Science Bowl Winners
Two teams from High School South were winners at the New Jersey State Science Bowl Competition, sponsored by the Department of Energy.
South’s B team captained by Neeli Mishra and including Ante Qu, Nikita Singh, Rishabh Singh, and Sudershan Sudershan, placed fifth in the state; and High School South’s A team captained by Mark Benjamin and including Alexander Clifton, Kunal Desai, Satyajeet Pal, and Aniruddh Shivram placed first in the state and will represent New Jersey at the National Science Bowl Competition in Washington, DC.
“This was my fourth and last year to do Science Bowl,” says Mark Benjamin, a senior at South. “Both the A and B teams from our school did extraordinarily well in competition and both exceeded my expectations. Science Bowl was the first science competition I had ever participated in and there is no doubt in my mind that without it I would not be nearly as excited about science. I just hope that the Department of Energy realizes how successful Science Bowl is.”
Scouting News
Richard Ruff of West Windsor received the Award of Merit by the Mercer Area District of the Boy Scouts. An assistant scoutmaster for Troop 40, he previously served as a leader in Pack 40. “It’s always nice to be recognized by your peers,” he says.
Ruff has been in Boy Scouts for 24 years: 12 as a youth who earned his Eagle Award and 12 as an adult committee member and assistant scoutmaster. He is a regional sales manager for Hilt Tool Company.
His son, Jonathan, 18, is a freshman at the College of New Jersey. He was awarded his Eagle Scout award two weeks ago. His daughter, Danielle, is nine; and his wife, Jo-Anne, is a homemaker.
Ruff is also the scoutmaster for the Central Jersey Council associated with the national Boy Scout jamboree in Virginia this July.
National History Day
High School North National History Day Club members took home ribbons in almost every category at the regional contest held at Rider University on March 5. National History Day, an academic competition for middle and high school students, in which students research historical topics related to this year’s theme, “Innovation In History: Impact and Change.” After research, they analyze, interpret their findings, and present papers, websites, exhibits, performances, and documentaries.
Students who qualified for the upcoming state tournament at William Paterson University include:
Group Performance: Aneesha Raghunathan, Adam Niemann, and Siddhi Sundar with “Broadcasting: an Innovation In Communication;” Varnika Atmakuri, Vikram Kesavabhotla, Eugene Tang, Payal Marathe, and Sanjana Manikandan with “Struggle of Colors: The Innovation of the Jim Crow Laws.”
Individual Performance: Lavanya Ganesh with “All Under One Roof: The Innovation of the Waltham-Lowell System;” and Shivani Badgi with “Public Education: The Evolution of Knowledge for All.”
Group Documentary: Ingrid Ma and Thea Ma with “Streptomycin: A Pioneer Antibiotic;” and Giri Sharma, Mohit Dandekar, and Mohit Hajarnis with “Achtung Panzer: The Birth of the Blitzkrieg.”
Individual Documentary: Carolyn Lipka with “Nuclear Innovation and the Myth of Inevitability” and Matt Greenberg with “Evolution: Driving Reforms.”
Individual Exhibit: Olivia Hu with “Thalidomide.”
Group Exhibit: Meea Yim and Kimberly Shiao with “An Unconventional Group: The United Nations.”
Individual Paper: Anne Corbett with “The National Child Labor Committee Lobbying for Reinvention of Industry;” Sushruth Kamath with “Mahathma Gandhi Satyagraha: The Innovation of Peace in Modern Warfare;” and Emma McGregor with “The Lobotomy: Remembering and Learning from Medicine’s Mistakes.”
Physics Team
The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) announced the top students to advance to the semifinal round of U.S. Physics Team selection. Of the roughly 40 High School South students who took the first test, Mark Benjamin, Ante Qu, Michael Wu, and Daniel Xia advanced.
The International Physics Olympiad (IPHO) is a nine-day competition among pre-university students from more than 80 nations. The 2010 Olympiad will be held in Zagreb, Croatia, from July 17 to 25. About 40 students from High School South took the preliminary test in January.
In School
Phillips Exeter Academy: Brandon G. Kaplowitz, grade nine, is on the honors list. Jackie Kay, grade 12, is on the highest honors list. They are both West Windsor residents.
Faith
The Jewish Community Youth Foundation (JCYF), a Jewish teen philanthropy program administered by Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Mercer County, celebrated its seventh year by distributing a total of $64,800 to 27 Jewish programs and agencies at its annual philanthropy fair and check presentation ceremony on Sunday, March 7, at Robbinsville High School. The keynote speaker was Charles Bronfman, chairman of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies.
Glenn Harris and Alison Berg, both of West Windsor and graduating seniors, addressed the audience reflecting on their five years of participation in the program. Eighth grade students included Emma Fleming and Allison Fleming, both of Plainsboro, and Samantha Cirkus of West Windsor. The group donated $2,500 for the Carousel Program, a socialization and recreation program for disabled teens and young adults. Ninth grade students included Elianna Wydra, Ben Meshumar, and Michael Miller, all of West Windsor, The group donated $1,900 for Hias’ Legal Aid Project for Priority Asylum Seekers, a program that provides legal services to migrants in America who are seeking asylum. Tenth grade students included Darren Freedman of West Windsor. The group donated $2,000 for the CGJC Art Activities for Visiting School Groups Program for Public Schools, Congregational Schools, and Families, a program to engage children and accompanying adults in the exploration of Jewish history through interactive exhibitions.
