Category Archives: Departments

Fear and miscommunication keeping ESOL students, native English speakers apart

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ESOL Students siting separate from English speaking students in a World history class. (Photo: Sartre Ndebaneza)

By Sartre Ndebaneza,

Patterson High School is well known for its diversity of students from around the world. But students have developed a skeptical attitude toward each other which causes an strained relationship. ESOL students claim that they feel uncomfortable when they are with their classmates who are “English speakers”.

Mr. Tola is a teacher at Patterson High school. He has been a teacher since 2010. He used to teach English, History and United States Government and other ESOL programs. Mr. Tola has unveiled the beauty of Patterson students. According to Mr. Tola, “I think generally Patterson students are friendly and want to make new friends.” But a group of ESOL students I have talked with state that they feel apprehensive about going home in the same bus with their English speaking classmates because some of these students insult and bully them. One of them added that, “I don’t like to take class on the second floor,” referring to the fact that the second floor is where the English speaking students attend class.

Many teachers seem to believe that there has been a lot improvement on the issue of bullying at Patterson. Mr. Tola has said that, “we use to have that problem (bullying) here at Patterson” but that it is no longer as big of a problem as it once was. He explained that it was largely due to miscommunication. The English speaking students wanted to learn more about the culture of the ESOL students but did not know how to obtain this information. This led to anger and misconduct.  To restore a friendly relationship between the English speaking and the ESOL students and to help ESOL students feel welcome in the community, Mr. Tola suggests that all students join and participate in certain groups, such as PGC and the Refugee Youth Project (RYP), that connect students from different backgrounds. He also has encouraged all of the teachers to put their hearts and souls into making things better at Patterson.

Girls soccer team off to a rough start

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By Morgan McCaffity,

The first girls soccer game of the school year was held at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (Poly) on Tuesday, September 6. Despite losing 0-9, the girls still have faith in each other and are eager to play their next game.

One of the main defenders on the team is Justist Rice. She thinks the first game of the season was okay, but it could’ve been better. “Working together and talking is something we have to work on”, she explained. When asked about her favorite position and what inspires her to play, Rice responded, “Defense is my favorite position because I like the responsibility and helping the goalie. [What inspires me is] being able to stay active, and be on such a diverse team knowing that we can all stick together”.

The team is determined to get better. “For [our] first time I think we did good together but like I said earlier, if we had more communication and worked a little harder we might have won”, Rice reflected.

For the next game, Clippers fans expect the girls soccer players to work harder and communicate more to get their first win of the season.

 

 

Chess Club Gears Up To Compete With Other Schools

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Students practicing after school

Students practicing chess after school (Photo: Amadou Bah)

By Amadou Bah,

Chess Club is back again. You can sign up in Room 216, Thursdays only.  Newcomers are welcome. The goal is to build a chess team that can be competitive against students from other high schools.

Mr. Tola, the founder and main faculty advisor of the Chess Club started playing chess when he was seven years old. He didn’t master chess until eight years of age. Magnus Carlsen and Garry Kasparov, two of the greatest chess players in the world, inspired Mr. Tola. Then, in 5th grade, he completely stopped playing.

He started playing chess again when he began teaching here at Patterson.  He often plays chess more in school than any other place.  He doesn’t get easily distracted. “It doesn’t matter where I play chess; I can handle the background noise” Mr. Tola told the Patterson Press.  One reason why he started the chess club was that he wanted Patterson students to enter into championships. The purpose of the chess club is to help students develop good strategic thinking. Chess is considered to be a strategy game. When you’re playing chess, you have to think before moving a piece. In order to win the game you must have a better plan then your opponent. “The more you practice, the more you’ll become better”, Mr. Tola said. Anyone can sign up and the Chess Club will teach you how to play.

 

Mr. Tola, faculty advisor of the Chess Club Photo: Amadou Bah)

Mr. Tola, faculty advisor of the Chess Club (Photo: Amadou Bah)

 

Orioles Poised to Advance to Post-Season

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Mark Trumbo (Photo: Keith Allison)

Mark Trumbo (Photo: Keith Allison)

By Christian Pietrowski,

The Baltimore Orioles have a chance to make it the post-season for the first time since 2014. In the 2014 season the Baltimore Orioles went 96-66. The Orioles need to lose 19 games in order to be mathematically eliminated from the post-season.

The Orioles are currently in a fight with the Toronto Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox for first place and the first wildcard spot. The Orioles are in the process of making history like they’ve been doing this whole year. In the month of June the Baltimore Orioles hit 56 home runs, which is now the record for most home runs hit in the month of June. The Orioles have the most home runs in Major League Baseball (MLB) with 226 home runs Leading the team with 41 home runs is Mark Trumbo. He currently leads with other players in MLB following closely behind.

