CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK
Odyssey of the Mind Students Perform at State Finals SUCCESSFUL ODYSSEY…Franklin Elementary School students present the
trophy they won for third place overall in the State Finals of the Odyssey of the Mind competition to Dr. Margaret Dolan, Principal, and Patrick Roony, Assistant Principal. In front row, pictured left to right, are: Jonathan Sheflin, Robert Cariste, Patrina Caruana, Caitlin Oster, Julienne Niemiera and Amanda Gross.
WESTFIELD — Twenty students represented the Town of Westfield at the 1999 State Finals Competition of Odyssey of the Mind held on April 24 in Paramus.
Three teams in Division I qualified at the Regional Competition on March 20, moving them on to the State Finals Competition. Odyssey of the Mind asks participating teams to find solutions to various problems.
The first place team for each problem in the State Finals represent their state in the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals, to be held Wednesday through Saturday, May 26 to 29, at the University of Knoxville in Tennessee.
One team from Wilson Elementary and two teams from Franklin Elementary Schools presented solutions to their problems, along with hundreds of other New Jersey students.
The O’ My Faire Shakespeare team was awarded third place for its solu
tion. Team members, all fourth and fifth graders from Franklin Elementary School, included Julienne Niemiera, Amanda Gross, Caitlin Oster, Patrina Caruana, Robert Cariste and Jonathan Sheflin. They were coached by Matt and Joannie Niemiera.
The Ratio-metric Structure team members from Wilson Elementary were Ben Hiller, Rachel Iannazone, Sam Johnson, Deborah Siegel, Max Suri, Kate Young and Allison Sharkey. Their coaches were Molly Adams and Bruce Johnson. Each of these third graders were competing in the Odyssey of the Mind program for the first time.
The Environmental Challenge team members from Franklin Elementary included Nicky Vallee-Vasquez, Matthew Carville, Ben Thomas, Kelly Ruhl, Lauren Sinnenberg, Julia Nelson and Dakota Carey, who were coached by Louise Vallee and Gene Vasquez.
Richard Flynn Addresses NJ State BOE in Trenton
SCOTCH PLAINS — Richard “Rick” Flynn, a junior at Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains, was selected as the non-public school student guest to address the New Jersey State Board of Education in Trenton.
His three-minute educational topic was entitled “Union Catholic – The Model for the Millennium.” It emphasized Union Catholic’s technology programs, commitment to community, and high moral nature.
“At first I was not only honored to have been selected but also overwhelmed to be putting all the good things we have at Union Catholic into a three minute speech,” Rick said.
“It was definitely a great experience to write the paper and present it, and to see how the New Jersey State Board of Education functions,” he added.
Rick’s talk highlighted various aspects of Union Catholic’s curriculum and programs. Among these were the national award-winning Envi
Richard Flynn John Valla Achieves
Honors at Oratory
WESTFIELD — John Valla of Westfield, a 12th-grade student at Oratory Catholic Prep School in Summit, was recently named to the Headmaster’s Honor Roll for the third quarter of the 1998-1999 school year. ronmental Club that received the
President’s Environmental Youth Award in 1998.
Also discussed was Fine Arts, which have been on the rise at Union Catholic with the recent formation of the school’s Music Department, that includes a band and an expanding choral group.
In addition, he described the utilization of technology through the school’s lap-top computer program, which is available at all academic levels, from remedial to accelerated.
Rick was selected by the administration of Union Catholic for this honor because of his outstanding school record. He is a member of the National Honor and the Spanish Honor Societies, and has received the Union Catholic and Presidential Awards for Academic Excellence.
He has sung with the New Jersey All-State and Central Region Chorus, is a member of the Union Catholic Performing Arts Company, and is President-elect of the Union Catholic Thespian Society.
Rick has also been active in several clubs at school, including AIDS Awareness, Respect For Life, Environmental and Service. He was the sophomore class Vice President and, as Co-Captain of the Forensics Team, has received 14 finalist trophies in many competitions.
This presentation was made possible because of a resolution adopted in 1976 that enables non-public school students to address the New Jersey State Board of Education once each year.
Achievement Academy Names Local Student
As Award Winner
WESTFIELD — The United States Achievement Academy has announced that Veronica Chapman of Westfield has been named a United States National Award Winner in Student Council.
Fewer than 10 percent of all American high school students are honored by the Academy with this award.
A Westfield High School student, Veronica was nominated for this national award by Viviyanna Turk, a counselor at the school. Veronica will appear in the United States Achievement Academy Official Yearbook, which is published nationally.
