High Tech Media Students Inducted into the Ridgewood Film Festival

(Ridgewood, NJ--April 24, 2019) The Ridgewood Film Festival recently inducted Jared Krinsky’s junior and senior media classes, as well as premiering two of their animations, The Missing Pin and Lip-sync Compilation, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech High School.

The links to these animations can be found below:

https://youtu.be/HxXi1mgKFWU

https://youtu.be/f2kigF0RjzE

Gabriel Chaves of Secaucus, Jersey City residents Iurii Martyniv and Shrey Shah, Mercy Urena of West New York, and Jersey City resident Cenera Davis

National YoungArts Foundation Recognizes High Tech’s Carlos Hernandez and Tomoe Carr This Year

(Miami, FL--April 22-26, 2019) National YoungArts Foundation announced High Tech Graphic Arts major Carlos Hernandez, a resident of Jersey City, a finalist for Photography, while Dance major and North Bergen resident Tomoe Carr earned an honorable mention for Hip Hop this year, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech High School.

Both Hernandez, named among the 163 finalists (the organization’s highest honor), and Carr, one of the 268 honorable mentions, participated in National YoungArts Week, the organization’s signature program, which fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and community while offering guidance and preparation for the next stage of their artistic development.

This year, National YoungArts Foundation announced 710 of the country’s most promising young artists in visual, literary, design, and performing arts as winners from thousands of applications and from 44 states. YoungArts winners gain access to comprehensive programs for emerging artists, offering financial, professional, and artistic development opportunities throughout their careers.

During the free, weeklong intensive, artists across 10 disciplines participate in master classes and workshops with internationally recognized leaders in their fields. Each evening, audiences can experience the work of the next generation of artists through performances in voice, jazz, theater, dance, and classical music, as well as film screenings at New World Center, writers’ readings in the YoungArts Jewel Box, and a visual arts, photography, and design exhibition curated by Rosie Gordon-Wallace of Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator in the YoungArts Gallery.

“We believe that every artist should be empowered to pursue a life in the arts, and we are excited to welcome our winners to the YoungArts family,” declares Sarah Arison, YoungArts Board Chair.

Carlos Hernandez

Tomoe Carr and friend

High Tech’s Interactive Media Class Experiences Virtual Reality

(Secaucus, NJ--April 17, 2019) With the help of Nintendo, Jared Krinsky's Interactive Media class at High Tech High School now experiences virtual reality game design, thanks to the Nintendo Labo© VR Kit, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech.

Students in the Interactive Media class had a hand in building their very own VR headset, playing some of the Labo© built-in experiences, and even creating their very own. Some High Tech seniors had been working on VR animations, and they discovered that they could view their designs on the Nintendo Switch. 

“All in all,” says Krinsky, “this is a great experience in VR, thanks to Nintendo.”

Introduced one year ago, Nintendo Labo©, a toys to life concept developed by Nintendo, consists of two parts, wherein one part serves as a game. The games function as kits that include cardboard cut-outs and other interesting materials meant to be assembled in conjunction with the Nintendo Switch© console display and Joy-Con controllers. Users create a "Toy-Con" that can interact with the game software and vice versa. Nintendo designed Labo© as a method to instill principles of engineering, physics, and basic programming.

Smaller accessory kits may be purchased with some stickers and other material that can improve the Labo© creations.

CP's Jassica Kumari & Sole Stewart Win a Bronze Medal at NJ SkillsUSA!

Congratulations to Jassica Kumari and Sole Stewart on winning a bronze medal at the NJ Skills USA competition this past weekend. The County Prep seniors competed in the Digital Cinema Production category. The students produced a video titled “Just a Teenager” that discusses the issues teenagers face in today’s society including gender stereotypes, racism, college, immigrant families and much more! Both students, who are seniors in the Audio Visual Production program, worked extremely hard on their video. Mrs. Martinez is proud of them for their hard-work, dedication, and creativity throughout the entire process.  

County Prep Students Win Medals in Occupational Health and Safety at SkillsUSA

Sophomores Shereen Hanna, Beatriz Soares, and Aya Ejjaki won a bronze medal at the 2019 SkillsUSA championships representing County Prep in the Occupational Health and Safety contest. In Occupational Health and Safety, contestants demonstrate the safety and health endeavors of their technical programs by putting together a scrapbook that highlights important programs, activities and events related to their school’s health and safety program. The health and safety activities of the chapters are evaluated on the planning and organization of four projects and the outcome of those projects. Advisor Michael Grele praised the quality and content of the team's books and said, "this team's presentation and attitude during the interview process deeply impressed the judges."

