Juan Gonzalez of Plainfield and Skyla Choi of Fort Lee, seniors at The Wardlaw-Hartridge School, show second graders the proper way of adjusting a seat belt on Elijah Ojo of Rahway during their safety presentation. (Photo by Rudy Brandl of Fanwood / Wardlaw-Hartridge)

EDISON — The Safety Ambassador Program at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is a learning experience that will help children understand the importance of practicing safe behaviors at home, in the car, and at play.

The Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital’s Injury Prevention Program received a grant from the New Jersey Office for Prevention of Developmental Disabilities four years ago to implement the Safety Ambassador Program, which teaches key safety messages and presentation skills to juniors and seniors from Middlesex County high schools.

Once trained, the Safety Ambassadors develop lesson plans and teach first and second graders about four important safety topics: falls prevention, pedestrian safety, safety in and around cars and wheeled sports helmet use.

Wardlaw-Hartridge safety ambassadors Abigail Siegel of Maplewood, Janissa Delzo of Middlesex, Juan Gonzalez of Plainfield, Arturo Martinez of North Plainfield, Skyla Choi of Fort Lee, Kush Mody of Edison, Ashni Mehta of Piscataway and Krystal Sonson of Plainfield made a presentation to the second grade classes on Feb. 7. The safety ambassadors really engaged the students and made the presentations fun and interactive.

EDISON — Twenty new camp programs have been added to Camp Middlesex for the summer of 2012. The camp, located on the Middlesex County College campus in Edison, is for kids 6 to 18 years old. It runs from June 25-August 17.

An open house, at which prospective campers and their parents can meet staff, learn about all the programs and register, will be Sunday, March 4 from 1-4 p.m. in Billy Johnson Hall. A raffle will be held for a $100 gift certificate toward camp.

Camp Middlesex is actually many special interest camps. Campers can pick their activity from a list of dozens, including theater, robotics, chess, magic, karate, sports, video game creation, art, cooking, fashion, computers, and many more. Each session runs for one week, mornings or afternoons, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m. Most kids pick two camps for a full-day experience. There is also a pre-camp option starting at 7:30 a.m. and an after-camp program that goes until 6 p.m.

The cost varies by program but most are $175 per half-day camp.

“Parents love the variety of programs,” said Elaine Berlin, the Camp Middlesex coordinator. “They tell me ‘Who else offers theater, painting, sports, science and cooking, all in one place?’ This is a great option for working parents who want their children to be doing something fun and fulfilling. It’s affordable, and all our instructors are certified classroom teachers who care about each child. We have a full-time nurse should the need arise. Plus, the classrooms are air-conditioned and the campus is beautiful. It’s a wonderful experience.”

New programs include Movie Maker, TV and Screen Acting, Forensics, Boys Rock, Comedy Camp, A Sample of 5 Languages in 5 Days, Tie Dye, Making Your First 3D Video, and Angels, Ghosts and Goblins, among others.

For a brochure that details all the camps, or for more information, call 1-732-906-2556 or visit www.middlesexcc.edu/camp.

Seated (L to R): High school seniors Brianna Simmons of New Brunswick; Peter Byrne of South Amboy; Shantel Mason of Perth Amboy; Shannon Sprauer of Edison; Zachary Wilson of South Plainfield; Remilder Hatcher of Avenel. Standing (L to R): Paige Chrzaszcz of South Amboy; Jabeth Roca of New Brunswick; Dianne Rios of Avenel; Christian Alape of Piscataway; Katherinn Romero of Perth Amboy; Melissa Tarver of Perth Amboy; Jasmine Luyando of Edison; and Debra Mallamace, Berkeley College Campus Operating Officer, Woodbridge. The students received scholarships to attend Berkeley College. (Photo courtesy of Berkeley College)

MIDDLESEX COUNTY — Berkeley College President Dario A. Cortes, PhD, has announced that high school seniors from Middlesex County have received scholarships to attend the school. “We are proud to recognize the academic accomplishments of these high school seniors by awarding them scholarships to attend Berkeley College,” said Dr. Cortes. “As a college that values diversity, fosters academic growth and recognizes the potential of each student, Berkeley College looks forward to welcoming these scholarship recipients to our campuses in the coming year.” The following students from Middlesex County have received scholarships to attend Berkeley College:

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  High school seniors Tahira Ahmed and Brian Persaud of Port Reading; Arth Patel and Chrisann Scafe of Piscataway; and Debra Mallamace, Berkeley College Campus Operating Officer, Woodbridge. The students received scholarships to attend Berkeley College. (Photo courtesy of Berkeley College)

