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IN OUR SCHOOLS

East Brunswick resident finds her future career at Caldwell College

Staff Report
@MyCentralJersey
Michelle Eng of East Brunswick receives her bachelor of arts degree in biology from Caldwell University on May 20. She received the Caldwell Excellence in Leadership award on honors convocation April 25.

The aptitude tests at East Brunswick High School started Michelle Eng thinking about occupational therapy as a field. She shadowed occupational therapists during summers and saw how happy the patients were and how welcoming the therapists were to the clients.

Upon entering Caldwell College in Caldwell, the East Brunswick resident, was not sure if she should major in psychology or biology. After taking her first biology class with Dr. William Velhagen, chair of the Caldwell University Natural and Physical Sciences Department, she felt motivated to keep going.

“I’ve never felt so much support, except from my family, as I have with the faculty,” she said, reciting the names of the Caldwell science department professors. “I’m thankful to the faculty for all they have given me.”

Eng graduated from Caldwell University May 20, earning her bachelor of arts degree in biology in just three years since she entered Caldwell with AP credits and worked hard. Besides her academics, she has learned about herself during her college career —about who she wants to become.

“I’ve grown to be a leader,” she said.

And the Caldwell community endorsed that status when at honors convocation she received the Excellence in Leadership Award and departmental honors in the Natural and Physical Sciences Department.  She served as president of the Circle K Club, as vice president of the Health Professions and Earth clubs and as secretary for the Anime club. Eng also worked as a lab assistant and at the desk in one of the residence halls.

She is looking forward to the next great adventure in life — excited to be attending graduate school in the fall to work on her master’s in occupational therapy.  “Because of Caldwell University, I have a future in occupational therapy that I have been looking forward to for three years.”

Alvernia University

The following Central Jersey residents were inducted into the Psi Chi international honor society at Alvernia University in Reading, Pennsylvania: Sara Rustemeyer of Colonia and Arielle Phillips of Old Bridge. In addition, Caleigh Van Der Veer of Monmouth Junction was named to Lambda Sigma honor society.

ALSO: Thomas Fitzgerald of East Brunswick, participated as a member of Alvernia's American Marketing Association club in 2017-18. In addition, Matthew Junio of Edison was named a member of the Athletic Training Student Association while studying athletic training at Alvernia.

LOOK and READ:Graduation coverage of the Class of 2018

READ:The good things students are doing in Central Jersey and beyond

READ:Education news from around the region

Berkeley College

U.S. Veterans Magazine has recognized Berkeley College as a Top Veteran-Friendly School in the magazine’s annual “Best of the Best” evaluation of more than 350 American employers, initiatives, government agencies and educational institutions dedicated to providing opportunities to veterans, transitioning service members, disabled veterans, spouses and veteran business owners. Berkeley College was among four New Jersey educational institutions, and 13 in New York, to receive the recognition this year.

“The Berkeley College Class of 2018 included more than 140 military aligned graduates, and 26 inductions into the Veteran National Honor Society SALUTE," said Edward Dennis, Berkeley College Assistant Vice President, Office of Military and Veterans Affairs.

The results from the “Best of the Best” evaluation will be published in the summer issue of U.S Veterans Magazine and will be available on newsstands mid-August. Two Berkeley College student-veterans recently were featured on a segment of the “Military Makeover” series on the Lifetime Television Network. 

Carson-Newman University

Muhammad-Faizaan Patel of Edison received a bachelor's degree in nursing from Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tennessee.

Davenport University

The following Central Jersey residents received their degrees from Davenport University in Rapids, Michigan, at the end of the winter 2018 semester: Sahil Nath of North Brunswick and Mayur Patil of Monmouth Junction.

DeSales University

The following Central Jersey residents received their degrees from DeSales University on May 19: Ailish C. Simonson of Metuchen, bachelor's degree in early childhood and elementary education, cum laude; and David O. Siy of Piscataway, bachelor's degree in theater and mathematics.

Drew University

Amid Earth Month recently, several projects had a green focus. Fern Fest, an annual tradition at the University in The Forest, saw students and staffers plant 300 ferns and flowers outside the Ehinger Center. Seniors Samantha Leinberger of Roselle Park and Josephine Emanuelli of Montclair, meanwhile, created The Greenery outside Brothers College. Inspired by an experience during a ShortTrec trip to Cuba, the duo filled a grassy circle with local plants, outdoor furniture and art from students and professors.

