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Student news: RVCC styles award-winning cosmetology program

Staff Report
@MyCentralJersey
RVCC Cosmetology student Kiera Copperthwaite works on hair and makeup for student model Rebecca Reilly.

Raritan Valley Community College’s Cosmetology program has been named to Modern Salon Media’s 2017 class of “Excellence in Education” honorees. The seventh annual program recognizes leadership and best practices among cosmetology schools. The Branchburg-based college was honored for its excellence in the category of facilities.

The honorees were announced by Modern Salon Publisher Steve Reiss during the American Association of Cosmetology Schools’ (AACS) 2017 convention, conducted Oct. 21 in Las Vegas.

“We received applications from cosmetology schools across the country and look forward to celebrating all the 2017 Excellence in Education honorees and sharing their stories. It is truly a great time to pursue a beauty education and career, and the program at Raritan Valley Community College exemplifies that fact,” said Modern Salon Editorial Director Michele Musgrove.

RVCC’s Cosmetology and Esthetics (skincare) programs are housed in Protégé, a state-of-the-art working salon and spa located in the college’s new Workforce Training Center. The salon offers the latest color brands and equipment, as well as a beauty bar designed for hair blowouts using the Freestylist Support System, a weightless blow-dry system, and express services such as mini facials and eye treatments using products that have been derived from the sea.

The facility is designed to give cosmetology students the opportunity to learn the most contemporary haircutting and styling techniques, fashion-forward color trends and skin care regimens. Spa and salon services are also available by appointment to help students improve their business, retail and interpersonal skills. The spa has four treatment areas and electrotherapy machines. Graduates of both programs take the NJ state board exam to receive their state license.

RVCC’s Cosmetology and Esthetics programs features aopportunities for job shadowing and salon practicum. The programs offer proactive job placement for graduates and other components critical to student success.

In the past few years, 90 percent of RVCC’s Cosmetology students have found employment in the field and 100 percent have passed their state licensing exam. According to information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists was projected to grow 13 percent from 2014-2024, while employment for skincare specialists was projected to grow 12 percent.

RVCC’s next daytime Cosmetology program starts Jan. 24, and the next Esthetics daytime class starts Jan. 29. To learn more about the college’s Cosmetology and Esthetics programs, contact Marcia Bird at marcia.bird@raritanval.edu  or visit www.raritanval.edu/cosmetology.

For additional information about Modern Salon Media, visit www.modernsalon.com. For information about Excellence in Education, visit www.modernsalon.com/excellence.

READ: The good things students are doing in Central Jersey and beyond

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Berkeley College

Berkeley College has been named to the Military Times Best list for the fifth consecutive year. 

This recognition ranks Berkeley College among institutions that go above and beyond in providing academic and personal support for veterans pursuing a college degree. According to the Military Times, more than 600 colleges took part in this year’s detailed survey with fewer than half qualifying for this ranking.

Military Times’ annual Best Colleges survey asks colleges and universities to document a large array of services, special rules, accommodations and financial incentives offered to students with military ties; and to describe many aspects of veteran culture on a campus. Military Times also factors in data from the Veterans Affairs and Defense departments, as well as three Education Department sources: the IPEDS Data Center, College Scorecard data and the Cohort Default Rate Database.

“It is an honor for Berkeley College to be recognized once again for our commitment to veterans and military students,” said Edward Dennis, assistant vice president, Office of Military and Veterans Affairs. “We’re proud of the fact that we have on-site Veterans Resource Centers — at the New York locations in Midtown Manhattan and Brooklyn and at the New Jersey locations in Dover, Newark, Woodbridge and Woodland Park and an Online Veterans Resource Center — that have enabled us to reach a greater number of veteran students, including those stationed overseas."

The Veterans Resource Centers provide a location for veterans to receive information about their U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (benefits. Veteran students can meet with representatives from the College’s Office of Military and Veterans Affairs, socialize with other veterans, and obtain information about programs pertaining to military and veteran students. 

