PHOENIX NEWS HMTCA NEWS RECAP. May 18, 2016

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1 PHOENIX NEWS HMTCA NEWS RECAP The last two months of school are always insanely busy, both academically and packed full of trips and events. It can make your head spin. So hold on because here we go with the highlights! The high school musical, Oliver, was performed on April 7th and 8th at the Greater Hartford Academy for the Arts Theatre. The highly acclaimed show featured thirty two students both on and off stage and played to sold out houses both nights. Congratulations to all of our talented performers and crew. Our Middle School Showcase was Thursday, April 28th and it was well attended as always. This is a fabulous opportunity to let parents/guardians see the results of all the hard work their students have been doing. The major academic projects were displayed, as well as live performances and demonstrations of encore and extracurricular activities. The 4th Annual Career Fair, presented and organized by our high school Counseling Department, was held on Friday, April 29th. The fair gives our eighth to twelfth grade students the opportunity to meet and speak with representatives from educational, professional and military fields. This year s participants May 18, 2016 included a Senior Vice President from Bank of America, a sergeant from the Hartford Fire Department, civil engineers from the State of Connecticut, nurses from Hartford Hospital, our very own teacher of the year, Jen Mancone, a veterinarian, accountants, dental professionals, wealth managers, military personnel and representatives from fourteen colleges and universities. The professional community was as impressed with our students as our students were with them. This is always a sign of a successful event. To Serve and Protect: On May 3rd and 4th HMTCA welcomed Hartford Community Police Officer Nick Trigila to speak to students in grades He shared video clips, spoke to students and answered questions to bring awareness to the dangers, effects and impact of drug and alcohol use and abuse. Officer Trigila provided students with factual information and anecdotal stories that explained safe and unsafe decision making, the role of social media, and the laws and consequences of drug and alcohol use. HMTCA thanks Officer Trigila and looks forward to this presentation becoming an annual event. With this is in mind, high school students planning

2 HMTCA NEWS RECAP (Continued) to attend the junior/senior prom on Friday, May 13th, were invited to sign a PROM PROMISE. Students promised NO alcohol, NO drug use and to engage in safe and responsible behavior. We wish them a memorable and safe night. SBAC testing began on May 9th for our middle school and will continue through June 3rd. This is the test that replaced the state CMT test. All 6th, 7th and 8th graders will be tested on their math and reading proficiency. Good luck and do your best! What started as a class project has turned into a monumental success story for four of our high school young ladies. Now known as the Lady Phoenix App Team, seniors Carlianna Felix and Briana Corvia, junior Chamara Wiggins and freshman McKenna Lindsay entered the Technovation World Wide Challenge. They created the app Say Something which allows victims and witnesses to safely and anonymously report violent acts in their communities. They conducted their own research and found that an extremely small percentage of people reported illegal and dangerous activity to the police. Once the app is on your phone it takes just one click to say something. The intent behind the app is to help local police departments better allocate their resources to the areas most in need. Not only did the ladies have to develop the app but they had to create a business plan and then pitch the idea. The first round was regional and the ladies were grilled for over half an hour by judges from ESPN and UCONN. It was grueling to say the least but they placed second which allowed them to move forward in this world wide competition!! Jim Veseskis, who has taught and mentored this team from the beginning, proudly announced on May 10th that the girls made it to the semi-finals. One more round to go before the World Pitch. Go Lady Phoenix App Team!!!!!!!!

3 HMTCA ON THE GO It seems that there are always marvelous opportunities for our students to enhance their education with activities and trips outside of the classroom. Here is a sampling of where they have been recently. On Tuesday and Wednesday April 19th and 20th, forty two sophomores went on our annual college fieldtrip to Rhode Island. Students had a fun filled two days visiting Roger Williams University, Rhode Island College and Western New England Institute of Technology. Our students spent time walking around the college campuses and experiencing the daily schedule of a typical college student. Each tour began with an informational session and ended with a delicious lunch. Additionally we spent a beautiful day visiting The Marble House, one of Newport s mansions, and taking a leisurely stroll on the cliff walk in Newport. At the hotel, students enthusiastically took a plunge into the pool and had a great time playing Marco Polo while others enjoyed some relaxing time in the hot tub. The last stop was for some delicious ice cream from the Shady Glen Creamery in Manchester, CT. A great time was had by all! During the same two days, forty juniors took a field trip to visit some Boston area colleges. While in the city they visited UMass Boston, Northeastern University and then went on a historical tour of Harvard University. After spending all day touring schools the group went to the famous Fenway Park to watch the Boston Red Sox. It was a great game even if they did lose! The second day of the trip the students visited Endicott College, located in Beverly, MA where they attended an informational session, went on a group tour and had lunch in their dining hall. The last stop of the field trip was at the University of Connecticut where the students toured the campus and finished the trip at the UCONN Dairy Bar. There were no complaints about the massive size of the ice cream scoops! This was a great trip where the students learned a great deal about attending college and the process involved in choosing a college. It definitely sets the stage for their exciting and challenging senior year! For the younger, middle school set, COMPASS offered an adventure to Launch Trampoline Park on April 21st. Fifty two students enjoyed jumping, socializing and were treated to a pizza dinner. Another COMPASS program, which was hosted by Trinity College STEM students, involved ten of our students. The program ran for three sessions and each week involved a different science activity. The kids made a table out of newspaper and books, learned about finger printing and made their own dams. For the second year in a row high school Dean of Students, Kevin Doran, has worked with the Trinity College chapter of the Right To Play Organization. This international organization works with children, using the power of play, to educate and empower them. The hope is to teach life skills that will help them overcome the negative effects of poverty and conflict, so they can create social change in their communities. On Friday, April 22nd Mr. Doran took thirty students from grades 6-12, over to the campus to work with some of the Trinity

