IN OUR SCHOOLS

Student news: Super Bowl champion visits Manville school

Staff Report
@MyCentralJersey
David Diehl with members of the Manville High School football team.

Two-time Super Bowl champion David Diehl, retired offensive lineman for the New York Giants, spoke to 400 students at Manville High School on Monday, Dec. 11, as an ambassador for RWJBarnabas Health.

Diehl, now a sports broadcaster, shared the importance of discipline, hard work and setting goals to achieve your dreams, according to a news release. The visit was coordinated by Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, which has been the official provider of athletic training and sports medicine services for Manville High School since 2014.

Jeff Scenna, an athletic trainer with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset who provides athletic training services at Manville High School, introduced Diehl at the assembly.

Centenary University

Centenary University’s School of Professional Studies (SPS) is coming up to its one- year anniversary at its new location at the Mack-Cali Professional Building at 7 Campus Drive and new classes are starting on Jan. 7, 2018. This facility offers a large amount of classroom and conference space and it houses #theVIBE, which is the college's Social Media Center of Expertise. 

Programs that are available starting in January include an associate's degree in liberal arts, a bachelor's degree in business administration with concentrations in management and social media marketing, a bachelor's degree in accounting (new), and a master's degree in business administration degree with concentrations in management, marketing, leadership and health administration. In addition, certificates in social media marketing, leadership and health administration are offered.

For more information about SPS offerings, visit SPS.CentenaryUniversity.edu.

READ: The good things students are doing in Central Jersey

READ: Education news from around the region

Central Penn College

Brianna Kondas of Bridgewater was named to the summer 2017 dean's list at Central Penn College in Summerdale, Pennsylvania Student must have a grade-point average of 3.5.

Dunellen: Faber School

In the spirit of the holiday season, the Dunellen PBA recently made a generous monetary donation to J.P. Faber Elementary School. According to a news release, this donation was offered to help ease the burden of those Faber families who are in need and could benefit from  a little extra support during the holiday season.

“We cannot thank the Dunellen PBA enough for their continuous support of the students in the Dunellen School System," Faber School Principal Gary Lubisco Jr. said. "They are always there to help and support our students and our community.”

Emerson College

Emma Roberts of Lebanon received a bachelor's degree in marketing communications from Emerson College, Boston Massachusetts, on Aug. 30.

Immaculata High School

The Diocese of Metuchen recently recognized the significant service work of four seniors from Immaculata High School in Somerville at the annual Youth Awards Mass, conducted at the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi with Bishop James F. Checchio bestowing the St. Timothy and St. Teresa awards to teens from parishes and high schools in the diocese.

Sean Doran of Branchburg and Noah Jordon of  Hillsborough were named as St. Timothy Service Award recipients; Megan and Sarah Adam of Bridgewater were honored with the St. Teresa Service Awards.

The criteria for the St.Timothy Award winners are individuals who demonstrate leadership and service roles in their parish/school, and set a positive example for other youth by demonstrating Gospel values through spirituality, prayer and service to others. Saint Teresa Service Award winners exemplify this quote from Mother Teresa: “Do ordinary things with extraordinary love.” The award winners must live as Christ’s disciples, be witnesses to their faith by exhibiting Catholic morals, integrity, service, and leadership, according to a news release. 

All four honorees are involved in Immaculata’s Campus Ministry in retreats, service, and spiritual programs. Last year alone, Noah Jordan donated 240 hours of his time to service opportunities, including working as a volunteer in a special needs classroom, running in the SHIP 5 K run, participating in the Zombie Prom at Matheny, helping to refurbish a shelter for pregnant women, and working to help the poor in Appalachia.

On the Immaculate Conception Parish level, Megan and Sarah Adam have served as altar servers, been a member of the Art and Environment Committees, and decorated the Church for Christmas and Easter. Megan and Sarah were recently recognized for their contributions to the Fall Friday Fund Raiser Program at Immaculata home football games. Each have completed 300 hours in their first three years of high school including involvement with the annual Campus Ministry Garage sale, work with providing food to the needy, and teaching swimming to autistic children. 

“We are so proud of our Award winners,” Campus Ministry Director Maureen Cote said.  “They exemplify what Immaculata stands for and what Campus Ministry promotes:  living their steadfast faith through prayer, service, and example.”

