By Keyshawn Ward-Delisme
Hundreds of Philadelphia students and teachers ride SEPTA almost every day. With the School District of Philadelphia handing students pre-paid student SEPTA Key cards active from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. with a limited number of usages or “taps” set by the school. These cards are free to use on SEPTA’s trolley, train, subway, and bus lines with an additional fee required to be used on the regional rail. Out of all these methods of transportation, the largest and most important one would be SEPTA's bus lines.
In early 2021 SEPTA had begun to propose ways to make the bus system faster and more efficient, and thus SEPTA’s Bus Revolution was given life. For most of 2021, the Bus Revolution would go through development and planning to see what and how things would change for the current bus network. This stage would continue into 2022 where Drafts for this new network would be started and later shared with the public on SEPTA’s Bus Revolu-
ble-digit route numbers to triple digits with routes like route 4 turning into the 516, or route 9 turning into 599. Another change would be the extending, shortening, cutting, rerouting, and combining of the current existing routes.
The draft from fall 2022, detailed how certain routes would be drastically changed, the public was pretty vocal about the changes being conducted and how it would affect the status quo. Some people expressed how it would take longer/be more difficult getting to and from work/ school with the changes.
As of mid-March 2023, SEPTA decided to revise the old draft after hearing the voices from the citizens of Philadelphia and the general backlash that had occurred. This new draft explains the changes a little better and is formatted in a way where one can see each route and its effects. If the public is satisfied with the changes, in the Summer SEPTA will try and move on to finalizing the final Bus Network and continue to have hearings before finally implementing changes in 2024.
problems would be Broad Street, more specifically the 4 and 16. According to the draft, the 16 would be cut in half, still starting from Cheltenham Avenue and Ogontz Avenue but would stop at North Philly Station. This would force more people to take the 4 to get further along Broad Street, and while the new draft explains how the 4 would become more frequent, it may still have an issue with capacity, especially during the weekdays. The changes from other routes as well it would funnel more people into both the Market-Frakford Line and the Broad Street Line, which most people don’t want to do due to the current state and condition of both, especially the Market-Frankford Line.
Along with the bus revolution, SEPTA is also working on improving the Regional Rail, Subways, and Trolley systems. They want to group the Market-Frankford Line, Broad Street Line, Norristown High-Speed Line, and Trolley lines under one umbrella known as SEPTA METRO. The changes they are planning won't be as drastic as the changes to the bus network but is still something to keep in mind. With SEPTA METRO, SEPTA is planning to change the signage and improve the equipment of the subway, trolley, and high-speed lines as they believe that currently it is inefficient, and may even be confusing to those who don’t live in Philly. These changes would include the renaming of lines like the Broad Street Line’s Local, Express, and Spur branches would be labeled as B1, B2, and B3, or the Trolley lines changing to T1, T2, T3, and so on so forth.
SEPTA officials have recommended going to www. SEPTAbusrevolution.com for more information and updates regarding the Bus Revolution plans.
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tion Website in the latter half of that year. These drafts would detail things that would happen with this revolution. The first of the changes would be the shift from dou-
While SEPTA may have good intentions and truly want to improve the current transit system, their plans may cause more problems than solutions. One of these
By Santino Stagliano
When many high school students leave FLC, They are unaware of the essential skills they will need to survive in the “real world”. Offering high school classes based on these “life skills" could help alleviate the confusion and stress on said students after graduation.
“Leaving the nest” as they say has always been a difficult process, especially when highs chool students have no idea what they are doing after graduation. This is due to the lack of clarification. High school graduates often struggle and don’t find out skills they should know until their 20s or 30s. In fact, 34% of Americans admit that they didn’t have a plan according to a survey done by Colorado State University Global.
“My teachers Ms. Honey and Ms. Way were concerned because I didn't apply for college and was just working,” said Cierra Phillip, FLC class of 2015.
The effect of not knowing certain skills when leaving high school can be very challenging for some. However, there might be a way to solve this problem: courses that teach essential skills for the future ahead. These classes would focus on skills needed for the average student to be successful in life after high school.
Some, like special education teacher Peter Pijanowski, believe this would be worth the investment and time as students would be able to learn these concepts as early as possible rather than well after they graduate.
“I think investing in a class like that
By Yael Perez Ladinowill hopefully reduce students feeling like highschool isn't teaching them anything,” Pijanowski said. “If we can reduce people asking what is something I wish I knew before graduating I think that would be really successful.”
This could also help students have a clearer understanding of future planning as they would know what to expect when it comes to the world outside of highschool.
“I think if students knew what to expect after highschool in regards to going to college or getting a job, that would help them plan their futures better,” Pinjonowski said.
Pijanowski has had experience with such a course. As a student, he was in a home economics course where he learned how to sew and cook for himself. He also helped autistic kids with basic life skills. He also taught a unit in career writing, and on a particular day, he and his students did mock interviews.
“Some students really liked it and some students were terrified that I was asking them questions about their life and what they wanted to do.”
