Butterflies Are Free
Lisa Rizziello, a teacher at Maurice Hawk School, received a fellowship grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation to attend a program in California. Rizziello, along with 29 teachers from the United States and Canada, participated in a program called “Teaching and Learning with Monarch Butterflies in the Classroom.”
“There are many lessons to share on different levels that concern the Monarch butterfly and its annual migration to and from Mexico,” says Rizziello. “It is not about teaching that the butterfly is an insect, but a much deeper understanding about the life cycle of the Monarch, its migration, and how/why it is at risk today through habitat loss and destruction, how people from all over work together to preserve and learn about the Monarch Butterfly.”
Rizziello visited several butterfly sanctuaries, and participated in a variety of environmental excursions for teachers.
“The program is an integrated study of North American geography, the cultures of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, the languages of those countries; with activities in math, social studies, science, reading, and writing,” she says. For more information about her trip, visit Rizziello’s blog at https://rizziellosreview.blogspot.com.
South’s Hannah Jin Takes Science Prize
Hannah Jin, a senior at High School South, took home the grand prize for her project, “The Effect of Static Magnetic Fields on the Biomineralization of Osteoblasts,” at the 58th Mercer Science and Engineering Fair held this week at Rider University. She earned an all-expense-paid trip to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles from May 8 to 13.
Jin is also eligible to compete in the SUNY-Oswego Genius Olympiad from June 26 to 30. Vijay Narayan, also a student at High School South, earned second runner-up for his project, “Imagine and Mechanical Characterization of Nickel Nonowires.”
For information about applying to future fairs visit www.mercersec.org/resource/fair. Students may begin work on their projects starting in the summer.
Scholarship Winner
Daniel Fine of West Windsor has been selected as the winner of the sixth annual “Pay It Forward” Scholarship Award and will receive up to $15,000 towards his college tuition. The award is through Cure Auto Insurance and 94.5 PST radio.
The award recognizes young adults who perform unselfish, compassionate acts for their communities with the idea that if everyone performed just one unselfish act, collectively it would result in a significant, positive social impact. Candidates for the award were nominated by colleagues, friends, and family members.
Fine, inspired and motivated by his brother Jake’s diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes, began fundraising for a cure in 2006. “Team Brotherly Love” has grown from a two man operation into an internationally supported organization with total donations exceeding $1 million. He also founded “Dollars for Diabetes” in 2007, a program dedicated to teaching the concept behind philanthropy. A senior at Peddie School, Fine has been elected to the school’s discipline committee, student senate, and Gold Key Organization. He has also been recognized as a USA Swimming Scholastic All American.
“Daniel and the rest of this year’s finalists truly embody the spirit of the `Pay It Forward’ Award,” says Eric Poe, COO of Cure Auto Insurance. “They have each lent their time and talents to people in need, neither expecting nor wanting anything in return. We are extremely honored to help them achieve their academic goals and seize future opportunities, as we are confident they will continue making a difference.” To date, CURE has awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships to young adults through this program.
In College
University of Delaware: Melanie Lorraine Bugher of West Windsor is on the dean’s list. She is a graduate of High School South, Class of 2008,
Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan: Junichi R. Hara, a graduate of High School South, Class of 2009, received the James B. Angell Scholar Award for three consecutive academic achievements of high distinction.
In School
The MathCounts teams from Grover and Community middle schools took home first place and second place, respectively, at the State MathCounts Competition. Eleven of the best teams from across the state of New Jersey participated in this event. A total of 55 students vied for the state’s coveted top four individual spots and the opportunity to go to the National MathCounts Competition held in Washington, D.C/ in May.
WW-P students garnered seven of the top 10 individual places. Brice Huang, Community Middle School, first place; Bill Huang, Grover Middle School, third place; Aleck Zhao, Grover Middle School, fourth place; Charlie Gu, Grover Middle School, sixth place; Andrew Ding, Community Middle School, eighth place; William Jiao, Grover Middle School, ninth place; and Christopher Shao, Community Middle School, tenth place.
Yinan Zhang from Grover Middle School took 15th place, and Steven Pan, Community Middle School, took 30th place. In May the New Jersey State MathCounts Team, composed of three WW-P students and one homeschooled student, will be coached by Alyce Z. Doehner, WW-P teacher, and assistant coach Alexander Clifton, a High School South student.
The High School South Academic Decathlon team took first place in the state competition. The team will attend the national competition in Charlotte, NC, in April. “This is a major achievement for the team as the competition involves tests in all areas — mathematics, language arts, and social sciences,” said Karen Shannon, the team advisor. In addition to the team win, High School South students Ming Ming Tran scored the highest in the state and Jeffrey Kuan received a perfect 1000 score for mathematics.
Internet Television
Jonathan Elliott continues to write episodes for “Neverlanding,” a web series about a college theater company. With more than 65,000 views of its first four episodes and an ongoing fundraiser, new episodes are being released twice a month. Elliott, a graduate of High School South, Class of 2000, is also a freelance writer for The News and other publications. Visit https://neverlanding.tv for more information.
