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Student news: Berkeley College alumnus from Perth Amboy shares his inspirational journey

Student achieve news from: Berkeley College, Farmers Insurance, Middlesex County Arts High, Middlesex County College, Misericordia University, John P. Stevens High School, Scholarship America,

Staff Report
  • Community activist and author Edison Jaquez addresses Berkeley College online book club
  • Central Jersey teacher from Colonia wins $2,500 grant from Farmers insurance
  • Student art on display at Carteret and North Brunswick libraries
  • MCC child care center has new fire truck-themed playground

 

Author and Berkeley College alumnus Edison Jaquez of Perth Amboy, shared recently  the hardships he overcame as a young immigrant from the Dominican Republic who did not speak English, witnessed the sacrifices his parents made, and accepted the circumstances surrounding him that reinforced a negative understanding about himself.

Jaquez was the guest author at the Berkeley College Online® Book Club Summer event at Berkeley College in Woodbridge, on July 20. Jaquez’s  life story, “A SECOND CHANCE – Life Lessons Turned into Living Dreams,” was the club’s summer selection and drew a crowd of more than 60 students, faculty and staff at the live presentation and discussion, as well as several hundred others who interacted with the author from Berkeley College locations in New Jersey and New York during the livestreamed event.

“Don’t let your history define who you are,” Jaquez said. “I had it in myself to be successful.  I had it in myself to have goals and dreams we can achieve.”

At the Summer Berkeley College Online® Book Club event held at Berkeley College in Woodbridge, on July 20, author and alumnus Edison Jaquez addressed an audience about the life experience that enabled him to write his first book, ‘A SECOND CHANCE – Life Lessons Turned into Living Dreams.’ The presentation was streamed live to the other eight Berkeley College locations in New Jersey and New York and accessible by Berkeley College Book Club members around the world.

Even after earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Berkeley College in 2009, Jaquez struggled because he fell into negativity that had surrounded him earlier in his life.

“You have to want more for yourself,” he said.  “You have got to be the one to put in the work to graduate.  Just because my friend went to jail does not mean I have to.  In the end, it is about me, what I want from life.”

Because of those who mentored him and never gave up on him, as well as his own determination and learned belief in himself, Jaquez was able to turn his life around. He was inspired to help and mentor others. In addition to his position as Program Coordinator for the Civic Justice Corps at the Jewish Renaissance Foundation in Perth Amboy, where he is responsible for program planning and training, working with youth between the ages of 16 and 25, he is the CEO/Founder of B-Men, and Co-Founder of BYOUtiful – mentoring organizations designed to enhance the lives of today’s youth. His mentoring services are now offered at four locations and he is involved in supporting the development of a similar service for young women.

Left to right: Berkeley College students Keyir Murphy of Carteret and Jessica Rodriguez of Elizabeth meet the author, Edison Jaquez, at the book signing following the Summer Berkeley College Online® Book Club event held at Berkeley College, Woodbridge, on July 20. Author and Berkeley College alumnus, Mr. Jaquez of Perth Amboy, NJ, recalled the hardships he overcame as a young immigrant from the Dominican Republic who did not speak English, witnessed the sacrifices his parents made, and accepted the circumstances surrounding him that reinforced a negative understanding about himself.

Jaquez, who is working on a second book, is a motivational speaker who travels throughout New Jersey, sharing his story with audiences young and old.

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Brothers Scholarship 

Vivian Odubanjo of Edison is the recipient of a $2,000 Brothers Scholarship, renewable for three years, from The Heritage Group Scholarship Fund. Brothers Scholarships are awarded each year to outstanding students who intend to enroll at an accredited two-or four-year college or university. Odubanjo willl attend Montclair State University in the fall.

Students may apply to the Brothers Scholarship Program if their parent is employed by The Heritage Group. The Brothers scholarship recipients are chosen by Scholarship America based on their financial need, academic records and personal achievements. The program is designed to assist the children of Heritage Group employees with the cost of higher education and to encourage those students to invest in their future by obtaining a college degree. For more inofrmation about The Heritage Group and related companies can be found at www.THGinfo.com. The program is coordinated and administered by Scholarship America, a nonprofit educational support and student aid service organization.

