Twelve Ocean Road Students Named Best of the Best in State Essay Contest

Twelve Ocean Road Elementary School students will be honored at an awards dinner as the Best of the Best in the Celebrate New Jersey 2011 Writing Contest.

Kathleen Palumbo, a fourth-grade Ocean Road School teacher who had her whole class submit entries, said the 12 winning students will be recognized at an awards dinner at Monmouth University on May 13.

And all participating students have been invited to the June 13th Lakewood Blueclaws game against the Hagerstown Suns.

"At the game, all students are invited to march in the pre-game parade, while proudly displaying the Ocean Road School banner," Palumbo said. "The game will be the perfect end-of-school year experience and the entire class is very excited."

More than 6,000 students across the state participated in the essay contest, covering a wide range of topics centered on New Jersey.

Working in groups, the students wrote articles on the subjects of Arts & Entertainment, People, Sports, Travel & Tourism, Science, & Industry/ Business.

For their profile of local artist Paula Kolojeski, students Parker McAllen, Scott Franceschini, Tommy Monica, and Tyler Ivins ranked tops in the area of Arts & Entertainment.

Carlie Vetrini, Rylan Grabis, Gabby LaFalce and Kayleigh Moreland earned a spot among the winners for their Travel & Tourism-themed ode to Sussex County.

The article highlighted some of the county's most popular activities and destinations, such as apple picking, the Space Farm Zoo and Museum and the Chatterbox Drive-in, named one of New Jersey's "Top Ten Local Secrets, Big Finds" by Travelocity.

Eddie Coyne, Damian Grindel, Bryan Hawthorne and Jake Wegener rounded out the school's Best of the Best in the People category for their narrative of Dr. Francis Y. Lee, inventor of Sprycel, the cancer-fighting drug.

Other essays explored such New Jersey attributes as producing some of the nation's best tomatoes and corn, being one of the original 13 colonies and the location of some of the Revolutionary War's most important battles.

It is also the birthplace of Thomas Edison's light bulb and Campbell Soup.

"Celebrate NJ provides a variety of curriculum-based programs designed to instill a sense of pride for our home state," said Palumbo. "In addition to the essay contest, my students are currently participating in the organization's Pen Pal Program, corresponding with a fourth grade class from Upper Saddle River."

"This is quite an achievement for our students," said Ocean Road Principal Sheila Buck. “Celebrate NJ rewards our students while helping them learn more about New Jersey. I’m very pleased that so many of our students were recognized in this popular competition.”

Founded in 2006, Celebrate NJ is a nonprofit organization that engages students in grades three to eight in curriculum-based programs that promote the diversity, beauty, innovation and creativity of New Jersey. 

To find out more about the Point Pleasant School District, visit the district website at www.pointpleasant.k12.nj.us.