The high school students from Somerset and Hunterdon counties who were honored for their achievements at the 26th annual Paul Robeson Youth Achievement Awards Reception held recently at Raritan Valley Community College. (courtesy photo)
BRANCHBURG - A group of 68 middle and high school students from Somerset and Hunterdon counties were honored for their achievements at the 26th annual Paul Robeson Youth Achievement Awards Reception held recently at Raritan Valley Community College.
This year a special honor, the Mrs. Evelyn Field Visionary Award, was awarded to Noelle Golden of Hunterdon Central Regional High School.
The middle school students from Somerset and Hunterdon counties who were honored for their achievements at the 26th annual Paul Robeson Youth Achievement Awards Reception held recently at Raritan Valley Community College. (courtesy photo)The award is in honor of Field, a founding member of the college's board of trustees who passed away in December. Field, who served on the board for more than 40 years, was a dynamic and compassionate advocate for promoting diversity and equality on campus.
In 1990, she established the Paul Robeson Youth Achievement Program to preserve Paul Robeson's legacy as a role model for excellence.
The awards are named in honor of Paul Robeson, a Princeton native who grew up in Somerville and graduated from Somerville High School and Rutgers University.
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The awards, sponsored by the Paul Robeson Institute for Ethics, Leadership and Social Justice at Raritan Valley Community College, are given in four areas in which Robeson excelled: scholarship, the arts, community service and athletics.
In addition, special "Renaissance Scholars" awards are given to students who excel in a number of disciplines.
The students were nominated for awards by their guidance counselors, teachers and administrators. A special committee of Raritan Valley Community College faculty and administrators selected the award recipients.The following middle school students received special recognition:
Arts
- Tevin Ighalo, Somerville Middle School
- Briana McGuire, Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School
Athletics
- Makayla Choy, Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School
- Kyle Murray, Somerville Middle School
Community Service
- Kyra Eason, Franklin Middle School
- Tracy Rasare, Readington Middle School
Scholarship
- Rachel Amedume, J.P. Case Middle School
- Michael Lane, Franklin Middle School
Renaissance
- Nicole Harris, Warren Middle School
- Daniel Duncan, North Plainfield Middle School
The following high school students received special recognition:
Arts
- Faizah Holmes, North Hunterdon Regional High School
- Diamond Tucker, Bound Brook High School
Athletics
- Kelsey Vieira, Hillsborough High School
- Christopher Warren, Academy for Health and Medical Sciences at Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School
Community Service
- Sinclair Ray, Somerville High School
- Jada Abdullah, Franklin High School
- Gregory Williams, Franklin High School
Scholarship
- Melissa White, Franklin High School
- Gabrielle Jacob, Academy for Health and Medical Sciences at Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School
Renaissance
- Catherine Hawkes, Hillsborough High School
- Earnest Wiggins III, Bound Brook High School
Mrs. Evelyn Field Visionary Award
- Noelle Golden, Hunterdon Central Regional High School
The evening featured a keynote address by Registered Nurse Gloria Boseman, who has been delivering healthcare services to the under-served and under-represented urban communities for more than 30 years, according to a news release. Her work has focused on urban health and lifestyle behaviors.
The National Council of Negro Women and the college initiated the Paul Robeson Youth Achievement Awards program to pay tribute to the outstanding attainments of students in the two counties.