SJ Schools: Hopewell Valley RHS

Hopewell Valley Regional High School prepares students to become model citizens in a diverse world. The school prides itself on providing a curriculum that promotes equality and values.

Hopewell has a long standing of housing model students who’ve achieved their hopes and dreams. For the 2002-2003 school year, congratulations to the following students for their hard-earned accomplishments:

The Hopewell United Nations Club brings 47 students together with an interest in international relations. The club helps students build problem-solving, research, and communication skills through debates held at the high school and national competitions. The club competed at the Princeton University Conference and the University of Pennsylvania conference this year and took home nine awards for their outstanding performance. Congratulations to Sean Potucek, Stephen Bruestle, Sarah Kelley, Leslie Saar, Sagar Shah, Ameya Agaskar, John Bergeron, Jonathan Callan, and Noah Pinto for their achievements at the Princeton Conference and to Jonathan Callan, Nathan Blythe, and Noah Pinto for receiving Honorable Mention awards at the larger University of Pennsylvania conference.

Each year the students of Angelo Anastasio’s woodshop class handcraft toys to be donated to the Mercer County Special Services School Districts “Project Child” which provides educational and therapeutic programs for children with special needs. Students select a blueprint in the beginning of the school year and create the toy to be delivered in time for the holiday. Students package the toy with a greeting card and a photo. Congratulations to these students and their dedication to philanthropy.

Congratulations to senior Greg Stephan for winning first place for outstanding achievement in the Electronics/Computer Technology category of the VICA (Vocational/Industrial Clubs of America)-Skills USA competition. The competition awards students each year for their work in technical programs.

It was a banner year for the Hopewell Debate Team, winning the Colonial Valley Conference for the second consecutive year. The debate topic this year was “Resolved: that the United States Federal Government should significantly increase public health care for mental illness.” Congratulations to affirmative debaters Jonathan Callan and Scott Babinowich and the 3-year undefeated negative team of Ameya Agaskar and Sagar Shah. Agaskar also earned a perfect score for her performance, a title no other student achieved in the last three seasons of competition.

The Hopewell Valley High School Jazz Ensemble performed at this year’s Nottingham High School Jazz Festival. Guitarist Joe Stellino received the Soloist Honorable Mention award; pianist Art Lewis won the Best Soloist Award; and Hopewell won the Best Saxophone Section award.

Each year, Mercer County Community College chooses literary work submitted by Hopewell students to publish in their literary magazine Aspirations. Eight students were chosen this year and were honored at a reception held in the spring. Congratulations to Mike Batanian, Morgan Briggs, Annie Clark, Hillary Devlin, Nicole Facompre, Maggie Gustafson, Emily Pan and Mazeratie Stephens.

Caelen Cann, Annie Carney, Julie Carney, Kristen Doran, Julia Firestone, Caitlin Fleming, Jessica Furlong, Tappany Hochman, Kristin Mohary, Sophia Seifert, Caroline Scott, and Heidi Yang attended the Mercer County High School Lock-In this year to raise money to fight family homelessness. Hopewell students raised $300 for the event.

In February, Jessica Paul and Mike Williams were named The Trentonian’s Athletes of the Week. Pall helped the Indoor track team win their second consecutive NJSIAA Group II Indoor Track State Championship this year. Williams helped Hopewell win the Mercer County Wrestling Championship. Congratulations to these hardworking athletes.

Diver Karen Upperco won the county diving title this year, becoming the fifth woman to take home the title for Hopewell in nine years. Although the school does not have its own diving team, the divers compete in the Blue Dolphins Diving Team that is based in Ewing. The team is able to compete in state and county championships representing Hopewell Valley High School.

Congratulations to senior Jonathan Ludwig for being chosen as a candidate for the United States Presidential Scholars Program. The program recognizes students with outstanding talent in visual, creative and performing arts. The program chooses only 40 candidates (20 men and 20 women) from each state based on SAT and ACT scores and their participation in the Arts Recognition and Talent Search.

Hopewell Valley Central High School is located on 259 Pennington Titusville Road in Pennington. For more information, contact (609) 737-1411 or visit www.hvrsd.k12.nj.us/chs.

For more information about what’s going on in our local schools, and what today’s students are up to, visit our SJ Schools page.

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Author: Melissa Samuelson