October was a busy month at Hillcrest South! We incorporated various themes in our lessons and school-wide activities. Events include Week Of Respect, Breast Cancer Awareness, Anti-School Violence Awareness, and of course Fall and Halloween! We hope you all enjoy our newsletter!

Congratulations to Martha A. for being our overall Student of the Month! She has worked hard and been very dedicated in her classes to receive this honor. Keep up the excellent work!

Favorite movie: Lord of the Rings

Favorite food: Barbecue

Favorite color: Purple and Green

Favorite book: The Giving Tree

Favorite travel spot: The Jersey Shore

Favorite exercise: Yoga

Favorite extra: co-workers with a good sense of humor

This year's district wide theme of "Let Your Voice Empower", teachers are awarded pins in different areas of empowerment. As role models for our students, it is important to be an example of what empowerment looks like and how we can empower others to do the same.

This month is about using your Words. The faculty/staff picked for this honor have shown what it means to use their words in a positive and encouraging manner! Congratulations!

Mrs. Wrzesinski's history classes have been hard at work this month! US History I classes wrapped up their pre-America unit and completed an Age of Exploration research project where students picked an individual that explored the North American Continent. Students did a fantastic job! Completed projects are currently hanging up outside the classroom. Students have now moved into the settling of the original 13 colonies. World History concluded their Ancient and Classical Civilizations unit then created fun "About Me Hieroglyphics" using modern day emojis and pictures. Projects are also displayed outside of the classroom. 20th Century History students have been making their way through the first quarter of the 20th century learning about such topics as the Titanic, the sinking of the Lusitiania, the Wright Brothers creation of the airplane, and so much more! Overall, it's been a great start to the school year, students are really working diligently, and all their hard work is showing!

This month in Mr. Fritz's US II History class students researched what immigrating to the United States was like during the 19th and early 20th century. Once that was completed, students began to review the causes for World War I. They finished this month by learning about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand that caused the start of World War I. Overall, it has been a fun October and looks to be an even more interesting November.

The mission of NJ4S is the following: "Caring contact is devoted to promoting emotional well-being and preventing emotional crises by providing opportunities for people to express themselves to compassionate listeners in a safe environment. We respond to the need for human interaction and create opportunities for people to help each other. We offer training to people and organizations in the listening skills needed to support those in crisis." On September 30th and October 2nd, representatives from NJ4S came to speak with HAS students on the importance of mental health, emotional well-being, and what to do and who to turn to if students needs assistance.

Hispanic Heritage Month was created to celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic/Latino Americans whose lineage comes from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. On October 17th Spanish teacher Senora Flores put together an amazing program of music, educational facts, fun, and food. At the end of the day, students signed up to participate in a futbol (soccer) tournament while the rest of the school cheered them on! Thank you so much Senora Flores for making HAS's Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration an event to remember!

This year’s “Week of Respect” began on October 7th and ran through October 11th. During that time, schools throughout the State of NJ took time to recognize the importance of respect by incorporating this theme into both the classroom and activities throughout the school.

HAS planned a full week of respect themed activities and challenges to remind and heighten everyone’s awareness of our school’s anti-bullying policy and the importance of respecting oneself, one another, one's community, the school, the teachers, and our country.

October 7th was Bullying Prevention Awareness Day in the US, so students were handed a Blue Respect Pin. Students were asked that they RESPECT themselves by coming to school each day and that they wear their respect pin. A staff member, or member of the HAS Student Council checked each morning to see if they were wearing their pin. If students came to school each day AND wore their Respect Pin, students earned a reward for their participation.

Let’s join together and show some Respect!

In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, several activities took place here at HAS:

Students were handed a breast cancer awareness bracelet. They were asked to wear this bracelet each day in order to show support for breast cancer awareness. Students were asked to honor those who fought and those who continue to fight! A staff member, or member of the HAS Student Council checked each morning to see if students were wearing their bracelet. Students who came to school each day AND wore their bracelet earned a reward for their participation.

HAS also hosted a School Spirit competition among the homerooms. Every day for a week had a theme. For each day students dress up, they earned a point for their homeroom, with Friday (wear pink day) giving double points. At the end of the week, the homeroom with the highest average of participation was awarded a special breakfast on Monday 10/30. Congratulations to Mrs Flores' homeroom for winning!

These were the themes for the week:

• Tuesday 10/15 - “Be a Superhero of Hope” Students/Staff wear superhero outfits

• Wednesday 10/16 - “Say Peace out to cancer” Students/staff wear tie-dye

• Thursday 10/17 -“Team up against Breast Cancer” Students/staff wear their favorite sports team shirt/colors

• Friday 10/18 - "Wear Pink Day" Students & staff wear pink

This year’s School Violence Awareness Week began on Monday October 21st and ran through Friday October October 25th. During this time, schools throughout the State of NJ will take time to recognize the importance of school safety by incorporating this theme into both the classroom and activities throughout the schools.

Here at Hillcrest South, a full week was planned of school safety/anti-violence themed activities and events to both remind and heighten everyone’s awareness. As a school community it is important that we stand together and support our message of peace.

Monday students were handed a white ribbon. They were ask to wear that ribbon each day in order to show support for peace and ending violence in schools. A staff member, or member of the HAS Student Council checked each morning to see if students were wearing their pin. If students came to school each day AND wore their pin, they earned a reward for their participation.

A big part of School Violence Awareness week is our school's mission for a safe and peaceful environment. Last year's students were a part of a big wall mural that was created in the dedication of this mission. HAS students who were enrolled after the hand mural was created now got to add their hand print in solidarity of peace and are now a part of HAS history.

This past June, we lost a member of our HAS family, Anthony C. It hit us hard because Anthony was such a lovable person who always had a smile on his face and had his whole life ahead of him with graduation less than a month away. In memory of our beloved Anthony, a walk was made to a tree that Anthony and his science class planted last school year. To help make it a place of reflection and memories, students who were close to Anthony added flowers and trinkets to show their love for their friend who we all truly miss.

This year's Science Exhibition turned out to be the best one since we have came back in person from CoVid! Our students worked so hard on their projects and they did a great job educating faculty and staff on different topics in science. Projects on fingerprints, blood type, diseases like CoVid and cancer, bones, cells, crime scene forensics, animal food chains, and so on were presented with a 3D model and a PowerPoint.

HAS student Sarah A. is our very own philanthropist! Not only did she write a proposal and execute an event to help distribute hygiene products and give free food to those in Elizabeth without homes, she won a BeYOUtifull Girls Empowerment Conference competition doing so. You can read the news article by clicking the link down below. Congratulations Sarah!

Hillcrest Academy South is an alternative high school for students from the Elizabeth Public School District. Students are referred to HAS by their Elizabeth Academy guidance counselor and administration for an interview at HAS. We provide a small educational learning setting with opportunities to make up courses through our Credit Retrieval Program in a caring environment in order to meet Elizabeth’s graduation requirements.

Website: www.ucesc.org

Instagram: ucesc_has

Facebook: Hillcrest Academy South
Location: 1571 Lamberts Mill Road, Westfield, NJ, USA-Door 3B
Phone: 908-233-9317