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HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
April 2011


In This Issue
Annie Get Your Gun
You'll Wish You Had Audio
Budget Cuts Loom
Coffee On Ice
Party And Vote
Art Show
Mock Trial Team
A Winning Tradition
Chair-ish Central
Ink in the Inquirer
Help Wanted
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Robotics Expo:  
Thursday, April 28, 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Drexel University Daskalakis Athletic Center, 3301 Market St.

AP Exams: Monday, May 2 - Friday, May 13

Holocaust Remembrance
Day:

Friday, May 6

Home & School Association Meeting:  Wednesday,  May 11. 7:30 p.m. Spain Conference Room      
Earth Day: Friday, May 13   

No School
(Teachers Only):

Tuesday, May 17

274 Orientation: Wednesday, May 18. 6:15 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. Auditorium

One Act Plays:  Wednesday - Friday, May 18 - 20, & Monday - Tuesday, May 23 - 24  

Annie Get Your Gun:

Thursday through Saturday, May 19 - 21. 7:00 p.m. Auditorium


Blood Drive:
Monday, May 23

Senior Finals Begin:
Wednesday, May 25

Central High School Art Show:
Thursday, May 26

School is Closed:
Monday, May 30


HELP WANTED
Newsletter staffers:
Interested in working
on the newsletter?
Dave Kalkstein at centralhighschoolnewsletter
@yahoo.com
Bring Your Photo ID
Just a reminder:
When you come to visit Central High School, you must have
a photo ID.
       Telephone-Main Office
                 215-276-5262

Welcome! 


We are closing in on the end of the school year, and our 270 class is getting set to go off to colleges such as Yale, Princeton, Penn, Temple, Drexel, Ursinus, Penn State, the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon and many others all over the country. Tell us where you or your student is headed!

 

Congratulations to the following winners of the First Annual CHS Poetry Slam: first place to Kai Davis, 271; second place to Cassandra Vidal, 271, and Reagan Hagins, 271; third place to Ezra Williams, 270; fourth place to Laura Haak, 271, and fifth place to Dise Diasonama, 270.

 

More congratulations to Hannah Schill, 271, and Leyth Swidan, 271, winners of the first and second prize respectively at LaSalle College's High School Writing Contest. Hannah's story, "There was a Title Here, It's Gone Now," will be published in LaSalle's literary journal. She also won cash and a bicycle.

 

And still more congratulations to Dr. Pavel who is being honored with the Dr. Alan H. Barson Service to the Profession Award by B'nai Brith Educators Unit on May 5.  There will be a dinner at the Philmont Country Club that evening but probably no bicycle.

 

Keep your eyes peeled for the new seating in the auditorium, a wonderful alumni gift from Bernie Spain, 198, and his wife Joan this past October. These crimson-colored, theater-type seats will replace the current seats, which are 72 years old.  You can check out a sample seat on display in the auditorium.

 

Got news? Tell us at [email protected]. Its easy!!

 

Best regards from Jane Von Bergen and Dave Kalkstein, co-editors.

Annie Get Your Gun (And Buy An Ad)   

 

The pace is picking up for Central High School's production of "Annie Get Your Gun" set for Thursday, May 19 through Saturday, May 21. Even if you aren't in the production and aren't volunteering for some other aspect, you can support this major undertaking by buying an advertisement in the program. The deadline is looming. Act quickly. To download a form, click here. You can also buy tickets online. Look for a special issue on the musical in May. 

You'll Wish You Had Audio ...
 

...To hear the amazing presentation of Sony Mathew, 272, who took gold in the English Speaking Union's Regional Shakespeare Oratorical Competition in March.   Sony beat out other Central students for the privilege of representing Central at the competition held at the Arden Theater in Old City, where she competed against 22 other students from private and public schools in the Delaware Valley.  

