It ain't over yet!

Spring break is over, and now we're heading into the final quarter of the school year. New Year's seems like a distant memory... Thanksgiving a speck on my brain. And our first graduating class is about to say goodbye in just 12 weeks! Wow.

Speaking of the senior class and spring break, it seems the break also meant a break from the blog. Our last poll, which asked How many of our seniors have seniorits, received an unprecedented rate of responses. One could conclude that the lack of responses--we in fact, received NONE at all--is a clear sign of the pandemic at PMA. From a teacher's perspective (and I promise to be brief), it seems senioritis is spreading like mold. Some students think they can coast along and do nothing, if they show up at all, because Senior Projects are done. But it's startling that one-third of the class hasn't even completed the requirement... You can't declare yourself a winner in the third quarter of the game, especially if you rode the bench since half time. It ain't over yet, folks!

Meanwhile, our next poll asks how students feel about their senior year. Was it what you expected? Do you wish it had been better? Tell us! You have until April 14!

Ms Hoffler

Yes, I like my new hair style

Over my spring break it was great not being home, and I even donated my hair for a good cause. Half of my week consisted of walking everywhere I could and working Monday and Friday. Monday I worked from mid morning to early afternoon. Friday I worked in the afternoon from 2 to 6. The rest of the week I did my chores, and projects for school. On Wednesday I donated my hair to Locks of Love and went out for lunch with Jay at a pizza shop that was close by. Then we just hung around the neighborhood. Thursday was just hanging out with Jay at his house.

Yes, my spring break may be considered boring to some but fine with me. Guess what it rocked for me enough to write about it. And, yes I like my new hair style. If you don't you're not affecting me and my life, so grow up. Besides it's too late to say anything about it. I would love to hear about your spring break.

By Sara Watson

The feelings I get...

The feelings I get when you’re around me
Are indescribable
Why do I feel this way?
I mean you’re a human just like me
But you’re not an average person
The typical male
Yes you’re fly, yes you get money and do your thang
But this is not what differentiates you from the others
The feeling I get when you’re around makes my stomach just twist and turn
I mean is this even real
Maybe I need to just wake up from this dream
But this isn’t a dream
This is real
This is reality
Why don’t you act like the typical male
Why don’t you use people
Why don’t you show disrespect towards me
I know I get on your nerves once in a while
Why don’t you just let me be free and just flee
But I don’t want to flee I just want to know if you have the guts to just let someone you love dearly go that fast and easy I’m glad you’re not the typical male
I’m glad you’re different
Because it’s safe to know that I can trust you and know I’m not getting played
Amen for non-average men

By Tresurea Nelson

Senior Year Woes

Once again the Philadelphia Military Academy has jerked the senior class out of another activity. First it was our senior class trip; now it's our senior prom. They told us that is was going to be at the Bellvue at Broad and Walnut, a very high-class area where the best of the best have their shindigs, but now we are combing the senior prom with the junior prom at Romano's Banquet Hall, nowhere near as nice as the Bellvue and in a neighborhood where...well let's just say it's not Broad and Walnut.

But my beef is not the location of the prom but why in the world they would combine our prom with the juniors'? I'm not saying there is anything wrong with the junior class, but how many seniors do you know want to have their prom with juniors'? The student council and our class representatives told us that not enough people paid their class dues, and therefore they had to change everything around.

Well, I have a couple of things to say about that. First of all some of the people who didn't pay their dues probably just don't have $260 to give away like that, and for the people who do have it who can blame them for not giving it up. We were promised a class trip and now we have nothing; our prom is going to be combined with the junior prom! Why would anybody give a school that type of money when they are getting very little in return?

Another thing our class could have done is had way more fundrasiers than they did. Selling pretzels and soda two days a week ain't nothing compared to what other schools are doing, such as fashion shows and talent shows. It's just a shame to see our senior year go down the drain like this, but oh well it's nothing we can do, so we just have to deal with it.

