Author Archives: pattersonpressonline

Let’s learn about badminton

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by Kylayah Davis

Patterson’s badminton team defeated Edmondson Westside High School on Friday, April 19.

Now, I always like to do research before any event but today I decided to go completely ignorant and learn from the team. So I interviewed Coach Bomar and players Banny and Jeani, where I learned some interesting facts about badminton:

  1. There are both JV and varsity teams in badminton.
  2. They play the best 2 out of 3 matches to determine a winner.
  3. A typical game takes around 10 minutes.
  4. It takes 21 points to win each game.
  5. You have to win by at least 2 points.
  6. There are no referees.

Yes, you read that right: There are no refs or officials in badminton. As Coach Bomar explained, badminton is a sport of integrity and etiquette; it goes by honesty. 

The players keep track of the score themselves by saying “Are you ready? (number of points) serving (number of points)”. You have to ask “Are you ready?” before you serve because if your opponent isn’t ready and you serve, it would be unsportsmanlike. 

When I asked Coach Bomar why he coaches badminton, he told me to look around.

“No-one’s yelling, no one’s arguing, there’s no flags, no fighting after the games.”, observed Coach Bomar. “There are Edmondson girls playing with Patterson girls. It’s really a fun sport”.

Coach Bomar has been coaching badminton for ten years, and Coach Bloom has been doing it for two years.

Badminton is an all girls sport in Maryland that was established in order to balance out the amount of male and female sports. Check out our school’s badminton games every Tuesday and Thursday.

Culture Night returns for second year

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by Mirian Maurizaca

Patterson High School hosted its second annual Culture Night on April 30th from 5:00-7:00 PM. The event was sponsored by the student organization, Catalyst for Change. People brought a variety of different foods from their cultures. There were several different types of presentations. There was music and dancing, and people wore traditional clothing styles from their cultures. 

At the event there was a lot of food from around the world, including African food, Filipino food, Jamaican food, Arabic food, Mexican food, and American food. One of the musical pieces presented reminded a teacher about where she was.

One of the reasons for organizing Culture Night was “to bring everyone together,” according to Ms. Olunuga. Another reason was to represent “the culture of every nationality that is in Patterson High School,” said Ms. Godinez. 

The event helped people start to understand and appreciate each other’s cultures more.

“I think everyone had the opportunity to connect more”, said a teacher whose name the Patterson Press did not catch. “It was a really rich experience.”

Patterson competes in first City Schools esports event

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(Photo by Mr. Sokolski)

by Deontay Blackwell

April 11, 2024 marked the first ever Electronic Sports (esports) event in Baltimore City Public Schools with Patterson High School competing against Benjamin Franklin High School in a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament bracket. Patterson defeated Ben Franklin by a score of 4-1 in Super Smash Bros Ultimate. The team persevered through a bad internet connection to pull out the win.

Mr. Sokolski (or Mr. Ski, as most students call him) is the coach for Patterson High School’s esports team and runs Patterson’s gaming club.

“I think it is an awesome opportunity for students, especially students who may not have other activities that they are interested in. It’s a place where they can get more involved in the school, and competing against other schools, and be part of that school spirit.”

Mr. Ski wanted students to gain a group of friends, have fun together, and especially get good at video games. As esports events have been becoming more popular, students can potentially start a career in gaming by competing in cash cups and being on an esports team. 

Mr. Ski has an Advisory class and after-school club for the gaming club. He has multiple Nintendo Switches and a PlayStation to run games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, all current year Madden, 2K, FC24, Brawhella, and Rocket League. The students who participated in the esports event against Franklin were Jeremy Jones, Rachard Ockimey, Nicholas Callis, Phillip Jones, and myself–Deontay Blackwell.

For the other players, it has been a great experience for them being able to participate in an esports tournament for the first time.

“You don’t know how experienced they are at the game. You don’t know who they play as. It’s only fun when you actually give yourself a challenge.”, said Rachard Ockimey as they all shared how they felt during the tournament. 

This was the first school year that Patterson participated in esports, but it will not be the last.

(Video by Mr. Sokolski)

Chess Club wins citywide championship

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by Mirian Maurizaca

The Chess Club at Patterson High is a place where students can go and have fun while learning the game and competing with other schools. There are 3 faculty advisors for the club: Mr. O’ Neal, Mr, Baron, and Mr. Tola.

The Chess Club has done well in multiple competitions this year. They have had some 1st place wins as well as 2nd and 3rd place wins. In the first week of April, the Chess Club prepared for a national championship. The Chess Club has played in the top 20 but they hope to play in the top 10. 

