Hillhouse Voter Registration Drive

NEW HAVEN – JAG students from Hillhouse worked numerous hours to plan and execute a voter registration drive for all upperclassmen that resulted in over 40 new registered voters. Students spent multiple days in the cafe during lunch waves encouraging their fellow classmates to register.

And with additional support from the Social Studies department, that number is expected to increase.

In the weeks leading up to the voter registration drive, students worked to create a special Public Service Announcement that played on the Hillhouse News. Collectively, students worked on a script to highlight the message they wanted to convey and videotaped a couple of sessions to bring it all together. A few individuals stood out as the process unfolded.

Students were fortunate to get the help of Hillhouse graduate Troy Oliver, who returned to assist students through the PSA creation process. Oliver is currently a music producer, songwriter, and composer who has worked with the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, and several others. Oliver’s work can be found at: http://www.discogs.com/artist/210464-Troy-Oliver.

Oliver added a musical interlude after senior Joshua Thammavongsa went above and beyond to edit a quality finished product. Also, thanks to Dania Rodriguez, De’Hja Ellis, and Kentori Brown, who agreed to be videotaped for the PSA, and to Ashley Vigio and Kyanna Sammy, who spent time at the voter registration table helping fellow students fill out the right information.

First Annual JAG Clothing Drive at NBHS is a Success

Students begin designing poster to advertise the first annual JAG clothing drive at New Britain High School

The New Britain High School chapter of JAG CT recently concluded a clothing drive that supported the Friendship Services Center of New Britain.

Students worked through March to organize the clothing driving, designating 5 high traffic locations through out the high school and creating flyers and posters advertising the clothing drive.

Throughout the month of April, JAG students collected a total of 8 industrial sized bags filled with gently used coats, shoes, and apparel to be donated  through Helping Hands Community Thrift Store and Furniture bank. Students selected to donate through helping hands because the Friendship Services Center does not take direct clothing donations. Donating through Helping Hands supports a non profit of your choice.

For More information about the friendship Services Center of New Britain and how to donate you can visit their website. And click here to learn more about Helping Hands and how they support over 100 local non profit organizations.

The New Britain High School JAG Career Association would also like to thank the school community for all its orations and help monitoring donation boxes.

Students in in the New Britain JAG Career Association fold clothing donated through the first annual JAG clothing drive at New Britain High School.

Hillhouse Students Make Business Presentations

NEW HAVEN – After weeks of preparation, Hillhouse JAG students made presentations to their classmates about new businesses they would like to own someday. The students spent several class periods designing and creating their businesses, seeing them through from beginning to end.

Initially, they were given a rubric and some leading questions to help them brainstorm what they would like to focus on. Students had to think about the purpose of their business before coming up with a name, mission statement, slogan, and logo for their chosen business. They were asked to consider what types of employees they would want to hire and the dress code that would be required of employees. Finally, students had to design a poster, power point, or use another visual to present to their peers.

Students were innovative in thought and original with their creations. Ideas ranged from restaurants and candy companies to tattoo parlors to shoe restoration to cell phone e-commerce sites to a sports media and jersey sales company to helping children and other students, like DaShawnda McCullough’s “Hope 4 Kidz.” Ashley Vigio took it a step further with her Ashley’s Bakery business, as she investigated her competitor’s prices, discussed her target market, shared her menu and pricing, and talked about the benefits of her bakery compared to the others in town and how she would be socially responsible.