Kiwanis Service and Music Awards were presented to Madison High School Seniors Alec Waksman and Megan Riley at the June 20, 2013 Awards Ceremony.

Alec Waksman was presented with the 2013 Kiwanis Nancy Boucher Madison High School Service Award.  This highly qualified student serves as the Treasurer and “points person” on the Key Club executive board at Madison High School. Alex is truly dedicated to volunteer work and helping others. He volunteered for the Special Olympics bocce tournament, worked at the car wash, and helped facilitate a recent dodge ball event. He has been present at every key club event this school year. Alec is self-less and has a quiet sense of leadership that students gravitate toward. When something needs to be done, Alec is always ready and willing to pitch in. He has a calm, pleasant demeanor which serves him well when working with children, people with special needs, and senior citizens.  We are grateful to have a student of Alec’s caliber on the Key Club executive board this year.

Meghan Riley was presented with the Kiwanis 2013 Jerry Vezza Madison High School Music Award. She completed a very demanding college prep program of study. Meghan is more than willing to rise to the academic challenge that a difficult program often presents.  Her efforts have resulted in an excellent grade point average and she was inducted into the National Honor Society.

Meghan has clearly defined goals for her future. She is focused on becoming a music teacher.  She has been involved in every phase of the MHS music program including Orchestra, Concert Band, Marching Band, Pit Band, and Wind Ensemble.  Outside of school she also performs with Drew University’s Wind Ensemble.

When not making music, Meghan is an assistant editor of the yearbook and she volunteers as a math tutor.  She is also very active in the youth ministry of her church and has volunteered to give music lessons during the summer in the summer youth program.  Her experiences will help her achieve her goal of becoming a music teacher.

2012 Madison Kiwanis Service and Music Awards

The Madison High School Awards Ceremony for the graduating class of 2012 was held Wednesday, June 21, the evening before commencement, at the Ferguson Recreation Center on the Fairleigh Dickinson University campus off Madison Avenue.

Among many honors for the graduating seniors, the Chatham-Madison Kiwanis Club bestowed awards on two members of the Class of 2012, one recognizing service to others, and the second applauding achievement in music.

Former Club President Nancy Boucher presented the Nancy Boucher Service Award to Rebecca Levin. Boucher said “the award is presented to a graduating senior who has demonstrated a commitment to service and through those efforts and by her example has had a positive impact on others.” Boucher also noted that Levin has done an outstanding job as President of the MHS Key Club, a service organization sponsored by the Kiwanis, leading the club in 600 hours of service in 2012.  Key Club projects included Color-A Smile, Babysitting for mothers who attended Dress for Success meetings, conducting a food drive for a local food pantry, making gingerbread houses with cognitively impaired students, staffing the MHS Blood Drive and running a dodge ball tournament to raise funds which were contributed to charities.

Madison jazz pianist Jerry Vezza presented the Jerry Vezza Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in the Field of Music to Sharlys Leszczuk.  Vezza said “the award, is given to a graduating senior who has shown a love for music with passion, discipline and dedication to excellence in the art of music.” Vezza also noted that Leszczuk has been active in MHS musical theater production and is a member of the Chorus and Jazz Choir. Leszczuk has played the harp since she was four years old and has won many classical and Celtic harp accolades. She is also an accomplished tin whistle player, vocalist, song writer, story-teller and Irish dancer. She is a member of the Harmonium Choral Society and Harmonium’s Chamber Singers and has performed with the Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey. She is a featured artist in Madison and the region, performing with her family, the “eclectic-Celtic” musical group “Dugan’s Hooligans.”

At the Awards Ceremony, Leszczuk also received the Arion Music Award, William Chemerka Student Council Award and Presidential Award for Academic Excellence.

Madison High School Graduating Seniors Receive Kiwanis Awards

The Madison High School Awards Ceremony for the 2011 graduating class was held on June 16 at the Fairleigh Dickinson University Ferguson Recreation Center. Two Madison graduating seniors received awards from the Chatham - Madison Kiwanis Club.

Club President Richard Plambeck presented the Nancy Boucher Service Award to Emily O’Gorman. The award is presented to a graduating senior who has demonstrated a commitment to service and through those efforts and example has had a positive impact on others. Emily has done an outstanding job as Corresponding Secretary of the MHS Key Club and has served as a bowling team coach for Special Olympics. She also participated in “Relay for Life”, has been an active leader in her church youth group and served as a Morristown Memorial Hospital volunteer. At the ceremony, she was also recognized as writer for the Yearbook, “Alembic”, and for her membership in the National Honor Society. Other awards included Presidential Award for Academic Excellence, Honors Graduate and National Merit Society – Commended.

Madison Musician Jerry Vezza presented the Jerry Vezza Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in the Field of Music to Elizabeth Meek.  The award, sponsored by Kiwanis, is given to a graduating senior who has a love for music with passion, discipline and dedication to excellence in the art of music. Elizabeth has been a member of the MHS orchestra for four years, where she has been a leader in the cello section. At the awards ceremony, she was also recognized for her work as Submissions Editor of the “Glyphs”, the Literary Magazine. At the end of the ceremony she was recognized for her membership in the National Honor Society, Presidential Award for Academic Excellence, and National Merit Society – Commended.

Madison High School Graduating Seniors Receive Kiwanis Awards

The Madison High School Awards Ceremony was held on June 17 at the Fairleigh Dickinson University Ferguson Center. Two Madison High School graduating seniors received awards from the Madison Kiwanis Club.

Former club president Nancy Boucher presented the Nancy Boucher Service Award to Catherine Turvey. She has done an outstanding job as co-president of the Key Club and has served as a tutor for students learning the English language.

Musician Jerry Vezza presented the Jerry Vezza Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in the Field of Music to Connor Leszczuk. He has excelled as violinist in the MHS Orchestra and is a violinist in the Baroque Orchestra of North Jersey, the NJ Concert Opera and frequently accompanies the Harmonium Choral Society. A former member of the NJ Youth Symphony family of ensembles, he’s been a guest artist of the New Philharmonic of NJ, and has played on occasion with the Livingston Symphony and the Stirling String Ensemble. Connor earned the first place championship in the Mid Atlantic Irish Fiddle competitions twice in a row, and has numerous first place championships under his belt. He can also be seen performing with his family, the musical group "Dugan's Hooligans."