Halloween Fun on pgs 2-3
ST. JOSEPH HILL ACADEMY
THE SUMMIT
St. Joseph Hill’s NHS Inducts 89 Members
By Amanda Amir
On October 16, Saint Joseph Hill Academy celebrated 89 girls in the National Honor Society Faculty, parents, and friends joined to celebrate the NHS members' accomplishments and the continuation or start of their journey as members. The National Honor Society is an organization that recognizes high school students who demonstrate excellence in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, and character The ceremony started with a beautiful procession of the students to their seats Each student had a corsage on their wrist, allowing for an element of elegance throughout the ceremony. After students arrived at their seats the ceremony began with an opening prayer led by Francesca Scarso, followed by introductory remarks given by Ms Pla, co-moderator of NHS Brenda Garpestad, president of NHS, introduced the four pillars of an NHS member Each pillar was explained followed by a candle lighting for each one. Afterwards, Ms. Esposito, assisted by Ms. Mojica, presented the NHS pins to the newly inducted members To close the ceremony Ms Esposito delivered a speech followed by the recitation of Saint Joseph Hill’s Alma Mater
Congratulations to all inductees to the National Honor Society!
Juniors
Nicole Adamska
Eliana Alia
Emily Alia
Natalie Alpaugh
Amanda Amir
Olivia Aversa
Julianna Baldwin
Mia Bavaro
Emma Carroll
Alyssandra Danas
Adriana Fernandez
Giada Fiermonte
Sabrina Fiermonte
Zoe Fotiou
Christina Gangi
Maureen Gay
Emma Gigantello
Julia Grandstaff
Alexa Hakanson
AnnaDoreen Lanni
Sofia Lepore
Daniela Luci
Alexandra Marciano
Amber Martin
Casey Martinez
Emma Moroz
Nicolette Neve
Julianna Osorio
Cara Pampinella
Leila Parnese
Madelyn Pepe
Gabriella Rail
Mariella Rail
Nicole Ruiz
Sofia Saiti
Siera Sela
Gianna Stuart
Sophia Trani
Alicia Valvo
Evan Van Cleaf
Alexa Viggiano
“What’s up with Crumbl Cookie?” on pg 5
Seniors:
Riley Cammarano
Julia Giambrone
Vanessa Gronock
Rio Hessler
Nicolette Mandia
Catherine Molesso
Catalina Rodriguez
Francesca Scarso
Haily Trabulsi
Selina Afif
Ekaterina Belyakova
Grace Bono
Lily Bosco
Caitlyn Buthorn
Mercedes Clark
Julianna Cuomo
Brianna D’Agostino
Lianna DiMartini
Melinda Djinovic
Chloe Dugan
Grace Fanzzia
Sarah Fong
Brenda Garpestad
Isabella Gassoso
Emily Giammarino
Mallory Holst
Madison Keane
Nicole Kindja
Kayleigh LaPointe
Rihana Lika
Emma Logan
Samantha Marrone
Enaiyah Martini
Kassidy Nugent
Regan O’Connell
Sonoma Ogofa
Milana Okun
Gabriella Pirozzi
Gianna Riggio
Ava Rizzo
Maria Shvarts
Emily van der Neut
Emma Wagner
Alexandra Wallace
Addison Weist
Jessica Wells
Sean Woods
Isabella Yenzer
Students pictured at the 2024 NHS Induction
Halloween on the Hill
By Alexa Viggiano
Each year on Halloween, Hill girls get to have a special schedule and celebrate the spooky (and, in this case, silly) time of year
The Annual Halloween-themed Harvest Happening starts off towards the end of the school day with the Costume Contest. The Costume Contest has two representatives from each homeroom face off by wearing various entertaining outfits Some highlights of the girls dressing up this year include a Hill Koala and an NDA Gator (ready to face off in Silent Night), Shrek and Fiona, a Peters Eagle and a Farrell Lion, Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, Tim and Moby from BrainPOP, and so many other dynamic duos. The overall winners of the costume contest were seniors Lily Bosco and Gabriella Pirozzi, who dressed up as Homer and Marge Simpson
After the costume contest, the winners of the door decorating contest were announced The winning homerooms received a dress down in exchange for their hard work bringing the Halloween season to our hallways.
