http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/2015/11/12/somerset-hunterdon-school-news/74229266/

Scout's work leads to rebirth of North Plainfield school garden

STAFF REPORT11:01 a.m. EST November 12, 2015

Student achiever news from: , Salisbury University, SCVTHS ,

(Photo: Photo Courtesy of North Plainfield Schools)

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

 Bounty from the Garden at West End School  SCVTHS science league participants recognized  Kean University students forge a shared commitment to service

 16 yeal old renaissance teenager invents a portable 3D printed solar paneled charger

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Last fall, former West End student, Bobby Bereheiko, volunteered to revitalize the garden at the North Plainfield elementary school as part of his Eagle Scout project.

Over a course of a few months Bereheiko, along with fellow boy scout members, installed a new fence and stepping stones and added weed blocking underlay, mulch,, plant beds, and fresh soil. With money raised through fundraisers, as well as donations, Bereheiko was able to purchase supplies. His hard work and dedication to the project earned him his Eagle Scout badge. Thanks to Bereheiko’s commitment to giving back, a new green learning space for students and teachers was created. This past spring, Nancy Lubreski's kindergarten class and Art teacher Lisa Cerulo participated in a collaborative planting project which extended the classroom experience into the newly designed garden.

To obtain a first-hand understanding of seeds, the students, assisted by Dr. Mary Louise Durkin, a class mom, planted pumpkin, squash, sunflower, watermelon and mixed garden seeds. During the summer Durkin and children maintained the garden by weeding and watering the plants. Upon arrival in September students were able to see how the seeds sprouted into hearty plants, with the vines wrapping around the garden. The Room 15 graduates were able to pick the large pumpkins, watermelons and sunflowers to put on display at West End School for the harvest season.

Submitted by Beth Sobel, Principal

Arts High and Arts Middle School

Paintings, drawings and photographs created by Middlesex County Arts High and Arts Middle School students will be on display at the Middlesex Public Library, 1300 Mountain Avenue, Middlesex, and at the Woodbridge Public Library, 1 George Frederick Plaza, Woodbridge, for the month of Nov.

The exhibit features work completed by gifted and talented students who participated in the Middlesex County Arts High or Arts Middle School. The programs, now in their 36th year, offer advanced arts classes in creative writing, dance, instrumental music, vocal music, acting and visual arts to students from public, private, and home schools in Middlesex County. Students, admitted to the program through audition, are released from their schools one afternoon each week during the spring semester to participate in the various courses that are taught by professional artists.

Works from 54 Middlesex County students were selected for the exhibit this year: Mansi Dubey, Adams Middle School, Edison; Amaya Morales, ; Alex Hedge, Anthony Lipnicki, Carteret Middle School; Emanuel Correa, Cedarbrook School, Plainfield,; Piper Finn, Kate McGrath,Yukthi Sangoi, Edgar Middle School, Metuchen; Kevin Flores, Edison High School; Talia Fishman, Highland Park High School; Edan Blank, Liz Broggi-Sumner, Elena De Aguiar,Juliana Dolan, Highland Park Middle School; Jacob Jellison, Natalia Klimchuck, Stephanie Vincitore, Kennedy Memorial High School, Woodbridge; Laura Cannuni, Linwood Middle School, North Brunswick; Madeleine Fenner,Maggie McGuire, Maggie O’Connell, ; Rebekah Torres, ; Remi Egierd, Yash Mathur, Chloe Widmer, Monroe Township Middle School; Rachel Kim, Brianne Koehler, North Brunswick High School; Sabrina Maisonet, ; Chelssea Calderon, Camila Castillo, Angel Reyes, ; Elijah McDonald, Plainfield Academy; Tania Inoa, Plainfield Hugh School; Maximilian Dec, Odina Oluwatomi, Rachel Ossenkopp, Salk Middle School, Old Bridge; Victoria Pietruszewski, Sandburg Middle School, Old Bridge; Raigan Stokes-Carter, Sayreville Middle School; Shreya Patel, Alicja Wisniowska, Sayreville War Memorial High School; Emmanuel Rodriguez, Shull School, Perth Amboy; Lindsay Benko,Gabrielle Mine, Alexis Walker, South Plainfield High School; Aurd Akunne, South Plainfield Middle School; Alexandra Errico, South River High School; Amber McFeeley, South River Middle School; Shreya Devarakonda, Gina Errico, Elizabeth Lee, Colleen Salmonson, Yasas Talagadadeev, Stevens High School, Edison; Angelina Budala, Alexis Tan, Wilson Middle School, Edison.

