The Heritage School Magazine

Issue #2

High Tech Low Tech No Tech by Edwin Luciano

One of the things that is wrong in this school is that there is not enough technology available here to work with. I’m in the multimedia class where we are making the yearbook this year and we barely ever have the computers. How can we be expected to make the yearbook on time and do a good job if we have to alternate computer days with college summit class as well as other classes? If we had enough computers we could all get things done faster. Most of these old computers don’t even work and if they do work some of the buttons might be broken off or the Internet won’t be running for some reason. Most of the computers are so slow and don’t work properly.

I asked the opinion of one of my classmates, Cristian Vasquez, in Multimedia about not having enough technology. In his opinion he feels like our not having the proper technology slows down our projects and assignments. He also thinks it could affect people’s grades and makes them not be able to turn their work in on time. I also asked him, “How do you think we can fix this problem?” He said, “ If it’s possible we can find a way to talk to the board of education or have a fundraiser to buy more advanced computers and software.” I also wanted to get the opinion of a teacher here who knows about technology. Mr. Alagno is a 9th grade English teacher. When I asked him the same questions I asked Cristian, his answers were a little bit different. He said he is disappointed that the tech level is low but that he would be more disappointed if the staff level was low. He thinks that without the staff we have now in the school it would be kind of wild here. While he knows alot about how to use technology, he also thinks that technology is a bit overrated. He wonders when we are given the computers....for how much of the time would we actually be doing our work? He also says we have to manage as best we can and work with what we do have even if it’s old. The only time we will be able to afford new computers is when the economy gets better.

Since first beginning this article, my opinion has changed a little bit. There are a lot more issues than meets the eye. There is a lot more to do with our economy than the school’s money. We as students have to take care of our school and not be careless and rough with what we do have. Remember to make the best of it.

Dance,Dance,Heritage!Cristian Vasquez Heritage High school is a school where cultures unite and mix. A part of many cultures is dance and music. Music can express people’s emotions. ”Music is everything. You can find your mood and feelings through certain songs,” said Amanda Lora, an 11th grade student. Music can lift you up or break you down. When different types of music are spread around, then cultures and dances are shared and fused. I asked Gissel Esteves (a 10th grade student here at Heritage) if she felt that her culture is accepted at Heritage and she responded, ”D-E-F-I-N-I-T-E-L-Y! Yes, I know my culture is accepted at Heritage High School because my culture is incorporated in Latin Dance class and in some of my regular classes.”

Latin Dance classes are Mondays and Wenesdays: Mondays from 3:30 to 5 and Wednesdays from

2:00 to 3:30. Latin Dance classes are very interactive. The students there are comfortable, relaxed and are eager to dance. When a performance date is close they all go together to shop for the costumes for the performance. Some students such as Diogenes Martinez are planning to take dance in college so this class helps him and others to prepare for their future in the arts.

Music and Dance can help certain people escape from the world and from all the stress and problems...escape from EVERYTHING because “dance is a release of energy and a stress reliever. It brings tranquility,” said Sandra (the teacher of Latin Dance). Music and Dance can make people who they are because music can make you feel a certain emotion and dance will release that emotion. Therefore, Latin Dance Class will help you express your culture and HERITAGE.

COLOR MY PERSONALITY! BY: EVELYN ROJAS

Think of a mood ring: What color do you think you’ll be? The personalities in The Heri-tage School are like a bag of skittles; everyone is different and has different ways of going about things. At Heritage we have the smarty pants, the jocks, the friendliest folks, and many more. Some determine their moods by the way they feel, others by the way they dress or the way it may be outside. Issac Garcia determines his mood by the way the weather may be at the time. “If it’s raining I’m going to feel sad” but to cheer himself up he goes to his friends or his girlfriend and he can rely on the fact that they will always brigten up his day. Like many at The Heritage School, a friend can always cheer you up and your personality can be your missing ingredient to the perfect recipe.

by Jacqueline Algarin

Here at Heritage, one of the best parts of school is when 8th period ends and Community Choices begins. There are no tests or paperwork, just chilling with friends, doing something interesting , learning new skills, and receiving credit for arts learning.

I think that the Community Choices program is special because it has a balance of education and amusement. It makes the students feel engaged in the class as they learn new skills, while at the same time allowing them to have fun and hang out with friends. Also, the Community Choices can introduce students to some of the culture that New York City has to offer.

Last year, when I was in Art Speak on Tuesdays, going to the American Folk Art Museum downtown was a fun and meaningful experience. I felt that it was great to get out of the school and see the art the city has to offer.

