VOL.XX No. 1 S t . Joseph H i l l Academy High Sc hoo l October 2011

The Summit

After an exciting and energetic group of execu-

tives headed last year’s Student Council, many voters found

it hard to choose Hill’s new leaders. This past April, the student body

voted Seniors Kaitlyn Pavia and Sara Farley as co-presidents, with high

hopes for their plans and the future of Hill.

Kaitlyn and Sara have both shown that leadership has been a part

of their lives even before they first entered Hill’s doors. “I’ve been on

Student Council all of my years at Hill,” says Pavia, “and since freshman

year I’ve known I wanted to be president. I think that I’ve grown as a

leader by observing the other executives through the years.” Sara Farley

also comments on the liveliness and character of the school. “I wanted to

be a part of the fire and energy... I wanted to make things happen.”

In their election speech, the running mates and inseparable friends

made many promises to the student body, and from the start their new

and fresh ideas not only caught the eye of Hilltoppers, but also the ad-

ministration. “One of our ideas was a trip for each grade,” says Pavia.

“We know everyone looks forward to Disney senior year, but we think

there should be something to look for-

ward to each year at Hill.” Though just

a suggestion, the presidents show that

they “always want to continue an open

communication, so that everyone’s ideas

are heard.”

After four years of dedication and

passion for the school, the two friends

are doing their best to shape Hill into a

place that everyone can enjoy. “I found

the power to be overwhelming at

times,” Kaitlyn admits, “but it’s defi-

nitely rewarding when things come to-

gether.” Perhaps Sara has the more

relaxed mindset of our two leaders.

“I’m loving it.”

New Leaders: Co-Presidents Kaitlyn Pavia and Sara Farley

by Michelle Mangione

On Friday, September 23, our High School community, along with our

convent Sisters, attended a celebration Mass for the beatification of the

Drina Martyrs. The Mass was prefaced by Sister Raimonde’s presentation

of the events leading to the Drina Sisters’ martyrdom.

The Drina Martyrs were members of the Daughters of Divine Charity,

the same order of sisters who founded Hill. Their beatification will not

only be an official acknowledgment of their martyrdom, but it will also

foster the spiritual values by which they lived and sacrificed their lives.

The Congregation of the Daughters of Divine Charity was founded

by Mother Franciska Lechner in Vienna, Austria in 1868. In 1882, the sis-

ters of the Daughters of Divine Charity were brought to Sarajevo at the

request of Archbishop Josip Stadler. In 1911, they opened their convent,

Saint Mary’s Home in Pale, near Sarajevo. It was originally designated as

an oasis for recovering sick sisters who taught at Saint Joseph’s Institute in

Sarajevo. However, it didn’t take long for it to develop into a convales-

cent center known for its good deeds toward anyone in need who

knocked at its door.

In 1941, Sisters Jula Ivanišević, Berchmana Leidenix, Krizina Bojanc,

Antonija Fabjan, and Bernadeta Banja were sent to serve at the Pale

Convent. Later that year, Serbian fighters, called chetniks, broke into the

convent, looted it, and burned it down. They took the five sisters against

their will and forced them to walk in the direction of Goražde. They

walked in freezing temperatures under snowy conditions and made a few

stops along the journey. They

made a stop in Sjetlina, where

they left behind Sister

Berchmana.

Their journey took four days

and four nights, and on the eve-

ning of their arrival in Goražde,

the chetniks drunkenly broke into the

room of the sisters and tried to rape

them. To defend their human dignity and consecrated chastity, the sisters

broke loose from the chetniks and proceeded to jump out the window one

by one. The chetniks rushed outside to the front of the barracks, and see-

ing that the sisters were hurt, they killed them with their knives and threw

their bodies into the Drina River, where they were carried down stream.

Sister Berhmana remained at Sjetlina for about ten days and was

told that she would join the other sisters at Goražde. She was killed a lit-

tle over a week after the deaths of her fellow sisters.

The Drina Martyrs were missionaries who served God by assisting the

sick and poor. They confirmed their fidelity to God by shedding their

blood. They are extraordinary models of fidelity to God and potent love

of those who are afflicted. They can intercede for us in our needs, espe-

cially in life’s trials and dangers.