Often everyone’s favorite part of Harvest Happening is the Senior Skit This year’s skit theme was “Thanksgiving at the Marinos ” The teachers, played by the Class of 2025, each came to the Marino home and remarked what they were thankful for. The skit was especially amusing this year, with the seniors capturing the varying personalities of the St Joseph Hill Academy staff almost perfectly
All of these events, in addition to the seniors getting to dress up in costume for the whole school day, made a great Halloween at Hill this year.
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Kreischer Mansion: History and Review
By Aleksa Paja
Kreischer Mansion has been an exciting Staten Island Halloween tradition for years Each weekend, lots of teens line up to ride the haunted hayride and explore the haunted mansion Every year, the themes of the rooms are different, so guests come back again and again. I went for the first time this year. For anyone who wants a good Halloween scare, I would 100% recommend going The house itself was built by a German immigrant named Balthasar Kreischer in 1885, for his son Charles At the time, he had built two houses, one for Charles and one for his other son, Edward Unfortunately, Edward’s house was burned down, so only Charles’ house still stands. Edward passed away about 5 years after his father built these houses. He is one of the ghosts people believe still haunts the Kreischer Mansion. Although this was almost 150 years ago, there is more history that occurred not too long ago In 2005, the caretaker of the mansion, Joseph Young, murdered a man named Robert McKelvey on the property Kreischer Mansion, has announced that this year was the final year of scares. They will be renovating it to become a venue for weddings and various events.
Seniors Emma Wagner and Addison Weist playing Mr and Mrs Marino in the skit
Some of
students’ costumes in the contest
Photo of the mansion (Credits: Angela Barbuti for the NY Post)
Murder on the Dock
Hill needed all hands on deck to solve this murder mystery
By Sofia Lepore
In keeping with the Halloween spirit, students enjoyed a spooky night at Hill's ann al M rder M ster The e ent as a h ge s ccess p p , commandeering the Yacht and scaring their peers Faculty members played their part, acting as suspects for the murder Students wandered around the halls in groups, interrogating teachers in hopes of solving the murder.The night began with the death of Stefanie, portrayed by Ms. Samantha Hermansen Prior to Stefanie’s death, elite club member Kamille, her husband Henri, and their group of friends discussed Kamille’s upcoming annual birthday party The party was to be held on her family’s yacht. After the friends had brunch, power went out as Stefanie left to go powder her nose.
When Stefanie did not return, Kamille sent the club manager, Harriet, to find her. Harriet shockingly discovers Stefanie dead, mysteriously poisoned to death. Many students pointed fingers at Chef Gertie, characterized by Mrs Pfaff, because she was the one who prepared the yacht club’s brunch. Surprisingly, Ms. Alfano, who played Olive, was the true murderer. Olive was Kamille’s assistant and had problems with Stefanie who wrote an article portraying Olive in a bad light Olive had enough of Stefanie’s gossip and decided to end things on her own terms.
A special thank you to Mrs Kristen Sherwood and Ms Amanda Arcieri who organized the event, as well as all faculty who brought all the characters to life. Thank you to all Student Council members who helped create an ominous environment throughout the night Lastly, thank you to Ms Hermansen who wrote the script of the story.
Halloween Bake-Off
By Daniela Luci
One of the most beloved Baking Club events, the Halloween Cupcake Bake-Off, happened on Thursday, October 24, 2024 The Halloween Bake Off occurred in the Social Hall before the Murder Mystery Event so that the cupcakes could be sold during the event. Students formed groups with their friends and decorated Halloween-themed cupcakes in friendly competition with other groups of Hilltoppers Halloween cupcakes with ghosts, skeletons, bats, and even Taylor Swift-themed cupcakes, made it into this year’s competition!
Students from all grades and skillsets participated in this event to engage in the Halloween festivities of the day. Participants had thirty minutes to decorate their cupcakes in a ‘Cupcake Wars’ fashion. “I always look forward to the Halloween Bake Off and seeing how creative all the girls get,” said junior Lilliana Runnels A panel of Hill staff volunteered to taste and judge the cupcakes, which was very exciting for the girls. After the judges completed their assessment, students watched the Halloween classic “Hocus Pocus” while eating pizza and snacks with their friends to prepare for the festivities during the Murder Mystery event Seventy-three girls participated in the Bake-Off this year, representing another successful year for the Baking Club.
