Service Projects

Hanover Park / Whippany Park

Service Learning Projects (by subject)

ART

Visual Arts I • Mrs. J. Cavaleri

Project: Valentine's Day Cards

Curricular Tie-in: Line variation and expressive line

Service: In support of the Erase and International Club the Visual Arts I Classes infused their studies of line variation and expressive line with the creation of Valentine's Day Cards for the residents of Jersey Battered Woman's Shelter. Using cut stencils and a variety of media the students were able to adapt an art process to a service learning experience.

Art Seminar • Mrs. J. Cavaleri

Project: Meet the Artist

Curricular Tie-in: Art Appreciation: Interpretation, analysis, judgment and technique.

Service: The Art Seminar students displayed their artwork at East Hanover Middle School. The middle school students evaluated, analyzed, gave their interpretation of the artwork and discussed possible techniques and methods used to create the work. The Hanover Park High School art students followed up with a visit to the middle school, giving their interpretation, analysis and methods/techniques used to create the work and answered prepared questions. Students in both the middle school and the high school were able to compare notes and comprehend how artwork is created and perceived.

Communication Graphics • Mr. Gaglione

Project: Students designed a website for ‘Halos for Angels’, a local charity that helps families in need.

Curricular Tie-in: students applied their knowledge of the Elements and Principles of design to a web page design project. In doing this they developed their design skills and learned about web design.

Service: Halos for Angels is a non-profit charity and they were extremely appreciative to have a website designed for them at no charge. The website will help them expand and extend their charitable efforts in many ways.

Technical Drawing • Mr. Gaglione

Project: Our school received a grant from the Learn and Serve America program to put in an outdoor classroom. The students were asked to design proposed landscape plans for the outdoor classroom.

Curricular Tie-in: Students performed a real-world project aligned with the Landscape Design unit.

Service: Students and teachers benefit from being able to do lessons outside the classroom in a natural, courtyard-like setting.

Communication Graphics • Mr. Gaglione

(Annually during School Violence Awareness Month)

Project: Design anti-violence/anti-bullying poster that will be hung up around the school campus.

Curricular Tie-in: This coincides with the Typography Unit - students learn about typography and then apply their knowledge to this project.

Service: The school community is served through increased awareness.

Photography • Mrs. Christina Wolf

Project: Holiday Card for a Service Member

Curricular Tie-in: Students learned new Photoshop techniques including “spot color,” “type with layer styles,” “Sepia-toned,” and “creating borders.” The students then had to incorporate the techniques they learned and apply them to the creation of an original holiday card for service men and women.

Service: The students wrote messages of thanks and holiday greetings on the cards. The cards were sent to service men and women during the holiday season. This is part of the “Season of Service” initiated by the NJDOE.

Art Seminar, Art One • Mrs. Christina Wolf

Project: (Annually) Return of the Art Graduates. Students who have gone on to study art at the college level present to high school art students. They discuss their artwork from college, their major, portfolios, and career choice. The high school students must prepare questions to ask the graduates.

Curricular Tie-in: Careers in Art, Portfolio preparation

Service: The students who return to WPHS offer their expertise about college and their chosen major. This encourages the future graduates to come back and “give back” to their high school community.

Advanced Graphic Design - Mr. Gaglione

Students all contributed to a typographic design showing a hand reaching out to help another hand, and selected and added in the quote: “Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small one’s surround us every day” (Sally Koch). The artwork was then donated to the local charity ‘Halos for Angels’, to be auctioned off at their annual fund-raising dinner gala. The artwork raised $150. The project tied into the advanced typography unit.

FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCE

Family and Consumer Science • Sue Jackson

Project: Students are making teddy bears with ‘notes of encouragement’, which will be donated to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital for their pediatric and emergency wards.

Curricular Tie-in: Sewing

Service: Patients at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital will be happy to receive this thoughtful, hand-made gift and note of encouragement.

Family & Consumer Science I & III • Caren Cocuzza

Project: Comfort Pillows

Curricular Tie-In:

- Students explore types of fabrics suitable for pillows; discuss care of fabric

- Apply skills in math to determine fabric yardage for each pillow

- Explore resources for fabric, stuffing and trims

- Assess individual strengths to select a construction step of the project

- Work together as a team to construct pillows

- Evaluate completed pillows to check for quality of workmanship; follow-up with necessary repairs

Service: Women with breast cancer experience discomfort from wearing seat belts. These small pillows act as a cushion and help ease this discomfort. Pillows are distributed by the Montville Women’s Club, who also donated supplies.

Family and Consumer Science IV • Mrs. Judy Guida

Project: Students designed and created a quilt to honor the death of a former student serving our country. The project was called the Quilt of Honor and my senior class took turns sewing each section of the quilt. They used a patriotic theme when they designed the quilt. They used their sewing skills that they learned in class to complete the project.

Curricular Tie-in: Students applied their knowledge of commercial patterns, guide sheets, cutting procedures and construction using the sewing machine. They also developed sound time management strategies along with gorup work strategies.

Service: Four students represented the class and presented to the family of the fallen soldier at their senior awards. Both parties were very happy (and emotional) with the outcome.

Family and Consumer Science I - IV • Mrs. Judy Guida & Mrs. Caren Cocuzza

Project: Each year our classes brainstorm an idea or project to honor Martin Luther King. Two students are selected to be the committee heads and they create memos and flyers to inform the other classes. This year we are gathering warm clothing for a Morris County Drop In Shelter. We gather anything from coats, hooded sweatshirts, sweatpants, socks, gloves, and hats. Our students sort and bag the clothing. During the week of his birthday, we (the two students and I) deliver the clothing to a drop in shelter. We spend some time there handing out the clothing.

