Hoboken High School Weekly Update
#redwingway
I have to start with two amazing items:
Congratulations to Christopher Figueroa on his early acceptance to University of Pennsylvania. Class of 2022 heading to the Ivy's.
and......
Congratulations to Kai Hultstrom and Feline Dirkx as their proposal for SSEP has been accepted. Please see below for more details on their acceptance into this prestigious program.
Thank you to all the families and students who came to the Hoboken Public School District’s Arts & Literacy Night! The night was a huge success. We proudly displayed our winter-themed poetry and narratives for all to peruse and read. We were surrounded by all the beautiful paintings and photos that our students created. People stopped to see the gingerbread replicas of landmark Hoboken buildings and locations. What a night it was for families and friends to enjoy the festive music by our very own Rockin’ Redwings and Chorus. We are very proud of our talented students and we hope you enjoyed the event!
With the holidays, there are family gatherings and travel. We must continue to be diligent about COVID. Please do not send your child to school if they are not feeling well and are symptomatic. It is imperative we remain strong on this to keep our students healthy. The COVID form must be completed daily and must be completed accurately as this is our best defense.
Thank you to all those who have made donations to Operation Gratitude. Please know we are still accepting gift cards in the amount of $25. This small gesture on your part makes all the difference for our families.
Next Wednesday, December 22nd, join us for the HHS and HMS Winter Concert. See the flyer below.
Right now, sit back and enjoy the Smore
Ms. Picc
HHS Team Proposal Selected for Student Spaceflight Experiment Program (SSEP)
This year, students from Hoboken High School participated in the Student Spaceflight Experiment Program (SSEP) Mission 16 to the International Space Station (ISS). The students worked in teams to design a question, conducted research, communicated with professional advisors in the field, performed experiments, and collected and analyzed their data. Three of the proposals were submitted to the Step 2 Review board at the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE). This week, Nanoracks performed a preliminary review of the flight experiments to ensure they met the safety requirements for the flight.
We are thrilled to announce that Kai Hultstrom and Feline Dirkx's project, The effect of microgravity on catheter biofilm formation by the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens, has been selected for flight aboard the International Space Station! This study will fly in May 2022! The reviewers were impressed by the study's "elegant and straightforward" experimental design.
The scientific question that these two budding researchers assigned for their study was "Does a microgravity environment affect the biofilm growth of Pseudomonas fluorescens?" Their hypothesis was that if Pseudomonas fluorescens is exposed to a microgravity environment, then biofilm growth will accelerate. Biofilms are harmful secretions made by microorganisms that can often block catheters and interfere with other medical devices in a clinical setting. A catheter is a tube used to deliver medications and fluids to patients.
For their experiment, they set up identical tubes, inoculated with this microorganism, with a section of catheter submerged in a growth medium. They were able to assess the amount of biofilm growth by using both a spectrophotometer as well as visual analysis. They designed an experiment which makes perfect use of the fluids mixing enclosure (FME) device "mini lab system" which will be sent to space and manipulated by an astronaut aboard the ISS. The same experiment will be run at Hoboken High School, so a direct comparison of biofilm growth can be made.
Guidance
The Guidance Department has been working diligently with the students throughout the week. There have been consistent meetings with each student to discuss multiple academic programs, providing support in their future aspirations, and collaborating with college admissions professionals.
In the upcoming weeks, there will be colleges visiting Hoboken High School for Instant Decision Day. This is a great opportunity for our seniors to meet with the college admissions members of each institution. Furthermore, the benefits of these days are that they add additional support to the student’s entire admission process and the possibility of financial or merit aid is provided. If students are interested in this opportunity, it is advised to visit the Guidance Department to complete their college application prior to the first Instant Decision Day.
Below is the list of the colleges and dates:
Georgian Court University - January 11, 2022
Centenary University - January 12, 2022
It is important to start the FAFSA application process, if not already completed. This is a form filled out by current and future undergraduate and graduate college students in the United States to determine whether they are eligible for student financial aid. Students should also look out for if their colleges require the CSS profile through the college board. Furthermore, all students applying to NJ colleges must complete an NJFAMS account AFTER FAFSA is submitted. The NJFAMS is where all New Jersey students who apply for state financial aid can view eligibility and "To Do" lists to see if there is any incomplete information needed for you to qualify for state aid programs.
