On Campus

The first class of New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship (NJ STARS) recipients from Brookdale Community College, Lincroft section of Middletown, was recognized at a reception Nov. 23 at the college’s student life center. Seven of the 73 recently joined approximately 450 scholarship students at the governor’s residence, Drumthwacket, Princeton, at which then Gov. James E. McGreevey addressed attendees and praised the students’ academic achievements. Present at the event were local students Kenisha Collins, a graduate of Monmouth Regional High School, Eatontown; Danae Estes, a graduate of Marlboro High School, Marlboro; Thomas Flore, a graduate of Matawan Regional High School, Matawan; Nicholas Mullins, a graduate of Brick Township Memorial High School, Brick; and Natalie Nardone, a graduate of Freehold Boro High School, Freehold. Recipients must graduate in the top 20 percent of the student’s high school class. The scholarships cover two years of tuition and approved fees at the student’s local community college.

Oak Hill Academy, Lincroft section of Middletown, recently took first place again in Christian Brothers Academy’s eighth-grade mathematics contest held in mid-October. The team, directed by math teacher Janice Palamara, was the top team in the private/parochial division. Additionally, student Steven Castellano, Middletown, took the first-place individual trophy for Oak Hill. The competition at CBA, located in Lincroft, featured 26 schools and approximately 200 students. In addition to Castellano, the academy had three students in the top 10 — Ashley Gau, Holmdel, third; Daniel Mané, Lincroft, sixth; and Alex Rainnone, Middletown, tenth. The remaining team members were Tim Patten, Jon Bonfiglio and Ricky Berger, Middletown, and Vishal Chandarwarkar, Marlboro.

Kristen Goetz and Kimberly Yeung, both Matawan, worked for NBC during at the 2004 summer Olympic Games held in Athens, Greece. The individuals were two of 51 students from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications of Syracuse (N.Y.) University who worked as NBC interns. The students monitored and logged events for notable moments, pulled footage for promotions, set up cameras, laid cables, arranged lighting, and served as runners for NBC crews. Goetz is a senior majoring in broadcast journalism, and Yeung is a senior majoring in television, radio and film.

Students at Bayview Elementary School, Belford section of Middletown, and Thorne Middle School, Port Monmouth section of Middletown, recently finished in the top 10 in Monmouth County in the American Heart Association’s 25th annual “Jump Rope for Heart” for 2003-04. The effort was held nationwide, and approximately 600 New Jersey schools participated. The effort raised more than $1.7 million during the 2003-04 school year to support AHA-funded heart and stroke research, cardiovascular education, and community programs.

Meaghan Connor, Middletown, a student at The Laboratory Institute of Merchandising, The College for the Business of Fashion, New York City, recently took part in a reality business competition at Bloomingdale’s. Connor served as the project leader of a three-person team. There were two teams involved in the project. The public relations department at the store mentored and judged the efforts two teams as the teams developed a program to launch a product currently carried at Bloomingdale’s. The teams visited the store’s departments to target a product for the assignment.

Local seniors at Ranney School, Tinton Falls, recently earned the designation of AP Scholar from the College Board in recognition of exceptional achievement on the college-level advanced placement program (AP) exams. Students took the exams in May. Eric Astor, Middletown, also qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of 4.0 or higher on a five-point scale on all AP exams taken. Qualifying for the AP Scholar With Distinction Award was Laurel Fernandez, Holmdel. Students qualified for the award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all exams taken and grades of three or higher on five or more of the exams. Named AP Scholars for completing three or more exams with grades of three or higher were Neehar Bhatnagar, Alexander DeMeo and Matthew Doctor, all Holmdel.

Amy Rush, Hazlet, a senior at Rowan University, Glassboro, recently accepted membership into the Golden Key International Honor Society at Rowan University, Glassboro. The society recognizes college juniors and seniors in the top 15 percent of the student’s class. Rush was also one of two seniors to receive a scholarship at the induction ceremony. A graduate of Raritan High School, Hazlet, she is the daughter of Patty and James Rush, and is pursuing a pre-law degree with a minor in political science.