There is a Personal finance class in FLC taught by Dr. Ke, which does go over some life skills such as money management, and tries to help students get into their dream jobs. This class can also be taken by anyone. However, this class currently consists of mostly 9th graders, and Dr. Ke believes that this class should be taught to grades that have gained some work experience such as 11th or 12th-grade students.
Those are not only examples of students learning life skills but also what kind of classes could be possible when it comes to
teaching skills like how to prepare students for a job interview and the involved, simpler, skills for that training, communication.
There are a lot of benefits for students who don't know much about these skills and courses, classes, programs, or even a
ted talk could help students not only adjust to being an “adult” but also help them take a better grasp of their life when they finally graduate highschool.
“If you can learn these basic life skills now instead of waiting till your 20’s, you’ll be unstoppable.”- Cierra Philips
TikTok is a social media platform used by millions around the world, including students at FLC. Students can be seen doing TikTok dances in the hallways and stairways as well as scrolling through the app in and out of class. TikTok has been gaining attention over the weeks for two reasons, the potential risk of personal data being collected by the Chinese government informed by the FBI director, and a negative impact it has on teens by scrolling through TikTok according to a psychologist.
TikTok is owned by a parent company called ByteDance, and although the Chinese government doesn’t own the company directly, it may influence China’s operation.
Chris Wray, the FBI director, has expressed concern regarding China’s ability to control the algorithm, stating that it allows China to manipulate the content to push their operation and also collect data for espionage relations.
Jeremiah Cornish, a sophmore in FLC, and a TikTok user, was asked about the situation regarding the warning.
“Most countries want to collect data on other people in their country and also countries around the world”, Cornish says.
Another student at FLC who is a freshman and TikTok user, Yaindhe Razo, expressed a similar yet different statement:
“I'm not into that stuff? Like, it could be possible, maybe, depending on what they are trying to search but I don't think they'll be looking [into] every single person because there's a bunch of people who use the app.”
Razo doesn’t believe that it's possible for the Chinese government to look into every account in TikTok, since TikTok has over a million active users a month.
“I don't think they'll be watching every
single account but maybe the people, the more popular people they might be looking ..but I think people's accounts that aren't well known or aren't even that big or just viewers, they most likely would not be looking for data.” She has a thought that rather than the Chinese government looking at casual viewers, they are collecting data from more popular and famous people using the app.
Although it isn’t the first time TikTok has been accused of data collection, a solution was proposed by the US government to censor TikTok, both Cornish and Razo think that the censorship is not needed. TikTok has also been called out by parents, who are worried that their children are spending way too much time on the app.
Dr. Jean Twenge, a psychologist, said that TikTok’s algorithm is sophisticated and sticky and is a reason why many teens engage in the app for long periods of time. Twenge has had teens explain to her that they only intended to be on the app for 15 minutes, just so they end up spending more than 2 hours in the app than intended. According to Twenge, the more time teens are in TikTok, the more depressed they may become.
Both Cornish and Razo use TikTok for more than 3 hours per day. For Cornish, he states his life has not changed at all while using TikTok, however, Razo said that she has been wasting more time while using TikTok.
Furthermore, Cornish considers TikTok as a safe place for him, but Razo believes the opposite. “Not really, especially like under what side are there because there's different sides like there's some part depending on if you're more into different fandoms which are kind of like cartoons or, if you're into makeup, you're most likely gonna get like, for you for you paints like stuff about
makeup and like, if it's about like, maybe like a certain show you like it's gonna be about those. But like, it really depends, but for the most part it can be very, very not that safe or maybe toxic.”
With these concerns in mind, both Cornish and Razo agree on something, and that is that both will keep using the app,
despite the danger.
“I'm gonna keep it because that's one way I like to talk to my friends, stuff like that because I just, we basically don't really communicate. I just like to send videos that will be in our system videos, which is just basically how we just talk.” said Razo.
Philadelphia is ranked 7th in the ”Most Dangerous Cities to Live In” list, with moderately increasing rates of homicide, assault, and other crimes. While gun violence on a decline in the city, student safety to and from school is a concern all families have when their children are going to school no matter how old they are. Students from kindergarten through college are impacted by these safety concerns. With over 200 mass shootings in the US so far this year according to the National Gun Violence Archive we all have to think of safety both in and outside the classroom. How unsafe is it to get to and from school? How has the violence faced by students affected the school environment? These are all questions families ask almost every day and are trying to find solutions for.
Depending on which part of Philadelphia you live in and your mode of transportation, going to school could feel like a cakewalk or a suicide mission. Philadelphia’s most dangerous areas include North, Northeast, and West Philadelphia. Because Franklin Learning Center is in North Philadelphia, coming to school can feel like a very dangerous task for students.
In terms of police officers, there aren't enough of them on the subway to stop the violence that could happen but having more police officers wouldn’t necessarily ensure a safer environment. Those suffering from addiction and displaced riders often disrupt students on their way to and from school causing an unsafe and unpleasant commute.
