Category Archives: Departments

Boys soccer team defeats City twice

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By Kylayah Davis

Clippers celebrate their victory over City
(Photo by Patterson Press)

The Patterson varsity boys soccer team won against City College on October 11 at Clipper Stadium–a win which put them at first in the division for championships and cemented their 6-0 inter-city record this year.

Despite City getting the first point of the game, Patterson quickly put a point of their own on the board. After securing their second point, the Clippers kept the defense tight, ending the game with a final score of 2-1. 

“You can’t scare me; I’m a goalie. The goal is my home and you are not welcome here.”, said Tyler Harrison, stating that he had to lock things down after City scored their goal. 

Coach Ober said that he’s proud of his team and their win and that they will continue to work on marking corners and playing with energy. He also said that if they continue to improve, the team is on track to win the City Championships for the first time in six years. 

Coach Ober named Angel Guevara as the game’s MVP for “scoring both goals and playing amazingly in the mid field, helping to control the game, and leading with positivity and energy.” 

Turnout at the game was great. There was strong support for the Clippers by friends, family, community supporters and Patterson’s volleyball and football teams. 

Update:

After this game, the Clippers went on to defeat Dunbar 6-1, Digital Harbor 2-0, Catonsville 2-1, and Edmondson 13-0 in their last game of the regular season. They then went on to defeat City again in their first playoff game, advancing them to the regional finals where they faced Poly for a chance to represent Baltimore City in the State Quarterfinals.

Patterson lost that game by one point, with a final score of 2-3, bringing Patterson’s season to an end. Despite this loss, the team had a spectacular season and remained undefeated in the regular season.

(Photos by Patterson Press)

Fiesta Baltimore celebrates Hispanic culture

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By Rancel Lagombra 

Fiesta Baltimore, which took place on October 7th and 8th, is an annual event held in Patterson Park. With the festival lasting from 11 AM to 7 PM both days, there was also a parade that took place on October 8th at 2 PM. This event is a family and community oriented event and it is also free, with food, arts, and craft vendors where people will be sharing their creations.

The parade had a diverse array of contingents, like folkloric groups, marching bands, cultural associations, community-based organizations, businesses, nonprofits, local schools and universities, cars, floats, and trucks.

“I like walking around there and seeing different Hispanic cultures and I like to have fun there.”, says John Swift, a Hispanic student who lives to see these Hispanic festivals. 

This festival is a good way to express yourself and have fun even if you’re not Hispanic. “I ain’t even Hispanic, but I still go to these events…It’s very fun to be there and to try these different foods,” says student Jeliel.

Events like these really show the cultural appreciation in Baltimore. It makes you feel welcome and accepted here. It can also make you feel proud of being Hispanic. I think this event can be important for the people at Patterson as a big portion of the students that go here are Hispanic and it can help them get reconnected with their culture. It also can give the Hispanics here a breath of fresh air if you can call it that, since a lot of them can struggle with English and seeing this festival can make them happy. Also, we are currently celebrating Hispanic culture with Hispanic Heritage Month. Although the event has already ended, you can still celebrate Hispanic Heritage here with a celebration night coming up. 

Editor’s note: This article was written in October during Hispanic Heritage Month. The celebration mentioned in article is over but you can read about it here.

Volleyball team shuts down ACCE in double victory

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By Jamira Ellison

The Lady Clippers volleyball team defeated ACCE on October 5th at Patterson–both at the varsity and junior varsity (JV) levels.

Coach Jones explained that the JV team narrowly lost the first set by a score of 24-26 but came back to win the next set 25-18 and then won the tie breaker 15-12.

The Varsity team worked really hard. They beat ACCE three sets in a row. The score for the first game was 25-19, the second game score was 25-13, and the final game score was 25-12. So this game was a 3-0 sweep. In these games the MVPs were No. 26 Destiny Johnson for Varsity and No. 21 Amberlly Perez for JV.

“Varsity did do their best; JV–the first game they did not do their best but they tried their best, but they picked it up and won [the next set] 25-18.”, said Coach Jones.

The JV team could have done a little better, but they still did really well. Originally, JV was not even scheduled to play that day, so it may have caught them off guard and caused them to rush. At first, they were really excited and happy and then after a while they got serious and played their best. These ladies did such a excellent job and everyone is so proud of them.

Photos by Patterson Press

Student loan debts remain major problem in U.S.

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By Jennifer Iraheta-Delcid

Whether you want to become a teacher or a doctor, both require a degree and education. Students all over the U.S have been experiencing overwhelming stress with the fact that they owe so much money from their loans. Student loan debt has grown a huge amount over time. Those debts determine which dreams students can achieve and which ones will simply stay a dream.

