History Day Winners
Thea Ma and Ingrid Ma, a rising sophomore and senior at High School North, placed first in the nation in History Channel’s competition for Senior Group Documentary.
The Ma sisters’ award-winning documentary focused on Rutgers University Nobel Laureate Dr. Selman Waksman and showed how the production of streptomycin and the antibiotic screening program gave rise to more than 40 antibiotics and helped expand pharmaceutical companies.
Other honorees in the WW-P district include:
Liam Knox, grade 7, Community Middle School, placed third in the nation for his Junior Individual Documentary.
Emma McGregor, grade 10, High School North, received the Outstanding State Award for New Jersey.
Olivia Hu, grade 11, High School North, placed 11th in Senior Individual Exhibit.
Suntharam Solai, grade 7, Community Middle School, placed sixth for his Junior Individual Performance.
Hannah Widmayer and Yucong Chi, grade 7, Grover Middle School, placed 14th for their Junior Group Performance.
Girl Scouts
West Windsor and Plainsboro Girl Scouts who earned their silver and bronze awards were recently honored by Girls Scouts of Central and Southern New Jersey.
The silver award is earned by middle school girl scouts and represents the primary girl-led community service project. The individual girl, with the assistance of family members and other scouts, plan and implement her community service project. This season’s recipients, representing four troops, implemented projects that serve the West Windsor and Plainsboro communities.
Girls from Troop 70208, led by Pat Helck, Gina Armstrong, and Sadie Davis implemented four projects. Silver awards were earned by Victoria Armstrong and Sanjana Phatak for “Journey to Juniors;” Raveeja Deshpande for “Recycling Awareness;” Elizabeth Helck, Anisha Kapoor, Jennifer Kim, and Deja Robinson for “Make a Splash” and Ivy Kang and Shweta Ravichandar for “A Taste of Girl Scouts.”
Troop 70672 Girl Scouts, led by Cheryl Rowe-Rendleman and Shweta Kedia, implemented eight community service projects. Aneri Barvalia for “Be Prepared, Camping Skills Scavenger Hunt;” Roshni Shibad for “Bollywood Dance Fusion;” Roshni Thakur for “Blankets for Kittens;” Tarang Jain and Dhara Mehta for “Essence of India;” Shrishti Kedia for “Solution for West Windsor Plastic Recycling;” Hunter Elizabeth Rendleman for “For One Small Thing: Covenant House Young Moms and Children;” Juhi Kapadia for “Fitness and Fairness Sports Fair;” and Krishna Trivedi for “Homefront Charity.”
Ashley Hasling of Troop 71490 earned her Silver Award with a project entitled “Sneakers for Native American Indian Reservation.” Her troop leaders are Becky Grant and Diane Hasling.
Girls from Troop 71985, led by Lorraine Fisch, implemented two projects: “Hands on the Wheel — Not on the Phone” by Molly Fisch-Friedman, and “Health and Safety for Kids” by Nishitha Kumard.
The Bronze Award is the highest honored awarded to Junior Girl Scouts, those girls in upper elementary grades. They represent a teamwork approach.
Jillian Avino, Delaney Cochrane, Kriti Devasenapathy, Dominique Harris, Chloe Heller, Anu Kandasamy, Teja Kondeti, Priya Kothari, and Emma Popa from Troop 70694, led by Phyllis Church and Lucinda Cochrane, completed their project entitled “Babysitting Service at WWP Leaders’ Meetings.”
Troop 70866 Girl Scouts, led by Arti Khatri and Betsy Wallace-Saunders, implemented three projects: “Animal Shelter Project” by Teyah Guerrero, Jessica Hepler, Alexandra Hesterberg, Sophia Ren, Kayla Tulloch, and Laura Wolfe; “Clean and Green Environmental Awareness Program” by Rhea Khatri, and “Babysitting at Trinity Church” by Veena Pasupuleti and Patricia Saunders.
Troop 71016, led by Jan Cardinale and Theresa Gillars, implemented one community service project entitled “Baking Birthday Cakes for TASK (Trenton Area Soup Kitchen).” Troop members include Caroline Cardinale, Georgia Castoro, Keira Charles, Clare Clancey, Veda Donthireddy, Isabelle Engel, Christine Gillars, Sarah Gillars, Aarushi Gupta, Lauren Hausheer, Catherine Hodgson, Julia Hu, Jennifer O’Leary, Sophia Song, and Larissa Wojnteko.
