2016 Press Young Leaders Awards

THE PRESS OF ATLANTIC CITY 

YOUNG LEADERS 

Honoring Southern 

NewJersey's most 

community-minded 

high school seniors 

• May17, 2016 •

2 

THE PRESS YOUNG LEADERS

MAY17, 2016 3 

WELCOME TO THE PRESS 

YOUNG LEADERS AWARDS 

Today marks the beginning of what we 

hope will be a long tradition in Southern 

New Jersey. 

The Press of Atlantic City is proud to 

sponsor the Young Leaders Awards, a program 

that recognizes and honors community-minded 

high school seniors throughout 

our area. 

The idea behind these awards is to celebrate 

students who make a real difference 

in their schools and their communities. 

There were already plenty of programs 

out there to recognize good students and 

good athletes. And those are certainly 

both areas in which many local high 

school students have reason to be justifiably 

proud. 

Young Leaders is a little different. It recognizes 

a student’s involvement in his or 

her community. That kind of commitment 

is extremely important, both to the student’s 

personal development and to the 

community. 

We felt that commitment ought to be 

recognized, and we created Young 

Leaders as one step in that direction. 

Many area businesses joined us as sponsors 

of this year’s awards, and we are truly 

grateful for their support. 

Earlier this year, we asked for nominations 

from the community, and, thanks to 

our readers, we weren’t disappointed. We 

received nominations from high schools 

all over Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland 

and southern Ocean counties. 

An independent panel of judges had 

the job of narrowing down the field from 

more than 100 applications, and the 

result is the 25 young people featured in 

this special section. 

It’s an impressive group. They are generous, 

innovative and hard-working. They 

are also individuals. 

Some of them make a difference by 

leading clubs or volunteering. Some have 

created their own nonprofit groups. 

Others inspire us by overcoming obstacles. 

They all have one thing in common: 

They have made service to others a part 

of their daily lives. 

On the following pages, you’ll find the 

initial Young Leaders winners, the class of 

2016, if you will. Spend some time looking 

through their biographies and listening 

to their voices, and I’m sure you will 

“They all have one thing in 

common: They have made 

service to others a part of 

their daily lives.” 

be as impressed with them as we are. 

And keep in mind, these are just some 

of the inspiring young people in our area. 

The judges had a difficult task, and all of 

the nominees had impressive achievements. 

Southern New Jersey faces many challenges, 

but this process has convinced us 

that our future is in good hands. 

We at The Press are extremely happy to 

launch this new initiative, and we’re 

already looking forward to next year. 

MARK BLUM, 

Publisher, 

The Press of Atlantic City

4 

THE PRESS YOUNG LEADERS 

MEETTHEJUDGES 

BEATRIX 

JERKINS 

CEO, Big Brothers Big 

Sisters of Atlantic & Cape 

May Counties 

Years on the job: 23 

Other positions held: 

Lead case manager at 

AtlantiCare’s Family Care 

Network division, French 

teacher 

Community activities: 

Speakers bureau for United 

Way 

DANIEL 

FIDALGO 

TOME 

Director of Service- 

Learning, Stockton 

University 


Community activities: Sits 

on the boards of the South 

Jersey AIDS Alliance and 

the National Steering 

Committee for the 

American Democracy 

Project of the American 

Association of State 

Colleges and Universities


MICHELE 

GILLIAN 

Executive director, Ocean 

City Regional Chamber of 

Commerce 



Communications manager, 

tourism representative, 

public relations representative 

and events coordinator 

for Ocean City 

Community activities: 

Volunteer with the Hero 

Foundation, First Night, 

Night in Venice, Ocean City 

Theater Company and 

Ocean City Pops 

NELSON 

JOHNSON 

Superior Court judge and 

author of the book 

“Boardwalk Empire” 

Years on the job: 7½ 


Attorney for 31 years, 

former Atlantic County 

freeholder and solicitor of 

the Atlantic City Planning 

Board

6 


PHIL 

ANDREACI 

Age: 18 

High School: St. Augustine Prep 

Hometown: Egg Harbor City 

Parent: Louise Andreaci 

Community/school activities: Volunteer with the 

Galloway Township Police Athletic League; participated in 

a service project building houses in Peru; Latin Honor 

Society vice president; Math Club treasurer; Model United 

Nations treasurer; St. Augustine rugby and volleyball 

teams; Classics Club co-president; Police Explorer with the 

Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office; participant in the Trooper 

Youth League through the New Jersey State Police; Big 

Brother through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Atlantic & Cape 

May Counties 

Post-high school plans: Studying business at the 

University of Miami 

Career goals: Going into investment banking and 

working for a firm in a bigger city 

Phil Andreaci has a lot of community and volunteer 

experience under his belt, from being involved with the 

Galloway Township Police Athletic League to leadership 

roles in academic clubs. But the most life-changing work 

he said he’s been part of has been on another continent, 

building homes for residents of Lima, Peru. Here, he talks 

about how that trip, and other events in his life, have 

shown him there’s no point in giving up. 

You wrote about your trip to Lima, Peru, when part 

of a home you built collapsed. You could have 

washed your hands of it, but you didn’t. What 

pushed you to finish the job? 

I mean, we weren’t going to up and leave at that 

point. We had the time to do it, it was just the extra 

effort. We knew we had to get it done. We had a lot of 

fun doing it. It was more like having fun than work. I 

mean, I love volunteering, and going with kids from 

Prep, it was kind of a collaboration. 

You seem to have been very involved with the 

Galloway PAL for years. What brought you there in 

the first place, and what makes you volunteer so 

much of your free time there? 

I actually started in the program in second grade 

playing basketball. Since I got a little older, that’s when 

I volunteered. My brother did some volunteer work, 

and my mom helped out. I got more and more 

involved because they were always there. It was kind 

of like, I’d play my game and help out afterward. 

Galloway is getting to the point where it’s socioeconomically 

behind. A lot of kids have problems finding 

things to do. When they come and play, I help them 

out. I coached one year, and that was different. 

Kevin Kelly, who nominated you, mentioned your 

Type 1 diabetes diagnosis and a serious knee 

injury. Have these things limited you at all? 

Well, when I contracted diabetes, it was definitely a 

shock. Just bouncing back from it was beneficial for 

me. Managing that isn’t much of a challenge. When I 

dislocated my kneecap, I went through a change of 

pace. But I got through it, and I try to maintain a 

healthy lifestyle. It’s just kind of my personality. I don’t 

like to sit back and let things happen. 

— Sara Tracey


MEGHA 

ANDREWS 

Age: 18 

High school: Egg Harbor Township 

Hometown: Egg Harbor Township 

Parent: Roji Andrews 

Community/school activities: Participates in Future 

Business Leaders of America; plays first violin with the 

Atlantic Youth Orchestra; does Bollywood dancing at 

the Mokshaa Dance Academy; volunteers for different 

events with the Interact Club at her high school; and 

continues learning beyond the regular school day 

with Medical Explorers #147 

Post-high school plans: To attend Johns Hopkins 

University in Baltimore and major in cognitive science 

on the pre-med track 

Career goals: To be accepted into medical school 

Megha Andrews’ cumulative grade point average at 

Egg Harbor Township High School is more than 100 

when her honors and Advanced Placement classes are 

added to her regular courses. She is interested in business, 

music and medicine. She has volunteered as a telephone 

reassurance volunteer at CONTACT Cape-Atlantic, 

serving the disabled and elderly with daily phone calls, 

and became so involved in the organization that she was 

elected to its board of directors. Her parents are natives 

of India, but she was born in this country. She preserves 

her cultural heritage by taking Bollywood dance at the 

Mokshaa Dance Academy in Absecon. 

Why did CONTACT Cape-Atlantic mean so much to 

you that you got involved to the point where you 

were elected to the board of directors as a high 

school student? 

I started volunteering there in the summer before 

my freshman year. It’s a very euphoric feeling. For a lot 

of the clients, they don’t get to talk to people often. 

You hear stories from the past and currently. I do a 

couple of three-and-a-half-hour shifts a month, and 

the board meetings are once a month for 90 minutes. 

The calls last anywhere from two to 10 minutes. 

How did you decide to pursue medicine at Johns 

Hopkins when you also are interested in business 

and the arts? 

I have always been interested in science more than 

any other field. I went to the New Jersey Governor’s 

School for the Sciences last summer. There were 85 

students total from throughout the state. We took 

classes, did research projects and took labs. It confirmed 

that science and medicine were really, truly 

what I wanted to do. Drew University hosts the 

Governor’s School for the Sciences. 

You said your generation has become masters of 

multitasking, but you also found the joy of giving 

100 percent of yourself to volunteering at 

CONTACT. How do you plan to balance multitasking 

versus giving 100 percent in college and 

beyond? 

To be involved in a variety of activities when you are 

in one place, your attention is really divided. (Megha 

found that when she stopped trying to do so many 

things at once and concentrated on connecting with 

clients, the rewards were abundant.) 

I was incredibly surprised when I talked continuously 

with clients. I never got to that point until I gave 

100 percent. I didn’t know how to conceptualize what 

I felt. 

