Laila Caramanica, a junior at MAST, was chosen alongside MAST freshman Zain Akhtar, who lives in Shrewsbury.Carly Baldwin, Patch StaffOCEAN TOWNSHIP, NJ — A student from Ocean Township was just selected by Rutgers University to be the New Jersey delegate to the 2025 World Food Prize Global Youth Institute, which will be held in October in Des Moines, Iowa.The student is Laila Caramanica, and she was chosen along...
Laila Caramanica, a junior at MAST, was chosen alongside MAST freshman Zain Akhtar, who lives in Shrewsbury.
Carly Baldwin, Patch Staff
OCEAN TOWNSHIP, NJ — A student from Ocean Township was just selected by Rutgers University to be the New Jersey delegate to the 2025 World Food Prize Global Youth Institute, which will be held in October in Des Moines, Iowa.
The student is Laila Caramanica, and she was chosen alongside Zain Akhtar, who lives in Shrewsbury.
The two teenagers are students at Marine Academy of Science & Technology (MAST), the vo-tech high school run by the county on Sandy Hook. The competition asked students to research a specific issue related to world hunger, develop a comprehensive paper addressing the problem and propose solutions.
The students had to present and defend their work before a panel of expert judges. The two teens were chosen as the winners, and named Borlaug Scholars.
Caramanica is a junior from Ocean Township and she wrote her winning research paper on how poverty and unemployment fuel food insecurity in South Africa.
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"I wanted to spotlight how expanding education can strengthen both the economy and underserved communities," she said. "Hopefully we can address these issues and forge a better future together."
Akhtar is a freshman at MAST. His research paper was about Pakistan’s water crisis.
"Water is becoming dangerously scarce, affecting agriculture, health and education," he said. “Solutions like rainwater harvesting and NASA’s satellite tools could help, but it will take collaboration.”
“As the Marine and Environmental Science Club advisor, I’m incredibly proud of Laila and Zain,” said MAST science teacher Clare Ng. “Their work shows a deep understanding of global challenges and a commitment to meaningful solutions. Their recognition as Borlaug Scholars reflects both their hard work and the strength of the MAST community.”
The education at MAST focuses on rigorous STEM classes and classes in the marine sciences. It is considered one of the Monmouth County Vocational school district's "career academies," which have the intent to prepare students for the workforce immediately after graduation.
Other Monmouth County Career Academies include the Academy of Allied Health and Science, Academy of Law and Public Safety, Biotechnology High School, Communications High School and High Technology High School.
Questions about the admissions process for the Monmouth County Vocational school district should be directed to [email protected]
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