Top Ten Projects

This award recognizes approximately ten schools each year for outstanding projects or activities that they conduct in their schools. Nominees are carefully reviewed by the NJASC Treasurer and then the award winners are decided upon by the State Officers at their December executive meeting. Applications for this award are available in September, the deadline for submission is in late November, and plaques are presented at the Winter Convention in January.

Application Form

The 2025 Top Ten Project Awards Application will be posted September 2024

  • The completed application form and all accompanying materials must be sent (preferably scan/e-mail) to NJASC Treasurer Emily Laing by November 27, 2024
  • A project summary, as shown on the application form, must be sent (preferably in the body of an e-mail message) to NJASC Executive Director Lou Miller at lmiller@njasc.net by November 27, 2024

2024 Top Ten Project Awards

Brooklawn Middle School
BIG NIGHT

This MIDDLE LEVEL program actively engages students in intense challenges, fostering team-building skills in a fun-filled environment.  B.I.G Night, also called Brooklawn’s Intense Games, is designed to interconnect the school community, encouraging bonding through exciting games and connections with fellow students, parents, and teachers.  A cherished tradition for 22 years, BIG Night offers students an opportunity to participate, compete, and support each other as they develop new friendships.

Each Executive Board member captains a randomly assembled team of 10 to 15 members, diverse in grade level and gender.  Over two hours the teams compete in events such as Baby Gutters, Human Crane, Scattered Skittles, Tic Tac Toe Relay, and Crazy Cups.  Each event blends fun and competition, challenging teams to work together to succeed.  At the end of each event, teams receive scores based on performance as well as sportsmanship.

A total of 30 out of 80 Student Council members (38%), 100 out of 920 students (11%), and 18 out of 120 teachers (15%) participated.  In the words of Principal Carly Stout, “after the pandemic, we had two years without this event and felt its loss; our Student Council has worked hard to promote and bring this event back to what it was and the school community are super excited about it.”

For more information, contact Lou Miller at lmiller@pthsd.net


East Brunswick High School
WAGON PARADE FUNDRAISER

This FUNDRAISING project was created to raise money for the NJASC State Charity, Hugs for Brady, while also increasing school spirit. Our project allowed collaboration between our school's diverse extracurriculars while fundraising for a good cause.

The parade was a student-driven event. The Student Council promoted the parade to school clubs and hosted open sessions where clubs worked on their wagons together. The Student Council purchased and provided a handful of wagons for clubs to use, although many used their own. Each wagon was based on a specific theme, such as EB Bears (Student Council) or The World (MUN). Student leaders pushed their wagons around the school track during our annual Homecoming Pep Rally & Football Game, where East Brunswick students, faculty, parents, and residents voted using money donations for their favorite wagons. Afterward, the Student Council hosted a pizza party for the club's wagon that received the most donations. 

A total of 600 students participated, with a committee of 29 student council members that planned the event. In the words of Principal Dr. Michael Vinella, “I am proud of my Student Council for their energy, creativity, and their forward thinking. This project not only benefits our students now but will be crucial to the continued success of the EBHS Student Council.”

For more information, please contact Bonnie Benkard at bbenkard@ebnet.org.


Kinnelon High School
HOLIDAY GRAMS

This FUNDRAISNG project engages the high school students and staff in the Holiday spirit.  The concept of Holiday Grams is to fundraise for future Student Council events and support school spirit by purchasing treats for students throughout the year. The Student Council sells the Holiday Grams (Candy cane or chocolate gelt with a message or a treat with a singing holiday gram) from the Winter Wonderland Crew. 

To prepare, the Student Council members sell the Holiday Grams two weeks before the distribution of the Holiday Grams before the Winter Break. There are different purchase options for students with various budgets.  Once we have the final number, we purchase the supplies and create an assembly line to create the grams. The members individually write out each message. 

A total of 545 students out of 545 (100%), 45 out of 45 council members (100%), and 75 out of 75 teachers/staff members (100%) participated in the event by purchasing and/or receiving a holiday gram from peers/Student Council. If there are students or staff members who do not receive any orders,  the Student Council will give a special treat to every individual in the school during the distribution of the Holiday Grams, so all are included in the spirited event.  In the words of Mr. Adam Smith, KHS Science Teacher, “I love this time of year to share my joy of the holidays with others. I send a Singing Holiday Gram while they are teaching to all my colleagues to celebrate the holiday spirit!”

