Student notes
The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1002 in Vernon awarded four $400 scholarships to high school seniors from Sussex County: Erica Brierly, Vernon High School; Emma DeLuca-Knighton, Vernon High School; Kyung Sun Lee, High Point High School; and Elizabeth Viersma, Newton High School, and their family members attended a VVA meeting held at St. Francis deSales Church in Vernon and received their awards.
Adam Kolakowski, formerly of Glenwood, graduated on May 25 with a bachelor of science degree in applied networking and systems administration and a minor in criminal justice from Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. Adam was named to the Dean's List for the spring quarter. He resides in Portsmouth, N.H., where he is employed as an IT analyst.
Selena Theresa Agnor, a 2008 graduate of Wallkill Valley Regional High School, graduated cum laude from Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa.. She also achieved cords from six honor societies. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in English with certification in elementary education. Selena is the daughter of Art and Sara Agnor of Franklin.
Diahanna M. Betancourt of Franklin graduated on the Deans List as a surgical technician at Dover Business College.
Keara Jenkins, a sophomore from Wantage, has recently been named to the High Honor Roll for the spring term at The Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Conn.
Martha Mahady of Vernon, a student at Fairleigh Dickinson University's College at Florham, has received the Excellence in Evolutionary Biology Award for the Class of 2012. The award was presented by Dr. James Salierno.
Kylie Repasy of Franklin graduated with an Artium Baccalarius degree in biology and society from Cornell University with the Class of 2012 during commencement ceremonies in Ithaca, N.Y., on May 27.
Heather Coffaro, daughter of James and Marjorie Coffaro of Hardyston, and a 2007 graduate of Wallkill High School, graduated with a bachelor of science degree in fine arts in studio art and psychology from East Carolina University. She graduated Cum Laude, and is now attending
SCAD in Atlanta Ga., pursuing a master's degree in arts business administration.
Eliza Cotter of Branchville graduated summa cum laude from Boston College with a bachelor of arts degree from the University's College of Arts and Sciences, where she majored in psychology.
Emma DeLuca, a graduate of Vernon Township High School, has been awarded the McKenzie Travis Memorial Softball Scholarship in the amount of $2,500. The scholarship in McKenzie's name was established with support from family, friends and the softball community. The McKenzie Travis Educational Foundation was established in loving memory of McKenzie, who was killed in a car accident in 2006, at age 19.
In addition to GPA and community service requirements, scholarship criteria specifies that the applicant must have played varsity softball for her high school team, and must have already been accepted to college intending to play softball there. Applicants must have also competed in the Delaware Invitational Softball Tournament.
DeLuca was captain of her high school softball team and led the Vernon Vikings in hits, RBIs, extra base hits and homeruns. An All-Sussex County selection, Emma was also selected to the NJAC 2 Team, NJAC All-Academic Team and the All West Jersey 3 Team. She plays first base for the Frozen Ropes Force 18U Gold travel team from Chester, N.Y.
Emma has accepted a softball roster spot at Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metro Campus where she will be biology major on a pre-med track beginning in the fall.
Kimberly Allen, a resident of Franklin and a student at Fairleigh Dickinson University's Metropolitan Campus in Teaneck and Hackensack, has been named to the Dean's List for the spring semester.
Derek Hall of Oak Ridge, a student at Fairleigh Dickinson University's College at Florham, in Madison, has been named to the Dean's List for the spring semester.
The following local students graduated from the University of Hartford in Connecticut on Saturday, May 19, and Sunday, May 20: Marissa Madonna of Oak Ridge, who graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor of fine arts degree in illustration; James Madonna of Oak Ridge, who graduated with a master of arts degree in communication.
The following local residents were among 1,086 students from Ithaca College who received degrees during the college's commencement ceremony held in May: Corey Corsaro, a resident of Oak Ridge, who received a degree from Ithaca College's Division of Interdisciplinary Studies with a major in aging studies, and Ryan Mullins, a resident of Oak Ridge, who received a degree from Ithaca College's School of Business with a major in business administration. Ryan Mullins was also named to the Dean's List for the spring semester.
Peter Carelli of Hamburg has been honored for academic achievement by being named to the spring Dean's List at Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, Pa.
Adam Koontz of Oak Ridge, a student at Fairleigh Dickinson University's College at Florham, received the Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship Award for the Class of 2012. The award was presented by Dr. Ethne Swartz.
Christy Reeves of Ogdensburg was named to the Dean's List at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, for the spring semester. Reeves, a senior, is studying chemistry.
Kiersten Formoso, a graduate of Wallkill Valley Regional High School, won a Future Leaders scholarship from the Picatinny Federal Credit Union. She will be attending Rutgers University in the fall. The scholarship comes with a check for $2,500. The Picatinny Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member owned, full service financial institution based in Rockaway.
Jessica O'Brien of Sussex was named to the SUNY Orange (Middletown, N.Y.) Deans List for the spring semester.
Nikki Lacherza of Highland Lakes graduated with Highest Honors from the College of Saint Elizabeth with a bachelor's degree in psychology. She also graduated with Departmental Honors for the Psychology Department and has already started her master's program at the College of Saint Elizabeth in counseling psychology with a specialization in mental health counseling. She was inducted into Kappa Gamma Pi, and also received the Kappa Gamma Pi's Saint Catherine of Alexandria Award for displaying the missions and values of the college, as well as was awarded the Who's Who in America Among College Students Award. She is a member of the Psi Chi, Psi Beta, and Phi Theta Kappa National Honors societies, and passed her senior comprehensive exam with honors.
This past year she was the senior researcher in a study titled, "Cyberbullying: The New Phenomenon" and a co-researcher in a study titled "Self-Esteem's Effect on Partner Selection."
James Edward McGuire of Sussex graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in politics from Juniata College in Huntington, Pa., on May 12. McGuire is a 2008 graduate of Pope John XXIII Central High School and the son of Eugene and Barbara McGuire.