  Tahira Ahmed of Port Reading, Woodbridge High School

• Christian Alape of Piscataway, Piscataway High School
• Yasmeen Bethea of Piscataway, Piscataway High School
• Donald Boley of Avenel, Colonia High School
• Peter Byrne of South Amboy, South Amboy Middle High School
• Paige Chrzaszcz of South Amboy, South Amboy Middle High School
• Michael Dambra of Fords, Woodbridge High School
• Victoria Golaszewski of Carteret, Carteret High School
• Osman Guzman of Woodbridge, Middlesex County Vocational Technical High School
• Remilder Hatcher of Avenel, Colonia High School
• De’Asia Keitt of Woodbridge, John F. Kennedy High School
• Jasmine Luyando of Edison, Edison Township High School
• Shantel Mason of Perth Amboy, Middlesex County Vocational Technical High School
• Arth Patel of Piscataway, Piscataway High School
• Brian Persaud of Port Reading, Woodbridge High School
• Dianne Rios of Avenel, Colonia High School
• Jabeth Roca of New Brunswick, New Brunswick High School
• Katherinn Romero of Perth Amboy, Middlesex County Vocational Technical High School
• Saul Rosa of Perth Amboy, Middlesex County Vocational Technical High School
• Gagandeep Sandhu of Carteret, Carteret High School
• Chrisann Scafe of Piscataway, Piscataway High School
• Brianna Simmons of New Brunswick, Middlesex County Vocational Technical High School
• Shannon Sprauer of Edison, Edison Township High School
• Melissa Tarver of Perth Amboy, Middlesex County Vocational Technical High School
• Edison Taveras of New Brunswick, New Brunswick High School
• Zachary Wilson of South Plainfield, South Plainfield High School

Berkeley College scholarships are awarded annually to high school seniors who demonstrate a high level of achievement in high school. Scholarships are renewable based on the recipient’s cumulative grade point average at the end of each academic year and continued enrollment as a full-time student. A leader in business education for 80 years, Berkeley College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and enrolls more than 8,700 students — including more than 800 international students — in its Baccalaureate and Associate degree programs. The College has four New Jersey locations — Woodland Park, Paramus, Woodbridge, and Newark. And in New York there are four locations — Midtown Manhattan, Lower Manhattan in the Wall Street area, Brooklyn, and White Plains. Berkeley College Online also offers full degree programs.

ONE SIZE FITS ALL ... Native American Indian Beverly Friend helps Sydney Rose of North Plainfield try on a fox skin hat during her presentation to the fourth graders. (Photo by Rudy Brandl of Fanwood/Wardlaw-Hartridge)

EDISON — The fourth grade classes of Ellen Colandrea and Ellen Ritz welcomed a special guest speaker on Thursday, Feb. 2. Beverly Friend, a Native American, spoke to the students about the Lenape Indian tribe.

Friend brought many artifacts with her including bear, deer, and fox skins. She also brought woven baskets and gourds, which were originally used as containers for water. She emphasized during her talk how the Lenape were among the very first environmentalists. They used almost every part of the animals they killed and respected the land. Since they used nothing harmful to the environment, they left the land as they found it.

At the conclusion of her talk, the students participated in a game played by the Lenape children, made necklaces and learned a dance. This program was the culmination of a study of the fourth grade’s annual study of the Lenape Indians in New Jersey.

PERTH AMBOY – A sixth grader from Perth Amboy Catholic School was one of ten winners in the Saint Barnabas Burn Foundation’s 24th Annual Poster Contest. Kenny Ortiz and his family, along with the 9 other winners from New Jersey, enjoyed watching the New Jersey Devils-Pittsburgh Penguins hockey game at the Prudential Center from a special suite on Sunday, Feb. 5. The students were videotaped holding their posters and displayed throughout the arena. Ortiz received a Visa gift card, a Devils jersey and a hockey puck along with his certificate. The artwork was sent in by Art Teacher, Rose Lavin Pennyfeather. (Photo courtesy of Perth Amboy Catholic School)

RAHWAY — In honor of Children’s Dental Health Month, Maggie McLaughlin, RDH, a public health dental hygienist from Central NJ Maternal and Child Health Consortium, came to Franklin School in Rahway to teach students about good oral health habits. Pre-K through second graders learned the importance of brushing twice a day and flossing daily. Students were taught the proper way to brush their teeth and were given toothbrushes. Pictured above, Maggie McLaughlin poses with students from Mrs. Gallo’s Pre-K class. (Photo courtesy of Franklin School)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Federal officials have approved New Jersey’s No Child Left Behind (NCLB) waiver application.

