Problem Solvers
The members of the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District Future Problem Solvers teams worked hard and it paid off. Students on the High School South Future Problem Solvers Team placed second in the state competition in the Senior Division, which gives them a chance to compete in the International Competition in June at the University of Kentucky. Holly Cowell, coach at High School South, will accompany the team on its trip.
In addition to the second-place finish, the High School South team won first place in the skit section; this is the team’s fourth time winning this top honor, and will go on to compete in the International Competition in June. The team from High School North came in third in the skits competition in the intermediate division.
The team from Grover Middle School placed third in the intermediate problem solving competition, out of the 11 teams from around the state that qualified for the State Bowl. Grover Middle School student Rahool Dave won first place in the alternative team competition. High School South student Esther Holland won first place in the alternative team for the third year.
In scenario writing, another facet of the Future Problem Solving program, two WW-P students took top honors in the state in their divisions. Daphne Ezer, a Grover Middle School student, won first place for her futuristic short story, and she will represent New Jersey at the International Competition in the intermediate scenario writing division. In addition, Eric Kang, of High School South, placed second in the same competition in the senior division.
Over 50,”000 students around the world compete in the different aspects of the Future Problem Solving Program. Only three percent of these students earn an invitation to the International Conference. The WW-P students will have the opportunity to interact with other students from 45 states, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Korea.
Grover students include Charlene Seto, Daphne Ezer, Catherine Wei, David Ku, Rahool Dave, and Ian Frankel. High School South students include Brett Frankel, Mainak DasGupta, Eric Kang, Esther Holland, Preeti Bhattacharji, and Lauren Yokomizo. High School South coach is Holly Cowell. Grover coaches are Joan Ruddiman and Sarah Hugger.
History Winners
Middle school students in the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District came up winners in the New Jersey History Day Competition. Two students from Grover and three from Community middle schools will continue to compete at the National History Day at the University of Maryland in June.
Micah Langer and Eitan Paul, Grover students, won first place in group documentary for their video on Kansas City Jazz.
Danielle Dory won first place in individual performance for her portrayal of JoAnn Gibbs Robinson.
Namsatha Minupusi won first in individual exhibit with her display of Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi.
CMS Athan Vaish is a third place winner in individual documentary for “Gandhi and Civil Disobedience.”
Hundreds of students from over 50 schools from throughout New Jersey compete in the event, “Exploration, Encounter, and Exchange.”
Children’s Garden
Melanie Murphy and Laurie Janick have realized their dream to create a children’s garden at Maurice Hawk School. With donations of supplies and labor from parents and area businesses, they transformed an outside space into a landscape. The space, in an outside area boxed between two sections of the school, is perfect for classes, reading, or simply enjoying the natural world.
Library Award
Community Middle School has received the “We the People Bookshelf” 2004 Award from the American Library Association. This collection of books is awarded to a school for its commitment to planning programs that highlight the theme of “courage,” encouraging young readers to explore these works, and promoting the bookshelf to all students. The set of 15 hardcover books will be an excellent addition to the school library and includes such classics as “Little Women,” “National Velvet,” Fahrenheit 451,” The Last of the Mohicans,” and “Ivanhoe.” Media specialist Karen Black will serve as project director.
In College
University of California, Los Angeles: Sara Rebecca Castrale, Plainsboro, accepted membership in the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. She will be honored at a campus ceremony next fall. She was a recipient of the West Windsor and Plainsboro News Scholarship when she graduated from High School South in June.
Franklin & Marshall College: Serena Weren of Plainsboro is a senior majoring in genosciences and music.and was recently musical director for “A Chorus Line” there.
Also, Robyn Zislin of West Windsor played lead flute, alto flute, and piccolo in the production of “A Chorus Line.” She also recently presented a paper, “Why Was Jewish Life Characterized by Hardship and Instability During the Late 17th and Early 18th Centuries?” at a conference titled “A Reluctant Embrace: Negotiating Jewish Existence in a Non-Jewish World” held at the school.
Gettysburg College: Holly Woodhead of Plainsboro was elected president of the student senate at the school. A senior majoring in political science and international relations, she is a 2001 graduate of High School South.
London School of Economics and Political Science: Kathryn Zuccarello, West Windsor, master’s degree with merit. She studied anthropology with a focus on economics and political institutions and social change. A 1998 graduate of West Windsor-Plainsboro High School, she graduated from the College of William and Mary, Class of 2002. She has accepted a position with Gallup & Robinson in Pennington as a research assistant.
Roanoke College: Scott Rosenblum, West Windsor, faculty’s list.
Rutgers University: Cherise Krug, dean’s list. She is a double major in philosophy and English.
Salisbury University: Heather Zurich of Plainsboro was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society of Education and into the Order of Omega Greek Honor Society. A sophomore, she is corresponding secretary for Zeta Tau Alpha and was recently selected to join the National Collegiate Honor Society.
Susquehanna University: Rebecca Post, West Windsor, has been initiated into Pi Gamma Mu social sciences honor society. A graduate of West Windsor-Plainsboro High School, she is a senior psychology major.