— Vincent Jackson

8 


ADAM 

BENGIS 

Age: 17 

High school: Atlantic County Institute of Technology 

Hometown: Absecon 

Parent: Mike Bengis 

Community/school activities: Band; Technology 

Student Association; Class Council; Robotics Club; 

morning announcements; National Technical Honor 

Society; Boy Scouts; Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia 

volunteer; road cleanups; student of the month and 

marking period 

Post-high school plans: Bachelor’s and master’s 

degrees in computer engineering from Drexel 

University 

Career goals: Following college, he hopes to have a 

foot in the door at a tech company through Drexel’s 

co-op program. “So long as I’m doing something I 

enjoy every day, I’ll be happy.” 

Bengis’ extensive academic success highlights his 

belief that life is full of opportunities, but it’s up to the 

individual to make the best of them. Two years ago, 

Bengis was diagnosed with leukemia. Two days before 

his diagnosis, he climbed more than 75 miles of mountain 

terrain with his Boy Scouts troop — along with two 

failing kidneys and a tumor in his stomach. He credits 

that experience with preparing him for two years of cancer 

treatments. He wants to take his love of learning with 

him to his next school, where he will continue to volunteer 

at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. 

English teacher Jessica Fedor, who nominated you, 

mentioned your talent for writing. What types of 

things do you like to write about? 

Anything I’m passionate about — hiking, Boy 

Scouts, cancer. I love cancer in a way, as weird as that 

sounds. It’s a thing that no one talks about. Having 

gone through it, there are so many opportunities that 

arise out of having cancer that would never have risen 

had I never gotten it. You have fun with it. The quality 

of my writing would not be anything near what it is 

without my English teacher. She really prepared me 

for college as well. 

Do you have any plans/ideas for how you can continue 

to volunteer and impact the community in 

college? 

At Drexel, I have been accepted into a program 

called the Pennoni Honors College. Through the honors 

program, there are many volunteer opportunities 

that I am looking forward to taking part in. Just as I do 

now in high school, I hope to pass down my knowledge 

over the years to the classes below me and let 

them learn from my mistakes. Drexel makes this easy 

with many programs such as peer mentoring or tutoring. 

Aside from what I do through the university, I plan 

to continue helping out at CHOP and volunteering my 

time past the end of my treatments next November. 

How has your experience as a Boy Scout prepared 

you to face college? 

The Scouting program has been an instrumental 

part of my life since the very beginning. I joined Cub 

Scouts in first grade and have been working my way up 

ever since. I have made many friends and gained many 

useful skills. I feel that the most important lesson that 

Scouting has taught me is how to be a leader. Being a 

leader, as it turns out, is not something you learn in a 

day or even a month. Having the ability to motivate 

people to follow you, even when the outcome of your 

actions is uncertain, is an incredibly difficult thing to do. 

Possessing that skill in college is exactly what I need to 

stand out and take charge of my future. 

— Jacklyn McQuarrie


JESSICA 

BLUME 

Age: 18 

High school: Cumberland Regional 

Hometown: Bridgeton 

Parents: Robert and Rebecca Blume 

Community/school activities: Senior class vice president, 

president of Leo Club, Interact Club, Students 

Against Drunk Driving, volunteer firefighter at Norma 

Fire/EMS, senior mentor, peer leader, Junior Classical 

League, achievement letter, National Honor Society, 

Relay for Life 

Post-high school plans: Attend University of Tampa, 

majoring in pre-med. After receiving the U.S. Army 

ROTC scholarship, she will apply for an educational 

delay and hopefully attend medical school. Eventually 

she would like to become a trauma surgeon in the 

Army and serve overseas. 

With a commitment to giving back to her community 

and those in need around the world, Jessica Blume has 

big plans to continue public service after graduation. 

When she traveled with a medical team on a trip to the 

Dominican Republic in September, she said, she was 

exposed to what people in less-developed countries go 

without. She said volunteering is her passion and helping 

people is her purpose in life. 

How did you mentor freshmen to become 

acclimated to high school? 

When the semester first began, we had to help 

them with their lockers, finding their classes and getting 

them interested with clubs. After that, our roles 

became more personal and we became their tutor, if 

they needed one, or just a shoulder to lean on. Being 

a senior mentor to my freshmen was almost like being 

their older sibling. We watch out for them, lead them 

in the right direction, boost their confidence. … I love 

all three of my freshmen very much, and I know that 

when I go away, I’m going to miss them. They all have 

their own unique personalities that I came to love and 

appreciate. 

Why was it important for you to give back to your 

fellow students and community during your high 

school career? 

I grew up in an environment where helping others 

was always a priority. My parents are very generous 

and kind people. My dad would buy homeless people 

food, and my mom has bought a couple of my classmates 

a wardrobe before. She also provided Christmas 

for a family who couldn’t afford it. So growing up seeing 

how happy my parents made other people, it 

made me want to do the same. I found my passion in 

helping people. 

Why did you choose to serve in the military 

after graduation? 

A lot of my family is in the military, and I see the 

sacrifice they make for our country. And I feel that this 

is one of the best ways to give back and help. I no 

longer had to choose between being a doctor or an 

Army soldier because I realized that I could do both. I 

just want to serve my country and help our soldiers. 

— Donna Weaver

10 


DANIEL 

BRION 

Age: 17 

High school: Cedar Creek 

Hometown: Egg Harbor City 

Parent: Denise Brion 

Community/school activities: Volunteer for four 

years with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Atlantic & Cape May 

Counties; member of Future Leaders of America; Cedar 

Creek High School wrestling team; Volunteer for local 

events such as the Atlantic County Utilities Authority’s 

Earth Day festival as well as various marathons and races; 

volunteer at St. Peter’s Methodist Church of Ocean City; 

certified lifeguard 

Post-high school plans: Attending Rowan University 

in Gloucester County for two years in a nursing program, 

then moving to another school 

Career goals: Nursing 

The resume for Cedar Creek High School senior Daniel 

Brion shows a determined young man who volunteers 

seemingly every free hour he has. But he’s seen hardships 

as well, muddling through the foster care system for six 

years. He said he’s taking some of his experiences and 

applying them toward his future. 

What have you learned from being in the foster 

care system for six years that you think will aid you 

in your future endeavors? 

Growing up in the foster care system, you’re in a situation 

where you can’t control anything. You just have 

to go through it. Throughout everybody’s life, something 

bad is going to happen. That’s what I thought 

when I was brought up in the foster care system, and 

sometimes it was hard for me to understand why. But 

it got better, and now I’m taking the full chance to use 

the foster care system for college and other uses. It’s a 

learning experience. It’s a wake-up call. I was taken 

away at 12, but I had to hang in there. It wasn’t my 

choice. Not everything will go your way. 

In your recommendation letter, your English teacher 

said you’re not afraid of working hard or being challenged. 

Where does that come from for you? 

I just want to get it done. I guess you could say I like 

to get things done. To get your work done quickly, it’s 

less stressful on that person. That’s what I want to do 

in college, get my work done quickly. It’s like eating 

your vegetables, kind of like that. The way I think 

about it, it’s doing what’s here and now. The hard 

work will pay off later. 

When did you decide your career path 

would lead you to nursing? 

I always wanted to be in the military. But a lot of 

people said I had a great personality to work with 

people. I saw I was very nice and gentle with people. 

To be honest, I was good working with other people. 

Lifeguarding is like that. I started looking up all the 

type of stuff for nursing, the schooling and the different 

paths to get there. I decided that’s what I wanted 

to do, especially saving people. It’s way different 

than lifeguarding, but it’s the same mental place. 

— Sara Tracey


JULIA 

DALZELL 

Age: 18 

High School: Holy Spirit 

Hometown: Linwood 

Parents: Lori and Jim Dalzell 

Community/school activities: Hoops for All 

volunteer, Shore Memorial Hospital volunteer, 

Camp TAG volunteer counselor, president of 

student government, Mock Trial attorney, varsity 

tennis, band, Big Sister Program, Spirit 

Ambassador, Book Club 

Post-high school plans: To attend a four-year 

university 

Career goals: To work with children, preferably 

by becoming a special education teacher 

Julia Dalzell’s driving goal is to help people, especially 

children. In part, this drive relates to having celiac disease, 

an illness that causes her food allergies. She wants 

to help others suffering from the disease. She’s also driven 

by a need to help people through volunteer work, 

something she hopes will spur other people to work in 

their communities for the benefit of their neighbors and 

friends. 

What was the driving force behind your work at 

Camp TAG? 

When I was diagnosed with celiac disease eight 

years ago, I really didn’t have many people to talk to 

about it. When I heard about Camp TAG (which is a 

camp for youths with food allergies), I said this is a 

chance to help others. School is a challenge because 

I’ve never had a school lunch. I did crew for two 

years. They usually would cook by the river, and we 

would have to figure something out for me to eat. I 

definitely have some advice to give to the kids. Camp 

TAG was a normal day camp, but those there had 

allergies that would cause their throats to close or 

cause them to break out into a rash or hives. We had 

their medications ready and carried them in a cooler 

wherever they went. I was rewarded by the belief 

that I made a difference in some of their lives. I had 

the 9-year-old group. They were so cute. 