The Drina Martyrs are Beatified

by Noelle Pagan

Beatification Mass in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Photo Credit: Sr. Regina

2

Letter from the Editors The Summit Staff

Co-Editors

Nicole DeRosa

Meghan Harnett

Seniors

Photo/Layout Editor

Michelle Mangione

Senior

Staff

Allison Carbonaro

Senior

Mariel Folvik

Senior

Anna Rose Iovine

Senior

Victoria Volpe

Senior

Katherine Cognata

Junior

Jennifer Fanelli

Junior

Kwynn Hogan

Junior

Samantha Gumkowska

Junior

Noelle Pagan

Junior

Ashley Schindler

Junior

Kaeli VanCott

Junior

Federica Bruno

Freshman

Gabriella D’Angelo

Freshman

Christina Grillo

Freshman

Toni-Ann Kreisberg

Freshman

Marisa Puligese

Freshman

Moderators

Ms. Angela T. Ferrando

Principal

Ms. Madeline Paladino

Religious Studies Dept., Service Coordinator

Ms. Elizabeth P. Cotter

Director of Alumnae Relations and Advancement

Dear Dr. Hill,

Okay, so I seriously think I’m making myself

sick. Between school, work, college apps and try-

ing to have some kind of social life, I’m driving

myself insane. Frankly, I’m a mess! What can I do

to calm down?

So Stressed

Dear So Stressed,

The first thing I prescribe is a pen and pa-

per. Make a list of all your commitments whether

it’s a job, club, sport, AP classes. Write it all

down, every last bit of it. The key to a stress free

school year is organization. List your due dates,

parties, practices, EVERYTHING.

Then transfer it into your agenda. That little

book is your best friend, use it! Remember: The

more organized you are during the week the

more time you’ll have during the weekend to go

out. But don’t run yourself down either. Three is

our magic number. A good rule is one day of

sleeping, one day of going out, and one day of

homework. You have three days (Friday, Satur-

day, and Sunday) and you need to balance

three things during high school: you, your school

life and your social life. And believe me, it’s pos-

sible!

Remember, billions of people have gotten

through high school before you, and they will

continue to after you. This is entirely within your

reach. Also, you’re a Hill Topper! I’ve said this

before and will say it until every girl in saddle

shoes understands, “You are here because you

deserve it. You are here because you can handle

it. And when you will leave here it will be be-

cause you can handle the next step and all of

the steps that follow.” Make it your mantra; write

it on a post-it and stick it in that newly organized

agenda of yours!

Best of luck!

Dr. Hill

Hey girls!

School is back and we’re all getting used to our daily routines here. Freshmen are finally fig-

uring out their schedules and which way the door swings in the hallways. Seniors are finally realiz-

ing this is their last year here as Hilltoppers. Either way, the 2011-2012 school year is very excit-

ing and promises to be a great one! As editors of the paper, we tried to include a little bit of eve-

rything in this month’s issue. There are some flashbacks to summer and a few previews of what Hal-

loween can bring this year. As always, there are reviews of books and movies that any girl can en-

joy on one of our days off. And finally, there are Hill events, plus an interview with our new Stu-

dent Council Co-Presidents, Kaitlyn Pavia and Sara Farley about what to expect in this upcoming

year.

Our extremely talented staff worked very hard on this issue and we hope you enjoy reading

it as much as we have enjoyed putting it together. We hope to put out an issue of The Summit as

frequently as possible this year, to continue to update the students on Hill life. Here’s to a great

school year, for every grade!

Meghan Harnett and Nicole DeRosa Michelle Mangione

Co-Editors Photo/Layout Editor

3

For many, Halloween is a day

of dressing up and getting all the

free candy that could possibly fit in

a backpack. It seems almost neces-

sary to stay out late and have

sleepovers with friends simply be-

cause it’s Halloween. However, what

happens when Halloween falls on a

Monday, as it will this year? Most

people won’t be able to stay out

too late, and the chance of Mom

and Dad saying yes to a sleepover

on a school night is slim to none. In

order for Halloween to be eventful,

what kinds of activities are there to

do besides the traditional trick-or-

treating? Fortunately, the answers

lie in this very article!

Scavenger hunts are fun for

everyone and anyone. A Halloween

scavenger hunt could be bigger,

better, and more creative than the

ever so simple scavenger hunt. After

rounding up a particularly large

group of friends, set up lists of

what each team should try to find.

