Student news: MCC biology major to participate in the Governor's STEM scholars research project

• Julissa Gesumaria of Woodbridge is conducting research on the effects of specific physical activities on brainwaves and cognitive performance
• Monroe Township High School marching band performed in Hawaii
• North Brunswick Township celebrates school counselors during National School Counseling week Feb.6-10
• North Brunswick Township High School wants to reconnect with alumni

A Middlesex County College student, Julissa Gesumaria of Woodbridge, was selected to participate in the Governor’s STEM Scholars research project, a program to encourage high school and college students to go into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers.

Gesumaria, a biology major, is conducting research on the effects of specific physical activities on brainwaves and cognitive performance. She plans to go into the field of neurology.

“Studies suggest that bi-manual coordination, using two hands to complete a task simultaneously, can enhance brain activity,” said Carmo Ferreira, research coordinator at the College who is working with the students. “Using electroencephalography (EEG), she is testing the effects that mental activities have on the brain’s alpha wave frequencies before and after a test subject performs various two-handed physical activities such as dribbling two basketballs — one in each hand.”

Gesumaria is also testing how a subject performs at a mental activity after completing a more physical one. Gesumaria records the brain waves of high school student Wendy Wu of Morganville as she completes a puzzle in two minutes.

“We’re trying to have these students see the effect on the brain when we do these types of activities,” Ferreira said. “In fact, Julissa is also currently testing the effects that relaxation has on brain wave patterns. It’s fascintating and really helps the students learn about brain function.”

Bucknell University

The following Central Jersey residents at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, were named to the fall dean's list: Kristen Davis, Matthew Davis of Dunellen, Lucy Herring, Krysta Holman, Adam Inbar, Michelle Lin, Peter Stoddard of Princeton, Sophie Kong of Dayton, Christopher Simone of Old Bridge, Raakel Vuojolainen of Cranbury. Students must achieve a grade-point average of 3.5.

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Centenary Stage Company

Centenary Stage Company (CSC) continues its tradition of nurturing young artists by offering the TYRO Acting Program this spring. The spring session runs Feb. 15 through April 26 and will meet on Wednesdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the college in Hacketttstown.

As part of the company’s mission to introduce and develop arts in education with the community, the TYRO Acting Program is designed specifically for young thespians ages 8 to 10 years of age, according to a news release. Using structured theater activities which focus on expression, confidence building and fun, young thespians will learn acting games and demonstrate improvisations inspired by popular fairy and folk tales. Tuition for the spring session is $150 per student and the deadline for registration is Feb. 1.

The TYRO Program is led by Maria Brodeur, the CSC education director. Brodeur is a professional actress and arts educator with experience in children’s theatre who holds a bachelor's degree in theater and education from Rutgers University.

TYRO, along with the Young Performers Workshop program, represents the educational arm of the Centenary Stage Company, a professional Equity theatre in residence at Centenary University under the leadership of Artistic Director, Carl Wallnau.  For more information, contact 908-979-0900 or visit centenarystageco.org.

The 2016 - 17 season of performing arts events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors, including Premier Season Sponsor Heath Village Retirement Community, Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Medical Center, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), The Holiday Inn of Budd Lake, and Fulton Bank of New Jersey, and Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.

Champlain College

Kiana Best of North Brunswick was named to the fall dean's list at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont  Student must achieve a grade-point average of 3.5

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

The following Central Jersey residents at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania were named to the fall dean's list: Kelly Marie Byington of Iselin, Morgan Margaret Hailey Francen of Rahway, Gabriella Elizabeth Giltner of Clark, Heather R. Luster of East Brunswick, MorganElizabeth Mahoney of Linden, Emilia Lynn Scurato of Monmouth Jct., Ashley Stokes of Dunellen, Nicole Talarico of East Brunswick, Keri Lynn Wagner of Colonia, Madison Wiatroski of Old Bridge.

League Foundation LGBT  Scholarship

The 2017 LEAGUE Foundation LGBT Scholarship Program is now open for high school senior student applicants online at http://www.leaguefoundation.org/apply/. The application deadline for scholarships is midnight on April 30. 

Currently the LEAGUE Foundation has four awards for consideration and each student application is automatically reviewed for each. 
The Laurel Hester Memorial Scholarship (one award annually); The Matthew Shepard Memorial Scholarship (one award annually);
The Stonewall Empowerment Scholarship (one award annually, new scholarship for 2017); and The LEAGUE Foundation Scholarship (typically nine awards annually, new number of awards started in 2016 and continuing in 2017).