This year, there are fewer programs than last year when Ryan Bradley was here working as the Community Choices coordinator. I think TC and Urban Arts should make more programs for students to participate in; fortunately the Manga program returned after not being here for the first half of the year. Multimedia and Film Club also started after-school programs during second term. I suggest that the school provide even more community choices in addition to those and the dance classes.

Besides the Community Choices program being enjoyable, informative, and uniting us closer to the city and our heritage, Community Choices can help students build up their self-esteem. Students who are a part of the program can give other students positive motivation . “It {Community Choices} gives students the ability to do things they wouldn’t do in everyday life, which affects them in a positive way,” says Michelle, the teacher of the Hip- Hop Dance class. Another reason why Community Choices is amazing for the students is because the program gives them opportunities to express themselves in many different ways. Basically, Community Choices has helped our students both academically and personally, which makes this an amazing program for our school.

After-School Fever!!

Ring The Alarm?!?

Is it freedom? Or is it unsafe? Have you ever won-dered why don’t we have bells, metal detectors or intercoms? I think that it is dangerous that we don’t have any of these techologies. If we had them it would keep The Heritage School in control and protected from anything. On the other hand, some feel that it is a positive thing because it shows that administration can trust the students and teachers here and that we can function on our own. I interviewed Rocky, our Dean, and U.S. History teacher Mr.Agarwal to ask their opinion. I was wondering: Why don’t we have this equipment? Is it because of budget?

Rocky has been in this school since it was estab-lished. Her answer was, “We do not own this entire building, so we are not able to put all this equipment in on our own; we need to talk to the building con-tractors in order for us to install bells and metal de-tectors.” Mr. Agarwal agreed, adding that the build-ing is “half a school, half an historical building. and there are also many budget issues in the school.”

Is the decision about not having the equipment made my the staff in Heritage or the D.O.E (Department of Education)? Rocky and Agawal said, “We do not own this building, so again we don’t have the complete decision.” However, Agarwal added that the budget is something that the D.O.E has decided. He believes that most of the staff would want all of this equipment.

I finally inquired about their opinion regarding the fact that we do NOT have any of this equipment. They both said that it would be a good thing to have bells, metal detectors, and intercoms but it is not necessary for academic achievement. This commu-nity is all about trust and both of these adults trust us to do the right things.

By: Jeanette Abreu

Helping Kids Out: The Mentors Program

Arturo Cruz Have you ever had prob-lems with your life? If you’re in 11th grade, then the mentorship program is something that can help you out a lot. You can meet different kinds of people from all over the United States. The men-tors who are assigned to you can tell you how their life has been throughout the U.S and how it’s different from New York. You can talk about many things with them like problems that you’re having in your life, about differ-ent colleges that you can go to, or about receiving help to write resumes so you can get a job. Many of the mentors are lawyers so they have experience in how interesting aspects of life.

I was able to interview a couple of people. The first person I inter-viewed was the person at Heri-tage in charge of the mentorship program.

Her name is Ms. Rodriguez. I was able to ask a few question regard-ing what the mentorship program is all about. She said that “the mentors are there to help you with things concerning your life. It’s a relationship with a professional person.” Another person I inter-viewed is Taylor Harris. She talk-ed about how it was great being around her mentor. She said she has alot of fun with her, because she’s funny and kind.

I go to the mentorship program and have fun too. My mentor is actually from Scotland and he talks about how Scotland is com-pare to the US. He’s really cool to hang with and one thing that we have in common is that we both liked soccer.

Unfortunately enrolling in the mentorship program is only for 11th graders. So if you are an 11th grader I think it’s a great program and you should definite-ly join.

HERITAGE: A place for learning...but UNCOMFORABLE. People are not getting 100% of the space they need for learning in this school. There’s not enough room and it bothers people a lot. They are not working well when they are squished up against another person because that makes them feel awkward or very distracted.

I spoke to a student from The Heritage School named Sage and she said she feels that when she is in a crowded room full of kids she cannot focus

and gets distracted by other kids by talking to them. It affects her learning because it is hard for her to pay attention and to be able to listen to the lesson being taught.

When I talked to the school programmer, Ms. Jang, she simply told me that the reason why there is not enough room is because certain people are not passing their classes and when they start a new semester it’s mandatory to

repeat the old classes thatthey didn’t pass last year.

Another reason is that 20 to 30% of the students need extra help from the English Language Learner or Special Education programs, so they end up in smaller classes that may have more room than they technically need, causing other students to be crowded into larger classes. To make a long story short this school is not great for students who want a peaceful education. If you come to Heritage, be prepared to block out distractions and deal with cramped classrooms.

Where’s The Elbow Room?

by: Taylor Harris

How Diverse is our “Heritage”?