Champlain College

The following Central Jersey residents at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont, were named to the spring dean's list: Jacob Beckerman of Clark, Kiana Best of North Brunswick, Mariana Franzetti of Cranford, Tyler Wood of East Brunswick.

Essex County College

The following Central Jersey residents at Essex County College received their degrees this spring:

Urooj Ali of Iselin, associate's degree in vision care technology with honors

Marc Randall of Jamesburg, associate's degree in music education with high honors

Garrett Gutierrez of Perth Amboy, associate's degree in physical therapist assistant with honors

Zyania Zavala of Perth Amboy, associate's degree in business administration with high honors.

Khushbu Patel of Piscataway, associate's degree in general science with honors

Khalimah Brown of Sayreville, associate's degree in social sciences.

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program has secured full accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, the organization responsible for professional certification of pharmacy education.

“We are building the future of pharmacy with our program as we educate the next generation of healthcare leaders. Receiving accreditation is a huge milestone in the life of our program. We are excited about the coming opportunities this will bring for our students, and the 69 students who just graduated in our inaugural class in May 2016,” said Michael Avaltroni, dean of the FDU School of Pharmacy, in a prepared sttement.

FDU’s School of Pharmacy — New Jersey’s first pharmacy school associated with a private university and only the second pharmacy school in the state — offers a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree and several master’s degree options. The school’s curriculum incorporates innovative technology and a global perspective, preparing students to address individual patient care needs and work in health-care product and service industries, public and private health-care organizations, academic institutions and state and federal regulatory agencies.

The Fairleigh Dickinson University School of Pharmacy opened in 2012.

The accreditation term extends until June 30, 2018, which is the customary two-year term for a new program gaining accreditation status for the first time. ACPE representatives found FDU’s School of Pharmacy to be compliant on all 30 accreditation standards, which is the best result that a program can earn.

The School of Pharmacy is at 230 Park Ave., Florham Park. For more information, visit fdu.edu/pharmacy.

Farmers Insurance

Music students at Colonia Middle School will benefit from a $2,500 Farmers Insurance grant awarded by the company’s Thank America’s Teachers program.

Mark Willenbrock, the school’s instrumental music teacher, created a project proposal that received enough public online votes to be among 60 teachers nationwide selected this month for the special education grant. Willenbrock will use the money to purchase much-needed new sound equipment and instruments for Colonia Middle School’s growing music program.

Willenbrock’s winning proposal was sponsored by two local Farmers Insurance agencies, the Maria Portales Agency in Woodbridge and the Edward van Eckert Agency in Metuchen.

Farmers Insurance provides major funding for large development projects all over the country, notes Maria Portales. “As community-based agents, Thank America’s Teachers helps us make a meaningful impact in our local schools.”

According to Willenbrock, the upgraded instruments will have an immediate effect on his students’ progress.

“Our band kids are already very advanced in terms of basic skills,” he said. “When you have the right equipment, a student’s musicianship can grow exponentially.”

To date, Thank America’s Teachers has donated nearly $4 million in educational grants to hundreds of teachers making a difference for their students and communities.

“Both our agencies are looking for new proposals to support,” says Edward van Eckert. “If a teacher has a project idea, they should contact us and we can guide them through the application process.”

For information on the next round of Thank America’s Teachers, call the Maria Portales Agency at (732) 634-7777 or the Edward van Eckert Agency at (732) 548-4444 or visit www.ThankAmericasTeachers.com.

John P. Stevens High School

Shyamala Subramanian, a rising senior at John P. Stevens High School in Edison, has been elected the 2016-2017 National Vice President of Competitive Events of Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). Subramanian is one of 10 national officers elected during the 2016 National Leadership Conference, conducted July 3-7 in San Diego, California . Being elected a national officer is the highest leadership honor an FCCLA member can achieve.

Her election took place during a five-day leadership event centered on the theme “EMPOWERED”. During the week, more than 8,000 FCCLA members, advisers, alumni, and guests attended workshops and sessions on relevant youth issues such as career preparation, financial literacy, environmental education, traffic safety, community service, and leadership development.

Shyamala Subramanian, a student at John P. Stevens High School.  She was elected to serve as a national office for Family Career and Community Leaders of America for the 2016-17 school year.

