….. Hackensack High School’s Academic Decathlon team is already hard at work, in an attempt to capture its sixth consecutive regional Group 4 Championship at a competition that is scheduled to take place at Ramapo High School on Saturday March 4, 2000. Last year’s very talented team members won a combined total of 45 individual awards between competition at both the regional and state levels, and with a nucleus of five students returning from this team, the outlook for the present year is indeed bright. Returning members are: Stephanie Borg, Jennifer McGovern, Felicia Sonmez, Bill Wiswesser and Mirza Zillur. New members are: Keri Adams, Brian Betancourt, Josh Cohen, Lee Crusius, Abigail Finch, Linda Fulop, Caitlin Hull, Tarig Hussain, Scott Kwong, John Lopez, Diana Nagy, Owen Pope, Shady Prestol and Anthony Zisa. Academic Decathlon is a program that has been conducted in New Jersey for the past 15 years and Hackensack High School is one of its charter members. The program currently runs as a five credit honors course, meeting daily during Zero Period, and occasionally at night and during vacations. The team is coached by Mr. Ed Skorupski and Mr. Mark Porto, and is assisted in the Economics competition by Mrs. Pat Loeb.

….. The parents of the seniors have begun their preparations and fund raising for this year’s Project Graduation Party. If your child is a senior, please get involved. For more information you can contact Mr. Crusius at 646-7951.

….. All students and parents interested in the Hackensack High School Ski Club, please call Mr. Kenneth Crusius at 646-7951. Come take advantage of our group rates and transportation.

….. During the last week of September, Mr. Santino Piro, a Snap-On Tool Company diagnostic technician specialist and a Hackensack High Alumnus, gave a presentation to Mr. Lotz’s automotive class on the connection and use of the Snap-On Multi Function Diagnostic Scanner. This scanner is used to interface with the automobile’s on board computer controls to retrieve and analyze any malfunctions stored in the car’s computer memory. On 1996 and newer cars this system is called OBD II (on board diagnostics II). This is just one step toward showing our students the need for comprehensive training necessary to become an automotive technician.

….. The FBLA elected the new officers on October 5, 1999. Cristian Pena, President; Erika Vera, Vice President; Felicia Pimentel, Historian, Tim Coloso, Secretary; and, Natalie Brown, Treasurer.

….. On Thursday, October 28, 1999 Mr. Iacono and Mrs. Bailey attended the Fall Leadership Conference with five FBLA officers. The students attended motivational workshops while the advisors attended a seminar to discuss current issues affecting the organization.

….. The Sophomore Class conducted a fund-raiser from October 13-27. Students sold candles, calendars and plush animals. A profit of 40% per student sale was credited to individual accounts toward senior dues.

….. The HHS Consumer Bowl team is in place for this year’s competition which will take place on February 3, 2000. Team members are John Bellocchio, Christina Pena, Kenese Robinson, Felicia Pimental and Aaron Roer. We will compete against other Bergen County high schools on topics such as automobiles, credit, toys, insurance, fraud, weights and measures, and banking.

….. This year Mr. Mirabal and Mr. Decter, along with other Hackensack teachers, will be taking approximately 40 students to Spain. They will go directly to the beautiful port city of Barcelona, where they will spend several days. From there, it will be on to the national capital, Madrid, where they will spend the rest of the tour. This is the 13^th consecutive year Mr. Mirabal has sponsored this trip, with more and more students signing up each year. Watch the Hackensack Morning News for live reports!

….. On January 7^th ten students from Costa Rica, along with their teacher, will again be coming to Hackensack to spend a full month in our school, living with our students and their families, visiting areas and sites of local interest, and getting a taste of American life and culture. Next summer, we hope to send ten of our own students to Costa Rica to spend a month with their new friends.

….. The Foreign Language Department is extremely proud to announce that this is the second consecutive year that every Hackensack High School student who took the AP Spanish test passed!!! Not only did they all pass, but of the sixteen students who took the test, eleven passed with the highest possible score!

