PARSIPPANY — On Sunday, April 29, the Parsippany Hills High School Wind Ensemble was recognized at the NJ State Band Gala 2018, held at the Wilkins Theatre at Kean University.

Only twelve high school bands from the state (the top four groups from each region, North, Central and South) were invited to participate making this a highly selective and prestigious event.

This year is the Third consecutive gala selection for the Parsippany Hills Wind Ensemble.

Only five other high school bands in all of New Jersey have performed at the last three galas and just one other band from the North Jersey Region.

This third Gala selection has established the PHHS Wind Ensemble as one of the absolute best high school bands in New Jersey.

Over the past nineteen years, the NJ State Gala concert has highlighted the accomplishments of over 150 outstanding ensembles and this event continues to serve as a strong advocate of the instrumental music programs in the New Jersey public schools.

“On behalf of the executive board of the New Jersey Band Association (NJBA), it is my pleasure to congratulate the band directors and their student musicians for their dedication to excellence. Their outstanding achievements serve as model and inspiration to all of us who find great satisfaction in the fact that quality music education does reside in New Jersey. Congratulations!” Thomas N. Connors, Executive Board Chair, NJBA.

Parsippany Hills High School Band Directors Mike Iapicca and Michelle Christianson, along with the students, parents and community friends, wish to thank the Parsippany District administrators, Board of Education members and school staff members who actively champion music education in the school district.

They also express a very special thank you to Dr. Barbara Sargent, Parsippany’s Superintendent  of Schools, for joining them during this milestone Gala event.

PARSIPPANY — On Wednesday, April 25, six Parsippany residents received the “2018 Parsippany Good Scout Award.” The Boy Scouts of America Patriots Path Council honored Mo Abdelhadi, BettyLou DeCroce, Al Goldberg, Carlos Guzman, Adam Bahaa Kandil and Crol Tiesi at a dinner held at Knoll West Country Club.

2018 Parsippany Good Scouts Awards

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Welcoming and opening remarks were presented by dinner Co-Chairs Robert Peluso and Karen DeChristopher. The Opening Ceremony Flag Detail was performed by Boy Scout Troops 72 & 173. Eagle Scout Thomas Capatano received a standing ovation from the crowd when he talked about “What Scouting Means to Me.”

Mo Abdelhadi is the co-owner of Parsippany IHOP. Mo began his IHOP career at the tender age of 15 working as a part-time summer job in 2003. He was working with his brother Sobhy Abdelhady who was a manager at the time. IHOP has been Mo’s first and only job.  Two years later Sobhy went on to become an IHOP franchisee. Graduated from Morristown High School in 2006, Mo followed Sobhy’s footsteps by enrolling in Fairleigh Dickinson University and majoring in Hospitality. Mo worked through the ranks from host to server to assistant manager to eventually becoming general manager and now Co-Owner. Over the years of working with Sobhy, Mo learned the importance of being apart and helping your community. IHOP is always looking to host a fundraiser, car wash, donate goods, participate in an event or giving back in other ways to help our community. When Mo is not at IHOP making pancakes he’s either playing soccer or spending time with his wife Juliana and their dogs’ Oreo and Toby. Mo and Sobhy owns three IHOP’s, Elizabeth, Parsippany, Ramsey and will be opening their fourth location in Cedar Knolls shortly.

Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce is a distinguished legislator with extensive local and state government knowledge, an unparalleled behind-the-scenes perspective, and a spirit of bipartisanship.DeCroce serves on several legislative committees and commissions including: Transportation & Independent Authorities, the Joint Committee on Public Schools, Banking and Insurance, Science & Technology, Pretrial Services Review Commission, the Intergovernmental Relations Commission, and the Manufacturing Caucus. She has received numerous awards, including the NJ Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Legislator of the Year; Defender of the Taxpayer Award, for her advocacy of common-sense measures to reduce taxes and create jobs; two time finalist Leading Women Entrepreneur Award; and was recognized by the Displaced Homemakers Network of New Jersey. Prior to serving in the New Jersey State Legislature, DeCroce served as Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs in Governor Chris Christie’s Administration, where she authored the Best Practices for Municipalities, which became a statewide model for identifying efficiencies in local government for reducing property taxes, and recognized nationwide.

