‘Why I Love America’ Contest Winners
The West Windsor Lions Club has announced the winners of its “Why I Love America” essay/poem contest, which was open to all West Windsor-Plainsboro students in grades 1 through 12. The winner in each grade received a $100 U.S. Savings Bond with a letter and certificate, congratulating him or her on their efforts and courage.
“It is heartening and inspiring to read the sentiments these young people express about their country” said Virginia Culver, Lions Club president. “They understand and treasure the principles and core values that made possible the freedom and unity we all enjoy.”
The winners include: Grade 1, Architha Sudhakar, Dutch Neck School; Grade 2, Chelsea Baker-O’Neal, Town Center School; Grade 3, Hannah Chen, Dutch Neck School; Grade 4, Kaitlyn Grant, Millstone River School; Grade 5, Emily Davis, Village Upper Elementary School; Grade 6, Makenzi Sumners, Thomas Grover Middle School; Grade 7, Nicole Counts, Community Middle School; Grade 8, Mathew Per, Thomas Grover Middle School; Grade 10, Julian Liang, High School North; Grade 11, Jason Richards, High School South; and Grade 12, Thenu Chandrasekar, High School North. There was no entry for grade 9.
In the Schools
Faculty Honor
Lynn Holman, physical education teacher at Millstone River School, received the New Jersey Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Thomas Vodola Adapted Physical Education Award for 2004. She is actively involved in physical education for all students, as well as for special needs students.
The award is presented in honor of Dr. Thomas Vodola, a long-time advocate of adapted physical education throughout the United States.
Grants Awarded
Julie Norato, science teacher High School North, recently received two grants, the first awarded by Biotechnology Institute in conjunction with Pfizer. Norato was asked to field test a section of the traveling museum exhibit, “Genome: The Secret of How Life Works.” Her genetics classes field-tested the chapter entitled “The Implication of the Genome and Ethics.” Information gathered from their answers to survey questions was sent to Biotechnology Institute for evaluation.
Her second award is a mini-grant through the West Windsor-Plainsboro Education Foundation. Her proposal, entitled “Searching the Web of Life in Plainsboro, NJ,” was designed to ensure tha biology students would be exposed to the various environments in the Plainsboro area that support a variety of ecosystems. This initiative is now part of the revised curriculum, which Norato was involved in re-writing.
Norato has been a teacher at West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District for 18 years. She has taught at High School North for six years and at High School South for 12 years. Courses she has taught include Technology in Perspective, Biology, Chemistry, Advanced Chemistry, and Genetics. In addition, she is faculty advisor to the student council at High School South and secretary for the West Windsor-Plainsboro Education Association.
A graduate of the College of New Jersey with degrees in biology and chemistry, she holds a master’s in education from Central Michigan University.
Math Honors
High School North and High School South Mathletes tied for second place in the 28th annual mathematics contest for New Jersey secondary students. Sponsored by the Association of Mathematics Teachers of New Jersey, the contest is open to New Jersey parochial, public, and private institutions.
The contest challenges students to solve problems not normally encountered in course work and to pit themselves against the best mathematics problem solvers in the state. The contest yearly renews the centuries-old tradition of problem-solving contests and provides a vehicle for individual and team recognitions.
Scoring High School North: Taktin Oey, Apurva Dabholkar, Alex Yang Stephen Cohen, Philip Cheng, Andrew Delman, and Victor Chu. High School South’s team included: Dan Le, Peter Wei, Ilia Izmailov, Carey Li, Xiang An Qi, Mike Zhao, and James Yan.
For additional information about the contest, visit https://amtnj.org.
Parenting Library
Town Center Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association is putting finishing touches on a project to benefit both parents and students — PTA President Marcia Smith Fleres has spearheaded a campaign to purchase over $700 in parenting books for the district. The books established and/or enhanced the parent loaning libraries at Town Center, Wicoff, and Millstone River schools. It also benefited the Parent Connection, a district-wide parent teacher resource and support network for parents of children with learning differences.
“These books are great additions to the loaning libraries, which are excellent resources for parents,” says Marilyn Hynes, principal of Town Center School. “It allows parents to know we are all working together for the success of our students.
Books feature topics including anxiety, Asperger’s syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Auditory Processing Disorder, autism, bipolar disorders, bullying, deaf and hard of hearing, defiant behavior, Down’s syndrome, dyslexia, dyspraxia, learning disorders and disabilities, nonverbal learning disability, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, output failure, rebellion, and Tourette syndrome.
The three elementary schools will also receive the parenting video and brochures entitled, “What Should I Tell My Child About Drinking,” produced by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.
The project is funded by a grant from the West Windsor-Plainsboro Municipal Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse. Suggestions for books were received from district guidance counselors. The loaning libraries are open to parents in their respective schools.
There is also a new lending library located in the media center at Community Middle School with books available for all district parents.
Purchased with grant money from the West Windsor-Plainsboro Education Foundation, the books are useful for parents with children who have learning differences.
For additional information, call Special Services at 609-716-5000, extension 5550.
The West Windsor-Plainsboro Municipal Alliance also funds two parenting workshops for elementary school parents in March and April. Guest speakers have included Maurice Elias and Anthony Coletta.
The alliance is funded by the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.
Collecting Stuffed Animals for Charity
Lisa Valeriani, a guidance counselor at Millstone River School, organized a stuffed animal collection for Prevention Education, a nonprofit agency based in Lawrence. She coordinated with the fourth and fifth graders on the school’s student human relations council to collect close to 100 stuffed animals now headed to abused children for use during therapy.
