A New Beginning

2011-05-31T04:55:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! I cannot believe that soon I will be an official alumni of Union Catholic High School. Over the past three years, I have made so many friends and truly enjoyed my time at Union Catholic with all the different things to do. Now that it's over, I can say that I definitely made the right decision in coming to UC my sophomore year. Graduating is so bittersweet. Of course it's such an exciting time for all of us in our lives; we're moving on to college to be on our own and to start new lives. Then again, we're leaving something we've grown to become so comfortable with, that has helped us to grow, that has taught us so much about life as well as academics and we're leaving our friends we've made over the years. It's something you can't wait for your whole four years of high school and now that it's here, everyone's not as excited as they thought they'd be. Although we all won't be roaming the halls of UC anymore together almost everyday, we've created a bond as the Class of 2011 that will keep us together forever. Strangely enough, during senior year, I think everyone joins together and forms new bonds that will keep us the one and only Union Catholic's Class of 2011.

Well on to some news... This week is a very busy week for us soon to be graduates. Graduation practice has started which means along comes Six Flags, the barbecue and the drive around! Before we know it, graduation day will have come and gone! Wish us all luck!

WELCOME TO UC!

2011-02-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Recently, the Ambassadors, the Admission staff, and many other busy workers at Union Catholic have been working very hard for all the 8th graders hoping to be incoming freshman next year. We started off with the phonathon congratulating all the 8th graders who were accepted, so once again, CONGRATS! Next came the accepted students dance which of course was fun as always. All the accepted students got a chance to meet some of the students they could potentially be in class with next year. Everyone definitely had a great time. The following afternoon was the Q & A session. It gave the parents and their kids a chance to ask any questions they had about the school and to take a tour if they wanted. I made a speech about why I choose Union Catholic and I hope all of you out there were listening! For those who might of missed it to sum it up, Union Catholic has so much to offer and there is a lot for anyone to do here. If you can't find anything, create something! Also, you have to remember to do what you want when choosing your high school, not what your friends or parents want. Most recently, we had registration and it went very well. CONGRATS and WELCOME to all you future Union Catholic students! I'm sorry I won't be with you next year, but I'll be leaving behind a bunch of other great kids for you to spend your next four years with. Good luck!

SNOW

2011-01-08T03:26:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying your break. I know I am especially with all this snow! I can't believe how much snow we have gotten today and apparently they're calling for 16-21 inches overnight and it will probably continue more tomorrow. One of the coolest things though is that we're supposed to be having thunderstorms. There will be thunder and lightening, but instead of rain, it will continue to snow. Interesting, right!? I hope everyone enjoys the snow and remember: BE CAREFUL :)

p.s. too bad this snow couldn't have come a day sooner to give us a white Christmas! but it's okay, this is still awesome!

Jr/Sr Trip

2010-10-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! This past weekend many of the juniors and seniors were able to take a trip to Boston, MA. We left on Thursday during school and just got back on Sunday night. It was a packed weekend and we got a chance to see so many different things, not just in Boston, but in towns like Salem, too! On Thursday we stopped in Rhode Island to get dinner at Dave and Busters. The next morning, we took a duck tour of Boston, walked around at Fannuiel Hall and were able to go on an awesome dinner cruise at night! Saturday was our busiest and longest day. We took a tour of Fenway Park in the morning (GO YANKEES!), went to the JFK Library, ate lunch at the Glouster House for a Lobster Bake, took a witch tour in Salem and went laser tagging at night as a surprise activity! Early the next morning we attended mass at Boston College and started on our five hour journey home.

The junior/senior trips are always so much fun and a nice break from school. Both years that I have gone on the trip I've learned many educational and interesting things of course, but I've made so many more friendships and got to know people so much better in the course of just four days! I definitely recommend everyone going on their junior/senior trip if they get the chance! Unfortunately, this was my last trip, but I'm glad I enjoyed this one so much :)

8th Grade Day of Recollection

2010-09-23T05:21:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Yesterday, four grammar schools visited Union Catholic for the day. They had their 8th grade day of recollection and together with some of the other big brothers and sisters I participated in helping run the day of recollection. Each school was grouped and throughout the day they took part in activities centering around the four speeches that were given on friendship, relationship with God, making decisions, and self-acceptance given by myself, Mike Marciano, Vinny LaRocca, and Jenna Socci. On Thursday, more schools will be coming for the second 8th grade day of recollection. We hope everyone coming is excited and we know they will have a great day!

