Reflection Awards
Alan Zhang, 8, of Plainsboro, received the New Jersey PTA Reflection Award of Excellence in the primary division in the music composition category. He was only seven years old when he wrote his winning entry and first piano piece, “”Minuet in C Major.””
Zhang’s recent accomplishments also include being named as a talented youth in mathematics and verbal search by the Center for Talented Youth of Johns Hopkins University in 2004. He was also elected as a talented kid by the SAGE program in 2003 at West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District.
Jocelyn Lin, a West Windsor resident, has been teaching him piano studies since 2001. He has passed grade 1 and grade 2 of the UK Royal School of Music Piano Exam with distinction. He has also received awards from the New Jersey Music Teacher Association’s Piano Audition and the New Jersey Piano Festival.
Zhang will be a third grade student at Town Center School in September. His parents, Chunru Zhang and Zhaohui Yu, and Lin will accompany him to the awards ceremony on Saturday, August 7, in Morris County.
New Jersey PTA Reflections Program Awards of Excellence were also received by other students in the West Windsor-Plainsboro School District.
In literature, Vivek Aananda Rajan, a Dutch Neck student, received a merit award in the primary division. Alexander Clifton, also a Dutch Neck student, received a merit award.
In photography, Michelle Wolstromer, High School North, received an award of excellence in the senior division. Megan Cream, also a student at North, received a merit award.
In visual arts, Minori Mio, a Dutch Neck student, received an award of excellence in the intermediate division.
In music, Sjobamo Rakov Dighe, a Village School student, received a merit award in the intermediate division. Matthew Slayton, a High School North student, received an award of excellence in the senior division.
Scholarships
Amanda Sawma and Jenna Diane Shaughnessy, both of Plainsboro, received Eden Services Charles H. Hoens, Jr. Scholarships. A nationally recognized attorney, Hoens was a tireless advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities. His grandson is an Eden participant.
Michael Shentu received the fourth annual Jan Trenholm Memorial Scholarship. The Friends of West Windsor Library awarded the $1,”000 award at a library ceremony. Shentu, a graduate of High School South, will attend University of Michigan, and he plans to major in biomedical engineering.
A West Windsor Library volunteer for three years, Shentu organized activities at the library through his popular school tutoring program, “”Students for School.”” He spearheaded Earth Day activities and science programs in conjunction with several Princeton University professors. As a volunteer for the library’s annual book sale, he collected and donated over 2,”000 books. To continue the program, Shentu has passed the leadership and responsibility to other high school students.
Jan Trenholm, whose name the scholarship bears, was a dedicated West Windsor Library volunteer. The scholarship is awarded annually to a worthy graduating senior for volunteer work at the library. Applications will be available in the library next spring.
Max Shakin received a $1,”000 grant as part of Comcast’s Leaders and Achievers Program. A graduate of High School North, he will attend Washington University in St. Louis in the fall.
Jump Rope for Heart
Millstone River School is one of the top 20 schools in New Jersey in the American Heart Association Jump Rope program for 2003-2004. This is the 25th anniversary encouraging children to put their jumping skills to great use to fight heart disease and stroke. The New Jersey schools raised more than $1.7 million this past year to support heart and stroke research, cardiovascular education, and community programs.
Family Achievers
in Spanish
Andrew Elkin, 15, of West Windsor, is spending six weeks in Spain studying Spanish history and culture, Spanish art and architecture, and Spanish grammar and literature. He is living with a host family in Santander, a picturesque seaside town.
Elkin was selected for the program, run by Choate Rosemary Hall, a boarding school in Connecticut, based on his transcript and teacher recommendations. Applicants are required to have at least two years of study in Spanish with a minimum of a B+ average in language courses.
Elkin is an honors student at Princeton Day School, where he plays junior varsity tennis and participates in several clubs – including the Spanish Club. This past year he has devoted 52 hours of community service to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen and Latinas Unidas in Trenton.
His sister, Julie Elkin, recently placed first in the state of New Jersey on the National Spanish exam, level 1.
The summer program in Spain, in existence for over 30 years, gives high school students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the language and culture of Spain. The teachers accompany the participants to areas of cultural interest such as an archaeological museum, a medieval church, or a relic of Ancient Roman architecture. The academic season ends with exams and a one-week excursion to some of Spain’s most cherished landmarks.
Programs to Paris, France, and Bejing, China, area also available. For information visit www.crhsummerabroad.org.
College
Honors
University of Delaware: Erin Gallins, dean’s list both semesters of her sophomore year. She is majoring in elementary education.
Georgetown University: Megan Di Sciullo, West Windsor, dean’s list.
Salisbury University: Matthew Roberts, West Windsor, dean’s list.
Susquehanna University: Maris Callahan, Plainsboro, and Stephanie Scafa, West Windsor, dean’s list.
