OLD BRIDGE – Old Bridge High School has two new members on their Wall of Fame. District administrators inducted two nominees in a ceremony at the Old Bridge High School main campus on May 23 as part of Senior Awards Night.
The two inductees are Quinton A. Crawford, assistant coach of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, and Dr. Nicole Okun, retired chief school administrator for Old Bridge Township Public Schools.
To be eligible for nomination and consideration for the Wall of Fame, candidates must have graduated from one of Old Bridge’s high schools: Madison Central, Cedar Ridge, Old Bridge Adult High School, or Old Bridge High School; earned notable employment/career achievements within their chosen fields; exhibited civic and/or community accomplishments through service, volunteer work, or philanthropic endeavors; or have received notable local, state or national honors; and have graduated a minimum of five years prior to nomination, according to information provided by the school district.
Crawford, who graduated from Old Bridge in 2008, earned his Bachelor of General Studies in Economics in Industry from the University of Arizona in 2013. There he was a member of the University of Arizona Men’s Basketball Team.
He went on to earn a Master’s in Educational Psychology from Pepperdine University in 2015, where he was also a graduate assistant.
Following that Crawford worked for the National Basketball Association (NBA) in several capacities including: video coordinator for the Sacramento Kings; head video coordinator for the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets; assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers; head coach of the Lakers Summer League Team 2021; and assistant coach for the 2020 and NBA All-Star Game and NBA Rising Star game.
In a pre-recorded acceptance speech recorded in southern California, Crawford told the seniors to “set your goals high and achieve those goals. There are going to be obstacles along the way which are going to try and set you back and discourage you from achieving your goals, but don’t let anything or anybody tell you that you can’t,” according to the statement.
Crawford’s mother, Marilyn Crawford, accepted the award on his behalf.
Okun is the winner of this year’s John Brunetti Community Spirit Award, which grants eligibility for the Wall of Fame, even if the winner did not attend Old Bridge schools. Okun is the first and only woman to ever helm the district as superintendent.
Okun took the podium to let the seniors in on what she perceives to be the secret to success.
“Learning and growing every day is the ultimate key to success,” Okun said, according to the statement. “Don’t ever stop listening, questioning, dreaming, and achieving. Always, yes always, have a passion for your life goals.”
The Wall of Fame ceremony opened Old Bridge High School Senior Scholarship Awards. Of the Class of 2022, 160 seniors earned a total of $133,791 in scholarships this year. The awards included seven Brunetti Foundation Scholarships awarded to: Kaya Canikligil, Katie Chow, Naomi DeNovellis, Rishabh Jain, Joshua Karten, Alexandra Mironescu, and Anthony Taranto.