In addition to the official awards, presented by chief development officer Donna Evans of the Girl Scouts of Central and Southern New Jersey, each young woman received citations from local, county, state, and federal governmental offices. Dignitaries in attendance for this ceremony included Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein and West Windsor Township Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh.
The WW-P Service Unit is co-managed by Louisa Ho and Wendy Kramer. For information on joining Girl Scouts in West Windsor or Plainsboro, as a girl or as an adult volunteer, E-mail girlscoutswwp@verizon.net.
Community Service
Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Mercer County gave community service awards to three West Windsor residents and one Plainsboro resident at its 73rd annual membership meeting held June 1.
Sarah Kalt of Plainsboro was recognized for her volunteer work as a JFCS office assistant. Kunal Nischal of West Windsor and a student at High School South was recognized for his volunteer work as an office assistant for JFCS’ youth programs. Wendy Rotella of West Windsor was recognized for her volunteer role as JFCS’ tribute card coordinator. Jane Rumack of West Windsor was recognized for her volunteer role as JFCS’ Kosher Meals on Wheels coordinator.
Al and Janet Lerner of West Windsor received honors from the executive board of the Village Grande Civic Association as an expression of their appreciation for the dedication and long service that they have brought to the association and the residents of Village Grande. Their attendance at West Windsor Township Council meetings has kept the association and residents informed about important civic matters.
Poster-Essay
Contest Winner
Cindy Song, above, a student at Village School, was chosen as the Mercer County winner by Conserve Wildlife New Jersey for her award-winning poster and essay on the silver-bordered fritillary (butterfly). Every year fifth graders in each county study and paint New Jersey’s endangered and threatened species.
This year’s contest drew 2,000 entries. Song’s prize-winning art and essay will be exhibited, along with other county winners, in the Johnson Education Center, One Preservation Place, Princeton. Art may be viewed during business hours.
In College
Bard College: Jeffrey Michael Sutton of Plainsboro graduated with a bachelor of arts degree.
Boston University: Plainsboro graduates include Megan E. Hillsdon, bachelor of science in social studies education; Tanmay Parekh, bachelor of science in human physiology, cum laude; Simon M. DeSouza, bachelor of science in mechanical engineering; Luke E. Donaher, master of science in information systems, high honors, and a master of business administration in business administration and management, honors; Ricardo Sinicio-Tessarotto, bachelors in business administration in business administration and management; Chandra S. Singha Babu, master of science in computer information systems; and Lauren E. Alba, bachelor of arts in political science and Hispanic language and literatures, cum laude.
Plainsboro residents on the dean’s list at Boston University include Megan E. Hillsdon, James C. Ikeda, Tanmay Parekh, Sindhura Polubothu, and Ricardo Sinicio-Tessarotto. Jashvina P. Shah, a West Windsor resident, is also on the dean’s list.
Fashion Institute of Technology: Christine Scafa of West Windsor graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of fine arts degree specializing in children’s wear design. She is a graduate of High School North, Class of 2005. Scafa, who has been making and selling accessories since her early high school days, recently founded Big Bad Bait, a fashion accessory company. She uses recycled materials featuring bottle caps, soda can tabs, puzzle pieces, guitar picks, and old game pieces. Her line can be found at Rosana Boutique in Princeton’s Palmer Square where she currently works, and at Big Bad Bait on Facebook.
Lehigh University: Ashley Sarstedt of West Windsor graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in finance. A graduate of High School South, Class of 2006, she is a member of Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and Alpha Phi Sorority. Sarstedt has accepted a position with Prudential’s finance rotation program.
Business
Pamela Vallas, a broker sales associate, has been appointed branch vice president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Princeton Junction. A broker and sales professional for nearly 25 years, Vallas formerly served as the regional manager for Coldwell Banker Previews International, the company’s luxury homes division, responsible for the central New Jersey territory.
Problem Solvers
The Community Middle School Future Problem Solvers Team, led by teacher Karen Rosnick, finished in eighth place out of 66 teams in the Future Problem Solving Program International Conference. Team members are Lyric Gupta, Ross Chapman, Vicki Chan, and Sohi Kim.