Curricular Tie-in: Students learned the importance of acts of kindness and charity as promoted by the School Climate Committee.

Service: Our students are often shocked at the poverty level just 20 minutes away from our school. This project opens the eyes of many students and hopefully they will continue to do random acts of kindness during their lifetime. This is also sponsored by the School Climate Committee.

Family and Consumer Science I - IV • Mrs. Judy Guida & Mrs. Caren Cocuzza

Project: “Senior Citizen Breakfast.” Each year our students in all four levels of our classes participate in the senior citizen breakfast. this breakfast is sponsored by our SGA, but our classes plan, prepare, set up, serve, and break down the meal. We also create a senior citizen cookbook that the guest can take home with them.

Curricular Tie-In: Student are able to reinforce their meal planning, preparation, serving, table setting, and cleaning skills. In addition to this, our students will reinforce their computer skills by selecting and creating an appropriate cookbook for the senior citizens.

Service: Our students gain knowledge and appreciation of our local senior citizen through their interactions during the event.

Fashions and Fabrics • Ms. Hovanec

The class made pillowcases and contributed them to the 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge.

What is the One Million Pillowcase Challenge? “American Patchwork & Quilting is challenging quilters, sewers and crafters to help us reach our goal of donating one million pillowcases to local charities. Many charities can benefit from the donation of a pillowcase and the challenge gives you the opportunity to donate and make a difference in your community.”

- www.allpeoplequilt.com/millionpillowcases

HP Family and Consumer Science (Marcia Walsh, Sue Jackson and Bev Hovanec)

Yearly Events:

• Senior Citizen Breakfast in conjunction with Student Government members.

• Senior Citizen Reception before the Spring Musical in conjunction with Key Club.

• Thanksgiving Buffet hosted by Family And Consumer Science III and IV serving all faculty and staff. Guests bring canned goods to be donated to local food pantry.

• Holiday reception hosted by all Family And Consumer Science food classes. Faculty and staff and parents are invited to stop in.

• Family And Consumer Science III and IV prepare Thanksgiving dinner for custodians, grounds and maintenance departments in the evening as a thank you for all they do for us.

• Family And Consumer Science III and IV made and donated blankets to local hospitals for children.

• Family And Consumer Science III had a speaker from Eva’s Village in Patterson. Afterwards they planned a “baby shower” and brought gifts, which were donated to Eva’s Village.

HP Family and Consumer Science I & Home Ec. Club (Bev Hovanec)

• Freshman and Sophomore Foods Classes entertained the Staff and Faculty at a brunch. Students planned and prepared the menu, invited guests and decorated the room, served brunch to the staff and faculty at HP.

• The Family and Consumer Science Club invited senior citizen neighbors from Wynnwood to make cookies together. Students served the cookies with tea, coffee and juice to the seniors.

• The Family and Consumer Science Club assembled quilts that were donated to children with cancer at Hackensack Hospital

• Family and Consumer Science Club Get Well Mug Project. When a student recognizes that a staff or faculty member is ill the club member brings them “Get Well Mug”. The get well mug is a Styrofoam cup filled with a tea bag, honey stick, lemon packet and a get well note.

• Sock Monkeys – Students in Family and Consumer Science I created sock monkey dolls that were taken to Haiti by a fellow student. (PowerPoint of Tracy distributing dolls is available)

• Sock monkeys Students are creating Sock Monkeys to go to a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa

• Spring – The Poverty Project (Market Street Mission) – Co curricular project with Lisa Marie Batelli/ Sociology and my Family and Consumer Science I classes. We have the lessons/photos.

• Chalk Kindness – Freshman Seminar students acknowledging the pillars of respect and caring took to our sidewalks writing phrases and words that would bring smiles to the faces of their classmates and staff. We discussed how kind words and actions have a ripple effect.

FRESHMEN SEMINAR

(The Freshmen Seminar courses culminate with a service learning project)

Donating to Operation Jersey Cares
Mrs. Hovanec's and Mrs. Granet’s Freshmen Seminar classes decided to join forces and complete a service learning project that addressed the needs of veterans and troops abroad...
On December 5, Veterans Sgt Mark Miller (VFW Post 10184 – Parsippany) and SGT Mario Monaco (VFW Post 2925 – Fairfield) came to Hanover Park High School and spoke to the Freshmen Seminar students about the needs facing U.S. troops and veterans today. As a result, students designed holiday greeting cards on MS Publisher to thank our servicemen and women for their sacrifices. They also utilized Microsoft Publisher to make fliers that included QR codes to educate the student body about Operation Jersey Cares, an organization that assembles care packages for our troops and veterans. Students learned the elements of effective sales pitches. They wrote their own sales pitches and performed them in front of upper classmen. The freshman also typed e-mails and texted messages using their personal cell phones to solicit additional support for the items needed.
Donations of new and used dvds, video games, books, baby wipes, deodorants, socks, gloves, chewing gum, toothbrushes, and other hygiene products were collected during December and January. Tom Cunningham, Commander of Operation Jersey Cares, picked up the donations and was thrilled with the quantity and variety of items, which were assembled into care packages and shipped to troops in Afghanistan.