The Mercey College School of Business is hosting the Leadership Academy 2022 program this upcoming summer. Rising seniors can experience college first-hand during the week-long, action packed summer program. Learn about leadership and business careers from an Executive Faculty Member who has worked at top global companies. There are three separate week-long experiences. If you are interested in this opportunity, please visit the following links:
The Guidance Department is excited to share with our Hoboken High School Students a wonderful opportunity for those interested in pursuing a career in the medical field. The New Jersey Health Care Employers District: Training and Development Fund is presenting a program for Youth Transition to Work. Furthermore, certified nursing assistant and physical therapy aide scholarship programs are available. In addition to this training, there is guaranteed job placement in a Major Hospital System, hourly way of fifteen dollars, thirteen and a half college credits, employer assisted college tuition plans, first aid and CPR certifications, free transportation, and free uniforms. Please more information on this program below:
Class Location: District 1199J, Training and Development Fund, 9-25 Alling Street 1st Floor, Newark, NJ AND Essex County College Newark Campus.
Contact: 973-643-1600 or mark.kuiper1199j@gmail.com
We value success and advocacy for our students. It is truly admirable to see each student excel into the bright future’s they have ahead of them.
Dynamic Differences ~ A Message from the Child Study Team
Our juniors and seniors have been hard at work focusing on their post secondary plans. DVRS is ensuring that your children are receiving pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) . These services include 5 components:
- job exploration;
- workplace readiness training;
- work-based learning experiences;
- counseling enrollment in post secondary programs and/or higher education;
- and instruction to self-advocacy.
We encourage all parents and guardians to engage in conversations with your teenagers about what they have learned and how it applies to their future goals. In the weeks that follow, we will share what the other 4 components cover so that you can have ongoing dialogue with your soon to be adult children.
Welcome to the Hoboken School Based Youth Services Student Center!
Our goal at the Student Center is to provide students with the skills and tools needed to overcome challenges, develop a healthy sense of self, and build strong positive relationships with peers, family, school, and community members. We strive to promote academic and social emotional wellness while helping students navigate their day to day.
This week we had another successful 2-day series workshop with Planned Parenthood Metropolitan of New Jersey. Over 70 junior students have participated in our preventative health education program so far and we look forward to continuing to provide this opportunity to the rest of our junior students during the months of January and February.
As we approach the holiday season and winter break, it is sometimes easy to become distracted or lose focus on our academic goals. The Student Center staff has been continuously working in collaboration with teachers and School Counselors to support students' social emotional needs and academic success. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or having trouble keeping up with your work and responsibilities, we encourage you to schedule a time to meet with the Student Center staff, your school counselor, or your teachers. We are here to support you!
If you find that you need some time to decompress and relax during your lunch period, remember to stop by the Student Center. Wanna play a game of pool with your friends? Want to challenge a friend to a ping pong match? We've got you covered. Come relax in our meditation room if you're looking for some quiet time or catch up on some school work in our study lounge.
Stop by our Activities Room (RM 230) bulletin board for more information on Student Center happenings or the Student Center office (RM228) for more information on how to participate in our program.
Hoboken high school students refuse to get “VAPED IN”
Did you know ninety percent of adult smokers begin this deadly addiction as teenagers or earlier? As a result, youth are critical and powerful voices in the fight against nicotine. Hoboken High School’s TEEN ACTION TASK FORCE (TATF) encourages their peers to be nicotine and tobacco-free, stand up to the tobacco industry and its deceptive marketing, and urges elected leaders to take action. The TATF held a campaign encouraging students to remain nicotine and tobacco free. the event for Tobacco-Free Kids fosters young leaders who are striving to make the next generation tobacco-free.
If you or someone you know needs support about quitting please visit Ms. Mattera in room 217B or call New Jersey quit-line at 1-866-657-8677.