DeCroce began her government service career as a Councilwoman in Mine Hill. She then went on to from there to serve as Municipal Clerk, Deputy Township Manager and Planning Board Member in Roxbury, and served eleven years on the Board of Adjustment in Parsippany. DeCroce also served as the first Chair-Woman of the Morris County Joint Insurance Fund, comprised of forty municipalities, where she achieved savings through shared services and negotiated healthcare. DeCroce brings business-savvy and a small business perspective to the Legislature as President and Owner of ERA Gallo & DeCroce Realtors, a real estate firm in Morris County for over forty-six years; and as Vice President of AD Holdings, a home construction company.

She has been declared one of the 50 Best Women in Business by NJBIZ and an NJ Monthly finalist for Leading Women Entrepreneur and Business Owner. In addition, DeCroce was selected to participate in The Emerging Leaders Program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business Administration. DeCroce resides in Parsippany, New Jersey and enjoys spending time with her two sons and four grandchildren.

Al Goldberg grew up in Brooklyn New York. He is a member of Boy Scout Troop 282. Al served in U.S. Navy Submarine Service and worked for Xerox for 25 years as a Customer Service Engineer. Al moved to Lake Hiawatha in 1985 and met his wife, Valerie in 1986. They just celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary. Al became aware of CERT at 2010 Parsippany Day. He joined CERT and continued to take courses as an active member. In 2015, he earned his technician ham radio license and was recently promoted to Assistant Radio Officer. RACES is the emergency communications component of the OEM. They maintain the radios at the EOC-OEM and RACES provides communications for CERT. They have the ability to be the 911 call center for the town if there is a problem at police headquarters. Al attended both semesters of the Parsippany Citizens Police Academy regularly attends Town Council meetings. Al is also a member of the county animal response team and is a state certified Animal Control Officer. He is a Senior Evaluator for the Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs and volunteers at St. Hubert’s animal welfare center working with special-needs dogs. Al is pleased to be able to give back to the community.

Carlos I. Guzman moved to Parsippany,  from the state of New York in September of 1993. He soon thereafter joined the oldest neighborhood Civic Association of Parsippany-Troy-Hills, as a Trustee. The Sedgefield Civic Association was incorporated in the State of New Jersey back in 1952. He then became a four term President of the organization that has recognized the Boy Scout Troop #173 since its beginning in the early 1950`s and as of this January 1, 2018, the association also charters a Scout group called “Venturers” that offers older scouts to continue to participate in outings and other scouting events.

Carlos was born in Bronx, New York. He lived part of his teenage life in Carolina, Puerto Rico. He returned to the Bronx and studied Business Administration and Criminal Law at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Baruch College of the City of New York. He has taken a few positions that he will never forget. After his education, Carlos, was hired by the late owner of Goya Foods Inc., (Joseph Unanue) to work for the most famous and popular Spanish food company in the world, where he worked in their marketing and sales department before moving on to a food distributor “Metro Food Distribution and Supermarket stores” as a General operations manager. He then worked for the Quaker Oats Company as an executive sales representative. After many years in the management and sales industry, Carlos, changed careers and worked as a Law Enforcement Officer for the City of New York where he retired. Carlos married his lovely wife, Irma in 1980 at the main altar of the prominent Catholic landmark, “Saint Patrick’s Cathedral” located on Fifth Avenue in New York City, where many dignitaries and famous personalities have done the same. They are proud parents to two daughters Priscilla and Crystal. He also volunteered as a Girl Scout co-leader and a Spanish teacher at Saint Christopher’s School.

