Meet an Ambassador

Class of 2014 Lock-In

2010-03-09T08:43:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! As I am typing this, I am enjoying watching Planet Earth in my AP Environmental Science class. We’re learning about endangered species and animal populations in our textbook, so our teacher is showing us a DVD of Planet Earth on our Smart Board so we can visualize what we’re learning. This class is both very interesting and entertaining, and is just one example of some of the awesome classes we have at UC. I’m really excited for this Friday, because it is the Class of 2014 Lock-In! The Lock-In is an awesome event that welcomes our newest class into the school and lets them get to know the people they will be spending the next four years of their life with. I remember my Lock-In when I was in eighth grade; I was really nervous about going, but I ended up having a great time and I got to meet my friend Rich who is still one of my closest friends today. Everyone who attends is put into small groups, and then there are tons of games and activities to play throughout the night with your group that are led by the Student Ambassadors. I really recommend that everyone in the Class of 2014 goes, because it is the first of many opportunities to see how much fun you’re going to have in high school. Well, I hope to see everyone there; it’s on Friday from 7pm to 11pm! Talk to you soon!

-Brian

Welcoming a New Class into the UC Family!

2010-02-04T08:27:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! These past two weeks have been very busy for myself and my fellow Student Ambassadors. Registration is this Saturday, so we have had a lot of events here at UC to help make eighth grade students' decisions about high school easier. Last Tuesday we had a Phonathon, where we got to call all of the students who were accepted into Union Catholic and got to know them a little better. Wednesday, we had a reception in the cafeteria for the students who received scholarships, and I was lucky enough to meet a lot of students and talk to their parents as well. Saturday, we had the Accepted Students' Dance which was a lot of fun. All of the eighth graders who attended were dancing all night and met their future classmates. The ambassadors had a great time at the dance too, we made sure everyone was having a blast and no one was sitting down. Then on Sunday was the Q&A Session, where parents and students got to come in and ask any last minute questions they had about the school. We have had a lot of freshman for a day students this week as well that wanted to get a chance to see the school before registration. So this Saturday is the big day! I hope to see all of you come out and join the UC family!

New Year, New Beginnings!

2010-01-06T09:02:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a great holiday break and I wish everyone a happy new year! Today is only January 5th, but 2010 has already become very eventful at Union Catholic. The Scholarship Exam for the Class of 2014 is this Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 9:00 AM. I encourage everyone to attend, I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship from the exam when I was applying. This month, all students in the school will be taking Mid-Term Exams to be tested on all material that we have learned in the first half of the school year. Having 4 AP classes and 2 Accelerated classes makes exam time especially strenous, but nothing to worry or stress over. Exams are from January 18-22, and then I am taking the SAT on the 23rd. That will probably be the hardest academic week of the year for me. Did I mention that the 23rd is also my 17th birthday? I would have liked to have gone on the UC Ski Trip again that weekend, but I decided not to go because I would prefer to spend my birthday with family and friends. The Ski Trip is in Vermont and involves skiing, snowboarding, tubing, swimming and a lot more. I'm sure that those who are attending this year are going to have a great time. After these crazy next few weeks is Catholic Schools Week, which is a great experience to look forward to. I'll keep you updated on every exciting happening, stay tuned!

Freshman For A Day Program

2009-12-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, I wanted to talk today about the Freshman for a Day program at Union Catholic. Being a student ambassador, I personally get to experience the program firsthand every morning. To sign up, students/parents should call 908-889-1600, ext 328 for an appointment. You should check out the calendar on the UC website to try to find a day where your grammar school has a day off and Union Catholic does not, but most schools allow at least one excused absence for Freshmen for a Day programs for 7th and 8th graders. On the day of your appointment, prospective students enter the building through the main entrance and are greeted by myself, my fellow ambassadors, our Head of Recruitment Mr. Luciano, and our Admissions Director Mrs. Thornton. Students are then matched up with current freshmen who probably take similar classes or are involved in similar activities to spend the day with. Students follow the freshmen through each class, including Lunch where they receive a free lunch voucher, and get to see the school through the eyes of a student. Students can then be picked up at the end of the day at 1:30 pm at the gym entrance. I personally went as a freshmen for a day when I was in 8th grade and it was really a great decision maker for me. Open Houses cannot truly give students the experience that Freshmen for a Day does. Please come sign up ASAP!