The Christie Administration’s NCLB application, submitted in November, is part of a broader effort to reform the state’s overlapping and contradictory accountability systems and a comprehensive education reform agenda to increase academic standards, the effectiveness and talent of educators, and accountability for results in the classroom. Implementing the reforms outlined in the waiver makes New Jersey a leader in developing a new and more meaningful accountability system to better identify troubled schools, diagnose the causes of their struggles, and target our resources to improve the lowest-performing schools, according to officials from the governor’s administration.

“We are once again proving that New Jersey is leading the way on the issues that matter most to our children’s future and our shared future as a state and nation. The Obama Administration’s approval of our education reform agenda contained in this application confirms that our bold, common sense, and bipartisan reforms are right for New Jersey and shared by the President and Secretary Duncan’s educational vision for the country,” said Gov. Chris Christie. “This is not about Democrats or Republicans – it is about pursuing an agenda in the best interest of our children whose educational needs are not being met, and those who are getting a decent education but deserve a great one.”

“Broader opportunities for education improvement and reform will result from the U.S. Department of Education’s approval of New Jersey’s application for a waiver from the No Child Left Behind requirements,” said New Jersey School Boards Association Executive Director Marie S. Bilik.
Among other changes through this waiver, New Jersey schools will no longer be subject to NCLB accountability provisions and sanctions required for not making Adequately Yearly Progress (AYP). Instead, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) will implement a more nuanced accountability system beginning in September 2012 that measures schools based on both growth and absolute attainment, and that focuses state resources on drastically improving those schools that are persistently failing and/or have large achievement gaps.

“During the past year, I heard from countless educators that the flaws of NCLB limited their ability to identify and improve areas of need in their schools. In partnership with educators across the state, we developed a new accountability system that will measure schools in part on what matters most – how much growth they make in a given year,” said Acting New Jersey Department of Education Commissioner Chris Cerf. “In doing so, we will give unprecedented freedom to those schools that are doing well to continue to achieve without state or federal intervention. We will also be able to identify the 15 percent of schools that need the most help and make sure we target our resources to turning them around.”

Gov. Chris Christie

WESTFIELD – During a visit to Westfield on Wednesday for a town hall meeting, Gov. Chris Christie called for a New Jersey Education Association executive to resign following a controversial comment made on a television program Monday.

Vince Giordano, the NJEA’s executive director, appeared on NJTV’s “N.J. Capitol Report” program on Feb. 6. In response to a question about the Opportunity Scholarship Act, which is intended to help students from poor families attend better schools, Giordano told the program’s host, “Life’s not always fair and I’m sorry about that.”

“I cannot express how disgusted I am by that statement by the head of the largest teachers union in our state,” Christie said Wednesday, “but I also have to tell you I’m not the least bit surprised because I think it so succinctly captures what their real position is.”

“As Vince drives out of the palace on State Street in his big luxury car and his $500,000 salary, I’m sure life’s really fair for him and if Vince’s kids were in a failing school district he could afford to send them to any school in New Jersey that could help them succeed,” Christie added.

“I have no intention of resigning,” Giordano said in a statement Wednesday. “If [Gov. Christie] thinks he’s going to bully me like he bullies everyone else, he doesn’t understand who I am, or how deeply I care about the work I do. I have too much important work to do protecting New Jersey’s public schools from the disastrous education policies of this governor. In just two years he has done more damage to education than I have seen in nearly 50 years of service as a teacher and advocate for public schools.”

Since the governor took office, Christie and the state’s public school teachers’ union have been at odds.

Giordano acknowledged that his comment on the television program Monday could be misinterpreted, but re-articulated the NJEA’s position on the bill in a statement Tuesday.

“We oppose vouchers and other privatization programs because they will take resources from disadvantaged public schools and only exacerbate the challenges faced by students in those communities,” he said. “That will create a world that is even less fair, and we will not stand for that.”

Christie also had pointed words for three state Senators, Loretta Weinberg, (D-Teaneck), Ray Lesniak, (D-Elizabeth) and Paul Sarlo (D- Wood-Ridge), for comments they have made to the press about information in supposedly confidential questionnaires filled out by the governor’s Supreme Court nominees. The questionnaires themselves were obtained by the Newark Star-Ledger, and Christie also said that whoever leaked the documents may have committed a crime.

Wednesday’s town hall forum at the Westfield National Guard Armory was attended by approximately 600 people.