For more information on the exhibit or the Middlesex County Arts High or Arts Middle School programs, or to obtain an application, contact the Arts & Education Center at 732-566- ARTS(2787), email [email protected], or visit our website at www.artshigh.net.

This program has been made possible in part by a grant from the State Council on the Arts/ Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Franklin High School

Ambassador Nia Kirkwood of Girl Scout Troop #66339, completed her gold award project on Computer Literacy for the Elderly. Kirkwood is under the leadership of troop leader, Michelle Fielder, Co-Leaders, Linda Darby, Denise Davis, Yvette Murray and supported by her family.

“It was with great pleasure that I was able to work with seniors of Spring Hills Assisted Living residence located on DeMott Lane in Franklin Township,” the Girl Scout said.

Kirkwood’s dedication and compassion to help bridge the gap of the digital divide allowed senior citizens to connect with their families and friends through learning to use email and social media. This project became very popular with the residents. In fact, one resident was elated and told Kirkwood that her grandchildren are going to be “tickled” when they find out she has a Facebook account. Kirkwood’s efforts also included eight (8) 1 ½ hour sessions that generated interest and excitement with the notion of the integration of computer literacy as part of residential life and activities at Spring Hills. Kirkwood was also given a private donation of a computer to donate to Spring Hills to benefit their community.

Hillsborough High School

The Hillsborough High School RoboRaiders will host a BoroBlast at the school at 466 Raider Blvd. from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21.

The event is for students in grades 4-8 participating in the FIRST Lego League (http://www.firstlegoleague.org/). At BoroBlast, teams from all over New Jersey come and compete with the robots that they have worked hard to create using Legos and other mechanical moving pieces. This is a statewide qualifying competition for the league.

Food is provided and admission is free and open to the public.

Kean University

Kean sophomore Sarah Mack recently traveled to Cambodia, tackling the root causes of human trafficking and poverty in an at-risk community. Her trip was funded in part by Sarah’s Love, the non-profit organization Mack’s classmate and friend founded in her honor. Bonding over their shared love of people, Mack and Smith were able to make a difference in their communities and the world.

“Cambodia was by far my greatest adventure,” said Mack. “I learned that life is better lived outside of my comfort zone.”

Mack spent three months in Cambodia teaching English. Drawn to Cambodia initially by the issue of human trafficking, Mack chose to work with the non-profit organization Heart of Hope at a small school located within a predominantly Vietnamese community. Heart of Hope is dedicated to empowering children through education and faith. Mack served in an area where children are at high risk for human trafficking, domestic abuse, gang violence, drug abuse and malnutrition. In an environment rife with poverty and hopelessness, the school’s warm communal atmosphere helped her overcome many challenges.

“What helped me to get through it all was the 90-plus missing-teeth-smiles all singing "hello" and offering a high-five to me as I walked through the doorway,” said Mack.

Mack’s commitment to service inspired Kevin Smith to form a non-profit organization, Sarah's Love, to support her volunteerism. Sarah's Love helped fund Mack’s missionary journey to Cambodia and also supports The Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Smith later expanded the charity beyond missionary funding to support food drives, clothing drives, Christmas gifts for underprivileged children, and a scholarship for an NJ college student.

To learn more about Heart of Hope, visit heartofhopecam.org. To learn more about Smith’s non-profit organization, visit www.sarahslove.org.

Kean University student Sarah Mack in Cambodia with one of her students. (Photo: Photo Courtesy of Kean University) Kent Place School

The Admission Office at Kent Place School, an independent, college-preparatory day school for girls and young women, with a coed Preschool, is hosting an open house for prospective families interested in Preschool (Junior Pre-Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten), Primary School (Grades K-5), Middle School (Grades 6-8) or Upper School (Grades 9-12) on Sunday, Nov.15 from 1 to 3 p.m. on the school’s campus.