Kayleigh Lapointe, Ava Robbins, Annalise White and Claire Keag dressed up for Murder Mystery.
Interviews with Freshmen
By Suada Dema and Annalise White
As they transitioned into high school, the freshmen this year were welcomed with a great community of friends and teachers.
Adrianna Cook and Kirsten Harper were interviewed and asked questions about their adjustment to high school.
Adrianna Cook
Q: What were you most excited or nervous about before starting high school?
A: I was very nervous about high school because I didn't know what Hill was going to be like I thought I wasn't going to make many friends, but I made many I was also nervous about getting lost, but that did not happen.
Q: What has been the biggest difference between middle school and high school so far?
A: The biggest difference between middle school and high school is the amount of homework, tests, and quizzes. I also had to adjust to a much bigger school than I was used to.
Q: Are you involved in any sports, clubs, or extracurricular activities?
A: Yes, I am involved in soccer. The clubs I belong to are the American Cancer Society, FOSI, pickleball, and the Special Olympics club.
Q: How do you balance socializing with homework and studying?
A: I balance socializing with my homework and tests by hanging out with my friends on the weekends and getting my homework done on Fridays.
Q: What’s something you’re looking forward to in the next few years of high school?
A: Some things I am looking forward to for the next few years of high school are future Harvest Happenings, senior skip, Europe trips, Junior and Senior Prom, more Farrell games, Color Wars, and Coffee House
Kirsten Harper
Q: What was your first impression of Hill? Did your opinion change from then to now?
A: My first impression of Hill was that it’s a very challenging school, but it was a very positive environment, and no, my opinion has not changed from then to now
Q: How are you feeling about the transition? Do you think there are enough resources to help you?
A: The transition is rough, but the resources are very helpful. I like that we meet with the guidance counselor once a quarter to discuss goals, and that we have free tutoring available. I think it makes the burden a little lighter.
Q: Do any sports or clubs interest you?
A: Yes, I’m a part of the Hill cross-country team and there are a lot of clubs that interest me, but I am trying to get more settled into the school year before joining everything all at once
Q: If you could deliver a message to the Class of 2029, what would you tell them as they apply to high schools?
A: Look for the school that is going to work best for you. Don’t base your decision on your friends/peers and the school that they’re going to. Most of my friends went to NDA and they were very surprised when I chose to come to Hill, but I know I made the right decision despite their judgment
Love is Timeless: The Golden Bachelorette
By Noelle Duffy
Following the twenty-first season of The Bachelorette, the first episode of The Golden Bachelorette premiered on September 18 This new series features 61-year-old Joan Vassos on her journey for love after her husband's passing in early 2021 Throughout the series, Vassos goes through many trials and tribulations to accept life without her husband and fathom life and love without him.
This season, we are introduced to 24 golden bachelors who are ready to charm Joan with their backgrounds, personality, and commitment. Every contestant has a unique personality and hobby Some of these include sailing, hairstyling, and playing musical instruments. The bachelors are, fortunately, very understanding of Joan’s situation. A small group of contestants have shared they have also experienced the loss of a loved one, giving Vassos the confidence to move on in honor of her late husband
What’s Up with Crumbl Cookie?
By Aleksa Paja and Olivia Pietrunti
The season finale was held on Wednesday, November 13. Before this aired, the “Men’s Tell All” left the audience with cliffhangers on what to expect Will Joan Vassos be ready to accept an engagement ring? Will the two remaining bachelors be able to handle the pressure of a proposal? Or will they give up after an emotionally intense season? In the end, Joan chose Chock Chapple, an insurance executive from Kansas. Although a second season has not been confirmed by ABC, many fans are hoping to see more people find love in the “golden years”.
The company was founded in 2017 by cousins Sawyer Hemsley and Jason McGowan. They always wanted to start a business that would bring families together and allow them to enjoy a sweet treat. Crumbl’s website claims that their goal is to “bring friends and family together over a box of the best cookies in the world ” The company started to gain popularity earlier this year and began to attract more customers. Crumbl was able to open up two locations on Staten Island and create various trends But what is so great about these cookies? These buttery and tasty cookies have new rotations every week This company started getting very popular on TikTok from memes such as “try this week’s flavors” or two sisters singing in front of the store. At Crumbl Cookie here on Staten Island, several Google reviews quote, “Great location! Cookies were good, the owner was super friendly, along with the staff What more can you ask for? Would definitely go again ” Would you give this growing sensation a try ?
