These Gloucester Twp. Students Are Among County's Best In Class

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Students who attend public schools in Gloucester Township are among 234 senior students countywide who were honored as the “Best of Class 2021” award recipients.

The Camden County Commissioner Board’s “Best of Class” awards honor students in seven categories: most courageous, community service, leadership, performing arts, most improved, school spirit and best overall.

“We are proud to recognize seniors from every high school in Camden County who have demonstrated pride in academic achievement and strive to improve themselves while helping others in their communities,” Camden County Commissioner Deputy Director Ed McDonnell said. “Unfortunately, we were not able to gather in-person to celebrate these incredible students, but we remain extremely excited to honor them virtually and provide other ways that they can share their accomplishments with friends, family, and our community.”

Each student will receive a Best of Class medal and certificate, which they can proudly display to signify their accomplishments.

The following students who attend schools in the Black Horse Pike Regional School District and the Camden County Technical School in Gloucester Township were honored by county commissioners this week:

Leadership Award

Michael D’Amico
Highland Regional High School
Attending Ursinus
Favorite High School Memory: My fondest highschool memory was spent playing football with my teammates who will be my family now and for the rest of my life.

Arianna Harley
Camden County Technical School – Gloucester Township Campus
Attending The College of New Jersey
Favorite High School Memory: My favorite high school memory is attending FCCLA Conferences. I cherish them because it was exciting to travel with my peers, sit in on enriching workshops, and see the hard work I put into my projects pay off.

Sierra Muns
Timber Creek Regional High School
Attending Texas Woman’s University
Favorite High School Memory: My best high school memory is traveling to Florida for DECA ICDC. This was an international competition held in Florida and I went on behalf of TC DECA. As the president, I was so happy to bring so much great information back to our club and watch the membership grow and flourish with my help.

Francis Runquist
Triton Regional High School
Attending Ursinus College
Favorite High School Memory: My best memory at Triton was when I got involved freshman year. Getting involved I was able to meet people from the other middle schools who I didn’t know. Also I had no clue that them same people would be some of my closest friends now in senior year.

Community Service Award

Connor Evangelisto
Highland Regional High School
Attending Ursinus College
Favorite High School Memory: My Swim Team winning the Liberty Division Title this Year.

Myrna Kassem
Timber Creek Regional High School

Angelica Sanchez Benito
Camden County Technical School – Gloucester Township Campus

Christopher Still
Triton Regional High School
Attending Xavier University of Louisiana
Favorite High School Memory: My best high school memory is definitely the first day of my sophomore year history honors class. This class was not only enjoyable for me, but also served as a real forum for different ideas. I didn’t realize it then, but that class has had a really big influence on me today.

Most Improved Student Award

Jeniyah Eure
Highland High School

Sia Fauntleroy
Timber Creek Regional High School

Jared Preston
Camden County Technical School – Gloucester Township Campus

Phuong Tran
Triton Regional High School
Attending University of the Sciences of Philadelphia
Performing Arts Award

Emily Hicken
Highland High School

Jared McCallion
Timber Creek Regional High School
Attending Rowan University
Favorite High School Memory: When I was chosen to be the lead role of the musical in my freshman year, it was a big confidence boost for me and really helped shape the rest of my high school career.

Amber Miller
Camden County Technical School – Gloucester Township Campus
Attending Rowan University
Favorite High School Memory: My most prized high school memory has to be performing in the All State New Jersey chorus. Getting to work with peers and being able to learn from them was fun. Opportunities like that always kept me excited about going to college because I know I still have a lot to learn from my peers and my future professors. Being able to sing in a hall such as NJPAC was also such a great experience that I will never forget.

Allison Passalacqua
Triton Regional High School
Attending Rowan University
Favorite High School Memory: By far, my best high school memory was on the stage during my Sophomore year. I had never stepped a foot on the stage in my life and suddenly found myself playing a lead, M’Lynn, in Steel Magnolias. Despite my nerves, opening night was one of the best moments in my life. Being swept up into the thrill of the stage is the most freeing experience I’ve ever experienced. Theatre also creates amazing connections with the cast, and a second family you never knew you needed.

Most Courageous Student Award

Tyler Connolly
Timber Creek Regional High School

Francis Hill
Camden County Technical School – Gloucester Township Campus
Attending Rutgers University – New Brunswick
Favorite High School Memory: My best memory in high school is when my career program would go to compete and we would just have fun and run around the other team’s school.

Jaclyn Park
Triton Regional High School
Attending Camden County College
Favorite High School Memory: All the spirit weeks we have had over the years, we did our best and it was always fun doing hallway decorating.

Bless Suh-Neba
Highland Regional High School
Attending Camden County College
Favorite High School Memory: Senior Night with my team mates.

School Spirit Award

Madison Benfield
Triton Regional High School
Attending Ursinus College
Favorite High School Memory: Although I may not have realized it at the time, my final Homecoming dance was the best memory I have of high school so far! After the pandemic took away what was left of my junior year and the majority of my senior year, I am able to look back with admiration for the sense of freedom and normalcy that I felt that day. From setting up for the dance in the morning, to dancing the night away with my friends, I will never forget the energy and spirit of that night in October of 2019!

Maniyah Dixon
Camden County Technical School – Gloucester Township Campus
Attending Rutgers University – New Brunswick
Favorite High School Memory: My best high school memory is when I tried out for my first sport. I had tried out for volleyball and made the team. Volleyball has done alot for me. My team as well as my coach always pushed me to do my best, and I am very appreciative of that.

Mykhe Martinez
Highland Regional High School
Attending Rutgers University – Camden
Favorite High School Memory: When I attended my school’s first pep-rally as a freshmen.

Julia McMaster

Timber Creek Regional High School
Attending Rutgers University – New Brunswick
Favorite High School Memory: I made so many good memories at every home football game, field hockey game, and even in my classes, but my all-time favorite high school memory has to be the Senior Scavenger hunt that was held for the first time this year. After a long quarantine, it was really nice to see the whole class back together having fun.

Best Overall Student

Olivia Albertson
Timber Creek Regional High School
Attending Fairfield University

Angelica Sanchez
Camden County Technical School – Gloucester Township Campus
Attending Camden County College
Favorite High School Memory: I have so many good memories in high school, I don’t think anything can replace my freshman year lunch table, the games I played in gym with my friends, and the crazy lovable teachers I had. I’ll never forget the bee my English teacher taped on the white board, and called “McCarty Bee.”

Erica Simmons
Highland Regional High School
Attending Brown University
Favorite High School Memory: My best highschool memory would have to be decorating the junior hallway for Halloween with my class advisors, Mr. Wonderlin and Mr. Oberg, and my close friends until like 9 p.m.

Erin Sommers
Triton Regional High School
Attending The College of New Jersey
Favorite High School Memory: High school has been absolutely amazing, it is really hard to pick just one memory. If I had to pick one though, it would have to be during freshman year lacrosse season after we beat Gateway 9-8 on their senior night. The bus ride home was something that I will never forget, it was around 9 pm because we played under the lights on the turf and the first song that came on was “Don’t Stop Believing”. Everyone was screaming the lyrics together and just overall together at that moment. It was probably the first distinct memory I have that made me feel part of the Triton family that I remember hearing the upperclassman talk about.