Following a brief information session, attendees will tour the 26-acre campus and meet members of the faculty, administration and staff. To register, visitwww.kentplace.org/admission/dates.

The Preschool at Kent Place uses a “Learning Through Play” approach. Junior Pre- Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten teachers tackle developmentally appropriate concepts in all subject areas — literacy, science, math, music, creative movement, art, world languages, physical education — encouraging students to explore, problem-solve, interact with their environment and find their voices in the classroom. Teachers use stories, singing, movement and dramatic play to engage each child’s natural curiosity, develop motor skills and encourage language development, comprehension and self-expression..

The Primary School curriculum is driven by the belief that a girl's first school experience should be her best school experience — and using these early years to establish building blocks for rigorous study and to encourage self-advocacy and build self-esteem is critical to long-term academic success. The school's curriculum, taught by experienced faculty who know how girls think, feel and learn, is designed to provide a foundation for excellence in all fields of study. Daily leadership opportunities — along with Morning Meeting, classroom presentations, class trips, computer skills, world languages and more — aim to give students the tools and self-confidence they'll need to successfully navigate the Middle and Upper School years.

The Middle School curriculum, which includes extensive offerings in English, history, mathematics, science, technology, visual and performing arts, health and wellness and world language, cultivates academic skills and independent study habits. Eclectic electives include Shakespeare’s Stage, public speaking, ethics, robotics. The Middle School Advisory program builds community, and offers mentorship and individualized focus.The school also has state- of-the-art classrooms and university-level science and computer labs, a Music Wing with vocal, instrumental and practice rooms, and Arts Center with theater, gallery, dance studio, and outdoor spaces for alternative classroom learning.

The Upper School’s academically rigorous college-preparatory curriculum has been designed to fulfill the admission requirements of the most competitive colleges and universities. Emphasis is on the development of strong writing and analytical skills within the framework of a comprehensive course of study in math, sciences, technology and the humanities, enriched with experiences in the fine arts and athletics.

A broad range of opportunities for leadership, social development and responsible citizenship is offered in all three divisions. Independent thinking and personal development are integral to the learning experience at Kent Place.

Applications for the 2016-2017 school year are now being accepted. For more information about Kent Place or the Open House programs, contact the Admission Office at 908-273- 0900, ext. 254 or e-mail at [email protected]. Visit the Kent Place Admission Office online at www.kentplace.org/admission.

Plainfield: Clinton Elementary School

Clinton Elementary School celebrated the end of Hispanic Heritage Month with a beautiful presentation of flamenco and traditional Spanish dances by Grupo Alborada, with more than 300 people in attendance.

“I’ve never seen such a great turn out at any previous event. We had more parents here today than during Back to School Night. It was amazing and a great night to remember”, stated Patience Smith, Site Coordinator of the Plainfield Community Outreach Program, who enjoyed the presentation as well as the variety of traditional dishes from various Latin American countries.

Clinton Elementary School Principal, Dion Roach, greeted the parents and thanked all of them for supporting events like this at school. “I’m very happy to have you all here today, celebrating the cultural diversity of our school, our heritage, and our traditions”,Roach said.

In a school where about 65 percent of the students’ population is from Hispanic descent, a celebration like this was the perfect way to begin a school year in a very positive fashion, according to a district news release.

Princeton Day School

Sixteen year old, Ziad Ahmed invented the Z-Charge, a portable 3D printed solar paneled iPhone and iPad charger, in collaboration with his Princeton Day School design teacher, Chris Maher in May of 2015.

Ahmed, who created the charger as part of an independent study at Princeton Day School, believes it is necessary to work towards sustainable energy and utilize new technology such as 3D Printing in order to maximize the efficiency, quality, and practicality of the world around us. See http://www.thezcharge.com for more details. iPads are an integral part of the education at Princeton Day School. Technology can be seen throughout the school campus and charging has become something of a debate in the school's recent history. The school had been seeking innovative ways to accommodate the increasing need for charging stations. Ahmed and Maher felt it necessary to work towards a sustainable solution. Ahmed and Maher believed the Z-Charge would be an innovative and sustainable solution for the Princeton Day School community.