The more groups, the merrier! In or-

der to ensure that each team has

found the item on the list, take pic-

tures of a team member with the

item. For instance, the team could

be looking for any person in a

clown costume. Once the clown is

found, another team member should

pose with them for a picture! Per-

sonal variations on scavenger hunts

are always a creative way to put a

spin on tradition. Dressing up a

friend as Waldo, wearing a red

and white striped shirt with the ac-

companying glasses and hat, would

be an excellent way to play a real-

life game of Where’s Waldo? Have

the “Waldo” hide and have friends

try to find him!

Although scavenger hunts are

always a great idea, baking is an

alternative for those who don’t

want to go out in the chilly Hallow-

een weather. Food Network’s web-

site is overflowing with ideas for

Halloween cupcakes and other

yummy snacks. There are even

ideas for dinner that have a Hal-

loween twist! Despite Halloween

being on a school night, there are

numerous ideas to make it an enjoy-

able holiday!

Beat Bone Chilling Boredom

by Kaeli Van Cott

As the new school year begins,

so does a new network! This semes-

ter, St. Joseph Hill High School an-

nounced its first live Broadcast from

Mrs. Ferrando’s office. Coining the

program “Hill TV,” Mrs. Ferrando

gathered a few interested students

into her office to declare the begin-

ning of a project.

The idea originally sparked

from senior Kara Kowalski, who no-

ticed that Hill was one of the only

high schools on Staten Island that

did not host a morning newscast.

Soon she passed her thoughts along

to current Student Council co-

presidents Sara Farley and Kaitlyn

Pavia, who put them into action.

With the help of a small but hard-

working group of students, the pro-

gram will air this fall semester.

The network’s technology is

what originally sparked Mrs. Fer-

rando’s interest. Since we are a

technology-based school, a televi-

sion broadcast seemed like the only

aspect of technology that was miss-

ing. The show will air every Friday,

announcing last weekend’s events

along with the activities of the

weekend to come.

Hill TV: The Big Broadcast

by Michelle Mangione

Last Tuesday, October 17th, the

St. Joseph Hill verses St. Joseph-by-

the-Sea volleyball game was excit-

ing from beginning to end. With Hill

scoring the first point of the first

game, the Hilltoppers made a quick

win, leaving the first score 25 to

10, with points made by Kelsey

Carey. The Sea Vikings were off to

a rocky start in the beginning.

In the second game, Sea gained

some power by scoring the first

point. The tension was high and the

scores kept tying up with each

other. By the end of the second

game, Hill regained the upper hand

and won, though it was a close

25-12, with points contributed by

Dana Cortese and Calli Carnavas.

In the third game, St. Joseph-by-the

-Sea won the first point yet again.

The whole third game was a nail-

bitter, keeping the observers on the

edge of their seats watching the

action on the court. In the end, after

an exciting game, Hill claimed the

first three games with a final vic-

tory of 25 to 15. Great plays

throughout the game were made by

Calli Carnavas , Dana Cortese,

Meaghan Frawley, and sisters

Christina and Tiffany Intravaia.

And Hill Wins Another!

by Meghan Harnett

“…may the odds be ever in your fa-

vor!" ― Effie Trinket, The Hunger

Games.

The plot is enthralling; the

characters are charming, and the

games? They will nearly kill you.

What am I talking about? A novel

called The Hunger Games by Suz-

zane Collins.

This book follows the life of

Katniss Everdeen and how she

changed from a girl growing up in

the poverty-stricken world of Dis-

trict 12 to a girl fighting for her life

in The Hunger Games. This annual

punishment requires one boy and

one girl to be sent from each of the

twelve districts. This year, however,

is different. Katniss’ sister, Prim, is

now eligible to be a participant in

the Games. After losing her father

in a mining accident years before,

this only spells disaster for Katniss

and their mother if either one of

them is chosen to participate. With

only one victor every year living to

see a new life, the odds are not in

their favor.

If you are uninterested in lit-

erature but find the plot interesting,

the movie version of The Hunger

Games will be released on March

23 of next year.

