NJ students: Niemeyer receives scholarship award
On Tuesday, Aug. 2, the South Plainfield Knights of Columbus Council #6203 handed out their 2022 Scholarship Awards.
Chairman of the Scholarship Committee Gerry Butrico and Grand Knight Tom Berry presented Michael Niemeyer his award. Niemeyer is the son of Brother Knight Michael Niemeyer Sr. Niemeyer is a 2022 South Plainfield High School graduate and will attend Middlesex College in the fall. The council awarded him $500 towards his education expenses.
Chrysalis Project
The Chrysalis Project (TCP), is an established not-for-profit mentoring program for junior and high school girls. TCP prepares the students for college through numerous programs and hands-on activities with the mentors, as well as provides scholarships throughout their college careers.
On Sunday, Aug. 14, at 11:30 a.m., TCP, in support of the 9 a.m. Shiloh Baptist Church Outdoor Worship Service and Community Block Party, will dedicate a Little Free Library to the church during a ribbon cutting ceremony. This will establish The City of Plainfield’s second nationally registered Little Free Library.
TCP will host a free Book Bonanza Giveaway at the Block Party. More than 500 new books will be gifted to children, youth, and adults while they last. TCP hopes to inspire the younger generation to discover the adventures, pleasures and motivations found in books to become whatever they desire to be.
For more information about The Chrysalis Project, visit www.chrysalisprojectinc.com.
JA of New Jersey
The JA High School Hero Scholar Award was co-founded by Pamela Craig in 2015 to recognize exceptional students who have participated as classroom volunteers through JA High School Heroes, while promoting the significance of education and career preparation. Due to the remarkable generosity, vision, and leadership of Craig, the Scholar Award Initiative has helped shape the lives of young adults across the state of NJ and will continue to for years to come.
JA of New Jersey (JANJ) is committed to equipping NJ students with the employability and key life skills needed for successful futures. JANJ’s High School Heroes initiative empowers students to be role models as they teach JA to children within their local communities, all the while developing their own leadership, presentation, time management, and collaboration skills. Year after year, thousands of Heroes statewide bring JA’s career readiness, money management, and entrepreneurship learning experiences to life for tens of thousands of children. JA in New Jersey is a no-cost solution to the schools and families by providing all materials, lessons, and training.
Similarly, the Weber Capozzoli JROTC Scholar Award recognizes a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) graduate who also served as a JA High School Hero. This award is in memory of Weber Capozzoli family members who have served in the armed forces.
“We are proud to support students from diverse backgrounds on their way to becoming the future business leaders of New Jersey. For years we have seen the value of our students’ participation in the JA High School Heroes program, which serves as a pathway for young people to improve their leadership and mentoring skills. We are beaming with pride and wish these High School Hero Scholar Award Recipients the best of luck on their academic journey.” said James Horne, Jr., president and CEO, JANJ.
Local recipients, both 2022 high school graduates, are:
Vivian Ravines, Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School, attending Kean University
Emily Yang, Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, attending New York University Stern
To be eligible for the High School Hero Scholar Award, NJ applicants must currently serve, or have previously served as a JA High School Hero. Students are required to complete an essay describing their experience with JA, which is then reviewed by the JANJ Scholar Award Panel. Finally, applicants must be a current, graduating high school senior with plans to attend a higher education institution in 2022, and be able to meet admissions standards for first-time entering students. JANJ will being accepting 2023 scholarship applications in May 2023. JANJ will continue to celebrate the heroes as a part of the 2022 — New Jersey Business Hall of Fame (NJBHOF) later this year, as event proceeds underwrite unsponsored High School Heroes learning experiences statewide to ensure that all young people involved become financially empowered and gain critical life skills for success. The NJBHOF, as JANJ’s preeminent annual special event, is the state’s leading platform that recognizes remarkable New Jersey executives, its laureates, for their leadership, innovation, economic impact, and philanthropic and community involvement while inspiring heroes as future leaders and laureates.
Mount Saint Mary Academy
Olivia Encarnacion attended the Notre Dame Leadership Seminars, a fully-funded, highly-selective program. from Sunday, July 17, to Wednesday, July 27.
“The past 10 days have been the quickest 10 days of my life,” said Encarnacion, a senior at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung. “I took a class on Global Issues: Violence and Peace in the Modern Age and participated in a number of incredible learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom. Over the course of these 10 days, I was blessed to meet some amazing people from all over the world that I hope to continue to stay in touch with. I also had the opportunity to learn from Professor Ernesto Verdeja and Professor Atalia Omer alongside additional guest speakers.”