The Academy selects USAA winners upon the exclusive recommendation of teachers, coaches, counselors, and other qualified sponsors, and upon the Standards of Selection set forth by the Academy.
The criteria for selection are a student’s academic performance, interest and aptitude, leadership qualities, responsibility, enthusiasm, motivation to learn and improve, citizenship, attitude and cooperative spirit, dependability, and recommendation from a teacher or director.
Veronica is the daughter of Gil and Idalene Chapman of Westfield. Her grandmother is Julia Chapman of Elizabeth.
WELCOMING A DONATION ... Fundraising Chairperson, Dawn Dursee and Kassie Smith, of the Welcome Wagon Club of Westfield, present a donation check to Chairperson Frank Mulvaney and Director Lucy Van Iperen in support of The Westfield Municipal Alliance/P.A.N.D.A. (Preventing Alcohol, Narcotic and Drug Abuse). This organization strives to heighten the awareness of the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse through educational programs that begin at the Kindergarten level and continue through Grade 12. Erin Pettit, not shown in the photo, also served as a Fundraising Chairperson.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY…Students at School One Elementary in Scotch Plains recently enjoyed an after-school “oldies” music and dance party to celebrate the school’s 25 th year in its present location. The original School One building was built in 1890 and used until 1973 when classes began at the present facility on Willow Avenue. The event, which was planned by parent and PTA member Donna Ostrowski, also included games and refreshments.
Classic Car Show Planned For June 13 in Scotch Plains
violent crimes in cities both in the United States and Brazil stem from drug problems.
He and another member of his team, Herculano Antonio Abrahao, who is also a lawyer, spent part of their three-week visit to the United States in Elizabeth at the Union County Courthouse.
“During their visit to each of the counties in our district, each team member spends a day seeing something in their field,” stated Jeff Brown, President of the RoselleRoselle Park Rotary Club and also one of those serving as hosts for the visitors.
“Not only do they experience the historic and cultural aspects of our area, but also get a chance to participate in the vocational aspects related to their professions,” Mr. Brown remarked.
Other members of the GSE team from Brazil included Eliane Casara, a physician who spent a day at Elizabeth General Hospital; Regina Paula Caldas Machado, a teacher who spent a day at Roselle Park High School, and Bianca da Cunha de Aquino, a puppeteer who spent a day at New Brunswick Library working with local children.
“In Brazil, Bianca uses her acting skills and puppeteer work to perform street shows in helping to get homeless children off the street and into shelters,” stated Heliene Melango, her Union County host.
“She is part of a Brazilian group that works with poor children,” explained Ms. Melango.
According to Ms. da Cunha de Aquino, the group’s name is Artemanha and it is supported by an Italian organization called Manitese.
Other host families include Isabel Pizzolato who has been a Union Rotarian for 10 years; Jean Fluet, a 12-year member of the Hillside Rotary, and John Malar, who has been with the Cranford Rotary for two years.
According to District Governor Torbin Jensen the exchange program is funded through the Rotary Foundation, which “enables gifted young people to learn about another culture. This program has only one goal in mind, and that is to promote world peace.”
Mr. Jensen said that next year, the district will have an exchange pro
Exchange Guests Inform Rotarians About Brazil
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gram with Japan. Member towns within the Union County Rotary Club include Elizabeth, Cranford, Union, Kenilworth, Hillside, Roselle, Roselle Park, Linden, Clark, Springfield, Berkeley Heights, Summit, New Providence, Plainfield, North Plainfield, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Westfield and Mountainside.
Marsha Carldon was Coordinator and Chairwoman of the luncheon, according to Mountainside Rotary President William Biunno.
SCOTCH PLAINS – The Scotch Plains Business and Professional Association (SPBPA) will hold its 5th Annual SPBPA Classic Car Show Plus Craft Fair on Sunday, June 13, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Scotch Plains Towne Centre.
The rain date will be Sunday, June 27. The day’s events will include an antique and classic car show in the parking lots behind the stores on Park Avenue, a craft fair on the Village Green to benefit Emmanuel Cancer Foundation, a quilt show, a disc jockey, prizes, raffles, food, sidewalk sales and more.
The car show benefits the SPBPA Scholarship Fund, Towne Centre Beautification and other SPBPA projects.
To register a classic car in the car show, please contact Steve Hoeckele of BeCu Manufacturing at (908) 2333344 or pick up a registration form at Nuts n’ Plenty at 407 Park Avenue, Scotch Plains
The registration fee is $8 before Monday, May 31, and $10 thereafter. For information about the craft fair, please call Mabel Ginsberg of Emmanuel Cancer Foundation at (908) 322-4323.
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