Adults can carry all sorts of weapons whether walking or riding on SEPTA to protect themselves. But there's no telling when a mode of defense can become a mode of offense. The school has an amnesty box that allows you to drop off your weapons before passing through the metal
detectors but this too can deter students because it can often feel like a trap.
As of the date of publishing, there have been 125 homicides. This number quickly escalated in recent months so it's likely the number has been changed already. Despite this large number, this is still an 11% decrease from the year 2022. Students at FLC have had to deal with this reality for a while but when they are forced to commute to school, especially in the winter and fall when it gets dark by 5 p.m., this reality gets more terrifying.
Philadelphia has become quite infamous for its poor communities, shootings, muggings, homelessness, and so much more.
It is reported that most occasional crime centers around the Northern or Western areas of Philly, Franklin Learning Center being a part of that area. We’ve already faced difficulties with violence near or in FLC last year, specifically where an incident occurred between two students who were caught up in an altercation and a firearm was set off right after dismissal. A day after this incident, students were able to access resources to aid students who were shaken up by the occurrence.
The School District of Philadelphia provides multiple sources to reach out to for students, but what happens when they don’t reach out? It’s been recorded by Valerie McGaha-Garnett, a assistant professor of Applied Health and Psychology, who recored that children who endure community violence have a harder time focusing, socializing, and responding effectively to emotions, lower academic performance, and distress towards abuse.
Almost half of FLC’s enrollment is Black. 30.8% of those under Philly’s poverty line are Black according to The Pew Charitble Trusts. In these more impoverished environments, violence is more likely to occur where the poverty rate is 2/5, and the violent crime rate also triples. When
the data shows how much more prone children are to witnessing violence, we begin to see a trend in behavior, and how it begins to affect the atmosphere. Even if they aren’t in these vulnerable environments, the children of today are already a google search away from world tragedy all around Philadelphia, exposed to the terrible everyday events that happen around them. It’s important to focus on students’ mental health and open discussions on combating community violence.
How does traveling through unsafe areas affect students’ mental health? First, we have to look at the mental state of students before putting unsafe travel into the mix. According to the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary & Trends Report, “In 2021, more than 4 in 10 (42%) students felt persistently sad or hopeless and nearly one-third (29%) experienced poor mental health.” This is saying that a large percentage of students are already experiencing depression and other mental health issues. The constant fear for their safety while trying to get to and from school every day can play a large contribution to these statistics.
While it may be true that Philadelphia can be unsafe and dangerous some may argue that not all parts are unsafe. For example, it is stated in a 6abc news article by John Paul that “much of the increase in crime happened outside of Center City in the recent years.” So yes Philadelphia has areas that are safer than others but the good does not outweigh the bad. Most children don’t have to commute through that area, therefore the safety of Center City may not be much of a concern to them. Those who don't travel through this area, usually pass through some of the more dangerous areas such as north, south, and west Philadelphia, because of this students have to be more cautious when on their way to school.
How do we fix this? Students are able to
use SEPTA through their student fare cards from 5:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., giving them access to anywhere the buses, trolleys, and subway systems can take them. This means they could potentially be exposed to or involved in violent acts on their way to and from school. SEPTA should be responsible for providing training and certifications for their transit police in SEPTA-owned and operated spaces such as trolley and train stations, transportation centers, and bus loops to ensure student safety.
SEPTA has only 260 officers working in the 2,200 sq. miles that SEPTA serves in three patrol districts, that is enough officers to have on vehicles and facilities at all times.
Families can set up a safety plan for their children if they are in a dangerous situation while traveling alone such as coming up with a “safe word” or safety code, or a runaway plan to a safe location where a family member can be called.
The School District of Philadelphia spends nearly $1 million on student safety in schools, however none towards outside safety. Within this $1 million, the school district could work alongside SEPTA and create job positions where, in student high-traffic areas such as the El and Broad Street Line, there are people similar to climate support workers, ensuring student safety.
Our city’s long-winded history of violence has an impact on students' mental health and physical safety. The shootings, those suffering from addiction on and off of public transportation, and the inability to protect themselves (because weapons aren't allowed on school campuses) all add up.
With the city, school district and SEPTA taking little-to-no action to ensure student safety, families are left to pick up the slack. The city of Philadelphia needs to do more in favor of its students and their safety.
Poetry is an art form that has existed for centuries. It’s countless benefits and alluring nature has stood the test of time and continue to draw in writers young and old. April is National Poetry Month so it would only be appropriate to spotlight poets at FLC and ask them how poetry has helped them throughout their lives.
Malika Turner is a Medical Assisting Major who has been writing poetry for 2 years. Poetry has benefitted her in terms of connections through building communication skills.
“Poetry has helped my relationships by allowing me to express myself in a way that I am more familiar with. It helps me to let others know what it is that I feel,” said Turner.