For the first time in history, Patterson finished first place in the citywide end of year championship. Senior Julian Shifflett was awarded player of the year and the team returned with first place trophies in three of the four divisions, making Patterson the top school in Baltimore.

Inemesit Udo-Akang, a senior, said, “It was great to get revenge on Poly. They were winning all year, but we came out on top.”

Mr. Baron explained that although the Chess Club competes with other schools, the main focus is just on playing chess for fun. “We do compete, but mostly we like to play chess”, said Mr. Baron. “I also just like to see players improve,” he added. 

Students like the positive vibe of the Chess Club. Kailani, a member of the club said, “The atmosphere is great.”  

Accoding to Mr. Baron, chess also teaches students skills that are useful for life in general.

“People learn patience, people learn planning ahead, people learn how to interact with each other, and think through difficult problems”, Mr. Baron said.

To learn more about the Chess Club, speak with Mr. Baron or one of the other two teachers mentioned in this article.

With files from Mr. Baron

Patterson’s unsung heroes: Volunteer Brigade making difference

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by Frank Hill

In the heart of Patterson, a dedicated group of individuals quietly works behind the scenes, embodying the spirit of community service. While their efforts may go unnoticed by many, the impact they have on the local community is immeasurable.

Meet the Volunteer Brigade, a diverse team of residents committed to making Patterson a better place for everyone. From organizing neighborhood cleanups to supporting local charities, these unsung heroes embody the true essence of community engagement.

In an exclusive interview with Ms Edrolin, a longtime member of the Volunteer Brigade, she shared insights into the group’s history and their ongoing initiatives. “We believe in the power of collective action. Small acts, when multiplied by many, can transform a community,” Ms. Edrolin expressed passionately.

The Volunteer Brigade’s impact extends beyond traditional volunteer work. They have spearheaded initiatives to address social issues, partnering with local organizations to raise awareness about homelessness and advocate for meaningful change. Through a series of community forums, they aim to foster dialogue and encourage residents to actively participate in shaping the future of Patterson.

One of their notable projects involved collaborating with a local school to establish a tutoring program for underprivileged children. The success stories emerging from this initiative highlight the transformative effect of grassroots efforts on individual lives.

To delve deeper into the impact of the Volunteer Brigade, I had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Fleet, a mother of two whose family has directly benefited from their programs.

“Their dedication goes beyond the surface. They genuinely care about the well-being of our community, and it shows in the positive changes we’ve experienced,” Turner shared.

As Patterson continues to grow, the Volunteer Brigade remains steadfast in its commitment to preserving the neighborhood’s unique character. Their latest project involves creating a community garden that not only beautifies the area but also promotes sustainable living practices.

In an interview with Patterson’s Principal Myrick, she commended the Volunteer Brigade’s efforts, stating, “Their work aligns with our vision for a vibrant and caring community. Patterson is fortunate to have such dedicated individuals driving positive change.”

The Volunteer Brigade’s story serves as a testament to the transformative power of grassroots initiatives. By shedding light on their endeavors, we hope to inspire more residents to join the cause and contribute to the betterment of Patterson. In a world often filled with headlines dominated by challenges, the Volunteer Brigade stands as a beacon of hope, proving that positive change begins at the community level.

Homework doesn’t work (OPINION)

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by Wilfredo Portillo-Quinones

Being assigned homework after school for is often stressful for students. Being given work for HOME after coming back from school seems illogical. Spending seven hours a day studying and doing assignments is already a lot for most students.

Teachers seem to assign homework to students in order for them to learn more and understand topics they’re studying, but this seems lazy, if students are being taught this at school, why do they need to spend more time doing homework in order for them to learn or give teachers a better understanding of their skill level if they’re already giving that effort in school?

According to the Florida Department of Education, “Homework teaches students that they may have to do things—even if they don’t want to.” I think that is an example of misuse of time. If we genuinely want students to get into real world stuff, we should be doing it at school. There should be more said and done at school than at home. Putting a lot of stress on students will drain them mentally, driving them away from learning and education as a whole. It’s already enough for them to get up early and go to school and exhaust their brains. Giving them more work after school just seems exhausting and very unnecessary. Teachers should take time in class to see if their students are understanding lessons and not expect students to give them a review with homework.