Andrea Ritacco's Freshmen Seminar class
Students developed a 1 hour Health and Physical Fitness program entitled "Fitness Fun 4 Every 1" that they presented to the KinderKids extended-day program at the Salem Drive Elementary School. There were 18 kindergarteners in attendance and everyone had a fantastic time while learning the importance of staying fit and living a healthy lifestyle.
The program consisted of a 10 minute large group warm up and program overview, four 10 minute "stations" that the kindergarten students rotated through in small groups, and a high-energy, large group closing activity. The specific segments were as follows:
Opening: Program Overview and The Importance of Stretching Your MusclesStation 1: YogaStation 2: The Food Pyramid and Healthy EatingStation 3: Muscles and BonesStation 4: Exercising and How to Take Your PulseClosing: Program Recap and Dancing as a form of exercise (Freeze Dance!)
The kindergarten children learned the importance of staying fit and living a healthy lifestyle. They received jump ropes as a prize that will serve as a reminder that exercise can be fun!
Curricular Content: Freshmen Seminar students broadened their knowledge of Health and Physical Education as they prepared the workshop for the elementary school students.

Sheryl Granet's Freshmen Seminar class
'Teaching Good Sportsmanship'
On December 14th and January 7th, Mrs. Granet’s period 4 and 5 Freshman Seminar classes traveled to Booklake and Central Elementary Schools and taught a lesson on good sportsmanship to 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders from the sending districts. Before the lesson could be taught, our freshman students worked collaborative and brainstormed ideas for a fun, creative lesson they believed would maintain elementary school children’s attention. They designed the lesson to include the best of all the their ideas and the final version included discussion questions, YouTube video clips, a live skit, a good sportsmanship pledge, and games in the classroom and at recess to reinforce the lesson. This was a win win situation for everyone. The elementary students looked up to the high schoolers and learned social skills of good sportsmanship, and the elementary school principals and teachers were pleased to have these values reinforced by young adults. In addition, the freshman learned about planning, preparing, working collaboratively, being a leader and making a difference in their community.
'Pride in Our School'
The goal of this project was to build school pride and educate the student body about Hanover Park’s successes and amazing history. Students utilized yearbooks, archived school newspapers, and the gymnasium banners to conduct research and prepare interview questions for numerous guest speakers. For three days, they interviewed and listened to stories of what Hanover Park was like in the past. The students truly enjoyed listening to the experiences of people like Mr. Eveland, Mrs. Hancock, Mr. Malinak, Mr. Tamburro, and Mr. Franko who spent decades at the Hive as students, teachers, or both. Present faculty members and administrators participated in the interview process as well. Students utilized the internet, MS word and MS Publisher to assist them in summarizing the data and designing huge tri-folds and posters of clubs, sports, technology, and the facility during a given period in HP history. Their projects are currently being displayed in the library windows and can be viewed from the Commons. Our students have a greater sense of our school history. They have evaluated the past and are aware of all the changes that have been made over the years. Best of all, they realize they can be part of the changes that will shape our future.

Beverly Hovanec, Gwen Wear, Sandy Klinck - Freshmen Seminar class
Seminar students hosted an ‘Activity Day’ at Hanover Park High School for third graders from Central School in East Hanover. The freshman planned and facilitated the events that ran throughout the day with particular attention to the third grade interests.
- Seminar students were given the opportunity to use the skills and interests they have been assessing throughout the semester in their planning of activities to be used throughout activity day.
- Seminar students generated positive community relationship and community building, encouraging respectful relationships, building friendships and discouraging bullying.
- Seminar students demonstrated their knowledge of and increased sensitivity to social, cultural, ethnic and racial diversity.
- Seminar students developed their leadership skills by taking initiative, solving problems, and demonstrating their abilities while engaging the younger students.

Sandy Klinck - Freshmen Seminar class
'Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter Assistance'
First students collected needed items for the shelter. Then, they visited the shelter and learned about how the animals got there and heard many rescue stories of the “No Kill” shelter. They also helped socialize with the cats and captured pictures and videos of them with school IPads which they then turned into Publisher flyers with QR codes in class. These flyers were then hung up around town to help get the animals adopted. They also used social media to promote the shelter.
'Teaching Technology to Seniors'
Students visited the Wynwood Assisted Living facility in Florham Park. They brought laptop computers, iPads, smart phones, and games to demonstrate and let the senior citizens try out.

Sandy Klinck/Janice Kaczka (leave replacement) - Freshmen Seminar class
The Seminar Class developed a PowerPoint Presentation on "Teen Drugs/Alcohol Awareness. Each student took a portion of this presentation and "told their facts and figures" in their slides about this health-related problem in an interesting way. Some students had "interactive slides" where questions had to be answered in a creative way. They are going to give this PPT to the Health Education Department to use in their Drug/Alcohol curriculum.
An Additional SLP: This class had a "Dollar for a Drop" campaign to raise dollars to donate to a Peace Corps group engaged in projects in Africa with "dollars" for their village water" project. The Peace Corps Representative, Brandon, described to them the many projects in which he was involved. One of them was digging for water for people who live in villages without any wells or pumps. The class raised money to donate to help finance digging a new well in the village he was residing.

Pam Souto & Maggie Hovanec's Freshmen Seminar class
Our three Seminar classes decided they wanted to target Pre-K through Grade 5. The student’s goal was to use interactive games and tools to help teach elementary level students concepts ranging from letter recognition to multiplication facts. Each class created their own non-profit organization to represent their interactive learning tools, which were targeted to the elementary school students, teachers and parents. They chose a name and designed a logo and slogan for their respective companies.
They then wanted to be able to emulate the format of the Kahn University online through creating presentations of their own to be utilized by any student, parent, and teacher. They created various educational tools and games through the use of rehearsed PowerPoint presentations. Many of the learning games were placed on a Wiki (wikispaces.com) for use by any intended audience.
Throughout the service learning project, the Seminar students learned an array of concepts. Many students came into the classroom unfamiliar with the capabilities of PowerPoint and left with a proficient understanding of its uses. One specific tool used in their presentations was the use of voice recordings and rehearsed timings to present the learning tools as both professional and exciting. In addition, the students needed to determine age appropriate material for the grade level in which they chose to create an interactive learning tool for. This required students to investigate, research and plan an effective way to teach using the curriculum standards.

