around town

Pandey and Grace Chang for Write It-Build It Engineering; and Ethan Wang and Elijah Rivers for Fermi Calculations.

Additional team members include: Aleksandra Mondzrik, Aaron Tseng, Mahir Majid, Piyush Nawade, Sonia Pollock, Rohan Tadisetty, Rohan Rao, Rishi Anarkat, Riddhi Patel, Edison Ryan, Jiyaa Revankar, Vanathi Ram, Xintong Si, Roshni Anarkat and Nishka Desai. Team captains are Mondzrik, Rivers, Wang and Shroff. LHS science teacher Gwenn Andahazy is the team coach.

“Congratulations to the enitre team for earning a trophy and a coveted spot at the state rournament, where competitors must show mastery in 25 scientific and engineering disciplines at a university level,” said a school district release.

Preschool program applications available

The Lawrence Township Public School District is currently accepting applications for the 2023-2024 regular and special needs preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds. These are comprehensive programs that service typically developing 3- and 4-year olds and children with special needs.

The anticipated programs will be at Ben Franklin and Lawrenceville elementary schools. The Ben Franklin program will meet from 9:30 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. and the Lawrenceville Elementary program will meet from 8:30 a.m.-2:20 p.m. All are Monday to Friday. Bus transportation will not be provided.

Eligibility for the preschool program requires that children must be at least 3 or 4 years of age (no older than 5 years of age on or before Oct. 1, 2023), must be a resident of Lawrence Township, and must be toilet trained.

Pre-school applications are available at the Board of Education office (2565 Princeton Pike), Ben Franklin Elementary School main office (2939 Princeton Pike), Lawrenceville Elementary School main office (40 Craven Lane) and online at ltps.org/ preschool/application/tuition.

Return completed applications to Rebecca Guenther, supervisor, Department of Student Services, 2565 Princeton Pike, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648, no later than Feb. 28.

Anyone who has questions, or who is concerned that their preschool child is developing or learning differently, can contact the Department of Student Services at (609) 671-5430, to request an evaluation for preschool special education and related services.

Leadership changes announced at the Lawrence Hopewell Trail

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation has announced significant changes in its leadership with its first executive director and a new chair and vice chair of its Board of Trustees to lead the LHT—a 20-plus mile biking and walking trail through Lawrence and Hopewell Townships.

After 20 years of operation as an all-volunteer working board, the LHT is moving to its next phase of service to the community with a new executive director, Lisa Serieyssol. She will work with the dedicated LHT Board of Trustees starting this month.

Former Hopewell Township Deputy Mayor David Sandahl and John R. Murray, who recently retired from Bristol Myers Squibb, assumed their new roles as chair and vice chair, respectively, on Jan. 1.

“We are thrilled that Lisa, an active transportation practitioner with a special focus on bicycling and trails, will become the first full-time professional for the Lawrence Hopewell Trail,” said Sandahl, an experienced board leader and community volunteer. “She has an outstanding track record in public service, including leading Princeton to Silver Level designation as a bikefriendly community—the highest rating in New Jersey.”

The LHT Board of Trustees elected Sandahl and Murray to the new volunteer leadership positions in October, following the announcement by the longtime LHT copresidents, Eleanor Horne and Becky Taylor, that they intend to retire from the board at the end of 2022.

The trustees also determined that a fulltime executive director is critical to the success of the LHT strategic plan. The trail board has long described itself as an entity created “by the community, for the community.” Under its new leadership, it will continue its community orientation and the development of the Lawrence Hopewell Trail as a much-loved community amenity.

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail is a 20-plus mile loop through Lawrence and Hopewell Townships, anchored by two Bristol Myers Squibb campuses, the Educational Testing Service campus and Mercer Meadows Park.

It serves Lawrence Township and the broader Hopewell Valley region, including Hopewell Township and Pennington and Hopewell Boroughs.

As its executive director, Serieyssol will provide full-time professional leadership to the LHT with the full support and oversight of an active Board of Trustees. Most