On the last school day before Thanksgiving, every student in SBHS was anxiously staring at the clock, waiting for the school bell to release them on their 4-day break. Every mind was occupied with excitement for the upcoming few days. However, in room B201, a group of upperclassmen were working diligently in preparation to construct a quilt for world AIDS day.
The HiTops program at SBHS has been focused on ways to raise awareness for AIDS and continue their work advising Freshman about the topic. The program is advised by Mr. Peter Honig, and is taught by Mrs. Cristina Janis, who also teaches the Child Psychology class. A lot of her work resides in helping teach growth and development, and HiTops is one way she works to achieve that.
Currently, the group of high school students are focused on the upcoming World AIDS Day and their quilt made up of posters about the deadly virus. Seher Kaur (2026) opens up about the significance of the project. She says, “On World AIDS Day, to honor the people that died and are suffering from this disease, somebody began making a quilt, so what we do at our school is we make posters that mimic that quilt and then we hang it up at school.” The quilt is currently displayed in between the Blue and Red Cafeterias, large enough for every student to see and acknowledge. It is a strong reminder of the resilience of those who have fought the disease.
Sahana Sunilkumar (2026) explains the process of making the quilt and what the posters contain. She explains, “We each pick a specific topic or important figure who is important to us. For example, a single poster would have information on how HIV spread, and ways to protect yourself.”
The importance of raising awareness for this disease connects to the teachings done in HiTops to advise students. Jassica Rebba (2026) talks about the work within this program and the benefits, she says, “It’s really important because not only are we talking to freshmen, we’re also talking to sophomores and juniors. You’re going to experience different stages of what you want in your life and the more you grow, the more you’re exposed to new things.” The program’s commitment to designing this quilt gives significance to HiTops and shows the dedication the upperclassmen have. The effort put into each individual poster of the quilt is undeniable, and conveys SBHS’ strong focus on topics such as this.
This has been a lasting tradition, as Miss Janis, advisor and psychology teacher explains. “The AIDS quilt was started I believe in the early ’90s. It’s a way to commemorate those who have died from the disease.” The AIDS Epidemic began to appear in 1981, and affected approximately 44.1 million people. Education and awareness about the disease is extremely important, which led to the creation of the quilt.
On Friday, December 5, the HiTops program will be hosting their annual fundraiser. Miss Janis, advisor and psychology teacher, opens up about the significance of fundraising for Annual Worlds AIDS Day, “Part of it is just for education purposes.” She explains, “The other purpose, though, is to raise money for the Hyacinth Foundation, which is an organization out of New Brunswick, New Jersey, and they provide services for people who do have HIV. They also provide education in the local community about HIV.”
Students are encouraged to bring in money on this date to support the causes.
Right now, the quilt can be found hanging above the Alcove in between the red and blue cafeterias. Students are highly encouraged to visit and familiarize themselves with its contents.
