Senior of the Year

The Edison Rotary Club has been hosting an annual Senior of the Month breakfast and Senior of the Year Scholarship dinner for 15 years. From training seeing eye dogs, to actively serving as local EMTs, mentoring disadvantaged youth, these students take it upon themselves to encourage and thank these civic-minded young adults who do so much to better our daily lives.

Starting with our first program in the 1996-1997 school year, schools from the Edison and the surrounding area began selecting students who were deserving of special recognition for their accomplishments. It is our honor to congratulate students from the following participating schools: Bishop Ahr, Edison, JP Stevens, Wardlaw-Hartridge, Middlesex Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, and South Plainfield.

For fifteen years, the Edison Rotary has been proud to honor more than 1,300 high school seniors as they transition beyond high school into college and careers around the globe. These special young adults contribute their services in every aspect of life. They volunteer at schools, day cares, synagogues, churches, mosques, hospitals, doctor’s offices, libraries, shelters, and a slew of other locations. They create innovative approaches to old problems by pursuing their passions for the benefit of others.

The bottom line is that each one recognized has given his or her time, energy and talent to others. We thank you, your families, and your schools for helping to make our world a better place. As you graduate high school, we wish you the best in your future endeavors and we look to our future with anticipation that you will continue to follow the Rotary creed of “Service Above Self.”

Please stay in touch. It is important to build and retain a large network of like-minded people. Those of you on Facebook, please join the group “Rotary Seniors,” and help us stay connected with one another.

Congratulations on your many achievements!

2010-2011 Senior of the Month Breakfast Dates:

October 6 (September students)
October 20 (October students)
November 10 (November students)
December 8 (December students)
January 12 (January students)
February 9 (February students)
March 2 (March students)
March 23 (April students)
April 13 (May students)
April 27 (June students)
May 12th (Senior of the Year Dinner)

2011 Senior of the Year

Edison - Karishma Satpute
JP Stevens - Krithika Varagur
St. Joseph – John Matera
Wardlaw Hartridge – Patrick Liu
Middlesex Academy – Taylor Lacey
South Plainfield – Amanda Calvi

Keynote Speaker – Mr. Darren Ventre, motivational speaker

2010 Senior of the Year

Bishop Ahr – Victoria Gaydos
Edison – Brianna Bloodgood
JP Stevens – Jacqueline Goldberg
St. Joseph – Brian Whiteside
Wardlaw Hartridge – Ayna Agrawal
Middlesex Academy – Ravindra Sangitha
South Plainfield – Ryan Flanagan

Keynote Speaker – Mr. Gene Zannetti, PhD candidate and performance enhancement specialist

2009 Senior of the Year

Bishop Ahr – Lauren Sommero
Edison – Chieh-yu Lee
JP Stevens – Charlene Wong
St. Joseph – Michael Chua
Wardlaw Hartridge – Avani Patel
Middlesex Academy – Candice Liao
South Plainfield – Erik White

Keynote Speaker – Mr. Tony Staynings, Director of Northlands Job Corps