High Tech High School’s Hayoung Park Authors Revised PSAT Practice Book

(North Bergen—November 24, 2015) High Tech’s Hayoung Park, a resident of Bayonne, has just authored a 114-page educational book geared for high school students studying to take the PSAT, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech High School. 

Created and reviewed by Park herself, a perfect scorer on the PSAT, SAT, and SAT II Math Exam, Hayoung’s Advanced Math Compatible with New PSAT, offered by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, provides three practice tests for the revised PSAT and questions consistent with the precise styles and techniques that the new PSAT demands.

“The Reverend Sin Koo Lee, director of GTO Mission in Fort Lee, suggested I publish a revised PSAT practice book,” says Park.  “As my own SAT and PSAT tutor and mentor, he had my ear, despite the improbability of a high school senior like me, with college applications and four AP classes on her plate, writing and publishing anything in a timely fashion.”

Over the summer, Park personally deconstructed four Collegeboard-released tests, solved the problems, identified strategies, and researched percentages of questions on the tests according to various topics, including Algebra, Trigonometry, and Data Analysis.

“Hayoung possesses a high aptitude for math, and I encouraged her to collect and revise the information relevant to the math section of the PSAT,” declares Dr. Galina Olifer, a veteran mathematics instructor at High Tech.  “When Hayoung presented her book to me, I couldn’t contain my emotions.  I believe her intellectual accomplishment and wonderful implementations of strategies and what-not will help students score high on the PSAT for years to come.”

To order Hayoung’s Advanced Math Compatible with New PSAT, please go to this Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Hayoungs-Advanced-Math-compatible-PSAT/dp/1518814506/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

County Prep Student Council's Haunted Hallway a Success

On Thursday, October 29th, 2015, County Prep High School’s art club along with the help of Student Council organized the first ever Haunted Hallway. The students worked under the assistance of the art teacher, Mr. Pereira, to plan this event. Many students participated in the Haunted Hallway by helping decorate, act, and photograph this event. Over thirty students contributed by offering their unique skills in hair and makeup, set up, and acting. The Haunted Hallway received positive responses from students and staff as they strolled through the hallways in fear of what might pop up next. Mr. Pereira succeeded in pulling off County Prep’s first ever Haunted Hallway in such a short amount of time gaining admirable reactions from students and staff. County Prep will be looking forward to what next years Haunted Hallway will bring!

By: Krishna Patel and Snehal Patel

County Prep Students Participate in Structured Learning Experience

A representative from the Youth Transitions to Work (YTTW) Stage Hand Technician Program presented to over 25 students at County Prep High School on  Friday, October 23, 2015.  The scholarship program provides outreach, training, and placements for students interested in becoming a Stage Hand Technician.  The program is a “training to work” initiative to help launch careers in the entertainment industry.  Students were invited to further explore this post-secondary career pathway by participating in a tour of the performing arts facilities.  Overall, it was an invaluable Structured Learning Experience (SLE) for our students.

County Prep Students Participate in "Culinary Student for the Day" Program

Three County Prep students visited Hudson County Community College on Thursday, October 29, 2015 to participate in their “ Culinary Student for the Day” program.  The students -- Karlissa Giron, Jamal Williams, and Joey Valentino -- cycled through the various culinary labs to gain exposure to the post-secondary culinary arts program and to “feel” what it is like to be a college student.  They also had the opportunity to interact with the professors and to partake in “hands-on” activities in the various kitchens.  The students met with an admissions counselor to review the application process.  At the conclusion of the tour, the students attended a luncheon in the dining hall that was served and prepared by the culinary college students.  Overall, it was an invaluable structured learning experience that defined a potential career option for our students.

Business Insider Reports Niche Data That Ranks High Tech Twelfth of 25 Best Public High Schools in America

(New York—November 19, 2015) Business Insider an online business, celebrity, and technology company based in New York City, has released research company Niche’s annual report of the 25 Best Public High Schools in America, which ranked High Tech 12^th on the list, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech High School. 

“A great education doesn't have to cost a fortune—especially in high school,” Business Insider notes.  Employing data amassed from Niche, a research company that compiles significant details on schools, including charters, unveiled its 2016 rankings of America’s best public high schools.  According to Business Insider, Niche reviewed approximately 100,000 schools and 27 million reviews from well over a quarter of a million students and parents.  Niche rated public high schools in categories such as “academics,” “teachers,” “student culture and diversity,” and “resources and facilities.”

You can read the entire report at the following link:

http://www.businessinsider.com/best-public-high-schools-in-america-2015-11

For High Tech’s specific entry, please go to the following link:

https://k12.niche.com/high-tech-high-school-n-bergen-nj/

Business Insider aggregates top news stories from around the web.  Employing a newsroom staff of 50, Business Insider reported 5.4 million unique visitors in June 2012.  The website plays host to conferences like IGNITION, which focuses on digital media’s emerging business models.