Third Times the Charm! CP Culinary Arts Wins Gold Medal at NJ SkillsUSA Competition!

Third times the charm! County Preps wins GOLD- MRE Challenge

County Prep wins Three years in Row at NJ Skills Culinary Arts 

     Once again County Preps Culinary Arts class dominates the Skills USA, MRE challenge. Chef Collins with his amazingly, devoted students Isabella Del Monte, Grace Yeung and Kelvin Avila-Bravo had an outstanding day. The contestants are given six random military ready to eat packets. They competed against 13 different vocational schools from New Jersey. They had thirty minutes to plan and an hour and a half to cook and plate the food. The students presented their creations to military judges. They went to the medal ceremony on April 13, 2019 and placed first and received gold medals. This is the third year in a row that County Prep has won this event.

The Winning Menu

Appetizer

Military bunker

Entrée

A tank complete with a cannon that fires

Dessert

The Purple Heart award with “four star general”

Team County Prep Culinary Arts contestants

Culinary Arts Joaquin Cariaso

Food Service Arianna Sanchez

MRE Challenge Isabella Del Monte, Grace Yeung and Kelvin Avila-Bravo

Table Service Hadassah Brudnicki

Performing Arts Skills USA Competition Awards Gold Medal to County Prep Theatre Arts Students

Seniors Sirena Morales and Faith Riscoe and Juniors Tyla Gibson and Dynajah Smith participated in a Performing Arts Skills USA Competition on March 23 in Sussex County.

The purpose of this contest is to evaluate each team’s critical thinking, analysis, communications, writing, marketing, performance knowledge and skills as they relate to the field of Theatre and the Performing Arts. The students wrote and performed a 7-minute scene that had to incorporate a tableau reflecting the painting "Four Girls" by August Macke. As Dynajah, who played the role of Museum Guide, explained to the judges -- this was an opportunity to raise awareness about a serious topic in our society, sexual abuse in orphanages. The scene was emotional, stunned the audience and even brought tears to their eyes. It was rewarded with the Gold medal at the award ceremony on April 13th in Bridgewater, NJ. Ms. Shields is incredibly proud of the students' achievement and is looking forward to more meaningful performance opportunities for her students.

NJ Skills USA Silver and Bronze Medals Awarded to County Prep Photography Students

Last week, two of County Preps' Juniors went to the NJ Skills USA competition to compete in the Commercial Photography category. Out of 25 participants, Alyssa Hong (left) and Ashley Quintana (right) both came away with medals! Alyssa won a 3rd place bronze and Ashley won a 2nd place Silver medal. According to Mr. Patten, "these students worked hard all year perfecting their skills and preparing for this event. I am very happy to see that their hard work has paid off." Ms. Mendolla would like to thank the medal winners and all the students who participated this year's NJ Skills USA competition. 

High Tech Students’ Film Takes First Place at Imagination Lunchbox International Children’s Film Festival

(Baltimore, MD--April 13, 2019) High Tech High School students Cenera Davis of Jersey City, an Interactive Media major, and North Bergen resident Genesis Cevallos, a Programming major, took First Place for the Film Festival Choice Award for their collaborative film The Hungry Hedgehog at the 3rd annual Imagination Lunchbox International Children's Film Festival, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech.

Imagination Lunchbox, a film production company based in Baltimore, Maryland, fulfills a need for kid-focused films in Baltimore, Maryland, and the general area. The 3rd annual film festival partners with The Baltimore Times Newspaper and Freelance Associate's Uplifting Minds 2 Talent Conference to present the Imagination Lunchbox International Children's Film Festival at the Parkway Theater.

The film festival seeks films made by kids, films for kids, and films starring kids and asks that films be no longer than 10 minutes long and may include, but not limited to, narratives, animation, documentaries, and experimental works. Films may be domestic or foreign.

(from left to right: Cenera Davis, Michael Anthony Hobbs, and unidentified judge)

High Tech Receives Medals at NJ SkillsUSA State Championship

(Bridgewater/Somerset, NJ--April 13, 2019) NJ SkillsUSA held its State Championship at the Somerset County Vo-Tech and Bridgewater Marriott, and its Awards Ceremony at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, where eleven High Tech students earned their medals, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech.

The following students earned Gold Medals in their respective fields: senior Lourdes Valdez of North Bergen for Culinary Arts; senior David Mansour of Bayonne and junior Noelle White of Weehawken, returning State Champs, for Digital Cinema; and junior Gibson Borelli of Hoboken, also a returning State Champ, for Job Skill Demo--Culinary Arts.