Along with nine other members of the National Executive Council, Subramanian will travel to FCCLA national headquarters in Reston, Virginia, during the year to attend training and program planning sessions. During the year, she and the other national officers will represent the organization by leading workshops and giving speeches locally and throughout the country, in addition to helping plan the focus and content of FCCLA’s 2017 National Leadership Conference, to run July 2-6, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Subramanian will be serving a two-year term on the FCCLA Competitive Events Advisory Team (CEAT). She will work closely with state advisers, educators, youth members, and national staff to improve and add competitive events. FCCLA offers students more than 40 events in which they can expand their leadership potential and develop skills that will be necessary in their families, careers, and communities. Members are recognized on the local, state, and national level for their participation in Skill Demonstration Events and Students Taking Action with Recognition (STAR) Events.

Subramanian has been an active member of FCCLA since her freshman year at John P. Stevens High School. As a chapter member, she has played an integral role in organizing and carrying out many community service and fundraising initiatives. She has participated in various trainings and meetings at the local, state and national levels and has served as a chapter officer, a New Jersey state officer, and a student member on the Competitive Events Advisory Team (CEAT).

Kean University

For the second consecutive year, Kean University in Union has been ranked No. 1 Best Dorms among all public universities in New Jersey according to Niche.com.

For the 2015-2016 academic year, Niche.com ranked 1,356 public and private, traditional four-year colleges and universities across the United States to determine which ones had the best college dorms. Kean University also came in second overall in New Jersey behind nationally ranked Princeton University. 

According to Niche.com, the 2016 Best College Dorms ranking is based on key statistics and more than 163,383 student reviews. Niche.com grades all of the colleges and universities on four conditions including; average housing cost, housing capacity, student housing crime rate, and student surveys on campus housing. Kean University and other top-ranked colleges offer outstanding on-campus housing that is safe and clean with modern amenities at reasonable prices. 

“Kean’s Office of Residential Student Services is committed to providing a safe and well-maintained living and learning environment that enables our students to maximize their academic and personal goals within a multicultural, globally oriented campus community,” said Maximina Rivera, director of residence life at Kean University. “Our dorms provide a living-learning environment where student success is linked to community engagement, personal development, outstanding facilities and leadership opportunities.” 

Recent Kean University graduate Deanna Verringia class of 16, has embarked on a career in fashion as the celebrity, charity and culture communications assistant for luxury jeweler David Yurman. Verringia, a New Hampshire native, chose Kean in part because of the University’s proximity to New York, and was impressed with her campus housing experience.

"Living on campus was very convenient during my four years at Kean University," Verringia said. "The dorms are close to all the classroom buildings. Even the farthest buildings are easy to get to because of the trolley. The dorms and the campus are gorgeous and are a great place to call home.”

Lafayette College

The following Central Jersey residents at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, were named to the spring dean's list; students must achieve a grade-point average of 3.60: Dana Barry of Princeton, Emily Bennett of Middlesex, Brian Brundage of Edison, Joseph Bruno of Edison, Samantha Buczek of South River, Caitlyn Cap of East Brunswick, Colin Cavanagh of East Brunswick, Emma Cohen of Princeton, Michael Ippolito of Princeton, Emily Lubas of Linden, Gina Marini of Old Bridge, Morgan Miller of Cranford, Brandon Pugnet of Somerset, Nicolette Reilly of Middlesex, Elizabeth Scoda of Edison, Dana Smith of Princeton, Mirielle Vasselli of Princeton, Hannah Weaver of Highland Park.

Lebanon Valley College

Darryl McClish of Middlesex has been chosen to serve as a Lebanon Valley College Ambassador. Valley Ambassadors welcome prospective students and their families, providing a tour through the campus and sharing their knowledge at The Valley.

