SOUTH BRUNSWICK: SBHS senior wins state honor

By Maria Riegel, Special Writer

South Brunswick High School senior and Student Council president Ian Moritz was recently named Student Leader of the year by the New Jersey Association of Student Councils.
Ian received the honor on Jan. 11 during the NJASC Winter Conference held at The College of New Jersey in Ewing.
“I was surprised and proud at the same time,” Ian said during an interview this week. “I was surprised to be nominated for such a great award and I was even more surprised when I won.”
According to Ian, SBHS student council advisor Lauren Morris nominated him for the award based on his leadership skills demonstrated while serving on the council as well as in other school organizations. All student leaders in the state of New Jersey were eligible to be nominated for the award according to Ian.
“Mrs. Morris is truly a great advisor,” Ian said. “To have her support in nominating me for this award was an honor.”
During his high school career, Ian has served as freshman class president, sophomore class president as well as an executive member on student council before he obtained his president position.
He is also active in sports and competes with the boys’ varsity swim team captain and is on the boys’ varsity volleyball team.
Ian is also involved in the PEER Leadership program at the high school serving as a PEER Leader.
PEER is a replacement physical education course for SBHS seniors where they are responsible for mentoring freshman students during all four marking periods during select physical education classes.
Ian is also a member of National Honors Society.
Ian said that Student Council at SBHS has challenged him as a leader, which has allowed him to grow as an individual.
“Student Council has challenged me as a person and from those challenges I have grown and learned a lot,” Ian said.
Ian said that he would miss student council “very much” next year, but he will ensure that he will use all of the leadership skills he has learned from Mrs. Morris.
He said he believes that being a part of student council has helped him grow to be a better person.
“I will definitely miss student council next year,” Ian said. “But I will be sure to take along everything it has taught me.”
He said that student council has presented him with many new opportunities throughout not only the school community, but also in the South Brunswick community.
“I’m proud to bring such a great award back to SBHS,” Ian said. “Student council gave a lot to me and because of that, I was able to give back and serve the school.”