For more information, contact Hannah Sappio at sappioh@kinnelon.org


Maple Place Middle School
ANYTHING BUT A BACKPACK DAY

This SERVICE project combined service to the community with collaborating and competing to have fun.  Different items like shopping carts, pizza boxes, wagons, strollers, and more were used throughout the day. The aforementioned replaces the student’s backpacks, and it allows the students to be more creative, as well as innovative. In order to participate, students were required to fill their “backpacks,” with non-perishable items donated to Lunch Break of Monmouth County.  This service helped fill the local food bank in the same town as our school prior to Easter,  while also giving the students an enjoyable experience leaving them statically excited.

In further detail, members of the Student Council create fliers around the school to advertise, while the Executive Board sets up tables and collects the non-perishable items as the students arrived at school. Items were then boxed, and the custodians delivered the items to Lunch Break.  This makes this service an inclusive activity, as everyone has a role to play. In addition to non-perishables, donations of diapers and baby wipes were also collected. 

More than 75% of the Maple Place study body participated in the event.  Additionally, almost all the staff participated allowing for a fun day to be had by all.  We filled over 10 boxes of items weighing over 100 pounds of food.  According to Superintendent Dr. Laura Godlesky, “It is through events like this that students are taught a valuable life lesson of service and build empathy and compassion.”

For more information, contact Renee Lisotto at rlisotto@oceanportschools.org


Neptune High School
HELLO DAY

This SCHOOL SPIRIT project was created to increase spirit as well as communication and friendliness.  We wanted to show students the beauty of a hello.

To prepare, committee members developed a plan to present for approval.  Once we had approval, we decided how many staff members we would ask to be involved which also determined how many winners, what the prize would be, and a general time that it would take place.  Because part of it was a secret the students didn’t know when it would actually take place.  The staff members were then asked to take part and upon agreement received their coupons and information on the day of.  At the end of the day the students received their prizes and the next day we announced what we had done, why, and the winners.

A total of 20 students took part in the event.  All 30 Student Council members were involved in the discussion at meetings, and 10 (33%) members served on the committee.  The staff involved were 10 each time which meant we had 20 students involved.  In the words of Principal Dr. Arlene Rogo, “Hello Day” was a wonderful way of uplifting the spirits of all with a simple Hello….Students and staff were complementary and supportive.  When students and staff ask when it is being done again, you know the activity is a winner.

For more information contact Catherine Crelin at crcrelin@neptune.k12.nj.us


New Brunswick HS
VALENTINES DAY ROSE GRAMS

This SCHOOL SPIRIT project brings our school community together in an effort to validate and acknowledge one another while simultaneously nurturing a school culture built upon ideals of kindness, empathy, and inclusivity. The idea was generated from a similar campaign organized during the holiday season in December, where our Student Council facilitates the exchange of candy canes and well wishes throughout the school community. 

Our Valentine’s Day Rose Grams event involves a month-long planning process with three key stages: marketing, sales, and distribution, overseen by our executive board and general membership. The marketing team creates a 60-second reel for Instagram and TikTok to generate excitement. The sales team collaborates with the executive board for streamlined distribution, offering packages with roses and chocolate-covered pretzels. We extend efforts to include sister schools in the community. Our distribution team uses sales data to organize deliveries, ensuring efficiency for over 2000 students within a 30-minute delivery window. 

A total of 1300 out of 2200 (60%) students, 30 out of 40 (75%) Student Council members, and 60 out of 180 (33%) teachers became involved in this project. In the words of our Dean of Students, Ms. Yesenia Infante, “This event goes far beyond exchanging candies and roses; it nurtures a culture of kindness, empathy, and inclusivity. Students go out of their way to extend gestures of friendship, fostering an atmosphere where everyone feels valued and cherished.

For more information, contact Joe Dziuba at joseph_garcia-dziuba@nbpsnj.net


Orange Avenue School
TURK-A-TEACHER

This MIDDLE LEVEL project boosted school spirit while allowing students to participate in a fun voting activity.  The rationale behind this project is two-fold: firstly, it aims to enhance school spirit by creating a memorable and enjoyable experience.  The prospect of seeing a teacher dressed as a turkey added an element of anticipation and amusement, encouraging students to participate and contributing to the lively school environment.  Secondly, the fundraising aspect of selling feathers serves as a means to collect funds for a school-related initiative that the Student Council votes on.

