Thursday, October 29, 2015

Former KAS Prep Student Speaks to High Tech Students

(North Bergen—October 28, 2015) High Tech Social Studies instructor Miguel Gonzalez’s freshmen and sophomores received a recent special guest, Rudolfo “Godeyvio” Castro, who spoke of volunteerism and the lasting effects of Francisco Pizzaro’s conquest of the Incas centuries ago on contemporary Peru’s poverty-stricken neighborhoods, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech High School. 

Castro, a former KAS Prep student, spoke about his visit to Machu Picchu and Cuzco, confessing that the trip had changed his life.  “Houses contained dirt floors and a drain was used as a shower,” he revealed.  “Eleven people lived with no private bathrooms.” This, he declared, can be traced to the economic exploitation and deprivation imposed on the Incas by Pizzaro, as systematic economic abuse in today’s Peru by multinational corporations mirrors the Conquistadors’ greedy lust for wealth.

Gonzalez’s U.S. History I class has just begun its study on the Conquistadors, who famously plundered the vast gold reserves of the Incan Empire.

Ruddy "Godeyvio" Castro dedicates his life to empowering people from all walks of life. A Kung Fu enthusiast primarily, he has made a career as a transformational life coach, motivational speaker, and a personal trainer.  Whether Castro offers his expertise at a local Police Athletic League or coaches the young and old in fitness, he seems at his purest on the stage as a speaker.  Castro dwells on spiritual teachings, such as ancient Kemetic science, Taoist philosophy, Gnostic wisdom, Quantum physics, and a litany of metaphysical teachings.  In all, he dedicates his life to seeking truth and spreading love. 






Visiting the National Constitution Center


         On October 9, the students of Explore 2000 took a trip to Independence Mall in Philadelphia to visit the National Constitution Center. It is the first and only institution in America established by Congress to “disseminate information about the United States Constitution on a non-partisan basis in order to increase the awareness and understanding of the Constitution among the American people.” After a day of interactive exhibits, historic artifacts and lessons on the Constitution, some of the students wrote about their appreciation of the experience.

        


 Dear Constitution Center,

         Thank you for having us as your guests at the Constitution Center. We had so much fun there. I thought it was so cool that there were life size statues made of copper in Signer’s Hall. In the beginning of the trip we did a quiz\trivia. Which was my favorite part of the time being there. Overall everyone in our school loved the field trip so much. It was great!!!!!!!!

Reagan - 6th Grader Explore 2000 Middle School

I am really thankful to go to this trip. I say it is amazing. We were involved in a lot of things during this field trip. First, my class did went to a auditorium to learn about the amendments. This part was interactive, which made it fun! Next, we got to go to a place with statues of our Founding Fathers of America it was about 36 statues. I was amazed because they looked life-like. After, that we got to see the writing of the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. We then saw a play about “We the People.’’ It was a beautiful presentation about our Founding Fathers and the sacrifices and battles they fought for our freedom. I wish we can go back soon, because I really enjoyed this field experience. Thank you!

Youssef - 6th Grader Explore 2000 Middle School

     We really appreciate you guys for letting us tour the Constitution Center. I never had an experience like this before. It really showed how much you care for students’ education. I learned many things. One thing I learned is of course the Bill of Rights. I’ve learned more about the amendments than just sitting in the classroom and discussing the amendments. Before I went to this trip, I barely knew anything about the amendments. When I say that, I mean the number of amendments. There are 27 amendments, however the first 10 are called the Bill of Rights. I saw statues of people in the past such as, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson etc. This field experience led me to a better education than I already had. I loved this experience better than I’ve expected. It was awesome!!

