Category Archives: Clubs and Organizations

Patterson Press returns to Newseum

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Students and chaperons pose on the roof of the Newseum with a view of the Canadian Embassy in the background. (Photo: Jamal Artis, Patterson Press)

by Jamal Artis

The Patterson Press went to  the Newseum in Washington, D.C., on December 4. It was a fun learning experience at  the museum, where we learned a lot, including about the Berlin Wall. The West Berlin Wall was the free side, where they had put graffiti art on the wall in 1986. It was East Germany, starting on August 13, 1961, that completely cut off contact with people coming in and out of the rest of the city. They also added a guard tower to keep  the people in the city; if anybody tried to leave, they got shot at by the person that was in the tower. We learned a lot about the Cold War in Germany. It went on for around 30 years.

The exhibit that was the most fascinating was the 9/11 exhibit. They had a few parts of the Twin Tower from 9/11, and they found a guy’s camera that got destroyed in the fire. Some students cried  a little over what happened to the twin tower that day. We also were put on the teleprompter and a video feed makes it look  like we’re on the news channel.

We also learned about major bank robberies  in the 20th century and the first phone, typewriter, and  printing press. The trip to the Newseum was fun and a great learning experience. I hope we do it again someday.

Refugee students meet after school

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By Dhan Bhattarai and Manisha Monger,

Refugee students who are here today at Patterson have a lot of opportunities to learn after school. The International Rescue Committee helps to provide support for these students through a group called the Refugee Youth Project (RYP). This program helps refugee students. The RYP meets every Tuesday and Wednesday and is open to all refugee students.

This program helps students to learn reading and writing skills, helps them with their homework and many other things. All the students who participate in the group enjoy spending time together after school. It helps them to learn more things and provides every student with basic knowledge that they need for success. For more information, see Ms. Harris in room 314.

To read this article in Nepali, click here.

Chess team returns for another year of fun and competition

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Chess players ponder their next move (Photo: Joshua Carr, Patterson Press)

By Joshua Carr,

Patterson has a chess team. They meet on Thursdays after school at 3.35 in room 317 (Mr. Tola’s room). Students who do not know how to play chess will taught how to play. You do not need to have any experience to join the club.

Playing chess is fun for students and also helps them to concentrate better. The chess team will compete in two citywide tournaments: one in December and one in April. For more information, see Mr. Tola in room 317.

Mindful Moments program teaches students breathing techniques and more

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Students and Mindful Moments staff members practice breathing exercises in a circle (Photo: Shane Braden, Patterson Press)

By Nasheira Johnson,

Patterson High School has partnered with a group called the Holistic Life Foundation also known as the Mindful Moments Program to help students learn about their inner selves through breathing exercises, yoga and plenty of other methods.

The Holistic Life Foundation is a Baltimore-based nonprofit organization committed to nurturing the wellness of children and adults in undeserved communities. In the 2013-2014 school year members from the group contacted Mr. Benton to see if he was interested in the program. He decided that this program would be a great opportunity for not only students but staff as well.

This program is a great asset to our school. Not only are the methods from this program used at school but outside of school. In fact Mr. Benton practices these procedures from this program with him and his son every morning. He believes that these methods help better himself. The staff of the Mindful Moments Program who work at Patterson High School are very helpful. They talk to students about their problems and also give them advice.

I spoke with a few of the staff members from the program and asked them their opinions about the program. Sideaque is one of the staff members here who works at Patterson High School associated with the mindful moments program. She used to work at John Hopkins hospital and felt that she was no longer interested in the job she was doing, She then started applying to many places. Her goal was to work with younger people. One day she received a text message and was given an opportunity to work with the program. Sidaque believes that this program benefits all students. “We want students to change the world by changing themselves”, she told the explained. She encourages all students to try this program because it will help them do better and concentrate more.

Larry and Oba are two other associated with the Mindful Moments program at Patterson High School. They enjoy practicing the exercises with students in the room and sharing ideas with them. They had been practicing yoga for about thirteen years and decided that helping students better themselves would make their lives easier. Students in this program believe it is very helpful to them. This program keeps them from doing wrongful actions and leads them to be positive.