We definitely have a mix of different cultures and ethnicties. - Mr. Agarwal

I feel like we most-ly see the same ethnic backgrounds here. - Jordan Ricks

By: Sage QuintyneIn the overall view of students, Heri-tage High school is mainly Latino and African American, but if you dig deeper you may see that students are actually from different countries and regions in Latin America.

This school is mostly filled with African Americans and La-tino students. There is very little etnic diver-sity. - Sophian Raden

I think on the surface it appears that we have students who are similar (mostly La-tino or African American) but actually if you ask people to talk about where their families come from our students are quite diverse. -L.J.

There is absolutely alot of diversity here. A big Spanish community, African Americans, and also many other different countries. - Mr. Perez

What do you think?

Our school may have its flaws when it comes to activities, but when it comes topreparingkidsfortheirlifeafterhighschool,ourstaffisprettydetermined.Ms. Diaz (the senior advisor) and Candace (the college counselor) are two teach-ersteachingcollegesummittoourseniorstohelppreparethemforcollege,whichIthinkisabrilliantidea.Iwantedtogetadeeperconceptofwhatcollegesummitwasabout,soIinterviewedMs.Diazherself.Ialsointerviewedoneofthestudentswhoattendedtheclass,JordanRicks. WhenIaskedMs.Diaz,“Whatareyoulookingtogainfromthiscollegesummitprogram?”sheresponded,“Themaingoalisnotonlytopushthestudentsbuttoencouragethemtogotocollege.Iwantthestudentstogotoacollegetheyfeel most comfortable in financially as well as education-wise.” I asked how she got involvedintheideaofhavingcollegesummitandIfoundoutthatitwasoriginallyVivian’s idea (the past principal) although it was overall led by Candace. “I was alwaysthesenioradvisorsoastheybroughtitupinoneofthemeetings,itwasmyjobtotakepartinit.”saidMs.Diaz.

Ifoundthatmanyofthekidsweren’ttoothrilledwiththewholeideaoffocusingsomuchoncollegesimplybecauseitfreakedthemouttorealizethattheywould all soon be taking on larger responsibilities. College is a pretty big deal and I wascuriousabouttheclass’progress. Ms.Diazfeelsthatit’sbeenabighelpthroughthecoupleofyearsit’sbeengoingon.Shesaid,“Thekidsmaynotrealizebutithaswalkedthemthroughtheentireprocessofapplyingforcolleges,scholarships,anddeeplylookingintopos-siblecollegechoices.Withoutthisclasstheyprobablywouldn’thaveevenlookedintoitliketheyshouldhave.”

College Summit ByDaylaQuinones

IalsowantedtohearwhatastudenthadtosaysoIhadafewwordswithJordanRicks. Iaskedhimtogivemeaquickpictureofwhattheirtypicaldayinclasslookedlikeandhesaidthatthey’vedoneacoupleofprojectsthatinvolvedgettingtoknowmoreabout the benefits of scholarships and keeping them on track with their college applica-tions. “It has helped us decide what to major in, and how to go for the schools that best fit us.”saidJordan.Hecontinuedtalkingabouthowthestudentshavebeengivensmalltipshereandtherethatwouldhelpthemsavemoneysuchasnottakingtoomanyloans.Theyalso learned the difference between grants, scholarships and loans. We finished our talk withthesimplequestionofwhatwashelookingtogainfromthisprogramandhereplied,“All I want is the best possible financial aid(to save as much money as possible) and the bestcollegeexperience.”

Too Poor To Learn...

Certain people can’t learn, not because they don’t want to but the school can’t afford it.Many schools find it hard to pay for supplies and it effects with the students badly. If students don’t have text books what are they going to teach the students, how the students going to have a better understanding if they not able to read what the teacher is teaching. Most students learn better by reading what they being teach than by memerizing it. Most public school have problem trying to round up money for trips to make learning fun but instead students have to stay in theirs seat everyday and listen to the teacher. Which can be boring most of the times, which lead to students not coming to school and not paying attention. I think that the reason why students do not pass or just don’t come to school because they are not learning anything from the teacher and the way they teaching is not properly understandable to the students or just not that interesting. Another reason why they don’t pay attention because of the grades they getting plus the lack of learning that is being taught. www.ihen.org show that maybe home school could be better than public school. “They see mandatory government schooling for what it is, and their parents, for the most part, aren’t willing to help their own children escape into the life they are destined to pursue.” I agree with this quote because what the point of going to public schools if they cannot provide you with proper education and don’t have enough money to do provide you books and trips. In other words being home school would provide more attention to the child, enough supplies because you only teaching one, and a better understanding on what the child is learning.

by Taylor Harris