The Flash Volume 7 Issue 1

December 19. 2023

Philadelphia, PA Vol. 7, Issue 1 theflashflc.org An Independent Student Production of Franklin Learning Center

Page A senior letter to young freshmen

Page 12

Soccer team The kicks into Principal's Perspective success this year Page 11

Page 15

The Find us FLC’s New Stigmatization @theflashflc! of Rap Nurse Page 9

Page 4

NEWS

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Parent announcements from the main office From the Office

FLC Express 12/21/23

Students will get a form to select sessions they would like to attend for the whole day including the winter performing arts showcase.

FLC Express musicals 12/21/23

Our modern band programs, dance programs, and our musical theater program will have performances during FLC Express. All three of our schools cover bands will perform a mix of songs they have been working on and holiday classics.

The dance department will debut newly choreographed pieces they have been rehearsing. Our musical theater program has been working with Unscripted, an organization that teaches students about comedy improv, and our students will put on a live improv show as a session during FLC Express.

Dodgeball Tournament 12/22/23

Dodgeball tournament (sponsored by the Business Majors) and Smash Bros. tournament (sponsored by the E-Sports Club) When: Friday December 22nd, 2023 Where: Cunningham Rec. (10th & Wallace) Cost: Teams $40 (8 players per team, $5 per player) Spectators $3

Winter Break for students 12/25/23-12/2/23 Tentative** Winter Keystone MakeUp Exam 1/8/24-1/12/24 Keystone make up exams will take place during the school day.

The Crown Act

FAFSA completion workshop 1/12/24 at 11am

FAFSA Completion Workshop for Seniors and their parents at 11 AM here at FLC.

theflashflc.org

Independent Student Newspaper of Franklin Learning Center 616 N. 15th Street Philadelphia, PA 19130

No School MLK Day 1/15/24

Editorial Board

Tentative** 1st quarter Honor Roll Trip

Editor-in-Chief Dahslee Hernandez

1/16/24-1/17/24 Trip to the movies and will be two grades attending over two days.

Ombudsperson Semayah Smith

End of the 2nd marking period 1/26/24 All grades will be finalized.

Managing Editor and A&E Phatamarha Noel,

Half day for students/Report Card Conferences 2/1/24-2/2/24

Opinion Laila Warrick

After students have their early release parents can come for report card conferences.

Photography Maya Williams Social Media Sophia Sok Marketing Gabriella DiGiacomo Layout Quinton Washington Design Michelangelo Infusino

Faculty Adviser Colin Chrestay

Advertising All advertisers are subject to approval by The Flash FLC. We reserve the right to refuse advertisements. The deadline to reserve advertising space in The Flash FLC is at least one week prior to publication. Online advertisements can be placed as requested.

Payment should be made in cash. Please note: first-time advertisers must prepay.

All Hair is Beautiful. Photographer Kimberly Carroll

By Maya Williams For many people, hair is a form of expression and identity. Hair is part of a person from social aspects to creative aspects. These ideals hold especially true in African-American cultures, where hair and hairstyles represent cultural roots and freedom. Hairstyles such as locs, protective braids, and twists are only a few hairstyles that are cultural staples of black people of color. Unfortunately, historical cultural, and systemic discrimination has been ingrained into American culture, leaving many people of color treated unfairly for their natural hair. This is where the CROWN act comes into play. The CROWN act is meant to protect the rights of African-American hairstyles against discrimination.

In 2019, Dove began the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair campaign, also known as the CROWN Act. This campaign seeks to shed light on hairstyle discrimination and ensure protection for race-based hairstyles. The CROWN Act prohibits discrimination based on hairstyle.

When it comes to workplace discrimination, it has been shown that African American women feel uncomfortable within their places of work because of hair discrimination.

According to the 2023 CROWN Workplace Research Study , many black women in particular feel pressured to change

their natural hair in order to be successful at their places of work. About 80 percent of women agree that they had to change their hair to “fit in” at their workplace.

Not only does this discrimination affect pride and culture, but it also affects success in workplaces.

In the CROWN 2023 workplace study, it was found that 25 percent of women were denied job interviews because of their hair, as their natural hair was seen as “unprofessional.” 20 percent of women have been sent home from their workplace because of their hair as well, creating a hostile and uncomfortable environment for black women in their desired career paths. When including the entire nation of the United States, women make up 56 percent of the labor force.

During an interview with CBS news, Turqouya Williams, a business owner and mother living in Minneapolis, mentions the effects that hair discrimination has had on her work life.

“I usually have my hair in an afro-puff. I find that people think it’s okay to touch your hair,” Williams said. “This is not a petting zoo. My hair doesn’t affect my performance whatsoever.”

School is another place where hair discrimination is common. In the CROWN Study for Girls in 2021, it was found that about 86 percent of black teens have reported being discriminated against because

of their hair by the age of 12. Not only does this mean that schools created an unwelcoming environment for young students, but affected these students from a young age. This significantly lowers self-confidence in culture and self-image for young women. According to the CROWN study for girls in 2021, young women missed an average of one week of school a year because of hair discrimination.

In 2022, the CROWN Act was passed through the House, but the Senate Republicans blocked the passage of the act as federal law. Even though this act failed to pass as a national law, the CROWN Act is a local law in more than half of the United States, including Pennsylvania, as of July 7 2023.

There is still a push to make the CROWN Act legal nationwide. Citizens who agree with the passing of this law are encouraged to contact legislators and sign a petition.

While it is a difficult battle to face, the CROWN Act is fighting for the natural rights of African American culture, ensuring that everyone feels safe and has equal opportunity regardless of their hair.

“It would be a huge difference,” Williams said. “I think just being able to navigate the workplace without that being an additional barrier to doing your work is amazing. To have that legislation that's going to back you is phenomenal. I think it should be in all 50 states.”

Policies The Flash will be guided in the publication of all material by a concern for the truth, for human decency, and for human betterment, remembering that the test of good journalism is the measure of its public service.

The Flash will strive to provide a comprehensive and intelligent account of events in a meaningful context.

The Flash will strive to be a leader of student opinion through its editorials.

The Flash will be a public forum for promoting change and for the exchange of comment and criticism through its letter to the editor and Opinion pages.

A full list of policies and procedures can be found at theflashflc.org/constitution Memberships The Flash is a member of the Pennsylvania School Press Association and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

Reader Involvement The Flash encourages readers to contribute through letters, guest columns, and story ideas. Suggestions will be considered for future publication. Letters should not exceed 300 words in length.

Distribution Press run is 750 copies. Copies are provided free of charge to students, faculty, and staff.

NEWS

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Rumors on FLC using Yondr pouches

By Angela Doan At the beginning of the school year, there were rumors in Franklin Learning Center that FLC was considering using Yondr pouches to lock up students' cell phones. The Yondr pouch is a tool where cellphones are put in a pouch to restrict the use of phones during school hours. A teacher and a student in FLC share their insight on whether FLC should consider Youndr pouches to be used.

The majority of people in FLC don’t know where this rumor has originated from but it seems appealing to people who have issues with cell phones and people who have no issues with cell phones during school grounds. A World History teacher Kimberly Musallam who is working in FLC shared her experience with cell phones from students and their performance of engaging with the lesson, along with how she thinks about the rumor of cell phones getting locked up in these pouches.

“It’s not that students do poorly in my class because they can’t do the work or they don’t understand it, it’s that they’re distracted and a distraction is a cell phone,” Musallam said. “I think that students that are using [cell phones] as a crutch or using it as a way to distract themselves because they don’t want to do the work or they’re bored and [students] think that it’s something to keep themselves busy on their phone. If you take away the ability I think that they would then be forced to focus on the work and I think that they would do much better.”

Musallam believes that if FLC were to have Yondr pouches it would be a big benefit for FLC as a school community, saying that scores would go up if students don’t

have their cell phones during class. However, not everyone agrees that Yondr pouches would solve our school problems.

“I completely disagree with that method of discipline because what I think is [FLC] should give [students] like three strikes,” said Senior Kimberly Carroll. “If you see them on their phone ask them to politely put it away, because that’s their property.

Technically…you have no right to [take cell phones] from [students] and confiscate whatever you want to do. Like it’s not your right.”

Some students believe that teachers should approach students in a way that allows students to put away their cell phones instead of the idea of Yondr pouches. Carroll believes that depending on the distraction level of the class if the teacher is telling the students to put their cell phones away harshly then that’s not the right approach but rather telling in a stern, gentle way, would be good while Musallam agrees with not having an aggressive approach.

“I don’t think that going at students hard is the way to solve this problem,” said Musallam. “ I would say that the phone does affect [students]... I had to repeat the entire question because they did not hear, I would give [their learning capabilities] a [4 out of 10].”

Carroll stated that, if you see a teacher and they’re clearly explaining the lesson and agenda, but you don’t know what to do because you are on your phone then that is a problem. Mussallam mentions having options can also be a solution to excessive phone usage in classes.

“I think that it would be helpful if students have the option of putting [their cell phones] in [the Yondr pouches]," said Musallam. “I understand concerns like safety so

if something [were to happen] they need access to call then [allow students to have their phones available].”

Along with the concern of phones being a distraction in class, online usage being disruptive to students emotionally is another concern. According to the Pew Research Center in 2022 between the ages of 15-17, 32% of teenage girls and 24% of teenage boys have experienced two or more types of online harassment.

“The harassment online and just the excessive of having your volume too high, disrupting other students, bullying,” said Carroll. “All that stuff is what causes the extreme level of locking phones up. I know how to regulate [the usage of] my cell

theflashflc.org phone, in class because I know [that there are] restrictions based upon it.”

