NJ students: Local Congressional Award recipients named
Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. announced the recipients of the Congressional Award, this year’s U.S. Service Academy nominees, and the winners of the 2022 Sixth Congressional District High School Arts Competition at an awards ceremony. Students representing several local high schools were honored at a reception at the West End Arts Center.
Created by his predecessor, the late Rep. Jim Howard, the Congressional Award recognizes the initiative, achievement, and volunteer services of young people. The recipients include:
Bronze Congressional award recipients:
Anish Chaganti of Edison
Mirika Jambudi of Edison
Paige Vrankovic of Matawan
Silver Congressional award recipients:
Anish Chaganti of Edison
Mirika Jambudi of Edison
Annika Santhanam of Edison
Sibi Suriyanarayan Tiruchirapalli Venketaramani of Edison
Kavya Venkatesan of Laurence Harbor
Paige Vrankovic of Matawan
Gold Congressional award recipients:
Anish Chaganti of Edison
Mirika Jambudi of Edison
Varija Mehta of Edison
Annika Santhanam of Edison
Shivam Syal of Edison
Paige Vrankovic of Matawan
“The Congressional Award is given to individuals whose accomplishments and dedication to their communities exemplifies the best qualities of the future,” Pallone said. “I’m proud to award this honor to this year’s recipients, and I wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors.”
Pallone also honored the candidates he nominated to the U.S. Service Academies. The nominees include:
U.S. Air Force Academy
Varad Donwad, St. Joseph High School
Ashvath Goteti, Northwestern Preparatory School
Andres Sullivan, Northwestern Preparatory School
Michael Weikum, St. Joseph High School
U.S. Naval Academy
Emily Cortes, South Plainfield High School
Varad Donwad, St. Joseph High School
Kellen Dooley, Homeschool
Mary Catherine Harvey, Marine Academy of Science and Technology
Aidan Pierce, St. Joseph High School
Bailey Shafer, Metuchen High School
Aditya Sinha, Colts Neck High School
John Smolenski, St. Joseph High School
Justin Tennant, Raritan High School
U.S. Military Academy at West Point
Emily Cortes, South Plainfield High School
Aidan Pierce, St. Joseph High School
Emmanuel Ramos, JFK Memorial High School
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
April Ivan, Marine Academy of Science and Technology
John Smolenski, St. Joseph High School
“The value of military service to our nation cannot be overstated, and I am proud of the commitment that these nominees to America’s service academies have shown to serving their country,” said Pallone. “New Jersey’s 6th Congressional District is home to so many bright and qualified students. These nominees showed outstanding academic and extra-curricular achievements, leadership, and motivation in serving our country. I take these nominations very seriously because our nation’s service academies are some of the highest caliber institutions and are committed to graduating leaders of character, honor, and integrity. I wish all of the nominees the very best of luck in the future and thank them for their willingness to serve.”
Young artists from various schools in Middlesex and Monmouth counties participated in this year’s art competition, which was part of the nationwide program known as “An Artistic Discovery.” Local judges chose first, second and third place winners. They also awarded 15 honorable mentions. The first-place winner, Jenica Liang, will have her artwork displayed for the next year in the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
Congressional Art competition winners:
First Place: Sanika Godbole, JP Stevens High School
Second Place: Dev Doshi, JP Stevens High School
Third Place: Emily Hsu, JP Stevens High School
Honorable mentions:
Sebastian Alarcon, Perth Amboy High School
Felicia Chao, Highland Park High School
Elliot Dong, Piscataway High School
Emily Koziej, Middlesex County Vocational & Technical School – East Brunswick
Vivian Lee, JP Stevens High School
Lauren Li, JP Stevens High School
Sarah Isabel Liu, JP Stevens High School
Shannon Jade Liu, JP Stevens High School
Anthony Luisi, Middlesex County Vocational & Technical School – East Brunswick
Gina Palladino, Edison High School
Neha Patel, Edison High School
Ydaliz Ramos, Perth Amboy High School
Takovah Townsend, Piscataway High School
Jessie Jra Xing Li, Highland Park High School
Jim Yu, St. Joseph High School
“I have long believed that Congress should play a major role in encouraging the arts,” Pallone said. “This competition provides a forum to help the aspiring young artists of our area gain recognition and exposure. Young artists can gain confidence in themselves and their abilities by displaying their work and having it evaluated by knowledgeable judges.”
In addition, the ceremony also featured remarks from distinguished guests about the importance of each field.
Gloria Aftanski, President & CEO of the United Way, spoke about the value of community service and volunteerism and the benefits it has on the entire community.
Captain Edward Callahan, Commanding Officer at Naval Weapons Station Earle, spoke about the value of military service and commitment to serving our great nation.