 

Sony selected a monologue from Shylock in the Merchant of Venice because it spoke of social injustice: "I was intrigued by the hatred of Jews and how Shylock spoke emotionally on that topic," Sony said.  In addition to delivering a heartfelt monologue, students had to recite a sonnet.  After their presentations, the 23 competitors were winnowed down to 10.  Then each was required to do a cold reading of an unfamiliar Shakespeare piece after only 10 minutes of review, thus weeding out the truly talented from the well-practiced. 

 

Sony's English teacher, Christine MacArthur, helped Sony prepare and find the meaning of the pieces, but she gave all credit to Sony for her natural talent and beautiful speaking voice. Ms. MacArthur said that Sony's win was "even more remarkable because in this competition where seniors traditionally win, a sophomore took the top prize -and the first-ever gold for a Central student."  Sony will now proceed to the national competition in May at New York City's Lincoln Center where she will face 59 competitors from all around the nation.  She will be coached by Carmen Kahn, the artistic director of the Philadelphia Shakespeare Company.  

Budget Cuts Loom Large


March's Home and School meeting featured Dr. Pavel, Brandon Turner, 271, and Representative Dr. James R. Roebuck, 219, who spoke about budget cuts and school vouchers.  Amidst concerns that the arts and gifted programs are not considered high priorities in Harrisburg, Brandon, a jazz pianist and choir member, delivered an eloquent and heartfelt speech previously given at City Hall.  In the speech, which focused on the importance of extracurricular activities and the arts, Brandon said that education is more than a narrow curriculum. He cautioned that eliminating extracurricular programs will "remove the foundation of our future" because they teach self-motivation and independence.  

 

Dr. Pavel painted a bleak picture as well, stating that Central could face a "perfect storm" if we were to lose young teachers along with retirees who will not be replaced. He urged parents to attend meetings and rallies as well as write letters in order to be heard.  Representative Roebuck also encouraged active behavior and discussed a new regime in Harrisburg that does not support public education.  Dr. Roebuck said vouchers would take away from already strained school districts such as ours.  He urged parents to speak out and threaten not to vote for our legislators unless they support public education in Philadelphia.    

 

Here are some tips on connecting with legislators: 

Go to vote-smart.org and enter your nine-digit zip code (Example 19118-2711) to find out your elected House representative and senators. (To find your nine-digit zip code, go to usps.com. On the banner "find a zip code," type in your address.) Click on current officials, then click on the elected person's name, and their biography will come up. You'll find the fax numbers to the offices of the governor, your state senator and your state representative on the right hand side of that page.

 

Letters could also be written to Senators Casey and Toomey and Representative Chaka Fattah. They all have easy to find websites.

 

Letters can be handwritten and should be short, no more than three paragraphs of three or four sentences each. Make sure your address is at the top so they know you are a constituent, and include your email.Fax or mail your letter to the office of your elected official; handwritten letters have much more impact. However, if you do not have time, petitions are great and easy to sign:  

 

Penn ACTION and Education Voters PAare gathering signatures on an online petition to stop Pennsylvania's billion-dollar cut to education funding. Dr. Pavel urged parents to reach out to our legislators and support those who support public education in Philadelphia.  

Ice coffee robot

Coffee On Ice    

 

Female students in Africa will receive $270 (Get the connection? This gift comes from seniors) all raised by students in Central's Contemporary Affairs class, more popularly known as "Conflicts." The class, which examines the nature and roots of ethnic, religious and racial conflicts around the world, recently hosted a "Conflicts on Ice" caf� featuring student work. The proceeds will go to CAMFED, an organization that raises funds for schools in Africa. "After taking this class, it's like my eyes opened to a new world. I couldn't believe that such atrocities occurred on the same planet on which I lived a comfortable lifestyle," said Kimberly Quintero, 270, who will attend Ursinus College next year. "It really helps me learn about what is going on and it helps me to get involved."  