Why is volunteering so important to you? 

I guess a big part is the feeling you get after you 

volunteer. It doesn’t feel like work. I usually pick 

something that involves kids, like Hoops for All. They 

were kids with cerebral palsy or Down syndrome. 

That prohibited their ability to play basketball. We 

acted as a referee or stood next to them while they 

played. A lot of them learned the sport as they went 

along and wound up not needing us anymore. 

Would you encourage other people to work in 

their communities to help those in need, and how 

would you do that? 

Definitely, especially when they’re in college. I 

always wanted to do that alternative spring break. 

My cousin did that and had a great time. You feel like 

you’ve accomplished something and they can’t take 

that away from you. It’s addictive, and you want to do 

more. 

— Thomas Barlas

12 


RYAN 

FADER 

Age: 18 

High School: Atlantic City 

Hometown: Margate 

Parents: Susan and Keith Fader 

Community/school activities: Boys basketball 

team; baseball team; founder of Starz Shine 

Foundation, a charity organization; member of 

the school’s Z-Club, a community volunteer 

group; National Honor Society; volunteer at 

Hoops for All and Field of Dreams, two organizations 

that help kids with mental and physical 

disabilities play basketball and baseball 

Post-high school plans: Attend Duke University 

to study pharmaceutical sciences in a 

six-year program 

Career goals: To go into pharmaceutical research 

and help come up with treatments for diseases 

Ryan Fader may seem like the ultimate high school jock 

based on the number of teams he plays on, but the basketball 

and baseball player is more interested in volunteering in his 

community and studying chemistry on most days. In recent 

years, he’s worked to give back to organizations in his own 

backyard. At Duke University this fall, he will take his interest in 

math and chemistry further by pursuing a career in the pharmaceutical 

field. 

Many organizations in Atlantic City, such as the 

Boys and Girls Club, have struggled in recent years. 

How does your charity foundation help youth in 

Atlantic City? 

Ever since I was young, in fourth grade, I would go to the 

Boys and Girls Club and the Police Athletic League center to 

play basketball. When I read in the paper that the Boys and 

Girls Club might close, it made me want to do something 

about it. I started a charity, went around to a bunch of different 

restaurants and raffled gift certificates to raise money for 

the club. It helps with funding programs, getting art supplies, 

keeping the basketball courts open so that kids stay off 

the streets and can have fun. 

What kind of role has sports played in your life, and 

how will it affect you going forward into college? 

You meet all different kids. You have your friends at 

school, and then you have your basketball and baseball 

friends. You create relationships that you’ll have for the rest 

of your life. I have one friend who is also a senior, and we’ve 

been playing together since fourth grade. We’re still buddybuddy. 

I have another friend who lives all the way out in 

Galloway Township, and we might not still be friends if it 

wasn’t for basketball. The bond you create is unique. I still 

want to play in college, but I don’t know on which level. I’ll 

decide when I get down there. 

College is full of new experiences, harder course 

work and meeting new people. In what ways have 

you learned to address challenges and overcome 

them? 

I feel like ever since I was a young age, I’ve been very nice 

to everyone, always included everyone, open to being 

friends with everyone. Whenever something was going on 

with a situation, maybe something shady, I would decide to 

stay home and just be by myself. Another night, I’ll go and 

hang out with friends. I don’t need others’acceptance, and I 

don’t need to do things to please others. If they respect me, I 

respect them, and I think that’s how it will be when I get to 

college and there are new people. 

— Nicole Leonard


FRANK SHEPPARD 

FAVERZANI 

Age: 17 


Hometown: Ocean City 

Parents: M. Susan Sheppard and Frank Faverzani 

Community/school activities: Eagle Scout; varsity 

captain of squash team; secretary general for Model 

United Nations; senior peer leader at St. Damien 

Youth Group; vice president of St. Augustine Prep’s 

Arabic club; congressional intern for U.S. Rep. Frank 

LoBiondo, R-2nd; activities volunteer at Wesley 

Manor; National Honor Society; Jersey Men History 

Club 

Post-high school plans: Attend Georgetown 

University in Washington, D.C., and study in the 

school of foreign service 

Career goals: Get a law degree 

Frank Sheppard Faverzani is a jack of all trades. When 

he’s not on the court playing on his high school’s squash 

team, he focuses on school work and getting out in the 

community to help others. That includes doing the community 

service necessary to become an Eagle Scout. He 

isn’t afraid to take on challenging subjects, such as learning 

to speak Arabic, and he hopes that drive will lead him 

into the next phase of his life in the nation’s Capitol. 

Many of the activities and organizations you 

belong to involve helping people. What first 

inspired your passion for public service work and 

volunteerism? 

I think my mom was a major factor. She is a public 

servant on the Ocean City Council and a freeholder. 

She instilled since I was very young that public service 

was very important. I really had that foundation 

maxed out when I got to St. Augustine Prep, and the 

people there definitely helped further my values of 

helping people. 

You completed a rim-to-rim exploration of the 

Grand Canyon to win the United States Congress 

Congressional Award Gold Medal. What was 

unique about that experience? 

We slept over on the north rim, and then we woke 

up really early, hiked to the bottom and stayed overnight 

at a lodge there. The next day, we walked all the 

way to the top, so it was about 23 miles. It was strenuous, 

and I probably should have done more running 

before going. But it was a worthwhile experience. And 

I went with my uncle, who was also an Eagle Scout. It 

was a good bonding experience. I’m glad I really 

pushed myself to do that. I learned a lot about myself. 

Not many people can play squash, learn to speak 

Arabic and say they have interned for a congressman 

by the age of 17. How do you think these 

experiences and skills help you achieve your college 

and career goals? 

They’re all different, but rooted in the values that 

were instilled in me by my parents to one, be a servant 

to others, and two, have an innate desire to learn 

and understand different things. I push myself to learn 

something new. I never ever played squash or spoke 

Arabic before I went to St. Augustine, and they 

opened my eyes to a lot of possibilities. I would not 

have gone to Georgetown University to learn foreign 

services had I not learned Arabic and met my professor. 

During my internship with the congressman, I 

lived alone in Washington, D.C., at 16 years old. It was 

a new experience and helped push me to realize what 

my goals are, to pursue policy goals and see the inner 

workings of a Capitol system. 

— Nicole Leonard

14 


MICHAEL 

GILLEN 

Age: 18 

High school: St. Augustine Prep 

Hometown: Sewell 

Parents: Michael and Lisa Gillen 

Community/school activities: Student government, 

Wishrock Enterprises, Rendell Center for Civic 

Engagement, St. Augustine baseball and rugby teams, 

National Honor Society, St. Augustine Prep Hermit 

Ambassadors, University of Pennsylvania Model 

Congress, North Vineland Little League instructor, 

AMVETS Mantua Post 77 community service. 

Post-high school plans: Attend college, likely 

Villanova, majoring in finance and business with 

plans to become an investment manager or 

financial planner 

Michael Gillen’s introduction to community service 

started early when, as a child, he started carrying a small 

rock in his pocket on trips to the hospital for his asthma. 

The rock made him feel better, and when he gave one to 

a grieving cousin, word spread, and Wishrock Enterprises 

was formed. Gillen spent many years talking to children 

about Wishrocks and realized that helping others feel 

better also made him feel good. The St. Augustine Prep 

senior did an internship with the Rendell Center for Civic 

Education last summer and plans to study business and 

finance in college. A run for public office may also be in 

his future. 

What is Wishrock Enterprises, and how did it come 

about? 

As a child, I had severe asthma and had to go to the 

hospital a lot. We had a rock garden, and I chose a 

rock that was small enough to fit in my hand and 

started carrying it around with me. When my dad 

asked me why, I said it just makes me feel better. One 

of my cousins lived across the street, and we were 

close. When his grandfather died, I gave him the rock 

and it made him feel better. We started Wishrock 

Enterprises and started giving rocks away. Then it 

turned into a fundraiser. We had a partnership with 

the United Way. It’s been a humbling experience. My 

life is amazing. I go into schools and hospitals and 

talk to kids. People just want someone to listen to 

them and show they care. I’m just a normal kid. 

Giving back doesn’t have to be fancy — just talking 

to someone makes a difference. It’s fun, and I feel 

happy when I do it. 

Why do you think you might run for public office 

one day? 

I was raised to follow my dreams and give back. In 

middle school, I had a teacher who talked passionately 

about civic engagement. I feel like I’ve been 

blessed in life, and I think I have a duty to stand up 

and give back. 

What was your work with the Rendell Center for 

Civic Engagement? 

I came on as an intern last summer and gave input 

on how to connect with children and get them into 

civic engagement. I suggested lighthearted discussions 

on issues, games and situations like mock trials 

that get students interested and involved. I helped 

develop lesson plans but also ran for coffee and 

whatever else they needed. 

