Radhika Gupta, a rising senior at High School South, received her Girl Scout Gold Award for her project “Travel Club at Hamilton Continuing Care.” Gupta created a presentation that allowed senior citizens at Hamilton Continuing Care Center to travel virtually through tours, ethnic food, dances, music, and more.
“Many of the senior citizens are in a wheelchair or bedridden at this nursing home and they are not able to travel the world,” she says. “I wanted to be able to give them the experience of traveling without them needing to leave the center itself.”
Leaders of Gupta’s Troop, 70216, include Kate Henkel, May Rowland, and Minal Patel. Her adviser was Kate Henkel, and her mentors were Gregory Matt and Diane Hurley. Gupta, now 17, earned her Silver Award for teaching children with disabilities to dance. She co-created the Young Women Empowerment initiative to encourage young girls to go into the leadership and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields last winter. A member of the Red Cross Club, she also dances and plays the violin. She became a Girl Scout when she was six years old and plans to continue with scouting.
“My family and I are big travelers. We have been all around the world, and I believe that the seniors should get this experience too,” says Gupta, who cooked food indigenous to each country, dressed in costumes, and presented cultural songs. “My favorite Girl Scout event is Thinking Day, when my troop and I participate every year to learn about different countries, try different foods from each country, create crafts, and more. My project included virtual tours, ethnic food, dances, music, and more to make the traveling interactive and fun.
“During each session, the seniors were able to forget that they were at Hamilton Continuing Care Center and feel as if they were in a different country altogether,” she says. “I also created a scrapbook with facts and pictures from every country I showed them. I really enjoy traveling and wanted the senior citizens to experience the same joy I receive when learning about different countries.”
#b#Silver Award#/b#
West Windsor residents Shreya Gowda and Susan George present their Girl Scout Silver Award Project “Painting With A Purpose.” The project is to paint house numbers on the curb in front of houses in the Kingspointe neighborhood of West Windsor. “The result we are hoping to get out of this is that emergency workers can find houses more easily in times of urgency,” they explain.
Both members of Troop 71986, their leader is Nadege Frotte. Their mentor is Dan Dobromilsky, a landscape architect for the West Windsor Department of Community Development.
“We chose this project after finding out through personal experience and researching that finding house numbers can be difficult due to positioning of the numbers and location,” says George, a freshman at High School South. “This project allows emergency responders to speed up reaction times to calls by allowing house numbers to be clearly visible.”
“We chose to do this because we wanted a project that would have a local impact and because we found that visible house numbers could make emergency workers find homes more easily,” says Gowda, a freshman at High School North. “This project would allow emergency workers to easily locate a house where their help was needed in time.”
Visit https://susangeorge509.wix.com/paintingwithapurpose for information. Girl Scouts of WWP is looking for girls (kindergarten through 12th grade) and adult volunteers. E-mail girlscoutswwp@verizon.net for information.
#b#Cub Scouts Go Camping#/b#
Cub Scouts from Pack 759 went camping at Allaire State Park. Suhas Kondapalli, a third grade student from Town Center School; and Sumanth Kondapalli, an eighth grade student at Grover Middle School, wrote the following:
“The weather was perfect for camping. We put up our tents, which was a simple and easy task. For most of us, this was our first time camping. We played soccer, Frisbee, catch, and much more. It was a blast!
“Then, we started our campfire with the secret campfire song and got ready for dinner. After our delicious dinners, then finally time came for dessert! We got our marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers out. Guess what we were going to make. SMORES! We all got sticks and stuck our marshmallows into the warm campfire. Talk about tasty!
“Then we gathered around the campfire and told spooky stories — some of the spookiest stories on the planet! We told stories about bloody fingers, dolls that kill people, and even about humans that lick! After all of these fun, spooky stories, the time came to go to bed. But first we had to lick the marshmallows off of our fingers so that unwanted visitors wouldn’t eat them during the night.
“The sky was crystal clear and we could see thousands of beautiful stars from our tent! This camping trip sure was fun, and it definitely won’t be the last.”
Contact Debi Vivona at vivonafamily@gmail.com for information about Cub Scouts.
#b#Bright Lights#/b#
Andrew Carlson of West Windsor will appear in the bright lights of Broadway on Saturday, September 19, as part of the National Down Syndrome Society’s annual Times Square Video presentation. The featured photographs highlight children, teens, and adults with Down syndrome, reminding the world in a very big way about the contributions and milestones of people with Down syndrome. These collective images promote the value, acceptance, and inclusion of people with Down syndrome.