HEALTH

Health & Wellness • Lori Pfarrer

Ms. Pfarrer’s Health and Wellness class completed several projects that will serve as resources for the school community—to help promote good health through diet and lifestyle...

• The students researched fast food restaurants and made posters titles ‘Eat This Not That’ to show teenagers how to eat healthy at their favorite fast food restaurants.

• The students researched their favorite ‘comfort foods’ and found ways to make a healthier version of them. Then they held an in-school field trip where they made the healthier version and all were able to try each others dishes. (Once again, trying to emphasize to teenagers that healthy foods can also be delicious!)

• As a final project, students were divided into groups (based on interest levels) and they created: a Health and Wellness-related website, a ‘Health Times’ newsletter, and a ‘Healthy Eating’ recipe book (see pictures). Visit the website at: (http://healthandwellnesswebpage.weebly.com)

Dynamics in Healthcare • Lori Pfarrer

Project: Healthcare Careers Fair. The students in class researched careers in the Health Field in which they had an interest in. They then organized a Careers Fair in which they set up a station with information on their career. The students then talked to Freshman Seminar classes to inform them about the program and fair and also advertised throughout the school to inform all students about their project. On December 8th the Dynamics class held the fair in which students from Hanover Park who are interested in a Health career were able to come and learn about the various careers in Health. The Dynamics students acted as that profession answering questions about the career as well as information about college curriculums for those careers.

Curricular Tie-in: The Dynamics students in researching various careers gained knowledge about Health careers and qualifications necessary to work in the Healthcare Field. Students also worked on Public Speaking by speaking to Freshman Seminar classes and also at the Career Fair as they were able to answer questions about their profession in a professional manner.

Service: This project was beneficial to students in Hanover Park who are looking to go into a Health Career after high school. They were given a look into college curriculums, job descriptions, outlook, and the personal skills required for different careers.

ENGLISH / LANGUAGE ARTS

Art of Writing • Colleen Harvan

Project: Students worked with senior citizens to help them write descriptive scrapbook entries for valued objects, people, places, or memories.

Curricular Tie-In: During their description unit, students had created a scrapbook of ten entries, each consisting of a paragraph or two describing important people, places, objects, and memories. They learned to make their writing rich with figurative language, sensory details, and strong verbs as they tried to convey the dominant impression they had of each piece. They were able to reinforce these skills as they taught the seniors about a variety of descriptive details and helped them incorporate them into their own writing.

Service: Local senior citizens genuinely enjoyed seeing the quality of the students' own work and getting to dialogue with them about their memories. Each student/senior pair was able to create a cross-generational link as they wrote--and appreciated good writing--with each other. Both students and seniors walked away with a valuable learning experience--seniors learned (or refreshed their memories) about effective descriptive language, and students learned through the act of teaching/reflecting on their own work and the opportunity to interact with older members of their community.

Art of Writing • Lauren Fazzio

Project: This was a partnership between Hanover Park and Frank J. Smith Elementary School. We paired with second and third grade classes at Frank J. to write children's stories. Our guidance counselor Mitchell helped us quite a bit with opening up the dialogue between the schools. She brought over blank "story assignment sheets" where the elementary students had to include their name, what they wanted their story to be about, what the character's names should be, and what the conflict and resolution should be. This addressed what they had learned at Frank J. about elements of a short story. I put the story assignment sheets on my board at school, and students in my two Art of Writing classes each got to choose one to write. We had just finished our narrative unit, where we learned how to choose active, tangible verbs, incorporate figurative language, and paint a picture for the reader so a story comes to life. Our mantra was "Show, don't tell." For children, this is even more important--everything my students wrote had to be really vivid and exciting. They needed to include relevant dialogue and description of the setting and characters to develop their stories. But, they also had to keep in mind their audience--we had discussed that in the beginning of the year, that audience will often guide your writing. They needed to choose concrete words (ones you could picture) but also ones that these children would understand. Once we finished the stories, we peer revised them and then pasted them into a PowerPoint. Each student had to break up their story into ten "slides" with a sentence or two on each (like how a children's book is set up.) We printed the stories and delivered them to Frank J. Smith. The students then spent a few months illustrating them. This tested their reading comprehension skills, because they had to draw a picture based on what my students had written. They loved seeing their story ideas come to life, though, and so they got to use their imaginations a lot too. At the end of May, we visited the school for about an hour. My students sat with their Frank J. writing partner and the two, together, read their stories. Then they made some crafts to further spend time with their "new friend."

Curricular Tie-in: Students applied their knowledge of the following: writing skills, narrative structure, strong verb choice, description, figurative language, sensory details, keeping audience in mind, and dialogue format.

Service: Frank J. Smith students really gained something from meeting a high schooler and seeing an example of strong writing. They also gained confidence in seeing their story ideas come to life.

Language Arts • Nadine Siciliano & Andrea Vecchione (During Violence Awareness Week.

Project: The creation of Haiku poems that express the harm that violence causes on both a physical and emotional level.

Curricular Connection: Haiku poetry

Service: Poems were displayed in the hallways in support of anti-violence and anti-bullying awareness.