UNION–The Department of Theatre at Kean University will present “The Odyssey” in Kean University’s Wilkins Theatre on Feb. 24 through March 1. Adapted by Mary Zimmerman from the translation of “The Odyssey” by Robert Fitzgerald, the play is based on the ancient Greek poem by Homer. With both irreverent humor and epic drama, the Kean production depicts the journey of Odysseus, whose journey encounters him with such mythical characters as Circe, Poseidon, Zeus, Hermes and the Sirens.

The original poem is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. It is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second—the Iliad being the first—extant work of Western literature. Composed near the end of the 8th century BC, the plot centers on Odysseus (or Ulysses, as he was known in Roman myths) and his ten year journey home after the fall of Troy. In his absence, it is assumed Odysseus has died, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must deal with a group of unruly suitors, (the Mnesteres or Proci), who compete for Penelope’s hand in marriage.

Comprised of 12,110 lines of didactic hexameter, “The Odyssey” continues to be read in the Homeric Greek and translated into modern languages around the world. Among the most impressive elements of the text are its non-linear plot, and the influence on events of choices made by women and serfs, besides the actions of fighting men. In the English language as well as many others, the word odyssey has come to refer to an epic voyage.

“The world’s first action hero, Odysseus, famously struggles across the ‘wine-dark sea’ to return home to his loving wife,” explains E. Teresa Choate, who co-directs the Kean production with Anna DeMers. “With some gods helping and others trying to stop him, Odysseus must battle beautiful immortals, such as Calypso, and terrifying monsters, such as the Cyclops.”

Mary Zimmerman’s dramatic adaptation begins with a modern young woman who is struggling, and failing, to understand the power of Robert Fitzgerald’s translation of “The Odyssey.” A classical muse appears, and the young woman is transformed into the goddess Athena—a tireless advocate for Odysseus in his endeavor to get home.

The cast features Steve Sharkey (of Washington, NJ) as Odysseus and Amber Adeleine (Garwood) as Athena. Andria Rogers (Cliffside Park) portrays Penelope and Steven Carter (Union) is Telemachus.

The ensemble includes Natalie Bailey (Edison) as Circe and Alcippe; Kyle Bergslien (Union) as a suitor, Demodocus and Elphenor; Camila Bermudez (Union) as a Siren, Phemios and Argos; Jeremy Brown (Union) as Poseidon and Cyclops; Anthony Crouchelli (New Milford) as Leodes and Seareach; Becca Dagnall (Piscataway) as the maid, a Siren and Eidothea); Rachelle Dorce (Maplewood) as Calypso, the Muse and a Siren; Lauren Eitzenberger (Union) in multiple roles; Brandon Elia (New Milford) as Eurymachus, Eurylochus and Hullman); Cara Ganski (Union) as Helen, Melantho and a Siren; Tony Mowatt (Union) as Antinous and Aeolus; Lucas Pinner (Union) as Hermes, Laodamasand Proteus; Jason Rader (Passaic) as Menelaus and a Mentor; Justin Reynolds (Elizabeth) as Eumaeus, Perimedes and Tiresias; Josh Schnetzer (Union) as King Alcinous and Neoman; Jalen Smith (Union) as Odysseus’ sailor; Jasmine Taylor (Union) as Queen Arete, a Siren and Charybdis); Carolyn Vicari (Union) as Eurycleia and Jason Wells, (Union) as Zeus).

Performances of The Odyssey are Feb. 24, 25, March 2, 3 at 8 p.m., Feb. 25, 26, March 3 at 2 p.m., March 1 at 5 p.m. The March 1 performance is followed by a question and answer session with the cast and creative team. All performances will be preceded 20 minutes before curtain by a “Homer Talks” a symposium of the world of the play conducted by the production dramaturg, Jason Gillis (Cranford).

Tickets to The Odyssey are $15 standard, $12 senior, $10 student or child and can be purchased by calling Kean Stage Box Office at 1-908-737-7469, online at www.keanstage.com, or in person at Kean University’s Wilkins Theater Box Office, located at 1000 Morris Avenue, Union.

ELIZABETH—Four young women, all students at Benedictine Academy in Elizabeth, have earned recognition for their academic and all-around achievements at the all-female, Catholic college-prep high school. Selected as “Students of the Month” for January 2012 were, (left to right), junior Martha Devia and sophomore Hazel Pena, both of Elizabeth, and, freshman Laura Gomes and senior Ariana Taveras, both of Newark. The students will be honored at a breakfast held at the Academy later this month.

Nominated by the Benedictine Academy faculty, the young women were selected for being positive role models, working to their fullest potential in academics and maintaining at least a B grade average. They were also cited for their involvement in service, activities or leadership to their school, church or civic community.

(Photo courtesy of Benedictine Academy)