Mr. LeBegue's AP Biology
PLTW Biomedical Science
Nellins' Chemists
CP Chemistry has been studying how the periodic table is organized and what type of information it can tell us. Like people, some elements on the periodic table are more compatible with each other than others. An element’s properties determine which other elements it is most likely to react with. The students' task was to create a snapshot of their assigned element’s “personality” to create a creative (and legible) profile to go on a speed dating event with other elements. During the speed date the students introduced their elements to their classmates to determine “compatibility” between elements and discover if there are trends in compatibility seen on the periodic table.
The students also performed a classic holiday lab to add a festive spin to chemistry. They demonstrated how transferring electrons between reactants causes a chemical reaction that will leave a coating of silver on the inside of a glass ornament.
Ms. Wilson's Geometry
Ms. De La Rosa and Ms.Cruz
In our Spanish classes, we learned about Spain, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Ecuador. Our students enjoyed learning about gastronomy, culture, traditions, economy, geography, and more. We culminated this unit in our classes by having a tasting of specialty store items. Our students got to taste "el Dulce de Amor de Amancio". We discussed how every region in a country has different culinary tradition and is known for making various dishes. Amor de Amancio is a sweet treat made in Miches, El Seibo. The pastry is made from scratch by cooking the milk until you have a condensed texture that is very delicious. This pastry is accompanied by very small cookies that serve as a scoop for the condensed milk. The original version of this sweet treat was only made of milk, but now there are many dessert variations.
Latino American History and Culture
PE and Health
All grades continued with health this week. Freshmen continued their unit on Health Maintenance and Nutrition and learned about Body Composition and the different ways you can measure and control your body composition. The students learned what their Body Mass Index is as well as their Basal Metabolic Rate, and how many calories they should be consuming on a daily basis based on those calculations. The students also learned about different ways to measure body mass, such as Hydrostatic Weighing, Skin Fold Tests, or even getting an MRI done. Lastly we went over the FITT principle, which talks about how long and how intense your exercising should be based on your own dieting goals. We will wrap up this section just in time for the holiday break next week!
Sophmores have completed the first four chapters of Drivers Education. The students became familiar with their driving responsibilities as well as safe driving rules and regulations. They will be given a huge review (and take a quiz!) on all chapters learned before we go on winter break.
Juniors are currently in the unit 'Community Health" and just went over their section on First Aid. Students learned the necessary steps to perform CPR on adults, children, and infants as well as what an AED is and how to use one. We also went over how to respond to different situations such as caring for a choking victim.
Seniors are in the unit "Family Life and Sexuality." This week, they learned about common sexually transmitted infections and their risks. They piggybacked on the previous week's lesson of contraceptive methods and reinforced the point that not all birth control methods will protect you from getting a sexually transmitted injection.
Athletics
Several of the Hoboken High School Winter athletic teams will open up the season on Friday 12/17/21. The varsity boys basketball teams opens up vs McNair at home 12/17/21 at 6 p.m., while the girls varsity basketball team travels to McNair for a 4:30 PM start on 12/17/21.
Our wrestling team will open up at Linden for a 5 PM start.
Our swim team will compete against Hudson Catholic at 4:30 PM in Hoboken H.S. The team will travel to Memorial HS on Tuesday 12/21/21 for a 4:30 PM meet.
The Hoboken High School Swim Team competed in two home meets to start off the competition season! Everyone put their training to the test during these meets and worked really hard. We will continue to improve and keep our Redwing pride flying high!!
Highlights from the North Bergen Meet (girls only meet):
-Paz De La Torre earned 2nd place in the 200 Freestyle and 2nd place in the 100 Backstroke
-Lavinia Cintra earned 3rd place in the 50 Freestyle
-Mara Reba earned 1st place in the 100 Freestyle and 2nd in the 100 Breaststroke
Highlights against the Kearny Meet (boys and girls):
-Mara Reba earned 2nd place in the 200 Freestyle and the 100 Breaststroke
-Paz De La Torre earned 1st place in the 200 IM and in the 100 Freestyle
-Natalie Quinto earned 3rd place in the 50 freestyle and the 100 Backstroke
-Jared Lee earned 3rd place in the 100 Freestyle and in the 100 Backstroke
-Sava Tomin earned 2nd place in the100 Freestyle and 3rd place in the 100 Breaststroke
-Jeeyan Mhajan earned 3d place in the 50 freestyle