Loyola Universtiy

The following Central Jersey residents at Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland, were named to the spring dean's list; students must achieve a grade-point average of 3.5:  Andrea Acosta of Old Bridge, Anthony Bevilaque of Cranford, Emily Bledsoe of Linden, Megan Byrne of Cranford,
Scott Cannon of Princeton, Brittany Dattilo of Colonia, Brittany Gordon of North Brunswick, Michael LaRose of Cranford, Allison Loeser of East Brunswick, Margaret McKay of Cranford, Katherine Nolan of Edison, Michael O'Kane of Milltown, Ysabel Maria Ortiz of Carteret, Andrew Ramirez of Cranford, Francis Reilly of Dunellen, Rae Correne Reyes of Plainsboro, Emily Snyder of Cranford, Marisa Valenti of New Brunswick, Anna Rose Waniak of Kendall Park,

Middlesex County Arts High School and Middle School students

Amid all the excellent books libraries have to offer, eyes may need a rest and gravitate to artwork hung proudly in the building. This artwork, including paintings, drawings and photographs created by Middlesex County Arts High and Arts Middle School students, will be on display at the Carteret Public Library, 100 Cooke Ave., Carteret, and at the North Brunswick Public Library, 880 Hermann Road, North Brunswick, for the month of August, 2016.

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 55 Middlesex County students were selected for the exhibit this year:  Mansi Dubey, Adams Middle School, Edison; Amaya Morales, Carteret High School; Alex Hedge, Anthony Lipnicki, Carteret Middle School; Emanuel Correa, Cedarbrook School, Plainfield; Piper Finn, Geneva Lawson, 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 Klimchuk, StephanieVincitore, Kennedy Memorial High School, Wooddbridge; Laura Cannuni, Linwood Middle School, North Brunswick; Madeleine Fenner, Maggie McGuire, Maggie O’Connell, Metuchen High School; Rebekah Torres, Middlesex High School; Remi Egierd, Yash Mathur, Chloe Widmer, Monroe Township Middle School; Rachel Kim, Brianne Koehler, North Brunswick High School; Sabrina Maisonet, Old Bridge High School; Chelssea Calderon, Camila Castillo, Angel Reyes, Perth Amboy High School; Elijah McDonald, Plainfield Academy; Tania Inoa, Plainfield High School; Maximilian Dec,  Oluwatomi Odina, Raquel 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; Aura 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, Yasasvi Talagadadeevi, John P. Stevens High School, Edison; Angelina Budala, Alexia Tan, Richa Wadhawan, 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 info@artsandedcenter.org, or visit our website at www.artshigh.net. This program has been made possible in part by a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/ Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Middlesex County College Child Care Center

The newest addition to the Middlesex County College Child Care Center in Edison is a fire truck-themed playground.

“The theme is a tribute to first responders,” said Mary Jo Tivenan-Mackintosh, the center director. “The children always enjoy a visit from the local fire company so when choosing a new playground this seemed like a logical choice. Our new playground provides a safe, happy environment for our students to enjoy being outside and participating in healthy play. The timing is perfect since we will be starting our full-day kindergarten program this fall as well as continuing our year-round preschool program (ages 2-5 years) serving area families as well as children of our faculty, staff and students.”

Left: Roseann Bucciarelli, dean of continuing education; MCC President Joann La Perla-Morales; with (top row) Alana and Athena Asimakis of Hopelawn, Nadia Kaminsky of Metuchen, Aidan Magner of Piscataway. Bottom row: Jayahni Alvarez of Carteret, Thiago Juarez of Keasbey, Raymond Vetter of Edison, Mia Izurieta of Edison, and Aubrey Gomez of Edison, and MaryJo Tivenan-Mackintosh, child care director. Call 732-906-2542 to set up a tour of the center and to view the new playground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Middlesex County College and Felician University sign business program agreement

Middlesex County College and Felician University signed an agreement that will allow business students at the Edison-based college to complete their Bachelor of Science degree in Business, and, if they choose, a Master of Business Administration from Felician.

The Bachelor’s-level and graduate classes will be held on the Middlesex County College campus in Edison.

“We are excited to partner with Middlesex County College to create this clear and convenient pathway for MCC students to earn their undergraduate degree in business and even go on for an MBA,” said Robert Evans, dean of the Felician University School of Business. “This agreement will allow students to continue their education at Felician without distance as an obstacle.”

Left. Mark McCormick, MCC’s vice president for academic and student affairs; Middlesex President Joann La Perla-Morales; Anne Prisco, president, Felician University; and David Turi, associate dean, Felician School of Business.

Jeffrey Herron, dean of professional studies, lauded the agreement.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for MCC business students,” he said. “They can transfer the 64 credits required for our Business Administration Transfer degree directly to Felician's Business program, which means that they will not need to repeat courses completed at Middlesex. We have a very good relationship with the Business Department at Felician, and we believe the opportunity to expand our existing agreement to include the ability to pursue an MBA degree is an exciting development for our students, something we hope they will explore.”

