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Holding Off on the Capstones

June 2, 2017 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Aidan Williams

Staff Writer

“I always procrastinate. I would rather have fun in the moment and put my responsibilities off for another time.” Griffin Gallagher told me. “But, nine out of ten times, procrastination will bite you in the ass.”

I was asking Griffin about his Capstone Project: A Philadelphia School District graduation requirement. However, being a project based school, our school is more inclined to place more stock in it, and SLA seniors are given the entire year to come up with the best project they can. However, just as with most school projects, many students will procrastinate.

“[My work] was inconsistent.” Aaron Watson-Sharer told me. “Until the last month I really didn’t do much. I knew I had to get it done, but for most of the year my time wasn’t really focused on the capstone. I was more focused on sports and classes.”

With so much schoolwork on top of applying for college, it’s no wonder that many students have a hard time finding the motivation to work on this project, especially when the deadline seems so far away. However, it creeps up ever-so-slowly, until it’s only a week away.

I sat down with Mr. Best, the Capstone coordinator this year, and asked him about the best and worst of the Capstone project.

“It’s independant work. Students learn about something they’re interested in, something that’s helpful to others.” Mr. Best advised. “Do something more than volunteer. Spin off a program. Do real work.”

I asked Mr. Best to think of less-advisable Capstone projects. “The first year, no one really knew how to do it. This one kid who really didn’t know how to do it basically stood up and did his Capstone on how not to do a Capstone.

“Everyone runs into challenges. You’ve got this great idea of what you want to do, but you run into road-blocks. Capstones change as the year goes on. A lot of it is what the student makes out of the hand they’re given.”

“D is for Diploma,” Mr. Best joked, but, ultimately, it’s true. The Capstone project is something that can be completed with any degree of the students’ capacity, and a bad Capstone project due to procrastination is still a Capstone project. However, I’d imagine colleges probably don’t want to see a Capstone project on how not to do a Capstone project. So, if there’s any takeaway, it would be this: Don’t wait until the last moment to do your capstone. Save yourself the trouble.

Poetry Showcase and Finals

May 30, 2017 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Lauren Nicolella

Staff Writer

On Thursday, May 25th, the SLA Poetry Club finally hosted their annual Poetry Showcase.

The original slam, scheduled for February, got postponed multiple times due to weather and half days.

The problem with the planned showcase earlier in the year was the lack of poems the club had prepared, and a lack of a steady amount of people. Now, there are a lot of pieces ready and more to come, in preparation for the PYPM slam league finals.

Some of these poems were performed for the first time at the showcase for future slams, others had already been performed at competitions. Sophomore Kimberly Gucciardi-Kriegh was able to give information about some of the pieces.

“We are going to be competing in the PYPM finals, and all of the poems we’re going to be putting up for finals, are also going to be in the showcase. We get to test out these poems on a real audience and see what they react to and what they like.”

With the news of there being a newly planned poetry showcase, it excited those who did not get the chance to go last year or in February. One of those students was Sophomore Miguel Rivera. He explained how this one is at a more convenient time of the year, and how excited he is to see his friends perform.

“I really like poems, and my best friend Kimberly is going to be there, so I have to support her. I went last year and it was interesting.”

The hosts of this year’s event were sophomores Afi Koffi, Jowon Dorbor, and Nzinga Bey, along with Kyianna Thomas as the DJ. Afi and Jowon themselves opened up the show with their “Finesse Poem,” explaining the works of Snapchat and capturing the perfect selfie to send to your streaks.

There were multiple poems performed by students of all grades, speaking on topics like politics to using cats and mice as metaphors. Mr. Kay himself closed the event by performing a heart-wrenching short piece about his trip to Cambodia.

The money that was raised at the showcase will go towards a trip that the Poetry Club will take together.

After a rocky start to the season, the SLA poetry club has improved as a whole since February, and the showcase has the team ready for their appearance in the finals.

The final competition takes place on Friday, June 2nd at Gershman Y on Broad Street.

Column: Our Thoughts on The Vote

May 30, 2017 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Tamir Harper

Staff Writer

At 1PM last Thursday, an email hit student inboxes that changed the life of the SLA Family. The email that made everyone’s heartbeat, palms sweat and want to jump into action. Founding Principal Chris Lehmann — or, as some students like to call him, Poppa Lehmann — sent a surprise update about the new vote for our building. Originally, the SRC was going to vote on a two year lease extension but last minute they changed the game and decided on one year instead.

At 4PM last Thursday, students, facility, parents and even alumni gathered inside the brightly-lit but still-depressing auditorium of the School District of Philadelphia headquarters while members of the School Reform Commission took their comfortable seats with water on hand. Some in the SLA community starved, both literally and figuratively. With the short notice SLA representatives were not able to grab a snack for the three hour dragged out meeting that determined the fate of our current home.

But we still showed up with signs and speeches and our voices really to be heard. We stood outside of the district building with our signs ready to enter and be heard and seen. The meeting started and some could definitely tell that it was going to be a long night. Faces disgusted and stomachs screaming. Our first speaker was called, “Luke Risher” we all made noise and stood behind him but right before we were able to get in our spots, School District Police decided to block us from getting close. That didn’t stop us. We stood and set until no more SLA students spoke about our home. After our second speaker, Superintendent Hite told District Police to stand down because he understood that we were standing behind our family members who were fighting for out home.