Despite the benefits that poetry has made to her relationships, she feels that poetry has also made a difference in her academics. She feels that poetry allowed her to soothe negative emotions which helps her thrive in school.
According to an article by CNN.com that describes the psychological benefits of the hobby, poetry can have that effect on people. It is known to boost mood and reduce stress. This can help you focus on parts of your life that make it worth living. Or focus on your school work. This is why many people turn to poetry in times of trauma or grief.
“Poetry helped me through school by allowing me to relieve stress. Whenever I write, I can put my feelings on paper and let them go. It has also helped me connect with others at school due to similar experiences that I write about,” she said.
Jasmin Riggins is a Business Major who has been writing poetry for more than 4 years. Riggins also feels poetry is a good outlet for emotions. Besides that, she feels it helps her express herself in creative ways.
“Poetry started as a way for me to write down my emotions in a journal in a creative way. I pride myself on being unique and having complexity, so naturally, I grew to love poetry because I thought I could be the most creative in writing.”
For Riggins, poetry also helped her create closer connections with her peers and helped her appreciate other forms of art.
“I feel that poetry allows the people I care about to get closer to me in a meaningful way. I usually am successful in getting closer to people through poetry…Poetry opened a door for me to appreciate different types of visuals and the art of photography.”
In terms of connections, Turner also felt that the interpersonal poetry has taught her has made her a better person.
“Poetry has made me a better person by allowing me [to] be a resource or outlet for some people. Through poetry, I am able
to be a person that people can confide in [in] their most vulnerable state. And it has made me very grateful for some of the things that I have that others do not. Poetry has unexpectedly made me more understanding. I used to have a really biased way of viewing certain things but as I write and hear the feedback and the shared thoughts and others’ experiences in general, it made me a more compassionate and understanding person.”
According to Edutopia, writing poetry can expand your worldview and criticize societal norms due to the inspiration that can be drawn from other poets. This can make you a more impartial and open-minded person as can be seen in Turner’s case.
Aidan Kingcade, a College Prep Major, has found that poetry has helped him become a better writer.
“Ways poetry has helped me through school are mostly in English because I noticed in high school if you leave the grammar practice, sentence structures, and all of that and start going into more concepts and ideas in the world. In a way, some people decide to bring their ideas to life through poetry,” he said.
Poetry has been known to expand your writing skills by introducing you to vocabulary that you otherwise wouldn’t have known. This can help you succeed in writing classes and even make you more articulate. Being more articulate can also help your relationships and draw people towards you.
He believes that a lot of writing can be seen as poetic if you disregard structural differences.
“Good examples of these are works like “The Raven” by none other than Edgar Allan Poe. In the poem, it’s…about a man who is grieving about his dead wife
and how the grief will never leave him… He presents himself in this poem as a crazy man who’s talking to a raven to convey his feelings and ideas of grief to us, the reader.”
Unlike Turner, Kingcade felt that poetry has only indirectly helped his interpersonal skills…
“Has poetry ever helped me in relationships? Not directly, no, but the skills to understand poems and to be able to make one have helped in a couple of my relationships. When it comes to friends, they always tend to say that I always say the right thing, and maybe I have gotten that a little from poetry. When it comes to my more romantic relationships, I tend to have a good vocabulary for some people, and that sometimes helps me make better connections with them,” he said.
Kingcade felt that though, poetry is something he enjoys doing, it hasn’t assisted him in any significant way.
“I wouldn’t say poetry is a life-changing thing for me; I see it as entertainment. But maybe it explains some of my love for Gothic themes like “The Raven” or basically any other Edgar Allan Poe poem (I love him).”
Poetry may be entertaining for some people but not for all the same way that poetry may be beneficial for some but not for all. In Aidan’s case, he found it interesting but not life-changing and that’s okay. If poetry isn’t your cup of tea, don’t worry. There are many other ways to express yourself that can help in ways that poetry has helped Turner and Riggins.
“I wouldn’t say poems made me a better person, but they gave me some tools to become a better person. Because with poetry, you’re able to control language in a very complex way, and it’s up to you if you want to use it for good or not.”- Aidan Kingcade
Traditional art has changed “countless times” throughout human history, and there are many ways people can do art even now. The main point of art is to express oneself in their own manner., but what about AI art? AI art is artificial intelligence that can create art within seconds, and with such advanced technology, is there a purpose to human-made art? We asked some artists how traditional art has changed from the past to the present, then asked them to establish what traditional art is now.
This is what junior art major, Maya Williams, has to say.
“Art has definitely changed. While art has always been a medium of expression, it is now unanimously agreed that anyone can do art as a form of self-expression. While it is debated what classifies something as ‘art,’ I believe that every human creation (positive and negative) constitutes [as] art. This means everything from paintings to something as mundane as a sitting chair.” said Williams.
Williams believes that all non-living entities created by humans are inherently art and hold artistic qualities. She also believes that art is measured by its effect on others.
“This isn’t to say that everything in creation (created by humans) is a form of emotional expression, but things like tools and objects I classify as art due to their effect on others. “Art is also much more accessible, especially to high school and college students.” Williams said.
