Robbinsville trio take home medals from N.J. Senior Olympics
Ed Drago, Ruth Mannino and Matt Mannino, members of Robbinsville’s Senior Center, participated in the 2017 New Jersey Senior Olympics held Sept. 8–10 in Woodbridge.
Drago won a bronze medal in pickleball (singles men’s 70-74 division). Matt Mannino won a bronze medal in the 200-meter dash (men’s 65-69 division). Ruth Mannino won gold in the 1,500-meter race walk and silver in the 100- and 200-meter dash.
9-year-old creates app to teach kids the alphabet
Avyay Kaushik, a 9-year-old student at Sharon Elementary School, recently created and published his own app. Alph Kids, which teaches children the basics of the alphabet using pictures, animation and sound, is available for free on the Apple App Store.
Kaushik recorded his own voice into the app, which hit nearly 40,000 impressions worldwide after a week in the App Store. He created the app as a way to have educational fun with his younger brother.
Kaushik’s parents, Tanima and Kislay, said he learned everything about the process on his own using online tools. He’s been interested in computers and programming since he was 6 years old, and he started learning Python, a programming language, in second grade. Kaushik also plays the guitar.
‘Rum and Onions’: a Halloween contra dance
The Princeton Country Dancers group is set to host Rum and Onions, its 38th annual Halloween contra dance, Saturday, Oct. 28 at Pond Road Middle School.
Contra dances, New England folk dances similar to the Virginia reel, are lively and easy to learn. At a contra dance, attendance as a couple is not required; traditionally, one switches partners after every dance. As in square dancing, each dance is “called” and the caller starts each new dance with a brief “walk-through” to teach the movements. There are no complicated dance steps to learn and the music is live! No previous dancing experience is required – just a desire to cooperate with others and learn a few easy dance moves.
A potluck supper will be served starting at 6 p.m. Bring a substantial dish to share. Beverages will be provided by the Princeton Country Dancers. There will also be dancing from 3 to 6 p.m. for experienced contra dancers.
At 7 p.m., guests can take part in an introduction to contra dance basics until 7:30, when the costume parade begins. Dancing will follow the parade until 11 p.m. with a refreshment break at 9 p.m. Sweets, fruit and savory snacks are accepted. Bob Pasquarello will lead the Rum and Onions band.
For more information, visit princetoncountrydancers.org.
Former Robbinsville track star wins his first 5K
In his first collegiate 5k race, Saint Joseph’s University sophomore Zach Michon held off nine University of Pennsylvania Quakers to win the individual title in a field of 74 racers at the season-opening TCNJ Blue/Gold Invitational on Saturday morning.
Hosted by The College of New Jersey at Rosedale Park, the meet featured Penn, Rider, Saint Joseph’s, and host-school TCNJ.
Michon crossed the finish line in 15:24.51 to edge out Penn’s Christopher Luciano by .28 seconds and held off nine Penn racers who finished within 2.21 seconds of him to take home the victory for the Crimson and Gray.
The St. Joseph’s cross-country team returned to Rosedale Park for the Rider Invitational 8K. The team finished second overall, with Michon coming in 13th place overall with a time of 25:42.4.
In the spring, Michon was named Atlantic 10 Track and Field Rookie of the Year. The biology major graduated from Robbinsville High School as the school record holder in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters.
Ed Drago, Ruth Mannino and Matt Mannino, members of Robbinsville’s Senior Center,
