“Education is the key to unlocking the doors of opportunity and success” HS 223 is the door to these opportunities that will make the success of students for generations and generations.
Last month, on January 10th 2024, 223 hosted a big event led by a non-profit organization called the MOTH.
A moth is an education program that works with young adults and teachers in order to build community, relationships through storytelling such as short stories, slam etc, performance and workshop. This program is a way for students to be heard and be connected to other teens like them and create bonds. The storytelling/slam of the student will be after release as a podcast.
The program took place after school and its focus is on high school students from 10th to 12th. They will participate in a 8 week program where a moth teacher will assist them.
For HS 223 the students do not need to go to the Moth office at Manhattan to participate because the school partners up with Moth, so students from the school can do the moth within the wall of the school with a teacher from the school and another partner or outside of the school that works with them.
At 4pm the seniors of HS 223 will go to Ms Lantazio, an English teacher room, to give a presentation of their story they made. Jonathan Cabral will be the host of the event. Mr Khan is the teacher who is mostly in charge of it and teaches the seniors about all aspects of storytelling, art, presenting ect.
There are 5 seniors from HS 223 who will be presenting. The students presenting names were Briant DeJesus, Kennedy Betances, Sarahi Romano, Chris Oterno and Katie Urena. Each of them will present a short story they have made and it focuses on their personal life. Kennedy explained that the program “ was a very nice place, with a small group of people. Because of it I got the chance to learn more about my classmates and build new friendships along the way.” For Christ being in the program “ I feel like he really helps me with my public speaking ability and I am really glad because it pushes my comfort zone because it is something I wouldn’t have done before. After the presentation of his story Christ exclaimed that “ he felt good and happy, i had the chance to do something i did not do before. I feel that I learn that I do enjoy speaking in public.” For each student who participated in the program they have learned new things and experiences and discovered a part of themselves they did not know or have before. The moth is like to build a community within your circle and outside of the circle.
Briant‘s story focuses on when he is immigration from D.R. to NYC. When his parents told him he would come here he was sad, flustered because he could not take his dog (Bibi) to come with him. Leaving his dog behind was heartbroken, he was angry because he thought that it was his parents fault that he couldn’t take his dog with him. When he came to NYC after some time his mom gave him a dog named “Coco.” The dog resembled Bibi a lot. Having this new dog he started reflecting about his actions in the past and his parents and started understanding little by little about why his parents didn’t let him take his dog bibi. At the end of the presentation Briant stated a beautiful remark: “Our loved ones always heal our wounds but maybe it takes time”
Kennedy’s story focuses on her searching for a job as a barista. In the summer of 2022 she wants to be a barista, even if she has no experience before. She applies to a lot of cafes in order to work. Eventually she got a job, she was so happy, and excited for her new job. Her first day she wore an outfit that matched the cafe design. She did all the tasks that a barista does ( made cafes, served, and washed dishes).
In the cafe one of her colleagues was from D.R. The colleague asked how old she was and she said 16 and the colleague was shocked because she looked older than why they hired her. When the manager found out he didn’t call her the next day it was like he fired her from her job. When she got home she was devastated because her Sumner was ruined and she didn’t even have proof that she worked. Even if her summer that year was ruined, the summer was amazing because she had all the opportunities she wanted. Even if it took some time before she got what she wanted she did not regret it. At the end of the program she emphasized: “I do not regret anything, I prove to myself that I am strong … I am still me.
Sarahi‘s story focuses on her junior year, as she says “the most stressful year”
The hardest part of being a junior was the PBAT, mostly the math PBAT. The math PBAT was hard, challenging, stressful, and overwhelming at first because she did not know what to do and to solve it, because of it she gave up a lot. After Some time of trying and trying she solved the PBAT assignment with the help of her teacher Mr Zhang. The math PBAT was about a puzzle she I was so happy about.
The day of the presentation of her project she was really nervous, but she did her best to do the presentation and she passed. She was really happy because even though it was hard at the beginning , she did her best and it was all worth it. Her last word after presenting her story was that “If you really put your mind into something you will achieve it and never doubt yourself.”
Chris‘s story is focused on him going to Brooklyn in the spring break. In Brooklyn he was with his friend but after some time his friend left because he had something to do. So not knowing what to do when his friend left Chris called is that he did not see for a long time. When his sister came with her husband they went to a Mexican restaurant because they were hungry. In the restaurant there was a woman who referred to herself as a psychic, at first Chris did not believe the psychic woman. The psychic told Christ that when his sister left their house it was like she took a part of him with her. When the psychic told him about it Chris believed the woman and that memory she spoke about made him feel sad because when his sister and mom had a conflict in the past when he was younger he couldn’t talk to his sister anymore because of the conflict. Thinking about his sister and the past made him emotional and he was feeling like crying. So he went to the bathroom as a way to do self -talk and try to control his feelings. But after going to the table where they were sitting in the restaurant, after some moment he started crying and releasing all he was feeling he hid. After some time his sister and him talked to each other and they got the chance to be more open with each other. In the present Chris is opening himself to his sister and they got closer than before. For Chris talking about his feelings to his sister was like a “burden” was gone.
Katie’s story was focused on an educational opportunity that permits going to Costa Rica to study about the environment. Before she go to the trip to Costa Rica she applied to a job and go it but knowing that she could not do the job anymore if she would go to Costa Rica she did not want to take to the trip anymore, because she wanted have money and he job was interesting and she was afraid that she will have no friend in her trip. After talking to her friend, she first told her that maybe this trip could be more enjoyable and surprising than she thought and that she should go. In the end she chose to go on the trip to Costa Rica. Her first week in Costa Rica was really hard. She was thinking it was boring but having someone whose family had cancer made her connect to him because her grandma had cancer too. After spending more time with them she got to know them and learned a lot. She built a relationship with them and friendship too. For Katie this trip opened her eyes to new experiences she never thought of and she was happy about the trip.