Junior Yousef Idrissi of North Bergen and Sophomore Nathan Mintos of Jersey City won the Silver Medal for Robotics Urban Search and Rescue.

Also, the following students earned Bronze Medals in their respective fields: Senior Olivia Smith of Jersey City for Technical Drafting; sophomore Joseph Novielli of Bayonne for Job Interview Skills; and juniors Kush Poddar and Isabella Cordero of Jersey City and Katherine Moriera of Kearny for Career Pathways: Industrial & Engineering Technology.

A national partnership of students, teachers, and industry, SkillsUSA brings together high school students preparing for careers in trade, technical, and service occupations, ensuring that America benefits from a skilled workforce.

“All the students who participated did a fantastic job and should be very proud,” says Dyanna Bruno, SkillsUSA Professional Advisor for High Tech. “We want to thank all the teachers, advisors, and staff who worked so hard with the students and supported the program to make 2019 very successful for HighTech and SkillsUSA.”

(from left to right: Gold Medal winners Gibson Borelli, Noelle White, Lourdes Valdez, and David Mansour)

 

(from left to right: Joselyn Bravo, Camilla Garcia, Laela Baker, Olivia Smith, Mansour, White, Borelli, Joseph Novielli, and Wynzel Geronimo)

County Prep Production of Bodas de Sangre Nominated for Foxy Awards

Mrs. Shields is very excited to announce that our 2018 production of Bodas de Sangre, by Federico Garcia Lorca, has earned the cast and crew five Foxy award nominations this year. Our production has received nominations for Outstanding Production of a Drama, Outstanding Achievement for an Acting Ensemble, Outstanding Achievement in Live or Original Music, Outstanding Achievement in Choreography/ Movement and Outstanding Achievement in Stage Combat.

The cast is invited to attend and also perform at the Award ceremony during the Theatre Night Awards on May 20th, 2019 at Montclair State University, an incredibly memorable event, attended by high schools from across the entire state, which were nominated from the initial 70 or more participating high schools.

This program was established in 2009 by Montclair State University Theatre and Dance Department professor Susan Kerner and Mahwah High School teacher JoAnne Fox. They conceived the event to provide a balance for the popularity of the high school musical and its celebration at well-established awards ceremonies in New Jersey and the region.

This competition is open to all secondary schools in the state of NJ, and only to straight play productions. The event is a positive educationally based community building experience. Students are able to share their work with other students and to be recognized outside their own high schools. This outside recognition has direct benefits for students and teachers in districts throughout the state.

CP's Student Council Hosts Movie Night: Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse

“We could always be Spider-Man with the mask on, but now, and perhaps more important, we can be Spider-Man with the mask off as well.”

-Miles Morales

Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse was shown at County Prep High School’s Movie Night on March 29th. Miles Morales, a spanglish speaking, Afro-Latino teen with a love for Post Malone, Air Jordans, graffiti, and of course school becomes the teen Spider-Man of his reality, crossing paths with five counterparts from other dimensions to stop a threat from all realities. Looking at the big screen a lot of County Preppers could relate to several aspects of the movie; from Morales’ being biracial, to not fitting into societal norms, to having to rise to the occasion.

The room in which the movie was being watched contained a total of 52 students. Movie Night, which is a common event at County Prep where previous showings have included flicks such as Insidious and IT, is a way of  not only raising funds to put towards the school, but a way of connecting students to others through film. Upon entering the room students were granted the opportunity to purchase concessions to devour during the showing. In addition all were given numbered tickets for a raffle, where the winner received a copy of the movie, Spider: Into the Spider Verse. The lucky winner was #32, Danaisha Smith.  

Showing the limitless possibilities of the Spider Verse, where more than one person can wear the mask, the movie definitely lived up to expectations. Solely based off of the audience’s expressions, the movie was a tearjerker, quite humorous, and with unforeseen plot twists, quite the shocker as well.  Ultimately, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse offered nearly two-hours of stunning and altogether captivating animation that beautifully rendered to bring the superhero origin story of Miles Morales - and the Spider-Verse - to life in a never-before-seen manner. Throughout the film Miles Morales was told he would never know when he was ready unless he took a “leap of faith”; this resonated with all in the audience, for the movie was filled with truths that could be applied in all of our lives. This event was put together by the Student Council, in which we’d like to thank Mr. Carey, Mr. Carey, and Ms. Torres for supervising, as well as the Student Council staff for donating their time to making this Movie Night a success.