Column

Column: What Happens Now?

November 9, 2016 by lpahomov 2 Comments

Chiara Nemati

Opinion Editor

Last night I went to bed with the knowledge that the man that is against everything I am had just been elected President of the United States. What happens now? Where do we go from here?

I am the daughter of immigrants. My father is an Iranian immigrant, my mother an Italian immigrant. I am a citizen of three vastly different and ever changing countries. I am a women. I represent everything Donald Trump believes is wrong with this nation.

This morning my brother woke up to knowledge that the man that hates who he is is his new President. My brother like many other U.S. citizens holds a place in this country that is between worlds. He sees his father, a man who has worked so hard to come and prosper in this country, a man who has sacrificed living close to his own family for the benefit of his own, he sees a man who may lose it all. He is left to wonder, is my father’s citizenship to this country enough?

This morning my brother asked my father, “What happens now?”

My father said, “We hope…”

So America, now we hope. We hope that the man who has just been elected President of the United States will run this country for the people and not just for the elite and his voters.

We must hope that a man who was not trusted to speak freely on his own, a man who needed his Twitter account to be taken away from him, to run this country. But I ask you, how long will this man need his training wheels? Because that’s what they are. His entire campaign staff are his training wheels. They have held him on his course. Steered him back when he went way over the line. This man, who cannot even control himself from more than half an hour, will enter the White House expected to be the Commander in Chief.

In Donald Trump’s victory speech, he made a call to unite all Americans. As I sit here and write, I wonder to myself how this is possible. Donald Trump a man who has run his campaign through hatred, racist and sexist remarks, now wishes to unite all Americans. Trump does not speak for me. Donald Trump does not speak for women. Donald Trump does not and has not spoken for the African Americans of this country. For the immigrants of this country. How can he unite us now?

As I woke up in the morning I thought to myself, it’s so much more than just who I am and who my family is. This is about all of the leaps and bounds this country has made in the last century. Human rights. Equal rights. Women’s Rights. Does it all just go away? I sit here and write and wonder what will happen to planned parenthood? What will happen to the legislation that has been written in favor of the LGBTQ community? What will happen to ObamaCare?

No one saw this Trump Presidency coming. So now I ask you, how can someone who will not publicly support their candidate support their candidate? If you cannot be proud of who you are supporting then why are you supporting them? If you are not proud to be supporting who you are then look at the flaws of the person you are supporting and reconsider the choice you’ve made. We live in a country of freedom so anyone can support who they want and should not be ashamed of their choice.

Republicans hold majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate. It is hard to see light at the end of this tunnel. All that I believe in is now on the table, ready to be thrown out. I am now going to be living with a President who flip flops on important issues. A President who refuses to reach out to other nations. Who explicitly said in his victory speech that he would only ally with willing nations. Usually we look to the Vice President for a slim shot at hope. But Pence might scare me more. An extremely conservative and intelligent man who will not have much trouble swaying the other Republicans to his side.

I wonder about my future. Where do I go from here? Many students at SLA have voiced their concern. Is college still something that is on the radar? Do they continue with their intended majors or paths? I will continue my education. I will not let this election be the decision maker in my life. I will continue to fight. I will fight in any way I can.

So what happens now? Now we hope. Now we fight. Now we become the hope. For those of us who had to sit on our hands and hope that the rest of the U.S. would go out and vote, we must fight for a stronger and more influential Democratic ticket in the coming election. What happens now is up to us.

Column: I Hate Keystones

January 23, 2013 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

By Dalena Bui

Staff Writer

The Keystone Exams are end-of-course assessments designed to assess proficiency in various subjects. The Keystones show the school district how well students are assessed and it reflects on the school and how well they teach the students.

Keystones. That name alone makes the juniors at SLA stomachs drop. The juniors at SLA have never heard of Keystones until this year. The reason why is because the Keystones were made to replace the PSSA. The only thing I heard was that it is a test that lasted for 3 hours. That made my heart drop. Taking a test is hard alone, but taking a 3 hour test sounded horrible. The juniors were tested in 3 major subject, English, Math, and Science.

I am not allowed to write about things I saw in the Keystone but I can give an overall evaluation of what I felt. The math and english section I felt confident in. But when I heard about science I wasn’t too sure of myself. I felt like I couldn’t recall anything I learned over the past 2 years in science. The test confirmed my worst fear. There were things I have never seen in the subject of science. I knew I was not going to do well and so did the rest of my classmates . We all agreed when we all looked at each other and said “See all of you in May, because we’re not passing this.”

The worst part about testing was sitting in a room for hours on end with nothing to do. Since my cell phone and every other juniors phone was taken away. We all had to sit there and do nothing until the time ran out. That was honestly, to me, the worst part of the Keystone week. But, when I finished the last question on each test I felt a sense of accomplishment.

