Summit Students Pick Up Governor's Award Nominations

SUMMIT, NJ – Nominations have been announced for the 39th Annual New Jersey Governor’s Awards in Arts Education, the highest honor in arts education offered by national and statewide arts organizations, include four students from Summit.

The New Jersey Speech and Debate League nominated Iain Alvidrez for State Champion--Duo Interpretation in the discipline of speech and debate. The New Jersey Speech and Debate League also nominated Timothy Erday for State Champion--Duo Interpretation in the discipline of speech and debate. The New Jersey Music Educators Association nominated Nicole Lee for the New Jersey All-State Orchestra in the music discipline.
The New Jersey Speech and Debate League nominated Annie Milsten in the State Champion--Congressional Debate category in the speech and debate discipline.

A total of 110 students, along with parents and arts education leaders, will be recognized for excellence, creativity and leadership, as well as promoting awareness and appreciation of the arts.

“ArtPride New Jersey is delighted to honor Zach, who is a dedicated and enthusiastic arts advocate on many levels,” Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at ArtPride Ann Marie Miller said. “In addition to his work with students in performance, Zach chaperoned nine GCIT performing arts students to National Arts Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C., in March. He understands how important it is for creative young people to be civically engaged to ensure that arts programs are sustained for future generations.”

ArtPride New Jersey – the state’s largest arts service organization – will honor Zachery Bates, volunteer Thespian Advisor at Gloucester County Institute of Technology. Bates was nominated for the Distinguished Arts Advocate Award. A 2013 graduate of GCIT from the Academy of Performing Arts, Bates serves on the New Jersey Thespian State Board as the Advocacy & Fundraising Chairperson and the Co-Chair for Outreach and Security. He is also involved with the Educational Theatre Association at the National Level, serving on the Advocacy Leadership Network as the co-chair of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Committee.

Winners of the Governor’s Awards in Arts Education will receive their awards on Tuesday, May 14, in the Patriot’s Theatre at the War Memorial in Trenton. The event will feature special guest speakers, a visual arts exhibit and eight performances from nominated students. A reception will immediately follow the award ceremony for all nominees and guests.

The New Jersey Governor's Awards in Arts Education is a free event that is open to the public. To register, visit www.njgaae.com.

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