Dunellen: Faber School

Students, parents, invited guests and staff “SAIL”ed (Show Respect, Act Responsibly, Include Others, Lead by Example) into Faber School's 2018 field day. 

The field day was organized by physical education teachers, Frank Longo and Pat Appello with the help of the PBSIS committee. For the day, students, staff and invited guests from the sheriff's department and Board of Education participated in many activities including: an obstacle course, volleyball, 4 corners volleyball, gaga ball and more. Due to the beautiful weather, the entire school enjoyed a picnic lunch provided by Maschio’s or they brought their own lunch to enjoy outside with their friends.   

"The students and staff enjoyed the day and celebrating the successful first year of the PBSIS initiative," Vice Principal Brendan Tennant said. "We look forward to continuing the success in our second year.”

Elizabethtown College

Matthew VanCleef of Middlesex received a distinguished student award from Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Students are nominated by faculty and staff and must be full-time and in good standing with a minimum 3.2 grade-point average. 

Hofstra University

Emilie Beck of Dayton was inducted into the Mu Kappa Chaper of Gamma Theta Upsilon during a ceremony this spring at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.

King's College

The following Central Jersey residents received their degrees from King's College on May 20:

Nicole Marie Velona of Edison, bachelor's degree in athletic training

Peter T. Lange of Edison, bachelor's degree in environmental science

Sijo Devasia of Edison, bachelor's degree in medical studies

Bridget Ann Pepe of Edison, bachelor's degree in medical studies

Ryan P. Daily of Edison, bachelor's degree in neuroscience

Timothy A. Daly of Edison, bachelor's degree in business administration

Lasell College

Nicholas Garifalos of Spotswood, graduted from Lasell College on May 12.

Lincoln Memorial University

Mary Kate Kersting was named to the spring dean's list at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. Students must achieve a 3.5 grade-point average. 

Linden High School

Linden High School’s sister and brother tandem of Lexis and Luis Rodriguez signed their National Letters of Intent on Thursday, May 24, to continue their academic and athletic careers at Bloomfield College. Each was awarded a scholarship to play basketball for the Bears. They were joined by their parents, Gail and Luis, and their brother, Jordan, in the office of Principal Yelena Horre for the signing ceremony. They were also joined by Athletic Director Steven Viana and some of their coaches and friends.

ALSO: As the Linden High School Class of 2018 graduates this month, 35 students will be leaving with a diploma that shows colleges and potential employers that they are proficient in two languages.

Some of the students who achieved the Seal of Biliteracy being honored by the Linden Board of Education during its March 27 meeting.

The Seal of Biliteracy is a New Jersey Department of Education distinction awarded to students who have demonstrated a high level of proficiency in English and an additional world language.

The designation goes on the student’s diploma and on their transcript.

“Our district’s participation and commitment to this program affirms that we value, honor and celebrate the diversity among the cultures and languages that make up our Linden community,” Superintendent Danny A. Robertozzi said.

Kevin LaMastra, the district’s supervisor of world languages/bilingual/ESL, said that the designation sets the students apart from their peers in college and in life.

“There are kids who speak Spanish at home who are not able to read and write at that level,” he said. “These students are able to begin college not just learning a language, but being able to do academic work in a language. That means they’re ready to go right into a literature class or study science in that language."

LaMastra explained that when the state testing requirements became more rigorous, Linden had just 17 students attain the Seal of Biliteracy in 2017. But the district regrouped and worked closely with its world language teachers, and were able to more than double that number this year.

“We looked at what the test looked like, and we started to see what we could do differently in the classroom,” he said. “And we’re still looking at the to see what we can do better.

“We’re measuring the success of our program by how many kids we can get to that level. We want to produce more and more students who can leave us at that level of proficiency.”

The students who attained the Seal of Biliteracy were honored by the Board of Education on March 27. They are: Spanish: Heidy Alvarado,Karina Amaral, Diana Canelo, Katheryne Cortes, Valeria Davila, Emily Estrada, Melanie Gomes, Daniel Lopez, Jennyfer Mendoza, Florencia Menyou, Christopher Morales, Kristeen Piloto, Keshni Rajeswaran, Kevin Reyes, Christopher Rivera, Jonathan Rivera, Lucas Valtolina, Frederick Velez, Michele Zapata-Cascante, Alfredo Zarate, Yessenia Bermejo, Perla Cabrera, Gianella Oliva, Maria Penaloza, Lusaura Rosario Severino, Melody Vicente Mena; French: Winny Joseph, Rafael Marino, Geraldine Moreno, Bermuda Pierre, Jeff Polycarpe; Haitian Creole and French: Roselande Thomas, Loveline Jean Charles; Italian; Gianna Falco; Polish: Aleksandra Galka; Their teachers are: Italian: Anthony Fischetti; French: Assumpta Foy; Spanish: Megan Romero, Alberto Campos,  Tania Miguelez,  Rocio Horzepa.

