Category Archives: Academics

Seniors, Get Ready!

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Seniors, you are approaching the finish line! Don’t stumble now!
(Photo reposted from http://gallowaymsp.wordpress.com/ )

By Destiny Diggs,

The new year is upon us. 2013 has come and gone. Students of cohort 2014 are preparing for upcoming events such as prom, Senior Farewell , senior interviews, and last but not least, graduation. As the clock is ticking, Seniors are making sure that all failed classes are being made up, H.S.A.s and Bridge Projects are done and community services hours are complete.

For most seniors I’m sure their goal for their last year in high school is to have one or two classes and to be able to leave early. Some seniors have that opportunity; others aren’t so lucky. They are stuck at school all day finding ways to make up classes in Twilight, which makes their day at school even longer. But what has really frustrated most seniors including myself is the Bridge projects.

Bridge projects are basically packets that seniors have to complete in place of passing the H.S.A. We take Bridge projects because we could not meet the H.S.A passing score. The most Bridge projects a student can get is seven. How many projects they have to do in that subject depends on their H.S.A. score. The closer their score is to the passing requirement, the less Bridge projects they have to do.

Although Bridge projects can be stressful, it really isn’t the work itself that stresses seniors out. It’s having to find out how many and making sure you go to work on them during the allotted times because most teachers aren’t going to come get the students to come do their Bridge projects. Also you have to make sure you keep up with the class you’re being pulled out of to do your Bridge project.

Bridge projects are one of the major academic concerns for seniors, but there are also many extracurricular and financial matters that demand students’ attention as well. Let’s not forget senior dues. The specific package you want determines how much money you have to put out. Some seniors are getting the entire package, including Prom, Farewell, and Graduation, some are only getting one to two things in their package so they will pay less money. If they’re late with their payment they will have pay a late fee.

Of course, with all this stress and hard work there are some events in a senior’s last year that make it all worth it. Prom is one of these. Even though it’s only for a few hours, people spend a couple hundred dollars on their dress or their suit. Some even spend a couple thousand on their ride there because the entrance is just a part of the prom. Then they pay to take some pictures. But being there makes the money worth it for many students.

Senior Farewell is just a chance for the school to say goodbye to the seniors and hello to the new cohort. Then the big day approaches: Graduation Day. The final step in a senior’s last year is the moment you walk out on that stage and receive your diploma.

It might not hit you then, but once you leave that building you will notice that you no longer are required by the state to go to school. You can now make your own decisions on what you want to do with your life. You can go to college, trade school, work, anything. It’s now up to you and what you want to do.

Hopefully during your high school years you have gained some of the knowledge you need to survive in the real world. Hopefully you already have an idea of what you want to do with your life and know what you need to do to accomplish your goals. Although for most seniors it may be a stressful last year because you’re making sure all your ducks are in a row, once you receive that diploma and know you never have to come back it will all be worth it.

Students participate in Chesapeake Bay Service Learning Experience

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Patterson students net fish in the Chesapeake Bay (Photo: Ms. Warzer)

Patterson students participated in a Chesapeake Bay Watershed project with the Patterson Park Audubon Center during this past fall.

Chris Homeister, the Experience Educator with the Audubon Center, had this to say about working with Patterson students, “They showed great interest in the presentation and the accompanying activities.”

Two classes participated in the project: Mr. Hopp’s Environmental Science students and Mrs. Warzer’s ESOL students. First, the classes welcomed the guest speaker, Chris Homeister, into their rooms. They listened to a presentation on the Chesapeake Bay, and how humans can impact the Bay, both positively and negatively. Then, each class joined Mr. Homeister for a day on the Chesapeake Bay. There, the students used fishing rods, reels and nets to find and catch various species of fish. Students placed the fish in small aquariums and identified the species using Fish I.D. sheets. They also conducted water quality testing.

Later, each class joined Mr. Homeister in an environmental stewardship project. Mr. Hopp’s students planted trees on Patterson’s school grounds on October 23, 2013. Mrs. Warzer’s students went to Patterson Park and cleaned up trash on November 8, 2013. The students participated with great energy and were very helpful. The students made picking up trash into a “game”, where a student would earn “a point” for each piece of trash that they picked up.