Adam Bahaa Kandil was born and raised in Parsippany. Adam is a graduate of Parsippany High School Class of 2002, and then graduated in 2006 from Rutgers School of Engineering and graduated in 2006. He was the captain of Rutgers Soccer Team. Currently he works as a Civil Engineer and is licensed in both New Jersey and New York. He is also a partner in a IT/Technology Firm. Adam is a Director of the Islamic Center of Morris and serves on the Parsippany-Troy Hills Economic Development Advisory Committee. He is proud Husband of Dalia and father of two boys: Yaseen, 6, and Yousuf, 3, and a baby girl, Dania.

Kandil grew up and maintains a passion for sports and currently coaches both Youth Soccer and Basketball. Adam loves working with youth and is heavily involved with youth events. He is a big advocate for healthy youth social activities and human rights. He strives to keep kids away from drugs and assist to counsel them and feels that it’s very important for youth to have a passion and set goals for themselves as it keeps them focus and their eye on the prize, which keeps them away from trouble.

Carol Tiesi has been a proud resident of the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills since 1964. She moved to the township with her family from Hudson County. In the fall of 1964, she began her career as a student in the Parsippany-Troy Hills School District as she entered Central Middle Junior High. After her graduation from Central Middle Junior High, she entered Parsippany High School and proudly graduated from PHS in June of 1969. Carol’s dream was to be an elementary school educator since her fourth grade days at Robert Waters School in Union City. She received her undergraduate degree and her Art Degree from William Paterson University in 1973. In the fall of 1973, her dream became reality.

Carol was hired by the Parsippany-Troy Hills School District and her first teaching position in the district was at Mt. Tabor School, teaching third grade. She went on to teach at Northvail School, grades Kindergarten, first, second, and third. Carol presently teaches third grade at Littleton School. She has also taught Kindergarten and second grade at Littleton. I guess you can say that Carol never left the classroom! Everyday in the classroom is an adventure. She learns something new and exciting from her students everyday! During her teaching career, Carol has received The New Jersey Governor’s Teaching Recognition Program Award in 1989 and The Parsippany-Troy Hills Distinguished Faculty Award in 1993. Carol is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, MU Chapter, an honorary sorority comprised of women educators. She has served as Altruistic Chairperson, Historian, President-Elect, and President of the sorority. She has been a member of this organization for over 25 years.

Carol serves on the Board of the Parsippany Child Daycare Center and is a Trustee on the Parsippany Historical and Preservation Society Board.

Carol joined the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany in 2009 and is an active member of the organization. She presently serves as the Director of Community and is the Lt. Governor-Elect for District 9 for 2017-18 and 2018-2019. She has also served as President-Elect, President, and President of the Foundation of her club. She received the George F. Hixon Fellowship Award in 2011 and the Kiwanian of the Year Award in 2016. Carol has cooks at Homeless Solutions, helps to organize the annual Breakfast with Santa at the Parsippany Child Daycare Center, serves on the Touch a Truck Committee, organizes the annual Back to School supply collection for the township, helps to organize the Kiwanis tables at the annual Parsippany Street Fair in the Fall, and is a member of the Prevent Child Abuse Pinwheel Committee. After Carol joined Kiwanis, she felt the need to form a K-Kids Club at Littleton School with her colleagues. The children have collected pajamas for less fortunate children, provided books for the local daycare center, raised money for the St. Jude’s Math-a-thon, collected over 500 cans of soup for the local Parsippany Food Pantry (SOUPER Bowl), designed valentines for local veterans’ groups, beautified the school grounds with pumpkins for Halloween, participated in Trick of Treat for UNICEF to provide money for ELIMINATE, and participated in the township Memorial Day Parade.

The Patriots’ Path Council of the Boy Scouts of America provides programs, events and opportunities of a lifetime that serve to shape the lives of young men and women in Central and Northern New Jersey. For more information, click here.

For more information on Parsippany Boy Scout Troop 72, click here. For more information on Parsippany Boy Scout Troop 173, click here.