REMINDER to Parents: Tonight is Back to School Night at 7:00 p.m.! We hope to see you :)

Senior Year!

2010-09-13T07:54:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I cannot believe summer is actually over. I hope everyone enjoyed their break and is ready to start a new school year. Yesterday was my first official day of SENIOR YEAR, which also means it was my last first day at Union Catholic ever :( So far it seems like I'm going to have a great year, but I know it's going to fly by and of course it'll have its rough patches like getting all my college applications in! Juniors: start your college search ASAP! You'll thank me in the end, promise. I hope everyone had a great start to the year so far and I can't wait to see how the rest goes. I'll write more later, bye ! :)

Driving and AP Exams

2010-05-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, May 11th, was my 17th birthday and everyone knows what that means...license! I was extremely nervous and it took me a while to fall asleep the night before. That morning, I left the house at 6:45 am to do a refresher course which I recommend to everyone! It really helped me to be more confident on the actual test. At 8 am I was already in line waiting anxiously, I was first! Around 8:05, a man came into the car to replace my instructor to give me the test. He introduced himself as Edgar and throughout the entire test, he sang "Happy Birthday" to me. After parallel parking (he gave me a high five!) I was no longer nervous, but I knew I couldn't get too excited. The test was quick and easier than I had expected. Getting my license was definitely the best birthday gift I could get! There are so many restrictions against teenagers now that it kind of killed it a little bit, but I'm still about to drive so I'm happy! I personally do not agree with the red stickers that are on my license plates and many of the other rules, but it is the law. There has been talk of Kyleigh's Law being overturned so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

The day after my birthday, I had to take my first AP exam which was English. The test was three hours long and filled with writing essays and answering multiple choice questions, but it wasn't as horrible as I expected. I'm anxious to receive my score back and to see how well I did. I fortunately only took one exam, but there are many kids who had to go through this multiple times. Good luck to all of you who took the exams!

Mr. UC

2010-04-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Not too long ago was the Mr. UC pageant. There were twelve senior boys who were involved. They boys opened up the night with an amazing dance to Single Ladies by Beyonce. Then each boy was introduced and the causal wear section began and following that was the talent portion. The boys were all great and you can tell they worked so hard. There was magic, singing, drums, a lot of dancing, and more! The evening wear portion was after that. Each boy was escorted in by a senior or junior girl from Student Council (I was one of them :) ). Six of the twelve boys were then eliminated by the judges and the remaining six moved on to the trivia portion where four more were eliminated. We were then left with the final two, Nick and Eche. Afterwards, they were asked one last question and the crowd voted. Eche was crowned the new Mr. UC! Congratulations and good job to all those involved! I can't wait for next year!

Les Miserables

2010-03-22T05:24:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, Union Catholic's Performing Arts Company is now performing Les Miserables! Yesterday, all of the students were called down during different periods and were shown a preview. It definitely caught all of our attention and made us want to learn more about what was going on. All of the members of PAC have worked so hard to make this a success and I'm sure it will be. Congrats in advanced! I know I will be seeing the musical soon and I hope to see you all there! Five shows will be performed: March 19, 20, 26, and 27 at 7 p.m. and March 21st at 3 p.m.

P.S. I hope everyone is enjoying the amazing weather! :)

The College Search

2010-03-04T10:42:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, junior year is almost over and my college search has just begun. I knew that finding the right school for me wasn't going to be easy, but I didn't realize how difficult it really would be. There are so many different schools out there and there is so much they all have to offer. There are certain things that I am looking for in a school, like a small campus, good psychology program, etc. These things are important to know because they really help to narrow down your choices. Visiting schools is also a great way to help figure out what you're looking for. Being on campus will really give you the feel of the school and I'm looking forward to so many more visits!

Unfortunately, there are also some unpleasant parts of the college search like the SATs. The SATs are still as major today as they always have been and put many teenagers through stressful times during their junior and senior years of high school. I'm taking the SAT for the first time March 13th and honestly I am very nervous. This is a long, stressful test that will determine a lot about my future. Personally, I don't agree that the SATs should be made as important as they are. One test cannot determine our knowledge and it isn't fair for all those who either aren't good test takers or maybe had a bad day. Many colleges now a days are SAT optional, thankfully. Because of this, I plan on taking the ACT, as well, in the summer.

