Any pupil in grades K-12 meeting the selection criteria is eligible to receive the award. Each school district is encouraged to nominate one pupil for consideration.

The Alliance is especially interested in selecting students who:

1. Are service oriented and have made outstanding contributions to school and/or community; and
2. Are achieving his or her personal best in school and the community, and best reflect the attitudes necessary for success in academic, business, and life settings.

Since all materials must be reviewed by several people, it is requested that nomination forms be typed. Please submit your district’s nomination via fax (908) 237-1235 as soon as possible AND mail to: Business & Education Alliance, Inc., Inc., P.O. Box 231, Flemington, NJ 08822.

The Somerset County Outstanding Student Award Dinner held at the Somerset County Vocational School, Bridgewater.
Good evening and welcome. I’m Joni Krieg, the Executive Director of the Business & Education Alliance, Inc.. I’m very pleased that you could all join us this evening.

We are looking forward to an “outstandingly” successful evening.

I would like to thank our signature sponsor – Somerset County Vo-Tech Schools – Mike Maddaluna and his staff in particular – for their partnership and support of The Alliance and its programs. Without their continuing support, we would not be here this evening.

I would also like to thank – and recognize – David Livingston for his unwavering support for The Alliance and the school districts. There is a copy available on your table of a wonderful article in today’s Courier News on Dave and his impending “retirement” in July as the Somerset County Superintendent of Schools.

Tonight’s dinner was prepared by the Somerset County Vo-Tech Culinary Arts students. Please show them your appreciation with a big round of applause.

Before we enjoy dinner, I’d like to introduce Melissa Pugliese, Somerset County Teacher of the Year and Science Teacher at Green Brook Middle School, to share what being Teacher of the Year means and to give all our Outstanding Students encouragement to continue doing their best in whatever they choose to do.

Melissa will also be a guest speaker on June 1st at the Somerset County Governor’s Teacher Luncheon. National Starch and I will be presenting her with a $1,000 check that day for her use in her own curriculum this year.

National Starch and the Business & Education Alliance, Inc. are also offering a $5,000 grant for a “Teacher’s Dream Science Project” aimed at generating student interest in science. Information on the grant – along with application – will be on our website shortly.