Musallam believes that students will find the ability to zone into the work instead of focusing on what people are saying on the internet if they put their cell phones away. Her concerns about phone usage reflect on whether or not FLC should restrict phones with Yondr pouches.

“I would be interested if [FLC] did a survey [about the usage of cell phones],” said Musallam. “If [students] really thought about [it and] reflected upon themselves [of] how much they use their cellphones in class, how do you think that they feel like [their cell phones] affect them? If they’re really honest with themselves, they would realize it would be a detriment.”

Yondr Pouches on top of one another on the table on a Tuesday evening. Photographer Angela Doan

Vacant seat of speaker for the U.S. House of Representatives

By Antonio Peralta On October 3rd, 2023 the U.S. House of Representatives had elected to remove Kevin McCarthy from his position as the speaker of the house. Eight Republicans and 208 Democrats voted to remove Kevin McCarthy as the speaker and ultimately succeeded. Four Democrats and three Republicans did not vote.

The aftermath of the situation caused confusion and worry among U.S. citizens.

Without a speaker of the house, legislation such as government revenue and especially taxes, would not be able to be voted upon.

In other words, many institutions or government-funded organizations would've had to find an alternative source of funding or otherwise face the threat of being shut down.

“The decision of removing the speaker of the house may have caused increased tensions between Republicans which is incredibly problematic due to their party having a majority in the house,” said FLC History teacher Thomas Magliaro.

For a new speaker of the house to be elected they must be in quorum and win the majority vote, which at the very simplest is 218 votes out of all 435 members.

However, if a new speaker fails to be elected, the House will continue to vote until it does.

Magliaro had also expressed great concern about the lack of consensus regarding who would take over as the speaker of the house. He stated that the vacancy would not only have been a bad thing for the U.S. but for the entire world as a whole due to the current wars in Europe and the Middle East.

During the vacancy, Patrick Mchenry served as the pro tempore speaker of the house until a new speaker was elected, As of October 25, 2023, the U.S. House

of Representatives had elected Republican Mike Johnson as the new speaker of the house.

James Michael Johnson, the new speaker of the house, holding a gavel. Illustrator Quinton Washington

ARTS & ENTERTAINNMENT

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theflashflc.org

The stigmatization of rap music

By Phatamarha Noel “God will judge my heart, man will judge my actions.”

-Tupac Shakur Imagine this: you’re watching a music video of a rap song from an artist you’ve been a fan of for a while. Maybe it's their stage presence or their melodic lyrics but your life has been changed the minute you first heard their music. You scroll to the comments expecting to see people complimenting their musicianship but instead, find a tsunami of hate. Comment after comment is bashing the song’s message and aggressive nature. Unfortunately, this scenario is very common in the rap genre. But should rap music be demonized to this extent?

Rap music has held the title of one of the most popular genres in the world. Rappers like Drake reached 75 million collective streams and Nicki Minaj reached 31 billion collective streams on Spotify. In 2020, 23.3% of worldwide music album sales came from Hip Hop/Rap. The BET Hip Hop Awards, one of the largest music awards for rappers, garnered 2.8 million viewers in 2023.

It’s evident that many people love rappers and rap music but it has been demonized heavily as well. I’m sure you all remember the snippet in Kendrick Lamar’s iconic song DNA of a Fox News reporter blaming the problems of the black community on rap music. Ben Shapiro, a U.S., political commentator also said “Fact: rap isn’t music. And if you think it is, you’re stupid.”

But why is rap music hated so much?

One reason could be because of its aggressive nature. Rap songs have been known to be overtly aggressive and violent. Displaying topics such as gang violence and murder that many say are causing children to do the same. Another reason could be because of its sexual/misogynistic nature as well. Many male rap songs display women as objects who can be sexualized and used as status symbols.

These are all big reasons but anoth-

er

one cannot be ignored.

When jazz became a popular genre, it received a mountain of hate because it depicted black people in a way that hadn't been done before. According to Harriet Aldrich, a journalist from The Bubble newspaper, “...jazz [developed] into an important political outlet for African Americans, reaching as it did across the racial divide. Not only did jazz become a political outlet for black musicians, but for some it also provided incredible upward mobility and a possibility to transcend entrenched class barriers.”

From this quote, we can tell that jazz was crucial to the success of the African-American community. So what did dissenters do? Due to the emotions that are expressed in jazz, people called it primitive and evil. Because it's a mix of European classical songs and traditional African folk, they said that jazz was An FLC student enjoying their rap music by Angelo Infusino. tainting white music. Same with R&B. When R&B became mainstream, (i.e. violence, aggression, misogynism, etc.) be posed is “Why are we demonizing rap dissenters argued that it was “danger- they forget that rap music is a lens through music and not the oppression that it shows?”

Rap music has also, in many inous to youth.” Do you see a correlation? which existing problems have been exposed.

Colbi Edmunds, a columnist from stances, helped the black community.

A big reason why all of these genres (rap the Free Daily Press expressed this best A great example that comes to mind is included) are hated is that they have helped when he said, “Rap began as an outwhen rappers speak up about social issues break the status quo by bringing many let for black people to share and reflect that garner the public’s attention such as black people out of poverty and helped give on their various hardships…as the muin the case of This is America by Childish black people a voice by expressing strugsic genre gained popularity, groups beGambino.

Another case that's very popugles in the black community. This fact is so gan to use the platform to describe their lar is that of Latasha Harlins, a 15-year-old easily overlooked but it is also a crucial aslives.

[Rappers] gave raw depictions black girl who was shot in the back of the pect of why rap music has been demonized. of violence and drugs in urban areas. ” head because the store owner thought she It is important to mention that many of To put it simply, the problems found stole a bottle of orange juice.

Tupac referthe points brought up as to why rap muin rap music are not due to rap muenced her in many songs but created the sic has been demonized are not results sic but are shown through rap music. song Keep Your Head Up dedicated to her. of rap music but are results of oppresEven the Department of Justice had In conclusion, hate towards rap music is sion that has been reflected by rap music. to speak on this topic.

They said “… often unfounded and comes from a place Rap music is an escape and outlet for rap, even violent rap, is simply an exof hate.

Instead of hating rap, let's celebrate aspects of the black struggle that the black pression of the oppression under which the creativity of Black people and support community has been subjected to. When African-Americans are suffering. ” them in their fight against oppression. people mention the negative aspects of rap When put this way, a question that must

Philly Museums: More than just mundane

By Maya Williams Where can you go to spend time with friends after school, create artwork, and do things like run rampant inside a beating human heart? Museums! Hold up, I know what you’re probably thinking. “Nobody wants to go to some random old museum to learn about the history of European paint or whatever-” That's fair, however, museums have been given a bad reputation. Last year, Laila Warrick wrote an article about how public places were kicking all teenagers out due to the rowdiness of few. With the Philadelphia Museum of Art now offering programs to high school students, I thought it would be a good idea to spotlight some museums and show why attending them could be a fun way to spend your time.

STAMP STAMP, or Students at Museums in Philly, is an organization by Art Reach; which is a general program that “creates, advocates for, and expands accessible opportunities in the arts so the full spectrum of society is served,” according to their website. They take feedback from others, present it to art organizations, and help those organizations develop things like inclusive practices and accessible programming. It's a program run by disabled people, who focus on the needs of other disabled people to make art organizations more enjoyable for all. STAMP also allows high schoolers to attend museums for free as long as they have their student ID with them.

FRANKLIN INSTITUTE The Franklin Institute is a museum for all creative minds. Located in the heart of Philadelphia, The Franklin Institute is a science museum with many different types of exhibits that will guarantee to suit your fancy. At first, most would look over this option, mainly because of its childlike appeal. However, things like the Sportzone, Techzone, and the Planetarium may also spark your interest. The Sportzone and Techzone seem self-explanatory, different spaces with interactive activities for their respective areas. The Planetarium is a show about topics surrounding astronomy.

MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION History lovers may want to put this one on their must-see list! The MOAR, or Museum of the American Revolution, located just minutes away from the Liberty Bell, focuses on…well, the events of the American Revolution. Exhibits like ‘The Road to Independence’ and ‘A Revolutionary War’ directly focus on certain events and history during the 1760s. Three different short films run during the whole day.

The first is called ‘Revolution’ (12 minutes, also available in Mandarin upon request), the second is ‘Washington’s War Tent’ (15 minutes) and the third is ‘People of the Standing Stone’ (around 25 minutes).

Two FLC students excitedly entering the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Graphic by Maya Williams.

ART MUSEUM The museum that strives to make an authentic art experience for all, the Philadelphia Museum of Art was built in 1874 and now has over 200,000 exhibits for one to check out! Any art majors looking for either inspiration or are interested in the history of art might be interested, or even people with no occupation regarding art may find interest in some of its features. Some exhibits on view as of

recently include (but are not limited to): “Seeking with Empathy: The Female Haze in American Modernism” which is available until May 15, 2024, and “Collecting Japanese Art in Philadelphia'', the last day of it’s running will occur on July 21, 2024.

These museums welcome high school students with open arms and can be engaging and enjoyable. So the next time you're planning an after-school hangout, consider going to one of these museums.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

theflashflc.org

Books with minority main characters

By De'Andre Bevins and Phatamarha Noel Let's be honest- reading books can sometimes be boring. But it's inevitable for books to be uninteresting if you feel distant from the characters. Finding your race, gender, sexuality, or cultural background in a character can make reading a book feel engaging and comforting.