This isn't the first time Ahmed has looked at a challenge and found a way to address it.

He is the founder of redefy (www.redefy.org), a teen organization committed to defying stereotypes, redefining perspectives positively, embracing acceptance, and creating an engaged community. Redefy has blossomed into an internationally recognized organization which posts content daily and holds events frequently to further its mission. Redefy’s mission for last year was to create greater acceptance of the special needs community. This year’s mission is to promote a dialogue on issues of race and to inspire teens everywhere to take a stand against racism.

His greatest passion is social justice, but he has a series of interests, which include his love for engineering and technology. Ahmed also serves as the secretary treasurer of the Class of 2017, an executive board member of Not in Our Town, a board member of the Teen Advisory Board at the Princeton Public Library, a Teens4TASK board member at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, the Secretary General of the PDS Model Un Delegation, a Staff Writer of the Spokesman (school newspaper), a Youth Ambassador for Everyone Matters, and a Science and Math mentor.

“I saw PDS facing a challenge in terms of the demand for charging stations and decided to work towards a sustainable solution with my teacher, Chris. The Z-Charge offers a viable and environmentally friendly solution to PDS students and faculty,’” he said.

Ziad Admed of Princeton invents a portable 3D printed solar paneled charger (Photo: Photo Courtesy of Afsheen Shamsi)

Ziad Admed, invents a portable 3D printed solar paneled charger (Photo: Photo Courtesy of Afsheen Shamsi) Raritan Valley Community College

Raritan Valley Community College’s Visual and Performing Arts Department will present a student theatre production of Edgar Lee Master’s classic, "The Spoon River Anthology," from Tuesday, Nov. 17, to Friday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m. All performances will be in the Welpe Theatre at the college’s Branchburg campus. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the publishing of Master’s free-verse Anthology, which shook the establishment on many levels. It became a notorious success and made more money than any previous volume of poetry. The work’s original 244 monologues are spoken by former inhabitants (both real and imagined) of Spoon River. From beyond their graves they speak their own epitaphs — confessing the real motivations of their lives, their failures, triumphs and secrets. Masters nearly died upon the publication in 1915, as his writing process produced a trance-like state of concentration in the author.

In 1966 Charles Aidman adapted the work for stage, artfully integrating American folk music throughout the piece. Since then the rich monologues in "Spoon River Anthology" have been used extensively by theatre training programs and aspiring actors as exercise and audition material. The classic piece is rich in humor, pathos, memorable free verse, rousing American folk songs and haunting ballads.

The RVCC production is directed by Danielle Barry of Somerville, RVCC adjunct associate professor. Dave Seamon of New Brunswick is music director, supported byZachary Seif of Middlesex on guitar. Technical direction is by David Porter of Clinton Township and Kenny Savoy of Piscataway, Grace Lamport of Califon is stage manager. Additional technical crew includes Dante Colon of Hillsborough, Matt Binkowitz of Westfield, Tyler Lozano of Branchburg, A.J. Leverett of North Plainfield,Ileana McCabe of Bedminster, Samantha Mishinski of Whitehouse Station, Brandon Roche of Manville, Anish Gurnani of Basking Ridge, and Cassy Kalley of Somerville.

The cast includes: Larky Barnes of Hillsborough, Jessica Fabiano of Ringoes, Marie Harvey of Hillsborough, Kristine Klimchock of Somerset, Gesinia Marcanoof Hillsborough, Kyle Morello of High Bridge, John Pizzigoni of Green Brook, Frank Peake of Flemington, Hayley Pellis of Glen Gardner, Mary Puleoof Pittstown, Kopanny Pusztai of High Bridge, Jordan Rehe of Branchburg, Hannah Steinberg of Somerset, Jhaliyl Stewart of Piscataway, Hugo Veliz of North Plainfield, and Joan Wagner of Hillsborough.