By Jon Mason

Scent Sans Smudge

This blog is a consumer report on Old Spice deodorizer versus Speed Stick. In my personal opinion, Old Spice is the best deodorant on the market today. I have used many brands prior to declaring Old Spice the best. Prior to my devotion to Old Spice, I used Speed Stick.

The problem with Speed Stick is that when dressing, you must be careful to not let your shirt touch your underarms after freshly applying deodorant. If this happens then the entire affected area will have a track of white smudges dirtying your shirt. Also, if you use Speed Stick while wearing a white undershirt, it will turn the underarms of your white undershirt yellow. This is not the best thing while trying to keep undergarments in presentable condition. Last but not least, Speed Stick fades over a short period of time. When applying Speed Stick in the morning and then commuting to school, it is best to keep a spare deodorant in ones backpack to reapply during lunch or throughout the day as needed.

However, with Old Spice I have not had any of these problems. It lasts throughout the day, doesn’t leave yellow marks, and more importantly doesn’t smudge my clothes after a fresh application.

By Paul Maiellano

You know what, I find it crazy how some people think that a male and female can't be close friends with no ulterior motive. I have plenty of friends of the opposite sex and don’t have any intentions of making the friendship something "more serious." Of course, you’re going to naturally be attracted to them--that’s just human nature--but that doesn’t mean you want to be more than friends. Some people are just better off as friends.

Now, I don’t have a problem hooking up my male friends with one of my female friends because I know that he is a good and attractive guy, but just not for me. As a matter of fact I just recently hooked up one of my friends the other day. The best thing about having a close friend of the opposite sex is that you can ask them all kinds of things that you always wanted to know about that gender. You find yourself teaching each other new things, and that’s what life is all about, learning new things. So if I were you, I'd say go for it and really seek for that friend of the opposite sex because it will benefit you in a big way. You’ll end up with a great friend and a brand new understanding of the opposite sex.

By Cierra Porter

wHaTeVeR?!!

I want to know why our spring break isn’t longer. We get one measly week to reenergize and make up work and…blah blah blah. For the pain I’ve suffered this school year I need more than a week. Can I at least get two? Sheeesh!

It’s bad enough that school was ever created because now I think it would have been better if we all walked around dumb. Because education is causing trouble. The more dropouts we have means more drug dealers on the streets…more murders and more kids being unnecessarily yborn. In fact you want to know the real cause of these dropouts?
….SENIOR PROJECTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....

They are the stupidest thing ever created. At least kids at other schools get to do theirs in a different way, like community service…..or just a 10-page paper with NO presentation……but no, our school always has to be different and do some stupid ish…..it’s bad enough we have to pay attention during our senior year and worry about college then they lay a senior project on us…Good Grief… this is why spring break should be longer, because some people can’t handle all this ish.

By Adler Roseau

Pray

Pray
Yesterday has passed and a new day has begun
There’s no more turning back what has been done
Lord knows I need to change my ways
But as I look left and right there’s no one to be found
So I get down on my knees and pray for a better day
But as I pray and reminisce on the day
I sit back and say thank you for all you brought me through
Because if it wasn’t for you where would I be
But should I regret what I did in the past or just keep moving forward with my life and just thank the man up stairs for everything that has been done
I mean he shields me from the enemy everyday
And opens up a new pathway so I can not stray
He knows my faults and flaws
And my wishes and all
But are my wishes what I really need
Maybe I need to just take a breather and just relieve
All the stress that comes my way and the stress that causes me to stray
But like he said leave all your burdens with him and keep on going
So I just sit there and pray and wait for the move to be made

By Tresurea Nelson

In SEPTA's defense....

Many people say that SEPTA is unreliable. Well, I don’t think that. Wherever I need to go, and my mom won’t take me, I know I can depend on SEPTA to get me there. Sure, the buses and trains are not always on time, and certainly they are not the cleanest but that can be overlooked. After all, I catch SEPTA almost every day to school.