Student loans have increased tremendously over the past few decades. For example, as of March 2023, around 44 million U.S borrowers owed more than $1.6 trillion in Federal student loans. The average total student debt continues to be about $30,000 dollars. In the 1980s and ’90s, many high school students did not attend colleges and universities and those who did less than half borrowed money. On the other hand, in 2022, almost two-thirds of high school graduates attended college and took out loans. Student debt surpasses auto and credit card debt which shows how tremendously it has grown.

Student debt affects more than your ability to independently cover your living expenses and enjoy a decent standard of living. It also affects your dreams and your mental health. While you worry about your academic performance and finding a well paying job, you also have to worry about paying back your student debt. Having to pay back your loans can take many years, which can force you to sacrifice your dream job for one that financially supports you better. Student loan debt can cause high levels of stress and worrying thoughts. This takes a big toll on your mental health and well being.

Student loan debt is a major problem in the U.S that I hope gets fixed. It affects many students’ ability to accomplish their dreams due to the large amount they have to pay back. It impacts their levels of stress and worry as many other expenses need to be paid. Paying the students’ debts through loan forgiveness or reducing the cost of higher education would boost the nation’s economy by a huge amount while also benefiting everyone.

Students still struggling with social anxiety stemming from COVID-19 pandemic

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By Zeinab AL Ali

Social anxiety is becoming common amongst students due to the COVID-19 outbreak which led students to be isolated from society for a long period of time.

COVID-19 started four years ago and entered the United States In January 2020. It led to quarantining where students had to stay home and take online classes. Students had to be isolated from their peers and they had to stay home for an extended period of time. In that time period, students spent their time alone and they were prevented from coming into contact with their friends and family members out of concern for their health and safety.

After quarantine ended, students had to go back to school and proceed with their education. Most students had a hard time communicating and interacting with their peers because they weren’t used to this sudden change in heir environment. Due to COVID-19, many students developed social anxiety and became anti-social. Many students at Patterson High School today are experiencing the same thing. It’s hard for students to communicate, express themselves, and interact with others after being isolated for a such long period of time.

To solve this problem, teachers should create fun activities that allow students to break out of their isolation bubble operates at a different pace. Teachers should encourage students to be more interactive but not push them, because pushing students to do something they are not used to can create fear, tension, stress and can also add to their anxiety. Sometimes students seem like they don’t want to communicate but the truth is they do; They just don’t know how to and sometimes they might be afraid to do so.

Students can be more interactive with others with the help of their teachers.

How social media affects your mental health

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By Jennifer Iraheta-Delcid

Social media has become part of our daily life, consuming most of our time. Since the 2000s, it has extended new possibilities for communication. It has its good effects and bad effects. But it brings many risks if you excessively use social media.

Many platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat have become popular among youth. People normally spend around 2-3 hours of their time on social media. Therefore, These platforms have gained popularity because they allow you to communicate with other people as well as being a way to express yourself, whether in a short video or a story.

However, it’s a source of entertainment while also allowing you to make new friends online. Meeting friends online can be very dangerous at times because you are not sure who is behind the screen and whether they’re a predator or not. Although social media has its benefits, it can cause you to isolate yourself from actually interacting with real-world people and can later result in feelings such as anxiety.

Excessive use is mainly caused by lower psychological well-being. The immoderate consumption of social media is affecting many young people. Possible effects that come with it are low self-esteem, exclusion, bullying, and poor work and/or school production. In fact, social media produces many negative feelings. Recent studies show that people between the ages of 14-24 feel as if social media brings feelings of depression, anxiety, poor body image, and loneliness. Many platforms such as YouTube and TikTok care more about engagement rather than your mental health and the negativity that comes with it. Trends can also influence many young people to do dangerous activities that can lead to death. 

Social Media affects your mental health but it doesn’t mean you can’t use it at all. You just have to be aware of how much of your time it’s consuming. There are many good effects as well as bad but it brings many risks if you excessively use it. Mindfully using it is important to social media consumption.

Coping with stress

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By Victoria Orellana

In this day and age, a lot of teens deal with and experience stress. Stress is all around us and we all deal with it in different ways. According to the website Cross River Therapy, at least 45% of students in high school admit to being stressed almost every day in school.

It’s important to pace yourself and understand that you as an individual need time for yourself. You can’t always avoid stress. It’s something most of us deal with, but there are ways to manage it.

The website Teens Health lists a bunch of ways to deal with stress. Here are a couple of them:

One strategy is to plan your day using a calendar or planning app to keep track of your daily schedule. Put in all the things you need and make sure to plan time for things you enjoy doing. Planning your day and sticking to the schedule lowers stress.

Another thing you can do to reduce stress is ask for help when you need it. School work grades and tests cause a lot of stress and it’s not always easy to deal with. Ask teachers, tutors, parents or any trusted adult for help with anything. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; When things go south, you’re going to wish you did.

