The Column

This dance program at WHSAD has a positive effect on me since I have such a strong passion for dance. This dance program is fun and whenever I am feeling down or not at my best, dancing motivates me and inspires me to not lose myself. I think everyone should have the opportunity to dance or at least try to dance and give the dance club a try. This dance program doesn’t just do hip-hop dance, but we do afro-beat, up-beat, and the most modernist dance. Overall, I recommend anyone who enjoys dance or participates in dance just for fun to join this dance program because it is extremely fun and entertaining. It would be cool to set up shows or films of the dances we make up and eventually share out the choreography to those entertained or … [Read more...]

From Freshman to Senior year, these almost high school graduates reflect on their 4 year long experience with the Pratt Young Scholars Program. Below, high school seniors express how the program made them feel, what it taught them, and how they will use what they learned for the future. Joshua Luna, senior The Pratt Young Scholars (PYS) program supported me in more ways than one. Throughout the three years of being in the program I was able to meet wonderful professors and students alike who all made the experience better. The PYS program helped strengthen my passion for art while teaching me new techniques and how to use different materials that were new to me. We would use these materials on a weekly basis learning new … [Read more...]

My name is Derek Ramos, and I am a member of the Youth Advisory Council. We are a group of students from different boroughs of New York City who work with DOE staff to project our voices and the voices of students all around the system. We work on finding ways to improve the overall environment of schools and find solutions to the problems we encounter as students. We strive to make schools safer and a more welcoming space for students such as ourselves with the help of Dennis Carter the director of Community Youth Development. Dennis is a senior director at the Ramapo for Children organization. He works with training, coaching and providing technical assistance to community-based organizations across New York City. Also part of our … [Read more...]

Ms. Fields The students loved seeing Shakespeare come to life! They were surprised to see the modern interpretation but were very impressed. I loved watching them delight in such a classic piece of literature!  Damian Dzięgielewski Macbeth was mind blowing. I'm honestly somewhat sad that Macbeth is my first play I have seen because my expectations are now through the roof for any play I see. The whole experience was incredible and once in a lifetime. Going into the play I honestly didn't know what to expect. I had never stepped foot into a Broadway theater before. On the way to the theater, we were discussing this superstition about not saying “Macbeth” in a theater, because it's bad luck, and bad things start happening. I find … [Read more...]

Elliana Duran, WHSAD Junior College. I feel like I've been hearing about it my whole life from the moment I stepped into school. This became even more real when I entered high school. Everywhere I turned there was something college related. It was overwhelming to be truly honest, and now as a junior the pressure is on. College is a completely different thing than high school. I felt like I wasn't ready for that cultural shock! Like, you're telling me I choose my schedule? I can live at the school? Heck, I can even walk out of the class if I really wanted to! Which I obviously would not do… but it's still shocking that I can do that! College life felt out of reach and unrelatable until we were able to attend these college trips.  First … [Read more...]

This school year has been one of transition, renewal, and resurgence. WHSAD staff and students have enjoyed being back in-person, getting the opportunities that were sorely missed during remote schooling. One such opportunity is field trips, and one trip that occurred on an on-going basis was the Staten Island Greenbelt in which students worked at High Rock Park to refurbish the trails. During these Wednesday excursions, students collaborated to apply the instruction they received from High Rock environmental educators Christopher Ricker, Karen Roos, and Angel Ehlers. Filled with moments students will remember for years to come, the days provided ample occasions not only to learn about flora and fauna that were a novelty to many of our city … [Read more...]

Special thanks to Ms. Heather Butts of H.E.A.L.T.H. for Youths, Brooklyn Borough President, Antonio Reynoso, Deputy Borough President, Diana Richardson, and the New York City Police Department. Last Friday a couple of WHSAD students took a trip to Brooklyn Borough Hall for an event with Little Free Library. If you don’t know what Little Free Library is, it’s the non-profit organization that created all of the small, tree house-like libraries. You have probably seen them before, maybe in someone's front yard, or in a park, or in Mr. Codio's room. The idea is this: when you take a book, you leave a book. The group has helped many communities grow closer by encouraging them to share, and read each other's books without difficulty, or … [Read more...]

Some fortunate WHSAD students, mainly from WHSAD’s Makerspace program, visited Gensler's architectural offices on April 28th. After commuting from the school to the offices on Broadway and West 53rd St., we were greeted by two Gensler architects, Anne-Sophie Hall and Tim Annin, who told us what to expect on our tour of the offices.  As we began our tour, I saw more samples on the floor or set for display. We entered the 4th floor and the guides explained that they have interior designers bring in furniture/texture samples to pitch to Gensler. The company first sets the samples into areas where employees can test the furniture/textures and provide feedback. Looking around the nearby area, there were three main furniture sets that … [Read more...]

Ms. Fields, AP English teacher How does it work? "Generally there are two different groups. The Socratic seminar circle that I use is called a fishbowl where the inner circle speaks first while the outside takes notes, and then it switches. The reason for the smaller groups is so that everyone has the opportunity to speak. There are about twelve students speaking, so it creates a more natural conversation. Students create their own questions that are about either the thematic elements of the text they're working on, whether it's a book, poem, or short story, or about literary, rhetorical devices that other students can respond to. But it's really just an organic conversation about the text." Why do you think a project like this is … [Read more...]

On Thursday, April 13th, seniors in Ms. Fields' ELA class showcased the work they've worked on during CUNY CAT. CUNY CAT is a program that utilizes theatre type techniques to engage students and have them develop a deeper understanding when they explore different topics. To learn more about the CAT program click here: https://creativeartsteam.org/ This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. Additional support from the Two Trees and Walentas Family Foundation. The students' performances were live-streamed to all senior classes during 3rd period. Over the course of eight weeks students worked on monologues, dialogues, creative … [Read more...]