Ruqiya - 6th Grader Explore 2000 Middle School


The Constitution Center was an absolute blast! No doubt about it. My class went to the Constitution Center, and it was so much fun. We learned about the Constitution’s purpose and importance. We also saw some realistic statues of most of the delegates that attended the Constitution Convention and signed the actual Constitution document. Then we saw an (almost) exact replica of the Constitution. We also looked at about 12 or more Bill of Rights Amendments that weren’t added to the Bill of Rights. I have learned a lot from this trip, and I hope others will too.
Amy - 6th Grader Explore 2000 Middle School

On October 9th, Explore 2000 went on an exciting field experience to the Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Let’s just say it was a historical “ball.” We got to see life size statues of what the men who signed the constitution might have looked like. It sort of looked like a scene from the movie Night at the Museum. We also had to take a mini quiz, which tested our knowledge on the bill of rights. We sat in a theater and had clickers in our hands. We used the clickers to input our answers to the questions on the screen. It was actually a fun quiz. At the end of the day, we realized how important our Constitution is and how chaotic our country would be without it.  

Lorey - 6th Grader Explore 2000 Middle School



Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Explore 2000 Reflects on New Beginnings

        On October 7, the Explore 2000 community gathered to reflect on the school's history, mission and move to their new building. The student leaders for each group presented original speeches about their personal views of Explore 2000. The speakers shared their experiences and how the differences between their former schools and their current school have influenced them and helped them find new ways to succeed.
         Willie Montanez, one of the second year representatives, spoke of his feeling of being accepted and the increased enthusiasm for learning that Explore 2000 has given him. His fellow students responded to his speech enthusiastically.
     

        Representing the third year class, Christopher Casavechia spoke of the place that Explore 2000 has in his life. He spoke of the privilege of attending a school with interesting field experiences and educational experiences and of how it helps him to picture his future as he starts his final year at the middle school.
        All of the presenters shared their appreciation of the learning experiences they have each day and of the welcoming atmosphere they enjoy together. They expressed the excitement of having a building just for their school and how they look forward to the expansion and adventures they will see.


Celebrating the Week of Respect at Explore 2000

The first week of October was the Week of Respect and Explore 2000 celebrated in several ways. Each day, students and staff wore a color to show one of the pillars of respect.
Monday was purple day to remind the Explore 2000 community of Citizenship. On Tuesday, red showed Caring. Wednesday was orange day for Fairness and Thursday everyone wore green and/or yellow for Responsibility and Respect.

On Wednesday, the students spent the morning on a group project with the theme “What respect means to me.” The groups worked to create skits, poems, songs, stories, demonstrations and other presentations to show aspects of respectful behavior. Third year students split up to work with the first and second year students as leaders on their projects and to take part in the presentations. At 10:15, the school met in the gym for the presentations.

As performers and as audience, everyone participated energetically, supportively and very respectfully.


Thursday, October 22, 2015

County Prep Environmental Science Class Visits Liberty State Park

On October 15, 2015, Mrs. Rose’s Environmental Science class took their first field experience of the year to Liberty State Park. Students learned a lesson at the Hudson River estuary in Jersey City with the help of two naturalists, Sara Jane and Alex. The fourteen students donned chest waders and seined the estuary for living specimens. What they found was amazing: an entire school of silversides was captured and then later released after inspection. The students also caught striped bass, blue finned crabs and a Florida Pampano, usually only found in Florida.
While walking the beach, the students had to identify ten Atlantic Ocean mollusk bi-valve shells, which included Atlantic Oysters, Tritons Trumpet, Mussels, Clams, and Horse Shoe crabs.
Students also participated in an on-beach lab of chemical testing. The tests included water temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and pH. After further study the estuary was deemed extremely healthy.


Wednesday, October 21, 2015

County Prep AV Production Students Celebrate Respect Week

To honor this year’s Respect Week, Ms. Pica’s Audio Visual Production class took on the task of creating videos expressing what respect means to them. County Prep Seniors, Jeymmy Cuevas, Brianna Pitchford and Anthony Rios were inspired by the Its On Us campaign sponsored by President Barack Obama. Its On Us is a public awareness and educational campaign created to advance the goal of preventing sexual assault. It aims to fundamentally shift the way you think about sexual assault by inspiring everyone to see it as their responsibility to do something- big or small- to prevent it. The video sends a powerful message starring County Prep teachers, students, and Ms. Mendolla.

If you would like to find out more about the “It’s On Us” campaign, please visit itsonus.org.