The photo of Carlson, who has Down syndrome, was selected from more than 2,000 entries in the NDSS worldwide call for photos. More than 450 photographs will appear in the video to be shown in the heart of Times Square. Andrew, 17, is pictured in Washington Square Park, New York City, with his sisters Abigail and Emily (see photo above).
A lifelong resident of West Windsor, he is a junior at High School North. He enjoys soccer, basketball, bowling, video gaming, music, and art. Carlson also participates in many Special Olympics sports and events, plays unified soccer and basketball at Rider University, and was on the WW-P School’s unified bowling team this year.
The Times Square Video presentation kicks off Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October. The video presentation will be followed by the 21st Annual Flagship Buddy Walk in New York City. Visit www.buddywalk.org or call 800-221-4602 for information.
For more information, visit www.ndss.org.
#b#In College#/b#
Bard College at Simon’s Rock: Roop Pal of Plainsboro entered the fall class. Pal, 14, finished ninth grade at High School North in June. He was chosen for his academic and personal achievements. The campus in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, is home to more than 400 bright and highly motivated students engaged in a rigorous college education. Early college students are on track to graduate from college one or two years ahead of their peers.
Pal led a high-tech initiative in the community to impact non-profits and global communities. A group of young students with a passion for innovation and exploration in STEM subjects are involved with PicoSatellite eXploration Lab to delve into the problem of integrating EEG and small satellite technologies.
“I indulge my interest in STEM by studying algorithms, working on PSXL, programming for my high school’s FIRST Robotic Club, along with being involved in a variety of other STEM-related groups,” Pal told the News (April 17, 2015).
“I am developing PSXL, an organization that aims to design satellites that can ultimately assist in the proliferation of extremely affordable satellites with radical input technologies and many significant applications, starting out with a mind-controlled picosatellite,” said Pal. “I plan to ultimately use these technologies to enable innovative solutions for disaster-management, remote sensing, and communications.”
The club explores STEM technologies to help solve complex problems. “We experience the thrill of being able to innovate and improve existing EEG and satellite technologies, which has the potential to greatly affect the world positively,” says Pal.
“PSXL’s objective is to launch a satellite controlled by our brains,” said Pal. “The prospect of controlling the actions of a hunk of metal 200 to 500 miles away is nothing short of exhilarating.”
Founded in 1966, Bard is the only college in the country specifically designed for bright, highly motivated students ready to enter college early, usually after the 10th or 11th grade. A challenging program in the liberal arts and sciences is taught exclusively in small seminars and degrees are granted in more than 40 majors.
Berkeley College: Danielle Johnson of West Windsor is on the dean’s list.
Castleton University: Jack Schilder of Plainsboro is a rising freshman. He is a June graduate of High School North.
Colgate University: Erica Borsack, of West Windsor, a member of the Class of 2016, has earned the dean’s award for academic excellence. She is a graduate of High School South.
Lehigh University: The Class of 2019 includes West Windsor residents Andrew Clayton, Jaclyn Leon, Andres Soler, and Taylor Strype.
James Madison University: The Class of 2019 includes Plainsboro residents Alexandra Murray, majoring in health sciences; Amanda Easter and Robin Slothower with undeclared majors. West Windsor residents include Kevin Murphy, majoring in international business; Natalie Cardulla, majoring in kinesiology; and Annie Voltmer with an undeclared major.
University of Rochester: Chaitanya Narayanan Natarajan of Plainsboro is on the dean’s list. A graduate of High School North, he is a rising sophomore majoring in mathematics and applied music (saxophone). He is studying in the University’s College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering as well as in the Eastman School of Music.
#b#Big Birthday#/b#
Catherine C. Blackwell, a resident at Merwick Care and Rehabilitation Center in Plainsboro, recently celebrated her 103rd birthday. Blackwell, a former resident of the Gables in West Windsor, was one of the first residents at Merwick. (The News, September 21, 2012).
Born and raised in Trenton, she was one of five children. Her father, a potter, died when she was five. Orphaned at 13 after her mother died of cancer, she was raised by her grandfather, John Deasy, who ran a grocery store at North Clinton and Hart avenues in Trenton.
When she was 14 she lied about her age and took a job at a five-and-dime store as a sales clerk. To get a better job, she learned how to rewire lamps.
She soon landed a job as a telephone operator running an old-fashioned switchboard in Skillman. It was there that she had a brush with history. She was at the switchboard in March, 1932, when a newspaper reporter called asking if she knew anything about the Lindbergh baby being kidnapped or missing. “I hadn’t heard anything about it,” says Blackwell. “I put him right through to the State Police.”
Her switchboard was busy as more and more reporters called trying to find out about the kidnapping, which caused a sensation and then resulted in what was called the “Trial of the Century” for the man accused of the crime resulting in the toddler’s death. “It was horrible,” she says. “I worked hard.”