“Each time someone spotted a piece of trash, all the boys and a few girls would sprint to the trash. It was fun to watch,” said Mr. Homeister.

Both Mrs. Warzer and Mr. Hopp were very pleased with the learning experience.

“The Audubon Watershed Experience was a true gift to my Environmental Science curriculum”, said Mr. Hopp. “Not only did my students learn by wading out in the waters and testing oxygen levels in the Bay, but they also made a positive impact on their own community’s environment. Ultimately, this experience has better connected our students with the gifts of the Chesapeake Bay by helping them develop advocacy leadership skills for their future.”

“ This was a terrific opportunity for our English Language learners to have a hands-on experience with the environment in their new home and learn the vocabulary and ideas related to environmental science”, explained Ms. Warzer. “We followed up by watching videos of water restoration projects in their home country regions, and having an environmental conference to discuss the projects as examples of the scientific method in action. The students’ response was truly ‘awesome’!”

The students were also very grateful for this unique experience.

“ I appreciate you for helping us to understand why the leaves are falling down and the colors are changing”, Yamen Khalil wrote in a thank you letter to the Audubon Society. “I liked learning about how we can be sure if the water is dirty or if it didn’t have enough oxygen. I am glad we helped to make Patterson Park clean.”

“ I learned to take care of the environment- not polluting the rivers, lakes, and beaches and taking care of the animals”, added Rocio Valdez. “If we take care of everything around us, it is going to be better for ourselves, our families and for the future.”

Finally, Chris Homeister had one more comment to add, “It was an honor to work with your staff and students this semester. I hope we can partner up again in the future. Take care and thanks for supporting our partnership with Patterson High School.”

 

(Photos: Ms. Warzer)

Health Fair returns for second year

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Nursing students taking blood pressure at the Health Fair (Photo: Tamika Addison, Patterson Press)

Patterson High School hosted its second annual health fair on December 18th from 1:00 to 3:30 PM in the gym. This year’s health fair was Olympic-themed, with the slogan “Be a Champion of your Health”. The fair was organized by Ms. Diehl and the Health Corps, with assistance from a variety of staff, students and community partners.

Entire classes of students visited the Health Fair along with their teachers during FUTURES and last period. A wide range of resources and fun activities were available to students. Booths were organized into four categories:

Eat Like a Champion – Breakfast Bingo, McCormick Veggie Burger Demonstration, Share Our Strength Salsa-making Station, Drink the Rainbow Smoothie Booth, ReThink Your Drink, AmeriGroup, Real Food Farm

Move Like a Champion – Yoga, Basketball, Relay Races, Hula Hooping

Feel Like a Champion – Self-Massage for Stress Relief, Holistic Life Foundation, Center for Integrative Medicine, Patterson For Peace, Positivi-Torch

Live Like a Champion – Skin Care, Natural Locs Salon Natural Hair Care, BCHD Teen Pregnancy Prevention, BCHD STD Prevention and Condom use,  Patterson High School Garden, Nursing Students’ Blood Pressure Screenings

Ms. Diehl would like to thank the following groups for helping with the fair:

  • Student Government Association and Patterson For Peace for help with planning and execution of fair
  • JROTC students for escorting outside guests to fair
  • Ms. Holter’s and Mr. Canty’s classes for decorations
  • Mr. Gilman for building our podium
  • Nursing students for taking Blood Pressure
  • The Patterson Press for covering event
  • Way Better Snacks, Beanfields Chips, Chobani Yogurt, Fiber One, Honest Tea, Chipotle, and the Fresh Market for donations

 

Students learn how to cook healthy meals

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A student sautés food at the Cooking Club (Photo: Nakesha Campbell, Patterson Press)

Last year our Patterson High School Teen Battle Chef team won bronze at the Mid Atlantic Regional Finals.  This year, Ms. Diehl wanted to bring cooking knowledge and practice to even more students and get started even earlier.  So she started an after-school Chef’s Club.