IT'S ON US

County Prep History Instructor Appears on C-SPAN with the John and Abigail Adams Program

County Prep History Instructor Thomas Calvanico attended the John and Abigail Adams Program this summer with other high school teachers. Please tune in October 24th to CSPAN for a lecture he attended, "Lectures in History: John and Abigail Adams During the American Revolution." From C-SPAN, "Historian Joseph Ellis leads a seminar for high school teachers on the early years of the Revolutionary War through the letters of John and Abigail Adams. The class at Amherst College is hosted by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History."

For a preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUAbjctDG0c&feature=youtu.be


For complete schedule, please visit: http://www.c-span.org/series/?ahtv



Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Miguel Gonzalez’s High Tech Social Studies Class Examines Ancient Cultures and Architecture by Cathryn Pace

(North Bergen—October 20, 2015) For the past month, High Tech Social Studies instructor Miguel Gonzalez introduced his students to ancient cultures and architecture, from which they constructed projects that incorporated their knowledge and creativity, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech. 

Gonzalez screened Graham Hancock’s documentary, Quest for the Lost Civilization, for his students.  From this documentary, students learned about Hancock’s anthropological and archeological theories, from which Gonzalez charged his class with the project of recreating the ancient monuments that Graham had visited.

To replicate Ancient Egyptian architecture, students recreated the Temple of Osiris, the Great Giza Pyramids, the Step Pyramid of Djoser, and, probably the most famous monument of all, the Great Sphinx.

Students also visited the United Kingdom and France, by way of Stonehenge, the Callanish Stones, the Uffington White Horse, and the Carnac stones, respectively.

To commemorate Hancock’s sojourn to Micronesia, students recreated the Nan Madol, the lost civilization of Pohnpei; the temple of Nan Dowas; and the notorious Easter Island statues.

To replicate Mexico, students recreated magnificent Chichen Itza, La Venta, and Teotihuacan.

Students also replicated Cambodia’s Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat.

And last, but certainly not least, students commemorated Hancock’s visit to Bolivia by reconstructing in the classroom the Sun Gate of Tiahuanaco.

For more information concerning this fascinating and wonderful project, please contact Miguel Gonzalez at mgonzale1@hcstonline.org

















Monday, October 19, 2015

County Prep Students Participate in Youth Transitions to Work (YTTW) Construction Trades Apprenticeship Program

Chris Di Meo from the Youth Transition to Work (YTTW) Building Trades Apprenticeship program met with County Prep students on Thursday, October 15th  to discuss potential career pathways in the construction industry.  The apprenticeship program encompasses all of the building trades and combines “on-the-job” training with classroom instruction.  Students will have the opportunity to train at one of New Jersey’s state-of-the-art centers. This “Earn While You Learn Initiative” is an outstanding post-secondary career option for anyone interested in the building trades.

High Tech Honey

High Tech Honey Students raise bees for class credit at county high school

by Art Schwartz
Hudson Reporter staff writer
10.18.15 - 12:03 am

“Very fashionable,” is how student Jessenia Morales described her new school uniform. “And protective.”

Covered head-to-toe in a baggy white suit complete with thick gloves and a mesh net helmet, Jessenia was prepared to step into the cage behind High Tech High School, a countywide public high school based in North Bergen.

Inside that cage were untold numbers of the school’s tiniest inhabitants, busily working on their own group science project, generating honey and wax.

It was all part of a new apiculture (beekeeping) class offered by the school to sophomores beginning this year. The cage contained apiaries built in the school’s woodworking classes, housing bees provided by North Bergen beekeeper Antonio Quinlan, founder of the local business Hudson River Honey LLC.

_____________
“It’s pretty cool. It looks scary but it’s going to be a fun experience. I’m really looking forward to this.” –Mariam Abdelmoula
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Last year Quinlan formed a nonprofit organization, Hudson River Apiary Society, and approached Frank Gargiulo, Hudson County Schools of Technology’s superintendent of schools, about an idea that had been brewing in the back of his mind for years: teaching kids in the local school system about bees.