— Diane D’Amico


VERONICA 

GLICK 

Age: 17 

High School: Egg Harbor Township 


Parent: Kathleen Glick 

Community/school activities: School bowling team 

captain; yearbook editor-in-chief; softball team member; 

Senior Ambassador peer leadership program; 

school TV program participant; Egg Harbor Township 

youth softball volunteer and a participant in various 

film contests 

Post-high school plans: Attend Atlantic Cape 

Community College for two years, followed by 

Fairleigh Dickinson University or Rowan University, 

then enrolling at the New York Film Academy 

Career goals: To finish college with majors in 

communications and business 

Veronica Glick grew up in an atmosphere where alcohol 

and drug abuse were the norm. But instead of succumbing 

to these negative influences, she developed a 

long list of achievements — from being editor-in-chief of 

the Egg Harbor Township High School yearbook to being 

elected to the Senior Ambassador program that mentors 

incoming freshmen. In doing so, she gained self-respect 

and learned to be comfortable in her own skin. 

Glick found dedicating herself to sports has helped 

keep her on the right path. She has played on her 

school’s softball team for four years and is captain of the 

bowling team. In addition, she uses her passion for film 

to inspire others to stay away from drugs and alcohol. 

She recently took second place in a national film competition 

about drug-free youth. 

You said your passion for film and dedication to 

sports have helped you stay away from bad influences. 

How did you develop your passion for 

sports and film? 

I started to make my own films when I was in high 

school. Michael Coyne, who retired, and Kristen Dirato, 

who went to Atlantic County Institute of Technology, 

they used to be in the media department. I started playing 

tee-ball when I was 4 years old. The youth softball 

program I’ve been with 12 years. Last year was my last 

year with them because I turned 17. 

You have a fear of heights. What was it like when you 

had to fly on an airplane for the first time for spring 

training with your high school softball team? 

I always had a fear of heights. I can’t explain it. I was 

the only available catcher able to make the trip. If I 

didn’t make the trip, there would be no catcher. My 

coach, Kristi Troster, and one of my teammates said, 

“You will be OK, sit down and relax and try not to 

focus on it.” 

You have worked in the media program, television 

station and yearbook, but you have also been 

bowling team captain and a member of the softball 

team. What do you get out of your more artistic 

or creative efforts versus your sports pursuits? 

Sports, it helps with my frustration. I let it out in my 

sports. With my creative side, I like to show what I can 

do. I can say, ‘Wow, that really helped me. I experienced 

it. I can help other people get through it.’ 

— Vincent Jackson

16 


CHRISTOPHER 

GROSS 

Age: 17 

High school: Holy Spirit 


Parents: John and Helene Gross 

Community/school activities: Eagle Scout, 

National Honor Society, Music Honor Society, tutor, 

altar server, food bank volunteer, mock trial, 

football, baseball, soccer 

Post-high school plans: Attending Cabrini College, 

then transferring to Temple University to become 

an orthodontist 

Giving back to the community has always been one of 

the main focuses for Christopher Gross. From tutoring 

other students to helping build a new equipment shed 

for his school as his Eagle Scout project, Gross is constantly 

looking at how he can give back. In spite of his 

busy schedule, he maintains a 3.9 grade point average. 

His hard work has earned him a full scholarship to 

Cabrini College in Pennsylvania. 

Your Eagle Scout project was a huge undertaking 

for you and the school. How do you think it prepared 

you for college and the rest of your life? 

Using organizational skills was huge. I had never 

really had to stick to a set date before, and I had a 

bunch of people I had to coordinate with, including 

the teams not using the field, the weather and when it 

was good for the company. So I had to pick a set date, 

stick with it and roll with the punches. It just made me 

grow up quick and realize that in life I’m going to have 

to set dates. Things may not go as planned, but I just 

have to keep working with it to get to the goal. 

You are involved in several sports and activities such 

as football, baseball, altar serving, band, Eagle 

Scouts, National Honor Society, tutoring other students, 

etc. How do you fit this all into one day? 

It’s hard to fit it all in one day. I start the day at 6 a.m. 

and go to bed at 11:30 p.m., and my time is spent at 

these activities. It’s hectic, but it’s a fun hectic. In the fall, 

I have football practice until about 6 p.m. and then I go 

tutor some kids until as late as 9:30 p.m. and then I have 

to do school work, make valentines or candy bears at 

Halloween for the National Honor Society and start 

reading over music for the honor band. I was busy pretty 

much all day, but I think having a full schedule makes 

you the best version of yourself. 

A lot of the activities you participate in involve 

giving back to the community. How will being an 

orthodontist help you give back to the community? 

I’ve always liked being able to socialize and be out 

there with the community. I think being an orthodontist 

is good patient interaction. It’s an upbeat job, and 

it’s medical so you can help people for cosmetic or 

painful reasons. You can help people, still be social 

and use your resources to help people in need, like 

giving braces to inner-city kids that can’t afford it. I 

view it as a way to give back. 

— John DeRosier


SARAH 

HOLT 

Age: 18 

High School: CharterTech High School 

for the Performing Arts 

Hometown: Galloway Township 

Parents: Susanne and Rich Holt 

Community/school activities: A member of the Girl 

Scouts for twelve years, she has won both the Bronze and 

Silver awards (silver requires a 50-hour community service 

project); vice president of the student council; CEO of the 

school’s vocal department. Interact Club; winner of the 

Hugh O’Brien Leadership Award. Member of U.S. Rep. 

Frank LoBiondo’s Youth Advisory Council. Has been in a 

band with her cousin since she was 12 years old. She also 

participates in her school theater productions. 

Post-high school plans: Attending Stockton University, 

majoring in journalism or literature, with a minor in 

women’s and gender studies 

Career goals: A career in music, perhaps music journalism 

or working in communications at a record company. Her 

dream job would be performing music. 

A triple-threat singer, guitarist and piano player, Sarah 

Holt hopes to one day bring her own music and lyrics to the 

world. Holt has spent her high school career at Charter Tech 

honing her craft. Heralded by one teacher as a student of 

incredible promise, Holt said she finds joy in helping others. 

She is the recent recipient of the Girl Scouts’ Silver Award, 

which she earned by creating wheelchair-accessible gardening 

carts for patients at the Betty Bacharach Rehabilitation 

Center in Galloway. 

Being a member of the Girl Scouts is clearly an 

important part of your life. What are the most important 

lessons the organization has taught you? 

I think that the most important lesson is this idea of 

teamwork. For 12 years now, I have been working with 

these girls and doing really amazing stuff with them, 

making a difference with them. And I wouldn’t have 

been able to do it by myself. It is definitely a team effort. 

I think Girl Scouts is all about overcoming different challenges 

and learning new things, but also learning those 

different things from each other. 

You write your own music. What is that experience 

like? Any role models in the music industry? 

Writing your own music is really very nerve-racking 

because it is such a personal thing to be doing, sharing 

that personal part of you with others. I think that part of 

sharing, even though it is so personal, is so other people 

can relate to it and you can relate to other music that 

others are putting out. I love Joni Mitchell. She is my alltime 

favorite. I also like the Beatles and Fiona Apple. Joni 

Mitchell, her music is so beautiful. You feel something 

when you listen to her. She is very emotional, and she is 

just really relatable. 

You earned an award for the wheelchair-accessible 

gardening carts project you organized with your Girl 

Scout troop at the Bacharach center. What went into 

that project? What made you decide to pursue it? 

It took a lot of time and planning to do. It also 

involved other people from my community and the Girl 

Scout troop as well. It was just a really cool experience 

because not only did we get to do something that we 

enjoyed, but we got to help other people who weren’t 

in the position to be gardening, to get enjoyment as 

well. We had been going there just to spend time with 

the patients before I came up with the idea for the project. 

I just kind of saw that it wasn’t a great time being 

there, being in a wheelchair and going through the 

rehabilitation after surgeries and whatnot. I wanted to 

make things more positive for them. 

— Cindy Stansbury

18 


BRENDAN 

HONICK 

Age: 17 



Parents: Stuart and Clare Honick 

Community/school activities: Organized a hat/towel 

drive for migrant workers in Hammonton; taught an 

English as a Second Language class to migrant workers 

from Haiti; National Honor Society; active in St. Augustine’s 

Model United Nations club, where students from various 

high schools debate world issues 

Post-high school plans: Will attend either the University 

of Scranton or Stevens Institute of Technology. He plans to 

major in computer science. 

Career goals: Plans to work in the financial industry or 

for the government in either a cybersecurity or 

accounting position 

A question occurred to Brendan Honick as he walked 

the aisles of his neighborhood grocery store. Where does 

all this food come from? “You go into your grocery store, 

and you see blueberries,” he said. “You buy them. You 

don’t think of who picked them or where they came 

from.” Honick asked the above question, got the answer 

and decided to help the people on the front lines of getting 

food to the grocery store. He has been involved in 

several projects to help the Haitians and Mexicans who 

work the blueberry farms in Hammonton. He’s involved 

with the organization Migrant Worker Outreach. 

Describe the hat/towel drive you organized to help 

migrant workers. 

