School Board Recognizes Scholars, Champions and Volunteers

Before its public reorganization meeting on Thursday, the Ocean City Board of Education and Superintendent Kathleen Taylor paused to recognize scholars, athletes and a large handful of community members who helped bring two projects to fruition: a new rain garden in the courtyard of the Ocean City Intermediate School and a new observatory adjacent to Ocean City High School.

Taylor made presentations honoring two Advanced Placement National Scholars, the state-championship field hockey team and the volunteers who made the rain garden and observatory possible.

AP NATIONAL SCHOLARS

Class of 2012 Valedictorian Sarah Ford and Salutatorian Matt Caulfield were named AP National Scholars.

They qualified for the honor by taking at least eight AP courses and scoring 4 or better (on a scale of 5) on each of them.

Ford, who attends the University of Pittsburgh, was unable to attend the presentation. Caulfield, a Georgetown University freshman, said the AP courses helped him earn 24 credits — a semester and a half's worth.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD HOCKEY TEAM

Taylor recognized the coaches and players of the field hockey team that won the Group III state title this fall.

She honored Coach Cory Terry, a sixth-grade science teacher at Ocean City Intermediate School and a former Ocean City High School athlete, who led the Red Raiders to the title.

Terry has a 61-3 record in her three years as coach since succeeding legendary Coach Trish LeFever. Her record includes two South Jersey titles and a state title.

In her playing days on the Ocean City field hockey and softball teams, Terry was named OCHS Athlete of the Century. She went on to compete for Princeton University.

This year's team went 21-1 this year, including a perfect 13-0 record in Cape-Atlantic League competition. The team won by shutout in all but two games, while scoring 114 goals.

Terry said her team's "resilience was incredible."

Even after Hurricane Sandy struck on Oct. 29, and the team lost its home field and a week of practice time, players talked about just being happy to be back together as a team, Terry said.

"There's something special about these girls," she said.

RAIN GARDEN

With the help of a grant from Sustainable Energy of New Jersey and a host of community members, the Ocean City Intermediate School completed a rain garden in a courtyard at the school.

The area provides a place for both education and reflection.

Taylor thanked the following for their contributions to the project:

• Bayside Construction
• Ocean City Shade Tree Committee
• Ocean City Environmental Commission
• Landscape architect Jennifer Horn
• Carpenters Local 225

OBSERVATORY

With funding from the Ocean City Education Foundation and the Ocean City Free Public Library, Ocean City High School dedicated a new observatory in September.

Taylor thanked the following for their work in making the project happen:

• Joe Burns, a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and Matt Oster, an Ocean City High School science teacher, who together envisioned and spearheaded the project starting seven or eight years ago.
• The Ocean City Education Foundation, which provided funding for the project.
• The Ocean City Free Public Library, which provided funding for the project.
• Architect Bob Garrison and builder Russell Snow
• The City of Ocean City, which allowed the observatory to be built on city property.
• Perone Electric
• Action Supply
• Ocean City Home Bank
• Allegretto Plumbing