Marist College

The following Central Jersey residents received their degrees from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, on May 18:

Alexandra Beers of Monroe Township, bachelor's degree in communication.

Kristen Camillo of Clark, bachelor's degree in business administration.

Francis Dangelo of Matawan, bachelor's degree in accounting.

Matthew Depola of Colonia, bachelor's degree in business administration.

Christopher Gentile of Matawan, master's degree in public administration.

Shahenaz Halani of Metuchen, master's degree in physicians assistant studies.

Gabrielle Kelliher of East Brunswick, bachelor's degree in medical technology.

Amber Kelly of Monroe Township, bachelor's degree in communication.

Nicholas Mecca of Monmouth Junction, bachelor's degree in criminal justice.

Rachael OConnor of Spotswood, bachelor's degree in medical technology.

Julie Olmsted of South Plainfield, master's degree in business administration.

Valentina Soja of Clark, bachelor's degree in fashion merchandising.

Tyler Utheim of Monroe Township, bachelor's degree in business administration.

Robert Williams of Rahway, master's degree in integrated marketing communication.

Kimberly Yip of Edison, bachelor's degree in business administration.

Misericordia University

Nicole Tagerty of East Brunswick was named to the spring dean's list at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pennsylvania. Students must achieve a grade-point average of 3.55

Mount St. Mary's University

The following Central Jersey residents at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, were named to the spring dean's list: Olivia Eldrenkamp of Old Bridge, Kelly Eustace of Metuchen, Jeremy Guzman of Laurence Harbor, Sydni Surowiec of South Plainfield.

New Jersey Department of Human Services

The New Jersey Department of Human Services on Wednesday honored 12 New Jersey high school and middle school students for their winning entries in the 2018 New Jersey Teen Media Contest, which celebrated the students’ artistic and written word portrayal of how their family tree may look.

Left to right:  Isha Shrivastava; Patricia A. Risch, Assistant Director of the Office of Child Support Services; Kelsey Besser; Avia Hurley; Krishna Patel; Bianca Lumang; Lauren Mirsky; Kacey Zuniga; Mia Tomasino; Hannah Malcolm; Miya Preyer; Davian Small; Elisa Neira, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Human Services; and Natasha Johnson, Director of the Division of Family Development.

The contest hosted by the department’s Division of Family Development focused on the topic of family to engage high school and middle school students in creative thinking through art and the written word. Students created original hand-made artwork and written works that reflected the contest theme and the Department’s ongoing outreach campaign: “Child Support. It’s more than just money.” 

Winners were chosen based upon their interpretation of the year’s theme, with the winning art and written pieces to be featured in the annual Child Support calendar. Last year’s winners can be viewed at www.NJTeenMedia.org.

“This annual contest, now in its 23rd year, is just one way that we provide support to family units and young people statewide,” said Natasha Johnson, the department’s Division of Family Development Director. “The slogan for New Jersey’s child support program is ‘Child Support. It’s more than just money,’ and we welcome the opportunity to provide our young people a medium to really think about their family unit in a completely creative way.”  

Winners in the high school artwork category: First place, Mia Tomasino, Piscataway High School; Second place, Avia Hurley, Piscataway High School; Third place, Miya Preyer, Point Pleasant Beach High School.

Winners in the middle school artwork category: First place, Bianca Lumang, Academy 1 Middle School of Jersey City; Second place, Krishna Patel, Academy 1 Middle School of Jersey City; Third place, Kacey Zuniga, Levitt Middle School of Willingboro; Winners in the high school written category: First place, Sophia Ginet, Ocean City High School; Second place, Hannah Malcolm, Point Pleasant Beach High School; Third place, Lauren Mirsky, Ocean City High School; Winners in the middle school written category: First place, Isha Shrivastava, Linwood Middle School of North Brunswick; Second place, Davian Small, Memorial Middle School of Willingboro; Third place, Kelsey Besser, Olson Middle School of Tabernacle.

