by Davin Abraham

Being the president of student council presents its challenges. Some people are afraid to run for student council due to those challenges, but Brianna Paulino carries a sword and shield and tackles them like they’re nothing. She has been known as one of the best presidents High Tech has ever seen and I got the opportunity to sit down with her as she gave me insight on everything there is to know on becoming a good student council president.

As I sat down with her, I kickstarted the interview by asking her what drove her to become president. “In middle school, I discovered my passion for initiating projects and events to help the student body. This led me to run for eighth-grade president, where I successfully contributed to various initiatives. Wanting to continue this in high school, I ran for president during sophomore year. With a strong sense of determination and a genuine care for school-related matters, I believed I could be an effective leader. My experience and enthusiasm drove me to pursue this opportunity, knowing that high school offered even more possibilities for impactful fundraisers and events.”

I then went on asking her more fundamental questions such as what she does as president, to which she stated, “As president, I handle paperwork, coordinate with officers and advisors to plan projects and fundraisers, assign roles to student council members, and communicate with other presidents and the social media team. I thrive on enhancing experiences for the student body, actively participating in planning, implementing, and directing various initiatives.” 

She then went on to explain what she did for her campaign. “During sophomore year, I meticulously planned my campaign for student council president, starting in January and finalizing it by April. I created a website showcasing my ideas and qualifications, along with an Instagram page highlighting my plans for the student body. To garner support, I distributed bracelets and stickers with the slogan "Vote Bri." The campaign also involved extensive social media outreach and personal discussions to convey my vision for the role.”

The conversation further delved into talking about the challenges Brianna faced as an important educational figure for the student body. She stated, “The most challenging aspect for me is avoiding overworking myself, a habit I've had since freshman year. Student Council has taught me to delegate tasks and seek help when overwhelmed. Learning to manage my workload has been crucial, especially during hectic times like junior year. Collaboration is also key in our Student Council. Assigning tasks to officers and embracing a collaborative approach makes planning efficient and events more effective. It's the cornerstone of our success.”

We then went on to discuss important factors a candidate must take into account when running. “Firstly, carefully consider if you want to run. Secondly, document all your ideas, event plans, and ways to help the student body. Organize these thoughts in a document, facilitating, planning, and brainstorming. This organized information not only aids your current campaign but can be valuable for future council initiatives. Utilize social media for your campaign, as it proves highly effective in reaching your audience,” Brianna stated. 

She then went on to provide more advice when it comes to something important a candidate should keep in mind. “Campaigning is a valuable experience, whether you win or not. It teaches important skills applicable to politics, leadership roles, and even college applications. Avoid overworking yourself and focus on showcasing your qualities to the student body, akin to presenting yourself to colleges. Don't be too hard on yourself; just do your best, and remember that there are other ways to contribute to the student body, regardless of the election outcome.” 

And as we reach the end of this story, Brianna gave one last piece of wise advice for all candidates to never forget. “A crucial aspect for candidates to remember is to give their best effort. While running against other strong candidates may seem daunting, demonstrating genuine care, determination, energy, and passion for the role can make a significant impact. Even if the outcome is uncertain, there are always alternative opportunities to contribute to the student body.”

by Olivia Cartagena

On January 5th, 2024, Hudson County celebrated Craig Guy, the new County Executive, at his inauguration at County Prep High School in Jersey City. Craig Guy became the Fifth County Executive and the newest in 20 years. He was born and raised in Hudson County, served the Jersey City Police Department for 25 years, and served as Chief of Staff to Tom DeGise during his years as County Executive. 

In attendance were NJ Governor Phil Murphy, U.S. Representatives Rob Menendez and Bill Pascrell, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Union City Mayor Brian Stack, and State Senators-elect Angela McKnight and Raj Mukherji who all made remarks at the event. In addition, U.S. Senator Cory Booker sent a congratulatory video for the event as he was unable to be present. Craig Guy was sworn in by Governor Phil Murphy, and went on to make his inaugural speech. In his speech he highlighted his plans to increase opportunities and improve services for Hudson County citizens. Towards the end of his speech Guy quoted Bon Jovi stating, “Success is falling down 9 times and getting up 10.”

The students took on major roles as hosts. Brianna Paulino, High Tech’s senior student council president, and Zachary Yabut, District Board Student Liaison, were co- MCs for the event. HCST’s culinary arts students prepared gourmet hors d’oeuvres. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Explore Middle School student Nia Jackson and the National Anthem sung by High Tech student Lola Castellano. High Tech Voices performed “Beautiful Day” by U2. The night was closed off by a County Prep band, “The Wonder Collective,” with their performance of Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer.”

Overall the event was a great success and a wonderful way to welcome Craig Guy into his new position as County Executive.

By Olivia Cartagena

The High Tech High School Chorus, aka, the Musical Theater Voices, led by director John Zisa, performed at the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in Manhattan, NY, on November 29th, 2023. The HTHS Chorus was selected to perform this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as the winners of the Star Choir Competition held by The Kelly Clarkson Show. The Star Choir competition is an annual contest held by The Kelly Clarkson Show that invites choirs from the greater New York metro area to submit a song for a chance to perform at the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. To commemorate this experience, I interviewed Mr. Zisa and got the inside scoop of the experience.

In order to participate in the Star Choir competition, the High Tech choir submitted a song they were familiar with to The Kelly Clarkson Show. Then, they waited to hear if they made it to the next round. They soon learned they were in the top 10 and, in order to move on, were instructed to pick 1 of 3 songs to sing. Mr. Zisa and the choir chose “Jingle Bells,” and made their own rendition of the holiday classic with the instrumental track provided to them. Mr. Zisa and vocal coach Ms. Colette Jackson-Belle wanted to submit something original, so they arranged the song to make it fun and different. Their hard work helped the HTHS choir make it from the top 10 to become one of the top 3 contestants.

According to Mr. Zisa, they were very excited to be in the top 3, since NBC usually selects elementary school choirs for this performance. The days leading up to the announcement of the results live on The Kelly Clarkson Show were tense, but everyone was thrilled to find out they won. To everyone’s surprise, when Kelly Clarkson announced that High Tech’s choir was the winner, she also announced the prize money of $10,000 from Balsam Hill and another $5,000 from NBC New York/Telemundo 47. This money will directly go to the Musical Theater department to help fund productions and other events. 

Mr. Zisa believes that this was a great experience that really brought the students together as a group. He said he felt accomplished as a teacher, and that he saw that his students work hard and pushed themselves. In fact, he said he was more proud about that than actually winning the competition: “It’s not just about winning something—there should be a larger purpose in the idea of what a competition is about, and that can be a good motivational tool, but winning isn’t everything.” 

The desire to win was one thing, but students also knew that winning meant performing at the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting in Manhattan on NBC in front of millions of viewers. According to Mr. Zisa, on the day of the event, everything fell into place. The gravity of the moment hit everyone as they walked onto the ice and looked up at the tree. At Rockefeller Center, everything moved pretty fast as they watched Kelly Clarkson perform, then met with her, and had several interviews. Mr. Zisa admitted that he didn’t know they were going to meet Kelly until minutes prior. Still, he said that, from the group hug and the time spent talking, she seemed to him a very sweet and genuine person. The group meeting and talking to Kelly Clarkson was a highlight of their night. During the actual performance, students were nervous but handled it all extremely well. 

In the end, Mr. Zisa said that he couldn’t be more proud of his students and what they accomplished together. The musical theater department is so appreciative of the opportunity given to them. They are very excited for what comes next, especially their performance of A Chorus Line in the spring of 2024. Stay tuned to see what success the Musical Theater Department brings to High Tech next!