State address affects local schools

By DEBORAH M. MARKO
The Daily Journal staff writer

School districts braced for the ripple effects of Gov. Chris Christie's state budget proposal with its $1 billion cuts to education.

Some were obvious.

The NJ Stars program that offers two years of free community college tuition to the highest high school academic achievers may not accept a freshman class in September. This means the 75 local qualifying students may have to make other plans or not attend college, said Maud Goodnight, executive director of enrollment academics and student support at Cumberland County College.

Others are vague.

Public school districts were told to expect state aid cuts of no more than 5 percent of their total budget. That could mean Millville will need to cut $4.3 million and Vineland has to slash about $8.3 million from their 2010-11 spending plans.

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STAR STUDENT: Sean Lopez

Sean Lopez

Sean Lopez is The Daily Journal's Student of the Day.

He is a 6-year-old first-grader at D’Ippolito Elementary School of Vineland Public Schools.

He lives in Vineland with his parents, Ray and Emma Lopez.

Sean was selected to be Student of the Month at his school in January. He loves to read and learn, and tries really hard to do well in school.

Read more about today's Student of the Day and past participants here.

ADK hosts scholarship fundraiser

Alpha Delta Kappa, an educational sorority of current and former Vineland Public School educators, is currently raising funds for its annual scholarship fund.

The scholarship goes to a deserving Vineland High School senior.

The organization is holding a Hawaiian luau as this year's fundraiser. The event is scheduled for April 24, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Vineland Lodge, Loyal Order Moose No. 434 at 187 W. Wheat Rd.

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STAR STUDENT: Cael Aretz

Cael Aretz

Cael Aretz is The Daily Journal's Student of the Day.

He is a 7-year-old first-grader at Collings Lakes Elementary School of Buena Regional School District.

He lives in Milmay with his parents, Chris and Brett Aretz.

Cael once again achieved Principal List honors. He received an average of 100 in all of his classes on his last report card. Cael was chosen as a Student of the Month in his first grade class for being a responsible student and hard worker, and for always being caring and courteous to his classmates.

Read more about today's Student of the Day and past participants here.

STAR STUDENT: Julia Scala

Julia Scala

Julia Scala is The Daily Journal's Student of the Day.

Julia is a 10-year-old fifth-grader at Petway Elementary School of Vineland Public Schools.

She lives in Vineland with her parents, Gina and Terry Scala.

“Julia enjoys school and always does her best,” according to a Student of the Day nomination submitted by her school. She is on the Honor Roll with LEAP math and language arts. She has earned medals in ballet. One year she won first place in the SPCA art contest.

Read more about today's Student of the Day and past participants here.

STAR STUDENT: Michael Gluszak

Michael Gluszak

Michael Gluszak is The Daily Journal's Student of the Day.

He is a 10-year-old fifth-grader at Petway Elementary School of Vineland Public Schools.

He lives in Vineland with his parents, Wieslaw and Dorota Gluszak.

Michael was an MVP on his soccer team. He has been named to the Honor Roll at Petway School.

Read more about today's Student of the Day and past participants here.

Mark calendars for CCS open house, project fair

Cumberland Christian School is hosting an Open House on Tuesday, March 23 during the day and its Middle School's Project Fair that evening.

Parents and children may visit classrooms from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 7:30 to 9 p.m. Teachers will be ready to answer questions and share curriculum materials during the day and in the evening.

Tours of the school will be available.

The Project Fair opens its doors at 6:30 p.m. Bible characters are the focus and the imaginations of 6th,7th and 8th graders the only limitation for this annual project fair that alternates science, social studies and Bible.

STAR STUDENT: Nathaniel Smith

Nathaniel Smith

Nathaniel Smith is The Daily Journal's Student of the Day.

He is a 7-year-old first-grader at The Ellison School.

He lives in Vineland.

“Nathaniel has one of the largest vocabularies I have ever heard in a first-grader,” according to a Student of the Day nomination submitted by his school. “He’s also a math whiz. He can add a group of mixed coins faster than anyone in the class.”

Read more about today's Student of the Day and past participants here.

