Rutgers, Star-Ledger Will Honor Nine Schoolchildren Who Penned Winning Essays About Obama’s Election

WHO: 11 students from eight school districts, Star-Ledger editor Jim Willse; Rutgers University, Newark, Chancellor Steven J. Diner. The overall student winner is Milonee D. Metha, Grade 8, Warren Middle School, Warren, who also won for her grade level. The following won in their respective grade:  Grade 5, Moses Lewis, Hillside School, Montclair; Grade 6, Alexander Scoloveno, Branchburg Central School, Neshanic Station; Grade 7, Shafeeq Ibraheem, Conackamack Middle School, Piscataway; Grade 9, Kaustubh Deshpande, John P. Stevens High School, Edison; Grade 10, James Enzo Tenenbaum, Hanover Park Regional High School, Florham Park; Grade 11, Madeleine Ramos, Hanover Park Regional High School, Florham Park; Grade 11, Jennifer Soong, The Pingry School, Watchung; Grade 12, Komal Thakkar, Howell High School, Morganville.  Also representing the Ledger will be Enrique Lavin, assistant managing editor; Kathleen O'Brien, columnist; George Frederick, innovation editor; and Charles Cooper, former managing editor.

WHAT: A celebration honoring the students who won a Star-Ledger essay contest, “What Obama’s Election Means to Me,” which was open to all school children in the Ledger circulation area.  The overall winner will receive the original artwork from the Ledger’s cover story on the Obama inauguration, while the others will receive limited edition prints of the story (artist Peter Ambush will be at the celebration to personally sign the original and prints.) The student essays will be printed in The Ledger.

WHEN/WHERE: April 16, 5 – 7 p.m., Paul Robeson Campus Center at Rutgers University, Newark, 305 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

CONTACT: Carla Capizzi, 973/353-5263, capizzi@rutgers.edu .