#b#Plainsboro Nurse Receives Award For Compassionate Care#/b#
Susan Pillet of Plainsboro was selected by colleagues at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey as this year’s award recipient in the category of advanced practice nurse. She received her bachelor’s degree from Rutgers College of Nursing and her master’s in nursing from UCLA and is a pediatric hematology and oncology nurse. She is known as a team player and a “kid at heart with a love for every child that comes into the clinic.”
Pillet is heralded for her compassion — “never forgetting how difficult going through treatment is for patients and their families.” To reduce that impact, Pillet has developed or taken part in varied activities including an annual prom night for patients who are on and off therapy.
She also spends a week of her vacation each year at a specialized camp devoted to pediatric cancer patients in order to give parents peace of mind and children an opportunity to be “just kids” in a setting that features a full healthcare staff.
During her 13 years at the Cancer Institute, she participated in training to help fellow oncology nurses communicate reproductive health issues with adolescent and young adult patients.
#b#Dutch Neck Chosen As ‘Be Kind’ School#/b#
Dutch Neck Elementary School has been named a “Be Kind … Like Josh School.” Students, teachers, and staff dedicate themselves to being kind to others through activities and special events.
The foundation was founded after the death of a Josh Stevens, a young boy whose parents hoped to keep his spirit alive by spreading the kindness theme to children and schools across the country.
Dutch Neck Elementary School is one of the first schools in New Jersey to join the Be Kind … Like Josh Foundation. “The hope is that each member of the Dutch Neck community will own a Be Kind …Like Josh T-shirt to wear on kindness focus days and special events throughout the year,” says David Argese, principal of Dutch Neck School.
#b#Summer Studies#/b#
Marco Kaisth, a junior at High School South, was selected to participate in the New Jersey Scholars Program this summer. The subject this year is “Climate Change and the Human Experience.”
#b#In College#/b#
Elon University: Sara Rosenthal of Plainsboro was inducted into the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi.
University of Dayton: Emily Ferguson of West Windsor graduated.
Coastal Carolina University: Corey Baumann of Plainsboro graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in graphic design.
Emerson College: Alison Puzio of West Windsor was inducted in the Gold Key Honor Society. She is majoring in studio TV production.
College of New Jersey: Anne Carenina Balicusto of Plainsboro was elected to Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. She is majoring in psychology.
#b#PRISM Teacher Recognized by State#/b#
Debra Cohen, Grover Middle School’s teacher of gifted and talented and PRISM (Performance Reveals Individual Student Magic) program facilitator, has been selected as the New Jersey History Day Outstanding Middle School Teacher for 2015.
She will represent New Jersey as a Behring Teacher Award recipient for the junior level at the National History Day Contest in College Park, Maryland. She will receive an award of $500 as the state winner and a certificate of recognition; and she is eligible for a national prize of $10,000.
Cohen has been honored for her development and use of creative teaching methods that interest students in history and help them make exciting discoveries about the past; and an exemplary commitment to helping students develop their interest in history and recognize their achievements.
#b#German Honor Society#/b#
High School North students who have been inducted into the German Honor Society Delta Epsilon Phi include Tuhina Chakravorty, Ashley Geevers, Alfred Maresca, Alexander Xue, and Christopher Xue.
The organization recognizes the outstanding academic achievement of students of German. To be eligible for induction, students must have excelled in the study of the German language for the last three years and must have completed the last three semesters in German 4H with a 3.6 grade point average.
#b#Speak Up#/b#
The second annual Speak Up contest was held April 18 at the Plainsboro Recreation and Cultural Center. The program was organized by Shikha Rastogi, an instructor with the Plainsboro Recreation department. More than 150 participated in poem recitation, speeches, debates, and enactment of creative advertisements.
Plainsboro Mayor Peter Cantu spoke to the participants and their parents, emphasizing the importance of public speaking. Judges included Karin Poveromo, Craig Harley, Zeenat Nabi, Laura Rabin, Hemant Marathe, Eileen N. Sinett, Tina Preville, Lauren Skowronski, and Karin Smith-Moore Allyson.
Rastogi’s vision for the contest is to take it to the state level with school teams competing against each other.
#b#North Places 2nd In Fed Challenge#/b#
High School North students received second place in the High School Fed Challenge hosted by the New York Federal Reserve. Team members include Shannon Sheu, a senior; sophomores Rochelle Li, Asha Agrawal, and Anjali Agrawal; and freshman Daniel Wang. The team advisor is Morton Levine.
The Fed Challenge competition consists of a 12-minute presentation in which competitors simulate monetary policy discussions by the Federal Open Market Committee, and a 13-minute Q&A session on various aspects of the economy and college-level macroeconomic theory. Teams are judged by New York Federal Reserve economists and staff on their forecast and analysis of the economy and policy recommendations.
The High School North team will return to the New York Federal Reserve in May for a reception for finalists, where the students will have the opportunity to meet William C. Dudley, president of the New York Federal Reserve, and other Federal Reserve economists and researchers.
#b#Walk to Benefit Soup Kitchen#/b#
Village School’s community of students, teachers, staff, and families joined together to take part in a one-mile Wolf Walk to raise funds for the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. The walk raised more than $5,600 in donations for TASK, as well as 1,550 books for its patrons. Students in grades four and five collected food and personal hygiene items that will be distributed at TASK’s six sites in Mercer County.
Village School students learned that the need for food is growing and that TASK does much more than serve meals. According to its mission statement, “The Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) feeds those who are hungry in the Trenton area and offers programs to encourage self-sufficiency and improve the quality of life of its patrons.”
Village Wolves have once again demonstrated their dedication to helping others by understanding their needs and making a difference in their lives. Village School teacher Janice Elliott presented a check to Dennis Micai, the executive director of TASK.
#b#New Veterinarian#/b#
Oklahoma State University’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences: Eurie Han of West Windsor earned her doctor of veterinary medicine degree pledging to use skills and knowledge for the benefit of animal health and welfare. She is the daughter of Jin and Kyoung Han also of West Windsor.
She received the Pearl English Crain Scholarship for her high academic achievement. A graduate of High School North, she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and psychology from Case Western Reserve University and an MBA in general management from Plymouth State University.
The 17 three-week rotations covered small, large, and exotic animals, and specialties such as anesthesiology, theriogenology (reproduction), and ophthalmology.
“My plan is to do small animal emergency and critical care, and I would definitely like to move back to the east coast after graduation,” said Han (The News, May 16, 2014).
#b#Engagement#/b#
Kathy Valeo and Jim Yeh, both 1997 graduates of West Windsor-Plainsboro High School, are engaged. Although they had a few classes together during high school years they reconnected at a class reunion two years ago.
During high school he was in the band and orchestra and she was in choir. She also played soccer, and ran track and cross country. She later returned to High School South to coach track and cross country for four years.
The future bride has a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from Elizabethtown College and a master’s degree in educational technology from College of New Jersey. Valeo is an occupational therapist for the Princeton Public School District. She is the daughter of Rosemary and Ernest Valeo, residents of West Windsor for close to 40 years.
The prospective bridegroom has bachelor degrees in both political science and history from the University of Michigan. Yeh works in IT for Parexel. He is the son of Grace and Grant Yeh, West Windsor residents for 25 years.
No date has been set for the wedding.
#b#Self Defense#/b#
Officers from the West Windsor Township Police Department joined David Kahn of Israeli Krav Maga for a women’s self defense program at Congregation Beth Chaim. Alison Pollini and Megan Erkoboni, both new officers with WWPD, led an open discussion with the women as part of the program.
