Meagan Ackerman Theater Arts Basking RidgeCody Adams Carpentry BedminsterKayla Agins Health Occupations RaritanJulia Aiello Culinary Arts RaritanJohn Alicea Auto Body Bound BrookKeaton Assante Cosmetology HillsboroughAlexa Auletti Graphic Comm. Basking RidgeDavid Barker CTE BranchburgRebeca Blanco Cosmetology ManvilleJoseph Blass Electrical Construct. BranchburgSean Boland Law & Public Safety HillsboroughLauren Bottino Graphic Comm. BridgewaterLuke Brennan Electrical Construction Bound BrookSam Bucek Academy BridgewaterJoshua Buonavolonta Culinary Arts SomersetJuan Cabrera Auto Body RaritanLuke Calabrese Carpentry Basking RidgeMatthew Calapatia Academy HillsboroughLuke Calder Theater Arts BridgewaterRobert Camacho Auto Body ManvilleAlexis Campbell Cosmetology BridgewaterAshley Capoocia Cosmetology SomervilleJordy Chaves Automotive Tech. BridgewaterJoseph Chesson Automotive Tech. SomersetJohnathan Christian Electrical Construction N. PlainfieldPatrick Christian Welding N. PlainfieldCassidy Ciancia Graphic Comm. S. Bound BrookCaitlyn Cifelli Agricultural Science HillsboroughGiannie Cintron Auto Body Bound BrookMichael Conover Plumbing HillsboroughRyan Cook Theater Arts BridgewaterJose Cordero Integrated Tech. Bound BrookKeilly Cordon Cosmetology N PlainfieldAlejandra Cortes Health Occupations S Bound BrookSamantha D'Agostino Carpentry RaritanEmily Dayton Cosmetology N PlainfieldJulianna de Diego Theater Arts BedminsterIan Dominic De Los Reyes Academy BridgewaterDana DePirri Dance Neshanic Sta.Erica DeProspo Dance RaritanMillie Doshi Health Occupations BridgewaterMichael Elemino Automotive Tech. BridgewaterMatthew Feaster Automotive Tech. SomersetJulie Fendt Cosmetology ManvilleAlexander Floyd Plumbing S. Bound BrookClaire Foster Academy FlemingtonJonathan Garaffa Academy SkillmanDevin Gardner Law & Public Safety ManvilleJacqueline Gassler Graphic Comm. BranchburgStephen Giordano Theater Arts Whitehouse StaMichael Giorello Carpentry BranchburgDestiny Gist Graphic Comm. N. PlainfieldOwen Goska Integrated Technology ManvilleKieran Green Law & Public Safety Manville

William Guevara Automotive Tech. N. PlainfieldJacqueline Guillen Law & Public Safety N. PlainfieldSamyak Gupta Academy FlemingtonAboubacrine Haidara Automotive Tech. N PlainfieldTabitha Hanay-Reaves Dance WestfieldMahogany Hayes Auto Body SomervilleMary Heath Health Occupations BridgewaterMadison Hendershot Cosmetology RaritanDyamond Hobbs Law & Public Safety Bound BrookMatthew Hober Carpentry Basking RidgeIlana Horowitz Cosmetology BranchburgAllison Hovey Cosmetology BranchburgStephanie Hunter Graphic Comm. N. PlainfieldBenjamin Incantalupo Electrical Construction FlemingtonAlexander Insdorf Academy Belle MeadRebecca Jackson Welding RaritanAmirah James Theater Arts BernardsvilleMya Jordan Dance BernardsvilleMark Juarez Electrical Construction HillsboroughMasood Karimi Academy SomersetThomas Kelly Plumbing N. PlainfieldSamuel Kenny Electrical Construction N. PlainfieldRamya Kommidi Academy Franklin ParkConnor Komoroski Integrated Technology HillsboroughErin Kopecky Culinary Arts Bound BrookJulianna Kosty Academy FranklinPatrick Kusik Carpentry MillingtonAmanda Lamperti Culinary Arts N. PlainfieldBrandon Leal Electrical Construction S. Bound BrookAaron Lee Academy RaritanAlison Lenahan Dance ClintonAlexandra Lilly Academy MartinsvilleMax Lindvor Diesel RaritanDaniel Lopez Graphic Comm. S. Bound BrookAlina Lou Academy HillsboroughHannah Lukac Graphic Comm. Bound BrookVictoria Marcune Graphic Comm. Neshanic Sta.Paul Marinelli Plumbing PluckeminKayla Matos Cosmetology N. PlainfieldChristine Mayorga Health Occupations Bound BrookRobert Mazuch Electrical Construction HillsboroughJacqueline McCarthy Theater Arts HillsboroughShane McIntire Law & Public Safety Basking RidgeDaniel McNeil N/A BridgewaterMartyn Megaloudis Academy N. PlainfieldAngelo Mel-Tos Graphic Comm. N. PlainfieldDiana Mendoza Cosmetology ManvilleMatthew Miksztal Law & Public Safety BridgewaterEric Moeller Automotive Tech. RaritanChristopher Nila Diesel BridgewaterFernando Nunez, Jr Plumbing SomersetRichard Ojeda CTE HillsboroughSabrina Olivieri Dance ClintonJaquelin Ortega Health Occupations N. Plainfield