4 HMTCA ON THE GO (Continued) athletes and members of this wonderful organization. The kids played some games with the college students, and had time to just hang out and talk about what college life is like and what they have to do to be successful. Our students had a fabulous time and represented HMTCA very well. Their questions were well thought out and the Trinity students provided excellent insight and advice for our kids. A beautiful, silver stretch limousine pulled up on Vernon Street for our annual Limo Lunch. This is a special reward for any middle school students who sell $ or more in our fall fundraiser. On May 2nd the rain cleared up just as the thirteen kids were piling into the limo and being whisked off to Subway for a delicious but healthy lunch. From the smiles on their faces when they returned, I would say a good time was had by all! Do you remember your senior prom? For the forty Newington senior citizens who experienced the National Junior Honor Society s sixth annual Senior Prom that may have been quite some time ago. Our students transformed the banquet hall beautifully, with a masquerade theme and provided a variety of yummy treats to snacks on. The seniors and our kids danced the hours away. A truly fabulous time was had by all and many wonderful memories were brought back, as well as new ones created, thanks to our hardworking NJHS members. On Friday, May 6th eighty two high school musicians traveled to New Jersey to participate in the Trills & Thrills Festival. The Symphonic Band, Choir and Orchestra all received a rating of Excellent for their performances at Toms River North High School. After the adjudication, the students traveled to Six Flags Great Adventure, where everyone had fun in the park, despite the wet weather.

5 COUNSELORS CORNER Spring is upon us and we are transitioning to preparations for the next school year with our students. Freshman through juniors are selecting courses for next year with an eye on their future. Juniors anxiously await their SAT scores while visiting colleges and preparing their paperwork for college applications. The Junior Seminar series will continue to focus on interview strategies, job search ideas for part time and full time work, and an investigation of the wide range of opportunities our students have in continuing their education after high school. The annual Career Fair was held on Friday, April 29th giving all of our students a wonderful opportunity to speak to representatives from a wide range of career fields. Mrs. Betty Gunn was responsible for this successful event, which compliments the Job Shadowing program Mrs. Virginia Mealy runs every year for our sophomores. Speaking of the job shadowing program here is a sneak peek of what four of our students are going to be able to experience during their day at the Hartford Police Department. Hartford Police Department Job Shadow Program Hartford Magnet Trinity College Job Shadow Day May 27, To provide young students an opportunity to experience what a police officer does and why they do it. The experience will help foster a relationship between the students and police while teaching community responsibility. The program will be structured to ensure the young participants have fun while learning and experience what policing is about and how it strengthens a community Arrival, Welcome & Photo (Chief Rovella, Sgt. Miller, Det. Mordasiewicz) Tour of PD and Roll Call Roll Call Room (Watch Commander, Sgt. Miller) Tour of Academy and Crime Center Visit Academy (Sgt. Miller, Det. Mordasiewicz) Lunch (Group Discussion) Compstat Room (Sgt. Miller, Det. Mordasiewicz) History of Police Department (Officer Kelly Baerga) Always Do The Right Thing (Sgt. Miller, Cadet Thomson) PAL & Explorer Program (Det. Nikki Mordasiewicz) Career Opportunities (Officer Kelly Baerga) Crime Scene Processing Crime Scene Division (Sgt. Riccitelli) Bomb Squad & K-9 Bomb Squad & K-9 Demo (Sgt. RRRiccitelli, Sgt. Rivera) Class Reflection Compstat Room (Sgt. Miller)

