Every year, the New Providence School District releases a different Character Education slogan which sets the tone for what the year should be about. This year’s slogan is “Rise Up”, but what does this mean?

Over the past couple years staff and students have gone through challenges from COVID-19, to online learning, and even having to stop their sports and activities. Despite this, the school has been able to “rise up” past them, making this year a better one.

For New Providence High School counselor, Ms. Noppenberger, the year’s slogan reflects how “everyone is still coming out of the pandemic and trying to, you know, rise above all these hurdles and all these challenges.”

Around the school community, things are truly “rising up” as students are now able to get back to sports, in person learning, and other simplicities, such as being able to eat lunch in the cafeteria and seeing people more often. 

New Providence High School student Sofia Zamora, thinks that “it’s definitely hard for everyone to ‘rise up’ but I think that because of COVID it made everyone stronger and more connected.”

Zamora states that, “The energy is definitely more positive this year because everyone is back to school everyday single day.”

Combined with the release of the slogan comes the character ed video produced by senior Christine Benites. In this video, students and staff are asked questions relating to the slogan, such as what rising up means to them and how they can rise up. Most importantly, this slogan suggests a direct effect towards how others impact the people around them. 

In the video, teachers explain how they can help students “rise up” by encouraging them to believe in themselves and helping them with any issues they may have, whether its for academic, athletic, or mental reasons. 

Many students say that they will help each other “rise up” by doing something as simple as helping someone with a question they are stuck on, or waving to someone in the hallways. 

“I think the feeling this year, people are off to a positive, happy note,” said Noppenberger.