The Column

Project Witness is a non profit Holocaust resource center, dedicated to Holocaust education. Their mission is to create a better future, one that has learned from the horrors of the past, through the communication of Holocaust survivor stories. Through Project Witness, the WHSAD community was blessed with the privilege of hearing Holocaust survivor, Ruth Gruener, speak. Organized by the WHSAD Humanities Department, this event was held Wednesday May 13th, via Google Meet, with a plethora of special guests, students, and WHSAD faculty. In a video call lasting a little over an hour, Ruth Gruener was able to share something special with us that greatly impacted the WHSAD community. Over 50 people took part in the virtual event. Students … [Read more...]

What is life like now during quarantine, what was it before, and most importantly, what will it be after? Before quarantine I had structure and a routine, it was like a pattern, a rhythm, it came so naturally to me. I understood, and I lived by it. The importance of schedules and structure during quarantine is a concept that Psychologist Claudia W. Allen strongly believes in. Allen the Director of Behavioral Science in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Virginia’s School of Medicine believes that “while telecommuting initially sounds like an unplanned vacation, in reality, isolation, lack of schedule and not enough to do are a foolproof recipe for depression” (Allen 1). Years’ worth of buildup and creation of a routine … [Read more...]

There is no denying that in the world of art and entertainment there is a glaring lack of diversity. Across all media there seems to be very few artists of color or of other minority groups to garner mainstream attention. Hollywood specifically has been criticized for years about this and still feels far from change. As for the small screen, diversity feels painfully forced sometimes. I personally wish there was more latino representation in Hollywood films and not just foreign pictures. It's part of the reason films like Black Panther have been so successful. It's not that people hate Iron Man, but it’s because they got something that was never before seen, a cool black superhero with their own good movie representing a unique culture. Now … [Read more...]

In the following narratives, WHSAD students share their experiences, thoughts, and feelings regarding the pandemic through which we are all living. Additionally, Ms. Moos and Mr. O'Brien's students have also been creating emojis out of household items. Aviva Benderson: The quarantine is being taken very seriously by my parents. We even moved temporarily to our house in Massachusetts, and it’s honestly been kind of lonely, but I have my sister and my parents. I also have the freedom to go outside, and I know how lucky I am seeing as people in cities such as Brooklyn and just all of NYC it’s almost impossible to go outside. I keep myself busy easily. I actually have a lot to do; I have the outdoors, I have art and then of course online … [Read more...]

When asked questions about what teachers have been doing to keep busy during quarantine as well as a few questions about themselves there was a wide variety of interesting answers. Christopher Koestner-Sophomore English How have you been keeping calm and collected during this quarantine? "I’m an introvert by nature, so I know how to spend time alone. I love people, but I have music, books, cooking, and cats to keep me entertained. I’m watching Ken Burns’ Baseball, rewatching The Wire for the fifth time, and just finished the Madam CJ Walker story. Also, I’m communicating with students, which helps as well, because it keeps me feeling gratified andconnected." Have you taken up any hobbies? If so, what?"I’ve been working on my … [Read more...]

This year has certainly presented its challenges, to some more than others. Our WHSAD Seniors are like so many other students who were looking to the spring months as moments of the surreal bliss that is momentarily afforded us. And while there is a great deal one could lament and pine for, these students continue to demonstrate resolve. Mr. Codio, Senior Business of Architecture teacher, and his students exemplify such determination. In the process of developing their firms, students have gained tremendous experience due to the insights of Mr. Codio and various staff members, but maybe the best insights have come from peers. In the following clips, Mayerli Barzola remotely presented her vision for Euphoria's (her firm) break room … [Read more...]

In the midst of a global pandemic, it's clear that not everyone is okay. There’s a lot to worry about, and so it's no surprise that a lot of us are feeling down, hopeless, scared, and uncertain of the future. We worry about our family members who may not be in the best physical condition, the state of our future academics with the SATs and AP exams, and those who are seniors, wonder if they’ll ever see friends again before going to college. With so much negativity and uncertainty in the air, the Community Service Club decided to do something about it. Seeing that our community needs a break from the worries of this pandemic, they went to work. During the first week of April, The WHSAD Community came together to spread positivity. … [Read more...]

In this work, Antonio Perez, WHSAD Senior and Editor-in-Chief and founder of WHSAD's school newspaper, The Column, provides his personal feelings regarding the school shut-down. His thoughts reveal the heartbreak many of WHSAD's seniors, and seniors across the city, state, and country, are experiencing due to the consequences of the pandemic. I still remember the days leading up to the school closures. I still vividly remember not only the day I found out, but the morning after. The emptiness and silence of the train car as I returned to New York, my empty soul staring out the window. When I found out schools were closed until possibly April 20th I was in bliss, I instantly called Jonah and Ariana, and words couldn't describe the … [Read more...]

As the COVID-19 Pandemic continues to affect the globe, mandatory social distancing and quarantining grow rapidly throughout the nation. NYC in particular is taking a huge blow with over 38,000 confirmed cases, along with the 914 deaths as of Sunday, according to the New York Times. Schools are shut down, leaving many students stranded in terms of activities to do (outside of online school sessions). I sympathize with this, as I too hadn't any idea of what I was going to do being stuck at home all day. I know it can be tempting to brush off warnings of not going outside during these trying times, when you're a bored teenager who doesn't think they'll be affected. But, I should reiterate that NYC has the most confirmed cases in the U.S. (and … [Read more...]

Architectural Grille is an entirely operating manufacturing facility that specializes in customized linear bar grilles and perforated grille using a wide variety of materials. Their products are uniquely created using only "state of the art" equipment like water jets, lasers, and CNC turret shapers and lathes. The main focus of the company is to create unique designs and distribute them on metal plates which are used in mainly ventilation and heating systems. Their utilized materials include aluminum, brass, bronze, steel and stainless steel. The Architectural Grille club at WHSAD is fully operated by Alain Codio, Senior teacher of WHSAD Architecture and Autocad. The following is a list of interviews with all the Architectural Grille … [Read more...]