6 COUNSELORS CORNER (Continued) This is also a time of year when we focus on the accomplishments of our students with awards. For the first time, we will be able to select juniors to receive Book Awards from several colleges. These awards are meant to recognize various achievements and to encourage these juniors to further their education. Some include a potential scholarship for that college or university. The ceremony for freshmen through juniors will be held the morning of June 3rd. The awards night for seniors will be held on May 17th at 7 PM in Mather Hall on the Trinity College campus. After much discussion and consideration, our seniors have made their decisions about the colleges or universities they will attend next year. While juniors were at the Hartford College Fair on March 30th, a representative from the University of Hartford Financial Aid department helped our seniors analyze their financial aid packages to determine how each situation would work for their family. The following is a list of colleges and universities where our seniors have been accepted for next year: Bay Path University Boston University Capital Community College Central Connecticut State University University of Connecticut University of Connecticut (Avery Point) University of Connecticut (Greater Hartford) Eastern Connecticut State University Elms College Emmanuel College University of Hartford Hofstra University Johnson & Wales University (Providence) Long Island University (Brooklyn) University of Maine Manchester Community College University of Massachusetts (Amherst) University of Massachusetts (Boston) Morehouse College University of New England University of New Haven North Carolina A&T State University Pennsylvania State University (All Campuses) Post University Quinnipiac University University of Rhode Island University of Rochester Roger Williams University Sacred Heart University University of Saint Joseph University of the Sciences in Philadelphia Seton Hall University Southern Connecticut State University Springfield College St. John s University (Queens) Suffolk University The University of Tampa Temple University Virginia State University Wentworth Institute of Technology West Virginia State University Western Connecticut State University Western New England University Worcester Polytechnic Institute Xavier University of Louisiana Middle School Counseling Corner Our Middle School counseling department is looking to improve our communication with parents and with the school counseling curriculum and programs. Parents/guardians will receive an and a phone messenger call with the google link to access the School Counseling Needs Assessment. Please, help us improve our program! Encore selections for current 6th and 7th graders will begin May 19th. Parents/ guardians will also receive an with directions on how to access the link. Have a great summer!

7 SPORTS NEWS SPORTS SCOREBOARD Sometimes Mother Nature has a mind of her own and that is surely evidenced by the crazy weather of April that forced all spring sports to be delayed by almost two weeks. In fact, the middle school baseball and softball teams just kicked off their season the week of April 25th and the high school track team will have their first meet on May 3rd!! So, as far as results go, there aren t many to report. Here is what we have. High School Baseball 5-9 High School Softball 3-11 High School Tennis 1-3 The middle school track team had their first track meet on Sunday, April 24th at Hartford Public. The team looks fast this year and has a lot of new athletes. I expect a great season! said Coach Lopez. A highlight of the meet was the girls 4X100 relay. AN ALUMNI S STAR STILL SHINES BRIGHT It is wonderful to be able to follow the path of one of our star athletes who graduated last year and is now a sprinter for Trinity College. As a freshman, Alex was named as the New England Small College Athletic Conference Men s Outdoor Track Performer of the Week. This honor was bestowed on Alex after his stellar performance at the Silfen Invitational held at Connecticut College. He single handedly earned a quarter of the team s total points! He ran the 100-meter dash in a time of seconds and the 200-meter dash in seconds. Way to go Alex!! We are so proud of your continued success.

8 UPCOMING EVENTS High School Music Concert Thursday, May 19th Theatre 6:30 PM 7th & 8th Grade Band and Orchestra Trip Hershey Park Friday, May 20th through Saturday May 21st COMPASS Blackout Party Friday, May 20th HMTCA Café 3:15-5:45 PM COMPASS students $2.00 Non COMPASS students $3.00 8th Graders are FREE 8th Grade Exams Monday, May 23rd through Friday, May 27th Multicultural Night Event Monday, May 23rd Courtyard by Theatre 5:00-6:30 PM MS Chorus Concert Monday, May 23rd Theatre 6:30 PM Seniors Reunion Tuesday, May 24th HS Student Center Senior Exams Wednesday, June 1st through Friday, June 3rd 8th Grade at Holiday Hills Wednesday, June 1st MS Awards Night Wednesday, June 1st Theatre 6th Grade 5:30 PM 7th & 8th Grade 7:00 PM Trip to Lake Compounce \Thursday, June 2nd MS Music Department and 7th Grade HS Exams Friday June 3rd through Wednesday, June 8th HS Awards Assembly Friday, June 3rd HS Trinity Hall 8:30 AM 8th Grade Dinner Dance Friday, June 3rd Café 6:30 10:00 PM 6th Grade to Cape Cod Spring Dance Concert Wednesday, May 25th to Friday, June 3rd Friday May 27th Theatre 6:30 Senior Reception Wednesday, May 25th Trinity Campus Washington Room 6:30 PM HS Seniors at Holiday Hill Thursday, May 26th Memorial Day Monday, May 30th NO SCHOOL HS Sports Award Night Tuesday, May 31st Café 6:30 PM MS Field Day Monday, June 6th HS Graduation Monday, June 6th \Trinity Quad 6:30 PM 8th Grade Promotion Wednesday, June 8th Theatre 10:00 AM LAST DAY OF SCHOOL Wednesday, June 8th EARLY RELEASE 12:00 NOON

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