County Prep Advanced Spanish Classes Visit the Hispanic Society of America

     On Wednesday, November 11, 2015 County Prep’s senior AP Spanish Literature/Culture and the freshman Spanish for Native Speakers classes visited the Hispanic Society of America located in Washington Heights, New York. 

      The Hispanic Society promotes the study of the rich artistic and cultural traditions of Spain and Portugal and their areas of influence in the Americas and around the world. The museum is home to some of the most world renowned artifacts, sculptures, and paintings by artists such as: Goya, Zurbarán, Murillo, Velázquez, El Greco, and Sorolla.  The Sorolla room holds a magnificent, panoramic series of 14 canvases “The Provinces of Spain”, which represents a celebration of regional costumes and cultures. The students were impressed with Sorolla’s twentieth century “Vision of Spain.” In addition, Dr. Domenech -the students’ tour guide- unveiled for our students the museum’s famous map of the sixteenth century and showed them some original books published in 1552. These artifacts enlightened students’ knowledge of how the world was perceived in that era. All of the students were truly amazed by this visit to the Hispanic Society.

High Tech High School’s Sophomore French Classes Draw Many to the 2015 Café Classique

By Mously Lo

(North Bergen—November 8, 2015) Dr. Laje Gashi’s sophomore French classes at High Tech High School scrambled around the Resource Center of the North Hudson Center, adding finishing touches to their black, white, and red-decorated 2015 Café Classique banner, which would beckon guests who would also be greeted by the tantalizing aroma of freshly-baked crêpes, the twinkling of fairy lights, and French music serenading the ears, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech High School. 

Although initially anxious to see how the staff, teachers, and students would take to the 2015 Café Classique, the thirty students from the Class of 2018 came away wholly satisfied.

“A lot of people showed up,” declares Mously Lo, the hostess and a manager of the Café Classique.  “We had so much of fun serving and socializing with guests. It was an overall great experience, and we learned so much about French culture and cuisine, possibly more than we could have learned from only reading textbooks.”

In addition to selling freshly-baked crêpes, the Café Classique sold other desserts and dishes, from chocolate mousse served with whipped cream and mint leaves to croque monsieur straight from the press to sparkling cider.  The managers of the Café Classique treated guests to a photo booth, where they had the opportunity to pose in front of a background of the Eiffel Tower, Le Louvre, or the River Seine for posterity.  Dressed in formal black and white apparel, the Class of 2018 served French cuisine to passersby, even performing songs by famous performers like Belgian singer Stromae and French cabaret siren Edith Piaf.  By the end of Café Classique, the thirty sophomores from Dr. Gashi’s French classes raised over $783, enough to treat them to an authentic French restaurant in the springtime.

County Prep Students Participate in Structured Learning Experience

Representatives from the Youth Transitions to Work (YTTW) - Certified Nursing Assistant and Physical Therapy Aide Apprenticeship Program presented to over 60 students at County Prep High School on Monday, October 26, 2015.  The scholarship program provides outreach, training, and placements for students interested in becoming Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) or Physical Therapy Aides (PTA).  Students learned about potential career pathways that can be launched as part of this “Earn While You Learn” initiative.

Rising Tide Capital’s Jay Savulich Speaks to High Tech Business & Technology Club

(North Bergen—November 9, 2015) High Tech’s Business & Technology Club recently invited Jay Savulich, Managing Director of Programs at Rising Tide Capital of Jersey City, to share his business acumen with Dr. Syed Abbasi’s students and club members, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech High School. 

Technical education proves essential for business majors to succeed in today’s competitive business workplace, noted Savulich, who has visited Dr. Abbasi’s students many times in the past few years.  He encouraged Dr. Abbasi’s students to take full advantage of the myriad internships available in the business world so that they could learn the ways to become successful entrepreneurs.  Savulich didn’t just speak hypothetically to them.  Rather, he offered the High Tech business students internships at Rising Tide Capital as well. 

“This was an informative presentation from which the business majors benefited tremendously,” declares Dr. Syed Abbasi, moderator for the High Tech High School Business & Technology Club.  “I’d like to thank Mr. Savulich for making this presentation and his generous offer to students for internships.”

Student Council Volunteers at County Prep’s 8th Grade Open House

County Prep High School hosted its annual 8^th grade Open House on Sunday, November 1^st, 2015. Student Council members volunteered to help out in coordinating this event to make sure the event ran smoothly. Vocational majors were represented by the students of the specific majors. Students assisted parents and prospective students with directing them to specific areas of the building. They guided them throughout the school. Parents and students were eager to learn about the opportunities, challenges, and courses offered by County Prep High School. Overall, the event ran smoothly and County Prep will be looking forward to what the Class of 2020 will bring to this school!

-Snehal Patel

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