3/25/2011 - Cumberland County Government Day

Cumberland County Government Day

Sixty-four 8th grade students participated in the ninth annual Cumberland County Government Day held on Tuesday, March 22. This event, held in recognition of National County Government Month held in April, was sponsored by the Cumberland County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Cumberland County 4-H Youth Development Program.

This program provides an opportunity for 8th grade boys and girls to learn about county government; to explore career options within Cumberland County Government; to develop leadership skills and to introduce them to the 4-H program. The students shadowed a county employee and learn about their job; what skills are required; what subject areas are stressed and the importance of working well with other people. Over 20 county departments/divisions hosted one or more students.

Students representing 15 schools from throughout the county participated in County Government Day. The students were Donny English, Rosie Green, Carly Jorgenson, Russell Moore and Devin Snyder of the Bridgeton Christian School; Andrea Butcher, T’Azjsha Hart, Quinnterria Nutter, Akshay Patel and Ja’Lisa Smith from Buckshutem Road School; Cherry Street School students Quawntashea Bailey, Najee Gillam, Mark Mosley, Jr., Brian Rahn and Ty’trel Stubbs; Jacob Bonanno, Lane Dilg, Adelia Gardella, Zakery Gill, Heather Koering, Victoria McCaslin, Luther Pierce, IV and Brenda Zeck of Cumberland Christian School and Jennie Ferrara and Krystal Murphy of Deerfield Township School.

Other students attending were: Guadalupe Bautista, Stephanie Fuller, Danea Hayes, Saray Hernandez, Jovanna Jones, Oriana Morales and Kimberly Ojeda-Celaya from the Bridgeton ExCEL Program; Heather Rice, Amari Roberts and Brianna Robertson of Fairfield Township School; Sharon Batista, Kevin Carrillo, Glorible Celaya and Brenda Hernandez from Indian Avenue School.

Also, from Myron L. Powell School, Anni Hueneke and Caroline Wood; De’Asia Feeney, Heavenly Smith and Destiny Thompson of Quarter Mile Lane School; Emma Durham, Kristen Hoffman, Neeraja Thakur and William Mosley, Jr. of St. Mary’s Regional School in Millville; Tristan Ewing, Jackie Martin, Samantha Messeck and Benjamin McAllister of Stow Creek/Greenwich Township School; West Avenue School students Daniel Arista, Naheem Bartee, Ronette Byers, Zarin Holmes, Diana Ramirez and Jesus Santiago and Katie D’Agostino, Richard Beecroft, Jr., Kyle Daddario, Paul Fidler, Dayna Patitucci and Steven Whelan of Woodruff School.

Students who indicated an interest in public office shadowed the Cumberland County Freeholders. These students were Carly Jorgenson, Mark Mosley, Jr., Brenda Zeck, Jennie Ferrara, Danea Hayes, Caroline Wood, Benjamin McAllister, Dayna Patitucci and Steven Whelan. These students had the opportunity to discuss and vote on several mock resolutions in consultation with their freeholder-mentor during the Youth Freeholder meeting on Tuesday evening.

Five other students served in special positions and participated in the Youth Freeholder meeting as Deputy Clerk, under the guidance of Ken Mecouch, Deputy Director/County Administrator; Deputy Administrator under Deputy Administrator Kimberly Wood; County Counsel with County Solicitor Brendan J. Kavanagh; County Treasurer with Treasurer Gary Simmerman and Chief Financial Officer under the guidance of the County CFO Marcella Shepard. These students were Kyle Daddario, Heather Rice, Jennie Ferrara, Katie D’Agostino and Brenda Hernandez.

Certificates were presented following the Youth Freeholder Meeting held Tuesday, March 22, 6:00 PM at the Court House, Broad Street, Bridgeton.

The 4-H Youth Development Program is part of Rutgers Cooperative Extension, a unit of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. 4-H educational programs are offered to all youth, grades K-13 (one year out of high school) on an age-appropriate basis, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability.


4-H is a community of young people across America learning leadership, citizenship and life skills!
For more information about County Government Day or the Cumberland 4-H Program contact the 4-H Center at 856-451-2800 ext. 3.