Opposed to being disinterested in a book that isn’t relevant to your life. Relatable books can also connect you in a way that makes you feel seen; like you're a part of a community. To help students with their reading, school based teacher leader Christine Garvey recommended some novels surrounding minority groups.

Before Garvey started teaching teachers how to plan lessons, provide support, and manage classrooms, she was an Honors 2 English teacher. Throughout the years, she’s observed her students and noticed how they've made their books reflect different minority groups.

She talks about what books students might be interested in and why it's important to learn about them.

“One of my favorite memories at FLC was when a student saw the cover of The Hate U Give on my desk. She screamed, grabbed the book, and hugged it to her chest, pronouncing, ‘Finally, a book with someone who looks like me!".

Oftentimes, students don't find a protagonist that stands out or deeply connects with them. These authors focus only on the characters within the story and don't think of the audience reading them.

Garvey gave her insight into this issue.

A student reading an intriguing story. Graphic by Angelo Infusino

“Often, the main character is a white female who strives to take on evil herself. This archetype was made popular

by The Hunger Games. Sometimes, minority groups are represented as minor characters," explained Garvey.

But how are students supposed to be engaged when they feel too different from the characters? As a solution, Garvey found some great books that represent minority groups.

"But, over the last two years, publishers have found success with books like Children of Blood and Bone, a reimag-

ining of African Folklore as fantasy, and A Blade so Black, a retelling of Alice in Wonderland--which have strong leading black female characters," she said.

Though these are some great recommendations, what are students able to gain from these books? Why should our students read them in the first place?

As we learn these characters' struggles and how they combat them, we can take them with us in our personal lives.

Because we can see ourselves in these characters, reading about them will help

us learn about ourselves in terms of how we would respond to these situations.

Garvey ends by explaining that it's important to show support for these types of books so we see more of them.

She said, “The more teens request books that present subjects, morals, and characters they value, the more companies will funnel money to publish books that place minority characters and authors on the top shelf.”

Hopefully, we will find more books centered around minorities on the shelf so we all feel a bit more interested and included.

Keith Haring's grip on the art scene

By Maya Williams Around the city, you’ve probably seen simple, colorful characters dancing together on a bright background; symbols of hearts with legs and smiling faces; or even simplified animals such as dogs. These characters and symbols are the famous works of Keith Haring. Even if you don’t know his name, you’ve most definitely seen his art pieces one way or another. His art is now commonly used in fashion worn by adolescents. Given his influence, it’s only fitting that we learn who Keith Haring is and what he sought to do with his artwork.

Born in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1958, Keith Haring developed a love for drawing at a very young age. His works as a child were actually inspired by the works of Walt Disney and Dr. Suess.

Haring would go on to attend college at the Ivy School of Art in Pittsburgh. While he did attend for commercial arts, he found little interest in actually advertising and selling art. Haring dropped out of college and decided to study freelance instead for a short while before moving to New York to study art at the School of Visual Arts (SVA).

The first signs of his most famous works began in the 1980s. Haring found a new way to convey messages to a wide audience.

Using old advertising panels in New York subways, Haring began to create simple, expressive drawings with chalk. He would create many of these drawings–up to 40 of them in a day. His art became well known amongst those who commuted in New York City. This art did get him in trouble, however. Many patrolling police officers considered Haring’s artwork to be vandalism. He was arrested multiple times, but this did not deter him from spreading his art and values to the public.

Photo of "We the Youth" made by Keith Haring. Photographer Maya Williams Keith Haring’s recognizable and distinct way of drawing characters gained him so much attention that he received international recognition. He was able to partner with group art exhibitions in order to have his work displayed to the public.

In 1981, Haring began his own solo exhibition. He also participated in the wider world of art, such as animating for a New York Time’s Square Billboard and illustrating for advertising companies. He has even created multiple murals worldwide including France, Germany, and Japan.

Haring partnered with many hospitals and agencies for the welfare of children, often holding art and literacy workshops for children in other countries.

His social influence also spread positive

messages. One of his most popular murals, Crack is Wack. depicts his dislike for drug use and advocates against it. The vast majority of his pieces depict peace, happiness, and unity amongst humanity. He also tackles topics such as the innocence of youth and how advocacy could lead to change in the world.

As an openly gay artist, Haring created multiple pieces that advocated for safe sex practices, as well as pieces that acted as PSAs against the spread of AIDS. Keith Haring died young. At the age of 31, Haring was diagnosed with AIDS, passing away in February of 1990. Shortly after his diagnosis, he began the Keith Haring Foundation, which provided funding for AIDS organizations and children’s

health programs. In his final years, he spread the message of his condition and created further awareness of AIDS and its effect on those who have it.

While his career was relatively short, his legacy still stands strong 33 years after his passing. His artwork is still commonly used in public spaces and on clothing items. His work and colorful characters are synonymous with peace and unity, as well as taking care of oneself.

You can visit a Keith Haring mural here in Philadelphia. Located on 2147 Ellsworth Street, a restored mural titled We the Youth depicts Haring’s popular colorful characters on the side of a building.

NEWS

6

Israel vs Palestine || Behind the war

theflashflc.org

Israel and Palestine Conflict Graphic. Illustrator Maya Williams

By Analissa Salvador The recent war between Hamas and the Israeli government has left people around the world confused and struggling to find trustworthy sources and reliable research.

As a result, the investigation conducted here attempts to provide insight from an objective lens, bring awareness, and spread information.

While many people are focused on the events of the past two months, the roots of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians can be traced back to 1936 after the Peel Commission had been appointed by British prime minister, Lord Robert Peel. The Peel Commission was brought forth as a plan to partition the occupied territory of Palestine, iInto both Arab and Jewish-ruled states, remaining under the British mandate. This commision was later dismissed due to the continuous revolt of the British mandate led by Palestinian Arabs. This revolt was later suppressed by British rule, and the arrangement of a Jewish homeland was set into action.

According to British journalist, Rachel Shabi, After World War II, many Jewish people remained subjected to continuous discrimination and mistreatment. This constant mistreatment evoked a desire in those who craved asylum, a haven shared amongst their community.

The first event that contributed to this Jewish haven was initiated by Great Britain, having claimed the land of Palestine throughout the First World War in 1917.

Publically known as the Balfour Declaration, Britain announced its support for the foundation of a Jewish homeland, in Palestine.

However, Mohammed Haddad, a journalist under Al Jazeera states, most Pales-

tinians disagreed with the sentiment of giving their land away, resulting in the Nakba (meaning catastrophe) of 1948, which took place during the Arab-Israeli War, in which five Arab nations (Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Iraq) invaded the state of Israel after they declared independence.

In response to this, Israeli forces destroyed hundreds of villages and cities in Palestine, including the death of 15,000 Palestinians and the displacement of 700,000 others.

As a result, countless Palestinians were left homeless and lost touch with their cultural individuality.

With the drastic increase of right-wing extremists, Israeli officials, in reference to international organization Human Rights Watch (hrw.org), the mistreatment of Palestinians hit an all-time high due to them legally being allowed to evict Palestinians off their land and claim ownership over their items. Many Palestinians were subjected to imprisonment and killings, whether due to resistance from the Israeli government or, in some cases, no clear motives were given.

This escalation caused militant groups like Hamas, and other political entities such as the Palestinian Liberation Organization to form. These groups were formed to combat Israeli right-wing-extremism. Based on historical records on history.state.gov, on the 13th of September 1993 the Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin alongside Yasser Arafat, the president of the PLO, signed the Oslo Agreement, where both Palestine and Israel would've been recognized as independent states. However, this was then called off due to the assassination of Israel's Prime Minister, and the uproar between the Israeli extremists and Hamas who refused to recognize each other as independent states in the event of a two-state

solution.

Following these events, Washington Post writer, Ishaan Tharoor states that Palestine was permitted to undergo its next political election in 2006. Having to choose between the PLO and Hamas, Right-Wing Israeli Government Officials began to fund Hamas to cause division within the Palestinian people. The division between the Palestinians would assist the right-wing political party within Israel with their main opposing group being Yasser Arafat's Fatah Party. A writer for New York Daily News,Erica Pearson, claims that the Fatah Party formed the heart of the PLO, which supported the liberation of Palestine and acted as a leftist guerrilla group, performing substantial missions during the Cold War. Subsequently, Hamas won the 2006 election. Referring back to Ishaan Tharoor, the Israeli Government would then realize that funding Hamas, an anti-Israel militant group, was a consequential mistake. In response to this, according to Human Rights Watch, Israel constructed a blockade on Gaza, many referring to the land as the "World's Largest Open Air Prison."

Hamas later took control of the Gaza Strip, imprisoned and then executed Fatah officials. And as explained by a Washington Post writer, Later waged war on Israel in 2006, then carried out war five more times after that. The most notable one according to Al Jazeera was October 7, 2023, when Hamas struck the Israeli music festival, killing nearly 260 people, took in Israeli hostages, and carried out a larger-scale attack on Be'eri, a kibbutz located in Israel.

Hamas mainly relied on cheaply smuggled-in weapons from Iran, according to Palestinian news site, palestinechronicle. com. The Quassam rockets they use are

deemed as inaccurate and prone to malfunctioning, often destructing before they reach the designated location. Other than Hamas, Gaza does not have access to a military or specialized machinery.

As of recently, based on data from online news site, TheGuardian, Israel has almost annihilated the entirety of the buildings in the Gaza Strip, in the act of committing the war crime "Collective Punishment," as well as the usage of white phosphorus. According to online humanitarian information portal reliefweb.int, over 10,000 civilian casualties as of November 14, 2023, including the bombings of hospitals, churches, and schools, have occurred.

