TFA helps develop leaders in education To the Editor: I am writing in response to David Kanter's column ("In Teaching, Experience Matters" 9/17/08). Five years ago, I was one of the seniors at Penn who decided to join Teach For America. In the fall of 2004, I walked into a classroom in Houston, full of third graders reading at a first-grade level.

The most tumultuous year in the financial markets in recent memory led Penn's endowment to shrink by 3.9 percent over the past year. As of June 30, the close of the fiscal year, the endowment was valued at $6.3 billion. And while the decline poses a setback to the University's endowment, officials are not terribly worried about the longterm prospects of financial growth.

For a long time, we've taken it for granted that AlliedBarton management isn't receptive to its officers' concerns. In the next few months, that could all change. AlliedBarton security officers have been fighting for better working conditions and a union for years, and it's been a struggle as the company's upper management has consistently refused to talk with guards.

'Kevin is an American. He is in Moscow now. Repeat after me." As the class joyfully chorused back to Ludmila Vladimirovna, our Elementary Russian professor, I couldn't help but contrast the experience to my time in Spanish 140 during freshman year. That class, which followed Alessandro and Pablo on their journey through el siglo de oro, had 25 students in it.

All eyes were on Robert Irvin on Saturday during the first quarter of Penn's matchup against Villanova, and it's not hard to imagine why. Behind the strength of his arm, the senior was named starter as a sophomore, but injuries and more injuries prevented him from entrenching himself as the man under center.

For as long as senior associate director of athletics Alanna Shanahan can remember, one person was in charge of marketing Penn's 33 varsity teams. And in her words: "I don't think we've had great success." So Shanahan became the impetus for change this summer, helping the Athletic Department broker a deal with Nelligan Sports Marketing, a firm that has worked with numerous schools, atheletic conference and Fortune 500 companies.

Penn fans might best remember Norries Wilson for his "11-on-18" rant about the officiating during Penn's 16-0 victory over the Lions two years ago. But this weekend, when a penalty flag went flying during a Fordham punt, Wilson knew the blame lay 100 percent with him.

The College Houses and Academic Services system had a "sweet" 10th anniversary celebration this Friday on College Green. So sweet, in fact, that Penn President Amy Gutmann called the College House system the sugary frosting on top of Penn's cake. Students of all schools and classes joined the 11 College Houses amid colorful balloons, food tents and informative exhibitions - including the Peers Helping Incoming New Students T-shirt tye-dye stand, the Penn Athletics giant football helmet and a life-sized representation of a Stouffer College House living room.

For the next year and a half, a new sound will be coming from the music building on 34th and Walnut streets - that of construction. For the first time since it was originally built as an orphanage in 1890, the building is undergoing major renovations. Construction began early this summer and is scheduled to finish in January 2010.

Villanova 20, Penn 14. There isn't much else to say that hasn't been said, because this is old news, old emotion, painful cliche, all of it. Penn Football has lost a game in overtime. Another one. Since 2006, the Quakers have played in 21 games, losing five of them in overtime and nine of them in the last few plays.

Financial firms aren't the only companies being taken over these days. Come Oct. 1, Bucks County Coffee, the popular student cafe and campus alternative to Starbucks, will become Saxbys Coffee. The Philadelphia-based Saxbys - which opened its first location in 2004 and now operates around 70 chains nationwide - purchased Bucks County Coffee Company earlier this year for an undisclosed sum.

Preseason Ivy No. 1 (tied with Yale) Harvard needed a late comeback to beat Holy Cross at home Friday night, 25-24. The Crimson's senior quarterback, Chris Pizzotti, threw for 370 yards and one touchdown. More importantly, he led Harvard (1-0%

Football is a game of quick decisions. Punt or go for it? Kick the point after or go for two? Keep it or pitch it? Few split-second calls, however, will have as lasting an impact as the one Villanova coach Andy Talley made Saturday evening, when he replaced struggling quarterback Antwon Young with sophomore backup Chris Whitney in the fourth quarter.

According to junior Anne Magnuson, defense is the key to success for Penn volleyball. "When our defense is on, we're on" she said. Fortunately for the Quakers, their defense was on this weekend, as the team earned three wins in four attempts, improving their record to 4-5.

Baltimore Avenue is scheduled for a makeover, but not all residents find the prospect pretty. For the next five years, University City District will receive annual grants of $75,000 from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to improve the facades of businesses along Baltimore between 45th and 50th streets.

From Blackberries to iPods to cell-phones, today's driver has plenty of distractions. Unfortunately, such multitasking can be deadly. And three Philadelphia City Council members have decided to do something about it. City Councilmen Frank Rizzo, Bill Green and William Greenlee proposed legislation last week that would ban handheld cell-phone use while driving or biking.

Three weeks ago I got a phone call nobody wants under any circumstances: A friend of mine had suddenly passed away. Jeremy and I were good friends in high school, often sharing some of the same classes, crazy teachers and a lot of great conversations. After graduation in 2005, we occasionally stayed in touch, but it wasn't enough.