Joseph Paolillo Welding HillsboroughThomas Pastor Theater Arts BridgewaterJay Patel Integrated Technology SomersetSuraj Patel Academy SomervilleSwati Patel Academy SomersetAlberto Peralta Plumbing BridgewaterManual Perez Carpentry BridgewaterNina Pilitowski Cosmetology GilletteZoe Podejko Cosmetology RaritanKarissa Port Graphic Comm. BranchburgHarini Prayaga Academy BridgewaterKiran Raja Academy BridgewaterRaquel Ramos Health Occupations ManvilleJustin Reeves Welding SomersetCatherine Reisser Graphic Comm. Bound BrookMarquise Reliford Electrical Construction HillsboroughTiffany Richardson Cosmetology BedminsterEdwin Rivas Automotive Tech. N. PlainfieldZachary Rogina Automotive Tech. Bernards Twp.Steven Anthony Rogolifoi Plumbing BridgewaterStiven Romero Carpentry Bound BrookConnor Rosseland Electrical Construction BridgewaterDanielle Russo Cosmetology SomersetKayla Ryan Culinary Arts BridgewaterVanessa Saharko Theater Arts HillsboroughAnthony Santana Agricultural Science SomersetAlexis Santos Cosmetology WarrenMyah Scavo Graphic Comm. BridgewaterGavin Scholte Welding BridgewaterKaycie Sconda Graphic Comm. BridgewaterMackenzie Serrano Automotive Tech. N. PlainfieldMitali Shah Academy HillsboroughShanaya Shah Academy HillsboroughElizabeth Sherman Theater Arts Basking RidgeAlexander Shu Academy SomersetChristopher Silva Academy Green BrookHarleen Singh N/A BridgewaterDavid Sosidko Academy PittstownQuinton St. Rose Electrical Construction Franklin Twp.Sarah Stedtler Cosmetology Neshanic Sta.Kennard Stephenson Welding Bound BrookAlexis Taylor Cosmetology SomersetAnthony Thompson Culinary Arts SomersetMackenzie Trotter Health Occupations SomersetTaylor Vaughn Cosmetology PeapackJoselyn Velasquez Graphic Comm. ManvilleHavanna Velazquez Cosmetology PeapackAngelique Villacis Health Occupations N. PlainfieldOlivia Warzybuk Cosmetology BranchburgRaven Wesner Graphic Comm. S. Bound BrookRachel Yoo Dance BridgewaterDylan Yosafat Theater Arts BridgewaterFor more information, contact James Strickhart at (908) 526-8900,ext. 7169 or email jstrickhart@scvts.net.