For questions regarding the application process, visit www.leaguefoundation.org.

Linden School No. 1

The searing flavors of the School No. 1 Chili Cook-Off Competition guaranteed some five-alarm fun at the Linden school.

On Dec.8, School No. 1 hosted a L.E.A.D. (Linking Education and Dads) Chili Cook-Off which was provided by the Linden Education Association, in conjunction with F.A.S.T. (Families and Schools Together). Pomptonian, (Linden Public Schools food service) provided drinks, snacks, sandwiches and desserts to go with the chili.

School No. 1 families were invited to come and participate as either a judge or enter their family chili recipe to win the most prized trophy, according to a district news release. The community enjoyed imaginative booths, kid’s activities, entertainment galore, and chili made by the parents. Families were able to partake in Mathematical Basketball and Jeopardy, Readers Theatre, visit the Mad Science Station or decorate their own kitchen apron.

Based upon the evening's success, the Chili Cook-Off will return in 2017.

Monroe Township High School Marching Band

Mount Saint Mary Academy

Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung invites fifth-, sixth- and seventh-grade girls to explore the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics) movement on Saturday, Feb 4, through two activities.

Mount Saint Mary Academy teachers will lend their expertise to students as they design their own Valentine’s Day cards using Paper Circuits, according to a news release. They will also learn the basics of TinkerCad and design their own snowman. The file containing the finished snowman project will be available to each participant to print on their own.

Students may choose to attend the morning or afternoon session at 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. A snack will be provided during each session and each student will receive a certificate of completion as well as a special gift at the end of the session.

Engineering students from Mount Saint Mary Academy will serve as facilitators of the groups, which will include a maximum of four students each.

The cost of the program is $20 per student. Participants must register for STEAM Day by visiting www.mountsaintmary.org and clicking on the STEAM Saturday button on the homepage or visiting STEAM Day under “Admissions.”

North Brunswick Township High School 

North Brunswick Township High School is looking for ways to reconnect with our alumni for future events and opportunities. Alumni can access the registry from the NBTHS website,nbths.nbtschools.org/, under the Guidance Department, or by visiting http://tiny.cc/NBTHSAlumni.

North Brunswick Township celebrates School Counselors

National School Counseling Week 2017, "School Counseling: Helping Students Realize Their Potential," will be celebrated from Feb. 6-10, 2017, to focus public  public attention on the unique contribution of professional school counselors within U.S. school systems and how students are different as a result of what school counselors do. National School Counseling Week highlights the impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career, according to a news release.

The special week honoring school counselors provides recognition for school counselors who "implement comprehensive school counseling programs, a vital part of the educational process for all students as they meet the challenges of the 21st century," according to Kevin P. Farrell, North Brunswick Township High School's Director of Guidance. “Our 14 district school counselors are commended for being actively engaged in helping students examine their abilities, strengths, interests and talents; for working in a partnership with parents as they encounter the challenges of raising children in today's world; for focusing on positive ways to enhance students' social/personal, educational and career development; and working with teachers and other educators to provide an educational system where students can realize their potential while also setting healthy, realistic and optimistic aspirations for themselves."

ASCA reports that professional school counselors are certified, experienced educators with a master's degree in guidance and counseling. The combination of their training and experience makes them an integral part of the total educational program.

"School counselors work with all students to remove barriers to learning by addressing students’ academic concerns, career awareness in post-secondary options and personal/social skills,” said Kwok-Sze Wong, Ed.D., ASCA executive director. “Comprehensive school counseling programs help to increase student achievement and provide a much-needed resource for students, parents, teachers and administrators. School counselors are integral to student success."

Somerset County Vocational & Technical Schools

On Jan. 20, the Gifted & Talented Honors Theater Arts Program at Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School in Bridgewater will conduct its annual Theater Arts Day for students in grades 8 through 11.

Prospective students are invited to participate in the acting and vocal music classes of their choice beginning at 9:20 a.m. Students also will have the opportunity to meet with SCVTHS faculty and current students as they engage in a morning of classes. In addition, parents will also have an opportunity to learn more about the school's program and ask questions. The day will culminate in a performance by current SCVTHS Theater Arts students at 10:45 a.m.

Students interested in participating in Theater Arts Day are required to RSVP to Paul O’Connor at poconnor@scvts.net or 908-526- 8900 ext.7168.