Herron noted the two schools already have an agreement linking the nursing programs.

MCC currently hosts bachelor’s-level classes taught by faculty from Kean, Jersey City University, as well as the Felician nursing faculty. For more information, visitwww.middlesexcc.edu.

Misericordia University

The following Central Jersey residents at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pennsylvania, were named to the spring dean's list: Karen Spehalski, Nicole Tagerty of East Brunswick. Students must achieve a grade-point average of 3.55.

New Jersey Hospital Association

Lauren Shauger of Piscataway and Danielle Barbieri of Freehold were awarded $2,000 scholarships from the Health Research and Educational Trust of New Jersey (HRET), the educational affiliate of the New Jersey Hospital Association.

The scholarships were awarded at HRET’s annual golf outing and scholarship presentation. The Health Career Scholarship fund provides assistance to applicants who are enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate health career program, maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or better and demonstrate financial need. To date, HRET has awarded more than $160,000 in scholarships.

Shauger is pursuing her master's degree in physician assistant studies at Rutgers University. She maintains a 3.814 grade point average. Barbieri will begin pursuit of her master's degree in occupational therapy this fall at Kean University. In May 2016, she graduated from Monmouth University with a bachelor's degree in chemistry with a 3.711 grade point average.

“The value of these scholars to our healthcare system cannot be measured,” NJHA President and CEO Betsy Ryan said at the presentation. “The categories for scholarship have evolved over the years from a healthcare administration award to nursing, allied health, physician assistants and on occasion a healthcare administration applicant. Our past winners have added to the diversity of our institutions and have become our employees.”

“HRET believes it’s important to encourage and enable New Jersey residents to pursue health careers,” said CentraState Healthcare System President and CEO, and HRET Board Chairman, John T. Gribbin. “It is more important than ever to support future healthcare workers to pursue careers both in our hospitals and in the broader continuum of care.”

Ramapo College of New Jersey

The following Central Jersey residents at Ramapo College in Mahwah received their degrees this spring:

Magdy Assawi of East Brunswick, Sara E. Barsky of Kendall Park, Zachary M. Batren of Somerset, Mark E. Boulanger of Clark, Tara L. Brett of Middlesex, Aneisha L. Burgess of Hamilton, Megan G. Chan of Somerset, Thomas A. Chupela of Edison, Kevin J.. Cristi of South Amboy. Christopher F. Cummins of Old Bridge, Danielle A. DeGroff of Monmouth Junction, Megan E. Fosko of North Brunswick, Max Fu of Edison, Gabriella Fudali, Lyndsey E. Gatton of East Brunswick , Raghav Govindarajan of Edison, Kelli M. Greco of Carteret, Michael J. Grisley of Dayton, Emily R. Harris, Evan F. Harris of East Brunswick,Matthew R. Kaefer of Parlin, Lidia A. Kim of Matawan, Kathleen R. Knorr of Cranford, Dean T. Koenig of Fords, Grant D. Korten of East Brunswick, Angela M. LaRosa of Monroe, Inddy M. Lamboy of Old Bridge, Derek L. Logiudice of East Brunswick, Kurt R. Lorentzen of Iselin, Cassandra L. Martin of Matawan, Lyndsay R. Massaro of East Brunswick, Sarah E, Misrahi of Metuchen, Melissa A. Moreno of Cranford, Sarah L. Murphy of Jackson, Joshua E. Newman of East Brunswick, James R. Nizolek of South Amboy, Zachary J. Olsson of Edison, Stefanie L. Passman of Sayreville, Melissa A. Perrine of Clark, Halle S. Pineiro of Metuchen, Alexandria E. Pinto of Rahway, Katherine M. Pirro of Metuchen, Brian R, Rinfret of Monroe Twp.,Kurt T,Rutmayer of Cranford, Robert R. Shalikar,Edward G. Skrzypek of East Brunswick, Amanda L. Skuriat of Linden,Jillian M. Stefanski of Old Bridge, Samantha K. Ur, Vidhi Vakharia of East Brunswick, Tara M. Wagner of Colonia, Haley M. Wight of Hamilton, Gabriella P. Zullo of Metuchen.