Latoya Morris is a student here at Patterson High School who believes this program is helpful.She says she comes here to get everything off her chest. Her goal is to master yoga. Before this program many students used to fight but now because of this program they are more relaxed. She recommends that all students here at Patterson should at least try to participate in the program.

For more information about the Mindful Moments Program please visit the Mindful Moments room right across from the nurses office.

Community Partner Profile: Jonathan Bradley

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Mr. Jonathan Bradley, founder of Cristata Cares (Photo: Jamal Artis, Patterson Press)

By Jamal Artis

Patterson High School partners with a lot of people in the community. One of the most important ones is Mr. Jonathan E. Bradley.

Mr. Bradley is a founding board member of  Cristata Cares, Inc. He began his work with Cristata Cares, due to the disparity of wealth, savings, and mentoring within our Baltimore community. Cristata Cares, Inc.’s mission is to work with students and community in mentoring financial literacy, lifeskills, career development, and self-improvement (grades and attendance).

Cristata Cares has worked with Patterson High School since 2012, Cristata Cares first endeavor was to sponsor a book for students interested in medicine or a health related career.  It was a book signing and speak featuring Dr. Alfredo Quinonnes MD, neurologist at JHU, he spoke and shared with students his life in his book “Becoming Dr. Q.”  Since the initial event PHS has become a key partner school for Cristata Cares.  Mr. Bradley is on campus at least one day per week, many times working with fellow board member Mr. Matthew Wyskiel.  Cristata Cares has sponsored or hosted guest speakers ranging from rappers to epidemiologists to entrepreneurs.   The purpose is to help students to dream or have a vision of a better tomorrow.

Cristata Cares has worked closely with Principal Vance Benton, Coach Kelley Bagdasarian, Coach Heggins, Ms. Shannelle  England, and Ms. Loretta Kavanaugh and administrators, faculty, or teachers in seeing where  Cristata Cares can serve or work with Patterson and its community in helping PHS to reach its long term goals of becoming a top tier school.  Some of their activities or developments is, giving students who perform gift cards as an incentive, a live shopping exercise that encourages students to stretch their dollar through use of coupons, investment savings incentives, and establishing a small endowment seed fund for promising PHS alumnus who are facing financial challenges in pursuing a college or technical degree, and coaching the golf team (which he was not able to do this year due to lack of transportation) but is planning a golf club for Spring 2015.

One key milestone that has been reached in working with Patterson High, is launching an investment club to encourage students to save, the investment club meets after school and is in its fourth semester, the club has averaged 15 students per semester.   The PHS investment club rewards students who perform well compared to their peers.  The students learn how investments perform in various market cycles, compounding of interest, and other investment considerations or decisions.  Cristata Cares is pleased to continue its work with Patterson realizing that much work needs to be done in assisting and mentoring students to help give them the best opportunity to live or achieve their dreams.

Mr. Bradley is very thankful to Patterson High and in having board members who work and believe in a bright future for kids who are willing to work hard to achieve their dreams. The Patterson Press would  like to thank Mr.  Jonathan Bradley  for  taking time out of his schedule to talk to us.

With files from Jonathan Bradley.

Patterson hosts 4th annual community fair

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A youth percussion band performs at the Community Fair (Photo: Patterson Press)

by Xavier Williams,

Patterson High School held it’s 4th annual community fair and back to school night inside the school’s cafeteria on September 25 from 5:30 to 8:00. It was held to motivate students to help and support their school and get help from their community.

At the community fair there were different organizations sharing some services to students so they can help them be successful in the future. So many great colleges, companies and non-profit organizations came like, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center,  Morgan State University, Towson University and the University of Baltimore, New York life insurance and the Real Food Farm. One of the people that worked at the University of  Baltimore explained that they had come to the fair to “[recruit] students to come to the university and to inspire them to go to college”. There were more people from different groups that participated in the community fair, including a United States Marine who said he is looking forward to speaking with male and female students to help them become successful.

There was a belly dancer, flamenco dancer and hip hop dancers as well. The hip hop dancers were male students from Patterson who did an amazing  job performing at the fair.

I asked Mr.Benton,  “After seeing the laughter and happiness here at the community fair do you think that Patterson High School will be a top 500 school?” and he said he always believed Patterson High School would be a top 500 school and that the school strives for greatness.

