Rotary recognizes Kittatinny students

HAMPTON — Kittatinny Regional High School Principal Christian Angelillo has announced four additional students who have been recognized this year by the Hampton Township Rotary as Students of the Month. Kelsey Koch, Christian Avarella, Lindsay Gerrity and Dan Chernati were selected based on the criteria of “service above self” at the school and in the community. Avarella received his award in April. He is the son of Russell and Lori Avarella of Fredon and is ranked second in his class of 2012. Avarella participates in a variety of activities ranging from Boy Scouts to playing lead guitar in a rock band. He is also involved with activities to feed the homeless in Sussex County and was the winner of the Foodstock Battle of the Bands sponsored by the United Way and Pass-It-Along. Avarella, an Eagle Scout, has spent many hours of community service with Boy Scout Troop 92, participating in nine separate Eagle Scout projects. He organized and completed the Fredon Township Nature Trail project which involved 36 members who spent 260 hours of service. As a member of the National Honor Society, Avarella assisted with the construction of the Fredon Community playground. Last summer, he spent one week serving as a Kittatinny Boys State delegate. He is looking forward to traveling to Costa Rica with the environmental teachers and students in June. Gerrity was recognized by the Hampton Township Rotary in March. She is the daughter of James and Donna Gerrity of Stillwater. She has been a member of the Peer Leadership Program and a volunteer for many of their activities. Gerrity worked at the summer camp of the Lindsay Meyer Teen Institute of the Garden State. She has been a member of the Academic Team and the Science league. Gerrity has been a member of Kittatinny’s track and field team for three years and a member of the tennis team for two years. Enrolled in AP and honors courses every year, she has consistently earned placement on the school’s high honor roll. Her art work has been featured in the county’s Teen Arts Show. Gerrity will also travel to Costa Rica with teachers and students in June. Chernati received his award in February. He is the son of Mrs. Irene Rivara Chernati and Frank Chernati, residents of Stillwater. Chernati is ranked first in his class of 2012. He has been involved with many service activities while at Kittatinny such as K3D, Peer Leadership, CrossAge Training, REBEL, Character Education and the Lindsay Meyer Teen Institute of New Jersey. He served as a Kittatinny Boys State Delegate during the summer of 2011. He has also “stuffed the bus” in the county’s food campaign and served tables for the Senior Citizen Luncheon. In his community, Chernati helps with SCARC fundraising and serves in his church youth group, where he has started a mission trip to Roanoke, VA, to help repair the houses damaged by the recent earthquake. He has also spent several long weekends over the past three years in the Dominican Republic helping the local citizens. Chernati holds seven varsity letters; one in football, three in swimming, and three in baseball where he earned First Team All NJAC Conference, Honorable Mention All-West Jersey, MVP of his team, and Athlete of the Month. He is also a member of the Future Business Leaders of America, Student Council, and the National Honor Society. Chernati will also travel to Costa Rica in June. Kelsey Koch was recognized by the Hampton Township Rotary in January. She is the daughter of Mrs. Jennifer Koch of Fredon. Koch has been a volunteer in many school-related activities such as the Interact Club, K3D, Peer Leadership, breast cancer awareness fundraising, ALS benefit events, autism runs, camp counseling, and collecting Christmas presents for families in need. Kelsey has 12 varsity letters in basketball, soccer, and track and field, with many outstanding personal accomplishments in each sport including Team MVP, First-team All League and Academic First-team All League, Athlete of the Month, Athlete of the Week, and Player of the Year. Her athletic abilities helped her teams to win Team of the Year and Division Championships. A member of the National Honor Society, Koch has consistently achieved high honor roll status. She has been named Student of the Month and earned achievement awards in all subjects.