Every Wednesday after school all students are welcome to meet at Ms. Diehl’s office and take a walk downstairs to the HealthCorps Kitchen.  There, students learn about a different fruit or vegetable each week.  They get to try new foods, or make familiar foods in new ways.  They practice knife skills and discover how to braise, bake, sear, and sauté.  So far this year they have made their own fresh tomato sauce for pasta, apple crisp, creamy butternut squash and kale pasta, butternut squash and chicken tagine, sweet potato latkes with curry yogurt dipping sauce, garlic mashed cauliflower and potatoes with cider glazed chicken, and more!

Ms. Diehl chooses recipes that include fresh, local, seasonal fruits and vegetables and informs the chefs about how and why these foods are good for them.  Our Clipper Chefs make simple substitutions, like olive oil instead of butter or sauteing instead of frying, to make the dishes healthy as well as delicious.

In February, Chef’s Club will transition back into Teen Battle Chef –a select group of students who are committed to attending weekly practice towards the final competition.  Until then, all students are welcome to come on out to Chef’s Club and get cooking!

 

(Photos by Nakesha Campbell, Patterson Press:)

Students get hands-on at STEM competition

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Students Baha Albatainch, Abhishek Younghang, and Tresor Echa construct a car out of common household items (Photo: Tamika Addison, Patterson Press)

By Anthony Ward,

Patterson high school held its sixth annual STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) competition  outside the auditorium on Thursday, November 21.

The STEM competition this year featured nothing but the best of innovative inventions and critically thinking students. For me, it was my first time competing with my fellow students in this yearly event and at first I was unaware of what it would be like or what challenges I would have to face. I, along with two of my classmates, formed a team that we named “Third Degree” (because there were three of us and my partners thought it was better than calling it “Anthony’s Team”).

After waiting in the auditorium for all the competitors to come in, we were given the rules which we were to follow to complete the stations properly and as quickly as possible. My team first ran into a barrel roll type of challenge which required the teams to build something that was able to roll down a ramp as quickly as possible without crashing. At first we were overwhelmed with the idea that we really had to build something that worked, but after a few blank stares and shouts about our time limit we came up with an idea. We decided to create a car because we thought that it was just obvious that a car would be what they want from us. We had no problem with the frame but we only had two wheels the same size as the frame and the only other thing was four huge CDs that clearly did not fit the frame. As time was running out, we realized we might not even finish the very first project. In a rush, we found two paper clips that hooked two of the CDs tightly together to keep them from falling apart and with a glimmer of hope we put them on the frame and sent it off. It seemed to move okay down the ramp, but once it left the ramp, the wheels fell apart almost instantly. We were all disappointed but we did get the hang of the how things worked.

We struggled through the next few activities: an egg drop, a math test that was more math than test and a contest called King Pong, where we had to design & build a container to hold as many ping-pong balls as possible at least one inch above the table. By that point, our team was one loss away from giving up.

Finally, we got one right. The event that we succeeded at was a boat sail challenge in which you had to sand down a boat and let it sail down a current. Whoever gets their boat to sail down the water in the shortest amount of time gets the most points. The tools and almost all of the equipment we used were basic things you could buy at a dollar store, yet we created things that were worth much more than that materials used to make them. It’s like a blend of Bob the Builder and your math homework, but instead of it being boring and feeling like a lecture it becomes something fun like wood shop (without the creepy teacher) or robotics (without any actual robots).

After the competitions, we sat in the media center for the best part, which of course was the food.  We had pizza, cookies, and drinks deserving of hard workers or our caliber, until they announced the awards and trophies to the top three teams. The winners were:

  • 3rd Place: Team X (Gerald Bobo and Charles [CJ] Conley)
  • 2nd Place: Team Team (Alexis Roy and Raul Esparza)
  • 1st Place: The Senior BATS (Baha Albatainch, Abhishek Younghang, and Tresor Echa)

No, my group was not in the top three but we were close and I do think my participation award (what it said on the flimsy paper) made me feel slightly better about losing. All in all, STEM this year tested our skills and creativity. And although it was tough, grueling, and had my mind doing loops like algebra homework, I survived and I sort of want to do it again, without getting the “you tried” award.