These strategies might not eliminate all your problems, but give them a try–they might help you manage your stress so you can get through high school without feeling weighed down.

Back to School Night: The start of a new year 

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By Thayer Oosterman

Photo by Patterson Press

Paterson High School held its annual Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 20th from 5:00 until 7:00 PM. 

There were many organizations present including Thread, The Y, the U.S Army Recruit and Command, Home Away from Home, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, Coppin State University, and the Baltimore Medical System.  

Patterson has many opportunities for all students, whether they are doing well or struggling academically. One group that helps students who are having a hard time in school is Thread.

 “We are Thread, a relationship building organization, and we enroll students in their 9th grade year based on grades.”, explained a representative from Thread who was at Back to School Night. “We pull the bottom 25% academically and they work with us in their first year and they get matched with a volunteer and we just basically are here to build a stronger community across the city of Baltimore.”

There were also faith-based organizations providing services to the people of Baltimore City.

“We provide services for new immigrants that are taking asylum, refugees, and others.”, explained the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service representative.

Members of the U.S. Army were also present at the Back to School Night.

“We’re just here to promote the Army, talk to the kids about the benefits, if they have any questions”, said a representative of the U.S. Army Recruit and Command.

At Back to School Night, the Patterson High School Marching Band played music. Students and their families had delicious food served after the band performance. In the end, many parents and family members knew more about what was going on in the classrooms and they met their young scholars’ teachers. 

The event was a success and parents and students alike knew more about how to succeed in the coming school year.

(Photos by Patterson Press)

Student Government Association gives students a voice

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By Jayzanay Blessett

SGA members have a discussion at a citywide meeting (Photo: Mr. Frederick)

Student Government Association (SGA) helps students speak up on issues that go on in their schools. They also help plan events and make decisions regarding how the money is spent on the events. Currently, Patterson only has a few students who are interested in participating. I would highly encourage students to join or even check out some of the meetings because if you aren’t satisfied with some of the things that are going on, you can promote change and possibly even fix the issue.“SGA (Student Government Association) offers a forum for students to have a voice in their school and to also offer a as vehicle how they can voice their concerns to the school administration and look for ways to change the school to make it better for everybody–Students and staff–so that everybody can have an enjoyable time while they are in high school.”, explains Mr. Frederick, Patterson’s SGA faculty advisor.The elected positions in SGA are President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The president oversees the whole association and focuses on their primary responsibilities. The treasurer focuses on how money is spent on events and the budget we have. The secretary records documents of the SGA and helps with planning and meetings. Lastly, the vice president works with the president, helping with primary issues and solutions. We are currently collaborating with another student group called Catalyst for Change during advisory since we have a small group.

I would also like to mention that students are eligible to run for a city-wide position for the Associated Student Congress of Baltimore City (ASCBC). ASCBC is a city-wide SGA that focuses on bigger issues that impact every student in Baltimore City Public Schools. On October 3rd, Patterson SGA members attended the ASCBC General Assembly, which focused on things that could make our experience as BCPSS students better. We talked about how we could improve high school choice, school lunches, how we could add more robust class courses in our schools, and more.

I am currently running for the Diversity Committee Chair, which targets issues that minority and LGBTQ+ identifying students face in BCPSS. My goal is to ensure equity in every city school and get rid of the stereotypes Patterson and many other city schools have, while also implementing policies to make sure our schools are as inclusive as possible. As a participant, I’d highly encourage students to take this opportunity because it will help you grow as an individual, build your communication skills, give you a sense of accomplishment, and will help you make a change for you and students. If you feel as though you have no voice to speak on issues at Patterson High, think again and join our SGA!

Can new technology make our school safer? (OPINION)

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By Elijah DeBerry

In this article I will be writing about the safety of our students and our school building as a whole. 

Some concerns about safety at our school are the possibility of weapons being brought into the school building and those weapons being used on students and teachers present in the building at the current time. The school leaders are taking precautionary measures to ensure that the school is safer, such as implementing a new weapons detection system, which is mainly focused on detecting weapons rather than all metal objects like the old metal detectors did. 

In my personal opinion, I believe the weapons screening machines were functioning as intended. But recently they replaced the screeners with the old system: metal detectors. While I believe the screeners were temporary, as a sort of test, they worked great while they were implemented into the school’s security plan. I believe that the school should just stick to one thing, instead of switching back and forth. The screeners made entering the school quicker and possibly safer for students, whereas the metal detectors are too narrow for students to pass through easily. I say just stick with the screeners as they’re quicker and more convenient.

In conclusion to this article, I believe the leaders of Patterson High School, over the summer, should consider further implementing the weapon screenings system into the school to ensure that students are feeling safer with the screeners, rather than the metal detectors we originally have.

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