Have you ever seen a zombie play football?

At tenth grade lunch I got to see a zombie play QB, which was pretty sweet.

I got to see Michael Jackson's signature leg kick...

.....then I got to see MJ tie his shoe. Even better!

Madea made an appearance, thank goodness she got out of jail and made it back in time for her class reunion. That wig is great.

Today, lunch dressed up like a barbecue!

I just got back from the 11th and 12th grade shift of our Halloween barbecue. I took a few photos of costumes. Alicia Hargrove, above, had an awesome mime costume.

Keiona Davis channels her best MJ.

I wonder if Amy Winehouse was offended that she wasn't on that iPods' playlist?

That's all for now.

I'll post more after 10th grade lunch...

Halloween Edition

A short post from me, for once. Today is Halloween here at TMA. How do I know that? Well, for one, I'm wearing pants that are far too short, dressed as Joe Jonas. Also, I saw Akasha Rodgers dressed as Punky Brewster, complete with rainbow leg warmers. Pretty awesome. I'll post more pictures when I see more costumes....see (post?) you soon.

TMA Seniors Take College Tour

Seniors from Thurgood Marshall Academy's Class of 2010 took a trip to two colleges earlier this month. At 6:30 AM we arrived at TMA with our blankets and Ipods, ready to visit some potential college choices. After being "randomly" separated into two groups, we hopped on the charter buses chaperoned by teachers and staff - college counselor Mr. Mitchell, art teacher Ms. Shabazz, English teacher Ms. Lyons, and Dean of Students Ms. Bobo - and embarked on a two and a half hour trip to our first destination, the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Many of us slept on our way there, resting for the busy day of learning ahead of us; we were happy once we finally reached U. Penn.

The Ivy League school is in a tight-knit community that shows the school's history. There wasn't much going on outside, probably because of the chilly weather, but our tour guide reassured us that the school is very busy socially on any other day. We were showed the campus and even went inside the business center which was very modern on the inside. Most of us were a little disappointed by the lack of racial diversity we saw while walking around the campus but were happy to hear about the school's strong academics.

A sign of growth

Last Thursday the Green Club installed its new sign! Pictured above, Brian Crawford pounds a post (steadied by Brittany McGhee) but the effort extended far beyond last week's hammering. With the expert guidance of Jeanette May, the Green Club drove this project from start to finish, designing, planning, and painting the beautiful sign. See below for the final product.

While Brian, Brittany, Keith, Jeanette, David Schlossman, and Louis Rivas were putting the sign up, the rest of the Green Club was harvesting basil, garlic and tomato for their snack. Once the sign was installed and the cameras stopped flashing, all went inside for fresh pasta, topped with basil and garlic pesto and garden-fresh tomatoes.

I'm not sure how many gardens in DC are still producing such a bounty (if you have a garden, give us an update in the comment section below), and I'm not sure how many high school students in the country are cooking afternoon snacks for each other, but I am sure of this: the Green Club garden flourishes and feeds because the students make it so.

The Mentor Program has left the station

Without fail these three things happen at the first mentor day of each year:

1. An adult is seen running through the school like a teenager.
2. A teenager finds himself or herself showing off the school like a seasoned tour guide.
3. People leave with a sense of purpose and possibility.

As of Saturday, each of these has happened again. Matches have been made anew, and the 2009-2010 Mentor Program is officially underway. Over 130 participants braved the cold and the rain to meet each other and partake in some tried and true get-to-know-you games. We laughed, we quizzed, we scavenged. And I learned a ton...

Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go

TMA's Go-Go Band, now in its second year, is flourishing. Every Monday and Thursday, nearly 15 students from all four grade levels come together to create music and, in doing so, show some much-deserved DC-area pride. Go-Go, a unique blend of funk, hip-hop, and swing is largely unknown to those outside the area. But to DC natives, including the students at TMA, Go-Go is a familiar beat, its unparalleled sound a soundtrack for the DC metropolitan area.

Prominent members of the Go-Go Band, juniors John Tucker and Ke'von Miles, note that what makes Go-Go so enjoyable is its exceptional ability to draw influence from so many different forms of music. They are excited by the possibilities and potential this young band has, and look forward to its progression as the year continues. If you feel inspired for some musical expression with your classmates, stop by Room 12 on Mondays or Thursdays and bang on the congos!

TMA Kicks Off Local Flavor Week!

During the week of Sept. 15th, schools around the District participated in Local Flavor Week, a celebration of produce grown in and around D.C. Because of our involvement with the growing of, and advocacy for organic local produce, TMA was chosen to host the kick-off event for Local Flavor Week.

