High Tech High School Receives $20K Grant from Verizon Schools Program

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

(North Bergen, NJ--January 22, 2016) High Tech High School received a $20,000 grant for their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) program from Verizon’s Innovative Schools Program, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech High School.

Verizon’s Director of External Affairs, Mark Bocchieri, presented this award to Hudson County Schools of Technology Superintendent Frank Gargiulo, High Tech High School Principal Dr. Joseph Giammarella, and Biology and Biomedical Science teacher Priscilla Isip.

“We are extremely proud of our teachers and students in our school’s STEM program,” Gargiulo said in a statement. “These students will be the scientists, engineers, and doctors of tomorrow, and this grant will further aid them in their career pursuits.”

The funds will be used to support High Tech’s “Project Lead the Way” curriculum, which aims to prepare students for the cutting edge careers of tomorrow with a particular focus on biomedical technologies.

“It is an honor to receive this grant from Verizon, it will only help to strengthen our STEM program curriculum and allow our students to learn in a more interactive approach, while allowing our teachers more resources to teach in an effective manner,” Giammarella added in the same statement.

Part of a larger $100,000 award from the Verizon Innovative Schools Program, this coveted grant boasts a number of schools applications, though Verizon only chooses five schools throughout the state of New Jersey to receive the grant in a competitive application process.

“We are so happy that our program was chosen for this grant,” stated Isip.  "It will help with many aspects of our STEM program, including with equipment and field trips. In particular, we hope students can visit hospitals to meet with doctors and pathologists, as well as local police stations to meet with sheriffs and learn about their CSI investigations.”

(from left to right) Dr. Giammarella, Mr. Gargiulo, Mark Bocchieri, and Ms. Isip

County Prep Dance Alumni Concert a Success

County Prep Dance Alumni Concert

The County Prep Dance Program held their first ever Alumni Showcase on Friday, January 8th. The event marked the 15th anniversary of the County Prep Dance Program under the direction of Ms. Heather Warfel Sandler.  22 dance alumni were involved in performing and video segments highlighting their current projects in the arts.  There was a packed audience including more alumni, parents, staff, and community members who were incredibly enthusiastic and impressed by the performances. The event was filled with emotion and 

Director Ms. Heather Warfel Sandler had this to say about the event:

"I wanted to do something special for this anniversary.  I'm lucky to be in touch with many of my former students, and it became clear to me that the best way to celebrate the program was to celebrate THEM.  My teaching process and philosophy has been directly informed by their willingness to experiment, discuss, argue, create, and dance with me.  I have a very clear idea of what I believe is important in arts education, and I don't take for granted that my students have helped me to define that philosophy.  As I started to reach out to find alumni who were still active in the arts, I realized that while they all came through this program, their work since then has been incredibly varied. That was so exciting to me and is one of the things for which I'm most proud! We are fulfilling our mission of using dance as a tool to open minds. This program is sending creative people out into the world, who are forging their own paths. There is a common misconception in the arts - especially dance - that if you pursue it you either "make it" or you go to your backup plan. This alumni concert proved that couldn't be further from the truth.  Among these dance program alumni were professional dancers, choreographers, singers, producers, dance teachers, actors, future dance therapists, a yoga instructor, a praise-dance leader, a world renowned b-boy, a filmmaker, an arts administrator, a visual and performance artist, and even one who spent time on Capitol Hill working on arts legislation - ALL influenced by their dance education. I have worked with so many amazing young people through this program, many of whom have become my friends and colleagues. This was a great way to honor them and our program."

[Go to Dance Website] [Go to Photo Album]

County Prep Students Hold Annual Deck the Doors Contest

By: Aysha Imtiaz and Princy Patel

In December, the County Prep Student Council held its annual Deck the Doors Contest. This competition reflected people's holiday spirit. Many homerooms participated in this contest. Since there weren't that many limitations on how to decorate the rooms, many creative sides were seen. Students were able to express their own ideas. They took the contest seriously. Designs varied from reindeer to snowmen. Some homerooms even included lighting to make the decorations pop out. Students had lots of fun with this contest. They collaborated and worked diligently. One homeroom represented the North Pole in an amazing way. The school's art teacher decided to dedicate his door to The Polar Express. Every homeroom that competed worked really hard to make their door the best, but in the end only one homeroom was victorious. A gingerbread themed house door was selected as the winner. This homeroom belongs to Ms. Torres. Her homeroom also included pictures of the students who are part of her homeroom and those who attend her class there during other periods. Their prize was a doughnut party. In the end the contest was a success and students got to know each other better through collaborative work.