Language Arts (Freshman Classes) • Karen Martin and Nicole Califri

Project: Students attended a Cyber-Bullying Solutions workshop presented by Sergeant Thomas Rich and sponsored by “Always Connected”. Sergeant Thomas Rich was recently featured on Good Morning America, as an internet safety expert and has spoken to over 30,000 people in regards to cyber-bullying. The purpose of “Always Connected" is to inform law enforcement, educators, administration, youth workers, youth groups, parents and children of all ages how to utilize technology in a positive way. The workshop covered cyber-bullying and how technology continues to fuel this epidemic. Specific topics covered were Facebook, sexting and Formspring.me. Students examined real life examples of cyber-bullying, pitfalls of formspring.me and Facebook, and the dangers of on-line chatting. Sergeant Rich also showed how these forms of communication can be used in moderation and positively by our youth. After attending the workshop, freshman classes took part in an Anti-Bullying Campaign to take a stand against bullying. Students created posters with original slogans and illustrations demonstrating the harmful effects of various types of bullying. Posters were displayed around school to raise awareness and educate the school community.

Curricular Tie-in: Leading up to the workshop the classes read and studied the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Service: The Whippany Park school community is served through increased awareness.

MATH

Honors Geometry • Patti Maher

Project: Students researched an assigned math-related career and wrote a short paragraph describing the types of math utilized in that field.

Curricular Tie-in: Math Appreciation, students worked to achieve an understanding of the level of mathematics used in various careers to answer the question, “When are we ever going to use this?”

Service: Projects were hung in the hall for all students to see. The goal is to inform students that the math they are learning is applicable in ways they may not have known.

Statistics and Analysis • Maria Ricciardi

Students designed surveys based on two questions, one resulting in quantitative data and one resulting in categorical data. They gave the surveys to 35 various students in the school, and then created frequency distributions, histograms, ogives, pie charts and pareto charts based on the received data. They then created posters displaying survey results and displayed them in the hallway to show all students the process and application of statistical analysis.

MUSIC

Band 511 • Mr. Carl Sabatino & Mr. Peter Sciaino

Project: Veteran’s Day Tribute

Curricular Tie-in: Throughout the classes leading up to this performance, the band students were able to demonstrate a basic understanding of fundamental rhythms, a knowledge of chromatic fingerings, acceptable tone quality, the ability to follow directions and instruction from the conductors as outlined in the course Curriculum.

Service: The students performed patriotic selections at halftime of a home football game in front of the community. Announcements were read which accompanied these selections and honored the veterans associated with the home and away towns. The “Armed Forces Salute” was performed as a finale and as each military branch’s song began, veterans of that specific group (Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and Air Force) were brought forward and recognized. Following the ceremony, the Veterans shared refreshments with the band’s students and staff.

Band 511 • Mr. Carl Sabatino & Mr. Peter Sciaino

Project: Homecoming Alumni Band

Service: The students, staff, and Whippany Park Music Boosters reached out to community members who have served our program since it’s inception. Alumni of the program (and the parents who served the boosters organization) were invited back to the annual Homecoming Game. The current band students rehearsed traditional literature in anticipation of the performance at halftime which combined alumni musicians with current musicians, demonstrating to all that music is a life long learning experience. Following the performance, all enjoyed refreshments and current and former members felt a greater sense of belonging and a strong connections to our school and community.

Band 511 • Mr. Carl Sabatino & Mr. Peter Sciaino

Project: Memorial Day Parade

Service: The Pride of Hanover Township is a staple at the Hanover Township Memorial Day parade. The importance of this commitment is stressed all year and ultimately concludes with intense lessons in the week preceding the event. The band performs spirited selection en route and “God Bless America” as part of the community ceremony at the American Legion hall in Whippany.

Band 511, Choir 514 • Mr. Carl Sabatino, Mr. Peter Sciaino, & Mr. Craig Limey

Project: Senior Citizens Holiday Performance (December annually)

Service: Each year, a small group of band and chorus members go to the Hanover Township Recreation Center to entertain the Hanover Township Seniors. This project brings good cheer during the holiday seniors to the older members of our community and is always well received. The seniors in attendance truly gain a greater understanding of the positive things the youth in the community are doing and brings our students closer to experienced members of Hanover Township who have so much to offer.

Band 511, Choir 514 • Mr. Carl Sabatino, Mr. Peter Sciaino, & Mr. Craig Limey

Project: Senior Citizens Spring Performance (April annually)

curriculum. The choral students demonstrated the ability to sing on pitch and perform in a musical fashion.

Service: The members senior citizens of Hanover Township are invited to Whippany Park each year and hosted for a breakfast and presentation by the Student Government Association. On this day, the music department welcomes these visitors to the theater for a performance by our Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Madrigal Singers. The seniors leave having gained a better understanding of the excellence that young people can strive toward if presented the opportunity to do so.

Band 511 • Mr. Carl Sabatino & Mr. Peter Sciaino

Project: Public Concert in Washington DC

Service: The Pride of Hanover Township was granted an opportunity to perform on the grounds of the United States Capitol Building in Washington DC in the spring of 2011. The marching band, color guard, and staff presented The Beat Goes On: A Retrospective of American Popular Music Through the Decades. The students gained a greater understanding of how American music has progressed through time and an appreciative audience welcomed the presentation which included music and guiding announcements. The band was introduced by Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen who upon conclusion of the performance spoke to the students individually about their current studies and future endeavors.

Band 511 • Mr. Carl Sabatino & Mr. Peter Sciaino

Project: “September 11 Ten Years Later: Recognition and Commemoration”

Service: On the weekend of the tenth anniversary of September 11, the Pride of Hanover Township recognized the tragic events of the original date through

music and tribute. Prior to the kickoff, the band performed, “God Bless America” in front of the community gathered following a brief announcement:

“Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. As you all know, ten years ago on September 11 our country, and more specifically our region of the country, was devastated by terrorist attacks. Members of our community were deeply affected in many ways, and some lost their lives. In Hanover Township, as well as Boonton and surrounding communities, Volunteer and non-volunteer emergency service workers were among the first responders at ground zero, risking their lives for the welfare of others. Today, the PRIDE of Hanover Township, on behalf of Whippany Park High School, would like to take a moment to honor these people and observe a date that will forever be etched in our minds and hearts. Please rise or remain standing as we perform, God Bless America.”

