Elizabeth Teen To Participate In Douglass Science Institute Program

SCOTCH PLAINS – Alyssa Kennedy, an eighth grader at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison, is one of 50 students from across the state of New Jersey to have been selected to participate in the 2009 Douglass Science Institute Program Series, according to Beth A. Bors, Program Coordinator for the Douglass Project for Rutgers Women in Math, Science and Engineering at Rutgers University.

The prestigious four-year program offers pre-college women, who are interested in math, science, and engineering, the opportunity to explore scientific research in a collegiate setting and learn the skills needed to be a successful female scientist.

This opportunity will help Kennedy further her dream to pursue a career in medicine.

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Edison Teen Wins Caring Award

EDISON—On the evening of Thursday, April 2, Avani Patel of Edison attended the Middlesex County Guidance Council’s 22nd Annual Recognition Program, where she received the Caring Award for outstanding service to our communities and those in need.

Caring Volunteer—Avani Patel of Edison, a senior at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School, is pictured with Kevin P. Farrell, Middlesex County Guidance Council President, and Shirlie Camp, Chairperson of the Caring Award, after receiving the Caring Award at the organization’s 22nd Annual Recognition Program on the evening of Thursday, April 2.

At Wardlaw-Hartridge, Patel serves as senior class president and peer leader to freshmen. As vice-president last year and president this year of Club Interact, she has participated in a number of community-based programs designed to reach out to those in need, including the Birthday Club, which makes cards and treats for those children affiliated with Naomi’s Way Transitional Housing Program in New Brunswick, designed to serve homeless mothers.

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More On The Old Menlo Park Mall

 by Diane Norek Harrison

EDISON-I received an e-mail from Ted Pastusczak which reads: “Hi Diane, I just read your article from Jan. 30 on Menlo Park – great stuff.

“I remember when the mall opened in 1960 or so.  It had a Martin Paint store, Wallachs Men’s Shop, Archie Jacobson, Soundarama records, Canadians, and so forth.

“It also had two supermarkets – a Shop Rite and a Finest, and its own post office. 

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On The Hunt

 

On The Hunt—Junior Kindergarten students at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison hunted down some colorful plastic eggs on the morning of Thursday, April 9, on the school campus courtyard. Edison residents Nicole Ling and Ananya Murlidharan are pictured, above, examining their finds. Nicole is the daughter of Sunny and Johanna Ling. Ananya is the daughter of Rahul Murlidharan and Rashmi Mehndroo. (Photo by Michelle H. LePoidevin)

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Middlesex Softball Team Sweeps Doubleheader

Middlesex Softball Team Sweeps Doubleheader—Chelsea Finn of Colonia in action against Lehigh Carbon Community College on April 5. The Middlesex County College Colts swept the doubleheader 13-0 and 8-0. (Photo courtesy of Middlesex County College)

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Choi Announces Campaign Slate, Launches Re-Election Bid

Mayor Jun Choi

EDISON – Mayor Jun Choi officially announced his re-election campaign and named his running mates on Monday. The mayor, a Democrat seeking his second four-year term, is again running without the backing of the township’s Democratic organization.

“We need to revitalize Edison Township and the Democratic Party, with an infusion of fresh talent, untarnished by old guard politics and willing to stand up to special interest politics,” Choi said.

Joining the mayor on the ballot are Rachel Callen, a teacher and community activist; Meiling Kravarik, president and owner of a local realty firm; and Edward Fitzgerald, a retired captain in the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.

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Author Of New “Titanic” Novel To Appear At College

EDISON—On April 15, the 97th anniversary of the sinking of the ship Titanic, Middlesex County College will present the author of the new historical fiction novel, Titanic: The Untold Story.  

What separates this novel from all other Titanic literature is that it tells the fictionalized story of Nathan Badeau, who was in truth, the Titanic’s only Negro passenger. The event is free and open to the public and reservations are not required. Light refreshments will be served.

Author and New Jersey native W. Mae Kent will appear in the Blue Colt Bookstore on the Edison campus on Wednesday, April 15, from noon to 2 p.m., when she will share what she encountered and learned in her years of research, and answer questions on how her novel came to be. Signed copies of Titanic: The Untold Story will be available for purchase at 15 percent off the list price of $17.99.

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Edison Deploys Emergency Response Radios To Boost Public Safety

EDISON—The township launched a new emergency response radio program last week, directly linking 26 schools, JFK Hospital, Menlo Park Mall and the Job Corps to the police department’s communications center.

“Hopefully, these radios never have to be used, but our response will be better and our community is safer because we have them,” said Mayor Jun Choi.

