After a long year of studying for tests and pulling all-nighters for extensive homework assignments, school can get tiring. That’s why it’s important for schools to have events for students to relax and take a break. During 2023, HSMSE threw a lot of fun events for all grades to enjoy, ranging from things like the Spring Formal to our biannual C-Days. Out of all the school events this year, we wondered which event HSMSE students found most memorable. Evelin Hernandez-Gaspa (‘26) thought the Intergrade Olympics was the most interesting as she “really enjoyed watching the other people and getting hyped over the games,” while Astrid Clayton (‘25) thought that “the new lockers were the most exciting because we’re finally getting to use them, and I like that they have their own bathrooms.” Many students agreed with these responses, but others had differing opinions. Below, we recapped some of the most popular events this year, and hopefully, as you’re reading, this article inspires some thoughts about your favorite moment of 2023, too.
In March of 2023, HSMSE had its very first Spring Formal! It was held in a beautiful and spacious penthouse with plenty of room to dance and talk with friends. Flashing lights, blasting music, a DJ, and plenty of snacks created a classic school dance feel. Students were smiling and laughing with their friends while dancing to “Starships” by Nicki Minaj, “Baby” by Justin Bieber, and many more. There was also a widely popular photo booth, which many students took advantage of. The Spring Formal was such a special night for students to unwind after a semester of working hard and focusing at school. We can’t wait to see what events HSMSE has planned for the future!
To get students in the mood for winter break, HSMSE hosted their annual Winter Recital in A.P Randolph’s spacious auditorium, showcasing talents ranging from rapping to dances and choir performances. For the last two years there have been so many different acts and such a supportive audience. This past year was the best one yet, with an amazing Sophomore Choir, group acts and creative performances, as well as endless solos. It was definitely an entertaining and relaxing experience for the people watching, and a very rewarding moment for those performing. Whether you were performing or supporting, the Winter Recital was a great opportunity to bond with peers and contribute to the school community.
At the beginning of the 2023–24 school year, students were given a pleasant surprise. The highly anticipated and long under-construction locker rooms were finally done. Compared to the small and cramped feeling of the west side locker rooms in the CCNY gym, these new locker rooms are spacious, clean, and very well decorated. Unlike the old locker rooms, there are huge bathrooms built right inside of the locker rooms and there are more than enough rows of giant, shiny lockers which are much better quality. Now the locker rooms have plenty of room to get ready for gym and talk with friends.
This year, HSMSE had one of the biggest potlucks in its history. It was run by the Asian Cultural Society, Black Students Union and Hispanic Heritage Club, and was the first time they have ever hosted a potluck together. There was a wide variety of delicious foods, from veggie sushi and dumplings to pastelitos, beans and rice, pernil, and chicken wings. Each plate of food was only five dollars, and all the money made went to a local food bank. This potluck was a great opportunity for many students to interact with each other and get to know a little bit more about different cultures. We hope that in the future, there will be many more potlucks with even
more cultures!
Last, but definitely not least, The Echo released its very first issue at the beginning of 2023. It required a lot of planning, hard work, and dedication, but the newspaper quickly became a success. Now, The Echo has become not just a club and an elective, but a welcoming and supportive community of incredibly talented HSMSE students. Behind the scenes of this carefully crafted newspaper is a team full of skilled artists, editors, writers, and photographers, which wouldn’t be possible without the strong guidance from Ms. Hesseltine. So far, The Echo has released five amazing issues, filled with unique and interesting articles. If you would like to contribute to The Echo, feel free to join the club on Thursdays after school in C5. The Echo is always looking for new perspectives and talent to contribute, whether you’d like to write, draw, edit, or even help with the layout of the issues.
2023 has been quite an eventful year, with so many exciting new experiences and fun events at HSMSE. For 2024, we can expect a spring C-Day, a spirit week, many more exciting articles, and even a Spring Formal! We can’t wait to see what HSMSE brings in 2024, and we hope that it will be a great year for everyone.