 

(Photos by Tamika Addison, Patterson Press:)

Patterson launches anti-violence campaign

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Students model clothing in a peace-themed fashion show (Photo: Mr. Canty)

By TyShawn Key,

It started with a bang. Punches were thrown, mace was sprayed and cameras were rolling. Television sets everywhere all over the city were tuned in to see the set of malicious brawls going on at Patterson High School. A school once known for its success with career pathways and production of superb athletes is now being depicted by the mass media for its “jaw dropping” fights. What happened? Where did things go wrong? Did things go wrong? Does this article really represent Patterson?

The media has this picture of Patterson colored in with the dirt found around the outskirts of the boundaries of our school, only showing a certain aspect of it. They’ve taken one extreme incident, and exploited it to make it seem as if this type of thing is a norm for our school. The media has attacked us, but will anyone respond? Is there one who has the gall or can muster the courage to take a stand for our school–for our Patterson family?

Our response is a new campaign called Patterson for Peace. Designed by Mrs. Shanell England, Patterson’s Community Outreach Coordinator, Patterson for Peace was created to reduce the level of violence in our school. The campaign was created because of fights like the one mentioned above. Mrs. England wants to change the community’s perspective of Patterson High School. She wants to show them what Patterson is really about. Patterson for Peace is calling for a full month without any fights at the school. The ultimate goal of this thirty day period of peace is to completely change the vibe of Patterson.

No longer will Patterson be known for its fights. Soon it will hopefully be known for its unity, peace, sports career pathways and other positive accomplishments. Under Mrs. England’s leadership, Patterson for Peace has already partnered with several outside businesses and organizations that have agreed to aid its efforts. Mrs. England understands some of the problems being concealed in the children of today, and knows the struggles of not having enough resources to solve these problems. Her ultimate goal is to reduce this problem. No longer should there be a “I don’t have” response  if there is ever a need in the mouth of Patterson 500 Family member. Mrs. England ultimately wishes to evoke, or rather resurrect, the spirit of brotherhood at Patterson, making it an even better place.

Most recently the Patterson for Peace organization presented the school with a fashion show where gorgeous student models graced the student body with their best expressions of peace through fashion, strutting their stuff, and making swag the ultimate understatement. Also, students have been creating many beautiful works of art promoting the message of peace. Some of this artwork can already be seen decorating the hallways. According to Mrs. England, this is just the tip of the iceberg, meaning that the best has yet to come. Patterson for Peace has promised to provide even more exhilarating events and jaw dropping experiences, along with many other character and confidence building activities.

Mrs. England would like to make a shout out to all of the beautiful models and everyone else who has volunteered their time, and the Patterson 500 family for keeping up with her. She looks forward to further engagement with the students, faculty and staff and sends her best regards to the Patterson 500 family. Anyone who wishes to take the Pledge for Peace or get involved with the campaign should see Mrs. England for more information.

(Photo: Mr. Canty)

A Smokey Decision (OPINION)

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Illustration by Shane Braden, Patterson Press

By Destiny Diggs

Each year both men and women are arrested for possession of cannabis, also known as marijuana or weed. Are these arrests really worth it for society? Cannabis is the least harmful of all drugs. It can be used to help numb the pain of medical conditions such as many cancers and bone disorders such as multiple sclerosis. The majority of drug dealers today sell cannabis. It is reported that someone is arrested every forty two seconds for marijuana possession: that’s over 750,000 arrests for marijuana and one drug arrest every 21 seconds in the United States.

If cannabis is this common and relatively harmless, why are tax payers paying for prison cell for people possessing this substance?  As money-hungry as America is, you would think they would see this as an opportunity for profit; it would benefit both the government and cannabis users. America could legalize cannabis, give it an age limit and sell it. This would make the drug rate go down, drug dealers would have one less drug to sell and there would be fewer senseless arrests. A Native American doctor apologized for saying no to pot. He claimed that medicinal marijuana helped one of his patients with her nonstop seizures. He says that since she’s started smoking cannabis it has calmed her from having 300 seizures to having only two to three seizures a month.

Just as people abuse opiates, which have medicinal uses, people may abuse medicinal marijuana. But will the use of cannabis ruin your life?  HBO talk show host Bill Maher commented on president Obama smoking during his teen years. He stated, “If anyone can say smoking pot won’t ruin your life, it’s the guy who smoked bales of it and then became the leader of the free world.”

