currently, the school store is running, even on its unusual and unpredictable schedule. There is a need for students to know when the school store will be open.

Avi Cantor

Staff Writer

The DIY revolution is taking over as modern businesses model for many young entrepreneurs, including SLA students.

Senior Bronwyn Goldshneider and Junior Sanaa Scott-Wheeler have both utilized their talents to create successful companies.

Both businesses target young adults, have made substantial profits and were self-made based off of something they were passionate about.  

In Scott-Wheeler’s case, Natural Y’U was born in her aunt’s kitchen and started due to a need for money to pay for a trip she was going on.

“It was something I always wanted to do, but I kept putting it off,” Scott-Wheeler explained.

The SLA junior makes lotion designed to “help boost your mental state”. She uses coconut oil, shea butter, almond oil– which she may switch to accommodate those with allergies–and cocoa butter.

She melts that mixture freezes it, and then whips it up to give it the smooth consistency needed for lotion. This is all done by her hands and her hands only.

Back in late 2018 when the business began, she would make enough lotion for five mason jars. This endeavor would take upwards of two hours and caused a lot of pressure on her arms.

But this isn’t merely a hobby for her.

Scott-Wheeler sells mason jars of lotion for $10 in school and $12 outside of school. She approximates that she’s made around $300 in under four months. However, this isn’t even her main job or her true passion.

The young entrepreneur has her sights set on the aromatherapy field and considers this business a good entry point for her beginnings in the field.

Senior Bronwyn Goldshneider started her own company, Chiaki (pronounced: SHEE-YA-KEE) Designs, last summer after interning for a tailor on South Street.

After hand making her own prom dress for junior prom, her friends and peers flooded her with requests to make their prom dresses. The 18 year-old went to work and made dresses for several of her SLA friends, along with girls from GAMP and other Philly schools.

Despite starting in the teenage market, Goldshneider doesn’t exclusively target her age group.

“I’m not quite sure what my target base is,” she stated.

However, unlike Scott-Wheeler, she wants to pursue this as a career.

“That’s what I want to do for the rest of my life,” she said jubilantly.

Goldshneider has gotten into both academic schools like Clark, Temple, Fordham University as well as Parsons School of Design, Pratt Institute and Case Western Reserve University so she’s well on her way to achieving her goal of “making high-quality clothing”.

This emphasis on quality over quantity is one of the driving principles behind her company. Her distaste in “fast fashion” outlets like H&M and Forever 21 fuels her drive to create “ethical, well-made clothes” that “portray your personality to the world”. However, this isn’t all that surprising considering her past business venture.

Throughout the last two years, Goldshneider and several of her SLA and GAMP peers have run Racial Unity, an initiative that spreads racial awareness and positivity in order to combat the racial divisiveness that she and her peers experienced as a result of the Trump campaign. She is now integrating that vision into the fashion world.

Through her senior project, a fashion show with models of all races, shapes, and sizes, she is promoting this message of inclusivity and diversity in a powerful way that incorporates her fashion, natural talent, and friends.

The entrepreneurialism found at SLA is a prime example of how passions can make a difference. Whether that is promoting mental and physical health or equality, SLA students are at the forefront of meaningful innovation and that train isn’t derailing any time soon.

Jayla Wright

Copy Editor

The Nintendo Switch has swept SLA into a frenzy. Whenever students seem to get a chance they huddle together with their consoles and get ready to fight in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. One of these students is senior Ameer Johnson, whose love for the fighting game pushed him to create a Smash Tournament at SLA.

Starting from the beginning of the school week, kids face off in head to head battles and advance through a bracket system. Players are placed based on skill and previously beaten matches with the highest ranked players fighting the lowest ranked first. This is to prevent higher ranked players from knocking each other out in the first round. By Friday, everyone gathers in front of a big screen to watch the best players battle until a winner emerges.  

Johnson played casually after the game’s release and realized there was no good way to gauge a person’s skill. To solve this issue, he created the tournament so players at SLA could improve.

A similar attempt was done in the past with Smash 64, but it wasn’t a success. Johnson tried again with Ultimate, but this time was different. Now, the tournament was made with a schedule and restrictions all adding up to fun and organized experience.

The tournament’s well-crafted system is what allows it to run smoothly. Interested players fill out a Google form stating their schedule so the tournament can be planned around whenever they’re free. Restrictions, such as players having to fight the day they’re in school, are placed to allow the tournament to run its course without any hiccups.

This system allows players to not stress over the technicalities of the tournament and instead focus on the matches and each other.

Smash opened Johnson to talking and hanging out with kids he usually doesn’t interact with, forging stronger relationships. He states “Even when I’m having issues with some different people, I think just playing Smash helps me mend the relationship with some of these people. I felt like I’ve gotten closer to certain players that I otherwise probably wouldn’t talk to if I didn’t play Smash and there’s a lot of people who were in the tournament and I’ve had to talk to face to face and we’ve been more cool outside of Smash.”

