Vo-Tech Students Take Top Honors at State Horticulture Expo

Eleven Middlesex County Vocational and Technical School students recently measured their green thumbs against those of their peers statewide and came out on top.

According to a press release from the school, 11 students took first place awards, and the school netted an 41 additional ribbons at the annual New Jersey High School Horticulture Expo at Mercer County College, a competition that includes 500 students from 28 schools statewide.

The first place winners from the school's East Brunswick campus included sophomore Hector Pena of Carteret; juniors Corey Blake of South Brunswick, Angela Linke of Jamesburg, Sharnette Killings of New Brunswick, Rachel Smith of Old Bridge and Sabrina Wardrop of South River; and seniors Christopher Borrelli of Monroe, Jackie Driskill of Matawan and Chelsea Jones of Metuchen, according to the release.

Zak Botelho of Colonia and Samantha Soto of Perth Amboy, both seniors at the MCVTS School of Career Development in Piscataway also took first place.

The East Brunswick campus students took eight second-place ribbons, eight third-place ribbons, four fourth place ribbons and three fifth place ribbons, while students from the Piscataway school took seven second place ribbons, five third place ribbons, four fourth place ribbons and two fifth place ribbons, according to the release.

"They have so much creative energy,” said East Brunswick campus teacher Lisa Ann Moschera said of her students, in a prepared statement “They do it all themselves.”