“It happened to coincide with a lot of buzz about bees in the news,” said Quinlan with a wink. “He was very open to the idea.”

Soon the apiary was built and an afterschool club formed. Eight to 10 students signed up, with a core of three or four attending regularly. Science instructor Arun Srivastava, teacher of zoology and biology, signed on as club mentor.

As word spread, more students expressed interest. Srivastava, known as Dr. S, saw an opportunity to make it a regular school offering. “They were putting so much time into it,” he said. “Why not get some credit for it?”

That fit in with Quinlan’s goals, so Dr. S drafted a curriculum aligned with state standards and submitted it for board approval.

“It was a joint effort,” said Quinlan. “I didn’t know the regulatory process. I didn’t realize what a difficult issue it is. He handled the regulatory issues. I handled the logistics, the bees.”

The class became the centerpiece of even more programs. “It’s a very interdisciplinary project,” said Assistant Principal Allyson Krone. “The woodshop guys built the deck. The video production teacher and his crew did a whole special on it. The graphic arts program designed labels and they’re doing a whole marketing scheme to sell the honey. So everyone kind of got involved.”

Good for the environment

“It started out as a hobby and a natural urge to protect the bees,” said Mihir Vora, one of the original club members, now enrolled in the class. “I knew before about colony collapse disorders, CCD, so I felt that it’s a good way to participate in the community and also learn more about bees and strive to protect them. This is actually a perfect environment for it because you see all these flowers that have different types of pollen.”

Surrounding the apiary are flowers and plants, from which the bees extract pollen to create their honey.

Muhammed Umar joined the club and the class with similar goals. “The main reason is to save the bees,” he said. “And also the fact that they’re growing honey here and it’s supposed to be a better source of honey to help your immune system. Because the closer it is to you, the more beneficial it is.”

Honey from last year’s colony, the one established by the club, was harvested this year. “It’s good quality stuff,” said Dr. S. “It’s competition quality because it’s very clean. These bees are not fed by any artificial means. Most of the colonies you see, they feed them. Even if they call them natural, they provide the source of food, so it’s not really natural. But this one is all natural. It’s all local.”

The class begins with a history of beekeeping and progresses to bee management and bee conservation. “The most important part from my point of view is to tell them that these are the agents who plant entire forests all over the world,” said Dr. S. “Bees are one of those keystone species which really keep this forest environment going.”

Students will attend regular classroom lessons during the day and then have hands-on time with the bees every other Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. “It’s a year-long process, spring to spring,” said Quinlan, noting the time it takes for a colony to produce honey.

Already Quinlan has demonstrated how to extract the honey from last year’s crop. Upcoming are classes on cleaning and straining the wax, then mixing it with other ingredients to create lotions and other beneficial products.

Eventually the class will focus on marketing. Students in the school graphics department have designed various labels for the honey, with the intent of holding a contest to determine the winning design. Jars will then be sold at school events to raise funds for next year’s bees.

The word is spreading

Quinlan, an employee of United Airlines, applied for a company grant last year through their Eco-Skies program. “The grants are for community green projects, education projects, environmental science, anything ecological,” he said.

At the time he was still going through the process of setting up his own nonprofit, so the application was submitted through the Nicholas J. Sacco Foundation. It was approved, and Quinlan received the maximum amount of $5,000 from United. He has since applied for a 2015 grant and received another $5,000.

That money was used in part to establish the club and class. Quinlan’s goal is to expand to other schools throughout the county.

“I got calls from North Bergen High School now, who want to do the same thing,” he said. “The word is spreading.”

The kids at High Tech are “very attentive and eager to learn,” he said. “We want to teach them not to be afraid and also to respect nature.”

“It’s pretty cool,” said Mariam Abdelmoula, suiting up in her protective gear. “It looks scary but it’s going to be a fun experience. I’m really looking forward to this.”

Art Schwartz may be reached at arts@hudsonreporter.com.




