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FHS Model UN Team, Franklin Youth Council Leader Honored By Township Council

Saffie Kallon, head of the Franklin Youth Council, speaks after receiving a commendation for her work with the council.

The leader of the Franklin Township Youth Council and the Franklin High School Model U.N. Team received commendations April 25 from the Township Council.

The youth council’s leader, Saffie Kallon, was honored because the council recently won the Gasalberti Excellence in Recreation Programming Award by the New Jersey Recreation and Parks Association, and the Model U.N. team received a commendation for recently placing second in the 2017 Model UN Conference in New York City.

“We’re taking this opportunity to recognize Saffie for her leadership and dedication that has resulted in a program that has made a significant impact on Franklin and its students,” Alice Osipowitz, head of the Recreation Department, said at the meeting. “As a mentor and role model she’s inspired young people to become the leaders of tomorrow.”

Students who have gone through the program, Osipowitz said, “have developed organizational and leadership skills, they’re challenged to show initiative, and they’re encouraged to embrace community services. Together they’ve made the youth council a model program that others seek to duplicate.”

Kallon thanked the students with whom she works in the Youth Council, many of whom were in the audience to see her get the commendation.

“It’s really an honor to work with you guys,” she told the students. “I’m just kind of in awe of what you do. You come in as 12-year-olds, some of you, and and you’re with me till you’re seniors, and every single time, every single year I assume I’ll get used to it and I never do.”

“When I think about our emblem that says we’re building a community, I look at you and know that that is some of the truest words ever spoken,” she said.

Nick Batarilo, a member of the FHS Model U.N. Team, thanks the Township Council for honoring his team.

The Model U.N. Team competed in a four-day event in March with more than 1,000 other students, according to the commendation.

One of the team members, Junior Abolee Raut, received the Award of Distinction in the competition.

“Its an honor to be recognized,” team member Nick Batarilo told the Township Council. “It’s just nice to be able to do what we love, we love to debate these topics and open our eyes and our minds to all these different issues that are going on in the world. Thanks to the community for supporting us.”

The council earlier in the evening honored the Franklin High School Lady Warriors for their state championship win this season. The team’s only senior, Monique Davis-Campbell, also announced she’ll be attending Drew University and majoring in Engineering in the fall.

Referring to that, Mayor Phil Kramer said, “We had an example of athleticism and in that example we had an example of brains, and now we have another example of brains. This is a school system that is great and getting greater. These are our ambassadors. Thank you all for making the town look good.”

 

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