Sure, the buses are always packed, and so are the terminals, but nothing is more relaxing than riding the bus with friends after a long, hard day at school—but more importantly, NO TEACHERS!. Well, at least none of our teachers ride the buses and trains we ride. Sure we have to adjust our schedules to match SEPTA’s timing, but I don’t have a problem with that.

By Glenda Barnett

Am I a Phenomenal Woman?

Am I a Phenomenal Woman

Am I a phenomenal woman?

I mean is it because of the flow of my hair

The way I gaze in the sky

Or is it the way I stand

So bold and tall

Is it how my legs are shaped

Answer me

Why must you play these games with me

Speak louder

I CANT HEAR YOU

Am I a phenomenal woman?

Speak louder I need to hear it come out your mouth

The more I ask you

The more I feel I’m talking to a wall

Am I phenomenal?

I know the swiftness of my walk

the gap in my teeth and the butterfly kisses as I blink

Makes me feel phenomenal

But I want to hear it from you

Say it

Speak louder

Am I a phenomenal woman?

By Tresurea Nelson

Decisions, decisions, decisions

Another acceptance; it just doesn't get any better than this. It usually doesn't feel as good when you open your second acceptance letter, but not in my case; it felt just as good, maybe even better. This time it was Niagara University, another school that I really wanted to get into.

At first when I heard about Niagara, I wasn't too excited to apply, but once I went on their website my whole POV changed. On the website was pictures of their beutiful campus, it is like you are at UNC or DUKE, but another thing that stood out to me was their athletics. As soon as their page came up I saw a good friend of mine that used to go to Imhotep Charter School. Apparently, he committed to Niagara, so immediately I thought of their program as a succesful one. After several hours of research my assumption of Niagara as a succesful program was correct; the school also is the number 1 team in its conference and is also host to the number 1 scorer in the conference.

It seems to me that I have a hell of a decision to make as far as college; not only did I get into Wesley but also Morgan and I have two scholarship offers from Cheyney University and Wesley College.

By Jon Mason

Who's Ready?

Really, Barack Obama isn't ready to be president of a nation such as ours. It's not that he is Black, it's just his inexperience that will be his downfall. We live in a world that just started seeing women as a man's equal. In some of the many cultures in the world men do not view women to be their equal. Therefore it is my opinion that Hillary Clinton is not equiped to deal with the pressures of being President of the United States. Her emotions are too all over the place; she displayed this by crying on national T.V. over losing the Mass. election.

In my opinion, we are choosing the lesser of two evils by electing Sen. Jon McCain. Although he is a Republican, he is considered the most liberal of the Republicans. As a graduate of the United States Naval Academy he possesses one of the finest educations in America. As a Prisoner of War during the Vietnam war, he gave up no information to the enemy, showing the steadfast courage and displaying the core values of the service in which he entered: Honor, Courage, and Commitment. All of the traits that are necessary to be able to lead our country.

By Paul Maiellano

Taking Stock in School

Stocks..stocks... stocks... a way to become rich and a way to lose the moneyyou invested. For my second period class, the teacher has assigned all of the senios to invest 200,000 dollars in multiple shares. Althoughthe money is fake you can still double or lose it. I take this class seriously, only because my future may be involved with it. Hopefully this class will help me with my investment planning in the real world.

By Ryan Haggerty

Great Potential

I have great potential
But I am lazy
I know I can do anything I put my mind to
And this is so true
I mean, I don't have to major in it
But I will be able to share my talents with everyone
To be multi-talented is a blessing that people long for
And I have it
Dancing, singing, acting, writing poetry,
having a black belt in karate, playing the violin and the trumpet
I mean that's a lot to me
But I don't take advantage of it
Something I do lack in
I need to make it happen for myself
So I can share my talents with others
Great Potential is what I have

By Tresurea Nelson

Time to Let Go

As a parent you want the best for your child. Nothing's wrong with that. You love them and cherish them, no matter what they do. They might do the most annoying, stupid, and disrespectful things you can think of, but you still love them no less than before. However, is it wrong for a parent to be overprotective? I understand they want to protect their children from bad things and think that kids should go about things a certain way, but I believe parents should let them go.

