IN OUR SCHOOLS

Student news: Linden cadet accepted into the U.S. Naval Academy

Staff Report
MyCentralJersey
Left to right: Sister Monica, dad Paul, Congressman Donald Payne Jr., Daniel, and mom Agnes.

Linden High School Navy JROTC cadet, Daniel Tarnawski, was accepted into the Naval Academy.

This is an extremely prestigious appointment, according to the high school, since the naval academy currently has an 8 percent acceptance rate, with approximately 17,000 applicants competing for 1,350 appointments.

Congressman Donald Payne Jr. nominated Daniel Tarnawski to United States Naval Academy. Each year, members of congress nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies: the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York.; U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.; U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado., and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York.

Linden High School NJROTC conducted a ceremony at the Susan L. Hudak auditorium on May 9 to recognize Tarnawski’s accomplishments. He received well wishes, resolutions, proclamations and recognition from local leaders, Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, New Jersey State Assembly, and the New Jersey State Senate who congratulated him on his accomplishments.

Payne Jwas the guest speaker and he spoke of the lengthy process involved in receiving one of these appointments, and expressed his gratitude to Tarnawski for his decision to serve this country as an United States naval officer. He also presented the cadet with an American flag that flew over the United States Capital.

In its news release, the high school issued the following statement: "Linden Public Schools proudly acknowledges Cadet Daniel Tarnawski’s leadership, character, determination, and sacrifice. He is truly one of the best of the best of his generation at Linden High School."

Ashland University

Maureen Graham of Edison received a master's degree in american history and government from Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio on May 6.

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Bard College at Simon's Rock

Ezra Lee of Cranford was the sound operator for the Bard College at Simon's Rock theatre production of Almost, Maine by John Cariani.

Champlain College

Tyler Wood of East Brunswick was honored in the Information Technology & Sciences honors night at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont.

Connecticut College

Kerry Dugandzic of Cranford received an outstanding student achievement award at Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut.

Delaware Valley University

Erin Nese of Roselle Park was one of eight food science students from the University selected to participate in the Student Outreach Program of the Pennsylvania Manufacturing Confectioners Association (PMCA) conference. The students traveled to Lancaster, Pennsylvania in April to participate in the conference.

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

The following Central Jersey residents received their degrees from Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in Scranton, Pennsylvania on May 7: Christopher Karnicki of Colonia, master's degree; Kimberly Saint Jean of Roselle, master's degree.

Immaculate Conception School: Spotswood

Gabriella Sorrentino, Teresa Rackett, and Abigail Chadwick from Immaculate Conception School in Spotswood, won first, second and third place for their drawings of Medusa at the NJ State Convention for the Junior Classical League that was conducted on April 29 at the Franklin High School in Somerset.

Gabriella Sorrentino, Teresa Rackett, and Abigail Chadwick from Immaculate Conception School in Spotswood, won 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place for their drawings of Medusa at the NJ State Convention for the Junior Classical League.

ALSO: Immaculate Conception School is a member of the National and New Jersey Junior Classical League. Latin Students pledge to promote the contributions of classical civilization in the modern world. Sister Antonelle Chunka, Latin Teacher and Thomas Meehan along with his mother represented the school at the state convention.

Lebanon Valley College

Samantha Nicolaro, of East Brunswick, presented scholarly or creative work at Lebanon Valley College's annual Inquiry symposium on April 27.

Linden: Joseph E. Soehl Middle School

The state of New Jersey has a total of (57) 21st Century Community Learning Center grantees that provide after school programming for students. The Linden Public School District has received the 21st Century Grant Award for twelve years in a row at Joseph E. Soehl Middle School. The after school program provides middle school students with homework, enrichment and recreational activities after the regular school day has ended. Over 2,400 students were serviced to date since the start of the 21st Century Community Learning Center at Soehl Middle School. Miss Isabella Scocozza, Director/Vice Principal of the Linden 21st Century Community Learning Center recently attended a NJDOE training where all grantees were recognized for their service. The photograph shows all New Jersey 21st Century Program Directors and New Jersey Department of Education officials.

Linden School No.1

Kurt Abel, a Reading Coach at Linden School No.1, organized recently a donation for Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside. Teachers and students from School donated different items such as Welcome Bags for families and children’s games and puzzles.

Metuchen High School

Siri Uppuluri, a senior and member of the National Honor Society (NHS) at Metuchen High School, has been named one of 400 national semifinalists in the National Honor Society Scholarship program. Uppuluri was chosen from more than 9,000 applicants and will receive a $2,325 scholarship.