Ithaca College

Peter Mankiewich of Glen Gardner was inducted into Oracle honor society at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York. 

Kean University

The Institute for Life Science Entrepreneurship (ILSE) recently conducted its inaugural Regional Academy Drug Discovery Symposium at its headquarters and laboratories in the state-of-the-art STEM building on the campus of Kean University in Union. Nearly 150 students, entrepreneurs and leaders from academia, business, science and pharma from across the tri-state region converged to network, share ideas and build relationships in support of drug discovery, according to a news release.

“This is one of the largest interstate gatherings of science enthusiasts of varying backgrounds and industries who are all working to strengthen our local life sciences ecosystem and accelerate academic innovation into new products that improve human health,” said Keith Bostian, founder and CEO of ILSE and dean of Kean’s New Jersey Center for Science Technology and Mathematics. 

The symposium included speakers and attendees from Rockefeller, Rutgers, Temple and Stony Brook Universities, pharmaceutical companies, the public sector and venture capital. Discussions, which ranged from case studies and research funding to develop models on translational research, focused on the benefits patients receive through therapies and other treatments that address unmet medical needs.

ALSO: Robert Busch School of Design students in Kean University’s Michael Graves College learned what it takes recently to be a successful designer from Geoff Baldwin, senior design director for international design and consulting firm IDEO.org. Baldwin conducted his Design it All workshop, sharing his experiences as a designer, offering internship and career advice, and explaining how design can help bring about social change.

As an industrial designer, Baldwin has worked in a variety of mediums, including physical products, digital services and advertising. At IDEO.org, he guides teams and supports designers focused on the overlap between design and social change.

Baldwin presented a series of guiding principles to the class with examples of how each manifested into his professional collaborations with Code and Theory, Samsung, Kounkuey Design Initiative, Otter Net and Ford.

Welcoming presenters like Baldwin, who are passionate about change and the meaning of design, is an example of the effort Michael Graves College at Kean University has made to make architectural and design education meaningful to a wider audience, according to the news release.

Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools

Students in the new global logistics and supply chain management program demonstrated what they have learned at a recent showcase for New Jersey school districts on the Piscataway Campus of the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools.

The new career major, begun in September on the Piscataway Campus, is being promoted by the state Department of Education, which sponsored the showcase. Fifteen secondary school administrators and faculty members from around the state attended.

Thomas Bacola of the Department of Education’s Office of Career Readiness emphasized that jobs in logistics and supply chain management are high-paying and in high demand.

“It’s really a good field and it’s important in New Jersey because one in 10 jobs is in this field,” he said.

Robert Araujo, the instructor for the MCVTS program, said his students are going through a series of projects that arise from the new curriculum, beginning with designing a warehouse and continuing with dealing with supply-chain disruptions and lately to issues with inventory management.

Two groups of students made presentations on supply-chain disruptions during the showcase. Araujo said they were encouraged to consider environmental and ethical concerns in arriving at their solutions.

Senior Melissa Martinez of Perth Amboy and sophomores Michele Rios of Perth Amboy and Aleana Otero of Carteret dealt with environmental and child-labor issues in gold mining in Ghana. They suggested substituting corn starch for cyanide in ore extraction to improve worker safety and environmental side effects.

Senior Jonathan Rivera and sophomore Darleen Tarong, both of Carteret, presented on a more exotic problem: production of coffee that passes through the digestive tract of civet cats and is harvested from their feces. The coffee sells for upwards of $100 per pound. The issue was how to keep the cats healthy when all they eat are coffee berries and are confined in small enclosures.

The students later answered questions from the attendees on their experiences in the new major.

“These students have only been here for three months,” Araujo said. “Over the rest of the year and next year, they will get more done and increase their academic rigor.”

Zachary Riffell of the Southern Regional Education Board in Atlanta, which is advising the Department of Education, said the logistics curriculum emphasizes academic and technical knowledge, as well as teamwork, in seeking solutions to real-world challenges outlined in six projects.

Sean McDonald, MCVTS director of career and technical education, said that after a four-year course of study in the logistics major, students have a number of paths to success: They can go on to a four-year college, pursue a two-year associate’s degree or go directly into the workforce. Many employers will pay for workers to get their college degrees, he said. He said the district hopes to expand the career major.

“We’ve come a long way so far, and pretty quickly,” he said. “But there’s so much more out there.”

