2022_09_New_Jersey_Monthly

Our STATE of EDUCATION
some time that we need a program at Rutgers
to help support the winery industry,” Tepper
says. “In New Jersey, there’s a need for workers
both in the field and in the tasting room,
as well as in the production facility.”
New Jersey boasts more than 50 licensed
wineries, up from 38 just 10 years ago, according
to the New Jersey Wine Growers Association.
A 2016 economic-impact study found
that wine, grape and related industries accounted
for 1,979 jobs in the state, up 35.4 percent
from 2011. Jobs in the wineries and vineyards
generated a payroll of $85.57 million.
Tepper entered the wine business in 2015
when she and her partner, Mark Pausch, a retired
pharmaceutical research scientist, purchased
a former soybean farm. A year later,
they planted 19 varieties of grape vines. Three
years after that, they began making small
batches of wine. Their 2019 Estate Riesling
won a gold medal and was recognized as best
in show among white wines at the 2020 Wine-
Maker Magazine amateur wine competition.
“I was developing much more of an interest
in the area of grapes and wine, and I know how
to put programs together,” Tepper says. “It just
seemed like a no-brainer to link my professional
abilities as an instructor and educator with
helping the industry move forward.”
The question was, if they built it, would
they come? Apparently, yes. The results of
surveys last year by the Rutgers Office of
Continuing Professional Education found enthusiasm
for the program from undergraduates
and alumni. New Jersey winery owners,
meanwhile, indicated they could accommodate
student internships and would be willing
to hire students who completed the program.
Tepper took a five-month sabbatical in
January to organize the program. The result is
the Grape and Wine Science Certificate Program,
which ran this August for four weeks
and consisted of in-class learning, hands-on
workshops, and visits to vineyards and wineries
in the state, followed by a paid internship
at a winery. It covered grape growing, winemaking
and business operations, and was
open to college students and adult learners.
The program is set to run each August in
the future. —Monica Cardoza
“
This is not some
self-help or New
age program. It
asks, How can I help
myself and how can
I help others increase
their levels
”
of well-being?
— Tal Ben-Shahar
Professor and founder of the Happiness Studies
program at Centenary University
MADISON PREPS FUTURE
GOVERNMENT LEADERS
Before the pandemic began, Shari
Castelli found herself brainstorming
a high school program dedicated
to teaching students about government and
civics. When the coronavirus spread—among
other newsworthy and political events—she
realized such a program was a necessity.
“If the last couple of years have taught us
anything, we need civic engagement,” Castelli,
assistant superintendent for curriculum
and instruction at the Morris County Vocational
School District, says now. “We need
leadership. We need folks who really want to
inherit and care for our society.”
And so the Academy for Government and
Leadership, a joint effort between the Vocational
School District and Madison High
School, was born. The four-year program
begins this September, with the goal of educating
students in all matters of government
and leadership, including public policy and
administration, ethics, and international relations.
The program culminates with a senior-year
internship.
Madison High School is hosting the academy,
but all Morris County students can apply.
Accepted members become full-time Madison
High School students, regardless of their
home district. This means they will complete
all required classwork at Madison—not just
academy courses—and they can participate
in all Madison extracurricular activities, such
as athletics. David Drechsel, Madison High
School’s principal, says that 10-12 students
from outside the Madison district are part of
the academy’s inaugural class. Students may
drop out of the program if they wish, though
non-Madison residents would have to return
to their home districts.
“The onus is on us in Madison to make sure
that students feel like they are getting a really
meaningful experience,” says Dan Ross, Madison
public schools’ assistant superintendent
for curriculum, instruction and personnel. The
hope is that the academy’s unique offerings
and opportunities will achieve that.
Courses include intro to public administration,
international relations and diplomacy,
and AP government and politics. Relevant
speakers from the community are set to in-
Most Likely to Succeed: NJ alums remember when...
Dylan
Tom
Dylan Dreyer
Co-host, 3rd hour of TODAY;
NBC meteorologist; author of Misty the
Cloud: Friends Through Rain or Shine
Manalapan High School Class of 1999
Give us a six-word bio of who you
were in high school: A hard-working
athlete and a studious student.
Favorite thing: Playing sports. I played
field hockey and softball.
Least favorite thing: Just the drama of
being that age.
tom perrotta
Author
David Brearley Regional High School
Class of 1979
Give us a six-word bio of who you were
in high school: Big reader, failed quarterback,
wannabe guitarist.
Favorite thing: My teachers. I had some
amazing, life-changing teachers in high
school. I can’t thank them enough.
Least favorite thing: High school, in the
1970s, was a place where bullies often
operated with impunity.
Leia Gaccione
Chef/owner of South + Pine, Morristown
DePaul Catholic High School Class of 2001
Give us a six-word bio of who you were
in high school: Goody two-shoes, kinda
dorky, artsy.
Favorite thing: Art class, my kind of
people.
Least favorite thing: Kids can be so mean.
I hated high school for that. I wasn’t athletic,
didn’t go to parties. But I still have friends
from high school.
Leia
SEPTEMBER 2022 NEW JERSEY MONTHLY 65