SLAMedia is a publication of the news for the Science Leadership Academy community. Writers come from the student body in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. We work in unison to create a functioning paper with biweekly postings on a variety of events.
Annisa Ahmed
Staff Writer
Who says hard work doesn’t pay?
Throughout the entirety of this year, Senior Michelle Torelli has worked diligently with one big goal in mind: to go to college and take on as little debt as possible.
Her wish has been granted. In late March, Torelli was selected for the Drexel Liberty Scholars Program.
The scholarship is need-based, providing aspiring students from low-income families in the Philadelphia region with a chance to attend Drexel University at a fraction of the regular cost.
She first learned about the program from Counselor Karina Hirshfield. From the start of the application process, Torelli stayed upbeat.
“I had a positive attitude,” she said. In her essay, she talked about her future and what the program would mean for her, to help make her family proud and set a good example for her younger siblings.
After advancing to the next round, she prepared to for the interview thoroughly. “I had mock meetings in the college office,” noted Torelli. “It helped to keep me calm and focused.”
In addition to practice trials, there were many individuals who gave her the proper support along the way. “My parents, my uncle, Amy [a college office intern], Ms. Hirschfield , Ms. Dunn, and Heidi, my neighbor were all so willing to jump whenever I needed a hand,” she said.
Her Advisor Douglas Herman is unspokenly added to the mix. Prior to the big day, Torelli came to him, confessing that she was worried that her boisterous nature would hinder the possibility of getting the scholarship.
Herman smiled and when she asked why, he told the truth. “Let it shine,” he encouraged. “Let them see that a prim and proper personality isn’t always what they are looking for.”
Jokingly, Herman told to break out her sick moves during the sit-down and although she declined going that far, the Liberty Scholars must have taken notice of what she had to offer.
Torelli intends to study to become a Chemical Engineer and eventually get her Masters Degree. Getting this scholarship is essentially a pass her to complete her studies and become what she has always wanted to be.
“Drexel was my top choice,” she said, “and now, I have the chance to go there and take out as little loans as possible.”
Torelli joins SLA Alumnus Ali Ahmed ‘12 as a Liberty Scholar, who is now a freshman at Drexel studying computer science engineering.
Contact: aahmed2@scienceleadership.org
By Jesús Jiménez
Staff Writer
The night life in the city can be grand. Center City offers a variety of different locations for food and entertainment that can make a night on the town great for you and your friends.
Many minors look at Philly with this perspective, and end up caught in an unwanted argument with Police that ruins their night. The curfew in the city could be a problem for some. Even if you aren’t having the time of your life in the city, you might be stopped just by your appearance.
Mayor Michael Nutter signed legislation which updated the curfew times in Philadelphia back in 2011. Minors 13 and below were given a curfew of 8 PM, while 14-15 year olds were allowed to be outside until 9 PM. Anyone over the age of 16 was allowed out until 10 in the evening.
Of course, this was during the school year. During the summer, everyone had an extra hour before the cops began to question you.
Senior Matthew Ginnetti has a cousin who was stopped by officials a few times over the summer coincidentally. “My cousin was stopped by the cops 3 times,” he said, “The last two times he was fined around $200.” One of the events, as he remembers took place near Tasker and Morris streets, in South Philly.
From a police officer’s point of view, a curfew helps in maintaining order in the city while preventing harm to any youth that might be out at night. While Philadelphia isn’t exactly a dystopia, it still shares it’s worth in crime.
Blondell Reynolds-Brown, a councilwoman for the Philadelphia City Council described the curfew as a “tool” for law enforcement officers.
She added, “Provided that it is used fairly and compassionately, it can be an important piece of the puzzle to building a safer city”. This was back in 2011.
Has a curfew helped Philadelphia become a safer city since then? Youth today are still staying out late. Regardless of whether they feel safe in their neighborhoods or not doesn’t matter to our police officers. They will confront you as long as the legislation is still standing. But cut them some slack. After all, they’re just doing their job.