The college search may seem stressful, but I try to remind myself to take it one step at a time. We can all get through it if we keep that in mind and in the end it will all be worth it when we find the school that is meant for us!

Class of 2014 Acceptance Dance

2010-02-04T08:25:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday was the Class of 2014 Acceptance Dance. All of the incoming freshman and Union Catholic students there had such a great time! Not only was there dancing, but there was food of course and even some Wii games! All the incoming freshman really seemed to get along well and I could tell that this is going to be a great class. It was really good to see everyone getting to know each other. Many kids came with friends, but that didn't stop them from making new friends. This dance definitely helped these future UC students to become more comfortable with each other and the school. It gave them a feel of who they will be seeing around for the next four years. I hope this dance helped some of you 8th graders out there to make your decision on where you want to go to high school. The people you are with is very important since you will be with them for the next four years. Considering what I saw Saturday night, I know I'll see you back here at UC next year with all of these kids by your side walking the halls, sitting in class, and eating lunch with you. I'm glad that the dance turned out to be so much fun and I hope you all feel the same way. See you next year !

Class of 2014

2010-02-02T08:41:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! This past Tuesday was the Class of 2014 Phonathon and many of the Student Ambassadors made calls to all of the incoming freshman. We congratulated them all on being accepted and did our best to answer all of their questions. It was nice to hear how excited they were about coming to Union Catholic and I look forward to seeing them next year! This Saturday is the Accepted Students Dance from 8-11 pm and it should be a lot of fun. The incoming freshman will get to know many of the other kids they will be going to school with in the following year. I hope all of you incoming freshman are looking for to the dance and I hope to see many of you there! On Sunday, there is also a Q&A Session for the Class of 2014 from 1-3 pm so if any of your parents have any questions or if any of you do please come and ask away :) See you over the weekend !

Hello 2010 and Midterms

2010-01-08T09:33:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! I hope you all had a great Christmas break and welcome to 2010! It's definitely weird to write 2010 on all my papers and it's going to take me a while to get used to it. This new year presents us with new opportunities and a new chance to start over once again. So far, the new year has brought us snow :) but also midterms which means half of junior year is already done. Midterms are a stressful time for most people and they are coming upon us quicker than I think we all imagined. My advice to all, especially freshman who are experiencing this for the first time, is to just relax and not to procrastinate! Take your time studying and take advantage of reviewing in class. I know everyone dreads studying, but it will pay off in the end. Good luck to everyone!

Winter Pep Rally and Christmas Break!

2009-12-21T10:37:00.000-08:00

Hey guys, yesterday was our winter pep rally. All of the varsity winter teams were announced and the cheerleaders performed. Afterwards, the step squad and dance team performed, as well. Many activities were going on like the 3 on 3 basketball tournaments against the teachers (who were pretty impressive)! There was also knockout and a half court shot competition. The gym was decorated green, red, and white for Christmas. The pep rally is always a great way to get everyone pumped about the winter season and a great way to leave the school for winter break.

Christmas break is coming before we know it and I'm sure everyone is excited. We could all use a nice break to relax before midterms. Christmas is such an exciting holiday to celebrate whether you're away or at home. It's a great time of year to get together with family and friends and just appreciate all that we have. There are so many fun traditions that come along with Christmas that only make it better. It's also a great way to end the year. Can you believe it? The next time we come back to school it will be 2010 so enjoy 2009 for the next couple of weeks while you can! I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday and break. I'll try and write before we come back to school. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year :)

Christmas Semi Formal and Tree Shopping!

2009-12-09T06:32:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! This past Friday was our Christmas Semi Formal, like I mentioned in my last blog. The gym was completely transformed and looked awesome! Good job to everyone who worked on the gym the days before semi; we all worked really hard to make it great. My friends and I took pictures before we headed to semi. We had a great time together and this was a good way to start the Christmas season.

This weekend, I also went Christmas tree shopping on Sunday. I went with my family, my aunt and uncle, my cousin and her fiancé, and my cousin and her boyfriend. The Christmas tree farm we went to was gigantic and there were so many trees to choose from. Since it snowed the day before, the ground and the trees were covered with snow. All of us decided to have a snow ball fight and we even made a mini snowman. After searching for a while, my mom and aunt finally picked perfect trees. My aunt’s tree was 12 feet tall (our tree was only 8 feet)! Our tree is drying outside of our house right now and we’re all so excited to decorate it soon! Good luck everyone with finding your own Christmas tree :) !

