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What is the Best Place to Eat Lunch at SLA?

January 13, 2022 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

by Maya Smelser

Staff Writer

Everybody loves lunch. For obvious reasons, It’s a lot of people’s favorite period of the day. The list of lunch spots at SLA isn’t too long. Students have five options—

First off, there is also an actual lunchroom, but it’s always full of freshmen, seeing as they are obligated to eat there. The line to get lunch is always long, usually almost out the door. I’ve never gotten school lunch, but I have waited in the line with my friends who do. The rest of the room is full of tables and chairs, some decorated with the Rockets emblem.

The terrace is my personal favorite, but it definitely has its cons. I love it because I can be outside and get fresh air. I also like that I can take a long break from my mask. Students will sometimes play sports up there. You do have to watch out unless you want a football to the head or a frisbee in your lunch. The weather is also a big factor. There have been multiple instances where I found myself shivering while eating my sandwich or having to get paper towels from the bathroom to wipe down the seats because it rained the night before. It is always a pain to walk all the way to the sixth floor, but I think it’s definitely worth it. As long weather and my legs allow, I always eat there.

The most popular place to eat is the commons, located on the first floor. It’s big and has lots of room for people to sit. It’s very close to where food is served and the vending machine. But I hate eating there. I find it overwhelming. It’s always loud and busy. For the first few weeks, I ate here exclusively. Then I discovered the terrace and never looked back. I don’t mind the balconies overlooking the commons, but they are usually just as loud.

Next is the ballroom. Being on the second floor, it is fairly close to the lunchroom and vending machine too. There are only a few tables and chairs, so it’s not as big or loud as the commons. It’s almost like a mini version of the commons. If you have ever visited the ballroom, you’ve probably seen the whiteboard. Students doodle and write all over it. It’s always so fun to see what new things people have added and to make my own additions. If I am too tired to make the trek to the terrace, I normally eat here.

Depending on who catches you, students can also eat in the darkrooms at the end of most floors. I have only ever done classwork there but it seems nice and secluded. The only downside is the possibility of getting kicked out by a teacher or administrator.

We all have our favorite place to eat lunch!

Is it safe to be inside of SLA or the surroundings?

January 11, 2022 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Biran Mahmoud

Staff Writer

Since the start of the school year, there have been multiple physical altercations between students from the many high schools near Broad and Spring Garden.

What does this mean for the safety of SLA students?

If any students that go to SLA get asked whether they have seen a fight or not most will respond with either they have seen it or heard it from a friend. The southwest corner of Broad and Spring garden, in front of the CVS, has been a location for repeated problems.

Is this affecting how students feel outside of the school building?

Sophomore Leo Braveman stated that during the school day, he feels safe — but “When I stay late, I don’t feel safe and have to stay vigilant and on the subway. At night I don’t feel safe,”

As for fights in and around school, Braveman reported, “I Have not seen any outside of school but I have seen a fight on Ben Franklin’s side through the glass thing that separates our side and theirs.”

So one would think about what should be done to prevent fights from happening?

Sophomore Nate Manyara said that “ there should be more security in the subway and school.”

Sophomore Zane Friedman said had thoughts about what would make the building more secure on the inside, “ They need to put people in the stairwell to make sure no one is skipping because that’s how fights start.”

His viewpoint comes from the fact that he has witnessed physical altercations in the stairwell that both schools share.

When asked about what the school administrations are doing about school safety, Principal Lehmann addressed the issue.

“We are working with the School District of Philadelphia and Benjamin Franklin Administration to ensure that all students at the Broad St. Campus are safe,” he said.

“Several options include looking at extra staffing and technological solutions to ensure the physical integrity of each school.”

Students Losing Transpasses

January 10, 2022 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Leo Braveman

Staff Writer

Phone of a student who decided to put transpass on back to not lose it.

Students at SLA have been losing their transpasses since middle school. However, this year the situation has gotten worse due to the fact that students only receive one transpass at the start of the year.

When a student loses a transpass they have to manage and find a way to commute without it. Whether this be getting a ride to school, trying to get help from a friend or something else the students have to do this until they get a new one from the front office.

Sophomore Biran Mahmoud said he has never lost his transpass – and that he has strategies to keep it safe.

“The main thing I do to keep track of it is keep it in my wallet and try to never take it out,” he explained. Although he has been perfect with this, he had experienced the card just “straight up declining” before when he tried to swipe it at a subway stop.

Sophomore Eric Perez has also had transpass issues. Unlike Mahmoud, Perez had previously lost his transpass. Perez commutes every day using SEPTA to go to and get back from school. When Perez did not have his transpass for 2 days he had to figure out how to commute without it, the first thing he tried was borrowing the transpass of other friends.

“Every day when I would get out of school I would just try to find somebody who had their pass to help me,” He explained.

Although this usually worked, he said it was hard trying to find somebody to help him and it put him at risk for being declined getting onto the SEPTA train or bus. Luckily Perez was able to get through the two days, getting a ride from a parent one day until he was able to get a new pass from the counselor. Now Perez keeps close watch of the pass in his wallet, and told me sometimes he gets scared of losing it.

Unlike students, School Secretary Ms Diane’s perspective of transpasses being lost involves having to make new ones. When students lose their transpass Ms Diane is the person to go to for help. When I asked her if she sees a lot of students coming to get new transpasses she told me that “Normally I see at least one person a day come in here to get a new one.”