Chapter Advisor, Lauren Volosin, stated that “Siri is an amazing student and person. She was chosen by her fellow members to be an NHS Chapter Officer this year and they were right to do so since I could always turn to Siri to help organize an event or reach out to the other members. Her work ethic, organizational skills, and upbeat personality make her an invaluable resource for the chapter.”

High school seniors who are members in good standing of an active National Honor Society chapter are able to apply for an NHS Scholarship. Finalists are selected on the basis of their leadership skills; participation in service organizations, clubs, and other student groups at school and in the community; and their academic record. As a semifinalist, Uppuluri is recognized as one of the top 300 NHS members in the nation this school year.

While at Metuchen High School, Uppuluri has been an officer for the National Honor Society, captain of the Varsity Girls Tennis Team, and president of the Science National Honor Society. She is also an active volunteer in various organizations at MHS and in the local community. This fall she plans to attend the New Jersey Institute of Technology as part of the Accelerated BA/MD Medical Program with the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

Middlesex County College

Two Middlesex County College students have been accepted as volunteers at SIGGRAPH (Special Interest Group on Computer GRAPHics and Interactive Techniques), an annual conference on computer graphics. The conference, to be conducted in Los Angles July 30 to August 3, is attended by tens of thousands of computer professionals.

Kevin Flores of Edison, left and Eric Campos of Perth Amboy, right will receive access to the entire conference and work 20 to 25 hours at various exposition stands and presentations.

“They will meet professionals in the field and peers from around the globe,” said Richard Thompson (center), who teaches gaming and animation at MCC. “SIGGRAPH is also home to the Electronic Theater, where many of the Oscar-nominated shorts first get noticed, where major motion picture companies discuss the making of various visual FX, and where new software is presented. There is 3D Printing, stop-motion, claymation, as well as educational papers and presentations from gaming studios. Of particular interest is an entire hall devoted to emerging technologies. This is a terrific opportunity for our two students.”

Middlesex County College

Eleven Middlesex County College students were recently honored for their induction into Alpha Mu Gamma, the national honor society for foreign language study. Seated, from left: Alejandra Carbajal  of New Brunswick, Juana Cuarezma of Parlin, Angela Spinetta of Perth Amboy, Imelda Stiles of Fords, Miluska Zimic of Piscataway. Standing: Professor Brenda Cavanaugh, Zachary Jellison of Iselin, Stephan Jules of Fords, Ksenia Khlystova of Sayreville, Luz Mairy Llauger of New Brunswick, Jinali Patel of Old Bridge, Maria V. Solano de la Sala Torres of Perth Amboy, and Gary Abbott, chair of the English as a Second Language Department.

Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools

A student at the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools was a winner in the 34th annual New Jersey Young Playwrights Festival.

Michael Villanueva of Woodbridge, MCVTS senior, was a winner in the annual New Jersey Young Playwrights Festival.

Michael Villanueva of Woodbridge, a senior in the School of the Arts on the MCVTS East Brunswick Campus, was one of five winners in the high school category, chosen by a panel of professionals from more than 450 entries.

It marks the second consecutive year that an MCVTS student has won.

Michael’s one-act play, “Packing,” focuses on two young friends, one African American and one Latino, as one moves to a predominantly white neighborhood.

“He is determined, very creative and incredibly ambitious,” said Maria Aladren, director of the theater program in the MCVTS School of the Arts.

Winners in the Young Playwrights Festival receive the Governor’s Award, a one-year membership in the Dramatists Guild, the professional playwrights’ union, and will have their plays staged by a professional director with professional actors in June. Michael’s play will be presented by Luna Stage, an Actors’ Equity theater company in West Orange.

Villaneuva is deciding on a college to attend and plans to focus on writing and directing.

Last year, “Visible” by MCVTS student Jessica Dell Beni was a winner in the Young Playwrights Festival competition.

More information on the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools is available at www.mcvts.net

Mount Saint Mary Academy

Isabel Velarde. a student at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung, has won the second prize in a national competition for high school students.

Isabel Velarde of East Brunswick captures prize in Classics Journal

The contest was sponsored by Eiodolon, an online Classics journal. The topic was: "If you could bring back one figure (historical or mythical) from classical antiquity to advise our politicians, who would it be and why?"

Velarde, of East Brunswick, will graduate from Mount Saint Mary Academy in June.

"I wrote my article on Cloelia, a young Roman girl whose bravery helped establish the Roman Republic; in my essay, I wrote how her bravery and tenacity would make her a suitable political advisor for today's politicians," she said. "In my Latin class, we did some extensive research on Cloelia — some of my classmates even put on a very funny skit about her life and her story. I essentially gained my inspiration for my essay in Latin, both through the readings that we did and through the humorous performances."