If the Orioles continue on this record-setting pace the Orioles will make the post-season. So let’s all as Baltimoreans pray that the Orioles make the post-season and hopefully the World series for the first time since 1983.

Source for statistics: ESPN.com

Inside the mind of a teenager

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photo from Wall Street Journal

Photo from Wall Street Journal

By Jessica Branch,

All teenagers make stupid mistakes that one day they may look back at and laugh. But then there are some mistakes that can’t be undone and some become detrimental. Studies have found that it’s not the case that some teenagers don’t always think about a situation they may be involved in; they just can’t always come to a clear decision like adults can.

Just think of it like this: If you’re on a diet and see a slice of pepperoni pizza, are you more likely to just glance at the pizza before eating it or stop and think about the pros and cons?

You can think of it the same way as a teenager. Our brains don’t move fast as adults. They don’t fully form everything we should take into consideration and we tend to just look at what we’re getting out of the situation that would be “fun”.  Teens take an average of 170 milliseconds longer to go over the consequences of a decision, which in turn makes them more likely to decide the risk is worth it. For more information about this, go to:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/children/11739219/Revealed-Inside-the-mind-of-a-teenager.html

It’s okay to make mistakes when you’re a teenager but you have to start thinking outside the box when you’re an adult. Some teenagers don’t realize that since their brains aren’t fully functioned like adults, that they can start now by making good decisions to get their minds processed and functioned like adults and it wouldn’t be as hard if they tried later.

It’s okay to make great decisions because great decisions form you into a great person. So the next time you’re stuck between choosing your diet and that slice of pepperoni pizza, choose the right thing.

BONUS CONTENT: Student Bookbinding Contest winners

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Here are the cover pages and inside spreads from all of the winners of the Patterson bookbinding contest. More information is available on the front page of the May 2016 print edition of the Patterson Press.

 

Senioritis outbreak sweeps through Patterson

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by Ms. Kirsch,

 

Public Health Advisory!

A serious, seasonal disease is sweeping Patterson High School, and staff and students should be on alert. The disease, known colloquially as “Senioritis,” attacks the central nervous system often causing those affected to act erratically and illogically.

Symptoms include listlessness, red eyes, angry outbursts, inability to take responsibility for ones own actions and putting off for tomorrow what could be done today.

While the disease effects Seniors at a much higher rate, it is so highly contagious that no one is completely safe. Juniors are particularly susceptible to contamination in the late Spring, as we bid Farewell to the Seniors and the Juniors rise to fill their shoes. In this instance, the disease is most serious, since Juniors’ last quarter grades can mean the difference between acceptance to their dream college or flat, cold rejection.

Indeed, even faculty and staff are not completely immune. Since Senioritis is not viral, it can be contracted multiple times. Therefor, teachers who suffered through Senioritis in their own school days can be reinfected through contact with current Seniors. Symptoms manifest slightly differently in adults, and affected teachers may be found to suffer from crashing headaches, inadvertent rolling of the eyes, and the overwhelming urge not to work harder than their students.

The best protection is long-term goal setting and focus on those goals. When students can keep their minds set on their future, it is easier to maintain a state of health during those last few months of school.

ESOL students share their reflections

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Teacher’s note: The following stories represent but a fraction of the mesmeric kaleidoscope that make up the diverse population here at Patterson High School. Take a moment to read these very touching personal narratives from students in Ms. K.’s class.

 

A Bittersweet American Dream

by Jessica Yupa

When I came to this country, everything was different: the people, the clothes, the food, everything! After two weeks in the United States, I said to my family that I wanted to go back to my country.  I missed my grandmother, and wanted to be with her.

My father said I could not go back to my country. He said I had to stay. He said this is the country where I can do something with my life—something that would make my grandmother proud of me.

I guess he was right, but two months after I came to the United States, and I told my father I wanted to go back home, my grandmother passed away. That was the worst experience I’ve ever had. That was my first horrible experience in the United States.

I never should have left my grandmother.

 

 

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A Determined Immigrant

by Cindy Rivera

When I came to the United States, I was happy to see my mother after twelve years. But when I started school, I felt sad because I did not know anyone. Also, I did not know English.

I started to learn English, when I came to Patterson High School. It was hard, but the ESOL teachers are very good. I know English now, but I need to learn more.

Knowing English is very important, if I want to have a good future. I have many friends who were born in different countries; it is good to know about the lives of other immigrants. The people who come to this country are very strong. We have to be; otherwise, we cannot succeed.

 

 

Working Toward Realizing My Dream

by Karolain E. Rivera Paz

When I came to the United States, I had many problems. I spoke a different language. I didn’t understand English. When I started school, I put my effort to learning English and getting good grades.

My first year here was hard because of the different customs. Sometimes I found myself being discriminated against me just for being Latina and speaking Spanish.

