NJ students: Linden middle school students create ‘Linden Care Box’ – My Central Jersey

Students at McManus Middle School in Linden build the “Linden Care Box” to allow donated items to put out where those in need could pick them up.

Students at McManus Middle School in Linden built a community donation box outside the school for community members to contribute what they can and take items as they need them.

The “Linden Care Box” outside of McManus Middle School in Linden was created by students who want to give community members a place to donate items to help their neighbors.

Teachers Nicole Marsh and Christine Correia worked with their students to create the “Linden Care Box” as part of the Apple Challenge Series. The box started with donated items for safe indoor activities for children. The theme will change monthly.

The "Linden Care Box" outside McManus Middle School in Linden.

“I would like to extend a huge thank you to all who have donated so far,” Marsh said. “I am seriously so grateful and amazed by the amount of support our community has shown towards the ‘Linden Care Box’ so far. I cannot wait to share this with my students when we return in September and to show them what their effort and kindness has helped to produce.”

READ: The good things students are doing in Central Jersey and beyond

READ: Education news from around the region

READ: College Connection: Advice from local expert columnist

Essex County College

Essex County College Professor Pavi Jalloh, a resident of the Somerset section of Franklin Township, is the college’s new Special Assistant to the President. A faculty member in the college’s Division of Business since 2015, Jalloh will work directly with Interim President Dr. Augustine A. Boakye on day-to-day operations.

Pavi Jalloh, Essex County College special assistant to the president.

Before assuming his new role, he taught Supply Chain Management, Economics and Hospitality Management courses at the college. He was also instrumental in helping to establish the college’s Supply Chain Management Logistics program, serving as coordinator for one year.

“I’ve worked closely with Dr. Boakye when he chaired the Division of Business. I have a strong knowledge of the College and our students,” he said. Jalloh has served as faculty advisor for both the Business Plan Competition and the New Jersey Community College Case Study Competition at Rutgers University.

“Professor Jalloh is extremely dedicated to the students of Essex County College. We’ve worked together on a number of Business Division projects and I look forward to working with him on institution-wide initiatives,” said Boakye.

Prior to coming to Essex County College, Jalloh was an administrator at DeVry University. He earned a Master’s degree in Labor & Employment Relations at Rutgers University. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Oklahoma State University and an Associate degree in Business Administration from Northern Oklahoma College. 

YMCA of MEWSA

The YMCA of Metuchen, Edison, Woodbridge & South Amboy has announced the Ryan Patterson Memorial Scholarship has been awarded to Shreya Shivakumar of Edison.

Shreya Shivakumar of Edison received the Ryan Patterson memorial scholarship award.

The Ryan Patterson Memorial Scholarship was established several years ago in honor of late 27-year-old Metuchen Branch YMCA swim coach and mentor, Ryan Marie Patterson. The recipient must strive for excellence in academics, sports or the arts. In addition, they must demonstrate they have made an impact in their community through volunteer work, a service project or other means, live by the golden rule, have influenced others in a positive way and advocated for others who are less fortunate. The scholarship award is $2,000, which can be used to fund the recipient’s higher education cost.

Shivakumar graduated from J.P. Stevens High School in Edison, where she received the AP Scholar with Distinction medal and earned the NJ Seal of Bi-literacy in Spanish and English. Shivakumar was the president of her school’s Spanish Honor Society and is part of their mock trial team. To address a dire need for food insecurity for people with food allergies and no access or not being able to afford allergy-safe foods, Shivakumar founded Nourish America, a charitable organization that provides allergy-friendly food to people in need. Shivakumar has hosted many allergy-friendly food drives, donating more than 2,800 lbs. of food to communities across the tristate area and has hosted fundraisers which raised $7,000 for this cause. Shivakumar began a partnership with Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to food allergies. Shivakumar joined the FARE Teen Advisory Group and became an anti-hunger and food allergy advocate.  At the virtual FARE Living Teal Global Summit in October, Shivakumar received the inaugural Living Teal Spotlights Award for combating hunger within the food allergy community. As a Girl Scout Ambassador, Shivakumar is educating local Girl Scout troops about food allergy safety and has hosted food allergy education webinars for 430 children in 16 U.S. states.  Shivakumar has also volunteered with the Refugee Assistance Partners (RAP) as an English, Math and Science tutor to refugee children and worked with the organization to provide food to hundreds of refugees affected by the pandemic.

Shivakumar will be attending Barnard College in the fall.

Student and School news appears on Saturdays. Email: cnmetro@mycentraljersey.com

Carolyn Sampson is Executive Office Assistant for the Courier News, The Home News Tribune and MyCentralJersey.com, and handles the weekly Student News page.