Cash for Chores
Laura Siegler, a parent from West Windsor, brainstormed with Village School teachers Lisa Bremer, Susan Brown, and Debbie Robl to expand her idea to raise money for the West Windsor Senior and Social Services office. Seventy-five students entered into contracts with their parents to earn money for chores they were already doing at home including making their beds, doing laundry, helping care for younger siblings, walking dogs, and setting tables. In December they presented $300 to Gail Franco, a social worker from the West Windsor Senior and Social Services office.
Military
Brian M. Davis of Plainsboro has completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois. His eight-week training included studies on naval customs, first aid, fire fighting, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety.
Davis is a 1998 graduate of West Windsor-Plainsboro High School. His parents, Margaret and Michael Davis, also have a daughter, Shannan, a senior at High School South.
College News
Allegheny College: Charles Myers of West Windsor was named an Alden Scholar. He is a junior majoring in political science.
Johnson & Wales University: West Windsor students on the fall dean’s list include: John Mundell, major in management; Maiya Lonesome, major in baking and pastry arts; Kristina Daniels, major in business administration.
London School of Economics and Political Science: Kathryn Zuccarello of West Windsor received a master’s degree with merit in anthropology. She focused on economics and political institutions and social change. A 1998 graduate of West Windsor-Plainsboro High School, she graduated magna cum laude from the College of William and Mary in 2002. She is employed by Gallup and Robinson in Pennington.
Vanderbilt University: Carly Williams of West Windsor was named to the dean’s list with honors. A 2003 graduate of High School South, she is majoring in biomedical engineering. She has also received a two-year internship to study genetics and neuroscience at Vanderbilt Medical Center.
Rider University: Carol Dennis of West Windsor was named a Newcombe Scholar at the College of Continuing Studies.
University of Rochester: Matthew Schurin was named to the dean’s list for the third consecutive semester. A 2002 graduate of High School South, he is a sophomore majoring in economics.
Around Town
Christin Ohrel of Plainsboro is beginning her third career — teaching Jazzercise classes in Princeton. The classes begin on Monday, February 2, at ATA Black Belt Academy, 830 State Road. They will be held three mornings a week; free babysitting included. Registration is recommended but drop ins are welcome. For information call Ohrel at 609-897-1346.
Raised in Hopewell Valley, she graduated from Salisbury State University with a degree in education and French. She has lived in Plainsboro for nine years.
For four years she taught French, Spanish, and English as a Second Language. Most recently, she has been a stay-at-home mom raising her two daughters, ages 2 and almost 4.
“I think I can make a difference and I am looking forward to motivating people,” says Ohrel, who has also been working with Mary Jane Brady, another Jazzercise teacher in the area.
Business
Ellen F. Affel was named general manager of Keller Williams Real Estate office on Canal Pointe Boulevard in West Windsor. She is a Cranbury resident. Awards earned while with Keller Williams include the Bronze Level Medallion. She was also elected agent leadership council representative to the region. Past honors include Weidel Realtors’ Million Dollar Sales Club and State Million Dollar Club. She was also among 5,”000 real estate professionals to be featured in Real Estate Trends Top Performers 2000 magazine.
She is a member of the Cranbury Arts Council and the Cranbury Women’s Club. She is also involved in fundraising for the American Red Cross and with the Auxiliary of the University Medical Center of Princeton, having served as Christmas Boutique chairman, on the November Night steering committee, and as June Fete Sports Alley chairman.
Births
The University Medical Center at Princeton has announced the following births:
Daughters were born to Plainsboro residents Priya and Sachit Malhotra, January 2; Maria and Joseliot Alfonso, January 2; Lauren and James Bird, January 3; Diane and Joseph Giannola, January 6; and Maria and Savio Rebelo, January 10.
A son was born to Plainsboro residents Rosa Rodriguez and Matthew Ortiz, January 5.
A son was born to West Windsor residents Susan and Sean Sheerin, January 8.
Engagement
Jennifer Leigh Moak and Scott David Kravitz are planning an August wedding. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Moak of West Windsor. A graduate of West Windsor-Plainsboro High School and the University of Hartford, she is an event manager at the Marriott in Bethesda, Maryland.
He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Kravitz of Naples, Florida, and Mr. and Mrs. Gene Rose of Ellicott City, Maryland. A graduate of West Virginia University, he received an MBA from Loyola College. He is an account executive with Avaya in Baltimore.
Wedding
Gwen Dorothea Ellery and Joseph Anthony Rinaldi Jr. were married October 4, 2003, at Nassau Inn in Princeton. Reverend Floyd Churn, of the First Presbyterian Church at Dutch Neck, performed the ceremony.
The bride is the daughter of Margaret Ellery of West Windsor and the late Lawrence Ellery. A 1995 graduate of West Windsor-Plainsboro High School, she received a BSBA from the Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond in 1999.
Dawn Ellery, sister of the bride, served as maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Elizabeth Rinaldi, Katherine Riley, and Colleen Strzelec.
The groom is the son of Tina and Joseph Rinaldi of Cape May. He graduated from the University of Richmond in 1997 and received a master’s in fine arts from Savannah College of Art and Design.
The couple honeymooned in Aruba. They reside in Wayne, Pennsylvania.
Anniversary
Gail and William Mitchell of West Windsor recently celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary at one of their favorite restaurants in Mercer county. In 1968 they were married in East Orange.
Chairman of the West Windsor Parking Authority, William is employed by the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Foundation. Gail teaches English as a second language in the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District.
They have two daughters, Janel Mitchell and Sharon Blue; a son, Jamal Mitchell; and seven grandchildren, Shakia, Sharnece and Kurtis Blue; and Dontai, Jalen, Jansen, and Jada Anne Belle.