Graduates
Boston College: Courtney E. Sirhal, bachelor of science, marketing; Nicole R. Gregorio, bachelor of arts in elementary education, math, and computer science, magna cum laude; Michael Thiel, bachelor of science in finance and marketing; Kimitrois L. Kotsinonos, bachelor of arts in economics, romance languages, and French; Robert G. Hansen, bachelor of science in finance, corporate report, and analysis; Jasper Y. Liou, bachelor of arts in philosophy; and Andrew H. Dix, bachelor of arts in computer science. All are West Windsor residents.
Bucknell University: Kaoru Yamamoto, West Windsor.
Caldwell College: Erica Fowler, West Windsor, bachelor of arts in psychology.
Georgetown University: Boris Epshteyn, West Windsor, bachelor’s degree in foreign service.
Harvard University: David W. Smith, bachelor of arts in economics, cum laude. He lives in Manhattan and is an associate with Ferro Capital.
Lehigh University: Jeffrey Harwood Beam, bachelor of science in biology. He will attend the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey this fall.
Pace University: Saagar Parikh, West Windsor.
Business
Connect with Enable
The Rotary Club of Princeton presented $1,”000 to Enable, an agency that serves people with disabilities. The check was presented on June 22 during a meeting at the Nassau Inn. The funds will be used to support student interns involved in “”Connect with Enable,”” a new program to connect volunteers in the community with Enable consumers. For information about the new program call Sharon Copeland at 609-987-5003, ext. 15.
King Fish
James Weaver, executive chef at Tre Piani Restaurant in Plainsboro, represents New Jersey in the 2004 Great American Seafood Cook Off, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrator.
The contest will be held at the Gulf Coast Seafood Pavilion on Saturday, July 31, during a three-day Louisiana Foodserve Expo in New Orleans. Weaver is one of 16 executive chefs competing for the title of King or Queen of seafood preparation in the United States.
Dance Power
Nicole LaFleur Amadeo of Plainsboro is now administering the Dance Power program at American Repertory Ballet’s Princeton Ballet School. In her new role as the education and outreach coordinator, she is responsible for administering the program, a collaborative educational project with ARB and the New Brunswick Board of Education. Dance Power allows every New Brunswick third grade student to participate in a 23-week session of dance in place of regularly scheduled physical education classes.
A graduate of University of Massachusetts, LaFleur Amadeo has studied and performed ballet, jazz, and modern dance with Carolyn Dutra and Jeannette Neil. She taught classes in McKinley, Roosevelt, and Lord Stirling schools in New Brunswick during the 2003-2004 school year and has had previous experience teaching in both pre-K and elementary schools.
She will continue to teach beginning dance, children’s ballet, and intermediate ballet classes for Princeton Ballet School.
Film News
Former West Windsor names in the news lately include Bryan Singer and Ethan Hawke. Singer, known for “”The Usual Suspects,”” “”Apt Pupil,”” and X-Men films, will direct the next Superman movie. Ethan Hawke, remembered for “”Dead Poets Society”” and “”Hamlet,”” is busy promoting his new film, “”After Sunset.””
Around Town
Members of St. David the King senior high youth group returned to Habitat for Humanity site in Trumbauersville, Pennsylvania, during the last week in June. The unique Habitat for Humanity development, consisting of 37 new housing units, will be featured on television’s Trading Spaces, on Saturday, July 24, when two of the homeowners offer insight about the project. Nancy Riddell is the youth minister and Mimi Yong is the youth advisor.
Plainsboro History
Area students Andrew Chen, Alex Yang, and Jerald Chen, helped get the Plainsboro Historical Society web page up and running. Plainsboro resident Rob Henry worked with them as their advisor and will maintain the site.
The new site offers information about joining the non-profit organization, a schedule of events, books for sale, and links to information about all 18 exhibitions, as well as links to community and municipal websites.
Exhibits on view at the museum include Elsie the Cow, Plainsboro Fire Company, schools in Plainsboro, farms in the town, transportation, Walker-Gordon Farm, and the Wicoff family home in which the society now resides. There are also exhibits featuring postcards depicting Plainsboro; the Trenton and New Brunswick Turnpike, known as U.S. Route 1; and the Walker-Gordon Gate House, a restaurant at the Plainsboro Road entrance to the farm that closed circa 1954. Also on view is an exhibit of Aqueduct, a former community located at Route 1 and Mapleton Road in Plainsboro, which was flooded when Carnegie Lake was built. The self-contained community included houses, stores, a wheelwright shop, a blacksmith shop, and four mills.
The museum, located within the municipal complex, is open from 2 to 4 p.m. on the first and third Sundays of every month. For more information visit www.plainsborohistory.com or call 609-799-9040.
Engagements
Meredith C. Leming and Brian M. Nelson are engaged. Both are graduates of West Windsor-Plainsboro High School.
The future bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Leming of West Windsor. She graduated from Clemson University and is a strategic pricing analyst for Canon Business Solutions in Burlington.
The prospective bridegroom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Bruce A. Nelson of Stowe, Vermont. A graduate of Richard Stockton College and the Rutgers School of Law, he is an attorney and executive director of the New Jersey Republican State Committee in Trenton.
