Help for Haiti
Four youngsters from Plainsboro were moved by the plight in Haiti following the earthquake and wanted to do something to help. Ashwin Narra, a fourth grade student at Chapin School; Aryan Narra, a pre-K student at Montessori Corner; Vineeth Amba, a sixth grade student at Community Middle School; and Ajith Amba, a second grade student at Town Center School, went door to door to all of the 70 homes in the Estates at Plainsboro development and raised $406.
“They were so excited to collect the funds and were elated,” says Deepika Narra, mother of two of the children. “The excitement showed in the way they were counting the funds and accounting for them. At the end of it they did not hesitate to turn over their piggy banks for this wonderful cause.”
“This may be a small gesture but as the saying goes little drops of water make the mighty oceans,” says Narra. “The kids have the satisfaction that they did something for a good cause.”
“Can you spare some change” was the motto for all of the first grade students at Maurice Hawk School. Students were encouraged to collect spare change when they did chores at home like setting the dinner table, making their beds, folding the clean clothes, picking up toys around the house, and anything else that they felt would be a big help around their home. By earning the money themselves, the children realized that their efforts can make a difference to others. The students raised $1,369.85 to help those affected by the earthquake in Haiti.
Teachers involved in the project include Linda Bugher, Christy Byrnes, Mdeline Crass, Maureen Mulhall, Lisa Rizziello, Christine Robinson, Tae Seo, Becky Totaro, Joyce Turner, and Julie Yi.
Pinewood Derby
Cub Scout Pack 40, based in West Windsor, recently held its Pinewood Derby. The Scouts, with parental assistance if needed, construct a race car from a block of wood that they decorate and attach axles and wheels. The cars then compete against each other.
Awards for the fastest cars were won by Dhiraj Chakravorty, first place; Kevin Kullmann, second place; Siddarth Balaji, third place; Luke Potts, fourth place; and Benjamin Albeyta, fifth place. The races were very tight with a difference of 9.2 thousandths of a second between first and second place winners.
The five overall best designed cars (as voted by the attendees) were Gabriel Scavo, first place, with a military tank design; Spencer Perrine, second place, with a Tiger cub theme; Mackenzie Palmer, third place, with a train locomotive look; Arjun Jaswal, fourth place, with a red Ferrari; and Dylan Palmer, fifth place, with a batmobile style.
“I am always impressed by how much creativity the boys have,” said Randy Kullmann, cubmaster. “They want to make a piece of art, not just a fast car.” For information about joining Pack 40, E-mail pack40wwnj@aol.com or call Caroline Furtak at 609-275-5443.
Published
In addition to his career as a faculty member for the West Windsor-Plainsboro school district as a K-3 resource specialist, Robert Krech is an author. His latest book “Love Puppies and Corner Kicks” was recently published.
Krech, born in Trenton, was raised in Lawrenceville. After graduating from Rutgers with a degree in art and education, he taught elementary grades and art in New Jersey, Scotland, and Saudi Arabia. Although he began writing in the fourth grade he had a long hiatus until two young Scottish boys who were curious about Americans gave him an idea to write about — and his first story was published.
In 1989 his story “Summer in the City,” about living with his grandparents in Jersey City for summer vacations, was published in New Jersey Monthly. His son and daughter later provided more writing material that he submitted to parenting publications.
He has since written more than 15 books for teachers through Scholastic. “Rebound” was his first book for young adults and “Love Puppies and Corner Kicks” is the first for middle grade students.
Arya Sasne of West Windsor received a prize in the 2010 Neuroscience for Kids poetry writing contest in the kindergarten to grade two category. A first grade student at Hawk School, her poem is entitled “Brain is the One.”
In College
Brandeis University: Zachary Rosen of West Windsor is on the fall dean’s list.
Colgate University: Andrea Rose Hackett is a recipient of the dean’s award for academic excellence during the fall semester. A graduate of High School North, Class of 2009, she is a staff writer for the Colgate Maroon News.
Births
The University Medical Center at Princeton has announced the following births:
Sons were born to Plainsboro residents Wendy Billig and Tamer Elrazaz, February 2; Amy Ransom and Jude Coelho, February 5.
Daughters were born to Plainsboro residents Kathryn and Matthew Wagner, February 2; and Danaya and Christopher Smith, February 7.
A daughter was born to West Windsor residents Kavita and Vipul Kapur, February 12.