According to press.un.org, which is a press release for the United Nations, Israel has complete control of what enters and leaves the Palestinian occupation in Gaza , and on October 21 2023, have allowed in 20 trucks stacked with civilian aid and resources. Despite this, according to Al Jazeera, 20 trucks is not a sustainable amount for the approximately 2.2 million residing there, Palestinian journalist, Bisan Owda, states that 20 trucks are what they would usually receive to sustain themselves for one day.

Despite this, Palestinians remain resilient against the constant bombings, and globally countless nations are demanding a ceasefire against the wishes of their governments. In accordance with this statement, the international organization, Jewish Voices For Peace (jewishvoiceforpeace.org), a left-wing Jewish organization, founded in 1996. Where many Jewish voices speak up against Israeli extremism and bring awareness to the liberation of Palestine.

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Halal Meal option should be added at FLC daily lunch

By Uyen-Nghi Phuong Nguyen Franklin Learning Center does not serve Halal food for Muslim students. Making sure that students can get lunch at school is very important. Is our school taking care of its students?

Not everyone knows what Halal food is, but students should understand the diet.

The reason why FLC doesn’t serve halal food every day may be because there is some misunderstanding that Muslims can eat everything but pork. Muslim students often bring their own food from home, but not everyone has enough time to prepare food. These students often have to sit at lunch, watching their friends and other students eat while they sit hungry. Is our school being fair to Muslim students as well as students of other religions? Physical science and biology teacher Adwoa BoakyeYiadom here at FLC expressed the opinion that it would be equitable if we were able to give Muslim students Halal food at school.

“I know that in previous schools that I've worked at, instead of serving pork or other types of food, they would refer to a different kind of meat for more students to be able to eat it. I don't know for sure if [FLC] does that as well,” she said.

Not serving Halal food in the cafeteria shows that students in school, especially Muslim students need more attention.

Muslim junior Han Ni Oo at FLC faces a problem when lunch options contain meat and cheese.

“They only serve the meat so it's kind of difficult for me [...] because I cannot eat it, so I just let it be hungry myself,” Oo said.

Accommodations for students with dietary restrictions are important. BoakyeYiadom expresses her beliefs on school

A cheese sandwich was accidentally bitten by Han Ni Oo.She thought that it was just cheese with a sandwich but turned out it had meat inside which is not halal. Photographer Uyen-Nghi Phuong Nguyen

food.

“I think that the point of school, or the point of a policy, is to be equitable.

It's not that it only helps one group,” Boakye-Yiadom said. “It's not fair to everybody else that it helps one group specifically... If everybody can eat regardless of if the food is Halal, or not, I don't think that's a problem.”

Halal food is based on Muslim dietary beliefs and how the meat is prepared. The fact that our school does not

A Muslim student named Han Ni Oo is eating fries for lunch at Franklin Learning Center. Photographer Uyen-Nghi Phuong Nguyen

serve Halal food every day may not seem like an issue to some people, but the rest of the students do not have a meal to eat every day. Boakye-Yiadom addresses ignorance when a group is being discriminated against.

“However, I will caveat that I'm not sure if it's purposeful exclusion, but I do think having this conversation can be a means for change,” She said. “So that can be remedied.”

The problem of our schools not serving

Halal food will gradually become more serious if not resolved. Oo wants to inform the school by explaining how Muslim students would benefit from a Halal option.

“If they're serving Halal food in school, the students, especially Muslim students will be able to eat the food and enjoy their food and they won't have to suffer hunger,” Oo said.

FLC can not just serve Muslim students vegetables. They need other nutrition options like anyone else.

FEATURES Green thumbs and crafty hands: Join our Gardening and Crafting Club

By Faty Kebe FLC has embarked on a unique approach to hands-learning and community engagement with the introduction of gardening and crafting clubs. These clubs are driven by biology and physical science teacher Adwoa Boakye-Yiadom and English three and US three teacher Sigal Felber that are designed to offset student’s practical skills.

The gardening club, under the direction of Boakye-Yiadom, aims to involve students in farming, agriculture and promote healthy lifestyles. One of the club's projects involves planting in each classroom, taken care of by the club members.

“We're getting students out of the building, so in the next couple of weeks, we're going to be going to Carousel House Farms,” She said. “And that's going to be a field trip where students will learn the basics of gardening and farming.”

These educational trips to Carousel House Farms will expose students to basic farming and gardening skills. BoakyeYiadom, has ambitious plans for the Gardening Club including harvesting their own plants, fruits and vegetables and utilizing them in their recipes.

“So in the future, my main goal is for us to actually harvest the plants and the fruits and the vegetables that we plant,” BoakyeYiadom. “And we were able to actually use them in our own recipes and give them out to students and community members and also be involved in organizations outside of the city or in the city. Going to further places.”

The crafting club provides a creative and social platform for students after school.

Led by Sigal Felber, the club focuses on teaching knitting and crochet.

The crafting club has evolved into more than just a place to learn to craft skills. It’s also a place for students to socialize and work on projects together.

Dayansi, a 10th grade student, shares her excitement about joining the crafting club.

“I chose to join this craft club because I want to learn how to knit,” She said.

Felber wants students to join to teach them the different types of crafting and how crafting can be beneficial.

“So I will teach people how to knit and crochet. It kind of helps them when they have problems, but a lot of people will come with their friends and then come up with something like a project to work on with their friends or just hang out.”

Felber hopes to organize more events for the club to enable students to make money

Felber at the fun craft club showing students how to knit and crochet every tuesday. The Fun craft club is a place where people who enjoy knitting and crocheting can come and learn. Photographer Faty Kebe

from their crafts and provide a place for others in the school to buy these creations. ”Something that we want to do more of is like craft sales,” said Felber. “We did want it to end up like last year, which a lot of people because they can make money and sell stuff, and then a lot of other people are in the school like, so they could buy things.”

Adwoa Boakye-Yiadom skillfully imparts knowledge of planting and garden care at the gardening club. This club serves as a nurturing platform where students can learn valuable gardening skills under her guidance.

Photographer Faty Kebe

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E D I T O R I A L

Making progress: Improvements made for non-native English speakers at FLC By the Editoral Board In a past article published by The Flash in 2020, which only focused on students in the NLA program–not FLC’s non-native English speaker community as a whole, a number of grievances were addressed. Students reported a lack of available resources, making navigating school a lot harder than it had to be. There are announcements mostly done in English, sometimes featuring French and Spanish speakers, but never enough translations to cater to all 24 languages spoken by our student population. Documents retaining important information are not always made available to those whose families aren’t wellversed in English. Students felt as if they were on the outside looking into the Franklin Learning Center community–unable to properly interact, but observing events happening nonetheless. To understand how students who aren’t fluent in English stay in the loop circa 2023, we asked Ms. Carpenter and Ms. Luebbert, two teachers for the NLA program, their opinion.

Ms. Carpenter has been teaching at FLC for two years, so she’s been witness to most of the school’s improvements when it comes to support for non-native English speakers, especially NLA students.

In response to how NLA students can be kept informed about what’s going on in the school, Ms. Carpenter described her class’ routine when it comes to the school-wide announcements.

“When the announcements come on, we stop what we're doing and we're quiet; we listen attentively,” said Ms. Carpenter. “Obviously, it's English, and so students who are a little more advanced in their English skills can help other students. And I think the teachers can interpret in Spanish. We have several Spanish-speaking teachers in NLA.” She also mentioned some other systems that are used to make sure those students can always access the news they need.

Ms. Carpenter shared, “What has helped this year is that Mrs. K translates the [announcements], so she shares the notes in French and Spanish. And then those are shared with the counselors, and they post them on the classroom pages…Students often, if they have special interests, will ask me, "Hey, when is basketball?"...So you know, I just let them know it's not on the notes this week; it'll be coming. But [the notes are], you know, a little more help in that area.”

Despite the provided help, she also acknowledges that work can still be done.

“I think we really need to grow as a school community to make sure that our students all have all the information they need,” Ms. Carpenter said.

The translated notes do help, but it does place a level of responsibility onto the non-native English speakers that others do not have. They have to busy themselves with the tedious task of staying on top of

Ms. Luebbert.

She ended her thought with one that seems to be common among those we interviewed.

“I think as a school I think there's always room for improvement.”

We reached out to the administration for a comment, but unfortunately, we were not able to get together for an interview in time.

Students talking to each other in different languages. Graphic by Angelo Infusino.

each notification. Students who are fluent in English have the privilege of being automatically notified.

Ms. Luebbert, the other NLA teacher that we interviewed, has taught here for 7 years. When asked if she thought the support for her students was adequate, she responded positively.

“Speaking from an NLA standpoint, I think those students do receive a lot of support because they get their core classes as sheltered classes…So that way, they're not kind of being forgotten. They're being supported… I think in the NLA and in terms of academics, they definitely receive a lot of support in the sheltered classrooms,” said

The NLA aren't the only students with less experience speaking English. Throughout the entirety of FLC, there are students who speak English as a second language.

Veronica Zamora-Ramirez, a medical major in FLC, feels that the school is accommodating for the students whose first language isn't English.

When questioned about feeling disconnected from her peers due to the languages she speaks, Zamora-Ramirez said she felt that she “was more welcomed since others spoke the same language.”

Within the school, Zamora-Ramirez feels that there's a community built between students who share a first language.

She feels that she is able to socialize with those outside of this community, but is able to find comfort within it as well.