“In these short few days, I not only went to class to learn about pressing issues in our world, but I also participated in some intense late-night volleyball, a trip to Chicago, a service trip, late night pizza session, a dance party, prayer service, ice skating, and much more,” she said. “It was such a wonderful experience and everyone I met and everything I learned will remain with me throughout my life. I got a sneak peek into college life at Notre Dame. All in all, this is an experience I will never forget.”
The Plainfield resident said, “This leadership seminar has taught me valuable lessons that I hope to apply to my last year at The Mount. As a leader in numerous school organizations and my own non-profit, I look forward to sharing and applying the skills that I have learned. By doing this program I also gained perspective on the value of balancing learning and having fun to promote overall wellness. I am excited to challenge myself this year while making the most of my senior year!”
Also: Taryn Murphy, a senior at Mount Saint Mary Academy and resident of Westfield, participated in the American Legion Auxiliary New Jersey Girls State Program from Saturday, June 18, to Thursday, June 23.
"I had so much fun earlier this summer at Girls State and found it to be an extremely valuable experience for both my social and intellectual growth,” she said. “While the program was rigorous, I was able to make amazing friends and participate in a realistic government simulation that allowed me to gain a greater understanding of the inner workings of our political processes.”
“From interviewing candidates for the newspaper, to assisting in running the election process, to serving various appointed roles, I feel I truly made the most of my time and was so grateful to have had this opportunity,” said Murphy. “I look forward to using the skills that I learned next year in my social studies classes, as well as in various extracurriculars such as the debate team. Overall, Girls State was so much fun and I would recommend it to anybody with an interest in leadership!"
At Mount Saint Mary Academy, Murphy is a member of the Forensics Speech & Debate Team, Junior State of America, Mock Trial, and the Fed Challenge team.
Also: From Sunday, June 26, to Saturday, July 9, Rahway resident and Mount Saint Mary Academy junior, June Gill, attended High School Field School, a summer program run by the Center for American Archaeology in Illinois. She received a Women in Archaeology scholarship to attend the program.
During her two weeks, Gill worked alongside professional archaeologists and learned excavation techniques at an active dig site, including shoveling, troweling, mapping, and soil description. Lab work included artifact washing and identification.
“It was a valuable experience because I worked with an all-female staff of archaeology grad students who were very eager to answer my questions about the field and share their perspectives,” said Gill.
At Mount Saint Mary Academy, Gill is a member of the Mock Trial team and the Latin Club. She is also a Peer Facilitator and a staff writer for Peeks, the online newspaper. Outside of school, she is an ice-skating instructor and tutors a refugee child from Afghanistan.
Also: Zoe Daly of Piscataway and a junior at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung, participated in the NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology) Hillier College of Architecture Summer Program from Sunday, July 10, to Thursday, July 21.
During the program, she created and presented two models. The first was an interior design for a camper that fits on the back of a pickup truck, and the second was a structure to support farming blue mussels as part of a bio-extraction initiative that removes contaminants from waterways.
Daly also traveled to the Museum of Modern Art and Hudson Yards as part of the program. Shortly thereafter, she visited University of Southern California School of Architecture and Fine Art.
"I really enjoyed my time at NJIT. Not only did I complete enjoyable projects, but I also spent time with other talented students,” said Daly. “The teachers and teacher assistants were extremely helpful during the development and execution of my designs and gave me a glimpse into what architecture is like in college. I also had a lot of fun during the evening activities where everyone got to know each other outside of the studio. Overall, it was a very enriching experience that solidified my passion for architecture."
At Mount Saint Mary Academy, Daly is involved in tennis, winter and spring track, Students of Color Affinity Group, Cybersecurity Club, Investment Club, Euro Challenge (during sophomore year), Fed Challenge (2022-2023), and band. Outside of school, she participates in the Jack and Jill of America Teen Auxiliary and the CNJ Gavel Club (Toastmasters International).
Plainfield Public Schools
The New Jersey Hispanic Youth Showcase awarded the "Arts and Community Hero Award" to Gloria Montealegre, community relations liaison for Plainfield Public Schools.
The award was presented remotely in 2021 to Montealegre for her service to the arts and dedication to the community. Her efforts have assisted in the mentoring of young Latinos to pursue careers in the arts. This week Montealegre was able to pick up the award during a brief reception. Making the presentation was Mr. William "Willie" Sanchez, Emmy-Award-Winning Television Producer and Founder of the New Jersey Hispanic Youth Showcase, his staff and Ana Quiñones, assistant producer, and choreographer.