Band 511 • Mr. Carl Sabatino & Mr. Peter Sciaino

Project: “Pride and Passion: Spirit Through Community”

Service: In an effort to welcome the greater community into our building and have them gain a greater understanding of community spirit through music, The Pride of Hanover Township, presented “Pride and Passion.” This event highlighted the traditional collegiate style pep tunes that our marching band uses to inspire and unite the athletic department with the community. The performance included some explanation and instruction regarding fan participation and the tradition of bands both inside and outside of our community throughout time. The Memorial Junior School band members were invited in advance to perform with the high school band. The overwhelming response drew over 100 middle schoolers! The combined finale featured over 250 young musicians from Hanover Township.

Music, Choir and Band • Helen Britez, Andy Stachow

Community Outreach Activities:

• Annually, the marching band performs for the Italian American Columbus Day Parade and the Memorial Day Parade in East Hanover. The band students applied their knowledge of performing music for the benefit of the East Hanover Community.

• Two years ago, Rachel Staigar organized a group of Chamber Singers to go caroling at the Chelsea Assisted Living Center in Florham Park.

• The Spring Musical Cast, Crew and Pit Band invite the local Senior Citizens to the final Tech Dress rehearsal each year free of charge. The Key Club provides refreshments.

• The Chamber Singers sing for both local Senior Citizens’ Clubs Holiday Luncheons. Students give up part of a school day for one and a Saturday for the other.

• The Chamber Singers sing for HP’s annual Senior Citizens’ Day. The Jazz Ensemble also performs. Sometimes there are Forensics presentations as well. I believe the Key Club provides breakfast/ refreshments for this as well.

• Chamber singers perform for the 8th Grade Parents and 8th Grade Open House.

• Last year four of our singers (plus one graduate) performed with a Paraguayan choir at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Bernardsville. The first was an Easter Mass. The second was a Paraguayan Bicentennial Gala. The church group was desperate for some help, and the students gave up several evenings and Easter afternoon to perform. (The group did end up paying them for their help, but it wasn’t much for what they did. It was a great musical, cultural and language experience for all involved).

• All of our concerts are open to the public. Marching Band performs at games as early as the first week of school.

• Each year the Band and Choir travel to the middle schools to perform. Student representatives answer questions from the 6th-8th graders, which helps the younger students make a connection to the high school.

• Last year, members of the Chamber Singers performed at the Groundbreaking ceremony for our outdoor classroom.

• Every year, our singers perform the National Anthem at home football games and events.

• We send Chamber Singer Audition materials to the middle schools in an effort to encourage 8th grade participation (next year’s freshmen).

SCIENCE

AP Environmental Science • Greg Mills

Project: The Trees of HP Gallery Walk

The AP Environmental science students began a project that will carry into several years that aims to identify and explain some of the flora of the HP campus. Each group of 2 students selected a tree on campus, identified the tree and gathered information about the tree. This information was put into a format that other students would find useful during a walk of the HP campus with an I-phone or I-Pad. Each tree will be identified with a QR code which will link to the information about the tree. This information will be useful to classes in Biology, Ecology and Environmental Science. This project ties into several of the themes in the AP Environmental Science curriculum, such as the Earth as an interconnected system and how humans alter natural systems.

CP Biology & Environmental Science • Manuela Queiruga-Silva & Amy Thomson

Project: Students designed and created flower beds made of recyclable materials for the outdoor classroom They also planted small shrubs, annuals and perennials.

Curricular connection: Students learned how the flowers and shrubs they planted today had been artificially selected and genetically modified in order to have specific aesthetic and popular qualities. In addition, students reviewed key components of populations and communities of ecosystems, including biotic and abiotic factors and niche specialization. Students also explored ecosystem stability – including interactions and relationships among organisms and resource/energy availability.

Service: The school community will benefit from the enhanced landscape design.

(This project was featured in the HP Character Education Spotlight eNewsletter, Issue 1)

Physics • Dawn Haider

Project: Students created children's books on a physics topic of their choice. They broke down harder concepts in a way that is easy, fun, and understandable for children. It will serve to expose younger students to physics/science fundamentals.

Curricular Tie-in: This project requires students to translate their knowledge of a physics subject and make it relevant and more basic. It requires critical thinking skills. Students will be graded based on a rubric containing the categories of creativity, visualization/drawings, content knowledge, and readability for younger ages.

Service: The books will be donated to either a local elementary/middle school or to a library - to expose younger students to physics/science fundamentals.

C.P. Biology • Mrs. Mango

Project: ENDANGERED PLANTS & ANIMALS IN NEW JERSEY

Students spent time in the library researching endangered plants and animals in NJ. They broke into groups to address the problem in a variety of different ways:

Group 1 - This group designed and created a visual display case in the 200 wing of Whippany Park to increase student awareness and educate them about what they can do to help.

Group 2 - This group created a pamphlet in an attempt to educate the community. Seventy five copies of the attached pamphlet were distributed to homes in Hanover Township. A video of their distribution was provided by the students.

Group 3 - Posters with picture and text about individual endangered organisms were created and hung at various locations around Whippany Park in an attempt to educate students.

Group 4 - This group created a card game with pictures and fact s about endangered animals to educate players of any age.

