SLA Media

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.

Uncategorized

Alumni Kick off Association at Homecoming

by Leave a Comment

Rasa Watson

The interim alumni officers pose with the new t-shirts. Photo Courtesy Ms. Pahomov.

Staff Writer

On Friday, December 22nd, SLA hosted its annual Alumni Homecoming. The event, which is always scheduled on the last day before winter break, is where SLA’s graduates return to talk about their experiences in college and outside of SLA with current seniors and juniors.

There were multiple panels hosted by teachers. Each panel had a different theme that is meant to help answer questions about college, life out of SLA, both social and school. As well as anything else the juniors and seniors have questions about.

Alumni Homecoming was held throughout the day with panels beginning in the morning.  In the afternoon, alumni socialized with their freshman mentees and past teachers and in the evening, alumni met at a nearby bar or restaurant where they could mingle with people who couldn’t make the homecoming.

Despite the fact that when the event was approaching, some students weren’t aware that the event was happening so soon. However, even though the event was not being effectively promoted, many students understand its importance.

“I think it’s a good thing. I think that we can benefit from [alumni homecoming] by learning from [the alumni’s] experiences. And it’s always nice to see the people you used to know. You can see how they have grown,”  Senior Deja Harrison stated.

Harrison additionally explained  how the experiences shared in these panels will be helpful because she will know not to make similar mistakes as the panelists, once she leaves SLA.

Harrison and her fellow students aren’t the only ones who are excited about the homecoming. SLA Alum Maxime Damis, who is also the president of the newly-formed Alumni Association, is busy planning the event.

“The best part of this event, in my opinion, is that we can take the experiences we learned from most (good and bad) and use them as guidance for the students who may encounter the same situation later,” Damis explained.

“I took part in the panel in engineering school and enjoyed giving feedback on what worked for me and what didn’t during the transition from SLA to Drexel, especially in regards to moving from a project-based high school to a test-based college.”

This theme of feedback that Damis talks about is something that helped the spirit committee create a more effective panel than last year.

Last year there were over 20 panels in attempt to cover everything about life after SLA. However, having so many panels forced each panel to rush through their content. This year, there was 16 panels to solve that problem.

“This time around, we were able to use this feedback to better plan for fewer, more in depth panels.” Damis says.

There was hope for a successful Alumni homecoming that gave juniors and seniors time to learn everything they had questions about. As well as alumni hoping to help answer all questions and concerns.

The event was a success, and students had some beneficial experiences, both social and helpful.

“The senioris learned about the alumni from previus years and the ones from the last few years. If you were accepted at a school and are committed to it there is probably some else who goes or went there to talk to,” said Senior Tamir Harper.

“We wanted to know if sla prepares us. Does SLA prepare us? And we have those people to talk to.”

 

Column: Why I Became a Peer Mediator

by Leave a Comment

Junior Lauryn Lewis, Sophomore Tyah Bah, and Sophomore Chloe Simmons are three of the new peer mediators. Photo courtesy of Ms. Tess.

Lauryn Lewis

Staff Writer

What exactly is peer mediation?

If you don’t know, that’s ok. Before I heard an announcement about this program in the advisory memo, I had no idea what it was either. I’m not sure why I signed up for the training, but I’m glad I did.

Peer mediation is a way to help students solve disagreements by forging an agreement between two or more parties. This system allows students who have issues to solve them without getting adults involved and clearing up the problem before it blows up.

I have completed two trainings so far and at each training we took steps to become better peer mediators. At the first meeting, besides socializing among each other, we all brainstormed issues that might arise among students in the school. We also went over the true meaning of peer mediation and what exactly we would do in a meeting. For the second meeting, the peer mediators were given the chance to have a mock peer mediation. This really helped us to understand what we needed to do and what we might deal with in the meetings.

So how does the system work?

