Scholars and Young Scholars Graduate from 14-Month NJ SEEDS Programs

Newark, NJ—August 9, 2013—On Saturday, August 3, 106 students in New Jersey SEEDS’ Scholars and Young Scholars Programs completed their 14-month experiences with the organization and celebrated their graduations.

New Jersey SEEDS is an educational nonprofit that transforms the lives of motivated, high-achieving students from low-income families. The Scholars Program is a tuition-free academic program designed to prepare eighth-grade students in New Jersey for placement in academically rigorous selective schools with substantial financial aid packages. The Young Scholars Program works with children in fifth and sixth grades in Greater Newark. Students enrolled in the tuition-free program engage in academic classes before being placed in day or junior boarding schools with significant financial aid directly from the independent schools.

“We’re incredibly proud of our Scholars and Young Scholars in the Class of 2013 for all they have accomplished during their time with us,” says Ronni Denes, President of New Jersey SEEDS. “In each program, these wonderfully ambitious students spend approximately 400 hours with SEEDS in academic classes. That’s in addition to the time they spend in school, in extracurricular activities and completing their SEEDS homework, which is substantial. These are exceptionally dedicated young people who recognize the opportunities that await them in the future if they continue to excel.”

Nearly 600 family members and friends joined SEEDS graduates, staff, faculty and board members for the 2013 Scholars and Young Scholars Commencement Ceremony at Summit High School in Summit, New Jersey. Anika Buch (Young Scholars ’13, Morristown-Beard ’20) represented their fellow scholars as one of the Commencement speakers.

In addition, the event’s Commencement Address was given by SEEDS alumna Chisa Hutchinson. A member of the organization’s first graduating class in 1994, Chisa was placed at Kent Place School by SEEDS. Having never seen a play until her time at Kent Place, Chisa went on to earn her B.A. in Dramatic Arts from Vassar College and an M.F.A. in Playwriting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. In her speech, Chisa encouraged the next generation of SEEDS scholars to “say yes to everything” when it comes to new experiences and ideas at their independent schools.

Congratulations to New Jersey SEEDS’ graduates!

Young Scholars Class of 2013

Scholars Class of 2013

At the ceremony, several students were honored for academic and leadership accomplishments:

• Jordi DeBarros was named the Edward and Barbara Becker Scholar for his outstanding academic achievement and exemplary work while in the Young Scholars Program.
• Emily Ramos was named the Cavalier Scholar. The Cavalier Scholarship helps to underwrite tuition at a private school for a deserving student. The scholarship is generously awarded by the F&P DeRosa Memorial Fund.
• Bianca Swidler was named the Blair MacInnes Scholar for her outstanding academic achievement and dedication to education while enrolled in the New Jersey SEEDS Scholars Program.
• Abdul-Nafea Syed was named the Dwight L. Wilson Scholar for his sense of personal ethics, honesty, integrity, love of education and willingness to work hard while enrolled in the New Jersey SEEDS Scholars Program.
• Amera Youssef was presented with the Dean’s Award for her overall achievement, strong leadership, citizenship, exceptional academic qualities and great personality while enrolled in the Scholars Program.
• Nada Zohayr was named the Amy Ziebarth Scholar for her passion for social justice and strong commitment to SEEDS while enrolled in the Scholars Program.

New Jersey SEEDS would also like to thank the following partner schools for offering admission and substantial financial aid packages to SEEDS’ scholars this year.