In addition to having their artwork featured in the 2019 calendar, each winner receives a plaque of achievement, a gift card and a pair of day passes to Six Flags Great Adventure.

Northeastern University

The following Central Jersey residents at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, were named to the spring dean's list: Daniel Russotto of Aberdeen, Navina Magesh Kumar of Dayton, Karizma Kishnani, Lauren Gerbereux,  Ariel Zweig,  Roshni Thyagrajan of East Brunswick, Winnie Wan of Edison, Nicolas Casilli of Kendall Park, Priyanka Das of Monmouth Junction,  Nimi Patel, Natalia Rodriguez,  Dairath Majumdar, Catalina Rodriguez of North Brunswick. Students must achieve a grade-point average of 3.5.

Ohio Christian University

The following Central Jersey residents received their degrees from Ohio Christian University in Circleville, Ohio: Daisy Anderson of Princeton, associate's degree in biblical studies; Kayla Figueroa of Fords, bachelor's degree in psychology.

Old Bridge: Memorial Elementary School

In recognition of the service and commitment of the U.S. Military, Memorial Elementary School hosted an Interactive Military Day at Memorial School.

Interactive Military Day held at Memorial Elementary School. Students has the opportunity to go inside a Humvee.

Interactive Military Day began with a school-wide assembly and then students (grades K-5) visited various military stations. The event was held on May 24.

The goals of the program included to honor the dedication, commitment, and service of the US military and to enhance the students’ sense of citizenship and patriotism.

For Interactive Military Day, Colonel Vito DiMicco, from the United States Air Force, returned to Memorial School, bringing with him official Air Force heavy equipment and 30 military personnel to conduct the presentation to the student body.

They set up four interactive stations for the students to experience. The stations included civil engineering vehicles, a Humvee, an LMTV (Light Medium Tactile Vehicle), and air flight equipment.

The civil engineering station included a street sweeper, a dump truck, and a mini-loader. Students were permitted to climb into the LMTV and see how the truck operated.

Students also had the opportunity to go inside a Humvee and see how it is operated while the Air Flight Equipment station included a 20-person raft  with life vests for the children to try on, and a mannequin, along with a simulation of getting the mannequin prepared.

During the school-wide assembly, DiMicco and the Air Force officers presented Memorial students, two from each class, with a United States Air Force “Challenge Coin,” along with a certificate of achievement. Colonel DiMicco, the father of fourth-grade teacher Jerilyn DiMicco, has 38 years of military service.

Phillips 66 scholarships

 A Bishop George Ahr High School senior and a Piscataway High School senior each received a $16,000 college scholarship from the Phillips 66 Dependent Scholarship Program. The competitive program awards outstanding college-bound students whose parents work for Phillips 66 or one of its subsidiaries. The awards are based on academic excellence, community service and financial need.

The company announced Joseph Strunak II of Carteret and Brooke Moll of Piscataway, as honorees this year. 

“This scholarship program reflects Phillips 66’s commitment to the communities where we live and operate, and builds on our corporate vision of improving lives,” said Claudia Kreisle, Phillips 66 director of Philanthropy & Community Engagement. Phillips 66 is an energy manufacturing and logistics company, headquartered in Houston. 

The Phillips 66 Dependent Scholarship Program will annually award as many as 66 four-year scholarships of $16,000 each for higher education at any accredited institution. Scholarship America, a neutral, third-party administrator of educational assistance programs, selects the recipients and manages the program for Phillips 66.

Raritan Valley Community College

Five Raritan Valley Community College Nursing students have received the College’s Service Learning Leadership Award for their work helping members of the community. The RVCC students, Janet Adeleke of Hillsborough, Phebean Messeh of Sayerville, Anyanna Onwumelu of Highland Park, Patricia Sanchez Reyes of Flemington and Sindy Serrano-Maradiaga of Hillsborough, were honored at the May 15 RVCC Board of Trustees meeting.

Raritan Valley Community College President Michael J. McDonough, left, and RVCC Board of Trustees Chair Robert P. Wise, right, honor Nursing students, from left, Patricia Sanchez Reyes, Janet Adeleke and Sindy Serrano-Maradiaga, recipients of the College’s Service Learning Leadership Award; not pictured are Phebean Messeh and Anyanna Onwumelu.

