Humanities Teacher - High School

High Tech High School students earn national recognition in Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Competition. High Tech High School is proud to announce that several of its students have been named top honorees in the 2026 National High School Design Competition, hosted by the prestigious Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Out of nearly 700 submissions nationwide, work from the following High Tech High School students was selected to be featured on the competition's official interactive map, which showcases exemplary student innovation across the United States: Group: Matthew Kubowicz, Daniel Milanov, and Ethan Isenberg * Viviana Diaz * Angel Hernandez * Kevin Riera * Teo Dierig (Industrial Design) In honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States, this year's challenge tasked students with designing visionary solutions for the future of their communities. The recognized projects from High Tech High School stand out for their creativity, technical innovation, and commitment to solving real-world challenges. The school credits the success of these students to the guidance of CTE Instructor Vanessa Batista, who integrated the national competition into her curriculum to foster design thinking and civic engagement. "We are incredibly proud of our students for earning national recognition in such a competitive and impactful program," said Gregory Simon, Supervisor at High Tech High School. "Opportunities like this highlight the strength of our CTE programs and the visionary thinking our students bring to challenges that truly matter to their communities." The public is invited to explore the recognized student work on the interactive competition map. High Tech High School congratulates all participating students and celebrates this achievement on a national platform.

High Tech High School team wins Best Overall Tower at NJ Architecture Week STEAM Challenge. High Tech High School is proud to announce that its student team, the Laser Cat Archies, earned the Best Overall Tower Award at the NJ Architecture Week Women's STEAM Interscholastic High School Architecture Tower Challenge, held at Hackensack High School on April 14, 2026. Hosted by the AIA Architects League of Northern New Jersey, the competition brings together students from across Northern New Jersey for a day of hands-on design and real-world problem-solving. Now in its third year, the program continues to expand access to architecture and has received national recognition through an AIA K-12 Architecture Week Grant. Representing High Tech High School and the Design and Fabrication Academy (D|Fab), CTE Architecture instructor Vanessa Batista's team, The Laser Cat Archies, included Yashika Rathore, Emma Conway, Lorin Saer, Jaela Rodriguez, Arianna Graziani, and Gisset Hernandez. Competing against eight teams and approximately 50 participants, the team stood out for its strong combination of technical skill, creativity, and collaboration. Students designed mixed-use towers using digital modeling software while working within real-world constraints such as zoning requirements and floor area ratio (FAR). They also constructed physical models, tested for seismic performance, and presented their work to a panel of architects. Throughout the day, participants worked alongside industry mentors, some of whom serve on the HCST Architecture CTE Advisory Committee, providing valuable real-world insight and strengthening connections between the classroom and the profession. The event featured a keynote by Elizabeth Pacheco, who encouraged students to explore careers in architecture and the built environment. "There wasn't a single dull moment," said student Kholoud Lahcini. "Even under pressure, working together made all the difference - and winning made it even more rewarding." The achievement of the Laser Cat Archies highlights the impact of collaboration, resilience, and creative thinking - key skills that will continue to shape their future work in architecture and design.

High Tech High School students win "coup de Cœur" Award at prestigious international French Theater Festival in New York. Students from High Tech High School have been honored with the "Coup de Cœur du Costume" award at the 2026 Première Scène Theater Festival, hosted by the Cultural Center of the Lycée Français de New York. The festival, a cornerstone of the Francophone cultural calendar since 1999, brings together over 400 students from the United States, Canada, France, and beyond. This year's theme, "Curiosité" (Curiosity), challenged participants to perform original or excerpted works in French, limited to five minutes with minimal set design. The High Tech High School ensemble( Milan Zhu, Soolim Bae, Kohana Matsuno) captivated the jury with the scene titled, "Une voyante qui n'a pas perdu la boule !" (A fortune teller who hasn't lost her marbles!). "Winning the 'Coup de Cœur' is a testament to our students' creativity and their ability to blend language arts with visual storytelling," said Dr. Laje Gashi. "To compete on an international stage at the Lycée Français and be recognized by a professional jury is an incredible milestone for our French program." The Première Scène festival provides a unique immersion experience, requiring students to master complex French dialogue while performing in front of a live audience and a distinguished jury of artists and educators. High Tech High School's success highlights the strength of its world language department and its commitment to providing students with global cultural opportunities.