Strawberry Mansion High School

ROOM 508

mrs. wiley

senior class

interviews by talia n. scott

A Photobook by alliyah a.

“AND

AS WE LEAD, WE MUST NEVER FORGET THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR STUDENTS IS JUST A CHILD, OFTEN SCARED BY WHAT THE WORLD TELLS THEM THEY SHOULD BE, AND NO MATTER WHAT THE REST OF THE WORLD TELLS THEM THEY SHOULD BE, WE SHOULD ALWAYS PROVIDE THEM WITH HOPE, OUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION, UNWAVERING BELIEF IN THEIR POTENTIAL, CONSISTENT EXPECTATIONS, AND WE MUST TELL THEM OFTEN, IF NOBODY TOLD THEM THEY LOVED THEM TODAY, REMEMBER WE DO, AND WE ALWAYS WILL.”

Principal Linda Clia!-Wayman, -TEDWomen 2015

BAHIYAH WALKER

BRANDON COPELAND

CHARLES JORDAN

CHASSIDY JACKSON

JAYLA HARRIS

KESHAUN BESTER

KEVA THOMPSON

KHADIDIATOU BARRY

LAURENCE SHAW

MANYAM ABDULLAH

MARZJA SIMON

MICHAEL BILLUPS

MIYA MATTHEWS

NADIRAH GATEWORD

NADRIAH MCRAE

NAEEM BETRAND

NAKIA R. EDWARDS

NAQUIA HODGES

QUANEASHA ROSE

RASHEED MAY

ROBERT CLARK

RUGRATA BAH

SHEMARR FAIR

SYNDNEE SKINNER

TAAHIR MOORE

The Class Roster

“Don’t let where you come from determine your future”

-Mike

EXCELLENCE

INTEGRITY

FOCUS

TRADITION

PERSERVANCE

MY VISIT TO STRAWBERRY MANSION WAS A TRANSFORMATIVE ONE; I WALKED AROUND A BUILDING WHERE BLACK WOMEN RUN THE SHOW AND INTERACTED WITH BLACK STUDENTS HOPEFUL ABOUT THEIR FUTURES DESPITE ATTENDING “ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA.” I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT WHILE WALKING AROUND THE SCHOOL AND WHILE WALKING AROUND NORTH PHILADELPHIA, I FELT COMPLETELY SAFE AND IT WAS A SENSE OF SAFETY AND COMFORT THAT I DO NOT FEEL OR EXPERIENCE HERE AT HAVERFORD. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPOSE MYSELF TO A SIDE OF PHILADELPHIA THAT WAS ONCE LOST TO ME.

--Talia Sco!

Don’t Disrespect My Teacher.

Nadirah

Artist Statement I

LEFT THAT MORNING WANTING TO GO BACK TO STRAWBERRY MANSION. I WAS IN AWE OF MRS. WILEY’S WORK ETHIC AND TEACHING STYLE. IT HAD BEEN A WHILE SINCE I’VE SEEN SOMEONE SO ENERGIZED, CONNECTED, AND DETERMINED TO TRANSFORM YOUNG PEOPLE’S LIVES. DURING EACH INDIVIDUAL PORTRAIT SHOOT, I TALKED ABOUT A RANGE OF DIFFERENT THINGS WITH THE STUDENTS. NATURALLY WE TALKED ABOUT WHERE THE STUDENTS WERE HOPING TO GO, NEXT YEAR AFTER GRADUATION. I MET SOME SPECTACULAR FUTURE ARTISTS, LAWYERS, CHEFS, DOCTORS, AND MORE. WITH OTHERS WE TALKED ABOUT MUSIC, SPORTS, BEAUTY, LIFE, AND WHAT MAKES THEM HAPPY. I FELT SO LUCKY TO TAP INTO THEIR MINDS TO SEE HOW THEY VIEWED LIFE AND FIND WHERE THEIR PASSIONS STEM FROM. IF ANYTHING, I KNOW THAT MY SHOOT WITH ROOM 503 OF STRAWBERRY MANSION ALLOWED ME TO PAUSE. I TOOK A PAUSE THAT MANY BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE ARE NOT USUALLY AFFORDED. WE ARE SO CONSUMED WITH BEATING THE ODDS, DEFYING THE STEREOTYPES, AND MAKING LIFE WORK. HOWEVER, I’M UNDERSTANDING THAT IS JUST AS EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT TO STOP AND LOOK. TALKING WITH THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR DREAMS AND WHAT MAKES THEM UNIQUELY THEMSELVES FELT INSPIRING. AND I HOPE THROUGH THESE PHOTOS YOU ALL ARE ABLE TO SEE THE LOVE, HOPE, AND DREAMS THAT RUN THROUGHOUT THE HALLS AND CLASSROOMS OF STRAWBERRY MANSION HIGH SCHOOL.

THANK YOU TO THE STUDENTS. THANK YOU TO MRS. WILEY. THANK YOU TO STRAWBERRY MANSION HIGH SCHOOL.

alliyah a.

PHOTOGRAPHER. WRITER. ACTIVIST.

the end.