Ms. Diane agreed with the strategies of keeping it in one place and feels that with a lanyard is an effective strategy.

Rock Climbing Club Climbs in Popularity

January 5, 2022 by Marcus Diemer Leave a Comment

Marcus Diemer

Staff Writer

Rock climbing: it may seem intimidating at first, but SLA has a new community based around the activity. The rock climbing club is not only dedicated to sharing a passion for climbing, but also to meeting new people and making new friends.

Meeting after school on Mondays and Thursdays, students make their way to The Cliffs at Callowhill, a climbing gym, and are allowed to stay for as much or as little time as they want. Most students participate in bouldering, a type of climbing where climbers do not wear a harness, instead just just droping down onto a padded mat when they complete a course, rather than be let down using a rope. There are many different courses to try with varying difficulty and they get changed every few weeks to keep things interesting.

While rock climbing may seem inaccessible or intimidating for a variety of reasons, history teacher Daniel Symonds, the teacher sponsor of the club, wants students to overcome their doubts and just give it a try.

“Rock climbing is a far more open-ended, accessible sport than its reputation might indicate,” Mr. Symonds remarked, “almost invariably people’s experience is, wow this is a lot more fun, a lot more accessible, a lot more forgiving, a lot less judgemental than I thought it would be.”

The climbing community is generally very supportive and encouraging, while also being willing to offer tips and advice to newcomers. People who are not even affiliated with SLA and are just climbing at the gym will applaud or congratulate you when you finish a course and give you suggestions on what you can do differently if you don’t. Everyone there understands that failure is a part of learning.

“People are not jocks,” observed Mr. Symonds.

Another benefit to the club, as put by Mr. Symonds is “we’re not a team, come when you have time, you get a membership to a great gym, you decide when you can do it.”

The freedom and choice is something that is valued by many members of the club. Senior Mira Young, a member of the club, agreed that “it’s nice to just be able to go when you feel like it.”

The rock climbing club is open to all grade levels, but there are noticeably fewer seniors than there are students in the younger grades.

“I think that maybe the primary reason is that the seniors themselves are just so old that maybe their health has deteriorated at this point that they are unable to physically climb,” explained Mr. Symonds. However, Mr. Symonds wants to encourage seniors to join and remember that “just because they’re in twelfth grade doesn’t mean they’re too old to climb.”

Not all seniors agree with Mr. Symonds’ thinking. . Senior Oskar Glahn remarks, “word on my momma, I didn’t even know climbing club was a thing.” This could present an alternative explanation to Mr. Symonds’ as to why there are so few senior participants in the club.

The rock climbing club can be a lot more than just an enjoyable sport for many people. It can help them make new friends, get some exercise, and build their self esteem and confidence, no matter what grade they are in. If you are interested in joining, contact Mr. Symonds or Ms. Ustaris.

New Teacher Profile: Annie Haftl

November 4, 2021 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

By Sophia Florence and Claire Powell

Annie Haftl, who joined the SLA community for the school year and goes by Teacher Annie, is working as a student teacher for Mr. Henkel’s science classes. Their presence brings engaging excitement and opportunities to the classroom for all students. Although they haven’t been here long, they have already made a long lasting impression on the SLA community.

Early Experiences

Growing up in a town called Thorton, located in Delaware county, Annie knew from a young age what they loved.

“From the time I was very little, it became apparent to both me and my parents that I was interested in science in ways that other kids were not. I was really interested in collecting bugs.”

Annie had journals filled with observations of the natural world around them, “Pretty early on I realized I was really interested in natural science.”

In school, Annie was then exposed to an incredible science education through an organization called “Science Olympian.” The club helps students They explained this club as a way for students to explore different science fields without the pressure of grades, and this is what led Annie into their exploration of different sciences.

College

They stayed in Delaware county until moving to Philadelphia to continue their college education at Drexel, where they started studying forensic science, earning their masters and bachelors degrees. Teacher Annie also focused on biochemistry and earth science, and was considering a future in research. However, their perspective changed

“I quickly realized that research and academia university structure in general is a much larger, more scary version of public schooling.”

The isolation of the pandemic also forced Annie to rethink their career choices.

“ I realized what I’m really passionate about is one, obviously science. And two, making sure that science is accessible to everyone.”

The good and bad teachers Annie encountered in high school also influenced

“My very first chemistry class ever, the teacher basically told me I was an idiot.” Annie wants to make sure students are not scared of science by discouraging educators.

“Making sure everybody knows that you don’t have to be really smart or really good at anything to do well at science and it’s really for everybody.”

SLA

The SLA community has surprised Annie. Supplies are widely available at this school, which makes it much easier for classes to be hands-on and more creative. Progressive teaching styles also opened a whole new world of opportunities for students at SLA.

The resources and flexibility has resulted in a positive response from Teacher Annie’s students. Senior Paula Vekker stated that, “I have really enjoyed teacher Annie’s lessons, just the few days they’ve been here. The lesson plans are engaging to make me want to learn more and focus.”

“Teacher Annie’s classes are entertaining and optimistic,” Senior Isabella Boix added. “It’s refreshing to see a new teacher that can offer so much knowledge on the topic of science.”

Annie has big ideas that they want to make a reality within the Philadelphia School District. Either this year or in the future, they want to establish a Science Olympiad so that more kids can have the opportunity to explore science outside of the classroom in an interactive and engaging way.