Thanksgiving Weekend!

2009-11-30T10:22:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and enjoyed your nice long weekend. Thanksgiving weekend is usually a time to just eat, relax, and set up Christmas decorations, but this year my family had a lot going on. The day after Thanksgiving was my grandmother’s 70th birthday so my mom, aunt, and uncle decided to throw her a surprise birthday party. Of course, my cousins and I had to help too, so for a lot of the day on Friday we were busy with that. That night the party took place and my grandma sure did seem surprised (although she totally knew all along, you can’t hide anything from her!). I know that she had a great time with all of her friends and family and I could tell everyone else there had a great time, as well. On Saturday, my family also planned to take a trip to Pennsylvania. My other grandparents had bought tickets for us to see a Christmas show. My family, my grandparents, and all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins all drove to Pennsylvania to see the Miracle of Christmas at the Sights and Sounds Theatre. The show was fantastic. There were live animals and the stage was on all sides of the theatre. Finally, Sunday was a day just to relax and enjoy before going back to school. I don’t know if all of you had as busy as a weekend as I did, but I hope you enjoyed it!

Coming up this Friday is our Christmas Semi-Formal. I can’t believe it’s already here! Remember tickets are on sale this week before school and during lunches. We have a lot to do to prepare for semi and everyone should get excited! For all those who are not yet in high school, semi is definitely something you should look forward to! I’ll write more about it next week! :)

November Updates

2009-11-17T04:39:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! I’m sorry it’s been so long since I’ve written. A lot has been going on and it’s all been happening so fast. Halloween has already passed and now it’s almost Thanksgiving! Can you believe that? Thanksgiving is only 10 days away :) The first marking period just recently ended and report cards were sent out. I think everyone is relieved that we get to start fresh this marking period. The first is always the hardest because we all have to adjust and get back into school mode after the summer, but we all made it!

Not too long ago was the Junior Ring Ceremony and it was a very exciting night for us juniors. These rings are something great for us all to look at and remember high school, our friends and everything we’ve been through in the 4 years (well for some people like me, 3 years and for new transfers, 2). It reminded us how close we are to graduating and that we need to enjoy high school while we can and preserve all our memories.

Discover UC days/nights have also been going on recently. A couple weekends ago the first one of the year took place and there is another one Tuesday, November 17th at 7 pm. You’ll get to see our school, ask any questions you have and learn a lot about Union Catholic. So parents and students definitely come check it out!

Back to School!

2009-10-02T07:52:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, I can’t believe it’s already October! Already so much has been going on and the year has started off great. I think everyone is pretty settled in school and we’re all back into the swing of things. Our field is looking better and better every day and it will soon be ready for games :). If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s definitely something to check out! Everyone is so excited for it. Last Thursday was the 8th Grade Day of Recollection and those lucky 8th graders were able to see the field. They had a day full of fun activities that helped them to get to know each other and the school. They had a lot of questions for us, the big brothers & sisters, who were working the day! If any of you ever have questions, always feel free to ask!

P.S. The gymnastics team won our first meet of the season on Tuesday against Dayton! All the girls did very well and we're hoping to do just as well today at the Cougar Invitational. Wish us luck!

End of Summer

2009-09-02T14:25:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I know it’s sad that summer’s ending, but it is :[ I’ve had a pretty busy last couple of weeks, but it’s turning out to be a great ending to the summer. First of all, my grandpa took my two cousins and me to the Boston/Yankee game August 6th. We had amazing seats and the game was great (those of you who watched it and love the Yankees know they beat Boston 13-6)! Pretty soon after that my grandparents, parents, sisters, brother, aunts, uncles, cousins, and great aunts all made tomato sauce together. It’s a tradition in my family and we always make it every year. Making the sauce takes a lot of work. The night before we have to wash and peel all the tomatoes (keep in mind there were 17 huge bushels filled to the top with tomatoes!). The next morning at 5:30 am there are many other steps you have to complete before the sauce is finished like, washing the basil, taking the seeds out of the tomatoes, and boiling them. It’s a lot of work, but worth it in the end! Last weekend I went to see Taylor Swift in concert with three of my friends. She was amazing and I had a great time! I would definitely recommend for anyone to go see her if you have the chance! Also last weekend, I went tubing in the Delaware River with my family. I know that seems kind of random, but it was a lot of fun! The river is so calm, peaceful, and surprisingly warm. It’s a great place to go with a group of people, relax and enjoy yourself.
Even though I enjoyed all of that and I want it to continue, I know schools is starting soon. I had orientation today and it was great to see everyone again. I know you guys might want to hold off on school for a little while longer, but I’m sure once you’re there you’re going to be happy to see all your friends (maybe not so happy to see the school work though, but who is?!). For everyone out there who is a new student, transfer or freshman, don’t stress. You’re going to have an awesome school year and you’re going to meet so many new people. And all you freshman, I’ll see you at your orientation tomorrow!