The radios will be put in the hands of key supervisory personnel at each facility. In the case of an emergency, the radio enables the facility to be in direct contact with Edison Police Department communications center where the emergency communication can be patched through to the responding units whether it is a police car, ambulance or fire truck.

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Students Assess Stimulus Package For Math Challenge

EDISON—Led by math teacher Benjamin Patiak, four students from The Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison took part in a 14-hour mathematical modeling competition on Saturday, March 7. 

Christopher Georgevich of Elizabeth, Saheela Ibraheem of Piscataway, Manish Kewalramani of Edison and Sahil Zubair of Scotch Plains competed against students from Connecticut, Delaware, D.C., Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Rhode Island, and local New Jersey schools including East Brunswick High School, Perth Amboy High School, Piscataway High School, Westfield High School, Summit High School and more.

Patiak explained that “the Wardlaw-Hartridge team was charged with the 2009 M3 problem: ‘$787 Billion: Will the Stimulus Act Stimulate the U.S. Economy?’ The W-H team determined which among the elements of the $787 billion package are most likely to produce improvements in employment. They also need to know how quickly these elements would produce results and if there is a need for a second stimulus package.”

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College And Arts Center Host Literary Festival

EDISON—A literary festival celebrating the work of contemporary immigration writing will be held at Middlesex County College on Saturday, March 28. Admission is free and it is open to the public.

“My New Life, My New Poem: A Festival of Contemporary Immigration Writing” features a veritable United Nations of writers specializing in poetry, fiction and essays. Twenty-two award-winning authors will be gathering for public readings, workshops, panel discussions, book signings and open mic events.

The festival will include creative writing workshops and panel discussions on immigration, American literature and the humanities; a book fair; an open mic program for writers from the community to read and perform, and readings by guest authors.

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School Board Candidates File Petitions

STATE – Candidates have filed petitions to run for seats on area school boards. Though the original deadline was Monday afternoon, Gov. Jon Corzine extended it until 4 p.m. Wednesday because a snowstorm Monday caused most school districts to shut down.

New Jersey voters will choose board members and vote on school spending plans on April 21.

Here is a breakdown of the local races:

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100 Days Of School

100 Days Of School—Kindergarteners at Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison celebrated 100 days of school on Feb. 19 by presenting projects they crafted from various materials like beads, Legos, cereal and stickers. Pictured above, Simone Erachshaw of Iselin shows her classmates her project which featured 100 stickers spelling out “100 Days” on a t-shirt. (Photo by Michelle H. LePoidevin)

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An Ancient Art Form

 

An Ancient Art Form—Beginning on Feb. 2, students at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison have been celebrating “World Languages Week” with unique activities which support an appreciation for diversity, global interconnection and cultures and traditions. On Monday, students focused on Chinese, followed by French on Tuesday, Spanish on Wednesday, Italian on Thursday and Latin on Friday. Hua Liu of East Brunswick, who instructs Mandarin Chinese at Wardlaw-Hartridge, taught sophomores, juniors and seniors about the ancient art form of Chinese calligraphy. Pictured above, Kishan Patel and Siddharth Saxena, Colonia residents, use their brushes and black ink to draw Chinese letters. Kishan is the son of Jagdish and Nayana Patel. Siddharth is the son of Rajeev and Asha Saxena. Photo by Michelle H. LePoidevin

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Super Scholar-Athletes

 

Super Scholar-Athletes—On Wednesday, Jan. 21, Susan Swenson, director of college counseling at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison, announced that Christopher Georgevich of Elizabeth and Ariana Lyons of Plainfield were named school winners in the Wendy’s Heisman High School Award Program. They were honored for their excellence in academics, athletics, and student leadership. They received a certificate noting their honor, a Heisman patch, and a Wendy’s gift card. Christopher is the son of Michael M. and Grace Georgevich. Ariana is the daughter of Reverend Leroy Lyons A. Lyons and Michelle Graham-Lyons. Photo by Michelle H. LePoidevin

 

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Edison Residents Can Pay Property Taxes Online

EDISON—Township taxpayers are now just a click away from making property tax payments. Edison has unveiled online property tax payments via the township web site www.EdisonNJ.org.

“This is a major step forward in streamlining and modernizing our government while providing better services. In our increasingly busy world, this should become a great convenience for our residents,” said Mayor Jun Choi.

Online payments provide the convenience of bill paying from a home or personal computer at a time that is convenient. Residents can find the tax-payment logo on the upper right side of the township web site’s front page.

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