I wanted to do something long-lasting. I collected 

items at the Prep and my church (Church of the 

Resurrection in Marmora). I collected over 1,000 baseball 

caps and 400 towels. The hats protect the workers 

from the sun, and the towels are for general hygiene. I 

was able to personally distribute the things I collected 

face to face. I could greet them, say hello. 

Why do you think it’s important to 

reach out to migrant workers? 

When I was collecting the caps and towels, I had 

tons of people come to me and say I never knew there 

were Haitians who worked in Hammonton. No one 

knows about it. Not only was my project able to help 

the Haitians, but it was able to spread awareness that 

they were there in the first place. 

Why do you think it’s important to help people less 

fortunate than you? 

Your community is only as good as how you make 

it. If you don’t spend time helping others in your community, 

things won’t turn out well for you. If you 

spend time helping others, you’re going to make 

friends. You’re going to make other people’s lives better, 

and you’re going to make yourself better. 

— Michael McGarry


MALIHA 

KHAN 

Age: 18 

High school: Atlantic City 

Hometown: Atlantic City 

Parent: Stephie A. Dabies-Khan 

Community/school activities: Varsity cheerleader; 

Boys and Girls Club Champions of Youth Program participant; 

member of Zonta Club, a female-rights advocacy 

group; volunteer cheerleading coach at the 

Pennsylvania Avenue School in Atlantic City 

Post-high school plans: 

Attending Rutgers University 

Career goal: Radiation oncologist 

Volunteering for the sake of it. That’s what Maliha 

Khan is all about. Whether she’s raising awareness 

about epilepsy and lupus or hosting parties for girls 

who’ve experienced tragedy, her motivation is the 

same: Give back. She hopes to continue giving back in 

her professional life as a radiation oncologist. 

Where do you get the energy to volunteer? 

I don’t see the work as volunteer work. It’s just 

something I like to do for my heart. I think that’s why 

I invest so much time. I feel like high school students, 

they do volunteer work just to have something on 

their resume. It’s not just volunteer work. No matter 

what it is, whether it’s passing out water bottles at a 

marathon or taking time out at a hospital to sit with 

patients so they can have someone to talk to, anything 

really. 

How do you spend “me time”? 

I enjoy yoga. When I want to find peace and quiet, 

I sit at home and do my yoga. It’s a time when you 

don’t want to hear music and don’t want to hear 

people talking to you or rushing you, and you just 

want to have peace and relax. It’s a time when I’m 

physically at peace with myself and don’t have to 

physically interact with the world, because we all 

need that. Maybe not every day, but you still need it. 

Why pursue a career in radiation oncology? 

You don’t have to deal with an extreme amount of 

blood and trauma. You build a connection and a 

bond with your patient, and I think that’s what I want 

the most from a career is to bond with a patient. You 

get to see them grow and see them recover, and 

that’s all that I care about. 

— Reuben Kramer

20 


JOVAN 

LUNA JR. 

Age: 18 

High school: Pleasantville 

Hometown: Pleasantville 

Parents: Deborah Christopher and Jovan Luna Sr. 

Community/school activities: National Honor 

Society, National Society of Black Engineers, Mu Alpha 

Theta, Key Club, Student Government Senior Class, 

captain of the boys basketball team; African American 

Club, Teen Pep, employee of afterschool program 

CARE, annual Blood Drive organizer and donor 

Post-high school plans: Attending a prestigious university 

to study industrial engineering 

Career goals: Start a career at a well-established car 

dealership in the area, develop his craft and ultimately 

start a business of his own 

Jovan Luna is trying to be an agent of change in his 

community. He was one of 18 seniors chosen to work 

with younger students in the district and teach them 

about making correct life choices. In addition, he is 

employed as a mentor in the school district’s after-school 

program. “I know that coming from a troubled community, 

the younger generation needs more positive role 

models locally,” Luna said. “I get a charge out of taking 

on leadership roles, because I feel that is what the 

younger generation needs. Guiding youth in the right 

direction is not only a personal accomplishment for 

myself but also a joint effort in reviving our community. I 

need them just as much as they need me.” 

With all the leadership roles you carry in high 

school, how do you think it will prepare you for 

college? 

My leadership roles will help me prepare for college 

in two ways: They help me with time management 

and being more compatible with people of all different 

personalities and those who come from a different 

background than me. 

It appears you spend a lot of time as a community 

volunteer. How do you see yourself contributing to 

the community in the years ahead? 

I plan to host my own food and toy drives, create 

scholarships for high school scholars and, my personal 

favorite, I plan to host an annual carnival in my hometown 

to consistently give children something to look 

forward to. 

With all of the activities that you are involved in, 

how do you find a balance among all of them? 

I created a schedule of which days I can attend each 

club. 

— Nicholas Huba


MONICA 

MAHON 

Age: 17 

High School: Mainland Regional High School 

Hometown: Northfield 

Parents: Dennis and Marissa Mahon 

Community/school activities: Marching band for her first 

two years in high school and then moved to flag-spinning 

for the high school’s color guard. She also participated in a 

World Class Color Guard competition outside of school. 

Mahon is director of design for the Mainland newspaper, 

for which she also wrote an article about women in the 

tech industry and discussed the troubling disparity and 

gender gap in the tech world. She is in the computer club 

at school. 

Post-high school plans: Attending Rowan University, 

majoring in computer science. She hopes to 

be accepted into the five-year master’s program 

at the university. 

Career goals: Monica said she wants to start her career as 

a computer programmer and then move on to something 

that involves the designing of operating systems. 

Monica Mahon used to play videogames with her brother 

when they were kids. As they grew older, she saw people asking 

her brother for tech advice when she knew just as much or 

more than he did on the subject. And he would receive all the 

newest tech gifts instead of her. Mahon quickly realized the 

gender gap that exists in the tech industry — an industry she 

hopes to one day be a part of. Mahon said overcoming gender 

inequality has, at times, been difficult, but she was always a 

participant in the tech community, enrolling in AP Computer 

courses at her high school despite being one of only three girls 

in the class. She is a member of the computer club and is the 

director of design for her school’s newspaper. As a senior, 

Mahon is heading to Rowan University to pursue a master’s 

degree in computer science. She wants girls in South Jersey to 

know that they can help make that gender gap smaller. 

Monica, you discussed in your essay that, as a woman 

in the tech world, you felt like a minority. How have you 

overcome this problem? 

When I first got started, it was a little intimidating. Even at 

Mainland, I was one of only three girls in my computer class. 

And now I’m still one of only four in my senior (computer) 

class. When I went to Rowan University’s open house, there 

were prospective students gathered and learning about the 

computer sciences programs, and I asked a professor how 

the gender gap is. And the professor said it was still pretty 

bad. It’s still something I’m overcoming, but it’s something 

you just have to overlook and push through. 

What externally got you interested in pursuing a career 

in computer sciences and what internally has kept you 

so energetic in the subject? 

When I was little, my brother would always get 

videogames and we would bond and play videogames 

together. And my dad is a system analyst, and he was 

always energetic about it and very influential to me 

throughout my education. Once I started taking classes, I 

realized I was good at it and it was a whole new way of solving 

problems, which I loved to do. 

What advice would you give other girls who want to 

pursue their dreams in the tech world? 

I would just say to not be afraid of trying something new. 

You have nothing to lose if you take one course. And if you 

do like it, you shouldn’t be afraid of trying to pursue it as a 

career. I just want girls to know that they can do something 

even if they aren’t comfortable with it at first. I look at myself 

as a role model for other girls who are trying to find a place 

in the tech world, despite being in a minority. 

— Maxwell Reil

22 


JEFF 

MARTINE 

Age: 17 

High school: Vineland 

Hometown: Vineland 

Parents: Jack and Susan Martine 

Community/school activities: Senior class president; 

on the Academic Team; Model Congress; Rep. Frank 

LoBiondo’s Youth Advisory Committee; executive 

board member of the Interact Rotary Club; Mayor 

Ruben Bermudez’s arts ambassador; National Honor 

Society member; secretary of the Search for 

Conscience Club, which is also a class about the 

Holocaust that conducts service projects. On the varsity 

lacrosse team, Martine has played every position 

and even acted as manager for some games. 

Post-high school plans: Attending American 

University in Washington, D.C., in the fall, majoring in 

political science and possibly going on to law school 

Career goals: Practice Constitutional law and 

eventually run for public office 

Jeff Martine’s teachers are used to him being pulled out of 

class. When you’re carrying a full course load and involved in 

nearly a dozen activities, that tends to happen. But Vineland 

High School’s senior class president keeps everything straight 

with a prioritized list and a calendar listing every meeting 

and lacrosse game. 

You were able to win the senior class presidency 

without becoming negative. That often isn’t the case 

with national politics. How do you see being able to 

change the way political campaigns are run? 