A mutual spark for Smash draws SLA students together. Most members of the tournament would cite Johnson as the reason for joining. Such students like senior Sarah Berg who finds herself a minority in the tournament.

“I am the highest ranked girl, I am the best girl in the tournament by far…  I am the only girl on the tournament.” states Berg.

Gaming, especially fighting games, is seen as more masculine and aggressive which can deter girls from joining tournaments. Berg has one message for any girls considering to join.

“I wish there were more girls cause it is a stereotype that girls can’t game or whatever and I joked about it before during matches when I’ve messed up, like ‘Oh I’m a girl’.” states Berg.

Despite being the only girl, Sarah appreciates the tournaments. The more she participates in, the better she gets. She wins more and more matches while being cheered on by her teammates. The tournaments provide a space away from the workload of school and a way to be with others.

Tournaments can involve blasted music, jokes, and people laughing. Some players see this as an opportunity to have fun, others a chance to be competitive, but for senior Sean DeSilva, he prefers to use it as an opportunity to learn.

Like Berg, DeSilva was also recommended to join by Johnson. He had been playing Smash casually on his own before deciding to apply what he practiced into the tournament. Players who are not top-ranked mostly play for the experience.

While there is some focus on getting better, rank is not everything. The players come together for the love of the game first and foremost. Moving up in the tanks is a fun challenge, not a sole goal.

DeSilva states “No one really thinks of the rank or anything like that. Everyone is treated equally.” He continues and says, “There’s a silent acknowledgment of everyone’s rank and nothing is really said because that would just be rude, so everyone understands each other’s capabilities in the game.”

Smash can be more than a game. It starts communities, provides a challenge, and creates friendships. This is evidently shown by the players in the tournament. If you want to have the same experience talk to Ameer Johnson about joining. You’ll appreciate the friends you make on your path to victory.

Sanaa Scott-Wheeler

Op/Ed Editor

The air was thick with the germs of other schools and thermal energy. Bodies fusing together forming crowds oriented to the middle circle. The number of boys is much higher than the number of girls. Friend groups are staying in their respected corners as a strategy of finding their way back to each other. The slippery floor kisses the soles of your shoes, then vanishes, and….

How did we get to a scene like this? Let’s go to the beginning.

On Friday, February 22nd, the Black Student Union at Science Leadership Academy hosted the follow-up to September´s Kick off party in the cafe. The original kickoff was according to everyone, a banger — almost everyone showed up and had a good time, and those who weren’t t there knew what happened through Snapchat or Instagram. Naturally everyone who was not at the first, would come to the second one. We knew it would be wild.

Social media helped blow up the second party. Weeks in advance it was advertised  through videos, screenshots, memes and whatever else on several platforms.

Then came the week of the party, people steady making plans for before. Deciding on outfits, makeup then finally hair. What would be appropriate for this event? And the big debate: Do I want to look cute vs Do I want my favorite pair of Jordans stomped on?

The day of the party, I met up with other students after school to confirm what time we would all arrive. 8:00 on the dot. 3:30-8:00 is four and a half hours and I still had to factor in transportation. The time to get ready starts now, go!

4:30 approached as a walked up front steps to my house. My first thought was to take a shower, because who doesn’t shower before a party? Everyone should.

5:30: I get dressed and accessorize. At  6:30, I let my cousin beat my face with makeup, knowing for a sure fact that everything will sweat off during the first hour of the party.

Sweat we did, the heat concentrated into one space, my locs started to soak up some of the moisture in the atmosphere. One section of the building had become the cool down area. The bathrooms and when you first walked into the building. The deeper you went into the cafe the higher the temperature went.

The final headcount was at about 300, but it felt like the entire school district was there. The windows were fogged up to the third floor, coat racks filled so SLA students had to put their belongings in lockers. Because it was so crowded,  no one really knew who came until the lights came on.

Not everybody enjoyed the crush.

¨I walked into this one area, it had a weird musty smell, I wasn’t feeling it,¨ Said Keyonne Johnson, a junior at SLA. ¨I came into school Monday morning and saw all the dirt on the floor, It’s still not clean.”

They played “A lot of upbeat songs, they never played the whole way through, the DJ did not connect with the crowd. ¨ Said Jeremiah Butler when speaking about what he thought went wrong.

He also griped about the attendance: ¨There should be and equal amount of boys and girls.¨

So overall what have we learned? You won’t be seen so don’t stress over how you look, just make sure you can dance. Always shower before parties no exceptions or questions allowed. At the party instead of asking to dance, people were just grabbed, there was no real space for dancing with friends unless the crowd moved in the opposite direction.  

Each party should have an equal amount of boys and girls to keep the party at a good size. Bring water because it will get hot. Don´t bring too much stuff, you don’t know that you’ll have a place to store it. Then last but certainly not least, a critical skill for parties in Philadelphia: pick the right time to play Dreams and Nightmares and let it play the whole way through.