Marlboro students, staff honored; Healthy Futures Club schedules community blood drive

Marlboro Township’s school board devoted the start of its Jan. 20 meeting to honoring staff and student achievements across the district.

Staff kindness certificates recognized mental-health professionals, nurses, vice principals and other staff at Marlboro Middle School for work parents and colleagues described as ‘‘going above and beyond.’’ Students and staff posed for group photos and received certificates as the board applauded the nominations.

Students from Marlboro Middle School’s Healthy Futures Club described training they have provided this year — including CPR and bleeding-control instruction — and announced their third annual community blood drive for March 14, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Club leaders said the program’s prior drives helped collect blood that could save hundreds of lives and asked for community sign-ups and local business donations for a donor raffle.

Student leadership group the Hawks and the school’s art department also presented. Jackie Sabo, who identified herself as a school psychologist and Hawks advisor, described the Hawks mission as ‘‘helping all with kindness and support’’ and outlined planned awareness activities tied to pediatric cancer. Art teachers showed a video of student work and announced that Marlboro Middle School produced eight county calendar winners; Jasmine Ibrahim was named the contest’s grand-prize winner and students whose art was selected received certificates and copies of the county calendar.

At Robertsville Elementary School, Team Turtle — a student STEAM team that placed third in the New Jersey School Boards Association STEAM Tank competition — was recognized and awarded a $1,000 prize for a device designed to reduce turtle entanglement in fishing nets.

Why it matters: The presentations highlight ongoing student engagement in civic and health-related service and show district efforts to pair curricular work (art, STEM) with community outreach. The board also used the session to spotlight parent–school collaboration and PTO contributions.

What happens next: The Healthy Futures Club requested community participation for the March 14 blood drive and distributed sign-up materials. The board did not take formal action on the recognitions, which were ceremonial.