HCSTF Supports STEM Family Night Activities at Explore 2000 Middle School

October 16, 2015 (North Bergen, N.J.) –The HCST Foundation provided grant money to support Explore 2000 Middle School—a STEM Education school that is part of the HCST Foundation and located in Downtown Jersey City—as they invited students and parents into their facility for an evening of engagement, announced Linda J. Quentzel, Executive Director of the HCST Foundation.

The Family Connection Event, which included resources and leadership from STEM Education, LLC, engaged participants in three distinctive activities: Building a Hovercraft; Racecar Competitions; and Puffmobile Races. According to Explore 2000 Principal Amy Lin-Rodriguez, the evening “Served as enrichment for students, parents, and even as professional development for our facilitators.”

Mrs. Lin-Rodriguez continues, “Our hope [for this event] is to create after-school programs, and eventually offer a summer camp for STEM Education.”

HCST Superintendent Frank J. Gargiulo elaborated on the importance of the STEM movement at the Middle School level. “Trends come and go, but the heart of STEM is problem-solving. No matter what technologies become available in the future, every industry needs problem-solvers, and this evening helped get these students closer to that skillset.”

Daniel Gans, President of the HCST Foundation, adds, “This kind of family-style even not only helps the students, it brings the classroom to the community and allows parents a glimpse into—not just the products of learning, but the learning process at work for our youngest students. The Foundation is proud to help bring these new approaches to learning into the community.”

Linda J. Quentzel, Executive Director of the HCST Foundation, says, “The Back to School Family Night was an opportunity for us to continue our efforts at incorporating the community, whether that means bringing in parents or experts or alumni—or all three—we’re happy to support any endeavor of this kind.”

Click here to download this article >>


Friday, October 16, 2015

COUNTY PREP TO VOTE IN NATION’S LARGEST ONLINE STUDENT MOCK ELECTION

JERSEY CITY - Students and teachers at COUNTY PREP HIGH SCHOOL will be conducting a mock election and Youth Voter Survey on OCTOBER 21 –NOVEMBER 3.  Students will participate in the 2015 National Mock Election and Youth Voter Survey, sponsored by the Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI), a national civic education program based at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.  With thousands of students expected to vote nationwide during the voting period from October 19 – November 3, the YLI Mock Election is the largest secure, student-only online mock election in the nation. 

A national research study conducted by University of Virginia Center for Politics Director Larry J. Sabato and Chief of Staff Ken Stroupe found conclusively that the instructional components of the Youth Leadership Initiative can have a positive impact on students, and Stroupe found that “students in classes where teachers used the YLI Mock Election and the related lesson plans reported a higher tendency towards future political participation.” 
“Programs such as the YLI Mock Election and Constitutional Convention have the opportunity to excite students about our democracy and teach them about their rights and responsibilities as citizens.  Students are empowered with a sense of 'I can' optimism that will lead to a lifetime of civic involvement,” added Sabato. 

Results of the YLI National Mock Election and Constitutional Convention will be available the morning of Wednesday, November 4, 2015.  For more information, please contact County Prep History instructor Thomas Calvanico.




Board Trustee Supports Overseas Training for Vocational Educators

October 15, 2015 (North Bergen, N.J.) – Andrew Campbell, HCSTF Board Trustee, financially supported the efforts of two High Tech High School vocational teachers, Gregory Simon and Zachary Bolich, in their efforts to be among the first Americans to receive a Level 1 Siemens Certification in Mechanical and Manufacturing Systems, announced HCST Foundation Executive Director, Linda J. Quentzel.

Mr. Simon and Mr. Bolich, who teach Architecture and Wood Technology, respectively, in the Digital Design & Fabrication Academy (D|FAB) at High Tech High School, began their training on October 5, 2015, in Berlin, Germany. According to Siemens, the training “is an academic, comprehensive industry skill program delivered through partner schools around the world via the train-the-trainer model.” Mr. Simon and Mr. Bolich’s training will focus primarily on the manufacturing processes and efficient operating procedures of preconfigured Computer Numerical Control devices. Frequently known as CNC devices, these machines convert computer-aided design software into numbers to control the cutting and shaping of materials.

