The Spring Band Concert, held May 19 in Giblin Auditorium, brought to the stage the talents of the 120 members of the Concert Band, as well as those of the A Cappella Chorus and the Jazz Band.

Under the direction of Fine Arts Chairperson Joseph Neglia, the Band served up a wide selection of pieces, including "Symphony of Sit-Coms," "Westward Ho !," "Trombone Blues," "Pirates of the Caribbean," and "Music of the Beatles."

The A Cappella Chorus' featured such well-known hits as "I Only Have Eyes for You" and "Silhouettes." The group is directed by Theresa Neglia.

The Jazz Band got things rockin' with their renditions of Jerome Kern's "All the Things You Are" and Lennon and McCartney's "I Saw Her Standing There."

[go to the Christmas Concert >>>]

SETON HALL POETS, IN PRINT

The Utah-based Creative Communication, Inc. receives tens of thousands of entries in their bi-annual call for entries, which are individually judged by educators and published poets.  Their goal is to recognize and motivate young writers. Only the best poems are selected for  publication. There are no entry fees and never a requirement to purchase an anthology in order to be published. Anthologies are published by state, so that the students can see what their peers in nearby schools and towns are thinking and feeling.
    In the Fall 2003 contest, the poems of junior Michael Gagliano and sophomore John Costanzo were selected for publication, entitled "A Winter's Miracle" and "Outside My Dirty Window" respectively.
   Additionally, freshmen John Hurley and Rick Porcello entered the contest for the first time. They too had works that the company deemed worthy of publication, entitled "Endemic Tempest" and "An Early Sunday Morning" respectively.
    Most notably, Rick Porcello's piece was selected as one of the "Top Ten Poems" in his grade division.  From thousands of entries that were already accepted for publication, his poem was chosen as one of the ten best.  Being a winner means that he received a check to buy a $50 savings bond and a free copy of the anthology which will feature his winning poem on its own page.  The company will also post his poem on their website.  From the Top Ten Poem list per grade division, Rick is the only 9th grader in the state to receive this honor.


[previous winners >>>]

Outside My Dirty Window
Outside my dirty window,
So much I can see
But in this trapped room,
There's so little I can be.
The people that I knew,
From this window I can see,
Their lives and memories fading,
Unknowing, unwittingly.
Today is the only today,
And now is over,
The day is lost,
And I feel so much older.
My heart beating, beating, beating,
Yearning to go back again,
Wanting the memories of my past
Longing for those memories of then.
I did not know it then,
 Do I even know it now,
This dirty window in front of me,
… Who is that,
In the reflection?

—John Costanzo, Grade 9

A Winter's Miracle
Beep!  Beep!  Beep!  I am awake and wondering what brought me out of my dreamful trance
I am entranced in a sea of blankets and fluff, I roll to the side and glance at the clock, it blinks 6:45 am
The opening of another bleak winter day, I roll over again entangling myself in the thick seaweed
I stare blankly at the ceiling I reflect in the lonely darkness
In the shower now still drowsy, the hot beads hit me, they are warm and comforting after the frigid night
Still sleepy I stroll over to my closet, "Dress warm" my mother yells
Still standing there at the closet contemplating what to wear I hear, LOOK!  LOOK!  OH MY GOD!  LOOK!
My brother is jumping and screaming and stabbing at the window with his finger
I am instantly full of life and vigor, eyes wide open
I sprint over to the sea and dive in, swimming as fast as I can to get to that window
I finally reach the window, I find myself tearing at the shade with excitement, wonder and life
My heart pounding, blood-boiling, sweating with anticipation, finally I succeed and I find a miracle outside
My eyes wider than ever, heart pumping out of my chest
I find a white abyss as far as the eye can see, overnight my world was transformed into a white wilderness
I find myself marveling at the quiet angelic majesty of a frigid snow full winter morn
I am overtaken by the vast powder-shielded world outside my windowpane
The covering of icing grows deeper before my broad eyes, the fakes are angelic like tears from heaven
I am amazed by the morning, I know there is a war being fought, man and his plow vs. Mother Nature
Today feels different the heavens have reason to weep
For families, war victims, terror victims, the sick, the dead and dying, the hungry and homeless
Man and his plows are no match for Mother Nature and the weeping heavens today.
—Michael Gagliano, Grade 11

Endemic Tempest
I sat in my humble abode, watching the beast
Its lightning breathing crashing down on thee
Tainting the fair meadow with hatred and despair
You can feel its presence in your bones and in the air
Its wings, forged over eons yet ephemeral
Blew at my home with gusts of woe
Strangling the bark of the trees as a lamb left astray in a dank winter night
I think to myself, the jaws of darkness do devour it up
I could have no more of this beast's tyranny
For I scrambled out an said, halt thy deadly rampage
Due to my act of might the beast stopped in its very tracks
Then I went inside once again, grabbed my umbrella and slicker and went to work
—John Hurley,   Grade 9

An Early Sunday Morning
The sun, peering like an eye with its growing glow
Hands tense holding anticipation
With the snap of a wrist and the flick of a finger
The line quickens and pulls quivering the rod in the cool, morning mist.
A fish
Erupting,
Breaks the plane of water as it leaps
Alive with the tense line
Water springs its life everlasting
As my catch is released into the stream from which it came.
—Rick Porcello,   Grade 9

 

BAND performs, bringing Holiday cheer
12.19.03

[previous concerts >>>]

AP HISTORY BRINGS REFORM ERA TO LIFE
[for the story  >>>]

On Monday October 27, 45 freshmen climbed aboard a bus at 7 am for a trip to Washington DC's Holocaust Museum, sponsored by The Morris Rubell Foundation. Founded by the day's host, Michael Rubell, in memory of his father Morris, a Holocaust survivor, the foundation sponsors visits by high schools to the Museum, with the goal of educating young people about the history of the Holocaust, and spreading the message of understanding among people. The group was accompanied by Holocaust survivor Evelyn Panish. The Prep's first-year students had been introduced to the period by their reading of Elie Wiesel's Night. Two year's ago the Prep's trip organizer, English teacher John Pascal, had corresponded with Wiesel on his freshmen's reactions to his book. On the ride to DC they viewed a video interview with the late Morris Rubell, heard a presentation from Evelyn Panish and had a chance to ask all manner of questions. Their visit at the Museum concluded [after a slight delay to allow the President of Romania and his entourage to pass through] at the Hall of Remembrance. Then on to the Lincoln Memorial, a recitation of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and a wrap-up of the days events and thoughts. The 18-hour day was one certain to create  memories for many years to come. >>> for the United States Holocaust Museum

 

Frosh Poets Published

For the third consecutive year, junior Gorgi Popstfanov is a finalist in the Fall 2002 Creative Communication Student Poetry Contest. He is joined by junior Michael Gagliano, and sophomores John Costanzo, Kevin Kovacs, and Brian Vigario. [previous prizewinners] .