The process was set up my School Counselor Zoe Siswick’s intern, Ms. Tess. She designed a google form for  students to schedule their peer mediations.  All the student would have to do is, sign up via google form saying that you have an issue that you would like resolve with someone in the school. Both parties would have to agree to sitting down with peer mediators and going over the issue. Each disputant will have time to explain their point of view of the situation. After each person speaks on what they feel the problem is, they will be allowed to come together and list potential ways to fix the problem.

All of the peer mediators understand why students might have mixed emotions about coming to the group.  Some might say that they do not feel the need for peer mediation when they can handle the situation themselves while others might not want anyone in else knowing about the difficult situation they are in.

However, peer mediation will become a big deal here at SLA because the peer mediators are students. The students here at SLA will be more open to other non-judgemental students hearing their problems rather than the teachers. Peer mediators include: Ella Marton, Chloe Simmons, Jade Gilliam, Lauryn Lewis, Aniya Linder, Tyah Ward, and Jordan Grayes. The students will also be able to relate to the peer mediators being that we are all in the same age range and the mediators all have experience at the school.

And trust me, we have all had our fair share of issues and disagreements with other students that have led us to wanting to help solve the issues of others.

Column: Benchmarks Through The Years

by Leave a Comment

Rasa Watson

Staff Writer

Freshman year was a big adjustment for me and as soon as I got settled in, benchmark season was upon us. I had no idea what to expect. This first project that I got at SLA was the “Me Magazine” assigned by English Teacher Amal Giknis. The “Me Magazine” was basically a magazine that we had to write about ourselves. One of our passions, a person, and a place that are important to us. This project wasn’t a benchmark, and for me it was fun.

The first real benchmark I received was an English benchmark. It was based around the book Kindred, written by Octavia E. Butler. We had to create what happened to Kevin, the main character’s husband who had been stuck in the past for 5 years, during those 5 years.

I think the most difficult thing for me was time management. I have never had an assignment that was organized so specifically. I struggled with turning everything in on time. I remember crying the night the project was due because I turned it in 10 minutes late. We were reminded repeatedly not to turn it in late.

One thing that was still new to me, but helpful, was the rubric.

Rubric by Amal Giknis

I wasn’t used to having a rubric to help guide me on what I needed to get done so I struggled a lot. I was used to just being given a project, doing what I thought was right, then getting graded and seeing the rubric after. Even though benchmarks were still new and I was getting so many at once, I managed to get a good grade on my first benchmark at SLA.

Sophomore year is a whole different ball game. Everything seems easier now. Projects aren’t as stressful to me anymore. I have had so many people tell me that school is either going to get easier, or it’s going to get harder. I personally think that sophomore year is both. Harded and eiser. It’s harder because the material we are learning is harder. But at the same time it is getting easier because we are used to the amount of work and adapt to the difficulty.

My first benchmark this year was a geometry project, that was focused around reasoning and logic. The project consisted of a lot. It was a lot of thought, reasoning and proving the puzzles and problems we created were correct. We also had to solve the puzzles and problems that our classmates created. After solving we had to justify our knowledge and answers. My end product was a 22 slide long slide show. I was proud because it was the first benchmark that I turned in early, and it was visually pleasing.

(Cover of my Geometry project.)

There is a major change from freshman year to sophomore year in terms of benchmark. They continue to get difficult, but you can work your way through them because now you have experience with benchmarks.

District Proposes Ben Franklin Move at Meeting

by Leave a Comment

By Tamir Harper

Members of the SLA Community during the small group breakout portion of Monday's meeting. Photo by Sarah Frunzi.
Members of the SLA Community during the small group breakout portion of Monday’s meeting. Photo by Sarah Frunzi.

Editor in Chief

On the evening of Tuesday, September 12th, Science Leadership Academy Center City held a meeting to announce that the district plans to co-locate the school with Benjamin Franklin High School at 550 N. Broad Street.