Several options from a September lineup (Credits Alyssa Hammond for Lyssyinthecity com)
Joan and the bachelors of this season.
Brand New Clubs Coming to Hill This Year
By Cassandra Ampo
Looking for a way to get involved in the school community? Whether you’re looking for a way to learn new things or simply want to find people with the same interests as you, there are lots of opportunities for you Here are a few of the many upcoming clubs this year that you can join.
For those interested in going into business after college, Future Women in Business gives students the chance to learn more about what a job in business entails. Members will learn about marketing, entrepreneurship, and finance, and the club is planned to meet three times this year.
Two other clubs that have started this year are the Middle Eastern Club and the Greek Club. If you want to learn more about the diverse cultures of the world, these clubs are a great place to start. The Middle Eastern Club is led by executives Mia Akhrass and Amanda Amir, and moderated by Ms. Sabrina Cosentino. This club offers members a chance to learn all about the different cultures of the Middle East such as Lebanon and Egypt. In a similar fashion, the Greek Club, created by Zoey Lombardi, is a club where members learn all about the culture of Greece. These clubs offer a chance to try different cultural foods, connect with other members, and broaden your experience of what our world has to offer.
For students interested in health and wellness, the Pickleball Club and the Heart and Soul Society gives students a chance to keep healthy and active. The Pickleball Club, as its name suggests, is a club dedicated to the sport of pickleball, headed by student Jessica Wells and moderator Ms. Danielle Del Bove The club typically meets in the lower gym, and you can always bring a friend to play a round or two together with
The Heart and Soul Society promotes the wellbeing of not only the student body, but the welfare of the local community. The club is run under Sofia Lepore, Eva Tkachuk, and Vivian Wozniak, and is moderated by Mrs. Virginia Mayrose This club teaches its members how to take care of their health through fun activities and contributes donations to local health centers. Those who are interested in the wellbeing of animals may be interested in the Near and Far Animal Society The club, led by Angelina Cantone, Grace Bono, and moderator Dr. Amanda Arcieri, partners with the Near and Far Animal Foundation, a rescue group dedicated to helping animals in need. This club raises money and support for the protection of animals through events and fundraisers.
Also being introduced is a new division of the Literary Club, the Writing Workshop. Moderated by Ms AlainaMarie Pfaff and led by London Tomasulo and Mia Kogan, this club was made for students who are passionate in creative writing The Writing Workshop assists students in revising their works and honing their writing skills, and gives students the opportunity to participate in different writing competitions. Another option for the creatively inclined is the Dungeons and Dragons Club, run by executive Isabel Daretany and moderated by Ms. Helen Markoglu This club partakes in the tabletop roleplaying game, Dungeons and Dragons, and everyone can get involved in the fun collaborative storytelling it has to offer.
There are a lot of clubs to get involved in this school year, and these are only a few suggestions to get started from When it comes to finding fellow students to talk to or simply finding time to engage with your interests, these new clubs are a fantastic addition to this school year
A Fantastic Season Comes to an End
By Julianna Bottalico
“Bump, sweat, spike!” was a saying Hill’s varsity volleyball team would say before every one of their games As a Tier 1 team, this season has been challenging; however, this didn't stop them from achieving many great accomplishment. Some of these achievements include beating an undefeated team, winning both the Digging for a Cure and Borough President’s Cup tournaments, and winning their semifinal game against Kennedy Catholic. Although the team lost a close game against Maria Regina in the finals, they did not give up without a fight. Varsity put all their hard work, dedication, and effort into their last game, as well as throughout the whole season.
Although it may look like a regular volleyball team to others, this wasn't just a team to them; it was their family. In the beginning of the season, newcomers were still getting used to new coaches, new team members, and a new type of environment. Fortunately, they soon came to realize how lucky they were to be on a team they felt like were their sisters in just a few weeks As they spent practices after games after tournaments together, sometimes being with each other from 7 am to 10 pm, they began to feel comfortable with each other in such a short amount of time. From fun practices,such as dressing up as their coaches, to fun bus rides to away games, and after-practice trips to the Colonnade Diner, they always found a way to make their time together memorable.