Overall, it was a good experience. It really showed me that I have learned a lot over the years. My teachers all helped us prepare for the test and it did help for the most part. This test brought out the worst and the best in me.

Column: I <3 Calculus

January 22, 2013 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

Ryan Harris

Staff Writer

Ladies and gentlemen, I present you– mathematics. The most hated subject among nearly every student ever. Now I represent a dying race, people who, wait for it…. actually like math.

It’s not even that I “like” math, I love math, more specifically Calculus.

We’ve been identified as many different delightful titles: nerds, geeks, and my personal favorite, crazy.

Well if ‘crazy’ means having a great appreciation for math concepts and how they relate to the world around us, then send me to the loony bin.

I remember junior year taking pre-calculus and absolutely HATING it.

Now you’re probably thinking: “But Ryan, I thought you said you loved math?”

Before you accuse me of hypocrisy, my love of math is certainly a new-found one.

Like many kids growing up, and many kids now, I utterly loathed math class. I know that each and every one of you guys remembering sitting in math class, always having this question pop into your head: “What’s the point of all this?”

“I’m never going to pursue a career in math so why would I ever need to learn this?”

I was once in the same position myself and I didn’t have a change of heart until this year, when I starting taking calculus.

I used think math was the most boring subject in the world. Who wants to learn about triangles, absolute value, and polynomials; when there’s massive wars and glorious adventures being told in subjects like history and english?

I will say this: there are extremely boring and frustrating parts to math, like there are with history, english, or science.

I would rather watch paint dry or eat GLASS than have to deal with stuff like domain and range, matrices, and box-and-whisker plots.

And there’s limits…… Oh, how my anger for thee burns like sun that we orbit.

But even with the boring parts and my hatred for all things related to limits, there’s so much more interesting and, quite frankly, cool things about mathematics.

One of the basic concepts of mathematics is the concept of inputs and outputs. You put something in, to get out something different. Something is always a function of anything. This evident in pretty much EVERYTHING ever.

Think about it.

How much time you have to get ready for school is dependent on what time you wake up in the morning, or even if you wake up at all. When you tell yourself to go to sleep at 10pm so that you can wake up at 6am, there’s math behind that thought process.

It’s so second nature to you that you don’t even of something like that as math.

Also the idea of derivatives, or rates of change are constant throughout everyday life as well.
If you were to go to sleep at 11 or 12, the amount of sleep you get would decrease. Thus, the amount of time you have to get ready is also decreased by rate as well.

I know it’s crazy to think but, math is, and always will be apart of our lives whether we want it to or not.

Plus, talking about complex mathematical problems always makes me feel like a super genius of some kind. You guys should try it sometime.

P.S. This column was in NO way trying to kiss up to my calc teacher, Brad Latimer. But, if my calc grade suddenly changes from a “B” to an “A”, I wouldn’t object.

An A&E Year in Review

December 31, 2012 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

At the end of this year, the SLAMedia Staff took a minute to look back at what we had seen, heard, and enjoyed in 2012. Here are our reviews of the best in Arts & Entertainment from the last year.

Movie: Moonrise Kingdom

This summer, another one of Wes Anderson’s dandy films came out, Moonrise Kingdom. I went to see it in movie theaters in July, and it’s safe to say I was impressed. This movie is about two 12-year olds living on a small island in New England. They meet by chance and take a liking to each other, and through a series of letters the two plan to run away. This is a story of love, rebellion, and friendship. For a very long time, I never knew what to say when people asked me what my favorite movie was. Now the answer is clear: Moonrise Kingdom. I would strongly recommend this deep and incredible movie for everyone. Check out the website here.

~Nomi Martin- Brouillette

Restaurant: Honest Tom’s Taco Shop

On 261 S 44th St in University City, there is a small mexican food place called Honest Toms. I went there and ordered the tacos, which were really good. The selection on the menu only consisted of burritos and tacos, but it’s a good meal at any time of the day. The vibe in the little place is nice with mexican candles and skeletons around the place. It’s a friendly environment and all of the workers are nice. The food was really delicious; although not completely what I’d call “authentic mexican food”, but it’s still really yummy!

~Isabela Supovitz-Aznar

Book: Eat, Pray, Love

Eat, Pray, Love is a book that is about a woman who goes on a spiritual journey to find herself again after a nasty divorce that leaves her feeling lifeless. She leaves her whole life behind in New York City to travel to new countries.

The woman travels to three different countries, Italy, India, and Indonesia. She travels to these countries and learns valuable lessons throughout the whole trip. But throughout the whole book she discovers that she has found herself living again and most importantly she is able to love again. This book is reading about a journey but also gives valuable life lessons.