 

Topics are contemporary international events selected on a basis of immediacy and interest. Students explore the reasons for the conflicts and search for possible solutions. Interestingly, and somewhat mysteriously, the class has developed a class mascot, a robot, who was among the stars at the Conflicts Caf�. "The response from the audience was wonderful," Kimberly said. "Everyone loved it, especially our robot which seems to have become our trademark."


Home and School: Time To Party And Vote    

 

Elections and an end-of-the-year potluck party are on tap for this year's final meeting of the Home and School Association. If the first letter of your last name is A through M, bring an appetizer. Otherwise, bring a dessert. It'll be a feast! Elections will also be held based on previously gathered nominations. For most of the offices, there is no contest, but there are two candidates vying for the vice president of membership. They are

Amy L. Cohen and Michelle St Clair. Former vice president of membership Anita Quain will be running for fundraising vice president. Other officers who have been nominated are Lisa Kallas and Marge Donnelly, co-vice presidents of hospitality, and Loraine Andrews, secretary. Also open is a one-year term for 274 class representative. The party is also a time to honor outgoing officers Donna Fitzhenry, Joanne Quigley and Lena Bilenskyj for all their hard work as Home and School leaders. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 11, in the Spain Conference Center.

Art Show

 

Central's art students are hoping to find space in the school for a dedicated gallery for their work. A first step will be Thursday, May 26 between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. when the art department hosts an art show in Central's main corridor. At 6:30 p.m., there will be a ceremony in the Spain Conference Center honoring the school's art students and dedicating, in particular, the work of AP students, both those graduating this year and those who graduated last year. "We have one of the greatest art departments in the city," said department chairman Benjamin Walsh. "It's important to show off student success in art."

Mock Trial Team Shines in Harrisburg      

 

Central High School's Mock Trial Team traveled to Harrisburg in March to compete in the 28th Annual Pennsylvania Bar Association Statewide High School Mock Trial Competition.  When the dust settled, Central's team did a fantastic job, coming in 10th place overall out of the 336 teams that competed across Pennsylvania this season.  The members of Central's young team learned a tremendous amount - about the law, strategy, public speaking, debating, and themselves - and are ready, willing and definitely eager for the beginning of next year's mock trial season.  

 

The team was represented in these final rounds by:  Jenna Schwack, 271, deemed the best advocate,  as well as Dayanah Oberlton, 272, and Phil Weiss, 271, who were deemed the best witnesses.  Additionally, Talia Charme-Zane, 272, Danielle Williams, 272, Janulla Beko, 271, Darien Carter, 272, and Xavier Zambrana, 273, acted as members of the competing team.  Other members of the team who traveled to Harrisburg were:  Hunter Cohen, 273, Daniel Conrad, 272, Samira Jaji, 273, Farzana Rahman, 271, and Feben Whitaker, 272. The team extends overwhelming gratitude to William Graham, its teacher-coach, and Julian Thompson, 262, its attorney-coach, who provided unlimited time, training, inspiration and encouragement.

Piles of trash, ready to go
Clean Up, Green Up
 
Besides making the campus look better, the March Home and School clean up spawned a lot of dreams and plans. Home and School co-president John Newcomb would like to schedule a second cleanup in the fall. A parent who spearheaded the clean up, John Haak, a city planner, hopes that a student group will take responsibility for the compost pile at the southern end of the parking lot. It needs to be regularly fed and turned. There has also been talk of drawing up a master plan for the campus so that new plantings can take place in an organized way.
A Winning Tradition
 
The Central High School Softball Team is about halfway through another successful season, undefeated in Public League play (6-0) and has received major on-field contributions thus far from the classes of 270, 271, 272 and even 273.  Central's 2011 team has already notched victories over rivals Girls' High and Northeast High, and is poised for a deep run through the Public League and state playoffs.  