General admission tickets cost $12 each, $8 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at the RVCC Theatre Box Office, Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., or call 908-725-3420. For further information, contact the Visual and Performing Arts Department, 908-218-8876.

Salisbury University

Somerset resident Megan Smiley, a student at Salisbury University in Salisbury, Maryland, was accepted into Phi Eta Sigma, the national freshman honor society.

Somerset County Vocational and Technical Schools The Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School Gifted and Talented Honors Theater Arts Program will present the rock musical "Godspell" on Nov. 20 and 21..

“It is my hope that both our SCVTHS students and our ever expanding audience base are inspired by the production and can learn from this rare and unique show about how to treat others," Gifted and Talented Theater Arts Program Coordinator Joseph Mancuso said.

"Godspell" will be presented in the Auditorium of Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School at 14 Vogt Drive in Bridgewater. Show times are scheduled for Friday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov.21, at 2.and 7:30 p.m. General admission to the show is $15, seniors and non-SCVTHS students are $5, and SCVTHS students and staff are free. Tickets will be available at the door, or by reserving them through the box office at 908-526-8900 ext. 7125.

ALSO: At the September 2015 Somerset County Vocational & Technical Schools Board Meeting, the SCVTHS students who placed in last year’s New Jersey Science League competitions were recognized for their achievements. Out of the more than 100 teams who competed, SCVTHS students placed highly in the following competitions:

Biology I - 8th place - Catherine Chen of Warren, Rea Rustagi of Hillsborough,Siddharth Shankar of Hillsborough, Sanjeeth Rajaram of Warren

Biology II - 10th place - Alexandra Lilly of Martinsville, Aaron Lee of Raritan, David Sosidko of Pittstown, Samyak Gupta of Flemington

Physics I - 10th place - Matthew Allen of South Bound Brook, Rohit Rustagi of Hillsborough, Shawn Young of Martinsville

Chemistry I - 16th place - Alexander Insdorf of Belle Mead, Alexander Shu of Somerset, Jonathan Garaffa of Skillman, Kiran Raja of Bridgewater.

The New Jersey Science League competition is comprised of a series of four written tests conducted in January, February, March and April The SCVTHS students who competed met twice each week to prepare for the competitions. Science League Advisor, Mrs. Pratima Patil said,

“Students are inspired to study the subject beyond the course requirements and gauge their depth of understanding in comparison with other elite students in the state," Science League Advisor Pratima Patil said." Science league helps them strengthen their existing knowledge and challenges them to apply the knowledge in critical application problems.” SCVTHS students have been competing in the events since 2008, and this was their most successful year with three teams winning plaques for being among the top 10 best scoring teams in New Jersey. Additionally, four students received individual plaques: Catherine Chen of Warren, Rea Rustagi of Hillsborough, Sanjeeth Rajaram of Warren, and Matthew Allen of South Bound Brook.

“These students have set the bar high for the underclassmen and hope the younger students can follow in their footsteps,” Patil said.

SCVTHS Science League members (l-r back row) Jonathan Garaffa of Skillman, David Sosidko of Pittstown, Samyak Gupta of Flemington, Alexander Insdorf of Belle Mead, and Aaron Lee of Raritan (l-r middle row) Rea Rustagi of Hillsborough, Catherine Chen of Warren, Alexandra Lilly of Martinsville, Kiran Raja of Bridgewater, (l-r front row) Alina Lou of Hillsborough, Siddharth Shankar of Hillsborough, SCVTHS Science League Advisor Pratima Patil, and Alexander Shu of Somerset. (Photo: Photo Courtesy of) The Hun School

Lauryn Henry, a senior at The Hun School of Princeton, was one of 500 student filmmakers whose original work was premiered at the 2015 All American High School Film Festival. Henry screened her film “Sophia” on Oct. 10 at the AMC Empire 25 Theatres, Time Square, New York. The film was one of 25 finalists in the Best of Fest category. “Sophia” is the story of a girl who comes to terms with her identity, while having a phone conversation with her father.

Henry conceived, wrote, directed, and edited “Sophia” while attending the National High School Institute for film and video studies at Northwestern University this past summer.