The move into the new building will happen for the 2019-2020 school year, which gives time for the district to complete a total redesign of Benjamin Franklin, for which they have budgeted 20 million dollars.

A powerpoint delivered by Principal Chris Lehmann explained that the redesign will seek to make SLA feel at home and also improve the building conditions for Benjamin Franklin High School students as well.

This week will be the start of that redesign, with design development happening this school year, and construction slated to start in July 2018.

In attendance were students, parents, SLA Staff and School District of Philadelphia officials like Spokesperson Lee Whack, Assistant Superintendent of the Innovative Network Christina Grant, the Chief Schools Officer and a few other of Superintendent Bill Hite’s cabinet members.

After the introductory powerpoint presentation, attendees split into small groups to discuss their concerns and brainstorm around their vision for the move.

Mr. Lehmann believes that, in some ways, the news was hard for the SLA community to hear. “We [the district] have to honor people process in coming to terms with that change.”

Lehmann noted that many parents went through that process pretty quickly. “By the end of that meeting parents were like now what, what has to happen, how do we make it work, what does it look like and got to that next place.”

Throughout Monday’s meeting, Mr. Lehmann stressed how involved parents and students will be involved in this process. Parents and others will be able to sit on a building management committee to ensure that student and parent voices are heard throughout the design of the building.

Despite these assurances, some attendees of the meeting were not satisfied and felt blindsided by the announcement.

During the small group breakout conversations, Freshman and Senior parent Sharon Baker-Smith spoke with Chief Schools Officer Shawn Bird and told him that the move wasn’t smart or safe.

Other parents stressed concerns about climate and safety of their children during dismissal and in the possible co-mingling of spaces. But some were on board and wanted to see how the district can design an innovative space that would work for both schools.

But for those who weren’t on board, Dr. Bird tried his best to calm parents down and give them the reasoning behind the move, but he wasn’t very successful.

Another frequent question was about what the curriculum and culture at Benjamin Franklin would look like when SLA joins them at Broad and Spring Garden.

Officials from the district explained that Benjamin Franklin has a new principal, who is working to stabilize the culture at Benjamin Franklin.

Sophomore Horace Ryans attended the meeting and felt as though that the SLA community barely had say in it, but did not think anything can be done to stop it.

Regardless, he is hopeful. “What we can do is continue to love and care for each other like we already are because SLA isn’t SLA because of the location, it’s SLA because we make it this way.”

Some students and parents were concerned about enrollment dropping at SLA, but Mr. Lehmann believes that the school will still have a “vibrant population that is diverse and represents the entire city.”

Technology Teacher Marcie Hull, who has been with SLA since its first year, stated that some freshman are excited about the move and is ready to tackle this challenge. Some students have been worried about teachers leaving, but Mrs. Hull said she “will not be going anywhere.”

As proof of her commitment to the school, she is currently pursuing her Ed.D to become a Senior Career Teacher and grow in her position at Science Leadership Academy.

She wants students to know that “this is part of the progress that is going to create better opportunities for more kids in the city.”

Seniors who will not be directly affected by the move had some thoughts as well. Senior Ella Burrows said, “I feel hurt that this wasn’t more of a conversation, but we can all be hopeful and stick it out with each other and have faith that things will workout like they are supposed to.”

Burrows also shared that “things happen for a reason so I like to think of this as an obstacle just waiting for us to overcome.”

SLA Alumnus Luke Risher told me over the phone after hearing about the move, he “feels as though the district should be transparent and communicative because this is definitely a choice that blindsided us (the SLA community) that has given us very little process and time.”

Lehmann wants all freshman and sophomores to “be part of it, we are going to make this as transparent as we possibly can.” He wants students to voice their concerns thoughtfully.

As expected, on Thursday, Sept 14th the School Reform Commission approved the funding to renovate Ben Franklin high school for a co-location.

Upcoming meeting dates about the redesign will be shared with the community as soon as they are available via www.scienceleadership.org.