….. The Spanish Honor Society, under the guidance of its new sponsor/advisor, Miss Alexandra Duque, has begun reviewing the academic records of eligible students. To be considered for membership, students must have completed a minimum of 2 years of Spanish at the high school level, be enrolled in a Spanish class of Honors III or higher, have and maintain an average of B+ or better, and receive the recommendations of all teachers.

….. Once again, Miss Pomales will be taking her Spanish students to Segovia, a popular Spanish restaurant, to experience and enjoy authentic Spanish cuisine. Several excursions to the popular restaurant are being planned.

….. Felildidades/Congratulations to Mr. Mirabal of the Foreign Language Department for his being recognized and honored as an outstanding member of the Hackensack Latino Community. This award/recognition was bestowed on Mr. Mirabal by the Bergen County Hispanic-American Commission at a special awards ceremony held at the Bergen County Freeholders’ office in Hackensack on October 21^st.

….. On October 4, Mrs. Betina Mauriello and two of her latino students, Mario Santivanez and Michelle Weber, addressed the Jewish Community Relations Council. They spoke about the problems and difficulties they and other immigrants faced as newly arrived immigrants to America. They also discussed and explained at length the ESL/Bilingual Program at Hackensack High School, and how it has contributed to their success in adapting to a new culture, language and environment.

….. The following students have completed a 16-hour program and are currently certified as HIV/AIDS Peer Educators. This program was conducted by the American Red Cross, Bergen Crossroads Chapter, Englewood, NJ. In addition, three faculty members were also trained and certified. Bob Lewissohn, a certified Red Cross HIV/AIDS instructor, was one of the trainers in this program. The students and faculty who received certification are: Lauren Brown, Jennifer DeGregorio, Diana Dyal, Tamara Lee, Elizabeth Leonard, Dayana Martin, Melanie Mattei, and Tanishka Nadal. The faculty members are: Ingrid Davis, Patricia Perry, and Denise White. This certification gives the opportunity for the participants to disseminate to the community facts on HIV related issues.

….. On October 21, 1999, twenty-six students were inducted into the E.T. Marlatt Chapter of the National Honor Society. Eleven of these are seniors: Steven Alexander, Maya Ardon, Anish Choski, Elizabeth Cordes, Lauren Gargano, Jennifer McGovern, Jamon Parham, Jessica Parrella, Scott Rutherford, Nicole Santiago, and Erika Vera. Fifteen are juniors: Allan Beardslee, Stephanie Borg, Nicole Eccleson, Zachary Follmer, Winnie Hsia, Monique Jackson, Salma Kamal, Lisa Lenner, Diego Loaiza, Erum Munir, Owen Pope, Tara Spruill, Michelle Stein, Cindy Yie and Anthony Zisa. The guest speaker, Rody Singer, an alumnus of the class of 1990, spoke on character, scholarship, leadership and service: the criteria for honor society membership.

….. On October 22, 1999, 80 students from Mr. Porto’s and Ms. Power’s English classes visited the Cloisters Museum in NYC. This field trip enabled students to understand the connection between the culture of the Middle Ages and the literature studied in English 3 and English 4.

….. The English/Social Studies Department has a new computer lab with 30 computers, all hooked up to the Internet! After teachers receive in-service training, students will use the lab for many educational purposes. Word processing programs will enable English and Fundamentals students to edit their essays and the essays of their peers. The Internet will offer assistance for research projects, current events, historical references, and literary connections. Students and teachers are anxious to get started with the new computer lab!

….. Mr. Robert L. Lewissohn is on the faculty of Berkeley College, Garrett Mountain, as a Spanish Instructor in the Liberal Arts and Sciences Department.

….. On Friday, October 15, the Latino Student Club, under the sponsorship of Mrs. Betina Mauriello, Mrs. Joan Burns and Mr. Abel Castaneda, held its first dance of the year. As always, students spent the evening dancing Merengue and Salsa, while socializing with their friends and classmates. In addition to having a great time, the Student Latino Club continued its commitment to education by raising money to be returned to members in the form of scholarship awards. The next dance is December 3. Vengan todos!