NOTES ON PEOPLE (02/18/96)

NOTES ON PEOPLE

High-schooler named Scholar candidate

WASHINGTON - Nadia Sawicki, a senior at Hunter College High School in New York, has been named a candidate in the 1996 Presidential Scholars Program, an honor bestowed upon graduating high school seniors by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars.

Miss Sawicki is one of 2,600 candidates selected from more than 2.5 million students. Presidential Scholars are named on the basis of superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character, and involvement in community and school activities. Candidates are selected for their exceptional performance on the SAT of the College Board or the ACT Assessment of the American College Testing Program. Miss Sawicki scored a 1600 on the SAT.

In March, a panel of educators will select 500 semifinalists. In mid-April, the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars will make a final selection of 141 Presidential Scholars. In late June, scholars will be invited to Washington to receive a Presidential Scholars medallion at a recognition ceremony.

Miss Sawicki is the daughter of Christina Sawicki and George Sawicki. At Hunter College High School she serves as the vice-president of the Student Council and co-editor of the school magazine, The Observer.

She attends Ukrainian School in New York and is an active member of Plast in New York, where she serves as a counselor for younger children. Miss Sawicki is a member of UNA Branch 450.

Writes essay about Ukrainian heritage

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Christina Hancher, a sophomore at Youngstown State University, wrote an article, "Student finds new respect for her Ukrainian heritage," for YSU's newspaper, The Jambar, that was published in February 1995.

In the article, Miss Hancher describes how reading the poetry of Taras Shevchenko to her grandfather helped her rediscover her Ukrainian heritage.

She wrote: "I looked up at my grandfather, amazed. I finally understood why it was so important to him that I read the poem. The poem kept Ukraine alive by keeping the language alive, and a language is more than words, it is the feeling and thoughts it expresses.

"Ukrainian holds in it the essence of Ukraine. The deaths of my great uncles and millions of others are commemorated and valued when the language is used."

Miss Hancher, the daughter of Maria Nakonechny-Hancher and the Rev. Maxim Hancher, is a 1994 graduate of Chaney High School in Youngstown. At Chaney High School, Miss Hancher was a member of the school choir, where she served as piano accompanist.

At Youngstown State University, she is studying chemistry. Miss Hancher is a member of UNA Branch 161.

Elected state officer of student councils

TRENTON, N.J. - Christina Shandor, a junior at North Brunswick Township High School, was elected secretary of the New Jersey Association of Student Councils (NJASC) at the association's annual convention at Trenton State College on January 16.

The election, which highlights the annual gathering of the NJASC, was attended by delegates from over 200 high schools throughout New Jersey. The presidents of the student councils of these schools voted on a slate of officers, in addition to the secretary position.

As the newly sworn in secretary, Miss Shandor will be responsible for administering the NJASC by recording all minutes, corresponding with member-schools, maintaining an archive and scheduling school workshops for the next annual convention.

In a first for an NJASC election, Miss Shandor sent out a flyer to all member schools inviting them to contact her directly by e-mail with any ideas or suggestions. The responses formed the platform for programs she will pursue during her next year in office.

When asked to comment on her election, Miss Shandor replied: "I can't tell you how exciting it was to address the hundreds of representatives at the convention and then to get elected!"

On what the next year will bring, she said, "I look forward to the next year and working with other schools and the state and national organizations. I'm going to get North Brunswick Township High School more actively involved. We have a great school and a lot to offer the state and national organizations."

The NJASC is affiliated with the National Association of Student Councils and the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

In addition to her new responsibilities, Miss Shandor is an active member of Plast in Bound Brook, N.J. She is a member of UNA Branch 353.

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