Eat, Pray, Love was recommended by Oprah. This book made me laugh, but also cry. I can connect to the personal struggles the character had during the time. Also it made me reevaluate my life and was I doing anything worthwhile and really living life to the fullest.
~Dalena Bui

Music Album: Babel by Mumford and Sons

On September 25, Mumford and Sons released their second album, Babel. Many people complained that is sounded the same as their previous album, Sigh No More, but I instantly fell in love with it. The entire CD seems to tell a story, not necessarily one with a plot, but one where once I was finished, I felt satisfied. In particular, I love the song “I Will Wait” because it never fails to fill me with a sense of warmth, as it is a song that instills hope. Another personal favorite is the track “Below My Feet” because of the inspiring lyrics. For me, this album was long awaited and I was very pleased with how it turned out.

~Leah Kelly

Book: Everyday by David Levithan

I was introduced to the book Everyday by David Levithan and throughout the book I was thoroughly enthralled. It’s about a soul named “A” and in 24 hour periods he/she switches bodies. So, everyday they have a new life that have to acclimate to.

“A” falls in love and the book brings light to the gentleness, consistency, and commitment of love.

Personally, the book was thrilling, but the ending is quite quick and to the point and I didn’t feel the closing fit the drawn out fashion of the book. With that, I rewrote the ending for a benchmark, so I suggest reading the book first and then checking out my ending. However, I do suggest this for anyone interested in love stories.

~DeShawn McLeod

Video Game: The Impossible Game

Between the absolutely insane jumps and chasms of dark despair, a mere five minutes is all it takes to become utterly addicted to this game. You play as a reddish-orange box that jumps upon command and the objective is avoid the blasted white spikes and black floor that would cause your box to explode into tiny, little sparks. A couple of nights back, my attempts (or my respawn count) reached well over six hundred and I have not even passed the first level yet. The indie game seems like it would be too straightforward to keep your interest for long, but that is just the thing — the simplicity of it, with its dark blue background and killer dubstep that grows louder as the box continues to slide along its path, makes for a superb pastime. Getting this distraction entails that you might be quitting out of rage constantly, but you will always come back. Trust me.

~Annisa Ahmed

Restaurant: Almaz Cafe

Craving something new, different, exciting?

Ethiopian food should be at the top of your list. This little cafe doesn’t just have amazing food, they also have a great staff (like myself). Almaz Café is a small place on 140 S. 20th Street, between Sansom and Walnut Streets on 20th. The owners Soloman and Almaz are the kindest people you’ll ever meet, they keep the welcoming atmosphere. Don’t let it’s small size mislead you, it’s full of animation and great people. Not only do they have Ethiopian foods, but they also have simple yet delicious breakfast and lunch. Aside from the Ethiopian dishes, Almaz Café is known for its great omelets, wraps, smoothies, and varieties of their bold coffee. I love that place, their mango smoothie is pheNOMenal Go there you won’t regret it!

~Jamie Murphy

Book: The Fault in Our Stars

Tumblr fangirls and hip young-adults alike awaited John Green’s fourth solo novel The Fault in Our Stars published January of 2012.

I found myself one of many that were mesmerized by John Green’s almost seamless understanding and characterization of issues in the lives of teens after reading his first novel Looking For Alaska.

The Fault in Our Stars focuses on the relationship between two teens with cancer and their struggle to define the implications of life, growing up, death and where love is intertwined.

It comes as no surprise to Green’s fans that it received positive critical reception and remained for seven weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list after debuting at number one.

The best way I can describe it is– a strange mix of miserable reality with an equal dose of humor. Including the last possible thing you want to happen can make you hate a book, but I appreciated the realism of the characters and the situation.

Hazel and Augustus, the main characters, use words and jargon I wish I used and they are people I wish I knew. That’s the magic to writing.

~Jenn Wright

Movie: Brave

This movie had me in stitches. While I wouldn’t say the movie plot itself was anything super spectacular, the quirky yet stereotypical crude Scottish humour was enough to make Brave one of my new favourite animated films.
But my fascination with movie begun long before I actually got to watch it. If you haven’t seen the trailer, you really should; my dad and I were impersonating King Fergus for weeks after we watched it.

I got to watch the movie while I was in Scotland, visiting my family, which perhaps, for me, added to the humorous charm of the film. The accents of the characters in the movie were relatively on par, which I appreciated, considering I usually find the accents to be “over done” in most other animated films.

While I think the plot could have been a bit better, Brave never fails to make me crack up.

~Heather Campbell

Web Cartoon: Bravest Warriors

A few weeks ago, I was browsing YouTube and came across an interesting animation project that Pendleton Ward (creator of Adventure Time) was doing. Bravest Warriors is a slightly more mature cartoon with the same art style as Adventure Time except I don’t feel like I’m watching a kid’s show. More young adult themes like love are also present, which can encourage more adolescent viewers to watch this satisfying cartoon. I also feel like Ward has nothing to fear. As the show is exclusive to the internet, the censors will only go as far as he wants them to go.