Book Review:

The Hunger Games

by Mariel Folvik

4

Bringin’ It Back to the Beach!

by: Kaeli Van Cott

Each year, Hilltoppers gather

together in September to partici-

pate in the beach cleanup at

Wolfe’s Pond Park in Prince’s Bay.

However, this year Wolfe’s Pond

Park needed the help of Hill girls

more than ever. Hurricane Irene left

the waterways in the park practi-

cally destroyed, and sandbags as

well as other materials were im-

perative to keeping the freshwater

and ocean water separated. After

seeing the affects of Hurricane

Irene, ninety teenagers from Hill, as

well as Tottenville and Farrell,

pitched in to clean up the beach.

Under the hot sun, teenagers

were spotted in groups all across

the beach with big, black garbage

bags. Along with these massive gar-

bage bags, each group was given

a survey sheet and a pencil. The

survey had a checklist, and each

group of volunteers was asked to

tally the amount of items they found

on the beach. After three hours of

hard work in the humidity, volun-

teers brought back countless gar-

bage bags filled with litter of all

sorts. The help of the Hill girls, Far-

rell boys, and Tottenville students

was much needed and appreci-

ated.

Although you might have

missed helping

out at the

beach cleanup,

the “It’s My

Park Day”, and

the popular Mil-

lion Tree Plant-

ing Project that

took place last

Saturday at

Clove Lakes

Park, Hill

Trashbusters

have plenty other similar volunteer

opportunities coming up! Come sup-

port the Trashbusters, under the

guidance of Madame Eicoff, at fu-

Teacher Spotlight: Mr. W. Griffiths “Papa”

10 random facts that you’re all dying to know about the elder Griffiths!

by Noelle Pagan

1. He came to Hill eight years ago, after having taught at Xaverian, St.

Joseph by-the-Sea, and Staten Island Academy. Colleges at which he

taught include St. Joseph’s College, St. John’s University, Wagner Col-

lege, and Berkeley College. He’s also taught online classes.

2. He’s been a teacher all his life!

3. Why a teacher? He always wound up having to help people through

tutoring. Well since it was easy and he enjoyed it, he chose to pursue a

career in education.

4. He’s taught every grade from 5th to college! He prefers teaching high

school and college, but he’s torn by which he likes better.

5. There isn’t any particular area he’d like to teach anymore. He is an

educator of all trades.

6. He’s taught a wide variety of subjects including Russian, Chemistry, Ad-

vanced Chemistry, Physics, Advanced Physics, Physical Science, Earth Sci-

ence, Psychology, Statistics, Algebra 2 and Trigonometry, Archaeology,

Forensic Science, and Environmental Science.

7. Architecture greatly interests him. He even designed his own house and

built it (but not all on his own; he sub-contracted a lot of the work)!

8. Drawing is one of his hobbies.

9. He also enjoys playing the guitar and keyboard, but he doesn’t have

all that much free time to spend on these activities.

10. He is a polyglot! He speaks English, Russian, French, Spanish, and a

bit of Gaelic, Welsh and Lithuanian. He can understand Polish and

Ukrainian and can read Latin and classical Greek. He also has a fair un-

derstanding of Hebrew.

Now that the weather is gradu-

ally becoming brisk and cool, it’s

time to put the shorts and flip flops

away and officially say goodbye

to our beloved friend Summer. With

an overload of homework, reading,

essays, and tests, a Hill girl de-

serves a break on the weekend! For

some real fall fun, head just over

the bridge to Battleview Orchards

in Freehold, New Jersey.

About an hour from Staten Is-

land, Battleview Orchards provides

an alternate escape outlet for resi-

dents who want to switch from their

weekend city trip to a more relax-

ing and peaceful zone. The Or-

chard grows fourteen types of ap-

ples that can be picked with friends

and family throughout the fall. In

addition to pumpkin picking and

the classic fall hayrides, the Or-

chard also runs a Country Store, in

which all their products are sold:

baked goods, ciders, jams, and

more.

Whether you escape the stress

of the Fall semester with your fam-

ily members or your close friends,

Battleview Orchards is an exciting

way to get off the Island and enjoy

the outdoors.

Let’s Fall into Fall: Battleview Orchards

by Michelle Mangione

5

Say goodbye to tank tops, shorts, flip-flops, and

bathing suits.

