DAY 4 - Saturday, April 30, 2011

HC Com Tech students are pictured at "Times Square" during the 2011 NYC trip.

Saturday, April 30, 2011
Article By BEN LOCKE (Grade 12 SHSM Com Tech student)

We started our day's itinerary with a driving tour through Harlem and we saw the famous Apollo Theatre where famous entertainers such as Diana Ross, Jimi Hendrix and Paul McCartney performed, to name a few. With excitement we walked Fifth Avenue, visiting and shopping in numerous stores. Forever 21, H & M, Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch, Prada, Armani, Tiffany's, and FAO Schwarz toy store, are only a few of the stores that were explored. For lunch we were left to our own devices, many opting to experience the hot dog street vendor for a taste of NYC! After lunch we visited the International Center of Photography. One outstanding exhibit showed Chinese photographer Wang Quinsong's large panoramic images which examined themes of consumerism and spirituality. We then toured the Museum of the Moving Image. This museum was interactive and taught us behind the scenes technology, career opportunities, and the history of the moving image. It had exhibits that included animation, make-up, costumes worn by famous actors and a voice over booth. “The museum was interesting and informative, I learned many interesting aspects of the movie production industry!” reported grade 12 Com Tech student Dustin Ford. We then traveled to Times Square, which is a famous site for it's New Year's Eve celebration. The bright lights and massive amounts of people was an amazing sight. For dinner we went to Schipper's Quality Kitchen for their famous Sloppy Joes. After supper we attended the Broadway musical production of Mama Mia. The musical is a great “rock opera” which left us standing in our seats dancing to the music! As we return to our hotel we all bid a bitter-sweet adieu to the night life of the city that never sleeps. As I watch the skyline of the city fade away in the distance, the words sung by Alicia Keys in the song Empire State of Mind echo in my heart and mind; “In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of.”

DAY 4 VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 3 - Friday, April 29, 2011

The HC Com Tech students are pictured in front of the Washington Arch, located near New York University campus, which was a film location for "When Harry Met Sally" & "I am Legend".

NYC Com Tech Trip 2011
Friday, April 29
Article By JESSICA MADORE (Grade 12 SHSM Com Tech student)

Wake-up, yummy breakfast, beautiful weather, Lincoln Tunnel, lights, camera, action... and so begins day three of our NYC Com Tech adventure! Our first order of business was a tour of NYC movie & TV locations by “On Location Tours”. We saw numerous locations where movie and TV shows were filmed, including; the “Ghost Busters” fire station, the “Friends” apartment building, and the Washington Park arch on NYU campus where “I am Legend” and “When Harry Met Sally” were filmed. Other locations we saw included films such as; “Taxi Driver”, “Cloverfield”, “Spiderman”, “Home Alone”, “Devil Wears Prada”, and “Bride Wars”, to name a few. We also saw the apartment buildings where celebrities lived, including; Donald Trump, Janet Jackson, and Jay-Z & Beyonce. Film crews are currently filming "Men In Black" III around NYC. Grade 11 Com Tech student Nicole Dubois had this to say “The best part of the day was the movie location tour, my favourite part being standing on the sidewalk outside the actual apartment building used for exteriors on the TV show “Friends”. Next stop was the Radio City Music Hall tour. The showplace of the nation, we traveled back in time to the era of grand art-deco theaters and met one of the famous "Rockette" dancers. Grade 11 Com Tech student Sophie Krohn reports “The most fascinating part about New York for me was seeing places that I've just known from television or film. Radio City Music Hall was most exciting because it has hosted numerous different acts and very important award shows over it's eighty year history.” During our visit, the NFL draft was taking place. For lunch we had some classic New York City pizza at Mariella Pizzeria which was excellent. For a sweet treat we visited "Dylan's Candy Bar" operated by Ralph Lauren's daughter Dylan. The store was also a location for the movie "Hitch" and the recent re-make of "Arthur". We then visited the Guggenheim museum and viewed modern paintings by famous artists like; Cezanne, Chagall, Kandinsky, Monet, Picasso, and van Gogh. The unique Frank Lloyd Wright designed museum building itself is an impressive work of art! We then visited the busy and exciting SoHo district and shopped for clothing and shoes. For dinner we were off to La Mela restaurant in Little Italy for a fantastic family style pasta dinner topped off with a very delectable Tiramisu for desert. After dinner we went to the Rockefeller Center for the “Top of the Rock” observation deck tour where we were treated to a 70 story high awe inspiring view of New York City at night. Upon returning to our hotel we went straight to bed in preparation for a very full day tomorrow! Good night New York!

