Maritime Award
George Li, an eighth grade student at Grover Middle School, was honored by the National Maritime Historical Society award for his individual documentary on submarine history presented at the New Jersey History Day State Competition held May 1t at William Paterson University. His research, in considering the NHD theme of “Innovation in History, Impact, and Change,” determined when the submarine became a viable weapon of war, and the implications for naval warfare since World War I.
Li’s project was facilitated by Joan Ruddiman, coordinator of the PRISM Program at Grover Middle School.
Faith
Kristopher and Sean Centofani of Plainsboro were among seven young people who were confirmed as members of Princeton United Methodist Church last month. For information about the church, located at the corner of Nassau and Vandeventer streets in Princeton, call 609-924-2613.
Dance
Taylor Birnbaum, 16, has been dancing at Galaxy in West Windsor for 12 years. She studies ballet, jazz, lyrical dance. She began studying dance at age three in Staten Island. She is a student dance instructor at the dance school.
A member of the competition team at the Galaxy of Dance, Birnbaum participated in DanceXplosion’s regional competition in Sparta last month. The team earned the Xcalibur Award which is awarded to the highest scoring group with “Ballet Gone Bad,” a routine that features the entire team with dancers from ages 5 to 18.
“This award was extra special as it recognized the talents and efforts of all my dancers from my youngest, right up to my graduating seniors,” said Kelly Gorner, the studio’s director and choreographer. “It gives me great pleasure to teach both my recreational dancers as well as my competitors. Dancing contributes to the growth of self-confidence in all participants.”
A rising senior at High School South, Birnbaum is a member of the National Honor Society and the Math Honor Society. She has also been a section editor of the yearbook since her freshman year.
Her sister, Brittany, a graduate of High School South and University of Miami, will attend law school in the fall. Her brother, Andrew, is at University of Maryland. Their mother, Darlene, is assistant to the dean of art and design at Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. Their father, Alan, is an attorney at CitiGroup.
New Officers
Miki Krakauer of West Windsor was installed as president of the Trenton-Lawrence Chapter of Hadassah at the Runway Restaurant on May 25.
New board of directors for the United Federation of Princeton Mercer Bucks include Mark Merkovitz of West Windsor as vice president of campaign, and Stacey Wasserman of West Windsor as women’s campaign president. They were installed at the annual meeting on Thursday, June 24, at at Adath Israel Congregation, in Lawrenceville.