Lori Renee Xander and Kevin Charles Appelget are planning a June 2005 wedding.
She is the daughter of Stephen and Suzanne Xander of Springfield, Pennsylvania. A graduate of East Stroudsburg University with a degree in English, she is a marketing coordinator at ALK Technologies in Princeton.
The prospective bridegroom is the son of Charles and Susan Appelget of West Windsor. A graduate of Clemson University with a degree in biology, he is an environmental consultant with Schoor Depalma in Manalapan.
Births
A daughter, AnnElyse Viola Kosa, was born to Jaymie Reeber-Kosa and David Kosa on June 27 at their West Windsor home. Her big brother is Trevor, age four. Reeber-Kosa is a teacher at Grover Middle School in West Windsor.
The University Medical Center at Princeton has announced the following births:
Sons were born to West Windsor residents Jane and Doug Calandra, June 29; Elizabeth and Goeffrey Mills, June 30; Arlene and John Howard, July 1; Kayathri and Venkata Boyapalli, July 9; and Roxanna Monterroso and Uriel Sanchez, July 16.
Daughters were born to West Windsor residents Juana and Paul Whitney, June 28; Tina and David Krause, June 30; Adriana and John Nevers, July 9; and Jill and Daniel Arbeiter, July 12.
Daughters were born to Plainsboro residents Eleanor and Pierre DaSilva, June 28; Manjula Kolan and Shekhar Chinthareddy, July 2; Supraja Mosali and Madhusudhan Reddy, July 2; Zu Zhou and Yufei Zhang, July 5; Pavithramad Diwakaran and Diwakaran Krishnamurthy, July 13; and Margaret Eliacin and Max Louis-Jacques, July 15.
A son was born to Plainsboro residents Kimberly and Norman Collins III, July 13.
Deaths
Doris M. Bruyette, 81, died July 5 at Somerset Manor North in Somerset. Born in Rhinebeck, New York, she lived in Englewood for 46 years. Survivors include daughter and son-in-law, Sara Spengler-Campanella and Neale Campanella of West Windsor; and grandson, Stephen D. Campanella of West Windsor. Contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Central New Jersey Chapter, 12 Roszel Road, Princeton 08540.
Sara Joffe of West Windsor died July 7. Survivors include her sisters Anne Cook and Edith Muhlrad. Contributions may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Truman Wayne Kulessa, seven days old, of Bordentown, died July 8 from complications due to premature birth at St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick. Survivors include his parents, Wayne and Mary Kulessa; his sister Estelle Rose; his twin sister Amaya Rose; and aunt and uncle, John and Helen Tarnecki of Plainsboro.
Dorothy Edel Kennerk, 89, of Kennerk, died July 11 at the home of her daughter, Mary Kennerk, of Pinecrest, Florida. Survivors include her daughter Judith Kennerk of West Windsor.
Maryann Jacobus, 63, of Hammonton died July 11 at Cooper Health System in Camden. Born in New Brunswick and raised in Cranbury, she lived in Wet Windsor until moving to Hammonton in 2003. She was employed with McGraw Hill, Monsanto Chemical Corporation, and Eagle-Pitcher Industries.
Survivors include her husband of 33 years, Richard; her mother, Thelma Docherty of Cranbury; a brother and sister-in-law, Bud and Mary Jane Docherty of East Windsor; three sisters and two brothers-in-law, Susan and George Langer of Cranbury, Jane Hand of East Brunswick, and Thelma and Harry Taylor of Freehold.
Contributions may be made to Hammonton Rescue Squad, 300 South Egg Harbor Road, Hammonton 08037.
Sandra B. Chaffe, 70, died July 13 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton. Born in Olean, New York, she lived in Massachusetts before moving to West Windsor.
Survivors include a brother and sister-in-law, John and Jane Gore of Princeton; a nephew and his wife, Jed and Sarah Gore of Bernardsville; and longtime friend, Edna Duncan of West Windsor.
Contributions may be made to American Kidney Fund, 6110 Executive Boulevard, Suite 1010, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
Bessie Mossbrook Boyer, 81, of Myrtle Beach died July 12 in Myrtle Beach. She formerly lived in West Windsor for 60 years.
Survivors include her granddaughter, Erin Boyer; and her sister, Jeanette Boyer, both of Princeton. Contributions may be send to Parkinson’s Foundation, 710 West 168th Street, New York, New York 10032.
Samuel S. Stern, 77, of Ewing, died July 16 in the Capital Health System at Mercer. Survivors include his daughter Betsy Stern of Plainsboro. Contributions may be made to the Jewish Community Center, 999 Lower Ferry Road, Ewing 08628 or to the American Heart Association.
Jeanne Wendorf, 85, of Scottsdale, Arizona, died July 14 in Scottsdale, following a long illness. Survivors include her son, James of West Windsor. Contributions may be made to Valley Presbyterian Church 6947 East McDonald Drive, Paradise Valley, Arizona.
