The World Junior Wushu Championships is the official world championships for junior athletes. It takes place biennially and features the highest competitive level within the junior division of the sport. It’s divided into three age groups: Group A for 16-18 years old, Group B for 13-15 years old, and Group C for 12 years old and under. Each country can send up to two boys and two girls from each age group (for a grand total of 12) to the competition. This year’s competition will be held in between Sept. 26 and Oct. 3.
Ni, 14, has been a passionate martial artist since age six. In 2014, he successfully made the U.S. national team in traditional martial arts and competed in the Traditional Championships held in China, winning a gold and a silver medal in his age group.
For the past year, he has focused his training in contemporary martial arts and regularly travels to Virginia for intensive training. During the national team trials held in San Jose, California, on July 9 and 10, Ni captured the top team spot in his age group from a field of 42 boys
Ni has performed in his school and district talent shows, in senior and rehab centers, at Plainsboro Founders Day and Chinese New Year celebrations. He won a bronze grand prize in the New York City Sinovision Talent show with his martial arts performance in 2015, and he has also performed in Lincoln Center earlier this year. In the Junior Championships in Bulgaria, he will be competing in fist, straight sword, and spear forms.
College News
Hood College: Elizabeth Palena, a 2012 graduate of High School North, graduated with a major in history, a minor in studio art, and a certification in secondary education. She plans to pursue a career in teaching.
State University of New York College of Technology at Delhi: Amie Ashton of Plainsboro, nursing, was named to the dean’s list for the spring semester.
Susquehanna University: Sarah Bush, a West Windsor resident and alumna of High School North, was named to the dean’s list for the spring semester.
University of Delaware: West Windsor students named to the dean’s list for the Spring semester were Rebecca Arias, Elizabeth Bellotti, Vincent Curatolo, Andrew Holubec, John Janick, Alissa Julius, Jessica Kaganskiy, Lindsay Kelly, Jessica Musumeci, Kathleen O’Connor, Samantha Paley, Rachel Schaefer, Brian Tso and Elianna Wydra. From Plainsboro were Timothy Buttner, Sam Weiskopf, Ricardo Stella, Christina Patti, Alisa Rubinstein and Drew McClendon.
University of Rhode Island: Anthony V. Colonna of Plainsboro was named to the dean’s list.
University of Maryland: Darrien Banks a junior majoring in health administration and a minor in business innovation was named to the dean’s list for the 2016 spring semester.
University of the Sciences: Grant Lee of Plainsboro and Tiffany Au and Alan Vukovic of West Windsor received bachelor of science degrees in pharmaceutical and healthcare studies. Lee graduated cum laude and Au is a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta honor society. All three will now pursue doctor of pharmacy degrees.
Also, Victoria Lee of Plainsboro received a doctor of occupational therapy degree summa cum laude. She is a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta, Alpha Chi, Pi Theta Epsilon, and Alpha Eta societies. Dana Lee of West Windsor deceived a doctor of pharmacy degree. Erica Simi of West Windsor received a doctor of occupational therapy degree cum laude.
Troop 40 celebrates 50th
West Windsor Boy Scout Troop 40 celebrated its 50th anniversary in June with a dinner and ceremony at Grover Middle School.
The event, whoch was attended by more than 120 current and former Troop 40 Boy Scouts, included current Troop 40 Scoutmaster Richard Pfaltzgraff and former Scoutmasters Bob Sanders, Bill Hasling and Martin Rexroad as well as current Troop Committee Chair Richard Eland.
Local dignitaries attending included, Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh, and council members Hemant Marathe, Peter Mendonez and Linda Geevers. State Senator (and parent of a Troop 40 Eagle Scout) Linda Greenstein presented the troop with a proclamation from the State Senate and Assembly to commemorate the anniversary.
A tribute to Troop 40 Eagle Scout and 9/11 victim David Suarez was also included in the program. A slideshow was presented of photographs submitted by Troop 40 scouts across the ages. Troop 40 continues to meet every Monday evening at Dutch Neck Church and currently has promoted more than 100 scouts to the rank of Eagle and assisted in numerous local community service based Eagle projects during its 50 years in West Windsor.
Beth Chaim president named
Gary K. Wolinetz of Plainsboro was named the president of Congregation Beth Chaim in West Windsor. Wolinetz is a member of the Plainsboro Planning Board and a partner in the law firm of Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP in Woodbridge.
Deaths
Donald M. Vorp, 80, of Plainsboro died Aug. 2. Born in Tarentum, PA, he lived in Plainsboro for the past 31 years.
Vorp retired after 31 years from the Princeton Theological Seminary where he served as the James Lenox Librarian. He was a former member of the American Theological Library Association, the American Library Associoation and was a member of the United Methodist Church of Cranbury.
Vorp is survived by his wife of 59 years, Dorothy Vorp; son and daughter-in-law, Doug and Emily Vorp; daughter, Debbie Vorp; grandson, Alex Vorp; and sister, Melva Rahmann.
Donations in Vorp’s name may be made to Miles for Music at milesformusic.org.
William D. Benfer, 82, of West Windsor died July 22. Born in Salem, he lived most of his life in Princeton Junction.
Benfer retired in 1993 as vice president of the chemical division of Pfizer with more than 28 years of service. He received an economics degree from Rutgers University, an MBA from University of Delaware and completed the Executive Development Program at Cornell University.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Jane L. Benfer; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Jeff and Linda Benfer, David Benfer and Joanne Benfer; and three grandchildren.
Robert Carey White, 73, a long-time resident of West Windsor and current resident of Petersburg, Va., died July 26.
Born in Caracus, Venezuela, he attended the International School of Geneva, Switzerland, and graduated from Princeton University in 1964 with a degree in civil engineering. He then entered the U.S. Navy as a commissioned officer and served aboard the U.S.S. Walker during the Vietnam War.
Following his military service, he returned to Princeton and earned his MFA in Architecture. He retired from Salomon Smith Barney as a managing director.
White was preceded in death by his first wife, Dianne White. He is survived by his wife, JoAnn DuBois White; daughter, Carey White and husband, Jason Maas; son, Craig White and fiance, Ashley Griffin; and three grandchildren.
Donations may be made to Duke Medical Center (Prostate Center Gifts) gifts.duke.edu.
Denise Urban, 61, of West Windsor died on July 28. Urban was president and creative director of UrbanDigits.com, a design agency specializing in creating licensed art. She created “Color Your Blessings: An Adult Coloring Book for Your Soul,” which was recently published by Harvest House Publishing.
She received a BFA from Moore College of Art and Design and an MFA from School of Visual Arts in New York City. She also attended The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and was awarded a scholarship to the Art Students League in New York.
Urban held freelance and staff positions in art direction, production and fashion design at many top Madison and Park Avenue design agencies. She taught traditional fine art and digital design production courses at Moore College of Art in Philadelphia and was an adjunct professor of Design, Marketing and Branding at Katharine Gibbs School in Manhattan. Urban also instructed children in the Tomato Patch Visual Arts Summer Program at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor.
She is survived by her husband, Jeff Urban.
Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society in her memory at inmemoryof-memorial.org.
Mary V. Salvatore Michalski, 90, of Erie, died on July 27. She is survived by two daughters, including Judy A. Ferra (Mark) of Plainsboro.
Alice F. Jenkins, 92, of Dunellen died on July 27. Survivors include granddaughter Sue Stamile of Plainsboro.
,