The following students at Ramapo College of New Jersey were named to the spring dean's list: Rachel S. Frunzi of Avenel, Mark Erik BoulangerMelissa A. Perrine of Clark, Isaiah C. Mc Call, Tara Marie Wagner of Colonia, Kathleen R. Knorr, Melissa A. Moreno of Cranford, Alec N. Weissman, Amanda L. Khoudary, Amanda Silvers, Brianna P. Weissman, Christine Marie Zielinski, Edward G. Skrzypek, Emily Rae Harris,Evan Franklin Harris, Faith P. Freedman,Hope Elizabeth Patti, Josephine Han,Joshua W. Newman, Julia M. Preziosi, Rachel M. Lubitz, Andrew J. Chimento of East Brusnwick, Abdurrahman F. Padela, Adeline W. Tao, Danielle C. DeBenedetto, Kurt M. Suchman, Rachel E. Laub, Raghav Govindarajan, Thomas Andrew Chupela of Edison, Dean T. Koenig of Fords, Emily R. Wirt, Kurt R. Lorentzen, Vikramjit Singh Pawar of Iselin, Bryce T. Knoblock, Christopher Alan Grocholske, Sara E. Barsky of Kendall Park, Anaiis Gonzalez, Lauren E. Rumbauskas of Linden, Emily B. Filocco, Halle S. Pineiro, Katherine M. Pirro, Mollie R. Zuvich of Metuchen, Tara Lynn Brett of Middlesex, Angela M. La Rosa, Jeffrey M. Lawrence, Marissa Danielle Meyer of Monroe, Amanda Abere, Carly A. Corbisiero, Caroline C. Earl, Casey T. Eggers, Matthew Imbriani, Sara Alexandra De Hanes of  Monroe Township, Christina Wai, Michelle E. Berls, Sarahjine Wildlie Bien-Aime of North Brunswick, Abdulai G. Swaray, Erin L McCool, Jennifer A. Hyland, Jennifer Trabucco,Jillian M. Stefanski, Kellie C. Jadus,Lauren B. Santoro,Melissa Ann Cohen, Ryan C. Morik of Old Bridge, Kyle J. Karpinski, Matthew R. Kaefer, Megan N. Quinlan of  Parlin, Jacob M. Varga Princeton, Hallie R. Meister, Kathleen M. Fasulo, Stefanie L. Passman of Sayreville, Alyssa Marchand, Megan Gabon Chan, Regina A. Cuddeback, Victoria A. Risorto of Somerset, Carol Anne Pennington, Heidi Anne Pilla, Katelyn Wolak, Michelle A. Keane, Jayce Brandon Santiago, Sean Farrell of South River, Alyssa Puccio Warren, Edmund F. Salter, Jaclyn M. Krausman, Stefanie J. Shapiro, Tina J. Wasielewski of Woodbridge.

Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School

At the 52nd Annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC) conducted in Louisville, Kentucky from June 20-25, students from Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School (SCVTHS) in Bridgewater earned a total of seven medals. The honorees are::

Gold: Career Pathways Showcase: Health Science - Brianna Broderick of Flemington, Catherine Chen of Warren, and Anjana Nair of Franklin Park

Silver: Career Pathways Showcase: Natural Resources/Agriculture/Food - Robert Bender of Hillsborough, Alok Pillai of Hillsborough, Satyakrishna Polavarapu of Bridgewater;  Medical Math – Janum Shah of Belle Mead.

SkillsUSA (www.skillsusa.org) is a not-for-profit association that serves more than 300,000 middle school, high school, college and postsecondary students — and their instructors — in trade, technical and skilled service instructional programs. SkillsUSA partners educators and students with business and industry to help ensure the United States has a well-prepared and skilled workforce. Nationally, SkillsUSA has the support of more than 600 companies, trade associations and labor unions.  SkillsUSA programs teach leadership, citizenship and character development to complement technical skill training. The organization emphasizes respect for the dignity of work, ethics, workmanship, scholarship and safety.

Spencer Savings Bank awards annual scholarship

Spencer Savings Bank, a community bank headquartered in Elmwood Park, awarded a total of $24,500 to 32 local students during a June 27 ceremony marking the bank’s 2016 contributions to its annual scholarship program.