I derive all of my philosophy from the works of Jesus 

and the Bible. I try to abide by the Golden Rule. Treat 

others as you would be treated. ‘Love others as I have 

loved you.’Ithink people need to just take a step back 

and ask, ‘Why am I doing this? Why am I running for this 

office? Why am I saying the things I’m saying?’Donald 

Trump can blast John Kasich until he’s blue in the face, 

but what does that help? People need to understand 

words have power, and they need to take responsibility 

for their words. That’s a big one: Taking responsibility for 

your words. Some of these candidates have no regard for 

what they say, and that’s sad. 

A lot of people feel left out of the political process or 

disenfranchised by what their leaders are doing. Do 

your peers feel that way? 

That word, disenfranchised, that says it all. Some people 

don’t run for political office because they’re either too 

scared or because they feel they don’t know enough or 

people pressure them out of it. I don’t think that should 

be. Everyone’s opinion matters, and everyone has a 

point of view. I know, personally, my Board of Education 

has done things without keeping the students in mind. 

There’s a sense of being disenfranchised. I think a lot of 

the students are feeling left out. Things are so fluid at 

the high school, always changing. I think there needs to 

be more involvement and more trust. Trust is big. You 

have to be able to trust the students to understand and 

respond to changes being made. I go to every single 

Board of Education meeting, and I give a report on the 

well-being of the school. I think just being able to represent 

everybody at my school, I really enjoy that. It gives 

purpose to the Board of Education because without the 

students, what’s the point? I really like being a voice of 

the people who oftentimes are left out of decisions that 

affect them the most. 

What would you like to see as your 

legacy at Vineland High School? 

The elections are coming up for the incoming class, 

and the biggest thing I’ve been trying to infuse in school 

is to unify the school and the community, because without 

the community there would be no school. There 

would be no support. It goes both ways, I think. Without 

the school, no one would be educated. It’s acornerstone 

of Vineland. I’d really love there to be a more tangible connection 

with the high school and the community. 

— Lynda Cohen


MAYRA 

MARTINEZ 

Age: 18 

High school: Pleasantville 

Hometown: Pleasantville 

Parents: Orlando Martinez and Voila Ruiz 

Community/school activities: JROTC for four years, currently 

battalion commander; Junior Achievement — 

High School Heroes; leader of the Thanksgiving Food 

Basket Drive; National Honor Society; varsity soccer team; 

varsity softball team; Raider team competition; Women’s 

Future Leadership Forum; South Main — Rise Up 

Ceremony leader; American Red Cross Blood Drive leader 

Post-high school plans: Attending Atlantic Cape 

Community College for two years, then transferring to 

Rowan University to major in accounting 

Career goals:“I’m not sure yet. I’m waiting to see 

what happens.” 

Mayra Martinez entered Pleasantville High School determined 

to stand out from the crowd. Mission accomplished. 

After joining the school’s JROTC (Junior Reserve Officers’ 

Training Corps) as a freshman, she steadily rose up the 

ranks to be selected over 145 other cadets to become battalion 

commander. In addition to her JROTC responsibilities, 

she also found time to participate in a mentoring program 

at a local elementary school as part of Junior 

Achievement, helping the school’s annual Thanksgiving 

Food Basket Drive while competing as a member of the 

Greyhounds’ varsity girls soccer and softball teams. 

What prompted you to join JROTC as a freshman? How 

did you wind up becoming battalion commander? 

My older brother (Rodolfo, a 2010 Pleasantville graduate) 

joined JROTC, and he used to come home with all 

these medals and awards. That made me want to do the 

same thing in order to make my parents proud. Once I 

joined, I made it my long-term goal to become battalion 

commander. I figured the best way to do that was to 

stick out from everyone else and not just stand in the 

back. That was very tough for me because I’m a shy person 

by nature. I just forced myself to come out of my little 

shell and was able to overcome my shyness. To finally 

earn that honor was probably my biggest achievement 

at Pleasantville. It proved that all my efforts over the last 

four years were worth it, and I was able to show my parents 

that I did something good. 

What is your role in the Junior Achievement program, 

and what kind of impact has that had on you? 

When we’d go to the elementary school, it’s usually two 

of us per class and we can have anywhere from 12 to 22 

students. We didn’t worry as much about teaching them 

math or other subjects. We focus on teaching the kids life 

lessons. We teach things like how to earn money and how 

to take care of what you earn. We wanted to teach them 

things they are going to need later in life. I did that for 

three years, and then I served more as a mentor for the 

other instructors this year. I watched how they taught 

the kids and gave them advice and recommendations. 

Pleasantville’s softball team has struggled in recent 

years. What kind of lessons did you learn from playing 

both softball and soccer? 

I played both sports for two years. I concentrated on 

JROTC programs the first two years, then wanted to get 

more involved with school programs the next two years. 

Soccer was different because I had never played before. I 

played defense, and my role was to keep the ball from 

getting to our goalie. I play second base and right field for 

the softball team. We haven’t won too many games, but 

we don’t really see it as being about winning. All we care 

about is having fun, working together and being part of a 

team. It may not show on the scoreboard, but we’ve 

improved a lot since last season. And we’re having fun. 

— David Weinberg

24 


DANTE 

MOORE 

Age: 18 



Parents: Michael and Glorist Moore 

Community/school activities: Junior Football 

League coach, varsity football, varsity track, Friday is 

Tie Day Mentorship Program, Union Baptist Temple’s 

Feeding Ministry 

Post-high school plans: Studying 

engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, 

playing football for the Quakers 

Career goals: Engineering 

Dante Moore is carrying a heavy senior course load 

with six Advanced Placement courses in English, psychology, 

calculus, physics, French and statistics. Teacher 

Carol Wilkinson describes him as a role model. “I have 

personally witnessed him mentoring a student new to 

our school,” she said. “Inside the classroom, Dante sets a 

fine example. He is what every teacher dreams of in a 

student.” 

What do you think football teaches about life? 

It teaches you perseverance in the face of adversity, 

to keep on keeping on. It teaches you cooperation 

and working well with others, especially in my personal 

experience. We never had the best of records, but 

we always played well together and had a good bond. 

You’ve served in a mentoring program called 

Friday is Tie Day. What is that? Why are mentors 

important? 

There was a man from my church, Darrell Edmonds, 

who founded this group called Friday is Tie Day. 

People normally dress down on Fridays. We’re trying 

to show we’re different from the crowd and dress up 

on Fridays. He did a lot of community service and 

tried to make men out of boys. I think mentoring is 

important because it gives you someone who tells 

you to keep pushing. A mentor can keep you on the 

right path. 

Do you think being a leader is something you learn 

or something you’re born with? 

I think leaders are made. I think they’re made from 

their work ethic. I think it has a lot to do with their 

environment. As they keep pushing, they become 

leaders. 

— Michael Miller


BELLE 

PINGUE 

Age: 18 



Parents: Connie and Jun Pingue 

Community/school activities: Future Business 

Leaders of America, Key Club International Bulletin 

editor, Class Council webmaster, National Honor 

Society, Medical Science Academy, girls lacrosse team, 

National Latin Honor Society, Atlantic County Toys for 

Kids volunteer, Girls State delegate, Couples for 

Christ-Youth for Life 

Career goals: Attend University of Pittsburgh with 

major in neuroscience, pre-med. Become cardiologist, 

work with Doctors without Borders 

Once a self-proclaimed shy person, Belle Pingue took 

on leadership roles when she entered Egg Harbor 

Township High School. She said she learned to overcome 

her shyness when she agreed to run the school Future 

Business Leaders of America’s annual Nerfball event and 

had to contact sponsors. As a student in the high school’s 

Medical Sciences Academy, she has already done internships 

in sports medicine at the Rothman Institute. 

How did you get interested in medicine and 

neuroscience? 

When I was little, I wanted to be a doctor. I wanted 

to be a lot of things, like a princess, but I would always 

go back to being a doctor. In high school, I was 

accepted into the school’s Medical Science Academy. 

In sophomore year, we had a class on neuroscience 

and genetics, and it was just an amazing class. Right 

now, I am doing a sports medicine internship at the 

Rothman Institute, which is something most students 

don’t get to do until college. I shadow the doctors and 

really see what we are learning. The academy is really 

a great benefit for students who know that they are 

interested in science and medicine. 

You are also in the Future Business Leaders of 

America. How does that connect with your 

career goals? 

As a freshman, I wanted to try everything. I joined 

and fell in love with it. In the world today, everything 

is a business. If you run a medical practice, that is a 

business. There are practical skills that you can use in 

everyday life. The Medical Science Academy was so 

focused that the club let me learn other things I 

wouldn’t learn in class. We did a project on business 

ethics and sweatshops in China. It really broadened 

my horizons. 

I understand FBLA also helped you overcome 

shyness. Were you really very shy? 

I was a very quiet kid. I came from St. Joe’s in Somers 

Point, which is a very small school, to the EHT High 

School, which is so big. But I got involved in things, 

and that helped me come out of my shell. I ran the 

Nerfball event for FBLA, and I was so nervous. I had to 

call sponsors. But it was a success, and I did it again 

this year. Leadership forced me to do it, and I realized 

that in order to be successful, you can’t be shy. 