European Discovery '09! I Gotta Feeling...

2009-08-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I am finally back in the United States again and have gotten over my jetlag! Europe was awesome and I’m so glad I was lucky enough to go. I met so many amazing people and saw so many amazing things! Out of all the countries I went to, Switzerland surprised me the most and Italy was my favorite. France was first and we went to many different places like the Louvre, Versailles, and the Eiffel Tower (which was my favorite! My friends and I had a blast climbing all the way to the top and racing down :) ). In Austria we learned a traditional Austrian dance, which was a lot of fun. We each stayed with our own family in Germany and for three days got to experience the life of a German teen. Switzerland like I said, was the country that surprised me the most. Everyone had told me that it was beautiful, but I didn’t expect it to be as breathtaking as it was. We didn’t spend that much time there, but I would love to go back there someday. We stayed in the mountains in Switzerland and met up with the New York People to People group on the boat ride to our hotel. It was pouring rain and was the loudest and craziest boat ride I’ve ever been on. Italy was last, but certainly not least. It was where we spent the most days. On our first day we went to Venice (which is my favorite city in Italy) and rode in gondolas! We also went to places like the Catacombs, the Coliseum, and the Vatican. Our last day in Italy we had a scavenger hunt around Rome; we separated into groups and had to use the map to find different tourist attractions like the Trevi Fountain. When we were there we had to answer a question like, ‘how many columns are on the Trevi Fountain?’ to prove we actually we there. Oh, the gelato was DELICIOUS! I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to have regular ice cream again!

I had a fantastic time in Europe and I’m so lucky I was able to have this experience. I’ve now been to so many beautiful places and seen many things people never get to see in their life. I mean, how many people do you know that can say they went all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower? I also met some great people who, over the course of three weeks, have now become some great friends. I had such a great time and maybe I'll get to do it again next summer :)

P.S. If you're wondering about the title, our group song was I Gotta Feeling and we would listen to it every morning on the bus. It was insane when we all got into it! haha

P.P.S. The picture at the top is me with a couple of my friends sitting outside our hotel in Tuscany, Italy! The view was gorgeous!

SUMMER 2009

2009-07-10T14:30:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I know it’s been a while, but summer has been a little crazy so far for me. During the last week of school I got the flu :/ so I was out for a while and had to make up all of my finals after everyone was already done with school. After that I’ve been spending a lot of time down the shore, driving around with my permit :D and preparing for my trip to Europe. I leave on SUNDAY! Wow, I can’t believe it came this fast. I’m a little nervous, but I’m also getting more and more excited. I know I’m going to have an awesome time. I’m definitely going to take a lot of pictures and tell you all about it!

I hope everyone is having a great summer and I know you don’t want it to end, but I hope you’re all excited for the new school year! It'll be here before we know it! I know that even though I love summer, I’m pretty excited to be a junior. For all of you new students, you should be excited too. Coming to a new school, particularly high school can be scary, but there’s no need to worry. Union Catholic is very friendly, welcoming, and easy to get around. You're going to meet a lot of new, great people who will become you're closest friends over the next four years. Also, remember that you always have your Big Brothers and Big Sisters to help you!

Keep enjoying your summer and when I get back to the USA I’ll write more. Maybe if I can get on a computer in one of my hotels, I’ll blog!

Weekly Update!