I asked some Maryland residents about their thoughts on whether marijuana should be legalized or not. A concerned parent thinks it should stay illegal. They stated the following: “It’s just a snowball down a slippery slope. Legalizing marijuana will just lead to other dangerous drugs which in turn will lead to more crimes, robberies, and drug use.” Another Maryland resident named Derrick thinks differently, stating “I think it should be legalized; it’s the only recreational drug that calms you down and in some cases it’s healthier.” A Maryland grandparent thinks it should be illegal. This grandparent stated “it should stay illegal: marijuana causes memory loss, flash backs, weight gain–it’s also toxic to the lungs–and death.” An online interviewee stated, “My own thoughts are unclear because of the validity of the arguments on both sides of this question. Personally having spent time in a mental institution where I have met young people mentally affected…by the use of marijuana, it makes me personally err on the side of caution and therefore I do not wish to see marijuana legalized, because a small number of people will be further mentally affected…Thinking about alcohol a similar effect is seen and that some people become alcoholics in need of help. But alcohol is legalized despite this being the case…”  A Maryland resident named Annie thinks it should be legalized. She stated, “Marijuana should be legalized so it can be controlled. In the earlier days marijuana was natural without chemicals. Now so many chemicals are added to marijuana it can hurt individuals. If it is legalized perhaps chemicals will not be added.” These are some of the opinions of Maryland residents.

The United States has tried to make things equal for of its citizens. They regulate this with amendments to the U.S. Constitution. A part of the First Amendment is freedom of religion, meaning that in the United States a person is free to worship according to the beliefs of his or her religion. If this is the case, why aren’t Rastafarians a part of this concept?  Rastafari is a religion that was generated from Jamaica and popularized by Bob Marley, Snoop Dog (Snoop Lion) and Lauren Hill. It has become more popular in the U.S.  but it is not a recognized religion here. Followers of this religion believe that smoking cannabis or “Ganja” will make you closer to God. If this is a part of a person’s religion, should the police have the right to arrest them because they are smoking?  This would contradict what the First Amendment says about freedom of religion.

Cannabis has been proven to help patients with pain and also to relax people. Making it legal will help the crime rate go down and help more people become relaxed.  No one has ever died of a marijuana overdose. If it were legal, the F.D.A. would make sure lists of ingredients are placed on every bag of cannabis sold as well as labels stating the dangers of smoking weed and the effects it may cause.  If weed was legal the government could make money, people wouldn’t get it illegally from drug dealers, and it wouldn’t be laced with so many toxic chemicals. If more people saw how senseless keeping it illegal was and realized how much calmer society would be if it was legalized, there would be less hostility to legalization in the United States.

Award-winning writer/film-maker M.K. Asante speaks to Patterson students

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M.K. Asante in Philadelphia (Photo by Lee Steffen — courtesy of mkasante.com)

“Amazing!” Those were the words of Ms. Kimberly McIntosh, Professional School Counselor from Patterson High School, as she described the presentation from Baltimore City Community College’s Fall Speaker Series. Ms. McIntosh and several Patterson students were fortunate enough to attend the event (which took place on Wednesday, September 25 in the auditorium) and listen to M.K. Asante, a modern author, film-maker and now, hip-hop artist.

CNN describes Mr. Asante as “a master story-teller and major creative force.” Mr. Asante has written four celebrated books, including Buck: A Memoir. He is the winner of the Langston Hughes Award. Asante directed The Black Candle, a Starz movie he co-wrote with Maya Angelou who also narrates the prize-winning film. He wrote and produced the film 500 Years Later, winner of five international film festival awards, and produced the multi award-winning film Motherland.

For the presentation, M.K. Asante spoke candidly about his life, family, and experiences. He read excerpts from his book, particularly focusing on the turning points that contributed to his decision to leave the destructive road he was on and to pursue a positive road which has made him who he is today. By the time M.K. got going, no one was slouching in their seats or checking their cell phones. All were listening intently to his story on the edges of their seats.

By the end, Patterson students were reaching for his latest book.  They were thankful for the opportunity to be inspired by this amazing young writer.

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