St. Francis Cathedral School

The Phillips' Mill Community Association Youth Art Exhibition

The Phillips’ Mill Community Association is hosting its 4th Youth Art Exhibition beginning Jan. 22.

In its first year, nine schools participated. Last year, the number of participating schools was up to 14 and this year the number of school participating has climbed to 19. These schools are in Bucks and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania as well as Mercer and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey and  include public and private schools.

“We are excited to see the number of schools electing to participate in the show grow each year. This year’s show will exhibit works by approximately 150 student artists. The exhibition is free for the schools and the artists, no commission on sales is charged and there is no admission fee. There is no other show like this in the area," said Kathy Schroeher, co-chair of the 2017 show.

The Youth Art Exhibition was conceived when Phillips’ Mill decided to build on the success of its adult Art Exhibition, now in its 88th year. As the adult show seeks participation from artist living within a 25-mile radius of the Mill, the Youth Art Show solicits participation from the art departments of high schools located within a 25-mile radius of the mill.

Participating schools in Pennsylvania include: Central Bucks, East Buckingham; Central Bucks West, Doylestown; Council Rock High School North, Newtown; Council Rock High School South, Newtown; The George School, Newtown;  Holy Ghost Prep, Bensalem; Neshaminy High School, Langhorne;  New Hope-Solebury High School, New Hope; Solebury School, New Hope; and Upper Dublin High School, Upper Dublin.

Participating school in New Jersey include Ewing High School, Hillsborough High School, Hopewell Valley High School, The Hun School in Princeton, Hunterdon Central High School in Raritan Township,  The Pennington School, Princeton Day School, Stuart Country Day School, in Princeton, and West Windsor-Plainsboro South High School, Plainsboro.

This year, the Art Department at each school has been asked to select six two-dimensional pieces and two three- dimensional pieces works for the exhibition.  The exhibited art will include painting, watercolor, collage, pastel, graphite, digital art, photography, ceramics and sculpture.  Cash prizes will be determined by this year’s juror Pat Martin. Last year, more than $1,000 was awarded to winning students.

Juror Pat Martin received her bachelor's degree in art from California State University, Los Angeles. She has taught at schools in New Hope, Stockton and Doylestown as well as Bucks and Mercer Counties Community Colleges. She has had many solo exhibitions and participated in more than 60 group exhibitions.

The Youth Art Exhibition will be open to the public from 1 to 5 p.m. on the following weekends: Jan. 22, 28 and 29 and Feb. 4, 5, 11 and 12. The exhibition is conducted at the Phillips’ Mill, 2619 River Road, 2 miles north of New Hope, Pennsylvania. For additional information call 215-862-0582 or visit www.phillipsmill.org.

The Wardlaw-Hartridge Middle School

Middle School students at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison took their turn as teachers on the final day of school before Winter Break. The student teachers covered subjects including How to Wrap a Gift, Sketching, Basketball, Do-it-Yourself Slime, Descriptive Writing, Dance, Basketball, Logic Games and Puzzles, Dreidel Games, Board Games, Polish, Soccer, Pokemon Basics, Juggling, Chess, Volleyball and Emoji Party, according to a news release.​ 

The Middle School student body selected from the course offerings and participated in two class sessions. The program gave many students an opportunity to share their passions and expertise with their peers.

The Wardlaw-Hartridge School Alumni

Six graduates from the Class of 2016 at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison participated in a panel discussion and answered questions about the college process and their transition from high school on Young Alumni College Day on Jan. 4. The discussion was moderated by Susan Swenson, director of college counseling.

This year's panel included Charlotte Sweeney of Cranford, Skidmore College, Brendan O’Brien of Sayreville, Dickinson College, BrookeSutton of Westfield, High Point University, Sonali Shah of Edison, Vassar College, Cecily D’Amore of Scotch Plains, George Washington University and Astitva Soni of Edison, Rice University. Topics included time management, scheduling college classes, feeling secure and comfortable in a college environment, different class sizes and dorm life.

All of the alumni panelists agreed that their high school prepared them well for college, especially in the areas of time management, writing and public speaking. According to a school news release, Wardlaw-Hartridge students are required to juggle challenging academic workloads with athletics and multiple extracurricular activities, a routine which serves as strong preparation for college.

