High School Newsbite: February 9th, 2026

Posted Date: 02/09/26 (02:59 PM)

South Hunterdon High School Newsbite dated February 9th, 2026.

CJMEA Regions Chorus

A diverse group of young people in blue and gold choir robes stand on risers, facing forward.

Two smiling young women in matching blue choir robes stand in front of gray lockers.

A diverse group of young people in choir robes stand on a stage, facing forward.

Leticia Aguilar and Grace Horvath were accepted to the CJMEA Regions Chorus, a prestigious auditioned choir open to HS students from participating school districts in Central NJ. It is an opportunity for advanced students from different highschools to work on high-level repertoire with renowned choral directors. They spent two weekends attending rehearsals to prepare for the final concert held February 1st.

90's Day

Three young people are gathered around a table, cutting and pasting images from magazines.

A young woman smiles while reading 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' in a library.

The SHRHS library hosted a "90s Day" to celebrate the 90th day of school and passing the half-way mark for the school year! Students totally loved the 90s music, 90s books, and a collage bookmark craft. Hunterdon County Teen Librarian Sarah Pike was on hand with 90s books give-aways and info about upcoming HCL teen programs like Teen Comic & Cartoon Workshops and Teen Writing "Draft Labs" and genre workshops.

Mrs. Deiley's History Lessons

A bulletin board displays inspirational figures with motivational phrases like 'Work Like Oprah' and 'Dream Like Martin'.

Black History Month
Mrs. Deiley's History classes are celebrating Black History Month in a creative and thoughtful way!

Students are prompted to choose an African American to research. Next, they create a one-pager full of illustrations, quotes, and written analysis that highlight their achievements.

A wall display features student projects on historical figures like Harriet Tubman, Malcolm X, and Barack Obama.

A drawing depicts Martin Luther King Jr. with biographical facts and quotes, including "I Have a Dream."

A collage of inspirational figures and their achievements, including Rosa Parks, Bessie Coleman, Jackie Robinson, Oprah Winfrey, Muhammad Ali, and Jesse Owens.

Meanwhile, Ms. Deiley's US1 Honors Class recently participated in an 1800's “speed dating” game with reformers to find the perfect “match.”

A desk displays a handwritten note about Walt Whitman, a copy of 'Leaves of Grass', and a history textbook titled 'The Americans'.

Two students are seated at desks in a classroom, engaged in an activity.

Students work at desks in a classroom, with inspirational posters of historical figures on the wall.

Students work at desks in a classroom, with a bulletin board displaying inspirational words and figures.

Assembly

A large screen displays "ADDICTED 2 LIFE" with a vibrant, radial background.

Addicted to Life Assembly

Last week, our 9th and 10th graders attended an assembly titled Addicted to Life, an immersive two-hour session on drug and alcohol prevention.

Life Changing Experiences New Jersey, delivers innovative 3D educational programs aimed at educating students and changing risky behaviors. Addicted to Life, is an immersive two-hour session on drug and alcohol prevention, funded by the State of New Jersey, which utilizes the latest technology to captivate students and foster positive behavioral intentions, with demonstrated success in tackling this important issue.

During the assembly, students:

Took a journey into the human body to understand how drugs affect users physically and mentally.
Experienced theoretical knowledge transformed into a captivating and powerful reality.
Learned how drugs and alcohol impact both individuals and their surroundings.
Discovered healthier alternatives for achieving true happiness and making better decisions.

Years of research show that Addicted to Life encourages young people to develop positive behavioral intentions.

Thank you Mr. Pedersen and Mrs. Keck for arranging this assembly for our students.

Festival of the Arts

Congratulations to all of the student artists and performers, as well as our dedicated staff members, for creating another incredible Festival of the Arts. Some amazing talent was on display last Friday night, when students showcased their hard work and creativity. Special thank you to Ms. Kady Johnson, Ms. Joanna Netta, Mrs. Laura DiStaulo and Ms. Jocelyn Alam for their hard work and leadership!

A wall displays a collection of diverse artworks, including portraits, landscapes, and abstract pieces.

Two young women smile in front of a display of colorful artwork, including a large painting on an easel.

A detailed sculpture of a shark with its mouth open, displayed at an art exhibition.

A miniature art studio with a painting of an apple on an easel, yarn, and craft supplies.

A detailed model of the Eiffel Tower stands on a green base with miniature trees and blue ponds.

A display of Halloween-themed artwork and crafts under blue lighting.

A display of colorful, sculpted figures and artwork illuminated by blue light.

A miniature bakery scene with shelves stocked with colorful pastries and baked goods.

Five women stand together in front of a blue stage curtain, smiling.

A group of people in black attire stand on a stage in front of a lit backdrop.

Senior Yeselin Recinos has become an entrepreneur with her own crochet business! Her beautiful and detailed work was on display at the Festival of Arts. This is great example of how a student's creative potential can flourish into a practical future goal beyond the classroom. Thank you, Yeselin, for sharing your craft with us!

A display table showcases various crocheted items, including a cat, cacti, and face masks, against a stone wall.

A young woman smiles while sitting next to a display of crocheted items at an art festival.

A display of colorful, handmade crochet tops and pants hangs on a rack against a stone wall.

Black History Month Book Display

Five students stand in front of a bookshelf displaying Black History Month selections.

A young woman browses books in a library, with a Black History Month display in the foreground.

Two students, a boy and a girl, look at a laptop screen in a library setting.

In honor Black History Month, South's Black Student Union curated a thoughtful selection of books for a library display highlighting black history. The collection also included fiction by Black authors, amplifying Black voices and their stories across genres. Thank you to the BSU members Jiondae Dewald, Juneabea Horsnall, Liz Lizmarie, Kalief Troutman, and Cameron Barlow and Library Squad member Breanna Tustison for this wonderful collaboration!