Now, every day at school, I work really hard to get great grades and also to speak English. I want to be better each day and realize my dream of becoming doctor someday.

 

 

Getting Used This

by Duka Dhungana

When I came to the United States, I was so scared to talk to the American people. The people were new to me. I did not know anything about them. Even though we did not know one another, they were all nice to me. I did not have any bad experiences.

Things were different at school. The students were mean to me, because I could not speak English well. They used to bully me all the time. They used to treat me badly. Some were nice and some were rude. Now, I’m just used to it.

 

 

It’s All Good!

by Rixi Y. Fuentes Avila

I live with my family. I am lucky to have them. They are so nice to me. I am thankful for that. I have good things in my life here. Some things are not so good, but that is fine.

I like this country, because I can achieve my dreams here. I want to study so much. I want to go to the university. I can achieve so much here. That is good!

 

My Reflection

by Veronica Arana

I have never felt discriminated against by anyone here at Patterson High School. I always meet good people who try to help me. I am thankful to the students and the teachers, because they are all really awesome! The majority of teachers help me a lot. When I do not understand a word, they explain until I do. For me, Patterson High is a good school.

Also, I am happy to be here with my schoolmates. Sometimes when they don’t understand homework or class assignments, I help them. Helping people makes me happy. They try to learn something from. I learn from them. That is wonderful.

I did not speak English, when I came to the United States. Now, I can speak better than before. I learn more and more English, and I try my best. My goal is to graduate high school and become a Computer Technician. I want to make my parents proud of me.

Achieving Academic Success As a Student Athlete

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By Aleem Prince,

As a student athlete, sports take up a lot of your time, so it can be almost impossible to make time to study. However, that should not be an excuse to do poorly academically. The life of a student athlete requires a great amount of dedication and determination, not only to succeed in sports but also academically. Practice is held every day and sometimes you are exhausted, but you have to create a balance between practice and class schedules. Therefore, it is imperative to learn proper time management.

Time management is key when you are a student athlete. When you can manage your time, it becomes easier to study, to practice and even to hang out with your friends every day. A great way to manage your time is to make to-do lists before going to bed at night. Write a list of all the activities you have to perform the next day. This helps you to plan and to always have a clear idea of all your obligations. When you complete an activity, cross it off the list. Then you enjoy the great sensation of completing tasks without stressing. By managing your time, you will not be frustrated, especially when you have a hectic schedule.

Many student athletes are ‘stars’ on the court, the field, or anywhere they play sports but when it comes it academics they struggle. As a student and an athlete, you should strive to succeed in both areas. In the future, if you become a professional athlete and you suffer an injury or choose to change career paths, you will have an education to fall back on. Hence, always try to achieve and maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 so you can get into a good college.

Attend class, take good notes and listen to your teachers. Students who do not understand the value of education might try to discourage you but you have a choice to make: do you let that discouragement get to you or do you persevere?

To succeed will not be easy; there will be many obstacles to overcome including people telling you that you will never succeed. Indeed, it will be hard but you should always think about your goals, visualize the end product of those goals, then work relentlessly to achieve them.

Volleyball team takes 2nd place in city-wide championship

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Lady Clippers volleyball team (Photo: Gary Antoine)

Lady Clippers volleyball team (Photo: Mr. Gary Antoine)

By John Dingzon and Coach Heggins,

The Patterson  Varsity and JV Volleyball teams, coached by Mr. Murray and Ms. Heggins came in 2nd in the Baltimore City Volleyball Championships this past fall. This season was better for the Lady Clippers than last year. The boys and girls teams (the Lady Clippers and Clippers) both had outstanding records this season:  10:4 and 9:4.  Last year, the teams both had a rough season. This year, they worked harder and practiced a lot; giving them their most memorable season in a while. If it wasn’t for the returning Lady Clippers from last year, the team wouldn’t have been so successful.

Both teams also had athletes to go on to the Baltimore City Volleyball Showcase after the regular season. Outstanding players from all the city teams made up an East side team and a West side team and they played each other. Senior Hannah Cangco represented the Varsity team while 10th grader Timiera Toland  and 9th grader Nicole Ekity represented the Junior Varsity team. The Varsity team went on to participate in the State Volleyball 1st round playoffs defeating Overlea  High but lost to Dunbar  in the 2nd round. Several players will be returning next year and the team is looking forward to a City Championship takedown next season.

Mr. Murray’s team got the highest score for this year and made it to the top ; the ladies efforts helped them achieve success. Mr. Murray said that he cannot pick  the teammates who are the best in 6 out of 6 players because they were all good  at playing b by using teamwork during the game. Mr. Murray told the Patterson Press, “My advice for those ladies out there who would like to play girls varsity volleyball is to come so that we can teach you how to play and contribute to this team, joining the success that we have had from this year.”

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