Explore 2000 Middle School's Science Fair 2016

        

        Explore 2000 Middle School held its annual Science Fair this morning, its first in the school's new location in Jersey City. A collaboration between the school and another local institution, the Waterfront Montessori School, the Science Fair featured hundreds of student projects being presented in the school's gym with topics as varied as Solar Ovens, Non-Newtonian Liquid, Plant Growth, How Heat Moves, Making a Battery with Common Cents and much more. Lauren Norcia, Science Facilitator, engaged the students over summer break to begin an examination on “something of interest in the natural world” around them.  Norcia commented, “All students were engaged; It was interesting to see the diverse innovative experiments presented by them.”

        The event was attended by Hudson County Schools of Technology Superintendent of Schools Frank Gargiulo, Assistant Superintendent Joseph Sirangelo, Foundation Director Linda Quentzel and many teachers, administrators and parents.

        “Our Science Fair is like no other. We strive to build confidence in our learners by building positive interactions with fellow students. All were provided with rubrics as part of the collaborative process, enabling them to learn from and assess each other’s projects," said Explore 2000 Principal Amy Lin Rodriguez. "From the rubric assessment results, we will send two to three of our students to move forward and represent Explore 2000 in the Hudson County Science Fair.”

        In addition to being a showcase of students' projects, the Science Fair was also open to prospective students and their families as a means of showcasing the school to new applicants. Explore 2000 moved to its new location on 9th Street in Downtown Jersey City last year.

October Student Council Event a Success at County Prep

On Friday, October 13^th County Prep’s Student Council Committee hosted the Halloween Costume Contest. Many students participated in the contest in the hopes of winning the Halloween Costume Contest. Third place winner, Yoonjin Shu’s costume was inspired by anime character Yuno Gasai. Our second place winners, Immani Bermingham, Natassha Rivera, and Jeramiah Irwin took the visionary approach in dressing up as a group of aliens. Our first place winners, Samantha Killion, Alexandra Suarez, Destiny Harris, and Aylissia Tatum took the creative route and dressed up as Batman Villains.

The spirit of Halloween was not only limited to the students, but also the staff. 65 staff members participated by dressing up as the characters of 101 Dalmatians. 

County Prep Students Receive Awards at FCCLA Fall Conference

The NJ FCCLA Fall Conference was held on November 23, 2015 in Edison, NJ and attended by 600 people. Awards were given to the following County Prep Students. Congratulations to them all.

Apple Bake-off: Jules Lombres who was awarded 1st Place Gold also received a $2,000 scholarship to Culinary Institute of America.

Passion for Fashion (Doll Making)
Tanery Santiago - Silver
Rohna Reyes - 3rd place Gold
Immani Birmingham - Gold
Veronica Aziz - 2nd place Gold
Natassha Rivera - Gold

Web Connect (Website Design)
Anjela Maravilla - 1st Place Gold

Tune Into FCCLA (Video Promoting FCCLA)
Patricia Ramirez, Nicole DeAssis, Jeymmy Cuevas -- 1st Place Gold

Cupcake Challenge
Kayla Feathers, Dominika Orczykowska -- 1st Place Gold
Ashley Singh, Tiara Valentin, Sherry Joseph -- 1st Place Bronze
Angelo Luistro, Leeann Mineses, Janiris Milanes -- 2nd Place Gold

High Tech’s Russell Soto Gearing Up to Compete in Rotax Junior MAX Challenges

(North Bergen—January 4, 2016) Jersey City resident Russell Soto, a sophomore at High Tech, has started his outdoor karting career in the Rotax Junior MAX category, soon to compete at the Club and Regional levels, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech.

Only driving skills take precedent in the Rotax MAX Challenge™ (RMC), a motor sport race formula for race kart drivers, approved by and in compliance with the CIK-FIA (Commission Internationale de Karting/Federation Internationale de l’Automobile).  Drivers use checked and sealed Rotax MAX engines for equal performance.

Soto holds high ambitions to excel in the highly–competitive arenas of engineering and motorsports.  Karting, an entry-level form of motorsport, has been the training ground for all kinds of professional racers, from Formula One to NASCAR.  Involved in this sport since the age of nine, Soto has demonstrated head-turning talent with only a minimum of the financial resources of most of his competitors.  Thus, Soto seeks sponsorship for his racing career through word of mouth and publicity outlets like the news media. 

Always putting his education first, Soto expressed an affinity for engineering and design at High Tech, a school that has fueled his interest in the mechanics of motorsports.  Russell has documented his experiences in racing as they happen, and to read more about his journey in the sport that he loves, be sure to visit Soto’s website at http://www.russellsotoracing.com or at Soto's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/russell.soto.