— Diane D’Amico

26 


MARK 

PINO 

Age: 18 

High school: Mainland Regional 


Parents: Frank and Nancy Pino 

Community/school activities: Gay, Lesbian & Straight 

Education Network National Student Council member; 

GLSEN national student ambassador; GLSEN New Jersey 

Leadership Team youth coordinator; president of the Rally 

for Diversity Club (a gay-straight alliance); New Jersey All 

State Orchestra Symphony & Jazz Band; All South Jersey 

Orchestra, Wind, Symphony & Jazz Band; lead trombone for 

the Mainland Regional Jazz Express; Gilda’s Club 

Noogieland volunteer; co-captain of the Mainland Regional 

Academic Team; National Honor Society 

Post-high school plans: Will attend the Wharton School of 

the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia to get a bachelor’s 

degree in economics 

Career goals: Undecided but may choose managerial consulting. 

Pino wants to have a social impact. Currently, he 

works at Tropicana Atlantic City in the Special Events & 

Promotions department. 

Mark Pino is an excellent student who is involved in 

many activities. He’s also a socially conscious person 

who’s trying to create a safer and more just society. He’s 

a national leader in the Gay, Lesbian & Straight 

Education Network. As a volunteer for Gilda’s Club 

Noogieland, he helps children who are battling cancer. 

He also finds time to play the trombone for the 

Mainland Jazz Express, which has a big-band style and 

plays old-school jazz, and he’ll continue playing in a 

band at the University of Pennsylvania. As a member of 

the National Honor Society, he participates in large 

community events, such as the Walk for Autism and 

blood drives. He likes to travel. He’s learning to speak 

Italian, and he thinks it would be great to study abroad 

or live in Italy. 

What are your goals as a national leader of 

GLSEN? 

Iwant to promote inclusivity and tolerance for LGBT 

people. I started our group at Mainland my sophomore 

year. We promote anti-bullying, LGBT inclusivity and 

awareness. All our projects are based on that. I think my 

calling is to spread light on how LGBT people are bullied 

more than any group and are kept from reaching their 

potential. I want to help spread a positive message to 

build all students up. 

With all your activities and participation in so 

many organizations, what do you think your career 

might be? 

I’m not really sure. It might be managerial consulting, 

where you help companies manage their businesses 

better. That’s what I’m thinking now, but that’s subject to 

change. My main platform is using business solutions to 

solve social problems. There’s a Social Impact Society at 

Penn to help do that. I’m not overwhelmed by all my 

activities, because I’m doing things from the heart. 

What are your hopes and aspirations for your music? 

I have thought about that, playing at a high level, but 

right now the employment aspect of that is dismal. I’d like 

to keep it as it is and concentrate on other interests. I also 

play the piano a little bit at home as a hobby. I like listening 

to alternative indie bands, such as Tokyo Police 

Club and Magic Man. I love the Philadelphia Orchestra 

and see them at least seven times a year at the 

Kimmel Center. 

— Guy Gargan


SAMANTHA 

PRICE 

Age: 17 

High school: Millville 

Hometown: Millville 

Parents: Kathy and Steve Price 

School/community activities: National Honor 

Society, Music Honor Society, varsity soccer, Jazz Band, 

spring musicals, Volunteer Counselor Summer 

Program, volunteer at Millville’s All City Band, Go 

Green Club, Club Soccer 

Post-high school plans: Attending Rowan 

University as an engineering major 

Career goal: Engineer 

Samantha Price is busy. The Millville Senior High 

School student had to complete 200 hours of personal 

and physical development, 400 hours of volunteering 

and a five-day, four-night expedition to earn gold, silver 

and bronze medals at the Congressional Awards, the 

United States Congress’ award for young Americans. 

She’s involved in 10 after-school and community activities, 

covering everything from music to athletics to the 

National Honor Society. Despite a crazy schedule, she 

has maintained a 4.4 grade point average. 

So do you have time to eat or sleep? 

That’s a good question. I just got done with spring 

musicals. It gets really hard to manage your time. My parents 

help me out. 

You said part of the reason you chose Rowan was to 

stay close to where you have grown up and where you 

want to stay after college. Why stay in South Jersey? 

I really like New Jersey in general. I love the weather 

here. I’m close to skiing. I love the beach. I’ve grown up in a 

really good environment being close to my family. This 

town has done a lot for me. I think it’s important to give 

back to the places that you come from. 

What made you choose engineering? 

I’ve always really enjoyed math and physics. I’ve taken 

an engineering class in high school, where we do handson 

building stuff. It was my favorite class I’ve ever taken, 

and that seems like something I could do for the rest of 

my life. 

— Christian Hetrick

28 


SOPHIA 

TALESE 

Age: 18 

High School: Ocean City 

Hometown: Ocean City 

Parents: Jon and Patty Talese 

Community/school activities: Founding partner 

in Mended Threads LLC, a clothing company she 

and her friend created and still run; National 

Honor Society; Student Council recording secretary; 

Best Buddies Club; junior staff dance teacher; 

Relay for Life; 2016 Homecoming Queen; clothing 

drive for Covenant House of Atlantic City; member 

of DECA, an association for marketing students. 

Post-high school plans: Attending the University 

of San Diego in California, majoring in business. 

May look to follow that with a two-year fashion 

program. 

Ocean City high school senior Sophia Talese is ambitious. 

An honors student by day, Sophia has spent her 

nights and weekends since her junior year creating a vintage 

clothing line she and her best friend, Shannon, have 

turned into a burgeoning local business. As someone 

who does not like to be idle, Sophia also enjoys participating 

in student government, fundraising walks and 

dance-a-thons for charity. In her spare time, she enjoys 

dancing, photography and horseback riding. 

What was the spark for the idea for your clothing 

line, Mended Threads, and what have you learned 

from the endeavor? 

Shannon and I bought flannels from local thrift 

shops, altering them through cutting, sewing and 

bleaching, and making them unique and individualistic. 

I wanted to help others find their voice through 

their clothing and help my classmates reveal their true 

colors outwardly. I’ve gained entrepreneurial skills 

through the hands-on experience of budgeting, marketing 

and sacrificing for my company. Mended 

Threads has allowed me to discover who I am and 

what I have to contribute to the world. 

While excelling academically and working on your 

clothing line, you still find time for community 

service. As a successful business owner, how important 

is giving back to the community? 

My time spent doing community service is far more 

rewarding than anything else I’ve done. I feel it adds 

something to a person’s character, and it has opened 

my eyes to how much need there actually is, even in 

my own backyard. Participating in a jean drive for the 

Covenant House of Atlantic City made me aware of 

how many homeless youth there are right here in 

South Jersey. When I’m able to give something back, it 

makes me feel good to have such a positive feedback. 

Last December, for instance, we donated $5 from 

every Mended Threads purchase to Toys for Tots. 

Very few people can claim to have founded a successful 

business before attending college. How has 

your early business success better prepared you for 

what’s ahead, and how do you hope to build upon 

that success in college? 

Mended Threads has gone from a start-up clothing 

line to an advocacy for self-expression. More than just 

starting a business and discovering how it functions, 

I’ve learned to take risks, test my limits and challenge 

my curiosity. I’ve learned how a business works, but 

only on a very small scale. I hope college can provide a 

more global perspective and enlighten me to what 

makes big businesses and corporations tick. Since 

starting a larger corporation is my ultimate goal, I 

know I still have much to learn. 

— Dan Skeldon


JAMIE 

WECHSLER 

Age: 18 



Parents: Caroline Atwood and Lee Wechsler 

Community/school activities: Longtime volunteer with 

Our Children Making Change, a group that encourages 

children to raise money for local good causes; 

senior ambassador at Egg Harbor Township High 

School, helping freshmen feel at home in their new 

school; veteran Sunday School teacher at Sojourn 

Community Church in EHT 

Post-high school plans: Music-education major 

at the University of Delaware, Rutgers University or 

Ithaca College 

Career goals: High school choir teacher, college music 

teacher or music therapist:“Music means so much to me, I 

want to spread my appreciation for music somehow.” 

It’s easy to see why Jamie Wechsler could feel that an 

important cause in her life chose her, not vice-versa. 

One otherwise normal day last June, Wechsler learned 

from a teacher that her classmate, “a beautiful, softspoken 

girl who played in the band and had complimented 

me on my outfit just a week before,” had committed 

suicide. Wechsler almost immediately started 

looking for ways to help other kids who may be feeling 

similarly desperate. 

Why did you respond the way you did? 

“I got home and did some research and found that 

wasn’t just a freak thing; it was something that was 

happening all over the country.” She also found a 

group in Freehold, Monmouth County, “the Society 

for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, and I just knew I 

had to do something for that charity, because I felt 

so strongly about it.” 

Did trying to help make you not feel helpless? 

Did helping somebody else help you? 

Definitely. I think that every person in a community 

does have the ability to help in some way, and in 

turn that does fulfill our human need to serve others. 

And I feel that every person who chooses to contribute 

can make a little impact, and if we all come 

together, that can make a big impact. 