She explains how art has started to be seen as something bigger than a person expressing their emotions.
“Art is fundamentally a part of all experiences…, it is also considered integral to other careers needed to further contemporary human development” Williams added.
Junior art major, Angelo Infusino shares some similar ideas with Williams.
was back in the day compared to now.
“I’d definitely say art has changed throughout the years. I mean, look at how much realism is heavily valued over all else, capturing the exact likeness of life and the person(s) around you. Hyper-realism in art still is heavily appreciated, but the unique styles you can now take with art is so vast with the help of Eastern influences (I.E anime) it’s like someone’s own fingerprint and has so much individuality and soul to it.” said Thorne. Cameron Rodriguez, junior art major, also added, “Art is always changing.
one can be good at art, and anyone can further their skills as artists, but it’s a separate thing to make a financial benefit off of your work” Williams said.
She saw a sunny side to this dilemma due to the plethora of options available.
“While this may be a problem, art serves many purposes, and there are many places where an artist can make their career. From character design to logo design to photography, art has a place everywhere in the human experience. It’s the matter of finding a job that can be overwhelming” She added.
Infusino also commented “Yes! I
that are making and running them.
“And this is not completely the fault of the machine, but also those that run the machine. Tech bros don’t truly understand the value of art the same way more in-touch consumers or artists themselves do. They just want a quick, easy, and simple product to churn out and devalue everything else in the pursuit” Thorne said.
He talks about how a lot of artists are angry about how people that run AI just want a simple and easy way to make money and while doing that also belittle the time and effort traditional artists put in.
“Definitely, even on a smaller scale like from 2010 to the present, art has evolved. I think it’s mostly just people gradually becoming more confident in their individuality as artists and creating things that are unique and independent from the standard for art, so much so that it seems to have changed that standard as well,” said Infusino Ace Butler-Thorne another junior art major, explains how different art
Art is something that can evolve and be continuously improved, as has happened throughout history. Art itself is an idea that different people interpret differently, and in turn, improve, experiment, and develop just by trying something new.”
In terms of whether the changes that were made to art over time were beneficial to artists, these students had interesting points to make.
“I think that change is needed for development. Changes in art throughout the years have allowed artists to improve and, at certain times literally, sculpt the foundation that inspired other artists. Art being made is a cycle: an artist makes a piece of art, and
feel like it’s given artists all around the world more opportunities to fully express themselves in ways they personally want to without meeting a very particular, and arguably generic, expectation.”
With the idea that traditional art is able to help people express themselves more and let them show off their individual art style more often, when asked about their opinions on overall AI art.
“AI art is kind of a gift and a curse. It has helped make processes easier, like training it to learn an artist’s style so it can make art faster, but that comes at a price. AI art needs data in order to work. You need to feed it said data for it to learn and mold, so the algorithm adapts to what you ask of it. In this, you are quite literally taking something and feeding it to a system that will haphazardly do what it’s commanded to do.” Thorne commented.
Thorne also explained how AI art doesn’t follow the methods that make art so special and instead, they compare AI art to corporate art.
“It’s a spit in the face of artists like myself who devoted so much damn time to their craft to perfect it into the image they’re proud of only to get shut down by tech bros who think they know better about the medium than actual artists who have been in the game for years do.” Thorne explains. He says when created by some people, AI art might be seen as a form of gentrification of the art world.
“AI art is, in a way, the gentrification of the art scene when in the hands of the tech bros. They always wanna make the same bland, boring realism that kinda devalued the art scene years ago…The last thing we need is for art, the very function of society, to get watered down into unfamiliarity, which I doubt would happen, but at the same time, American society, unfortunately, cares more about money than the soul. Hopefully, that can change,” he said.
While looking at another point of view, Williams had this to say in regard to AI-generated art.
another artist gets inspired and makes one too. The changes made in art are beneficial to artists not only because new types of art are made, but also because new art will continue to be made” Rodriguez said.
Williams has another viewpoint on the question and said “While this change is beneficial, it creates the dilemma of the art field seeming ‘diluted’ or much too expensive. Yes, anyone can do art, any-
“Art has a certain thing about it that makes it so good. It’s the passion for it, the intentional stylistic choices one might make, that breaks the rules of art while still following them. AI doesn’t understand that… Why else do people hate corporate art? Because it’s soulless, it lacks meaning, value, and artistic integrity. That’s what AI art is like. It takes what makes art an enjoyable process that people want to share and practically rips it apart with no regard.”
