Becton Regional’s 2023-24 National Honor Society Induction: Largest Induction in Becton History!

Julia Bubendorf, Co-Editor in Chief • November 30, 2023

Becton Regional High School is proud to announce that we have our largest group of inductees into the National Honor Society thus far, with 70+ students all fulfilling the four pillars of this prestigious organization: character, leadership, scholarship and service. Nonetheless, being a member is so much more than that, as students showcase their talents and academic successes to be inducted as well. The requirement for receiving an application for the NHS is having a 93.0 GPA or higher, and that application then includes questions about community service, leadership skills, Honors courses, AP & Dual Enrollment classes, and involvement in extracurricular activities. The application then goes to a faculty council, which is made up of our counselors and teachers. This committee reviews each application and assigns point values to each portion. If students exceed a certain point value, then they are selected to be a part of the NHS.

The process of setting up for the NHS Induction Ceremony is incredibly lengthy but worth it. Mrs. Amanda Colangelo, who advises the NHS, gives insight into just a small portion of the preparation, “Ordering balloons and flowers, cake, certificates and pins, printing names on them, making sure there are enough candles for students to carry, making sure they are inside of the candelabra, working with our maintenance crew to make sure there’s enough seats, banners are hung, there’s a staff member to manage lighting and music, and making sure there’s some food or small appetizers during reception.” There are miles more of things done for preparation including rehearsals, speech reviewing, invitations sent out weeks in advance, assistance from staff and students such as the ProStart and Culinary team, asking Dr. Sforza and Board of Education members if they would like to speak, and so on.

Photos from this year’s induction ceremony.

As for our inductees, Senior NHS President Christian Perez is ecstatic to be inducted for his second year into the NHS, as he states, “It’s a validation of the continued commitment and dedication I’ve put into the National Honor Society. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve another year.” Being Senior President, for him, includes keeping morale high and encouraging fellow members to continue their academics, as he puts it, “leading, organizing, and motivating members to actively engage in service projects and uphold the values of the NHS.” He does all of this while balancing his AP courses, being part of clubs, and participating in environmental initiatives and volunteering groups. Perez has had a vital role in this NHS chapter’s success and will continue to uplift others.

More NHS members have articulated their gratitude and excitement towards this new chapter in their lives. Junior Angel Wei expresses, “It’s my first year at NHS and it feels unreal!” Similar feelings were expressed by Aili Tutschek, “This is my first year in the National Honor Society. I do think I’m quite proud of myself for getting in!” Tutschek also indulges, “I’ve been an A+ student throughout my time at Becton, but meeting the requirements for NHS was still challenging given that additional requirements are needed, such as service hours. Despite this, I was able to meet this requirement, and even secured a job from the work I did during my service hours!”

Mrs. Colangelo has high hopes for this group of inductees just as she does every other year. “I am extremely proud of how independent and assertive the students are in their leadership roles: their involvement in community service and creativity in finding new ways to help our school and community. Being a member of the NHS means that you are a role model to your school and community. You are always searching for ways that you can set an example to the underclassmen. It’s a reflection of your ability to maintain high academic grades, have positive character traits and be a leader to others. We will continue to do great things for our school and community, and we will continue to serve as leaders and role models to others.”

Congratulations to all members of the 2023-24 National Honor Society. Here is a full list of inductees:

Christian Perez
Timothy Pineda
Emma Aumack
Marcella Tong
Skyla Tallakson
Devanshu Bodhankar
Matthew Bulger
Mariella Briceno-Montenegro
Giuliana Diaz
Vanessa Frank
Victoria Hernandez Garcia
Anastasia Georgas
Veronica Guerra
Aiden Hansen
Szymon Kowal
Kacie Lu
Sarai Luzba
Alexandra Majdanski
Jayson Murphy
Gabriella O’Hare
Mia Padovano
Sean Pedone
Salvatore Penna
Leah Rodriguez
Gabrielle Szymski
Neziha Ulker
Joseph Vazquez
Tuana Elif Aydogen
Emily Duran
Berkay Hekimoglu
Taisha Manrique
Jasdeep Nagra
Angeles Quintuna
Christopher Youssef
Saif Ahmed
Liliana Bravo
Francesca Buda
Olivia Busa
Jennifer Cajamarca
Kaylee Dearborn
Kristen Dearborn
Ursula Denisiuk
Analise Feliz
Charlotte Ferriolo
Baback Ghalamsiah
Charles Groh
Tenzin Gungpa
Eric Jiang
Ysu Lee
Irving Lerdo
Sydney Lester
Abigail Loibl
Steven Longo
Amanda Malave
Jose Martinez
Brandon Martinez
Matthew Messa Aguirre
Nicholas Mosca
Tenzin Namdol
Mia Natale
Sandra Nizborski
Robert Polanco
Kaitlyn Reiner
Allison Rodriguez
Karolina Rupinski
Akash Sathish
Marisa Sclafani
Sonal Shahani
Jakub Slezak
Gracie Taylor
Noella Turla
Aili Tutschek
Morgan Wagner
Angel Wei

About the Contributor

Julia Bubendorf, Co-Editor in Chief

Senior Julia Bubendorf is in her third consecutive year with The Cat’s Eye View and is currently serving as Co-Editor in Chief—what an achievement! In addition to her editorial role, Bubendorf is actively involved in the GSA Club, PAW Club and is interning at the School of Rock in her community. She describes herself as a determined student with a deep passion for her pursuits. Some of her hobbies include playing video games, strumming the guitar, and immersing herself in music. Moreover, she has a strong passion for singing and writing her own songs. In the distant future, Bubendorf aims to major in Journalism and Communication and Media Studies, with a strong desire to attend Montclair State University. The Cat's Eye View holds a special place in her heart, and she would like to go all out for the final edition of her CEV career. “I want to put the most effort I can into the Cat’s Eye View this year than I have in previous years," she declares. The CEV will always cherish Bubendorf’s contributions, expressing sincere thanks for her hard work and dedication over the past few years, as well as her commitment in this upcoming year.