WE Achieves

International Memory Project

The International Memory Project is now in its fourth year as a community service project at West Essex High School. 30 members of the National Art Honor Society, advised by art teacher Eileen Dormer, undertook the task of creating portraits of some of the world’s neediest orphans. This year the students created portraits that are being sent to an orphanage in Uganda, where many children have been orphaned because of rampant AIDS in their country. The project is an international effort that matches up high school art students with digital photos of children around the world who have been orphaned by war, disease, and famine. The hope is that participation on the part of high school artists furthers awareness of crises around the world and the impact on innocent children. The West Essex High School faculty is supporting the students with their Dress in Denim fundraiser, thus making the project a complete community effort.

California Pizza Kitchen Exhibition

Congratulations to the three art students whose pizza box designs earned awards at the 6th Annual California Pizza Kitchen Exhibition held at the Willowbrook Mall. Senior Tom Martin got the Best in Show Award for his box, “the Works.” Sophomore Jesse Asche received the Manager’s Award for “Why So Delicious?”, and junior Carly Mastrangelo earned the Regional Director’s Prize for “Margherita Explosion.”

Kings Exhibition

Please take the opportunity to stop in at Kings Supermarkets in West Caldwell to view the Eleventh Annual Studio Art I exhibition of grocery still life compositions entitled, “A Celebration of Bounty.” The oil pastel works by Ms. Dormer’s class are on display in the Café area through the holiday season.

West Essex Commended Students in the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program

The principal, Barbara Longo, of West Essex announced today that Laura Bolger, Thomas Collins, Matthew Fanelli, Sarah Ganton, Owen Gantz, Justin Lyons, Kristen Parker, Daniel Rosen, Emily Shields, and Caitlyn Wan have been named Commended Students in the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program. A Letter of Commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, will be presented by the principal to these scholastically talented seniors.

About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2010 competition for National Merit Scholarships, Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2010 competition by taking the 2008 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

“Recognition of high-achieving students is essential to advancing educational excellence in our nation,” commented a spokesperson for NMSC. “As demonstrated by their outstanding performance in our highly competitive program, the young men and women named Commended Students represent some of the most academically talented students in our country. We sincerely hope this recognition will enhance their educational opportunities and encourage them in their pursuit of academic success.”

High School Art Club

West Essex High School Art Club members joined in a cooperative community service project with Churchill School in Fairfield, creating a mural of children from around the world. Churchill’s principal, John Smatla , requested the opportunity for the two schools to collaborate. The Churchill students painted flags of nations, directed by art teacher Jeanette Lodato, while the high school students, advised by art teacher Eileen Dormer, painted a life-sized mural in Churchill’s cafeteria that represented the children of those countries. The West Essex student artists were sophomore Jenna Bartello and seniors Marissa Conde, Kara De Smet, Justin Lyons , Alyssa La Spisa and Austin Leigh. All are Fairfield residents who attended Churchill School and enjoyed using their talents for the benefit of their alma mater.

Roundtable

We are pleased to announce that the 2009 Roundtable, the school’s literary magazine, recently earned a Gold Medal from Columbia Scholastic Press Association, as well as “All-Columbian Honors” for its content (95/100 prose fiction and narrative; 97/100 poetry and 240/250 visual content). Although Editor-in-Chief Margaret Clinton and Art Editor Victoria Gualtieri are away at college (as are staff members Adam Haar, Samira Paydar, Daniel Spada and Francesca York), please join us in congratulating those students still with us, namely this year’s editors, Tom Collins and Caroline O’Connor, as well as Rebecca Jacobson, Colin Lyon, Carly Schlecker, Ali Lehrer and Jeriana Ricciardi. Lynn Bailey is the Advisor of the Roundtable and is to be congratulated as well!

Back row, left to right, L. Bailey, Carly Schlecker, Margaret Clinton; Front row, left to right – Samira Paydar, Daniel Spada, Francesca York

Wessex Wire Recognized

The Wessex Wire Team, Editors Kelly Abbot and Alyson Roseman, along with Wessex Wire Advisor Cassandra Lo were recognized and congratulated by the West Essex Board of Education at its September 22, 2009 meeting. Also pictured are West Essex High School Principal Barbara Longo and Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Janice Dime. The Wessex Wire has a long and proud tradition of excellence as a student publication. We are very proud of our school newspaper!