“I think it's amusing to embrace both languages.” Zamora-Ramirez said, “I believe being bilingual allows [you] to create a connection with others in ways that are extraordinary.”

Ms. Carpenter and Ms. Luebbert both mentioned in their interviews that there are resources so students who speak foreign languages feel welcomed and supported. However, what additional steps can students take to ensure that these students feel more comfortable and secure?

One of the most common forms of communication is body language.

When approaching them, body language will be the main focus.

Have a bright expression and present yourself as someone friendly, so the students can feel more comfortable and willing to communicate.

Remember to not talk down to them. There is only a language barrier, not an intellectual barrier. Treating peers that way would not make them more open to talking.

“You can feel welcomed by someone's facial expression,” explained Ms. Carpenter.

As the FLC community, students should always remember that it’s important to express positive emotions when attempting to communicate with them. By conveying positive energy, non-native English students can feel more confident and supported.

Even though there are teachers who are available to translate announcements and events, there are still steps FLC needs to take when it comes to accommodating non-native English speakers. And despite this barrier, and the struggles that are presented for non-native students, it is always important to remember that we’re all a community. Every FLC student should be able to fully flourish academically and socially, regardless of the languages that they speak.

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FLC’s new nurse

By Semayah Smith and Sophia Sok Last year at FLC, there hasn’t been a nurse who was fully present. This year, Donna Fields arrived in room 111.

Donna Fields who was raised in Philadelphia grew up witnessing illnesses. Due to her experiences, Fields focused on becoming a nurse to contribute to a better society.

“I saw a lot of illnesses; not only within my family but within my community, and I continued to see those illnesses; whether its focus on health or mental well-being,” said Fields. “So, I want to contribute to a better society because of my experiences.”

With a bit of confusion regarding her choice of career, Fields was still able to pick herself back up and accomplish her goal in life.

“I went to community college right out of high school. I was juggling a lot and I did need to repeat a few courses,” said Fields.

“But especially with my bachelor's degree in nursing, school was difficult. [But] with my masters, I went during the pandemic so it honestly gave me fulfillment [at] a time where a lot of people felt like everything else [had] left them.”

With the pandemic in 2019 that led to everyone staying in a shelter, Fields felt that it was much easier on her end. She was able to put more time and effort into her dedi-

FEATURES

cation to nursing.

“There were no other obstacles or obligations that I had to commit to at that time because everything was pretty much shut down,” she said. “So I got to put all my energy into my family and my education.”

Before arriving at FLC, Fields worked at a hospital which allowed her to work with others, be in a group, and have a schedule prepared. Whereas for patient arrivals at FLC, appointments are not made and Fields had to meet patients on her own.

“Coming from the hospital it's a different type of environment because you're working one-on-one with patients,” she said. “Here at FLC, there are about 700 students at least. So, it's a change and I like to embrace change so, I'm going to just take it one day at a time and I do enjoy the environment and the students.”

When Fields is free, she likes to fill up her time with her hobbies. She is a very peaceful and adventurous woman.

“I love to jog and meditate and spend time with my family; be out in nature.”

Donna Fields dedicated her life to becoming a nurse by accomplishing her degrees through different colleges. As FLC’s new nurse, Ms. Fields would love to welcome everyone.

“I just want to thank you all for welcoming me. I appreciate it. I love the staff and the students. And yeah, I look forward to a great year.”

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Welcome FLC’s nurse, Donna Fields! Photographer Semayah Smith

Music department welcomes new head of vocal Music

By Phatamarha Noel If you’re taking a music class this year, you’ve probably seen the name Ms. Schepers on your roster and wondered who that was. No need to feel puzzled! This article will explain the mysterious and elusive Ms. Schepers.

Melissa Schepers is the new head of the vocal music department after the unexpected, but much-deserved, retirement of Ms. Frank. She has taken over Musical Theater, Intro to Music, and Choir. She was originally born in New York, but has lived in Philadelphia for seven years.

She has an extensive knowledge of all things pertaining to music as a result of her degree.

“I went to Temple University and I studied music education with a vocal concentration,” she explained.

As a music teacher, she’s most suited to teach music at FLC because she can relate to students due to her youth. This is evident through the music she listens to.

“My favorite genre is probably pop. I listened to lots of singer-songwriters. [I] already listened to Olivia Rodrigo’s album that came out today, on the day this is being recorded. But I also love R&B and this summer I listened to a lot of Motown.”

Schepers's upbeat personality makes her a perfect match for the students at FLC. “I think that I work really well with high schoolers. I just jive very well with them. I'm also just like a really ridiculous person and funny and just like very outgoing, which I think is totally needed in high school sometimes to get kids out of their shells or awake, and enthusiastic about things,” she stated.

It’s widely known that enthusiasm is well-needed when it comes to education, so Schepers's introduction will be a breath of fresh air.

Outside of school, Schepers is quite a Renaissance woman.

“I obviously love to play music outside of school, I really love to cook, I love to travel, and I love to participate in story slams,” she

said.

Aside from her personality, her extensive experience makes Schepers a great addition to the music department.

“I went to college for music and I'm a pretty skilled musician…I play in a few different bands and I write my own music and write my own songs. And I also give piano lessons outside of school…So I look forward to working with all the music students and showing them what I know,” she commented.

Schepers continued to explain her excitement for teaching at FLC. “I feel pretty nervous. But I'm also really excited…I've always wanted to teach high school so I'm really happy to now get the opportunity to do that at FLC,” she confessed.

Despite her very brief time here, Schepers has already planned and implemented a series of different activities and events.

“Well, we just started doing performance Fridays, where students can showcase the music that they're working on or just any personal endeavors of music for each other. We have the cabaret in November and we have the winter concert in December.

We are going to Temple [University] in November to sing at a local music festival there..and we’re working with Voces 8 [an acapella group], ” she mentioned.

And it's not just activities that she’s been planning. She and Mr. Sharp are also planning to expand the music department as much as possible.

“I would love to grow the music music department, as I know Mr. Sharp would love to as well and get more students in FLC for music. There's a really great foundation here. So I'd love to get more students involved and just get us out in the city and performing for each other and for other people outside of that school,” she said.

Schepers has worked very hard for this position and her appointment has been met with much warmth. Schepers ended

Melissa Schepers shows off her vast knowledge of music and musical instruments. Staff Photographer Laila Warrick.

the interview by explaining her expectations for the school year.

“I definitely expected to see a lot of excited musicians and that's totally what I have seen. The community that exists like

in the choir program specifically was really awesome. And [that's] the reason that I love choir so much, so I'm happy to see that that is thriving here.”

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Guide to college applications

By Phatamarha Noel As the school year begins, many upperclassmen are anxious to begin their college search and college applications but don’t know where to start. Here are a couple of steps to get you on the right path.

Apply for SATs or ACTs- If you haven’t already, take the SATs or ACTs. It’s a good idea to take them twice because only your highest math score and your highest reading scores will be cherry-picked and sent to colleges.

Ask for letters of recommendation earlyIf you’re a senior, you should ask for letters of recommendation early on in the year so teachers can give a well-written letter. Create a brag sheet and (possibly) a resume and send them to your prospective writers so they know exactly what to write about you.

Start college essays early- College essays, also known as personal statements, are crucial for your college application.

Universities/colleges usually ask the same questions so make sure to make one that you can upload to all of your applications. When writing the essay consider: What values you want to convey, what adjectives you want them to see, what activities/programs you want to be known for, etc. The prompts for personal statements can be found on common app.

Figure your major out- Finding out what you want to do after college can be daunting but there are many search engines such as Naviance (philasd), the Princeton Review, CollegeBoard, Niche, and the U.S. News & World Report. Also, consider what subjects/courses you most and least enjoyed in high school. Considering what made those classes most/least enjoyable will help you figure out your major.

Figure out what college to go to- Once you have your desired major, you can pick which colleges you want to apply for. When applying for colleges consider things such as location, test requirements, majors, GPA requirements, class size, job placement rates, clubs/organizations, etc. It is very easy to apply to colleges be-

cause of their prestige and not because the college suits your needs. Be careful and make sure your colleges are attainable for and helpful to you. There are many college search engines such as Naviance (philasd), CollegeBoard, Department of Education.gov, and Niche that you can use.

Common Application- The Common App, as the name suggests, is an app that helps standardize your college applications.

That way you don’t have to write an essay or submit your personal information to each prospective college. Register to the common app, type your desired major and

that college/university. If you get into that college/university through Early Decision, you are legally bound to go to that college. You cannot, in any way, choose another college to go to. But Early Decision does help you to focus on financial aid and housing because you aren’t focused on applications. Plus, you get a higher chance of getting into said college/university. Regular decision means you don’t want to hold such a commitment to one college/university. As the names suggest, most aspects of the application process are due earlier when an early decision comes into play.

Student intimidated by college applications process. Staff illustrator Maya Williams.

college, and begin looking at prompts for the common app essay. Most colleges require at least one essay to get in so choose wisely and take your time while writing.

Early Decision vs Regular DecisionWhen applying to colleges you might see the terms early decision and regular decision quite often. Early decision means you are 100% sure that you want to go to

FAFSA- FAFSA stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. To apply for FAFSA, you need your parents to fill a W-2 or 1099 form and send in IRS taxes so they can decide how much money you need. FAFSA is usually due by late June but the faster you apply, the more money that’s available for you.

Citizenship- Undocumented students

are allowed to apply to any post-secondary school despite their status or documentation but (and this is a big but) they are not allowed to apply for federal aid or most scholarships. A select few noncitizens and non residents are allowed to apply for FASFA. To find out if you're eligible, go for FASFA, go to the FAFSA student eligibility page. There are still a few dozen colleges that are 100% financial need-based despite citizenship. To find out more information, go to Cappex.