Annual American Cancer Society Fashion Show
By Mia Bavaro
St Joseph Hill Academy’s American Cancer Society Club (ACS) is a club that aims to help those affected by cancer by raising both funds and awareness. St. Joseph Hill Academy’s annual American Cancer Society Fashion Show, on October 19th, 2024 raised thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society Hill’s ACS club is busiest during the month of October because it is Breast Cancer Awareness month. The Fashion show had over 100 student volunteers, who either sold raffles or walked in the fashion show. The students were able to express their creativity by wearing some of their best dresses The girls were also able to honor any victims of Cancer, who either lost or won their battle, during the walk down the runway.
The team always started each game with a prayer and always ended it with a smile on their face, despite any loss or win they may have taken throughout their season Although the season has come to an end, they are grateful to have experienced this with some of their favorite people right by their side
An ACS executive, Julianna Osorio (11), said, “I loved watching all the girls dress up and walk for such a good cause They all looked so beautiful!” This is one of the biggest and most exciting events at Hill each year.
Juniors Olivia Aversa, Leila Djencic, and Nicole Ruiz as they walk down the runway.
The team after winning New Dorp High School’s “Digging for a Cure “ tournament
The girls with their Borough President’s Cup trophy
Rise Against Hunger with Rice
By Julia Grandstaff
With the holiday season approaching, and the demand for food continuing to rise, St Joseph Hill’s own, Sister Liceria Sayon, was inspired to help combat this issue. With the help of Hill’s Project Hospitality club, Sister Liceria organized a collection designed to donate bags of rice to those in need Every captain and executive made a donation of $5 to cover the costs of the rice. The club also used funds donated with the help of Junior, Daniela Luci, who sold Christmas ornaments to raise money for Project Hospitality. Then, once the rice was obtained, the girls were assigned to repackage the rice in multiple smaller bags that will be distributed. The repacking will be done in Sister Liceria’s service office.
Sister Liceria found inspiration for this project from multiple sources According to Brian Laline, executive editor of the Staten Island Advance, the City of New York has withdrew over $30 million from the Community Food Access, which is an emergency food solution that helps food pantries throughout the boroughs These food pantries especially help to serve the hungry, the cold, and those who are in financial need. Without the budget it has been awarded in past years, many have shut down or simply do not have enough money and food to continue serving.
Integrating rice into one’s diet provides a rich source of carbohydrates, the main fuel of the body, and various nutrients. Rice is also an integral part of many different cultures’ cuisines, such as many Asian and Latin American countries, making it the perfect source of nourishment to serve a wide variety of Staten Islanders. By donating these bags of rice, families from Our Lady Good Counsel food pantry, St. Roch’s parish, and many from the Mariner’s Harbour area are relieved of having to make sacrifices no one should have to, in order to feed their loved ones. The Project Hospitality club will continue to donate rice and hopes to expand their monthly donation to include other necessities.
PH Grade level captains Anna Lanni and Adriana Fernandez packing rice
Rice and bags used to distribute to food pantries
Example of students packing rice to be donated
Interview with Ms. Gina Alfano, Foreign Language
By Nicole Ruiz
Q: What were your first impressions of Hill?
A: My first impression of Hill is that it reminded me of a welcoming family The girls are hard-working, respectful, and polite.
Q: What made you want to become a teacher?
A: I wanted to become a teacher so I could teach what I enjoy and have a schedule that would coincide with my children's schedule as well
Q: What made you want to be a Spanish teacher?
A: I had a Spanish teacher that I loved in high school. She made class so much fun, and I loved speaking Spanish. So, I decided to major in something that I truly enjoyed
What interests do you have outside of teaching?
A: I love art and painting with acrylics. I enjoy going to the beach in the summer and spending time with family and friends.
Q: Where would you want to travel one day?
A: One day I would love to travel to Italy
STAFF
Moderators:
Ms. Nicolette Guida
Ms. Meagan Naso
Editor in Chief:
Julia Grandstaff
Staff:
Amanda Amir
Cassandra Ampo
Brianna Azzarello
Mia Bavaro
Julianna Bottalico
Suada Dema
Noelle Duffy
Elizabeth Geissler
Sofia Lepore
Daniela Luci
Aleksa Paja
Olivia Pietrunti
Nicole Ruiz
Lilliana Runnels
Alexa Viggiano
Annalise White
