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Townsend Harris High School at Queens College
Project Arts grant awakens activity in graphics studio
Mayoral campaign simulation to bring election to classroom
classes. Lois Polansky, an artist who specializes in mixed media art, serves as Project Arts Coordinator. She helps integrate art into various curricula by utilizing the technology in the graphic arts studio. In addition, Project Arts will fund a theatrical performance and contribute_ toward the staffing of the new broadcast studio. : To get the Project Arts grant, a proposal was sent to the Queens Superintendent's Office. According to Lynne Greenfield, Assistant Principal of Humanities, "The Board of Education chose the recipients of the grant based on a needs assessment that we presented [through the proposal]." The grant is worth approximately $135,000 and is partially renewable for up to three years. In addition to Townsend Harris, 12 other high schools in Queens received a Project Arts grant, each of which was worth a different amount of money. The Board of Education plans to expand Project Arts to all the city's high schools within three years. "There's a big push right now to restore funding for the arts. Our school does provide access to the arts by required arts and music," said Ms. Greenfield. However, Project Arts Coordinator Lois Polansky works · b · h 1 + th on the computers in room 511. emg a sc oo tOr e Humanities, she City because they had previ- added, "there should be arts and ously been slashed by budget music and dance and drama cuts. The grant aims to revive pouring out of every classthe arts in schools by incorpo- room." Continued on page 5 rating them into all subject by Beth Citron The graphic arts studio, room 511, has finally come alive. Formerly used only for the publication of The Classic and the science magazine, Quantum Cat, the studio these days bustles with seniors clustered around computers, publishing their editions of Newsday, Parade, and the Queens Tribune for the mock mayoral simulation. Soon, students from all grades will utilize the facility for arts projects now being developed across the curriculum. This new burst of activity in the graphic arts studio has been made possible by a Project Arts grant from the Board of Education. The board inaugurated Project Arts to augment arts programs throughout New York
Meet the Candidates page3
149-11 Melbourne Avenue. Flushing; NY 11367
by Jeannemarie Hendershot Streamers, balloons, and the cast of "Saturday Night Live" kicked-off the New York City mayoral campaign simulation on Wednesday, September 24 at a rally held in the courtyard. Ruth Messinger and Rudolph Giuliani, played by seniors Ashika Jain and Matt Gottlieb, along with a plethora of interest groups, made speeches in order to gain support. This year's simulation, the second in Harris history, will be enhanced by a $25,000 grant from Newsday. Political Science professor Michael Krasner from Queens College, who helped last year's Participatory Democracy classes stage a simulation presidential campaign, applied for the grant in order that this year's seniors might benefit in their enactment of the New York City mayoral race. Saturday Night Live, Eyewitness News, 1010WINS, and many other radio and television
programs will be produced and broadcasted from the state-of-
teachers have been hired to work with students. Christo-
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~ Rudy Guliani (Matt Gottlieb, right) and campaign adviser Dave Mizrachi confer about their plans for the rally.
the-art studio adjacent to room 511, with funding for teacher and student training provided by the grant. According to Participatory Democracy teacher · Anthony Scarnati, a large portion of the grant will be used to pay staff in room 511. Two
pher Clements will monitor the equipment for video production and editing. Radio broadcasting will be taken care of by Jeff Spurgeon, English teacher Judy Biener's husband, who works for radio station QXR 96.3. Continued on page 3
College hosts Internet link by Annette Orzechowski After two years of technical difficulties and financial setbacks, computers. around the ·school are now linked to the Internet and available for student use. Science teacher and Technology Coordinator Richard Tiffen collaborated with Queens College in establishing a connection to the Internet through a "host" computer on the campus. "We had a network system and the whole school was wired, so all we needed was a way to connect [to the Internet]," said Mr.Tiffen. Through the assistance of
New Staff ·pages 4-5
various grants and of College liaison Marvin Leiner, Mr. Tiffen obtained the aid of Queens College Educational Technology teacher Dan Brovey. "The stage was set, but the question was how to actually do it," said Mr.Tiffen. A private Internet provider would have cost somewhere near $20,000. Gaining access through the Queens College network proved to be a thrifty alternative. Yet a problem remained. A cable was needed for the actual connection from the building to the campus. According to Mr. Tiffen, fate seemed to intervene in this situation.
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"I'd drive to school in the mornings and see the wires of the telephone cable dangling out," he said. "That cable was used during the building's construction and it turned out that it ran into the bowels of the [Queens College] science department building." Overcoming the distance limitation of the cable, 300 meters, and meeting the need · for a router, which would connect the school's and campus' networks, constituted the final steps in the process. It turned out that , the router already in existence at the high school Continued on page 6
Freshmen . Sports Stars page 8