New Jersey SEEDS Congratulates Scholars and Young Scholars Graduates
NEWARK, N.J., Aug. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Saturday, August 5, New Jersey SEEDS celebrated the graduation of 113 students enrolled in its Scholars and Young Scholars Programs. For 25 years, SEEDS has provided educational access for motivated, high-achieving students from low-income families across the state. Ninety-six percent of this year's graduates were placed in selective middle or high schools with enough financial aid to matriculate. Enrolling students will receive more than $4.3 million from these partner institutions in the fall.
"Our Scholars, Young Scholars and their families should be very proud," says John F. Castano, Executive Director of NJ SEEDS. "For the past 14 months, these rising sixth-, seventh-, and ninth-graders have worked tirelessly ? spending two summers with us and the Saturdays in between ? to advance their education and prepare to enroll in these new schools. I also want to thank our partner institutions for continuing to provide the financial aid for our scholars to attend. The zip code that a child was born into should not define where they are going in life."
Both Programs are free 14-month initiatives for high-achieving, low-income students. The Scholars Program serves students across the state during their eighth-grade year, providing additional coursework and application assistance for selective high schools. The Young Scholars Program works with students in the Greater Newark area in the fifth and sixth grades. In addition to academic classes, SEEDS helps students and their families with applications to selective day and junior boarding schools.
More than 600 family members, friends, faculty and supporters joined students at the commencement at Summit High School. SEEDS alumna and Trustee Taffi Ayodele (Scholars Program '96) gave the morning's keynote.
For a complete list of graduates and special awards, visit our website.
Thanks to the following corporations and foundations for supporting the Scholars and/or Young Scholars Programs: Achelis & Bodman Foundations; Allergan Foundation; an anonymous corporation; Bank of America; Capital Group Companies; Charles E. and Edna T. Brundage Foundation; Ralph M. Cestone Foundation; Colgate-Palmolive Company; The Fairbairn Family Foundation; Investors Bank Foundation; Clara Louella Day Jeffrey Charitable Residuary Trust; Jockey Hollow Foundation; Esther A. & Joseph Klingenstein Fund, Inc.; Page & Otto Marx, Jr. Foundation; David Mathey Foundation; Curtis W. McGraw Foundation; Neuberger Berman; New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company; PNC Foundation; Norman & Bettina Roberts Foundation; Sanofi/Aventis; Lillian P. Schenck Fund; The William E. Simon Foundation; Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation; Henry S. & Agnes M. Truzack Foundation; Union Foundation; Lucy and Eleanor S. Upton Charitable Foundation; and Victoria Foundation.
ABOUT NEW JERSEY SEEDS
For 25 years, New Jersey SEEDS has provided educational access for highly motivated, low-income students and created a viable path for them to achieve their full potential. SEEDS strives for a world in which young people's initiative, creativity and intellect can flourish without regard to socioeconomic status. Since SEEDS' founding in 1992, more than 2,300 scholars have graduated from its programs. For more information, visit www.njseeds.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Theresa Murray, [email protected], 862.227.9145
SOURCE New Jersey SEEDS
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