For more information, visit berkeleycollege.edu.

ALSO: As allegations of sexual harassment and the #MeToo campaign continue to be prominent in the news, women leaders of business, media and government made their voices heard during “Women in Media: The Courage to Own Your Story,” a two-day event hosted by Berkeley College in Manhattan, New York and Woodbridge, on October 18 and 19.

Held in honor of Women’s Entrepreneurship Week, the forum brought together panelists to discuss how women are shaping the landscape of news and entrepreneurship, as well as the courage needed to overcome adversities women face regularly.

“But the victims of Harvey Weinstein, and all of the ‘Harvey Weinsteins’ before him, will be for naught if we don’t use this moment as a societal course correction,” said Melissa DeRosa, secretary to New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, during her keynote address. “We must acknowledge and address that this behavior is not limited to one man or one profession or one political party. That’s why it’s so important that women speak up and speak out.”

“When women stand up for what’s right, we stand together,” said Angela Harrington, vice president, Communications and External Relations, Berkeley College. “More than ever, we need to amplify women’s voices to impact change. Berkeley College is a place where important conversations like these can continue.” 

Kean University

The summer before starting her graduate studies in biotechnology at Kean University, and just weeks after graduating from Kean with a bachelor's degree in science and technology, Union resident Chelsea Mann, Class of 2017 worked at a summer internship –– in politics.

It wasn’t a typical path for a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) major. The position didn’t involve her usual activities of drawing chemical compound structures or experimenting with organic synthesis, but it proved that a career in STEM can take many forms.

After graduating with her Bachelor of Arts in science and technology, Chelsea Mann class of 17 worked at a summer internship in politics before enrolling in Kean University's Master's in Biotechnology program.

As a science and environment intern for Assemblyman Daniel Benson, Mann drafted articles on STEM-related news, updates and legislative policies. She also sat in on voting sessions, hearings and assembly meetings at the New Jersey State House, witnessing the legislative process as bills dealing with some of the state’s most pressing issues moved through the legislature. 

“As a future scientist, I learned how much the political world affects my research, work and opportunities,” said Mann, who is now enrolled in Kean’s Master of Science in Biotechnology Science program. “I was able to utilize the resources I learned at Kean and to incorporate what I knew about scientific writing to create more politically focused pieces.” 

Making a connection between the two fields of study was challenging, but Mann tapped into the academic rigor, discipline, time management and collaborative spirit she developed at Kean to get the job done. 

“As part of the STEM program, I learned how to search for articles, break them down and, more importantly, how to prepare my own research papers using established publishing standards,” she said. “So when it came to drafting articles for Assemblyman Benson’s science blog, I used what I had already learned to generate excellent pieces.”

In addition to her studies in Kean’s New Jersey Center for Science, Technology and Mathematics (NJCSTM), Mann earned multiple (National Collegiate Athletic Association) NCAA-All Academic Honors as a player for the Cougars’ field hockey team and was an active member of the Alpha Sigma and Phi Eta Sigma honor societies. 

It also helped that Mann was familiar with her employer. Her senior year, she was named a 2017 New Jersey Governor's STEM Scholar. As part of the program, she led a research team of high school students and established connections with some of the state’s top pharmaceutical researchers and companies. It was at that time that Benson recruited Mann for the internship. 

“The position wasn’t typical for someone majoring in science, but the internship taught me to take every opportunity, even if it doesn’t seem to fit your path,” said Mann, who earned her undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, in cellular and molecular biology with a minor in analytical chemistry from Kean in May of 2017.

“The greatest lesson I’ve learned is that success won’t happen on its own –– you have to put in the work,” said Mann, who came to Kean from Canadensis in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. “It is important that we recognize that every experience –– whether we fail, succeed, learn from it or simply enjoy the moment –– prepares us for our future.”  

For more information, visit www.kean.edu.