2009-06-04T17:29:00.000-07:00

For those of us at UC, we had a pretty packed week! This past Monday, a funeral was held for Sister Eloise, one of our freshman guidance counselors. It took place at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung, where Sister Eloise was previously the directress. The mass was very nice and very crowded with all those who loved her. She will definitely be missed and remembered forever. On Tuesday, the 9th, 10th, and 11th graders went to Great Adventure for the day. Everyone was nervous when we left because it was raining, but when we got to Great Adventure the weather was hot. In fact, it was almost too hot! I had so much fun and I know everyone else did, too. I can’t wait for next year! Wednesday was a very special day for the juniors. They had their Rite of Passage ceremony and are now officially seniors! Technically, I am now a junior along with the rest of my sophomore, wait, JUNIOR class :] Now, we’re all starting to review for our final exams as the year comes to a close. Good luck everyone!

UC Phonathon and Memorial Day!

2009-05-20T08:46:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Last night I helped out with the phonathon at UC. Some other sophomores and I came to the school last night to make some phone calls to alumni. We were calling about the 2008-2009 Annual Fund. All the donations made to school help each and every person in the building. It helps with many things that we as students need, do, and participate in every day. Every gift is important and appreciated no matter how small or large. For many of us it was the first time. We were handed lists of alumni and got to work! Some of us got answering machines, disconnected numbers, and alumni not interested, but some of us also got donations! :)
As I’m sure you all are aware, Memorial Day weekend is this weekend! Today is our last day in school for the week at UC and we are all definitely looking forward to the five day weekend. I know that I’m going down the shore and I hope you all have something fun planned. Have a great Memorial Day weekend everyone :) and I’ll blog again next week!

Birthdays and Summer Trips

2009-05-15T06:52:00.000-07:00

May is a busy month for birthdays, at least in my family. These past couples of weeks have been birthday celebrations right after another including mine on Monday :] and last night was my cousins. One of my birthday presents was my trip to Europe that I told you in my last blog I would tell you more about, so here we go! In the beginning of this year, I got a letter from a student ambassadors group called People to People which was started by President Eisenhower in 1956. I had always gotten these letters in the past, but I ignored them until this year. The reason I decided to open the letter this year was because last summer, my friend Michelle went to Australia with this program and had a great time. Three of my friends had also gotten the same letter this year and I was convinced to go. The next step was convincing my parents to let me go to four different foreign countries without them. I still don’t know how it happened, but now I’m getting closer and closer everyday to traveling around the world with a great group of people including 2 of my best friends. I can’t wait to go to Italy, France, Switzerland, and Austria this summer and I’m grateful my parents are allowing me. I’ll keep you updated with my trip!

Class Rings and Progress Reports

2009-05-06T09:12:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! First, as you know there was an open house last week and it was my first time working a UC open house. I am glad to say it went very well and hopefully those of you who went to the open house, I’ll see soon! Second, not too long ago the sophomores had an assembly about our class rings we will get as juniors if we order them. There are many different types of rings you can get and there are many ways to make it your own. There are so many choices of designs like different sports and activities. Also, you can engrave your name or whatever you would like on the inside of your ring. The stone we will all have on our rings is Viking blue. I wasn’t so sure at first if I really wanted a class ring, but last night I asked my parents (who both went here) to see their class rings. My mom’s ring is a lot like what I had in mind for mine and my dad’s is definitely unique (I noticed an inscription on the inside of his ring that he’s keeping a secret! Haha) I decided that a class ring would be a great way to remember my time here at UC and I just ordered it at lunch. Now I get to participate in the Junior Ring Ceremony next year!
Once again, it’s time for progress reports. This is the last progress report of the year which is scary and exciting at the same time. As usual, everyone’s a little nervous for them, but like I said, excited because that means were almost done with the year! It’s scary that the year’s almost over, I feel like it just started! But, I won’t complain because I can’t wait for summer and I’m pretty sure all of you can’t either. This summer of course will be spent mostly doing gymnastics, hanging out with friends, and being at the beach. I am also going on a trip to Europe, but that is something I’ll blog about next time!

Spring Updates!

2009-04-24T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I hope everyone had a fun Spring Break and is finally back into school mode. Believe it or not, summer is only a few months away so before we end for the year there are still some things coming up. Our Spring Open House is scheduled for next Wednesday, April 29th for all interested in coming. I will be there as part of my new ambassador duty :] and of course because I hope to see all of you there!