Thanksgiving Break

2009-11-30T10:20:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! Thanksgiving break just ended, and we're all excited to return to school for these short few weeks before Christmas break. Over the break, I spent time with my family and my brother came home from college too. We were all disappointed to see the Giants lose on Thanksgiving night, but we quickly got over it because we were having so much fun just being together and eating some amazing turkey (and chocolate cake!). Throughout the weekend, I tried to keep in mind everything that I am thankful for in my life. I am thankful for my loving supporting family, my hilarious friends, my good health and the health of my family, and everything I take for granted like having a home, enough food to eat, and even the ability to go to a school like Union Catholic. So although I enjoyed having time to relax, I'm relieved to be back in the swing of things at school! 25 days until Christmas!

My Life as a Student Ambassador

2009-11-17T07:45:00.000-08:00

Hello, my name is Brian Milanes and I am a junior here at Union Catholic. I have attended the school since freshman year, and I've met some amazing teachers and friends. I'm excited to say that I will begin blogging as a junior ambassador, to give prospective students and their parents a chance to see what my personal experience is like at Union Catholic. I take all AP and Accelerated classes, and I am involved in Student Ambassadors, Big Brother/Big Sister Program, REACH, Academic Team, and National Honor Society. Juggling these activities with a lot of homework every night can get a little hectic, but never unmanageable. My goal in this blog is to keep you updated on what I am doing around the school and in the classroom, especially my Student Ambassador duties. I hope to also let you know when you can come see the school in person, and experience firsthand everything that the school has to offer.

Discover UC Day

2008-12-15T06:10:00.000-08:00

In addition to our having our first Discover UC night here at school, last Friday we had a Discover UC day as well. It took place during our school day so that families could see what this high school is really about. The other ambassadors and I were able to take our small groups to sit in on three academic classes (a mock trial class, freshman writing course, and an anatomy class), see a forensics piece presented by two members of the forensics team, and have a Q&A session at the end. We had several families from the Sterling, NJ, area who all seemed very excited to be here which made our jobs as ambassadors all the more rewarding. When it came time for the Q&A session, there were, at most, two questions which means we did pretty well when it came to clarity while we individually talked to our groups!
It was good to be able to show the parents and potential students what real classes are like and let them walk our halls with us on a real school day. There was nothing rehearsed and nothing was set in stone which was nice and I think very beneficial when it came to our visitors really getting a feel for the school.
Overall, it was a great day and I can speak for all the ambassadors when I say we hope to see those families again soon!

Something Beautiful - The Newsboys

2008-11-13T17:31:00.000-08:00

Thursday, as I’m sure many of you know, was Discover UC night at school. The best way I can describe it for anyone who wasn’t there is that it was basically a mini open house. My job was to make sure everyone was comfortable, knew where the cafeteria and bathroom was, and eventually help them get back to where they had parked (even though once you get used to the halls of UC you realize it’s just one big circle, so if you just keep walking, you’ll get to where you need to be eventually). There was a block of time where parents and students got to ask questions – the Student and Parent Panels. I was a member of the Parent Panel, which was a period during the night where parents all came to the cafeteria and asked questions about the school. There were three students, myself included, two parents of children at UC, and Mrs. Farrel, who is in charge of transportation, seated on the Panel. Mrs. Thornton, our Admissions Director, was also available to answer questions, and Mrs. McCoid, a vice principal. So, any question a parent had could very easily be answered. There were questions such regarding tuition, payments, classes, placement, the COOP test and scholarship tests, etc. Personally, I answered two questions and I will share them as well as my answers with you.