The NJ Hispanic Youth Showcase is a non-profit organization dedicated to fomenting the arts and providing world-wide exposure to young Latino talent. The organization has enjoyed the success of its performers who have gone on the Broadway, America's Got Talent, The VOICE and many other world-renowned artistic competitions. The organization has been a partner of Plainfield Public Schools for over seven years providing performers for the schools' Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration. Performers have included dancers of flamenco, ballroom, modern dance, singers, and poets. "I am so honored to receive the "Arts and Community Heroe Award" by the New Jersey Hispanic Youth Showcase and to represent Plainfield Public Schools. I am also thankful for the partnership with the Hispanic Youth Showcase for providing our Plainfield Public Schools access to the rich cultural heritage of Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain." said Montealegre.
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St. Thomas Aquinas High School
Step Into the mayhem of a show gone wrong in "Don't Say M@©83+#!"
"Macbeth" may just be one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies. But even more famous is the legendary curse that surrounds the renowned “Scottish Play.” Now you can step into the world of theatrical lore as the drama department of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Edison debuts an original production by alumna writer and director Amy Kate Byrne.
In this lighthearted tale of mishaps, mayhem, and madness, a young man in need of a job finds himself propelled into a chaotic theater company with a cast and crew of unpredictable characters. Before he even has a chance to familiarize himself with the ins and outs of the theater world, an unfortunate accident lands him suddenly in charge of the entire company. Does he have what it takes to pull everyone together and save the show before opening night?
All will be revealed in "Don't Say M@©83+#!" Friday, Sept. 23; Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, Sept. 25. Tickets on sale at www.stahs.net/tickets.
Writer and director Amy Kate Byrne is a 2005 alumna of Bishop Ahr/St. Thomas Aquinas High School. She returned to the school as an English teacher and, aside from a short sabbatical that she spent in the Peace Corps in North Macedonia, has worked there for 10 years. Her endeavors at STA have also included directing the Shakespeare and the Classics shows every fall, advising the award-winning Satoma Newsmagazine, moderating the Class of 2023, and recently earning the title of English Department supervisor. This is her fourth original show, with previous works being:
"The Long and Short of It," an adaptation of scenes from William Shakespeare's greatest comedic plays
"Something Wicked This Way Comes," an adaptation of scenes from William Shakespeare's greatest tragic plays
"Forevermore," an adaptation based on the compositions of Edgar Allan Poe
Westfield High School
Offering five new workshops along with Robotics, Stop Motion Animation, Forensics and other favorites, the Westfield STEM Camp was back in-person this summer after a two-year pause due to COVID-19.
“All the workshops involve hands-on, problem-based learning activities having to do with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math,” said Edison Intermediate School Industrial Arts teacher Sean Bonasera, who co-directs the camp with Laura Paiva, a computer technology teacher at Edison.
Begun in 2013 and taught by 11 Westfield Public School teachers with a passion for STEM education, this year’s STEM Camp welcomed 108 campers in grades six to eight and 168 in grades third-fifth for week long sessions during which campers participated in four workshops consisting of hands-on, real world STEM activities. The sessions ran from Monday, July 11, through Friday, July 29, with such offerings as “DNA: Cracking the Code of Life,” “Engineering Design Challenges,” “Mind Blowing Experiments,” “Natural Disaster Survival,” “Robotics Exploration,” and “Mission Impossible,” which had campers learning about the science of optics and decoding messages.
“There is much to love about this program but what comes immediately to mind is just how much fun the students have while participating in these authentic learning experiences,” said Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Programs Dr. Paul Pineiro. “Mr. Bonasera, Ms. Paiva, and the instructors continually evolve the modules each year to include the latest technologies and most engaging activities.”
Another new workshop was “Makey Space,” with Roosevelt instrumental music instructor James Doyle first introducing a circuit board known as a Makey Makey board.
“Through hands-on learning, the circuit boards teach the students about how to create a simple circuit and the conductivity of different materials, all while interacting with an online apps,” Bonasera said. “As the week progresses, the campers get comfortable with the understanding of how to wire their boards to create different sounds effects. By the end of the week, the campers have creatively designed their own instruments out of cardboard and different conductive materials.”
Bonasera and Paiva said they hope campers came away with the mindset that “learning can be challenging yet still fun” while developing their creativity, ingenuity, and problem-solving skills.
“STEM Camp is important because it provides the kids the opportunity to have exposure to different experiences and technologies. Campers are learning to integrate knowledge from the different areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math without solely focusing on any one discipline,” said Bonasera. “STEM Camp provides an environment that gives campers the ability to innovate and create without the structure of a typical classroom. They are developing their knowledge, critical thinking skills, teamwork and communication skills all while having fun.”
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: Niemeyer receives scholarship award
