essex county freeholders honor livingston high school senior sarah cullen

Sarah Cullen – Livingston High School Senior is Honored by the Board

(Newark, NJ) – The Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders honored Livingston High School senior Sarah Cullen with a Commendation sponsored by District 4 Freeholder Leonard Luciano from West Caldwell, New Jersey. The commendation was in acknowledgement of the Annual “Essex County Celebrates Youth” Program where the board recognizes outstanding young people who have accomplished and contributed so much at a young age.

Under normal circumstances and outside of the mandatory “Shelter In” orders imposed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Annual “Essex County Celebrates Youth” Program, along with many other Freeholder sponsored programs, were cancelled to protect the public from the spread of the virus. However, this year, Freeholder Leonard Luciano had informed Sarah Cullen long before April, and any word of COVID-19, that she would be his honoree for this annual event. Therefore, since he is a man of his word and this is her senior year of high school, Freeholder Luciano felt this would be his best opportunity to recognize her before her exodus to the next phase of her life.

Despite the lack of the pomp and circumstance and being lauded by a program with board members, her family, and the like; Freeholder Luciano was proud to make sure Sarah received the board’s commendation, at least for her contributions to her school and community. The board’s commendations chronicles Sarah’s high school career as a three-sport standout scholar athlete.

Recognized by NJ 12 News/NJEA as the Scholar Athlete of the Week, Sarah Cullen was also inducted into the National Honor Society with close to a 4.0 Grade Point Average. A three-sport standout, representing volleyball, basketball and lacrosse; in Volleyball, she is a two-time captain and three-year varsity player.  In addition, she was named All Conference-Super Essex. As a Basketball player, she was also a two-time captain serving her team for three-years on the varsity team and was named All Conference-Super Essex for basketball back-to-back Super Essex Conference Champions and back-to-back 18-win seasons in 2019 and 2020, which has not happened in Livingston High School history in close to 25-years. Finally, as a two-year Lacrosse varsity player, she assisted her team in achieving the status of 2019 Conference Champions, as well as being recognized for Super Essex Conference Leadership Day in 2018.

Sarah has distinguished herself by successfully serving as a coach, instructor, and referee for Livingston’s Youth Basketball League from 2016 to 2020. Under her leadership, the basketball team received the school’s Team of the Year award in 2019 by UNICO for working with special needs children. She also participated in the Shining Stars Program Volleyball Team and participated in the town’s Cops vs. Kids in a volleyball game in 2019.

In the fall, Sarah will be attending Rutgers University in New Brunswick. She is the daughter of her proud parents Joseph and Marianne Cullen and her siblings include Joe who just completed his freshman year at Franklin and Marshall, Becca a junior, and Danny a freshman, both at Livingston High School.