(Secaucus, NJ--October 8, 2019) The High School Nation Tour, an arts festival and anti-tobacco awareness campaign for high school students, made a stop on the campus of High Tech High School, announced Dr. Joseph Giammarella, Principal of High Tech High School.

Sponsored by Hollister Co. and TheTruth.org, High School Nation, is dedicated to celebrating creative expression at high schools across the United States. The event commenced with a presentation to High Tech students about the consequences of tobacco use--including vaping. The presentation was also an opportunity for High Tech’s Performing Arts students to engage with the festival’s producers and artists to discuss what it takes to be a successful performing artist. Following this information session, the performers took to the stages, DJ booths were set-up around the Frank J. Gargiulo Campus, and students toured and interacted with advocates, advertisers, and artists.

The stop at High Tech was coordinated by Mr. Steven Ricciardi, Supervisor of the Arts Academy at High Tech, and Mr. Tony Gongora, Teacher-in-Charge of the Arts Academy. Of the event, Mr. Gongora said, “This was a great opportunity for our students to not only enjoy a fantastic show, but to also have a chance to learn what it takes to make it in the industry from professionals who have been there before. The artists described issues that they experienced in their career, and topics ranged from networking to getting your first job and who each artist has worked with in the past.”

The timing of this event follows recent reports of the dangers of vaping for adolescents, including a vaping-related illness outbreak and a Center for Disease Control report on the resurgence of tobacco usage among teens.