The Science Leadership Academy is featured on the Apple Education website! SLA is one of four case studies showcased by Apple on how computing can change education. SLA is featured along with Greene County, NC School District, Ohio State University and Central Elementary School in California. SLA is the only high school and the only urban school to be showcased. Apple is using our case study to demonstrate to schools and universities all over the world how Apple products, along with a clearly defined progressive pedagogy, can transform schools.
Thank you to Apple for choosing to showcase SLA, and thank you to all the teachers and students who gave their time to the project!
Be sure to check out the Science Leadership Academy case study on Apple's website!
Actors from The Wilma Theater's production of Macbeth visited Orange and Red Stream English today as part of The Wilma's Artist-in-Residence Program. Ninth grade English students have been studying Macbeth over the last few weeks in preparation to see the play at The Wilma this Tuesday evening, October 26. In the pre-show visit, these actors helped students embrace the idea of being on the stage, of living and breathing Shakespeare's language, and aided in their further understanding of the play. The Wilma Theater will return to SLA on Friday, October 29 for a post-show session with the students to discuss their impressions of the production, and to continue the effective, engaging stage work started today.
Congratulations to Gina Dukes for her play "God Makes No Mistakes," Jareese Long for her play "Circle," Julia Boyer for her play "Office 309," and Natalie Sanchez for her play "Karen's Battle." Their amazing plays won First Place, Second Place and two Third Place prizes. They have a lot to be proud of!
Gina's play, is being professionally directed and performed by Temple Undergraduate actors on Friday November 5th and Saturday November 6th. Come out to see it-- admission is free and no tickets or reservations are required.
See Philadelphia Young Playwrights for more information.
Tuesday, October 12 Art Students went to the SkyBox gallery to see an artist install a site specific sculpture. The artist is Arurora Robson and the opening is Friday, October 15. Ms. Robson described her work being inspired by childhood nightmares and she combines her inspiration with the nightmare we all share in harnessing the amount of plastic produced and its effects on the environment.
Students were thanked for their efforts in collecting caps and they even received a shout out on the gallery wall, picture below. All the art students were asked to create a sign for the school walls that demonstrated their knowledge of the elements of design. There was a slide show of all the posters presented to Ms. Robson. She enjoyed them very much.
Finally upon our departure Ralen Robinson thanked Ms. Robson and gave to her our traditional lab coat. Ralen explained that it is an SLA tradition to give a lab coat to adults and experts who give their time to meet and speak with SLA students and teachers.
Hanna Khoury, one of SLA's music teachers, has received a 2010 Pew Fellowship. Mr. Khoury has worked with SLA in the ILP program (2009-2010) and is presently teaching a music class for voice, percussion and instruments. Congratulations to Mr. Khoury. (Read the press release from SLA's music partner, Al-Bustan, below).
We are pleased to announce that the Director of Al-Bustan's Music Program has received a 2010 Pew Fellowship in the Arts. Each year the Pew selects 12 artists in the Greater Philadelphia area who are of exemplary talent. Congratulations to Hanna for a well-deserved award!
We are excited to continue our partnership with Hanna in teaching and presenting even more Arab music over the coming year.
Hanna began teaching with Al-Bustan in Spring 2009: leading a small ensemble for a performance in May 2009, teaching music at Al-Bustan Camp in July 2009 and July 2010, leading a music course for adults, and directing a monthly concert series. Since January 2010 he is the Director of Al-Bustan's Music Program and Music Director of the newly formed Philadelphia Arab Music Ensemble.
Khoury is an Arab-Israeli violinist trained in the classical traditions of Arab and Western music. As the music director of the Arabesque Music Ensemble, Khoury has led nationwide tours performing traditional Arab music in major venues and universities, and has recorded two traditional Arab music albums: Al Fursan Al-Talatha and The Songs of Sheikh Sayyed Darweesh: Soul of People. He is a violinist and Arab music adviser with Intercultural Journeys, frequently performing with cellist Ohad Bar David. Khoury collaborated and performed with major artists including Lebanese superstar Fairuz, Iraqi singer Kazem Al-Saher, Grammy winner Youssou N'Dour, Algerian singer Cheb Khaled, and Tony Award winner Mandy Patinkin. In addition, Khoury can be heard on several pop songs including Grammy nominated song Beautiful Liar(featuring Beyoncé and Shakira) and Love and Compassion(featuring Paula Cole and Kazem Al Saher). He recorded strings for Shakira's Grammy performance of Hips Don't Lie. Khoury collaborated with musician/composer Kareem Roustom on multiple projects, including recording strings for award-winning films Amreeka, Budrus, Encounter Point, and the PBS documentary Mosque in Morgan Town, in addition to releasing an Arabic jazz album with Al-Zafeer Ensemble. A recipient of the America-Israel Scholarship and Qattan Foundation Award, Khoury graduated Magna Cum-Laude with departmental honors from UCLA with Bachelors in Economics and Music Performance, and obtained his Masters degree in Music from Temple University.
The results:
President: Alexis Beren
Vice President: Douglas Wallace
Secretary: Maggie Long
Treasurer: Chelsea Ann Smith
And another congratulations to every candidate who ran. You all ran great campaigns that resulted in nearly 2/3 of the student body voting! Also, remember that everyone who wants to be involved in Student Government can join, regardless of your position. We have a lot of work to get done this year, and we're starting with our first full meeting this Monday!
Faculty, Staff and Friends of SLA,
My Rock and Pop Music class is coming along nicely but we are lacking a few pieces of musical gear.
If anyone has guitars, electric guitars or basses, keyboards, microphones, guitar straps, mic or guitar stands, 1/4" instrument cables or amplifiers that they are not using and would like to donate to our cause, please do so! We will use the gear! We will dedicate songs to you and play them for you with your donated gear! It will be great!!
I can be reached at jnewman@scienceleadership.org if you have questions about this.
Thanks!
Sincerely,
Josh Newman
Music Teacher/Librarian
Students, this is a reminder that our school-wide officer election is this Monday during both lunch bands in the library. We are deciding our school's secretary, treasurer, vice president, and president. This is your opportunity to decide who will speak for you this year. Don't be one of those lazy people who can't be bothered to vote. So let's Rocket the vote