Fall 2011 has arrived, and there are many new trends

appearing both on the runway and in the streets. The

hardest part of fall fashion is letting go of our summer

pieces. However, these pieces can still be incorporated

into our autumn wardrobe by layering, as well as

wearing tights or leggings under dresses and skirts.

The feather trend is still big this fall like it was

in the summer. Feathers are being used in headpieces, necklaces, apparel,

and other accessories. The most popular are peacock feathers because of

their eye-catching beauty.

It’s Ugg season! Most teenage girls love their Uggs because

they’re comfortable and warm. Uggs can tie together an outfit no matter

what you’re wearing, whether it is jeans, leggings, or sweats. Neverthe-

less, Uggs aren’t the only shoe we’re seeing this fall. We also have other

styles of ankle boots, tall boots, and moccasins.

Of course, the most beautiful thing you can wear this season is

confidence. In Bella Thorne’s “Back to School Fashion” interview by

teen.com, she says, “My whole life is about confidence. Go out, wear it,

rock it, work it!” Bella is absolutely correct!

Fall Fashion Update!

by Marisa Pugliese

It’s finally here! The orphan loved

by all is at Hill. Next month, the Drama

Club is going to present Annie. The show

is about an orphan named Annie and her

dog Sandy who have the opportunity to

stay in the lap of luxury for a week, be-

cause of a choice made by Oliver War-

bucks’ secretary Grace Farrell. Yet, her

stay becomes more than anyone had bar-

gained for. In September, many talented students auditioned for Annie.

The cast now includes both Drama Club veterans, 9th grade newcomers,

elementary students, and a senior’s dog named Sandy! Although every-

one did not make the cast they still had the opportunity to still be part of

the production as crew. The crew has many responsibilities, such as cos-

tume prep, hair and makeup, lighting, sound, and being ushers. Also, the

crew makes the props, and without their help the show couldn’t happen.

The director and music director of Annie is Ms. Donna D’Ermilio,

with choreography done by Ms. Loretta O’Hara. The performances are

November 10th, 11th, and 12th at 8:00 P.M. There is also a final perform-

ance on November 13th at 3:00 P.M. Pre-sale tickets are $12.00 each

and door tickets are $15.00 each. Good luck to the cast and crew of An-

nie! Break a leg!

The Orphan Loved by All is At Hill

by Toni-Ann Kreisberg

Being a freshman in any high school is daunting. Being a freshman in

Hill, however, is downright frightening. There are a lot of things to

deal with your first year: your locker, the new faces, not getting lost,

learning two languages, all the teachers-- not to mention keeping up

your grades while trying to maintain somewhat of a social life. Let’s

face it, being a freshman here is similar to the juggling act at the cir-

cus. Hopefully, these tips might help adjust the Class of 2015:

1. Instead of getting lost in the school, or worse, getting locked out of the

building (which happened to me my first year,) ask someone in the hall

where you're going. You'll get there faster and you won’t get deten-

tion for being late.

2. Another general tip about walking in the hallway– don’t just stop

walking all together. You will get pushed or shoved or glared at, and

that’s a promise. Keep moving, for your own sake.

3. We all break this rule from time to time, but try as much as you physi-

cally can to stay to the right when you're in the halls, and use the right

side of the door. We can all keep moving that way.

4. Join some clubs that interest you. Freshman year is the year to figure

out what you like and want to pursue the next 3 years. Don’t miss out.

5. Homework piles up ridiculously easy in this school, so make sure to

keep on top of it as best as possible. My best tip for that would be use

the agenda and write down every detail of your school work in it.

6. Definitely make time for your friends. School is important, absolutely,

but so are your friends. They will be there to help you when you need

them.

7. When you're trying to put your laptop in your locker, putting it in on

an angle will probably do the trick.

8. Most of all, have fun this year. Go to the dances and activities on the

weekend. Try everything in this school at least once. This year is your

first, so make sure to make it a good one.

Senior Tips for Freshmen

by Nicole DeRosa

6

Become the Next Iron Chef!

by Ashley Schindler

Over the summer I became a

cooking show junkie and took an

interest the culinary arts. Every

time I ate, I watched the Food Net-

work - I mean, what better time to

watch the food channel than while

you're eating? While watching,

what started out as, "Well, that

looks ridiculously hard," quickly

turned to, "I could definitely do

that." After making dinner for my

parents a couple of times, I real-

ized it really wasn't that hard.

