Six Village School fifth grade students performed with Organization of American Kodaly Educators (OAKE) National Children’s Choir at the OAKE National Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Jordan Allen, Brennan Jasperse, Brianne Lee, Kevin McManus, Sanjana Satish, and Carolyn Vaca were encouraged to audition by Village School vocal music teacher Amy Carter, who accompanied the students and their parents to the conference. The six students were selected from hundreds of audition CDs to perform with the 160-member choir comprised of singers in grades 4 through 6 from 32 states across the nation.
The choir performed at Orchestra Hall, home of the Minnesota Orchestra. OAKE is an organization of music educators who promote the philosophy of music education inspired by the Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodaly. The organization presents local, regional, and national workshops and conferences for music teachers as well as opportunities for young musicians through select honors choirs directed by nationally renowned conductors of children’s choirs.
First Takes First
The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Team 1923, comprised of students from High Schools North and South, won the FIRST Northeast Utilities Connecticut Regional Robotics Competition. The team, known as “MidKnight Inventors,” competed with two partner teams from Connecticut (Techno-Nuts and Cyber Knights) in the championship round.
The MidKnight Inventors also received two additional awards, the Gracious Professionalism Award, sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, to celebrate sportsmanship and continuous gracious professionalism in the heat of competition on and off the playing field; and the Cooperation Award, which recognizes the team that helped the most other teams during the entire competition.
With the win at the Connecticut Regional Competition, the MidKnight Inventors qualified for the International FIRST Robotics Competition, and the team will head to St. Louis for the championship event later this month.
“The team along with the volunteer mentors had six weeks to design, build, program, and test a robot to meet this season’s engineering challenge,” says Jason Marcus, a senior at North and co-captain of the team. They received a common kit of parts from FIRST to build a robot with no instructions in early January.
“We need the help of the community to raise money to attend this competition,” says Kelsey Stevens, a junior at North and co-captain of the team. “We are going to try to raise enough money for our team and for two inner-city teams from New York City, so that these students can participate as well.” For more information visit www.FIRSTrobotics1923.org.
Girl Scouts Lead Charity Drives
Jaclyn Leon of WWP Girl Scout Cadette Troop 71613 planned and led a Kosher for Passover food drive to support the efforts of Jewish Family & Children’s Service to provide Passover food for its clients that wish to celebrate the rituals of the upcoming Passover holiday.
Leon, an eighth grade student at Grover Middle School, collected more than 200 food items to stock the JFCS food pantry. To complete her Silver Award project she worked with area organizations and solicited the community for help.
Girl Scouts in West Windsor responded to concern for the Japanese people affected by the tsunami, earthquakes, and nuclear reactor crises by leading an effort to fold 1,000 origami (folded paper) cranes at MarketFair on Saturday and Sunday, March 26 and 27.
The tradition of giving the origami gifts dates back to an ancient legend that promises a wish be granted by a crane to anyone who folds 1,000 paper cranes. Girl Scouts in Japan sent thousands of the “Senbazuru” origami cranes to the United States after the September 11 tragedy. Now, almost 10 years later, the Girl Scouts of West Windsor are returning the gesture of friendship and concern.
Scouts include Allie Burke, Nora Burnosky, Tuhina Chakravorty, Aahana Chatterjee, Anusha Chintalapati, Beth Greenman, Geetika Guruprasad, Vatsala Jha, Ananya Kashyap, Jennifer Liu, Kelsey Plakoris, Emily Rosenberg, Gabby Saade, Madison Sloan, Simran Verma, Iman Wadia, Sydney Willard-Lacosta, and Samantha Wu. Their leaders are Merce Willard, Latha Chintalapati, Cathy Plakoris, and Stacy Burke.
At MarketFair the Girl Scouts invited shoppers to help fold the origami cranes or to make a donation. More than $300 was raised for the Girl Scouts of Japan Relief Efforts.
“The girls were very enthusiastic about this project and each one contributed several hours of personal time to organize the project and fold the cranes,” says parent Lisa Sloan. “They are hoping that the cranes, as an expression of concern and friendship, bring a measure of hope to those affected by the multiple tragedies.”
Boy Scout Award Winners
Richard Pfaltzgraff of Plainsboro received an Award of Merit from the Mercer area district of the Boy Scouts. The award is given to those adult scouters who distinguish themselves in working for the betterment of the scouts and the Boy Scout organization.
Pfaltzgraff, who earned his Eagle Scout Award with Troop 76 in Sea Isle City as a youth, is committee chair of Plainsboro Pack 759, as well as an assistant den leader and assistant cubmaster.
