Cinnaminson HS Student Earns $1,000 Scholarship From County

CINNAMINSON, NJ - A Cinnaminson High School student who reads to children with debilitating illness has been recognized with an Outstanding Woman of Burlington County award, the county announced.

Megan Tumelty has been honored with the Elizabeth Coleman White STEM Award & Scholarship award, the county announced. She is one of three students who are receiving scholarships for $1,000, and 10 people overall who will be honored during an awards banquet next month.

“Every year, it is such an honor to recognize the outstanding women in Burlington County that contribute so much to our community through their selfless dedication to others, inspiring leadership and achievements,” Burlington County Freeholder Felicia Hopson said. “Please join us in acknowledging this year’s outstanding award nominees for being incredible role models for all women in Burlington County.”

The other scholarship winners were Rosie Lloyd-Slifkin, of Delran, who was honored with the Celeste Arties Memorial Award & Scholarship; and Arianna Davis, of Willingboro, who was honored with the Alice Paul Champion Award & Scholarship.

The winners of the other awards have been chosen from several areas of exceptional service.
All the winners will be honored during a reception on Tuesday, June 11 at 5:30 p.m. at The Merion in Cinnaminson. The banquet provides a forum to explore and learn more about the often-unpublicized activities of the award recipients.

Tumelty began her high school career when she was in eighth grade, according to her biography provided by county officials. That year, she would wake up earlier than her the other students and take an Honors Geometry class at Cinnaminson High School. She would then go to the middle school for the rest of her classes.

She earned a perfect score on the SATs and ACTs in mathematics. She is also a member of the National Honor Society.

Tumelty is now an outgoing senior who participated in a variety of activities over the last four years. She was a member of the Physics Club, Class of 2019 Student Council Treasurer all four years of high school, on the Homecoming Committee and Prom Committee, and was a member of the high school’s INTERACT club. She played field hockey and was on the track team, and was also involved in a student mentoring club called Cinnamentors.

Since 2018, Tumelty has been volunteering at the Voorhees Pediatric Facility where she reads to and plays with children who are in the nursing home for debilitating, severe illnesses. She also has raised money for the Jane Weilenbeck Needy Family Fund in Cinnaminson since eighth grade. After the money is raised, she buys school supplies for needy families in her town.

Additionally, she has volunteered as her Irish Dance School, the Cummins School of Irish Dance since eighth grade and has taught young dancers how to dance and work together as a team. She also teaches younger girls in her town how to play field hockey. Lastly, she is a math tutor for students in her town.

Last year, Tumelty was invited to be a delegate at the New Jersey Girls State event. She was also accepted into a college program for women in STEM. Through this program, Tumelty takes part in research projects and learns about leadership.

She intends to go to a four-year college to study mathematics, with a concentration on biology. She then wants to attend medical school, and embark on a career in which she makes new discoveries in the medical world.

She wants to excel in the STEM field because her true goal in life is to help people and lessen the suffering of others. She is motivated about possibly discovering more about cancer, and finding ways to effective cure or treat it.

Additionally, she is interested in finding better ways to prevent the spreading of infectious diseases in less developed countries.

Tickets for the June 11 banquet are $75 each to attend the event, or $675 per table of 10 and may be purchased by mailing a check or credit card via EventBrite.

Christine GonnelliWomen's Advisory Council
c/o Burlington County Freeholder's Office
P.O. Box 6000
Mount Holly, NJ 08060-6000

To pay by credit card, visit EventBrite at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/outstanding-women-of-burlington-county-awards-tickets-60704884945.

Sponsorship opportunities and advertisements in the annual program book are also available. For more information, visit http://www.co.burlington.nj.us/268/Programs. The Council is also soliciting items to be donated during a silent auction. To participate please contact Christine Gonnelli cgonnelli@co.burlington.nj.us or call (609) 265-5020. Ads and all RSVPs are due by Monday, June 3.

The Burlington County Women’s Advisory Council identifies and addresses issues that affect women of Burlington County, raise public awareness of the special needs and roles of women, and enhance the quality of life for all women. The Council’s purpose is to advocate for the needs of women, examine the health and social service needs of women, promote the expansion of rights and opportunities available to women, and to promote representation of women in government.

In addition to Freeholder Hopson, other women in leadership positions at the County include: Clerk Joanne Schwartz, Sheriff Diane Jassman, Carolyn Havlick, Chief Financial Officer, Surrogate Mary Ann O’Brien, Administrator Eve Cullinan, Holly Cuccuzzella, Health Officer, Shirla Simpson, Director of the County Human Services Department, Mary Pat Robbie, Director of the County Department of Resource Conservation, Ranjna Das, Director of the Burlington County Library System, and Erin Kelly, Clerk of the Board.

The Burlington County Women’s Advisory Council was renamed and elevated in 2018. Previously it was called the Burlington County Advisory Council on Women. Its predecessor, the Burlington County Committee on Women, was founded in 1987 by the Freeholder Board.