Lebanon Valley College

Jessica Katzenberger of High Bridge is one of 81 students who completed the Brave Zone Network training program during the past academic year at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pennsylvania.

Plainfield Board of Education recognized senior scholar athlete Waldy Arias.

Plainfield High School

The Plainfield Board of Education at a recent meeting recognized senior scholar athlete Waldy Arias, a student at Plainfield High School, for his National Letter of Intent to play baseball at Campbell University.

Arias an accomplished scholar and athlete was honored with a Certificate of Achievement presented on behalf of the Board of Education and the Plainfield School District by Emily E. Morgan, president of the Board, and Acting Superintendent of Plainfield Schools, Dr. Caryn D. Cooper.

Morgan noted that the young athlete's parents and coaches also have played a great part in his success and she thanked his parents, Maria Perez and Dickson Arias, coaches Sean Radu and Jared Pasko, and Director of Athletics John Quinn for a job well done. Morgan repeated her favorite phrase, saying, "Team Work, Makes The Dream Work."

The young athlete was surrounded by his family and friends, including his mother, his father, Dickson Arias, and his younger brother, Junior Arias, a freshman at Plainfield High School and a member of the JROTC.

Arias will attend Campbell University, in North Carolina, on a full scholarship. He will begin his career with the Fighting Camels on September 2018.

Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart

Princeton Academy eighth-grader and Boy Scout troop 43 member Chase Quijano has been hard at work harnessing the power of 3D printing to help others. Quijano has organized a student-led project in partnership with the e-NABLE community, a group of individuals from all over the world who are using their 3D printers to create free 3D printed hands and arms for those in need of an upper limb assistive device.

Recently, Quijano visited Rutgers' Makerspace where parts for the hands were constructed at a Build-a-Thon event conducted at Princeton Academy on Dec. 3. While at Rutgers, Quijano also met with Sean Langston Jr. from AntiMatters, the company donating the filament to Rutgers for this e-NABLE hand project.

Princeton Academy eighth grader Chase Quijano of Hopewell in his Boy Scout troop 43 uniform holding two prosthetic limbs he built using a 3D printer.

The Build-a-Thon was a community event where families, sports teams, scouts, schools, clubs come together to assemble 3D printed prosthetic hands. The University of South Carolina, Rutgers Makerspace, Rutgers 4-H and AntiMatter Filament. The hands will be given to e-NABLE to donate to children and adults around the world.

The Build-a-Thon was inspired by e-NABLE, a global volunteer organization of people who 3D print and donate prosthetic hands. The e-NABLE community has developed a collection of different 3D-printable assistive devices that are free for download and fabrication. Quijano  learned of e-NABLE after completing his own 3D printed hand with muscle controlled servo motors for a summer 4-H county fair project. For some families, purchasing prosthetic hands for their growing child is a huge financial burden. 3D printing is helping to ease this financial burden. 

ALSO: Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart is hosting a free public screening and discussion of the documentary "The Mask You Live In" on Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 6:30 p.m. in the McPherson Athletic and Convocation Center (MACC). According to a news release, Princeton Academy's vision to lead a national reinvention of boys' education for a new generation of enlightened men is at the heart of this event and our brave discussion about masculinity and raising sons. 

Seats may be reserved by visiting princetonacademy.org/themaskyoulivein. After the screening, there will be a community/panel discussion led by Headmaster Rik Dugan of Princeton Academy.

"The Mask You Live In" follows boys and young men as they struggle to stay true to themselves while negotiating America's narrow definition of masculinity. Written, produced and directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the film premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2015.

The documentary presents the personal narratives of young boys and men and features experts in neuroscience, psychology, sociology, sports, education, and media, further exploring how gender stereotypes are interconnected with race, class and circumstance. "The Mask You Live In" ultimately illustrates how society can raise a healthier generation of boys and young men.

"Just as our culture has harmed women and girls, so too are we harming our boys, which has led to a 'boy crisis' in America," said Newsom. "Our intention is that this film sparks a national conversation around masculinity and helps our boys overcome limiting stereotypes, encouraging them to stay true to themselves."