The first question was “How does UC prepare students for the college application process?” This was my response, more or less: In the beginning of junior year, your guidance counselors schedule meetings for parents and students to talk about how everyone should be starting the college search, going over financial aid, and all making us aware of the millions and millions of dollars in scholarships available to all those who apply. They give out a timeline to keep us on track and a booklet of all the colleges in the country. Senior year, there are other meetings that talk about things like the common application, scholarships, and what the admission directors don’t want to see in our essays. When I first thought about my major in college, I was really set on furthering my education in the areas of psychology and criminal justice. So, in September, I met with my guidance counselor, Mrs. Jakubik, and we talked about the amount of schooling I would need to complete to get certified and make a decent living. My current psychology teacher also had speakers come into our class to tell us about what psychology actually is as a career, and she told us about all the areas of psychology we can go into. That’s when I realized psychology REALLY isn’t what I want to major in. So now, I’m going to be a business-undeclared major going into college. It’s very different, but at least I didn’t have to tell my mom junior year of college that, ‘guess what? I’m going to switch majors… don’t be mad!’ At that point, I knew what I was looking at in a school so it was time to narrow down my options. I talked to Mrs. Jakubik again about what schools would be beneficial for me to look at and went from there. Once I looked at a couple, I knew right away that I need a small, local college. At that point, I had 5 in mind. Then came the part where I actually had to apply, which was scary to say the very least. It made me feel better to read the emails from Mrs. Jakubik that told me what I needed to do for the common application and how to navigate college websites, but I still had no clue. One day about three weeks ago, I went into guidance with piles of papers and tons of questions. My guidance counselor told me first, I had to get organized. So I made a folder for each of the 5 schools I was applying to. Next, I wrote the essays that each school asked for which was part of the curriculum in my English class. My English teacher was so helpful when it came to essays; she proofread them, told us what we should change and whether or not out topic was a keeper, and was very influential in the process of writing the best possible essays. Then, I printed out an application for each school except two that I filled out online. That’s when I went back to the guidance office. There, I was told step by step what to do and in about half an hour all my applications were in the basket ready to be mailed out. It was without a doubt, the most stressful situation, as far as school goes, that I’ve ever been in (even now, as I’m writing this, I’m feeling the nervous butterflies in my stomach), but my guidance counselor and all the teachers were there for me to point me in the right direction. Now, all I can do is wait. I know that without the help of my teachers and Mrs. Jakubik especially, I would not have been able to get my applications this painlessly OR in time for early action. Because I go to UC and the people there are really backing me up 100%, I was able to be on top of everything I needed to be for college next fall.

The second question came from a mom who wanted to know how UC has helped me “grow in my faith.” I responded that when I came to UC as a freshman, I was lost. I had no idea who I was or what I believed in. Yes, my parents had always gone to church and I went with them every Sunday, but I was just following suit. UC gave me a fresh start and the opportunity to figure out who I am and what I want for myself. I took that opportunity; it was the best decision I’ve ever made and I mean that. I got involved and became an ambassador, which showed me that my passion is people and being social. This role forced me to come out of my shell and become who I am. However, it was more than just being social that has made me grow as a person. Union Catholic and faith is one entity – without faith in God and faith in each other, UC would cease to exist the way I know it. Before I came to UC, I just went to church because I had to. Now, I actually believe that God is a part of my life and has done great things for me, so I go because I want to. If I had not attended UC, I truly believe that I would not have discovered my own identity or grown in faith.

Overall, I think the night was a huge success and everyone walked away with a better understanding of what kind of place UC. As our principle stated at the beginning of the night, “UC is the best-kept secret,” but hopefully more people have discovered and seen firsthand what an amazing place it is after that night.