After much nagging from my

mom, I figured since I'll be leaving

for college in less than two years,

it's best that I learn to cook now.

Mom claims this is to avoid sitting

on campus eating mac 'n cheese

every other night. I think she’s

happy to have another cook in the

house. To help me in the learning

process, I'll be taking a few cook-

ing "lessons" here at Hill. You did-

n’t know that? Neither did I until

last month! They aren't technically

cooking lessons, but you get to sit

and watch Carole Caliendo Ger-

vasi, who graduated from Hill in

1996, cook. Maybe you won’t be

the next “Iron Chef”, but you will

acquire valuable culinary skills.

These classes are held at 6:30

p.m. sharp, for two hours and are

held in the Convent kitchen. De-

tails about menus and when

classes are available are listed

here, subject to change.

December 5th and 19th:

The theme is "Cookie Time!"

Cost per person is $35.

Note: You will need a tin to carry

the cookies home with you.

February 13th and 27th:

The theme is "Valentine's Dinner"

Cost per person is $80 for Surf

& Turf or $30 for the Vegetarian

option.

April 16th and 30th:

The theme is "Get Ready for

Easter!"

Cost per person is $50.

The class I'm looking forward

to the most is the Christmas cookie

class because who wouldn’t want

to sit there, watch Ms. Gervasi

make cookies, and then bring the

cookies home to eat? I hope you

join me at one of these classes

soon! Also, make sure you keep an

eye out for my follow-up article

and pictures from my cooking les-

son experience.

If you are interested in at-

tending one or more of these

classes, contact Ms. Cotter at ecot-

ter@stjhill.org quickly because the

space for these classes is limited.

Freshman Tea

by Gabriella D’Angelo

Tea Time-- a time for welcom-

ing, warm hospitality, and conversa-

tion. On Sunday, September 18, St.

Joseph Hill Academy’s Alumnae As-

sociation hosted the thirteenth an-

nual Freshman Tea. The Freshman

Tea is a tradition that was started in

1998 by Mrs. Loreta Anderson, an

alumna of Hill. She wanted an op-

portunity for new moms and their

daughters to meet each other at the

star of the school year.

The afternoon began with

a prayer by Sister M. William

McGovern, F.D.C., President of St.

Joseph Hill, followed by a welcome

from Elizabeth Cotter, the Director

of Advancement and Alumnae Rela-

tions. Following this, The National

Honor Society was introduced by

Mrs. Angela T. Ferrando, Principal,

and Alessia Zambrano, NHS Presi-

dent. Mrs. Lucy Ginsiorsky, the Assis-

tant Principal, offered a question

and answer session.

This event was a good way for

students to get to know each other

better, and for them to introduce

their new friends to their mothers.

Everyone enjoyed traditional home-

made finger sandwiches, iced and

hot tea, and various delicious des-

sert treats. At the end of the event,

the entire freshman class gathered

on the bleachers to take their first

official class photo.

The Freshman Tea was an event

that we will all remember forever. It

definitely made us feel like true Hill-

toppers. Hopefully this tradition will

continue so that Freshman all feel

like they are part of the Hill family

right from the start. Christina Grillo

really liked the tea. “My mom was

able to meet my friends who she

hasn’t met yet.”

On the morning of October 19, our freshmen in full uniform walked

over to the Convent to celebrate Mass with Msgr. Ansaldi. It was the first

time the Class of 2015 visited the Chapel of the Daughters of Divine

Charity. Several girls did the readings, cantored, and brought up the

gifts, while all the girls participated by praying and singing. Afterwards,

they shared breakfast and juice in the Social Hall. There was plenty of

time to sit and chat with the friends they have made here at Hill. It was a

great way for them to feel welcome at their new home for the next four

years of their lives.

Current freshman Christina Grillo said, “It was different from my old

school, but I like the concept of it. The

Convent was especially interesting to

see. I didn't think it was going to be as

complex and small as it was. I would

definitely be interested in helping the

nuns over in the Convent, during the

holidays or anytime they need it.”

Every grade level will get to have

its own Mass, and it was fitting that the

9th Grade was first this year.

The 9th Grade Liturgy and Breakfast

by Nicole DeRosa and Meghan Harnett