Students pay $1 to purchase a feather.  They tape the feather to a paper print out of a turkey with the teacher’s name on it.  Teachers volunteer to be part of this exciting activity.  After a week of voting, a winner is declared! Student Council members are involved in every step of the process, from selling feathers, managing money, and keeping the excitement going.

A total of 764 students out of 868 (88%), 24 out of 30 Student Council members (83%), and 13 out of 60 participated (22%) participated in this project.  In the words of Assistant Principal Steve Van Dam, “Orange Ave School's Turk A Teacher fundraising event is a vibrant showcase of community engagement and school spirit.”

For more information, contact Rebecca Rivera at rivera.rebecca@cranfordschools.org.  


Parsippany Hills High School
HALLOWEEN AT THE HILLS 

This SCHOOL SPIRIT activity encourages students and children from our town to dress up as any Halloween character they want. Participants were encouraged to enjoy their time with their peers and their siblings and trick-or-treat while participating in fun activities in the form of stations set up around the school by different clubs.

To set up the event each of the 13 student council members, with the help of the advisor, and some volunteers set up the school’s cafeteria with decorations and stations, where students can participate in various games and win some candy as a prize. There were more stations set up throughout the school by other clubs with games and candy. People who came were to interact with the stations and win prizes. Stations set up in the cafeteria included many games like hula hooping, cornhole, coloring, and many more. There was also pizza and water sold which benefits the state charity. Candy that was given by the students of our school and was scattered all over the café for people to take and enjoy. 

A total of 20 clubs participated, which included 40 teachers and more than 100 students. Also, more than 40 teachers brought their own children. Student Council also participated in the event including all 13 of the members and both of the advisors. The event had a turnout of 700 - 1,000 participants, which marked it as a great success. As our vice principal, Mr. Keegan said, “Halloween at the Hills has successfully ignited school spirit and community unity. This inclusive tradition exemplifies the positive impact and contributes significantly to our vibrant school culture.”

For more information and questions please contact Elizabeth Mejia at esmejia@pthsd.net 


South Brunswick HS
SBHS FEEDS THE HUNGRY 

This SERVICE project was created to support members of our community who are struggling with food insecurity. We have partnered with the local county food pantry REPLENISH. The mission of REPLENISH is providing a turnkey hunger eradication program to our network of over 150 partner organizations so they can wholly focus on best meeting the nutritional and basic needs within their own.

To prepare for this event all STUCO members, along with members of the Viking Leadership Alliance worked together to provide each 1A class with a collection bin, and a list of non perishable food items to be collected. As each bin was a filled a STUCO member would collect, count, and record the items, and replace the bin with an empty one. Items were collected over the course of one month. The 1A class that collected the most items was awarded a breakfast sponsored by Student Council, as a thank you.

A total of 2850 out of 2850 students (100%), 14 out of 14 (100%) Student Council members, and approximately 150 out of 250 (60%) staff became involved, as well as many members of the community. In the words of Lauren Morris, Activities Director, “This group of students and their advisor are a model of our school’s core values, and we cannot wait to see the amazing things they will continue to do this year....it is a testament to their leadership skills as well as the kindness of our community that this project continues to be successful, more so each year".

For more information, contact Harlee Olsen at harlee.olsen@sbschools.org


West Orange HS
INTERGENERATIONAL BOOK CLUB

This SERVICE project was initiated to encourage more intergenerational engagement.  There was a major sense of disconnect in our community, so the Student Council along with the GrassRoots Community Foundation decided to start this project to reconnect the older generations with the younger generations.

Students who participated were chosen based on outstanding character, leadership within the school, and commitment to community service.  Students were split between the two elderly care homes in our community, to go there with a teacher or advisor.  When arriving, we engaged in multiple activities with the residents including reading, games, and having lunch together to connect.  Students were asked to communicate with those they did not already know and to make connections with the older adults.  This project took place once per month and remains active today.

A total of 45 students, 4 out of 4 (100%) Student Council members, and 3 teachers became involved, in addition to the residents and staff of the two elderly care homes.  In the words of Advisor Catherine Connors, “This project has really brought these groups together and taught them to appreciate each other.  The older and younger generations have lost touch and they both have been able to share so much wisdom here.

For more information, contact Catherine Connors at cconnors@westorangeschools.org