“During my junior year, I took AP Studio Art with Ms. Collingham. The focus of my portfolio was photography, a medium that opened my eyes to using art for creative story-telling,” she said in a prepared statement.

The theme of her AP portfolio concentrated on the exploration of identity. “Throughout that year, I could see my work shift from literal story-telling to more artistic and representative story-telling. When I went to Northwestern, I continued to use identity exploration as a major theme of my creative work.”

The All American Film Festival received more than 1,400 student submissions from 48 states and 31 countries, making it the largest high school film festival in the United States.

Over the four-day festival the students were judged by a host of actors, directors, and writers in television and film industry including Dylan McDermott, Ed Burns, Henry Winkler, Kristin Stewart, Chloe Bennet, Brianna Brown, Rachel Nicholas, Diablo Cody, and Eli Roth. In addition, student participants enjoyed an interactive technology showcase and college fair giving them access to the judges and representatives of prestigious film academies.

Henry is applying to several film schools, where she plans to study filmmaking, directing, and production. “I want to become a filmmaker – without a doubt. It’s the only thing I want to do,” she said.

The Hun School senior Lauryn Henry class 16 was one of 500 student filmmakers whose original work was premiered at the 2015 All American High School Film Festival. (Photo: Photo Courtesy of The Hun School of Princeton)

Warren: Woodland School

Elizabeth Krumm has spent years studying neuroendocrinology and metabolism, specifically how certain hormones in the brain affect reproduction and energy levels. But as an invited guest to a fifth grade classroom at Woodland School in Warren, her primary focus was on convincing the students of the importance of clear, concise journal writing. “Writing is crucial to science not only to document the experiment, but also to convey your message to other people,” she said. It is a message echoed strongly by her mother and classroom teacher, Colleen Krumm. “I need you to understand how important reading and writing is to science so I brought you a scientist,” Krumm told her fifth graders on Oct. 7.

Krumm and her daughter, a recent graduate of Rutgers University with a master’s degree in endocrinology and animal biosciences, led the students in an experiment to determine the number of packing peanuts that could dissolve in one inch of water. Each budding scientist created a journal to document and record his/her findings in detail.

“You need to collect data to prove your hypothesis,” said Elizabeth, who also received a Bachelor of Science in behavioral neuroscience from Lehigh University in 2013. “That’s why it is so important- By Mary Ann McGann

Elizabeth Krumm (L) and her mother, Woodland School grade 5 teacher Coleen Krumm, stress the connection between writing and science. (Photo: Photo Courtesy of Mary Ann McGann)

Woodland School fifth grader Nicholas Rodriguez writes in his science journal (Photo: Photo Courtesy of Mary Ann McGann) Westfield High School On Sunday, Nov. 8, the Westfield High School Marching Band traveled to Allentown, Pennsylvania. to compete in the US-Bands A-Class National Championships. The Marching Blue Devils placed first out of 10 competing bands in division 5-A from New Jersey, Maryland, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts with a score of 96.738. WHS received awards for Best Music and Best Overall Effect.

Westfield High School Marching Blue Devils Band placed first out of ten competing bands in division 5-A. With a score of 96.738. Also, received awards for Best Music and Best Overall Effect. (Photo: Photo Courtesy of Westfield High School) The weekend’s performance capped off a very successful competitive season for the Blue Devils, which also included a third -place finish at NJ States and 1st place at the Towson Music in Motion Northeast Regional competitions.

The 2015 Marching Blue Devils are under the leadership of Band Directors Chris Vitale and Trevor Sindorf. The student leaders for the 2015 season are drum majors Albert Chen and Michael Hauge; brass section Leaders Benjamin Cook, Samantha Gargiulo, and Brian Lawrence; woodwind section leaders Michael Bergman, Danielle Gabuzda, Nova Qi, and Jack Ritter; percussion section leaders Jake Barrow, Lauren Brumfield, Javier Lara, and Zachary Model; and color guard captains Ariana Alvarado and Kathleen Nogan.

Student and School news appears Fridays. Email:[email protected]

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