WTI Magazine #57    2015 April, 3
Author : Mary Ann Re      Translation by:

A full house of almost 400 students of Italian from New Jersey middle and high schools competed during Italian Language and Culture Day, the annual signature collaboration between the Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America (the 'academic arm' of Coccia Foundation) and the Italian Teachers Association of New Jersey (ITANJ). Held on March 25th in the Conference Center at Montclair State University, this year's theme was "Il Made in Italy".

Under the leadership of ITANJ President, Comm. Catherine Vignale, and supported by the ITANJ Organizing Committee chaired once again by Lisa Manfrè, Italian teacher at Grover Cleveland Middle School, this program provided an exciting and unique opportunity to showcase not only the Italian proficiency, but the creativity and artistic talents, of students at the middle and high school levels.

Students, teachers and guests in attendance were treated to an amazing repertoire of original skits performed exclusively in Italian, written by the students themselves, and enhanced by extraordinary costumes and scenery they also designed and constructed.

The winners of this year's competition:
Middle Schools
First Place - Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School, Manalapan
Second Place - Frelinghuysen Middle School, Morristown
Third Place - Grover Cleveland Middle School, West Caldwell

High Schools
First Place - Elizabeth High School Upper Academy, Elizabeth
Second Place - Ocean Township High School, Oakhurst
Third Place - St. Peter's Preparatory School, Jersey City

Student Choice Awards
Props & Costumes - Ocean Township High School
Overall Performance - Cliffside Park High School

Special thanks to our blue ribbon panel of judges who were charged with the challenging task of selecting our 'vincitori': Prof. Andrea Baldi, Undergraduate Director, Rutgers University/New Brunswick; Silvana Berardo, Italian Teacher, Madison High School; Carlo Davoli, Director of Education, Consulate General of Italy in NY; Susan Garra Fischer, Italian Teacher, Ocean Township Intermediate; Phyllis Pizzolato, Retired Supervisor of Instruction, Pascack Valley Regional High School District (Chair of the judges' panel); and Anna Ranieri, Retired Teacher, Holmdel High School.

School/Scuola & Insegnanti - Skit/Scenetta
Frelinghuysen Middle School/Marcella Clatworthy, Toni Anne Corsi and Jason Caputo - Le pizzelle abruzzesi

Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School/Linda Schiano - La pubblicità

Grover Cleveland Middle School/Lisa Manfrè - Il bar Mona Lisa

Scotch Plains Middle School/Carmela Lambert - Un viaggio musicale italiano

Paramus Catholic High School/Laetitia Zicchinella - La Strega indossa Prada

Holmdel High School/Ryan Gogol and Elizabeth Malolepszy - La tarantella come emblema

St. Peter's Preparatory School/Rosalie Romano - Dammi un Bacio

Ocean Township High School/Regina Basilone - Forza Italia! Formula 1

Parsippany Hills High School/Vita Morales and Jaclyn Bevacqua - Cavalli contro Ferrè in cucina

John E. Dwyer Technology Academy/Melissa Wells - La cucina con gli Azzurri

Timber Creek High School/Alyssa Sciscio - La strada finora (i mezzi di trasporto)

Cliffside Park High School/Agatino Accardi - L'incontro in attesa

Red Bank Regional High School/Amy Eagelton and Federica Proietti Cesaretti - Tutti al museo

Elizabeth High School Upper Academy/Guido Morsella - Porta a Porta

James Caldwell High School/Giovanna Mangiola - La casa: arredamento/arte/telefono

Hawthorne High School/Marisa Margarucci - La borsa della nonna

Tante grazie a tutti per una giornata 'Made in Italy!'