The Column

For the New York natives and those looking for another New York experience, Roosevelt Island—found on the F line, in between its transition from Manhattan to Queens—is an experience like no other, specifically Four Freedoms Park. I remember the instant relief I felt when I took my first steps on the island. The subtle breeze and satisfying waves of the East River consumed my senses, and I thought, “has this place always been here?” As I walked towards the park, I realized the distant sounds of Midtown Manhattan and how far they felt when they were only 1,000ft away. In just a few minutes, I would learn the history of Four Freedom’s Park–the living legacy of Louis Kahn and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Louis Kahn, a designer and architect … [Read more...]

Thank you to Mr. Stewart Villilo for inspiring our students to pursue their artistic passions. On view in the exhibit is Junior, Alison Sanchez' photograph of Mr. Villilo. Her interview, along with insights from fellow club member, Elizabeth Cruz, and Mr. Villilo, is below. What inspired your photo? How do you feel about having your work displayed in Grand Central Station?  Before submitting my work I looked into the artist who was preparing the exhibition. Brandon Stanton is a photographer who places a lot of importance on people who are around us everyday, not necessarily celebrities or extremely known people but just people who we interact and communicate with on a day to day basis. I feel like there’s so many important people … [Read more...]

WHSAD Junior reporter, Miguel Hernandez, wrote this story. On Tuesday, September 30th, Shine Global presented honorees with plaques that were designed by our very own students at WHSAD. The plaques honored those who have created films that affected many people’s lives. Shine Global, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to creating films raising awareness to injustice around the world. As per its website, “Shine Global’s mission is to improve the lives of children by telling powerful stories that raise awareness, promote action, and inspire change​.” In addition to the plaques, Shine Global presented cash prizes to award winners. Some of the people and films receiving plaques are as follows: Jesse Draper- Jesse is a venture … [Read more...]

WHSAD Junior reporter, Alison Sanchez, wrote this narrative. An accompanying narrative from WHSAD Junior, Mia Brito, follows. On Friday, October 3rd, Junior English teacher and select students attended '11,000 Strings' at Park Avenue Armory, a long term partner of WHSAD that has provided students with numerous opportunities to engage and learn about the arts and become involved with the community. This trip centered around students who play or have had some experience playing an instrument in the past due to the fact that the trip centered majorly around music and the unique use of instruments.  ‘11,000 Strings’ is a beautiful performance that experiments with various sounds and emotions. It's a piece that is made to make the … [Read more...]

As part of last year's summer bridge program, our incoming freshman class began their work in designing a new green roof at the Newtown Creek Alliance headquarters in Greenpoint. This project immediately exposed these students to one of the many opportunities WHSAD has to offer. Over the years working with NCA, our students have designed and launched floating docks, landscaped nature walks, and cultivated a crucial partnership with an organization that aims to improve the environmental landscape of an area that has incurred tremendous damage from human activity. Acting as both stewards of sustainability and engineers of innovation, WHSAD students continue to aid Newtown Creek Alliance's mission "to restore community health, water quality, … [Read more...]

While New York City is vibrant, exciting, and diverse, it is nice to get away from the hustle and bustle. As Henry David Thoreau wrote, "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." Excursions into nature offer us an arena for reflection and meditation, and such journeys are particularly important for adolescents who rarely travel beyond the concrete urban landscape. On their trip to Manitoga-The Russel Wright Design Center, located 50 miles north of the city, students encountered a landscape that showcases humans' ability to blend architecture with nature. The retreat … [Read more...]

Here is the latest issue of WHSAD’s student-run newspaper, The Column. … [Read more...]

As members of the WHSAD student body embark on their first foray into the world of dramatic performance, they took in a performance of Othello at Erasmus High School. Learning the intricacies of putting on a production, students looked for elements they have been exploring for their production of the one-act version of Ian McWethy's Last Day of School. Thank you to Erasmus High School, Mr. Marlin D. Slack, and WHSAD teachers Mrs. Silverstein and Mr. Crockford for assisting students with their own performance and set designs. Stay tuned for the date and time announcement for WHSAD's first ever play, and please check out the following link for more information about Erasmus' performance of … [Read more...]

WHSAD's partnership with Park Avenue Armory is one of its longest running, with benefits consisting of annual artist residencies, internship opportunities in the Youth Corps program, networking that often leads to post-high school employment, and attendance at Armory performances and exhibitions. For this year's sophomores, they have had two chances to visit the Armory with the latest being witnessing Anne Imhoff's latest work, "Doom: House of Hope". The work is immersive, thought-provoking, and emotional as it explores various aspects of the American adolescent experience, based loosely on Shakespeare's tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. In the following narratives, Alison Sanchez (AS), Kyanna Mardenbrough (KM), and Bella Pierre (BP) share their … [Read more...]

Last Wednesday, January 29th, a group of WHSAD students took a trip to the Bronx to see the Bartow-Pell Mansion and Museum. The house and gardens are now part of Pelham Bay Park but once served as a high-class family home. Thomas Pell acquired the land the park now sits on through a treaty with the Lenape, the Native American tribe that controlled the land, in 1654. In 1836, Robert Bartow, a descendant of Tomas Pell, used the land to build the mansion. After the family sold the property to the city in 1888, the house served as the headquarters for the International Garden Club, who decided to restore the mansion to its former glory, and open it as a museum.  Although none of the furnishings inside the mansion are original, they … [Read more...]