Mount Saint Mary Academy

What began as a simple game of catch turned into an impression of a lifetime.

From Nov. 22 to Dec. 2, Rose Doherty’s world transformed from that of a senior at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung to an Operation Smile medical mission trip attendee in Safi, Morocco where she befriended a 13-year-old boy as he prepared for his cleft palate revision surgery.

Rose Doherty, a senior at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung, is pictured with some of the boys she met during the first day of screening on Nov. 24 during her medical mission trip in Safi, Morocco with Operation Smile.

It was her first day attending medical screenings when Doherty met the young boy, throwing a pink ball to him as the game of catch began. Five days later, the night before his surgery, she visited the hospital to see him.

“I decided that I was going to stay with him and follow him through the process,” said Doherty, a Westfield resident.

Prior to her mission trip, Doherty tried to learn French so that she could communicate with the families, who mainly speak French and Arabic. Although there was a small language barrier, communicating a smile meant all of the difference to the young boy and his family.

“When he returned from his surgery, I waited in his room for him and held his hand as he came out of anesthesia,” she shared.

While in Safi, Doherty and her Operation Smile team spent time educating children about basic health care modules such as handwashing and brushing their teeth.

Even though she is not comfortable with public speaking, she imparted the healthcare lessons with ease, observing “During the screenings, we met a three-month-old child who was malnourished. The nutritionist and our team worked with the family to explain what life-changing methods they needed that would really make a difference.”

During one of the surgeries to repair a cleft palate, Doherty witnessed the transforming process which, in turn, transformed her and increased her passion for the Operation Smile mission.

At the end of her mission trip, Doherty made sure to say goodbye to her new friend and his family.

“I found a nurse who was a translator and asked him if he could translate and tell him that I would be back tomorrow. I gave him an Operation Smile bear and cards that were made by the Operation Smile Club here at the Mount,” she said.

While Doherty does not envision a career in medicine, she is committed to continuing her volunteerism with Operation Smile, especially if she pursues a career in marketing.

Pictured, left to right, with some of the toy donations, are: freshmen Paulina Sonza of Short Hills, Tara Schilke of Pittstown, Belle Rizzi of Kendall Park, Maya Rivera of Middlesex, and Andrea Ruiz of Edison.

ALSO: Members of the Mount Saint Mary Academy community stepped up their efforts to help others in a big way this Christmas season when they donated bundles of children's toys and gift cards to aid those in need at Project PAUL in Keansburg. Isabel Gachko, director of theology and campus minister, said the Mount has been contributing to Project PAUL for at least 10 years. She reported that $840 in gift cards was collected. Freshmen began bringing in gifts on Friday, Dec. 1, at the academy’s semi-formal and the drive concluded on Monday, Dec. 11, when a representative from Project PAUL picked up the donations. 

New Jersey Department of Health

Good oral health is important for overall health. Problems with teeth can make it difficult for children to learn as well as affect their nutrition and speech.  One of the best ways to prevent cavities is to brush twice a day for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste.

Recognizing the importance of good oral health and hygiene practices and healthy food choices, students at the Parker School in Middlesex participated in the New Jersey Department of Health Children’s Oral Health Program “Project BRUSH” event on Dec 7.

Christine Benato, RDH with students from Parker School.

Kindergarten and first-grade students participated in an interactive oral health education program conducted by dental hygiene staff emphasizing the importance of brushing, flossing, regular dental visits and healthy food choices. Students also participated in the “Ask a Hygienist” activity in which they could have their oral health questions answered. The Parker School also participated in other activities including display of the “Project: BRUSH” poster, delivering scripted oral health announcements, and providing participating teachers with oral health education activities for their students. All participating students received an oral healthcare kit.

More information about the Children's Oral Health Program is available on the New Jersey Department of Health website: http://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/oral/index.shtml.

New Jersey Equine Advisory Board

The New Jersey Equine Advisory Board is offering a $1,000 scholarship to help 4-H and FFA members pursue their equine activities. Members of organizations represented on the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board also are eligible. Applicants must be New Jersey residents between the ages of 15-19.

The Sara Dubinin Scholarship, in memory of Sara Dubinin who loved horses, will be presented at the New Jersey Bred Equine Breeder Awards Luncheon on Jan. 28, 2018 at O’Connors Restaurant (formerly Charleys Other Brother) in Eastampton. 

