The Alternative Press

VERNON, NJ – Close to 300 attendees, including Sparta High School students, their parents, school administrators, and teachers attended the school’s Senior Academic Awards for the Class of 2012 held at Minerals Hotel on Thursday night.

“I’m honored to be fortunate enough to host this event,” said Rory Fitzgerald, the Director of Guidance. “It’s hard to realize how many great kids there are at Sparta High School. It’s an honor to be around these fine students.

Students were recognized in academic subject areas including: English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and World Languages. Additionally, there was scholarship recognition with the National 2012 Special Scholarship, Sparta Youth Business Competition Award, Sussex County School Counselors H.S. Caring Award, Distinguished Student Awards, and Superintendent’s Roundtable Award.

Students also received certificates for: National Merit Letters of Commendation, National Merit Scholarship Finalist, National Historic Recognition Program, President’s Award for Education Excellence, and Valedictorian and Salutatorian Awards.

The 2012 Salutatorian chosen was Melissa Rogers, and the class Valedictorian was Layla Samandi.

“We’re so proud of you and we wish you continued success in the future,” said the school’s principal, Dennis Tobin.

In addition to the academic achievement awards, there were other awards and scholarships, including the Ryan Kerr Memorial Scholarship, the Jerome Amend PhD Life Science Scholarship (set up by an anonymous Sparta High School alumni), Brian M. Laddey Memorial Scholarship, Lakeland Bank Scholarship, Sparta Junior Woman’s Club of Sparta Scholarship, Smile Award Knight Family Scholarship, Tony Pompelio and Schoolmates Award of Courage, U.S. Marine Corps Award, Mountain Broadcasting Scholarship, RoNetco Awards, and PSTO Scholarships.

Fitzgerald ended the evening with a quote from Harriet Tubman, “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

“Good luck in your quest to change the world,” Fitzgerald told the students.

Students receiving departmental awards were:

English

Senior English Award – Katherine Boryeskne

Creative Writing Award – Kevin Byrne

Mathematics

AP Calculus – Rachel Levine-Ramirez

AP Computer Science – Erik Price

Science

Biology – Eric Loverro

Biochemistry – Victoria Reid

Chemistry – Paul Abatemarco

Physics – Nicholas Gomez

Science – Layla Samandi

Social Studies

AP Art History – Nadia Badaoui

Modern European History – Adrew Harner

History of Genocide – Catherine Zapoli

World Languages

Chinese – Tamara Anaie

French – Layla Samandi

German – Joseph Henning

Latin – Shayna Meisel

Russian – Nicolette Scluter

Spanish – Nadia Badaoui

Students receiving awards and scholarships were:

Ryan Kerr Memorial Scholarship – Sofia Mirza

Blessed Kateri Knights of Columbus – Samantha Fletcher, Courtney Medina

Germania Park Award – Sofia Mirza

German Christmas Market Scholarship – Chelsea Avron, Joseph Henning, Sofia Mirza, Erik Price, Walter Zielenski

James Abel Scholarship – Joseph Henning, William McHugh

Jeff Syberg Theater Patrons’ Memorial Scholarship – Evan Costello

Jerome Amend PhD Life Science Scholarship – Nicole McKay

Brian M. Laddey Memorial Scholarship – Korinne Pollison

Lakeland Bank Scholarship - Benjamin Muller

Northwest Jersey Reading Council Award – Cristina Saltos

Pass It Along/Sligo West – Hayley Bell

Sodexo (Iron Chef) Scholarship – Hayley Bell

Sparta Elks Scholarship – Zachary Petrucci

Sparta Junior Women’s Club of Sparta – Melissa Rogers

Sparta Kiwanis Club Scholarship – Katherine Boryeskne, Emily Cacciaguida, Kathleen Clark, Zachary Petrucci, Melissa Rogers, Robert Tessier

Sparta Woman’s Club – Caitlin Forsyth, Sabina Incantalupo, Shayna Meisel, Melissa Rogers