Students model latest prom styles

Delsea Regional girls model during a recent prom fashion show. Submitted photo.

Delsea Regional High School hosted Prom Event 2010 on Thursday to highlight local businesses involved in the prom industry, said Tanya Mastrokyriakos, Delta Eta Sigma’s advisor and Delsea's Language Arts and College Preparation teacher, who organized the event. 

All money earned during this event will be given in the form of college scholarships for graduating club members.

Delsea Regional boys model during a recent prom fashion show. Submitted photo.

ATHLETE OF THE DAY: Troy Cevini

Troy Cervini

Today's Athlete of the Day is Troy Cevini, deemed "Most Improved" by The Daily Journal's sports desk.

The Vineland High School junior swims freestyle for the boy's team.

Cervini made his first trip to the Meet of Champions as an individual this season, qualifying in the 200 and 50 freestyles. His best times in those events, 1:48.86 and 22.31 respectively, were dramatic improvements from last season.

Read more about today's Athlete of the Day and past participants here.

Sheriff hosts breakfast benefit for Project Grad

Drew Brosh, 3, son of the VHS golf coach, digs into his plate at the Project Graduation fundraiser breakfast held in the VHS cafeteria last year. File staff photo/Cody Glenn

Cumberland County Sheriff Robert Austino is sponsoring a fundraising breakfast for Project Graduation this Sunday.

The breakfast will run from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Vineland High School South cafeteria. The menu includes eggs, sausage, hash browns, French toast and rolls.

Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door. Advance tickets are available from Debbie Gross in the Vineland High School North main office.

Project Graduation is a free all-night drug and alcohol-free party for seniors to celebrate their high school graduation. The location for this celebration is always a secret known only to a few of the organizers and never revealed to the students until their actual arrival at the site.

Threatened by state budget cuts, a variety of events and broad support from the community have been keeping Project Graduation fully funded for the past several years.

STAR STUDENT: Amanda Haggerty

Amanda Haggerty

Amanda Haggerty is The Daily Journal's Student of the Day.

She is a 17-year-old senior at Delsea Regional High School She lives in Franklinville with her parents, Sandy and Tim Haggerty.

Haggerty is a member of the National Honor Society and the Key Club, is president of the En-vironmental Club and is secretary of REBEL.

Read more about today's Student of the Day and past participants here.

ATHLETE OF THE DAY: John Hennelly

John Hennelly

John Hennelly is today's Athlete of the Day.

Hennelly is a freshman at Delsea Regional High School.

The 103-pounder wrestles for the Franklin-based school.

Hennelly decked Camden Catholic's Chad Walsh to secure seventh place at the state championships at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on Sunday.

The freshman fell to the overall top seed and runner-up in the state, Tyler Fraley of Colts Neck, in the quarterfinals. But he wrestled back to the seventh-place bout by pinning Jan Rosenberg of Morris Knolls in 1:24.

Gold medalists to teach Millville wrestlers

Doug Blubaugh and Shelby Wilson, fifth and sixth from left, with the 1960 U.S. Olympic wrestling team. AP photo

 

Millville youth wrestlers are getting a chance to learn grappling from two of the nation's all-time greats.

Olympic gold medalists Doug Blubaugh and Shelby Wilson will be the headliners for a three-day wrestling camp in Holly City later this month.

Blubaugh, 76, and Wilson, 73, won their respective weight classes (160.5 and 147.5) in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome and have been actively coaching the sport ever since.

"I try to teach (the kids) what they need to know," said Blubaugh, who was also a NCAA national champion in 1957 at Oklahoma State. "I can't teach them everything, it would be too much, but I teach them what they need to know."

-- By DAVE ZANGARO, Special for the Daily Journal

STAR STUDENT: Billy Wengert

Billy Wengert

Billy Wengert is The Daily Journal's Student of the Day.

He is a 16-year-old 10th-grader at Delsea Regional High School. He lives in Williamstown with his parents, Anna Ritorto and John Wengert.

Wenger is a Student Government Association homeroom representative and is a pole vaulter.

Read more about today's Student of the Day and past participants here.