As my first year as a transfer is coming to a close, I would sum it up as being pretty great. In just ten months I have made new friends, learned things outside and inside the class, joined a team and activities in school, and I have truly felt like a part of Union Catholic. I am glad to say that my year as a transfer was a success and I am looking forward to next year. Some of that has to do with my brother coming here next year. It has been a couple years since I’ve been in school with him and it’ll be a nice change to have him back in school with me. It will be nice to see the face of a family member around here. I’m also looking forward to being an upperclassman (which means different skirts!), a new gymnastics season, ambassadors, blogging, and more. I hope all of you are looking forward to your next whether you’re still in middle school, moving on to high school or college.

Spring Break, Interviews, and Report Cards

2009-04-02T10:51:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Can you believe this year is almost over? Spring break is coming fast and before you know it, it'll be June! I know that along with many other students I can't wait for Spring Break! I am so excited! Every year I go to Florida with my family to visit my grandparents and this year my cousin is coming too. Usually we go to Disney and we might even go to Sea World this year also. I hope you all have a great Spring Break and I’ll keep you updated on mine.
Since the year is almost over, we all have a lot to do to prepare for next year. As an upperclassman next year, there are more opportunities for me. Some of the biggest activities the juniors and seniors can apply for are Student Ambassadors, Peer Ministry, and Big Brother/Big Sister. I applied for all three and just a couple days ago I handed in my Big Brother/Big Sister application. Besides handing in applications, interviews are also part of the process. Many students have been interviewed and just recently this morning I had my interview for Student Ambassadors. Right before school ended I found out that I was accepted! A lot of my friends are also Student Ambassadors. I know that this will be a great experience for all of us and we're all lucky to be able to represent Union Catholic. There will be a spring open house which I will be working at so I hope to see you all there!

Also, I’m sure everyone is excited that it’s the fourth marking period, but that also means the third marking period is over and we have to get our report cards soon. As usual, everyone’s a little nervous because they’re being mailed today! I think I did well this marking period and good luck to all of you, too.
I hope everyone has a fun and safe Spring Break! I'll blog again soon!

Class of 2013!

2009-03-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Class of 2013 is now official! All of you have gotten your acceptance letters now and are getting ready to join us at UC. It’s pretty exciting to know you’re almost out of middle school and moving on to high school! My younger brother is part of the Class of 2013. I know he is looking forward to next year and I’m sure you all are. I know my brother has questions sometimes about UC and it’s good that he asks me. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions to have about next year!
This Friday, is the Class of 2013 Lock-in. I know that my brother is going and I will be there also. There will be games, food, and of course your new classmates! I hope everyone is planning on coming and if you haven’t responded you can e-mail Mr. Luciano and let him know you are coming dluciano@unioncatholic.org . I hope to see you there!

REACH

2009-02-25T06:41:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! I thought that I would tell you guys all about REACH which is a new club at UC. Sophomores and two friends of mine, Michelle and Sean, have just formed REACH this year. REACH stands for Raising Educated Awareness for the Cause HIV. This club is all about HIV and aids awareness. The goal is to help children and teens afflicted with HIV somewhere in their lives whether it is their parents or themselves.
REACH has just finished a book drive for the Academy Street Fire House in Newark which is a shelter for anyone who has issues with HIV and aids. The goal was to collect 200 books and around 675 books were collected. There are new projects already starting up. REACH is raffling off two red iPod nanos that have REACH engraved on the back. Also, Staples has given us a 500 dollar grant worth of school supplies. Last club period, all the members assembled back packs with schools supplies which will be given to the Academy Street Fire House.
I am an active member in this club and I think it is a great club for anyone to join. If you’re an incoming freshman or even currently a student in the school and have not joined the club, I recommend joining. It is a fun club that does great things for a great cause.

Hello 2009!

2009-01-28T20:56:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Wow, so much has happened since I last blogged. Sorry it has been awhile. Here at Union Catholic we have had Winter Pep Rally, Winter break, Christmas, the start of a new year and semester, midterms, and report cards are coming out soon!
Winter Pep Rally was so much fun because I actually got to watch instead of participate in it this time around! Winter break was a lot of fun, as usual. It was great to relax and hang out with my friends. Like my great grandma used to say, “Another Christmas come and gone”, and boy, was she right! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and got what they wanted. New Years was a blast and it came even faster. One of the other bloggers, Megan, celebrated New Years with me and she wrote about it on her blog, Girl Talk. When we all returned from winter break a new semester was just beginning and we had to get right down to studying because midterms were just around the corner. Midterms can be very stressful, but when they’re done and over with you feel good about it. Report cards are coming very soon along with our midterm grades. Wish me luck!
Can you believe the year is pretty much half over? It’s going by so quickly and I’m very happy to say that life as a transfer is going great. I can’t wait for the rest of the year and to fill you guys in on it, too!