He argues that these problems aren’t completely the AI’s fault and that they’re the fault of the people
“While the advancements in AI technology are expanding rapidly, almost at an astounding rate, many artists fear that AI art will begin taking jobs away from human artists. This anxiety is expected but isn’t exactly justified. There are already movements to stop AI art and even programs that prevent the artwork from being placed through an AI filter. Arts made by humans cannot be replaced by AI because AI is exactly as the name states: artificial. This art is not genuine in the slightest. No years of experience. No improvement. No thought over right and wrong. All that art AI knows how to do is take a picture and overlay other artists’ works to create a somewhat cohesive piece. Totally mindless. This is why I believe we shouldn’t be as scared of AI art as we are. Yes, it is terrible that art thieves are using this technology to steal art, but this art isn’t genuine, and no one wants artwork that isn’t genuine (I mean, most rational people). People with common sense and a basic idea of how much time and effort goes into the craft.) The bottom line is that AI art isn’t genuine art because it is not human-made. Yes, AI was created by humans, but the output is mindless" Williams commented as well.
“AI art cannot, and most likely will not, replace human art, as it is integral to the human experience.”-Ace Butler-Thorne
"AI art needs data in order to work. You need to feed it said data for it to learn and mold, so the algorithm adapts to what you ask of it."
-Ace Butler-Thorne
If you’re looking for something to do after school, or even just in your free time, you should consider checking out Localhost. Localhost is an Esports internet cafe that allows patrons to rent computers and consoles to use for leisure. One of only five Localhost locations in the U.S. is just around the corner from Franklin Learning Center. Located on 401 North Broad Street, the venue is just a five-minute walk away from school, making gaming accessible to the students of FLC. This venue in particular hosts 124 PC towers and 20 consoles to use per an hourly rate. The rate of renting a PC or console is just $5 for the first hour. The high-end PC towers give users access to Steam, Chrome, Epic Games, and other hosting browsers to make the most of their time at the cafe.
Localhost also offers a “borrow” program through Steam, where users who are renting a PC can play preset games bought by Localhost. Some of these games include Tekken 7, Guilty Gear: Strive, Brawlhalla, and Dead by Daylight.
Localhost also hosts events for specific days of the week. Smash Bros, Splatoon, Valorant, and fighting game events are all hosted at the cafe during the week. Anyone can RSVP to join an event or pay upfront at the time of the event. Many people attend these events to come together with a common interest, as well as friendly competi-
tion. If you’re interested in making some connections when it comes to gaming, Localhost may be a place you’d like to stop by.
Not sure if Localhost is for you? You can try it for free! Students get a free hour of playtime anytime after 4 pm. You can also use the FTX app and use promo code NERD to claim a free hour. Members of localhost can also redeem free hours through their rewards program. The more often you spend on time at the venue, the more free bonus time you receive to play.
FLC’s ESports club has been using Localhost as a venue for about three months, with club members joining for competitive or casual play after school. A popular game among the FLC ESports club is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and some club members make the short walk over to Localhost to play on a rented console.
Noel Campos-Robles, an ESports club member and winner of the 2022 FLC ESports Smash Bros Tournament gave his opinion on Localhost. “…it is an amazing place to hangout alone or with friends, the staff are very kind and helpful if you have any problems or questions.” He says. “Also the addition of a free hour for students is a great idea to bring people in for fun.”
Localhost is a cheap and accessible venue for students who are interested in gaming and ESports. If you need some cheap entertainment, or you’re just interested in gaming, check out the venue. It’s right around the corner!
As a high school student, my vital organs might as well be in my AirPods. I can’t function without them. This seems like the case for most students at FLC, who are commonly seen blocking out the hallway ambiance with their own.
Though it may annoy teachers to no end, is there a chance that a student’s soundtrack can make them more productive? Studies say yes! Our favorite songs can intensify our focus, boost our mood, and destress us.
According to the Harvard Business Review, background music blocks out other distractions. It provides our brains
with extra stimulation when we’re completing simple tasks, like filling out a worksheet or solving math equations.
Joleah Nay, a senior art major if she thought music improved her concentration. “I use music to help me study,” said. “It helps me stay motivated whenever I can’t do my assignments.”
Allowing students to use music to hone their focus could even have a positive spillover into test scores!
Music is more of a motivator than you think. Certain songs can have a huge impact on our moods. Listening to an upbeat song when you’re low on energy is similar to having a large cup of coffee. An article from Pfizer relates one’s favorite song to the bells of Pavlov’s dogs, saying our brains “actively anticipate pleasure upon hearing familiar notes.”
When asked if she’d ever used music as a means of motivation, Medical Assisting major Saba Alkinani responded, “I find that listening to music is the best way to unwind, therefore in a way, it inspires me to complete my tasks. Music has helped me work efficiently with handson activities. If I’m cooking or painting, music is the perfect compliment!”
Music’s most recognized quality may be its ability to calm students down. Depression and anxiety are common among teenagers. Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families reported that 5.6 million children had been diagnosed with anxiety in 2020 alone. This includes a chunk of high school students.
When asked what music does for her anxiety, junior art major Sarai Davis commented that music has an almost “instantaneous calming effect” for her. “Having something to take me from the distractions around me helps me focus. The more focus I have the more I get done and the more accomplished I feel the better I do mentally.” Davis added. There are many things we can do to incorporate music into our school life. Students could be encouraged to listen to their study playlists when completing work or teachers could take song requests for background music during class time. No matter how we do it, it’s important to recognize how the benefits of music can positively affect the students of FLC.