The best way to learn is from your own experiences and mistakes. Parents may not want their children to get hurt in any way, but sometimes you need to get hurt. But parents should make sure to be there to comfort them after they do get hurt and be their support. It may hurt you to see them in such distress, but at least they came back to you for guidance in the long run. A real parent is someone who’s there to listen and guide, but once the child reaches a certain age it’s time to let them go and hope that they will take what you taught them and do right.

By Cierra Porter

A question

Recently I was asked the question if a four-year-old boy could be gay. I answered no, because I don’t believe kids really know their sexual orientation until an older age. I believe that because as a kid you’re not really worried about your sexual orientation; all you are worried about is having fun. As a kid I was into girls only because that’s what I was raised around. I believe a kid's outcome is predicted from their experiences and what they where raised around. So blame MOMMY and DADDY!!!!!!

By Paul Hart

But it's free of flavor!

In school these days, students are always fighting to get a free lunch. I understand it’s free but you shouldn’t have to fight and try to be the first one to get lunch. The food they eat is not even a snack. It isn’t even as good as people make it to be. Like the other day, I remember I was in the front of the line and Colonel Young was trying to get everyone lined up in 2 lines. All I remember was that nobody was listening, and then everyone just started pushing trying to get through the doors to get the food. It’s hilarious because everyone was trying to get through but he was still holding everyone back with force. So what is the point for students to fight for food when it isn’t even good or fulfilling?
By Jorge Rangel

Snow Day

Last Friday's inclement weather was cause for a snow day. But why wasn't a snow day called? Buses and trains were very late and up to an hour behind schedule. Roads were deemed treacherous and hazardous during the commute to work and school. It is my opinion that the School District of Philadelphia made a bad decision. That almost every other institution of higher learning closed its doors on that blustery Friday should have sent a message to the district officials.

After waking up at 0500 to go to school I had spent the better part of an hour stragetizing how I was going to get to school on time. On a normal day it takes me 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach school. I can only imagine how long that trip would have been if I had elected to come to school. Because of the hazardous road conditions I was unable to attend school--with my parents' permission of course. Later that morning, the School District Of Philadelphia decided to send home the kids at 1130. So I would have spent 3 hours total on the bus, presuming that everything was still on regular schedule, to go to school for 3hours and 30 minutes. This is not a very well-planned decision; what were our educational administrators thinking! I'm sure that our teachers could have used a healthy day off as well.

By Paul Maiellano

No More Drama

No more Drama
No more drama
I'm too young to be going through what I'm going through
No more drama
Why don't you all just leave me alone
Be gone
Flee from me
No more drama
Just let me breathe
No more drama
The stress
It’s all just a test
But when will I pass it?
I know it’s natural
But is it natural for my age group?
Is it possible to just drop the drama?
I mean I thought life would be smooth sailing
Cruising without bailing
No more drama
I guess I was totally wrong
It’s so much to learn
But my head needs to be clear of this drama
Lord I’m crying out for you
I need help Lord
I’m taking more than I can bear
I just need
No more drama

By Tresurea Nelson

Mars to Venus: What's the deal?

I want to know why women are so freakin difficult. They cry about everything …like come on everything is not worth crying over. They say one thing and do another. They’re not serious about anything….they're always complaining…like what’s going on!! When they say they want to get serious …..you do it and whatnot….but when push comes to shove they quit. They are just a bunch of quitters….heartbreakers and liars…..they can’t be trusted and are not worth saying anything to. Like why did God create these evil things….when you try to be nice they are mean…when your mean all of a sudden they are nice…bunch of dummies….they never try to agree with you and always want to argue…sometimes you have to let them win…cause they're dumb….like what the flip…..the thing I hate the most…is the jealously …they love asking questions about your female friends like …like you don’t have the right to do that…like fallback….

By Adler Roseau