Group 5 - This group wrote and illustrated a children’s book that will be distributed to local elementary schools and the Future Educator’s Club of WPHS. Bella & Bryan is a story that will teach youngsters about the plight of whales.

Group 6 - Two birdhouses were constructed - one for the red-headed woodpecker and one for Henslow’s sparrow. These will be hung locally.

Students were given a grade for research, classroom participation during planning & construction, the final product and an oral presentation about what they did.

Ecology • Co-Teachers - Gwen Wear, Greg Mills

Project: Students were challenged to design an advertising campaign aimed at raising awareness of the lack of clean, fresh water in many developing nations. As part of the campaign the students included a request for donations for Charity Water.

Curricular Tie-In: Study of the water cycle and groundwater resources

Service: Charity Water is a non-profit organization bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations by assisting them in building fresh water wells. In 5 years, 4,282 projects have been funded with 2,060,000 people served.

Advanced Placement Biology • Deborah Mango

Project: Students investigated the feasibility of solar power projects at Whippany Park. They learned that a Power Purchase agreement (PPA) could be implemented which would put solar panels on the school's roof with no cost to the district… They discovered that some districts in New Jersey got new roofs for their schools so that "state of the art" solar panels could be installed. Knowing that Whippany Park needed a new roof, the students put together an information packet and did a presentation for the Board of Education at their June meeting.

Curricular Tie In: Ecology- The use of alternate energy sources and their impact on greenhouse gas emissions.

Service: Students suggested a way to save taxpayer dollars and obtain a new roof for Whippany Park. They proposed an alternate fuel solution that would decrease Whippany Park’s carbon footprint and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

SOCIAL STUDIES

Genocide Studies • Brady Mahar (WP), Kyle Kurst & Lisa Black (HP)

(Annually)

RECEIVED CEP PROMISING PRACTICE AWARD, 2013

Students put together and hosted ‘Voices from the Dark’, an evening gallery walk covering genocides in Armenia, Ukraine, Cambodia, Rwanda, Darfur, Balklands/Yugoslavia, as well as The Holocaust. The event was hosted at Whippany Park High School. Community members entered through a foyer where the walls contained quotes and facts, as well as numerous QR codes—each representing a real person who was a casualty of genocide. They then continued on a path through 5 classrooms, each containing poster-board fact displays and projected, looping videos related to the genocides. The walk culminated in the auditorium where students recited facts as well as stories from genocide victims and survivors.

Latest Rendition...

Once again the Genocide studies class, along with the History department, hosted a very powerful, emotionally-moving genocide ‘gallery walk’ for the school community. This year, the walk began with an assembly featuring guest speaker Maude Dahme, Holocaust survivor and member of New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education. The gallery itself spanned the entire 400 building, weaving in and out of 6 classrooms—outlining genocides in Armenia, Ukraine, Cambodia, Rwanda, Darfur, Balklands/Yugoslavia and The Holocaust, and also covered topics such as the plight of the Native Americans, as well as Slavery. A big round of applause to all who were involved in creating this elaborate, immersive, informative experience.

As a cross-curricular connection, Ms. Siciliano’s senior English students read Night (a work by Elie Wiesel about his experience with his father in the Nazi concentration camps at Auschwitz and Buchenwald in 1944-45). They used the format of Haiku to capture an emotion. These short poems were visually stunning and verbally powerful, and were on display in the 300 building. Mrs. Siciliano then created a bulletin board in the 400 building that showcased novels and pulled one quote from each that focused on a different aspect of the Holocaust.

Sociology • Lisa-Marie Batelli

Project: Change for Change

Curricular Connection: Societal poverty

Service: The students designed the 'Change for Change' project that would help raise money for an orphange in Dover and India that two of my students are in connection with. In addition, they wanted some of the money to go to students at our school that would benefit from free breakfasts - the allocated money will purchase them something to eat every morning at school. (The students selected these organization and ideas on their own. It was awesome to see!) To raise money they collected change at every lunch for 3 weeks and created a 2 day buffet, Thursday-Italian and Friday- fast food. The students spent many hours gathering food and supplies donated from different organizations around town - such as Godfathers, Sorrentos Bakery, Bruno's, Nonna's, Avellinos, and Wendy's. More importantly, many of the student's families cooked/baked and donated other necessities. Overall, the students raised over $1,800 and are really excited to give back to their local communities and international organizations that mean a lot to them.

Sociology • Nicole Michalitsianos

Project: Various supply and fund raising activities (in groups)

Curricular Connection: Social diversity and stratification unit

Service: Groups completed: a supply drive for a homeless outreach center in Morristown, a clothing drive for the Salvation Army in Morristown, and a fruit sale that raised over $600 for the homeless center.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Students with Special Needs Program, Teacher: Judy Tappin

Structured Learning Experience (SLE) Transition from the Classroom into the Workplace

• Special needs students from the SLE program work with students from Allegro School assisting residents from Wynwood Assisted Living with craft projects on a weekly basis.

• Special needs students from the SLE program assisted residents from Wynwood Assisted Living as they attended an afternoon tea hosted by the Home Ec Club at Hanover Park High School.

• Special needs students from the SLE program assisted residents from Wynwood Assisted Living as they attended the Hanover Park School Library, to tour the library and check out books for their reading pleasure.

• Additionally, SLE students assisted residents attending the Senior Citizen visit to the Spring Musical performance rehearsal. They also assisted residents attending the ground breaking ceremony for the outdoor classroom.

Small choral group visited the Wynwood Assisted Living and performed holiday selections and an afternoon social with the residents.