It might be said that it was fate that brought Blackwell and her future husband, Norman P. Blackwell, together. A taxi that she was riding in broke down outside his garage in Hopewell. They met and he later asked the taxi driver for her number.
The couple ran the Broad Street Garage, located at Broad Street and Princeton Avenue in Hopewell, after World War II. She did the bookkeeping and drove to Trenton or Newark for parts. When the garage became a car dealership, she sold Plymouths and Chryslers. Blackwell lived in Hopewell for 85 years.
One daughter and son-in-law, Cathy and Joseph Zuccarello, live in West Windsor. Blackwell’s younger daughter and son-in-law, Nora and David Dula, live in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. Her grandchildren include Michael J. Zuccarello, Molly Dula Guzic, Brian Dula, and Kate Zuccarello. She is the great-grandmother of twins Anthony and Justin Zuccarello, 9; Ava Guzic, 8, and Emily Guzic, 6; Serena Dula, 6, and Ashton Dula, 4, and Aliana, 16 months.
Blackwell’s advice to people who want to reach the age of 100 is “do what you like to do. You don’t want anybody pushing you around.” She remained active, never smoked, and rarely took medication. “I didn’t always have my own way,” she said. “I did what I had to do.”
#b#Deaths#/b#
Jacqueline M. Raciti, 82, of North Brunswick died August 17. Survivors include a sister, Alma Padgett of West Windsor.
Arnold E. Resnik, 89, of Monroe died August 18 at the University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro. Funeral services were held at Congregation Beth Chaim in West Windsor. A Navy veteran, he served during World War II while stationed in the Philippine islands. He was a human resource manager with American Flange TriSure until his retirement in 1991.
Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Chris Pemberton of Plainsboro. Donations may be made to the VFW of your choice, Wounded Warrior Project, or plant a tree in Israel.
Kimberly A. (Miller) Garron, 51, of Plainsboro died August 27 at University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro. Born in New Brunswick, she lived in Plainsboro since 1988.
A graduate of College of New Jersey, she was a business programmer with Johnson and Johnson. She was active in the Cub Scouts and the Girl Scouts, as well as West Windsor-Plainsboro High School PTA and Booster Club.
Survivors include her husband of 27 years, Herbert S. Garron; sons Kenneth and Patrick Garron; daughter Emily Garron; her parents Gregory and Joanne (Reagan) Kronowski; a brother Linwood Miller; and a sister Jennifer Oranchak.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated August 31 at Queenship of Mary Church. A prayer bench will be placed her memorial at Holy Cross Burial Park. Donations may be made at www.gofundme.com/LoveforKim.
Damiano “Ray” Paterra, 93, of Ewing died August 29. An Army veteran, he served during World War II. Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Helene and Hank Chudzik of West Windsor; and grandchildren Colin and Elizabeth Chudzik.
Barbara M. Novatkoski, 76, of West Windsor died August 30 at Compassionate Care Hospice in Trenton. She was a lifelong resident of West Windsor.
Survivors include her sisters, Helen Doan of Lawrenceville, and Victoria Novatkoski and Kathryn Novatkoski, both of West Windsor; and sister and brother-in-law, Carolyn and William Baker of Middletown.
Donations may be made to Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation, 100 Park Avenue, Suite 108, Rockville, MD 20850 (aamds.org).
Martha Pleska Lanzante, 89, of West Windsor died August 31. She attended Paterson Commercial College and was a quality control technician for Allen B. Dumont Laboratories in East Paterson.
Survivors include her son John of Princeton; and brothers Joseph, of Richmondale, PA, Nicholas of Hills, Iowa. Donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 8th Avenue, 7th floor, New York, NY 10001 (www.alzfdn.org).
Bertha Mae Hardy, 87, of Plainsboro died August 31. Survivors include her children, Geraldine and Herman N. Boone, Willie L. and Demetra Hardy; 11 grandchildren; and many greatª grandchildren.
Alvin L. Anderson III, 71, of Plainsboro died September 1 at University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro. A lifelong resident of Plainsboro, he was an Army veteran.
He was a lab technician at NL Industries in Hightstown until his retirement. His passion was owning and training harness horses.
Survivors include his brother, Burt Anderson; and his companion, Lorie Brodzinski. Donations may be made to the Plainsboro Rescue Squad, 621 Plainsboro Road, Plainsboro 08536. Tina Nelli Castoro of Hopewell died September 1. Survivors include a daughter, Rosita of West Windsor.
Mildred D. DeGirolamo, 85, of Lakewood died September 3. Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Lenora and Gary Wolinetz of Plainsboro.