February 17th 2023, Franklin Learning Center’s student council held a Mardi Gras dance from 6pm-9pm in FLC's marble lobby. There was no dress code but there was a theme. However, the attendance was low compared to FLC’s past dances. The cost was $10 per person, it included a mask and beaded necklaces to wear. Due to the cost, not many students thought that the dance would be worth their time and money.
Dareen Alfroukh, a sophomore at FLC and she went to the Mardi Gras dance. "In my opinion, I find school dances to be a fun and exciting place for students to go where they're in a safe environment and not out
on the streets doing dumb things and irresponsible with no supervision,” says Alfroukh.
According to what Alfroukh says, coming to school dances is definitely worth your time because you get to have fun with your friends in a safe environment and away from your parents. Dareen says school dances are worth your time but will it be worth the amount of money spent too because every school dance has a price to it.
“See, part of school dances is that they need the money to raise up and buy all the things for the school dances so I find it just a couple bucks between 4 to 10 is fine. It's definitely understandable if not too much, so I think it's fine.” Alfroukh says “Anything they buy, they could always reuse it
so it can always be worth it..”
“The amount of money that you spend on looking nice and the dance itself is worth it,” says Alfroukh. Even though the cost was $10, it is worth your time and money. Prices are reasonable and explainable, it’s not a huge amount so it is worth your money.
Speaking of prices, Colleen Krakauskas (Mrs. K), FLC's Dean of Students and the person that establishes/creates FLC school dances says, “The prices I come up with are usually fundraisers for different groups.” in regards to price for the dances she plans.
Krakauskas continues to explain the reason for creating school dances, “So it's just something that's kind of fun and it's a good social thing" she said.
Dareen Alfroukh explains her experience at the Mardi Gras dance and her opinions on the price of it. Ms. K explains her way of coming up with the prices of the dance and the reason for which she establishes a dance in the first place.
“I find this to be a great way for our school and community to have a good time together without there and without there being any drama. I find it to be very calming," says Alfroukh. “And I guess the word could be togetherness. We were always at the school dances. It is a way to experience high school in a new site.”
The average teenager has a ton on their plate. Keeping up with grades, preparing for college, and finding an after-school job are the normal things young adults can keep themselves busy with. For teens in Philadelphia, though, a whole new challenge has sprung up: finding places that will accept them.
Recent events such as the Fashion District mob and the fight at the S.E.Y.A.A Carnival are causing more and more establishments to ban teens from their properties if they’re without adult supervision. But what are teens without a guardian or older sibling who is willing to hang out with them going to do?
Well, there are alternatives. There are a number of teenager-focused spaces that create a safe environment for adolescents without the presence of adult chaperones. A popular option for teens within the city is the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Field Teen Center at Parkway Central Library on 1901 Vine Street.
When asked what makes the Field Teen Center, or FTC, such a hotspot, employee Yona Yurwit explained that the space is teen-exclusive. “You don’t have to worry about random children screaming or just being around. You don’t have to deal with adults who are not library staff being in your business and judging.”
Another employee, Bri, agreed. “I think part of what makes it really cool for teens… is our commitment to making sure only teens can hang out in the space.” A big emphasis is put on letting teens be themselves, as well. “There’s no policing done in the space,” Bri added. “We don’t want everybody to look at [the staff] as authority figures. You can come to us, but we aren't here to hover over anybody and make sure they’re following rules or behaving.”
As it turns out, these types of spaces are exactly what teens want. Vocal major Phatamarha Noel commented that she’d be “very uncomfortable if adults were monitoring or policing [her] fun because it’d feel like school.”
11th grader Aidan Kingcade acknowl-
edges that these bans are happening for a reason. “A lot of teens fight in the mall or outside, and genuinely, it’s a place where it’s almost never safe.” He also recognizes that the majority of kids are being punished for the actions of others. “Me and my friends will go a couple of times and do nothing like that, but if they’re going to try and make places safe, sadly, this is how they’re going to do it.”
But how can we assure the safety of these spaces if there are no chaperones or bans? Noel suggested “there be regulations put in place so that when students do disrupt environments, they don’t continue to.”
The FTC employees sympathize with the adolescents who feel unwelcome in the city. “Teens aren’t always necessarily trusting of public spaces,” Bri said. “We have to really work to build up that trust, because other spaces within the library–just public spaces in general–they aren't friendly to teens.”
Unfortunately, the reality is that areas like the FTC or recreation centers aren’t accessible to kids all over the city. As for other alternatives, Yurwit recommended
engaging with your community. “I would say reach out to trusted adults in your community…Maybe [someone] wants to run bingo out of her living room for people on the block.”
When asked about alternatives, Bri was stumped. “That’s a great question because there truly aren’t that many.” In the end, they suggested that students do extracurricular activities after school.