Maria Camacho, Judy Tappen • Life Skills Developmental Class

After learning how to make raspberry snack bars and pumpkin muffins during Life Skills, the Developmental Class from Whippany Park High School visited the residents at Wynwood Assisted Living on January 19, 2012, to share their recipes and demonstrate how to make these snacks.

The students divided into two groups and each group worked at a station preparing their dish. The first group prepared raspberry snack bars and the second group prepared pumpkin muffins. Several of the residents were invited in to watch this process. When completed, Chef Javiar Saco baked the snack bars and muffins for the residents to enjoy during their lunch and afternoon social. Everyone enjoyed the snacks and the students were thanked for their participation.

After lunch the students were invited to tour the facility and they learned about the various different jobs there. The students also met the Executive Director, Michele Sepples who welcomed them and thanked them for taking time to visit. They also met Kathy Tanis, Director of Nursing, Georgianne, LPN and Carmen Vital, Director of Maintenance - each spoke to the students about their individual jobs at Wynwood. We left with an open invitation to return anytime.

WORLD LANGUAGES

Español V Advanced Placement • Señora Baxter

Project: “Breaking Tacos”… Students researched specialty dishes prepared in various Latin American countries. Students then located ingredients and prepared authentic dishes in groups. Next students shared their dishes with a group of senior citizens from the local Wynwood Assisted Living facility. Throughout this process students completed journals in Spanish related to their research and preparation of the dishes and their interaction with the Wynwood residents.
Curricular Tie-in: Students developed their fluency in Spanish through their journal reflection entries. Students learned about Latin American culture through cuisine. (Standards: 7.1A,B,C)
Service: Residents in the Wynwood Assisted Living facility were provided with a meal, and received a ‘taste’ of Latin American culture.

World Languages (all - department collaboration)
Project: Students traced their hands on different colored paper (they chose their color) and on it wrote their name and their nationalities in the target language of their course (Spanish, Italian, French). Then they wrote on an index card what respect means to them (again in the target language). We then made a chain of the hands down the hallway of the 100 wing where our classrooms are located. Above our classroom doors we also had the word RESPECT in both English and the target language.
Curricular connection: Students had to write in the language of their respective subject.
Service: The purpose of the assignment was to show that regardless of our backgrounds we are all one school community and we have respect for one another and our school.
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The World Language classes visited Frank J. Smith Elementary school to give mini lessons in Italian, French and Spanish to kindergarten students. They planned and implemented lessons—in various languages—that included color-by number pictures, and held subsequent discussions.

During the Week of Respect, World Language classes cut out hearts and wrote good deeds they would do (in the target languages of Italian, French, and Spanish). The hearts were then displayed on a "Tree of Caring" bulletin board, as well as throughout the corridor in the 300 building.

INTERDISCIPLINARY

Lisa-Marie Black (Sociology) along with Bev Hovanic (Family & Consumer Science)

The Poverty Project

RECEIVED CEP PROMISING PRACTICE AWARD, 2013

The Poverty Project involved the Social Studies and Family and Consumer Science classes partnering with The Market Street Mission, a local charity here in Morris County, in an effort to make change and raise awareness with regards to poverty. As part of the project, students researched family incomess, created grocery lists based on those incomes, participated in an assembly, took a tour of the Market Street Mission, prepared dinner for 100 people, hosted a breakfast fundraiser, and collected clothing and essential items for donation. The funds and supplies were then presented to the Market Street Mission.

Art Seminar, Business Education, Home Economics, Communications Graphic Design - Mrs. Christina Wolf, Mrs. Pam Souto, Mrs. Caren Cocuzza, Ms. Rebecca Caridad

Project: Interdisciplinary “Second Look:” Re-fashioning discarded clothes for a target market.

Curricular Tie-in: Art Seminar: Designed clothes by combining two or more pieces of discarded clothing. Students also created display boards with thumbnail sketches, fabric samples, drawn models, and accessories to accompany the clothes. Business Education: Developed a marketing strategy to sell the clothes. Home Economics: Sewed the fashions. Communications Graphic Design: Created logos for the imaginary company. “Second Look.”

Service: The students brought in the clothes to re-fashion as well as clothes to donate. All the clothes were donated to the Colonial Crossroads Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Take Your Kid to Work Day 2016 - School-Wide Service Project

Mrs. Keat initiated a new idea for Take Your Child to Work Day... She states: “Many of us bring our children on this day and we wanted to find a way to make it more meaningful for our children who visit, as well as for the young people we teach every day. To that end, we planned a school-wide service project in which our students would teach our children.”

The following activities were hosted throughout the day:

• Multilingual coloring with Ms. Schiavello’s classes

• Make a bookmark art project with Ms. Apicella’s classes

• Math games with Ms. Maher and Ms. Enderle’s classes

• Fingerprinting with Mr. Mills’ Forensics class

• Sing alongs with Mrs. Britez and the choir

• Relay races and bowling in the gym with Mr. Wear

• Dance party and campus tour with Dr. Vecchione’s Theater class

• Healthy snack making with Ms. Tappen’s class

• Exploring instruments with Mr. Spina and the band

• ‘Leave your Mark at HP’ and recess with Dr. Vecchione’s English classes

• School store with Mr. Ott’s classes

• Plant a vegetable seed (to take home) with Ms. Pfarrer’s Nutrition class

• Monopoly with Ms. Granet’s Accounting class

• Make your own pizza with Ms. Hovanec & Ms. Klebous’ cooking classes

If you have a project to add to this list please contact:

HP - Tom Gaglione, Service Learning & Character Education Coordinator (tgaglione@hpreg.org)

WP - Becky Caridad, Service Learning & Character Education Coordinator (rcaridad@hpreg.org)