This national celebration has its roots in the work of historian Carter G. Woodson, who founded an organization to research and highlight African American life, achievements, and history. By 1926, a week was set aside in February to celebrate African American history. Fifty years later, in 1976, President Ford officially designated February as "Black History Month." Since then, it has been an annual national celebration. For more reading ideas, explore SHRHS Library's "Diverse Representation: Black/African-American" booklist.

A young woman browses books displayed for Black History Month in a library.

Two young men collaborate on a laptop in a library, surrounded by bookshelves.

A young person smiles while holding the book "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" in a library.

Ms. Horton's 9th grade English class stopped by the library for a quick visit to hear about available resources for celebrating Black History Month, including the Black Student Union's display.

Students in a library setting, with a whiteboard displaying "Black History Month Books" and shelves of books.

Students sit at tables in a library, facing a projector screen displaying information.

January Student & Athlete of the Month

South Hunterdon Regional High School student Jason Top Conde is recognized as Student of the Month for January.

South Hunterdon Regional High School January Athlete of the Month: Connor Keyes.

Congratulations to the January Student of the Month, Jason Top-Conde, and the January Athlete of the Month, Conner Keyes.

Jason Top-Conde is an outstanding student who consistently demonstrates strong academic excellence, a positive attitude, and a genuine commitment to his learning. He is thoughtful, driven, and a pleasure to have in the school community, setting a high standard for himself and those around him.

Connor Keyes has been a standout leader on the basketball court, consistently demonstrating determination, sportsmanship, and an exceptional work ethic. His commitment to both his teammates and the game has played a key role in the team’s success this month. Connor’s positive attitude and competitive drive truly embody what it means to be a student-athlete.

We caught up with Jason Top-Conde to learn more about his experience at South Hunterdon.

Q: What motivates you to succeed as a South Hunterdon student?

JTC: Something that motivates me to succeed as a South Hunterdon student would probably be the desire to be successful in the future. I want to do something to help my communities in one way or another. So to fulfill that goal, I try to put some high expectations for myself while also making sure they're obtainable and realistic. I feel like being successful as a South Hunterdon student also allows me to grow as a person and allows me to figure out my weaknesses in courses, which allows me to improve on any concepts that I may be struggling with.

Q: What is your favorite subject or class, and why? What do you enjoy learning about the most?

JTC: It's really difficult to choose one class since all my classes are enjoyable, but if I had to pick a favorite subject or class, I would have to say History. I find history interesting because there have been many events that occurred in the past that makes us live in the society we have today. Whether that be through a riot, a protest, a court case, or a war, it becomes interesting to see how people have progressed from now to back then. It's also interesting to compare how they accomplished things from back then to how we currently resolve issues.

Q: Do you know what you would like to do after high school? Can you share any future goals?

JTC: To be honest, I'm still unsure of what I'd like to do after high school, but I do know there are some things I can say for sure. I know that I want to go back to California and go to college in California, but I'm not sure what I want to major in. A career that I want to aim for in the future is to be a lawyer. I'm not exactly sure what type of lawyer I would want to be since there are many fields to specialize in. If I had to think of potential fields to focus on, I would want to focus on criminal defense, civil, or immigration law.

Q: What does South's motto, Work Hard, Be Kind, mean to you?

JTC: South's motto, Work Hard, Be Kind, means that students should work hard while also being kind to their peers. At the end of the day, everyone will grow and have their own ideas for what they wish to accomplish in their futures, but in the process of doing that, people should also have empathy and respect for others. Not everyone will have the same mindset as another student, but each student will put in as much effort as they want to accomplish something, meaning others should respect that decision rather than judging the student as a whole.

Q: Is there someone at South Hunterdon who has been a role model? What have they done to inspire you as a student?

JTC: There isn't really a singular person who has been a role model to me. Rather, I feel like it's mainly my classmates who give me the most inspiration. Whether a student is a close friend of mine or is someone I rarely talk to, I can see how they work together to help each other succeed, ask questions to overcome their weaknesses, learn from their mistakes, and much more. In my classes, I see how they try their best to achieve their goals, whether that is through making quizlets to memorize key terms or making full-on study plans for upcoming tests. Seeing how my classmates aim to accomplish their goals inspired me to set up my own goals to be successful.

Thank you, Jason, for taking the time to share more about your learning experience, and best of luck in the future!

Eagles Insider

This week's episode features the Festival of the Arts, staff and student hobbies, Superbowl commercials, winter horoscopes and strange sports.

What's Coming Up?

Dark blue velvet curtains frame a misty forest scene with the text 'INTO THE WOODS'.

South Hunterdon High School Presents: Into the Woods

Directed by Laura DiStaulo
Music Directed by Jocelyn Alam

Performance Dates

Thursday, February 26
Friday, February 27
Saturday, February 28

Embark on a magical journey with South Hunterdon High School’s production of Into the Woods! This beloved musical weaves together the tales of classic fairy-tale characters — Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack (of beanstalk fame), and Rapunzel — as they venture into the woods to pursue their deepest desires.

Along the way, they discover that wishes come with consequences, and happily ever after isn’t always what it seems. Full of heart, humor, and unforgettable songs by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, Into the Woods reminds us that life’s twists and turns are part of our own stories.

Don’t miss your chance to experience this enchanting musical adventure performed by our talented students! Tickets are available for purchase HERE.

February 13 Make-Up Snow Day
February 16 No School: Presidents' Weekend

A banner displays school logos featuring eagles and the text 'Eagles', 'SH', and 'SOUTH HUNTERDON REGIONAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL'.

Click HERE to see the Elementary School Newsbite
Click HERE to see the Middle School Newsbite