Essay and Poem Contest
West Windsor Lions Club presented awards to the eighth annual “Why I Love America” Essay/Poem Contest winners. “It is a pleasure and an inspiration to read the perceptive observations of these young scholars,” says Jim Hynes, president of the Lions Club. “And it is gratifying that they are so appreciative of the freedom and unity we all enjoy among the rich diversity we celebrate in this wondrous land. I join the other West Windsor Lions in applauding the contest winners and congratulating all the participants on their fine work.”
This year’s winners include grade one, Arya Sasane, Maurice Hawk School, who also took second place in the Gifted Kids Change the World 2010 Art and Writing Contest; grade two, Arun Ayalur Raman, Dutch Neck Elementary School; grade three, Mia S. Pangasnan, Town Center Elementary School; grade four, Dereck Wang, Village School; grade five, Priya Kothari, Millstone River School; grade six, Miriam Li, Community Middle School; grade seven, Emily Vena, Thomas R. Grover Middle School; grade eight, Saaketh Krosuri, Thomas R. Grover Middle School; grade ten, Connie Zhang, High School North; and grade eleven, Anesha Raghunathan, High School North.
The contest is open to all grade 1-12 students residing in West Windsor and Plainsboro. Each winner receives a U.S. Savings Bond.
Community Service
Grade five students at the Village School assembled gift bags for the mothers served by HomeFront, an organization that assists families in their struggle to become independent. These gift bags were filled with hygiene and grooming supplies, which the students’ families generously donated. Festively decorated, the bags were delivered to HomeFront in celebration of Valentine’s Day.
Teachers participating included Eileen Beam, Joanne Glover, Lois Huber, Karen Orlovsky, Carol Murphy, Janice Elliott, Dana Kercheval, and Janette Young. Their students watched a video that showed how poverty is a continuing problem here in Mercer County affecting mainly children.
Mock Trial
Marshall Academy, based in West Windsor, won the Mercer County title for the Vincent J. Apruzzese High School Mock Trial Competition for the second year in a row. The team is coached by Barbara Rapaport in her home. Jeremy Rapaport-Stein, a senior on the team, plays the role of a prosecuting attorney.
“I first learned about mock trial from a friend whose older child had competed on a team in Somerset County,” she says. “I’m always on the lookout for experiential learning opportunities — given Jeremy’s interest in civics and law, mock trial seemed like a perfect fit. We offered the opportunity to other New Jersey homeschooling families, and the kids chose the name Marshall Academy in honor of Justices John Marshall and Thurgood Marshall.”
In the event students try a fictitious criminal case before judges and attorneys at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick. In this trial Loren Perry is accused of kidnapping 12-year-old Bailey Reynolds and is also charged with criminal restraint and false imprisonment. “Sadly, the team lost a very close match in the first round,” says Rapaport.
Master
Gardeners
Master Gardeners of Mercer County held a graduation ceremony at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County. The new class includes West Windsor residents Bonnie Blader, Paola Blelloch, and Paul Eland. Blader, who volunteered more than 100 hours, received a special award.
The volunteer Master Gardener Program was started in Washington state in 1972 to meet the enormous increase in requests from home gardeners for horticultural information. The program has expanded to all 50 states and Canada, and 18 of New Jersey’s 21 counties now have programs. The Master Gardeners of Mercer County helpline may be reached at 609-989-6853, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information contact Rutgers Cooperative Extension at 609- 989-6830 or visit www.mgofmc.org.
In College
University of Delaware: Kelly Twamley of West Windsor graduated with a bachelor of science in leadership and human services, education, and public policy.
Dean’s list students include Plainsboro residents Divya Basavapatna, a junior visual communication major in the College of Arts and Sciences; Gregory Quinton, a sopho more finance and accounting major in the College of Business and Economics; Caroline Tiffany, a junior nursing major in the College of Health Sciences; Eric Voigtsberger, a senior finance and marketing major in the College of Business and Economics; Alyssa Weiskopf, a sophomore elementary teacher education major in the College of Education and Public Policy; Carrie Winiker, a senior communication major in the College of Arts and Sciences; and Erica Zalma, a freshman hotel, restaurant management major in the College of Business and Economics.
West Windsor residents on the dean’s list include juniors Kimberly Ashton, an exercise science major in the College of Health Sciences; Cynthia Barclay, an operations management and marketing major in the College of Business and Economics; Ian Clark, a communication major in the College of Arts and Sciences; and Chelsea McFarland, a music education and instrumental major in the College of Arts and Sciences; and sophomores Melanie Bugher, an elementary teacher education major in the College of Education and Public Policy; and Christopher Mancini, an electrical engineering major in the College of Engineering.
Also juniors Andrew Meltzer, a history and political science major in the College of Arts and Sciences; Jonathan Scheer, a history education major in the College of Arts and Sciences; Patrick Shock, a biological sciences and neuroscience major in the College of Arts and Sciences; Casey Spencer, a freshman pre-vet medicine and animal biology major in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources; and Lisa Dokovna, a sophomore anthropology major in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Kean University: Genevieve Thayer of West Windsor is on the dean’s list.
University of Michigan: Junichi Hara of West Windsor received a William J. Branstrom Freshman Prize for being in the top five percent of his freshman class. He graduated from High School South in 2009.
