ACHIEVEMENTS

LEBANON TOWNSHIP

Student gets certificate

in childhood education

Marissa Cerwinski, 18, of Lebanon Township cares so much for children, she decided to take classes in how to nurture them. In high school, at Hunterdon County Polytech in Flemington, she participated in the Early Childhood Program and worked toward her Child Development Associate credential.

On Oct. 19, as a first-year student at Raritan Valley Community College, the Council for Professional Recognition awarded Cerwinski her credential.

The council promotes improved performance and recognition of professionals in early childhood care and education. The credentialing program works to assess the professionals. For more information on the program visit www.cdacouncil.org.

To earn the CDA, Cerwinski needed to log a minimum of 480 hours of working with young children. After graduating from RVCC she plans to attend Richard Stockton College and study speech therapy.

BASKING RIDGE

Piano studies lead

to Carnegie appearance

Ashley Zhou began playing the piano at age 5.

Now the freshman at the Pingry School completed a performance in Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall on Oct. 10.

Zhou made her way to the showcase after competing in Level 11 of the Young Artist Division of the 2009 World Piano Competition in June in Cincinnati, where she won a silver medal in both the solo and concerto competitions.

At Carnegie Hall she played Chopin's "Scherzo in B Minor."

"I decided that, for this competition, I wanted something exciting and filled with anxiety, but there are also slower parts that provide contrast," she said.

Away from the piano, the Basking Ridge resident writes poetry, short stories and plays.

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