Thomas Edison State University

Michelle Uveges of Sayreville received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Thomas Edison University. Uveges is a management assistant at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey in New Brunswick. She graduated from the University with honors and was also a recipient of the Arnold Fletcher award, which recognizes bacehlor's degree graduates for exceptional achievement in nontraditional learning. Uveges is currently working toward her MBA at the university and intends to complete her degree in December.

Timothy Christian School

Timothy Christian School will host a Kindergarten For A Day on Jan. 25 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the school at 2008 Ethel Road in Piscataway. Register at https://timothychristian.formstack.com/forms/tcskforaday, or visit www.timothychristian.org or call 732-985-0300, ext. 613, to register.

Timothy Christian School works to provide a Christ-centered education from Pre-K through 12th grade. According to a news release, the school challenges students academically by providing a rigorous program aimed to increase academic knowledge and develop a world-view based on God’s word. This includes a rich curriculum and diverse teaching techniques. The Timothy Learning Center uses the NILD program to assist children with specific learning differences.

Athletics is a rich tradition at Timothy, which offers nine 9 sports and 23 teams to middle and high school. Athletics is also offered to elementary students through the Junior Tigers Program. The school is a member of the NJSIAA and the Greater Middlesex Conference.

University of New Haven

The following Central Jersey residents at the Universty of New Haven in West Haven, Connecticut, were named to the fall dean's list: Peter Agliata of Carteret, Heather K. Eng of East Bruswick, Jordan N. Dunn, Michelle Liantonio of Edison, Samantha Nicole Orokos of Kendall Park, Joshua Kent of Linden, Angela L. Mastropietro of Metuchen, Benjamin Alexander Atwater of Monmouth Junction, Afraz Ali Siddiqui of Monroe, John Austin Bobish, Danielle Cardone of Monroe, Alexandra R. Farah of North Brunswick, William AndrewRichard of Old Bridge, Diana Perez of Perth Amboy, Javon Denzel Rodd of Piscataway, Lindsay Elizabeth Celentano, Matthew ConnorLind of South Plainfield. Students must achieve a grade-point average of 3.50.

University of the Cumberlands

The following Central Jersey resident at the University of the Cumberlands in Willliamsburg, Kentucky, received degree on Dec. 2: Subba Reddy Taniparti of Piscataway, master's degree.

U.S. Department of Transportation Designates Northeastern University and Rutgers University

Northeastern University and Rutgers University have been selected as two of 18 institutions across the country to lead research on the major transportation challenges that the nation will face over the next three decades, according to a Jan. 9 announcement.

Northeastern University and Rutgers University were designated as Beyond Traffic Innovation Center and were announced on the same day that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) released the final report, Beyond Traffic 2045. The report is the culmination of a two-year analysis of the transportation challenges presented by trends including population growth, increased freight shipping, and the movement of people into concentrated megaregions.

“In the next 30 years, our country will have 70 million more people competing for the use of our roads, transit and rail networks, and airports, and we are going to have to make some big choices about how we fund and prioritize transportation,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a news release. “The Beyond Traffic Innovation Centers will bring together researchers, students, and thought leaders to develop the ideas we need to keep Americans moving and build a transportation system that works for everyone.”

Beyond Traffic Innovation Centers are non-profit institutions of higher education and non-profit organizations which will promote study and thought leadership around the challenges raised in the Beyond Traffic report. Centers will convene leaders and other key decision-makers in each of the megaregions around the United States, as well as in rural communities, to discuss these challenges and coordinate related research, curriculum, outreach, and other activities.

As part of the research for the Beyond Traffic 2045 report, USDOT officials conducted a public forum with local leaders and stakeholders in Boston, Massachusetts, on Oct. 14, 2015 to understand the major issues that were facing people across the Northeastern megaregion. The new report notes that the major cities of Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., and their respective metropolitan areas are home to the majority of the megaregion’s estimated 52 million residents.

The full list of Beyond Traffic Innovation Centers and more information about Beyond Traffic 2045, including the full report, is available at: www.transportation.gov/beyondtraffic.

York College of Pennsylvania

The following Central Jersey residents at York College of Pennsylvania were named to the fall dean's list: Hayley Davino, Jacob French of Monroe, Kelly Hartigan of Parlin, Molly Keaveney of Monroe, Stephen Kwong of Dayton, Steven Livingstone of Milltown, Kelly Peck of Monroe, A. Philip of Carteret, Brielle Schultz of Laurence Harbor, Aimee Wilson of Metuchen. Students must achieve a grade-point average of 3.50.

Student and School news appears on Fridays. Email:hntmetro@mycentraljersey.com