Contest winners read their winning essays at a recent East Windsor board meeting.
By: David Pescatore
HIGHTSTOWN The East Windsor Regional Board of Education and the Junior Friday Club of Hightstown Monday honored the winners of the Trenton Times Spelling Bee and of essay contests sponsored by the club.
In the Junior Friday Club Third-Grade Essay Contest, children wrote essays titled, "An Adult Who Is Very Special To Me." A winner was chosen from each of the district’s four elementary schools. The winners received certificates of recognition, a lunch-date with their special person, and read their essays to their "special adults" at the board’s regular meeting.
Maggie Mann, Walter C. Black winner and township resident, carried a picture of her special adult, her "Nana," Jean Branch, who lives in Atlanta.
Maggie said that she loves when her great-grandmother tells stories about the people in her family.
"She may be old and blind, but I love her. She is very special to me," Maggie said.
McKnight School winner, Allison Quigley, wrote about her stepfather, "Big Tim." Allison said that she loves Tim Scott, from Hightstown, because "he is always there for me. He makes up for my dad not being there.
"He loves me like his own daughter and I love him like my own father," Allison said.
Jonathan Martin chose his neighbor, Rommy Lubiak. The Rogers School winner said he "loves Miss Lubiak because she is sweet and caring and loving. I love to see her because she makes me feel good."
Jonathan said that the woman who watches him after school (except on Mondays) has taught him to use manners. He refers to her as "The Queen of the Nile."
Drew School winner, Ajani Crosley, told the audience about his mother, Jackie Crosley.
"She is special because she hugs me when I am sad," he said. "We like to play games of Clue and Upwords."
Ms. Crosley also prepares Ajani’s favorite foods: "Alfredo, pancakes, french fries, and hot dogs."
The Junior Friday Club is a woman’s service organization that provides programs and funding for the community, according to Linda Trost, the education chairwoman of the Junior Friday Club of Hightstown. She commended the school system for "doing a great job of educating our children."
The Evening Membership Department of the Friday Club honored township resident Ratika Misra, the winner of the eighth-grade essay contest on the importance of voting.
Ratika said, "Voting gives you a chance to participate in your government and support your party."
She said that it is important to vote because elected officials represent the interests of their voters. If only a few people vote, she reasoned, those officials might not truly represent the interests of the community.
"In the past, many people did not have the right to vote. Now that we can, we should vote," Ratika said.
For her effort, Ratika received a certificate and a $50 savings bond.
District Program Supervisor, Felicia Adubato, announced the winners of the Trenton Times Spelling Bee.
They were:
District winners: Margaret Kettles (eighth grade, Kreps) and Sheila Crowell (fifth grade, Drew).
Alternate champions: Kreps seventh-graders Dara Epstein and Justin Mancini.
Grade level winners: fifth-graders Sandra Johnson (Rogers), Erika Modh (McKnight), Payal Chowdary (Black).
Kreps sixth-graders Ian Henderson, Rishab Rege and Joseph Pycior.
Kreps seventh-grader Josh Schulnick.
Kreps eighth-graders Angelina Gambino and Elyssa Swern.