Dubinin, a Sayreville resident, graduated from Cardinal McCarrick High School in South Amboy in 2006. The 19-year-old was attending Middlesex County College when she succumbed to injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident in September of 2007. 

Those interested in receiving the scholarship must submit an application form including an essay on, “your dream of a future that involves horses and how you plan to turn your dream into a reality.” The application can be found at www.jerseyequine.nj.gov/dubininapplicationform.pdf.

The deadline to submit the essay is Jan. 12, 2018. It can be submitted to Lynn Mathews at lynn.mathews@ag.nj.gov. She can also be contacted at 609-292-2888.

North Plainfield School District

On Nov. 8, Prudential visited North Plainfield High School to meet with students interested in exploring a career in the actuarial sciences. A job in the actuarial sciences is one of the top-ranked professions and are in extremely high demand. Prudential has launched an Early Awareness Program to inform high school students about the many possibilities that exist in the field, according to a news release.

The Prudential team, led by Sherrice Massiah, created an engaging mini lesson where students learned about pensions and investment verses longevity risk. Students worked together on a case study to experience real world math that is used by an actuary. Senior, Zachary Conroy said, " I thought the Prudential presentation was very interesting. I didn't realize that a simple version of math, such as algebra, could completely run an organization based on investments and money."

Prudential is involved in several internship programs offered to college students interested in perusing a career in the Actuarial Sciences. Students were exposed to the necessary steps to pursue a career in the field. North Plainfield is truly grateful to Prudential for their continued partnership, guidance, and support for students interested in the Actuarial Sciences.

Left to right: Master Staff Sgt. James Eubanks,  Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Jael Powell, Cadet Lt. Colonel Bryant Yancha, Major Mike Allen, HQ AFJROTC, Maxwell, AFB, AL, and Cadet Colonel Wendy Guzman.

Plainfield High School

Plainfield High School’s AFJRTOC underwent its national inspection Dec.8  by Major Mike Allen, of the Headquarters Junior AFJRTOC Center, in Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Allen traveled from Alabama to conduct the inspection. 

The inspection evaluated three primary areas that address cadet values: Compliance, cadet core and cadre of the instructors. The program is evaluated every three years.

At the inspection, three cadets received medals for high performance: Cadet Colonel Wendy Guzman, Cadet Lt. Colonel Bryant Yancha, and Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Jael Powell. 

Allen, whose full time job is to evaluate all the High School AFJROTCs in the United States, said, “The headquarters provides oversight and certifies the programs nationwide. It is great to see young cadets taking advantage of this program because in the end, what this program offers, is to make them better citizens.

“JROTC is a citizenship program, which does not recruit students for the Air Force, but helps students build leadership skills and become better citizens," he added.

Plainfield High School’s JROTC has more than 100 cadets enrolled in the program from grades 9 to 12. For some students it is the first time, for others, this is their third and fourth years, said Master Staff Sgt. James Eubanks, who is the military science instructor and director of the program.

The inspection was important for the district and for the cadets, he said, adding. “It lets the cadets know it’s a big deal, so it does matter if you are in uniform correctly, it does matter if you hair is trimmed, it does matter if you use the core values of integrity and excellence.” The results of the inspection will be known later.

Plainfield High School’s JROTC Cadets are active at school and in community events, presenting the colors at Cardinals games, graduations, assemblies, Veteran’s Day observances, and parades. The students attend trainings and wear their uniforms once per week, among other duties. For details, call 908-731-4333 or visit plainfieldnjk12.org.

ALSO: Plainfield High School senior student Lizbet Martinez Lopez was recently presented with a scholarship from Sallie Mae by Eduardo Gonzalez Jr., director of business development. Gonzalez said Sallie Mae’s mission is to increase college access to students and to support guidance counselors for their work on behalf of students. Sonya Johnson, Plainfield High School professional counselor, nominated Martinez Lopez for the distinction. Sallie Mae is a college loan company for students. 

ALSO: Students at Cook School participated on a call via Skype to students in Kenya recently. The call was part of an exchange with World Compassion Outreach Ministries, where Plainfield Board member Richard Wyatt was visiting. The call was made possible by Joseph Nzethe, Wyatt, Plainfield Public Schools’ Chris Payne and the IT Staff. The students spoke about careers, culture, sports, and sang songs. 

