KRHS names Commended Students

| 11 Oct 2015 | 12:35

Brian Bosworth, principal of Kittatinny Regional High School, has announced that two students have been named Commended Students in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program.

A letter of commendation from the school and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, has been presented to these scholastically talented seniors. Principal Bosworth commented that he was proud of their achievement and hoped they would continue their efforts as they furthered their education. Both students are members of the National Honor Society and they consistently achieve high honor roll status.

Jenna Kepnes serves as president of the Student Council Executive Board. She is a Peer Leader and mentor to Junior High students. She was a Kittatinny varsity cheerleader for three years, where she named All-American Cheerleader for the United Cheerleaders’ Association. She was also named as a Nominee for All-American Cheerleader for the National Cheerleaders’ Association for three consecutive years. Jenna is a member of the Women’s Choir, the Madrigals Vocal Ensemble, and the Choir Council, where she serves on the Executive Board. She enjoys being on stage in the KRHS musicals every year and this year will participate in the school’s fall drama production. Her art work has been displayed by the Sussex County Art and Heritage Council.

Jenna has attended the Lindsey Meyer Teen Institute in the summer and also served on the Youth Advisory Council at the LMTI. She has been a lifeguard for the town of Newton and the Paulinskill Lake Association in Stillwater. This past summer, she worked as a camp counselor and student director for the Kittatinny Players Summer Theater. Jenna is a very active volunteer both at Kittatinny and in her community.

Cara Giovanetti serves as president of Kittatinny’s National Honor Society and as secretary for the Tri-M Music Honor Society. She is a Kittatinny Peer Leader and a member of Mock Trial and the Science League. She attended the Governor’s School in the Sciences at Drew University in 2015. Cara is a member of the Marching Band, the K-Train Jazz Band, the Sussex County Honors Band, the North Jersey Area Band, and the New Jersey Region I Band. She has participated in school sports on the JV Track and Field and Varsity Lacrosse and she been a cheerleader for four years, currently serving as captain this year.

Cara is a member of the Technology Student Association and placed in first, third, and fourth places at the state level and in fourth and seventh places at the national level in various competitions including Music Production, Biotechnology Design and Manufacturing Prototype. She has earned Bronze and Silver awards in the Girl Scouts organization and is currently working towards her Gold Award. Cara has also been a volunteer at the Sussex County Main Library for seven years.

About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2016 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2016 competition by taking the 2014 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®

“The young men and women being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” said an NMSC spokesperson. “We hope this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”