To build character in students, teachers should be working hands on in order to understand them and see how they grasp most ideas. Some teachers should put more effort into understanding students individually, the same way they’d check our homework to see that improvement or understanding of where most students are at. A lot of teachers love to be hands-on with students in order to actually see where they are at in terms of learning and understanding the lessons they are currently learning and working on. If more teachers did this, it would help students feel better at school and feel more supported by their teachers, because a lot of the work students do nowadays is pretty much on computers and a lot of students aren’t really built for stuff like that. Most students would rather talk to another person or be taught with actual spoken words than with what a computer, textbook, or worksheet shows. This would improve education a lot more than homework and give more students helpful ideas and a better understanding of their current work.


School lunch needs improvement (OPINION)

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by Wilfredo Portillo-Quinones

School lunch is a very important part of school and a major topic that needs to be discussed. Currently, school lunch at Patterson is not enough, nor is it nutritious.

I think we should improve our school lunches because it would benefit everyone. It’s something a lot of our students come to school for. When lunch is good, it is one of the most enjoyable parts of school. I think improving school lunch would bring more students to Patterson, because the quality of school lunches is a factor behind children and teenagers changing schools. If we were to improve the lunches, we’d be able to promote that as one more reason why young people should enroll at Patterson.

Whenever people talk about school, one of the most common topics that come up is school lunch and whether it’s good or not. I think it would be beneficial for us to add more food to the plates or give it some sort of improvement that could bring in more students. It would also be nice to add more nutrients to our lunches because a major health factor is whether or not we get enough nutrients in our school lunches.


By improving school food, we should go off of the suggestions made by our students about what they want, specifically the students who usually eat at school. A lot of times students don’t have food at home and they come to school to eat and have lunch. When they don’t get enough or the food is bad, they end up not eating enough, and it’s sad. Although it isn’t the schools problem, we want our students to feel good at school and feel like they have more reasons to come. Another major point of this would be including healthier foods, like more salad bars or fresh fruit.


I think the best way for our school to understand and change would be to have a poll where students can vote on whether or not we should change and improve the school lunches or keep them the same. I think it would be very popular once students understand the changes, because we’re so used to school lunches in their current state. A major change would stir up a lot of activity for our school.

These are the main reasons why our schools should improve school lunches. A lot of us want these changes made and there are many programs working for these kinds of improvements in schools across the country.

Mental health awareness plays crucial role in schools

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by Jasmine Goins

Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, yet it is often overlooked in schools. With the increasing pressures and stressors that students face, it is essential to prioritize mental health awareness and support in educational settings.

According to English teacher Mr. Bey, “One of the main reasons why mental health awareness is important in schools is because it can help reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. Many students may feel ashamed or embarrassed to seek help for their mental health issues due to the stigma associated with mental illness.”

Mr. Bey went on to say, “By promoting mental health awareness in schools, we can create a more supportive and understanding environment where students feel comfortable seeking help when needed… I think that mental health awareness in our school is low, I think that people are going through things, students losing lives or just struggling to come to class and they need guidance.”

Additionally, mental health awareness can help students develop important coping skills and resilience. By teaching students about mental health and how to manage stress and anxiety, we can empower them to take control of their mental well-being. This can lead to better academic performance, as students are better equipped to handle the challenges they face. Teachers and coaches are among the most influential people in a young person’s life. For this reason, it could be beneficial for teachers and coaches to have a more hands-on approach to making sure that students are mentally well.

Furthermore, mental health awareness can help identify students who may be struggling with mental health issues. Teachers and school staff are often the first to notice changes in a student’s behavior or mood. By educating them about the signs and symptoms of mental illness, we can ensure that students receive the support and resources they need to thrive.

“I think that we should have more mental health awareness-centered advisory periods, we should have circle time, therapy, but make it where anyone can attend, and just be briefly free.”, said Mr. Bey.

Mental health awareness in schools is crucial not only for students but also for educators and parents. It can help create a more inclusive and supportive environment where everyone feels comfortable discussing mental health issues and seeking help when needed.

“I think that mental health directly connects to someone’s confidence, and the more mentally well they are, the better they can do.”, Mr. Bey reflected.

Moreover, mental health awareness can also lead to the implementation of effective mental health programs and resources in schools. These programs can provide students with the tools and support they need to manage their mental well-being effectively. They can also help educate students about the importance of self-care and seeking help when needed.

Mental health awareness can also promote a positive school culture that values mental health and well-being. This can lead to increased student engagement and motivation, as students feel supported and valued by their school community.

Overall, mental health awareness in schools is essential for creating a supportive and inclusive environment where students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. It is crucial for educators, parents, and students to work together to prioritize mental health and well-being in educational settings.

Mr. Bey’s biggest piece of advice for anyone trying to improve their mental health awareness is, “They should find an outlet like playing sports, write down their issues, thoughts, and ideas and find at least one person to go to and talk to where they won’t feel judged.”

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