Some 97 seniors inducted into the Watchung Hills Regional High School chapter of the National Honor Society, on Thursday, Dec. 3, in the school’s Performing Arts Center.
Family, friends and school officials gathered to witness the induction, and to hear words from the teacher that this year’s newest chapter members selected as their Teacher of the Year: Social Studies Teacher Greg Biniukow. The Teacher of the Year is also inducted as an Honorary Member of the National Honor Society.
Biniukow is in his 11th year teaching at Watchung Hills, and has taught during that time Modern European History, U.S. History 1, and AP European History. He also acts as advisor to the Mock Trial student activity.
In thanking the students for selecting him, Biniukow said he was humbled, and added he had never before been selected for such an honor.
“Thank you for allowing me to celebrate this night with you,” he said.
He said he felt privileged and grateful when he was hired “to work at such a great school district and community. Tonight, I fell privileged and grateful again.”
Students Dana Bernhaut of Watchung, Palmer Ferrara of Warren Township, Jack Lane of Watchung and Shivam Patel of Green Brook Township spoke about Biniukow. They said he is approachable, easy to talk to, dedicated and a hard worker.
“His class was demanding,” said Bernhaut. “Tests were very challenging, and his essays were very difficult as well. We were often assigned large homework notes packets that could take hours to complete. Mr. Biniukow’s class put a lot on our plates, but for as much effort as we put into our studies, Mr. Biniukow exceeded in his commitment to helping us to succeed.”
Despite being a demanding class, the students said, Mr. Biniukow’s passion and interest in teaching made the class enjoyable.
Connell Rae has been selected president of the Watchung Hills 2015 chapter. Vice President is Jillian Carbone, Secretary is Alyssa Rosenblum, and Treasurer is Ajey Gangwani. Community Service Coordinators are Sylvia Baeyens and Lizann Sung, and Tutoring Coordinators are Indeevar Beeram and Ari Scherzer.
Chemistry Teacher Michelle Madigan is advisor to the National Honor Society. She said this was the 37th annual induction ceremony of National Honor Society members at Watchung Hills. The National Honor Society was founded in 1921. According to society history, the objectives of the National Honor Society have been “to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote worthy leadership, and to encourage the development of character in the nation’s secondary school students.” Inductee David Kalwicz led the Pledge of Allegiance. Superintendent Elizabeth Jewett welcomed parents and students to the ceremony, and Principal George Alexis gave congratulatory remarks. Chapter Student Vice President Carbone played piano as guests gathered in the Performing Arts Center.
Watchung Hills chapter inductees reviewed for the audience the National Honor Society’s cardinal principles: Character, Scholarship, Leadership and Community Service. Discussing what character means was Natasha Hunter; what Scholarship means was Vivian Chen and Isis Zhang; what Leadership means was Lauren Stone and Giuliana Popolillo; and what Community Service means was Allison Bernstein and Parima Kadikar.
The National Honor Society Pledge is: “I pledge to uphold the high purpose of the National Honor Society to which I have been selected. I will be true to the principles for which it stands: to maintain my high scholastic standing, to hold as fundamental and worthy an untarnished character, to endeavor intelligently and courageously to be a leader, and to give myself freely in service to others.”
Inductees received certificates and gold honor cords from Vice Principals Steven Searfoss and Terry MacConnell, Principal Alexis and Superintendent. Honor cords are worn at graduation. Student inductee Rohan Shah presented closing remarks.
This year’s National Honor Society Inductees are: Brooke Aldrich, Hannah Ambinder, Sylvia Baeyens, Rosemarie Baratta, Claire Barrameda, Matthew Battipaglia, Indeevar Beeram, Dana Bernhaut, Allison Bernstein, Kevin Bhattacharyya, Elizabeth Buckley, Jillian Carbone, Timothy Cardona, Jenna Charko, Stephanie Chavanne, Claire Chen, Vivian Chen, Kristin Chin, Olivia Ciraulo, Matthew Corbin, and Lauren Cunningham; and Also, Brian Dempsey, Lori Engler, Palmer Ferrara, James Finnegan, Joshua Gallic, Ajey Gangwani, Molly Garyantes, Ryan Goldberg, Adam Goldstein, Michelle Guo, Ross Heilberg, Alexandra Hentschel, Rachel Hertzberg, Amanda Hopeck, Timothy Hsueh, Jeffrey Huang, Shailaja Humane, Natasha Hunter and Abigail Ingber; and Also Parima Kadikar, David Kalwicz, Sohil Kapadia, Christina Karsos, Jake Karossy, Jack Lane, Devon Lauderdale, Tiffany Lin, Kevin Liu, Natalia Livcha, Lauren Loesberg, Brianna Martins, Paula Moszczynski, Teresa Nguyen, Kelly Novak, Rachel Oberman, Justin Panzarino, Nicole Parisi, Kunwoo Park, Anjali Patel, Pooja Patel, Shivam Patel, William Patterson, Giuliana Popolillo, and Kayla Purcell; and Also, Connell Rae, Anthony Raphael, Alyssa Rosenblum, Anirudh Sagi, Alisha Sahay, Kaitlyn Santucci, Ari Scherzer, Benjamin Scherzer, Kayla Schinik, Greg Scott, Rohan Shah, Christopher Shao, Abigail Shieh, Molly Shulan, Christopher Silva, Hana Spavan, Demetrios Speros, Lauren Stone, Michelle Sucre, Annalise Suitovsky, Lizann Sung, Emily Tang, Matthew Tong, Tinpei Tung, Juhee Vaidya, Timothy Voorhees, Kiera Vrindten, Kristina Woo, Simon Yang, Isis Zhang, Eric Zhu, and Henry Zhu.
(above) Some 97 seniors inducted into the Watchung Hills Regional High School chapter of the National Honor Society, on Thursday, Dec. 3, in the school’s Performing Arts Center. Among the guests and faculty are, from left, Chemistry Teacher and Faculty Advisor Michelle Madigan; students Community Service Coordinators Sylvia Baeyens of Stirling, Treasurer Ajey Gangwani of Green Brook Township; Vice president Jillian Carbone of Gillette, President Connell Rae of Millington, Secretary Alyssa Rosenblum of Millington, and Tutoring Coordinators Indeevar Beeram of Green Brook Township and Ari Scherzer of Warren Township; and Social Studies Teacher Greg Biniukow, who was selected by the new inductees as their Teacher of the Year.
(above) The new members of the 2015 Watchung Hills chapter of the National Honor Society Teacher of the Year, Greg Biniukow, thanked the students for selecting him, and recalled happy memories as their social studies teacher. Among the other people on stage who can be recognized in the background are, from left: Students Alyssa Rosenblum of Millington and Ajey Gangwani of Breen Brook Township; faculty advisor and Chemistry Teacher Michelle Madigan; Superintendent Elizabeth Jewett; Principal George Alexis, and Vice Principals Steven Searfoss and, partially blocked, Terry MacConnell.
(above) Eight friends inducted into the National Honor Society gather in the school’s atrium after the ceremony. They are, from left: Jenna Charko, Lori Engler, Kayla Purcell and Teresa Nguyen, all of Warren Township; Tiffany Lin of Stirling; Lizzie Buckley of Warren Township, Sylvia Baeyens of Stirling and Natasha Hunter of Warren Township.