SOMERSET

COUNTY VOCA

TIONAL& TECHN

ICAL HIGHSCHOOL

JULY 2016• VOLUME 5, NO.9

JAGUAR NaTIONJAGUAR NaTION

One hundred sixty eight students received theirdiplomas in sixteen different vocational programsranging from Automotive Technology to thePerforming Arts. The ceremony was held onWednesday, June 22, 2016 at 7:00 PM in theAuditorium of Somerset County Vocational andTechnical High School located at 14 Vogt Drive inBridgewater.

Principal Diane Ziegler welcomed graduatesand their guests. Diplomas and awards werepresented by Superintendent Dr. Chrys Harttraft,Board of Education Vice President Sarah Costa,Board of Education members Theodore Smith,Stephen Rodzinak, Juan Torres, and Board SecretaryRaelene Catterson.

The Career and Technical Education Valedictorian for the classof 2016 is Culinary Arts student Erin Kopecky of Bound Brook.The Career and Technical Education Salutatorian is Integrated

Technology Systems student Jay Patel of Somerset. Valedictorians fromthe Academy for Health and Medical Sciences are Alexandra Lillyof Martinsville, Kiran Raja of Bridgewater and Jonathan Garaffaof Skillman. The Salutatorian from the Academy for Health andMedical Sciences is Samyak Gupta of Flemington.i

SCVTHS CLASS OF 2016 GRADUATESRECEIVE DIPLOMAS AT COMMENCEMENT

PRINCIPAL’SCORNER

Dear Jaguar Nation,Students and staff have been working hard thisSpring on all the required State testing for bothacademics and our career & technical programs.As we close out another successful school year,we reflect back on a few highlights: •The annual Junior-Senior Prom was held onFriday, June 3. King Cody Adams and QueenKaycie Sconda reigned over a fun-filled evening.

•The National Technical Honor Society inductedtwenty-six new members on May 25.Congratulations to all the students andthe new officers for 2016-2017.

•Our TOPS program held their annual closingceremony on June 16.

•Academy Juniors had a successful nightof student presentations at this year’sTechnology Awareness Program on June 16. Our Graduation ceremony took place on

June 22. I want to wish all of our seniors thevery best of luck in their future endeavors.

Best wishes go out to our 19 students who arecompeting at the National SkillsUSA Conferencein Louisville, Kentucky! Students and advisorsleft on June 20 and will be returning home onJune 25.

Sincerely,Diane M. Ziegler

Upcoming Events: New Student Orientation – August 18

SCVTHS Class of 2016 Commencement Ceremony on June 22, 2016

SCVTHS CLASS OF 2016 GRADUATES

SOMERSET COUNTYVOCATIONAL& TECHNICAL SCHOOLS14 Vogt Drive • P.O. Box 6350

Bridgewater, NJ 08807(908) 526-8900

www.scvts.org

The Somerset CountyVocational & Technical HighSchool Carpentry Programrecently finished creating newsilhouettes for Safe and SoundSomerset to honor SomersetCounty residents who lost theirlives as a result of domesticviolence. The silhouettes eachbear an engraved heart with thename of a Somerset Countyresident and the year they died.The silhouettes serve as anemotional and moving reminderof the effects of domestic violencein our county.

Six new silhouettes were createdand will be used this upcomingOctober at a candlelight vigil to remember the victims and bring awareness to domestic violence in Somerset County.Veronica Finlay, Development Director at Safe and Sound Somerset, explained how important it was “collaborating with thecommunity on this project.” Ms. Finlay thanked Lowe’s for donating the materials to make the silhouettes. Additionally, thisproject had special meaning for the students of SCVTHS, as two of the domestic abuse silhouettes represent a SCVTHS studentand her mother, who both lost their lives this past year.

Safe and Sound Somerset, formerly known as The Resource Center of Somerset, is a private, nonprofit agency which has beenserving people affected by domestic abuse in Somerset County for over 35 years. Founded by a small group of volunteers whoprovided emergency shelter for women escaping abusive relationships, Safe and Sound Somerset provides services to survivors ofdomestic abuse–women, men and children–free of charge. The agency has expanded services to include not only emergencyshelter but legal advocacy, outreach counseling, community education, volunteer Domestic Violence Response Teams workingwith local police departments, transitional housing and more.