At 7PM last Thursday, the moment that we had been waiting for finally came. After sitting for three hours hearing from people that agreed with the renewal of SLA lease to people that disagree, it was time for the vote. But before the vote SRC member Bill Green rattled off statistics that many stated was irrelevant information before the vote of our school. Our objective was to have them postpone the vote, but the votes came in and every member of the Commission voted for a one year lease extension. After the SRC vote many were still confused.

But with all of that, we the SLA family live to fight another day. Another day where we get to hold our heads up high because we fought with all our hearts. We fought for what we believed in and what is right. Some may say we didn’t get our desired outcome, but in reality we did. Now EVERY School Reform Commissioner knows that one, we fight as a family and that we fight strong. Two, they know can never say that they did not know the request of the SLA Family.

Family, with the victory I ask that we don’t stop fighting. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said “our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” So, continue to stand for what you believe in, continue to fight for change and continue to stay strong.

Column: 440 Conference Disappoints

May 30, 2017 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Saamir Baker

Staff Writer

I like going to conferences. If it’s a topic I can engage with, I love attacking it head on and debating with people who have opposing views.

On Friday, May 19th, I had the opportunity to attend a conference at the Central Office (440) of the School District. I initially thought we would be talking about safety and the Broad Street Line. According to the email invite, this session was supposed to be about “This is a conversation that has been had with adults, but has lacked student voice. The discussion will be around challenges that individuals are facing with the Broad Street Line. There has been many issues on the line and our children being labeled as dangerous. This is a time for them to have their voices heard around the challenges that they face and opportunity to come up with solutions. FOOD WILL BE SERVED!! I know that important for them as well.” as quoted in the email. However that wasn’t the case. “The Philadelphia Foundation and the Knight Foundation” hosted this discussion, and while some aspects of this conversation between students and adults was productive and beneficial, in many other ways the execution of this conversation was done in ways that could have been better.

As far as I know, the student attendees came from four schools: Masterman, CCP Academic Scholars, Yes Philly, and Science Leadership Academy. The adults attending this meeting ranged from organization leaders who helped students in their own ways, volunteers with the organization, and the organizations leaders. The topic of what we would be talking about was very vague up until the beginning of the discussion where it was explained we would give ideas on how to improve Philadelphia. One particular adult in the conversation wanted to strictly talk about “sanctuaries” that the youth could go to instead of being on the streets, while junior Taytiana Velazquez-Rivera talked about community gardens and parks that were locked away from the actual community. When she brought up her idea, an adult that was a volunteer with the organization instantly shut down that topic of discussion which prompted the leaders to tell everyone every idea is important.

The fact that we didn’t know the topics beforehand left many people in the room with no clue on what to specifically discuss. As a result, the conversation slowly opened up, but once it was broken open conversation flowed, but only with about 15 out of the 40 students that were in the room.

Why the low participation rate? It was my theory that many of the students were there just to be out of class that day. Many just sat there, and talked amongst themselves, but when called on to add to the conversation offered nothing. . I admit that us SLA students stayed quiet up until the discussion leader called us out, which opened a pandora’s box of SLA students, adults, and CCP students combating many different topics. Sometimes agreeing with each other, sometimes debating with each other but it was clear that SLA students were forcing their voices to be heard.

Overall, after getting into the flow on the conversation within it began to gel but by the end everyone had the same thought. What really would be changed because of our meeting, and what the hell was the main topic of this conversation we had just had?

And one future note for “The Philadelphia Foundation and the Knight Foundation”, please refrain from having your white volunteer who said that Senior Luke Risher was “too white to go to Howard” from your next meetings. Apart from the racially insensitive commentary, he asserted himself too much in conversations, and his overall feedback was in no way helpful.

“Week Without Walls” Comes to SLA

May 30, 2017 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Ella Petersen

Staff Writer

The end of the school year is always full of activities. As classes come to an end, teachers scramble to find things for their students to do while they attend school for the number of days required to pass.

This year, there is a new set of activities for the underclassmen. “The Week Without Walls” is a whole week dedicated to planned pastimes for students to enjoy with their teachers.

The list of things to do was sent out to advisories last week so students can pick what they want to participate in. Some of them include hiking in Wissahickon Valley, board and card games, local college tours, and first aid/CPR training.

Melanie Manuel, Spanish teacher at SLA, explained the idea behind it: “At the school where I taught in San Francisco, California, we had Week Without Walls the week before spring break. All the teachers and students looked forward to it each year. Week Without Walls was the time of year when I would take my students abroad. My first year I took them to the US-Mexico border and my second year I took them to Guatemala. I loved Week Without Walls and had always wanted to bring the concept to the schools where I worked after I left San Francisco. And now it’s finally happening!”

Ms. Manuel shared examples with the other teachers of activities from the Week Without Walls at her old school and it helped them pick their own ideas. They brainstormed things that could showcase their passions so that they could share them with their students.

Orlando Aguayo, a freshman at SLA, is very excited about the new event at SLA: “I chose the college tours because I just can’t wait to have the college experience. I also chose the CPR training because I would like to be able to help somebody if they had drowned. I think the week is a great idea, the choices are great in my opinion.”

Ms. Manuel hopes that this becomes a yearly things at SLA as it was one of her favorite events at her old school. “I just want everyone to have fun sharing in the teachers’ passions. It’s a great way for students to know a different facet of who we are. It’s going to be a great week that I hope becomes an SLA tradition!”