The Nursing students received the award for their work at the Martin Luther King Youth Center in Bridgewater, an after-school program serving low-income, minority children and young teens from Somerset County. The RVCC students — all of whom are immigrants — selected the Martin Luther King Youth Center because of their own cultural similarities to the Center’s population.

The students’ project focused on the following topics: Healthy Food Choices, Growth and Development, Holistic Health Care Delivery, Disease Prevention, Recovery from Illness, and Promotion of Wellness. The students taught the youngsters about the differences between healthy food and fast food, and offered information about the nutritional characteristics of ethnic dishes. The RVCC students also shared their own cultural recipes for healthy eating and encouraged the MLK students to cook their ethnic food using more heart healthy alternatives.

The Service Learning Leadership Award honors students annually for their outstanding leadership and personal development attained through their service learning project and reflection activity. The award focuses on projects showing a high level of initiative in all areas of planning, including identifying the community need, planning the service and putting that plan into action. 

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital 

Marjory Gray, chair of the scholarship committee at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Rahway/RWJ Barnabas Health Auxiliary has announced that the following six, high school seniors have been selected to receive a scholarship.

The recipients are: Emma Didzbalis, Sarah Elsakary and Olamide Omisakin will graduate from the Academy for Health Sciences in Scotch Plains; Alex Gonzalo and Jarred Tolly will graduate from John F. Kennedy Memorial High School in Woodbridge and Janessa Mendoza will graduate from Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains.

The auxiliary runs a retail gift shop inside Rahway Hospital and conducts various fundraising events during the year to raise money for the purpose of funding the scholarship program. This one-time scholarship is awarded to students who will pursue careers in the medical/health field. The teens' goals vary, some plan to be doctors, nurses, physician's assistants and more. 

Rutgers Preparatory School

Jonina Y. Yang has received an Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps scholarship to attend Rochester Institute Of Technology, Rochester, N.Y. Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, extracurricular activities, physical fitness, specific performance or accomplishments, and leadership abilities, as well as personal interviews.

The scholarship entitlements include tuition and fees, an annual allowance of $600 for textbooks and a monthly stipend for up to 10 months of each school year that the cadet completes at the host college or university. 

Upon graduation from the host college and completion of the ROTC program, the cadet receives a bachelor's degree and a commission as a second lieutenant in the Air Force. He or she also incurs a military service obligation of four years (10 years for pilots) of active-duty enlistment. She is a 2018 graduate of Rutgers Preparatory School, Somerset.

Quinnipiac University

Joseph Amato of Monroe Township received the computer information systems outstanding senior award from the School of Business at the May 20 Quinnipiac University commencement.

St. Helena's School 

On May 31, Jennifer Pitoscia's third-grade class at St. Helena's School, Edison, honored the special people in their lives with a ceremony. The students chose the people most dear to them and honored them with songs, poems, and by reading the reasons why they're so special to them. The students presented gifts to their guests for their encouragement, support, and guidance. The event concluded with a visit to the student writing gallery and homemade selfie station. 

Jennifer Pitoscia's third grade class at St. Helena's School, Edison, honored the special people in their lives with a ceremony.

The Wardlaw+Hartridge School

Camila Fang, a sophomore at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School in Edison, felt a wide range of emotions during her solo cello concert at Carnegie Hall on May 6. There was a huge sense of pride and excitement, some nerves and a wonderful feeling of accomplishment as the Edison resident completed her piece along with other winners of the Annual Golden Key Music Festival Competition.

Camila Fang of Edison, performs at Carnegie Hall.

Fang performed Johann Sebastian Bach’s Air in G, the same piece she played at the annual W+H Spring Music Recital at the Berry Performing Arts Center in April. After many months of hard work at the Mason Gross School of Arts at Rutgers University under the watchful eye of renowned cellist Dr. Hyogin Lee and a successful audition at Westminster Conservatory in Princeton, Fang earned the invitation to play at Carnegie Hall.

“When I arrived at Carnegie Hall, I was so excited,” Fang said. “I felt like the hours I spend practicing every week were finally creating something tangible for me to display my skills. I have learned so much from this competition and this piece. While a large part of music performance is getting the notes and rhythm right, adding emotion and dynamics elevates it to a whole new level. I hope to participate in this competition again next year, among others.”