Seventeen high school students each received a $1,000 scholarship, while an additional 15 middle school students each received a tax-advantaged Coverdell Education Savings Account (CESA) with $500 to encourage further savings.

2016 Spencer Scholarship Ceremony

Since its inception in 2002, the Spencer Scholarship Program has awarded more than $340,000 in scholarships to students within the bank’s service area, which includes Clark, Clifton, Cranford, Elizabeth, Elmwood Park, Ewing, Garfield, Garwood, Lodi, Lyndhurst, North Caldwell, Nutley, Parsippany, Saddle Brook, Union, Wallington, Wayne and Wood-Ridge.

In addition to the scholarship program, Spencer also hosts various financial education programs in local schools. During the 2014-2015 school year, Spencer’s partnership with EverFi, Inc. reached more than 500 students across three high schools and six middle schools, with a financial literacy curriculum that increased the students’ knowledge of key financial concepts by an average of 85 percent.

To learn more about Spencer Savings Bank’s community service activities, visit www.spencersavings.com.

Stockton University

The following Central Jersey residents at Stockton University were named to the spring dean's list. Alyssa Barreto, KarliSanon Karli, Emily Sellmann, Alexandria Dobbin of Avenel, Kathleen Santos, Jonathan Perez of Carteret, Michelle Makar of Port Reading, Robert Mazza, Caitlin Karabin of Colonia, Samantha Paladino, Rachel Sarno of Sewaren, HaleyHlavka, Danielle Pisano of South Plainfield, Kevin Doktor of Dayton, Peter Youssef, Kenneth DeCarlo, Joseph Genco, Daniel Sclafani, Austin Westbrook, Samantha Fallick,Jenna Catanzarite, Michael Levine, Kelsey McCann, Scott Rosenthal, Dallas Ostin of East Brunswick,  Jessica Errico, Allyson Crawford, Kaylee Howlett, Jessica Heditsch, Stephanie Vazquez, Melissa Castelan, Mackenzie Peacock, Kourtney Gush, Anthony Rienzo, Rebecca Margon, Lauren O'Neil of Edison, Danielle Smith, Melissa Steinberg, Michael Schwarz, Gavin Fong, Kelly Prince of Kendall Park, Megan Lowe, Steven Taragano, Sara Smith, Cathy Truncale of Iselin, Melissa Mayer of Jamesburg, Casey Schieda, Jaclyn Brumbaugh of Monroe Twp., Morgan O'Shea, Danielle Radigan, Francesca LiCausi of Edison, Alison Rocker, Hayden Keers-Flood, Sarah Weiss, John Lowenberg, Marissa Iskandar, Nicholas Marraro of Metuchen, Sean Gilbert, LindseyForeman, Liam Connery, Erin Corley, Ryan Reilly of Middlesex, Charles Bianco, Kelly Hipko, Elizabeth Ligotti,Matthew Mangarella, Stephanie Paley, Casey Sullivan, Emma Berin of Milltown, Kristin Cavorley of Monmouth Junction, Dana Fellerman, Timothy Shamus. Kelly Peng of Piscataway, Victoria Vitale, Danielle Kearney, Kaela Giles, Allyson Murray, Kimberly Novak, Susan Shapteban of Old Bridge, Adrianna Bella, Luke Harning, Marissa Marottoli, Christina Lau, Klaudia Patryn of Parlin, Kimberly Santana, Christy Fernandez, Andriana Matos of Perth Amboy, Alexandra Nardoza, Brittany Murray, Stephanie Morgado, Jessica Fletcher of Fords, Chelsey Luzetsky, Theresa Sabatini, Patrick Kirk, Giana Galasso of Sayreville, Breanna Hathcock, Jenna Feola, Kurt Miller,  Kara Hoffman, JadeGallucci, Devan Gallucci, Kristian Czarnecki, Olympia Chelchowski of South Amboy, Aliza Signor of South River, Kayla VanWageninge, Theresa Messina, Justin Huryk, Nicole Fiffick of Spotswood, Reese Kielty,  Stephanie Sanabria,  Victoria Link, Matthew Arcure of North Brunswick, Rebecca DeJong, Na'Eema Robinson of Somerset, Jennifer Carovillano of Cranford,Kendal Lambert, Ashley Molina, Brianna Haszko, Kevin Dynda, Alaina Catananzi of Linden, Kimberly Secor, Sara Beenders, Medgina Saint-Elien, Michael Roche, Camilla Albuquerque, Elianny Alberto of Rahway, Daniel Hogan, Jennifer Pecoraro, Smantha Rodrigues, Lance Pecina of Clark