Questbridge- Questbridge provides a program for juniors called the College Prep Scholars (CPS) program. If admitted into the CPS program, students are liable to receive a full scholarship to a top college summer program, incentives to help with their college applications, an invitation to a national college conference, feedback for college essays, and more. Questbridge also has a program for seniors called the National Merit Scholarship (NMS) where you can get a full ride from their college partners.

These college partners include Dartmouth, the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, and the University of Chicago. The applications for both of these are very hefty and are known for their complexity but if you want to apply go to the Questbridge website.

Scholarships- Most of the financial aid students receive are from their colleges once they get accepted. Still, it’s a very good idea to apply to as many outside scholarships as possible. There are scholarships for almost anything: left-handedness, GPA, race, location, nationality, hobbies, future majors, struggles, eye color, prospective college. If you can think of it, there’s probably a scholarship out there for it. Some of these scholarships can get really competitive so try to apply to as many as possible.

Conclusion- Despite the length of this article, there is still a lot that wasn’t included that is very important. The college application process can be incredibly time-consuming and frustrating, so remember to reach out to dual enrollment professors, counselors, teachers, and staff about this process.

COVID Cases: What you need to know

By Maya Williams The massive COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was a big deal, and, while there are vaccines and more safety precautions for the illness, COVID should still be taken seriously, especially in public settings.

COVID is still a huge problem in the U.S., being the third leading cause of death behind cancer and heart disease. We are still facing the aftershock of the initial pandemic.

Like many illnesses, COVID has advanced into sub variants. The illness has evolved over the last three years. While this is nothing to be scared of, it’s something to treat with caution. There are currently five major sub variants, including XBB.1.16, XBB.1.9, and XBB.2.3.

With the current fall season and the quickly approaching winter months, seasonal illnesses are very much a concern for many. When tracking COVID 19 cases, many cases of COVID followed the same pattern as seasonal influenza. With this data, many medical experts expect there to be more cases and deaths caused by COVID during these months.

Even though COVID-19 has a vaccine, that doesn’t mean that COVID should be brushed off. A person can still spread COVID or one of its variants, even if they do not show symptoms. According to the CDC, as of October of 2023, over 600 mil-

lion cases and 6.5 million deaths due to COVID have been reported worldwide.

In Philadelphia, there have been about 8,000 cases as of the first week of October.

Countries that are part of the World Health Organization, which includes the United States, have reported a 63% decrease of COVID cases. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has updated COVID vaccine guidelines, giving people more updated descriptions of what vaccines to get and when to get them.

While masks are not publicly mandated, it is recommended that people wear masks in heavily populated or condensed areas. This is especially important in a school setting, as many students travel by public transportation and have to be in close proximity to other students while at school. For every 17 students, about 3 students test positive for COVID. Given FLC’s student population, this has resulted in a good amount of students getting COVID, as well as many coming down with seasonal illnesses.

Overall, staying safe in school, especially during seasonal changes, is important to the entire student body. If you are displaying symptoms of an illness, contact a doctor and stay home. It also helps to wear masks, consistently wash your hands, and get vaccinated whenever possible. Staying safe in school includes protecting yourself and others from getting sick.

Masked student walks, stressed about COVID-19 . Graphics by D’Andre Bevins.

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From student teaching to teaching students: Meet Ms. Harpur

By Laila Warrick Who’s that new face in room 321? If you're a student taking Spanish 2 this year, you may recognize former student teacher Madeline Harpur. For those who are unfamiliar, especially first year Spanish students, take some time to read about your new teacher!

Although this is Harpur’s first year as an official teacher, she is no stranger to FLC. “I was here in the spring, so from January to April last year with Ms. R over in Spanish 1,” Harpur explained. “It’s my first official year teaching here, but it’s my second year in the school, so I’m excited to come back.”

Harpur mentioned reuniting with her students and the anticipation that comes with it.

“I’m excited to get to see all of my students again…and get to kind of continue to build relationships with them, get to know them better.”

For us to get to know Harpur better, we learned more about her background and reasons for becoming a teacher. Harpur is Cuban-Northern Irish and talked to us about growing up immersed in the Spanish language.

“I can’t really imagine myself doing anything else,” Harpur explained when asked what inspired her to become a teacher. “I think part of it is that I grew up speaking Spanish. My mom’s from Cuba, and she was also my Spanish teacher growing up.”

Surprisingly, Harpur was not the most fond of language classes when she was younger.

“To be honest, I didn’t really love my Spanish classes growing up. But I was very passionate about language learning and wanted to share that with others.”

What’s more surprising about Harpur is what she does outside of school.

“I love rock climbing!” She said, “I picked that up a bit ago…It’s been really fun. I’m excited for the fall so I can climb outside more.”

Harpur expands more on her personal life: what’s most important to her?

“Definitely my friendships…You need to have your connections, your circle of care, all of that,” she answered.

Harpur’s parents are the only family of hers that live in Pennsylvania, so she heavily values familial connections.

“It’s nice to have your unit,” Harpur ended with. “Just connections with people, I think, are my main thing.”

If you want to learn more aboutHarpur, she’ll be in room 321 along with her Spanish classes!

Ms. Harpur, Spanish 1 & 2 teacher, in her new classroom. Photographer Laila Warrick

The principal's perspective

By Phatamarha Noel, Dahslee Hernandez, Maya Williams, Laila Warrick With this year being the 50th anniversary of FLC's first senior class, we asked Principal Nicole Lee to reminisce about her time at FLC and explain what she’s excited for in the future.

Lee has been principal for seven years and has been working at FLC since 2013.

Since she has started working here, FLC has changed in various ways, one being the credit system. FLC in the past used the LAP system which was a system where students could gain credits and graduate at their own pace.

“Children would have to complete 10 laps and they would get credit for a class,” said Lee. “If you were an industrious child, you could do your 10 LAPs in say like a few months, and then you would say ‘Okay.

Hey, that class is completed.’ And then they would enroll you in another class in the middle of the year.”

The LAP system came to an end when it clashed with the system the School District was using at the time.

“The School District came in and said that the system had to be revamped so that Franklin Learning Center's grading system was aligned to the School District of Philadelphia so Franklin Learning Center, at that time, became a more traditional high school.”

Not only did the grading system change but so did the programs FLC had to offer.

“In that time period, we've seen a couple of new programs because the Newcomer Learning Academy was added to Franklin Learning Center so that was a big addition to the schooI. I [also] think that’s when the music room was added and all those practice rooms. We used to have a Health-Related Technology course that’s now our Medical Assisting class.”

As much as FLC has changed over the years, Lee hopes to bring change this year for the best high school experience for staff and students. Lee and staff plan to emphasize the mission statement.

The mission statement: FLC is an inclusive school community dedicated to providing a diverse student body with a rigorous and culturally-responsive education that prepares students with the professional and social skills they need to be outstanding community members of the city, nation, and world.

“Whatever I do, whatever choices I make, it's all about supporting that mission and supporting children as we prepare them to go out,” she says. “Our mission is about supporting the development of children and making sure that every person in this building feels comfortable in the space and feel like they belong and they have a voice in what is happening here.”

Lee also mentioned the addition of “engaging activities” led by teachers meant to help students thrive this coming year, both extracurricularly and academically.

“I’m happy that the clubs are coming back this year. The poetry club is coming back, the craft club is coming back. We have science [and math] tutoring that’s going to be offered. So, I’m excited.”

This year, Lee says she wants staff to build a strong understanding between teachers and students where students can feel heard.

“How do we enhance your high school experience?” Lee asks students. “So you remember it as ‘Yeah, that was really some good times. I had great times.’”

A lot of new activities and events will occur more often this year. Lee and staff plan for the first months to have an AP fair,

a club fair, a homecoming dance, and more.

“We're getting the big Connect 4 games to put in the cafeteria,” says Lee. The overcrowding in the cafeteria being an issue in past years is why Lee has opened other spaces in the school where students can be during lunch to enhance student experience during their lunch period.

“I want young people to feel respected and that they have a space. One of the reasons we have so many of those bistro tables is it reduces the number of kids in the cafeteria when we can but it also gives kids a space like where, you know, I just want to be with one or two other people and I can chill. I believe kids need those kinds of spaces, hence the sofas.”

She is also excited about dual enrollment programs put in place for FLC’s students.

Dual enrollment not only gives scholars college experience, it also opens up new opportunities within high school. AP classes are also an asset that Lee is looking into adding, providing students with more high-level college courses.

Regarding FLC sports, students now have to pass all classes with a 70 or above in order to participate in sports. Lee this year wants FLC teams to feel

her support.

“I'm going to make more of an effort to actually go to games, just like I go to performances here at school,” she says.

Ultimately, there was one common theme Principal Lee circled back to: community in FLC. “Running a school, no one person can do,” Lee concludes. “A school, it needs the community to do it. I feel like our community is starting to flourish again.”

FLC Principle Nicole Lee. Photographer Anthony Page.

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A senior letter to young freshmen

By Quinton Washington A new year has just begun, and new freshmen have entered FLC. During an FLC student’s freshman year, they are introduced to a whole new environment. Things like a diverse group of students, and being expected to understand and follow the set rules put in place. This new chapter of life is quite an overload and can lead to stress or uncertainty. The message that is often portrayed in the media is that high school is going to be the last and most exciting years of your childhood, and you’re going to be put in these cliche boxes of jocks or nerds. The extreme, vivid, and stereotypical version of high school is not the reality in FLC. And who is better to reassure and guide you than a student who has been at FLC for almost 4 years?