Oysters for a Cause
Theza Friedman of West Windsor won the women’s division of the Oyster Bowl for the third consecutive year. The annual event, held at Blue Point Grill in Princeton on February 6, has raised more than $150,000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure Central & South Jersey. How does Friedman do it? “Oysters are always yummy,” she says.
Teen Philanthropy
Lily Pepper, a junior at Trinity College, received the first Jewish Community Youth Foundation Distinguished Alumni Award for her ongoing commitment to the Jewish community and for her participation in many philanthropic and community service activities. She received $360, which she will donate to the Jewish National Fund specifically to rebuild the forests in the Carmel Region. Pepper is a graduate of High School North, Class of 2008.
The award was presented by Josh Rose, a JCYF junior and West Windsor resident, to Lily’s mother, Anne Pepper, also a West Windsor resident. Lily is currently studying abroad in Israel. The award will benefit the Carmel region in Israel with re-planting of trees that were destroyed in the recent forest fires.
The Jewish Community Youth Foundation, a Jewish teen philanthropy program administered by Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Mercer County, the Ricky and Andrew J. Shechtel Philanthropic Fund, and the Jewish Federation of Princeton Mercer Bucks successfully finished its eighth year of giving at its annual philanthropy fair and check presentation ceremony. A total of $72,000 was distributed to 27 Jewish programs by 164 teens from the area — including 55 teens from the West Windsor and Plainsboro area. The ceremony was held at Robbinsville High School on February 27.
WW Man Tapped For ITER Post
Richard Hawryluk, a senior scientist at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in Plainsboro, has been appointed deputy director-general of the ITER Organization and director of its administration department. The ITER project, currently under construction in France, aims to demonstrate that fusion is an energy source of the future.
Hawryluk, a West Windsor resident, received his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees from MIT.
He joined PPPL’s research staff in 1974 and was the head of the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) project when it produced record-breaking results in the early 1990s.
“Rich Hawryluk was the deputy director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and has made an outstanding career in the field of fusion research,” said ITER Director-General Osamu Motojima.
Hawryluk, a leader in magnetic fusion energy research whose career in the field spans three decades, presently leads PPPL’s ITER and Tokamak Department. He was deputy director of the laboratory from 1997 to 2008. He will assume the new post at ITER in April.
“Rich’s appointment to this key position will be seen worldwide as a major boost to the ITER project,” said PPPL Director Stewart Prager.“The upper management of ITER is now entirely filled with ‘the best in the world.’ While we will greatly miss his irreplaceable leadership within PPPL, Rich’s new activity is very much a net plus for all of us in fusion, given the central role of ITER to the world fusion program.”
TFTR was the largest magnetic confinement fusion facility in the United States and was the only U.S. facility to operate with the hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium (D-T). A 50/50 mixture of D-T is the fuel mixture required for a commercial fusion power plant. While Hawryluk was the project head, TFTR achieved world-record values of fusion power and made fundamental contributions to the understanding of high-temperature plasmas. In 1994 TFTR produced 10.7 million watts of fusion power. Plasma is a hot, electrically charged gas used as the fuel to produce fusion energy — the power source of the sun and other stars.
Former PPPL Director Robert Goldston was at PPPL’s helm when Hawryluk was deputy director. “Rich is a spectacularly good choice for this position at ITER,” Goldston said. “During his 11 years in the director’s office at PPPL, he demonstrated an unparalleled depth of understanding of every aspect of scientific administration, and very good judgment on an extraordinarily wide range of issues.”
Walk ‘N Roll
More than 200 people spent an afternoon taking steps to support community members with disabilities at Enable’s third Walk `N Roll event.
The annual indoor walk on February 27 raised more than $10,000 for the non-profit organization devoted to enabling individuals with disabilities to live full and independent lives in the community.
Audrey Wisotsky of West Windsor was on Enable’s Walk Committee; High School South students Harshita Nedunuri of Plainsboro and Courtney Laermer of West Windsor serve on Enable’s Students in Motion Committee (a sub-committee of students from area schools who promoted the Walk, gathered pledges and participants). High School North’s Interact Club also helped with the event.
“Thanks to community support, we raised money which will directly impact the lives of our consumers,” says Sharon Copeland, executive director of Enable. “Walk ‘N Roll is also about involving the local community in the lives of people with disabilities. When the general population has more interaction with individuals with disabilities, there is greater understanding, acceptance, and involvement of people with disabilities in everyday activities and events.”
The day’s activities included remarks from Wayne Baker, honorary chairperson and disabilities rights advocate.
Enable serves nearly 450 individuals with disabilities and their families through in-home services and supports, group homes, day programs, respite care, and other options. Visit www.enablenj.org, E-mail events@enablenj.org, or call 609-987-5003 for information.
