wo New Eagles
David Lee and Rick Williams, both members of Troop 40 and graduates of High School South, recently earned Eagle Scout awards. Lee, a student at Washington University in St. Louis, is majoring in computer engineering and is a member of the school’s club fencing and rugby teams. Williams attends the College of New Jersey where he is majoring in mechanical engineering.
Lee, son of Robert and Sharon Lee of West Windsor, has enjoyed being a scout since joining Pack 48 as a Webelo in fourth grade. After earning Cub Scouts’ highest award, the Arrow of Light award, he joined Troop 40 where he earned 24 merit badges and was named a member of scouting’s honor society, The Order of the Arrow. During his years with Troop 40, Lee served as senior patrol leader, webmaster, received certification for BSA scuba, attended Hawk Mountain and NoBeBoSco summer camps, the 2005 National Jamboree, Sea Base high adventure camp, and took part in the Philmont Cavalcade.
For his Eagle Scout service project, Lee made improvements to the West Windsor Trolley Line Trail, the biking and walking trail that follows the path the Trenton-New Brunswick Fast Line Trolley once traveled. He directed the construction and installation of distance markers, a trail map, and directional posts along the trail. Lee also researched, wrote, and directed the installation of a sign providing a timeline and historic facts about the trolley.
At South he was a computer tech aide where he solved hardware and software problems for students, teachers, and administrators. He was also an active participant in Junior State of America and served as chapter president during his senior year. He was a member of both the National Honor Society and the Math Honor Society.
Lee participated in a Summer National Institute of American History and Democracy Program at the College of William and Mary. A three-year member of the varsity fencing team, he qualified for the 2006 state finals, the 2008 summer national championships, and during his senior year served as squad captain.
Williams, son of Rich and Bernadine Williams of West Windsor, began his scouting experience in first grade as a Tiger cub in Pack 66. After earning the Arrow of Light award, he joined Troop 40 where he earned 45 Merit Badges and was named a member of the Order of the Arrow. During his years with Troop 40, Williams served as assistant senior patrol leader, den chief, and troop guide.
Williams attended Hawk Mountain, KMSR and NoBeBoSco summer camps, the 2005 National Jamboree, Sea Base high adventure camp, patrol leader Skills Training, and Junior Leader training conferences. He served on Ockanickon Scout Reservation Summer Camp staff for four years as both a CIT and counselor in shooting sports, the first class adventure program, and the Eagle program. Williams also served in Troop 40’s community service projects including NJ Special Olympics and volunteered as a den chief in support of the local Cub Scout summer camp.
For his Eagle Scout service project, Williams designed, built, and installed bat boxes for the Ron Roger’s Arboretum in West Windsor. He also donated additional bat boxes to the Mercer County Soil Conservation District.
While at High School South, Williams played the double bass as a member of the orchestra for four years, competed on the winter and spring varsity track and field teams, the junior varsity soccer team, was a referee for the WWP Soccer Association, and an umpire for the West Windsor Little League.
Silk Road Project
Elizabeth Randolph, a teacher at Community Middle School, was invited to attend a special preview of the Silk Road, a new show at the American Museum of National History in New York City. She brought her eighth grade students to view the project in conjunction with a unit that is discussed in social studies.
The silk road, a series of trade routes on land and sea for close to 2,000 years, supported the exchange of art, ideas, and innovations between cultural groups. Shared exchanged included gunpowder, the magnetic compass, the printing press, silk, mathematics, ceramic, and lacquer crafts, as well as string, wind, and percussion instruments.
Fall Fest
Town Center Elementary School in Plainsboro held its annual fall fest, a celebration of community service projects. The day focuses on sharing good fortune with those who may be less fortunate and teaching the students how to become contributing and responsible members of society.
The celebration included making more than 400 meal bags with cheese sandwiches, apples, and juice boxes; and 350 goody bags. The meals and goody bags were donated to Rescue Mission of Trenton, Martin House Learning Center, and Mill Hill Child & Family Development Center. A food drive was also held to benefit the Plainsboro Food Pantry.
The school’s Parent-Teacher Association sponsored the day-long event with support from Analar Corporation, Asian Food Market, Superfresh Plainsboro, McCaffreys of West Windsor, and more than 80 parent volunteers who assisted in the activities.
Grant Award
Florence Cohen of West Windsor, a retiree of Prudential Financial, has earned a top CARES grant award of $5,000 for her volunteer service to Project Freedom’s accessible housing and support services for low-income, physically disabled individuals, and families. As a member of the board of trustees, chairperson of the personnel committee, and a member of the finance committee, Cohen devoted more than 360 hours of volunteer service. In addition to general organization, fundraising activities, and committee support, she was active in the negotiation of a buy-back of the original complex from the investor for tax credits.
Cohen appeared several times before the town council and planning board of West Windsor in pursuit of approval to build a Project Freedom complex in the town. These plans have now been incorporated into West Windsor’s Affordable Fair Share Plan submitted to the Council on Affordable Housing for the state of New Jersey.
Births
The University Medical Center at Princeton has announced the following births:
Twins, a son and a daughter, were born to West Windsor residents Elizabeth and George Cheniara, November 10.
A son was born to Plainsboro residents Ruth and Gustavo Fuentes, November 4.
A daughter was born to West Windsor residents Kathleen and Thomas Mihlbachler, November 5.
A son was born to West Windsor residents Kandice and Justin Holko, November 10.
Daughters were born to Plainsboro residents Kavitha Kumaresan and Hero Velladurai, November 6; Dingli Wu and Guibing Zhao, November 11; Bincy Xavier and Alex Chandy, November 11; and Juhi and Sanjay Singh, November 12.
Matt Schultz Walks Away
Princeton Junction resident Matt Schultz (pictured) appeared for the second time on ABC television’s game show, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” This time he decided to walk away without increasing his winnings.
Schultz, the youth pastor at Nassau Presbyterian Church, appeared on the show in September and won $100,000, with help from fellow West Windsor resident Liz Marshall. Schultz said he would use the money to pay off his family’s debt.
His success earned him a spot in the show’s Tournament of 10, which featured the 10 best contestants through November 6. Each day of the 10-day tournament, one finalist looked at a $1-million question, beginning with the 10th seeded player. Each finalist can decline to answer and walk away with his or her previous earnings or risk the money for a chance at $1 million.
Schultz was the fourth seed and appeared on November 17. His question, from the “TV History” category was: “The most-watched TV episode of all time, the final episode of ‘M*A*S*H’ aired at 8:30 p.m. on February 28, 1983 following what sitcom? A. Private Benjamin; B. Square Pegs; C. Alice; D. Newhart.”
After seeing the question, Schultz said that if he had to guess, he would have chosen “Alice,” but he did not want to risk the money he had already won and chose to walk away with his previous earnings. His guess would have been correct.
“To be honest, I don’t need $1 million,” he told host Meredith Vieira. “I have a job that I absolutely love. If I had a million dollars, I’d keep doing the same thing. So, I don’t see why I would risk $100,000 to get something that, in all honesty, I don’t need.”
Other ‘Millionaire’ News. John McNamara, the social studies supervisor at the West Windsor-Plainsboro school district, served as a “lifeline” for a friend who won $10,000 last month. He gave his friend the correct answer to this question: “The City of Pyongyang was the site of the peace settlement that ended which war?” The answer was the Korean War.