Coaches Linda Hartzell, 260, and Christine Soda count a season as successful when each player improves and the team comes together as a cohesive unit.  Central's winning tradition is not new to Ms. Hartzell. "I played four years of varsity softball at Central under Frank Greco, 229, the current athletic director," she said.  "In my four seasons here, I believe we only had two losses." The coaches' message is that academic achievement is most important, and both encourage the players to seek the help that they need to succeed in their classes.  Both believe that playing softball can create a supportive environment for the students by giving them an outlet to be active, to compete and to create positive social interactions.  

Central's softball program has established a longstanding track record of success despite suboptimal field conditions compared to those available for some other sports. Looming state budget cuts also threaten the successful program. However, a 6-0 season is enough reason for optimism. The coaches have set their sights on continuing a tradition full of victories. They expect the team will finish strong and move on to the playoffs and beyond.
Chair-ish Central
 
Your body may be gone from Central High School, but your seat can return. The Associated Alumni of Central High School, which has embarked on a major fundraising campaign to provide a top-notch performing arts facility for the school, is now providing an opportunity to dedicate a seat in the auditorium to your favorite Central person. (It can be you!) The cost is $300 and a plaque will be placed on the seat. Click here for more information.
Ink in the Inquirer

Did everyone see the front-page article in the Philadelphia Inquirer about Olympic track star John Baxter Taylor? A 1902 Central graduate described in the Inquirer as an "eager and able student," Taylor was the first African American to win an Olympic gold medal. The story describes his grace when confronted with racist and unsportsmanlike conduct in some of his contests. "I dare greatly," Taylor said, "and I shall live as no ordinary man bound by a game of chance."    

 

Central has been all over the Inquirer recently. Aaya Kingsbury, 271, a Centralizer staffer, had a front page story in First Take, a special student edition published by the Philadelphia Inquirer and produced by the Acel Moore Career Development Workshop. The section included biographies of the student participants, including Aaya. (Click through to photo 29.)

 

The Inquirer also wrote a long article which featured Central president Dr. Sheldon Pavel after he received the prestigious Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award, one of seven principals in the city so honored. The article really gives a great portrait of Dr. Pavel and a wonderful look at day-to-day life at Central.


 

Community Service

Families of juniors and seniors are finding out these days that a large part of college applications has to do with extracurricular activities, especially those involving community service. Central has a long and distinguished history of providing service to the community and a rich selection of activities for its students.  

 

Community Service is graded at Central, so it's not just a casual pastime. It can make a big difference in how college applicants fare. Students must provide letters that describe service performed on the official letterhead of the organization, including the dates and the group's official work phone numbers. Cell phone numbers are not acceptable. These letters are due to sponsors by May 7.  Students putting in 45 hours or more of service get an "A" grade, so it's time well spent for this reason and many others. Click here for guidelines.   

Help Wanted
Baked goods needed:  The Home and School Association needs LOTS of baked goods to sell at Freshman Orientation on Wednesday, May 18. Please send in individually-wrapped items in the morning, dropping them off in the office. This is a big fundraising night for the Home and School Association.

Newsletter staffers: Interested in working on the newsletter? Contact Dave Kalkstein at [email protected].

Thank You

  

Thanks to all who helped with this newsletter with great stories by great volunteer parents, including Marty Franklin, Marian Nasuti, and Nancy Winter, and to Dan Cason as well as our editors Johnette Miller, Jane Von Bergen,  and Tamar Magdovitz. Thanks also to Diane Luckman, who provides the polish for our issues. Thanks as always for the support and assistance of Dr. Pavel,  Mr. Walsh and the teachers and students that took part in our stories.

 

This newsletter is a volunteer effort brought to you by The Central High School Home and School Association. 

 

Didn't see your news here? Want to let others know about special achievements? Have an idea for an article? Tell us about it at [email protected].  Better yet go ahead and volunteer for one of the most enjoyable parent activities at Central!
All the best to all hands!

 
Sincerely,
Dave Kalkstein and Jane M. Von Bergen, Newsletter Co-Editors
Central High School - Philadelphia