The reason I titled this blog the way I did is because I think that song really describes high school at UC and am very glad it’s our new theme song. The line that really hits the nail on the head is: “I want a new beginning, one without an end.” That one really gets me because thats what you get when you come to UC. It’s not so much the math equations, vocab words, or worksheets that stay with you as much as the role those 4 years plays in the road to self discovery and overall growth. Over the weekend, I was talking to a close friend and UC alumni from the class of 2008 about how I REALLY don’t want to leave and am going to cry my eyes out come May 30th. His response defines the experience high school here provides and the impact it leaves. He said: “People don’t leave UC. They graduate, but they never leave. A place like UC stays with you wherever you go.”

Being an Ambassador is so much fun!

2008-11-10T05:52:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys!

I know I haven't written anything in a while, but I've been very busy. A lot of events have been going on at school. We had Open House last Wednesday and it was a lot of fun. A good amount of people came out. The new Ambassadors for next year got to work there 1st event. I think that they all enjoyed it as much as the already Ambassadors did. I had fun answering the questions of the new Ambassadors and showing them some of the things we do.

Every morning the school announcements come on TV during homeroom after Channel One. I am apart of UCTV which is Union Catholic Television. I do the morning announcements along with 2 other senior girls. We announce things such as: lunch, sport schedules, club activities, and more. Also we show the prayer and do the Pledge of Allegiance all on TV. I love doing it, I feel like I'm on national televison. UCTV is also a class that I take, its apart of my classes. I enjoyed it so much this year, that I am going to do it again next year.

May 1st was UCs Junior Prom. It was so much fun. I really had a great time. Everyone looked so nice. The music and the food was great! I can't wait til Senior Prom, its going to be even better.

That's all for now :]

Making the Big Decision

2008-10-30T09:41:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! It’s been a while because college applications basically took over my life for a time, but they are all out now (!!!!!) so I'll catch you up on recent events.

One of the things an ambassador does during the school year is visit grammar schools with Mr. Luciano and give the 8th graders a student’s perspective of UC. Yesterday afternoon I went to Our Lady of Peace with Mr. Luciano and hopefully did just that. Mr. Luciano talked about all the technical things like transportation and applying to UC, and I talked about life at UC and how going here has helped me. My first topic was laptops; I told the student of OLP how in freshman biology I used my laptop to dissect a frog without the mess (or smell), and how UC is just as advanced, at times more advanced in some areas, as all the colleges I’m looking at applying to which will help me transition smoothly, and how having all my work in one place has kept me organized and on top of my studies. My second topic was time management, and how I get all my work done and am still able to be as involved in the building as I am. They had a couple questions that I was able to answer and I was glad about that. If I was able to make them even a little more familiar with UC and life here, then my trip there was a success.

I remember being an 8th grader and being torn between two high schools – I actually ended up registering somewhere else. Up until about May of my 8th grade year, I was fine with being registered at this other high school. I had gone for freshman for a day and it had gone smoothly. I don’t remember anything significant or exciting about my visit, but I also don’t remember anything bad. There was just something about the school that didn’t sit right with me, but I pushed it under the rug because my parents really wanted me to go there. However, I couldn’t get out of my head the open house I’d attended at Union Catholic. I loved the energy and the general homey feeling I’d gotten from it. When I went to a UC baseball game in the spring of my 8th grade year, I knew before the game was even over that this was the school I needed to go to. The supportive fans and the all-around feeling the school gave me was exactly what I was looking for. Obviously, we know that I ended up switching and coming to UC, but it was definitely a struggle and a whole lot of paper work. It was more than worth it though.
That is why I encourage EVERYONE to come for freshman for a day here. I can tell you from personal experience that you will know right away whether or not it’s a fit for you. Becoming familiar with the high school you think you want to go with can and will only be beneficial.
Freshman for a day is open to 8th graders and runs throughout most of the year. The students come in before our homeroom starts and are taken to room 111, which is my homeroom. The other ambassadors and I sit with them and chat until they are on their way to be matched up with their freshman. From there, they go to every class with the individual they are matched up with and really get the feel for this school. They sit in the lunch room and get to try the lunch food, see gym class, and walk the halls here. Their day ends after 5th period which is around 1:20pm, but they walk away with a better knowledge of this school and what it means to be a student here.

