TMA Media Reboots, Shuffles

Newspaper tycoon William Randolph Heart once said: “If you make a product good enough … the public will make a path to your door … But if you want the public in sufficient numbers, you better construct a highway.”

TMA students broke ground on their own journalism highway on Tuesday at the first meeting of the newly formed Media Club. The group will augment publication of the monthly newspaper, The TMA Brief, with podcasting, photography, videography and daily reporting on every aspect of TMA activity. Look out for sports, news, commentary, investigative writing and multimedia production from the school’s best and brightest.

Students looking to join this media conglomerate at the ground level can attend next week’s meeting after school on Thursday, September 29 in Room 104. See Mr. Bein or Mr. Corcoran for details.

Double Trouble: Warriors Win Twice!

Both the Lady Warriors Volleyball and the Flag Football teams claimed victories on their respective turf over the past two evenings. In their second game of the season, flag football defeated National Collegiate 13-8. The win resulted from a strong second half showing from both the offense and defense and a great run by quarterback Tim Raynor and extra point by JuWuan Williams. First-year player Martina Archie also made a strong contribution by pulling the flag from Collegiate’s quarterback in a final scoring attempt which clenched the Warriors’ win. Archie remains optimistic for the season ahead, “We had a lot of teamwork, but I think we need more communication.” The Warriors return to action on Monday, September 26^th when they take on Saint Francis. Wish them luck!

Following football’s glory, the Lady Warriors Volleyball defeated Maya Angelou Public Charter School on Thursday evening. The Lady Warriors came together like a “well-oiled machine” to win all three games. No rest for these fighting Lady Warriors; the team takes on KIPP DC, today (Friday) at 4:30. Come show your support today for the might Lady Warriors on their home court!

Check back for more Warrior Athletic news here, on the The Other 17 Hours which will soon include contributions from TMA’s own Media Club students.

TMA Versus the Composter

If you peer out the windows of TMA, or sneak a glance through the sunflowers along the school fence, you might catch a glimpse of a recent garden arrival: bright orange pumpkins!!! After growing all summer, the pumpkins are almost ready to be harvested. 

And pumpkins are only one of many vegetable denizens of the TMA garden—this past week TMA students harvested sunflower seeds, basil, bell peppers, chilies, raspberries, carrots, eggplant, and watermelon. 

“The garden is awesome, and even though people don’t believe we grow stuff, we really do!” said TMA 9^th grader Michaelann Henderson. 

Another new addition to the garden may be a bit more difficult to see, but they’ll be working harder than anyone else to improve the soil—WORMS!!! The worm compost has started up again this year, expediting the composting process for the fall and winter. 

Speaking of compost, Green Club has also been assembling the new compost tumbler, which will allow TMA to begin composting more of its green waste, reducing the school’s waste and carbon footprint while improving the garden’s soil! 

Members of Green Club are already prepping for the next planting cycle, which will include lettuce and other greens such as kale and spinach, beets, cabbage, and carrots. If you have a green thumb, or want to learn the basics of organic gardening (or are an experienced compost-tumbler assembler), join Green Club every Thursday as we begin our semester of work in the garden!

Queen and Mickey Show 9

Queen and Mickey are back! Check out their new show. Also make sure to stay tuned in because as the school year kicks off we hope to have a lot of new programming from TMA students.

Law Firm Tutoring Kicks Off!

Did you notice the three school buses parked outside the school at 4pm on Tuesday? If you missed them, don't worry, you’ll get another chance—they’ll be back every Tuesday of the school year. That’s because the Law Firm Tutoring Program began this Tuesday after school!

Law Firm Tutoring is a mandatory program for all 11^th graders. Students travel to law firms in downtown DC each week, and at the firms they are provided with dinner and tutoring/homework help. Each TMA student is provided with a tutor that assists with academics, whether it’s daily homework, study skills, organization, SAT prep, scholarship applications, or portfolio assignments. Many students have built meaningful relationships with their tutors, and often, students have found that tutors help them create and reach college and career goals.

On Tuesday the junior class boarded buses that drove them to five different Law Firms: Crowell & Moring, Jenner & Block, Morgan Lewis, Vinson & Elkins, and Williams & Connolly. After dinner the students and attorneys, legal secretaries, and paralegals sat down together for tutoring.

This year TMA also has students heading to a firm that is new to the program. Students will begin traveling to King & Spalding in the next few weeks; they’re already excited to meet their tutors and begin the Law Firm Tutoring program!

When asked about their first Law Firm Tutoring, juniors responded:

“It was awesome!!!” 

“Dinner was great!”

“We had two people working with us on our homework!”

“I’m excited for next week!!!”

Sounds like we’re off to a great start!

Endless Possibilities: Fall After-School Preview

The clock strikes 3:30 pm flooding the hallways with students, but once the locker rush subsides where will you go? Are you itching to get outdoors? Or are you looking for a non-competitive and fun way to exercise and stay-in shape? Do you want a means to channel your creativity energy? With more than 20 after-school activities and clubs at TMA, deciding what to join can be daunting. Here’s your guide to navigating the clubs fair that will take place next Thursday, September 15 after school in the cafeteria. If you’re looking for a creative outlet to dance, sing, or act try the Drama Club with Mr. Lloyd. Rumor has it they will be producing and performing the WIZ this year.

Listen up outdoor enthusiasts because there’s something for you. Do you have a green thumb? Returning this year is the student-initiated and favored Green Club spearheaded by Ms. Lee and Ms. Fried who are already cooking up secret plans for a live compost system in the garden. If you like the Green Club, you might also try out a new shade of green—TMA Unplugged: The Wilderness Club (brought to you by Ms. Horn) which will expose students to the world outside the city through activities such as hiking, camping, rafting, and wilderness safety training. Weekly skills trainings and local outdoor trips will conclude with an end of year camping trip. Want to experience nature’s beauty but scared of the risks? Not to fear because The Wilderness Club is for all students regardless of comfort and expertise.

Also new on the menu this year is Treasure Hunts (sponsored by chemistry teacher Ms. Enrich) that will give 11^th and 12^th graders the chance to apply critical thinking and problem solving skills to solve scavenger hunts throughout the city.

Old Favorites including Book Club with Mrs. Hanson, Fitness Club with Mr. Barton, Art Club with Ms. Shabbaz will also be returning this year. Still unsure what to choose? Attend the Clubs Fair this Thursday, September 15 after school in the cafeteria. The possibilities are endless!

Students Return and Programs Kick Off in September

Students at Thurgood Marshall Academy dove into their first week of classes on Monday, filling the hallways with ruckus, reverie and a few back-to-school jitters. But in the dark corners of everyone’s minds, one question burned: what’s happening at the programs office?

The Other 17 Hours blog aims to answer that question and many more throughout the course of the school year. With contributions from students, faculty and staff, The Other 17 Hours will pick up where it left off last year, covering everything TMA-related, both on and off the campus.

The next few weeks are packed with the start of after-school programs.

For 11^th graders, law firm tutoring will begin with a kickoff meeting from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 6. Juniors must turn in their signed permission slips by Friday, September 2.

Students already feeling the academic squeeze can take advantage of Homework Help, which begins in the library at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 6. For those who need more individual help, the Writing Center and one-on-one tutoring will begin soon.

Finally, students itching to join after-school activities such as the newspaper, student government, SASS, Green Club and the Anti-Defamation League should plan to attend the fall Club Fair from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 15. Representatives from every club will be present to sign up students interested in participating during the fall term.