Program chair for last year’s district’s spring Centennial Cubarama (an annual event for Cub Scouts, their leaders and families, and prospective Cub Scouts) as well as the fall Emergency Preparedness Cubarama, he is currently working on this spring’s Frontier Trek Cubarama. Pfaltzgraff also serves as coach of a girls soccer team and assistant coach for a boys hockey team.
John Nieradka, 16, of West Windsor attained the rank of Eagle Scout and his court of honor was held April 3 at Elks Lodge in Hightstown. His project was conducted last April during three consecutive weekends at the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park towpath. He led fellow scouts and adult leaders in the installation of half-mile markers for a stretch of 10.6 miles from Kingston Locks to Amwell Road. The project benefits joggers, bikers, and walkers.
A sophomore at High School South, he is the son of Maria and John Nieradka. His sister, Briana, is a college sophomore. Nieradka plays violin in the school’s orchestra.
As a freshman, he was a national winner of the American Museum of Natural History’s Young Naturalist award, and was featured in the December, 2010, issue of “Boys’ Life,” the Boy Scouts’ magazine. He intends to pursue science as his college major. His scoutmaster is Glenn VanWhy.
Ted Snieckus, 18, of Plainsboro received his Eagle Scout award at Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church on February 19. He completed his project, building and installing benches at the Plainsboro Preserve, just weeks after the unexpected death of his father, assistant scoutmaster Mike Snieckus.
“Using what many boys consider as inherently fun outdoor activities, the Boy Scout program helps boys learn first-hand about leadership, emergency preparedness, teamwork, and citizenship,” says his mother, Alison Snieckus, the troop’s committee chair for many years. “I enjoy helping the boys as they grow in their knowledge and skill. Whether a boy earns the Eagle rank or not, the experience is transformative.”
His older brother Kurt, a junior at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and former member of Troop 759, attended the event.
The event was emceed by his long time friend and fellow Eagle candidate, Dan States, the troop’s former senior patrol leader and a senior at High School North. Snieckus, who now serves as an assistant scoutmaster, acknowledged his supporters including his Eagle mentor, Jim Bryde, as well as Sean Grace of the Plainsboro Reserve. Snieckus, who is a homeschooled senior, is headed to the United States Merchant Marine Academy this fall.
Troop 759 meets on Friday evenings at the Queenship of Mary Church in Plainsboro. For information on the troop’s scouting program visit www.troop759nj.org.
Private School
Phillips Exeter Academy: Brandon G. Kaplowitz, grade 10, of West Windsor, earned high honors for the winter term. Nikhil Raman, grade 9, of Plainsboro, earned highest honors for the winter term.
In College
Johns Hopkins University: Six Plainsboro residents are on the fall dean’s list. Lauren Silvey, a graduate of High School South, is majoring in writing seminars, and will graduate in May. Veronica Jordan-Davis, a graduate of Princeton Day School, is majoring in Near Eastern studies, and will graduate in 2012. Sanjay Jumani, a graduate of High School North, is majoring in public health studies, and will graduate in 2013. Komal Kumar, a graduate of High School North, is majoring in public health studies, and will graduate in 2013. Abhigyan Mukherjee, a graduate of High School North, is majoring in biomedical engineering, and will graduate in 2012. George Yang, attended Chinese Christian Schools in San Leandro, California, and is majoring in neuroscience, with plans to graduate in 2012.
Northeastern University: Kay Beach, a graduate of High School South, Class of 2007, has been honored with two awards. She received a Compass Award, recognizing nine seniors who have demonstrated leadership, volunteerism, and academic integrity. She is also one of Northeastern’s “100 Most Influential Seniors.”
During her time at Northeastern she has studied in France, Africa, Morocco, Spain, and Thailand. She created a research project in Kampala, Uganda, in 2010. Her co-op experiences include work in Harvard Medical School’s office of resource development and the U.S. State Department. Beach founded the school’s chapter of Invisible Children, to raise awareness of human rights violations in East Africa, and Human Rights Week, now an annual event. She will graduate in May with a bachelor of arts degree in international affairs and has been accepted to the Teach for America program in Hawaii for two years.
Rowan University: West Windsor students on the dean’s list include Michael Patrick Brienza, freshman; David James Cahill, freshman; Amy Jade Gill-Murphy, freshman; Addison Waco Michalowski, junior; Samantha Elizabeth Musumeci, sophomore; Melanie Rachel Pauker, junior; and Jacob S Wydra, freshman.