The best advice I can give to anyone who will be in high school next year is to spend a day at the schools they are looking at. It’s the best way to make a decision as to which high school to attend. We look forward to the visitors :]

- Camille

My Life as a Student Ambassador

2008-10-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

Hi, My name is Tejah, and I'm a Junior at Union Catholic. I am involved in Track, Big Brother Big Sister, Ambassador, Step Squad, UCTV, and Gospel Choir. UC is a very good school and I have enjoyed my 3 years here.

As an ambassador I have to represent the school all the time. I go to different grammar schools and let the students know about Union Catholic and why they should attend. Ambassador's also work the Open House and give tours to family's who would like their child to go to UC. First impressions are very important, so I try to look presentable at all times because I know there are people watching me because they too would like to be an Ambassador.

On October 2, 2008, my school had an Open House that Ambassadors had to work. I was nervous about giving my first tour and people asking me questions about the school. After my first tour, it was so easy talking about the school and telling parents that UC is the school for their child. Being an Ambassador is really fun. I enjoy it a lot and can not wait to do more events. =]

Nice to meet you!

2008-10-05T20:20:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I'm one of the new UC bloggers, so my first blog will be an introduction: My name is Camille, and I'm a senior at Union Catholic this year. I am very involved in the building and really enjoy all the activities I take part in. I’m a lacrosse player, member of the Executive Board for SMAC (Student Movement against Cancer), Big Sister and Student Ambassador. I’m a social person and being in so many clubs at school has been a great experience for me because there are all different kinds of people whose paths cross mine as a result. I know that I have been so content at UC because I was able to take advantage of the opportunities to get involved.

Although I could write pages and pages about all the experiences I’ve had with lacrosse and SMAC, I will be blogging mostly about being a Big Sister and Student Ambassador. For those who don’t know what a big sister or ambassador does, I’ll explain. To become a Big Brother/Sister, students apply at the end of their sophomore year. If they are chosen to be in the program, the student is assigned an incoming freshman to watch out for and help get used to high school. We write them letters in the summer, give them a phone call, and meet them on orientation day. On that day, we take our little brother or sister to all their classes and give them a little insider knowledge on some of the teachers they’re going to be having for the year. Our job is to make sure our little brother or sister walks to their first high school class with eased nerves and a new friend.

Being an Ambassador is similar to being a Big Sister, but there is more involved. Ambassadors are automatically part of the Big Brother/Sister program, but they do more events. The selection process is the same – you have to apply and see whether or not you are accepted. Once accepted, an Ambassador becomes very involved with the recruitment aspect of UC. We go to Middle Schools and talk to the 7th/8th graders about UC so they know more about what it’s like to be a student here, work the acceptance dance, lock-in, open houses, freshman for a day program, and a whole lot more. Basically, if there’s an event going on at UC, there will be Ambassadors there to help Mr. Luciano and Mrs. Thornton keep the gears turning and make sure everything runs smoothly.

For me, being an ambassador has been the best part of my high school experience. It gave me the opportunity to come out of my shell and meet friends who have so much in common with me. It’s also made a big difference when it comes to knowing the underclassmen at school. Most seniors recognize the faces of the freshman from seeing them in the hallways but I’m able to say that I know most of their names because I’ve met them so many times whether I visited their school or chatted with them at the acceptance dance due to being an ambassador. I like walking in the hallways being able to ask one of my little brothers, Charles, if he ended up liking his English class (since he wasn’t a fan of English in 8th grade), or wave to the boy who recognized me because I walked him to his homeroom when he came for freshman for a day.

That’s what it means to be an ambassador, and that’s what I’ll be blogging about this year. I’ll keep you posted :]

- Camille