Old Bridge: Jonas Salk Middle School

Jonas Salk Middle School received national recognition this week by Character.org. The grades 6-8 school was named a 2017 National School of Character.

Character.org, a non-profit group that supports the advancement of character development in schools, communities, and workplaces across the US and globally, will honor the school at its 24th National Forum on Character Education set for the weekend of Oct. 20-21 in Arlington, Virginia.

Two years ago, Old Bridge Township Public Schools was named one of three National Districts of Character in the United States by Character.org (formerly The Character Education Partnership), who selects schools and districts that demonstrate that their focus on character development has had a positive impact on academic achievement, student behavior, and school climate. Selected schools are then expected to serve as models for other schools, helping them to achieve the same results.

Schools and districts selected in January as State Schools of Character, along with those schools who reapplied in their three-year designation, were forwarded to Character.org for consideration for national recognition as National Schools of Character.

READ: Central Jersey school designated National Schools of Character

Through an in-depth and rigorous evaluation process, Jonas Salk Middle School was among the 83 schools and four districts from 21 states named 2017 National Schools and Districts of Character.

Selection is based on Character.org’s 11 Principles of Effective Character Education, a framework to assist schools in providing students with opportunities for moral action, fostering shared leadership and engaging families and communities as partners in the character-building effort.

Principal William Rezes said he was very excited for the staff and students after learning that Jonas Salk Middle School was the recipient of a national honor.

“This national recognition of our school is an affirmation of the impact that they have on our school community and the value this district places on Character Education,” said Rezes.

Old Bridge High School

Old Bridge High School students participated in the Seal of Biliteracy assessment this year. This marked the first time high school students took either the AAPPL test or the STAMP test (for Italian students).

Twenty seniors demonstrated proficiency in the reading, writing, listening, and speaking components of the standardized test. As a result, 20 students, including 11 in French, six in Spanish, and three in Italian, will be awarded the Seal of Biliteracy on their transcripts. Several juniors also passed the test and will be awarded the seal next year as graduates of OBHS.

The Seal of Biliteracy is a designation from the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) identifying graduating high school students who are able to demonstrate proficiency in English in addition to one or more languages. The State Seal of Biliteracy seeks to encourage students to study languages, provide universities with a method to recognize and award academic credit to applicants seeking admission, prepare students with 21st Century skills, recognize and promote second language instruction in public schools, and honor the multiple cultures and languages of a community.

The Seal of Biliteracy was an initiative started by Californians Together in 2008 to acknowledge and award hardworking bilingual and multilingual students. In 2011, it officially became legislation in California and now multiple states throughout the nation have implemented a state-wide Seal of Biliteracy.

The students, who will be awarded the Seal of Bilteracy at OBHS this year are: Ananya Ramanathan, Madisen Thide, Marwa Awad, Jennifer Torres, Armany Le Blanc, Makhtar Drame, Bharti Mehta, Alexandria Phipps, Robin McManus, Amanda Asham, and Shivani Patel, all in French ; Kinjal Patel, Brianna Quezada, Alia Yeszhanova, Heather Adamcewicz, Mariah Diaz, and Joanna Varughese, all in Spanish; and Alexander Nguyen, Alexndra Rizzo, and Samir Peshori, all in Italian.

Perth Amboy High School

The first Austin E. Gumbs Memorial Scholarship Award will be presented on June 7, to a graduating Perth Amboy High School senior, and it will be presented annually thereafter as a lasting tribute to Austin E. Gumbs.

Gumbs (1931 to 2017) was a beloved and charismatic Perth Amboy educator who inspired everyone who knew him, according to a news release. He taught elementary school and high school English as well as the performing arts and also served Perth Amboy as poet, playwright, lyricist, theatrical director, vice-principal, principal, and Board of Education president.

Gumbs also served other communities as principal and superintendent of schools. As a trailblazer, he embraced challenges, accomplished his goals, and inspired others to reach higher. He accepted and respected our differences and used his talents to unite every community he served, according to the news release. This annual award will be presented to that graduating senior planning a career as an educator who best represents the qualities of Austin Gumbs by demonstrating a love for and excellence in writing and/or the performing arts and a desire to make a difference in the lives he or she touches.

This new memorial scholarship fund was established by members of the Perth Amboy High School Class of 1964, and donations to this fund are welcomed and encouraged from everyone wanting to contribute.  Donations should be sent to Perth Amboy Board of Education Scholarship Fund, Attn: Maria Hernandez, 178 Barracks St., Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 with the notation “Austin E. Gumbs Scholarship Fund” on the memo line. 