Banquet and Semi

2008-12-01T17:17:00.000-08:00

Hey guys, I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving! Not too long ago we had our fall sports banquet and I got my varsity letter :) It was so much fun and if you play a sport or want to try out for one, the banquet is something to look forward to! Also, our Christmas semi formal is coming up and I can’t wait to tell you all about it. I have my dress, my hair plans, and my date, but I’ll still have a boot on my foot :( Oh well, a big black boot won’t stop me from having fun!

I'll blog about more after semi!

Sectionals and Report Cards

2008-11-18T07:35:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago, the gymnastics team qualified four all-around competitors for Sectionals. I was one of them! We all made shirts and we were pumped for the meet. Unfortunately for me, I hurt my right foot while I was warming up for bars, the third event. I had to stop competing and after going to the doctors, I found out I have torn ligaments and a mild fracture

:(. Our whole team did a great job and senior, Ellen, qualified for States! We had fun, achieved some team goals, and had a great season this year.

Also, we received our report cards recently. The week of report cards is such a stressful week for students and teachers. Teachers are always trying to squeeze in some last tests and quizzes and students are always so stressed because of all the new work. Everyone gets a little nervous for report cards, just like I did. I’m happy with my grades and I’m relieved report card time is over. Today and tomorrow, there is an honor roll breakfast for kids who made it on the honor roll. I made honor roll :) and tomorrow, my parents and I are going to the breakfast.

Pep Rally!

2008-10-22T20:28:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, we had our first pep rally of the year and my first pep rally at UC. Everyone in the school either participated in the pep rally by walking out with their fall sports team, playing in the volleyball game, or supporting the school by cheering in the bleachers. Every one either wore blue and white or their uniform to show school spirit. Signs were also hung up around the gym representing each sports team. After each team walked out, the gymnastics team (that's me!) did a routine and the crowd got excited! After that kids from each grade participated in a volleyball game. The freshman played against juniors; the sophomores against the seniors. The juniors and seniors won their games and the seniors got to play against the teachers.
The whole school was excited and the energy was high for the pep rally. This is definitely an event to look forward to every sports season. Incoming freshman get excited for it! If you do a sport that’s great, if not why not try out for something new, you never know. You could discover that you are really good at it. If you don’t do a sport, get involved one way or another. Getting involved in UC through clubs or sports teams will really help you through each year. You meet new people and have fun. It’s a great opportunity and it will really help you feel like you are really part of the school.

PSATs and Counties

2008-10-17T07:22:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday all of the sophomores and juniors took the PSATs. The PSATs are a standardized test made for sophomores and juniors as a practice SAT test. It doesn’t count for much since its just practice, but try your best because you could get a scholarship for it. We had a half day on Wednesday and the PSAT took up the whole day. Even though I knew it was practice it still got me a little nervous. Although, it was long it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be and I’m glad it’s over with!
I’m on the UC gymnastics team and today will be my second time competing. (I wasn’t allowed to compete earlier in the year because I had to wait 30 days, but my 30 days are finally over!) Today after school is counties. Many schools will be competing in this meet from all over Union County. I’m nervous to compete, but I’m also excited. It’s fun to compete not only with your team, but with other teams from all over especially if you know other competitors. Wish us all luck!

Month One!

2008-10-02T05:27:00.000-07:00

Hi guys, life as a transfer is going great so far! First of all, wow, I can’t believe the first month of school is already over! The first week was crazy adjusting to everything, but I got the hang of it soon enough. I have already met a lot of great people and I’m so glad to have made so many new friends. Not too long ago was the welcome back dance. For all of you who didn’t go, be sure to come next year, and 8th graders look forward to it! I had a great time and I’m sure everyone else did, too. Freshman for a day has already started (my brother was here yesterday) and the open house is tonight! Be sure to come for a day and check out the open house!