Raritan Valley Community College

Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) in Branchburg and East Stroudsburg University (ESU) in Pennsylvania have entered into a new agreement that will allow for the transfer of RVCC students to ESU in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields.

According to the Dual Admissions Agreement, students who receive an associate's degree in e degree in chemistry, mathematics or physics from RVCC may transfer to ESU with junior status, as long as they fulfill certain requirements. This includes maintaining the requisite grade point average and completing the Dual Admission Intent form, preferably before the student completes 30 college credits at RVCC.

“In the past 10 years, there has been an explosion in the number of students studying science and related fields at the College. Since 2007, the number of students enrolled in STEM programs has increased more than 250 percent, and the number of STEM degrees awarded has increased 500 percent. The new transfer agreement with East Stroudsburg University is welcome news for our STEM majors, offering them an opportunity to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree at a highly respected university that is close to home,” said RVCC President Michael J. McDonough.

“This collaboration between our institutions will help to create a seamless transfer of credits for students who are coming to ESU from Raritan Valley with an Associate’s Degree to continue their education in STEM fields,” said Joanne Bruno, J.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at ESU.

The agreement offers several benefits for RVCC students, including waiving the application fee to ESU. In addition, students graduating from RVCC’s Honors Program will be admitted into the Honors Program at ESU.

Readington Township School District

What’s the favorite food served in Readington schools’ cafeterias? Pizza! What would the students like to see added to the menu? Breakfast sandwiches!

Students in Readington Township recently met with Maschio’s Food Services Area Supervisor Katie Filosa to do taste testing of new foods and give feedback on current menu selections. At Whitehouse Elementary School, students sampled a sausage, egg and cheese sandwich and thought it would be a popular item to include on the menu. At grades 4-5 Holland Brook School, “CinniMinis were a huge hit, and the pulled pork sliders and Mango Madness Snapple 100% Juice were also well liked,” Filosa said. At Readington Middle School, chili, Snapple and smoothies were the favorites, with a veggie burger getting mixed reviews, and a cheesesteak calzone being the least favorite of the sampled foods.

Katie Filosa (far left), Area Supervisor for Maschio’s Food Services,
discusses cafeteria food choices with Holland Brook School’s Student Leaders.
Looking on are Student Leader advisors Angel Longo and Linda Riess and parent Heidi Miller.

The students were also asked for their own recommendations for the current cafeteria menus. Younger students would like to see yogurt parfaits and sushi rolls added to their menu and made the suggestion to cut whole fruit into pieces so it’s easier to eat. Fourth- and fifth-graders suggested a hot sauce pump, breakfast burritos and sandwiches, wings, and buffalo chicken salad/wraps and pizza, while middle schoolers would like to add a hot sauce pump, soft serve, churros, guacamole and chips, and softer cookies to their lunchtime offerings.  

Readington: Holland Brook School

Student Leaders at Holland Brook School officially welcomed 10 new fourth- and fift-h graders at a new student luncheon on Nov. 16. The new students moved into the Readington Township School District during summer 2017. The students ate lunch together and played games to learn facts about Holland School. They are pictured with Principal Paul Nigro and Student Leader advisors Linda Riess and Angel Longo.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Flemington resident Steve Collins, a student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Instutute in Troy, New York, was selected to the 2017 College Sports Information Directors of America Men's Soccer Academic All-All-America Division III Third Team. 

Somerset County Vocational & Technical Schools

On Nov. 21, the Linkages Department (funded by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families), the Friends of Rachel (FOR) Club, along with staff and students at Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School in Bridgewater welcomed a group of United States of America veterans and four Gold Star mothers to their fourth annual event entitled, “An Attitude of Gratitude.” 

Back l-r) SCVTHS Principal Diane Ziegler and SCVTHS Social Studies Instructor & Army Veteran Ed M. Graf pose with veterans during the An Attitude of Gratitude event.

Organized by Linkages staff members Elaine Howe and Bridget Donovan, the SCVTHS Friends of Rachel Club, and Social Studies instructor and ArmyvVeteran Ed M. Graf, students created thank you cards for the attendees, who they interacted with during the event. 