Tara Coleman is an art major and was one of the freshmen who were dealt a bad hand when their high school experience started right around when COVID-19 first broke the surface. During the outbreak, students were required to do virtual instead. Despite this, Coleman still made the most of his years at FLC and is currently planning on making. Here are her first impressions of high school as a freshman, and initial worries centering it.

“Initially, I felt uneasy when approaching virtual/online school, but I ended up feeling the hospitality of my teachers, for the most part. I believe they worked hard enough to provide me with good classes even if they were through a screen. Personally, I was worried about the inferiority complex that was often portrayed in the media, specifically towards underclassmen.

Thankfully, in real life, that’s not a problem because people are mainly focused on graduating and whatnot.”

Despite her initial negatives, Coleman found comfort in realizing that her assumptions were not true at all! Keeping your focus on your academics, high school experiences, and strong rapport with teachers are many of the more important factors that are often ignored in media. It is easy to dramatize what might happen due to the unknown, but as you can see, Coleman was able to find many positives in FLC. “My positive experiences in this school could’ve been meeting the people I hold/held close. It was something that made me realize that there’s space to evolve and made me uncover a lot about myself I might’ve kept brewing in my brain. Even with the people I don’t talk to anymore, they, in a way, encouraged me to work on myself because this time in my life ,or anyone’s life, shouldn’t be spent holding grudges or repeating history. I think it’s a huge positive for me and I’m grateful for that. Something else that was good for me was meeting the teachers I felt were the most supportive/open-minded.

Although I wasn’t good at finishing work when I should, they made me want to get through the writer’s block, art block, and the obstacles preventing me from doing what I had to do. Honestly, most of my teachers changed my perspective on teachers as a whole because I can see that some of them genuinely enjoy what they do, which in turn, restored my respect for them. " Although high school may seem trivial, the vital social skills you gain can also become your highlight. Having friends and close teacher allies can be very heartwarming, but also useful when advocating for yourself and your classmates. As well as a memo for good memories to take with you once you do graduate. Being able to balance a social life and work at the same time is the key to success, high school is just a preview

A freshman nervous for their first year of highschool, looking off nervously on the right. The senior on the right is excited to graduate from highschool.

Graphic by Quinton Washington.

of that. Whether your social group is big or small does not matter, as long as they are there to support and help you is key! But you don’t know these things as a freshman, it is only learned through experience. But to ease the burn a little, Coleman can give you some of the advice they wished they knew when they were a freshman.

“I wish I knew just how important keeping up on your work is because when you’re in a deep slump, you’re not gonna wanna turn anything in, or have the energy to. If you keep up with your assignments from the 9th and onwards, you can build up a

friends can obviously help class time go by faster, or if getting help from the teacher is too difficult, you can count on them.

Oh—and don’t spend class time doing who knows what because it’ll be harder to maintain your grade in those main classes.”

Next up is Cameron Rodriguez, who is also an art major, who was previously working on an art piece before stepping aside for an interview. They also had certain misconceptions about high school, but later found them to be false!

Asking the same questions previously stated to Coleman, Rodriguez has a very similar story of their first time entering FLC, and the overplayed nature of media placed on high school to their perception.

"When I was a freshman, I was both super excited and exceptionally nervous. I would look up at my upperclassmen and admire their maturity and endurance for being stuck in such a place portrayed in the media as a warzone. I was worried that I didn't have the mental capacity or strength to not only get harder classes, but also having to meet new people and basically be in an entirely new environment from what I was used to and comfortable in. It was really scary. I've met some amazing people at FLC, and those very people were one of the biggest reasons for me to keep going. The school is full of such creative and diverse people, and it's not only in the classes you learn something new. There are also some amazing opportunities you get at FLC. There's a wide range of majors to choose from, clubs, sports, and trips; all of which I will miss deeply. There's never a dull day at FLC!" A new environment can be confusing, overwhelming, and daunting all in the same breath, but being able to get over the hurdle is the biggest challenge that one may face in the first few days, maybe even weeks.

Finding an environment that makes you comfortable and safe could come in many forms, including clubs, as stated by Rodriguez. Little things like interest and hobbies can make it easier for others to connect

"Personally, I wish I knew how to socialize when I was a freshman." tolerance that might prevent you from dipping completely ,like I did. It can definitely be seen as a ‘skill issue’, but it makes some sense. Something else I wish I knew was the unforeseen removal of teachers and how to manage my work because of it. You can’t stay completely reliant on the schedule teachers provide because they could leave for some reason. Additionally, the work should be treated the same because, at that point, the class is an easy A. The work is probably easier, too. Also, don’t doubt your work too much because that can definitely prevent you from getting into Honors and AP classes. It’ll affect how you approach classwork and projects in the future. Like, especially if your teachers are telling you that your work is good! Just submit whatever you have to submit because there’s a chance you can get into a certain class.

Lastly, when it comes to social connections, just don’t mold yourself around others, but still make an attempt to connect with people. Of course, anything can happen with people, so try to make sure you can carry yourself without them. Still,

with classmates, even just going to the library for lunch can help you find a possible friend. Being open to new opportunities and chances can be a lot, especially for a freshman in a new environment, making it very easy to miss out on fun events and opportunities provided. Rodrigeuz can tell you firsthand how much they wish they knew as a freshman.

"Personally, I wish I knew how to socialize when I was a freshman. I eventually made friends, but some people may not be as lucky as me to be walked up to. If no one talked to me first, I wouldn't have made any friends at school. I get that it's scary and awkward to just walk up to someone you've never met, but everyone's in the same boat as a freshman! Almost everyone will be starting fresh socially so there's no reason to be scared, just go for it! Making friends is the easy part, but managing is a little harder. As soon as I got my little friend group, I wanted to hang out with them every day. But you have to find a balance between friends and your school work.

Booorriinngg, yeah, yeah. Trust me, when those F's start rolling in, it can be hard to get them back up again. So figure out how to maintain both your school and social life, but if it is a choice of 'go hangout' or 'do your homework that's due tomorrow', … do that homework bro. Keep up, don't fall behind, and you'll be good."

As you can see, despite your worst-case scenarios jogging around in your mind about possibly being shoved into a locker by your bully can now be put to rest! High school is truly about finding yourself, figuring out your future goal and purpose, and preparing for adulthood and college.

And most importantly, enjoy your last four years of childhood free of responsibility and burden! FLC is a welcoming community filled with bright and wonderful staff, teachers, and student peers who are willing to communicate with you and help. Whether it’s a club, favorite teacher, or classmate that makes you feel the most comfortable, then utilize it. Next time you see a fellow shy freshman, a simple hi can go a long way. Don’t be shy!

OPINION

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How important are grades?

By Maya Williams All students have grades and all students are worried about grades in one way or another. Maintaining good grades, making up bad grades, whether a test will decrease or increase your grade. Worrying about all of these aspects of the scoring system can often be stressful for students. For all scholars know, these scores will determine if they can attend college and make a bright future for themselves. But do these numbers actually reflect a student’s intellect?

To begin with, the 1-100 grading scale was not always in place. The earliest example of this grading in the United States is fairly recent, historically speaking, beginning in Yale University in 1785. The uni-

versity divided students into four cohorts, relating to how desirable their performance was. These cohorts were labeled Optimi, second Optimi, Inferiores, and Perjores, which now translates to “Best,” “second Best,” “Less good” and “Worse.” Unlike current grades, these rankings were given only in a student’s senior year of schooling, instead of throughout each school year. This grading system lasted until 1837, when Harvard University started a 100 point grading system. Scores were displayed on a curve, clustering students around the 50 percent percentile. This system was not very well received, as agreeing on what warranted a 50 grade and what didn’t.

A few decades later, in 1897, elementary

and high schools developed an A-F grading system. While still using the curve created

by Harvard, different grades were conveyed in relation to the percentile. The consensus was that an A grade was a superior grade, while a C was an average grade. This grading system was also accompanied by a GPA system on a 4.0 scale, showing students how well they scored in courses.

While grading on a 100 point scale gives students an evaluation of how they perform in classes, this does not account for learning by itself. Grades do not calculate what a student learns, but rather how they perform based on what is taught. Instead of reaching learning milestones, students usually focus on prioritizing their grades

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and not learning by itself. Comprehension is not the same as performance. Because of this, many students tend to focus on achieving good grades instead of learning and retaining the material being taught. This is not to mean that students do not learn in classes at all, but it goes to show that grades do not calculate what a student learns, but rather how efficiently a student applies themselves to their work.

Grades themselves can induce anxiety and fear. Grades are tied to college acceptance, and many students are encouraged to attend college in order to make futures for themselves. Grades also affect scholarship opportunities, possibly awarding students with higher grades more money to put to-

A student upset about poor grades next to another delighted by a good grade. Graphic by Maya Williams.

wards post secondary education.

One large part of grading for students includes tests. Especially in high school and college, testing and exams are heavily impactful on student grades. Unfortunately, it is common for suicide rates and thoughts to dramatically increase when state exams take place. In the United States, 43% of teen suicides were implied to be tied to academic pressure. According to the CDC, these percentages have risen over the last few years. As of 2022, 28% of college students reported self-harm and suicidal ideations. This also raises the concern that schools should make more efforts to understand and assist students when it comes to mental health in order to prevent mental decline and suicide. The problem with this is that grades are heavily tied to self confidence and student life, making it difficult to take care of students while simultaneously stressing grades.