~Jesús Jímenez

Bravest Warriors Episode 3 “Butter Lettuce”

Movie: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

When I first read that the prequel to Lord of the Rings was in pre-production, I almost jumped out of my seat. Though I was apprehensive at first about the director’s decision to split Tolkien’s relatively small story into three movies, I quickly realized that the film was far from boring.

Like the book, The Hobbit is much more lighthearted and whimsical than Lord of the Rings, but the filmmakers make an honest effort to include some of the same gorgeous scenery shots and lovable characters that made the trilogy so enjoyable. Provided they can accept that this new edition is a much different story than the original trilogy, Lord of the Rings fans will find that Middle Earth has lost none of its excitement.

~Abe Musselman

Book: Slaughterhouse-Five, or the Children’s Crusade: A Duty Dance with Death by Kurt Vonnegut

A bombed out city, alien abduction from the 4th dimension, and time travel are all parts to Kurt Vonnegut’s famous book. The reputation preceded it when I flipped through a weathered copy in a thrift store. Going through my phase of classic books I was determined to know what all of the whoopla was about. Stuffed with thematic detail Vonnegut uses the horrors of World War II and an unknown extraterrestrial world to ask the reader, who is in charge of your future?

From the fifth page I was sucked into his unique description of time travel and curiously wondered how many alternate realities were currently going on around me. Ranked at the 18th greatest English novel of the 20th century, I highly suggest this book to anyone looking for a fun read.

~Sam Lovett-Perkins

TV Show: Homeland

With the second season just ending, the show left me curled up on the couch hugging a pillow. I can definitely say that this is the first show I have ever watched with this much suspense, love, and unexpected twists.

Homeland gives me a chance to spend time with my mom too. With our busy schedules, that one hour every Sunday night gives us the chance to actually see each other.

This show is about international relationships, mixed up love, mental health issues, terrorism, and the CIA. The two main characters Carrie (CIA agent) and Brody (Ex Marine) always have something new to unfold.

I don’t want to give away too much, but you should definitely check it out. It’s available on Showtime and On Demand (if you have Comcast)

If you are interested (which you should be) here is a link where you can watch some of the clips.

~Sara Nesbitt

Restaurant: Benihana

Not too long ago I had the pleasure to eat at one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to. As soon as I walked through the doors I was filled with a deep calming feeling. The service was remarkable. The staff is full of patience and hospitality. You get to sit at the hibachi as you watch your own personal chef cook your meal to your specifications. They perform tricks as they cook and always crack good jokes. It’s a wonderful place to dine with children. I recommend Benihanas anyone who is looking for an enjoyable traditional meal to have with the family.

~Melanie Harrington

Column: The Perils of Going to a Small School

December 6, 2012 by lpahomov Leave a Comment

By Jenn Wright

Staff Writer

If you’ve ever wanted to avoid a certain someone in the halls of SLA–whether it’s someone you just broke up with, or a friend turned enemy–good luck. Having only 500 students around makes that almost impossible. SLA loves appreciating the small community we have- but not all that glitters is gold.

Fewer students equals less empty space, which means many more hangout spots to avoid on a daily basis in order to steer clear of that certain someone. Sometimes, it seems like the universe is purposely putting you in the path the one person you’d rather avoid.

This isn’t the only drawback, though.

While students at SLA often have the initiative to start clubs and activities of their own, some clubs never get off the ground because of lack of support. With a small staff, finding a sponsor can be hard, but even more so is getting participation from students.

If a club averages at most, say, 8 members and 3 of them are busy during your meeting time, the change is noticeable. During a benchmark season with deadlines creeping closer, a lunchtime club doesn’t stand a chance.

As a co-leader of SLA Community Involvement Club (CIC), organized by Senior Sam Lovett-Perkins, we feel the impact of this. Being apart of the committee to plan this and other clubs, the best incentive to attract members to meetings is food.

In other ways, the small size of the school benefits students. This year’s C Band Calculus class with Math Teacher Brad Latimer only has 12 students–a rare opportunity for a lot of personalized attention. Rigor of the coursework aside, a small school population makes the odds for having small classes much higher.

On the flip side, fewer students means a smaller variety of courses offered, because our teachers can only teach so many a day. I am often envious of courses like Psychology or Cooking offered at high schools much larger than ours.

The staff, Principal Lehmann and all of us sacrifice many traditional things to participate in a school community like ours. We will never have a homecoming game or might not ever have a gym, but I like that I can name everyone in my grade.

Even so, eye contact would seldom have to be avoided if there was a mass of even one hundred more students to hide behind.