High Tech High School Assistant Principal, Allyson Krone, says of the endeavor, “The Siemens training is rigorous but essential to keeping our manufacturing and design students at the forefront of workplace technology. I am exceedingly grateful for Mr. Campbell’s progressive approach to industrial technology and his continued support of our program.” Frank J. Gargiulo, HCST Superintendent, says the opportunity for teachers is vital to the district. “Vocational teachers have the distinct advantage of historical and practical knowledge. But as technologies change, so goes the industry. It is an imperative for this—or any—vocational district to ensure their instructors are given access to train with and experience the latest technologies in their fields.”

HCST Foundation President, Daniel Gans, adds, “The community at large benefits from good teachers who know the latest trends and technologies in their fields. If we are going to support a vocational model, we must support our educators beyond the classroom.” Linda J. Quentzel, Executive Director of the HCST Foundation expressed her gratitude for Board Trustee Campbell’s efforts. “Andrew has once again demonstrated his commitment to this district— the students, teachers, and community at large—by providing the necessary financial support for HCST to remain at the forefront of industrial developments in technology.”

Andrew Campbell is the CEO of Eastern Millwork, Inc., and is the industry leader of the Force21 program, a coalition of industry partners and High Tech High School whose goal is to deliver industry-focused, 21st-century talent across educational levels from high school to university to the workforce.

Click here to download this article >>


Wednesday, October 7, 2015

A Visit to the Birth of America by Bus





For the first trip of the fall,
All our students went to Independence Hall.
And we thought and thought, 
About the ones that fought.

They wrote the Constitution,
They started a revolution,
At first they were small,
And then they grew tall!

We had a bloody war,
 Because freedom is worth fighting for.
Up on the battlefield
Hear that? Sounds like victory!

So after this great event,
They created the dollar and the cent.
So our nation was born, and our first President was born.



             The first field trip is always the most memorable of the bunch. This year the students took a trip to one of the most famous places in America, also known as Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. To say it’s significant is a huge understatement. IT was the place America was born. IT was where our predecessors once stood. On that field experience we beheld the exact same room in which those thirty-nine men signed one of the biggest “historical disruptions” yet. IT is still standing, from 1738 to today.


           
On this field trip we saw the original drafts of the Declaration of Independence. Not only did we see the rooms and the documents, we also learned a lot about it too. For example, we learned that the Independence Hall was built around the time George Washington was born, in 1738. We also witnessed the courtroom they used. The accused citizen would stand in a cage until the jury has made his decision.

            In conclusion, our school had a great time learning about the Constitution and the history of the country in which are living in. This was truly an amazing experience for my peers and me.
Roxolana Hreb
9/28/15


High Tech Dance Majors Experience Professional Ballet Class with Zvi Dance Company

(New York, NY—October 5, 2015) Zvi Gotheiner, teacher, choreographer, and artistic director of Zvi Dance Company, invited High Tech instructor Trista DeFilippis’ junior and senior dance majors to take part in his professional ballet class, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech High School. 

Gotheiner holds his classes at New York City Center Studios.  Scott Killian, veteran music instructor and Department Liaison for High Tech’s Performing Arts Department, plays piano for Gotheiner’s class on Saturdays and played for DeFilippis’ dance majors as well 

“It was particularly satisfying to share my professional life with the dance students,” says Killian.  “I have written over 20 scores for [Gotheiner’s] dance company and I arranged to play for Trista’s students, so not only were the students taking class with professional dancers, but dancing to my music.” 

“Scott is highly talented and revered, not only in the music world but the dance world, too,” DeFilippis notes. “It’s a gift to hear him play for my dancers, whom I’m extremely proud of.”

The High Tech dance majors had the opportunity to take ballet class with Gotheiner in a professional studio, a studio roughly five times the size of the studio that they usually utilize at High Tech.  At Zvi Dance Company, DeFilippis’ students mingled with a company of professional dancers, including Wendy Whelan, principal dancer with the New York City Ballet.  Gotheiner commended the dance majors on their conduct during the class.  No matter the difficulty of the material, no dancer ever gave in to fatigue or disappointment.