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PHOTO CLASS AT THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS
posted 04.19.05

See the afternoon's work >>>

PIRATES IN PANAMA
an Easter Break trip led by Mr. Metelsky
posted 04.10.0

Nine intrepid Pirates, on their Easter isthmus adventure...>>>

SETON HALL'S POETS shining once again
04.10.05

Students in Mr. John Pascal's English classes have again found themselves published in the annual Creative Communication's compendium of student poetry from across America. To see them and their work >>>

SANTA & HIS HELPERS at a Party with The Children's Insitute

The torch has been passed in Morristown's Mota household from one Santa's helper to the next. Seton Hall Prep freshman Patrick Mota, with his brother Andrew now off to college at St. Joseph's in Philadelphia, has stepped in to engineer the collection of Christmas gifts at Seton Hall Prep for the students of The Children's Institute in Verona, a school for children, ages 3-21, diagnosed with autism, learning and behavioral disabilities and preschool handicaps. The Mota family became involved with TCI's Christmas project a number of years ago when a family friend enrolled their autistic child at the Institute. At the time, then Prep sophomore Andrew Mota volunteered to help, first at the Institute's summer camp, then, when corporate sponsorship of the TCI Christmas program disappeared, in organizing the Seton Hall Prep segment of the Christmas gift project.

When Andrew graduated from Seton Hall Prep last June, younger brother Patrick took over the collection of the more than 200 gifts for the TCI students, passing out wish-lists to the Prep's Theology classes and through the senior Peer Leaders to the freshman homerooms. As of a week before Christmas, Patrick had fulfilled the wishes of nearly all the TCI student names on the lists. Sue Cregan, the Prep's Administrative Assistant in the Dean's Office, whose desk is used as the drop-off point for all the gifts, noted how the mounting Mota family experience is streamlining the month-long collection effort. "Andrew did quite a job, but Patrick is super," she said. "This has never run more smoothly."

The culmination for Patrick came at the TCI Christmas Party on December 23. He and Prep classmates Patrick Prime, John Bell and Robert Rohr helped Santa Claus distribute the gifts to the students. Rounding out the Seton Hall Prep contribution to the effort was Latin Teacher Michael Zinsmeister of Clifton, who recreated his annual role as Santa for the children this year.

Though the boys' efforts will help fulfill the service obligations required by their upcoming Confirmations at Assumption and St. Virgil Parishes, Patrick knows from his brother what the real payoff is. "Seeing these children so happy when they receive their gift," he remarked, "is what this is all about for me."

CHRISTMAS BAND CONCERT
12.15.04

On December 15 in Giblin Auditorium a crowd of close to 500 enjoyed a wide-ranging concert performed by the 160 members of the Seton Hall Prep Band, under the direction of Joseph A. Neglia. The evening's program included a performance by the A Cappella Chorus, directed by Theresa Neglia.

The Band performed music by such composers as Bach Wagner and Stravinsky, arrangements featuring well-known movie music, and compilations of traditional Christmas caroles. The contributions by the chorus included Zip-a-dee-doo-da, Only You and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

for earlier Christmas Concerts >>>


 

PEER LEADERS LEND A HAND
AT NJ APARTMENT AUTHORITY'S
CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY

Renewing a longstanding holiday tradition, The Prep's Peer Leaders headed off to the Meadowlands on December 6 to help the NJ Apartment Authority throw their annual Children's Christmas Party. Hosting around 1000 under-privileged and handicapped children from northern New Jersey, the Authority entertained the huge and raucous group with food, balloons, face-painting, food, music and visits from cartoon characters as well as from Santa Claus. The Prep seniors joined with student volunteers from other high schools in welcoming the visitors with carols, serving food and in drawing out the dance talent among the six to ten year-olds. They helped to distribute a gift to each child as the morning's fun came to an end around one o'clock.
    The Peer Leaders were accompanied by Program Advisers Theresa Neglia, Matt Cannizzo and Steve Riccardi, along with Director of Alumni Services Jason Makrow.

Although it looked like fun, barely an hour into the action a number of the Prepsters were gasping for water and, perhaps, a moment's quiet. All came back to West Orange with a renewed appreciation for their own situations and the real meaning of Christmas.

[for a previous NJAA Christmas Party >>>]

2004 THANKSGIVING MORNING
5K TURKEY TROT

The crowd keeps getting larger... in spite of a nasty overnight storm, another huge gathering joined at 8:30 for Mass, celebrated by Fr. Joe Reilly '83, then a 5K run, trot, jog, walk, and finally refreshments. While a couple of Prep real-life cross-country runners and coaches made the morning into a light work-out, the rest of the participants took things at a slightly more leisurely pace in preparation for the afternoon's hard work of packing away all the food that awaited them at home.

HALLOWEEN 2004

The calendar conspired unsuccessfully to dampen the Prep's late October spirit, by working it out so Halloween fell on a Sunday, potentially quashing one of the favorite spirit-fests at the school. Nevertheless, the resourceful Prepsters held their version on the Friday before, and, in spite of a glorious history of Halloween celebrations, managed to outdo themselves.

This year's contingent of costumers included homages to shock radio and blue-collar comedy stars, food, favorite coaches, TV stars, movie stars, cartoon charcters, rock stars, and even exemplars of surrealistic painting.

Many times the trick was getting from class to class, since more than a few costumes drew large crowds, and more than a few laughs.
 

PHOTO CLASS–
THEIR ANNUAL FALL OUTING

On October 27 the PhotoGrafx class jumped on the bus after school, loaded with tripods, cameras, lenses and film, and headed off to Morristown's Frelinguysen Arboretum to shoot  the fall foliage. This was the first visit by the class to this well known botanical garden, and it did not disappoint. It appeared that "peak" had just arrived in the area, and combined with the left-over blossoms on some of the flowers it made for a fine afternoon's shooting.

The students used the opportunity to fulfill some course project requirements, in addition to just plain shooting for enjoyment and being outside on one of the gorgeous afternoons of the year.

The accompanying photos are by class adviser Richard Morris; student work from the visit will be added as their slides are developed.

for previous photo adventures>>>
[2001-02]     [Gallery2002]