ALSO: This year's Lower School Art Show at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School in Edison featured an array of artwork on display in the classroom, hallway and Lower Snowdon. Parents, teachers and friends viewed paintings, samplers, ceramics and self-portraits. Susan Howard's young students showed off their artwork, which included a record 560 two-dimensional pieces and 150 clay and sculptures.

The Lower School Art Room was alive with beautiful work and received many visitors during this special day.

ALSO: Middle School students at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School in Edison displayed their talents in the fine and performing arts at the Spring Art Show and Concert on May 17.

The sixth grade choir performs at the concert.

 Art show highlights included illuminated letters, spirit animal molas, two-faced collage masks and clay creatures that reflect their inner monster by the sixth graders, Cubist self-portraits, Surrealist GMO fruit, Sonia DeLaunay watercolor paintings, Art Nuovo gilded trees and Pop Art projects by the seventh graders, and ribbon drawings reflecting an image in their eye using grayscale markers, accordion books and clay heroes by the eighth graders.

The Combined Choirs ended a concert with a rendition of Irving Berlin’s "America," featuring a medley of several signature tunes. Other concert highlights included Fanfare and Furioso by the Sixth Grade Band, Scarborough Fair by the Leal Choir, Dream of Freedom by the Sixth Grade Choir, the Mission Impossible Theme by the Seventh and Eighth Grade Band, Never Enough from The Greatest Showman by the Emelyn Choir, the Jazz Band’s Don’t Get Around Much Anymore and How Can I Keep from Singing by the Seventh and Eighth Grade Choir.

In a separate event students at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School in Edison displayed an array of talents in vocal, instrumental and dance routines to entertain a packed AP Room at the ninth annual Cookin' Cabaret on May 22.

The Concert Choir kicked off the evening with Seasons of Love from Rent and ended the show with a rousing rendition of Ain't No Mountain High Enough. Other highlights included acoustic guitar and vocal solos by Benjamin Wang of Edison and CJ Stueck of Scotch Plains, a vocal duet by Aanandi Murlidharan of Edison and Matangi Melpakkam of Piscataway, an electrifying dance routine by international students Jessie Ni and Kelly Qin and vocal solos by Kallie Schildge of Westfield and Steven Bessette of Scotch Plains.

ALSO: Upper School students were honored for their participation and achievement at the Honors Assembly May 24 in the Berry Performing Arts Center. The program recognized students who participated in service and leadership, clubs, the arts and athletics.

Members of the W+H cum laude society gather at the ceremony

Fourteen new members were inducted into the Cum Laude Society: seniors Hanson Gao, Jennifer Guo, Shreyas Heragu, Sana Mansuri and Benjamin Song, all of Edison, Audrey Vu of Colonia, Iris Wang of Fords, Jason Yin of Scotch Plains and Emily Yu of Edison and juniors Stanislav DeLaurentiis of Plainfield, Matangi Melpakkam of Piscataway, Ayush Menon of Scotch Plains, Sanjna Patel of Edison and Eric Wang of Highland Park. They joined current senior members Suraj Chandran of Edison and Hannah Yates of Piscataway.

Mark Donaghy, Math Department Chair, awarded the RPI Medal to junior Ayush Menon of Scotch Plains. This award is in recognition of outstanding academic achievement in the study of mathematics and science. Donaghy also presented American Mathematics Contest awards to Silvia Xia of Iselin and Suraj Chandran of Edison. 

Other academic areas recognized included AP Scholars, National Merit Scholars, New Jersey Governor’s School and World Languages Honor Society. 

Performing Arts Department Chair Sharon Byrne and Band Director Rick Fontaine recognized students who excelled in vocal and instrumental music. This includes CJMEA Honors band members Ray Huang of Edison, Stanislav DeLaurentiis of Plainfield, Isabella Sena-Cash of Scotch Plains and Hanson Gao of Edison, NJ All-State chorus members Aanandi Murlidharan of Edison and CJ Stueck of Scotch Plains and CJMEA Region chorus members Aanandi Murlidharan and Priya Golding of North Plainfield.

University of Scranton

The following Central Jersey residents at the University of Scranton graduated from its special Jesuit Liberal Arts honors program:

Erin Alexander of Linden who graduated summa cum laude, majored in psychologyand philosophy. Alexander was also a member of the university's undergraduate honors programand a presidential scholar at the University.

Alexandra Koutsoubis of Monroe Township who graduated magna cum laude, majored in biologyand philosophy. Koutsoubis was also a member of the university's undergraduate honors program.

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