The State University of New York/Oswego

Jessica N. Mulder of Hillsborough took part in an internship in fall 2017 through SUNY Oswego's Center for Experiential Learning. A senior majoring in broadcasting and mass communication, Mulder interned with WSYR Newschannel 9 in East Syracuse.

The Wardlaw+Hartridge School

Seventh-grade students at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School in Edison spent four busy days learning about life in Colonial times during the annual class trip to Williamsburg, Virginia this fall. Accompanied by chaperones Nancy Duddy, Mike Howell, Elizabeth Martin and Hugh Duddy, the seventh-graders enjoyed a variety of experiences.

Wardlaw+Hartridge Seventh Graders, 
enjoy exploring Colonial Williamsburg.

After strolling through the historic stores, which line the Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg, students watched a military inspection led by fife and drums. They also went to the Governor’s Palace. A visit to the Great Hopes Plantation gave the students a glimpse into the lives of slaves on a plantation.

"It was quite interesting seeing what life was like back then," Naischa Puri of Edison said. "What seemed so shocking to us was the norm for them. It was very cool to see the architecture and learn about their ability to make good use of their resources."

The students also visited several traders in Williamsburg including the wig maker, shoemaker, blacksmith and cabinetmaker.

"I found it interesting that the blacksmith shop was owned by the government," David Ezra Flatau-Jones of Scotch Plains said. "This was something that I didn't think would happen because the government taking over a private business is not very common in the US today."

Evening activities included programs covering African-American music and Colonial dance.

ALSO: Upper School students at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School in Edison staged their first fall play, the comedy "Epic Proportions," in the new Berry Performing Arts Center. The show, which included performances on Nov. 17-18, was a big success, according to a news release.

Wardlaw+Hartridge students,
stage play of Epic Proportions.

Leading players included Thomas Borner du Cane of Plainfield, Kallie Schildge of Westfield, Steven Bessette of Scotch Plains, CJ Stueck of Scotch Plains, Hannah Yates of Piscataway and Kevin Nader of Bernardsville.

Lower School students at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School in Edison, led by an eager and energetic group of PreK and JK turkeys, participated in a Thanksgiving assembly by sharing delightful songs and stories.

Thomas Edison State University

Thomas Edison State University in Trenton recently received $150,000 in grants from the Investors Foundation and the Roma Bank Community Foundation to fund the further expansion of the University’s graduate-level nursing programs. According to a news release, the grant will help enhance the University by expanding the offerings and quality of nursing programs offered to current and prospective students by the W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing.

Pictured at the check presentation at Thomas Edison State University’s George A. Pruitt Hall, from left to right, are Linda Martin, Investors Bank senior market manager; Dr. Filomela Marshall, dean of the W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing at Thomas Edison State University, Fred Brand, director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Thomas Edison State University; Peggi B. Shader-Gother, assistant vice president, branch manager, Investors Bank; and John P. Thurber, vice president for Public Affairs at Thomas Edison State University.

“These funds will make it possible for us to continue to provide a superior nursing education to our current students and those looking to complete their degrees, in turn, immersing even more qualified, competent nursing professionals into the field,” said Dr. Filomela Marshall, dean of the W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing at the University.

These funds, from both the Investors Foundation and the Roma Bank Community Foundation, will be dispersed as two five-year installments of $15,000 each. Roma Bank became part of Investors Bank in December 2013.

These grants will support key school initiatives such as the development of additional graduate-level nursing programs; important equipment needed for the implementation of a birthing room in the school’s nursing simulation laboratory; and the essential annual maintenance, support services, and extended warranties that will ensure the ongoing functional capabilities of the equipment, technology, software and human patient simulators in the laboratory.

University of Albany

Hallie Traiman of Scotch Plains joined more than 500 new Living-Learning Community students who spent one of their first weekends at UAlbany volunteering on-campus and in the City of Albany through opportunities provided by the Living-Learning Community Connections weekend.

