TALES OF THE COMET
Vol. 2 February 2003

DID YOU KNOW:

.....The Consumer Bowl competition is Monday, February 24th. It will be held at the Bergen County Administrative Building. The team members are Josh Bellocchio, Stacy Pavlick, Whitney Wedderburn and Mark Hanulak. Faculty advisor is Valerie Gancarz.
....The Hackensack Blue and Gold Scholarship Committee, held a Beefsteak Dinner as a fundraiser on Saturday, February 1, 2003 at the Lodi Boys'/Girls' Club. Over 450 Hackensack Alumni and friends attended. A special thank you to Ms. Annette Miello, special education teacher at HHS, for organizing this successful event. Mr. Ed Acciardi, retired guidance counselor, founded the scholarship approximately three years ago. His goal is to raise $1,000,000 in scholarships for students attending Hackensack High School. This recent fundraiser brought in a $25,000 profit. To date we have collected nearly $210,000 toward our goal. If you are interested in joining this committee, sending a donation, or future events, please contact the "Hackensack Blue and Gold Scholarship," P.O. Box 2032, South Hackensack, NJ, or visit our web sites at: www.hackensackhigh.org and www.blueandgoldscholarship.com
.....On Sunday, January 5, 2003, the Hackensack Blue and Gold Scholarship sponsored a trip to the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, NJ. The cost of the trip was $27.00 per person. This included bus transportation, breakfast on board, and prizes with a $13 giveaway from the casino. The committee would like to make this an annual event. One bus was chartered this year, and a $1,000 profit was made toward the scholarship. Please contact the web sites for event information.
.....The Hackensack High School Art Department was recently featured on Cablevision's "Neighborhood Journal." The segment focused on our student artwork, which transcends from traditional canvas and paper to walls and ceiling tiles. We are very proud of our creative students.
.....The Hackensack High School Drama Progarm is pleased to present "West Side Story" as our Spring Play this year. Performances are March 27th, 28th and 29th at 8 P.M. and March 30th at 2 P.M. All seats are reserved, and tickets are $10. Tickets can be purchased in the main office at the high school. Come and enjoy another award winning performance by our talented students.
.....Under the direction of advisors Nancy DiNatale and Salvatore Iacono, FBLA awarded two $250.00 scholarships for the 2002-2003 school year to Jonathan Todd and Ryan Magee.
.....The FBLA had a successful Thanksgiving Food Drive for New Jersey Buddies. Members demonstrated a great deal of caring as evidenced by the large amount of food they collected.
.....FBLA officers Leishel Bautista, Zack Efthimiades, Amir Sari and William Wilson attended the 2002 Fall Leadership Conference. Advisors Nancy DiNatale and Salvatore Iacono accompanied the FBLA officers.
.....Twenty FBLA members competed in the January 2003 Northern Regional Competitive Events held at Mercer Community College. Advisors appreciate the strong enthusiasm shown by the Hackensack High School competitors.
.....Once again, Mr. Mirabal is attempting to organize an educators' trip to Cuba during the April recess. This will be the first time that Hackensack educators will have the opportunity to visit the island of Cuba to learn first-hand about its culture, traditions, educational systems, etc. It should also be mentioned that it is perfectly legal for American citizens to visit Cuba for educational purposes.
.....The student Latino Club, under the guidance and sponsorship of Mrs. Mauriello and her staff, continues with its many activities. Dances and fundraisers are incredibly successful. The next dance will be on February 28th. Vengan todos a bailar!
.....The World Language Department is very pleased and proud to welcome Miss Suzette Febre as an ESL teacher. Miss Febre comes to the high school after many years working with younger children at Hillers School.
.....Spanish Honor Society: This current year, 26 students meet the eligibility requirements for membership in our school's chapter of the National Spanish Honor Society. These students have completed a minimum of two years of Spanish, have at least a "B" average in an Honors Spanish class, or a B+ average in a mainstream Spanish class. In addition, candidates must have at least a 3.0 overall GPA and receive recommendations from all of their current teachers. This year's officers are: President, Ada Chima; Vice- President, Shysell Lesmes; Secretary, Mary Farag.
.....On March 1, Mr. Mirabal, Mr. Castaneda, Mrs. Mantineo, and Mr. Decter will be taking approximately 40 students to Cresskill High School where they will take the National Spanish Exam. This exam allows students to see how they compare to students from all over the country at their respective levels of study in Spanish. Last year, Hackensack High School students did quite well. Each participant was awarded a Certificate of Participation.
.....On April 17 and May 22, Mr. Mirabal will take 30 students from his AP Spanish Class, and Spanish for Spanish Speakers classes to see the plays "La Casa de Bernarda Alba" (The House of Bernarda Alba,) and "Bodas de Sangre" (Blood Weddings) at the Spanish Repertory Theatre in New York City. These two plays by the famous Spanish playwright, Federico Garcia Lorca, are studied in Mr. Mirabal's Spanish classes. After the plays, students will enjoy a multicultural luncheon at a local restaurant.
.....Next year students will be able to enroll in new courses in English and Social Studies. Advanced Journalism will be offered to students who want to improve their reporting and writing skills. Students in the course will edit and publish The Voice. Advanced Placement United States History I will also be offered to sophomores.
.....On February 13th Mr. Harry Middleton, a presidential speechwriter and a founder of the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library, spoke to students in the United States History II about Johnson's response to the civil rights movement, and the framing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He will also discuss his experiences as a presidential advisor and speechwriter. Mr. Mark Porto organized Mr. Middleton's visit.