New Eagle Scouts
Joseph Francisco and Chris Perez, both High School South graduates, West Windsor residents, and members of Troop 40, earned their Eagle Scout Award.
Francisco, a freshman at St. Lawrence University, played volleyball for three years for High School South and served as an EMT for the Twin “W” First aid Squad in West Windsor. His parents are John and Janet Francisco of West Windsor.
Francisco, a scout since joining Pack 66 in second grade, earned his Arrow of Light award, and joined Troop 40. During his years with Troop 40, he earned 29 merit badges, served as a patrol leader, and was recognized by his Scoutmaster for his assistance to the younger scouts at summer camp and hiking events and for volunteering at the Special Olympics.
For his Eagle Scout service project, Francisco led more than 30 volunteers in the construction of rustic log benches for West Windsor Township’s 159-acre Zaitz Park Nature Preserve trail, located to the east of Southfield Road, just south of Princeton-Hightstown Road. The benches were made entirely from logs cut from trees on township property off Meadow Road. Four benches were split, shaped, and sanded, supports were attached under the benches, and the benches were installed at the entrance to the trail area and along the trail. The project was completed on March 28, 2009, with financial support by the West Windsor Bicycle & Pedestrian Alliance.
A freshman at Rutgers University, Perez is a member of the Rutgers University Club Swim Team. At High School South, he was a member of the Pirate swim team for four years and served as captain of the varsity swimming team He played cello in the school orchestra from fourth through twelfth grade. During his senior year he was awarded the Lions Club Scholarship based on his leadership, community service, and academic excellence. His parents are Kenneth Perez and Rebecca Grant of West Windsor.
Perez began his scouting experience in first grade as a tiger cub in Pack 66. After earning the Arrow of Light award, he bridged to Troop 40 in 2002 where he earned 28 merit badges. During his years with Troop 40, he served as assistant patrol leader, instructor, and assistant senior patrol leader, and currently as an assistant scout master. He earned multiple recognition awards for leadership and was selected and attended the National Youth Leader Training Program for Boy Scouts.
For his Eagle Scout Service Project, Perez planned and coordinated the planting of 1,000 daffodil bulbs at the Ron Rogers Arboretum, on the corner of Princeton-Hightstown and Clarksville roads, with the help of more than 50 volunteers. Perez received the David Suarez Memorial Scholarship, named after David Suarez, a victim of 9/11 and an Eagle Scout with Troop 40.
MathCounts
Grover and Community middle schools placed first and second, respectively, in the MathCounts Regional Competition. The WW-P school district had students in 12 of the top 18 positions.
Competition results include Aleck Zhao, Grover, first place; Jeffrey Kuan, Grover, fourth place; Brice Huang, Community, fifth place; Chaitanya Asawa, Grover, sixth place; Ernest Chiu, Community, seventh place; Bill Huang, Grover, eighth place; Charlie Gu, Grover, ninth place; Sally Jiao, Grover, tenth place; Andrew Ding, Community, thirteenth place; Yinan Zheng, Grover, fourteenth place); William Jiao, Grover, fifteenth place; and Aaron Berger, Community, eighteenth place). The other Community Middle School participants were Steven Pan, Pastorales Liu, Karen Zhang, and Margarita Misirpashayeva.
All of the Grover Middle School students placed in the top 15 positions (out of 115 participants) and will continue on to the state competition in March. Community Middle School is awaiting word on whether it will receive a “wildcard” position in the state competition. The faculty advisor is Alyce Doehner.
In College
Boston University: Plainsboro residents on the dean’s lists include Lauren E. Alba, James C. Ikeda, Lisa Melnik, Tanmay Parekh, Sindhura Polubothu, Tian Qin, Ricardo Sinicio-Tessarotto, and John D. Sullivan.
Carnegie Mellon University: James Komianos of West Windsor is on the high honors dean’s list. A June graduate of High School North, he is majoring in physics.
Colgate University: Andrea Rose Hackett received a dean’s award for academic excellence. A June graduate of High School North, she is a staff writer for the Colgate Maroon News, a weekly student newspaper.
Fairleigh Dickinson University: Robert Pungello and Rachel Dresher, both of West Windsor, are on the honors list.
New York University: Stacey Greenberger of West Windsor is on the fall dean’s list at Tisch School of the Arts.
Washington and Lee University: Neville Lyons Fogarty of West Windsor is on the dean’s list. He is a senior.
Faith
The Reverend Karin R. Mitchell, rector of St. David’s Episcopal Church, Cranbury, was honored on Scout Sunday, February 7, with the presentation of a Scouting Stole, to be worn by the clergy on scouting occasions including Scout Sunday or an Eagle Scout court of honor. Barbara Wethe, a West Windsor resident, provided the stole materials, assembly, and embroidery.
The stole, conceived and designed by Rex A. van Veldhuisen, an assistant scoutmaster and a long-time member of the church, incorporates the series of emblems produced to commemorate the Scouting Centennial, illustrating the 12 points of the Scout Law.
The presentation coincided with the church’s commemoration of 100 years of scouting in America. West Windsor and Plainsboro-based units involved in the service included Plainsboro Pack 759, West Windsor Troop 40, and West Windsor-Plainsboro Girl Scout Troop 1480.
Community Service
New Horizons Montessori School at 59 Cranbury Road, West Windsor, recently held a fund drive to help the victims of Haiti’s earthquake.
“Children had seen this tragedy unfold on their television screens, but when they brought checks for the American Red Cross to school it provided an opportunity for them to talk about it in the classroom,” says Shaheen Syed, the director of the school.
“They expressed a great sense of participation by helping people in need,” Syed says. The school raised close to $700.
Births
The University Medical Center at Princeton has announced the following births:
Sons were born to Plainsboro residents Diana Shahla and Samer Hanna, February 23; and Sravanti and Naveen Namburi, February 27.
