The Column

Over the course of two months, WHSAD seniors explored the topic of immigration. Supported by CUNY Creative Arts Team (CAT) facilitators, Claro de los Reyes and Jose Duran, students engaged in creative processes of developing dialogue, points of conflict, and engaging narration in order to investigate numerous facets of the immigrant experience. Above, you may watch the full video of the students' culminating presentations and below you may read some of the participating students' takeaways. The collaboration with CUNY CAT Generation Immigration program was funded by the Walentas Family Foundation. Ian Perez Florian Working with Claro and Jose has brought into light some hidden potential that I never knew I had in myself. Through … [Read more...]

Solar panels have been with us since 1883 when Charles Fritts decided that he would coat a thin layer of what is called selenium with an extremely thin layer of gold. These resulting cells had an electrical output of only about 1%, but his invention led to further movement in solar energy.  This past March, Mr. Geovani Caldero, an instructor and program manager of Career and Technical education from Solar One, visited WHSAD Sophomore architecture CADD classes. Mr. Caldero worked with us for a span of two weeks to present information on what panels are and how they are used. He also shared personal stories about his community, and how the impact of Hurricane Marie on Puerto Rico had him thinking more intently about the importance of … [Read more...]

Recently I visited the Guggenheim museum for the first time with the program I’m interning for, Youth Corp at Park Avenue Armory. I’ve been holding off going to the renowned museum for a while because I haven't had the time to. I fortunately was able to go with the people I know, including friends and “co-workers”.  Working at the Armory has been such a fun experience. It’s a diverse space where everyone can be themselves which is important within a work environment such as the Armory. We’ve been exploring and experiencing different types of immersive art, especially through performance for our capstone project. At the end of the semester we’ll create a piece of art that blurs the line between performer and audience, expands our … [Read more...]

Alexander Diaz's Reflection Introduction The internship was a path between what we have learned so far about architecture here at WHSAD and the path ahead of us was with Gensler. Being more professional and attempting to meet deadlines was important throughout the internship.  As the internship comes to a close, I'd like to go over what I've learned about myself and my work ethic.  Personal Reflection Ever since freshman year, I always believed that these “afterschool” projects would have me working at night, sparing me no sleep and making it difficult to do anything else outside of school.  After doing this internship, I can certainly tell you that is not the case. What really matters is your work-life … [Read more...]

What is Love? Although it may seem that most find love at every corner, the truth is love is rare especially in today’s day and era. Dealing with the pandemic, Covid, and few interactions limited the love that we are supposed to share. To explore this topic The Park Avenue Armory presents the play Love by Alexander Zeldin. The production involves families and individuals living in a shelter and dealing with unfortunate circumstances. The author really showed us that when there is nothing and you're burdened with so many responsibilities, then you realize what love truly is. Before we saw the play, Vickie Tanner, Park Avenue Armory teaching artist, came in and provided a little advanced preparation. This being my first play, I found … [Read more...]

On January 13th, a few WHSAD students attended the Noguchi Museum along with our 11th grade architecture teachers. History - Artist and The Museum Located in Long Island City, Queens the Noguchi Museum is home to the sculptures of Isamu Noguchi who also founded the Museum in 1985. He was the first living artist in the U.S. to design a museum that featured only his work. Noguchi had anticipated having his sculptures be displayed in museums across the city, but the museums were unwilling to show all his work, so he decided to form his own museum.  Though the sole purpose of the museum was to showcase Noguchi’s work, it was also to challenge the idea of how we view sculptures. What often comes to mind when we think of a sculpture is … [Read more...]

Recently WHSAD students worked with Brooklyn Prep (BP), and Williamsburg Prep (WP) in remodeling the Harry Van Arsdale cafeteria. The 40 minutes a day the students at these schools spend in this space is vitally important to their productivity the rest of the day. Creating a space where kids feel comfortable to socialize and relax can help them focus more in afternoon classes, meaning if the environment feels stressful, or uncomfortable, the students will probably feel the same. This was exactly the problem the old cafeteria had: it didn’t feel friendly or inviting. But that's all changed now. What were once white walls and rectangular folding tables, now are booths, posters, and a much more diverse collection of tables. This lunch room has … [Read more...]

On February 6th, Holocaust survivor, Toby Levy, spoke to WHSAD students about her experience as a child during the Holocaust. The event was sponsored by Project Witness, a non-profit organization that offers sources for students to learn about and remember the Holocaust. For the last four years, Project Witness has worked with WHSAD to provide students with information on the Holocaust from people who have lived through the Holocaust first-hand. Toby Levy has made it her responsibility to share her experiences with as many people as possible so the event is not forgotten. As a part of Project Witness, she strives to teach students about the events of the Holocaust and its relevance even today.  Toby Levy was born in 1933, the year … [Read more...]

February 15 2023, Mr. Codio invited me to attend a New York City Department of Building’s presentation. At first I was nervous because I had a feeling that this would be completely different from the presentation I attended my freshman year. Coming back to this building was a different feeling from last year such as the difference in room, my age, and the purpose for being on that trip. Thanks to my connections with Mr. Codio from freshman year, having put myself into these situations has helped with my anxiety, my social skills, and my networking skills.  This year, I sat in the same seat as the inspectors in training. Knowing that everyone started somewhere and being in the same environment as those who turn out to be assistant … [Read more...]

On February 1st, US History students attended Hamilton, a Broadway performance, and were able to experience the lights, songs, and immersive theatrics of it all. Hamilton, a musical following the life of founding father, Alexander Hamilton, focuses mostly on the time period surrounding the American Revolution. Despite the questionable historical accuracy, the show cites several historical documents, many written by or contributed to by Hamilton himself. Some of these documents were made familiar to students in US history, building context and a connection between learning and the arts.  Some students who attended the event share their experience below: Alexander Diaz As a part of the Gilder Lehrman Foundation, WHSAD Juniors were … [Read more...]