DAY 3 VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 2 - Thursday, April 28, 2011

Photo By CLAIRE MCLEAN (Grade 12 SHSM Com Tech student)

The HC Com Tech students are pictured in front of the United Nations.

NYC HC Com Tech Trip 2011

Day 2 – Thursday, April 28

Article By ASHLEIGH JOHNSON (Grade 12 Communications Technology student)

As 7:00 a.m. rolled around the Crusaders received a wake up call to let them know their second NYC day had begun. The student's awoke with anticipation and headed down to the hotel restaurant where they were greeted by a buffet of a wide range of delicious breads, pastries, cereals, fruit, and freshly made omelets on request. Our first order of business was a guided tour of various NYC sites including the United Nations and “Ground Zero” where the solemn reminders of those who perished captivated our respect. For lunch we had a real New York experience, a delicious deli style restaurant called the Essex World Cafe. Their array of deli foods had our mouths watering; from Reuben sandwiches to Philly cheesesteaks. We left with full tummies and an appreciation for classic New York style deli food. Next we made our way to the Rockefeller Centre to partake in the NBC Studio tour. We were in awe of the various studios and television knowledge that we learned. A definite highlight was seeing the studio set for the “Saturday Night Live” show. Grade 12 HC student, Haley Wornes reflected, “I never imagined I would be here at NBC Studios, sitting in the actual audience seats for Saturday Night Live!” After our NBC tour experience we traveled to explore China Town. The student's eagerly took in the culture of the area and shopped for deals along Canal street. We experienced a very enjoyable traditional Chinese family feast for dinner at Yogee's. After dinner we took a trip on the Staten Island Ferry to view a beautiful sunset, the statue of liberty, and the night skyline of NYC. Back at the Best Western, some students worked out in the hotel gym and had a swim before bedtime. Grade 12 SHSM student Rikki Brousseau excitedly exclaimed, “I still can't believe I'm in New York City, it all seems so surreal, I can't wait for what awaits us over the next few days!”

DAY 2 VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 1 - Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Photo by JESSICA TAYLOR (Grade 11 SHSM Com Tech student)
The HC group is pictured on the "Alice in Wonderland" statue in Central Park.

NYC Com Tech Trip 2011
Wednesday, April 27

Article By ASHLEY RODDY (Grade 12 SHSM Com Tech student)

The 7 hour journey was well worth the wait for the Holy Cross students and staff on the 2011 New York City Communications Technology trip. Upon arrival, we were happily greeted by our Tour Director Mike from EF Educational Tours, who eagerly pointed out important and interesting sights and highlights of the “Big Apple”. We made our way through a multitude of pedestrians, hot pink limos, and the notorious NYC traffic. Grade 12 SHSM Com Tech student Steph Jodoin reports “The skyline was picture perfect, I can't wait for tomorrow's journey!” We eagerly hopped off the bus and started a walking tour through a portion of the vast Central Park. One highlight was visiting Strawberry Fields, a memorial to “Beatle” John Lennon. The weather was sunny and humid at a balmy 77 degrees Fahrenheit, 25 degrees Celsius. Back on our bus, we caught our first view of busy Times Square. Grade 12 SHSM Com Tech student Carley O'Hara proclaimed “It's only been day one and this trip has already exceeded my expectations!” Dinner was at the Marketplace Bistro. We enjoyed a huge buffet of everything imaginable; from chicken parmigiana to sweet potatoes. After dinner we viewed the impressive and vast Grand Central Station. We marveled in awe at the sight of the detailed architecture both inside and out. We hopped back onto the bus after a long day of traveling from our home and headed towards our excellent hotel in Fairfield, New Jersey. Before bedtime, students enjoyed a swim in the indoor heated pool. “Day one was a great start to our trip,” said grade 12 SHSM Com Tech student Miranda Oostrom, “I can't wait to see what's in store for us tomorrow!”

DAY 1 VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

HC ready for the BIG APPLE

30 grades 11 and 12 Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School Communications Technology students from Kingston, Ontario, Canada, travel to New York City, New York State, United States of America from Wednesday, April 27th to Sunday, May 1st, 2011.
The students are in Mr. John G. Esford's Communications Technology classes which study media production; animation, audio production, graphic design, Journalism, photography, video production and web page design. The trip has a Com Tech career exploration theme visiting such destinations as; NBC studios, Radio City Music Hall, and famous TV & Film locations, to name a few items on our itinerary.
Log onto this blog as it documents their trip with student articles, photos and videos.