For more information about Safe and Sound Somerset or to find out more about domestic abuse, including tips for teens onwarning signs of abusive relationships, please visit the website, www.resourcecenterofsomerset.org or call the Department ofCommunity Affairs at 908-359-0003, ext. 223.i

For more information on this story contact James Strickhart at (908) 526-8900, ext. 7169 or jstrickhart@scvts.net.

Catherine Chen

(left to right): SCVTHS Carpentry student David Dabrowski of South Bound Brook, Veronica Finlayof Safe and Sound Somerset, SCVTHS Carpentry student Luke Calabrese of Basking Ridge,SCVTHS Carpentry Instructor George Lee, and SCVTHS Carpentry students Jimmy Arias ofBranchburg and Stiven Romero of Bound Brook pose with the newly created silhouettes.

SCVTHS STUDENTS HELP HONORVICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

C atherine Chen, a sophomore in the Academy forHealth and Medical Sciences, has been selected asSomerset County Vocational & Technical High School’sStudent of the Month for June 2016. Catherine is thedaughter of Irene Jao and Eric Chen of Warren.

Social Studies Instructor Dr. Louise Tokarsky-Undanominated Catherine for the Student of the MonthAward because “Catherine is a diligent, responsiblestudent who works beyond what is expected. She isattentive, studious, and observant. The quality of heressay responses and the questions she asks demonstratesthat she devotes many hours every day to studying andthinking critically about what she learns in school.Her peers enjoy collaborating with her on group projects,as she is a good listener, as well as a good leader.”

Catherine is a member of the Math League,New Jersey Science League, Science Bowl Team,Humanitarian Club, SkillsUSA and the WatchungHills Varsity Ultimate Frisbee team. Catherine is alsoinvolved in volunteering at the Murray Hill ChineseSchool, Robert Wood Johnson Somerset Hospital andseveral nursing homes. Furthermore, she plays violin in

the New Jersey Youth Symphony, where she hasperformed at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall andthe NJEA Teacher’s Convention in Atlantic City.

Some of Catherine’s accolades include being acceptedinto the regional and all-state orchestra, NationalSpanish Exam Gold medalist, SkillsUSA Gold medalist,Principal’s Honor Roll, Silver Award in Scholastic Writing,placing in the top ten percent of test takers for theNew Jersey Science League, and playing on theUltimate Frisbee team representing the NortheastRegion at the National Youth Club Championshipsthis summer.

When she has free time, Catherine enjoys reading,taking pictures, running and watching Korean dramas.

After graduating from SCVTHS, Catherine hopesto attend medical school and specialize in pediatricsurgery. “I aspire to use what I have learned to helpthose who don’t have access to adequate healthcare,”Catherine said. In addition, Catherine has a personalgoal to travel to every continent.

When told she was to be the recipient of theStudent of the Month Award, Catherine wanted tothank all of her teachers for creating such a vigorousbut stimulating learning environment, allowing her toreach her fullest potential.i

STUDENT OF THE MONTH

JAGUAR NaTIONJAGUAR NaTION

JULY 201622JAGUAR NATIONVolume 5, No. 9 • July 2016

Duane Wallace • Editor & DesignerJames Strickhart • Editorial

Sharleen Leahey • Graphic ProductionJanet Cantore -Watson • Photography

SOMERSET COUNTYVOCATIONAL & TECHNICAL SCHOOLS

VOCATIONAL BOARD OF EDUCATIONWilliam G. Hyncik, Jr., President

Sarah Costa, Vice-PresidentTheodore Smith Steve Rodzinak Juan TorresPeter S. Palmer, Somerset County Freeholder Liaison

ADMINISTRATIONChrys Harttraft, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools

Raelene M. CattersonSchool Business Administrator /Board Secretary

Diane M. Ziegler, PrincipalMaria Johnson, Director of Pupil Services

This publication was funded by theSomerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders

Catherine Chen