Good as both those suggestions are, there is still an issue regarding the lack of teenage-friendly environments. There needs to be places where students can be themselves.
Yurwit decided that the main issue is how teenagers are perceived by the public.
“It’s about attitude. There are a lot of places in the city where teens are not allowed to be, or are discouraged from being like the mall or, like, restaurants…I think that there's an education piece. People need to be reminded that teenagers are people who have feelings and needs and interests and that you can engage with people on those interests.”
Franklin Learning Center’s boys baseball team has returned from almost 3 years of not having their own team with the last playing baseball team being in the spring of the year 2018-2019. Mr. Prohaska this year has taken the role as head coach who is coaching this year's baseball team.
“I'm just looking forward to building this team.” Team captain Fattah Gindraw says, “You know, making everyone a better player that they can be even within myself."
FLC’s baseball team played Samuel Fels for their third baseball game of the season. Coming into the game as a new team, players were nervous entering the game due to Samuel Fels undefeated score.
Sophomore catcher Angel Acaron entering the game says, “I have butterflies because I played this team before. And they're pretty good. But I was feeling confident.”
FLC played well the first inning but playing against one of the best teams in the conference the team had to get used to the way the other team played. This resulted in Fels leading with a score of 1-0.
“It's a good team there. You know with the results from the last game you know, it intimidates a little bit.” Sophomore shortstop Gabriel Martinez-Vasquez says. “Not in a sense of like oh, we're scared of them but in the sense of what they're capable of if we don't if we're not in our game.”
In the second inning FLC’s team started to catch onto the opposing team. FLC
put up a good fight even the construction workers working nearby started to cheer for FLC every time they scored. This inning ended in a score of Fels leading 5-3.
The third inning was the most suspenseful and difficult inning for the team. The team started to lose confidence. Being a new team made it harder for players to connect with each other on the field.
“Overall chemistry is good.” Right field Jayden Gomez says. “Though, We need to work on the chemistry on the field.”
This inning resulting in a Fels still leading a 9-1 score
The fourth inning which ended up being the final inning had FLC already starting to reflect on themselves. By the end of this inning Fels lead a 4-0 score and by the
end of this game Samuel Fels has won the game by a 19-4 score.
While the team has a lot of growth and potential to find this season the team is very proud of the game they played.
Gindraw says, “Our first few innings we came out and we scored against a very difficult team who no other school was able to score against so you know even though we lost today we still did better than most teams.”
Since then the team has been able to win three games this season putting them at 7th in the conference. With gaining more and more experience each game the team has greatly strengthened in performance.
By Dahslee Hernandez
Franklin Learning Center and Parkway Center City have a joint badminton team. The team is for girls only although boys are welcome to come practice. This club where no experience is required to join has about 20 members. The team is coached by PCC teacher, Adam Fisher who started coaching the team last year holds practices in PCC's gym. FLC and PCC students have developed friendships and co-oriented teamwork, which has resulted in a successful season at a score of 8-2 and will continue to prosper in years to come.
At FLC, the projected number of freshmen is 50 less students than anticipated, when over 100 seats are available. This initially led to 9 teachers projected to be cut from FLC’s teacher roster for the 2023-24 school year. Teachers of FLC have already heard whether their position will be eliminated as of next school year. Teachers, students, and parents became upset and decided to protest this new budget.
On March 20th of 2023, students of FLC rallied outside the school at 7:30 a.m. to protest the budget cuts. Many teachers who were getting cut spoke at the rally along with several other students. FLC students showed up with many posters showing their disapproval of the new budget.
A few days later on March 23rd, teach-
ers, students and parents from different schools of Philadelphia including FLC rallied outside of the School District of Philadelphia building. Over 100 students were present at the rally. Ralliers were notified that the district would be reallocating $3 million to ensure that no school is likely to lose more than 2 teachers.
As of now, 12 schools, including Franklin Learning Center, W.B Saul, The U School, and Motivation High School, are holding limited admissions for students who meet academic requirements, even if they didn’t apply to the school. This is projected to assist in filling some of the empty seats at schools, repairing many of the positions that may have been lost. Approximately 800 seats will be available for students to enter their freshman year of high school. Although nothing is yet finalized, further budgetary actions will be discussed toward the end of May.
Franklin Learning Center teacher, Sigal Felber attends rally holding a sign depicting 9 teachers missing from FLC's staff. Staff Photographer Jayden Ludwig
Students from W.B Saul hold signs saying save Sauls teachers' amongst the crowd. Saul is one of the schools alongside FLC that will lose teachers due to budget cuts from the School District of Philadelphia. Staff Photographer Jayden Ludwig
Ralliers listen to a teacher speak about how she would be affected by the staff cuts. Staff Photographer Jayden Ludwig
FLC Junior Ace Butler-Thorne speaks in favor of keeping FLC’s computer science and art teacher Andres Gonzalez at the school during the rally on March 23rd, 2023. Staff Photographer Jayden Ludwig
