Michele Cucinotta got the surprise of her life at a recent meeting of the Ocean County DART Prevention Coalition.

The Barnegat Township School District’s K-8 student assistance coordinator/Drug-Free Community support coordinator was the recipient of the coalition’s Terrance P. Farley Recognition of Excellence Award. The late Farley, who helped establish DART (Drug and Alcohol Reduction Team) in 2009, developed many drug and alcohol education programs at the community level.

Cucinotta was nominated for the award by Megan Tucker, manager of Barnegat Communities That Care, a component of the…