In addition, students from the Culinary Arts program created and served a meal for the veterans in the TradeWins restaurant.  Veterans in attendance were from various posts including the Connecticut Farms American Legion Post 35 in Union and the VFW Kelly Post 2433 Union. The veterans served in different branches of the military and in different wars. 

Earlier in November at the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) Teacher’s Convention in Atlantic City, Graf was presented with a certificate from the NJEA recognizing his efforts for all the work he does with veterans and the annual Proud to be an American Day. 

The Pennington School

Students at The Pennington School were inducted into national honor societies for world languages and the arts in an evening ceremony held at the School on Nov. 29. The students, almost all juniors or seniors, have met academic and other standards required by the national societies as well as the School’s chapters. The inductions were held in the Wesley Forum in the School’s Yen Humanities Building. Names of the students honored are listed below.

French National Honor Society: Seniors: Ruosi Hu, Ziqi Lei and Kristen Weeder; juniors: Kyewon Byun, Amira Henry, Oluwatamilore Kolawole, Emily Moini, and Mina Shokoufandeh; and sophomore Maria Khartchenko; 

German National Honor Society: Junior: Kevin Durfee

Latin National Honor Society: Seniors: Olivia Mahony, Nicholas Micheletti, Feven Negussie, and Sidney Spencer; juniors: Mariel Abano, Katherine Reim, Emma Van Cleef and Harry Wasnak

Spanish National Honor Society: Seniors: Francesca Pellerito, Samantha Tola, and Zhehao Tong; juniors: Gabriela Cano, Qiutian Gao, Bernard McBride and Diane Velasco

Tri-M Music Honor Society: Seniors: Grace Colalillo and Zhehao Tong; juniors: Mariel Abano, Zheng Bao, Kyewon Byun, Megan Eckerson, Thomson Estabrook, William Harding, Christopher Kopits, Jonathan Lai, Mina Shokoufandeh, Ye Teng, and Qinyuan Wu

International Thespian Society: Seniors: Ayanna Johnson, Grace Kavulich, Steven Kopits, Xinyi Li, Nicholas Psomaras, Judith Sprague and Kristen Weeder; juniors: Mariel Abano, Caleigh Calhoun, Rachel Domb, Megan Eckerson, William Harding, Amira Henry, Christopher Kopits, Katherine Reim, Aidan Sichel, Emma Van Cleef, Diane Velasco, Eliot Voelzke, Julia Wakin, Hope Walsh, Harry Wasnak, Yushan Zhang

National Art Honor Society: Seniors: Melissa LeDonne, Jingyuan Lu, Julia Miller; juniors: Heather Holley, KaYi Lau, Chenglang Tian, and Diane Velasco

Lida Castro, chair of the World Languages Department, introduced the language honor societies, and Dolores E. Eaton, chair of the Arts Department, introduced the arts honor societies. The formal inductions were performed by the individual societies’ chapter advisors.

ALSO: Every December for over two decades, the Pennington School community has come together to host the annual HomeFront Holiday Party, which was conducted this year on December 9. During this 24-year-old Pennington tradition, students host guests from HomeFront, a local organization serving those in need in Mercer County. The annual Holiday Party offers these neighbors from HomeFront a luncheon hosted by Pennington students and staff, a visit with Santa, arts and crafts, a deejay, and more.

A highlight of the party is Santa’s Workshop, where HomeFront guests, parents and children alike, have the opportunity to select a gift to give. The senior Peer Leaders worked hard to fill Santa’s Toy Shop with a toy for every child at the party and a gift for each child to give to his or her parents (about 350 guests in all). The Toy Shop allows the HomeFront guests to shop with the help of some friendly elves. Books, warm hats, scarves, and gloves, as well as toiletries were also distributed to the guests.

Many current students volunteered at the event itself to act as hosts for the visiting families, and parents, faculty, and staff pitched in to help with registration and serve the food.

HomeFront is a Mercer County not-for-profit organization devoted to ending homelessness and poverty in central New Jersey, and the School’s annual party has become a beloved tradition for all involved. 

The Wardlaw+Hartridge School

Lower School students at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School in Edison celebrated the Hour of Code and Computer Science Week from Dec 4 to 10. The week was named after our very own alumna Admiral Grace Hopper '24 for her contributions to the field of computer science.

Lower School students at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School in Edison celebrated the Hour of Code and Computer Science Week from Dec 4-10.

