DEMAREST: Academy of the Holy Angels juniors Suha Patel of Alpine and Sarah Onderdonk of Wyckoff have been invited to apply for the 2020 New Jersey Scholars Program, an educational enrichment opportunity for 39 students from the Garden State.
Onderdonk was also invited to apply for the Governor’s School in Engineering and Technology. Held at the Lawrenceville School, NJSP is a tuition-free, five-week summer event for rising seniors. Finalists will explore “The Future of Being Human” in an interdisciplinary atmosphere that encourages them to think in new ways.
NJSP includes lectures and small-group seminars led by faculty from top colleges and universities from around the world, research projects, and a final interdisciplinary research paper.
Students also share their talents in art, music, writing, drama, and public speaking through the NJSP Arts Festival. Participants fully enjoy the experience of learning since faculty members evaluate scholars work, but do not issue grades.
Rutgers University will host the Governor’s School in Engineering and Technology. The finalists will take two core courses. One will allow them to work in teams to build and program robots. The other course will cover groundbreaking discoveries in physics and a look toward the future.
Students will also take electives and work with a mentor to conduct a small group research and design project. Each group will present a research paper. Scholars will visit local corporations, hear from guest speakers, and enjoy activities that customize the experience.
Onderdonk is a Mother Caroline Scholarship recipient and maintains an excellent average that has earned her a place on the Principal’s List and Honor Roll. She recently received a silver medal for her work on the National Spanish Exam.
She is involved in a variety of activities at Holy Angels, and is a founder and board member of the Coding Club.
She is an editor for AHA Voice (the school newspaper) and has been active with Angels Enable, a group that 3-D prints prosthetics for people in need.
Onderdonk is also an Angel Ambassador, a debate team judge, and a member of the Middle States Planning Team, which promotes growth mindset at the Academy.
Her contributions to the AHA Varsity Lacrosse Team earned her Second Team All-League honors. Before she began her junior year, Onderdonk attended the William Paterson University Summer Web Design Program.
She is auditing courses in cybersecurity and web development and completed an introduction to American law through the University of Pennsylvania.
She has logged over 100 hours serving meals to people in need in New York City. In addition, she volunteers as a counselor for Carl’s Kids Summer Camp for underprivileged children at Oasis in Paterson. She has worked as a babysitter and website developer.
Patel is regularly named to the Principal’s List and Honor Roll for maintaining an excellent grade point average. She recently received a bronze medal on the National Spanish Exam.
As a sophomore, she represented AHA as a panelist at the Archdiocese of Newark’s STEM Expo. She was also a finalist in the Telluride Association Summer Program.
TASP is a six-week summer program held at Cornell University and the University of Michigan. TASP offers educational enrichment opportunities to students from around the world. She has also participated in the Barnard STEM Seminar for Statistics.
While she was an eighth-grader at the Academy of Saint Therese, Patel received the Rose Marie Kurtz Scholarship for Leadership and Service and the Award for Academic Excellence.
Patel is currently head of coding and co-captain of Angelbots, AHA’s varsity robotics club. As co-captain of the JV Anjoules team, Patel became a First Tech Challenge finalist. She is a founder and board member of the Academy’s Coding Club.
She has been involved with Blueprint, the AHA literary magazine, since freshman year and is now writing submission editor.
Patel’s numerous activities include involvement with Diversity Council, the STREAM Fair Committee, Society of Women Engineers, and Debate Team. She is a peer tutor, an Angel Ambassador, and a member of the AHA JV Golf Team.