N.B. names December scholar-athletes/artists
BY JENNIFER AMATO
Staff Writer

Matthew Burke

NORTH BRUNSWICK — ’Tis the season to be scholarly.

Joey Braccino and Matthew Burke have been named the December scholar-athletes/artists for the township’s Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Services.

Braccino, a 16-year-old junior at North Brunswick Township High School, is currently studying advanced placement U.S. history and French, and honors physics.

“School gives you an opportunity to learn a lot. There are also extracurriculars, and I’m involved with a lot of that,” he said.

His after-school activities include theater, band and the drumline. He has participated in the band since elementary school, focusing on the clarinet, and is a member of the winter percussion line as a drummer.

Within the past year, he decided to try theater to enhance his performance ability. He started with “Godspell” and “West Side Story” and will have a role in next month’s “Theater Revue” skit show at the high school.

Joey Braccino

“I like to be on stage and make people laugh. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and last year I thought, Why not do it? And it’s been fun,” he said.

In his spare time, Braccino concentrates on his musical abilities, playing the guitar and saxophone and writing original songs. He is also involved with the Italian and French clubs at school.

“I have to study hard, with all of my extracurricular activities, but I get it done,” he said. “I make time for school even though I love performing. I make time for education.”

Burke, a 13-year-old seventh-grader at Linwood Middle School, also makes time for education, studying advanced courses of prealgebra and Spanish in school.

“I like math. I like thinking about the problems,” he said. “It can help with [athletics] because for swimming, with my times, I can tell in between how many seconds I need.”

As a scholar-athlete, Burke balances his schoolwork with swimming and lacrosse. A swimmer for six years, he is a member of the Raritan Valley YMCA Riptides in the winter and the Nob Valley Swim Club in the summer, winning first- and second-place titles. He is also an attack for the township’s lacrosse team, which stemmed from his love of soccer and basketball.

“It’s fun,” he said of his first attempt at lacrosse. “It’s more physical than swimming.”

He credits his turtle, Crush, and his German shepherd, Hunter, for helping him with his physical activities.

“[Hunter] likes to chase me and he likes to do a lot of the things I like to do,” he said.

In addition, Burke plays the trumpet for the school band, does community service at his church, and enjoys video games and the computer.

“I like to be busy; it’s hard for me not to be busy,” he said. “Usually I’m running around, but two times per week I make time for myself.”

He advises other potential scholar-athletes/artists to do the same.

“Try your best and never give up,” he said.