Smile Award – The Knight Family Scholarship – Evan Costello, Zachary Petrucci

Paul E. Simpson Memorial Scholarship -  Julianna Vitolo

Tony Pompelio and Schoolmates Award of Courage – Evan Towle

Peter S. Hotalen American Legion Scholarship – Connor Campbell

Pfc. Jeffrey S. Patterson, Marine Corps Scholarship – Connor Campbell

The Seeing Eye Puppy Raising Scholarship – Nicole Smith

U.S. Marine Corps Awards –

Distinguished Athlete Award – Sabina Incatalupo, William McHugh

Scholastic Excellence Award – William Prickett

“Semper Fidelis” Music Award – Zachary Petrucci

Daughters of the American Revolution – Kathleen Clark

DECA Northern Region Scholarship – Nichole Hoeni

Mountain Broadcasting Scholarship, WMBC TV – Samanth Sadighi

RoNETCO Scholarship – Nichole Hoeni, Abigail Sullivan

Sparta Education Recreation Foundation Scholarship – Alexander Muller

Sparta Girls’ Sports – Vaganek Memorial Scholarship – Chrysten Colacicco

The Herbert J. Hull and Geneva S. Hull Scholarship – Melissa Rogers

Thomas & Agnes Murray Scholarships – Samantha Fletcher, Nichole Hoeni

National Merit Scholarship – Anthony Maziarski

Sparta Youth Business Competition Award – Samantha Fletcher, Nichole Hoeni, William McHugh, Paul Smith

Sussex County School Counselors’ H.S. Caring Award – Samantha Meo

Distinguished Student Award – Layla Samandi

Superintendent’s Roundtable Award – Layla Samandi

National Merit Letters of Commendation – Nadia Badaouli, Dillon Feldman, Nicolas Gomez, Andrew Harner, Joseph Henning, Shayna Meisel, William Prickett, Layla Samandi

National Hispanic Recognition Program – Nicolas Gomez, Stephanie Leotsakos

President’s Award for Educational Excellence Recipients (students with a 3.75 and above seven semester cumulative grade point average): Paul Abatemarco, Ellen Anderson, Carolynn Armstrong, Nadia Badaoui, Nina Baldini, Hayley Bell, Katherine Boryeskne, Emily Cacciaguida, Connor Campbell, Patrick Castaldi, Kyriaki Christodoulou, Kathleen Clark, Chrysten Colacicco, Evan Costello, Marisa Cutillo, Daniell Czark, Victoria DeBitetto, Nicole Decker, Joseph Delaney, Emma Dempsey, Sean DiStefano, Alana Dolce, Dillon Feldman, Jillian Fernandes, Eric Fitzpatrick, Samantha Fletcher, Meghan Fletcher, Andrew Frieling, Devin Gendron, Nicolas Gomez, Andrew Harner, Joseph Henning, Meagan Hepp, Nichole Hoeni, Sabina Incantalupo, Meghan Johnson, Alexander Knapick, Amanda Kowalski, Nicholas L’Abbate, Spencer Law, Michael Lenker, Stephanie Leotsakos, Rachel Levine Ramirez, John Livecchi, Eric Loverro, Anthony Maziarski, Amanda McClellan, William McHugh, Nicole McKay, Courtney Medina, Shayna Meisel, Samantha Meo, Sarah Michaels, Allyson Miller, Sofia Mirza, Sean Mooney, Carlos Mora Tapia, Anna Mortillaro, Lauren Murphy, Shannon Myre, Jessica Nolfi, Jennifer Orth, Elaine Owen, Tyler Pelle, Zachary Petrucci, Joseph Piccotti, Korinne Pollison, Erik Price, William Prickett, Jacqueline Quinn, Rollin Read, Victoria Reid, Michelle Rind, Kyle Roessler, Melissa Rogers, Philip Salamon, Shannon Salem, Cristina Saltos, Layla Samanda, MichaelSchiumo, Nicolette Schluter, Hayley Schluter, Madison Sikorski, James Sissler, Brian Skalla, Nicole Smith, Paul Smith, Kamil Sochacki, Steaphine Sommers, Lauren Sterlin, Abigail Sullivan, Collin Sullivan, Rober Tessier, Evan Towles, Julianna Vitolo, Kristin Vogt, Matthew Warhol, Walter Zielenski

Editor’s Note: Jennifer Jean Miller, Managing Editor of TheAlternativePress.com, Newton News Online was the presenter for the Tony Pompelio and Schoolmates Award of Courage.