Frankford Community Blog | Local News, Events, Community Resources
The first Winter concert of the Philadelphia Charter School for Arts and Sciences at H.R. Edmunds will present their first Winter concert this Friday at 7 PM at the First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School. We will be there and have 5 extra tickets. If you are interested email gil@frankfordgazette.com
Antoinette Dawkins is with Tom Shoemaker TD Bank market president for suburban Pennsylvania and Delaware and Gwen Borowsky, CEO, National Liberty Museum
On November 12th at the Westin Hotel, The National Liberty Museum and TD Bank celebrated a 12-year collaboration that has recognized children’s contributions to the community across the metropolitan Philadelphia area. Seventeen young honorees from the Philadelphia area were recognized with TD Bank’s Young Heroes Award in 2012 for leadership and creativity through volunteer work, civic and political involvement, school and community leadership, peer mediation, or anti-bullying activities.
The funds raised by the Gala ($150,000) enable the National Liberty Museum to serve all of the community with no cost or low cost education programs.
Antoinette Dawkins – Frankford High School, 2012: Antoinette amassed 1,487 hours of service working on such projects as the Philadelphia Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity, Philadelphia Cares Day and the Greater MLK Jr. Day of Service. She also served as a project leader for the Danaides Christmas Food and Toy Drive, the American Red Cross Blood Drive and a Baby Food & Clothes Collection Drive, as well as several projects to help the families of students who died in tragic accidents. She’s been a member of the school’s Peer Mediation, Mentoring, and Anger Management Teams and was a member of the Teen Court program. Antoinette also served as a mentor for a dozen 6th graders at a local elementary school. Additionally, she’s been involved with the LGBT Club at her school to help promote respect for diversity among her fellow students.
Congratulations to Antoinette and all the other honorees.
We at the Frankford CDC happened to stumble upon a copy of Harding Middle School’s literary anthology from a couple of years ago – and we loved it so much that we wanted to share it with as many folks as possible!
Take a minute and read for yourselves – Frankford has some seriously talented youth! (And some very talented and dedicated teachers, too!)
Lisa and Ben Handy
Lisa and Ben Handy watched the ribbon cutting at the new building at Frankford Friends School with more than curiosity last Saturday. They stood holding the hand of their daughter Angelina, a 6 year old student at the school, knowing that the school had taken a giant leap ahead in improving the physical facilities. It is not that they were dissatisfied, they praised it highly when I talked to them a few days later in their cozy living room in their house on Sellers Street in Frankford.
They moved into that house on the day Angelina was born and as many new parents do, began thinking about schools. They had not become Quakers at that point and were not really aware that there was a Friends school only blocks away. Things happen in life and they became aware of the Society of Friends as they were searching for a place of worship. The Quakers seemed like it might be good fit and they paid a visit and it just felt right. So when it was time for Angelina to start school they were willing to to what they thought was the best thing for her and aimed at Frankford Friends.
The tuition is a large hurdle for them but they believe it is well worth it. The philosophy of the school fits in with their beliefs; a form of education which will develop an attitude of courageous independence, a readiness for responsibility, and a spiritual basis for life. Ben and Lisa are now looking 8 years ahead and wish that Friends could have a high school running by the time the have to think about that.
The new building does present a contrast to the old. On the one side is the meeting house, a wood frame clapboard structure. Only feet away is the new building of glass and steel with a skin of warm toned clapboard style boards. On the inside, it is big with classrooms in the back away from the street. On the street side is an open space that could be a gym, auditorium or play space. The ceiling soars high and the space is filled with light.
See the slide show below:
Step inside and you feel it! The present takes you back to the past yet reminds us we must go forward. Frankford was home to many mills and manufactoring companies and one of the most noteworthy is the Globe Dye Works. Founded in 1865 as a dye factory for the area textile mills who produced cloth and yarn, the Greenwood family operated the Globe Dye Works until 2005. The Globe Development Group acquired this building in 2007 and has been hard at work reinventing this facility as a workplace and showplace for creative professionals in the city. Be sure to explore their website to learn much more – globedyeworks.com.
The latest happening has been the opening of “Catagenesis”, sponsored by the Philadelphia Sculptors. “Catagenesis” means that a concept is broken down so that it has a new beginning and progresses until it’s renewed. This idea was at the core of this project as the artists “repurposed, and ultimately transformed a former industrial structure into a place of growth and creativity” (from the Philadelphia Sculptors web site). Artists from Canada, Israel, the United States including the Globe’s resident artists will “repurpose” discarded Globe equipment and other left materials into an exhibition that will run from each weekend, Saturdays and Sundays from Noon until 5 P.M., September 9 through October 21.
We attended the opening (which featured a Wine and Cheese party) and walked throughout the ground floor and first floor through exhibitions and demonstrations marveling at the attendance and the sculptures. These sculptures are something you must experience – lights, movement, motion and “live” sculpture. Be sure to schedule time to visit “Catagenesis at the Globe Dye Works” located at 4500 Worth St. (Kinsey and Worth Sts.) To give you a taste of what you can experience, watch the short video below.
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