Middle Schoolers attend "The Hip Hop Nutcraker" at United Palace Theatre

This past weekend, many of our 7th and 8th grade students got to watch “The Hip Hop Nutcraker” at United Palace Theatre here in Washington Heights. 

A student who attended, Linet Mercedes, was pleasantly surprised.  She said "You'd think that going to school on a Saturday would be dreadful. To be completely honest it completely is, but this trip was fun. We watched as "The Nutcracker" was portrayed in a modern version. Actors danced to classic music, and instruments such as the piano and violin. The play itself was fascinating, and it was as if the 20th century merged with this era. The play completely changed my perspective on "The Nutcracker".

The show is a contemporary take on the popular ballet The Nutcraker.  Eighth grader Yhara Ozuna said, "To be honest, showing up to school at 12:45 seemed to be the worst thing that could ever happen. That is, until I found out that it was one of the best Saturdays of my life. The Hip-Hop Nutcracker has to be one of the best performance I've ever seen. It mixed the typical Nutcracker with one of the most common genre of music in this generation. The least that could be said is that "The Hip-Hop Nutcraker" should be seen by everyone. I'm so glad to have had this opportunity" 

Students were chaperoned by their teachers, Ms. Lazala, Ms. Mayberry, and Ms. Werner.  Everyone had a wonderful time at this cultural event in the community!

Reading Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales' in AP Literature

Most CHAH students have heard about, and probably read, works by William Shakespeare.  Geoffrey Chaucer, however, was relatively unknown in Mr. Dickhudt’s senior Advanced Placement Literature class.  Chaucer’s influential, epic narrative poem The Canterbury Tales was written in 1390 and solidified Chaucer as “The Father of English Literature” some 200 years before Shakespeare was born. 

AP Literature student Cindy Gonzalez describes The Canterbury Tales as “…an interesting book that we haven’t done before here at CHAH.  It’s a classic that was written in Middle English, which is something that we don’t really understand.  It’s not about reading it so much as it is about analyzing it and breaking it down.  That’s making us better critical thinkers and analyzers of literature.”

Chaucer wrote in Middle English, a now dead language that was spoken in Medieval England from about 1100 – 1400 AD.  Shakespeare wrote in what scholars actually consider to be Modern English.  Beowulf was written in about 900 AD in Old English and requires a translation.  Chaucer’s Middle English can be read relatively well without a translation, as the CHAH AP Literature students are doing.  Contemporary versions, however, are much easier to navigate.

Monica Franco, a student in the class, says about the original version, “I need to use the translation, but the Middle English is really nice to hear.  It’s really pretty.   The Knight’s Tale is very plot heavy and it’s fascinating how everything seems random but it all connects in the end.”

Her classmate, Jan Michael Guzman says “I like discussing it in class.  Chaucer really understood his society.  He described how life was back in his time and, what’s really amazing, is that a lot of the things he wrote about still apply today.”

“At first it was difficult, but now I’m getting used to the Middle English language,” says Eddie Santana.  “It makes more sense now.  The Miller’s Tale is one of the funniest stories I’ve ever read!”

Mr. Dickhudt explains the reason he includes The Canterbury Tales on his AP Literature syllabus saying, “By the time the class reads Shakespearean English in the comedic play Twelfth Night, they’ll think its really easy compared to Chaucer.” 

In the meantime, Marcos Cortez clearly states, “I like the difficulty of it.”

Bump...Set...SPIKE! Girl's Volleyball Serves it Up!

The CHAH Girl’s Volleyball Team is doing better than ever before!  It’s their third season, and Mr. King, the school’s Athletic Director, is proud of the team because “They’re working hard and improving everyday.”

A large part of that effort are Coaches Ms. Clark and Ms. Chimilio, who started the team three years ago and continue to inspire and motivate the veterans, as well as the newcomers. 

The girls really enjoy being on the team.  Kanida Stenhouse, a new transfer student to CHAH, says the sport is fun because “It involves a lot of teamwork, effort and communication.  Communication is probably the most important thing in volleyball.”

The team's setter, Jazmin Fernandez, agrees.  “I’m a setter, which I like.  Without the setter, there is no play.”

The team’s powerhouse senior captain, Alyze Rodriguez, thinks that this year’s team is the best so far.  “I like our energy.  We communicate better this year than ever before.  We support each other.”

She added, “Even if we have a bad game, we come together and work to do better the next time.  I’m really proud of this team.  We went from developmental to a whole new level.  I’m looking forward to how the team improves in years to come, even after I graduate. 

C! H! A! … All the way!

Ailani Cruceta Becomes First Female XC Medal Winner in CHAH History

This week, sophomore Ailani Cruceta became the first female cross-country runner in the history of CHAH to earn a medal at a PSAL race!  Medals are given out to the first 20 runners who cross the finish line.  Ailani finished in 10th place out of nearly 50 runners, and set a Personal Record (PR) time of 28:43! 

“It feels awesome!” Ailani said.  “I’m really inspired to continue improving.” 

As the team captain, she looks to inspire her teammates as well.  She explained, “I hope this motivates the team and shows them that getting to the top is possible for anyone.”

Congratulations, Ailani!  Well done!

The Co-Ed Cross-Country Team Hits the Ground Running!

This year’s CHAH Co-Ed Cross-Country Team has really hit the ground running!  With nearly 20 runners, this squad is the largest in the team’s history.  Coaches Svenson and Dickhudt are impressed with the enthusiasm, teamwork, and initiative that the runners are brining to practices and meets everyday. 

The team Captain, Ailani Cruceta said “I really enjoy running” and added that it “looks good on a college resume.”

The team’s Alternate Captain, Kalief Hall said that he continually pushes himself to do better.  “I like the thought of winning,” he explained, “not against the other runners, but against my own personal goals.  I got excited the first time I set a PR [Personal Record]!”

The team has been working hard since September, and not without a few setbacks.  In the Mayor’s Cup race, one runner tweaked her ankle and another was out sick. 

Captain Ailani feels that “As a team, we have to improve our accountability and communication” but that she also looks forward “to working with my teammates to always get better.” 

Run, CHAH!  Run!