RBR Students for Nation’s Top Schools - Yale, Cornell, MIT

Red Bank Regional (RBR) has traditionally sent its students to the most prestigious universities in the United States. This year is no exception. Three of our top students gained admission to the nation’s most selective schools with entrance to MIT and Ivys’ Yale and Cornell.

RBR’s Class of 2018 valedictorian Harry Jain, a Red Bank resident, is a student in RBR’s Academy of Engineering. He will be studying electrical engineering and computer science at Yale University next year. Harry is a National Finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program and is a 2017 AP Scholar.

He has taken many computer courses and has competed in regional, state and national competitions as part of the Future Business Leaders of America and in Cyber Security competitions placing in top positions. He is president of the Math League and vice president of the computer science club. Harry is a member of the French and Math National Honor Societies. As a member of the science league, he was high scorer in the physics competition. He has contributed stories to the Buccaneer student newspaper as a staff writer and also participates in shot put in the RBR spring and winter track and field teams. He received his home town’s highest ranking student award as well as The U.S. Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence award.

Willow Martin of Little Silver, RBR’s Class of 2018 salutatorian, will be attending Cornell University in the fall. She is the recipient of the Tanner Dean Scholarship, which is only awarded to 1% of all Cornell entrants and grants her $5,000 for research during the summer. She will major in Physics and study astrophysics to become a researcher in the field of plasma physics/fusion energy. Willow is also a National Merit semi-finalist and a 2017 AP Scholar with Honors. She is a semi-finalist in the U.S. Presidential Scholar Program which celebrates excellence in education and the promise of American youth. She is one of 630 students earning this distinction from over 5,300 applicants. Willow Martin is a creative writing major in RBR’s Visual & Performing Arts Academy. She has earned regional and national accolades from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Her play, The Late Shift, was selected to be performed by New Jersey Repertory Theatre in Long Branch, NJ, the only minor to have that distinction. She is the president of the Italian National Honor Society, a member of the National Math Honor Society, competes for RBR in the math and science leagues and participates in the mock trial club. Willow also was awarded the Seal of Biliteracy Certificates from the NJDOE. She was her town’s highest achieving student, and received the school’s Varsity Letter for straight A’s for her junior year. She was also awarded the Walden Scholarship, the American Association of University Women Award for Excellence in Mathematics, The Albert Martin Memorial Scholarship and the NJSIAA Scholar Athlete Award.

Brad Chavero of Red Bank is a first generation American and the first in his family to attend college. Brad received a full scholarship to MIT where he will study engineering. Brad had also gained entrance to Ivy schools Harvard, Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania. He chose MIT for its superior engineering program. Brad is also a 2017 AP Scholar with Distinction and gained 2017 College Board National Hispanic Recognition for scoring in the top 2.5% on their PSAT among all Hispanic and Latino test takers in the RBR region. He is a participant in both the Math and Science League at RBR participating in many inter-school competitions. Over the summer of his senior year, Brad attended New Jersey Governor’s School of Engineering and Technology at Rutgers at B.E.S.T. (Busch, Engineering, Science and Technology Hall. He was one of 72 students selected for this honor in the State. Harvard University also provided him a full scholarship to attend its two-week advanced math summer camp. Brad served as President of National Honor Society, Vice President of the National Technology Honor Society and is a member of the Math, Science, and English Honor Societies. He tutors students in math during lunchtime, and participates in the three running sports at RBR all year long. Every winter, he also coaches at Red Bank recreational soccer. Brad received the Dwight D. Eisenhower Leadership award and the Red Bank Public Library Outstanding English Student award.