The College of Saint Rose

The following Central Jersey residents at The College of Saint Rose received their degrees this spring: Raul Padilla of Old Bridge, certificate of advanced study; Sampurna Rawal of Jamesburg, certificate of advanced study; Cherie Ruiz of Kenilworth, bachelor's degree; Nordian Scafe of Piscataway, certificate of advanced study.

University of Delaware

Shannon Vercammen of South Brunswick received a bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of Delaware this spring.

University of New Haven

The following Central Jersey residents at the University of New Haven received their degrees this spring:

Avenel: Caitlyn Robson, bachelor's degree in forensic sciences, criminal justice with a concentration in Investigative services; Melissa Thorpe, bachelor's degree in criminal justice and forensic sciences, legal studies with a concentration in public affairs

Cranford: Gabriella Pericone, bachelor's degree in environmental science; criminal justice and forensic science with a concentration in chemistry

East Brunswick: Christopher Grande, bachelor's degree in criminal justice and forensic sciences, fire science with a concentration in fire/arson investigation; Najee Murchison, bachelor's degree in business management

Edison: Ahmed Pasha Mohammed, master's degree in electrical engineering

Metuchen: Dylan Walsh , bachelor's degree in criminal justice with a concentration in investigative services

Monmouth Junction: Nicholas Wereszczak, bachelor's degree in computer science

Monroe: Alexa Fucito, bachelor's degree in criminal justice with a concentration in investigative services; Alexis Hanna, bachelor's degree in graphic design with a concentration in digital art and design

Parlin:Jennifer Palase, bachelor's degree in psychology; Stephanie Palermo, bachelor's degree in forensic sciences, criminal justice

Perth Amboy:Agnel Etienne, associate's degree in dental hygiene; Brandi Rodriguez,  bachelor's degree in criminal justice with a concentration in forensic psychology

Piscataway: Jeffery Adkins, bachelor's degree in  business, management

Sewaren: Teresa Navarro, bachelor's degree in english with a concentration in writing

Somerset: Janet Dexter, bachelor's degree in dental hygiene

South Plainfield: Jorge Alvarez, master's degree in forensic sciences, natl security & public safety; Janine Colicchio, bachelor's degree in interior design

Wardlaw-Hartridge School 

Several spring season athletes from The Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison were named to all-star teams by coaches in the Greater Middlesex Conference and New Jersey Prep leagues. 

The co-ed golf team, which rolled to an undefeated divisional record to win the Blue Division title, was well-represented on the all-division team. Seniors Cecily D’Amore of Scotch Plains and Josh Marseille of Linden, junior Brennan Wright of Westfield and sophomore Cathy Bi of Edison were recognized. Veteran head coach Jim Howard of North Plainfield was named GMC Blue Coach of the Year.

Senior Mike Jesionka of Middlesex and sophomore Ovidio Chavez of Elizabeth represented the W-H baseball team on the All-GMC Gold and All-Prep B teams. Senior Lacey Gress of Linden and sophomore Brittney Wilson of North Plainfield earned the same distinction on the softball diamond.

Tennis player Satish Kumar of Edison received mention on the All-White Division and All-GMC teams, while track and field athletes Noah Toney of West Orange and Diogo Ferreira of Elizabeth were named to the All-Non Public B state teams.

Washington University 

The following Central Jersey residents at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, were named to the spring dean's list: Siddharth Vaanamamalai of Dayton, Eric Chao, Alice Wang, Casey Zheng of East Brunswick, Jennifer Greenberg, Shiv Patel, Shreya Srivastava of Edison. Students must achieve a grade-point average of 3.6.

Widener University

The following Central Jersey residents at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania, were named to the spring dean's list: Imrin Goraya, Navneet Goraya of South Plainfield, Lavanya Nagappan of Edison, Purvi Patel fo Edison, Lauren Robson of Avenel. Students must achieve a grade-point average of 4.0.

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