I agree with that 100 hundred percent because we do strive for greatness and after seeing how great the fair turn out to be i’m just really proud of my school.this years community fair turned out to be a blast. Everyone enjoyed it, they danced they laughed and they ate. It felt like they were happy to be there and they had a great time. People who were at the fair expressed that next year’s fair will be even bigger.

CHECK BACK LATER FOR MORE PHOTOS (OR SEE THEM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE NOW)!

Robotics club gears up for competition

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Students build a robotic vehicle (Photo: Regina Bell)

By Stephanie Megginson,

Last year, our Patterson High School Robotics Club won the 2013 Hopkins Robotics Cup. After working with another school, Ms.Ball wanted Patterson to have  its own robotics club.

The robotics club hasn’t won a competition this year yet but their next competition is coming up this April at John Hopkins. They believe they will win 1st place again this year.

Every Thursday after school students meet in Ms.Ball’s room to participate in Robotics Club. All students are welcome to join.

Students choose to join the robotics club because it’s exciting, they get to use their own imagination, problem solving, teamwork and innovation skills. They get to go to different cities and states to compete against other schools.

“Peace and Love” is theme of this year’s door decorating contest

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Ms. Bridgeforth’s door, 1st place winner (Photo: Shane Braden, Patterson Press)

By Tamika Addison,

The SGA hosted a Door Decorating Contest in February with the theme of Peace and Love because it was Valentine’s Day.  Ms. Bridgeforth’s class (Rm#212) won first place.  Her door decoration was pretty, with hearts and stones. The 2nd place prize went  to Ms. Holter’s class (Rm # 210). Her door was nice with pictures of two people and hearts with glitter.

Ms. DeRosa (Rm #217) and Ms.Frank (Rm#158) tied for 3rd place. Ms. DeRosa’s door looked very nice with pictures of students proposing with candy rings. And Ms.Frank’s door looked great with hearts with students’ names on them and a ship. All the students who participated in the Door Decorating Contest enjoyed showing off their talent and creativity.

 

(Photos by Shane Braden, Patterson Press)

Student mentors help freshmen avoid making the same mistakes

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Illustration by Shane Braden, Patterson Press

By Ty’Shawn Key,

Individual Advancement Mentoring (I.AM) is a peer mentoring program started last year by my brother Alonzo Key. I.AM was created because too many students throw away their freshmen year. Whether it is due to chasing popularity, getting involved with the wrong crowd, focusing on other things, having too much fun, or just pure goofing off, every year a large percentage of students squander their Freshmen year. I.AM was designed so we can get that year back. Our goal is to reach the minds of our incoming freshmen classes, and influence them to get on the path of having a more proactive high school career through the acts of peer mentoring. Our mentoring uses the simple tools of motivation and enlightenment through student voices. Older students are acting as the big brother or sister figures that some of our younger peers may lack. These mentors are a select few members of this year’s senior and junior classes.

The program is supervised by Mrs. McIntosh, myself and several other upperclassmen, including Kwynten Brooks, a star player on the Patterson Clippers Boys Basketball team, Johnny Alvarez, an amateur skater and photographer sponsored by Fly Geenius, Jamahl Loney, a DECA Regional competition placer, and several other decorated individuals. Together we are actively trying to change the lives of our Patterson 500 Family’s young men and women, the future faces of our school. Our mentors sacrifice every other Tuesday and Thursday Futures period to shed some light on these young individuals, so that they can have the advice and help that we all wish we had as freshmen.

Olagoke Sanusi, one of junior leaders, described working with the freshmen as an experience that he would never forget. “Never would I imagine that me and my few life experiences could ever really help someone else with their life and situations just by talking to them about it”, he said. “It put me in a position where I was that external factor for someone else. I was the one who decided to either give them the assist, or let them get fouled…”

This has been one of the best years of my entire high school career, and it’s not because I’ve been accepted into the school of my dreams or because I have achieved some of my personal goals. It has been one of my best years because I can now leave my school saying I helped change someone’s life. As the saying goes, “a diamond in the rough shines its brightest only after someone picks it up to polish it.”

If you know of any intelligent, caring, respectable, productive and well-spoken individuals who will be juniors or seniors in the fall, please direct them to Mrs. McIntosh’s office for mentor enrollment for next school year.

 

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