Dr. Maura Reilly, Director of the Zimmerli Museum, spoke about the role of the arts in education and the benefits of encouraging young artists.
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John Hopkins University
Shannon Rose Powelson of Tewksbury has graduated with both university and departmental honors with a bachelors of science degree in chemical and biomolecular engineering and a minor in entrepreneurship and management from The Johns Hopkins University G.W.C. Whiting School of Engineering in Baltimore, Maryland.
Jonas Salk Middle School
The President’s appointee to the Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition visited
Jonas Salk Middle School in Old Bridge on May 24. Rob Wilkens was there to
tour the school, visit the school’s first-class planetarium facility, and meet with gym
students to discuss the importance of health and fitness.
Wilkens was appointed by both President Trump and President Biden to the
President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. Wilkens is a veteran of the
United States Air Force, having served for 26 years and retiring as a Master
Sergeant. In the Air Force, Wilkens served on the staff of the Joint Improvised
Explosive Device Defeat Organization and Legislative Liasison Office, Secretary of
the Air Force. He was also a unit fitness advisor who helped developed exercise
programs for unit personnel.
The tour was led by district superintendent David Cittadino, Assistant
Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Hoeker, and building principal William Rezes. After
being introduced to one of the physical education classes already in session, Wilkens
immediately got down to business, calling on all of the students to join him in a
round of pushups. He then spoke to them about the importance of fitness in the
military and in every day life. He walked around the room asking students what
they wanted to do when they grow up, reminding them to stick with it and work
hard. Do that and their goals will be attainable, he said. He then challenged Connor,
13, to a second push up challenge. The two proceeded to do a set of pushups, which
the young man powered through. “Here’s another lesson,” Wilken’s told the crowd,
“he didn’t quit.”
Wilkens was joined on the tour by Middlesex County Superintedent Kyle Anderson
and East Orange Public School Superintent Abdulsaleem Hasan and Adminstrator
Anita Champagne, who were visiting Salk to see the school’s planetarium. The
platarium was built in 1968 as part of the original construction of the building,
which was designed at the height of the international space race. While the
technology has been updated over the years (its most recent major update was the
conversion to a Spitz SciDome digital system in 2009 and a cleaning and repainting
of the dome in 2017), the mission remains the same – bringing exciting, new types
of learning to students in a memorable way.
The contingent of VIPs were given a presentation detailing all of the planetarium’s
capabilities, from standard lessons on constellations to more interactive lessons
about space, space exploration, stars, and more. Leading the presentation was
planetarium curtator, and Salk science teacher Nick Andreacci, who showed off the
planetarium’s light and sound systems, all of which impressed the guests. The
planetarium’s flexibility was on full display with demonstrations of various
curricula, including math lessons, in the form of a psychedelic fractals lesson, to
ecology and Earth science, as demonstrated with an immersive visualization of the
exploration of coral reefs.
The planetarium is still a shining star, if gauged by the guest’s reactions.
“This is the best planetarium in New Jersey,” said East Orange Public School
Superintendent Abdulsaleem Hasan at the end of the planetarium presentation. He
urged administrators to spread the word about the amazing tool the district has and
to make the most of it.
League of Women Voters
The YVote Essay and Video Contest sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Greater New Brunswick Area was offered to students from grades 9-12 in Middlesex and Somerset County public schools. The winners included 11 students in grades 9-11 across eight different schools. The event was held on Thursday evening, May 19, using the zoom platform. New Jersey Secretary of State Tahesha Way gave a motivational opening address to the students on the importance of voting. New Jersey Senator Andrew Zwicker was the keynote speaker for the event.
The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to youth civic education and civic engagement. The goal of the contest was to motivate young people to get involved in the political process and exercise their right to vote. The students were asked to write a persuasive essay or create a memorable video to inspire their peers and others to vote. Contest winners are to be congratulated on their exceptional achievement. In addition, every student who submitted an essay or video should be recognized for the serious thought each gave to the question of why every vote matters. This year it was particularly relevant that many spoke in sophisticated and perceptive terms about the importance of protecting the right to vote for all citizens.
Awards:
First place - $500
Second place - $200
Third place - $100
Following are the essay winners:
First place: Heidi Hu of Churchill Junior High School of East Brunswick
Second place: Matthew Lee of East Brunswick High School
Third place: Potri Abhisri Barama of JFK High School and Marcus Long of Metuchen High School
Honorable mention:
Ashmeen Kaur of JFK High School
Emma Corradino of Piscataway High School
Emerson Rever of Ridge High School
Following are the video winners:
First place: Neha Bommireddy and Prisha Maggu of Middlesex County Academy/SMET(Science, Math & Engineering Technology)
Second place: Karis Mao of East Brunswick High School
Third place: Salma Ghazi of Colonia High School
Mother Seton Regional High School
Mother Seton Regional High School, Clark, held commencement exercises May 26. Diplomas were presented by Sister Jacquelyn Balasia, Principal. The Class of 2022 has achieved in excess of $13.7 million dollars in academic scholarships and awards.