University of the Sciences

The following Central Jersey residents were inducted into the Pennsylvania Kappa Chapter of the Alpha Chi national honor society: Sameer Akhtar of Princeton, Parth Patel of Somerset and Gabrielle Jakub of Westfield.

Warren Middle School

U.S. service men and women will receive a special thank you during the holidays from Warren Middle School students.

Sixth graders at Warren Middle School are among more than 200 students who wrote/illustrated thank you cards to U.S. troops overseas, as part of an initiative spearheaded by language arts teacher Brenda Sasso. From left: Dylan Malin, Jason Granese, teacher Brenda Sasso, Langston Pierre, Harrison Bush, Alejandro Alvarez, Jasmine Soriano, Edgard Espinoza.

Language arts teacher Brenda Sasso took special note when the radio station she listens to announced in November that it had partnered with the USO to send 100,000 thank you cards to overseas troops.

“I thought it would be great for Warren Middle School to get involved in this great cause,” she said. “The students have done a fantastic job. There are many, many beautiful and heartfelt cards.”

Sasso mailed more than 200 handmade cards to the Nashville, Tennessee, station, Nash FM 94.7, whose morning co-hosts Ty Bentli, Chuck Wicks and Kelly Ford have seen cards flooding into the local post office from schools and organizations across the country.

A Nov. 21 post on the show’s Facebook page reads: “When the #100thankyous mail is never ending! THANK YOU! It’s gonna take us a bit to count all these letters… Thank goodness for our partners, the USO and United Rentals, who will be helping us ship ALL of this!”

Additionally, honoring our nation’s veterans was the subject of a recent essay contest by the Watchung-Warren Rotary Club. Angelo L. Tomaso School fifth-grader Jared Weiss and Central School fifth-grader Trisha Atianzar won second and third place, respectively, for their essays on “The Importance of Remembering Veterans Day.” Both were invited to attend a Rotary luncheon on Nov. 21 to read their essays and receive a Barnes and Noble gift card.

“Veterans are heroes because they show tremendous bravery by putting themselves in dangerous situations. Soldiers are willing to not live with their families and travel long periods of time so that we can live safe and free,” writes Weiss in an excerpt from his 2nd place award-winning prose. “...Veterans Day is an especially important day to me because my great grandpa is a veteran. He served in Poland during World War II. He fought in an underground army against the Nazis.”

An excerpt from Atianzar’s essay reads: “... To imagine our lives in danger or living away from our loved ones is hard to imagine, right? But the brave ones left their safe and welcoming home for the country they loved much more. While we are safe and sound tucked into our bed, there are soldiers serving our country to their last ounce of strength.” 

Westfield Public Schools/Franklin School

Franklin Elementary School students in Westfield are following the school’s annual tradition of donating the bulk of their Halloween candy collection to the military.  On Thursday, November 18, a truckload of approximately 400 pounds of candy was delivered to the American Legion, which will arrange for final transport to the troops. Helping to fill the boxes are (kneeling, l-r):  Fabiana Ramirez and Graciela Goldman, and standing Quinten Mogila, Audrey Dokko, Keira Bartlema, Ella Sumas, Brendan Leegan, Avery Hoffman, Madelyn Parks, Blake Hanna, Jack Sherman, Brian Jordan, Jocelyn Ng, Jake Ebel, Grace Moore, and Owen Cederqvist.  Franklin Principal Eileen Cambria, along with Assistant Principal, Paul Duncan, congratulated the entire school of first through fifth graders for their contributions.  “Our students have been so generous with their donations,” stated Dr. Cambria.  “Learning to help others and to acknowledge the sacrifices of our troops is especially timely during the month of November when we remember our active military and veterans and are thankful to all those who provide us care and support.”

Student and School news appears on Fridays. Email:cnmetro@mycentraljersey.com