Re-elected
Plainsboro Mayor Peter Cantu was re-elected to chair the Middlesex County Agriculture Development Board at the board’s annual reorganization meeting in March. William Griffin of Plainsboro was re-elected as secretary at the Board’s reorganization meeting.
According to the organization’s press release, Cantu, who has chaired the board since 1985, has been instrumental in helping preserve 33 farms for a total of 3,”630 acres throughout the County. Among the 33 farms that have been preserved is the 239-acre Walker-Gordon Farm in Plainsboro.
Woman of the Year
Linda Principe of West Windsor is Mercer County Chapter of New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners’s Business Woman of the Year. She is also the chapter’s nominee for the state NJAWBO Business Woman of the Year award which will be announced at the state conference in Atlantic City in May.
She is the owner of Linda Principe Interiors, a 16-year-old interior design firm in Plainsboro. A member of NJAWBO for more than 15 years, she has held a number of positions at both the state and chapter levels, including president of the Middlesex Chapter. She is currently vice president of public policy, coordinator for new member open houses, and on the membership services committee.
Cheery Valentines
The Princeton Junction office of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage pampered the elderly and disabled adult participants of the Mercer Street Friends Adult Day Services on Valentine’s Day.
Sales associate Deborah Hornstra coordinated the collection of body washes and sprays, hand and foot lotions, shampoos, and conditions. The toiletries were bundled into red heart-shaped baskets and wrapped in red cellophane for a festive holiday look.
“With the holidays long over and no sign that spring will be coming any time soon, we wanted to turn a dreary winter day into something special for those in the Friends Adult Day Services program,” says Sheelagh Vidulich, manager of the office and a West Windsor resident. “What better day than Valentine’s Day to spread some cheer?”
Water Supply Nominee
West Windsor Mayor Shing-fu Hsueh was nominated for appointment for the New Jersey Water Supply Authority by Acting Governor Richard J. Codey.
Wordsmith
Diane Ciccone of West Windsor is a winner in the 11th annual Joyce Indik Wordsmith Competition. The winners will have their submissions read at the Joyce Indik Readers’ Theater with a ceremony and staged reading at the Plainsboro Municipal Building on Saturday, April 2, 2 p.m. A dessert reception follows. For information about the program call 732-745-3885.
Fashion Model
Caroline Paul of West Windsor was a model at the Princeton Newcomers Club fashion show staged with clothing from Dandeline, Princeton boutique.
Robotics Award
Plainsboro Public Library received the Winona M. Lipman Award for Innovations in Science and Technology on March 31 at Douglass College. The award is for outstanding community organization in science education projects. The most recent project, teaching robotics using Lego Mindstorms, created the opportunity for students to work in small groups building robotic animals, Rube Goldberg machines, and even mechanical cockroaches.
The initial sets and the idea was brought to the library by creator, inventor, and networker Chris Rogers, who was at Princeton University’s engineering department for one year. Advanced students work in an after school club with robotics whiz Ryan Shaw. Corporate neighbor Siemens provided mentors for evening classes as well as funding from its Caring Hands Foundation.
A new track in the robotic program offers women and girls the opportunity to explore robotics and generalized engineering attracted attention of NJ Department of Community Affairs’ Division on Women and the NJ Advisory Commission on the Status of Women.
“The lead mentor from Siemens is Raj Tanikella of Plainsboro,” says library director Jinny Baeckler. “He loves translating his wisdom to kids and bridges our program to a school in Trenton.”
Student Leaders
Rohan Seth of Plainsboro has been selected to attend the upcoming National Student Leadership Conference as well as the People to People Leadership Summit. He is a junior at High School North.
Maria Zenzola has been selected to attend the 2005 National Junior Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. Exceptional middle school students with a record of academic achievement and extracurricular or community involvement are invited to participate. For more information visit www.leadamerica.org. She is a student at Grover Middle School.
