Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School organized several holiday collections for community aid

BRIDGEWATER – The Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School (SCVTHS) community continued its tradition of helping to bring some holiday cheer to those in need.

Throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, student groups at the school organized several collections to provide food, presents, and comfort throughout the community.

The SCVTHS chapters of SkillsUSA organized a Thanksgiving Food Drive that provided thirteen SCVTHS families with menu items for the traditional feast, including turkey, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, stuffing and other favorites. In addition, each family also received a fresh pumpkin pie baked by students in the Culinary Program.

Members of SCVTHS chapter of HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) with some of the coats they collected for the Jersey Cares Winter Coat Drive. Pictured are (seated, l-r) Sara Mora Gomez of Bound Brook, Jayden Bui of Bridgewater, Paul Lehofer of Skillman, Isa Malik of North Plainfield. (standing l-r) Health Occupations Instructor Stephen Palmer, Jaylin Rivera of Somerset, Sadie Pivarnik of Somerville, Josephine Vioreanu of Raritan, Glendalyn Jardine of Bridgewater, Anya Konduru of Hillsborough, Alejandro Karako of Bridgewater, Yosimar Lopez of South Bound Brook, Valeria Reinoso of Hillsborough, Sarah Bahnasy of Bound Brook, Treesa Joby of Hillsborough, Yveth Aldaz of Bound Brook, Annabelle Wong of Bridgewater, Faith Duenas of Bridgewater, Melissa Gallegos of Bridgewater, and Health Occupations Instructor Kim Vasaturo.

Members of the school’s chapter of HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) continued a 13-year partnership with Jersey Cares, collecting 42 coats for their Winter Coat Drive. The donated clothing will be distributed throughout New Jersey, and will provide something warm to wear for people in need this winter.

Another long-standing tradition is the toy drive organized by students in the Cosmetology Program. For the past ten years, students in the program have collected toys for patients being treated at the pediatrics unit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. This year, over 70 items were donated to the toy drive, which is held in memory of Mackenzie Wright, the niece of Cosmetology instructor Julie Francis.

Photo: Students and staff involved in the TOPS Program at SCVTHS on their way to deliver some of the toys they collected for children at Agape House. Pictured (l-r) are TOPS students Johnathon Bester-Montenegro of Somerset,Andrew Deehan of Gladstone, Instructor Cristina Perrone, Grant Ferrara of Middlesex, Mecca Walden of Bound Brook and Instructional Aide Karen Morlock.

The TOPS program at SCVTHS also collected presents, continuing their partnership with Agape House, a division of Volunteers of America. The students distributed “wish lists” to the school community, then collected and wrapped the donated items. As a result, the holidays were made a little brighter for 39 children whose families are receiving emergency shelter at Agape House.

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