Over 60 people including students, faculty, and representatives from both the USDA and the Office of the State Superintendent for Education gathered in our cafeteria to witness culinary feats of skill. Two local chefs, Peter Smith of PS7's and
chef Oliver Friendly of Eat and Smile Foods
were invited to come to TMA and stage a cook off. The challenge?

What do students REALLY think about Law Firm Tutoring....???

Law Firm Tutoring is off to a GGGGGRRRRRREAT start! Last week I had the delightful experience of visiting Crowell & Moring during Law Firm Tutoring. During my visit I was able to experience Law Firm Tutoring up-close and personal. I sat down with a few students to learn more, and here is what they had to say:

Busboys and Filmmakers

At 8:30 tonight at Busboys and Poets the Green Club will premier part of its documentary on where our food comes from. Over the past year they have interviewed the school's lunch provider, followed students into the corner store, and grown some food of their own. As part of a program being presented by DC Schoolyard Greening, a few TMA students will introduce and show the film to a crowd at the Busboys and Poets located at 14th and V.

If you're free and in the U Street area, be sure to check the Green Club out.

Gym Update #5: The Final Chapter

Things have changed around here since the last few updates on the progress of the gym construction. The facility is (pretty much) up and running--the court is striped, the exercise machines are in place in the fitness room, and someone sprayed the place with that 'new gym' smell. One of the gym classes played an inaugural round of basketball yesterday afternoon. All of the planning and work has really paid off--it's a pretty stylish gymnasium, inside and out. And in about two months, the TMA Warriors will take the court and the Pep Squad will fill the stands. Check out some of the shots from yesterday’s game:

Flag Football off to a GREAT START!

Just a few weeks into the 2009 season, the TMA Warriors flag football team seems to be playoff-bound. After an intense week of tryouts, sixteen students were selected to be on the team, and they have surged to a 3-0 record!

They opened the season against Hospitality and won by a shocking 26 points for a final score of 46-20. They won their second game by forfeit, and then, on Monday, they played a close game against Young America Works winning by 4 points for a final score of 16-12. Two-point conversions by Stephon Proctor and James Trice proved to be the difference.

After the game, senior De'Sean Suarez stated, "Winning shows us, as a team, that we worked hard day in and day out to get there." The TMA Warriors sure have a lot to be proud of and we’ll keep you posted during their quest for a championship!

Afterschool Clubs Make Us Smile!

We took a few weeks to settle in to a routine. Arrive at school, find locker, learn, find locker, leave. But on September 17th, a whole new world opened up to the students at TMA. Because on that day, we hosted the Clubs Fair!

Organizations and clubs ranging from a Knitting Club to Wilderness Leadership & Learning (WILL) hosted tables to promote their clubs to the students at Thurgood Marshall Academy. When the dust settled, there were over 200 signatures on the various interest forms.

So what will our students do? Here's a potential week of afterschool activities for a TMA student:

Monday - Yoga with Ms. Peterson. Learning basic relaxation techniques and early yoga positions, student finds his inner OM.
Tuesday - Drum Empowerment Club. In a circle of students, she drums and laughs and drums some more.
Wednesday - Teen Action. This community service club gives the student a chance to leave the building and perform service in the DC area.
Thursday - Debate Team. Honing her argumentation skills, she gets this months debate topic (Health Care reform) and practices her public speaking.
Friday - Film Club. Students choose the movie. They watch together and discuss afterward. First film on the marquee? Slum Dog Millionaire. He watches, relaxes, and hopes the film has a happy ending.

And that's why clubs make us smile.

Law Firm Tutoring coming SOON!

The 2009-2010 school year is in full swing, and there are many exciting activities going on at TMA! Law Firm Tutoring, which begins this month, is a program designed for every 11th grader in the school. This is an opportunity for students to connect with community members from various DC law firms including: Morgan Lewis, Crowell & Moring, Williams & Connolly, Jenner & Block, and Vinson & Elkins. The students of TMA will meet lawyers at their firms for dinner and one-on-one tutoring each Tuesday after school. Students and law firm tutors will cover chemistry, literature, Algebra 2, and US History. Many current TMA 12th grade students had such an amazing time with Law Firm Tutoring last year, they have begged to do it again this year! Thanks to all our law firm partners; we're looking forward to another great year!

Gym Update #4

Well...we're almost there. The gym is almost complete. Today I had the privilege of taking pictures of the gym from a place other than the sidewalk in front of TMA and let me tell you, it looks AWESOME.

I am happy to report that all of the world...including the northeast wall of our gym...is a stage.














I was awed by the yet-to-be-fully-completed basketball court. It still needs striping, it still needs two more coats of varnish, it still looks amazing. Check out the natural light, pretty cool.














Seeing the new facility from the inside was yet another proud moment for me here at TMA. Look forward to our final gym update which will include a photo essay giving a full tour.

Until then...be well.