New Eagle Scouts
Jonathan K. Ruff and Kevin C. Campbell of Troop 40 have earned Eagle Scout awards. For his service project, Ruff designed and constructed an art room for Visitation Home, a group home for developmentally challenged adults in Yardville. Campbell built a handicapped-accessible picnic table in a clearing along the walking path at the Millstone River Preserve (located on the border of West Windsor and Plainsboro).
Ruff, the son of Richard and Jo-Anne Ruff, joined Pack 48 as a Wolf in 1998. After earning the Arrow of Light award, he joined Troop 40 where he earned 36 merit badges. He developed his leadership skills as a chaplain aide, troop guide, and assistant senior patrol leader for the troop; as an assistant patrol leader and senior patrol leader for summer camps; and as crew leader at Sea Base High Adventure Camp. He participated in the National Youth Leadership Training Program and was elected to scouting’s honor society, the Order of the Arrow.
Ruff, a first degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do currently studying Aikido, continues his scouting career as an assistant scoutmaster in Troop 40, and as an assistant scoutmaster for the 2010 Centennial National Jamboree. He attended Mother of Divine Grace School and Mercer County Community College and is currently studying civil engineering at the College of New Jersey.
Campbell, the son of Patrick Campbell and Jeryl Caporaso of West Windsor, joined Pack 40 as a Tiger Scout in first grade. After earning the Arrow of Light award, he bridged to Troop 40 where he earned 37 merit badges. He served Troop 40 as instructor, troop historian, and assistant patrol leader, and volunteered as senior patrol leader for three summer camps.
His project including clearing the area around the table and trails by raking leaves, cutting and removing brush and dangerous roots, removing rocks and smoothing out the walking trail. Campbell found the project very rewarding in that it would benefit both the West Windsor and Plainsboro communities — especially those who are physically disabled and confined to a wheelchair.
A senior at High School North, Campbell is a member of the long distance team for both winter and spring track and cross country. He also plays and coaches for the West Windsor recreational basketball program. A member of STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur), LARKability club, and Just A Chance student run charity, he also participates at the Special Olympics and assists in running hunger banquets, middle school dances, concerts, and bake sales. He was inducted into the National Honor Society Zenith Chapter, where he continues to take on leadership roles and volunteer throughout the community.
He is also an active member of St. David the King Catholic Church where he volunteers as a head usher. A Red Cross trained lifeguard and water safety instructor, he works for the YWCA pool in Plainsboro as a teacher for children and those with special needs. A member of the West Windsor Little League, he runs the concession stand and helps with other duties at Ward field. Campbell will be a freshman at St. Joseph’s University in the fall.
Girl Scout News
Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ honored more than 240 silver award recipients at a ceremony on Sunday, May 23, at Community Middle School in Plainsboro.
The award is the second highest award a girl can earn in Girl Scouting. Combining skills in leadership, communication, time management, teamwork, dedication, responsibility, goal setting, and commitment, girls create and implement a 40-hour project that makes a difference in their community.
Plainsboro honorees include:
Troop 70208: Ivy Kang. Anisha Kapoor, Jennifer Kim, Sanjana Phatak, Shweta Ravichandar, and Deja Robinson.
Troop 70672: Tarang Jain, Juhi Kapadia, Roshni Shibad, and Roshni Thakur.
Troop 71072: Chelsea Easter.
Troop 71480: Riddhima Kapoor, Alexa L’Insalata, Lauren Palena, Lizzy Palena, Natalie Sarchiapone, and Karin Sugeno.
Troop 71500: Pooja Kondeti and Carly Purus.
West Windsor honorees include:
Troop 70208: Victoria Armstrong.
Troop 70600: Marilyn Can, Isadora Dacosta, and Katie Henkel.
Troop 70672: Aneri Barvalia, Shrishti Kedia, Dhara Mehta, and Krishna Trivedi.
Troop 71490: Cassie Perez.
Troop 71500: Emily Kramer.
Troop 71885: Victoria Matthews.
Troop 71985: Nishitha Kumar.
In College
Mercer College: Two graduates from Plainsboro were recognized for academic achievement during the honors convocation preceding commencement ceremonies on May 20.
James Hodges III of Plainsboro was presented with three academic awards including the MCCC Faculty Association scholarship presented in honor of Professor Emeritus David Collier; the Professor Betty Wallace Cornelius Excellence in Mathematics Award; and the Outstanding Achievement in Organic Chemistry Award. Hodges, who will continue his education at Rider University, plans to pursue a graduate degree and work as a research scientist.
Priti Joshi, also of Plainsboro, received the Mallinkrodt Medical Recognition Award, presented to a graduating radiography student for professional excellence in the clinical phase of the program. Joshi, who has a prior degree in mechanical engineering from Mumbai University and previously worked as a design engineer, said her academic experience at Mercer was outstanding and she feels confident as she moves forward in her career.
University of Delaware: Ali Reslan of West Windsor graduated with a bachelor of science degree in business and a minor in economics. He graduated from High School South, Class of 2006.
Dickinson College: Matthew Gregory Elliott of West Windsor graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in international studies and a minor in Japanese. A member of Sigma Iota Rho, the honor society for international studies, he spent spring semester of his junior year at Nanzan University at Nagoya, Japan; and the summer of 2008 in Toulouse, France, at the Institut D’Etudes Politiques de Toulouse studying politics of the European Union.
Elliott is a graduate of High School South, Class of 2006, where he was involved in the radio’s morning show and the National Honor Society.
Rowan University: Jeffrey Robert Branchek of West Windsor graduated. He majored in Spanish.
Washington and Lee University: Neville Lyons Fogarty of West Windsor is on the dean’s list. He is a senior.
Published
Some of the county’s most creative high school students gathered at Mercer County Community College on April 24 to celebrate the publication of Aspirations 2010, MCCC’s annual publication for young writers and artists. Eighty-seven writers and 23 artists, a number with multiple submissions, were selected from 12 area high schools.
Students from High School North include Zeeshan Anwar, Neil Bedi, Sonali Chanchani, Byron Chiu, Casey Dalrymple, Olivia Hu, Brian Hui, Michael Hui, Alana Jorgensen, Laura Kosar, Jessica Li, Lilly Lu, Ingrid Ma, Adam Niemann, Aneesha Raghunathan, Renuka Reddy, Shayla Reid, Usmani Saima, Megha Sharma, Cassandra Vasiliu, Naeha Vora, Will Whipple, and Daphne Ye.
High School South students include Victoria Chho, Raisha Friedman, Katie Rose, and Meena Selvanathan.
Science Bowl
High School South’s Science Bowl team placed ninth in the National Science Bowl Tournament. A jeopardy-type game focusing on science and mathematics questions had 68 schools competing. The South team which included Mark Benjamin (captain), Kunal Desai, Arniruddh Shivram, Satyajeet Pal, and Alexander Clifton, was undefeated in round robin play, winning all eight games. The team won one game in the double-elimination round, and received $1,000 as a prize for the South science department. The team’s advisor is teacher Brandon Field.
At Wicoff
Michelle Kane Vitulli, a second grade teacher at Wicoff School, reunited her current class with her class from 10 years ago, now seniors at North and South high schools. The soon-to-be graduates planted a time capsule in 2000 and it was dug up on Sunday, May 23. A scrapbook from when the students were in second grade was on display. A photo was taken of the students lined up in the same locations as they were in the photo 10 years ago.
“It was really great — an incredible turnout. Many of the students have moved away over the years and came back (one all the way from Norway) just for this,” says Vitulli. “It was like they picked up where they left off 10 years ago.”