Sister Jacquelyn Balasia shared congratulatory remarks with the student body during the graduation ceremony. “Please do not take anything for granted. Always be grateful–spend a few minutes each day in grateful thanksgiving to our God. Appreciate those around you! What you accomplish in life is not for you alone, but in service to others–that is how you will make a difference in our world. If we believe that we can change the world, God will show us how to do it. Go now and know that you are loved very much by our God and by us and you are always welcome to come home, here to MSR.”
The Principal’s Award for Academic Excellence during the past four years was awarded to valedictorian Emily Destito of Linden, and salutatorian Raquel Pita of Belleville. The Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Award for Exemplary Witness to Christian Values during the past four years was awarded to Devon Moses of West Orange.
Destito shared the following with her classmates “Mother Seton has not only become a school that I love, but also my second home. It has been a safe place that’s allowed me to feel comfortable to express myself and be who I am. The countless memories and innumerable friendships that I have made here show why Mother Seton will forever hold an extra special place in my heart. I know that I will always have this community to return to for whatever I may need as I leave these halls and enter into the world. Destito will be studying Chemical Engineering at Cornell University in September and Pita will be majoring in Cybersecurity at the Universality of New Haven.
Simone Thomas-Rowe of Livingston, Senior Class President, invited the members of the Class of 2022 to join her in turning their tassels as a symbol of their graduation from Mother Seton Regional High School. Thomas-Rowe will be studying film at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles this fall.
Awards for Academic Excellence in the following areas were awarded to the following: Yaoguang Huang of China, Art; Nathalia Abrams of Linden, AP Biology; Emily Destito AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, AP English, AP Physics and AP US History; Devon Moses AP US History and Physical Education; Adryanna Young of Orange, AP French; Ashley Carranza of Rahway, AP Spanish; Marie Cajoux of Plainfield, Religious Studies; Morgan Miranda of Union, Physical Education.
Special academic awards were presented to Seton Distinguished Scholars: Marie Cajoux, Emily Destito, Adelina Marinello of Colonia, Amelia Moraghan of Clark, and Raquel Pita.
Scholar Athletes awards are as follows: NJ State Interscholastic Athletic Association Scholar Athlete, Nathalia Abrams; Greater Middlesex Conference Scholar Athlete, Devan Moses; Greater Middlesex Conference Sportsmanship Award, Olivia Muir of Linden; Seton Hall National Women in Sports Outstanding Athlete Award, Morgan Miranda.
Raritan Valley Community College
Maria Scarpantonio of Manville has been named the recipient of the Raritan Valley Community College Nonprofit Civic Engagement Award for spring 2022. This recognition is intended to enhance the learning experience and community involvement of Service Learning Program students who have actively participated in community engagement activities as part of their academic classes.
Scarpantonio, an Environmental Studies student at RVCC, demonstrated her passion for volunteering and leadership in helping the local community. During the spring 2022 semester, she was actively involved with three service learning volunteer projects for different classes. Through her Environmental Science and Sustainability course, she completed more than 20 hours of service at the Raritan Headwaters Association; in her Energy, Environment and Climate Change course, she served over 15 hours at Grow it Green Morristown; and through her English Composition II course, she volunteered over 15 hours at the RVCC Resource Center/Food Pantry. Even after her course requirements had been met, Scarpantonio continued to contribute and gain real-world experience.
As a result of her participation in service learning, she learned new skills and increased her knowledge of a new profession, which led to a change in her academic goals. Scarpantonio’s experiences helped her become more interested in focusing on environmental issues as part of her future profession, and as a citizen of the world.
Reflecting on her service, Scarpantonio said, “I definitely learned a lot and had many great experiences at all three places. I picked these specific projects because they all involved helping, whether it was for the environment or fellow students. I got a taste of what it's like working in three different environmental areas, which helped me learn about myself and what I really enjoy. I also made important connections and received very valuable career advice from professionals.”
After graduating from RVCC, Scarpantonio plans to transfer to a four-year school and continue her studies in sustainability and watershed management. Her future plans include a career in regenerative agriculture and climate resilience.
Readington Township School District
The Readington Middle School Life Skills class recently took a Community Based Instruction (CBI) trip to Hionis Greenhouses in Whitehouse Station. The students enjoyed a tour of the greenhouses and learned facts about the plants they were purchasing. The students were taught the "care" and “uses” for each plant. The students purchased: basil, romaine lettuce, habanero peppers, green bell peppers, parsley, and strawberries. The students will be taking care of the plants and using the harvest during the last few weeks of the school year and also during their summer program.
Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School
TEECS' tenth grade student, Anika Parthiban, was one out of New Jersey's 95 highest achieving STEM students that graduated from the Governor’s STEM Scholars program. This is a year-long program that provided a 360° view of New Jersey’s STEM economy through conferences, lab tours, master classes, and research. During the commencement, scholars presented year-long research projects led by undergraduate and graduate-level scholars, that advances the work of New Jersey’s research community.
Union Catholic Regional High School
Blue caps went airborne through the sun-splashed sky when Union Catholic’s Class of 2022 graduated during a ceremony held in front of the school on Wednesday, May 25.
The 168 members of the Class of 2022, who will forever be remembered as the “Comeback Class,’’ let their emotions flow as they celebrated their memorable accomplishment with classmates, family, and members of the UC faculty on a beautiful day on the campus.
Union Catholic’s 57th annual Commencement Ceremony was an emotional, exciting, uplifting, and reflective event as a huge crowd gathered to honor UC’s Class of 2022, and members of UC’s Class of 1972, who celebrated their 50th anniversary.
The day was also filled with inspiring, passionate, and heartfelt speeches from Principal Sister Percylee Hart, RSM, UC seniors Abby Hunsinger and Yvonne Agyapong, the co-valedictorians, Ava Perona, the student council President, and Commencement Speaker Mike Conte, a school counselor at Union Catholic for the past 10 years.
Union County College
The Union County College Foundation scored a perfect round at the 30th annual Golf outing on April 25 held at Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club in Bedminster. Nearly 200 golfers hit the green raising over $180,000 to support Union College students.
Union student Sybel Francois gave a speech on how the Foundation has helped him as an international student. “Certainly, it has not been an easy journey so far. I have struggled financially to support my academic dreams in this Country. But through your support and thanks to the scholarships that I have received from the Union County College Foundation, I am able to meet these enormous challenges and truly believe that I will reach my fullest potential. The Foundation helped me find the resources I need to succeed, graduate, developed my leadership skills, and build my network,” said Francois. He plans on transferring to Claremont McKenna College in California after graduation.
Westfield Public Schools
The Westfield High School cast of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” received the award for “Outstanding Achievement by an Acting Ensemble of a Classical Play” at the 2022 Montclair State University Theatre Night Foxy awards at a virtual ceremony on Monday, May 23. The fall 2021 production was nominated for 6 additional awards, including:
Joey Gamba: “Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Classical Play”
Zoe Greenzang: “Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Classical Play”
Evan Leone: “Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Classical Play”
Lucie Saint-Denis: “Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Classical Play”
Daniel Devlin: “Outstanding Achievement in Stage Direction”
Westfield High School - “Outstanding Production of a Classical Play"
“The recognition of the full cast as a whole is terrific and well deserved,” said WHS Theatre Director Daniel Devlin.
Also: Four staff members have been honored by the Westfield High School community with awards of excellence. WHS principal Mary Asfendis announced the award winners during morning announcements on May 23.
Nominated by students, social studies teacher Kimberly Leegan is the recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award, established to annually recognize a teacher who, through both excellence in teaching in the classroom and a demonstrated commitment to intellectual pursuits beyond the classroom, serves as a model and inspiration to the WHS community to strive towards excellence.
The 2022 recipient of the Above and Beyond Award is English teacher Elizabeth Palamara. Students were asked to nominate a tenured teacher or counselor who they felt has made a difference in their life as a student or who they witnessed making a difference in another student’s life either socially, emotionally, or academically.
Social Studies teacher Ryan Daly received the Parent-Teacher-Student Organization (PTSO) Teacher of the Year Award, for which parents and students nominate a teacher who communicates enthusiasm, is encouraging, motivating, and readily available to individual students, attempts to elevate standards, encourages students to excel to their greatest potential, is cheerful, flexible, sensitive, and a good role model.
For the Robert and Linda Foose Memorial Award, students were asked to nominate any WHS staff member, except the principal, for a specific contribution to the educational process at WHS during the 2021-2022. Production manager Matthew DiFabio is the 2022 recipient of this award, which is named for a former principal and teacher.
The awardees will be honored by the Westfield Board of Education at a public meeting on Tuesday, June 14.
Also:
Student and School news appears on Saturdays. Email:cnmetro@mycentraljersey.com
Carolyn Sampson is Executive Office Assistant for the Courier News, The Home News Tribune and MyCentralJersey.com, and handles the weekly Student News page.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ students: Local Congressional Award recipients named