Standardized testing also causes many issues for students. Tests like the SATs do not reflect upon reinforcement of material, but rather retention of material. Students often focus on grades over retention, so many students often forget topics that are displayed on standardized tests. Luckily, most colleges and universities are SAT and ACT optional now. Receiving a high score can boost your chances of getting accepted into schools, but grades, resumes, and portfolios are now the main focus of colleges accepting students.

Academic performance is also embedded in self-esteem. In the research article Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Academic Achievements Amongst Pre-University Students, Mohammad Aryana studies how a student’s self worth is connected to academic achievements. This study in particular surveyed 100 randomly selected students about how their self esteem is af-

fected by their grades. From this study, it was demonstrated that students who have high self esteem tend to receive higher grades, while students with low self esteem receive lower grades. This makes punishment less likely to improve the grades of struggling students, creating a constant uphill battle of hopelessness.

In high school, grades do affect self esteem and, by extension, some aspects of student life. Students are often punished for poor grades, losing access to opportunities and school trips and events. Good behavior is the standard in high school, but bad grades are often punished. Punishment often does not motivate students to do better.

It actually does the opposite; it discourages students and diminishes hope for rebound.

Grades are not only tied to self esteem in college, but grades can also affect student life as a whole. If a student’s GPA drops below a certain standard (usually a 2.0),

a college may choose to dismiss students.

This is similar to a suspension, where dismissed students are no longer considered attending students. This means no campus housing, no classes, and a permanently tarnished student transcript. While dismissal usually only lasts one to two semesters, this still heavily affects the livelihood of the student.

So, do grades actually reflect your intellect? Do grades matter? In short, no, grades do not reflect a student’s intelligence, but grades do ultimately matter in a student’s academic career. Your grades can determine what type of college you will be accepted into and what sort of financial aid you may receive. Once you are in college, students are expected to maintain grades in order to simply attend the classes. Grades do not define students as people, but grades can very much determine academic success.

OPINION

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theflashflc.org

Dark humor's conseqences

By Laila Warrick Over the years, the topic of suicide has become one that is less taboo and more acceptable to talk about. With the help of media and assemblies, it’s something that feels more tangible to us as well. This is a positive. With this discussion being more acceptable, people are more likely to reach out for help. Despite our progress, there is a phenomenon gaining traction that could rebuild all of the societal walls that we’d broken down.

As Generation Z-ers, the topic of “dark humor” is familiar to us. We make light of the macabre any chance we get, even if the circumstances aren’t ones we can relate to.

But if you’ve been paying attention lately, you’d have noticed that a lot of these jokes seem to center on a topic that’s a reality for many our age: suicide.

Why do we make light of this act so much? In a survey of FLC’s students, 66.6% of all participants stated that they make these jokes, with the same amount admitting they have suicidal thoughts as well.

When asked if these jokes help with suicidal thoughts, 33% reported yes.

This is not an uncommon phenomenon. Many people use humor to deal with the burden of serious situations. According to Psych Central, joking about serious and traumatic events can help people see those circumstances differently.

But what about people who threaten to end their own lives over minor inconveniences?

As previously mentioned, making light of these situations may make it easier for people to deal with these feelings. Most of these statements, though, are not utilized in that way. Instead, they’ve become flippant remarks we use to express frustration.

Since we use these phrases with little regard, we have slowly become desensitized to the idea of someone taking their own life.

Those taking the survey were asked to report on a scale of 1 to 10 how seriously they take the topic of suicide. 66.7% reported they’d rate it an 8, with 16.7% rating it a 6 and 10 respectively.

One of our respondents who agreed to be interviewed, 12th-grader Aidan Kingcade, explained his answer of 8 out of 10.

“I picked 8 because when it comes to suicide, it's a big deal that's very much overlooked. Suicide is something that has shaped my life in many ways. I have per-

sonally dealt with it before.” He said. “I won't say I'm better now, but I will say I have a better understanding of it. And from my understanding, there's a lot of misconceptions when it comes to suicides, and overall, mental health.”

There is evidence to suggest that making fun of those misconceptions, as light-hearted as they are intended to be, can offend those suffering from those issues. Consider the concept of microaggression but in the context of mental health.

In an article published

by Medical News Today about the effects of hidden discrimination, they specify a type of microaggression coined by a Columbia professor. It’s called “microinvalidation”. These are defined as comments that belittle and discredit a person’s experiences. Not many people stop to consider what those around them are going through before making their jokes, potentially making someone feel invalidated.

Some students may still not understand why it is important to take this topic seriously. This is especially the case if they don’t suffer from these thoughts. However, evidence shows that now is the time to take the mental health of our generation seriously. In February Two students casually joking about suicide. Graphic by Angelo Infusino. this year, CNN reported that the CDC found evichoose what benefits us. When speaking, to things that, genuinely, I shouldn't [have dence of worsening mental health in today’s teens. This includes the we say what makes us look best to our been].” Kingcade concluded. “From those presence of suicidal thoughts. Our peers friends. It is extremely easy to forget others experiences, I’ve [been able] to be able to are in a mental health crisis and if we don’t outside of your bubble exist, but it’s equally joke about those things. But I do still have reevaluate the way we discuss these topics, as simple to be mindful of the way you in- empathy and sympathy for those people who have experienced these things. I don't we may end up blind to the severity of the teract with the world.

“For myself, I have gotten desensitized believe just because you’re desensitized situation.

As students, we are confined to our to very much violent, and overall, nega- to something that you're unable to have a worldview. When making decisions, we tive topics. At a young age, I was exposed good understanding of [that topic].”

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SPORTS

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Soccer team kicks into success this year

By Dahslee Hernandez Franklin Learning Center’s boy's soccer team, the Bobcats, season started on September 1, 2023, and officially ended in a playoff game on October 23, 2023. The Bobcats ended their season with a 6-2 record.

The Bobcats returned this year continuing a successful season as in previous years.

Before the season officially began many players had concerns about their team performance this season since they have not played together since that last season.

“Some people put in a lot of work during the offseason, which I'm very proud of,” said Co-Captain Julio Chacon. “We had to run a lot of drills. We obviously didn't have a preseason again, which sucks but hopefully next year we do. We practiced a lot, and even though our nets weren't regular size we made it work.

The Bobcats at the beginning of their season had to miss games causing their first game to be set back.

“We had a pretty good start to the season except for the fact that the weather got in our way,” said Coach Frank Prohaska.

“So we missed out on three games right out of the gate because of cancellations due to heat, which was really annoying. But once we got going, the team played really well.”

After many setbacks to get to their first game of the season, the Bobcats went up against Jules E. Mastbaum Panthers where they won 7-0.

“The team was looking solid the same as last year so I was a little scared it wouldn't be a good performance,” said Right Wing Mohamed Khelifa. “But overall, we went into that first game confident, and then we got home with a 7-0 [score]. And then after that, our confidence just went up after that and we just kind of dominated the division.”

Once the Bobcats had competed in various games majority of the time they ended with a win but regardless if they lost a game

they kept a winning mentality throughout the team.

“There were no games that we just completely gave up,” said Prohaska. “Even the couple that we lost, everybody played really hard, and the games were really close. So I think the team’s chemistry was really nice this year.”

There were many memorable moments made during the 2023-2024 season. Players created a bond with each other, the coach, and team managers both on the field and off the field. One time the players had a surprise planned for their coach after a game.

“One of our games on a Friday happened to fall on my birthday,” said Prohaska. “We won the game pretty handily. But I did tell the team that if they lost the game, I was going to make more runs of 12 laps of practice so I think they were a little more motivated. But you know, they brought a little cheesecake treat [while singing happy birthday] for me for my birthday, which made it kind of fun.”

Coming towards the end of the season the Bobcats had made it to the first round of the PIT tournament playoffs. The Bobcats played against the Academy at Palumbo Griffins where the game resulted in a loss of 1-0.

“It was a very tight game, and at no point was Palumbo dominated the game,” said Prohaska. “We had a couple of really close opportunities to score in the system.

Palumbo apparently played us last year and beat us 9-1 so you know, for them to only take a one-nothing game where we were holding our own is a huge improvement.”

At the end of the season, the Bobcats were proud of their accomplishments and want to continue to succeed in the next season.

“I’m extremely proud of our team,” said Prohaska. “I think our team really held on there well. They played with a lot of heart.”

Player Mohamed Khelifa (8) attempts to steal the ball. Photographer Dahslee Hernandez

Player Akhmadzhon Mansurov attempts to kick the ball away from opposing team. Photographer Dahslee Hernandez

Boys soccer team lines up to shake the hands of their competitors after the game ended.

The team joins in to huddle with their coach. Photographer Dahslee Hernandez

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SPORTS

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Girls Volleyball wraps the season with a winning record The FLC girls volleyball team was from August 30, 2023 to October 30, 2023.

The head coach for the team this year was Amir Patel. Ending the season, the Bobcats were able to end on overall 5-2 wins and placed 4th in the conference.

Volleyball player (1) bumps the volleyball in the air. Photographer Dahslee Hernandez

Volleyball player goes to hit the volleyball over the net. Photographer Dahslee Hernandez

Players Nada Ayyash and Dibanhi Ronzon pose for a picture before the team huddles together.

Photographer Dahslee Hernandez

The team lines up to shake the hands of the opposing team after game ends. Photographer Dahslee Hernandez

Players celebrate a team huddle by raising their arms in the air. Photographer Dahslee Hernandez

Player Batoul Ayyash prepares to serve the ball. Photographer Dahslee Hernandez