Every Saturday morning at BCAL 20 High School juniors prepare themselves for the process of applying to college by practicing for the SAT’s. The BCCP, in collaboration with Kaplan and New York Cares, provides an amazing opportunity, free of charge, to these students helping them with test-taking strategies while sharpening their mathematical and verbal skills. As the year-long program progresses, they become more familiarized with the exam, more confident  in their abilities and better equipped to embark on the exhilarating journey of college education.

This Saturday, students focused on their math enhancement; with formulas buzzing all around the room and the sounds of calculators clicking, the atmosphere glowed with the student’s future accomplishments.

Up one flight of stairs, a whole world of difference — BCAL students made lip balm with all homemade materials. With the help of our Teaching Artist Diana, students mixed shea butter, olive oil and bees wax to create their very own lip protection for the blistery winter that is soon to come. In addition to their lip creations, the students also designed and created purse-like boxes to carry the balms in.

BCAL set out on the first trip of the new school year to see The Flying Chinese Acrobats at our very own Brooklyn Center! The day itself was exciting with the shock of the morning snow. With the snow flurries on our heads and anticipation in our hearts we hurried to the show. The diversity that surrounds us everyday living in the heart of Brooklyn is nothing compared to the change of scenery that was waiting for us on the stage. Flying through the air, jumping through hoops, and contorting their bodies into beautiful shapes; the Chinese Acrobats wowed us into speechless appreciation. They say you learn something new everyday, today the kids learned through their vision — the world is filled with many wonders and the Chinese culture is just a tiny sliver.

The creative juices of the BCAL students are never out of pulp. From fresh to innovative, the array of flavorful talents can be observed in every nook of the BCAL space. With the help of the teaching artist, Diana, students spent their Saturday Afternoon creating body scrubs made from sugar. Combining olive oil and sugar with the tranquil scents of lavender and honey, students transformed BCAL into a pseudo bubble bath playroom. On the opposite side of the space, a group of boys were collaborating their dance moves as students in the music lab learned the ropes of melody creation.