All classes in the Lower School took part in celebrating with some coding of our own in Scratch Jr. The app is the mini version of the block based programming language created by MIT.  The possibilities are endless when it comes to what the students can create. Many continued their work at home, and have already shown Maciorowski some amazing programs.

Union County College

Mary M. Zimmermann, former chair of the Union County College Foundation Board and member of the College’s Board of Trustees and Board of Governors, was elected to the Executive Committee of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges on Nov. 20.

Union County College's Board member Mary M. Zimmermann named to NJCCC executive committee.

The members of the Executive Committee represent the New Jersey Council of County Colleges in meetings with the Commission on Higher Education and its staff. The Executive Committee may take action on policies and procedures previously approved by the Council and make recommendations for the annual operating and capital budgets for New Jersey’s community colleges

Zimmermann, a resident of Summit, describes herself as a “professional volunteer.” In 2016,  Zimmermann was nominated to serve on the Association of Community College Trustees’ Diversity Committee. Zimmermann also participates in Summit’s “Loaves and Fishes” food pantry at St. Teresa of Avila Church, sorting and bagging grocery staples for families in need.

“We are proud to have a member of Union’s Board of Trustees serving on the Executive Committee of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges. Zimmermann is a zealous advocate of our College and of our students and we are fortunate to have her voice on this Committee,” stated Union President Margaret M. McMenamin. 

ALSO: The Office of Continuing Education at Union County College has posted the spring 2018 brochure of classes at www.ucc.edu/continuing-education/current-catalog. Classes are offered for adults and seniors, as well as youth ages 11-18. Programs run from January through mid-May, and online registration is now available. The Continuing Education Department offers a variety of courses for certification, professional development, career enhancement, classes for leisure and personal enrichment, and classes in Spanish.

Courses which lead to certification include the American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP) Professional Administrative Certification of Excellence (PACE) program, American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB) Certified Bookkeeper (CB) credential, CompTIA’s A+ Hardware Essentials and A+ Software Practical Applications and IFMA’s Facility Management Professional (FMP®) Certification, the World Instructor Training Schools (W.I.T.S.) Personal Trainer Certification, and the National Health Career Association’s (NHA) EKG and Phlebotomy Technician Certifications.

Professional development programs for spring include Business and Professional Writing, Introduction to QuickBooks, Intermediate QuickBooks, Introduction to Lean Six Sigma and Six Sigma Green Belt Body of Knowledge, Human Resource Management, Microsoft Windows 10, Microsoft Office 2016 including Access, Excel, PowerPoint and Word, and Real Estate.

For more information, view the Continuing Education brochure online at www.ucc.edu/continuing-education/current-catalog. To enroll online through Instant Enrollment, go to www.ucc.edu/continuing-education/instant-enrollment. One can also enroll by calling the Office of Continuing Education at 908- 709-7600 or by visiting the office on the Cranford Campus, located at 1033 Springfield Ave..

Union County Student Training and Enrichment Program

Union County Freeholders Christopher Hudak, Linda Carter and Alexander Mirabella recently congratulated the recipients of the Susan Hudak Leadership Award at the 5th annual Union County Student Training and Enrichment Program (UC STEP) Summit at Kean University in Union. UC STEP is a day-long summit that invites high school sophomores and juniors from throughout Union County to participate in hands-on activities focused on leadership, personal growth, and civic engagement.

Recipients of the Susan Hudak Leadership award at the 5th annual Union County Student Training and Enrichment Program (UC STEP)

More than 200 students from 22 high schools in Union County broke into 11 groups to attend breakout sessions focused on personal growth and leadership while collaborating with others to work through the day’s activities. One student from each group received the Susan Hudak Leadership Award.

The recipients are: Thomas Gilmartin of Cranford High School, Giovanna Castaneda of Alexander Hamilton Preparatory Academy, Alexis Waites of Plainfield High School, Destiny Walker U.C. TEAMS, Jose Calixto of Cranford High School, Milly Azcona of Hillside High School, Alexis Brooks, Caity McTernan of Jonathon Dayton High School, Nina Suske of New Providence High School, Cristina Altamirano of Benedictine Academy and Virendra Ghate of U.C.V.T.S .Visit www.ucnj.org/uc-step

Students and School news appears Fridays: Email:cnmetro@mycentraljersey.com