You’re known as a singer at your school and just 

performed the female lead role of Sandy in the 

spring musical, “Grease.” But for another school 

play, you volunteered as head of costumes. Why? 

Some people did ask, ‘What are you doing off 

stage?’ But with that show, I just felt I would contribute 

the most by doing costumes, and it turned out 

to be a really great thing. One of the adult costumers 

told me, ‘You don’t have to have a lead role on stage 

to have a lead.’ Of course, performing is in my blood, 

but being on costumes, you have more time to serve 

as moral support for everyone. 

— Martin DeAngelis

30 


AVERY WYTHE 

Age: 18 

High school: Pilgrim Academy 

Hometown: Port Republic 

Parents: Scott and Patti Wythe 

Community/school activities: Created and operated 

Danceability, a free dance program for people with special 

needs; volunteer and coach with Hoops for All, a basketball 

program in Margate for people with special needs; volunteer 

with Field of Dreams, a baseball program in Absecon for people 

with special needs; dancing and acting; high school varsity 

basketball, soccer and softball team member; church volunteer 

and missionary; junior-year class vice president; 

National Christian Honor Society member; winner of the 

Prudential Spirit of Community Certificate of Excellence 

Award as a top volunteer student in New Jersey; national 

President’s Volunteer Service Award winner 

Post-high school plans: Attending the University of Notre 

Dame, majoring in film, television and theater with a 

specialization in TV/broadcast journalism 

Career goals: Work as a broadcast journalist after graduation 

or attend law school with the intention of becoming a 

human-rights lawyer 

Avery Wythe is a volunteer constantly on the move. 

The No. 3-ranked student in her class of 39 at Pilgrim 

Academy is a three-sport standout who devotes much 

of her time to volunteering with sports programs 

designed for people with special needs. Inspired by a 

cousin with autism, Wythe created Danceability, a free 

dance program for people with special needs, and is 

working to attain nonprofit status to attract funding for 

mentoring, advocating for and supporting those with 

special needs. She also recently won a national science 

competition in South Carolina in which 2,700 students 

competed, earning first place in a biological science fair 

at the American Association of Christian Schools Fine 

Arts Competition. The aspiring broadcast journalist 

admires the work of Katie Couric and former local 

WMGM-TV 40 anchor Michelle Dawn Mooney, who was 

a classmate of Wythe’s mother, Patti. 

Your experience with your autistic cousin led you to create 

Danceability. Have any other issues inspired such a 

response from you? 

Another thing that inspired me to be so active with 

people with special needs is I was diagnosed with ADD 

(attention deficit disorder) when I was 10 years old. I had 

an individual education plan, and I set high goals for 

myself. It was important for me to have that sense of 

achievement. My mom is a strong advocate, and she 

helped me with coping skills and learning to think outside 

the box. She helped me learn in a way that works for me. I 

worked with the Child Study Team this year to develop 

better test-taking strategies, which was very successful in 

yielding improved results for my learning style. There is 

more than one way to learn, more than one way to participate 

and more than one way to succeed. The stigma 

attached to learning disabilities and cognitive or physical 

challenges needs to be removed, and if sharing this information 

helps more young people to better understand 

their own abilities and their best path to success, then I’m 

glad I shared my story. 

Where do you see Danceability in 10 years? How might 

it grow or expand? 

The future of Danceability right now is to obtain 

501(c)(3) status as a nonprofit so I can grow the program 

and keep it 100 percent free. Franchising the program 

might be a future thing for much later. For now, I want to 

be able to offer more classes for more ages with different 

abilities. 

How do you think your experience with Danceability 

will help you in your intended career? 

I definitely think the planning aspect shaped me and 

prepared me. Being organized with class attendance and 

planning the curriculum, plus being in a leadership position, 

all helped me. I learned to express myself clearly and 

to connect with an audience. Those are skills of someone 

you can trust, which is something you need in a news 

anchor or when working with someone’s child. 

— Cindy Nevitt

Kinza Abbas, Egg Harbor Township H.S. 

Phil Andreaci, St. Augustine Prep 

Megha Andrews, Egg Harbor Twp. H.S. 

Jessica Baals, Our Lady of Mercy Academy 

Barbara Bazemore, Pleasantville H.S. 

Samantha Becker, Absegami High School 

Juan-Carlos Belmonte, Atlantic County 

Institute of Technology (ACIT) 

Adam Bengis, ACIT 

Eyrca Bennett, Vineland High School 

Felicia Betts, ACIT 

Justin Bishop, Mainland Regional H.S. 

Nadine Blank, Cedar Creek High School 

Jessica Blume, Cumberland Regional H.S. 

Stephanie Brady, Vineland High School 

Gianna Briglia, Mainland Regional H.S. 

Daniel Brion, Cedar Creek High School 

Jules Catania, Egg Harbor Township H.S. 

Tyajah Cooper, Oakcrest High School 

Ellie Corbett, Atlantic City High School 

Kayla Cranmer, Cape May Technical H.S. 

Steven Cummins, Holy Spirit High School 

Julia Dalzell, Holy Spirit High School 

Lainey Day, Oakcrest High School 

Justin Deissler, Cedar Creek High School 

John DiNofrio II, Mainland Regional H.S. 

Cheyenne Doyle, Cedar Creek High School 

Ethan DuBois, Southern Regional H.S. 

Ryan Fader, Atlantic City High School 

Maria Farnan, Ocean City High School 

Frank Faverzani, St. Augustine Prep 

Emily Filling, ACIT 

Kaci Gallagher, Wildwood Catholic H.S. 

Dante Galletta, Hammonton High School 

Gillian Gaskill, Egg Harbor Township H.S. 

Michael Gillen, St. Augustine Prep 

Nicholas Giunta, Mainland Regional H.S. 

Veronica Glick, Egg Harbor Township H.S. 

Jessica Goff, Saint Joseph High School 

Christopher Gross, Holy Spirit High School 

Shawn Gul, ACIT 

Erika Hernandez, Pleasantville H.S. 

Dominick Hernandez, ACIT 

Tyonna Holloway, Atlantic City H.S. 

Sarah Holt, Charter Tech High School for 

the Performing Arts 

Tyler Hone, Absegami High School 

Brendan Honick, St. Augustine Prep 

Jessica Irvin, Absegami High School 

Juliana Kemenosh, Ocean City H.S. 

Madison Kennelly, Gloucester County 

Institute of Technology 

Maliha Khan, Atlantic City High School 

Isabella Knapp, Our Lady of Mercy 

Benjamin Langbein, Egg Harbor Twp. H.S. 

Jeana Latshaw, Saint Joseph High School 

Alec Levin, Lower Cape May Regional H.S. 

Jovan Luna Jr., Pleasantville High School 

Cindy Luo, Egg Harbor Township H.S. 

Veronica Mackey, Atlantic City H.S. 

Monica Mahon, Mainland Regional H.S. 

Ann Mallett, Middle Township High School 

Jeff Martine, Vineland High School 

Lilani Martinez, Atlantic City High School 

Mayra Martinez, Pleasantville High School 

Isabella Massey, Hammonton High School 

Madison Mathes, Hammonton H.S. 

Agnes McDonough, Egg Harbor Twp. H.S. 

Ave’ McFadden, Holy Spirit High School 

Dante Moore, Egg Harbor Township H.S. 

Jeremiah Motta, ACIT 

Lily Nguyen, Wildwood High School 

Marie Normil, Pleasantville High School 

Genira Nurse, Absegami High School 

Alexis Olivera, Pleasantville High School 

Mariana Orrego, Egg Harbor Twp. H.S. 

Mit Patel, Absegami High School 

Alexandra Peters, Oakcrest High School 

Sara Pietropola, Absegami High School 

Belle Pingue, Egg Harbor Township H.S. 

Mark Pino, Mainland Regional High School 


THE PRESS SALUTES ALL YOUR YOUNG LEADERS NOMINEES 

Samantha Price, Millville Senior H.S. 

Sophia Ragan, Oakcrest High School 

Dimitri Raimonde, Vineland High School 

John Redding, Egg Harbor Township H.S. 

Maren Ross, Oakcrest High School 

Lauren Rutt, Saint Joseph High School 

Emily Rutter, Ocean City High School 

Odaris Santos, ACIT 

Nicholas Schalek, St. Augustine Prep 

Jordan Shinn, Southern Regional H.S. 

Mason Shuemate, Buena Regional H.S. 

Kyra Sidibe, Absegami High School 

Tarryn Slattery, Holy Spirit High School 

Nicholas Stella, Middle Township H.S. 

Colin Stewart, Ocean City High School 

Ian Swire, ACIT 

Sophia Talese, Ocean City High School 

Olivia Torres, Holy Spirit High School 

Elvin Torres, Mainland Regional H.S. 

Kali Verna, ACIT 

Nicole Walter, Hammonton High School 

Jamie Wechsler, Egg Harbor Township H.S. 

Racquel Wynder, Pleasantville High School 

Avery Wythe, Pilgrim Academy 

Samantha Zarankin, Our Lady of Mercy

2016 Press Young Leaders Awards

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