Sayreville Middle School

On Friday, June 2, the Sayreville Middle School Music Department will host its 2nd annual SMS Duets competition at 7 p.m. in the Sayreville War Memorial High School Auditorium at 820 Washington Road, Parlin. This vocal showcase will feature 10 talented eighth-grade vocalists singing alongside 10 SMS teachers. The night will include a mix of performances ranging from current hits to classic pop songs. Performing teachers include Marsh, Provenza, Ramalhosa (Romero), Golder, Fischer, Loihle (Quintas), Fazzini (Giovenco), Lozano (Troisi), Williams, and David. Tickets will be sold at the door and the cost is $5. Any questions, contact Patsy Palma at patsy.palma@sayrevillek12.net

South Brunswick Parent Academy

The South Brunswick Parent Academy returns with a previously unscheduled, but timely and important workshop: A District Symposium on Homework on Tuesday, May 30. at Crossroads North Middle School, from 7 to 8 pm. Childcare will be provided and registration is available online on the Parent Academy page of the District website.

The symposium will provide for a discussion of topics associated with homework. Among the topics to be addressed\:

  • The current District policy and guidelines regarding homework
  • Master scheduling and “open time” in a student’s day
  • Required study halls
  • Practices to assist in positive coordination of a busy schedule, in and out of school, and homework requirements
  • The rigor of Advance Placement course requirements and its impact on students.

This workshop, designed for parents of students in all grades, aims to provide an opportunity for parents to not only offer suggestions for improving the educational experience of our students, but offer their opinion as to what is working in this regard, as well.

The symposium will run from 7 to  p.m., with childcare available for children 3 and older. Interested parties can register online by clicking here or by visiting the District's Web site, www.sbschools.org and clicking the Parent Academy Information link under Quick Links. Upon arrival, look for signage directing you to the appropriate rooms. Contact SBPA Director, Christine Mariano at christine.mariano@sbschools.org or sbpa@sbparents.org

The Wardlaw-Hartridge School

The Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison conducted its second annual Family Science Night on April 20 and parents, teachers, classmates, friends and students from all three divisions were treated to a display of science. All students in grades 9 and 10 presented projects related to biology, chemistry, physics, engineering and many other scientific fields.

The Family Science Night award winners proudly display their certificates.

The event went green this year, with QR codes stationed near the displays to allow the guests to vote for their favorite projects online. Following is a listing of the projects that received recognition, from online voting and the judges:

Crowd Vote: Most Creative: Hrithik Bawa of South Plainfield and Isaiah Singh of Carteret (Hydrogen Cell Energy Storage); Most Entertaining: Mike He of Edison and Dylan Maier of Rahway (The Science of Stickiness); Most Interactive: Pooja Nandhyala of Edison and Will Rehwinkel of Scotch Plains (Virtual Reality); Most Educational: Logan D'Amore of Scotch Plains and Sahil Mulji of Edison (Steam Engines)

ALSO: The Wardlaw-Hartridge School hosted a successful Latin Fiesta All-School Fundraiser to raise money for the victims and the families devastated by the mudslides and flooding in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. The W-H community enjoyed a night of food, music and fun in the AP Room. Event organizers Dawn Francavilla, Yolanda Reyes and Maria Hinestroza said 11 local restaurants donated food: Grove BBQ, Mi Guatemala Bakery, Punto Colombiano, El Pollo Supremo, Pan de Casa (Ecuador), El Chilaquil, Calima Bakery, La Tia Rosy, La Reina Bakery, Traditions de mi Pueblo and Restaurante Caribe; and Sage Dining Services and Chef Anibal Rodriguez.

Students at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School received recognition with awards for the Rethink Disposable posters they created for the Clean Water Action contest. Honorees include Zara Zaidi of Edison, Maria Guseva of Staten Island, Phoebe Kaplan of Scotch Plains, Hannah Malko of Clark, Naomi Valcourt of South Plainfield, Ruhee Hegde of Edison and Akhila Mantri of Edison.

University of the Cumberlands

Praveen Vejendla of Woodbridge earned a master's degree from the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky on May 6.

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Trent Barneys of Avenel received his degree from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth on May 13.  

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Haylie Nicole Mikulak of East Brunswick earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on May 5.

University of Pittsburgh at Bradford

Abrahan Frech-Reyes of Linden received a bachelor's degree in sports medicine on April 30.

Western New England University

Michael Crowley of Edison was inducted into the Mortar Board National honor society on April 10 at the Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Wheaton College

Aaron Policastro of Franklin Park performed in the spring 2017 Symphony Orchestra Concert. Policastro played the double bass. Also: Sarah Yoon of Plainsboro was inducted into Pi Kappa Delta honor society in forensics at the college.

Student and School news appears Fridays. Email:hntmetro@mycentraljersey.com